A Blog of Political Action
Good morning and Happy New Year! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted any actions. There is always more work to do and I know that many of you depend on these action alerts. So I will try to post more regularly, using actions from Susan Rogan and Jessica Craven, both …
Good morning! I have been clearing out my parents’ home these last couple of months and have not had the time or focus to send out as many political actions as I wanted to. But as we all know, our lives are often directed not by our plans but by …
Good morning! Like you, I’m waiting on pins and needles to see the final results of the midterm elections. If you want to get started on Georgia’s runoff to elect Rev. Warnock to the Senate, you can find information from Jessica Craven’s list below. Have a not-too-nervous weekend! Betty HELP …
Good morning! There is still time to help Democratic candidates in battleground states. Phonebank with Joan’s Democracy Cafe Text with Movement Labs Choose an action at Vote Save America Have a winning Wednesday! Betty
Good afternoon! Just a quick note about another way you can help to GOTV! @Rideshare2Vote connects drivers with voters who need a ride to cast their ballots. You can volunteer or sign up yourself if you need it. Click here: rideshare2vote.com Have a great weekend! Betty
In late September, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month approached, Betty Reed interviewed Ann Bookman, poet, social anthropologist, social justice advocate and policy expert in work/family balance and women’s issues.
BIRCH BARK EDITING MicroLit Almanac Field Notes: An Uneasy Legacy by Elizabeth Reed Blood Lines by Ann Bookman What’s it like to carry a ticking time bomb in your body? What kind of battle are you fighting and does that make you a warrior? Women with the BRCA 1 or …
Good morning! Voting has started and all focus is on Getting Out The Vote. Texting has proven effective and you can participate in this effort. Movement Labs runs text banks for many organizations. All you need to do is a 1 hour training session. Then, you can text from their …
Good morning! Today’s action comes from Jessica Craven’s daily actions. I have limited internet tonight so I have not actually tried the action myself but can vouch for her reliability in posting useful actions. Here it is: As we all know, INTERACTIVE conversations are THE most important tactic this close …
Good morning! This Sunday, October 16th at 5 p.m. EST you can join (online) a coalition of speakers from Swing Blue Alliance, VoPro Pros and Indivisible Acton Area to learn the steps you can take to protect the voting online, on the phone, or in person. The speakers are: Steve Miller, volunteer …
Good morning! Looking for an organization concentrating on voter turnout? Focus For Democracy is partnering with Working America and Movement Labs to mobilize voters for the midterms, especially Black, Latino and Asian American voters. They are using texting campaigns based on behavioral science and lessons from recent elections. Their results have been highly effective. …
Good morning! Writers—we need you!! Postcards for Voters needs volunteers to help write 1.5 million postcards. Click on this link to sign up: https://www.turnoutpac.org/postcards/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Greenpeace launched a new letter-writing campaign, focusing on environmental positions of Democrats running in key swing Congressional districts. The letters are bilingual. You can print them …
We fell in love when our bodies were still whole, long before children, long before the map of our lives was etched with medical detours. Now Uli and I step off the boat and onto Monhegan Island, just as we arrived from Boston in 1994 for our honeymoon, elated from our wedding.
