Dear MoveOn member,
I cannot stop thinking about this: It's now been one week since Donald
Trump's lawyers told the Supreme Court that presidents should be able to
murder political rivals or stage coups—and multiple Supreme Court justices
acted like it was a serious argument.
John, this is how authoritarianism is normalized. I can't stop
thinking about it—nor should any of us who are dedicated to democracy.
My head nearly exploded hearing this exchange in particular, with Trump's
lawyer arguing that presidents are entitled to immunity for violating
criminal laws for any "official act":
Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked Trump's lawyer: "If the president decides
that his rival is a corrupt person, and he orders the military or orders
someone to assassinate him, is that within his official acts for which he
can get immunity?"^1
Trump's lawyer responded: "It would depend on the hypothetical, but we
concede that could be an official act."^2
Justice Elena Kagan followed up, asking, "How about if the president
orders the military to stage a coup?"^3
Trump's lawyer responded: "It would depend on the circumstances whether it
was an official act."^4
This is how democracies die and dictatorships arise. It's truly
terrifying, John.
We cannot minimize what's at stake. And we certainly cannot rely on the
courts to save our democracy from Trump. No way. That is as clear as day.
Our only way forward is to defeat Trump decisively at the ballot box in
November. And that's why I'm writing today.
My good friends at MoveOn are the best in the business at engaging and
turning out voters at scale, and I'm impressed by their data-driven,
innovative, and bold plan to defeat Trump and save our democracy this
November. But MoveOn needs your financial support to make their plans a
reality.
Will you join me and donate $5 a month to MoveOn from now
through Election Day to defeat Trump, save our democracy, restore our
freedoms, and build a future where everyone can thrive?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
The Republican justices last week refused to even consider the facts of
the Trump case in front of them and instead were focused on future
hypotheticals. By blowing it up into something else, the Republican
justices are blowing up Trump's trial—which is exactly their intention.
Read for yourself:
Justice Samuel Alito: "I'm not discussing the particular facts of this
case."^5
Justice Neil Gorsuch: "I'm not concerned about this case so much as future
ones too."^6
Justice Brett Kavanaugh: "Like Justice Gorsuch, I'm not focused on the
here and now of this case. I'm very concerned about the future."^7
Trump attempted a coup, but the Republican justices can't be bothered. Not
even with Trump poised to be president again.
I'm outraged. I'm disgusted. And I'm motivated to fight like hell to save
our democracy. I hope you are, too, because time is short, and it's going
to take each and every one of us.
MoveOn briefed me a few months ago on their plan for the 2024 election,
which The New York Times called "ambitious."^8 If there's anything we need
in this moment, it's ambition.
And my friends at MoveOn just updated me on their progress, and, wow, I am
impressed!
MoveOn is focusing on convincing "surge voters"—people who voted for the
first time, or were more active, after Trump's win in 2016—that their vote
matters. These people do not consistently vote.
The data are clear that winning this election won't come down to turning
so-called "swing voters" into Biden voters. Instead, it will be turning
out people who might otherwise not go to the polls at all.^9
And that's exactly where MoveOn comes in. MoveOn has a tremendous track
record when it comes to engaging and turning out voters, using data-driven
and highly effective strategies.
Already, MoveOn is starting the organizing to reach out to surge voters
and talk to them about the stakes of this election and the issues they
care about and make the pragmatic and strategic case as to why their vote
is critical.
Effective organizing is incredibly time and work intensive. And that work
absolutely must happen right now.
Our nation's highest court is considering whether presidents can murder
political opponents and order military coups. Our democracy is hanging by
a thread. We have a lot of work ahead of us to fix it. But, first, we MUST
defeat Trump decisively in November. It truly is up to us.
So, will you please join with me, reject defeatism, and channel your
outrage into action by donating $5 a month to power
MoveOn's game-changing election plan?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
Thanks for all you do.
–Robert Reich
Sources:
1. "Donald J. Trump v. United States," U.S. Supreme Court, April 25, 2024
[link removed]
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. "MoveOn Will Spend $32 Million to Back Biden and Other Democrats," The
New York Times, January 26, 2024
[link removed]
9. "Turnout Data Reveals the Core of Democrats' Success in Special
Elections," The New York Times, February 2, 2024
[link removed]
Want to support MoveOn's work? The MAGA movement's book bans have forced
teachers and librarians across the country to remove books from their
shelves and censor what young people can learn. MoveOn is fighting back,
including by filling a "Banned Bookmobile" with books that the far right
has banned and driving it to key cities and towns to raise the visibility
of book bans, hand out banned books for free, and bring people together to
stop censorship. To keep up the fight against book bans and the MAGA
politicians who support them, we need your help.
Will you start a monthly gift to power and sustain MoveOn's critical
work?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
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