The Gov Hub Newsletter: January 27, 2025

In partnership with

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.  

Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT

POVs for approaching the next four years

• This public school teacher’s [Dutch!] advice for handling the next four? Handle it like a public school teacher handles their classroom, like this.

• Write these insights from Beverly Hart on a sticky note – this election wasn’t the mandate or red wave people are making it out to be. It’s a pendulum swing – one that you can help swing back if you stay involved pedal to the medal style [you’re here, so congrats, you’re already doin’ it big].

• This GATG car-side pep talk may just resonate with those that had a sibling that made them watch Hercules 10x a day growing up.

CHRONICALLY ONLINE

Politics meets social media

• In Connecticut, the Trust Act is core to the state’s aim to protect its undocumented residents under the Trump Admin. CT State Rep. Matt Blumenthal explains its two central provisions in layman’s terms with this ‘Tok.

• Fmr First Lady Dr. Biden may just be the girlypop that started the second coming of the barre trend because the best kept secret in DC just so happened to be that she was a barre3 reg. And yes, a secret service dude did the class with her, so her and the instructor literally kept him on his toes. 

• Governor Gavin Newsom shared an onsite update on the Hughes Fire that’s been burning and reminded viewers that 57% of all forest land in California is under federal jurisdiction. The state of California is currently supporting the federal government in containing it – yes, you read that right, California is helping the federal government.

• The MAHA’s may be mad to find out that the person appointed to serve as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Agriculture most recently served as the President & CEO of the National Oilseed Processors Association and the Edible Oil Producers Association. Welp!

• In perhaps the most Parks & Rec fashion, this Iowa tradition of creating dolls that commemorate the spouses of Governors in the state and displaying them like this, has us with both eyebrows up.

EXTREMISM

…that’s the tweet [or the x]

• This Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors for a PA town recorded herself doing the Nazi salute on social media. She later resigned, but is far from the only one doing this — with loads of people recording themselves doing Nazi salutes on TikTok, like this woman, and then also this woman who did it with her child.

• Speaking of Nazi news – Elon Musk spoke at a meeting of the far-right AfD political party in Germany, sharing that there’s “too much focus on past guilt in Germany.” To recap: after doing the salute at the inauguration, then making jokes about the Holocaust on X, he played it chummy with extremists.

• Many have been describing parallels between the new administration and Nazi Germany, leaving some confused per this history major/self-proclaimed loud woman on the internet. Said self-proclaimed loud woman on the internet shared that the misconception is that people think of the murdering six million Jewish people era of Nazi Germany in parallel, not the decade leading up to it that was used to create the environment that enabled it.

• Last week, a teenager who was radicalized online murdered a fellow classmate and injured another in the Nashville metro area. His chilling manifesto included those that inspired him, which included Candace Owens and Hasan Piker – two people that frequently peddle antisemitic conspiracy theories.

• Also out of TN, is this news: the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women provided parents with a reading list that literally cites Hitler as an example of positive leadership. 

• Meanwhile in Kentucky, KKK fliers that both advertised for some to join the group, and for immigrants to “leave now” have been found in the northern part of the state.

Editor’s Note: A recent survey found that 46% of adults globally have deeply entrenched antisemitic attitudes and beliefs, something that is evident in everything from social media posts to vandalism of Jewish businesses to violence against Jewish people to the use of the minority group as both a pawn and a scapegoat for the failings of both political parties. Antisemitism is one the world’s oldest forms of hate, contorting itself to work to the benefit of its purveyors. It’s a hate that has led to an insane rise in reported antisemitic incidents this past year [and before], and has led to the murder of Jewish people throughout the centuries. So, on this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we recommend scheduling a time to visit one of these incredible museums to learn more, because as a reminder – antisemitism impacts us all.

BOOKMARK IT

Save it, Send It

EGG PRICE TRACKER: A common concern amongst voters that cast their ballots for Trump was that egg prices were too high, and their common belief was [or is] that Trump will bring down prices – for eggs and other items. This TikTok creator turned egg-fluencer/egg-reporter-in-chief has been tracking prices with this spreadsheet, evaluating whether or not voters were duped over easy [pun intended].

GOOD NEWS BEARS

Positive political wins [yes, those do exist]

IL GOV. PRITZKER SIGNS BILL PHASING OUT SUBMINIMUM WAGE FOR DISABLED WORKERS: Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker has signed a bill into law that will prohibit businesses in the state from paying workers with disabilities a lower minimum wage via what is known as a 14(c) certificate. Businesses with exemption certificates currently have been able to pay disabled workers based on their individual productivity in proportion to the wage and productivity of workers who don’t have disabilities that are performing a similar task, per reporting by Capitol News Illinois. The new law will phase out this practice by 2030, requiring all businesses to pay the full minimum wage by then. The transition period for businesses will be supported by a grant program that’ll provide businesses with monetary support to continue employing those with disabilities while also paying them at least the state’s full min. wage. 

NJ GOV. MURPHY SIGNS BILL THAT WILL CREATE RAPE KIT TRACKING SYSTEM: A newly signed bill in NJ will require that state’s AG to create an online rape kit tracking system. The system will enable survivors, along with law enforcement, and relevant healthcare facility/lab employees to track the status of a rape kit as it goes through the chain of custody, starting at the time of collection and moving through all phases of processing, testing, and result finding. The goal is to increase transparency for survivors and improve the process for achieving justice. The law itself will go into effect in late-summer, early fall 2025.

