Democracy Happy Hour – April 12, 2023

Democracy Happy Hour, April 12, 2023 - Meeting Recordings & Chat File:

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/UEfZBMxMXlIVaT01BzHCzC4X1EK4-OZWN1jHtP43UzCqTquXInnLAtOO7NHHBl69AO0A3lFXM7UQURvr.bRaqZAD-RYyN2cbZ
• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/zWtvwfKBg0XSN4BnhRNLfVr0ihd8gbuQ0H_wrDcyWcDa1HOiD3QfehfBtjaaIeAjuS-g6QeUA8I3IBZo.VsAFhQh79hjG68kc

Fix Democracy First Links:

• Fix Democracy First – Legislation Page - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/legislation

• Website & past event recordings under event page: fixdemocracyfirst.org

• Donate to FDF @ fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

• Spring Online Auction Donation Form - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/auction-donation-form

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• Apr 19th - WA Legislative Recap: What passed? What's next?
  
• April 26th - Local Intersections: Working Together to Strengthen Democracy with Caleb Christen
• May 3rd - Pinion: How Everyday People Can Help Transform Civic Engagement for Healthier Democracy w/ Scott Pierce & Evan Mastronardi
•  

ACTIONS & CONNECTIONS:

• National Week of Conversation – April 17-23 - https://conversation.us/
• H.J.Res.54 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights protected and extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only. - https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-joint-resolution/54
• Sign and send the petition: Demand corporations stop donating to pro-insurrectionist members of Congress! - https://actionnetwork.org/letters/sign-the-petition-demand-corporations-stop-donating-to-pro-insurrectionist-members-of-congress/
• 14Point3 Campaign - https://freespeechforpeople.org/the-14point3-campaign/
• TRUMP IS DISQUALIFIED FROM THE BALLOT - https://freespeechforpeople.org/trump-is-disqualified-from-the-ballot/
• People Powered Elections Washington - https://www.peoplepoweredelections.org/
• People Powered Elections Washington: Email Sign Up - https://secure.everyaction.com/Kvt4e-0DY0yyLf_1C7y-og2
• Citizen Connect - https://citizenconnect.us/

Democracy by Lottery Part 2 Links:

• The Similitude - https://nickcoccoma.substack.com
• The Government of Chance: Sortition and Democracy from Athens to the Present - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62124263-the-government-of-chance
• The Case Against Elections in Boston Review - basic theory, history, and practice of sortition - Contains links to other resources.
• Podcast with Terry Bouricius - politician turned sortition advocate

Videos:

• 10 Best Videos on sortition
• Citizens’ Reference Panel for the Regional Transportation Review - profiles three selected members of a Citizens' Assembly
• Introducing the Toronto Planning Review Panel - introduces members of the city's planning review assembly.
• Ireland's national Citizens' Assembly of 2016-2018 - The Assembly's main webpage is here.

• To Save America, We Need Democracy by Lottery in The Similitude. Includes several resource links at the bottom for articles, books, podcasts, etc.
• Lotteries and the Supreme Court - using lotteries to reform the judiciary
• Democracy Without Elections - https://democracywithoutelections.org/
• Healthy Democracy - https://healthydemocracy.org/
• Democracy Next - https://demnext.org/

Democracy in the News Links:

A dizzying, divisive week in politics spotlights America’s raging battle - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/08/political-analysis-tennessee-trump-wisconsin

While pinning Trump case to campaign laws, Bragg eyes a backup plan - https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3936216-while-pinning-trump-case-to-campaign-laws-bragg-eyes-a-backup-plan/

Trump’s calls to protest fall on weary, wary ears. - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/us/politics/trump-arraignment-protests.html

New York judge in Trump arraignment reportedly receives ‘dozens’ of threats - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/06/trump-arraignment-judge-juan-merchan-threats

