Democracy Happy Hour – March 13, 2024

Democracy Happy Hour, March 13, 2024 - Meeting Recordings:

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/U46a1zy95sBKJ7-aXuxBUXvx6xDOb2fOF3mkXZaHR_3MKOrUsou6LJ7bPK0TIy-xYKxnTZqQYgbON-9S.dycn8cikQ_sQ4229
  

• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/k8qpJkhjKJ1Ob7ApXGaLzOIdgRMphj9VVA7Re0y7bwJuPMNKNFKkPXtSVsxTFP5aUT89AF_ecLJ2nh5k.-7Wcokqrq3nR8vbj

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/aRwtMKAWOOqhs-faeWUnbg93aM60wDEb5ZjytuEdWLiVAvqAejTgsMv1lHv4hrmzbnqiDFwg-CkJ2Fsu.vVLgSvyK0aaTXAos

FDF Links:

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/
• Donate to Fix Democracy First Education Fund to support our civic education and engagement work @ https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate/fdfef

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• Mar 20 - Creating Local Democracy Hubs to Strengthen Communities with Vinay Orekondy, Coalition Director at Rank the Vote - TBD
• Mar 27 - Bridge Alliance Projects to Empower Citizens & Strengthen Democracy: Citizen Connect, The Fulcrum & News Ambassadors with Kristina Becvar, Executive Director
• Apr 3 - Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center with Kelly Goss Sechrist,  Senior Director of Advancement
• Apr 10 - The Democracy Group: Giving a Voice to the Democracy Community with Brandon Stover, Network Manager
• Apr 17 - The Authoritarian Playbook for 2025 with Elise Wirkus, Protect Democracy Policy Advocate

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

• Civic Learning Week – March 11-15 - https://civiclearningweek.org/some text
  • Events: https://civiclearningweek.org/events/
  • Resources: https://civiclearningweek.org/resources/
  • Stay Informed – Sign up: https://civiclearningweek.org/partners/

• Teachers Advancing Civic Learning (TACL) – https://civxnow.org/our-work/tacl/some text
  • Sign up @ https://www.congressweb.com/signup/?id=AE4C45D3-ADF3-451E-19442D42806D333B

• High School Video Contest 2023-2024 with League of Women Voters of WA - https://lwvwapsacontest.wpcomstaging.com/

• Why Do You Vote? - https://www.whydoyou.vote/

• Citizen Connect - https://citizenconnect.us/

• Respect Voters - https://www.respectvoters.org/

CIVIC LEARNING WEEK & Generation Citizen Links:

• Generation Citizen – https://www.generationcitizen.org/some text
  • In Schools Programs: https://www.generationcitizen.org/what-we-do/in-schools/
  • Get Involved: https://www.generationcitizen.org/get-involved/
  • Sign up for updates: https://www.generationcitizen.org/get-updates/

• Civic Learning Week – March 11-15 - https://civiclearningweek.org/some text
  • Events: https://civiclearningweek.org/events/
  • Resources: https://civiclearningweek.org/resources/
  • Stay Informed – Sign up: https://civiclearningweek.org/partners/

• Teachers Advancing Civic Learning (TACL) – https://civxnow.org/our-work/tacl/some text
  • Sign up @ https://www.congressweb.com/signup/?id=AE4C45D3-ADF3-451E-19442D42806D333B

• Uncharted Waters Education, Democracy, and Social Cohesion in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - https://civxnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CivXNow-Report.pdf

• Civic learning is the cornerstone of our democracy - https://thefulcrum.us/civic-engagement-education/civic-learning-week

Democracy in the News Links:

Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/12/biden-trump-win-presidential-nomination/

Trump likely to attend hearing in classified documents case on Thursday - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-likely-attend-hearing-classified-documents-case-thursday-court-f-rcna142792

Georgia judge dismisses six charges in Trump election interference case - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/13/trump-georgia-election-case-charges-dropped

Trump seeks delay of hush money trial while Supreme Court weighs immunity bid - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/11/trump-immunity-deal-00146319

Arizona’s Trump electors subpoenaed in grand jury investigation - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/06/trump-arizona-electors-subpoenas/

House GOP launches new probe of Jan. 6 and tries shifting blame for Capitol attack away from Trump - https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-trump-cassidy-hutchinson-capitol-188ee6406b93f42eb946d28f5213de3d

Trump says he'll free Jan. 6 defendants as one of "first acts" if he's elected again - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-january-6-defendants-first-acts-reelected/

RNC to add new lawyers focusing on claims of election fraud – including one key figure from 2020 challenges - https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/12/politics/rnc-trump-takeover-lawyers-election/index.html

Trump campaign insider recounts failed hunt for 2020 fraud in new book - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/03/10/trump-ken-block-campaign-fraud-book/

AI Tools Are Still Generating Misleading Election Images - https://www.wired.com/story/genai-images-election-fraud/

America’s election chiefs are worried AI is coming for them - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/11/secretary-state-ai-election-misinformation-00146137

Spate of Mock News Sites With Russian Ties Pop Up in U.S. - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/business/media/russia-us-news-sites.html

Disinformation Is Tearing America Apart - https://time.com/6837548/disinformation-america-election/

