John,



Welcome to the our very first Movement Memo, a weekly digest that compiles the great work being done by our members and important pro-democracy news. Country First always seeks to provide interesting content of value -- we never want to spam you -- so if you wish not to receive the Memo, please unsubscribe only from it at the bottom of this message so you can continue receiving our other important messages.



Today's Memo was prepared for you by Country First volunteers, for whom we are grateful! Our grassroots community <[link removed]> and generous donors <[link removed]> are who fuel this movement, and we couldn't do it with you. If you wish to be involved in this project, or any of our others, just read on to see how you can get plugged into our robust volunteer network.



All things Country First,



Andrew Regalado

National Grassroots Director







See something of interest? All are welcome! Click on the event to register.



TONIGHT Thursday, March 22



8:00pm ET - Virginia State Chapter Meeting <[link removed]>



9:00pm ET - Electoral Reform Volunteer Working Group Town Hall <[link removed]>



Tuesday, March 28



8:00pm ET - Mending Divisions Volunteer Working Group Town Hall <[link removed]>



Wednesday, March 29



7:00pm ET - Finding Solutions Volunteer Working Group Town Hall <[link removed]>



8:00pm ET -Political Research Volunteer Working Group Town Hall <[link removed]>



Thursday, March 30



7:00pm ET - Country First Book Club <[link removed]>







<>PRIMARY ELECTION REFORM <>



WJAR <[link removed]>: Report shows primary turnout growing but still slim; states need reform for participation



Last year, nearly 80% of eligible voters chose to skip primary elections across the country. New research shows participation is growing, but there is still a lot of work to be done to get more people to vote. The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a D.C.-based think tank that promotes bipartisanship, is behind the new report called "2022 Primary Turnout: Trends and Lessons for Boosting Participation."



<>BI-PARTISANSHIP <>



NCSL <[link removed]>: ‘The Eleven’: Women in Missouri Senate Foster Literacy, Bipartisanship With New Book



The women of the Missouri Senate—six Republicans and five Democrats—decided to have a dinner together in late 2021 to get to know each other better. No shop talk, they said. But before the night ended, they had decided to write a children’s book to celebrate their diverse backgrounds and possibly inspire a new generation of legislators. They even decided on a name for the book: “You Can, Too!” And they committed to developing a comprehensive, bipartisan approach to make sure Missouri children could read, which was fitting, since many of them had worked as teachers. “We know each other differently than we did before, and so there’s a little more grace there.” —Sen. Jill Schupp. 



News6 <[link removed]->: Bipartisan Mental Health Bill Would Ensure Medicare Beneficiaries Access to Clinical Psychologists



Increased access to mental healthcare services for older Americans is the intention of legislation introduced this month by U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and a handful of his Republican and Democratic colleagues. The bipartisan measure would ensure Medicare beneficiaries have access to clinical psychologists across all settings of care. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is the lead sponsor of the bill with Mullin. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) signed on as co-sponsors. 



<>GERRYMANDERING <>



ABC 11 <[link removed]>: North Carolina Supreme Court rehears redistricting case on gerrymandering



The North Carolina Supreme Court is rehearing a legal challenge regarding redistricting. It's a fairly unusual move for a court to take this action, but the decision to do so could have a major effect on future elections. In its initial decision in February 2022, the court ruled the original maps constituted extreme partisan gerrymandering, violating the state's constitution in several different ways.







Actions you can take right now to help make a difference!



Join one of our Volunteer Working Groups! 



As a grassroots coalition, Country First is dedicated to providing each member with the opportunity to contribute to the success of the movement. National Volunteer Working Groups (NVWG) are separated by interest and are aligned with one of Country First’s key pillars. 



- Election Reform <[link removed]>

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Join our Book Club! 



As a home for reasonable people of goodwill, Country First is committed to establishing common ground. In pursuit of this, the Country First Book Club brings members from across the country together in conversation. Each month, the group reads a relevant book centered on solutions to the problems Country First aims to address, and meetings take place via Zoom at 7:00 pm EST on the last Thursday of each month.



March Book: Fahrenheit 451



April Book: Coming Soon



YOU + TWO



Reach out directly to friends and family, regardless of their political party, who are tired of our leaders who put politics before what's best for the country.



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