Democracy Happy Hour – December 15, 2021

Democracy Happy Hour, December 15, 2021 - Meeting Recordings, Chat & Closed Caption Files:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/Pid7G3zF6tzMvSGcOtQDeOKlIHVEC_bfGChMqU_k1AiVqvFgRw-w2-t4MV8sxZOM0yM69_d64Z1g-RlI.yHeFLmGMxat_qifu

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/_o4MIJKv8g-8UaizrarWeP7QdmCPOdwjnvKa2nYx8kRzBW4GC-j6ju_6KXillMz4CaFro6aPY9s0rrUA.YuqDqnJ-hxxv7Lu7

• Chat (Link will download a text file to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/WfIr70Evsvum9A0sFdgjAwsGBVKkfqZGJQXUMansb62hsmwZi5nQV-PXxwf4FHa2JftLzoZon85bqy4M.aEWGpSQ0E2NKh3mL

• Closed Caption (Link will download a text file to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/0VDyvclfS-ecW4POfFkdfRuRnjeKHD77Vy6Zk1Cr6SoYWCxwXFRedVVFxqX5pICxPUj5gvcqOpHj1Zl4.f9ETOZaLErxtKcm8

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

DONATION Links:

• Fix Democracy First or Fix Democracy First Education Fund - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate
• YO VOTE! - https://www.yo-vote.org/donate

Upcoming Democracy Happy Hour topics:

• Dec 22nd – CANCELED for the Holidays
• Dec 29th – CANCELED for the Holidays
• Jan 5th – The January 6th Insurrection One Year Later
• Jan 12th – What to Expect in the 2022 WA Legislature w/ special guests

TAKE ACTION for Freedom to Vote Act & John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act:

• Declaration for American DemocracyTake Action Page - https://dfadcoalition.org/takeaction/
• Letters to the Editor Campaign - Use this LTE Tool: dfadcoalition.org/takeaction/#lte
• Senate Call-In & Email Blitz - Keep calling & recruit others to call!

• Call Your Senator (Patch Through #): 1.888.453.3211
• Sen Cantwell 206-220-6400; 202-224-3441 - Maria_Cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov
• Senator Murray (206) 553-5545; (202) 224-2621- senator@murray.senate.gov
• Senate Majority Leader Schumer (202) 224-6542 or use Contact Form: https://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact/email-chuck
• White House Call-In - 1.888.724.8746 (Tues-Thurs, 8am–12pm PT) or use Contact Form: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Volunteer Phonebanks

• Common Cause - https://www.mobilize.us/commoncause/event/376178/
• Represent Us - https://vol.represent.us/a/events-calendar

Share on Social Media – Post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok

• Use these Hashtags: #RecessCanWait  #FreedomToVoteAct #JohnLewisVotingRightsAct  #RestoretheVRA
• View Messaging & Social Media Graphics: HERE

Recruit Others to TAKE ACTION! - Talk to your Friends, Family, Neighbors, etc. to also take action

Movement Call for January 6 with Congressman Schiff - Sunday, December 19th at 1 pm PT - https://www.mobilize.us/democracyvigils/event/431417/

We the People: Jan 6th Day of Remembrance and Action – Various events happening around the country and in Washington, D.C. – https://www.mobilize.us/democracyvigils/

Deliver for Voting Rights – Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Action – January 17th – Washington D.C. & actions around the country - https://deliverforvotingrights.com/

How Long, Not Long – Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PVjRW2ckOY

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How Do We Win the Fight for Democracy? Links:

Democracy First - https://www.democracydocket.com/news/democracy-first/

Our Common Purpose Report - Overview of Strategies and Recommendations - https://www.amacad.org/ourcommonpurpose/report/section/3

Invest in Civic Education - https://www.amacad.org/ourcommonpurpose/recommendation-6-5

The Fight for Voting Rights Is The Fight For Our Democracy - https://www.democracydocket.com/news/the-fight-for-voting-rights-is-the-fight-for-our-democracy/

The Freedom to Vote Act - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/freedom-vote-act

Why the Senate Must Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/why-senate-must-pass-john-lewis-voting-rights-act

Addressing Insider Threats in Elections - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/addressing-insider-threats-elections

Democratic state officials call on Biden to boost election funding - https://thefulcrum.us/Government/State/election-administration

How to Fix Politics in America - https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/how-to-fix-politics-in-america/

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder Analysis and Summary - https://www.getstoryshots.com/books/on-tyranny-summary/

How to stop a coup in America - https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/transformation/how-stop-coup-america/

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Democracy in the News Links:

Trump White House records can be released in Jan. 6 probe pending Supreme Court review, appeals court rules - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/12/09/judges-release-trump-jan-6-records/

New Jan. 6 subpoenas target Trump associates, rally planners - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/10/jan-6-committee-issues-six-new-subpoenas-524095

