Chop Wood, Carry Water is yet another resource reminding North Carolinians that our actions may help our NC neighbors and also stop the political coup that NC legislative Republicans are trying to pull. Find pertinent information within this substack publication. Specific actions from NC resources are also included.

CHOP WOOD, CARRY NORTH CAROLINA, 12/4/24

Hey, Team NC.

I’ve got a few actions for you all related to the so-called “hurricane relief” bill, which the NC House will vote on on Dec. 11 (and which actually has very, very little to do with hurricane relief). The bill was created by NC Republicans in secret—Democrats didn’t even know about it until an hour before the first vote in November. Only 13 pages actually discuss “hurricane relief”, the rest of it makes sweeping changes statewide to NC’s legislative, executive, and judicial branches as well as changes to the way elections would be run in the state in the future.

To quote David Pepper:

The changes include: transferring the appointment of State Board of Elections members from the (Democratic) Governor to the (Republican) Auditor; removing the state highway patrol from the Governor’s purview; forcing the Governor to replace retiring Supreme Court Justices with appointees from the same party as the retiree (ie. blocking the Democratic Governor from replacing retiring Republicans with Democratic appointees); removing the seats of certain judges who have ruled against election laws passed by the legislature; stripping power from the (Democratic) Attorney General from taking steps that undermine laws passed by the gerrymandered legislature; weakening the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s power over Charter Schools; and reducing the number of days (from 9 to 3) that voters can “cure” provisional ballots. All these changes were included in a bill labeled as “hurricane relief.”

And perhaps most egregiously, the proposed funds for “hurricane relief” are not even allocated immediately— so not only are they not enough, it would take another act of legislation to get released soon enough to help western North Carolinians in the winter. It is unbelievably horrendous. You can read a concise summary of SB 382 here.

Profusely thank, via email or phone, the 3 Republican representatives that voted no the first time, who we hope will do so again: (SEE RCDP NOTE THAT FOLLOWS)

I made a click to send tool so you can email all three of the above lawmakers at once BUT PLEASE PERSONALIZE if you use it! Add a subject line, add your name and address at the end, and add some personal wording to the suggested note. If they get identical emails they’ll ignore them. (It won’t work if you have a VPN, btw). Try to emphasize the lack of hurricane relief included in the bill. Read all of Craven ‘s 12/4/24 letter at: https://open.substack.com/pub/adoptnc/p/chop-wood-carry-nc-124-fixed-version?r=2xyae&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

RCDP NOTE: While Craven emphasizes the political ramifications, other resources in NC believe it is better to ask Republicans to vote NO against the veto override vote without talking about the power grab.

From NC activist Marilyn Hartman. (Everyday Election Activism, https://marilynhartman.substack.com/?r=160ms&utm_campaign=pub&utm_medium=web&utm_source=substack) Hartman – Prioritize calling or writing letters this week and before Monday, 11/9, to the 21 Representatives from the Western counties affected by Hurricane Helene. Republicans need 72 votes to override the veto in the House. We need to convince as many of these Representatives as we can to vote no on the override.

There are two kinds of letters we need to write:

Priority One: thank you letters to the three representatives that voted against the bill originally — Mark Pless, Mike Clampitt, and Karl Gillespie (see Jessica Craven’s link above) — and ask them to please keep putting the needs of their constituents first by voting to sustain the Governor’s veto so we can get a better bill that will bring immediate relief to their constituents. We need them to stay with us.

Priority Two: calls or letters to the 15 Republican representatives to urge them to sustain the Governor’s veto.”

Sample letters: SAMPLE PHONE SCRIPT, COURTESY OF NC CD 11 DEMS:

Hi, my name is _____________ and I’m a constituent from ____________

I’m asking Representative __________ to uphold Governor Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 382.

While disaster relief is urgently needed, this bill doesn’t provide the immediate, targeted assistance our neighbors in Western North Carolina need to recover. I’m asking you to uphold the veto so a better bill can be presented, one that prioritizes critical support like rental assistance, small business aid, homeowner relief, and a moratorium on evictions.

Upholding the veto will show a commitment to putting people first and ensuring effective and focused disaster relief efforts.

Thank you for your time and for considering my concerns.

SAMPLE SB 382 LETTER, COURTESY OF DEMOCRACY OUT LOUD.

Dear Representative ________:

As you know, there are many in your district that are still out of their homes, still without running water, still without being able to work, still suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

They need your help. And SB382 doesn’t provide the immediate, targeted assistance they need to recover. I’m asking you to uphold the Governor’s veto so a better bill can be presented — one that takes advantage of the resources of the “Rainy Day Fund” you have amassed to prioritize critical support like rental assistance, including a moratorium on evictions, small business loans, homeowner relief, and childcare support.

Upholding the veto will show a commitment to putting the people of your district first — like you were elected to do — and ensuring effective and focused disaster relief.

Sincerely,

House and Senate Republicans from Disaster-Declared Counties who voted FOR SB 382 (Only disaster counties are listed below legislator’s name)

HOUSE:

Blair Eddins, Dist 94

Alexander, Wilkes Co. [email protected] 919-733-5935

Ray Pickett, Dist 93

Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga Co. [email protected] 919-733-7727

Dudley Greene, Dist 85

Avery, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey Co. [email protected] 919-733-5862

Hugh Blackwell, Dist 86

Burke Co.

[email protected] 919-733-5805

Destin Hall, Dist 87 (Will be the new House Speaker in 2025)

Caldwell, Watauga Co. [email protected] 919-733-5931

Mitchell Setzer, Dist 89

Catawba Co.

[email protected] 919-733-4948

Jay Adams, Dist 96

Catawba Co.

[email protected] 919-733-5988

Kelly Hastings, Dist 110 (male) Cleveland, Gaston Co [email protected] 919-715-2002

Tim Moore, HOUSE SPEAKER, Dist 111 Cleveland, Rutherford Co [email protected] 919-733-3451

John Torbet, Dist 108

Gaston Co

[email protected] 919-733-5868

Donnie Loftis, Dist 109 (male)

Gaston Co

[email protected] 919-733-5809

Jennifer Balkcome, Dist 117

Henderson Co

[email protected] 919-733-5956

Jake Johnson, Dist 113

Henderson, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford Co. [email protected] 919-715-4466

Heather Rhyne, Dist 97

Lincoln Co.

[email protected] 919-733-5782

Sarah Stevens, Dist 90

Wilkes Co

[email protected] 919-715-1883

Read the Chop Wood, Carry Water substack here: https://open.substack.com/pub/adoptnc/p/chop-wood-carry-nc-124-fixed-version?r=2xyae&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Jessica Craven is a community organizer, activist, mom and elected member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. She is also the author of “Chop Wood, Carry Water,” a daily-actions newsletter that’s been published five days a week since November of 2016. There is a free version of her substack.

Other noted information is from NC activist Marilyn Hartman – https://marilynhartman.substack.com/?r=160ms&utm_campaign=pub&utm_medium=web&utm_source=substack

NOTE: RCDP continues to bring you sources from across the web that seek to inform without explicitly endorsing them ourselves. RCDP does not endorse subscriptions or merchandise links that may be embedded within any shared articles, podcasts, videos, or images.