We can make predictions on what Putin’s Victory Day Parade will look like.

We can also discuss two articles Bruce links.

Echoing the Margaret Mead quote, Patti Crane—on the last statewide Indivisible call—shared an inspirational TEDxHamburg talk about small groups of activists causing major divestment from fossil fuels.  Check out the link when you need an energizing reprieve from the depressing news cycle.

I haven’t been able to think through the implications of the upcoming repeal of Roe; maybe it is not even my place to. I want to point out that today, Speaker Pelosi appeared in Texas for incumbent Henry Cuellar (TX–28), who is literally the last anti-abortion Democrat in the House. (He also had his home raided by the FBI, which appears to be looking into his financial relationship with Azerbaijan.) He is in a primary run-off against a progressive young woman, Jessica Cisneros. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders endorsed her.

Pelosi has been the most effective Speaker in memory in terms of holding her caucus together, but this seems tone deaf. The theory is that, with Democrats having done very badly in the Rio Grande districts in 2020, Cuellar has a much better chance of retaining the seat. Is it worth it, for the cost to the image of the party?

You have to admire the Republicans’ commitment to team play and the long game, as enforced primarily by Mitch McConnell and the oligarchs who back him. While Dems cheer the bend of the arc of history, he worked incrementally over decades to orchestrate the takeover of the government to bend it back.

Democrats seem more interested in not losing too badly. Keep the filibuster, so that we can mitigate damage after the Republicans win. (This even supposes a number of Republicans would still support the filibuster when it works to their disadvantage, which is far from certain.) Instead, Democrats celebrate individual performances in a losing cause. You can see this today in the persons enraged at the suggestion cancer-ridden RBG should have retired early in the Obama Administration. Ginsburg’s rhetoric will sound so good in Blue State textbooks, but her last public statement, released post mortem, was a wheedling, feckless request that her successor be nominated by the winner of the impending presidential election. Of course, once they finished laughing, the Republicans did no such thing.

We did not intend to change the off-week parity when we cancelled last week. However, we have some appropriate May Day activities!

The Focus for Democracy people are doing another fundraiser for their downballot election work.

To attend our next event for the States Project Sunday, May 1st, at 5pm PT/8pm ET, click here or below to register and a Zoom link will be emailed to you.

Bruce brings us some reading material for next week. (This may or may not preview on the web page, depending if WordPress notices which price plan we are on. If not, it should have a download option.)

And perhaps with the distance of time, the experience of these Assembly candidates may seem droll.

‘Zoom-bombers’ drop lewd video, racist comments at Sacramento candidate forum.

Due to Covid exposure concerns on top of other issues, we are cancelling our meeting for today. We will meet next Sunday May 8th for a gala re-charge for the election season. At the meeting we will celebrate the fact we helped get Mallory McMorrow elected in the first place (with Sister District), Bruce will lead a discussion of a complex political issue, Naomi will release her first Twelve Angry People production and Andy will look into his crystal ball to tell us about the future. Please stay safe during this period of continuing Covid challenges and collect your favorite slogans/memes/rants for our next meeting.

Postcards available in the Little Free Library and printed out Vote Forward letters on request. See everyone May 8th.

McMorrow is a member of the Michigan State Assembly whom we helped get into office. Her race was adopted by Bay Area Sister District in 2018. One of the Republicans in the MI Assembly wrote a campaign fundraising letter featuring the new blood libel that Democrats—in particular, McMorrow—are grooming children for sexual molestation.

This was her response.

Senator Lana Theis accused me by name of grooming and sexualizing children in an attempt to marginalize me for standing up against her marginalizing the LGBTQ community…in a fundraising email, for herself.

Hate wins when people like me stand by and let it happen. I won't. pic.twitter.com/jL5GU42bTv

— Mallory McMorrow (@MalloryMcMorrow) April 19, 2022

I can’t help thinking that if Terry McAuliffe had confronted Republican slander with this outrage, he’d be Governor of Virginia today.

[UPDATE] James Carville seems to agree with me. Two months ago he said the Dems needed to abandon “faculty lounge” wokeness. But it turns out he didn’t mean abandoning the marginalized. He meant abandoning mealy-mouthed evasive defense. He’s a huge fan of this clip.

Usual place.

Remember, we are learning how to be Sith Lords, using our anger. No more “When they go low, we go high.” Look how badly that worked out for the Jedi.

Thanks for a lively A+ meeting! Based on our spirited discussion of the current state of the world, we have decided to add to our usual plans (postcards, letters, etc.) a new level of action. [Postcards are available in our Little Free Library along with URLs to obtain addresses.] We are going to give social media a try—with the hopes of reaching younger voters.

Homework:

1. Watch the Lincoln Project ads at lincolnproject.us
2. Check up on what Rachel Bitecofer is arguing at her PAC.
3. Ask young people they thoughts about the most effective social media platforms and send in the results (either as a comment below or an email).

We will meet again on April 10th 4:00–5:00 for the next stage in unveiling our new action plan.

Twelve Angry Persons/People/Elders (name is in progress)

I have turned my Little Free Library into a political out-reach tool, loading the top shelf with postcards and posting info about how to get addresses. We’ll see how this goes.

Lots to talk about Sunday including the tragic war in Ukraine and its reverberations in American politics, Clarence Thomas’ problems, Supreme Court pandering to Republicans, and political activities from SisterDistrict, Indivisible and East Bay Activists Alliance.

We have an event at our house this Sunday, 4:00–5:00 pm. But not Indivisible Elmwood. I will be talking about J Street’s congressional delegation to Israel and Palestine, which included, inter alia, Rep. Jared Huffman of Marin, Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, whom we supported for her first race in 2018, and Yours Truly.

The delegation met with

• Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh
• Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid
• Mansour Abbas, leader of the first Arab Party to join an Israeli governing coalition
• Numerous non-government officials.

I will talk for about half the time and will take questions. Rabbi Andrew Strauss, the Regional Director for J Street, will also be attending.