Dear Indivisibles,

Apologies for this slightly-delayed monthly newsletter -- it’s been quite
a month since we last wrote you. As a reminder, we write these monthly
newsletters personally to engage with the Indivisible movement, share our
thinking, and hear from you all directly. This month we’re quarantined in
our home, which means that -- just like with the original Indivisible
Guide -- we’re writing this together in our living room. As always, feel
free to reach out directly to us on Twitter: [ [link removed] ]@ezralevin and
[ [link removed] ]@leahgreenb. Let’s get to it.

Indivisible loses a beloved team member

Earlier this year, COVID-19 was a looming threat. It’s hard to process how
fast the world has changed. In February and March, several members of our
national team across the country contracted the virus. Then, last weekend,
we lost our midwest regional senior organizer Tim Liszewski to COVID-19.
This is a devastating, heartbreaking loss for the Indivisible team and the
Indivisible movement.

Tim was a lifelong warrior for justice. He joined our team in early 2018,
covering states from his hometown in South Carolina all the way to Iowa.
Tim was loved and respected across our team for his kindness, his quiet
leadership, the depth of his organizing craft, and his wry sense of humor.
He wasn’t someone who wanted to be the center of attention, but he was
genuinely interested in people -- often the first to greet newcomers to a
space, and quick to build rapport -- and formed deep ties wherever he
went.

Earlier this year, I (Ezra) joined Tim for a road trip through Iowa --
crisscrossing the state from Dubuque in the Northeast to Red Oak in the
Southwest, where group leaders greeted Tim at every stop with warmth. Tim
and I spent hours on the road talking about everything under the sun,
including his organizing experiences across the progressive movement --
from fighting to end the Iraq war to the Bernie 2016 campaign. He was in
the process of hiking through the entire Appalachian trail. He was devoted
to and proud of his children, Rebecca and Aaron. He was excited to get
married to his fiancée, Maris, next month. He was quietly hilarious,
easy-going, and fiercely committed to making the world a better place.

In Tim’s own words, organizing wasn’t a job for him -- it was a lifestyle.
At the same time Tim was covering so much turf for Indivisible, he spent
his weekends in South Carolina feeding the hungry through his local
chapter of Food Not Bombs. And he was an early Executive Committee member
of the South Carolina Progressive Network -- a statewide network dedicated
to promoting social and economic justice across the state.

We don’t normally include fundraising requests for Indivisible in these
monthly newsletters, but we hope that you’ll consider making a donation to
the South Carolina Progressive Network in Tim’s honor -- you can do that
[ [link removed] ]here. Tim’s dream was to finish hiking the Appalachian Trail -- you can
make a donation to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy [ [link removed] ]here to ensure
others can live that dream.

What we’re reading

Earlier this week, Trump and Mitch McConnell both blamed Democrats and the
impeachment trial for distracting the nation and aiding the spread of
COVID-19 ([ [link removed] ]source). We know -- the shamelessness of this accusation is
infuriating.

In light of this article, and the entire GOP response to COVID-19, the
quote we’ve been coming back to in recent days is from George Orwell’s
novel 1984, a dystopian story about a futuristic authoritarian government
bent on controlling the population through misinformation, brainwashing,
and coercion. The quote is this:

Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.

The authoritarian political party in 1984 needs to justify itself and its
actions, so it alters the official record of the past in an effort to
control the future.

One form of resistance in moments like this is to simply to insist that
reality is reality. We resist by insisting that the past is not just
whatever they say it is. We have to cling to real, honest-to-God truths,
otherwise the authoritarians will control our future. We’ve felt this at
various times during the Trump presidency, but never more than we do now.
So let’s collectively cling to some truths:

In late January, when asked whether there was any reason to fear a
pandemic, Trump responded “No. Not at all. And-- we're-- we have it
totally under control. It's one person coming in from China, and we have
it under control. It's—going to be just fine.” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

At a campaign rally in early February, Trump said of the virus, “Looks
like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it
miraculously goes away.” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

Less than 6 weeks ago, Trump’s story was the same: “The Coronavirus is
very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and
all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very
smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

A couple days later, Trump continued downplaying the severity of COVID-19,
explaining “When you have 15 people and the 15 within a couple days is
going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done.”
([ [link removed] ]Source)

