Indivisibles,
Big news: on Friday, we launched our newest guide, “Indivisible: A
Practical Guide for Fixing our Democracy.” Everything we’ve witnessed over
the last few days (and, let’s face it, the last four years) has made it
clearer than ever that we have to keep fighting for progressive change --
and that if we want a chance of winning any of our priorities, building a
stronger, more resilient democracy has to be first on the agenda.
Today, we want to pull out some of the key highlights of the new plan: how
we got here, what’s at stake, and our strategy for the next era. And,
spoiler alert, we’re going to ask you to support all the work we need to
do together -- if you’re ready to do that right now, [ [link removed] ]click here to make
a donation to Indivisible Project to fund our democracy reform initiatives
and all our plans this year.
The Backstory
The original Indivisible Guide, that fateful 2016 Google Doc that brought
this movement together, was all about resistance. In the face of a Trump
administration hellbent on dismantling rights and destroying democratic
norms, Indivisibles across the country came together to demand better.
Since then, we’ve fought against the Trump tax scam, helped secure the
future of the ACA, impeached a president, and more. Throughout weeks of
action, call-in days, in-person and virtual events, and more, we’ve
accomplished so much together.
The new guide ([ [link removed] ]read it here!) is the next logical step for this
movement. Beginning January 20, Democrats will once again hold a trifecta
in the federal government, with control of the White House, Senate, and
House of Representatives. So we’ve got a short window of time --
realistically, not much more than a year -- to implement major reforms
that will strengthen and protect democracy far into the future.
What’s at Stake
We’ve got a lot to do in this window of opportunity we’ve got. We say this
a lot, but we know that Trump is a symptom, not the problem, and that
Trumpism isn’t going anywhere without a fight. Republicans have been
systematically dismantling our democracy for decades -- because they know
their policies are unpopular.
It’s simply a fact that progressive policies -- whether economic justice,
accessible and affordable health care, a comprehensive climate plan,
compassionate immigration policies, or others -- are broadly popular, even
across political parties. Republican elected officials are the ones with a
radical agenda, and they’re willing to take our government and our people
hostage to push it through and protect the wealthy, white elite’s
interests.
To guard against that, we need to build a better democracy that truly puts
the power in the hands of the people.
The Plan to Make It Happen
The new guide is all about how we can use this trifecta moment to win real
reform -- and what it’ll take to do it. We start with some lessons from
the last Democratic trifecta in 2009: we have to be prepared for the same
Republican obstruction, and we offer some plans for making sure we don’t
make the same mistakes twice.
Then, we have some ideas about how to fix our democracy. We don’t have
much time, and there’s a lot to repair, so we need to focus on structural,
lasting changes to put power into the hands of the people. And we’re
keeping our eyes on changes that can be accomplished through simple
legislation to maximize our chances of success.
Finally, we’ve got tips for influencing members of Congress (we call them
MoCs) in this new political reality. No matter where your MoC stands,
we’re demystifying their thought processes and helping you find the best
ways to organize and pressure them for real change.
What It Takes
We’ve had four years of practice at pressuring MoCs and other elected
officials, and we know we’ll need to kick all our actions into high gear
to achieve these lofty goals. Though we’re not naive enough to pretend we
know everything this year holds, here are some of the things we’re
expecting to be doing this year:
* Calling elected representatives’ offices -- early and often. Direct
communication from constituents is still one of the most important
levers we have for making things happen in government, and we host all
the tools activists need to make their voices heard.
* Planning and supporting events and days of action. We’re committed to
supporting local activists as they host virtual and, when it’s safe,
in-person events to build momentum and get media and community
attention. Whether that means providing materials, support from
organizers, training on the latest tools, or anything else, we’re here
to make it possible.
* Providing in-depth policy guidance and interpreting the latest
developments. When news drops, our staff leaps into action to dissect
the situation, develop explainers, and make recommendations on the
best actions to take.
* Sending out updates on news and actions. Whether it’s through emails
(like this one!), text messages (text INDIVISIBLE to 97779 to sign
up!), social media like [ [link removed] ]Twitter and [ [link removed] ]Facebook, or on our
[ [link removed] ]website, we’re committed to getting you the latest news -- and what
you can do about it.
The fact is that all these tools and resources, and all the other ones
we’ll need to create along the way, cost money. We don’t doubt this year
is going to include a lot of rapid-response moments, so we’re asking you
to [ [link removed] ]chip in now to support our work so we’re always ready to respond as
soon as possible.
If you’ve saved your information with ActBlue Express Lane, your donation
to Indivisible Project will go through immediately:
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The last week, the last few months, the last four years have been trying
for us all. We’re getting right down to the work because we know we don’t
have much time to waste -- and we may not get another chance. As always,
we’re proud to struggle alongside you, and we encourage you to take care
of yourself and your communities.
In solidarity,
Indivisible Team
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