Democracy Happy Hour – September 29, 2021

Democracy Happy Hour, September 29, 2021 - Meeting Recordings & Chat:

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/qCIQoXMjyF_TrROTiJJxwv4d-tVoN4ABoXTaQFrzC_J2rTnII_Toi1tQm-juOZq0htdEZA2coVwbRhaV.QAsNlicNPBsEIbCw

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/vfeQQ3FTpjJ_e9PvKOrTaBTn1TNh11tqX-Egfh7iUNnTFmkyyDx5uUgvPz2z2aXc-3sjMMlmUm93UjjM.z1r1_QQN31T5uBlY

• Chat (Link will download a text file to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/A8uuFpeef-AXvM8cYygJ9S0jy6nivJnZozblzpfeZb_eDKWzsThKLSpUDAb04w-3OPfdfZQcGFSERhpj.ls91Mn-bpnjA1USj

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

Next week’s Democracy Happy Hour topic:

• Oct 6th - Gender & Racial Parity in Political Participation – Why does it matter?

WA Redistricting:

• 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/

• Proposed Legislative District Maps Released by the commission - https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/commissioner-proposed-maps
• Proposed Congressional District Maps Released by the commission – https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/proposed-congressional-maps

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

• League of Women Voters online video training explaining the redistricting process, writing effective testimony, and testifying.

Important dates to note:

• 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:

• Nationwide Call-In Days to 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: Common Cause Phone Banks & RepresentUs Phone Banks
• Write a Letter to the Editor: Use the Letter To the Editor Tool to submit a letter to your local newspaper

Sign These Petitions:

• Urge the Senate to pass John Lewis VRAA @ bit.ly/38qI0Zg
• Tell Senate Democrats: Reform the Jim Crow Filibuster @ bit.ly/3kL30ks

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:

Republican Review of Arizona Vote Fails to Show Stolen Election - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/24/us/arizona-election-review-trump-biden.html

'We won': Trump and his allies barrel ahead with election lies despite Arizona review confirming his loss - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/27/politics/arizona-trump-election-lies/index.html

‘Big Lie’ Election Audits Go On After Arizona: Here’s What’s Happening In Wisconsin, Pennsylvania—And Now Texas - https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/09/26/big-lie-election-audits-go-on-after-arizona-heres-whats-happening-in-wisconsin-pennsylvania-and-now-texas/?sh=76efe0382f43

Elections officials say individuals are knocking on Florida voters’ doors - https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/elections-officials-say-individuals-are-knocking-on-florida-voters-doors/

Skagit County not connected to recent door-to-door “Elections Integrity Audit” - https://www.anacortesnow.com/news/community-news/4578-skagit-county-not-connected-to-recent-door-to-door-elections-integrity-audit

GOP to step up poll watching, election litigation efforts, official says - https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/574123-gop-to-step-up-poll-watching-election-litigation-efforts-official-says?rl=1

Nearly a dozen states enacted laws this year that could subvert the results of future elections, analysis finds - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/29/politics/election-subversion-new-laws/index.html

As Trump hints at 2024 comeback, democracy advocates fear a ‘worst-case scenario’ for the country - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/as-trump-hints-at-2024-comeback-democracy-advocates-fear-a-worst-case-scenario-for-the-country/2021/09/28/ee357558-1a47-11ec-914a-99d701398e5a_story.html

Voting registration advocates grapple with new election laws - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/national-voter-registration-day-2655188426

Voter registration volunteers are crucial for democracy. They shouldn't be threatened with fines or felonies. - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/national-voter-registration-day-2655186867

California becomes 8th U.S. state to make universal mail-in ballots permanent - https://www.reuters.com/world/california-becomes-8th-us-state-make-universal-mail-in-ballots-permanent-2021-09-28/

More Americans Think It’s Too Easy Than Too Hard to Vote - https://morningconsult.com/2021/09/27/voting-rights-elections-polling/

A SUPERMAJORITY OF VOTERS SUPPORT THE FREEDOM TO VOTE ACT - https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2021/9/24/a-supermajority-of-voters-support-the-freedom-to-vote-act

Breaking Down the Freedom to Vote Act - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/breaking-down-freedom-vote-act

U.S. Senate's Schumer mulls passing election reform without Republicans - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-leader-schumer-opens-door-passing-election-reform-bill-without-2021-09-21/

To Secure Voting Rights and Strengthen Democracy, the Senate Must Abolish the Filibuster - https://rooseveltinstitute.org/2021/09/23/to-secure-voting-rights-and-strengthen-democracy-the-senate-must-abolish-the-filibuster/

Democrats Discussing 2 Options To Change The Filibuster To Pass Voting Rights Laws - https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrats-voting-rights-filibuster_n_614e4a29e4b03dd7280b070a

Arizona Democratic Party passes resolution criticizing Sinema on filibuster, reconciliation - https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/574185-arizona-democratic-party-passes-resolution-criticizing-sinema-for-filibuster?rl=1

The redistricting wars - https://www.vox.com/22632427/redistricting-gerrymandering-house-republicans

The plot against democracy: how Texas Republicans plan to steal power from minority voters - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/29/texas-republicans-gerrymandering-minority-voters

Wisconsin Supreme Court agrees to hear redistricting case, setting up a second court battle over Legislative maps - https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/22/wisconsin-supreme-court-agrees-hear-redistricting-case/5819320001/

Voting rights groups sue Ohio over a Republican-controlled revision of state voting districts. - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/23/us/politics/ohio-redistricting-aclu-voting-rights.html