Good morning! School gun violence is still on the front burner. As the new school year gets underway here is something you can do. Action Contact your local School Board Chairperson (Google the contact information) and ask if they have a “hardening” policy in place. If they do, urge them …
Good morning! If you are looking for a resource of volunteer opportunities across the board (virtual, in person, writing, calling, texting) take a look at this: https://www.mobilize.us/ Have a good start to the week! Betty
Good morning! Our trip through three countries put miles between me and politics and now I am ready to hunker down for the home count! Action: Spread this information in any way you can. Just in time for the new school year. . . The Brooklyn Public Library is offering …
Good morning! The month of July was a blur with taking care of my father, who passed away on July 25th, on his 95th birthday. He had a long and full life, and my two sisters and I were with him on his final journey. No matter the age, the last …
Good morning! Last week’s Digital Defenders webinar presented by the Women’s March was excellent. I will send out more information as I review and research the content. For now let’s start with an upcoming opportunity for women AND men. Join the Feminist Cyberforce The Digital Defenders program is looking for folks …
Good morning! I will be attending the digital defenders virtual workshop tonight, organized by the Womens March organization. Come join me! https://www.womensmarch.com/initiatives/digital-defenders Voting rights: Several members reminded me that the League of Women Voters has excellent information on elections. You can always count on them: https://www.lwv.org/ One action you can take: Join …
Good morning! It was a welcome relief to ignore politics during our two-week trip to the Azores, even better because we were traveling with good friends. SCOTUS’s decision on Dobbs vs. Jackson wasn’t anything I could stick my head in the sand about, even in the Azores, but I have …
Good morning! Many of my past resources have retired from political resistance so I am always on the lookout for individuals/groups who are promoting actions that can make an impact. I recently discovered a group that is focusing on voter registration and participation. I encourage all of you to take …
Good morning! With state restrictions on access to abortion clinics, many women will have to go to another state to get an abortion. But most women don’t have the funds for this. The following organizations offer financial support. You can spread awareness of their existence through social media. You can …
Jessica Pearce Rotondi has written a suspenseful and intriguing memoir, “What We Inherit” that centers on the life of someone she never met. Combining her investigative skills and vivid writing we are taken into the prison camp her grandfather survived in World War II and the Vietnam war era that downed …
Good morning, I apologize for the wrong date on yesterday’s message – it should have been May 25, a day we will long remember for all the wrong reasons. If you want to contribute to gun safety organizations here is a good list: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence provides …
Good morning, There are no more words of comfort, no more thoughts to send, no more prayers to whisper. Do whatever brings you peace but hold onto the anger, nurture the rage, remember the devastation, save the determination to save ourselves and our country from this madness. I send you all …
Lori Desrosiers has captured the essence of being a mother in the poem that is also the title of her book “Keeping Planes in the Air.” In this poem her elderly mother’s job was to keep planes in the air through the power of her worried prayers. But after the …
Good morning! Do you know someone looking for a part-time research assistant job? Send them this link: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/were-hiring-a-part-time-research-assistant/ SwingLeft has an excellent map showing what key elections (federal & state) are coming up. You can click on this link to see what is at stake in your state, or a …
Stephanie Niu has written a refreshing collection of poems in “She Has Dreamt Again of Water” that brings water in its many forms, the sea, a lake, a creek, directly into the room. Her cool thoughts float on the surface while deeper emotions trawl underneath or ripple in the current. …
Good morning! Marches organized by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Ultraviolet, and MoveOn, will be taking place this weekend across the country to protest the expected reversal of Roe v. Wade. Anchor marches are planned for New York, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles. Hundreds of parallel marches will take place …
Good morning! This week has been hard. The day Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed, we knew we were going to lose the Supreme Court. We knew the Republicans couldn’t wait to get their hands on Roe v. Wade and strip 50% of Americans of a constitutional right. We knew Roe v. …
Phil Goldstein’s poems in “How to Bury a Boy at Sea” tell the story of a frightened young boy dominated by an older brother who sexually abuses him. Through imagery and honesty Goldstein shares the terror of not knowing if and when he would be attacked. He draws parallels between …
In “When She Comes Back” Ronit Plank writes about the longing for a mother who leaves and returns, only to leave again, with the candor of an adult and the heartbreak of a child. Her angst and actions to shield her younger sister establish the emotional thread throughout this memoir. …
