Democracy Happy Hour - April 30, 2025

Fix Democracy First hosts a weekly Democracy Happy Hour on Wednesdays @ 5-6:30pm PT. Grab a drink and join us and learn about the latest democracy efforts, challenges, solutions, as well upcoming events and actions.

This is a recurring event. You only have to register once. Register here.

Stories Change Power: The Nine Rights Framework    

With Piper Hendricks

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/TlYHr2Q1JGm4Ayh8LsZ_bAeLu0NW3oelGSuX_U06CJrRylT8SKDM8v33U14vLqapgJOMz2k7Kpcssjs.XmjklWTRXYB9e9vw

• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/snYfDfFHOz03H8bIeadFBvKl3JDjKd9E6h_EEJToSa2kNcpBss-Qss96FJRn6WBm3k_MHgJDu3_0A_f2.s6N48NMtOMNVCSmV

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/ldMYSUKMnRvFddeArzAlmiUB3I5zYNN9Sgr4g145yXGjb9ZsGCXgsaqTwfY6sZ2x6swDpoiAk6pDKzM.m5_oDaPAXUS2AlHM

• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/H1jPvOLM9QPh_5Yiou4g0OJjVvLETFV494GZssaNGCIrC9sdbmfhxFieEpPee0b9W4_L93UJgoM1NQU.iBGOuBnZIMZzrM2C

Meeting resources

Stories Change Power - https://www.storieschangepower.org

5 Platform - Webinar on modernizing Congress: https://youtu.be/ZHRYEudaudk

7 Team - Blog on being a choir (not McDonalds): https://www.storieschangepower.org/blog-posts/organization-wide-approach-mcdonalds-same-boat-or-glimmery-gospel-choir

Webinar on coalition building: https://youtu.be/4FiYRW7uIE8

8 Approach - Working Well Without Burning Out (webinar) https://youtu.be/ibJupGTQCs0

Enough talk of oxygen masks: https://www.storieschangepower.org/blog-posts/wellbeing-in-tough-jobs-trade-your-oxygen-mask-for-a-teacup

Working Well Without Burning Out (webinar) https://youtu.be/ibJupGTQCs0

9 Metrics - Webinar on data in your advocacy: https://youtu.be/AQc05ZeBjJk

(SCIM) Social Cohesion Impact Measurement: https://www.listenfirstproject.org/goals-and-measures

CONCLUSION - Learn more about Stories Change Power's Learning Communities: https://youtu.be/KlO_x4NzIm8

Sign up for Stories Change Power's every-other-Friday newsletter: https://storieschangepower.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=1feaf285d34607f5be00450ce&id=ab3d6413c5

Stay looped in on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stories-change-power/

FDF Links

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/
• Donate to Fix Democracy First here: https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule

• May 7 - Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map with Carolyn Lukensmeyer
• May 14 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hour this week (Cindy will be in Phoenix for the American Democracy Summit).
• May 21 - Increasing Civic Youth Engagement with Jeannemarie Halleck
• May 28 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hour this week (Cindy will be attending a WA State Democracy Summit.)
• Jun 4 - Ranked-Choice Voting: How the Votes are Counted and Why It Leads to More Democratic Outcomes with Damien Burke, OpaVote

Actions and events

Actions

• 5 Calls - https://5calls.org/
• How You Can Protect Democracy - 29 concrete actions you can take right now to protect democracy - https://protectdemocracy.org/how-to-protect-democracy
• Join a local Indivisible group - https://indivisible.org/groups
• Join Braver Angels - https://braverangels.org/get-involved/#become-member
• May Day Nation Day of Action – May 1^st = https://maydaystrong.org/
• Paths to Understanding - The Potluck Project – https://pathstounderstanding.org/get-involved/potluck
• Protect Public Media Funding - https://protectmypublicmedia.org/
• Share Your Democracy Story, Declaration for American Democracy  -  https://dfadcoalition.org/story
• Stop the SAVE Act (emails) -  https://win.newmode.net/declarationforamericandemocracycoalition/stopthesaveact
• Tell your Senators to oppose the SAVE Act - https://www.lwv.org/take-action/tell-your-members-congress-oppose-save-act
• The Freedom Writers Collaborative - https://freedomwriterscollaborative.org/
• The People's Hub for Grassroots Democracy Organzing - https://www.usgrassroots.org

