John,

The Senate just voted to acquit President Trump of both impeachment charges.

RepresentUs is fiercely nonpartisan, and we don’t typically weigh in on these topical, polarizing matters because there are hundreds, if not thousands, of advocacy organizations doing so today, and it simply is not our role. However, this is a historic moment. It is serious, and it is inextricably linked to our work to fix America's corrupt political system.

No matter what we say about the impeachment trial, we’re going to upset someone on one side or the other because today, people on the right and the left live in two completely different realities. We get our news from different channels, and each side gets a different set of “facts” while sophisticated digital algorithms confirm our biases and intentionally incite animosity against the “other.”

As a result, many people think Democrats used the impeachment trial as a bogus ploy to gain political advantage. Many others think Republicans abandoned their sworn oath to protect the Constitution and voted to protect their party at the expense of the people and the rule of law.

Partisanship aside, 75% of Americans wanted a full Senate trial with witnesses, and due process required one, but it didn’t happen. As an organization fighting for government integrity and strong institutions, we believe the rule of law demanded a full trial. We condemn the action of cutting the impeachment trial short and we would do so no matter which party is in power.

But this impeachment has left us with another, deeper concern: Can democracy survive when citizens aren’t even looking at the same set of facts? Can our elected leaders govern when half of America so vehemently believes the other half is fundamentally wicked? Can our government serve its founding purpose, to protect the American way of life and promote liberty and justice for all, if our collective trust in the system – in government itself – collapses?

We may not have all the answers, but we believe these are vital questions.

This impeachment trial has made it clearer than ever that the path we’re on as a nation is unsustainable. We’ve thought long and hard about what we believe to be the best way to get America back on track, and here’s what we know:

We know that our broken political system incentivizes our leaders towards polarization, cronyism, and corruption, instead of away from it. And since RepresentUs’s founding 8 years ago, we have brought conservatives and progressives together — everyday folks from across the country — to unrig the system and make it work better for all Americans. That alone is a big step. When we work together in pursuit of a unifying goal, we learn to embrace our role as citizens — as Americans — and collaboration eclipses acrimony.

But that’s just the beginning.

Because of our work together in recent years, five states ended gerrymandered voting districts that incentivize tribalism and partisanship. Some 20 states enacted new laws that make our elections more modern and secure. Ethics and transparency laws to fight political corruption have passed from Alaska to New Jersey, New Mexico to North Dakota. Cities and states across the country are embracing powerful new reforms to give voters more control over our elections – reforms that incentivize our leaders to be civil, ethical, and fair.

When we step back and assess the work we’ve done together, and everything we’ve accomplished, the future is clear. In the face of the current crisis, we believe we must redouble our efforts and recommit to our role. 

Conservative or progressive or independent, we all deserve a government that puts voters first. That puts country over party. And so we invite you to join us in this commitment by joining our national volunteer network and joining the Common Wealth by making a monthly gift.

Let this dark moment in our nation’s history be the spark that moves us to say, “Enough,” and finally fix the root cause of the problem. Let's unite around the dozens of campaigns coming together in cities and states from coast to coast. Let’s have the same unwavering courage that the suffragettes had when conventional wisdom said it was impossible. They took risks, demanded a representative democracy, and won. We must do the same, now.

Let this moment inspire the next chapter in the powerful anti-corruption movement that is taking root across this great nation. Let’s finally fix the madness.

Onward,

Josh Silver & Joshua Graham Lynn
Co-Founders of RepresentUs