Aileen Weintraub’s memoir of digging up her Brooklyn city roots and replanting them in rural upstate New York reveal the uneasy first chapters of a marriage that most people would be too timid to reveal. After moving into the old and somewhat dilapidated house where her husband grew up and …
Good morning! As I head off to Philadelphia for the Association of Writers & Writing Programs conference I’m calling on anyone who has ever held/read/loaned/borrowed/devoured/listened to/written/published or bought a book to participate in the action below! Writers for Democratic Action is launching BOOK THE VOTE (BTV), a drive to bring …
In “They Could Live with Themselves” Jodi Paloni introduces and develops each character into people we’re absolutely positive we met at some point, so real are they-the daughter weighed down with unspoken guilt under her mother’s unspoken grief, the nerdy shell of a high school boy cracking to reveal the …
MARCH 3, 2022 Good morning! On our last day of our campaign to contact the five largest companies that do business in Texas we can reach out to AT&T. Make the last day of this effort your best one! Have a great Thursday! Betty Action No. 1 megan.ketterer@att.com
Good morning! On the fourth day of our campaign to contact the five largest companies that do business in Texas we can write to Dell. You know the drill by now! Have a great Wednesday! Betty Action No. 1 Investor_Relations@dell.com
Good morning! This is Day Three of our campaign to contact the five largest companies that do business in Texas. Use the letter you wrote to American Airlines and Hewlett Packard to contact Oracle today. Please remember to change any personalization within the letter. Let’s make March 1st the Oracle …
Good morning! Continuing our campaign to contact the five largest companies that do business in Texas, today we can write to Hewlett Packard. If you need the basic script template, I am including it below. Make the last day of February a meaningful one! Betty Action No. 1 Email: InvestorRelations@hp.com …
Good morning! It is a sad day as we watch Putin’s war on Ukraine destroy innocent lives. And it’s frustrating that, as individuals, there is little we can do right now. For me, there is some comfort in having a level-headed president in the U.S. who is taking action that …
Good morning! United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a hangover from Trump’s presidency, has proposed spending $11 billion on a new fleet of USPS delivery trucks, 90% of which will be gasoline-powered. The EPA blasted the proposal and we should, too. DeJoy is appointed by the Board of Governors. Biden …
Chris Christensen is the host of THE AMATEUR TRAVELER podcast. In Episode #789 he interviews me about our trip to Estonia, starting in Tartu, the university town, to the Brown Bears Hideout at NaTourEst, a stay at the Vihula Manor House in Lahema National Park, and a tour of the small …
Good morning! Todd Huston, a top executive for the College Board is paid $460,738 to serve as the College Board’s Senior Vice President for State and District Partnerships. The College Board designs the SAT and Advanced Placement courses. They have an enormous influence on what is taught in high schools …
Good morning! More than 5 million Americans are denied the right to vote because of felony convictions. People in prison represent about 25% of that number. Two states, Maine and Vermont, allow people in prison to vote. Voting is not a constitutional right, but several amendments protect our right to …
Laurie Easter’s memoir in essays is a glimpse into the heart and soul of a caring partner, mother and friend. She bares her inner turmoil and peace in the same way she describes showering in her outside bathtub – “the peeling of layers to expose skin to frigid temperatures.” She …
“The Spiral Shell: A French Village Reveals Its Secrets of Jewish Resistance in World War II” by Sandell Morse Sandell Morse weaves together various threads-her parents’ mixed views on acknowledging her Jewishness away from their home, and how that ambivalence became a part of her childhood and adulthood-the veneer the …
Good morning! Have you been paralyzed by the distressing news regarding the voting legislation in Washington? I certainly have. It’s hard to act when we feel that action is futile. Throughout history, however, surprises have popped up. Remember John McCain voting “no” on the attempt to repeal the Affordable Care …
Liz Prato has a talent for diving into the core of a scene, a character, a situation. “Minor league lessons” opens with “My grandmother floored the accelerator on the golf cart.” In one sentence we have the setting (maybe a golf club, maybe a home for retirees?) the character (a …
Good morning! New York, California and the District of Columbia have passed “Second Look” legislation that allows courts to reevaluate cases of prisoners who have been sentenced to life in prison. Many are nonviolent offenders with no option for parole. In Pennsylvania a victim’s family was instrumental in getting the …
The journey an autumn leaf takes -from its dance to the earth to the new circle of life as a condolence card.
Good morning! Local School boards are being attacked verbally, politically and physically because of misinformation spread by right-wing strategists. Narrative Initiative, Showing Up for Racial Justice, the Women’s March, 22nd Century Initiative, and NYU Metro Center are offering a free training session on Wednesday, November 10th from 8:00-9:30pm EST about …
Not many families would hike through the wild woods of Estonia, clouded in humidity and mosquitos to observe brown bears at the height of summer in August. But mine did.