Events

• 50501 - https://www.fiftyfifty.one – Next National Day of Action
• May Day Events - https://www.mobilize.us/mayday
• We’re Worth Fighting & Other Events with Election Response Center - https://www.mobilize.us/electionresponsecenter/?utm_source=fixdemocracyfirst

Democracy in the News

Resources

• All of the Trump Administration’s Major Moves in the First xx Days - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/trump-agenda-2025.html
• Democracy 2025 – Democracy 2025 is the strategic hub to protect people and their rights should the Trump-Vance administration seek to unlawfully strip away freedoms and prosperity. -  https://www.democracy2025.org/
• The People's Hub For Grassroots Democracy Organizing  - https://www.usgrassroots.org/
• Tracking the Lawsuits Against Trump’s Agenda - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/trump-administration-lawsuits.html
• Trump Administration Highlights - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/03/18/us/trump-president-news
• Trump’s first 100 days: Steamrolling government, strong-arming allies, igniting trade wars - https://apnews.com/politics/trumps-first-100-days-steamrolling-government-strong-arming-allies-igniting-trade-wars-000001965daeda12a1b77fee99900000
• Trump’s first 100 days, in 10 charts - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/29/trump-first-100-days-approval-rating
• What has Trump done today? - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2025/trump-administration-actions

April 2025

April 17

• Millions in campaign style ads hit TV, but there's no campaign - https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/millions-in-campaign-style-ads-hit-tv-but-theres-no-campaign/3893865

April 21

• Trump-connected lobbying firm Ballard Partners rakes in $14M in first quarter - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/21/ballard-lobbying-trump-revenues-00301056

April 23

• A dozen states sue the Trump administration to stop tariff policy - https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-lawsuit-what-states-sue-0d6531b7f60aaa2f7c6c35e0a944d4a9
• North Carolina judges block GOP law to strip governor’s election board powers - https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-governor-legislature-elections-board-auditor-44db0cb156c701577b9cb2d22b1d135f
• Private prison companies positioned to benefit from increased deportations - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2025/04/private-prison-companies-positioned-to-benefit-from-increased-deportations
• Texas governor signs bill creating another DOGE-inspired effort at the state level - https://apnews.com/article/texas-doge-musk-24f8f077c7989445f7de3a252c6a49bc
• The Campaign Finance System Americans Could Have Had - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/campaign-finance-system-americans-could-have-had
• Trump’s Approval Rating Has Been Falling Steadily, Polling Average Shows - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/us/politics/trump-approval-rating.html

April 24

• Big Ten university faculties push for defense compact against Trump - https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/04/24/big-10-universities-alliance-trump-attacks
• Judge bars Trump from denying funds to ‘sanctuary’ cities like Seattle - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/judge-bars-trump-from-denying-funds-to-sanctuary-cities-like-seattle
• Judge halts parts of Trump’s overhaul of US elections, including proof-of-citizenship requirement - https://apnews.com/article/trump-elections-executive-order-citizenship-lawsuit-4b683fe2e1106316fdb05621be9b7d0e
• Rulings coming fast and furious in lawsuits over Trump’s policies on immigration, elections and DEI - https://apnews.com/article/trump-lawsuit-dei-immigration-deportation-elections-525fdb67d66c76e051a17b84c8b7948c
• Texas Voting Bills Could Criminalize Registration, Restrict Ballot Access - https://www.reformaustin.org/elections/texas-voting-bills-could-criminalize-registration-restrict-ballot-access/
• Trio of rulings freezes Trump’s anti-DEI directives for schools - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/24/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-education-department-from-enforcing-dei-orders-00307831
• Trump asks Supreme Court to allow ban on transgender members of the military to take effect, for now - https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-military-ban-lawsuits-880be4a245f214006cacb294f6c72536
• Trump Directs Justice Dept. to Investigate ActBlue, Democrats’ Cash Engine - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/us/politics/trump-actblue-democrats.html
• Trump Guts Key Civil Rights Protections With New Executive Order - https://truthout.org/articles/trump-guts-key-civil-rights-protections-with-new-executive-order/

