Dear MoveOn member,
Roll up your sleeves, because we have real work to do, John.
Let me explain:
When Donald Trump took the oath of office just over two weeks ago, he
swore to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United
States," only to trample on our Constitution and rule of law minutes later
by illegally proclaiming the end of birthright citizenship and issuing
"full, complete, and unconditional" pardons for more than 1,500 January 6
insurrectionists, including those who attacked Capitol police with
firearms, brass knuckles, batons, flagpoles, and bear spray.^1,2
If you look at how dictators have dismantled democracy, this is it.
"I JUST GOT THE NEWS FROM MY LAWYER … I GOT A PARDON BABY! THANK YOU
PRESIDENT TRUMP!!!" Jacob Chansley, dubbed the "QAnon Shaman" as a
reflection of his horned-animal headdress and body paint that day, posted
on X. And then he went on to post that his next plan was to buy guns.^3
Terrifying, yes. But that's Trump's point. He wants to intimidate us into
submission. He wants to drown us in outrage. He wants us to feel hopeless
and powerless.
But history shows that early, strategic opposition is crucial to stopping
authoritarian overreach. Just last week, the wave of public outrage in
response to Trump's brazen attempt to cut off federal funding for
everything from schools to veterans' care forced him to rescind the
order—at least for now.^4
And I believe deeply in what we can accomplish when we come together to
fight for our values and the common good. We have tremendous power
collectively—if we use it.
That's why I'm writing to you today to ask you to support MoveOn right
now. MoveOn has briefed me on their plans for these first critical weeks
and months of the Trump presidency. They swung into action immediately
after Trump's funding freeze became public and are acting swiftly and
strategically to show Trump and MAGA forces that ...
* There will be immediate, highly visible public opposition to attempts
to take away our freedoms and enrich Trump's billionaire friends at
our expense.
* Our movement will not be distracted by Trump's chaos and misdirection.
* We can focus our collective power where we have the most leverage.
It's just what we need in this moment. John, will you join us
in starting a monthly donation to MoveOn to help build a powerful
nationwide movement to strategically and effectively challenge Trump's
worst actions and abuses? As a grassroots organization, MoveOn gets the
resources and ability to do this work from us.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your
donation will go through immediately:
[ [link removed] ]Donate: $25 monthly
[ [link removed] ]Donate: $12 monthly
[ [link removed] ]Donate: $5 monthly
[ [link removed] ]Donate another amount monthly
[ [link removed] ]Or make a one-time gift
I'm not saying you shouldn't feel scared or overwhelmed. Allow yourself
some grace.
But do not lose hope. In addition to forcing Trump to rescind the federal
funding freeze, we've already stopped Trump's attempt to end birthright
citizenship, which is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Last week, a
Republican judge blocked Trump's action, saying, "I have been on the bench
for over four decades. I can't remember another case where the question
presented is as clear as it is here. This is a blatantly unconstitutional
order."^5
And remember, we've faced impossible odds before and prevailed. During
Trump's first term, when Republicans also controlled the House and Senate
in 2017 and 2018, MoveOn was a critical leader, helping bring millions of
us together to block major parts of Trump's agenda. Together, we did all
this:
* Saved the Affordable Care Act
* Forced Trump to end family separation at the border
* Prevented some of his most extreme policies from being implemented
* Stopped Trump from further undermining the U.S. Postal Service and
other key democratic institutions through sustained resistance
But, critically, this crucial moment demands more than just hope. It
requires concrete actions from millions of Americans joining together with
purpose and resolve.
That's precisely where MoveOn comes in, with its millions of members all
across the country. We urgently need MoveOn to help lead the fight to stop
Trump's authoritarian overreach.
Will you join us by starting a monthly donation to MoveOn to power and
sustain their critical work?
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your
donation will go through immediately:
[ [link removed] ]Donate: $25 monthly
[ [link removed] ]Donate: $12 monthly
[ [link removed] ]Donate: $5 monthly
[ [link removed] ]Donate another amount monthly
[ [link removed] ]Or make a one-time gift
America was founded in revolt against unaccountable power and wealth. We
will not tolerate this barefaced takeover. But we must act together.
Thanks for all you do.
–Robert Reich
Sources:
1. "Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump's order attempting to end
birthright citizenship," PBS News, January 23, 2025
[link removed]
2. "Trump grants sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 defendants, including rioters
who violently attacked police," AP News, January 21, 2025
[link removed]
3. "'QAnon Shaman' says he's buying 'motha f‑‑‑in guns' after Trump
pardon," The Hill, January 21, 2025
[link removed]
4. "Trump White House rescinds freeze on federal grants, reversing
course," The Washington Post, January 29, 2025
[link removed]
5. "January 23, 2025," Letters from an American, January 24, 2025
[link removed]
Want to support MoveOn's work? Donald Trump and his MAGA allies expect us
to give up. But we will not give them what they want. We will never stop
working to defend our fundamental freedoms and protect our democracy.
MoveOn has been leading the movement against right-wing extremism for 26
years, and we promise you that we will still be here every step of the way
forward.
Will you start a monthly donation to sustain MoveOn's work to protect our
freedoms and democracy under Trump's administration?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
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