The Gov Hub: July 17, 2023

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Gov Hub
July 17, 2023

Welcome to The Gov Hub Newsletter by Girl and the Gov®. This weekly pop of politics is designed to share action items, resources, and quick links to civic engagement tools and topics to inboxes far and wide.

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THE ACTION ITEMS

Jump right in

ACTION 1:

The Ask: Tell your [federal] reps to support the Right to Read Act of 2023.

The Action: Sign this petition from Every Library.

The Background: The GOP and their friends at Moms for Liberty [a now recognized hate group], have made book banning and censorship a priority. Putting a stop to these bans is needed at a state and local level, as well as federally. The Right to Read Act of 2023 is one vehicle for doing so. Specifically, it aims to ensure stocked and staffed school libs, literacy programs, and the freedom to read what one wishes. It also invests in recruiting and retaining state-certified librarians and support staff, along with reauthorizing the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant program the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program.

ACTION 2:

The Ask: Tell the US Forest Service to protect mature and old-growth forests.

The Action: Sign this petition from the Sierra Club + attend this virtual public engagement sesh held by the US Forest Service on July 24 at 2:00pm EST [RSVP here].

The Background: The US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are currently conducting a threat analysis related to mature and old-growth forests, and through the executive order [14072] that initiated the analysis are pursuing feedback from communities at large. Specifically, the process looks to figure out the best ‘climate-informed’ approach to managing these forests and protecting them from a range of threats from climate change and disease to logging. The public [hi that’s you and us] are able to participate directly in the dialogue.

Looking for more action items? Check our library of past Gov Hub’s.

POST WEEKEND CATCH UP

Three top stories you might've missed

CHINESE HACKERS ACCESSED COMMERCE DEPT SECRETARY GINA RAIMONDO’S EMAILS: An evolving story that began as a slow release early last week has continued to cause pause, with the U.S. Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo counted amongst those whose emails were hacked by state-back Chinese hackers. The hack, aka eyes on the emails, went beyond the Commerce Department and also included the emails of various personnel at the State Department, think tanks, and even a congressional staffer. The hack came to a head when Microsoft notified the agency that the system had been compromised. Fallout has been reported internally, with fingers being pointed about security protocol – and also externally, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken directing strong words to Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat. In positive news, it’s reported that the hackers didn’t access classified information.

SENATOR CONTINUES TO BLOCK MILITARY PROMOTIONS OVER ABORTION POLICY: Alabama Senator, ex-football coach, and the man that made a cameo in the movie, The Blindside, Tommy Tuberville, has been spending his time defending white nationalists and blocking 250+ military promotions. His dangerous blockade is over a Pentagon policy put into place in October, which allows troops and their dependents [families] to take time off and use official travel to get to states where the needed reproductive care is available. The policy came post-Roe with growing concerns about being able to recruit and retain troops when missions and training can take them [and their families] to states where abortion and other reproductive services are no longer available. The policy itself does not fund abortions, and under the law, the DoD can only perform abortions when the mother’s life is at risk or in cases of rape or incest. Regardless of those details, Tuberville has weaponized the policy, blocking Democrats’ attempts to call up the military nominations to the floor. In addition to refusing to budge on the holds, his strategy gets weirder and wonkier, with a request that the Dems should bring up their own bill on the abortion policy and hold a vote [if that reads messy and manipulative to you, it’s because it is]. The bind is bad, with the only workaround currently being a roll call vote on all 260 military nominees, which according to Senator Reed, would take 84 days if the Senate worked an 8-hour day. Whatever the resulting plan is, what the reality is currently is a Marine Corps without a confirmed leader for the 1st time in a century and a dangerous delay on additional Joint Chiefs of Staff, forcing less experienced leaders to step in and impacting military readiness.

THE HOUSE PASSES DEFENSE BUDGET TARGETING LGBTQ+, WOMEN, & EDUCATION: The House GOP said let’s start a [culture] war, or certainly fan the flames of it, by adding a number of conservative and concerning amendments to the must-pass NDAA. As a refresher, the NDAA is the National Defense Authorization Act and it not only sets policy for the Pentagon but it authorizes related spending. In this case, the 2024 case, that means $886 billion in spending. As Congresswoman Summer Lee points out, some of that money could fix a lot of bridges and feed a lot of kids instead of going toward Viagra and crabs, but we digress. The NDAA passed largely along party lines, 219-210. Presently, it includes a pay raise for members of the military, initiatives to counter China, and money to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Where it gets sticky, beyond MTG pushing against funding for Ukraine, is with a number of amendments that do the following:

  • Reverse the DoD’s policy of reimbursing expenses for service members who travel to obtain an abortion [this passing has not impacted Senator Tuberville’s blockade, hence our comment on his manipulative and pointed strategy].

