Democracy Happy Hour – September 1, 2021

Democracy Happy Hour, September 1, 2021 - Meeting Recordings & Chat:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/OjETPSghmd9Vr49dOEIGPIM_WYPdjRHV7bZmLCky4n0NEW8hqd1Z3V0U7L9NGlHgZQtNkm6CZdxW9E17.DQYZXV5keyO0mFWF

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/zSFINLVYGpG8dfTj2cNIyutIDn-fpWAiOu6aiYnseuvrYpMOrlDXgDFzRtLiH2knhChtXAcBLMUnJbww.60WtSUhUS2Rg5THl

• Chat (Link will download a text file to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/OYWOsh2UaixKxIdXUj_FEHqXhbZny45yk4_twR6yB0hPpc_v64YGWukiTKYQBXGhQ5xcLflJ-UYvWm4J.1u9Wiap8MDRSExkZ

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

• More upcoming Democracy Happy Hour topics:

• Sept 8th - The Influence of Political Think Tanks on Policy Making
• Sept 15th - Election Audits – What are the best options?
• Sept 22nd - Extremism in the U.S. – What, When & How?
• Sept 29th - Gender & Racial Parity in Political Participation – Why does it matter?

• March On For Voting Rights WA Virtual March on August 28, 2021 - Recording, Chat & Closed Caption Links:

• Speaker view recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/0IM_2cGJmW0z3aD4f5Xg1eqiNfEYnq-uUALtNGjYANTp9m_qscf-O-owaqv5v7sf4m9HEXVqCrxJ0fEj.lSFqiJyiGpQUw__K
• Gallery view recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/iVojOIvYln6Q2MSNys2f8ZnxAZR26xmY__hcEJ7MWUuVKvco5evloih_diIAnUjUydXGdI5XtLtfk8j7.a2FZRkP1dF4aBRm2
• Chat file (text file will download to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/StSIj8OwQYyVVzal9pvvffCxagCv3oH1b795Ym8u7-qvsZwRlogfud-woV5tEJ_G80PQLWDTXzKBpNKF.zCUSEj3ukBPJZJB6

• TAKE ACTION – Please commit to doing one or more of these actions:

• Call your Senators: 1.888.453.3211 - Tell them to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the For the People Act & Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
• Call the White House: 202.456.1111 or 1.888.724.8746 - Tell the President to use his power to push the Senate to pass these bills. (The comment line is open Tues-Thurs, 8am-noon PT.)
• March On For Voting Rights - Sign the Pledge @ marchonforvotingrights.org or votingrightspledge.org or Text PLEDGE to 89799
• March On Action Page - marchonforvotingrights.org/action
• March On - Sign up to Help Register Voters - airtable.com/shr4inVcMttcwNVSR
• League of Women Voters - Take Action page: lwv.org/take-action
• Indivisible National - Take Action page - For the People Act: forthepeople.indivisible.org
• Washington State Indivisible - Let’s make voting rights happen!

• [online] Tell Senators Murray and Cantwell to eliminate dark money & amplify the power of small donations
• [write] Write a Letter to the Editor calling on our Senators to address the filibuster - we have a complete toolkit for you!
• [call] Call the White House – Ask the President to use his power to advance voting rights legislation

• Declaration for American Democracy - Take Action: dfadcoalition.org/takeaction
• Common Cause Phone Banks: mobilize.us/commoncause/event/376178
• Represent Us National Phone Banks: vol.represent.us/a/events-calendar?date_start=08-24-21&date_end=10-23-21
• Fair Fight Hot Call Summer: stopjimcrow2.com
• Common Power - Advocacy page: commonpower.org/advocacy
• Host a Virtual Postcard or Letter Writing Party: actionnetwork.org/forms/help-pass-the-for-the-people-act-host-a-virtual-postcard-party
• Letter To the Editor - Use this LTE tool to submit a letter to their local newspapers: dfadcoalition.org/lte
• Share your Story: forms.gle/L9HGMSLYF2n955qp8
• Sign the petition: Urge the Senate to pass John Lewis VRAA @ bit.ly/38qI0Zg

• “Democracy Vouchers: How bringing money into politics can drive money out of politics” with author Tom Latkowski - September 9th @ 6 pm

• Register @ https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pH0LBbJmSGW4cdcZsRkdow
• Donate $35 or more & receive a FREE copy of “Democracy Vouchers” - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate/book-fundraiser

