Democracy Happy Hour – June 2, 2021

Democracy Happy Hour, June 2, 2021. Topic: "We the People" Meaning & Impact on Democracy.

Meeting Recordings & Chat:

• Speaker View Recording

• Gallery View Recording

• Chat file

Upcoming Democracy Happy Hour Topics:

• 06/9/21 – Possible Effects of New Voting Restrictions in 2022 Election
• 06/16/21 – Proposed Changes to State & Federal Courts

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

Racially Charged: America's Misdemeanor Problem - Screening & Panel Discussion – June 6th @ 6 pm

• Register @ https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_haKy7PIxTfaOPqZC46MDCQ

How to Discourage Extremism in Our Politics: Using Research to Guide Electoral Reform - June 9th @ 2:30-4:00 pm PT - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuduisqD0oGd3svrrlsIWXqaTZO5RJSiLL

Democracy Rebellion - Screening & Panel Discussion – June 9th @ 6 pm

• Register @ https://vol.represent.us/a/june-2021-movie-night

WA Climate Legislation Overview w/ South Seattle Climate Action Network – June 10th @ 6 pm - http://www.southseattleclimate.org/event/sscan-action-meeting-thursday-may-13th-6-pm/

King County Ranked-Choice ACTION NEEDED: https://secure.everyaction.com/wekTMOyBRke6KZLoCoAndw2?ms=fdf

WA Redistricting Links & Listening Sessions:

• WA State Redistricting Commission - https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/
• Redistricting Justice for WA - https://www.redistrictingjusticewa.org/
  

Sign the petition: Congress and Biden MUST step up for our freedom to vote NOW - https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-congress-and-biden-must-step-up-for-our-freedom-to-vote-now?source=2021BidenCongressVotingRights_FDF&referrer=group-fixdemocracyfirst

DONATE to Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

"We the People" Meaning & Impact on Democracy Links:

• Schoolhouse Rock- The Preamble - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKPmobWNJaU

• The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States - https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/preamble/

• Preamble: Overview - https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/pre_1_1/

• Preamble Text & Meaning - https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/constitution/

• Why We the People? Citizens as Agents of Constitutional Change - https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/why-we-people-citizens-agents-constitutional-change

• We The People: Democracy in 2020 - https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/articles_papers_reports/we-the-people-democracy-in-2020

• The Forgotten Meaning of ‘We the People’ - https://www.governing.com/now/the-forgotten-meaning-of-we-the-people.html

• We the People, Are the Biggest Threat to Democracy https://emorywheel.com/we-the-people-are-the-biggest-threat-to-democracy/

Democracy in the News Links:

• Interactive Map Reveals Which Indigenous Lands You’re Living On - https://mymodernmet.com/interactive-map-indigenous-lands/ - Native Land - https://native-land.ca/

• The devastation of the Tulsa Race Massacre - https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/interactive/2021/tulsa-race-massacre-centennial-greenwood/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most

• Tulsa isn’t the only race massacre you were never taught in school. Here are others. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/06/01/tulsa-race-massacres-silence-schools/

• Democrats failed to get enough votes for an independent inquiry into the Jan. 6 riot. - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/28/us/politics/capitol-riot-commission.html

• What’s Happening In Arizona Is Not Really An Audit Or A Recount. It’s A Partisan Inquisition. - https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/post-election-audits-are-normal-whats-happening-in-arizona-is-anything-but/

• The GOP push to revisit 2020 has worrisome implications for future elections - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-big-lie-elections-impact/2021/05/29/d7992fa2-c07d-11eb-b26e-53663e6be6ff_story.html

• After Dramatic Walkout, a New Fight Looms Over Voting Rights in Texas - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/31/us/politics/texas-voting-bill-.html

• After defeating restrictive voting bill, Texas Democrats send loud message: ‘We need Congress to do their part’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/texas-voting-rights-congress/2021/05/31/a3ff5f6a-c229-11eb-93f5-ee9558eecf4b_story.html

• Here’s where GOP lawmakers have passed new voting restrictions around the country - https://mail.google.com/mail/u/2/#inbox/FMfcgzGkXdBJmLHmMvkmzFrZLdXLMvrQ

• Biden pushes for US voting rights law as restrictions mount - https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-voting-government-and-politics-48c29c71f4b86983cac0f7ef57bc5359

• Pressure builds to nix filibuster, pass federal voting rights bills - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/harris-voting-rights

• Democrats must seize the moment or risk losing Black voters - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/black-voters-2653097173

• Pressure mounts on Manchin as ‘panic’ sets in among Democrats over voting rights - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/manchin-voting-rights/2021/06/02/103db892-c320-11eb-93f5-ee9558eecf4b_story.html

• Democrats grapple with the enemy within: What to do about the filibuster rule that could kill their agenda - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-filibuster-commission-voting-rights/2021/05/28/0776b6a6-bf00-11eb-9c90-731aff7d9a0d_story.html

• Opinion: A frantic warning from 100 leading experts: Our democracy is in grave danger - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/01/frantic-warning-100-leading-experts-our-democracy-is-grave-danger/

• Statement of Concern - The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards - https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/

• Voting Laws Roundup: May 2021 - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-may-2021

• YOU’VE HEARD OF THE 300+ BILLS TO LIMIT VOTING RIGHTS, BUT HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE 700+ BILLS EXPANDING RIGHTS? - https://www.sightline.org/2021/05/26/youve-heard-of-the-300-bills-to-limit-voting-rights-but-have-you-heard-of-the-700-bills-expanding-rights/

• House Democrats urge IRS to reverse Trump-era rule reducing donor disclosure - https://thehill.com/policy/finance/555514-house-democrats-urge-irs-to-reverse-trump-era-rule-reducing-donor-disclosure?rl=1

• GOP Bill Would Turn Trump Admin Guidance on “Dark Money” IRS Filings Into Law - https://truthout.org/articles/gop-bill-would-turn-trump-admin-guidance-on-dark-money-irs-filings-into-law/

• Restaurant lobbying groups and CEOs contributed to many of the GOP governors now ending pandemic unemployment benefits - https://thecounter.org/restaurant-lobbying-groups-ceos-nra-greg-abbott-gop-governors/

• Federal Judges Call for Increased Security After Threats Jump 400% - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judge-threats-attack-60-minutes-2021-05-30/

• How the Decline of Local Media Spread Coronavirus Misinformation - https://blog.issuevoter.org/how-the-decline-of-local-media-spread-coronavirus-misinformation-8665e8935839

• Last year’s ‘record-breaking’ global protests were effective in making change -https://www.fox17online.com/homepage-showcase/last-years-record-breaking-global-protests-were-effective-in-making-change

• Close encounters: Democrats and Republicans unified in taking UFOs seriously - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ufos-bipartisan/2021/05/31/096df812-be69-11eb-9c90-731aff7d9a0d_story.html
  

• Democracy vouchers play crucial role as candidates compete for cash in Seattle mayoral race - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/democracy-vouchers-play-crucial-role-as-candidates-compete-for-cash-in-seattle-mayoral-race/