Democracy Happy Hour – December 6, 2023

Democracy Happy Hour, Dec 6, 2023 - Meeting Recordings:

Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/ACNdiwfC7oha40TFJ4E6wOf0pPT-BldDN6mpha6B4jcOF_VFvKeGEsQ8AiDzwdeRlpD2xvyvyCR8apfs.huD-aqr-WvSZf9mt

Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/FCwXvUkldiJznBlV2FjiDPArq6y4Fy5D46p_sBLP8aoVBiYQrYUzulgWUuNiIFfyC-aD6CxKqtcsyQiI.RI3zO8cSn639HMIl

Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/vy5vlFpOBgp3Ku_qcqvnAL5jfLLCX3DTfIOSBHwokXcdphLkQ-dsC98lxflGnZNK0JCQisizUwYkpV76.3HXBygHEGmqG-Vsr

FDF Links:

Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/

Fix Democracy First - Donate @ https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

Dec 13 - Universal Voting with 100% Democracy

Dec 20, 27 & Jan 3 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hours - Happy Holidays!

Jan 10 – SPECIAL EVENT! Remembering January 6 on the 3rd Anniversary with Alan Jenkins, Harvard Law Professor & Author of 1/6: The Graphic Novel, plus other special guests! - https://www.mobilize.us/fixdemocracyfirst/event/594845/

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

Electoral Justice in Yakima County, December 9th @ 1-3 pm – Learn about how our electoral system erects barriers to political representation for communities of color. Register @ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/electoral-justice-in-yakima-county-tickets-761493877687

LWVWA & FDF Events:

Speak Up School - Jan 6, 2024 - https://lwvwa.org/event-5476547

ACT via Zoom – Mondays @ 10 am – Jan 8 – Mar 11, 2024 -  https://lwvwa.org/event-5491947

Democracy Lobby Week - Jan 22-26, 2024 - https://lwvwa.org/event-5475122

FairVote WA Events:

FairVote RCV Lobby Day with FairVote Washington – Jan 17, 2024 - https://www.mobilize.us/fairvotewa/event/589773/

Get Ready for Lobby Day with FVWA – Dec 12 @ 6 pm - https://www.mobilize.us/fairvotewa/event/594286/

Ask Me Anything (About Lobby Day) - https://www.mobilize.us/fairvotewa/event/594287/

The Future of Public Banking Links:

Washingtonians for Public Banking - https://www.waforpublicbanking.org/

Coalition for the National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) - https://www.nibcoalition.com/

Public Banking Institute - https://publicbankinginstitute.org/

What is a Public Bank - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_bank

Public Banks - How states can establish public banks to democratize capital, build resiliency, and better leverage state funds for public purposes. - https://democracypolicy.network/agenda/open-country/open-economy/public-banks

Democracy in the News Links

Rep. George Santos expelled from Congress on bipartisan vote - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/01/george-santos-expulsion-house-vote

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to retire at the end of the month - https://www.npr.org/2023/12/06/1217575428/former-speaker-kevin-mccarthy-to-retire-at-the-end-of-the-month

Sandra Day O’Connor, pathbreaking woman on Supreme Court, dies at 93 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/12/01/sandra-day-oconnor-supreme-court-justice-dead

Henry Kissinger Is Dead at 100; Shaped the Nation’s Cold War History - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/us/henry-kissinger-dead.html

Special counsel alleges Trump ‘sent’ supporters on path to Jan. 6 violence - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/12/05/trump-jan-6-violence-election-obstruction

U.S. judge rejects Trump immunity claim in Jan. 6 criminal prosecution - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/01/trump-immunity-rejected-jan6-judge/

Trump Seeks to Use Trial to Challenge Findings That 2020 Election Was Fair - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/28/us/politics/trump-trial-2020-election.html

Pence told Jan. 6 special counsel harrowing details about 2020 aftermath, warnings to Trump: Sources - https://abcnews.go.com/US/pence-told-jan-6-special-counsel-harrowing-details/story?id=105183391

Mike Pence: My Son Had to Remind Me Not to Let Trump Steal the Election - https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/11/mike-pence-donald-trump-2020-election-certification

Nevada grand jury indicts six Republicans who falsely certified that Trump won the state in 2020 - https://apnews.com/article/fake-electors-nevada-indictment-ba84be72465e635dbaadc312a9632fc8

Wisconsin Trump electors settle lawsuit, agree Biden won in 2020 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/06/wisconsin-trump-fake-electors-lawsuit

Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Eligibility Challenge in Arizona - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/federal-judge-dismisses-trump-eligibility-challenge-in-arizona/

Dozens of state AGs, GOP officials tell Colorado Supreme Court to keep Trump on ballot - https://coloradonewsline.com/2023/12/04/officials-tell-colorado-supreme-court-trump-ballot/

Group sues Oregon Secretary of State Griffin-Valade to keep Trump off ballot - https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/12/06/group-sues-oregon-secretary-of-state-griffin-valade-to-keep-trump-off-ballot/

Spokane judge dismisses lawsuit attempting to remove Trump from Washington's 2024 ballot - https://www.inlander.com/news/spokane-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-attempting-to-remove-trump-from-washingtons-2024-ballot-27051864