• Defending Democracy in a Period of Far-Right Insurrection w/ Leonard Zeskind and Devin Burghart - September 23rd @ 5 pm PT – Register @ https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pL1afA7lQ7OGjfJv_142gw

• WA Redistricting Links:

• Redistricting Justice for WA - https://www.redistrictingjusticewa.org/
• Pledge to Support Community-Led WA Redistricting Maps - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjS_COUv7ekwXIShQ0-lvrWD2ZMU5k4Z-0lVkFsmok6LzFHw/viewform
• WA State Redistricting Commission - https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/

• Public Comment: They are still taking public comment via written testimony, email, voicemail, video submissions. More info here: https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/provide-public-testimony
• Important dates to note:

• End of August – DrawYourWA mapping tool will be live with the official Census Bureau redistricting data and the state’s adjusted data based on relocation of persons in state custody to their last known address for purposes of redistricting. We will inform the public as soon as the data has been uploaded.
• Tuesday, September 21 – Commissioners will each release their proposed state legislative district map.
• Tuesday, September 28 – Commissioners will each release their proposed congressional district map.
• Tuesday, October 5 (7 p.m.) – Statewide Virtual Public Outreach Meeting to receive feedback on state legislative map proposals.
• Saturday, October 9 (10 a.m.) - Statewide Virtual Public Outreach Meeting to receive feedback on congressional map proposals.
• Friday, October 22 – Deadline to ensure full consideration of third-party map submissions by the Commission.
• Monday, November 15 (11:59 p.m.) – Deadline for Commission to submit final maps to the Legislature.

• DONATE:

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate
• YO VOTE! - https://www.yo-vote.org/donate
• Donate $35 or more & receive a FREE copy of “Democracy Vouchers” by Tom Latkowski - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate/book-fundraiser

Democracy in the News Links:

Capitol Police Officers Sue Trump and Allies Over Election Lies and Jan. 6 - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/26/us/politics/capitol-police-jan-6-riot-lawsuit-trump.html

Federal judge in Michigan orders pro-Trump lawyers disciplined over lawsuit seeking to overturn 2020 election - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-judge-in-michigan-orders-pro-trump-lawyers-disciplined-over-lawsuit-seeking-to-overturn-2020-election/2021/08/25/16bbe7b2-05f0-11ec-a654-900a78538242_story.html

Partisan Republican vote ‘audits’ are making elections less safe, officials say - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/audit-2020-election-arizona-mypillow-b1910547.html

Rep. Madison Cawthorn falsely suggests elections are ‘rigged,’ says there will be ‘bloodshed’ if system continues on its path - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rep-madison-cawthorn-says-there-will-be-bloodshed-if-us-elections-continue-to-be-rigged/2021/08/30/297a9fa2-09c8-11ec-aea1-42a8138f132a_story.html

Paul Ryan says it's 'really clear' Biden won election: 'It was not rigged. It was not stolen' - https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/570183-paul-ryan-says-its-really-clear-biden-won-election-it-was-not-rigged-it-was

G.O.P. Election Reviews Create a New Kind of Security Threat - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/us/politics/gop-us-election-security.html

Experts warn of dangers from breach of voter system software - https://apnews.com/article/technology-software-election-2020-1341028212960b9b4ed713620d764629

Reforming one law could prevent another election insurrection, experts say - https://thefulcrum.us/electoral-count-act-reform

Texas G.O.P. Passes Election Bill, Raising Voting Barriers Even Higher - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/31/us/politics/texas-voting-rights-bill.html

The hard-fought Texas voting bill is poised to become law. Here's what it does. - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/30/texas-voting-restrictions-bill/

After Voting Bill's Passage, Texas Democrats Hold Out For Federal Help That May Never Come - https://www.kut.org/politics/2021-08-31/with-voting-bills-inevitable-passage-texas-democrats-hold-out-for-federal-help-that-may-never-come

Democrats Are Now Open To New Voter ID Rules. It Probably Won't Win Over The GOP - https://www.npr.org/2021/08/28/1031164994/democrats-are-now-open-to-new-voter-id-rules-it-probably-wont-win-over-the-gop

How a Defunct Federal Provision Helped Pave the Way for New Voting Restrictions - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/26/us/politics/voting-restrictions.html