  • Prohibit the Pentagon from paying for gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatment.

  • Rescinds the COVID-19 vaccination mandate.

  • Adds a ‘parents rights’ allowance, with parents of children attending DoD schools being given the right to review curriculum, instructional materials, and disciplinary policies

From the Dem camp, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar released a statement, inclusive of these words: “House Republicans have turned what should be a meaningful investment in our men and women in uniform into an extreme and reckless legislative joyride. The bill undermines a woman’s freedom to seek abortion care, targets the rights of LGBTQ+ service members, and bans books that should otherwise be available to military families.”

Next up, the NDAA heads to the Senate for debate starting Tuesday. It’s unlikely the current version will pass in the Democratically-controlled [albeit barely] Senate, but a version is expected to pass later in the month before the Senate and House will have to duke it out on a final version. And to note, a final version will have to be brought to the table, as the NDAA is a piece of leg that is passed annually and its impact from economy to geopolitics is global. 

OTHER STORIES TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR THIS WK:

  • AP: Russia halted a landmark deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain at a time of growing hunger

  • POLITICO: DeSantis campaign sheds staff amid cash crunch

  • TEEN VOGUE: SAG-AFTRA Is Officially Going on Strike. Here’s What That Means.

  • THE HILL: Taiwan’s vice president to transit through the U.S., raising tensions with China

Have you forwarded this newsletter to a friend yet? Make their inbox shine, send it their way :)

FULL SEND….IT TO A FRIEND

  • The FDA approved an over-the-counter hormonal contraceptive pill dubbed Opill for sale without a prescription for the very first time. The move is expected to expand BC access nationwide and will hit shelves in early 2024, according to the manufacturer, Perrigo.

  • Speaking of birth control, this spicy vid aka political ad out of Ohio encouraging voters to vote NO on the state’s August 8 ballot measure [‘State Issue 1’] deserves an Oscar. For background, we recommend flipping back to this issue of Gov Hub. For keeping Ohio Republicans out of your bedroom, we encourage you as well to vote no on August 8.

  • The receipts are coming out, and POTUS is posting ‘em. Happen to be a member of the GOP that voted against funding for a project or projects in your district but is now singing its praises? Yea, you’ll likely find yourself with a call out here.

BACK ON OUR BILLSH*T

New bills, new BILLsh*t. In a game of good bill….

THE HOT FOODS ACT: This bill provides an important update to SNAP benefits. ICYMI, SNAP or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is designed to reduce food insecurity and feed over 42 million Americans, many of whom are children, seniors, and people with disabilities. The program provides needed food, but it doesn’t currently allow participants to use the benefit to purchase hot meals or cold prepared foods [ex: soup]. The barrier only makes it harder for participants to feed themselves and their families. The Hot Foods Act would change that, removing the red tape requirement.

….versus bad bill:

AMERICAN CONFIDENCE IN ELECTIONS ACT: Bills have a way of acting like wish lists or being agents of foreshadowing, and the ACE Act aims to do both for the GOP. The 50 bill whopper is being branded as an “election integrity” bill just like many of its state-level voter suppression compatriots. ACE, which would include recs for states to adopt and also directly impact DC [ya know because of that whole taxation without representation issue], suggests the following moves:

  • Require a photo ID to vote, both in-person and by mail.

  • Ban same-day voter registration and require annual list maintenance cleanup.

  • Prohibit community ballot collection and restrict drop boxes.

  • Bar universal mail-in voting.

  • Mandate signature verification for all mail-in ballots.

  • Direct the district to only count mail-in ballots that are received before the polls close on Election Day and require audits after every election.

THE ICK LIST

Rotten Eggs in Politics

  • RFK Jr.: RFK’s anti-vax POVs and his unfounded belief that “chemicals in the enviro could be making children gay or transgender and causing “the feminization of boys” and “masculinization of girls” have long had this nepo-baby on our sh*t list. But what dropped this wknd added fuel to the fire, with audio obtained from the NYP of RFK making more wild claims. This time his again unfounded and abhorrent claims were that “COVID-19 was a genetically engineered bioweapon that could have been “ethnically targeted” to prevent deaths of Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people.” He then doubled down on this on Twitter. The Democratic Party has 99 problems, and RFK is certainly one.

  • CLARENCE THOMAS + FMR AIDE, RAJAN VASISHT: Someone clearly didn’t tell the boomers that the preferred social media platform to get gossip on is Venmo. IYKYK. That’s clear as day when the dots were connected between Venmo payments between Justice Thomas’ former aide Rajan Vasisht and lawyers who had cases before the court. Ya know, arguing on behalf of cases that involved affirmative action, the EPA, and just itsy bitsy things that impact our entire country. **screams into an abyss**

  • TIM SHEEHY, CANDIDATE FOR SENATE IN MONTANA: The coming of age in the digital age has shown that posts of the past become part and parcel of campaign fodder. The posts can vary from eh to oops to cringe to burn it – and GOP senate candidate Tim Sheehy’s creepy, racist, horndog photo album from the FB certainly earns him an ick.

