We Still Have Time to Protest the Big Bad Bill

The Senate, with a tie-breaking vote by J.D. Vance, passed the Big Beautiful Bill (aka: The Big Bad Bill for all but the wealthiest Americans) this morning. Here is a graphic with some of the worst items in the Bill plus the impact on the people in our country:

There are still things we can do to show opposition as the bill makes it back to the House of Representatives for approval. 

I am sharing Jess Cravin's Chop Wood, Carry Water article today to give people next steps to take and the language to use.

A Challenging Moment Hi, all, and happy Tuesday. Of course, the day hasn’t gotten off to a great start. Here’s what we know: Senate Republicans passed the Big Ugly Budget Bill this morning in a squeaker; JD Vance had to break the tie after 3 Republicans—Tillis, Collins, and Paul—voted no. This was after the Senate was up all night voting on amendments that Democrats kept bringing up—good for them! As a result of their hard work, by the way, the AI provision was stripped out of the bill. So were the worst taxes on solar and wind power (although the bill is still a disaster for clean energy). Still, it’s an awful, awful piece of legislation, and it’s insane that it passed in the Senate. Worse, Republicans cheered when the vote was done. Like, actually celebrated. The sadism is next level. Vance said in an X post last night that millions of Americans losing health care is “immaterial” compared to getting more funding for ICE. And that, apparently, is how the entire caucus feels. Along with being rabidly excited about tax cuts, that is. Nothing—and no one—else matters to them. It blows the mind, really. Especially when you remember, as the CBO tells us, that Senate Republicans’ bill will: kick nearly 17 million people off their health insurance take food assistance away from at least 3 million Americans eliminate school meal access for more than 18 million kids add $3.3 trillion to the national debt (or more) substantially raise health care premiums for older adults with ACA coverage kill hundreds of thousands of jobs It’s also important to remember that Americans overwhelmingly oppose this bill. It’s deep underwater, with nearly two-thirds of Americans opposing the health care cuts and 3 in 4 Republican voters supporting Medicaid. The point, I guess, is not that Americans want this bill to pass. It’s that Trump does, and Republican lawmakers are all, almost without exception, terrified of him. Still, there are outliers in the House (list below) who could throw a wrench in the works, and it’s our job to try to force them to do so. Some messaging points worth bearing in mind as you talk to family and friends (more info in this doc from Families Over Billionaires): The most persuasive messaging against this bill in a set of panel tests was on cost and affordability, 96% disapproved of Trump when the message focused on making groceries and health care more expensive. The most concerning impact of the bill in a June survey was that it will raise costs on 80 million lower-income and middle-class households. The top testing reason to oppose the bill in the same survey was: “The American people are already struggling with high prices, and this bill, along with Trump's tariffs, will make things even worse by stoking inflation, raising interest rates, and forcing people to pay more for healthcare, food, and utility bills.” While most voters support some provisions of the bill like temporary tax policies around tips, overtime pay, and the Child Tax Credit, strong majorities do not support the bill, even with those provisions included, when provided context about funding cuts and tax breaks for the wealthy that are also in the bill. When voters are provided with a list of provisions from the bill, the three most unpopular elements are that it cuts funding to Medicaid, cuts funding to SNAP, and provides tax cuts that will disproportionately go to the wealthy. So use that information when you talk about it! OK, folks. Lots going on today, so let’s get to work. This bill will receive a vote in the House, in all likelihood, tomorrow. There’s no reason for this rush other than Trump’s arbitrary July 4 deadline, but House Republicans want to stick to it nonetheless. So let’s make as much noise as we can and see if we can’t ruin Trump’s holiday. Even if we can’t, we’ll head into the 4th knowing we did all we could to fight for our countrymen—and our country. Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲 Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______. [If Republican except for Collins, Paul or Tillis:] I’m calling to say shame on the Senator for voting yes on Trump’s murderous bill. Americans will die as a result. Children will go hungry. More families will be torn apart. Our national debt will skyrocket and our economy will grow even more unstable. The climate crisis will worsen. Jobs will be lost. I hope the Senator plans on retiring because I am going to devote myself to making sure s/he loses his/her seat because of this vote. Thanks. [If Democrat or Collins, Paul, or Tillis:] I’m calling to thank the Senator for voting no on Trump’s murderous bill. I am devastated that it passed, but relieved that the Senator wasn’t part of it happening. [If Democrat add:] I am so grateful to Senate Democrats for working so hard to slow this process down and do all they could to stop it. We see you and we are grateful. I hope the Senator will get some rest before s/he heads back into the fight. Thanks. Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲 Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______. I’m extremely upset that Senate Republicans passed the vicious Trump budget bill this morning. Now I know it’s coming to the House. [If Democrat:] Please ask the Congressmember to not only vote no, but do everything in his/her power to slow the process down, throw sand in the gears, and stop this bill from passing. Thank you for working to protect Americans. [If Republican:] I expect the Congressmember to oppose it. This bill will cost lives, force children to go to bed hungry, kill hundreds of thousands of jobs, increase prices on pretty much everything, blow up our deficit, and destroy our healthcare system—especially in rural areas. I know the Congressmember is afraid to stand up to Trump but s/he will be regarded as a hero for doing so. Please ask him/her to protect American lives and vote no. Thanks. P.S. Here’s GOP targets: AZ-06, Juan Ciscomani • CA-22, David Valadao • CA-40, Young Kim • CA-41, Ken Calvert • CO-08, Gabe Evans • FL-07, Cory Mills • FL-13, Anna Paulina Luna • FL-27, Maria Elvira Salazar • IA-01, Mariannette Miller-Meeks • IA-02, Ashley Hinson • IA-03, Zach Nunn • MI-07, Tom Barrett • MO-02, Ann Wagner • NJ-07, Tom Kean Jr. • NY-17, Mike Lawler • OH-07, Max Miller • OH-10, Mike Turner • OH-15, Mike Carey • PA-01, Brian Fitzpatrick • PA-07, Ryan Mackenzie • PA-08, Rob Bresnahan • PA-10, Scott Perry • TN-05, Andy Ogles • TX-15, Monica De La Cruz • VA-01, Rob Wittman • VA-02, Jen Kiggans • WI-01, Bryan Steil • WI-03, Derrick Van Orden Extra Credit ✅ Live in a Democratic district and feel helpless? Take some time today or tomorrow to call folks whose GOP representatives are flippable. If you can spare 1-2 hours for the fight, join a phonebank to call people in vulnerable Republican districts, sound the alarm about this bill, and patch them through to let their GOP representative have it. Anyone can join a phonebank; you just need a phone and a computer. Register here. Get Smart! 📚 Here are nine ways the budget bill in its current form will make your life more expensive. Please read and share. Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣 Share a state fact sheet on social media highlighting what these devastating cuts mean in your home district. Help spread the word about what’s in this bill using Indivisible’s excellent social toolkit. When people know what’s in the bill, they overwhelmingly oppose it -- but a lot of people still aren’t aware of the details. You can help change that. Share this on your social: TAKE EMERGENCY ACTION TODAY TO STOP THE GOP DEATH BILL! We only have ONE DAY to make sure our Members of Congress hear from us that voting for this bill is a vote against the people they were elected to represent—it will genuinely harm thousands of their own constituents and millions across the country. This bill steals health care from millions, takes food out of the mouths of children in need, will shutter hospitals and will destroy communities—all to give tax breaks to giant corporations and billionaires! Tell your Congressmember to vote no! Call them NOW at 877-853-4144—you’ll get a script before you get connected. Or send them a letter here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-put-families-over-billionaires?source=direct_link& Give 💰! Blue CD2 New Mexico is having a fundraiser today! I love this group! As they helped Gabe Vasquez win in their district twice (the first time since the 1980's a Democrat has won there), they've developed a manual to help districts in other areas do the same. Now they want to take their show on the road. July 1, 8 PM EDT / 5 PM PDT An Evening with Antonia Scatton and Lucian Truscott IV In this existential moment in our democracy, Blue CD2 New Mexico brings together two experts, Lucian Truscott IV and Antonia Scatton, to talk about how language shapes reality and how it can be used to bring us together instead of divide us. Learn more and register here. Win Races! 🗳 Thanks to Roberta P. for writing in to say: It would be good for you to alert readers who want to postcard voters in future elections that postal rates go up July 13. There are forever postcard stamps you can buy now but which will still work after July 13. Buy your stamps if you can, folks! Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻 [To: all 3 reps] [H/T Coleman Rogers ] [Text SIGN PLOPUE to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram] (Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.) The alleged actions of Secretary Kristi Noem in accepting an $80,000 payment from a dark money group to her personal company while serving as governor of South Dakota are highly concerning and deserve thorough investigation. By failing to disclose this income on her federal financial disclosure form, she appears to have violated ethics requirements for federal officials. It is unacceptable for an elected leader to secretly profit from political donations intended to promote their agenda and campaigns. The fact that the source of the $80,000 remains unknown due to the dark money nature of the group raises further issues around transparency and accountability. There are also potential violations of South Dakota law, which mandates that top officials like the governor devote their full time and efforts to their official roles, not maintain undisclosed private businesses. Noem's creation of an LLC in Delaware to receive funds from this political nonprofit while she was governor warrants scrutiny. This concerning situation, where donors may have had undue influence over an elected official through payments to her personal income, undermines public trust and the integrity of government institutions. I urge you to immediately open an investigation into Secretary Noem's actions and any ethics violations or corruption that may have occurred. If the allegations are substantiated, she should be immediately removed from her position to preserve the integrity of public service and send a clear message that such self-enrichment at the expense of donors will not be tolerated. The American people deserve full transparency and leaders who are truly serving the public interest, not exploiting their positions for personal financial gain from unknown sources. Thorough oversight is needed to uphold accountability and ethical standards for those in power. OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing. Talk soon. Jess Also a reminder: I have many different state-centric newsletters. They are: CA, FL, MI, NV, TX, NC, GA, OH, PA, VA, AZ, NY, MO, and WI. (Just click on the state you'd like to adopt.) I also have a video-only newsletter in which I share content I’m posting on social. Subscribe here. And I have a podcast called Practivist Pod! Subscribe here. I have a newsletter focussed on global politics—often the Middle East. Subscribe here. Finally, here’s a FAQs doc with answers to common questions about the newsletter.

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