As a teenager I thought my strict Portuguese parents’ aim was to make me look as ugly as possible. But their ultimate goal was getting me to the altar, still a virgin.
They failed miserably.
As we approach the end of the pandemic, we may need some tips on how to reenter the in-person world. Here is some advice.
Good morning! It has been such a pleasure to wake up and not feel as if yet another bomb has dropped. This is certainly due to having a new president and administration, but also to having control over the Senate. There’s always someone who wants the limelight and the power, …
Juvenile arthritis (JA) affects nearly 300,000 children in the U.S. From symptoms to treatment, here’s everything parents need to know, including how my family found support while raising a child with JA.
PAGES PENNED IN PANDEMIC is a collective that brings together poetry, short stories, flash fiction, essays, and more-tangible reminders that something can always be made out of nothing, that transforming the tribulations and trials of the everyday into art is not only enough, it’s everything. All earnings from the print …
Good morning! Almost 4 years to the day, a group of us from Belmont traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the Women’s March on Washington. On the recommendation of our daughters’ former Girl Scout leaders we stayed at the Hotel Harrington, an old, modest hotel with family rooms that …
They were where we played games, read, and performed music before TV took over. As a piano teacher zooming in, I see family life thriving there once again.
Good morning! Poll workers in Georgia are mainly Black women are being harassed and threatened on Facebook . Facebook offers additional privacy and safety features to journalists and politicians but refuses to protect election workers. Action No. 1 Color of Change has a petition you can sign: Ballot counters who …
Good morning! On this last day of Native American Heritage Month, we can raise our awareness about the language we use when we talk about Native Americans. Action No. 1 This is a list of 100 changes we can make to honor Native Americans with simple changes in our vocabulary. …
Good morning! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s thank the first Republicans who stood up to Trump by acknowledging Biden’s win. Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) https://www.romney.senate.gov/contact For House or Representatives look up their contact information at https://www.house.gov/representatives Rep. Fred Upton (R-Michigan) Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) Rep. Tom Reed (R-New York) …
Good morning! Free or discounted rides to the polls are available in a variety of offers. Public transportation in many states will be free, and community groups are offering free rides. Lyft and Uber are also offering free/discounted rides not just on transportation by car, but also on bikes and …
Good morning! Florida is a key state in every election, particularly this one. You can help with ballot curing there (contacting a person who has submitted a ballot that contains an error, which prevents it from being counted.) Sessions will be held from 5-8pm starting Monday, October 19 and continuing …
Good morning! With early voting well underway, voting groups are focusing on “chasing” (asking the voter to complete and submit the ballot) and “curing” (contacting a person who has submitted a ballot that contains an error, which prevents it from being counted.) This is an important step to make sure …
Ode to the Fly on Mike Pence’s head
Good morning! Over the next weeks I will be focusing on actions we can take to protect the integrity of our votes, after we have voted. Action No. 1 Volunteer to photograph precinct totals. Precinct totals have been seen to change between precinct totals and county totals, which can trigger …
Good morning! We All Vote’s online rally yesterday inspired me to do something out of my comfort zone. This week I will contact 10 friends to make sure they are registered to vote. I am taking a step further and doing the uncomfortable act: asking them to vote for Biden. …
Good morning! Some days are just so full of bad news that it’s a temptation to ignore it all. Yesterday was one of those days for me. The climate disasters, police brutality with impunity, 45’s administration’s blatant breaking of laws, not to mention the coronavirus catastrophe. . . But today …
Good morning! Today is the first Monday of August so it’s time to check out Breitbart and report to Sleeping Giants. There is a new twist to the Sleeping Giants campaign however. Nandini Jammi, the woman behind the FB site for Sleeping Giants is leaving. Her co-founder, who runs the …
Good morning! Launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information on the following aspects of the election process: Absentee ballot information Ballot measure information (where applicable) Early voting options (where applicable) Election dates Factual data on candidates …
Good morning! The Center for Voter Information is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that provides unbiased information about candidates and their positions on issues. It’s a good source to keep in your back pocket as the election draws near. Action No. 1 Save this link: https://www.centerforvoterinformation.org/about-us/ TGIF! Betty
You’ve seen them-the Zoomers. You’ve heard them. Just don’t be them.
