Democracy Happy Hour - May 21, 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.

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Citizens Awakening to Their Power: Needed Now More than Ever  

With Sam Daley-Harris

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/TjwFkLCshTeURLTRdsKAZwuiM5_G2JjbHQ2fq_k38tSJ5aAhzrFeNzVRGAZ5B7ttmUbDwTO2ue9BCDN1.4QvTIHKGAmRMKtGC

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/oZe820h9kM-Q1ux9_cMlwMULhuYbjSyV3Kx8NlbhLYbZzUHIcQ6Hz81RqjeQX_D4TZlOWB1Nps2Hd2Ij.ILknXVekrEADtDQ5

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/Mu-2ltI2MqNYHrhwtdxiLILKD-nKcGV7idOwv9ft-3jRm3SeY9UnjNvTa4eTlh6r7d7OBXVb7yQL7kNY.zYFyogSVs_RFekKk

• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/3DLHf1u0PEAh7FTiLkrHAxLcVeNCoH_o5PEX7uckD0a-49AaEDXaB76cNNlNxNZX21LIk08idR08BBwy.ihf3OW1UQhlgvwMg  

Meeting resources

• About Sam Daley-Harris - https://reclaimingourdemocracy.com/about-sam/
• Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy -https://reclaimingourdemocracy.com/
• Sign up to stay in touch or learn more - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCQuqj-4O2eh4Sfy_E-dfVntbPlqg1A4T4oQ8E2J0nuZbD-w/viewform
• Civic Courage - https://civiccourage.org/

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 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
• Jun 11 - Hit Refresh on the U.S. Constitution: A Revolutionary Roadmap for Fulfilling on the Promise of Democracy with the author Paul Zeitz
• Jun 18 – TBD
• Jun 25 – A History of Public Financing of Elections in Seattle with Rory O'Sullivan

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
• 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
• America 250 - https://america250.org
• Campaign Kickoff for Yes on Prop 1 Seattle Democracy Voucher Renewal  – May 27^th 6-8 pm in Seattle
  • Register to join - https://secure.everyaction.com/yneEFwGRhUmAdD5ZD-Aryg2
  • Campaign website - https://yesonprop1seattle.org/
  • Donation page - https://secure.anedot.com/prop1seattle/donate
  • Rise For Freedom Trainings - https://rise4freedom.org/
• No Kings National Day of Action – June 14^th - https://www.nokings.org/
• 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/
• How You Can Protect Democracy - 29 concrete actions you can take right now to protect democracy - https://protectdemocracy.org/how-to-protect-democracy
• 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
• What has Trump done today? - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2025/trump-administration-actions

April 2025

April 29

• What’s Next for Elections Under the Project 2025 Agenda - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/whats-next-elections-under-project-2025-agenda

May 2025

May 07

• Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/dark-money-hit-record-high-19-billion-2024-federal-races

May 08

• Americans’ Trust in One Another - https://www.pewresearch.org/2025/05/08/americans-trust-in-one-another/

May 09

• Trump Seeks to Strip Away Legal Tool Key to Civil Rights Enforcement - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/09/us/politics/trump-civil-rights.html

May 10

• Trump officials suggest suspending habeas corpus. Here’s what it means. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/10/what-is-habeas-corpus-suspension/

May 11

• The hidden ways Trump, DOGE are shutting down parts of the U.S. government - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/05/11/trump-government-operations-halt-funding-cuts

May 12

• DOJ Voting Section Has Just Three Lawyers Left, Watchdog Estimates - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/doj-voting-section-has-just-three-lawyers-left-watchdog-estimates/
• Ethics rules for Seattle Council could change under new proposal - https://www.cascadepbs.org/politics/2025/05/ethics-rules-seattle-council-could-change-under-new-proposal

May 13

• Everything you need to know about the state of the FEC - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2025/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-state-of-the-fec
• Lawmakers reject voter suppression referendum, calling out hidden changes - https://mainebeacon.com/lawmakers-reject-voter-suppression-referendum-calling-out-hidden-changes/
• Lawsuits Reveal the Administration’s Attacks on Congressional Power - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/lawsuits-reveal-administrations-attacks-congressional-power
• New Book Examines Seattle Democracy Voucher Program’s Success - https://readsludge.com/2025/05/13/new-book-examines-seattle-democracy-voucher-programs-success/
• Texas Legislature approves bill to ease polling place requirements for countywide voting - https://www.votebeat.org/texas/2025/05/13/senate-bill-985-approved-by-legislature-polling-locations-countywide-voting/
• Why Birthright Citizenship Is an Essential Part of Our Democracy - https://campaignlegal.org/update/why-birthright-citizenship-essential-part-our-democracy