About 5 weeks ago, Trump’s Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney advised Americans
to turn off the TV and stop paying attention to media reports about the
dangers of COVID-19. ([ [link removed] ]Source)

About 4 weeks ago, Trump claimed “As of right now and yesterday, anybody
that needs a test [can have one], that’s the important thing, and the
tests are all perfect.” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

The same day, his Secretary of Health and Human Services said, “There is
no testing kit shortage, nor has there ever been.” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

Less than 4 weeks ago, Trump noted how much less severe COVID-19 was than
the flu: “So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It
averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life &
the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of
CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

The rot within the GOP extends far beyond Donald Trump.

The same day that Trump was comparing COVID-19 to the flu, Fox News was
rushing to his defense. Sean Hannity accused the media of “scaring people
unnecessarily” and trying to “bludgeon Trump with this new hoax.”
([ [link removed] ]Source)

Three weeks ago, Rep. Devin Nunes, one of Trump's top lieutenants in
Congress, sought to downplay concerns about COVID-19, announcing “it’s a
great time to just go out, go to a local restaurant.” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

Two weeks ago, the GOP Governor of Mississippi issued a statewide order
overruling local government efforts to contain COVID-19, mandating some
restaurants, gun stores, and other businesses reopen. ([ [link removed] ]Source)

Last week, the GOP Governor of Florida issued a statewide stay-at-home
order that overruled local government efforts to limit in-person religious
gatherings. ([ [link removed] ]Source)

Then the GOP Governor of Texas issued a statewide stay-at-home order than
allowed for in-person religious services while banning all surgical and
medication abortions throughout the state. ([ [link removed] ]Source)

And just a couple days ago, the GOP Governor of Georgia issued a statewide
stay-at-home order after claiming that he only just learned that COVID-19
could be spread by people who were not showing symptoms. ([ [link removed] ]Source)

A new academic study puts data behind a fact that is blindingly obvious to
anybody who doesn’t feed at the Fox News trough: “Republican governors and
governors from states with more Trump supporters were slower to adopt
social distancing policies.” ([ [link removed] ]Source)

Throughout the crisis, and with few exceptions, the entire GOP has engaged
in shameless partisan grandstanding and power grabbing, while accusing
Democrats and the media of politicizing the crisis, and while
orchestrating a mortally inept response.

Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.

We have a lot of work to do in the weeks and months ahead to care for and
heal our communities -- and we know this is precisely what local
Indivisible groups across the country are doing right now. [ [link removed] ]If you’re
looking for ways to be part of that work, we recommend you reach out and
help build up the community response locally with your own local
Indivisible group.

But while we do this immediate, necessary community work in the present,
we cannot allow Trump, McConnell, and their allies to define the past. We
cannot allow them to escape the responsibility for their craven political
games and inept response that have and will cost American lives. We cannot
allow them to control the future. We have to hold them accountable. We
have to take back power in November. And we have to build a functioning,
representative democracy where these types of villains never dictate
American public policy again.

Stay safe and healthy until next month

While we and the Indivisible movement are grieving for Tim, we’re deeply
aware that the scope and the horror of this crisis is the direct product
of the flaws in our government and our society. The virus has spread
because of the inadequacy of our public health infrastructure and the
failure of our political leaders like Trump and GOP governors who
downplayed the crisis instead of responding to it. COVID-19’s impact is
more devastating because of our lack of universal healthcare, our
collapsed social safety net, our lack of paid sick and family leave, and
the horrific, dehumanizing state of our prisons and detention centers.
This pandemic casts into stark relief the many ways in which our society
makes its people vulnerable and disposable -- and which we cannot ever
accept, and Tim never did.

That’s why we hope you hold Tim’s memory in your hearts and that it fuels
your own work for justice. Tim spent his life fighting for a better world.
We hope you’ll honor his memory by carrying on that fight.

In solidarity,
Ezra & Leah
Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors, Indivisible

PS -- We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary and 10 year dating
anniversary this past weekend. We made fettuccine alfredo at home and
rented a bad action flick (Leah’s choice). Even in times of COVID-19
quarantine -- especially in these times -- it’s important to find joy. If
in the midst of this chaos and darkness you’re finding things to
celebrate, please share with us!

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