Trump says he wouldn’t be a dictator ‘except for Day One’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/06/trump-dictator-day-one-hannity

Trump Wants to Use the Military Against His Domestic Enemies. Congress Must Act. - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/trump-wants-use-military-against-his-domestic-enemies-congress-must-act

New Report Sheds Light on Hand Counting Ballots Ahead of 2024 - https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/new-report-sheds-light-on-hand-counting-ahead-of-2024/

Election Night Hand Counts: Realities and Risks - https://verifiedvoting.org/publication/hand-counts-nov-2023/

Arkansas AG rejects proposed measure to conduct elections via hand-marked paper ballots - https://arkansasadvocate.com/2023/11/29/arkansas-ag-rejects-proposed-measure-to-conduct-elections-via-hand-marked-paper-ballots/

State appeals court upholds diminishment of Black voting strength in North Florida - https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/12/01/state-appeals-court-upholds-diminishment-of-black-voting-strength-in-north-florida/

Gerrymandered Maps Move Through Georgia Legislature - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/gerrymandered-maps-move-through-georgia-legislature/

Voting Rights Groups Warn Georgia Republican Re-Districting Plans Could Lead to Federal Intervention - https://www.energyportal.eu/news/voting-rights-groups-warn-georgia-republican-re-districting-plans-could-lead-to-federal-intervention/571208/#gsc.tab=0

Louisiana Legislature gets time to draw congressional map in third redistricting session - https://lailluminator.com/2023/11/30/louisiana-legislature-gets-time-to-draw-congressional-map-in-third-redistricting-session/

Michigan to automatically register people to vote when exiting prison - https://www.votebeat.org/2023/12/02/post-incarceration-automatic-voter-registration-michigan-prisons/

Progressive Groups File Lawsuit Challenging New Voting Machine in New York - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/progressive-groups-file-lawsuit-challenging-new-voting-machine-in-new-york/

Lawsuit claims NC Senate maps are racially gerrymandered - https://wfuogb.com/22398/news/lawsuit-claims-nc-senate-maps-are-racially-gerrymandered/

Anti-Gerrymandering Amendment Could Go in Front of Ohio Voters in 2024 - https://columbusunderground.com/anti-gerrymandering-amendment-could-go-in-front-of-ohio-voters-in-2024-ocj1/

In face of threats, election workers vow: ‘You are not disrupting the democratic process’ - https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2023/11/29/in-face-of-threats-election-workers-vow-you-are-not-disrupting-the-democratic-process/

Why didn't more Washingtonians vote in the 2023 election? - https://www.kuow.org/stories/why-didn-t-more-people-vote-in-the-2023-election

IN EVERY WASHINGTON CITY, ODD-YEAR ELECTIONS CRUSH VOTER TURNOUT - https://www.sightline.org/2023/11/08/in-every-washington-city-odd-year-elections-crush-voter-turnout

The Supreme Court May Be Poised to Kill the Voting Rights Act Once and for All - https://truthout.org/articles/the-supreme-court-may-be-poised-to-kill-the-voting-rights-act-once-and-for-all/

Supreme Court seems inclined to leave major offshore tax in place on investors - https://www.npr.org/2023/12/05/1217387644/supreme-court-tax-code

Billionaires had a surprisingly bad day in the Supreme Court today - https://www.vox.com/scotus/2023/12/5/23989306/supreme-court-wealth-tax-billionaires-moore-united-states-elizabeth-warren

Supreme Court Appears Split Over Opioid Settlement for Purdue Pharma - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/us/politics/supreme-court-purdue-pharma.html

Senate Committee Authorizes Subpoenas of Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo as Part of Supreme Court Ethics Probe - https://www.propublica.org/article/senate-judiciary-harlan-crow-leonard-leo-subpoenas-scotus-thomas-alito

‘Plain historical falsehoods’: How amicus briefs bolstered Supreme Court conservatives - https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/03/supreme-court-amicus-briefs-leonard-leo-00127497

Wall Street titans are getting behind Nikki Haley in the presidential race—billionaire hedge funder Bill Ackman says it’s time for Biden to ‘step aside’ - https://fortune.com/2023/11/30/wall-street-titans-backing-nikki-haley-ackman-asks-biden-step-aside/

Jamie Dimon Urges Donors, Even Democrats, to ‘Help Nikki Haley’ - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/us/politics/nikki-haley-super-pac-trump.html

Top tickets for first Biden Hollywood fundraiser since end of strikes approach $1 million - https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-11-30/joe-biden-hollywood-fundraiser-spielberg-reiner-caruso-shonda

Meet the Super SPAC - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/12/joe-manchin-third-party-candidates/676178/

George Santos Reveals One Truth: It’s Easy to Abuse Campaign Finance Laws - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/02/us/politics/george-santos-campaign-finance.html

Congressional lawmakers, advocacy groups urge FEC regulation on deceptive AI - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/11/congressional-lawmakers-advocacy-groups-urge-fec-regulation-on-deceptive-ai

Meta closes nearly 4,800 fake accounts in China that tried to polarize US voters - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/30/china-fake-accounts-facebook-instagram

Winning proportional representation: How the U.S. can follow New Zealand’s lead - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/proportional-representation-236851

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/