Democracy Happy Hour - January 15, 2024

Topic:  Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections with Jennifer Heerwig

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 in the News & Open Discussion

Our scheduled guest for this week, Jennifer Heerwig, needed to reschedule. She is now on the schedule for March 5th.

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/fQX9O0PZRQUCuRgmqglNap_frlUtzJxxH6p0TVA1w0fyqemgmSgodxaFghvZ5eabTPl0C7ZCrWvNVHRH.-sK7I97uhXj7PeKq

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/Y_6usYC8IFB8-gEQNqYHdXF-xZJ_5LUqv1vlKC7P7slvP0URbOT82RfPVU_9hqZqlRlPmZqqvZ0lvZEr.S82XGYOi8fl65uW3

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/Dbu7WyXKT9jdpVFZYfPpM-fOqdfJeYPTrbz1jv2ERUK6JmggsI7-C7HKCz-8sHEaOK6i8qOUW3sFiQRS.26UTRb1HhYJPHWUU

• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/DQhgd1-u7u_DJAAT8KFP3RkjDDS2lx5tEZYLXbutlk8eV2KGAn4CqSQktdLKSujz0LIlbWCJqwmtpebR.6Ge7QwIH1A6U_xvg

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

• Jan 22 - Early Warning Early Action: A Community-Based Approach to Tracking & Mitigating Violence with Jennifer Grubbs, The Trust Network
• Jan 29 - Paths to Understanding: Bridging Bias and Building Unity Through Multi-Faith Peacemaking with Terry Kyllo, Executive Director
• Feb 5 - SPECIAL EVENT: Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right’s 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections,  Book Talk with author David Daley
• Feb 12 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hour this week
• Feb 19 - Innovating for the Public Good: R&D for Democracy with Page Gardner
• Feb 26 - SPECIAL EVENT: Local Media & Its Impact on Democracy Expert Panel Discussion
• Mar 05 - Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections with Jennifer Heerwig

Actions and events

1. 15 Years of Citizens United: How Big Money Dominated the 2024 Election – Jan 16^th @ 8 am PT/11 am ET – Register @ https://campaignlegal.org/events/15-years-citizens-united-how-big-money-dominated-2024-election
2. Civic Genius upcoming events in WA State - https://www.ourcivicgenius.org/events/
3. Declaration for American Democracy – TAKE ACTION - https://dfadcoalition.org/takeaction/
   • Write a Letter to the Editor TOOL - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/write-letter-editor
   • Petition - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/sign-petition-tell-congress-0
4. Lobby Days in Olympia, WA:
   • Democracy Lobby Day 2025
     • Date & Time: Wednesday, February 12 · 8:30am - 4pm PT
     • Location: Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501
     • More info & register @ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/democracy-lobby-day-2025-tickets-1131236200929
   • Ranked-Choice Voting Lobby Day 2025 with FairVote WA
     • Date & Time: Wednesday, February 5 · 7:30am - 4pm PT
     • Location:Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501
     • More info & register @ https://secure.everyaction.com/cM2T0LA5pk2mJkrxnoUN5g2

Democracy in the News

Resources

• Fifteen Years Later, Citizens United Defined the 2024 Election - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/fifteen-years-later-citizens-united-defined-2024-election
• Money’s Control Over Politics Has Never Been Greater - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/moneys-control-over-politics-has-never-been-greater
• States Must Take the Lead on Election Security - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/states-must-take-lead-election-security
• The Power of Story to Grow Democracy - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eb3j4mpMSKhL7RQ-9dc00HRQiq5QqOhi/preview?pli=1

January 2025

January 03

• Trump Pardoning Jan. 6 Insurrectionists Would Endorse Attacks on Democracy - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/trump-pardoning-jan-6-insurrectionists-would-endorse-attacks-democracy