What child would think of connecting God with Santa? Yours truly. And the results were life changing.
Good morning! Last year the Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump administration for failing to issue habitat protections required by the Endangered Species Act. After a court-ordered agreement in April 2019 the federal government proposed a new rule expanding critical habitat protection along the West Coast for endangered Southern Resident killer whales, …
No one wants the journey of chronic illness but if you choose your travel companions wisely you will find comfort, courage and care.
Good morning! Ed Stack, CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods has received a lot of flack for his decisions to a) stop selling assault weapons and b) destroying their stock of those weapons. As politicians continue to stonewall any progress on gun law reform, we need private business owners like him …
Good morning! Many of you have asked me how to stay sane and have some peace of mind in the midst of the continuous political storms. My month off from politics in August showed me that it is unnecessary to take in the daily barrage of news about the Tangerine …
How to protest when all you’re wearing is a penis gourd.
Good morning! Teaching Tolerance is a program for classroom teachers, staff developers, librarians, school counselors and administrators who are active in K-12 education, including people working at the university level in teacher preparation programs. Read more about this organization here: https://www.tolerance.org/about Action No. 1 Even if you don’t fall into the above …
Surgeons are tough. But so am I. I would not be bullied into compromising my post-cancer care.
Good morning! If you are looking specifically for political candidates who are pro-gun-safety, there are some links that have done this work for you. Take a look. Action No. 1 You do not have to be a member (or admit to being one!) to look at aarp’s site: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/government-elections/info-2018/midterm-candidate-guide.html?intcmp=DC-POL-ELC-R1C1 Action …
Good morning! Remember when we were aghast at the prospect of the Sinclair merger, which would have increased the conservative right increased control of the media? Your calls to FCC Chair, Ajit Pai, paid off. https://www.cnet.com/news/sinclair-broadcast-group-merger-with-tribune-media-is-dead/ The merger is off the table. Good work everyone!
Good morning! It’s two-action Tuesday : Action No. 1 Continuing yesterday’s well-received action, let’s write to Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, to apologize for Trump’s insolence, ignorance and impudence. Action No. 2 Writers unite at this weekend’s Writers Resist event: http://bostonlitdistrict.org/event/greater-boston-writers-resist-2018/ Have a great Twos-day! Betty
Good morning! This is one of those mornings when I’m glad I’m in the U.S. and not in Europe so that I don’t feel personally obligated to apologize to every European I know for 45’s ignorance and insolence. I can only think of one act to let the G6 countries …
Good morning! 45 continues his attempts to defund educational programs that support what he isn’t—scholars. Action No. 1 The Fulbright Exchange Commission is looking at a 71% budget cut. Established in 1946, the organization provides approximately 8,000 scholarships a year to scientists, artists, historians and teachers. The Foreign Student Exchange …
Good morning! It’s two-action Tuesday on Day 222 Action No. 1 Take a look at upcoming resistance events through this link. You can choose the date and plug in your zip code. https://www.resistancecalendar.org/ Action No. 2 Here is a site where you can give your anonymous opinion about confederate statues …
Good morning! It’s two-action Tuesday. Action No. 1 Take a look at upcoming resistance events through this link. You can choose the date and plug in your zip code. https://www.resistancecalendar.org/ Action No. 2 Here is a site where you can give your anonymous opinion about confederate statues. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/americamagazinestatues Enjoy your …
Good morning Friend! Here are some easy actions to take this Monday: Action No. 1 It is a rarity when we agree with this man. Let’s take advantage of this unusual opportunity and thank Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) for his public reprimand of Trump for ignoring the Constitution and taking …
Good morning! Before the NYTimes ran the tv ad about “Truth” during the Oscars on Sunday night, they posted this full-page statement in Sunday’s paper (Feb. 26, 2017) I found it much more powerful than the tv ad and very inspiring. I hope you will, too. Betty The Truth is …
Sometimes what you find in your pockets is unexpected.
