Democracy Happy Hour – June 19, 2024

Democracy Happy Hour, June 19, 2024 - Meeting Recordings:

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/G0rrD3CO-keV-TDIdyrqqU2Y8NqcFGlgdg5IgDjZuF_yE6Zd3kHwQJT4h2UFhipyS7waHw2DUPRP2OSn.TbTQ4mZJasVauiS5
• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/vhaJUW1CCiilCjKwrE9xxpFrHCtZGny9XBw-g_V1Kr9QEVC7vzbkWYd-EFhfQHBtJ_CBQd2uBQiyzWdx.gW7z0zN0T7OPaJho
• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/NOgkzcUMTOWj8HF_MhMkRGe2b5Cw6DwVgnj3I1wCMN98TGxs9fqmbRU_x-Y_i3wuVEJ3Z76ryDwlFABh.4KnYPNLw_f-HwGfk

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:

• June 26 & July 3 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hours - Cindy is on vacation.  
• July 10 - U.S. Supreme Court Top Rulings & Recap of the 2023/2024 Session
• July 17 - SPECIAL EVENT: John Lewis National Day of Commemoration & Action - Guests TBD
• July 24 - Civic Language Perceptions Project: How Civic Language Unites, Divides, & Motivates American Voters with Amy McIsaac, PACE
• July 31 - Saving Democracy: A User's Manual for Every American with David Pepper

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

• FREE Concert: 9th Star Spangled Spectacular in Seattle at Benaroya Hall – July 3^rd @ 7:30 pm - https://www.seattlesymphony.org/en/benaroyahall/bh-calendar/2023-2024/24spangled
• WA Voting Justice Coalition Listening Session – July 9^th @ 5 pm PT – http://bit.ly/2024Voters
• SPECIAL Democracy Happy Hour EVENT: John Lewis National Day of Commemoration and Action – July 17^th @ 5 pm PT/8 pm ET - https://www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-actions/event/629882/
• Our Shared Republic: The Case for Proportional Representation in the House of Representatives with Drew Penrose - Book Talk – July 18^th @ 5 pm PT/8 pm ET – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIlc-ChrDgiGtdc6TcEGV_t_o7mTRYKa0Z-#/registration
• Fix Democracy First Democracy in the Park Picnic – August 24^th @ 12 pm PT – Magnolia Park in Seattle - https://fixdemocracyfirst.salsalabs.org/democracy-in-the-park-seattle
• Paths to Understanding – Potluck for Democracy - https://pathstounderstanding.org/get-involved/potluck/
• Power the Polls - https://www.powerthepolls.org/
• Why Do You Vote? - https://www.whydoyou.vote/
  • Coffee Chats – Tuesdays at 9 am PT/12 pm ET - https://www.whydoyou.vote/events
• Kent for Districts – Ballot initiative in Kent, WA to create districts – They are looking for volunteers to help get this on the November ballot. - https://www.kentfordistricts.com/

Democracy Is Us: Every Voice Matters Links:

• Democracy Is Us (Formerly Unite for Democracy): https://www.democracyisus.org/
  • Social Media:
    • Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/unitefordemocracy.org/
    • Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unitefordemocracytoreshapedemocracy
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ufdemocracy/
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unite-for-democracy/
• “Is democracy doomed?” with Timothy Snyder -Is Democracy Doomed? The Global Fight for Our Future | Timothy Snyder | TED

Democracy in the News Links:

Juneteenth – National Museum of African American History & Culture - https://nmaahc.si.edu/juneteenth

Why Juneteenth didn’t actually end slavery in Texas - https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2024/06/19/juneteenth-texas-slavery

New York’s top court declines to hear Trump’s appeal of the gag order in his hush money case - https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-gag-order-juan-merchan-c6e8056bf7b82aaf0bbf094d703b5f31

Trump lawyers turn focus to classified documents case after New York verdict - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/14/trump-classified-documents-case

Aileen Cannon Shuts Down Republicans Getting Involved in Trump's Case - https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-jack-smith-aileen-cannon-republicans-classified-documents-1913918

Trump returns to Capitol Hill for first time since Jan. 6 attack in visit GOP calls "unifying" - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-capitol-hill-republican-conference/

Trump pledged to pardon Jan. 6 rioters. He faces pressure to name names. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/06/14/trump-jan6-attack-pardons

Biden campaign calls on GOP to drop lawsuits over mail ballots, citing Trump’s new fondness for it - https://apnews.com/article/trump-rnc-mail-voting-lawsuits-biden-2024-2fc014f81be782ee59e8d53ee824d8aa

First Presidential Debate 2024: Everything You Need to Know - https://www.teenvogue.com/story/first-presidential-debate-what-to-know

