Indivisibles,

Yesterday, President Biden [ [link removed] ]invited a bipartisan group of senators to
discuss his proposed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. Some
Republicans on the call were quick to question the cost of relief, seeming
to suggest that last month's stopgap relief package signed by Trump will
be enough to sustain Americans for the next few months of this pandemic.
This line of thinking is rich coming from senators like Mitt Romney and
Susan Collins, whose privileged positions make it easy for them to worry
more about the national debt than the needs of millions of struggling
Americans. Their hesitation is irresponsible and insensitive. December's
package barely filled the hole left by the six months Congress spent
debating, and Americans still need help now. 

By raising concerns about the national debt, these Republicans are showing
a fundamental misunderstanding of the moment. COVID-19 relief is being
held up [ [link removed] ]just as another 900,000 people filed new unemployment claims
and an additional 423,000 people in 47 states filed new claims for
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. And the situation has been dire for a
long time now: it’s been 45 straight weeks that jobless claims have
remained higher than the worst week of the Great Recession. 

Our latest [ [link removed] ]Indivisible Guide anticipated this kind of bad-faith
behavior: Republicans have used bipartisanship as a way to delay and
obstruct progress, and too often, Democrats have given up on their
priorities and wasted their power in the name of compromise. That’s why
we’re prioritizing democracy reform as a means of achieving all of our
progressive goals. One of the ways we plan to unrig the system is by
eliminating the filibuster. As the Senate rules exist today, the
filibuster would effectively cancel out our slim majority by requiring a
60-vote threshold before passing, say, a COVID-19 relief package. Senate
leadership is debating the fate of the filibuster as they develop rules
for a Senate Organizing Resolution -- [ [link removed] ]call your senators today to
demand they hold firm against McConnell’s attempts to hijack power and
commit to eliminating the filibuster. 

The moment calls for our leaders to take bold, decisive action. We fought
hard for a Democratic Trifecta, let’s make sure we make the most of it. 

And with that, your weekly to-dos:

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 Your weekly to-dos 

 1. [ [link removed] ]Call your senators to ask them to commit to voting to remove and
disqualify Trump from office. An impeachment trial won’t begin in the
Senate until February 8 (more on that below), but we need to keep
calling so they know we still care. The Senate must vote to convict,
remove, and disqualify Trump from ever holding federal office again.
This is a fight we believe we can win -- but only if we bring enough
pressure.
 2. [ [link removed] ]Call your senators to demand that they hold firm and not give in to
McConnell’s gambit to maintain power in the Senate. With such a slim
majority in the Senate, eliminating the filibuster is crucial if we
hope to pass progressive legislation (think: democracy reform,
universal healthcare, climate change legislation, and more!). Learn
more about this undemocratic rule and how we plan to address it by
[ [link removed] ]reading our resource on eliminating the filibuster. Then, keep
making calls all week until it’s a thing of the past.
 3. [ [link removed] ]Learn more about our plans for democracy reform. Now that we have a
Democratic Trifecta, we have to move quickly to unrig our democracy so
all of our other priorities can be within reach. With our democracy in
crisis, we’re setting our sights on passing H.R. 1, the For the People
Act, a robust reform package that targets voter suppression,
gerrymandering, money in politics, corruption, and more. Also on our
agenda, passing H.R. 51 to make D.C. the 51st state. [ [link removed] ]Click here to
read about the For the People Act. Then, [ [link removed] ]click here to learn about
D.C. statehood.
 4. [ [link removed] ]Join the Build Back Fossil Free Digital Rally TOMORROW at 8 pm
EST. We’re overjoyed by Biden’s decision to revoke the permit for the
Keystone Pipeline. Now, it’s up to all of us to demand he follows
through with more bold actions to combat climate change. Join climate
activists and frontline leaders tomorrow night to make sure our
leaders know we want to see the end of the era of fossil fuels.
 5. [ [link removed] ]Join our 2021 Strategy Session on Sunday, January 31 at 3 pm EST.
We’ve won a Democratic Trifecta, and we plan to make the most of it.
Join this half-day strategy session where we’ll discuss the road ahead
and how you can get involved. 

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 Impeachment Updates 

Tonight, Speaker Nancy Pelosi will transmit the articles of impeachment to
the Senate. However, due to the need to pass COVID-19 relief and install
Biden’s Cabinet, the Senate won’t start the impeachment trial until
February 8. Trump is accused of “inciting violence against the government
of the United States” for his actions and statements that encouraged the
insurrection at the Capitol Building on January 6. 

We know that many Republican senators are considering doing the right
thing and convicting Trump, but it will still be a fight to get a ⅔
majority. This IS a winnable fight, but we have to keep up the momentum to
make sure our senators know we still care. We need everyone to do their
part, [ [link removed] ]call your senators and demand they convict Trump for his crimes
and ensure he can never hold public office again.

