The Gov Hub: September 11, 2023

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Gov Hub
September 11, 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. Typos included free of charge.

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REMEMBERING 9/11

On the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a few notes and resources

READ: The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff provides an important and informative walk-through of the tragic day.

WATCH: The recording of today’s wreath-laying ceremony for the victims of Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA.

REFLECT: View images from the day that are forever etched into our minds.

THE ACTION ITEMS

Jump right in

ACTION 1: Wisconsin

The Ask: Use your voice and fight against the Wisconsin GOP’s current attempt(s) to undemocratically impeach Justice Janet Protasiewicz.

The Action: Sign this petition and share it with every friend and fam member in Wisconsin.

The Background: Despite being fairly elected to the bench with an 11-point margin this spring, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz is under attack. Not just a verbal joust on Truth Social or on the Fox not-News Network, the state’s GOP, which has a majority in the state House and Senate [thanks to one of the most gerrymandered maps in the country], is looking to impeach Justice Protasiewicz. Why? Because the majority it gives liberals on the court doesn’t fit their fancy and funnily enough to our comment on gerrymandering in the line before, because she won’t recuse herself from a case on gerrymandering…. So, like a kid whose parents won’t buy them the extra toy at Target, they’re throwing a tantrum – and scarily enough they might have the votes to make it happen. Yes, you heard that right, the votes to impeach a fairly elected justice, overriding the votes and voices of the state’s voters. You can’t make this shit up. It’s time to make some noise and make sure they know, we see them, and this undemocratic maneuvering and cheating isn’t going to fly – if you’re a Wisconsin resident, you can see where your state reps stand on this here and also give them a call like so.

ACTION 2: Federal

The Ask: Tell your [federal] reps to support and pass the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act.

The Action: Send this pre-written digital note to your reps from Environment America.

The Background: The area is one of 24 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the US, and is in need of further protections. Reintroduced this spring, the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, if passed, would prevent future leasing and development of oil, gas, and minerals on non-Indian federal lands within a 10-mile buffer zone around the park. Currently, there is a two-year moratorium on new leasing in place, while the Biden admin considers a 20-year administrative withdrawal plan, but this Act would create permanent protections for the area, and prevent its future from being at the whims of changing administrations.

ACTION 3: Pennsylvania

The Ask: Tell your [state] reps to fairly fund all PA schools, not just those in wealthy zip codes.

The Action: Hit send on this pre-written digital note from the PA House Democrats.

The Background: Despite the Commonwealth Court’s ruling earlier this year that the current educational funding formula is unconstitutional, and has not provided equal education as required by the state’s constitution, to all students, a battle on how to right the wrong continues. The funding formula is based largely on property tax, so0o0o if someone for example is living in a district with low property values, the schools will receive lower amounts of funding, creating a funding trap for low-income districts, and funneling more resources to wealthy districts. The vast discrepancies between spending per student in districts is also mind boggling – not to mention the conditions of buildings that are falling apart, filled with lead pipes, and causing schools to shutter due to heat and no AC. Hearings on this are scheduled for the fall and the future of funding q’s will lead into next year’s budget process, but lobbying on what to do begins now [see note above]. And, best put on the whole sitch:

“The number of times we hear: ‘We’ve got to get back to basics’ – rebuilding schools is as basic as it comes,” Schweyer, chair of the House Education Committee, told City & State. “My Republican counterparts will often say: ‘We need new systems. We need new policies. We need to find new ways to educate folks,’” Schweyer said. “Sometimes, you just need no damn asbestos in your building. Sometimes, you just need no 120-degree temperature classrooms for a kid to be able to learn.”

ACTION 4: New York

The Ask: Tell NY Governor Kathy Hochul to sign SB 629-A into law to protect community gardens.

The Action: Send a quick note to the Governor here.

The Background: Passing both the Senate and the Assembly, SB-629-A [and the Assembly version, A.4139-A], this bill, if signed into law by NY Governor Hochul, would greatly increase protections for community gardens. Specifically, it would require that the “New York State Community Gardens Task Force assess whether community gardens on publicly owned land are eligible for designation as Critical Environmental Areas [CEAs] and recommend CEA designation for eligible gardens.” Think: your favorite pocket garden that’s the only green space for miles that provides a space for community and cooling off – this would put it on a possible path for protection. This CEA designation, if granted, would change the process for community gardens that are being put forth and/or threatened by development projects, creating a process that would bring in community stakeholders.

ACTION 5: Brought to you by Senate Majority PAC

The Ask: Show support for Democratic Senate Candidates that will fight for climate-forward policy like the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Action: Sign this petition via the Senate Majority PAC.

