Indivisibles,

This weekend, Senate negotiators announced they had reached a bipartisan deal on a supplemental funding package that would include aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine while also implementing Trump-era immigration policies. 

Let’s be clear: Senate Republicans held Democrats hostage on funding for the crises in Ukraine, Palestine, and other conflict zones in order to impose draconian measures on migrant families fleeing persecution and poverty. 

But it gets worse:

That’s right. That is Donald Trump -- defacto Republican presidential nominee -- on social media railing against a bipartisan bill that extracted the concessions his party based their entire legislative agenda upon. And Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is going right along with him.

Why?

Because for MAGA Republicans, stoking hate and fear is the point. They are pushing a crisis narrative in order to score cynical political points and attack President Biden, then they propose extreme and cruel “solutions” that they attack for not going far enough. They have no interest in actually governing; their only goal is to make it impossible for Democrats to do so. 

We oppose the draconian measures in this bill. We oppose any bill that puts politics over humanity. And we reject the anti-American idea that immigrants are a crisis. This bill is the result of MAGA Republicans negotiating in bad faith while attempting to score political points on the backs of vulnerable people hoping for a better life. 

This isn’t governance. This is holding the country, and the world, hostage due to MAGA political ambitions. The people deserve better.

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your 5 weekly to-dos 

1. Register for our first National Campaigns Call of the year on Thursday, February 15 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. Come get a preview of our 2024 strategy alongside Indivisibles from across the country. We’ll take some time to learn about the tools, tactics, and messaging that are going to make sure we win in November. And, if we’re lucky, we might just be joined by a special guest.
2. Join our final Battleground NY phonebank for the NY-03 special election this Thursday, February 8 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.  
3. If your senator is a Democrat, call and demand they reject Trump-era immigration policies. The supplemental funding package is now public and the policies are Trumpian: an end to asylum for everyone except the small number of folks who can afford to buy a flight into the US, a dramatic increase in the incarceration of asylum-seekers (including families), and a restart to Trump’s signature Title 42. Call your senator today and demand they say no to MAGA immigration policies. 
4. 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.
5. 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.

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

Last Wednesday, Chicago became the largest city in the US to call for a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages. That makes at least 48 cities who have “passed resolutions or proclamations calling for a ceasefire.”

The core values of these resolutions rest upon specific understandings: There is no military solution to eliminating Hamas, the civilian toll of this crisis is unsustainable and horrific, and the safe return of hostages runs directly counter to the type of indiscriminate military campaign being waged by Netanyahu’s government. 

According to a Data For Progress poll, 61% of likely voters (including 76% of Democrats) support a ceasefire. This is not a fringe position. This is not an extreme position. This is the baseline position supported by the American people -- including a plurality of Republicans. 

Let’s get Congress on board:

• 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 Project Book Event with Sen. Jeff Merkley

RSVP for Indivisible Project’s special event book conversation on Filibustered! by Sen. Jeff Merkley on Monday, February 26 at 7pm ET/4pm PT. Join Indivisible’s Co-Executive Director Ezra Levin as he digs into Filibustered! by Sen. Merkley and the fight to remove one of the largest obstacles to saving American democracy in Congress. **Special Note** The first 50 people to submit questions for the conversation will receive a free copy of Filibustered! 

IndivisiWin of the Week

Indivisible group Engage Long Island hitting the streets and doing some canvassing in stylish new hats!

Indivisible Civics’ Powering Progress 

Register for Indivisible Civics’ 2024 Truth Brigade Big Truths kickoff call Wednesday, February 14 at 6:30 ET/3:30 PT. Disinformation polarizes us, blowing up heartfelt disagreements into what can feel like insurmountable divisions, particularly along racial and generational lines. In 2024, we must learn and share the persuasive communication tactics that bring us together in power and help us focus on the humane values that bind us. Join Indivisible Civics to learn about the disinformation landscape ahead and to launch our first disinfo-busting action campaign of the new year! 

RSVP for the second entry in Indivisible Civics’ Persuasion to Power educational series: Know your Audience w/ Loretta Ross on Wednesday, February 21 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. Powering Progress is bringing you the educational tools you need to become the most effective communicator you can be. At this event, you’ll hear from noted activist, intellectual, and professor Loretta Ross about how we must assess and adjust our communication approaches based on the person we’re talking to and how closely they already align with our goals.

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.

We are so lucky to be activists alongside you.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team