States struggle with unreliable federal funding for making sure elections are secure - https://sourcenm.com/2024/06/17/states-struggle-with-unreliable-federal-funding-for-making-sure-elections-are-secure/

Guide to Laws Against Intimidation of Voters and Election Workers - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/guide-laws-against-intimidation-voters-and-election-workers

Despite gains, Native Americans still face voting barriers - https://www.voanews.com/a/despite-gains-native-americans-still-face-voting-barriers/7657323.html

Groups debunk claims of 'skyrocketing' numbers of non-citizen voters - https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2024-06-18/civic-engagement-and-voting/groups-debunk-claims-of-skyrocketing-numbers-of-non-citizen-voters/a90878-1#google_vignette

CT’s ranked-choice voting panel holds its first meeting - https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2024-06-14/ct-ranked-choice-voting-panel

Florida frequently targeted by dark money news outlets, report finds - https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2024/06/13/dark-money-florida-politics-news

Running the race: Election administrators feel the impact of overhauled election laws - https://stateaffairs.com/georgia/elections/election-laws-2/

Boston City Council president pushes for ranked choice voting - https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2024-06-12/boston-city-council-president-pushes-for-ranked-choice-voting

Michigan judge strikes down Benson voter signature match guidance — again - https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-judge-strikes-down-benson-voter-signature-match-guidance-again

Attorney charged in voting machine tampering case announces run for Michigan Supreme Court - https://apnews.com/article/attorney-voting-tampering-michigan-supreme-court-candidate-92b465d717451ba7aae149bbb268aa08

Montana aiming for SCOTUS appeal of decisions that struck down voting laws - https://dailymontanan.com/2024/06/17/montana-aiming-for-scotus-appeal-of-decisions-that-struck-down-voting-laws/

New Hampshire Republicans Try to Require Proof of Citizenship to Register to Vote - https://boltsmag.org/new-hampshire-republicans-proof-of-citizenship-to-register-to-vote/

Another challenge to partisan gerrymandering in a North Carolina court - https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/another-challenge-to-partisan-gerrymandering-in-a-north-carolina-court/

NC lawmakers pass new rules for wearing masks in public, plus 'dark money' political spending - https://www.wral.com/story/nc-lawmakers-pass-new-rules-for-wearing-masks-in-public-plus-dark-money-political-spending/21476192/

Partisan gridlock prevents fixes to Pennsylvania’s voting laws as presidential election looms - https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/partisan-gridlock-prevents-fixes-pennsylvanias-voting-laws-presidential-111145691

Voter advocacy groups ask feds to step in after Texas allowed some voters’ ballots to be identified - https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/12/texas-ballot-secrecy-justice-department-voter-advocates/

Most Washington voters support changing the state Constitution to allow for a year-round Legislature, NPI poll finds - https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2024/06/most-washington-voters-support-changing-the-state-constitution-to-allow-for-a-year-round-legislature-npi-poll-finds.html

Wisconsin Supreme Court keeps ban on mobile absentee voting sites in place for now - https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-mobile-voting-trump-biden-3606111de3a4951a581981744df6679a

Supreme Court upholds broad access to key abortion pill mifepristone - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/13/supreme-court-abortion-pill-ruling-mifepristone

Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era federal ban on bump stock devices - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/14/bump-stocks-supreme-court-machine-gun-bruen-cargill

Supreme Court ruling upholds immigration law and deportation process - https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_70a8ef94-2b64-11ef-93aa-079566f8d24f.html

Supreme Court, siding with Starbucks, makes it harder for NLRB to win court orders in labor disputes - https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-starbucks-union-fired-workers-tennessee-18547e128a14fae93a148383f48cb305

Federal judge delivers first blow to Biden’s protections for transgender students - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/13/title-ix-blocked-louisiana-00163364

Biden says the next president may get to name two Supreme Court justices - https://www.npr.org/2024/06/15/nx-s1-5007404/biden-supreme-court-vacancies-trump

Thomas Took Additional Trips on Harlan Crow’s Private Jet, Documents Show - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/13/us/politics/justice-clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-trips.html

Senate GOP blocks Supreme Court ethics bill - https://www.courthousenews.com/senate-gop-blocks-supreme-court-ethics-bill/

Trump fundraising off of conviction after sinking millions of dollars in donor funds for legal costs - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/06/trump-fundraising-off-of-conviction-after-sinking-millions-of-dollars-in-donor-funds-for-legal-costs

“Pop-up” Super PACs Game the System to Leave Voters in the Dark - https://campaignlegal.org/update/pop-super-pacs-game-system-leave-voters-dark

The ‘absolute explosion’ of foreign interference in U.S. politics - https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2024/06/17/the-absolute-explosion-of-foreign-interference-in-u-s-politics-00163793

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/