May 14

• Federal appeals court deals major blow to Voting Rights Act - https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/14/politics/voting-rights-act-gets-major-blow-from-appeals-court
• Past Presidents Have Tested Ethics Norms — This Time Is Different - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/past-presidents-have-tested-ethics-norms-time-different
• These bills on elections and democracy passed the Colorado Legislature in 2025 - https://coloradonewsline.com/2025/05/14/bills-elections-democracy-colorado-2025/
• Trio of immigrant rights laws signed by WA governor - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/trio-of-immigrant-rights-laws-signed-by-wa-governor

May 15

• Battle over Black voter suppression in Georgia returns to federal court - https://www.courthousenews.com/battle-over-black-voter-suppression-in-georgia-returns-to-federal-court/
• Louisiana Sued Over Vague Proof-of-Citizenship Voting Law - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/louisiana-sued-over-vague-proof-of-citizenship-voting-law/
• No clear decision emerges from arguments on judges’ power to block Trump’s birthright citizenship order - https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/05/no-clear-decision-emerges-from-arguments-on-judges-power-to-block-trumps-birthright-citizenship-order/
• SCOTUS Mulls Limiting Judges’ Authority to Block Trump’s Power Grab - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/supreme-court-trump-birthright-order-nationwide-injunctions/

May 16

• Alaska Senate passes elections overhaul to update voter rolls, introduce ballot tracking, curing - https://alaskabeacon.com/2025/05/16/alaska-senate-passes-elections-overhaul-to-update-voter-rolls-introduce-ballot-tracking-curing/

May 17

• Oklahoma high schools to teach 2020 election conspiracy theories as fact - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/17/oklahoma-high-schools-election-conspiracy-theories
• Trump Justice Dept. considers removing key check on lawmaker prosecutions - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/05/17/trump-justice-department-prosecutions
• Trump’s actions are pushing thousands of experts to flee government - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/05/17/trump-administration-brain-drain-doge
• Trump's DOJ focuses in on voter fraud, with a murky assist from DOGE - https://www.npr.org/2025/05/17/nx-s1-5383277/trump-doj-doge-noncitizen-voting

May 18

• Trump orders the government to stop enforcing rules he doesn’t like - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/05/18/trump-enforcement-halt-regulations-laws

May 19

• Supreme Court Lets Trump Lift Deportation Protections for Venezuelans - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/us/politics/supreme-court-protected-status-venezuelans.html

May 20

• Noem Incorrectly Defines Habeas Corpus as the President’s Right to Deport People - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/us/politics/kristi-noem-habeas-corpus-deportations.html
• U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear lawsuit seeking to roll back Michigan voting rights measures - https://michiganadvance.com/2025/05/20/u-s-supreme-court-wont-hear-lawsuit-seeking-to-roll-back-michigan-voting-rights-measures/

May 21

• If Justice Dept. Can’t Prosecute Trump’s Foes, It Will ‘Shame’ Them, Official Says - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/us/politics/trump-justice-department-ed-martin-weaponization.html

Associated Press (no date in URL and not loading in Scotland)

• Appeals court allows Trump’s anti-union order to take effect - https://apnews.com/article/trump-union-executive-order-federal-workers-2cfa6f5fc317f020c02fcf26164041ce
• Supreme Court could block Trump’s birthright citizenship order but limit nationwide injunctions - https://apnews.com/article/immigration-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-nationwide-injunctions-2c495cddc1436e21a9fa976d295dc292
• The FBI is disbanding one of its public corruption squads in its Washington office, AP sources say - https://apnews.com/article/fbi-public-corruption-squad-trump-0478a9f5884b443e1f0403a1f6dad49e
• Trump’s clash with the courts raises prospect of showdown over separation of powers - https://apnews.com/article/trump-courts-rule-law-justice-contempt-congress-d588119540b8338e7b32e41fc8039dd0

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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