Indivisibles,

Last Wednesday, extreme MAGA Republican Mike Johnson of Louisiana was elected speaker of the House. 

Unfortunately, the first test of his speakership came later that night when a mass shooting occurred in Lewiston, Maine where 18 people were murdered and another 13 injured. In response to this tragedy, Johnson declared that, “the problem is the human heart, not guns.”

What???

In a scathing rebuke of Johnson’s complete lack of accountability, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said, “Gun crime is uniquely high in the United States because congressional Republicans have spent decades choosing the gun industry’s lobbyists over the lives of innocent Americans.”

The White House is right -- Republican refusal to address this crisis is directly responsible for the thirteen additional mass shootings that took place over this Halloween weekend. They bury their heads in the sand and our friends and children pay the ultimate price.

Johnson’s speakership is beginning much in the same way the rest of his congressional record has played out -- ignoring the actual issues facing the American people while attacking basic freedoms. Because, while Johnson won’t blame guns for mass shootings, he will blame abortion: “Many women use abortion as a form of birth control, you know, in certain segments of society, and it’s just shocking and sad, but this is where we are. When you break up the nuclear family, when you tell a generation of people that life has no value, no meaning, that it’s expendable, then you do wind up with school shooters.”

That is our new speaker. 

Late last week, Indivisible drafted a memo that was picked up by Politico calling out the lasting damage House Republican chaos and Johnson’s speakership has done to vulnerable Republicans. At a time when our Unrepresentative 18 could have chosen to be the moderate middle many of them profess to be, they chose to bow to extremists and vote for a speaker who is anti-reproductive freedom, anti-LGBTQ+ rights, and was a leading voice behind the Big Lie. 

The Unrepresentative 18 are directly responsible for empowering extremism.

This is why the 2024 election is so crucial. We cannot allow factions that will bow to MAGA extremists to achieve re-election or this is what we get -- anti-choice extremists 2nd-in-line for the presidency. We deserve better. We need better. We will demand better.

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your 4 weekly to-dos 

1. If your representative is a Democrat, call them now and ask them to champion reproductive freedom and protect abortion access. We introduced our Reproductive Freedom Agenda to not only codify Roe, but also extend protections for reproductive freedoms even further. We need all Democrats in the House to cosponsor the entire agenda. Each bill is important on its own, but together they combine to create comprehensive protections for abortion access and care. Once you’ve called, write a letter to the editor (LTE) to your local newspapers encouraging your representative to be a reproductive freedom champion.
2. If your Democratic representative has already signed on to cosponsor all three bills, submit an LTE thanking them for being a reproductive freedom champion. Our representatives, and their constituents, need to know when we’re proud of their work. Write an LTE to let them know. Make sure to encourage your representative to keep showing up for reproductive freedom by publicly showing your support.
3. If you have a Democratic representative, call and tell them to hold the Supreme Court accountable by co-sponsoring the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act (SCERT). SCOTUS is facing a legitimacy crisis with MAGA justices like Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito accepting lavish gifts from billionaires. These actions call into question their ability to be impartial and fair in their rulings. Check out our new unrigging the Supreme Court page to learn more and take action. When you’re done, call your representative again and demand they cosponsor the Judiciary Act of 2023. The court has been stacked with extreme MAGA justices and the only way to protect our rights is to expand the court. Call now to make it happen!
4. If you have a Democratic senator, call and tell them to hold the Supreme Court accountable by co-sponsoring the SCERT Act. We must pass SCERT through both chambers in order to restore legitimacy to the court. It is clear that the highest court in the land must be held to reasonable ethical standards, call now to make sure your senator agrees. When you’ve finished, call your senator again and demand they co-sponsor the Judiciary Act of 2023. In addition to the ethics crisis, we’ve seen just how far-right the court-packing MAGA Republicans have pushed the Supreme Court. Expansion is the only way we return to a balanced and fair judiciary before it is too late.

P.S. If you've completed your weekly to-do's and are looking for more ways to support this movement, consider making a donation today. Your contribution will help keep our call pages up and running, fund the tools we use to mobilize volunteers, and continue all the work we're doing this year.

Crisis in Israel/Palestine

Indivisible is united in our commitment to protecting human rights and civilians in conflict, and to the belief that every child, no matter where they’re born, deserves to grow up in safety and freedom.

We grieve the over 1,400 Israeli and international lives lost in Hamas’ attack on October 7 and call for all hostages to be released immediately.

