Daily Dems Doing the Work, Making Noise and Fighting Back Day 52
Please remember that reading my posts is great, but if you can, please go to the post that I’m sharing themselves and amplify them by commenting and reposting, etc!
Together, we can make the best of our Democrats go viral! (yes I know that was cheesy, just go with it)
There are a lot of Daily and weekly series that I really want you to know about, but I can’t give the same attention to all of them, so, today I’m starting the ICYMI section. That way you’ll know what got a new episode, but I don’t need to make a whole section about it!
ICYMI
House Minority Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA-33)
Gave us the second episode of the “Democratic Daily Download” all about yesterday’s Medicaid Day of Action! So far, it seems like they’re starting with leadership, but I can’t wait to see who they get to do these each day.
Also, they listened. The video was posted on IG and Blue Sky (their first post!). However, we still need to get the series on Threads, FB and TikTok, so keep commenting, respectfully, that they have to crosspost on a few more platforms.
This first week, I’m going to be including every episode in this series as a story I break down, but after this week, I’m just going to put it in the top ICYMI section, which is new as of today.
Rep Janelle Bynum (OR-05)
Wrote a guest column in The Bulletin, the local paper for Bend, OR. If you read it, and you didn’t know who Janelle Bynum was, you’d think it was just written by a concerned consituent.
And, some people might be bothered by that, but I think it’s brilliant. She’s not talking over anyone, or acting like she’s better than them, and she’s even holding the state government accountable too. As a blue state, Oregon should be leading the charge on education, and, according to her, they’re not.
Rep Shontel Brown (OH-11)
Went to the grocery store today and shopped as if she was on SNAP. She gave herself $42 dollars to get enough food for a full week, and then posted her experience.
This is the type of post that could easily get into mainstream. It reminds me of Dollar Tree Dinners on TikTok. She has 2.8m followers because everyone can find some way to connect with her content.
I love that Brown is trying a new social media tactic, and I think it could be elevated one level further by posting the full video of the shopping experience. Those who need SNAP know what it’s like, and those of us who don’t could see how she made the decisions she did and which parts were the most difficult.
In my opinion, posts like this give humanity and dignity to those who definitely aren’t getting it from many of those who are suppose to represent us.
Sen Andy Kim (NJ)
Has held 83 town halls since he was first elected to a federal office in 2019. By Saturday night, that number will be 86. He is holding three town halls this week, each one in a different Republican-controlled district.
On Thursday 3/20, he will be in Egg Harbor in Rep Jeff Van Drew’s NJ-02 district.
On Friday 3/21 he will be in Branchburg in Rep Tom Kean Jr.’s NJ-07 district.
And on Saturday 3/22, he will be in Brick in Rep Chris Smith’s NJ-04 district.
I am so glad Dem senators are going to the red parts of their state. We need all hands on deck
DNC
Gave Fox News the exclusive on their new billboard campaign. They are putting billboards up in Republican districts calling the Rep a coward for not talking to their consituents. There are people who will pass those billboards that probably haven’t even been asking the question. People who aren’t typically political who might see one of the billboards and think “wow, that is messed up, I didn’t know that.”
Chair Ken Martin told Fox:
Republicans are refusing to meet with their constituents after voting to take away health care and make it harder for families to put food on the table. This isn’t surprising, over the last few months, one word has come to describe Republicans: cowards. If Republicans won’t show up, then Democrats will. We are hosting events in Republican-held districts and we are pasting Republican representatives’ phone numbers on billboards across their district because working families deserve to be heard."
I got a comment on one of my notes yesterday, and this announcement made me think of that immediately
It’s not exactly the same, but it’s certainly on the right path.
Sen Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
Posted a really wonderful video about who is really footing the bill for the billionaire tax cuts. Now, you know this, and I know this, but, most Americans don’t. It seems impossible for us to grasp how people can be unaware that something like taxes is directly connected to politics, but, unfortunately that’s the reality.
So, even though I didn’t learn all that much from this video, and you probably won’t either, I’m sharing it because I think it could resonate with someone who spends a little less time focusing on politics than you or I.
And the only way we can increase the likelihood that they will see it, is by making sure we spread these engaging videos, even when they don’t help us.
Also, this one reminds me of Elizabeth Warren’s video style, which I feel is so effective.
Rep Becca Balint (VT)
Was asked why she voted against the anti trans sports bill at her town hall. It’s not easy to give an answer that pleases everyone to a question like that. In fact, I’d say it’s near impossible, but, she managed and it was a beautiful thing to watch.
You could argue that she didn’t go far enough, but it takes time to change someone’s mind. And I believe she started that process for this man.
Also, even though we think of Vermont as a completely blue state, it’s not, and this town hall was held in one of the red dots on the states. Which, according to a DM I got, is an area representatives don’t ever go to. That makes the entire town hall something of note.
And, you can watch the whole thing below!
Sen Adam Schiff (CA)
Posted a 10 minute video on YouTube breaking down DT’s speech at the DOJ. One thing I really love about Schiff is that, everytime he posts something, there’s some aspect of what he’s saying that even I didn’t know. It is absolutely vital to try and get the attention of the least informed, but, it’s also important to say things that those who are most informed don’t know either, and Schiff does that really well.
Because I think it’s the coolest story of the day, comment 🛒 if you made it to the end of this post!
And let me know which story is your favorite! Also, don’t forget to comment on the posts I’m sharing themselves. Let’s support our Dems doing the work!
Our voices are our superpower, but only when we use them!
Just found your sub stack and thank goodness I did! Each night for the last three nights I’ve thrilled to find it in my inbox and made it the last thing I read before bed. Keep up the great work. This helps morale A LOT.
I like the idea of Reps stepping into the shoes of their constituents whether with a letter to editor or shopping in a store, filling up gas, taking kids to school, and so on. The ideas are endless, but as you stated a video of the actual event would pack more punch, with the audience saying “hey that is me too!”