The purpose of this post is to make being an engaged citizen a habit. Each week offers actionable, effective and sustainable ways to resist. 

Most of the suggestions to call, go and write are focused on damage control. The damage is pervasive. What’s not to be outraged about?

But it’s equally important that some of us focus on the long game: finding and supporting candidates. As this op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal says, the D’s having allowed the Rs to dominate at state and local levels “borders on gross negligence.”

After last week’s post, I received this from Matt Jones and Jess Masterton, who are definitely focused on the long game: 

We went to our first Swing Left house party to strategize how to flip our closest swing district (Indiana-9). Swing Left is partnering with Knock Every Door to help flip republican districts or defend democratic districts with narrow margins of victory. We are currently in the process of organizing a monthly trip out to Indiana’s 9th District… at the end of April. Interested in joining

I strongly agree with characterizations of the Democratic Party as negligent, but it is the best vehicle to find and support candidates at all levels. This is from the OH-2 Indivisible Group:

… a strong ground game starts with ensuring we have Democratic precinct executives in EVERY PRECINCT across the district. Sadly today there are many open positions. Let’s get them filled! The precinct executive canvasses the precinct to reach out to potential Democratic voters, ensuring that they are registered to vote, that they stay informed, and that they get out to vote when the time comes. From canvassing the precinct, the executive also finds team members to help with canvassing. Neighborhood teams make canvassing easier and fun. To help contact Caleb Fox, Executive Director of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, at caleb@hamiltoncountydems.orgor call 513-421-0495.

GO
  • March 14: 7:00p Postcard writing @ Church of Our Savior 65 E. Hollister St.
  • March 18: 11:00a-12:00p How to Run for Office as a Progressive 11a-2p 1660 Blue Rock Ave. Hosted by Aftab Pureval, Ohio D party and The Independent Party.
WRITE
  • March 15: Ides of March ACA postcards. Mail to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20500-0005
CALL
  • ACA — Same as last week. More info @Indivisible Guide resources
  • Trump’s taxes — we featured this a few weeks ago. Representative Bill Pascrell (9-NJ) is circulating a sign-on letter that would instruct Congress to use its authority to get Trump’s returns via existing law that has been on the books for 90 years.
Rob Portman: 513-684-3265 Other Portman office numbers.
Sherrod Brown: 513-684-1021
Brad Wenstrup: 513-474-7777
Steve Chabot: 513-684-2723
 
Interested in making more calls? 5 Calls offers daily suggestions.  
 
CONNECT
  • March 13: 7:00-9:00p West Clermont Democrats Club: By Golly’s, 714 Lila Avenue, Milford
  • March 16: 7:30p East Side D Club: St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. 8101 Beechmont Ave. Meet the 3 announced D candidates for OH-2
  • March 16: 7:00p Butler County D Party meeting Central Connections, 3907 Central Ave., Middletown, OH 
LEARN
  • Trump calls them “regulations,” but many are what some of us call “protections.” Indivisible suggests calls on two issues before the Senate: 1) The Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome (SCRUB) Act (H.R. 998), which would create an unelected board to make recommendations to Congress on cutting regulations. 2) The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (S. 21), which would “put corporate lobbyists in the driver’s seat.” REINS has already passed the House.
  • It took me the better part of the week, but I made it through this New Yorker story about Trump, Putin and the “New Cold War.” You can also listen to an interview with the authors.
FEEL BETTER
  • Read this inspiring op-ed by Timothy Egan, saying, “In stepping on American values, Trump has prompted people to find out more about those values, and ultimately to defend them.”