- The Gov Hub
- Posts
- The Gov Hub Newsletter: September 16, 2024
The Gov Hub Newsletter: September 16, 2024
White House chefs, Dem v. GOP bags, & Tim Walz in a video game
Gov Hub
September 16, 2024
Welcome to The Gov Hub Newsletter by Girl and the Gov®. This weekly pop of politics is designed to share action items, resources, & quick links to civic engagement tools & topics. Find a typo? Congrats, today is your lucky day!
Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.
THE ACTION ITEMS
Get ‘em done from your phone
ACTION 1 – CLEAN ENERGY
This action is brought to you by Clean Energy for America Action
The Ask: Take the “I Vote for Clean Energy” pledge.
The Background: Democrats have an incredible record — investing in clean energy, tackling climate change, and driving clean energy investments that create jobs and foster manufacturing. The Democrats’ Clean Energy Plan is already driving the creation of more than 310,000 jobs - and when fully implemented will support 9 million American jobs. Vice President Kamala Harris will build on this progress. Meanwhile, Donald Trump will end clean energy investments - risking 9 million American jobs and our energy independence. He shook down Big Oil and Gas with a promise to do their bidding in exchange for a $1 billion campaign contribution. Don’t let Trump roll back the historic progress we’ve seen in the last 4 years.
ACTION 2 – FOOD SAFETY
The Ask: Tell the USDA to crack down on food safety violations.
The Background: Food safety is yet again top of mind following a deadly outbreak of Listeria via a Boar's Head deli meat plant in Virginia. The preventable consequences of a lack of urgency from the USDA to shut down a plant in mass violation, from vast evidence of black mold and rotting meat at the plant in question, are unacceptable. The USDA must do its job – enforce regulations and penalties for offenders.
ACTION 3 – GUN SAFETY
The Ask: Tell Congress to pass Ethan’s Law.
The Background: An under discussed piece of the common sense gun reform conversation is safe gun storage. According to Brady United, “every day, eight children and teens are unintentionally injured or killed due to family fire — a shooting involving an improperly stored or misused gun in the home that results in death or injury.” Creating federal requirements around safe gun storage via Ethan’s Law can save lives and reduce this number.
Looking for more action items? Check our library of past Gov Hub’s.
FULL SEND…TO A FRIEND
Just about guaranteed to make it to the group chat
In “this is weirdest timeline of history” news, Trump’s insane and factually untrue claims shared during the debate about people eating cats and dogs has been turned into a TikTok audio that’s been used in viral vids like this one involving a dog mascot and a cat mascot, as well as to create this catchy TikTok dance.
How does the news cycle connect to what a White House chef cooks for the day? Recently retired White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford gave her two cents on how those decisions get cooked up.
VP Harris has a number of titles, including mentor. Meet the women in politics she’s helped guide and shares open lines of communication with this CNN inside look.
Trump was “so unbothered” by Taylor Swift endorsing Kamala Harris that he posted “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” in all caps, just like that, to social media this weekend. It might be because her endorsement caused an influx of interest in voter registration. Regardless, Flavor Flav remained unmatched with his response.
Is your bag giving GOP or is it giving Dem?? Former Congressional Staffer, Beverly Hart has got the tea on the tell(s).
Tim Walz is now in a video game. No, like literally man made it as a full on character in a game called ‘Crazy Taxi’ and is wearing a flannel.
Michigan recently held a competition for voting stickers – ya know, like the ones you get post casting your ballot and brag about to your friends – and some of the submissions are ICONIC.
ELECTION SZN 2024
Guides, chatter, who’s who
U.S. Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks shared a BTS story of her daughter meeting VP Harris, and honestly we might all be her daughter in this story, esp on GATG.
Rumor has it that the Dems are building big time momentum against Cancun Cruz in the race for a critical US Senate seat – and this interview may shed light on why.
According to these five Gen Z New Yorkers these are the top issues impacting their presidential election decisions, thoughts, and feels.
If you pay just enough attention, Trump becomes a one-man confessional, like his admission on Friday that he doesn’t like running for president and that he’s perturbed by not getting any plea deals.
