Topic:  Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map with Carolyn Lukensmeyer

Fix Democracy First hosts a weekly Democracy Happy Hour on Wednesdays @ 5-6:30pm PT. Grab a drink and join us and learn about the latest democracy efforts, challenges, solutions, as well upcoming events and actions.

This is a recurring event. You only have to register once.

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Democracy Happy Hour, December 18, 2024

Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map

Our scheduled speaker, Carolyn Lukensmeyer, was unable to attend. We discussed the ecosystem map and had open discussion as well.

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/ROR9WmEofKasqWX2WICcP5BA8oEJ7j3GPKQDZNo-O5BbPcihz7ZxVC6f0Zyh72YAJwY9DEFvrrXdHzms.wUJQuqIcBcCFWqe3

• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/ebAJrxpamqUdzCQRPjla7etOiCvwvMSh4kLLFpDDVef3yDZ6Ecfkkgt9epLNG9rf-pdcFJwYqPvxx6Fg.1VpqCIqUTP8FLop5

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/UEkcBhZXaqrpUqxlRnT0lIYlWUyFELPB5fcWDjjcY9PfUUVM6TOfaTEtcL-ykLipSr8P_AIVCPkbQYvm.vKxR6sJnGNkaoN-4

• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/M3eoJ-ms77fb3I2OxTc9EUrp4beVkeZ3KIKNTy4eYda2SDmFksYKNt2YHcnllA1Oe2JT2_rVSmJNC8WD.4GjTmx4Q6ZkfMmJf

Meeting resources

• About - https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/2024-health-democracy-about/
• Connect - https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/2024-healthy-democracy-contact/
• Help Build the Map – Add your organization - https://airtable.com/appDSPvxtcNz580qK/pagodDKF31S9TV9ut/form

FDF Links

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/
• Donate to Fix Democracy First here: https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

If you can, please make an end-of-year donation to Fix Democracy First or Fix Democracy First Education Fund.

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule

• Dec 18 - Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map with Carolyn Lukensmeyer
• Dec 25 & Jan 1 - NO Democracy Happy Hour – CANCELED for the holidays
• Jan 8 - Democracy Without Elections with Lenora Camner, Executive Director
• Jan 15 - Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections with Jennifer Heerwig
• Jan 22 - Early Warning Early Action: A Community-Based Approach to Tracking & Mitigating Violence with Jennifer Grubbs, The Trust Network
• Jan 29 - Paths to Understanding: Bridging Bias and Building Unity Through Multi-Faith Peacemaking with Terry Kyllo, Executive Director

Actions and events

1. Civic Genius upcoming events in WA State - https://www.ourcivicgenius.org/events/
2. Declaration for American Democracy – TAKE ACTION - https://dfadcoalition.org/takeaction/
   • Write a Letter to the Editor TOOL - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/write-letter-editor
   • Petition - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/sign-petition-tell-congress-0
3. LWVWA Speak Up School – Jan 11^th @ 9:30 am – 12:30 pm PT/12:30 – 3:30 pm ET - https://lwvwa.org/event-5933433
4. "Worth Fighting For" Community Gatherings - Please fill out this form if you're interested in hosting a gathering in your community. - https://www.mobilize.us/electionresponsecenter/event/741848/

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Resources

• Congressman Cohen Introduces Resolution to Abolish the Electoral College - https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-introduces-resolution-abolish-electoral-college-0
• FBI Oversight and Review Division Report on Jan 6 - https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/25-011_0.pdf
• Project 2025 Contributor Outlines How Trump Can Roll Back Voting Rights - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/project-2025-contributor-outlines-how-trump-can-roll-back-voting-rights/
• Proportional representation, explained - https://protectdemocracy.org/work/proportional-representation-explained/
• The path forward for electoral reform - https://thefulcrum.us/electoral-reforms/path-forward-for-election-reform
• The worst congressional gerrymanders of the 2020s - https://thefulcrum.us/electoral-reforms/worst-gerrymandered-districts
• These Trump Cabinet and Staff Picks Had a Hand in Anti-Voting Litigation - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/these-trump-cabinet-and-staff-picks-had-a-hand-in-anti-voting-litigation

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Democracy in the News

December

December 10

• Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors - https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-trump-fake-electors-5624cb3e441f6866da4f2dd452a902bc