Manhattan district attorney sues Republican lawmaker Jordan over Trump case - https://www.reuters.com/legal/manhattan-district-attorney-sues-republican-lawmaker-jim-jordan-over-trump-case-2023-04-11/

Trump’s criminal case in New York may collide with the 2024 campaign - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/04/05/trump-new-york-criminal-case-campaign/

Jan. 6 rioters can be prosecuted for obstructing Congress, court rules - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/04/07/obstruction-charge-jan6-ruling-constitutional/

Texts between D.C. police and Proud Boys head shown at Jan. 6 trial - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/04/07/proud-boys-lamond-texts-jan6-trial/

National security officials tell special counsel Trump was repeatedly warned he did not have the authority to seize voting machines - https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/05/politics/election-voting-machines-trump-national-security/index.html

Georgia Looms Next After Trump’s Indictment in New York - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/08/us/trump-georgia-election-fani-willis.html

Former AG Bill Barr says Trump should be 'most concerned' about the classified documents investigation: 'He was jerking the government around' - https://www.businessinsider.com/barr-says-trump-should-most-concerned-classified-documents-investigation-2023-4

Trump says he'd "never drop out" of 2024 race, even if convicted - https://www.axios.com/2023/04/12/trump-run-president-2024-convicted

Judge rules that Fox News pushed lies about Dominion in 2020 election fraud case - https://www.mediamatters.org/foxdominion-lawsuit/judge-rules-fox-news-pushed-lies-about-dominion-2020-election-fraud-case

Judge chides Fox News over ‘missing’ Murdoch documents but refuses ‘remedy’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/04/11/dominion-judge-chides-fox-murdoch/

Attacks on Dominion Voting Persist Despite High-Profile Lawsuits - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/06/technology/dominion-voting-mike-lindell-trump.html

Key conservative group joins attacks on partnership that improves voter rolls - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/11/judicial-watch-electronic-registration-information-center-eric

Election officials have ideas for stopping a 2024 crisis before it even starts - https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/10/election-officials-democracy-disinformation-00091067

Lawmakers to ask AZ voters to block ranked-choice voting in 2024 - https://www.azmirror.com/blog/lawmakers-to-ask-az-voters-to-block-ranked-choice-voting-in-2024/

With more costs to come, Shasta County will spend $950,000 on new voting system - https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2023/04/07/shasta-co-spends-950k-on-new-voting-system-after-hand-count-approval/70089936007/

Florida Lawmakers Propose Wide-Ranging Changes in Elections Laws. Here's Who Could Be Impacted - https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/florida-lawmakers-propose-wide-ranging-changes-in-elections-laws-heres-who-could-be-impacted/3009623/

Idaho becomes first state to restrict interstate travel for abortions - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/idaho-becomes-first-state-to-restrict-interstate-travel-for-abortions/

North Carolina Republicans want to eliminate grace period for counting mail-in ballots - https://www.wunc.org/politics/2023-04-05/north-carolina-republicans-eliminate-grace-period-counting-mail-ballots

Tennessee House GOP expels 2 Democrats in retaliation over gun control protest, on ‘sad day for democracy’ - https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/07/us/tennessee-democrat-house-representatives-expelled-friday/index.html

Tenn. GOP deepens racial tension after expelling Black lawmakers - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/04/08/tennessee-three-nashville-shooting-expelled/

Justin Jones returns to state legislature after unanimous Nashville Council appointment - https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2023/04/10/justin-jones-reinstated-following-expulsion-tennessee-house-representatives/70099905007/

Memphis commissioners reappoint ousted representative Justin Pearson to Tennessee House - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justin-pearson-tennessee-three-justin-jones-shelby-county-board-of-commissioners-meeting-today-2023-04-12/

Tennessee expulsions prompt Senate Democrats to call for DOJ inquiry - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/12/tennessee-expulsions-prompt-senate-democrats-call-doj-inquiry/

How redistricting brought Tennessee to this moment - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/redistricting-brought-tennessee-moment-rcna78953