As redistricting begins, states tackle the issue of ‘prison gerrymandering’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/as-redistricting-begins-states-tackle-the-issue-of-prison-gerrymandering/2021/09/28/917f9670-167a-11ec-ae9a-9c36751cf799_story.html

Dozens of lawsuits filed ahead of redistricting presage years of litigation - https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/573712-dozens-of-lawsuits-filed-ahead-of-redistricting-presage-years-of?rl=1

Industry Lobbyists Aim to Pick Apart Democrats’ $3.5 Trillion Spending Bill - https://www.wsj.com/articles/industry-lobbyists-aim-to-pick-apart-democrats-3-5-trillion-spending-bill-11632907802

Corporate PACs Reward Democrats Opposing Reconciliation Package - https://readsludge.com/2021/09/28/corporate-pacs-reward-democrats-opposing-reconciliation-package/

There’s a Flurry of Studies Trashing the Democrats’ Tax Agenda. They Have Corporate and GOP Dark Money Ties. - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/09/theres-a-flurry-of-studies-trashing-the-democrats-tax-agenda-they-have-corporate-and-gop-dark-money-ties/

Big Pharma, medical firms donated $750K to Kyrsten Sinema — then she opposed drug bill - https://www.salon.com/2021/09/23/big-pharma-firms-donated-750k-to-kyrsten-sinema--then-she-opposed-bill/

Kyrsten Sinema Is Corporate Lobbies’ Million-Dollar Woman - https://newrepublic.com/article/163745/kyrsten-sinema-corporate-donations-chamber-commerce

GOP operatives funneling Russian money to Trump is the latest foreign “straw” donor scheme - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/09/gop-operatives-funneling-russian-money-trump-latest-foreign-straw-donor-scheme/

Breakdown of police reform talks highlights power of police union lobby - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/09/breakdown-police-reform-talks-highlights-power-police-union-lobby/

The most powerful network of Democratic donors has a new president - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/23/democracy-alliance-president-pamela-shifman-513786

Is the Tide Turning on Corporate Climate Lobbying? - https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/climate-lobbying/728836

A law Lorena González devised now benefits her Seattle mayoral campaign - https://crosscut.com/opinion/2021/09/law-lorena-gonzalez-devised-now-benefits-her-seattle-mayoral-campaign

Massachusetts Bills Would Limit Political Spending by Foreign-Influenced Corporations - https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2021/09/24/504158/massachusetts-bills-limit-political-spending-foreign-influenced-corporations/

131 Federal Judges Broke the Law by Hearing Cases Where They Had a Financial Interest - https://www.wsj.com/articles/131-federal-judges-broke-the-law-by-hearing-cases-where-they-had-a-financial-interest-11632834421

Supreme Court observers see trouble ahead as public approval of justices erodes - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-public-opinion/2021/09/25/379b51ec-1c6c-11ec-bcb8-0cb135811007_story.html

Texas abortion providers ask U.S. Supreme Court to fast-track their challenge to state’s near-total abortion ban - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/23/texas-abortion-restrictions-supreme-court/

Georgia abortion law to be argued in federal appeals court - https://www.wsav.com/news/local-news/georgia-news/georgia-abortion-law-to-be-argued-in-federal-appeals-court/

House Democrats vote to establish federal right to abortion - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/24/house-democrats-abortion-federal-right-vote

Americans have negative views of all three branches of government - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/government-approval-declines

Risk-Limiting Audits – Verified Voting - https://verifiedvoting.org/audits/whatisrla/

Philadelphia could be next to adopt ranked-choice voting - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/philadelphia-ranked-choice-voting

Register young folks to vote. It's for the (political) culture. - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/national-voter-registration-day

How Democracy Vouchers Increase Political Engagement - https://readsludge.com/2021/09/27/how-democracy-vouchers-increase-political-engagement/

News vouchers are an effective way to restore diverse, vibrant local journalism - https://democracypolicy.substack.com/p/news-vouchers-are-an-effective-way

The People’s Constitution - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/peoples-constitution

The People’s Constitution – VIDEO Presentation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGQ9IvCpJu4

Extremism in the U.S. – What, When & How? Links:

Extremism – definition - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremism

Terrorism in the United States - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_United_States

The rise of domestic extremism in America - https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2021/domestic-terrorism-data/

Extremist Files - https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files

Data Unpacked – The Military, Police, and Rising U.S. Terrorism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yYP5RNmvQ0&t=41s

Right-wing extremism: History repeats itself — and the worst may be yet to come - https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/571287-right-wing-extremism-history-repeats-itself-and-the-worst-may-be?rl=1

Extremism and Political Violence in America: Current Landscape, Future Outlook - https://www.adl.org/extremism-political-violence-today-future-outlook

#StopTheSteal: Timeline of Social Media and Extremist Activities Leading to 1/6 Insurrection -https://www.justsecurity.org/74622/stopthesteal-timeline-of-social-media-and-extremist-activities-leading-to-1-6-insurrection/

Our constitutional crisis is already here - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis/

Violent Extremism in America: Can It Be Stopped? - https://www.rand.org/multimedia/video/2021/07/07/violent-extremism-in-america-can-it-be-stopped.html

Violent Extremism in America - Interviews with Former Extremists and Their Families on Radicalization and Deradicalization - https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1071-1.html

A National Policy Blueprint To End White Supremacist Violence - https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/reports/2021/04/21/498156/national-policy-blueprint-end-white-supremacist-violence/