Topic: Oregon's Effort for Campaign Finance Reform with Dan Meek. Join us from 5-6:30pm PT for a weekly discussion about our democracy.
Democracy Happy Hour, November 24, 2021 - Meeting Recordings, Chat & Closed Caption Files:
Upcoming Democracy Happy Hour topics:
Actions, Events & Misc. Links:
ACTION for Clark County for Ranked-Choice Voting
TAKE ACTION for VOTING RIGHTS BILLS:
SAVE THE DATE: Recess Can Wait Virtual Rally – December 6th @ 6 pm PT
Actions you can take:
Volunteer Phonebanks:
Write a Letter to the Editor: Use the Letter To the Editor Tool to submit a letter to your local newspaper - https://dfadcoalition.org/lte/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=0efbe054-a67f-421e-af75-404e630ad65b
SAVE THE DATE: Lobby Week 2022 - Co-hosted w/ League of Women Voters of WA – January 24-27, 2022
WA Redistricting: What’s Next? Links:
Alison's slides - https://lwvwa-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/amccaffree_lwvwa_org/ETAD5sIIu05LnFfVTAw6iCcBWQ8ViGRuHcNJovBgH8OEtQ
LWVWA Speak Up Schools - Redistricting Updates - https://lwvwa.org/speakup
LWVWA Maps - https://lwvwa.org/speakup/maps
DRA version of the Commission's FINAL maps:
Legislative: https://davesredistricting.org/join/3ee18c1d-a9ea-4c4b-8ee0-de5c241ddc90
Congressional: https://davesredistricting.org/join/73a73133-3f50-4bac-ad88-cfc12a8bd3ca
Politics of the Possible - https://www.politicsofthepossible.com/
Despite missing deadline, commission did draw a map for Washington's congressional districts - https://www.kuow.org/stories/proposed-changes-to-washington-s-congressional-map-2021
WA Redistricting Commission’s Final Approved Maps - https://washington-redistricting-commission.webflow.io/final-maps
WA redistricting panel urges state Supreme Court to look at its maps - https://www.knkx.org/politics/2021-11-17/wa-redistricting-panel-urges-state-supreme-court-to-look-at-its-maps
Washington’s redistricting failure: What went wrong and what happens now? - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washingtons-redistricting-failure-what-went-wrong-and-what-happens-now
Redistricting commissioners say Latino representation in Yakima Valley was point of contention - https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/elections/redistricting-commissioners-say-latino-representation-in-yakima-valley-was-point-of-contention/article_b4a7b038-df19-5ad1-bccb-1829d16c529e.html
A look at last-minute deal-making in WA redistricting negotiations - https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/11/look-last-minute-deal-making-wa-redistricting-negotiations
Seattle Times Editorial: Washington Supreme Court should approve redistricting maps - https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/washington-supreme-court-should-approve-redistricting-maps/
Critics call for reform of WA redistricting process after commission failure - https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/11/critics-call-reform-wa-redistricting-process-after-commission-failure
THE SUPREME COURT OF WASHINGTON ORDER REGARDING THE WASHINGTON STATE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION’S LETTER TO THE SUPREME COURT ON NOVEMBER 16, 2021 - https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/publicUpload/Supreme%20Court%20Orders/Supreme%20Court%20Order%20No%2025700B675%20111821.pdf
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON ORDER REGARDING THE WASHINGTON STATE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION’S LETTER TO THE SUPREME COURT ON NOVEMBER 16, 2021. SWORN DECLARATION OF SARAH AUGUSTINE, CHAIR OF THE WASHINGTON STATE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION - https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/publicUpload/Redistricting/AugustineDecl%20Nov%2021%20signed.pdf
Washington Courts - Washington State Redistricting Plan - https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/SupremeCourt/?fa=supremecourt.redistricting
Democracy in the News Links:
Steve Hobbs sworn in as Washington’s 16th secretary of state - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/steve-hobbs-sworn-in-as-washingtons-16th-secretary-of-state/
A Q&A with Kim Wyman, departing WA secretary of state - https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/11/qa-kim-wyman-departing-wa-secretary-state
Release of Trump White House papers key to stopping 'future attacks on democracy,' Jan. 6 panel argues - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/11/22/trump-white-house-papers-jan-6-523180
January 6 Committee Subpoenas Roger Stone and Alex Jones - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/11/january-6-committee-subpoenas-roger-stone-alex-jones/
House Jan. 6 committee issues subpoenas to Proud Boys, Oath Keepers - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jan-6-committee-oath-keepers-proud-boys-insurrection/2021/11/23/0ba96890-4c86-11ec-b0b0-766bbbe79347_story.html
House Jan. 6 committee intensifies focus on law enforcement failures that preceded Capitol attack - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-jan6-committee-law-enforcement/2021/11/23/6e14af3a-4ba0-11ec-a1b9-9f12bd39487a_story.html
Congressmembers Allegedly Helped Plan the January 6th Insurrection - https://act.represent.us/sign/congressmembers-allegedly-helped-plan-january-6th-insurrection/
A MAGA squad of Trump loyalists sees its influence grow amid demands for political purity among Republicans - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/greene-boebert-gosar-gaetz/2021/11/20/c77dc78a-47dd-11ec-973c-be864f938c72_story.html
