Good news for people who want to do good: Day 328

Roll tide, Alabama Democrats!

That sound you heard last night was the sound of Alabama planting its feet firmly on the right side of history, as voters in that deep red state sent Democrat Doug Jones to the Senate, and sent repugnant Republican Roy Moore packing.

This was a crucial election, one that put our values to the test. Would voters choose a man of honor and dignity, who fought the Klan and fights for justice every day? Would they reject a man with a long and despicable record of racism and bigotry, and a litany of disturbing allegations of sexual harassment and predation made against him?

Yes, they would. And yes, they did.

And lest anyone on the left forget, once again, black turnout was the key factor in securing Jones’ victory:

If you want to know who to thank for Doug Jones winning in Alabama – you can thank Black Women. #AlabamaSenateElection pic.twitter.com/8h5kfEbyJt

— UltraViolet is not paying for this (@UltraViolet) December 13, 2017

That is an example to emulate in 2018 if Democrats want to see more important wins like this one.

“Feminism” was the 2017 Word of the Year

First Trump lost Time’s Person of the Year to women who have helped take down other sexual predators.

Now, even the dictionary is getting their digs in at Trump’s exaggerated yet insecure masculinity.

Merriam-Webster announced that “feminism” was their Word of the Year for 2017.

“The word was a top lookup throughout the year, with several spikes that corresponded to various news reports and events. The general rise in lookups tells us that many people are interested in this word; specific spikes give us insight into some of the reasons why.”

Some of those spikes include the Women’s March, the resurgence of Wonder Woman and The Handmaid’s Tale, and the #MeToo movement.

Merriam-Webster notes that the current definition of feminism is “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.”

Or, to put it another way: “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.”

33 Democrats in Congress speak out to #SavetheNet from Trump’s FCC

Ajit Pai, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, recently announced his intention to roll back net neutrality regulations, a scheme that would be devastating to free and open access and debate on the internet.

Ahead of a scheduled vote on Thursday, 33 Congressional Democrats are pushing back, registering strong opposition to the move and urging the commission to table the vote and save the internet as we know it.

“The recently circulated order would leave Internet users entirely without protections, jeopardizing free speech and our thriving Internet economy,” the Democrats wrote to Pai. “Your plan is an arbitrary and capricious reversal of a law that has been upheld by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and enjoyed broad bipartisan support outside of Washington.”

And the impact of this move could be far-reaching:

Allowing providers to charge websites and application makers more for “fast lanes” for online traffic would give an unfair advantage to wealthy people and entrenched interests, and burden the rest of us with a slower Internet. It would create barriers for the web entrepreneurs, innovators and activists who have great ideas, but wouldn’t be able to compete on a pay-to-play Internet.

Most importantly, strong net neutrality rules have worked to keep the Internet free from discrimination against users, regardless of their race or economic status. If Title II protections are voted away on December 14, access to the Internet could be stymied for marginalized groups and activists.

The Democrats admonished the FCC not to “abdicate its responsibility under law” to protect free and fair access to the internet. As Rep. Keith Ellison noted, “Accessible broadband can be the great equalizer of our time.” The FCC ought to champion such a thing, not work to destroy it.

Sen. Brown takes to the Senate floor to share the stories of DREAMers

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown spoke movingly and powerfully about the lives and stories of young undocumented immigrants, in his support for a bipartisan clean DREAM Act.

After Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program earlier this year, tens of thousands of young people’s lives are in the balance if Congress doesn’t pass a DREAM Act before the end of the year.

Brown highlighted some of those lives, people who “make vital contributions to our economy and local communities.” And he slammed Trump for breaking his promise to only go after violent criminals, and instead targeting “innocent families and innocent children.”

People like Ariel, who was brought to the U.S. as a baby because he needed medical care, and is now working toward a business degree so that he can become an entrepreneur and create jobs for other Americans; and Natalie, a design engineer at Honda, who is contributing to our nation’s vital automobile industry.

“There’s no question our immigration system is broken,” Brown noted, “but we don’t fix it by kicking out these contributing members of our communities who grew up here — underscore that, Mr. President — … who are American in every sense except the paperwork.”

Hear, hear, Sen. Brown!

ACTION ALERT: #DREAMActNow!

If Sen. Brown’s words got you fired up, there’s something you can do to help protect these fellow Americans, who are putting it all on the line to remain in the only home many of them have ever known:

United We Dream Leaders getting arrested after sitting in and demanding @SenDeanHeller to support a clean #DreamActNow

Call Congress now!
☎️215-874-6784 pic.twitter.com/DnxS3zY903

— United We Dream 🍊 (@UNITEDWEDREAM) December 12, 2017

Jimmy Kimmel gives emotional plea to save children’s health insurance

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has become an unexpected but powerful voice in the fight for health care. And he has not been shy at all about saying exactly what he thinks of Republicans who are trying to upend and ultimately demolish Obamacare.

Kimmel’s activism has come from a personal and painful place, as his baby son, Billy, was born with congenital heart disease which required open-heart surgery.

Returning to his show’s stage after his son’s operation, carrying young Billy in his arms, Kimmel again laid into the GOP, this time for callously allowing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to expire, because they were too busy making sure their wealthy friends and donors got their tax breaks.

CHIP was never controversial in the past, garnering bipartisan support each time it came up for renewal.

“Now, CHIP has become a bargaining chip. It’s on the back burner while they work our their new tax plans,” Kimmel noted. “Which means parents of children with cancer and diabetes and heart problems are about to get letters saying their coverage could be cut off next month. Merry Christmas, right?”

As far as the notion of GOP priorities goes, Kimmel did not mince words.

“I don’t know what could be more disgusting than putting a tax cut that mostly goes to rich people ahead of the lives of children,” he declared.

ACTION ALERT: Rally to stop the tax scam!

The GOP tax scam enters conference on Wednesday — and the resistance will be right there waiting.

If you’re in the D.C. area, head to the East Front of the U.S. Capitol at 1:00 PM to join House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and others in the People’s Rally Against the GOP Tax Scam.

And don’t forget to add your name to the #NotOnePenny pledge!

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a superhero — no, really!

Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren is considered a superhero by a whole lot of people in the country.

And she’s got the receipts to prove it.

In 2016, Warren got the awesome honor of being the subject of a biographical comic book, called “Female Force: Elizabeth Warren,” celebrating her life and work, and introducing her to a generation of young people looking for real life heroes.

And it was a thing so nice, they did it twice. TidalWave Comics just released a sequel which tells the story of Warren’s 2012 Senate campaign and her rise to prominence and power as one of the leading voices of the left.

Sounds like a wonderful gift idea, don’t you think?