The Gov Hub Newsletter: December 2, 2024

Welcome to The Gov Hub Newsletter by Girl and the Gov® – a Dem tent weekly that shares action items you can do from your phone, good political news, civic engagement tools and topics, and a little dose of political goss too, right to your inbox.  

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THE ACTION ITEMS

Get ‘em done from your phone

ACTION 1 – TEACHER PAY

The Ask: Tell your [federal] reps to pass the bi-partisan American Teacher Act.

The Background: There are a long list of reasons why teacher retention is not doing so hot, and one of the key components is poor pay. The bi-partisan American Teacher Act would bring teacher pay into the 21st century [with room for improvement] by requiring a minimum teacher salary of $60,000 a year. The bill passing could mean attracting and keeping talented teachers in the mix.

ACTION 2 – BOOK BANS

The Ask: Tell your [federal] reps to co-sponsor the Fight Book Bans Act.

The Background: Introduced by Senator Cory Booker earlier this fall during ‘banned books week,’ the Fight Book Bans Act would allow the Department of Education to issue grants to school districts facing book ban mayhem. Specifically, it would cover expenses for those school districts to fight book challenges, from legal fees, to obtaining necessary research to push back, and more, as outlined here.

ACTION 3 – MEDICARE

Brought to readers on behalf of the Health Equity Coalition for Chronic Disease

The Ask: Tell Congress to pass H.R. 4818/S. 2407: Treat and Reduce Obesity Act [TROA].

The Background: Obesity is a serious, progressive, and chronic disease. But it is also treatable and preventable. This Congress has the power to immediately expand Medicare access to obesity medicines, which could help vulnerable populations AND save taxpayers up to $245 billion over a decade. Congress can address this crisis by passing H.R. 4818/S. 2407: the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), which would expand access to critical obesity medications for millions of Americans enrolled in Medicare.

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

• President Biden [yes, he’s still Prez FYI] literally said “enough is enough” in his statement announcing the pardons he’s issuing for his son, Hunter Biden. To catch you up, Hunter has been the target of relentless, politically-motivated cases where the punishment(s) have outpaced the crimes committed themselves, and the real target was President Biden’s election. And now that an actual felon [Trump] has been elected as president [again] – one that’s so far hired TWO of his kid’s father-in-laws for positions in his presidency, precedent is out the door. We’ll let Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett wrap this story up with these thoughts.

• To tap further into the father-in-law, nepo-in-law(s) hires of the second incoming Trump admin – Trump has tapped the father-in-law of his daughter Ivanka Trump [Charles Kushner], who is a guy that he literally pardoned in 2020 for tax evasion, witness tampering, and more, to be the Ambassador to France. He also tapped the billionaire father-in-law of his other daughter, Tiffany Trump [Massad Boulos] as his Middle East Advisor. So yea… hiring a real motley crew.

• For a bit of ‘sh*t that actually works’ inspo – this California-based apprenticeship and trade training program, funded by state and local grants, has broken down barriers to its resources by reimbursing participants for transportation, childcare, car repairs, and more, ensuring they’re able to complete the courses and land a quality job.

• The race for the next head of the DNC is on, and a new candidate has entered the villa – Ben Wikler, the head of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Wikler has been credited with big wins across Wisco, and hopes to bring those wins to a national scale. His competition ATM includes Ken Martin, the chair of Minnesota’s DFL Party/vice chair of the national party, Dem strategist Chuck Rocha, NY state Senator James Skoufis, man-on-a-redemption tour Rahm Emanuel [aka plz no], and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.

• If you were in the weeds of the Sticker Mule drama from earlier this year, its conservative, pro-Trump owner’s name Anthony Constantino may ring a bell. He’s currently trying to make a case for why he should get the GOP stamp of approval to run for Rep. Elise Stefanik’s seat when she likely departs as Trump’s ambassador to the UN [has to be approved by the Senate].

CABIN(ET) FEVER

Nominees and nothing but chaos

• An email exchange between former Fox News personality /Trump nominee to lead the Dept. of Defense [Pete Hegseth] and his mother from 2018, came to light sharing her thoughts on her son, characterizing him as an ‘abuser of women.’ The published exchange follows a settlement agreement that also came to the forefront between Hegseth and a Republican woman who had accused him of sexual assault at speaking engagement in 2017. As of reporting released today, a whistleblower has pointed to Hegseth’s behavior that got him ousted from two roles at conservative non-profits. How will this all impact his path to a possible confirmation? Unclear. 

• For FBI-related nightmare fuel, Trump nominated Kash Patel, to lead the agency. Patel is known as an extreme Trump loyalist, who has been famously quoted from his Steve Bannon show appearance in 2023 for his desires and goals to “come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections.” Amongst his other resume points, he also released a children’s book where the characters names are “Hillary Queenton and her shifty knight” and “MAGA King.”