RNC agrees to pay some of Trump’s legal bills in N.Y. criminal investigation - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-rnc-legal-bills-ny-investigation-vance-james/2021/11/22/ef447f38-4bda-11ec-b73b-a00d6e559a6e_story.html
G.O.P. Is Energized, but ‘Trump Cancel Culture’ Poses a Threat - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/20/us/politics/gop-trump-governors-midterms.html?referringSource=articleShare
Judge orders two lawyers who filed suit challenging 2020 election to pay hefty fees: ‘They need to take responsibility’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/they-need-to-take-responsibility-federal-judge-orders-hefty-fees-assessed-against-two-lawyers-who-filed-suit-challenging-2020-election/2021/11/22/b7ff5392-4be7-11ec-b0b0-766bbbe79347_story.html
Fueled by Trump-inspired grievance, attempts to terrorize public officials escalate - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/fueled-trump-inspired-grievance-attempts-terrorize-public-officials-escalate-n1284291
Pa. Republicans hire vendor to ‘investigate’ 2020 election, Dems question qualifications and GOP motivations - https://www.abc27.com/news/this-week-in-pennsylvania/pennsylvania-politics/pa-republicans-hire-vendor-to-investigate-2020-election-dems-question-qualifications-and-gop-motivations/
Attempted breach of Ohio county election network draws FBI and state scrutiny - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/attempted-breach-ohio-election/2021/11/19/12417a4c-488c-11ec-b8d9-232f4afe4d9b_story.html
Gov. Abbott approves $4 million to create ‘election audit division’ - https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2021/11/22/413994/gov-abbott-approves-4-million-to-create-election-audit-division/
U.S. senators urge funds to help election workers amid 'unacceptable' threats - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senators-urge-funds-help-election-workers-amid-unacceptable-threats-2021-11-22/
The politics of counting votes - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/election-law-georgia-texas
How a napkin can be counted as a vote in Washington, and why election officials say it’s secure - https://mynorthwest.com/3241959/napkin-vote-washington-election-officials-say-its-safe/
U.S. listed as a ‘backsliding’ democracy for first time in report by European think tank - https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/22/united-states-backsliding-democracies-list-first-time/
GLOBAL STATE OF DEMOCRACY REPORT 2021 - https://www.idea.int/gsod/
U.N. Expert Decries Near 'Tyranny' in U.S. Against Minority Voting Rights - https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-11-22/u-n-expert-decries-gerrymandering-in-parts-of-u-s-that-denies-minority-voting-rights
"Midnight is approaching” to pass voting rights protections - https://www.axios.com/midnight-is-approaching-to-pass-voting-rights-protections-d3d8cb12-3b2c-4422-8eee-f60425265472.html
HUNDREDS ARRESTED OUTSIDE WHITE HOUSE ON SECOND DAY OF VOTING RIGHTS PROTESTS - https://www.blackenterprise.com/hundreds-arrested-outside-white-house-on-second-day-of-voting-rights-protests/
SiriusXM host on hunger strike urges Congress to put voting rights on the front burner - https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/20/politics/joe-madison-hunger-strike-voting-rights-cnntv/index.html
Sinema holds firm in support of the filibuster, imperiling late voting rights push - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sinema-filibuster-voting-rights/2021/11/19/6be2b338-4966-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html
Progressive groups urge Feinstein to back filibuster carve out for voting rights or resign - https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/582811-progressive-groups-urge-feinstein-to-back-filibuster-carve-out-for-voting
Opinion: If Biden fails to secure voting rights, it will be his most lasting legacy - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/11/23/if-biden-fails-secure-voting-rights-it-will-be-his-most-lasting-legacy/
Fair maps advocates sound the alarm over gerrymandering in three states - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Redistricting/2021-redistricting
Dems' Maryland gerrymandering maps get F ratings from Princeton project - https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maryland-redistricting-princeton-grades
Republicans may soon be the only party representing Kansas in Congress; What could lead to the change? - https://www.ksnt.com/capitol-bureau/republicans-may-soon-be-the-only-party-representing-kansas-in-congress-what-could-lead-to-the-change/
New Georgia congressional map aims to increase Republican seats - https://www.ajc.com/politics/new-georgia-congressional-map-aims-to-increase-republican-seats/ZYXTAEGNRNBUZL737I7PNQHJKQ/
Ohio Republicans’ redistricting map dilutes Black voters’ power in Congress, critics say - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ohio-redistricting-gerrymander/2021/11/18/b0dc3bfe-37ef-11ec-91dc-551d44733e2d_story.html
Congressional gerrymandering by Texas Republicans cut out the heart of Houston’s Asian community - https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2021/11/22/414029/congressional-gerrymandering-by-texas-republicans-cut-out-the-heart-of-houstons-asian-community/
