September 18, 2024
Democracy Happy Hour – September 18, 2024
Topic: Living Room Conversations: Connecting People Across Differences with Becca Kearl, Executive Director. Join us from 5-6:30pm PT for a weekly discussion about our democracy.
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Democracy Happy Hour – September 11, 2024
PAST EVENT
Topic: OpenSecrets: Tracking Money in Elections with Sarah Bryner, Director of Research and Strategy
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.
Democracy Happy Hour, September 11, 2024 - Meeting Recordings
- Chat file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/xUXUHZXdkCcnRtiAvFrqubD4uKP2Mk9x6AeouW1GVqFklAqiFR_V3YmNP48JO4_HK4N7OtGLaps2fQfl.onFb_2TBXqPLvRlQ
- Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/r7i5pjQmA_AD8AnTzqa3xGbHlUTloU7OVOSBIHC1eQ-p4V-N9G7PyRJ35cSUhoHRgH6eu9bDspk188Z1.V3HVwm8hfK_doHRh
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
- Sept 18 – Living Room Conversations: Connecting People Across Differences with Becca Kearl, Executive Director
- Sept 25 - When We All Vote with Amanda Hollowell, National Managing Director
- Oct 2 – Election Protection Coalition with Danny Navarro
Actions and events
- Civics 101: Branches of Government & Elected Office Positions – October 1st @ 6 pm PT/9 pm ET - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctcO2pqz0pH9SSQByJ7BtuTPLrGMn6Koyh#/registration
- Democracy in the Park Picnics, Spokane WA
- Manito Park in Spokane, Saturday, September 28th @ 12 pm https://bit.ly/Democracy-in-the-Park-Spokane
- Experts’ Guide to Free and Fair Elections - Sep. 19 @ 12 pm PT/ 3 pm ET - Virtual Event - https://brennan.swoogo.com/freeandfairelections
- Petition – Please Sign: Pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, the Native American Voting Rights Act, and DC Statehood. - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/sign-petition-tell-congress
- Power the Polls - https://www.powerthepolls.org/fixdemocracyfirst
- Project 2025 is a Threat to Our Democracy - Write a letter to the editor to educate your community on the dangers of Project 2025 - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/project-2025-threat-our-democracy%C2%A0
- RISE Vote 2024 State-Based Teacher Training on Voter Registration and Pre-registration - https://secure.givelively.org/event/generation-citizen-inc/rise-vote-2024-state-based-teacher-training-on-voter-registration-and-pre-registration
- Why Do You Vote? https://www.whydoyou.vote/
- Coffee Chats – Tuesdays at 9 am PT/12 pm ET
https://www.whydoyou.vote/events - SPARK THE VOTE Social Media & Film Challenge, September 14th - https://www.whydoyou.vote/spark-the-vote-challenge
- Coffee Chats – Tuesdays at 9 am PT/12 pm ET
OpenSecrets: Tracking Money in Elections
Sarah Bryner, Director of Research and Strategy
- OpenSecrets - https://www.opensecrets.org/
- OpenSecrets Team - https://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff
- OpenSecrets Reports - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports
- OpenSecrets – Dark Money – https://www.opensecrets.org/dark-money
- OpenSecrets – Political Action Committees (PACs) – https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/2024
Democracy in the News
Resources
- How Money Shapes Pathways to Power in Congress - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-money-shapes-pathways-power-congress
- Master Plan: Legalizing Corruption - https://the.levernews.com/master-plan/
- The Hour is Late! | Master Plan Podcast | Official Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK_2XHBlhRk
- Securing Voter Registration Databases: 2024 Survey Preliminary Results - https://electioninnovation.org/research/2024-vrdb-security-pre-election-snapshot/
- The Cases of January 6th – https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases
- The Expansion of Innovative Voter Registration Methods, 2000–2024 - https://electioninnovation.org/research/expansion-voter-registration-methods/
- United States of America v. Donald J. Trump - https://www.justice.gov/storage/US_v_Trump_23_cr_257.pdf
August
August 28
- Lawsuit Challenges New Rules for Election Certification in Georgia - https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/lawsuit-challenges-new-rules-election-certification-georgia
August 29
- Ballot measures in 41 states give voters a say on abortion and other tough questions - https://apnews.com/article/ballot-measures-abortion-marijuana-immigration-taxes-6ef66d1c94fce24e3150d0ff4bf57a1b
- In Georgia, Local Officials Express Frustration Over New Election Rules - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/29/us/elections/georgia-state-board-of-elections.html
- Record-breaking federal lobbying tops $2.2 billion in first half of 2024 - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/08/record-breaking-federal-lobbying-tops-2-billion-first-half-2024
August 30
- The GOP is making false claims about noncitizens voting. It’s affecting real voters - https://www.npr.org/2024/08/30/nx-s1-5091032/noncitizens-voting-election-gop-texas-tennessee-alabama
September
September 1
- Democrats grow concerned Republicans are planting seeds with legal suits to overturn a Trump defeat - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/democrats-grow-concerned-republicans-are-planting-seeds-legal-suits-ov-rcna168961
September 3
- Federal judge rejects Donald Trump’s request to intervene in wake of hush money conviction - https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-new-york-immunity-a905207c7db9fc48d022d68ac6cc12e1
September 4
- A Democracy With Everything but a Choice - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/04/us/missouri-uncontested-races-elections.html
- America First Legal Sues To Remove Voters From Every Arizona County - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/america-first-legal-sues-to-remove-voters-from-every-arizona-county/
