Democracy Happy Hour - January 22, 2024

Early Warning Early Action: A Community-Based Approach to Tracking & Mitigating Violence

With Jennifer Grubbs from The Trust Network

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.

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/Aa0G5YYhcYI38MrvSShWglriTZ6HLTyRkzDZcPskqRTr-gb1jvnaN_ryam_JY6T1uSiAhHPHPQht4PCu._TBWnGyOWGry8Oyo
• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/T8BdO8HIOMoWRu9W4nDkr9J7UZ7rWJN5_QOpTNQFJ4t1sXI_exH2BYUpxTDWJdmZ1MPXnTxAmpIb9FuR.6NnkyWehFojBXXTA
• Chat file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/jI26V7DNhvzUjfwVAG-BDr5V5zj8PR2nPDoMjFHgxxJyMtc1WGvy9fg1D8tzlvKdpULvSblX4pWarukH.zaXUrCY1gPoUFgPg
• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/2U2rYQ7KNOp1A69LSXbAE21EBMIhHDZ71hOBfOIpCiDhnTr3nE3T3Z-PCdXSe_PK5egNW2b16gkZiRSF.5e_Ho-cwgKtN-kGs

Meeting resources

The Trust Network - https://www.thetrustnetwork.net/

• Trust Network Work - https://www.thetrustnetwork.net/our-work-2
• Join The Trust Network - https://www.thetrustnetwork.net/join-us
• Partners - https://www.thetrustnetwork.net/partners
• Resource Library - https://www.thetrustnetwork.net/resource-library

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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 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
• Mar 05 - Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections with Jennifer Heerwig

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. Lobby Days in Olympia, WA:
   • Democracy Lobby Day 2025
     • Date & Time: Wednesday, February 12 · 8:30am - 4pm PT
     • Location: Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501
     • More info & register @ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/democracy-lobby-day-2025-tickets-1131236200929
   • Ranked-Choice Voting Lobby Day 2025 with FairVote WA
     • Date & Time: Wednesday, February 5 · 7:30am - 4pm PT
     • Location:Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501
     • More info & register @ https://secure.everyaction.com/cM2T0LA5pk2mJkrxnoUN5g2

Democracy in the News

Resources

• 15 Years of Citizens United: How Big Money Dominated the 2024 Election - https://campaignlegal.org/events/15-years-citizens-united-how-big-money-dominated-2024-election
• CLC Answers Your Top Questions About Citizens United - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfgN_r-L0z0
• Democracy Protection Network - https://democracyprotectionnetwork.org/
• From Dysfunctional to Destructive - The Federal Election Commission’s Disastrous New Trend Opening the Floodgates to Big Money in Our Elections - https://campaignlegal.org/from-dysfunctional-to-destructive-fec-report
• Money’s Control Over Politics Has Never Been Greater - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/moneys-control-over-politics-has-never-been-greater
• Online Ad Spending in the 2024 Election Topped $1.35 Billion - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports/online-political-spending-in-2024-totals
• Ranked Choice Voting May Be a Stepping Stone to Proportional Representation - https://thefulcrum.us/electoral-reforms/ranked-choice-voting-reforms
• The Trump Administration’s First 100 Days: Here’s What We’re Watching For - https://campaignlegal.org/update/trump-administrations-first-100-days-heres-what-were-watching
• Twenty Lessons On Tyranny - https://snyder.substack.com/p/twenty-lessons-on-tyranny

January 2025

January 16

• DeSantis Appoints Florida AG Ashley Moody, an Election Denier, to Vacant Senate Seat - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/desantis-appoints-florida-ag-ashley-moody-an-election-denier-to-vacant-senate-seat
• Lawsuit: Fayette Co. diluted Black voting power, violated Voting Rights Act in 2021 redistricting - https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/01/16/lawsuit-fayette-co-diluted-black-voting-power-violated-voting-rights-act-in-2021-redistricting/

January 17

• Biden says the Equal Rights Amendment is ‘the law of the land.’ What is it, and what happens next? - https://apnews.com/article/equal-rights-amendment-biden-colleen-shogan-c83635146b8e58aa0fffb04ac67ada6b