• A selection has been made by Trump on his pick to be the next U.S. trade representative – or really an additional person you should keep an eye on for the ‘why’ things will get more expensive if the future admin’s tariff plan gets off the ground. The guy’s Greer – no, not Gru from Despicable Me – but actually, Jamieson Greer, former Air Force lawyer and ‘China trade hawk.’

GOOD NEWS BEARS

Positive political wins [yes, those do exist]

GOV. HOCHUL SIGNS MELANIE’S LAW, EXPANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTIONS: Loopholes and gaps in laws can be deadly, which tragically was the case for Melanie Chianese, the then 29-year old daughter of Cheryl Chianese, who was murdered by Cheryl’s ex-boyfriend. The gap in this case was that legally a protective order was able to be provided to Cheryl and minors under her care, but not her daughter who was over 18 at the time. The deadly gap resulted in advocacy for and the passing of Melanie’s Law, which allows family court to issue protective orders for relatives of domestic violence victims over the age of 18 as well, specifically allowing those family members to file for their own protective orders. The expanded jurisdiction capabilities enabled by New York State Governor Hochul signing the legislation will provide a more comprehensive web of safety for those impacted by domestic violence.

STATE LEGISLATURES ADD RECORD NUMBER OF FEMALE REPS: While not all races have been called, there’s enough preliminary data to share that at least 19 states increased total representation of women in their state legislatures. In addition to those increases, several state leg’s will either have gender parity or become majority-women bodies of gov in 2025, including in New Mexico and Colorado. Of the women elected to state leg across the country, 60% are reported to be Democrats, outnumbering GOP women. Perhaps the most interesting, long-game-esque stat reported by USA Today, is that there has been a 46% increase in the number of state leg seats held by women since 2000. 

TWO-CRIME FIGHTING BILLS SIGNED BY NY GOVERNOR: Hochul, New York’s Governor must be going through pens left and right at the rate she’s signing bills into law. Two of those bills are focused on decreasing crime. The first targets religion-based harassment, making the act of forcibly removing a religious article of clothing [ex: yamulke, hijab, dastar, etc] from someone, an act of aggravated assault. Those found guilty of the class A misdemeanor would be subject to $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail/a year of community service. The second signed bill that made it out of the hopper of consideration is what has been dubbed the Detective Brian Simonsen Law, named for an NYPD officer that was killed in the line of duty. The new law requires that wireless service providers disable all service on a cellphone that’s reported stolen, and per Daily News Online, “reduce the value of stolen cell phones” and thus disincentivize their theft at small and large scale. 

BACK ON OUR BILLSH*T

Bills, bills, bills

NEW JERSEY: It’s not just social media algorithms that are sitting in the hot seat these days. It's also the algorithms of RealPage Inc, and its property management pricing software, which is at the center of a federal anti-trust lawsuit that alleges its data sharing practices eliminate market competition and artificially inflate rent prices. New Jersey state legislators are also aiming at the use of this algo-based system as rents continue to skyrocket, with bill A472. The bill, which passed the housing committee, would amend the state’s anti-trust law to include a ban on the use of algorithms that allow landlords to coordinate pricing. The bill moved to the appropriations committee as of late, and has a state senate twin that has yet to have a hearing.

FEDERAL: A bill making its rounds per Senator Mike Rounds [word play obvi intended], is a bill with that goal of eliminating the Department of Education. The bill is called the Returning Education to Our States Act and would play redistribution roulette with the department’s funding and roles. It is not likely to pass and is really more of a messaging showboat.

CHRONICALLY ONLINE

Politics meets social media

• If you thought your family’s Thanksgiving was tense, Jack Schloessberg tweeted and then posted on Insta about his not-so-beloved family member RFK Jr, tagging him in a post where he shares the idea that all cabinet members should have to give a ‘stool sample.’ All we can really say, is um, just check out the post.

• Senator Cory Booker, notorious vegan, is coming for the FDA’s lack of alacrity, and the chemicals companies are able to push into our foods with little oversight with a bill, a plan, and an ask for your support. 

• Sunday was a big day at the White House for numerous reasons, including that on World AIDS Day, the White House had the AIDS Memorial Quilt on display for the first time.

• Speaking of this weekend, VP Harris visited a culinary-focused bookstore to do a bit of holiday shopping and sharing a DC small biz – Bold Fork Books – that is cooking up good reads.

WHEN IN DOUBT, VOTE THEM OUT

Our classic merch is back with a new look

KEY READS

Important stories from around the USA

• Politico: Trump Will Overplay His Hand. Here’s How to be Ready.

• CalMatters: Landlords are using AI to raise rents – and California cities are leading the pushback

• AP: Georgia judge dismisses lawsuit challenging a city ordinance outlawing guns left in unlocked cars

• The Hill: 5 key players in the fight over Trump tax cuts

BEFORE YOU GO…

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