Democracy Happy Hour – July 24, 2024

Democracy Happy Hour, July 24, 2024 - Meeting Recordings:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/6KhML6v2TwA55PKB8OnXjB9G_bv_LuchVH505Af1Sa13oZP-1qnvl95n9JjohI2w0BiczDByQYHUYfn-.22OpIKkAZ0XSCNSt
• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/3rK96OFARi3YmiokMmhwN2cT2qkEcpiNM0USxmeozmFzb-MO70vQKVgabg-RYIxuOH2TkDp6oKbbbaI4._Qo0XkXwxQSAxr27
• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/Ij9ebi8hs2uvJwS7w70-oqtA3SSEw8GA7W2C8WT-Mth8hun27fZID6aVSGDJQ8GEfESyAJKOm17o7Kkx.CEoiyzDBHjzoZha3
• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/ucdyibeY8Gs7T_OO0T8ZXiky0gXimqlnpB11cp3HCrCCus5os9KR0l2tg161iqYmU5zfk7YLWf2oeESe.LNLSZ7q91g2qbsm6

FDF Links:

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

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• July 31 - Saving Democracy: A User's Manual for Every American with David Pepper
• Aug 7 - Project 2025: The Far Right's Plan for Authoritarian Rule with Peter Montgomery, People for the American Way Right Wing Watch
• Aug 14 - Better Together America: Supporting State & Local Democracy Roundtables & Hubs with Jacob Bornstein
• Aug 21 - The American Schism in 2024 with Seth Radwell
• Aug 28 - Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation with Ismar Volić

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

• EVENTS: Fix Democracy First Democracy in the Park Picnics –some text
  • Seattle, WA: August 24^th @ 12 pm PT – Magnolia Park in Seattle - https://fixdemocracyfirst.salsalabs.org/democracy-in-the-park-seattle
  • Spokane, WA: https://fixdemocracyfirst.salsalabs.org/democracy-in-the-park-spokane
• EVENTS & ACTIONS with The Washington Bus to support public funding of elections and youth voting:some text
  • Seattle Democracy Vouchers Doors Blitz Day in Seattle, Saturday, July 27th @ 11 am
  • More WA Bus events: https://secure.everyaction.com/p/73StxmIGAU2YlPIpiraSPA2
• EVENTS & ACTIONS with FairVote WA to support Ranked Choice Voting: https://www.mobilize.us/fairvotewa/
• ACTION: Power the Polls - https://www.powerthepolls.org/
• ACTION: Why Do You Vote? Campaign ! - https://www.whydoyou.vote/some text
  • Coffee Chats – Tuesdays at 9 am PT/12 pm ET - https://www.whydoyou.vote/events

Civic Language Perceptions Project: How Civic Language Unites, Divides, & Motivates American Voters Links:

PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement) - https://www.pacefunders.org/

Civic Language Perceptions Project - https://www.pacefunders.org/language/

Faith In/And Democracy Initiative - https://www.pacefunders.org/faith

Democracy in the News Links:

Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race and Endorses Harris - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/07/21/us/biden-drops-out-election

Kamala Harris earns enough delegate support to become Democratic nominee - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/22/kamala-harris-democratic-delegates

Trump survives assassination attempt at campaign rally, as it unfolded - https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024

Secret Service Director Cheatle resigns in aftermath of Trump rally shooting - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/07/23/secret-service-director-cheatle-scrutiny

Trump sees former ‘Never Trumper’ JD Vance as a way to expand his base, insiders say - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/17/jd-vance-criticism-trump-voters

Trump’s classified documents case dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/07/15/trump-classified-trial-dismisssed-cannon

Special counsel files notice of appeal in Cannon’s dismissal of Trump case - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/07/17/jack-smith-cannon-trump-appeal/

Trump seeks dismissal of N.Y. charges, verdict after Supreme Court ruling - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/07/11/trump-immunity-new-york-trial-dismiss

Georgia appeals court sets post-election hearing date for Trump election interference case - https://www.courthousenews.com/georgia-appeals-court-sets-post-election-hearing-date-for-trump-election-interference-case/

U.S. begins dropping Jan. 6 obstruction charges against Proud Boys, others - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/u-s-begins-dropping-jan-6-obstruction-charges-against-proud-boys-others

What Is Project 2025, and Why Is Trump Disavowing It? - https://www.nytimes.com/article/project-2025.html

How Project 2025 would change American life - https://www.axios.com/2024/07/20/project-2025-trump-what-to-know

Dark Money Just Got Darker: Wall Street Helped Fund Project 2025 - https://www.levernews.com/dark-money-just-got-darker-wall-street-helped-fund-project-2025/

The man who cries voter fraud: how Hans von Spakovsky has built a career peddling election security fears - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2024/jul/10/voter-fraud-hans-von-spakovsky-project-2025

