Friend,

Last week, we experienced both hope and horror. The hope of the new Georgia, where Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock were elected to the U.S. Senate, and all that means in terms of what the Biden administration can accomplish; and the horror of a president inciting a mob to attempt a coup and thwart the constitutional, peaceful transfer of presidential power. We need to have the perspective and wisdom to hold both of these truths at the same time.

I was in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. The AFT office is down the street from the Capitol. You heard lots of sirens midday, but it was clear how completely ill-prepared the city was for the armed mobs marching to the Capitol after Trump’s speech and after calls on social media to overturn the election. Trump enabled domestic terrorists to storm the Capitol and threaten the lives of duly elected officials. As a result, at least five people are dead, including one member of the U.S. Capitol Police.

This reprehensible failure of the executive branch to protect the legislative branch is unconscionable, and for the safety of this country, Trump cannot leave office soon enough. The night of the insurrection, the AFT executive council unanimously demanded Trump’s removal from office.

What we saw in Washington was not a protest, it was an insurrection. President Trump, his accomplices and allies are guilty of incitement and must be held accountable. That starts with Trump’s immediate removal from office. And now that Twitter has finally held Trump accountable by permanently banning him, the Congress and Cabinet have a responsibility to hold Trump responsible as well.

We must also deal with all the ramifications of the radicalism Trump has enabled, and how to confront this domestic terrorism. To do this, we must look to the future as we now know the contours of the new government.

Beginning Jan. 20, Democrats will control the House and Senate. Joe Biden will be president, and Kamala Harris will be vice president. Marty Walsh, a former union president, is the nominee for secretary of labor; and Miguel Cardona, a former AFT member, is the nominee for secretary of education.

The first 100 days of the Biden administration will be historic. And while we have worked hard with the transition, now it’s time to make sure your priorities are front and center.

Click here to tell us what you want us to focus on with the Biden administration, as well as with the Senate and House of Representatives.

For education, we must do more than simply say good riddance to Betsy DeVos. It is not just about undoing the damage she’s done. Now is the time to think about how we’re going to build something better. To build a renaissance in public education and a resurgence of labor organizing; to tackle COVID-19 and to have the resources and the safety protocols and vaccines to reopen schools safely; to ensure that public employees and healthcare workers get the respect and the support they need to play their essential role in America; to make President-elect Biden’s words—that workers need power—real in nominating Marty Walsh as labor secretary.

Every person in America needs power, not just the rich and well placed. Every person in America deserves the right to thrive. And through the work we do in education, healthcare, public services and the labor movement, we will fight for that every day for our members, our families, our communities and all the people we serve.

As we look at how we’re going to engage over the next 100 days, I want to know that you’re with us. So whether you’re an AFT member or an ally, take a moment to tell us your priorities.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT president