Democracy Happy Hour - January 08, 2025

Topic:  Democracy Without Elections with Lenora Camner, Executive Director

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.

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Democracy Without Elections with Leonora Camner, Executive Director

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/5uGn2ygT4yrUedBjwIhtHrPV-NhvdMMCixC-VHfakJOfp09iBiAiWeQJUPUNToxGVtbpINIdpa4B5IoI.cackjeZ8yTosgaDV

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/FFWFlmwj3wLGUmBUpFlE-oe9m6KjG9rmBHRqnTh2v_GmtW3r117sNYspOhWEK1IeUKN1p57cfjWW7zBH.Esk_3wn9x7X5fTFf

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/Pz46TgWzoUW6h42wuJKD4ptFjLwKzcmOgpP800O_G4TwzbZMUTXEvmNiRv3Wqt3iLdqCapgvj3J-osgq.9oHxcqMPArVeHmfZ

• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/o9KyNzX-hQlfWUJnGlSNSpGy-CCD-fUro1CQk1Hfwk9GBUQ97_nHYhhooo0clMkui4zoisRBszIBfTPc.Fy-0ZGnv-MCYOdVq

Meeting resources

• Democracy Without Elections (DWE) - https://democracywithoutelections.org/
• Sign up for DWE Newsletter: https://democracywithoutelections.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=97b3e472b4608b04c4681080b&id=9cbb4b5d07
• Join DWE: https://democracywithoutelections.org/join/
• Leonora Camner, executivedirector@democracywithoutelections.org
• Citizens' Assemblies - https://democracywithoutelections.org/citizens-assemblies/
• The Democratic Lottery FAQ - https://democracywithoutelections.org/faq/
• The History of Democratic Lotteries - https://democracywithoutelections.org/history/

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

• Jan 15 - Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections with Jennifer Heerwig
• Jan 22 - Early Warning Early Action: A Community-Based Approach to Tracking & Mitigating Violence with Jennifer Grubbs, The Trust Network
• Jan 29 - Paths to Understanding: Bridging Bias and Building Unity Through Multi-Faith Peacemaking with Terry Kyllo, Executive Director
• Feb 5 - SPECIAL EVENT: Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right’s 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections,  Book Talk with author David Daley
• Feb 12 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hour this week
• Feb 19 - Innovating for the Public Good: R&D for Democracy with Page Gardner
• Feb 26 - SPECIAL EVENT: Local Media & Its Impact on Democracy Expert Panel Discussion

Actions and events

1. Civic Genius upcoming events in WA State - https://www.ourcivicgenius.org/events/
2. Declaration for American Democracy – TAKE ACTION - https://dfadcoalition.org/takeaction/
   • Write a Letter to the Editor TOOL - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/write-letter-editor
   • Petition - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/sign-petition-tell-congress-0
3. LWVWA Speak Up School – Jan 11^th @ 9:30 am – 12:30 pm PT/12:30 – 3:30 pm ET - https://lwvwa.org/event-5933433

Democracy in the News

Resources

• Big Ideas and Big Money: Think Tank Funding in America - https://quincyinst.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/18151647/QUINCY-BRIEF-NO.-68-JANUARY-2025-FREEMAN-CLEVELAND-STOUT.pdf
• Equipping Local Leaders to Improve Civic Health & Transform Systems of Governance - https://thefulcrum.us/national-civic-league-2670697209
• Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B
• The 19th Explains: How Trump has shaped federal courts and what we can expect next - https://19thnews.org/2025/01/trump-judges-federal-judiciary/
• The fate of nearly 1,600 Jan. 6 defendants depends on Donald Trump - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/interactive/2025/jan-6-trump-pardons
• The U.S. is an Oligarchy? The Research, Explained - https://act.represent.us/sign/usa-oligarchy-research-explained
• Think Tank Funding Tracker - https://thinktankfundingtracker.org/
• What Could Citizens’ Assemblies Do for American Politics? - https://www.rsn.org/001/what-could-citizens-assemblies-do-for-american-politics.html

December 2024

December 19

• A power grab by Republicans in North Carolina becomes a referendum on democracy in the states - https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-republicans-democrats-power-grab-democracy-f727f67e220a81cbbdf86540e67d7b93
• Fani Willis disqualified from Trump election case by Georgia appellate court - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/12/19/fani-willis-disqualified-trump-georgia-case
• 'President-elect Musk': Elon's influence on display in government spending fight - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/12/19/elon-musk-donald-trump-government-shutdown/77086100007/

December 24

• If You’re Worried About the Future of Our Country, Do Something About It - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/opinion/civil-society-importance.html

December 29

• Jimmy Carter, Peacemaking President Amid Crises, Is Dead at 100 - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/29/us/politics/jimmy-carter-dead.html

December 30

• Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen - https://apnews.com/article/voting-congress-citizenship-voter-id-republicans-88342cf09d01b0555851aa3d64c45432
• Trump Loses Appeal of Carroll’s $5 Million Award in Sex-Abuse Case - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/30/nyregion/trump-carroll-appeal-denied.html

