Indivisibles,

With Ron DeSantis ending his doomed primary campaign this weekend, the previously packed Republican field has whittled down to two awful choices: Former Insurrectionist-in-Chief Donald Trump and Nikki Haley. 

At this point, it’s easy to feel like anything would be preferable to Trump, but it is crucial to remember that not even his top “opposition” is meaningfully better on the key issues that are impacting voters. Nikki Haley is against gun control. She believes that the US has “never been a racist country.” And In response to Florida’s horrific Don’t Say Gay bill she said, “I don’t think that goes far enough.”  

If that weren’t already enough, in a Face the Nation interview aired yesterday (the day before the anniversary of the Roe decision), when asked about support for a national abortion ban, Haley responded, “Yes, I'm unapologetically pro-life…I've said I'm fine with a federal law.”

Though she tried to sugarcoat her extremism by expressing her belief that she could never get 60 senators who agreed with her to pass a bill, the facts are clear that even when faced with Roe's status as a landmark decision widely supported by Americans, Haley stands behind her extremism. 

As we reflect on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision today, we cannot stand by and allow Republican extremism to become the accepted baseline for this country. Roe stood for fifty years in acknowledgement of the will of the American people until Trump’s Supreme Court gutted it. These MAGA Republicans will do anything in their power to continue destroying its legacy. We have a responsibility to ourselves, our children, and to all of those who fought before us to defeat their extremism.

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your 4 weekly to-dos 

1. Write a letter to the editor (LTE) about Kate Cox, Brittany Watts, and the harsh reality of Republican abortion laws. It’s easy to focus on the political reality of Republicans’ inhumane abortion laws and forget the real impact. Whether it is Kate Cox having to fly out of state to receive life-saving care agreed upon by her doctor and the courts or Brittany Watts facing potential criminal charges for experiencing a miscarriage, these draconian bans impact real lives. Make sure your community knows about the actual cost of Republican extremism.
2. Write an LTE on Trump’s dangerous positions on abortion. Nikki Haley is still running, but we know that, barring an incredible change in circumstances, Trump is going to be the Republican nominee. His positions reverberate down to every level of Republican governance, and his glee in helping to dismantle abortion access has directly led to more anti-abortion legislation throughout the country. Remind your community why his positions are so dangerous and what’s at stake. 
3. Record your story of what Roe means to you by texting “ROE” to 59798 or dialing 1-833-942-2884. We want to know exactly what impact Roe has had on your lives. From personal experiences to political awakenings and more, what did the 50 year precedent mean to you? We’re making tribute stories like this one to remind the world just how far-reaching, personal, and necessary Roe has been.
4. Join our weekly Battleground NY phonebanks for the NY-03 special election on Thursdays at 6pm ET/ 3pm PT. The road to a Democratic majority starts today! When George Santos was expelled from the House of Representatives, Democrats were given an opportunity to start the work of flipping the House early. Though the seat will still be up for re-election in the fall, running the November election from incumbency would be a huge advantage for Democrats. Help us flip this seat now, and then keep it again in November. This event is not just for NY Indivisibles; all are welcome.  

P.S. We count on the small dollar donors to help fund this movement! If you're able, please pitch in today to support the grassroots organizing that powers our progressive wins.

Call for a Humanitarian Ceasefire

Today the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) issued a statement calling for “an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the delivery of life-saving food, water, medicine and other resources to the people of Gaza.” As the second largest union in the US, SEIU follows in the path of other major labor unions calling for a ceasefire (including the United Auto Workers and the Chicago Teachers Union), and we’re grateful they are joining the collective call for peace.

In contextualizing their statement, President Mary Kay Henry explains:

Our call for a ceasefire is a call for peace, rooted in the pain that SEIU members are feeling, from the Jewish member concerned for her son’s safety in Tel Aviv, to the Muslim member who immigrated to this country from the Middle East to escape war and violence, to the hundreds of thousands of SEIU healthcare workers who see themselves in the healthcare workers in Gaza who have been killed trying to save lives.

All told, over 26,000 people have been killed (including over 9,600 children), over 75,000 have been injured, and over 200 people have been taken hostage since October 7 -- and we have no way to currently estimate the number of people trapped under the rubble or who will succumb to disease and starvation. That is not the Israeli or Palestinian toll, that is the human toll.

This crisis has been marked by brutality and an inability to lean into shared humanity. A ceasefire -- which must include the return of all hostages -- is the only path that leads toward that human understanding. Peace will not come through more acts of aggression, and our government cannot be in the business of supporting the killing of children. 

We have a responsibility to push for peace.

• Call your representative and urge them to support a humanitarian ceasefire publicly, use their position to push for an end to hostilities, deliver urgently needed humanitarian assistance, and ensure that all hostages are released.
• Call both of your senators now and ask them to do the same.
• Email your MoCs and tell them that the bombing has to stop. This crisis is a challenge to our humanity. It is hard to witness brutal acts of violence and not believe that violent retaliation is the only response. But we must eschew those instincts and find a pathway to peace.

Indivisible Civics -- Powering Progress

Join Indivisible Civics’ Powering Progress campaign for a book conversation about “The Persuaders” with author Anand Giridharadas and Co-Executive Director Ezra Levin this Thursday, January 25 at 4pm ET/1pm PT. As we begin a new year, Indivisible Civics wants to arm you with the skills necessary to change minds and make an impact. Join us for part one of our new, five-part, communication skills training series, Persuasion to Power. If you’ve ever wondered how you could make your arguments more accessible, Giridharadas’ “The Persuaders” is a great place to start -- come check out our discussion on Thursday.

 IndivisiWin of the Week 

Beth Weinstein of Indivisible Pro-Choice Pinellas was quoted for this article while counter protesting a local version of the March For Life:

“When we talk about marching for life, we’re marching for everyone’s lives…Women’s lives are just as important as the unborn… The unborn are easy to advocate for. They don’t need food, education, health care and housing. Women who are here need access to abortion health care to stay alive.”

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.

2024 is in full swing and we know you won’t stop fighting for our rights. Thank you for your work, your minds, and your hearts.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team