House votes to refer Mark Meadows to Justice Department for contempt of Congress - https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/14/politics/meadows-congress-justice-department-referral/index.html

Fox News hosts urged Meadows to have Trump stop Jan. 6 violence, texts show - https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/12/13/fox-ingraham-hannity-kilmeade-jan-6-trump-texts/

Meadows said National Guard would be ready to 'protect pro Trump people' before Capitol insurrection, House investigators say - https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/12/politics/mark-meadows-january-committee-contempt-of-congress-resolution/index.html

Trump’s White House Passed Around a PowerPoint on How to End American Democracy - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/mark-meadows-overturn-election-results-jan-6-committee-1269532
Jan. 6 PowerPoint: What we know and what we don't about a pro-Trump election plot - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/jan-6-powerpoint-what-we-know-what-we-don-t-n1285910

After 50 rioters sentenced for January 6 insurrection, a debate rages over what justice looks like - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/what-crime-might-trump-have-committed-on-jan-6-liz-cheney-points-to-one/

What crime might Trump have committed on Jan. 6? Liz Cheney points to one - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/what-crime-might-trump-have-committed-on-jan-6-liz-cheney-points-to-one/

Far too little vote fraud to tip election to Trump, AP finds - https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f

In Bid for Control of Elections, Trump Loyalists Face Few Obstacles - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/11/us/politics/trust-in-elections-trump-democracy.html

This sedition is brought to you by… - https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-reports/this-sedition-is-brought-to-you-by/

The network of election lawyers who are making it harder for Americans to vote - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/14/us-election-lawyers-voting-rights

The Big Lie and State Courts - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/big-lie-and-state-courts

Proud Boys Regroup, Focusing on School Boards and Town Councils - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/14/us/proud-boys-local-issues.html

TRUMP’S NEXT COUP HAS ALREADY BEGUN - https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/01/january-6-insurrection-trump-coup-2024-election/620843/

How to Tell When Your Country Is Past the Point of No Return - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/15/opinion/republicans-democracy-minority-rule.html

America’s Anti-Democratic Movement - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/13/briefing/anti-democratic-movement-us-politics.html

The Year America Lost Its Democracy - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/08/opinion/american-democracy.html

Defining Democracy Down - https://www.democracydocket.com/news/defining-democracy-down/

The Erosion of Democracy Is a Threat to Business - https://medium.com/businessforamerica-blog/threats-to-democracy-are-a-threat-to-business-b0f880e85ca9

Why the US Is a Failed Democratic State - https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2021/12/10/why-the-us-is-a-failed-democratic-state/

Harvard’s Larry Lessig joins student hunger strike calling for action on voting rights - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/larry-lessig-voting-hunger-strike-b1975315.html

Hunger Striking 4 Democracy - https://medium.lessig.org/hunger-striking-4-democracy-3447bf43b625

Biden Rallies Global Democracies as U.S. Hits a ‘Rough Patch’ - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/us/politics/biden-democracy-summit.html

As Biden promotes democracy abroad, advocates urge him to focus on fixing US elections -https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/10/politics/biden-democracy-summit-and-election-challenges-at-home/index.html

Biden Democracy Summit highlights saving press - https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/biden-democracy-summit-highlights-saving-press/

Democratic governors press U.S. Senate to act on voting rights legislation - https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/democratic-governors-press-u-s-senate-to-act-on-voting-rights-legislation
Democrats push Manchin on 'nuclear option' for voting rights - https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/585849-democrats-push-manchin-on-nuclear-option-for-voting-rights?rl=1

The filibuster debate is (maybe) coming to a head on voting rights. Here’s what could happen. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/12/14/filibuster-debate-is-maybe-coming-head-voting-rights-heres-what-could-happen/

Judge allows lawsuits against Georgia’s voting law to move forward - https://www.axios.com/federal-judge-lawsuits-georgia-restrictive-voting-law-641137a5-3d1e-49e0-9c6a-afe89483ca05.html

Georgia Republicans purge Black Democrats from county election boards - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/georgia-republicans-purge-black-democrats-county-election-boards-2021-12-09/

Dem A.G.s argue that FL’s justification for voting restrictions were made up - https://floridaphoenix.com/2021/12/09/dem-a-g-s-argue-that-fls-justification-for-voting-restrictions-were-made-up/

Proposed ballot initiative would return Utah to in-person paper balloting on Election Day - https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/12/07/proposed-ballot/

Republicans in Texas county to administer their own 2022 primary, despite officials’ warnings - https://www.votebeat.org/2021/12/10/22828080/potter-county-primary-election-2022-republican-party-hand-marked-paper-ballots

New York City Gives 800,000 Noncitizens Right to Vote in Local Elections - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/nyregion/noncitizens-voting-rights-nyc.html

House passes Protect Our Democracy Act to curb presidential abuses of power - https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/09/politics/house-vote-protect-our-democracy-act/index.html

Protecting Our Democracy Act - https://protectdemocracy.org/project/protecting-our-democracy-act/