Lawsuit filed over Alabama law that blocks more people with felony convictions from voting - https://www.wlox.com/2024/07/20/lawsuit-filed-over-alabama-law-that-blocks-more-people-with-felony-convictions-voting/

Arkansas election board approves voter registration rule - https://arkansasadvocate.com/2024/07/15/arkansas-election-board-approves-voter-registration-rule/

Arkansas official rejects bid to put abortion rights measure on ballot - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/11/arkansas-abortion-amendment-petition-rejected/

Abortion amendment supporters ask Arkansas Supreme Court to overturn Secretary of State’s rejection - https://arkansasadvocate.com/2024/07/16/abortion-amendment-supporters-ask-arkansas-supreme-court-to-overturn-secretary-of-states-rejection/

Disability advocacy group claims new Louisiana laws violate Voting Rights Act - https://www.courthousenews.com/disability-advocacy-group-claims-new-louisiana-laws-violate-voting-rights-act/

Donald Trump sues Gretchen Whitmer over Michigan voter registration efforts - https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/donald-trump-sues-gretchen-whitmer-over-michigan-voter-registration-efforts

State of Mississippi argues it cannot create new Black voting districts by 2025 session - https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2024/07/11/mississippi-asks-for-more-time-to-redraw-black-legislative-districts/74370412007/

Mississippi's felon disenfranchisement laws can remain in place, U.S. Appeals Court rules - https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/19/mississippi-felons-voting-rights-ban/74468231007/

Nebraskans with felony convictions could be denied voting rights under attorney general’s opinion - https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-prison-voting-rights-217fbdd478cf204a6fe9635a9c661fe9

Federal Court Rejects RNC and Trump Campaign’s Challenge to Nevada Ballot Receipt Deadline - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/federal-court-rejects-rnc-and-trump-campaigns-challenge-to-nevada-ballot-receipt-deadline

Sununu signs bill to provide voting law information to NH students - https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/07/16/sununu-signs-bill-to-provide-voting-law-information-to-nh-students/

Citizens-only voting amendment on NC's 2024 ballot - https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2024/07/16/citizens-only-voting-constitutional-amendment-2024-nc-ballot

Signatures certified: Ohio anti-gerrymandering amendment on its way to November ballot - https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2024/07/23/signatures-certified-ohio-anti-gerrymandering-amendment-on-its-way-to-november-ballot/

Ruling keeps abortion question on ballot in South Dakota - https://apnews.com/article/abortion-south-dakota-ballot-measure-a1ba8761121df1d8828ea31c9c849a9d

Tennessee won’t purge voter rolls of people who disregard a letter asking them to prove citizenship - https://apnews.com/article/voting-citizenship-tennessee-7802df69609bc54eb55d9296f6321100

Utah Supreme Court Reinstates Challenge to Repeal of Anti-Gerrymandering Initiative - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/utah-supreme-court-reinstates-challenge-to-repeal-of-anti-gerrymandering-initiative/

Biden set to announce support for major Supreme Court changes - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/16/biden-supreme-court-reforms/

Democratic senators seek to reverse Supreme Court ruling that restricts federal agency power - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/democratic-bill-seeks-reverse-supreme-court-ruling-federal-agency-powe-rcna163120

Kamala Harris sees surge in big money support after Biden drops out of race - https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/21/kamala-harris-fundraising-surge.html

Trump files FEC complaint over transfer of Biden cash to Harris - https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4789180-donald-trump-fec-complaint-transfer-joe-biden-kamala-harris/

Elon Musk Has Said He Is Committing Around $45 Million a Month to a New Pro-Trump Super PAC - https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/elon-musk-has-said-he-is-committing-around-45-million-a-month-to-a-new-pro-trump-super-pac-dda53823

Tech billionaires signal support for Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/07/tech-billionaires-signal-support-for-trump-vice-president-jd-vance/

Most Large US Public Charities Are Now Dark-Money Funds - https://jacobin.com/2024/07/dark-money-donor-advised-funds

Sen. Bob Menendez guilty of taking bribes in cash and gold and acting as Egypt’s foreign agent - https://apnews.com/article/menendez-bribery-trial-jury-deliberations-bab89b99a77fc6ce95531c88ab26cc4d

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez set to resign on Aug. 20 after being convicted on federal bribery charges - https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/sen-bob-menendez-resigns-guilty-federal-bribery-charges/

Democratic lawmakers take aim at foreign money in elections - https://thehill.com/business/4767293-democratic-lawmakers-take-aim-at-foreign-money-in-elections/

More bang for your buck — small-dollar donations matter, with federal matching - https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/4775997-citizens-united-political-donations-grassroots/

Some smaller news outlets in swing states can’t afford election coverage. AP is helping them - https://apnews.com/article/election-news-ap-swing-states-knight-foundation-7bb322f08deaa99f3bc0dac30e1d22d2

GOOD NEWS Websites:

Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy

Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news

ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news

Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/

The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/