Indivisibles,

The big topic of conversation around kitchen tables and group chats over the past week: What the **** is up with Trump’s cabinet picks? 

• For Attorney General, Trump nominated Matt Gaetz -- a guy who’s been investigated for child sex trafficking, allegedly attended drug-fueled parties with minors, and whose own colleagues could scarce believe had a law degree. 
• For HHS Secretary, Trump nominated an abortion-ban-promoting anti-vax poster boy who believes in some of the most loony conspiracy theories out there (like chem trails). Some are laughable. Some have cost people their lives. All make RFK Jr. a pretty horrifying choice to lead our top health agencies. 
• For Secretary of Defense, Trump’s chosen a Fox News broadcaster whose biggest qualification seems to be “looking the part” and/or “he’s on my TV!” Pete Hegseth has never managed anything but is now nominated to oversee the biggest bureaucracy in the world. The “insider threat” thing is a bit concerning, too. 

The list goes on and on. And eventually, the conversation about all these picks inevitably leads to this question: Will the Senate actually confirm any of these dangerously unqualified clowns? 

The truth is, we don’t know. What we can tell you is: We have a plan to fight back. 

That plan is the new Indivisible Guide that we shared with you last week. There’s no section specifically on “stopping confirmations of people who intend to destroy our institutions and turn federal agencies into Trump’s personal attack dogs” but the blueprint for pressuring your senators -- red or blue -- is in there.

And if we execute on that blueprint, then yes -- we stand a chance of getting a few Republican senators to sum up the thimbleful of courage it takes to say, “Matt Gaetz should not lead the Justice Department, FFS.”

These and many other fights lie ahead. But right now, in this moment, there’s work we can be doing to help safeguard our democracy against the incoming Trump administration. There are judges we need to confirm. There’s an ethics report on Matt Gaetz that needs to be released. There are Democratic trifectas in 17 states that need to get to work.

We still have a Democratic White House and Senate, and we’ve got a groundswell of grassroots determination. Let’s put it all to work. 

With that, check out your weekly to-do’s:

 Your 5 weekly to-dos 

1. Read the new Indivisible Guide -- Our new “Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink” is our gameplan for getting through the next two years with our democracy as intact as possible. It provides tangible ways to organize locally and leverage the power we have to block the most dangerous elements of the Trump agenda. Read it, share it, and let’s continue building a movement that has the power to save our democracy. (More on the new guide below!)
2. Contact your Democratic senators and tell them to confirm Biden’s judicial nominees -- There are at least 29 pro-democracy judges waiting to be confirmed ahead of the new administration, folks who have been handpicked by Biden for their diversity, ethics, and commitment to justice. If the Senate doesn’t confirm them all before Trump takes power, he’ll be able to stack the judiciary with MAGA sycophants. We cannot let that happen.
3. Contact your Democratic representative and tell them to vote NO on H.R. 9495 -- Last week, Indivisibles helped defeat H.R. 9495, a bill that would give Trump unchecked power to shut down any organization that stands in the way of his agenda. We did that through a combination of rapid-response pressure, and because the bill required a 2/3rds majority to pass. Despite the bill failing, 52 Democrats inexplicably voted “yes” on this abuse of power. Unfortunately, this week Republicans are bringing another vote on the bill, this time only requiring a simple majority. So we’ve got to keep up the pressure. Even if Republicans pass this bill in the House, Democrats need to send the message that they won’t rubber stamp Trump’s power grabs. 
4. Join us on Wednesday, November 20 at 7pm ET/4pm PT to find out how to start your own Indivisible group -- Are you interested in being part of a local network of like minded people who want to fight to protect our freedoms, families, and futures during the next Trump administration? Join us for a brief overview of Indivisible and how you can begin building a local network of action takers in your community that will be supported by a national movement.
5. Join Indivisible co-founders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg for coffee and conversation this Thursday, November 21 at 3pm ET/12pm PT -- Join Ezra, Leah, and Indivisibles across the country for a post-election and post-guide-release Coffee Klatch. Leah and Ezra will be there to answer as many questions as possible, so be sure to register and submit yours ahead of time.

P.S. -- The policies we advocate for and the rights we defend all hinge on our relentless pursuit of a government that works for everyone. Our work is far from done; it's an ongoing commitment to our values and our future. Chip in today to ensure we can keep pushing, keep fighting, and keep making our voices heard.

Indivisible: A Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink

Sequels suck, and Trump 2.0 will be no exception. But we’re not just going to sit back and let this horror show play out. Are you ready to channel that inner outrage into something fierce and formidable? Ready to turn dismay into determination? Then get ready for Trump 2.0 by reading our new Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink. 

Our new guide is an update on our original Practical Guide to Defeating Trump’s Agenda, and it’s full of information, tips, and strategies designed to help you harness your power, organize effectively, and push back as Trump seeks to undermine our democracy and impose Project 2025.

Read the new guide, share it with your friends, and get ready to organize Trump and his cronies right out of power. 

Democrats Safeguarding Democracy: A Blueprint for Blue States

In response to the potential impacts of a second Trump administration, Democratic governors across the country have moved swiftly to protect their states’ progressive policies. Governors like Gavin Newsom (CA), JB Pritzker (IL), and Kathy Hochul (NY) have jumped into action to strengthen protections for reproductive healthcare, the environment, and civil liberties for the residents of their states. (We’ll be pushing them to go farther, don’t worry!)

If you live in one of the 17 states with a Democratic trifecta, check out our new toolkit, Democrats Safeguarding Democracy: A Blueprint For Blue States to Prepare for Trump 2.0 – it will help lead you through talking to your elected officials about protecting the residents of your state against federal policies that would undermine their health, safety, and freedoms. 

Exodus from X

Last year, Indivisible announced that we would be stepping back from X (formerly Twitter) because the platform had become, let’s face it, a megaphone for bigotry and misinformation. That was before Musk turned it into an arm of the Trump campaign.

At the time, a lot of people and orgs (many for good reason) were hesitant to leave X behind. So we introduced the X Last pledge as a way to encourage folks to de-prioritize the platform and start building healthier communities elsewhere. You can still take the X-Last pledge (or encourage orgs you support to take it) here.

We’re heartened to see the mass exodus from X that’s been happening since the election, as it becomes increasingly clear that it will serve as little more than a propaganda outlet for the incoming administration.

If you’re looking for alternatives, we invite you to join us on BlueSky, Threads, and Mastodon to keep up on the latest information. And for those new to BlueSky, we’ve got a starter pack we’ll be continuously updating with some suggested follows here.

IndivisiWins

Necessary Trouble in Decatur, GA held a get together for their members this past weekend, stressing the importance of leaning into community connections and providing hope for folks who attended.

That's it for this week's newsletter, Indivisibles. Thanks for reading this far, and thank you for all you do.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team