Welcome to Organizer’s Corner — a (free) newsletter from your friends at Get Pod Local! Because we can help you stay inform — but then what?
Enter in your weekly Call To Actions (CTA!) from our Resident Precinct Chair, Joey Cade!
Let’s Go Back (To Work)
I’m skipping all the drama in the news to get right to business:
It’s time to start talking about the midterm election!
Time to lace up our sneakers and start talking with friends and family about voting plans. If it feels early, GOOD. Let’s start organizing early. Just asking someone to vote right before the election doesn’t work. Voters need to understand what’s in it for them and we need to allow time for authentic, multiple-touchpoint, conversations.
It’s reasonable for Americans to feel exhausted and disinterested in voting right now.
The US (and Texas) governments are certainly not serving The People well these days…Tearing down the good work of an existing government is always the first step of authoritarians.
They say the government is bloated and needs reform. Then, the dear leader removes experts in leadership and public servants (which has already happened here) and replaces them with corrupt cronies so the organization suffers and is not able to properly serve the public. The public eventually loses confidence and stops expecting the government to serve them. This allows authoritarians and oligarchs to expand their corrupt schemes and set the government up to solely serve to further enrich themselves, their families, and friends. Sound familiar??
On top of the maga authoritarian movement pushing people to disengage, decades of weak leadership from the left has also given us the feeling that none of it matters. Again, it’s understandable. Some Democrats have talked about the need for healthcare for all for decades, but very little has improved from the citizen’s perspective. And studies show that while corporate profits are at historic highs, wages in the US have remained flat since the 1970s. The vast majority of Americans struggle just to pay bills and put food on the table every month.
This is not sustainable.
The reasons why little has passed to improve the lives of The People since the early 1970s is complex, and disappointing, and not the point of this piece.
NOW is the moment of opportunity we’ve found ourselves at.
Let’s organize together to fight back against authoritarianism and finally make America the county we’ve always promised of but have yet to deliver.
To take back our government in the midterm election this fall, we must present strong reasons to vote FOR something, not just against Mango Mussolini.
Having just attended the convention, I can tell you that the Democrats are committed to:
Making your life more affordable
Quality education and healthcare FOR ALL
Funding infrastructure, protecting public land & water resources, and stopping data centers
Judicial & elected official reforms, incl campaign finance and term limits
And taking ACTION to eliminate systemic disparities to create true, equal opportunity for ALL
For more details on the Democratic platform, read my last newsletter.
There’s also talk in liberal circles these days about the exciting opportunity before us to really re-envision America.
Check out Sherrilyn Ifill and Rachel Maddow’s discussion (watch the entire program if you have time). Sherrilyn makes the point that America was initially founded in the 1700s, then we attempted a more-perfect founding following the Civil War. And it is clear that America is ready for a new and complete founding. A rewritten Constitution. A new compact between her people and the government.
And in the past 6 months, we’ve seen how government CAN deliver for the people. In NYC, under Mayor Mamdani’s authentically caring leadership, citizens are happy to see government delivering for them. Because of their first 6 months of success, the people of New York elected more candidates like Mamdani to lead in Congress and the NY state legislature.
This can happen here in Texas, and everywhere in America that voters decide to show up and vote for THEIR interests.
We look forward to a bold new founding of America. An America that will serve The People. All people. Including the tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free, who arrive with dreams of being American. Together, we can realize the America we’ve all dreamed of.
We have an opportunity to elect bold leaders in Texas this year. Leaders who are ready to serve to take us to a brighter future.
Join me in making sure all eligible voters hear why they should care to vote this fall.
Check that your voter registration is Active - www.vote411.org
We live under authoritarians sending our voter data to Mango Mussolini, so we have to be vigilant and check regularly
Ask your people if they are registered to vote - https://lwvtexas.org/register-vote
Oct 5th is officially the last day to register, but due to issues with mail delivery, the recommendation is to post new registration cards by Sept 15
In Texas, there is NO online registration; you must fill out the form, print it, sign it, and mail it - making it hard to register is classic voter suppression
Commit now to vote this fall
Early voting is October 19 - 30 so put it on your calendar
Early voting is ESSENTIAL this year; shenanigans are expected and early voting is the best way to ensure your vote is counted **
Join an organizing group
I recommend you start with your local county Democratic party but there are a million ways and orgs doing cool stuff to get out the vote (GOTV) this year
DM me if you want to get more involved in flipping Texas and can’t find your way in; happy to help anyone
LFG, America. We’ve got this. It’s up to US to take this country back, and we do that by increasing voter turnout everywhere.
With hope and solidarity,
Joey
ps: Nolan Wells is the same age as my eldest son. I can’t fathom that loss and send love to his family and community. Their sweet boy deserved to grow up and live a full life.
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Organizer’s Corner is a Newsletter brought to you by our very own, Joey Cade. Lots of folks have ideas of what can help / what you should do — and while no one has all the answers, we (specifically Joey) do have some. Okay, a lot. Joey is not just a co-host of Get Pod Local …she’s also the Precinct Chair for Dallas’ Precinct 1052.
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Get Pod Local: The Podcast (Season 2!) with Joey and Jalon
Joey and Jalon sit down with Politicians, Community Leaders, and movers and shakers making a difference. And almost every episode, the Dallas Mayor catches a stray. He deserves it. It’s fine. New episodes every Thursday!
GPL Presents: New Newsletter with Jalon Nichols
Every week, Jalon catches you up on what is going on out here, who is doing it, how does that impact your everyday life, and what everyone is saying about. We are based in Texas, so we have a lot of Texas news, but we cover the whole wide world. There is a LOT of stuff going on everyday, and no one can keep up with it all, but we attempt to….for you. (Clap for us).
GPL Presents: Organizers Corner w/ Joey Cade
Every Sunday night, Joey Cade, our Resident Precinct Chair, lays out our Call To Actions for the week. Because knowing what’s going on is one thing. But doing something about it is another. Let’s do both!
GPL Presents: Water Cooler with Jalon and Joey
Every morning, Jalon D’na and Joey Cade check in and talk about something we read or saw on slack. Videos drop on some Thursdays!
GPL Presents: Daily Briefs with Jalon Nichols
Everyday, Jalon reads you the headlines of the day — just to keep you in the know. Think NPR at the top of each hour, with a lot of shade some jokes.