Friends,
Our democracy was forged 248 years ago in a declaration of unity, freedom, equality and independence. Ever since, the American project has been to make those ideals more real and more meaningful for every single American.
But today – more than ever before – I think it’s fair to say we share a profound fear for those very truths we hold to be self-evident.
Just this week, six right-wing justices on the Supreme Court handed Donald Trump a “get out of jail free” pass – as the trial judge described it – for his conduct leading up to January 6.
By obstructing the prosecution’s case against Donald Trump for inciting an insurrection, Tuesday’s decision makes a second Trump presidency not only more likely, but more terrifying.
If attempts to tamper with election results and incite a coup now lie beyond accountability, there is no telling how unbound, untethered and undemocratic a second Trump administration would be.
There can be no greater priority than defeating Donald Trump on November 5 – and I want you to know that J Street is your ally in that fight.
Together, we must rally the broadest possible coalition to once again defeat Trump at the ballot box. We must make the stakes clear. We must ask our fellow Americans to vote for the country and the future they want for themselves and their children.
If Donald Trump wins, MAGA fanatics would be free to bulldoze the democratic foundations of our union, to ban abortion nationwide, supercharge the climate crisis, roll back LGBT+ protections, hand victory to Putin in Ukraine, and sow division, antisemitism and conspiracy theories deeper into our society.
In Israel, Netanyahu and the Israeli right would have full White House backing for their wildest fantasies – from a judicial coup to West Bank annexation to settlements in Gaza to ratcheting up escalation toward all-out war with Iran.
But if we rally together – as we have done before – we can defeat Trump, protect our freedoms, fix the damage that’s been wrought and work toward a better future for all.
On college campuses across the country, our J Street U leaders are working to persuade and mobilize younger Americans – many of whom feel alienated from politics right now – to stay engaged and vote to protect their future.
We continue to raise record amounts for the Biden campaign and pro-democracy candidates up and down the ballot. We’re also working in partnership with grassroots GOTV organizations in battleground states (You can stay in the loop about our political work by joining JStreetPAC – learn more here).
In Washington, we continue to urge the Administration to use all possible leverage to press Hamas and Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire which ends the war and frees all hostages. Not only is this the best outcome for everyone in the region, but it will calm the growing risk of catastrophic escalation to Israel’s north and give Democrats the clear air needed to unify Americans and prosecute the case against Trump.
We’ll have much more to say on our election work in the weeks ahead – and more opportunities for supporters across our movement to get involved.
In 1776, our founders knew something that we still know today: Our freedoms are worth fighting for. Our values are worth fighting for. Our future is worth fighting for.
Together, 248 years later, we’re not going to give up that fight.
Yours,
Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street.
