Thank you for all the recommends, shares and tweets for the diaries in this series!
If you’re new to this, it’s the 3rd in a series of diaries with action items specific to addressing the threat of Russian interference in our election. Here is the first diary in the series that lays out our overall direction: A Ten Point Action Plan for Resisting Putin’s Takeover of America.
Here are the actions for Monday, December 12 - one week until the EC votes.
They are the things that I am personally committing to do today, but it’s far from a complete list of all the things that could be done. There are lots of other things that you can do - please share your ideas in the comments!
Key Actions Today:
- Call your senator to ask them to release the evidence for Russian interference to the electors, if not the general public. Use the script you prepared yesterday (or take a few minutes to prepare one first - see sample below). Call their local office number during business hours if at all possible - then add that number to your Favorites / speed dial. For messaging ideas see below.
- Then call your 2nd Senator.
- Call your governor to ask him or her to release the Electors and support votes of conscience. Do this in both blue and red states. As above, prepare a script and put their number in your Favorites for rapid access later this week.
- Then call your State Attorney General to ask him/her to support their Electors by providing clarifications on any applicable state laws, and how any upcoming court cases may affect them. They may consider recognizing that these are unprecedented circumstances that are directly recognized by the Federalist Papers as a situation the Founding Fathers anticipated - a President with documented ties to a foreign power.
- Taunt Trump on Twitter with #PutinsPuppet. Remember Sun-Tzu’s advice from the Art of War: “If your enemy is choleric, irritate him.” Trump is thin-skinned and can’t stop obsessing once he starts. Let’s get him to start.
Based on wise counsel from our own DailyKos #HamiltonElector RWN, we recommend that you not lobby the Electors directly. The most important thing you can do to help them is to lobby the Senators to release the evidence so that the Electors can make their decisions with full knowledge of the situation and make up their own minds.
Key Messages Today (to Tweet, post on Facebook, etc):
- Trump is irreparably damaged by Putin’s interference. Our allies will never be able to trust him. Our enemies will use this against us.
- Trump’s response to PutinGate was to attack the CIA rather than ask for the evidence. That shows just how dangerously incompetent he is.
- Wc cannot ask the Electors to cast a vote that could haunt them for the rest of their lives. Release the Electors!
Major Developments Since Yesterday:
- For the love of all that is holy, read this entire Tweetstorm from Eric Garland. Please make sure you read it all the way to the end.
- Trump is, of course, calling the investigation ridiculous. A competent President would grasp why that is the last thing the nation needs to hear right now.
- Trump also questioned that the “One China” policy, in place for over forty years, might make a good bargaining chip. And Supply Chain Managers in companies across the United States collectively fainted. Note: there’s an autoplay video at this link but it’s a good one.
- Meanwhile, John Bolton is claiming. . . Obama did it! That must be it. . . Oh wait. . . you mean he intentionally torpedoed his own legacy. . .
- Latest info is that the Republican leaders who favor an investigation include McCain, Graham, Lankford, Corker, Rubio, . . . If they hold firm, Trump will be able to get nothing done.
Draft Scripts for Phone Calls:
Hi! I’m [Kascade Kat] and I’m calling to ask for Senator [Murray’s] support for releasing the information about Putin’s interference with our Presidential election immediately. We can’t let our electors finalize their votes without this - they may make a decision they’ll regret for the rest of their lives.
Hi! I’m [Kascade Kat] and I’m calling Governor [Inslee] to ask him to support any Presidental Electors from our state who need to vote their consciences. With the new revelations about Trump, the Dem electors may need to help the Republicans find a leader who can get us out of this mess.
Hi! I’m [Kascade Kat] and I’m calling Mr. Red State Governor to ask him to support any electors who cannot, in good conscience, vote for Trump, given that Putin played a role in his election. We don’t want to force them into a position of casting a vote they’ll regret for the rest of their lives.
Help Spread the Word with Bonus Actions:
- Bonus #1: Share the original diary and this one on Facebook to amplify the effects of our efforts.
- Bonus #2: If you are dedicated to this fight, please consider following the Kos Group “Sons and Daughters of Liberty.” I’ll post these Action Lists there, as well as other diaries that offer concrete opportunities to take action. That way, you’ll be able to read them even if they don’t make the Rec List. If you’d like to play a more active role, send me a Kosmail and I’ll add you to the group.
- Bonus #3: Sign up for Twitter and let us know you’re there. If you’re not on Twitter already, consider signing up with your DailyKos handle. You’ll need a phone number to register. I already have an account under my IRL name for business, but they let me create another one. Twitter is better than Facebook for amplifying messages, IMO because it’s a primary tool for so many journalists, politicians and major media figures. My handle is @KascadeKat - share yours in the comments so that we can amplify each others’ messages.
Remember - history has its eyes on us this time.