In addition to Trump’s trial, the Senate still needs to agree to an
Organizing Resolution that decides who holds power in Congress under a
50-50 split. Without an Organizing Resolution, the Senate cannot go about
its business, and we won’t be able to do anything, including delivering on
COVID-19 relief. While Democrats won the Senate fair and square, McConnell
is threatening to filibuster the Organizing Resolution and delay Senate
business unless Democrats agree to keep the filibuster through the 117th
Congress. This is an unprecedented ask and just another attempt by
Republicans to rule as the minority party. 

You can read more about this in our [ [link removed] ]filibuster resource, but it’s an
important reminder of why we need to eliminate the filibuster or risk not
accomplishing anything under the Democratic trifecta. Republicans will do
anything to cling to power, and the filibuster is a tool they will exploit
to keep Democrats from moving their majority-backed agenda. The filibuster
has already been eliminated for judicial nominees, and we can remove it
for legislation, too, with a simple majority
vote. 

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 National Events 

Build Back Fossil Free Digital Rally 
Take part in this digital rally featuring frontline leaders calling on
President Biden to take bold executive action to end the era of fossil
fuel production, protect communities reeling from the climate and COVID-19
crises, and #BuildBackFossilFree.
Date: TOMORROW, January 26 at 8 pm EST -- [ [link removed] ]Register here. 

We Won, What's Next? Indivisible’s 2021 Strategy Session
Join us for this half-day strategy session, where we will discuss our
plans to reform our democracy as we head into a Democratic trifecta! We’ll
be taking deep dives into the issues we’re prioritizing with our new
power, highlighting the work that got us to this point and the lessons
that will carry us forward. If you thrive in a community and want to learn
how to make a strategic impact, these trainings are for you.
Date: Sunday, January 31 at 3 pm EST -- [ [link removed] ]Register here. 

New Year, New Plan: Working with Red MoCs
This hour-long training session will cover how to work with your
Republican member of Congress. We know that there are so many unique
challenges that come along with organizing in a red area, so throughout
this training, we will cover some effective strategies and tactics to
working with your conservative members. Of course, we will leave some time
for questions along the way.
Dates: February 2 at 8 pm EST -- [ [link removed] ]Register here.
February 3 at 3 pm EST -- [ [link removed] ]Register here.  

February National Activist Call
A lot is moving in Washington right now: COVID-19 relief negotiations,
impeachment proceedings, and establishing the Senate Organizing
Resolution. Join activists and group leaders to discuss these issues and
our next steps during our next monthly National Activist Call.
Date: February 4 at 8 pm EST -- [ [link removed] ]Register here.    

New Year, New Plan: Working with Blue MoCs
This hour-long training session will cover how to work with your
Democratic member of Congress. We know there is a broad spectrum when it
comes to Democratic members, we will discuss the differences across the
Democratic Party from progressive Dems to working with conservative
Democrats. We will also spend time exploring strategies and tactics for
holding your Democratic member accountable during a trifecta. Of course,
we will leave some time for questions along the way.
Dates: February 4 at 7 pm EST -- [ [link removed] ]Register here.
February 5 at 3 pm EST -- [ [link removed] ]Register here.



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 Support our Movement 

From the Trump tax scam and protecting the Affordable Care Act to building
a nationwide grassroots network of policy activists, Indivisibles have
been hard at work for years in service of a vision for what this country
can become when we give power to the people. We have a chance to
accomplish major progressive change this year on all our priorities, and
it hinges on creating a democracy that services us. With a Democratic
trifecta in the federal government, all these priorities are within reach
-- but only if we achieve long-overdue democracy reforms to make sure our
government is accountable to the people. 

It’s going to take a lot of work: writing resources and in-depth policy
explainers, building websites, hosting calling tools, and helping develop
activists on the ground across the country. The stakes are high, and the
costs are too -- all in all, we’re looking at a multi-million dollar
effort to enact real change this year. We rely on grassroots support from
people like you to make it possible. [ [link removed] ]Can you donate $10 to Indivisible
now to help us hold Republicans accountable, fund our continually updated
policy guidance, and keep us working on this and all our upcoming fights
throughout this year?

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 IndivisWin of the Week 

Even amid impeachment proceedings, Indivisible groups haven’t forgotten
the names of the [ [link removed] ]members of Congress who voted to overturn the
election results or those who incited the violent attack on the Capitol.
An especially loud propagandist, Senator Ted Cruz, is just one of the many
members of Congress who must be held accountable for their complicity, and
[ [link removed] ]Indivisible Groups are wasting no time in organizing against him:

 

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Groups from all over the Lone Star State are [ [link removed] ]coming together to demand
that Senator Cruz and other elected officials resign and are holding
demonstrations outside of their district offices to make sure they’re
heard. 

We’re so grateful for the work of Texas Indivisibles who are demanding
accountability at every level of government. This is the constituent power
that laid the groundwork for a Democratic Trifecta, and it’s here to stay.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team

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