Congressional mapmakers receive "F" grade in five states - https://www.axios.com/states-grade-redistricting-gerrymandering-2022-election-house-9779bb90-9aba-4e44-98dc-b9f4d0b7333f.html

N.C. court delays spring primaries due to gerrymandering lawsuits - https://www.axios.com/north-carolina-delays-2022-primaries-gerrymandering-75920652-266f-4207-9d45-8743456b3d4f.html

Opportunity was snatched away from Dallas County Latino communities when Texas Republicans redrew congressional maps - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/13/latinos-texas-redistricting-dallas/

Small group of GOP lawmakers, mapmakers controlled congressional line-drawing, depositions show - https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/12/14/ohio-redistricting-small-circle-controlled-gop-congressional-map/6468713001/

Virginia redistricting proposals leave incumbents vulnerable, candidates scrambling to rethink campaigns - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/12/09/virginia-redistricting-maps-incumbents/

The judges drawing America's political maps - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/13/political-maps-redistricting-state-supreme-courts-524150

How Gerrymandering Contributes to Environmental Injustice - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-gerrymandering-contributes-environmental-injustice

Watchdogs sue WA redistricting panel over secret deal-making - https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/12/watchdogs-sue-wa-redistricting-panel-over-secret-deal-making

Supreme Court Allows Challenge to Texas Abortion Law but Leaves It in Effect - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/10/us/politics/texas-abortion-supreme-court.html

“Every constitutional right is now at risk": Legal experts warn Supreme Court action on Texas abortion law could lead to copycats - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/10/scotus-texas-abortion-law-constitutional-rights/

U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Texas abortion law affirms an assault on legal precedents: Could civil rights and civil liberties be next? - https://thegrio.com/2021/12/13/supreme-court-ruling-affirms-assault-on-legal-precedents/

With Roe at Risk, Justices Explore a New Way to Question Precedents - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/13/us/politics/supreme-court-roe-v-wade-precedent.html

Supreme Court signals further erosion of separation of church and state in schools - https://www.npr.org/2021/12/08/1062498821/supreme-court-signals-further-erosion-of-separation-of-church-and-state-in-schoo

What can U.S. Supreme Court learn from N.C.'s mandatory retirement age? - https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triangle-sandhills/news/2021/12/08/what-can-us-supreme-court-learn-from-nc-s-mandatory-retirement-age-

How Biden Is Reshaping The Courts - https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-biden-is-reshaping-the-courts/

GOP election objectors rake in corporate cash - https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/585637-gop-election-objectors-rake-in-corporate-cash?rl=1

Big Law Firms Promised to Punish Republicans Who Voted to Overthrow Democracy. Now They’re Donating to Their Campaigns - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/jan6-law-firms-insurrection-campaign-finance-1268962/

Oil, gas firms give more cash to Democrats resisting carbon fees - https://www.rollcall.com/2021/12/09/oil-gas-firms-give-more-cash-to-democrats-resisting-carbon-fees/

Coal interests press Supreme Court to limit EPA reach - https://www.eenews.net/articles/coal-interests-press-supreme-court-to-limit-epa-reach/

Climate change has destabilized the Earth’s poles, putting the rest of the planet in peril - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/climate-change-has-destabilized-the-earths-poles-putting-the-rest-of-the-planet-in-peril/

How much PhRMA gave to a dark money group supporting Democratic drug pricing critics - https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2021/12/08/how-much-phrma-gave-to-a-dark-money-group-supporting-democratic-drug-pricing-critics-495376

We rated every member of Congress on their financial conflicts and transparency. - https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-conflicts-congress-members-rated-2021-12

Democrats introduce bill to end political spending by foreign-owned corporations - https://thehill.com/homenews/house/585775-democrats-introduce-bill-to-end-political-spending-by-foreign-corporations?rl=1

REP. JAMIE RASKIN INTRODUCES BILL TO BAN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS FROM SPENDING MONEY IN U.S. ELECTIONS - https://freespeechforpeople.org/rep-jamie-raskin-introduces-bill-to-ban-multinational-corporations-from-spending-money-in-u-s-elections/

In Texas, a Battle Over What Can Be Taught, and What Books Can Be Read - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/10/us/texas-critical-race-theory-ban-books.html

Now in Your Inbox: Political Misinformation - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/13/us/politics/email-political-misinformation.html

Birds Aren’t Real, or Are They? Inside a Gen Z Conspiracy Theory. - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/technology/birds-arent-real-gen-z-misinformation.html

How Build Back Better Could Save Local News - https://www.smerconish.com/exclusive-content/how-build-back-better-could-save-local-news

Kshama Sawant maintains lead as many challenged ballots are resolved - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/sawant-maintains-lead-as-many-challenged-ballots-are-resolved/

Ranked-choice voting on the ballot in two Washington counties - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/ranked-choice-voting-washington