Polls: Five Actions You Can Take Now!
If the latest CNN poll results sent you into the dumper, you are not alone. Thank goodness for the on-point reminder from our favorite blogger Jess Craven that deeds, not polls, will determine our future. Polls miss the mark (remember the mid-terms?) and are easily weaponized by the opposition in their efforts to undermine democracy. Progressives and the Biden administration are on the winning side of every issue voters care about. It's time to stop the hand-wringing and take action to spread the word and get out the vote! Five things you can do this week:
Tell Congress to pass a budget and avoid a government shut-down. It's deja vu in Washington DC as we face another government shutdown if Congress is unable to pass a continuing resolution by the end of September extending time to iron-out a budget agreement. What's clogging things up? While the Senate is proceeding down a relatively bipartisan path, the House GOP has decided to use the budget to advance its right-wing agenda. This includes adding a record 200+ poison pill riders to the budget proposal. According to the Clean Budget Coalition, these toxic amendments target an array of progressive public policies and programs from climate mitigation to reproductive healthcare, gun control and immigration reform. GOP budget proposals also take aim at critical social programs - including WIC, a highly successful and well-established nutrition program for pregnant women and infants. And the final salvo: a threat to vote against a continuing resolution and close down the government unless there are steps to launch an impeachment of the President. Enough, already! Contact Congressman John Rutherford and demand he act to avoid a government shutdown, and support a clean budget that supports critical services for the people he represents. Use his email form or call his local office (904-831-5205).
Urge the City Council to approve the Mayor's appointments. There's still time to sign the petition urging the city council to approve Mayor Deegan's administrative appointments, as well as funding a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion officer, and other positions she deems necessary. Petty politics seem to be driving the response from some council members. Sign the petition here.
Help get abortion access on the 2024 ballot. More than a third of the petitions collected by Floridians Protecting Freedom have been validated, triggering a review of the ballot measure by the state Supreme Court. The petition drive has collected about two-thirds of the signatures needed to put a proposed constitutional amendment protecting access to abortion on the 2024 ballot. Last week's arguments and the response of state Supreme Court justices underscore the importance of this amendment. The deadline for collecting the last 300,000 signed petitions is February 1, 2024. You can help with the final push by sharing a link to the petition with friends and family, or by collecting signatures directly. Email us for information on where to get and return copies of the petition at the Beach. We've submitted a total of 301 petitions as of last week!
Sign up to postcard returning citizens. BAM is organizing a postcarding event on Thursday, October 12 to support efforts by the League of Women Voters to inform returning citizens (people with prior felony convictions) about their rights and resources to help retore their voting rights. The non-partisan, in-person event will be held at the Adele Grage Cultural Center in Atlantic Beach from 7 - 9 p.m. Postcards and stamps will be provided. Our goal is to complete 1000 postcards! RSVP here.
And, most important, join us on Thursday, September 14! Nothing raises spirits and resolve like gathering with friends and like-minded folks! Find out more and RSVP for the BAM meeting this week below.
BAM Meeting this Thursday, September 14
Join us this Thursday, September 14th for the BAM Membership meeting at 7 p.m. at the Adele Grage Cultural Center. Guest speakers Millie Leeds, president of the Jacksonville Young Democrats, and Era Gashi, president of the UNF Democrats, will join us to talk about Gen Z and young Millennial voters --- what issues they care about, where they get their information, and how they vote. This historically diverse voting group is poised to make up nearly half of the electorate in the next election. RSVP here and plan to attend as we discuss ways we can support and engage younger voters who will be critical to the outcome of the 2024 election! Members and non-members welcome.
Mark your calendar: Voting, Book Bans & Attacks on Education
Q & A with Jerry Holland
Senate Bill 7050 was signed into law and went into effect July 1, 2023. This bill resulted in major changes for groups registering voters, vote-by-mail sign up and voter roll maintenance. Find out how it will impact voter outreach in Duval at this Q & A on September 19 with Jerry Holland, the new Supervisor of Elections. RSVP here. Bust Book Bans Virtual Training
Join MomsRising and the Florida Freedom to Read Project on Wednesday, September 13th at 8:30 pm for a virtual training on how to fight censorship efforts in your community. For more information and to RSVP, click here.
Education Under Siege! How Should We Respond?
Learn more about how far right attacks are impacting higher education and public schools in Florida with featured guests Dr. Pam Okker, former president of New College of Florida, and Dr. Kamela Patton, former superintendent, Collier County Schools, and a panel of experts on Tuesday, September 19 at 7 p.m. in this virtual webinar sponsored by Floridians for Democracy. Join the meeting using this link.
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