PA’s state Supreme Court ruled late last week that mail-in ballots with flawed dates on their envelopes can be thrown out, marking an interesting twist and turn in a battleground state.
Nebraska voters will decide on two ballot measures this fall related to the legalization of medical marijuana – these are the deats.
North Carolina absentee ballots are tardy for the party, and are being sent out late this week after a two-week delay thx to RFK Jr. dropping out of the race to focus on his career of putting dead animals in Central Park.
In the Jerz, 10th Congressional District voters will head to the polls for a special election to select a new representative following the passing of Congressman Donald Payne Jr.
HGW LISTENS
Hit play on these pods
There is much ado about Michigan, specifically keeping state Rep. Jaime Church's seat blue. This eppy of Girl and the Gov, The Podcast details how her district is the ‘dangly tooth’ of the current majority and the conversations she’s been having in a relatively red area.
The ‘eating the pets’ audio from last week’s presidential debate might be viral, but there’s a story behind it – a rather racist one that has left an Ohio town’s schools facing bomb threats and closures as a result. This episode of The Daily provides a top-line explainer on how this all came to be.
From fumbles to touchdowns, the Dems have taken on football language, vibes, and messaging to the field – which is the topic of discussion in this episode of What A Day podcast.
BOOK THESE BOOKS
Reads for your book club
A new book, a new perspective on something lost and something gained, Hillary Clinton’s new book reflecting on her personal and professional life over the years, is now available for pre-order.
But have you heard about the election cycle of 1872? If your history class skipped over an American election that almost threw democracy to the wolves, this new book –America’s Deadliest Election – by Dana Bash with David Fisher is one to add to your reading list.
Topical as ever, VP Harris’s book on her life thus far, The Truths We Hold, provides a look at who she is and what she’s accomplished in her prior roles in office.
GOOD NEWS BEARS
Positive political wins [yes, those do exist]
BIPARTISAN GROUP OF LAWMAKERS SIGN PLEDGE TO CERTIFY ‘24 ELECTION: The bar is in hell, but good news is good news – more than 30 lawmakers, inclusive of Republicans and Democrats signed a pledge to uphold the eventual results of the 2024 election – the one that you’ll be voting in on November 5th if your registration is all set and ready to go. The pledge was born out of bipartisan and unifying efforts made by Congressman Gottheimer [NJ] and Congressman Bacon [NE]. The pledge to certify also comes with a promised RSVP to the inauguration of the winner as well.
RULE FINALIZED TO LOWER COST OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE: Back in 2008 a bipartisan piece of legislation – the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act – and then added onto in 2020 that expanded access to mental health care. However, bill or no bill, access issues have persisted, with coverage for care differing largely between physical and mental health – a problem that this new finalized rule from the Biden-Harris Admin aims to tackle. According to the White House, the barrier buster will:
Require health plans to make changes when they are providing inadequate access to mental health and substance use care.
Clarify what health plans can or cannot do as listed out here.
Close loopholes including requiring non-federal governmental health plans to comply with the requirements.
BIDEN SIGNS THE PREVENTING THE FINANCING OF ILLEGAL SYNTHETIC DRUGS ACT: Cue the bipartisan bell – Biden has signed into law the Preventing The Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act. The law will require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on the illicit and suss financing as it relates to the trafficking of synthetic drugs. Oftentimes studies become the backbone of solution-oriented legislation and play a critical role in getting to thoughtfully-structured and funded resolve on an issue – that’s the design of this law. To be looked at most specifically in this study are fentanyl and methamphetamine, fentanyl- and methamphetamine-related substances, Captagon, and fentanyl and methamphetamine precursors.
WAIT, WAIT UPDATE ME
A political stories of note
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP: For the second time this summer [yes, it’s still technically summer], Former President Trump was the target of an assassination attempt. This time the suspect made an attempt while the former president was golfing at his course in West Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday. According to The Hill, Secret Service agents became aware of a man armed with an AK-47-style rifle pushing through bushes on the golf course’s perimeter, and fired at the man. The suspect fled the scene but was eventually apprehended and has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh.
KEY READS
Important stories from around the USA
BEFORE YOU GO…
..say hello
START HERE | OR HERE |