Democracy Happy Hour – Nov 24, 2021

PAST EVENT
Event Details

Democracy Happy Hour, November 24, 2021 - Meeting Recordings, Chat & Closed Caption Files:

Upcoming Democracy Happy Hour topics:

  • Dec 1st – Proportional Representation w/ special guests from WA for Equitable Democracy
  • Dec 8th – The Push to Take Over State Elections
  • Dec 15th – How Do We Win the Fight for Democracy?
  • Dec 22nd – CANCELLED for the Holidays
  • Dec 29th – CANCELLED for the Holidays

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:

  • Declaration for American Democracy TAKE ACTION page - https://dfadcoalition.org/takeaction/
  • Call the U.S. Senate @ 1.888.453.3211 - Tell them to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, as well as address the filibuster so these bills can pass.
  • Call the White House @ 1.888.724.8746 - Tell the President to use his power to push the Senate to pass these bills and support reforming the filibuster. (The comment line is open Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, 8am-noon PT.)

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

Dial-In Details
When
11/24/2021
-
5:00 pm
-
Where
Contact
Upcoming Events
May 1, 2024
Democracy Happy Hour – May 1, 2024

Topic: Creating Local Democracy Hubs to Strengthen Communities with Vinay Orekondy, Coalition Director at Rank the Vote. Join us from 5-6:30pm PT for a weekly discussion about our democracy.

May 8, 2024
Democracy Happy Hour – May 8, 2024

Topic: The Authoritarian Playbook for 2025 with Elise Wirkus, Protect Democracy. Join us from 5-6:30pm PT for a weekly discussion about our democracy.

May 15, 2024
Democracy Happy Hour – May 15, 2024

SPECIAL EVENT: How to Steal a Presidential Election with Lawrence Lessig. Join us from 5-6:30pm PT for a weekly discussion about our democracy.

View All Events
Website experience Survey