January 09

• Americans worry about democracy — particularly the ‘representative’ part - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/09/americans-worry-democracy-poll/
• Arizona Supreme Court to weigh fate of ‘dark money’ disclosure law - https://azmirror.com/briefs/arizona-supreme-court-to-weigh-fate-of-dark-money-disclosure-law/
• Feds say Pa. city's ‘at-large' election system is biased against Hispanic voters - https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/feds-say-pa-citys-at-large-election-system-is-biased-against-hispanic-voters/4072183/
• Florida Voters Sue Gov. DeSantis For Failing to Call Special Elections - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/florida-voters-sue-gov-desantis-for-failing-to-call-special-elections/
• Fox must face $2.7B defamation lawsuit, court rules - https://www.seattletimes.com/business/fox-must-face-2-7b-defamation-lawsuit-court-rules
• Supreme Court rejects Trump’s bid to halt his hush money sentencing - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/09/supreme-court-trump-hush-money-sentencing-decision-00197432

January 10

• More legal briefs sought in unresolved North Carolina Supreme Court election - https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-supreme-court-election-federal-appeals-45a18a0427ff02ecf96d93f1966ddec0
• New GOP-led elections committee in Arizona House signals voting debate isn’t over - https://azmirror.com/briefs/new-gop-led-elections-committee-in-arizona-house-signals-voting-debate-isnt-over/
• Supreme Court to Hear New Affordable Care Act Case on Preventive Care - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/us/politics/supreme-court-affordable-care-act-obamacare.html
• Trump gets no-penalty sentence in his hush money case, while calling it ‘despicable’ - https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a
• Why the Supreme Court Is Poised to Let the TikTok Ban Stand - https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/01/why-is-tiktok-banned-supreme-court-arguments.html

January 11

• Special counsel Jack Smith resigns ahead of Trump inauguration - https://www.axios.com/2025/01/11/special-counsel-jack-smith-resign-trump

January 12

• JD Vance says violent Jan. 6 rioters shouldn't receive pardons - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/jd-vance-violent-jan-6-rioters-shouldnt-receive-pardons-rcna187329
• Senate immigration bill aims to overturn Supreme Court precedent in a sea change for legal system, experts say - https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/12/politics/laken-riley-immigration-enforcement-lawsuits/index.html

January 13

• 4 Voting Rights Cases SCOTUS May Hear That Could Reshape Elections - https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/4-voting-rights-cases-scotus-may-hear-that-could-reshape-elections
• Despite Trump's win, 'election integrity' activists still seek sweeping voting changes - https://www.npr.org/2025/01/13/nx-s1-5254181/election-integrity-policy-save-act-cleta-mitchell
• Iowa Secretary of State files bill to verify voter citizenship status - https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-secretary-of-state-files-bill-to-verify-voter-citizenship-status/63413723
• Justice Dept. releases Trump special counsel report on Jan. 6 case - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/13/trump-jan-6-classified-documents-investigations-report-jack-smith
• North Carolina Judge Denies Republicans’ Request To Toss 60,000 Ballots - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/north-carolina-judge-denies-republicans-request-to-toss-60000-ballots
• Several 2025 WY bills could erode voting rights - https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2025-01-13/civic-engagement-and-voting/several-2025-wy-bills-could-erode-voting-rights/a94585-1
• Supreme Court upholds North Dakota’s majority-Native legislative subdistricts - https://northdakotamonitor.com/2025/01/13/supreme-court-upholds-north-dakotas-majority-native-legislative-subdistricts/

January 14

• How to Fix America’s Two-Party Problem - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/14/opinion/fix-congress-proportional-representation.html
• NY – Senate passes package of election bills protecting voters’ rights - https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2025/01/14/senate-passes-package-of-election-bills-protecting-voters-rights
• Special counsel report says Trump would’ve been convicted for Jan. 6 ‘unprecedented criminal effort’ - https://apnews.com/article/trump-special-counsel-aileen-cannon-d7be86dad89227f12a6f5aac3433b202
• Takeaways from special counsel Jack Smith’s report on January 6 and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election - https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/14/politics/takeaways-jack-smith-report-donald-trump/index.html
• What we learned from the Trump Jan. 6 report by special counsel Jack Smith - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/14/takeaways-jack-smith-trump-jan-6-report
• Wisconsin voters will see voter ID constitutional amendment question on April ballot - https://www.wisn.com/article/wisconsin-voters-voter-id-constitutional-amendment-question-april-ballot/63424765

Good News Websites

• ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news
• Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/
• Democracy's Good News - https://www.democracygroup.org/topics/democracys-good-news
• 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/

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