- Christian group recruits ‘Trojan horse’ election skeptics as US poll workers - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/04/christian-election-poll-workers
- ‘Deceptive’ and ‘misleading’: Ballot language to limit voters’ initiative power thrashed by critics — including Republicans - https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2024/09/04/ballot-language-limit-voters/
- Racial and political gerrymander look virtually the same with Tennessee’s U.S. House maps - https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/09/04/racial-and-political-gerrymander-look-virtually-the-same-with-tennessees-u-s-house-maps/
- Trump appeals to move New York hush money case to federal court - https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/04/politics/trump-hush-money-case-federal-court/index.html
September 5
- GOP lawsuits set the stage for state challenges if Trump loses the election - https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-republicans-democrats-trump-lawsuits-2cebcee57ae7112efdd85386002e16ca
- Harris raised over $300 million in August, extending cash windfall - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna169759
- Idaho judge dismisses AG’s challenge to open primaries ballot initiative - https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/09/05/idaho-judge-dismisses-ags-challenge-to-open-primaries-ballot-initiative/
- Judge: U.S. can lay out Trump election interference evidence this month - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/09/05/trump-jan6-election-interference-case-hearing/
- Pa. appeals court rules provisional votes must be counted in ‘naked ballots’ case - https://penncapital-star.com/campaigns-elections/pa-appeals-court-rules-provisional-votes-must-be-counted-in-naked-ballots-case/
- RNC Attacks Nonprofit’s Voting Registration Efforts in Swing States - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/rnc-attacks-nonprofits-voting-registration-efforts-in-swing-states/
September 6
- DeSantis’ election police questioned people who signed abortion petitions - https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/elections/2024/09/06/florida-abortion-amendment-petition-signature-fraud-voters/
- Judge Delays Trump’s Sentencing Until Nov. 26, After Election Day - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/06/nyregion/trump-sentencing-delay-ruling.html
- Texas Republican attorney general sues over voter registration efforts in Democrat strongholds - https://apnews.com/article/texas-voter-registration-lawsuits-paxton-561b48c0d9d77641737e566485c98d35
September 7
- Foreign influence efforts are circling the presidential election. Again. - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/07/foreign-influence-2024-election-00177828
- Trump Is Banking on Billionaires to Put Him Back in the White House - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-harris-white-house-for-sale-1235095894/
September 8
- Trump pledges to jail opponents, baselessly suggests election will be stolen from him - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/08/trump-election-threats/
September 9
- DOJ Issues New Guidance on Voter Roll Maintenance Amid Surge of Challenges - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/doj-issues-new-guidance-on-voter-roll-maintenance-amid-surge-of-challenges/
- House Republicans push to link government funding to a citizenship check for new voters - https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-house-republicans-voter-registration-citizenship-6c97f372a7d27c40deea15a948178794
- Nashville judge rules against a controversial Tennessee voting restriction - https://wpln.org/post/nashville-judge-rules-against-a-controversial-tennessee-voting-restriction/
September 10
- Congressional Democrats, Activists Renew Push for Passage of Four Voting Rights Bills - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/congressional-democrats-activists-renew-push-for-passage-of-four-voting-rights-bills/
- Elon Musk’s misleading election claims reach millions and alarm election officials - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/10/elon-musk-illegal-immigrant-voting-misinformation/
- Fact-checking 55 suspect claims, mostly Trump’s, in debate with Harris - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/11/fact-check-presidential-debate-harris-trump/
- Local Republican official in Michigan promises to certify election results after being sued - https://apnews.com/article/michigan-election-certification-trump-2024-kalamazoo-county-1ef7485efd8087259afd1c20827bfe70
- Petition asks FL Supreme Court to stop DeSantis from ‘interfering’ with abortion amendment - https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/09/10/petition-asks-fl-supreme-court-to-stop-desantis-from-interfering-with-abortion-amendment/
- Trump, Republicans push swing-state courts to reject mail-in ballots - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/10/mail-voting-pennsylvania-trump-republicans/
September 11
- Election officials warn that widespread problems with the US mail system could disrupt voting - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/election-officials-warn-that-widespread-problems-with-the-us-mail-system-could-disrupt-voting/
- Trump-Harris debate updates: Candidates go on attack in zinger-filled showdown - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-harris-2024-presidential-debate/?id=113525682
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/
Dial-In Details
Upcoming Events
September 25, 2024
Democracy Happy Hour – September 25, 2024
Topic: When We All Vote with Amanda Hollowell, National Managing Director. Join us from 5-6:30pm PT for a weekly discussion about our democracy.
September 28, 2024
Democracy in the Park Picnic - Manito Park, Spokane
Join Fix Democracy First for a special Democracy in the Park Picnic event in Spokane on September 28, 2024 for lots of great food, drinks, activities, conversation, and more!
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