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John,

We are now 24 days into this government shutdown, and I just want to say it plainly: the total inaction from Washington is a disgrace, one that hurts real people and weakens our country.  

You may have seen the new chart we shared on how military families are being impacted. Many were already living paycheck to paycheck, and soon they may go without pay altogether. That is not acceptable. 

With little sign of progress toward a resolution, it is so easy for all of us to feel hopeless. But even in the middle of this mess, there are signs that better days are possible. Some folks call them “green shoots” – early signs that something better might be taking root. I wanted to share a few that stood out to me this week.  

First, in the U.S. Senate. A few weeks ago, Senator John Fetterman said he would never vote to shut down the government, and he followed through. He voted for both the Democratic and Republican plans to keep the lights on. Neither passed, but he made his position clear: shutdowns are always foolish and destructive. 

Just this past week, he broke ranks again, voting with Republicans to make sure federal workers got paid. His comment was simple: “My vote was our country over my party.” If only we heard that more on Capitol Hill. 

Second, a green shoot in Michigan. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running for governor, not as a Democrat or a Republican, but as an independent. His pitch is straightforward: voters are fed up with partisanship and want results. And Duggan is not just running to make a point, but to lead the 10th-most populous state in the country. 

A recent poll showed him neck and neck with the Democratic and Republican frontrunners. Voters across the state are showing real openness to an independent candidate. After all, this is someone who helped steer Detroit back from bankruptcy after it became a symbol of America’s financial woes. He knows how to fix what is broken. And right now, much is broken.  

Finally, let us zoom out to Bolivia, a country that has spent the past two decades under far-left leaders who oversaw failing economies and democratic backsliding. Earlier this month, Bolivians chose something different. They elected Rodrigo Paz, a centrist who ran on unity, stability, and cleaning up government. He said he would work with anyone willing to focus on solutions, and that message won. For now, Bolivia is an outlier in the region, where ideological leaders are the norm. But change has to start somewhere. 

None of these stories make the shutdown go away or the dysfunction in Congress disappear. But they do remind us that change is possible, even in the unlikeliest places. There are still leaders, here and around the world, willing to speak plainly, break from the extremes, and do the real work of public service. 

Next week, our Chief Strategist Ryan Clancy will lead a listening call with our community to discuss where things stand in Washington and how we can keep supporting this kind of leadership. We would love for you to join us. 

Thanks for reading, 

 
Margaret White 

Co-Executive Director

Shutdown Listening Call With Chief Strategist Ryan Clancy

Wednesday, Oct 29 at 5:00 PM ET

As the government shutdown stretches on, we want to hear from you how our movement can help support commonsense leaders committed to doing the right thing. Join our Chief Strategist Ryan Clancy for a listening call to share your thoughts.

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Check out The Latest for insights and analysis on the most important issues of the day; driven by common sense, not partisanship.

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