The Background: House Republicans passed H.R. 2811, a proposal slashing clean energy incentives while expediting oil and gas projects. The bill is unlikely to pass the Senate – because Democrats control it. But it serves as a reminder of what Republicans will do if they retake the Senate next year. Please take 15 seconds to add your name to a petition supporting Democratic senators and Senate candidates who are focused on making climate resiliency a policy priority!

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

  • This city is apparently the city most likely to survive a Zombie apocalypse. Who knew? Now you do.

  • In case you live under a rock, queen of tennis and absolute legend, Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open!!! We’re clearly fans, and so is Biden and the Obama’s. Speaking of the Obama’s, whoever is working the US Open’s social media needs a raise after creating this vid featuring the former prez.

  • On the topic of yummy eats, Senator Padilla showed us all how to roll the perfect tortilla in what we’re calling a tantalizing tortilla tutorial bc alliteration.

GOOD NEWS BEARS

Positive political reads and achievements [yes, those do exist]

CALIFORNIA BECOMES THE 1ST STATE TO DECLARE TRANSGENDER HISTORY MONTH: They really do have more bounce in California, or at least they do with this declaration, which starting in 2024 will recognize August as Transgender History Month. During Leo Szn?? Le duh. House Resolution 57, intro’d by Assemblymember Matt Haney, made it offish, and followed in the 2017 SF footsteps in the establishment of the Transgender District, made possible by the one and only Honey Mahogany.

BIDEN CANCELS OIL & GAS LEASES IN ALASKA’S ARCTIC REFUGE: “See ya leases” is what the Biden Admin said last week as it moved ahead with the cancelation of seven oil and gas leases located in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The move overturns sales conducted during the Trump admin and aims to protect the area from development. The protections will cover 20,000 miles of land within the reserve, and are paired with a set of proposed new rules that are designed to create stronger protections in areas of the reserve that according to reporting by PBS, are designated as “special areas for their wildlife, subsistence, scenic or other values.” Those rules will have to go through the public comment process, so stay tuned. The reaction to the news is all over the place, from the GOP going into rant and rave mode, to Alaska reps, including Dems unhappy because of the economic factor to environmental activists saying it’s progress but not enough.

WAIT, WAIT UPDATE ME

ICYMI, droppin deats and ‘dates

MARK MEADOWS REQUEST FOR CASE TO BE MOVED TO FEDERAL COURT, DENIED: Despite an attempt to have his case moved from Georgia state court to federal, Mark Meadows case will stay in the hands of the peach state. As a refresher, Mark Meadows is in hot water for his efforts in attempting to overturn the 2020 election, and along with 17 other defendants is being brought to trial under the state’s RICO law [how they go after organized crime groups]. Meadows had made an attempt to move the case to federal court in hopes that the case would then be thrown out because at the time of his actions he was a federal officer and those actions “were a part of his duties on the job.” Cue, Judge Steve Jones with the big ol’ rejection stamp, and as shared by Politico, “concluded that Meadows was not acting within the scope of his employment at the White House when he organized a Jan. 2, 2021 phone call where Trump pressed Georgia’s secretary of state Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to declare him the victor in that state.” Ouch.

GA PANEL RECS CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR LINDSEY GRAHAM & CREW: As far as recommendations go, getting one that urges criminal charges be brought against you is not one you want. Lindsey Graham, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, as well as former Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are all on the recs list for indictments following a special grand jury that was convened by Georgia prosecutors. This news comes following a year-long investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election in GA, which resulted in quite a few mugshots, including one of Trump himself. At this point, will the above names be added to the indictment list? It’s unclear, but the rec has been made to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, so we’ll have to wait and see.

CONSERVATIVE-BACKED SAT ALTERNATIVE APPROVED FOR USE IN ADMISSIONS TO FLORIDA PUBLIC UNI’S: We would’ve put this under the “Ick List” but there were simply too many people and parties to blame here, so we settled for an update. The Conservative-approved, Classic Learning Test has now been approved for use in the admissions process for Florida state universities. The test’s name seems fine and dandy, until you lift the lid so to speak. It’s based on a “classical education model” that focuses on the “centrality of the Western tradition” and “core values.” If the hair on the back of your neck isn’t standing up yet, its biggest endorsers are private Christian schools, homeschooling groups, and charter schools – we also recommend perusing the testimonials section to get the gist of its following.

