If you need to get up to speed on the hijacking of democracy in North Carolina, read this.
If you’re wondering what you can do this fall instead of waiting for next fall’s election, here are some ideas:
1. By next week, reach out to 5 people (in person) with whom you normally avoid “discussing politics” on the premise of “being polite.” Speak with your neighbors, coworkers, family and others about the need to vote against Republicans who stepped on democracy this 9/11. Encourage them to reach out to 5 others to continue the conversation. People can’t “remember in November” if they don’t know what happened this September in the first place!
2. Write a letter and call each of the four Senators pictured above. They voted in favor of the conference budget and if any one of them votes in favor of this underwhelming budget, it will become law regardless of the Governor’s veto. Governor Cooper’s budget addresses educators’ 5 demands from May 1. Here’s mine if you’d like to use it for ideas:
Good evening,
I am writing as a concerned teacher and parent of two future public school graduates to insist that you uphold Governor Cooper’s veto.
Since you voted to approve the conference budget, I am uncertain about your commitment to a budget that offers more to our schools and expands health care coverage for residents in need.
Show bipartisanship by standing firm on rejecting the conference budget that is being shoved down our throats for yet another year so our two branches may be forced to produce the first bipartisan budget we’ve had in years.
I look forward to hearing you, and your three other colleagues who crossed over on the conference vote, publicly announce that you will uphold Governor Cooper’s veto.
3. Learn about candidates running for office. Many local governments have elections in these next few months. Go vote in a non-presidential year. (Your vote is most statistically significant in these elections!)
4. Ask a candidate you support how you can help. They always need people to knock on doors and phone bank, but you could also deliver yard signs, attend gatherings, distribute campaign materials outside polling locations… ask a candidate for ideas 😉
If the devious House vote on 9/11/19 made you uncomfortable, I hope it will move you participate in civic activities even it’s outside of your usual comfort zone. Either way, you’ll have to deal with some reluctance and discomfort, it may as well be in the name of changing leaders in favor of those who will make decisions you can live with.
Take comfort in knowing every effort, no matter how small, adds up to something big. #inthistogether #iwillnotyield
educatEDpolicy 
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