We are deeply alarmed by developments in the Israeli military’s campaign in Gaza and the West Bank. More than 8,000 people have been killed; 3,000 in the last week, as the Israeli government has ramped up its bombardment and offensive. Food, water, medicine, and fuel remain heavily restricted by the Israeli siege -- inflicting collective punishment and immense suffering on the people of Gaza for the actions of Hamas. Civilians in conflict are innocent, and we mourn for the lives lost.

In keeping with our commitment to protect human rights and civilians in conflict, we stand with humanitarian organizations like MSF, Oxfam, and Save the Children, and human rights groups like Amnesty International to call for a ceasefire and deescalation -- to save lives in Gaza, for the hostages to be released, to ensure that Gazan civilians can access desperately needed humanitarian aid, and to avert regional escalation. Today, we wanted to share with you these recommendations from the Center for International Policy for how the Biden Administration can help end the current crisis and best ensure the security, rights, and well-being of Israelis and Palestinians in the longer term. 

We’re simultaneously deeply alarmed by the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in recent weeks. From the terrifying story of a mob in Dagestan searching for Jews at an airport to the heart-rending murder of six-year-old Palestinian-American Wadea Al-Fayoume here in the US, hatred is on the rise. If you’re afraid and hurting right now -- we’re holding you in our hearts.

Standing Indivisible means condemning antisemitism in all its forms. It means condemning Islamophobia in all its forms. It means seeking to build bridges across our communities, standing in solidarity with each other, and recognizing that we all want the same things: safety, dignity, and for our kids to thrive. 

We recognize that this moment is intensely personal and painful for many people across the world and in our network. We come back to our core principle: Human life is precious, and we must do all we can to protect it. 

P.S. To keep up to date on our most recent statements about the conflict as they evolve, visit our Israel/Palestine Conflict statements page. 

2024 Indivisible Endorsements Guide

Check out the 2024 Indivisible Endorsements Guide.

Hard to believe it, but the 2024 elections are just around the corner!

In addition to doing the essential work of rooting out MAGA extremists at every level of government, we have the opportunity to elect the strongest Democrats to champion progressive priorities and defend progressive values. Since 2018, our movement has been doing just that: building power by helping to elect the next generation of bold leaders at every level of government. Indivisible groups across the country have pushed candidates on issues that matter, contacted thousands of voters, and shown that the power of our movement is impossible to ignore.

If your group is considering getting involved in 2024 elections, one of the most powerful ways you can have an impact is by making endorsements. We know elections can be intimidating! We also know that an endorsement, done correctly, is one of the most powerful tools to create change. This guide demystifies the process with advice on how best to engage in both primary and general elections.

Rep. Jared Golden, ME-02

Rep. Golden’s 2nd congressional district includes Lewiston, Maine, where a deadly shooting took the lives of 18 individuals late last week. In the past, Rep. Golden has opposed banning assault rifles, siding with his more conservative colleagues and constituents about the importance of the right to bear arms.

But following this tragedy, Rep. Golden acknowledged his past stance, centered the tragedy of the day, and evolved his position, calling for Congress to ban assault rifles. It can be incredibly difficult for an established politician to change their stance on such controversial policies, and we want to praise Rep. Golden for having the integrity to change. 

We hope that with his new position, he’ll use his journey to help some of his fellow congresspeople grow too, so that we can get to a place where America is no longer known for the tragedy of mass shootings. See Rep. Golden’s address here.  

 Indivisible Project Updates 

Join our very own Meagan Hatcher-Mays and partners for a call -- The People vs. SCOTUS: A Preview of the 2023 Fall Supreme Court Term on Wednesday, November 8 at 1pm ET/10am PT. Just weeks ago, the Supreme Court began its latest term and consequential cases are on the line. Join this call to get a preview of the fall term where you’ll learn about the cases before the court and what we can do to fight for a Supreme Court that will truly protect the people. We will also be joined by special guest Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) to hear about legislative pathways to restore legitimacy to -- and expand -- the court.

 IndivisiWin of the Week 

Sara Campbell of CCoHOPE Indivisible got an LTE published calling out their representative, Mike Lawler, for supporting Mike Johnson for speaker of the House.

 Indivisible Civics Truth Brigade 

Join Indivisible Civics for the Big Truths: Truth Brigade on Video call Wednesday, November 8 at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT. You have long asked for a way to disrupt rampant video-driven disinfo. We’re thrilled to partner with our featured speakers from EcoTok! They’ll bring a climate-focused Truth Sandwich video to share online where we’re comfortable, and teach us about fighting disinfo in the video world.

Follow us on Facebook, Mastodon, Threads, and Instagram to keep up on the latest information, and text “INDIVISIBLE” to 59798 to opt-in to our text messaging program where we send rapid response actions a few times a month.

As we continue to barrel toward a new year, we are so glad to share this movement with you!

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team