Indivisibles,

Election season may feel months away but we can assure you, it is now. 

Tomorrow, New York’s third congressional district will hold a special election to fill George Santos’ seat, and Indivisibles across NY-03 have been working hard to flip it before it’s up for grabs again in November. Anything we can do today to chip away at MAGA Mike Johnson’s House majority is a major win for democracy and the country. 

And, if you missed it last Thursday:

Indivisible Action announced our first endorsement of the year as Andy Kim makes his bid to bring integrity back to New Jersey’s US Senate seat. This endorsement means we will be committing extra resources and attention to this battleground race in our bid to win a true trifecta.

Why is it so important to remember that election season has already started?

Last week, Data For Progress released a poll showing that only 36% of Democrats and 24% of Independents see Trump as responsible for the new bans on abortion.

In referendums and elections across the country, abortion access has been one of the biggest influencers driving voters to the polls and powering Democratic wins. But polls like this remind us that we have a lot of work to do between now and November to ensure voters connect the attacks on abortion to the man most responsible for them: Donald Trump. 

Donald Trump’s four years as president destroyed protections for reproductive freedom in this country. As president, he appointed the Supreme Court majority that killed Roe. As leader of his party, he has empowered the most vicious anti-abortion Republicans, and he has made it clear that he’s not done. If elected again, Trump will pursue an even more aggressive anti-abortion agenda -- our job is to make sure voters know these stakes, and we have to begin that work now.

Trump must pay for saying he was proud of ending Roe. We can’t let him get away with running under-the-radar on his extremist views. We must make sure the people know that a Trump presidency comes with the potential of a federal abortion ban.

When we say that election season has already begun, it’s a reminder that the battle starts long before people head to the polls, and it’s our duty, as political activists plugged-in to what’s really going on, to ensure that the American people understand what this election is about, who’s driving the extremist agenda they oppose, and what they can do to stop it. Write a letter to the editor (LTE) on Trump’s dangerous positions on abortion, and make sure that your community knows who to hold responsible for the nationwide erosion of our bodily autonomy. 

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your weekly to-dos 

1. Register for our first National Campaigns Call of the year this 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, hear from our first endorsee of the 2024 cycle, Andy Kim.
2. Sign up for our first phonebank of the 2024 election cycle on Thursday, February 22 at 7pm ET/4pm PT to get people excited about Andy Kim. 2024 just started, but we’re hitting the ground running. Voter contact in these early stages is crucial to increasing candidate name recognition, and Andy Kim is an incredible fighter against corporate greed, supporter of reproductive freedom, and defender of democracy. Let’s put the necessary work in today to get Andy elected in November.
3. Write an 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.
4. Write an LTE about the MAGA plan to privatize Medicare. Trump intends to make Medicare Advantage the default program for all newly eligible Medicare participants. Medicare Advantage plans regularly deny coverage for essential care and patients covered by it are more likely to die in the month following major cancer surgeries than patients who have traditional Medicare. What does that mean: Republicans would put our lives in jeopardy to line the pockets of private investors. Write an LTE today to let people know about Trump’s latest threat. 

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 night, as the Superbowl aired, Netanyahu’s military launched an offensive in Rafah -- the “safe” region the Israeli military had driven Palestinians to that is sheltering over one million Gazans. 

Israel recovered two hostages during strikes that killed over 100 Palestinians and counting. As Netanyahu’s government has continually rebuffed recent attempts to barter a ceasefire, last week we learned that over a fifth of the remaining hostages were already dead, highlighting the impact of continuing violence on any potential safe return of the hostages. 

In an address on Thursday, Biden referred to Israel’s aggressive campaign in Gaza as “over the top.” Just today, it was leaked that Biden has been privately venting his frustration with Netanyahu, going as far as to refer to him as an “asshole” at least three times. In spite of the growing acknowledgement that Netanyahu has gone too far, the Senate advanced a bill this weekend that would provide $18 billion in military assistance to Israel. 

We cannot continue to fund Netanyahu’s “over the top” campaign in Gaza. It is not saving the hostages. It is not keeping the Israeli people safe. It has cost the lives of over 28,000 Gazans including more than 12,000 children. A ceasefire is necessary to ensure the safe return of the hostages, deliver life saving humanitarian aid, and stop this current crisis from becoming a full-scale regional war.

Call Congress today.

• 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.

 IndivisiWin of the Week 

Indivisible Mad River Valley in Vermont has organized an art exhibit this Wednesday featuring political poster art. Check out the write-up of their upcoming show in the Waterbury Roundabout.

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!

Indivisible Civics’ Powering Progress

Register for Indivisible Civics’ 2024 Truth Brigade Big Truths kickoff call this 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.

There are lots of events, demonstrations, and trainings to keep all of our activists busy. Take advantage of as much as you can so that you’re ready for whatever 2024 brings. We’re so excited to be in this with you.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team