Happy Tuesday, Activists!
43 DAYS UNTIL THE INAUGURATION
We hope you're feeling a little more relaxed as we watch the Biden-Harris transition team act so . . . . normal, and smart. That's what our hard work got us! There's still a ton of work ahead but at least, if you're like me, you're not doom scrolling quite as much. I'll take it! Come to our holiday party next week so we can thank you "in person" and celebrate!
CALL TO ACTION
Sen. Toomey – Phila office 215-241-1090; D.C. office 202-224-4254; email link
Sen. Casey – Phila office 215-405-9660; D.C. office 202-224-6324; email link
As you probably know, a bipartisan bill is being negotiated in Congress to give COVID-19 relief to struggling families and businesses. There is article after article describing the unprecedented food and housing crisis across the country right now. Unless Congress acts to pass a COVID-19 relief bill in the next few days, 12 million people will lose unemployment insurance benefits the day after Christmas. Shortly after that, federal protections against evictions are set to expire, putting an estimated 30-40 million people at risk of being evicted. As cases rise, states and cities are struggling to maintain essential services like schools and testing sites without more support.
Of course, our old friend Mitch McConnell wants to load up the bill with goodies for the mega-donors, like legal immunity for companies that violate public safety measures. So far, the Democrats are saying no to those provisions.
So there is no time to waste to pass this bill. Let's make some calls.
Call Senator Toomey – Tell him there is no excuse to pass at least this compromise bill to help our fellow Americans impacted so critically by the pandemic, and demand he vote yes on the bill.
Call Senator Casey – Thank him for voting on the bill and thank him for advocating for progressive policies and legislation.
As for helping directly, we’re focusing on food security and we’ve listed below some ways you can give to ensure that meals are provided to our neighbors during these food insecure times. Thank you!
1. Philabundance – Philabundance provides services to increase our neighbors’ access to food through its network of partner agencies across nine counties in the Philadelphia area. You can select the area near you.
2. Coalition Against Hunger – Using the link you can find and support a small food pantry in your local area in the Philadelphia region.
3. Feeding America – The link helps you find food banks across the country. You can search for one in your area if you are outside the Philadelphia region as well.
HOLIDAY PARTY!
Don’t miss our annual party! Indivisible Philadelphia Volunteer Appreciation Holiday Party is coming. There will be easy, fun games and prizes! Woo-hoo!
When: Thursday, December 17, at 6:30 pm
Where: Zoom – sign up here.
ELECTION UPDATE
It's amazing that we have to even think about this. Normally, the votes would be cast and counted, the results would be certified, and we’d all go on with our lives without worrying about our democracy. But it’s 2020.
Yesterday Georgia certified the results of its election – for the third time – and wow, Biden won – again – by about 12,000 votes. What does this mean? It means Georgia certified by the Safe Harbor Day! Today is the day that states must have certified their election results, which most have (see below).
Currently, Joe Biden has 288 certified electoral votes (including Georgia’s 16 electoral votes) out of the 306 he’s expected to secure after all states have certified their results. Certified results from Hawaii (4 votes), Missouri (10 votes), and New Jersey (14 votes) are still outstanding, with electors from Hawaii and New Jersey expected to vote for Joe Biden, making up the final 18 electoral votes for the president-elect.
Here are a few more key dates:
TODAY – certification deadline for Missouri, New Jersey
TODAY – Safe Harbor Deadline
December 14: Electoral College meets to vote for the next president of the United States.
GEORGIA UPDATE
Yesterday we finished mailing postcards to 34,000 Georgia voters! We asked them to vote early starting on December 14, the opening of the early voting process. This was a tremendous effort by over 200 of you. Thank you all for being part of this team!
But there’s more we can do –> Phone. Banking.
Calling voters is the best way to have a conversation and make sure they get to the polls on January 5 (if they haven’t voted early). Join us, won’t you? Let’s get Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue out of the Senate and take the power away from #MoscowMitch!!
Here are the opportunities:
Reclaim Our Vote phone banks, various dates and times. This is the group we wrote postcards with and they know these voters and how to approach them.
Indivisible Georgia GOTV Call-a-Thon with special guest – Alyssa Milano!
Join Indivisibles and activist Alyssa Milano to call Georgia voters in the final hours before the runoff election. By talking to these voters directly, you’ll have a chance to empower them to turn out to help push Warnock and Ossoff across the finish line.
Date: January 4, 2021, at 6 pm EST – Register here.
And don’t forget, it’s super important to donate what you can now to the campaigns and the Georgia Indivisible group doing the work on the ground. Here are links:
Hope to see you at next week's holiday party! Until then, stay safe.
Wear a mask. Keep a distance. Wash your hands. Be kind.