MORE KEY STORIES TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR THIS WK & BEYOND:

  • Politico: Almost every single major Biden official is making a pilgrimage to Alaska

  • AP Politics: Biden highlights business deals at John McCain memorial to wrap up Vietnam visit

  • The 19th: The death of a daycare: When a child care center closes, an entire community is affected

  • The Texas Tribune: Texas parents who care for their disabled children full time will lose money after pay raise

BACK ON OUR BILLSH*T

New bills, new BILLsh*t

CALIFORNIA: Gun reform bills come in many shapes and sizes, and this one – AB 28 – takes the form of an 11% tax on the sale of firearms, fire precursor parts, and amo. The bill was passed in the State Assembly and now goes to the desk of Governor Newsom for signature [or veto, although unlikely]. If signed into law, the tax will be imposed on dealers and manufacturers starting on July 1, 2024. Feel like leaving the Gov a thought or two on the bill? Send him and his team a note here.

FEDERAL: PA Senator and master of the maps, Senator Casey has reintroduced the Tax Fairness for Workers Act. The Act would allow workers to make union dues tax deductible, along with common employment expenses like purchasing a required uniform for example. Employers get tax deductions for expenses, and this act would provide that allowance to workers. This bill also has a sister in the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting bill.

THE ICK LIST

The rotten eggs of politics x culture

JOE JONAS: The JoeBro’s singer, Joe Jonas who used to wear a purity ring [seriously, did everyone forget this phase or is it just us??], fucked around and found out real quick that his misogynistic smear campaign about his soon-to-be ex-wife, Sophie Turner was not going to fly. In the year of the Barbie movie and beyond, complaining about babysitting your OWN children is just… all hail Queen of the North, and down with the excuse-making JoeBro.

DREW BARRYMORE: The actress turned daytime talk show host is going full SCAB. She is claiming that her talk show is considered a news show and thus should be able to go on sans writers that power her show, despite the writer’s strike. However, as our friend V from underthedesknews explains, her writers are WGA writers. Those writers are currently on strike – 100+ days of striking in fact. Her overarching claim that her show is a news program is false, even if it feels like a newsy show because her show is not written or run by broadcast news writers. Broadcast news writers are not on strike right now and will renegotiate their contracts next year. Again, her writers are WGA writers and are on strike. Her going around the writers that produce her show only jeopardizes the ability for WGA writers to negotiate a fair contract. And for the love of dogs, even this cutie pie knows that:

ICK LIST FEATURED PERSON UPDATE:

Spain’s suspended football federation President Luis Rubiales who made a name for himself for forcibly kissing footballer Jenni Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup final, has resigned. It only took weeks on weeks on weeks – and that’s with the entire world watching and the incident on camera. Scary. Here’s to hoping his replacement is a step in the right direction.

FWD, SUBSCRIBE

Inbox musts and mentions

HOT MIC’D FROM GIRL AND THE GOV®: PS & BTW, a fresh newsletter has been added to the Girl and the Gov® fam for fans of the pod. It’s been aptly named Hot Mic’d from Girl and the Gov®, and covers the BTS tea, picks, faves, and POVs from the hosts at Girl and the Gov, The Podcast, Sammy & Maddie. It covers everything from politics to pop culture, and more. You can check out the soft launch here and subscribe here.

THE ECO CHIC NEWSLETTER: The Eco Chic Newsletter provides a biweekly delivery of all things sustainability. Eco Chic is the eco-conscious lifestyle podcast, covering topics from fashion and wellness to science and policy. The newsletter goes out every other Tuesday with podcast recaps, product recommendations, sustainability news, and everything you need to guide you toward a more eco-conscious lifestyle. Subscribe here!

#VIRAL, THE NEWSLETTER: Keeping up with the Jones social media trends and platforms requires all hands on deck, including #VIRAL, The Newsletter. Dropping every Tuesday, the resource provides digital and comms teams in the political space with the latest content ideas, trends to integrate, platform updates and tutorials to know, and so much more. It’s a game changer and a timesaver. Get on the list here.

THE GIST SPORTS BIZ: Get the gist of what’s going on in women’s sports and the booming business growing around it, with this 5-minute or less newsletter, from The Gist. It gives you the need-to-know on everything you need to know regarding the unstoppable women’s sports industry.

CANDIDATE WATCH ‘24

The following have said put me in coach for….

NEW ON THE POD

The latest and greatest

What does the political landscape of Hawai’i look like? Is it red? Is it blue? Or is it purple? Podcast guest and Hawai’i State Representative Kapela filled us in. And how does it impact climate policy in the state? And, wait, speaking of policy, what would a Green New Deal look like at the state level there? So many questions, including these, are covered in the climate-centric episode. Get up to speed, by tuning in on  Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, and just about anywhere podcasts can be found – and by watching on YouTube.

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:

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