Racial Turnout Gap Grew in Jurisdictions Previously Covered by the Voting Rights Act - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/racial-turnout-gap-grew-jurisdictions-previously-covered-voting-rights

Thousands rally for voting rights, D.C. statehood in Washington - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/08/28/dc-voting-rights-march-statehood/

Struggle for voting rights continues 58 years after historic March on Washington - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/thousands-demand-the-us-protect-voting-rights-under-fire

5 things to know about the voting rights bill named for John Lewis - https://www.rollcall.com/2021/08/31/5-things-to-know-about-the-voting-rights-bill-named-for-john-lewis/

New polls suggest broad support for Democrats' voting rights bills - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/new-polls-suggest-broad-support-democrats-voting-rights-bills-n1277837

AFL-CIO chief warns of election consequences for pro-filibuster Democrats - https://thehill.com/regulation/labor/570184-afl-cio-chief-warns-of-election-consequences-for-pro-filibuster-democrats

‘Democracy will be in shambles’: Democrats in last-ditch effort to protect voting rights - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/31/democrats-voting-rights-senate-bill-republicans

How the 5 vote-by-mail states have overhauled their election systems - https://thefulcrum.us/voting/voting-law-changes-2

Yakima County agrees to settlement in lawsuit alleging disenfranchisement of Latino voters - https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/yakima-county-agrees-to-settlement-in-lawsuit-alleging-voting-rights-act-violations/article_66ba7168-89a7-540d-aa45-2402349fbf53.html

After census, citizens panels seek sway in redistricting - https://apnews.com/article/census-2020-redistricting-8ec9fb60088e55d7e607d3b1fbc59d5c

6 Tips for Making Effective Comments at a Redistricting Hearing - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/6-tips-making-effective-comments-redistricting-hearing

Corporations and Trade Groups Are Bankrolling the Sedition Caucus Again - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/08/corporate-pacs-donations-republican-congress-members-sedition-caucus-trump-insurrection/

Corporate America launches massive lobbying blitz to kill key parts of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion economic plan - https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/08/31/business-lobbying-democrats-reconciliation/

Corporate Donations Tracker - https://www.accountable.us/corporate-donations-tracker/

Women make fewer political donations and risk being ignored by elected officials - https://thefulcrum.us/campaign-finance/political-donations-by-women

The US supreme court is deciding more and more cases in a secretive ‘shadow docket’ - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/31/supreme-court-us-cases-shadow-docket

Biden commission on Supreme Court isn't moving fast enough — or thinking big enough - https://www.salon.com/2021/08/30/biden-commission-on-supreme-court-isnt-moving-fast-enough--or-thinking-big-enough/

Report: Constituent engagement tends to be just 'answering the mail' - https://thefulcrum.us/congress/constituent-engagement

Students must do more than just check the box on civic education - https://thefulcrum.us/civic-ed/improve-civics-education-2654814174

App offers civil setting for political debate among Gen Z - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/yappolitics

The Powell Memo's Impact 50 Years Later links:

Lewis F. Powell Jr. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_F._Powell_Jr.

The Memo - https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=powellmemo

Justice Powell's Constitutional Opinions - https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2341&context=wlulr

The Powell Memo: A Call-to-Arms for Corporations - https://billmoyers.com/content/the-powell-memo-a-call-to-arms-for-corporations/

The Blueprint for Corporate Power Turns 50 - https://washingtonmonthly.com/2021/08/24/the-blueprint-for-corporate-power-turns-50/

THE POWELL MEMO AT 50 - 50 YEARS OF “GUERRILLA WARFARE” FROM CORPORATE AMERICA - https://rethinkmedia.org/resource/memo-50-years-%E2%80%9Cguerrilla-warfare%E2%80%9D-corporate-america?authkey=ce223aa5c9545ea5630aa4fabeb4311e371da28565936c74a057fe12e85e587e

The Powell Memo Explained, 50 Year Anniversary VIDEO - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwSK7t1IAZg

The Right-Wing Legacy Of Justice Lewis Powell And What It Means For The Supreme Court Today - https://www.theusconstitution.org/news/the-right-wing-legacy-of-justice-lewis-powell-and-what-it-means-for-the-supreme-court-today/

Buckley v. Valeo - https://www.fec.gov/legal-resources/court-cases/buckley-v-valeo/

First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti - https://www.fec.gov/legal-resources/court-cases/first-national-bank-of-boston-v-bellotti/