Chop Wood Carry Water with Jessica Craven

Jess talks evergreen family mottoes, WTF with the ERA, and why the Build Back Better Plan means taxing Jeff Bezon more effectively (definitely text SIGN PIRAME to 50409!) Sign up for the newsletter at bit.ly/jesspage.

Jess talks great new CA legislation, her hatred of leaf-blowers, AT&T’s crush on facscism, and the TP that’s killing our planet. Find out more about all of it at bit.ly/jesspage!

Jess's computer display dies moments before taping, leading to an all-from-memory discussion of great new CA legislation, signs of COVID hope, what's wrong at the USPS, and Vote Forward's new data dump on the Big Send! Your Resistbot codes for this week are: text SIGN PZQZPE to 50409 and text SIGN PAQYGH to 50409.

Jess talks about the overlap between politics and spirituality, China’s move away from coal, EPA’s move towards cleaner refrigerants, vaccine equity, good moves by Democratic state legislatures, bad moves by corporate Congressional Democrats, drug prices, and oh wow, Virginia!!

Jess talks about the Recall victory (!!), Biden’s modified filibuster stance, victories in North Carolina, Colorado and New York, the Build Back Better Plan (which *would* be way better,) lower drug prices, why you should text SIGN PCKYTS to 50409, and the Freedom to Vote Act. Also, cynicism is not your friend.

Jess talks the dangers of “hyper-activism," good news for Bristol Bay, bad news for chasing-arrow abusers, VACCINE MANDATES!, the joys of canvassing, and stickers for choice!

Jess talks activist overload (or “large horizon” syndrome), the *$#*^& RECALL, Frances Perkins and the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, the Child Tax Credit, local politics (and why they're national), and the Texas Abortion Ban.

Jessica offers an inspiring quote from R. Hubbell, celebrates good news from Virginia, California, and New York — Marsha P. Johnson!-- talks about SCOTUS and why pushing for court expansion matters, and encourages you to take the #NoOffYears stance.

Jess talks about chlorpyrifos, Scott Pruitt, Georgia’s “miraculous" voter registration numbers, North Carolina’s voter enfranchisement decision, and FINALLY FDA approval! She dives into the CA recall and its “confusing ballot syndrome,” and reminds you how you can help (https://tinyurl.com/howtostoptherecall). Finally, let's lend a hand to the #shutdownberks coalition! Here’s your doc o’ the day: tinyurl.com/berksdoc.

Yikes. A stressful week! Jess finds things to be grateful for, talks about the courts (the courts the courts!), reminds us that elections have consequences, gives an update on voting rights, nudges us about Resistbot, and gives us the low-down on saving the USPS. Also? Be a boss! Go to a Town Hall!

Jess talks Rebecca Solnit, hope in tough times, the evils of Amazon, leveraging the IPCC report, Infrastructure deal-o-rama, and supporting the Warrior Met strikers in Alabama.

Jess talks about the Hyde Amendment, LeBron James, paternity leave for Congressmen, wild horses, Line 3 Pipeline, and the looming eviction crisis. Plus, the perspective gained from “Four Lost Cities."

Chopping wood and carrying water through this week’s ups and downs, Jess talks about the Cleveland Guardians, Louise Erdrich, a strike resolved at Frito Lay, the GQP recall election in California, and Brett GODDAMN Kavanaugh. Again.

Jess celebrates the Child Tax Credit, cheaper insulin, vanished Confederate statues, and a rare gesture of decency from ICE. She also explains an easy way to help reduce child poverty in the US, why the Texas Democrats are heroes, and how you can continue to help get voting rights legislation passed in Congress. Plus a reminder of how uniquely capable YOU are of making a difference.

Jessica talks about the many good things that happened last week—including Rudy’s likely disbarment, the Trump Org's indictment, a pause on federal executions, and more—and gives us a couple of quick opportunities to take action around voting rights and a racial justice travesty unfolding in Louisiana.

Jess talks about Juneteenth, the ACA, what real racial justice looks like, the midterms (again!) and what this week’s call to your Senator should sound like.

Jessica talks Lyndon Johnson and the Voting Rights Act, where we’re at with Joe Manchin, and what’s next with the For the People Act. Plus Trump gets reversed—a lot--and Stacey Abrams needs a favor.

Jess covers victories in rooftop solar, healthcare, carceral justice, and on Facebook, then tackles Joe Manchin…again, and tells you how to help pass a bill preventing sexual assault in the military. Plus, a quick meditation on loving a dysfunctional country.

Jessica has thoughts—and some nautical metaphors--on Congress’s stalemate, the filibuster, and why each of us needs to start rowing hard, now. Also, a bad environmental bill in California and lots of good gratitude.

Jess talks Heather Cox Richardson talking Frederick Douglass, shares gratitude for progressive victories last week, revisits the abortion question—do you know where YOUR state stands?—the importance of down ballot races (yes, again), what we mean by “call your reps,” SCOTUS’s thin skin,