January 19

• 'Trying to silence voters' | National attention turns to still-unresolved NC Supreme Court race - https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/nc-supreme-court-race-draws-national-attention/275-04723aac-1266-4b72-9e01-a793e07b6706

January 20

• Biden pardons Fauci, Milley and the Jan. 6 panel. It’s a guard against potential ‘revenge’ by Trump - https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-fauci-milley-pardons-january-6-3cba287f89051513fb48d7ae700ae747
• Do US adults support Trump’s Day 1 actions? Here’s what polling shows - https://apnews.com/article/trump-poll-pardons-tariffs-taxes-drilling-climate-7fa453197520f091feb8956737feb278
• Trump Grants Sweeping Clemency to All Jan. 6 Rioters - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/trump-pardons-jan-6.html
• Trump Says ‘America’s Decline Is Over’ as He Returns to Office - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/20/us/trump-inauguration-president
• Trump signed slew of executive orders on Day 1. What are his priorities? - https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-executive-orders-3a035a0bbd37b5c12630b92c8c8a9625

January 21

• 11th Circuit Considers Fate of Georgia Maps in High-Stakes Redistricting Case - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/11th-circuit-considers-fate-of-georgia-maps-in-high-stakes-redistricting-case/
• Expanded voter ID, mail ballot changes on the table as Pa. lawmakers begin new session - https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2025-01-21/voter-id-pennsylvania-mail-ballots
• Judges Begin Freeing Jan. 6 Defendants and Dismissing Their Cases - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/jan-6-defendants-freed.html
• Pennsylvania Supreme Court to Revisit Mail-In Ballot Date Dispute; SCOTUS Declines Case - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/pennsylvania-supreme-court-to-revisit-mail-in-ballot-date-dispute-scotus-declines-case/
• Trump defends pardons for rioters and suggests Proud Boys could have place in politics - https://apnews.com/article/trumps-first-day-white-house-b9ab76e21a159e681ea5ac74231adcea
• Trump officials pause health agencies’ communications, citing review - https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/01/21/trump-hhs-cdc-fda-communication-pause/
• Trump Revokes Biden’s 2021 Executive Order Expanding Voting Access - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-revokes-bidens-2021-executive-order-expanding-voting-access/
• Trump’s executive orders already face pushback, legal challenges - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/21/trump-executive-orders-challenges-lawsuits
• Trump’s First Orders Parrot Project 2025 Manifesto He Disavowed - https://www.levernews.com/trumps-first-orders-parrot-project-2025-manifesto-he-disavowed/
• Twenty-two States Sue to Stop Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/trump-birthright-citizenship.html
• U.S. Supreme Court declines to review two Montana voting laws - https://dailymontanan.com/2025/01/21/u-s-supreme-court-declines-to-review-two-montana-voting-laws/
• Virginia Senate advances constitutional amendments on reproductive rights, voting rights, and same-sex marriage - https://vadogwood.com/2025/01/21/virginia-senate-advances-constitutional-amendments-on-reproductive-rights-voting-rights-and-same-sex-marriage/

January 22

• DeSantis Calls Special Elections for Florida Legislature Following Voter Lawsuit - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/florida-voters-sue-gov-desantis-for-failing-to-call-special-elections
• Everything Trump did in the first executive orders and actions of his presidency - https://apnews.com/article/what-has-trump-done-trump-executive-orders-f061fbe7f08c08d81509a6af20ef8fc0
• Federal Workers Ordered to Report on Colleagues Over D.E.I. Crackdown - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/us/politics/trump-order-discrimination-federal-hiring.html
• Justice Dept. to Investigate Local Officials Who Obstruct Immigration Enforcement - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/us/politics/justice-department-immigration-enforcement.html
• Trump administration cancels travel for refugees already cleared to resettle in the US - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/trump-administration-cancels-travel-for-refugees-already-cleared-to-resettle-in-the-us
• Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave - https://apnews.com/article/dei-trump-executive-order-diversity-834a241a60ee92722ef2443b62572540
• Trump administration shuts down White House Spanish-language page and social media - https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266

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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