Indivisibles,

Yesterday, President Biden 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 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 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 -- 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:

 Your weekly to-dos 

1. 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. 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 reading our resource on eliminating the filibuster. Then, keep making calls all week until it’s a thing of the past.
3. 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. Click here to read about the For the People Act. Then, click here to learn about D.C. statehood.
4. 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. 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. 

 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, 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 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. 

 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 -- 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 -- 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 -- Register here.
February 3 at 3 pm EST -- 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 -- 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 -- Register here.
February 5 at 3 pm EST -- Register here.

 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. 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?

 IndivisWin of the Week 

Even amid impeachment proceedings, Indivisible groups haven’t forgotten the names of the 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 Indivisible Groups are wasting no time in organizing against him:

Groups from all over the Lone Star State are 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