December 11

• Big money, big stakes: 5 things everyone should know about money in 2024 elections - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/11/big-money-big-stakes-5-things-everyone-should-know-about-money-in-2024-election
• North Carolina GOP changes election rules before losing supermajority - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/12/11/north-carolina-republicans/

December 12

• Civil liberties groups want Michigan to pass state voting rights act before lame duck session ends - https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2024-12-12/civil-liberties-groups-want-michigan-to-pass-state-voting-rights-act-before-lame-duck-session-ends
• FBI did not have undercover agents at Jan. 6 riots, watchdog says - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/12/12/fbi-jan-6-report
• Legal challenge in North Carolina Supreme Court race is likely - https://www.wunc.org/politics/2024-12-12/legal-challenge-in-north-carolina-supreme-court-race-is-likely
• Trump Advisers Seek to Shrink or Eliminate Bank Regulators - https://www.wsj.com/finance/regulation/trump-advisers-bank-regulations-fdic-efa761dc
• Trump allies pressure GOP senators to back Cabinet picks — or else - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/12/13/trump-cabinet-picks-republican-senators/
• Trump Defends Nominating People With Project 2025 Ties: Here’s The Full List - https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/12/12/trump-defends-nominating-people-with-project-2025-ties-heres-the-full-list/
• Trump pledges to pardon Jan. 6 rioters within hours of taking office - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/12/12/trump-administration-transition/

December 13

• Donald Trump Changes Tune on Project 2025—'Very Conservative and Very Good' - https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-praises-project-2025-2000245
• Energized by next Trump term, red states move agendas further right - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/12/13/trump-administration-conservative-states-agendas
• Maine’s voter-approved limit on PAC contributions triggers lawsuit in federal court - https://apnews.com/article/maine-super-pac-donation-limits-lawsuit-49cf34be8ae6aaf96c0b92ad09615abb
• Supreme Court to consider whether Catholic group is exempt from religious taxes - https://www.npr.org/2024/12/13/g-s1-38242/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin
• Supreme Court to hear challenge related to California's tough vehicle emissions rules - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/12/13/supreme-court-california-emissions-electric-epa-climate-change/75737188007/
• ‘What a circus’: eligible US voters on why they didn’t vote in the 2024 presidential election - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/13/why-eligible-voters-did-not-vote

December 14

• ABC agrees to give $15 million to Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle defamation lawsuit - https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68
• Big donors secure big roles in the incoming Trump administration - https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/12/14/politics/trump-administration-big-donors
• Trump eyes privatizing U.S. Postal Service, citing financial losses - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/12/14/trump-usps-privatize-plan
• Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship could be decided by the Supreme Court - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/14/trump-birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-00194336

December 15

• AZ Republican groups want to keep dark money in politics - https://www.kawc.org/news/2024-12-15/az-republican-groups-want-to-keep-dark-money-in-politics
• Elon Musk put $277 million into the election. He’s $200 billion richer this year. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/12/15/elon-musk-trump-election-wealth/
• The GOP stoked fears of noncitizens voting. Cases in Ohio show how rhetoric and reality diverge - https://apnews.com/article/noncitizen-voting-republicans-prosecutions-2024-election-ohio-ae9dafeeb47ea8941bf82f5988b269ef
• Trump and His Picks Threaten More Lawsuits Over Critical Coverage - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/15/business/media/trump-defamation-lawsuit-abc-hegseth-cnn.html

December 16

• Judge Denies Trump’s Bid to Throw Out Conviction Over Immunity Ruling - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/16/nyregion/trump-immunity-criminal-case.html
• Kansas Agrees to Permanently Stop Enforcing Law That Criminalized Voter Engagement - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/kansas-agrees-to-permanently-stop-enforcing-law-that-criminalized-voter-engagement

December 17

• GOP report recommends Liz Cheney be criminally investigated over Jan. 6 work - https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5045125-republicans-report-jan-6-committee/
• Trump Sues The Des Moines Register, Escalating Threats Against the Media - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/17/us/politics/trump-sues-des-moines-register.html

December 18

• • Supreme Court to Hear TikTok’s Challenge to Law That Could Ban It - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/us/politics/supreme-court-tiktok-ban.html
  • Trump planning to target progressive non-profits, US watchdog warns - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/18/trump-non-profits-watchdog

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Good News Websites

• ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news
• Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/
• Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
• Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy
• Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
• The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/

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