April 25

• George Santos’s Closing Act: A Prison Sentence of More Than 7 Years - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/25/nyregion/george-santos-sentencing-prison.html
• More than 75% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, new poll finds - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/25/donald-trump-approval-rating-survey/83279671007/
• Trump: ‘I’m really not trolling’ with talk of Canada as 51st state - https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5267087-trump-trolling-canada-51st-state/
• Voters See Trump’s Use of Power as Overreaching, Times/Siena Poll Finds - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/25/us/politics/trump-poll-approval.html

April 26

• Judge’s arrest is latest front in Trump’s battle with the courts - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/26/judge-dugan-arrest-trump-battle-courts/
• Long-running legal saga over N.C. Supreme Court race could pave way for future election challenges, critics warn - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/legal-saga-north-carolina-supreme-court-future-election-challenges-rcna202634

April 27

• A Lengthy Legal Battle in North Carolina Could Show How to Flip an Election - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/27/us/politics/north-carolina-supreme-court-election.html
• Trump approval sinks as Americans criticize his major policies, poll finds - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/27/trump-poll-approval-rating-100-days

April 28

• Are local officials duty-bound to certify elections? Arizona ruling creates new doubt. - https://www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025/04/28/cochise-county-supervisor-tom-crosby-trial-delaying-election-certification/
• Bill seeks to block future $1 million Wisconsin election giveaways - https://civicmedia.us/news/2025/04/28/bill-seeks-to-block-future-1-million-wisconsin-election-giveaways
• Civil rights lawyers leave en masse as Justice Dept. mission shifts - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/04/28/justice-civil-rights-harmeet-dhillon-trump/
• Elon Musk’s Doge conflicts of interest worth $2.37bn, Senate report says - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/28/elon-musk-doge-conflict-of-interest
• Public sours on Musk’s role, is skeptical that government is cutting waste - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/28/elon-musk-approval-poll

April 29

• Black Mississippi voters score win in battle against redistricting plan - https://www.courthousenews.com/black-mississippi-voters-score-win-in-battle-against-redistricting-plan/
• Federal election panel chair opposes counting ballots that arrive after Election Day - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/election-assisstance-commission-chair-ballots-after-election-day/
• New lawsuit argues Trump and DOGE's government overhaul is unconstitutional - https://www.npr.org/2025/04/29/nx-s1-5380783/trump-doge-lawsuit-federal-workers-cities
• Secret Deals, Foreign Investments, Presidential Policy Changes: The Rise of Trump’s Crypto Firm - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/us/politics/trump-crypto-world-liberty-financial.html
• Trump has lowest 100-day approval rating in 80 years: POLL - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-lowest-100-day-approval-rating-80-years/story?id=121165473
• Trump Marks 100 Days by Vilifying Migrants and Attacking Opponents - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/us/politics/trump-michigan-100-days.html
• Trump warns ‘nothing will stop me’ at rally to celebrate 100 days in office - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/29/trump-100-days-rally-michigan
• USPS law enforcement assists Trump ‘mass deportation’ effort, sources and records show - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/04/29/usps-immigration-trump-deportations
• What Canada’s election results mean for Canadians, Trump and U.S. tariffs - https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/29/canada-election-results-takeaways-trump-tariffs
• Wisconsin high court suspends Milwaukee judge accused of helping man evade immigration authorities - https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-judge-arrested-supreme-court-suspended-49f25ea7702d3211719f926f8cfc90b7

April 30

• FEC Commissioner Resigns, Paralyzing Campaign Watchdog - https://campaignsandelections.com/industry-news/fec-commissioner-resigns/
• Supreme Court appears open to approving state-funded religious schools - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/30/supreme-court-charter-schools-religious-arguments

Good News Websites

• ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news
• Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/
• Democracy's Good News - https://www.democracygroup.org/topics/democracys-good-news
• Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
• Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy
• Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
• The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/

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