19 SCHOOL & PUBLIC SAFETY BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW BY MI GOV. WHITMER: Michigan’s Governor is going to need a resupply of pens at the rate in which bills are getting the ol’ John Hancock. This round of bills turned into laws includes 19 that are focused on bolstering school and public safety. Amongst the 19, are bills that:

• Require the standardization of emergency response terminology

• Expand the definition of a hate crime and amend the sentencing guidelines

• Expand the criminal penalties for sextortion and further defines the sentencing guidelines

• Create a Michigan Sentencing Commission to support criminal justice reform

• Require the destruction of guns acquired by the state police via gun buyback programs

IRS FREE TAX FILING PROGRAM EXPANDS TO MORE STATES: Last year the IRS, under the Biden Admin, began rolling out its free tax filing program, enabling those with relatively straight forward tax returns to do so easily and cost-free. Due to its success, Direct File is back, and this time with an extended list of tax situations filers can input, like the Child and Dependent Care Credit. In addition, Direct File is now available in 13 more states, bringing the total to 25. To see if Direct File can save you dinero and a trip to H&R Block, check your eligibility here.

FULL SEND…TO A FRIEND

News that’s just about guaranteed to make it to the group chat

• Despite outrage over allegations of abuse and alcoholic spirals, documented infidelity, and a lack of qualifications for managing 3.4 million people, Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense with VP Vance breaking the tie with his vote – and yes, he did actually think that pocket square went with that other tie involved.

• Kristi Noem who you may recall from “she killed her dog fame” was also confirmed to lead the Department of Homeland Security. She was most recently the two-term governor of South Dakota where she became banished from at one point, the lands of nine tribes there [one tribe has since rescinded the banishment] . 

• Senator Chuck Grassley chatted with Politico about the current political landscape, with him sharing that he thinks Dems will rebound faster than they realize – oh, and he added that the GOP majority should move with the speed that the Biden Admin did when first elected on legislation. 

• As the midnight oil burned on Friday, Trump fired 17 inspectors generals illegally. WTF is an inspector general? They’re tasked with finding waste, fraud, and abuse in gov agencies [what DOGE wishes it could be]. The alleged illegal part comes with a requirement by the Admin to give a 30-day notice of a dismissal to Congress, which was not done. 

• A case out of Oklahoma is headed to SCOTUS, which will hear arguments on whether or not tax dollars can be used to fund religious charter schools – separation of church and state? Does SCOTUS know her? TBD!

THE ACTION ITEMS

Get ‘em done from your phone

ACTION 1 – ANTI-ABORTION CABINET NOMINEES

The Ask: Tell your Senators to oppose these three anti-abortion cabinet nominees.

The Background: Three cabinet nominees with reputations strong anti-abortion POVs will be voted on by the Senate – Attorney General, Pam Bondi; Secretary of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, RFK Jr.; and FDA Commissioner, Martin Makary. These three are a hard no.

ACTION 2 – NATIONAL SECURITY X CABINET NOMINEE

The Ask: Tell your Senators to oppose Tulsi Gabbard for the Director of National Intelligence.  

The Background: Tulsi Gabbard’s record of cozying up to dictators around the world, including on a 2017 trip to Syria that cannot be forgotten, nor her flag on the watch list, or her appearances on Russian state television, and her long list of red flags that have the intelligence community spooked AF.

ACTION 3 –  GRIZZLY BEAR PROTECTIONS

The Ask: Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to strengthen grizzly bear protections.

The Background: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a new way that it will manage grizzly bear populations – a method that may leave some bears unprotected by the Endangered Species Act. The proposal is available to read and receive public comment on now. The docket number for reference is FWS-R6-ES-2024-0186-0001.

TOP OF THE EARBUDS

Listens for now & later

• For our Eagles fans that are having the best day ever, this eppy of the 25 10 Show featuring a chat with PA Governor Shapiro is sports talk galore.

• In this eppy of The Cooney’s Show, Rep. Jake Auchincloss talks about the TikTok ban bill on the creator-founded show – think creator meets elected debate but with denim jackets and shackets. 

• Birthright citizenship is under the microscope thanks to a Trump-signed executive order going after the 14th amendment – on this episode of Katie Couric’s show, the ACLU’s Anthony Romero shares his predictions.

BACK ON OUR BILLSH*T

A bill, bill, bill

OKLAHOMA, DIVORCE & MARRIAGE: An Oklahoma Republican has filed a bill in the state Senate dubbed the Covenant Marriage Act. The bill’s mastermind aims to reduce divorce rates by requiring couples to attend counseling before they’re able to file for divorce and limit the reasons for why a couple can get divorced to abuse, adultery, or abandonment for over a year. In addition, this lawmaker wants to provide married couples with kids a tax credit, but only if their children are their biological children.

UPGRADE YOUR INBOX

…with the Repro Ready: An Activist Newsletter

Pari and Eve, the women behind the popular @GEMMA_Talks Instagram and TikTok accounts and the “Women in America” series, have expanded their social media success to the digital newsletter world with Repro Ready: An Activist Newsletter. With their proven track record of crafting engaging feminist content, Repro Ready is a pro-science, pro-choice, pro-woman tool that fuels the movement to protect reproductive health and rights. Each edition offers practical tactics to combat misinformation, amplify marginalized voices, and stay updated on policy shifts. 

KEY READS

Important stories from around the USA

• Mississippi Free Press: Mississippi Bounty Hunter Bill to Go After Undocumented Immigrants Faces Legal and Political Hurdles, Experts Say

• Politico: Trump’s executive actions have more muscle this time, but many are just posturing

• Courthouse News Service: California governor signs wildfire recovery bills

BEFORE YOU GO…

…find more Girl and the Gov® here:

• Get insights on creating political content by subscribing to #VIRAL, Keeping It Currant, or learning more about our consulting offerings

• Follow along on Insta, TikTok, Threads, & BlueSky

• Tune into the Podcast, watch on YouTube, and get more pod POVs by subscribing to Yapper’s Digest

• Shop the latest in merch and our GATG faves on our ShopMy

Receive Honest News Today

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Sign up today!