Hounded by baseless voter fraud allegations, an entire county's election staff quits in Virginia - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/buckingham-county-virginia-election-staff-quits-baseless-voter-fraud-rcna76435

For over 20 years, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been treated to luxury vacations by billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow - https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow

Justice Thomas: Advisers said no need to report travel with GOP donor - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/07/clarence-thomas-trips-crow-propublica

Who is Harlan Crow, the GOP megadonor who vacations with Justice Thomas? - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/06/harlan-crow-clarence-thomas-kkfaq/

Thomas Pushed To Kill Disclosure Laws While Getting Secret Billionaire Gifts - https://www.levernews.com/thomas-pushed-to-kill-disclosure-laws-while-getting-secret-billionaire-gifts/

Congress Members Announce Hearing, Demand Chief Justice Investigate Clarence Thomas’ Trips - https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-john-roberts-investigation-crow

Does the Supreme Court need a code of ethics? - https://theweek.com/supreme-court/1022391/does-the-supreme-court-need-a-code-of-ethics

Inside Senate Democrats' effort to force Supreme Court ethics code - https://www.axios.com/2023/04/08/senate-democrats-supreme-court-ethics-code

With Dueling Rulings, Abortion Pill Cases Appear Headed to the Supreme Court - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/08/us/politics/abortion-pill-supreme-court.html

Justice Department appeals Texas abortion pill ruling - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/10/abortion-pill-ruling-appeal/

With Dueling Rulings, Abortion Pill Cases Appear Headed to the Supreme Court - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/08/us/politics/abortion-pill-supreme-court.html

A liberal just won the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Republicans are already talking about impeaching her. - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/wisconsin-gop-try-oust-new-liberal-state-supreme-court-justice-rcna78318

Republicans can't simply remove a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice - https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/republicans-cant-simply-remove-a-wisconsin-supreme-court-justice/

Wisconsin Supreme Court race was the most expensive state judicial election in U.S. history - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/04/wisconsin-supreme-court-race-was-the-most-expensive-state-judicial-election-in-u-s-history

Trump’s campaign raised more money around federal indictment than presidential announcement - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/04/trumps-campaign-raised-more-money-around-federal-indictment-than-presidential-announcement

Trump Ignores Deadline for Personal Financial Disclosure to F.E.C. - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/10/us/politics/trump-campaign-fec-filing.html

How Koch Cash Is Bankrolling the Effort to Kill Big Tech Reform - https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2023/04/10/how-koch-cash-is-bankrolling-the-effort-to-kill-big-tech-reform/

Insurance Lobbyists Force Government to Heel on Medicare Advantage - https://prospect.org/health/2023-04-11-insurance-lobbyists-medicare-advantage/

In healthcare’s game of Monopoly, one player will control the board - https://thefulcrum.us/in-healthcares-game-of-monopoly-one-player-will-control-the-board

America’s First Dark Money Ballot Line - https://www.levernews.com/americas-first-dark-money-ballot-line/

How did Americans come to trust markets more than government? - https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/03/excerpt-from-naomi-oreskes-the-big-myth/

LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Who Created America’s Free Market Mythology? - https://subscribe.transistor.fm/dc6b572d7f9154/listen/95d06591

Economic Democracy Explained: Deconcentrating Corporate Power - https://www.demos.org/policy-briefs/deconcentrating-corporate-power

More ranked-choice voting bans considered in 2023 legislative sessions than previous years - https://news.ballotpedia.org/2023/04/10/more-ranked-choice-voting-bans-considered-in-2023-legislative-sessions-than-previous-years/

Is Proportional Representation On the Way? - https://reason.com/2023/04/04/is-proportional-representation-on-the-way/

Share Your Democracy Story - https://dfadcoalition.org/story/

Model the civility and civic behaviors we want the next generation to learn - https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/model-the-civility-and-civic-behaviors-we-want-the-next-generation-to-learn/