John --



What do we mean at the Forward Party when we talk about “extremism”? When we say we oppose the “extremists,” who are they?



Extremism is a label often wielded blindly to discredit ideas or movements in lieu of substantive reasoning. And with the water sufficiently muddied, extremism is able to flourish under the cover of confusion. 



But a recent story helps us drill down into one kind of extremism that has taken hold in our democracy.



As we reported in last week’s Forwardist, two Tennessee state representatives—Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson—were ousted from the House by a Republican supermajority for breaching rules of decorum: using a bullhorn on the House floor, speaking without being recognized, and leading protests calling for gun restrictions following the mass shooting at a Nashville school on March 27.



It certainly may be reasonable to sanction members of a legislative body for breaching these rules. What's unreasonable is to take the rare and extreme measure of expulsion. Though the Nashville Metro Council unanimously voted earlier this week to override the expulsion and reinstate Jones <[link removed]>, and the Shelby County Commission voted today to reappoint Pearson <[link removed]>, the message was undeniable: governing power will be used to weaken the opposition.



According to state constitutional law expert Miriam Seifter <[link removed]>, “Most expulsions have involved criminal conduct or abusive behavior, not suppression of dissent or targeting of political opponents. The Tennessee expulsions are therefore an extremely concerning outlier.”



What happened in Tennessee was a form of extremism, and it’s anathema in a democracy, which relies on reason and fair play to function optimally. This form of extremism—the zero-sum, party-above-all-else kind—is just one type that Forward is standing against. 



It’s also why our work on reforming our democracy is so critical to restoring the promise of America. By improving our electoral systems, creating greater choice for voters, and fixing the incentive structures in our broken politics, we can replace this type of extremism with accountability and solutions-oriented leadership—in short, with a functioning government. The sooner we’re able to deliver those changes, the better.



Because once it becomes normal to use political power against your opponents, that window is very difficult to close.



- Justin Pearson: Why expelling me from the legislature backfired —CNN <[link removed]>





- Glenn Altschuler: The threat to democracy behind the farce in Tennessee —The Hill <[link removed]>





- Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee calls for 'order of protection law' on guns —The Tennessean <[link removed]>





- Kentucky, Tennessee leaders call for tighter gun control after mass shootings —Reuters <[link removed]>





- Louisville mass shooting is direct result of legislative inaction —The Courier-Journal <[link removed]>



Forwardist Photo of the Week









Nevada Forward Party organizers, along with Forward surrogate Sondra Cosgrove and Founder of Nevada Women in Trades Evelyn Pacheco, attended a town hall brunch last Saturday with Assemblyman Reuben D'Silva and Assemblywoman Erica Mosca. Go Nevada!



Forwardists are out there making their mark. Got a story to share? Let us know <mailto:[email protected]>. Looking for a Forward event in your area? Check out our upcoming events <[link removed]>.



OTHER NEWS & VIEWS



Gerrymandering broke Tennessee

“Politics watchers in Tennessee and around the nation say that what happened was nothing new for the state’s GOP lawmakers, and that the process Republicans have taken to minimize the representation of Democrats—on both the federal and state levels—has actually been years in the making. In recent years, Republicans have redrawn maps that effectively curtail the number of districts that represent Democrats—including some of the most diverse districts in the state—and increase the number of solidly red ones. The end result has been less representation for Democrats and for Black constituents in the state House in Nashville and in the U.S. Congress.” —NBC News <[link removed]>



More redistricting news:



- <[link removed]> <[link removed]-> <[link removed]>NY Gov. Hochul, AG James urge court to toss congressional maps, reigniting redistricting saga —AMNewYork <[link removed]>





- Boston City Council's tussle over redistricting map now in federal judge’s hands —WBUR <[link removed]>





- Thomas Suddes: How does gerrymandering ensure lawmakers don't have to represent you? —The Columbus Dispatch <[link removed]>







Open primaries coming to South Dakota?

“A campaign has completed the first step to creating open primaries in South Dakota. The sponsors of the proposed 2024 open primaries ballot initiative have submitted their petition to South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson for final review. The filing is the last step in the state’s initiative approval process before the campaign can begin collecting the 35,000 signatures needed to qualify for next year’s ballot. ‘By adopting open primaries, we will ensure that all South Dakota voters, regardless of party affiliation, can fully voice their opinions in future elections,’ says De Knudson, treasurer of South Dakota Open Primaries. The proposed 2024 ballot initiative would amend the state constitution to establish open primary elections for governor, Congress, the state legislature, and county elective offices.” —Dakota News Now <[link removed]>



More election reform news:



- <[link removed]>Statewide ranked-choice voting bill moves forward —Willamette Week <[link removed]>







States continue push for ‘election integrity’ laws

“More than two years after the 2020 presidential election, Republicans in GOP-controlled legislatures are continuing to push to tighten voting laws and the rules for election administration, despite the lack of evidence for Donald Trump’s claim that widespread fraud tainted his defeat.



GOP officeholders in North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, and other states are pushing for such measures as requiring proof of identification when voting by mail, prohibiting the use of private funds by election administrators, and beefing up investigations of alleged election-related wrongdoing. Critics counter that most of the measures are aimed at nonexistent threats to election security—and that by promoting them, Republican officials are continuing to signal to the public, without evidence, that election fraud is widespread. They also say that such measures are likely to make it harder for some people to cast ballots.” —The Washington Post <[link removed]>



Independent voting bloc grows in Florida

“The Sarasota County Democratic Party has struggled to remain relevant in recent years, losing key races and largely being locked out of power.



New voter registration data further illustrates the party's problems. Combined, no-party and minor-party voters now outnumber Democrats in the county. As of April 12, the county had 156,647 Republican voters, 100,495 no-party and minor-party voters, and 100,488 Democrats, according to the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections. Sarasota County is part of statewide trend that has seen unaffiliated and minor-party voters surpass Democratic voters in many GOP-leaning counties.” —The Herald-Tribune <[link removed]>



What Forwardists like you are saying…   

“Over the years I was so happy to see all the laws passed federally to protect my life as a member of the LGBTQ community. Each year, Florida was becoming more extreme, and with the election of Gaetz, Rubio, and Scott, I have no one protecting me. I have no say with regards to any bill brought before either federal or state Congress. 



The DNC did not seem to think it would be financially productive to spend funding in Florida for Democratic candidates. So at this time in my life, I keep watching more and more of my rights being taken away. I changed from a Democrat to an independent, until I found out I couldn’t vote in primaries. That kind of defeats the idea of being an independent voter.



Something has to change. I heard about Adam Kinzinger’s movement Country First built on the premise of country over party. I then heard about the Forward Party. I know they are hard at work trying to stop gerrymandering in every state and trying to overturn all the laws Republicans are passing to suppress people’s voting rights. It’s obvious the only way for these extreme Republicans to win is through cheating. This has got to stop.



I hope my change to the Forward Party will bring about change to include open primaries and zero gerrymandering, and to stop voter suppression.” —Forwardist reader Tamara in Florida



Like other Floridians, Tamara can now register as a member of the Forward Party in the Sunshine State, where the state party has received recognition.



Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this issue, please share it with a friend. See you next week.



All the best,

The Forward Party Team







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