Democracy Happy Hour – September 15, 2021

* Democracy Happy Hour, September 15, 2021 - Meeting Recordings & Chat:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/Zn16HU9PZvXC6XUL13t1x4Uxxo9UvYI8Khu3PcR4jQ5_DwnRCG0QFZll-IsJOgsJPB08Q8wdN6KtMgNB.TfoMnb4eALbg7ESv

• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/BS_Ap0x7ynHhsSRz47Uu7Ewy9GYLXeb33NBnIs5G-b_48BWG8VqlQKSmCDTu_mLSVZSwJupp6zsO_O7M.0qzoIrojPrd4qK64

• Chat (Link will download a text file to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/HLhczyZRF0hXFH9AkX78dwSvvNRetxnQmItjaIHgktS9E2alTCl7Pdmi7dl9lzyjoINcxMIwZD2W1vIQ.huRnlxpSkyuDDBwX

View slides from the presentation on the Freedom to Vote Act here

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

Upcoming Democracy Happy Hour topics:

• Sept 22nd - Election Audits – What are the best options?
• Sept 29th - Extremism in the U.S. – What, When & How?
• Oct 6th - Gender & Racial Parity in Political Participation – Why does it matter?

WA Redistricting:

• Redistricting Justice for WA - https://www.redistrictingjusticewa.org/

• PLEASE SIGN: 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/

Testify at upcoming hearings:

• 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.

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:

• 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.
• 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.

TAKE ACTION for VOTING RIGHTS – Please do one or more of these actions:

• Call your Senators: 1.888.453.3211 - Tell them to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Freedom to Vote Act & Washington, D.C. Admission Act, , plus address the filibuster.
• Call the White House: 1.888.724.8746 - Tell the President to use his power to push the Senate to pass these bills, plus address the filibuster. (The comment line is open Tues-Thurs, 8 am – 12 pm PT.)
• Declaration for American Democracy - Take Action: dfadcoalition.org/takeaction
• End Citizens United Action Page: https://ecuactionfund.org/the-for-the-people-act/
• Represent Us National Phone Banks: vol.represent.us/a/events-calendar?date_start=08-24-21&date_end=10-23-21
• Sign the petition: Urge the Senate to pass John Lewis VRAA @ bit.ly/38qI0Zg
• Tell Senate Democrats: Reform the Jim Crow Filibuster - https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/Jim-Crow-Filibuster/

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

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:

Justice Dept. Asks Judge to Block Texas From Enforcing Restrictive Abortion Law - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/us/politics/texas-abortion-justice-department.html

Texas judge blocks anti-abortion group from enforcing new law - https://www.axios.com/texas-abortion-ban-planned-parenthood-injunction-6adc256a-54fd-4530-bdcd-7b6660571b02.html

Federal judge blocks Florida's 'anti-riot' law that Gov. DeSantis championed as a way to combat protests but civil rights groups said targeted people of color - https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-judge-blocks-florida-anti-riot-law-desantis-pushed-2021-9

Capitol rally seeks to rewrite Jan. 6 by exalting rioters - https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-d2fb23af3f01387412a1a00b4eac531c

Washington ramps up security ahead of Sept. 18 rally - https://thehill.com/homenews/house/572033-washington-ramps-up-security-ahead-of-sept-18-rally?rl=1

Officials Fear A New Normal As Republicans Make Baseless California Fraud Claims - https://www.npr.org/2021/09/13/1036696853/if-republicans-lose-the-california-recall-election-they-might-claim-fraud

AZ canvass report draws nonsensical conclusions - https://apnews.com/article/elections-media-arizona-ap-fact-check-phoenix-96f95a57cd361006d3398b0902a3e0d8

Republicans Start Election ‘Investigation' in Pennsylvania - https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politics/republicans-start-election-investigation-in-pennsylvania/2952997/

Democrats, GOP Push Back Against Partisan Election Audits - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/09/08/democrats-gop-push-back-against-partisan-election-audits

Words matter. So these journalists refuse to call GOP election meddling an ‘audit.’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/audit-pennsylvania-gop-inquirer-media/2021/09/13/660f0462-14b8-11ec-a5e5-ceecb895922f_story.html

In the wake of Trump's attack on democracy, election officials fear for the future of American elections - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/12/politics/trump-2020-future-presidential-elections-invs/index.html

U.S. lawmakers seek to protect election workers after Reuters investigation - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-lawmakers-seek-protect-election-workers-after-reuters-investigation-2021-09-10/