CANDIDATE WATCH ‘24

The following have said put me in coach for….

…and if none of the candidates are floating your boat, perhaps this is the campaign for you.

ELECTION SZN 2023

NASHVILLE: Early voting is underway for the city’s next mayor, vice mayor, and metro council members. EV runs through the 29th and is then followed by E-Day on August 3rd, 2023. For East and South Nashville, a state rep special election is also underway. Deats on voting locations and sample ballots are avail here.

BOOKMARK IT

Don’t lose the link you love; bookmark it

CAMPAIGN ZERO’S MAPPING POLICE VIOLENCE MAP & DATABASE: Campaign Zero’s Mapping Police Violence map and database provide a comprehensive look at where police violence is happening across the country, as well as the when and to who. The database shares where police have killed people and maps it out per state [and DC]. It’s easy to use and important to follow. Bookmark it.

STRANDS FOR TRANS: This database and resource is the first of its kind, and it provides a full guide of over 7,500 trans-affirming hair, beauty, and wellness businesses across the country. Take the map out for a spin and find a salon near you. Bookmark it.

Subscribe while you scroll, sign up for The Gov Hub Newsletter here if you’re not already on the list.

NEW ON THE POD

Curious how George Santos got elected in the first place? We have the answers to that quandary – well better yet, our guest Zak Malamed who is running against the professional liar has the answer(s):

@girlandthegov

How’d #georgesantos get elected in the first place? #zakmalamed a #democrat running against him explains #newstok #congress #congressnewsus

In addition to shedding light on the man he’s running against and the district he’s running to represent, Zak filled us in on how he got into politics, as well as his PAC’s focus on electing more young people to Congress. Get the full scoop by tuning in via Apple Podcasts and Spotify Podcasts, and watching on YouTube.

PREVIEW: Coming to airwaves Wednesday, an interview with Campaign Zero’s Executive Director, DeRay Mckesson. Our chat looks at the journey to closing Rikers and federal receivership. Subscribe and follow to get the jump on the eppy when it drops.

PS RATE & REVIEW – be a bestie pal and please leave us a review on Apple [scroll to the bottom] and/or Spotify. TYSM XOXO.


MUST-LISTENS

Pod rock n’ roll

  • AN HONORABLE PROFESSION: More young people in politics plz >>>> That would be our mentality, as well as that of Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon’s who is the youngest person ever elected in CT to his position. He chats about that unique POV and how it changes perceptions of gov on An Honorable Profession. Tune in.

  • POLITICAL PLAYLIST HAPPY HOUR: The under 45 crew in Congress is an interesting one, and Political Playlist tapped the notorious Rep. Swalwell to chat about gun reform and so much more. Tune in.

  • CONSIDER THIS FROM NPR: Young voters are rural voters, and rural voters are young voters. So, what do politicians need to do to court this Gen-Z crew? The latest eppy of Consider This zooms in and provides a few answers to boot. Tune in.

ALL THINGS GIRL AND THE GOV®

THE GOV CLUB: Focused on political networking and community amongst civically engaged besties, The Gov Club provides members access to free virtual networking events, 1v1s, and connections with one another. The Gov Club has also made moves from its old Slack channel home to the Geneva platform to make connecting with one another easy as pie. Sign up for the Gov Club, here.

#VIRAL, THE NEWSLETTER: Skip the meeting, make it an email – subscribe to Girl and the Gov®’s paid newsletter, #VIRAL, dedicated to providing the 411 on the social media trends, tricks and tips, and how-to’s for politicos is hitting inboxes with a splash, weekly. A sample of the newsletter, which we dub ‘social media consulting to your inbox,’ can be viewed here, and interested humans can subscribe here.

PODCAST AUDITS: Girl and the Gov®’s Podcast Audit service provides a comprehensive review of the client’s existing show with the goal of identifying areas of improvement. This is for clients with existing podcasts at any stage that wants to bring their show to the next level. Start the process with a Discovery Call.

SOCIAL MEDIA AUDITS: Think it’s time for a social media audit? Girl and the Gov® can help with that. Get up to speed on what needs to stay, and what needs to go on your social media accounts for it to go from zero to hero. Book a Discovery Call to learn more about what an audit can do for your accounts.

Other *things* of note on the comms front:

For pitches, PR, partnerships, collaborations, and more, send all details to [email protected].