December 31

• As Trump’s return looms, chief justice warns against defying courts - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/31/chief-justice-roberts-year-end-report-00196176

January 2025

January 02

• Biden Vetoes Bill That Would Add 63 New Federal Judges Over Next Decade - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/congress-passes-bill-to-add-more-federal-judgeships-biden-plans-to-veto-it/

January 03

• Climate of fear is driving local officials to quit – new study - https://thefulcrum.us/fear-local-officials-quit-new-study
• ‘Dark Money’ Is Tainting Washington Think Tanks. A New Report Shows It’s Worse Than You Think. - https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/01/03/foreign-money-think-tanks-00196252
• Federal courts won’t refer Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to attorney general over ethics - https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-clarence-thomas-f9c9fee5554e5859e7f6185698fb4f76
• Harris Super PAC Leaders Profited From Spending Splurge - https://readsludge.com/2025/01/03/harris-super-pac-leaders-profited-from-spending-splurge/
• Judge upholds Trump’s felony conviction, but does not plan to order jail time - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/03/trump-new-york-hush-money-conviction-sentence

January 05

• ‘Deck chairs on the Titanic’: How Trump already upended DOJ’s ongoing efforts to arrest and prosecute January 6 rioters - https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/05/politics/trump-january-6-capitol-rioters/index.html
• Fears grow for voting rights as Trump plots to reshape US justice department - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/05/trump-voting-rights-justice-department

January 06

• 4 years after Capitol attack, Jan. 6 cases hang in the balance with Trump pardons on the horizon - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/january-6-capitol-attack-trump-pardons/
• Congress certifies Trump’s 2024 win, without the Jan. 6 mob violence of four years ago - https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-trump-election-certification-capitol-b8284b9b6b22f78ab7f23f8c8b3c3da3
• Evers asks for referendum overhaul so citizens can vote directly on changing laws, Wisconsin Constitution - https://www.wpr.org/news/evers-referendum-budget-citizens-vote-changing-law-wisconsin-constitution
• Evers plan to let Wisconsin voters repeal and create state laws meets GOP resistance - https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-evers-referendum-initiative-state-budget-2be88328d8248737f602e20d625ee321
• Firms that donated to Republican party avoided tariffs in Trump first term – study - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/06/trump-tariffs-republican-donations
• House Republicans to Prioritize Controversial SAVE Act in New Session - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/house-republicans-to-prioritize-controversial-save-act-in-new-session/
• How Does the Citizens United Decision Still Affect Us in 2025? - https://campaignlegal.org/update/how-does-citizens-united-decision-still-affect-us-2025
• N.Y. judge denies Trump effort to block sentencing in hush money case - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/06/trump-hush-money-case-sentencing-merchan
• Rudy Giuliani is in contempt of court in $148 million defamation case - https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-defamation-georgia-election-workers-5fe7787f42b4b89ef9d6df50bcde2efb
• Supporters of a Maine voter ID law hand in signatures to force referendum - https://www.pressherald.com/2025/01/06/supporters-of-a-maine-voter-id-law-hand-in-signatures-to-force-referendum/

January 07

• 10 corporations that kept their promises after January 6, 2021 - https://popular.info/p/10-corporations-that-kept-their-promises
• GOP-led N.C. Supreme Court blocks finalizing election for Democratic justice - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/07/north-carolina-supreme-court-election-challenge/
• Louisiana argues parts of Voting Rights Act are unconstitutional in redistricting case - https://lailluminator.com/2025/01/07/louisiana-argues-parts-of-voting-rights-act-are-unconstitutional-in-redistricting-case/
• Meta ends fact-checking, drawing praise from Trump - https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/01/07/meta-factchecking-zuckerberg/
• NY appeals court rejects Trump’s emergency request to delay Friday hush money sentencing - https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/07/politics/hush-money-sentencing-trump-appeal/index.html
• New Oklahoma Law Restores Voting Rights To Convicted Felons Who Complete Sentences - https://www.news9.com/story/677dead63601aaed0f2ae27a/new-oklahoma-law-restores-voting-rights-to-convicted-felons-who-complete-sentences
• Wisconsin Republicans pushing to make voter ID a constitutional requirement - https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-voter-id-constitutional-amendment-01f3d9f7655f7d93229a50ff7173414a

January 08

• Garland prepares to release Jack Smith’s report on 2020 election subversion case against Trump - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/08/garland-prepares-to-release-jack-smiths-report-on-2020-election-subversion-case-against-trump-00197056
• Judge Aileen Cannon temporarily blocks release of special counsel report on Trump cases - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/judge-aileen-cannon-temporarily-blocks-release-of-special-counsel-report-on-trump-cases
• Justice Dept. says it won’t yet release Trump classified document report - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/08/doj-trump-special-counsel-release
• Trump Asks Supreme Court to Halt His Sentencing in N.Y. Criminal Case - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/nyregion/trump-sentencing-supreme-court.html

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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