New state laws may affect voter turnout in November elections - https://www.wlrn.org/government-politics/2024-03-06/new-florida-laws-voter-turnout-november-elections

Expanding Voter Registration: Reflections on the Voting Access Executive Order - https://www.demos.org/blog/expanding-voter-registration-reflections-voting-access-executive-order

Biden calls on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act - https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4517956-biden-calls-on-congress-to-pass-the-john-lewis-voting-rights-act/

Preclearance Under the Voting Rights Act - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/preclearance-under-voting-rights-act

Senate Rejects GOP Bid to Exclude Non-Citizens from Census Counts Impacting Electoral Representation - https://bnnbreaking.com/politics/senate-rejects-gop-bid-to-exclude-non-citizens-from-census-counts-impacting-electoral-representation

How Colorado women won the right to vote and led the way for all Americans - https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/how-colorado-women-won-the-right-to-vote-and-led-the-way-for-all-americans

Proposed Constitutional Amendment To Block Ranked Choice Voting Fails In Idaho House - https://www.invw.org/2024/03/12/proposed-constitutional-amendment-to-block-ranked-choice-voting-fails-in-idaho-house

Governor signs bill to remove more people from voter rolls, which could violate federal law - https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/governor-signs-bill-to-remove-more-people-from-voter-rolls-which-could-violate-federal-law.php

Lawmakers increase penalty for interfering with Hoosier voters, poll workers - https://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/elections/voters-poll-worker-interference-crime/article_70dfbb0e-dbf6-11ee-bd54-e754942631a7.html

Maine ballot initiative would set limits on individual contributions to super PACs - https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2024-03-11/maine-ballot-initiative-would-set-limits-on-individual-contributions-to-super-pacs

Bill to protect election officials unanimously passes Maryland Senate - https://apnews.com/article/protecting-election-officials-maryland-legislature-595829507b74c90b848bd03f3cd805d0

A group plans to challenge election boards nationwide. Maryland’s is the first. - https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/maryland-board-election-lawsuit-42TN7IZH7FDUZCWR5SBYPSJYNM/

With bipartisan majority, House passes bill to restore voting rights to people convicted of nonviolent crimes - https://mississippitoday.org/2024/03/08/felony-suffrage-house-passes/

Nevada Court Upholds Photo ID Ballot Initiative and Strikes Down Redistricting Initiatives - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/nevada-judge-upholds-photo-id-ballot-initiative-and-strikes-down-redistricting-initiatives/

Republicans Can’t Restructure North Carolina Election Boards, Judges Rule - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/us/politics/north-carolina-election-boards.html

Oregon is one signature away from ending unlimited campaign contributions - https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/07/oregon-is-one-signature-away-from-ending-unlimited-campaign-contributions/

SC Republican lawmakers ask court to put congressional map back into effect - https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4516450-south-carolina-supreme-court-state-maps-2024/

Federal judge to decide on new Latino voter majority district map - https://crosscut.com/politics/2024/03/federal-judge-decide-new-latino-voter-majority-district-map

Republicans Hatched A Secret Assault On The Voting Rights Act In Washington State - https://www.invw.org/2024/03/12/republicans-hatched-a-secret-assault-on-the-voting-rights-act-in-washington-state

Federal judge orders minority-business agency opened to all races - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/06/minority-business-programs-racial-disadvantage-unconstitutional/

Federal courts make it harder to 'judge-shop' as was done in abortion pill case - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/federal-courts-make-harder-judge-shop-was-done-abortion-pill-case-rcna143060

State Supreme Court Elections to Watch in 2024 - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/state-supreme-court-elections-watch-2024

In Rare Media Appearance, Leonard Leo Details Dangerous Social Agenda - https://accountable.us/in-rare-media-appearance-leonard-leo-details-dangerous-social-agenda/

Billionaire mega-donors Ken Griffin and the Koch Network tried and failed to make Nikki Haley a presidential contender - https://fortune.com/2024/03/06/nikki-haley-suspends-campaign-super-tuesday-republican-party-donors-ken-griffin-koch-brothers/

Biden camp looks to reel in Nikki Haley donors - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/06/biden-nikki-haley-donors-00145503

Trump Scores New Billionaire Donors As Campaign Seeks Badly Needed Cash, Report Says - https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/03/09/trump-scores-new-billionaire-donors-as-campaign-seeks-badly-needed-cash-report-says/?sh=33de01903e33

Ballot measures shape debates on hot-button issues, drawing millions in outside spending - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/03/ballot-measures-shape-debate-on-hot-button-issues-drawing-millions

Bringing Transparency to the Forefront: Why Sunshine Week Matters Now More Than Ever - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/03/bringing-transparency-to-the-forefront-why-sunshine-week-matters-now-more-than-ever

House passes a bill that could lead to a TikTok ban if Chinese owner refuses to sell - https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37

State Court Report – Election 2024 - https://statecourtreport.org/election-2024

Why US elections only give you two choices - https://www.vox.com/videos/24091275/why-us-elections-only-give-you-two-choices

GOOD NEWS Websites:

Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy

Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news

ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news

Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/

The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/