This Texas County Shows Exactly How Republicans Are Rolling Back the Clock on Voting Rights - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/11/this-texas-county-shows-exactly-how-republicans-are-rolling-back-the-clock-on-voting-rights/
Voting rights advocates sue Abbott over redistricting maps - https://www.fox7austin.com/news/voting-rights-advocates-sue-abbott-over-redistricting-maps
State Supreme Court prepares to take up Wisconsin voting maps - https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/state-supreme-court-prepares-to-take-up-wisconsin-voting-maps/
As legal challenges to Alaska’s redistricting plan take shape, past rulings offer key insight - https://midnightsunak.com/2021/11/18/as-legal-challenges-to-alaskas-redistricting-plan-take-shape-past-rulings-offer-key-insight/
AG opinion says Michigan's redistricting commission shouldn’t have met in secret to discuss voting rights - https://www.michiganradio.org/politics-government/2021-11-22/ag-opinion-says-michigans-redistricting-commission-shouldnt-have-met-in-secret-to-discuss-voting-rights
Virginia Supreme Court appoints two map drawers to help with state’s political redistricting - https://www.wric.com/news/politics/capitol-connection/virginia-supreme-court-appoints-two-map-drawers-to-help-with-states-political-redistricting/
Oregon Supreme Court upholds new state House and Senate maps - https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/22/oregon-supreme-court-upholds-new-state-house-and-senate-maps/
MapLab: How Republicans Are Dominating the Redistricting Process So Far - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-11-18/maplab-how-republicans-are-dominating-the-redistricting-process-so-far
Say goodbye to swing districts. Lawmakers are drawing easy wins in dozens of states. - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/11/18/redistricting-house-congressional-maps-522862
Competitive House districts are getting wiped off the map - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/11/23/gerrymandering-redistricting-competitive-house-districts/
States are redrawing every congressional district in the U.S. Here is where we stand. - https://www.politico.com/interactives/2022/congressional-redistricting-maps-by-state-and-district/
People say they hate gerrymandering, but that isn’t stopping Republicans or Democrats this year - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sundaytake-gerrymandering-congress-/2021/11/20/994d6d1e-4983-11ec-b8d9-232f4afe4d9b_story.html
There's only 1 real solution to partisan gerrymandering - https://news.yahoo.com/theres-only-1-real-solution-105510994.html
Biden’s Supreme Court Commission Shows Interest in Term Limits for Justices - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/us/politics/supreme-court-term-limits-biden.html
House Bill to Improve Judges’ Financial Disclosures Progresses - https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-bill-to-improve-judges-financial-disclosures-progresses-11637194568
This member of Congress wants everyone to know about the 'dark money scheme' that's 'captured' the Supreme Court - https://www.yahoo.com/news/member-congress-wants-everyone-know-130000201.html
The FEC is allowing ‘foreign entities’ to donate to U.S. referendum campaigns. That’s a problem. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/11/19/fec-is-allowing-foreign-entities-donate-us-referendum-campaigns-thats-problem/
Bipartisan Bill Would Ban Ballot Issue Campaigns From Taking Money From Foreign Donors - https://readsludge.com/2021/11/18/bipartisan-bill-would-ban-ballot-issue-campaign-from-taking-money-from-foreign-donors/
47 members of Congress have violated a law designed to stop insider trading and prevent conflicts-of-interest - https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-stock-act-violations-senate-house-trading-2021-9
G.O.P. Donors Back Manchin and Sinema as They Reshape Biden’s Agenda - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/21/us/politics/manchin-sinema-republican-donors.html
The corporate war against child care - https://popular.info/p/the-corporate-war-against-child-care
“Dark Money ATM” Pumped Over $137 Million into Right-Wing Groups in 2020 - https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2021/11/19/dark-money-atm-pumped-over-137-million-into-right-wing-groups-in-2020/
PRO-TRUMP NONPROFIT GIVES MILLIONS TO GROUPS BOOSTING HIS AGENDA - https://publicintegrity.org/politics/pro-trump-nonprofit-gives-millions-to-groups-boosting-his-agenda/
Anti-Sawant PAC Enters the Recall Campaign with Some Familiar Donors - https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2021/11/19/62959816/anti-sawant-pac-enters-the-recall-campaign-with-some-familiar-donors
Ranked Choice Voting Survived Its Biggest Election Season Yet - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/11/23/ranked-choice-voting-survived-its-biggest-election-season-yet
Facebook’s race-blind practices around hate speech came at the expense of Black users, new documents show - https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/11/21/facebook-algorithm-biased-race/
Is civics education a ‘right’? Rhode Island case tests theory. - https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2021/1112/Is-civics-education-a-right-Rhode-Island-case-tests-theory
Civics Secures Democracy Act Toolkit - https://sites.google.com/icivics.org/supportcivics
Washington Legislature releases COVID protocols for upcoming legislative session - https://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/washington-legislature-releases-COVID-protocols-16642932.php