Does country over party mean anything to these people?
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Hi Friend,

 

Happy Thursday (yes, it’s Thursday for those of you losing track). 


As Americans across the country grapple with overrun hospitals, the loss of
income, and the loss of loved ones, our elected officials are working to
cushion the blow that comes from the sudden halt in the American economy. 


… so there’s a lot to talk about this week.


Here are three things to think about:

Blah blah blah
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The Senate this week passed a $2.2 trillion dollar spending bill, in theory
designed to give a helping hand to the millions of Americans and their
industries that are suffering.Despite the urgent need by so many Americans,
negotiations over the bill nevertheless descended into disappointingly familiar
partisan divide.
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Republicans claimed Democrats were stalling the process by forcing in other
policy priorities, like student loan forgiveness. Democrats claimed Republicans
were doing the bidding of large corporations without sufficient accountability.


The result was many precious days lost to petty partisanship perhaps best
reflected in this tweet exchange: 
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Politicians in Washington should take inspiration from the American heroes
working on the front lines of our hospitals – who are risking everything and
working with each other to help their fellow Americans, without partisanship
getting in the way. We were heartened to see the stimulus package pass the
Senate with a unanimous vote.



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A down payment on our elections
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Included in the spending bill was $400 million that will go towards election
security and ensuring that Americans can vote in this November’s election. As
states work to protect voters, this money can in theory go towards vote at home
election systems and processes. 


To quote our friends at Issue One
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, $400 million is a good down payment on secure elections. Yet experts find
themselves still struggling with the figure: the Brennan Center estimates that
it will cost $2 billion to get our election systems prepared for the onslaught
of absentee ballots come November. 


Here’s why it matters: we don’t know when this pandemic will be considered
“over”, especially for the vulnerable populations, like the elderly. In states
that have had primaries since the pandemic began, turnout has been down by
roughly 25%, compared with states that voted pre-pandemic that saw increases in
turnout by roughly 20%. If our elections aren’t safe for all to participate in,
they’re not representative of all of us.Using vote at home election systems is
the single most important reform we can pass –– and fund –– ahead of November.
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Why conservatives support vote at home, too <>

Here’s the truth: election reform is nonpartisan. At Unite America, our
mission is to make our government more functional and representative, and
that’s exactly what the reforms we support do. Vote at home is a simple,
secure, and convenient way to vote that allows states to maintain election
security while also making it easier for millions to participate. 


This week, former chair of the RNC (and Unite America advisory board member)
Michael Steele, and Eli Lehrer, president of the conservative R Street think
tank, make the conservative case for getting behind vote by mail as the way to
keep voters safe this election cycle.
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Vote at home doesn’t help any particular party; initial studies have shown it
increases both urban and rural populations by simply making it more convenient
to vote. Our elections are supposed to be representative of the people, after
all. A reform that puts voters first is an important place to start.  



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BONUS: Here's what you can do to help
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Did you know that nationwide there's a critical shortage of blood and
platelets? Countless regularly scheduled blood drives have been canceled due to
coronavirus, and as a results, emergency services are in desperate need of
blood donations. If you're healthy andable
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, I  encourage you to get out and donate blood or platelets to your local
donation center. I've linked the Red Cross here, but across the country, there
are dozens of groups that supply hospitals right in your area. 

 

Not able to donate? Sign here
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. 



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Stay safe, friends. We can get through this together.

 

Brett
__
Brett Maney
Senior Communications Manager
Unite America
SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS TO BRING VOTE BY MAIL TO OUR ELECTIONS
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