More DM High Schools
DM students will talk about voting rights and democracy in classes at their former high schools – helping to create new DM high school chapters.
More DM Members
DM chapters will use the last weeks of the semester to recruit new members with class raps, tabling, movies, discussion groups and more.
More Democracy
DM Faculty Panels will explore threats to democracy as well as activist opportunites to protect and expand it, as they address issues of climate change, racial injustice, pandemic inequality, and the rising cost of higheer education.
https://www.democracymatters.org/organizing-tools/action-campaigns/
DISAPPOINTMENT AT COP-26
Mandle argues that United States domestic politics played a critical role in the failure of COP-26, the recent international climate change conference. As long as the outsized political spending by the fossil fuel industry is allowed to shape United States environmental policy, the problem of global warming will remain intractable.
https://www.democracymatters.org/money-on-my-mind-2/4125-2/
CONGRESS: Good News & Bad
The Transformative Legislation
1) The House of Representatives passed both the “John Lewis Voting Rights” and the “Freedom to Vote” Acts.”
2) The House of Representatives passed the $1.85 trillion “Build Back Better” climate/safety net (including increased college financial aid, universal pre-K, prescription price controls, expansion of Medicare, and support for renewable energy, housing, child care & the elderly.)
3) The House of Representatives & the U.S. Senate passed the $1.2 trillion “Infrastructure and Jobs Act,” (funding for broadband, water, energy systems, bridges, roads, public transit and more.)
The Obstructionist Filibuster
The U.S Senate filibuster continued to block votes on, and even discussion of, vital voting rights reform legislation.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/senates-moment-truth-democracy-reform
FACTS YOU CAN USE
Reigning in Big Tech Companies?
Concerned about the dangers associated with social media platforms, a bipartisan group of Congressional members has attempted to reign in tech industry giants. But big tech’s multi-million dollar lobbying and campaign donations have stymied reform. The industry gave $80.7 million to candidates in the 2020 election, and spent an additional $81 million lobbying Congress.
In response to widespread criticism of its platform, Facebook launched one of the most expensive lobbying operations in Washington. In 2020 alone, it spent nearly $20 million, and it is well on its way to beating that record in 2021.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/10/big-tech-facing-congressional-scrutiny-flex-lobbying-power; https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/10/facebook-maintained-big-lobbying-expenses-senate-hearing-teen-social-media-use
MESSAGE FROM ADONAL
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT 
IDEAS of the MONTH