Voting think tank launches lawyer network to defend election officials - https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/08/voting-think-tank-launches-lawyer-network-defend-election-officials/5773412001/

Texas’s New Law Is The Climax Of A Record-Shattering Year For Voting Restrictions - https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/texass-new-law-is-the-climax-of-a-record-shattering-year-for-voting-restrictions/

On Voting Rights, There Are No Moderates in the GOP - https://www.democracydocket.com/news/on-voting-rights-there-are-no-moderates-in-the-gop

Senate Democrats Offer A New Voting Bill, But A GOP Filibuster Likely Blocks The Way -https://www.npr.org/2021/09/14/1036812609/senate-democrats-offer-a-new-voting-bill-but-a-gop-filibuster-likely-blocks-the-

Revised Democratic voting bill drops controversial provisions, tweaks others as pressure for action mounts - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/revised-democratic-voting-bill-drops-controversial-provisions-tweaks-others-as-pressure-for-action-mounts/2021/09/14/6c59def8-150a-11ec-9589-31ac3173c2e5_story.html

Manchin lobbies McConnell on election reform bill - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/14/democrats-unveil-compromise-ethics-and-elections-reform-bill-511761

John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act needs our support - https://billingsgazette.com/opinion/columnists/guest-opinion-john-lewis-voting-rights-advancement-act-needs-our-support/article_41f380b9-f941-595c-8550-a17d7f17090f.html

6 things you should know about the 2021 Native American Voting Rights Act - https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-law-6-things-you-should-know-about-the-2021-native-american-voting-rights-act

Democrats revive filibuster fight over voting rights bill - https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/572299-democrats-revive-filibuster-fight-over-voting-rights-bill?rl=1

Sen. Alex Padilla says Democrats will have 'no choice' but to 'revisit' filibuster reform if the GOP blocks a voting-rights compromise bill - https://www.businessinsider.com/alex-padilla-voting-rights-compromise-for-the-people-act-filibuster-reform-2021-9

Al Sharpton calls on Biden to fight the filibuster: ‘If we can’t depend on you here, when can we?’ - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/10/al-sharpton-filibuster-voting-rights-joe-biden

Biden Tells Top Democrats He’s Preparing Lobbying Blitz on Filibuster Reform, Voting Rights - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/biden-filibuster-voting-rights-corruption-manchin-sinema-1224269/

Seven reasons to think Senate Democrats will actually change the filibuster - https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/09/13/filibuster-senate-voting-rights-democrats/

Redistricting Battles Kick Off in State Courts - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/09/10/redistricting-battles-kick-off-in-state-courts

'An insult to democracy': Ohio Republicans' redistricting plan panned soon after release - https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/09/facing-redistricting-deadline-ohio-republicans-release-statehouse-map/5782315001/

Florida legislators resist calls for redistricting transparency - https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/09/15/florida-legislators-resist-calls-for-redistricting-transparency/

New York Will Soon Lose 1 House Seat. The G.O.P. Might Lose 5. - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/nyregion/congress-redistricting-ny.html

Democrats' House targets vanish as GOP redraws new maps - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/15/democrats-house-gop-maps-511868

Shelby County ruling could make it easier for states to get away with extreme racial gerrymandering - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/09/politics/redistricting-justice-department-voting-rights-act-preclearance/index.html

Don’t Judge a District by Its Shape - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/dont-judge-district-its-shape

Coalition urges Congress to 'stand up to pressure from corporate lobbyists' - https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/571482-coalition-urges-congress-to-stand-up-to-pressure-from-corporate-lobbyists?rl=1

Manchin Denies He Meets with Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Weekly But Says, ‘I Keep My Door Open for Everybody’ - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/manchin-lobbyists-aoc-1224321/

Gates Foundation Was Major Donor to Pro-Biden ‘Dark Money’ Network - https://readsludge.com/2021/09/14/gates-foundation-was-major-donor-to-pro-biden-dark-money-network/

Under G.O.P. Pressure, Tech Giants Are Empowered by Election Agency - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/13/us/politics/fec-twitter-hunter-biden.html

What Andrew Yang's new party means for American politics - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/andrew-yang-third-party

Want to vote on your phone? Election experts want to make it happen. - https://thefulcrum.us/voting/online-voting-2654956413

2021 Diversity Report shows progress … and a long way to go - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/bridge-alliance-diversity

Washington redistricting commission invites public to draw new legislative, congressional maps - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-redistricting-commission-invites-public-to-draw-new-legislative-congressional-maps