We’re demanding that members of Congress lead for the people and use Democrats’ new majority to remake our democracy Indivisibles,
It’s official -- we’ve just launched our latest program: the For the People Project. It’s our comprehensive campaign plan to realize the all-important day one democracy agenda we’ve been talking about for years and build momentum toward achieving our progressive priorities.
These plans form the cornerstone of everything we’re going to be working on this year. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover with a precious Democratic trifecta -- from transformative democracy reforms to the climate, immigration, health care, COVID-19 relief, and economic justice policies they’ll enable. And, realistically, we’ve only got about a year to make it all happen before the political momentum shifts.
So, as you’ve come to expect from us, below we'll go into detail about this new plan, how we’re going to put it into action, and how you can help make it possible. But if you want to cut to the chase and support us right away, the best thing you can do right now is click here to make a donation to Indivisible to power our democracy plans and fund all the calls, events, town halls, and other work we’ll do this year.
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Why is democracy reform our #1 priority?
We’ve been talking about it for months (okay, let’s be honest...years), and now we’re finally in a position to push some really bold democracy reforms. So why are we fighting so hard for these reforms, and what do they mean for the rest of our priorities?
The first reason is simple: we believe that power should rest in the hands of the people, and making our democracy work is important for its own sake. Whether it’s expanding voting rights, ensuring representation for all, or reforming the legislative process to prioritize the people over corporate interests, we know that it’s simply the right thing to do. It’s especially important when you consider how anti-democratic interests have worked specifically against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) starting from the very foundations of our country.
Beyond the purest principled reasons, we also know that most of our progressive priorities just don’t stand a chance as long as the rules remain rigged. Republicans know that their policies are deeply unpopular -- so they’ve spent decades undermining democratic norms to stay in power and prevent progress. Without fair representation and a people-centered legislative process, we can’t move the priorities that have the biggest impact on our everyday lives. Strengthening our democracy is the only thing that will put us in a position to win all the other policies we want to pass.
What’s the plan?
This fight is crucial, which means we need a solid plan to make it happen in this brief window of opportunity. Luckily, that’s exactly what we do best. As we see progress on these priorities, we’ll continue to coordinate with our partners on Capitol Hill and in the movement to inform our strategy. Right now, here’s a look at what we know we’re prioritizing in the coming months:
- Expanding voting rights, combating corruption, and building a more participatory electoral process, specifically through H.R. 1 (the For the People Act) and H.R. 4 (the John Lewis Voting Rights Act). With rampant voter suppression targeting voters of color, immigrants, and poor communities across the country, enshrining and expanding the right to participate in our democracy has become more and more urgent.
- Enacting D.C. statehood through H.R. 51.1 D.C. has a population of almost 700,000 (more than Wyoming or Vermont), and it represents an increasingly diversifying electorate nationwide (if D.C. were a state, it’d be the only majority-minority state in the country). None of those people have voting representation in the House or Senate. The way the Senate was designed caters to the shrinking conservative base, and it’s time to expand representation to reflect the true needs of the people.
- Eliminating the filibuster, a relic of the Jim Crow era that’s been used for decades to slow progress and prevent racial justice initiatives and other progressive priorities. With the filibuster in his pocket, Mitch McConnell can run the show even when his party is in the minority. We have to prove him wrong.
All in all, we’re demanding that members of Congress lead for the people and use Democrats’ new majority to remake our democracy by passing H.R. 1, H.R. 4, and H.R. 51 urgently, without letting Mitch McConnell’s Jim Crow filibuster get in the way. Read on for specifics on how we’re going to do it -- or click here to make a $10 donation right now to get our work off to a strong start in the first 100 days.
What’s it going to take?
Even with a slim Democratic trifecta, we know it’s going to take a lot of hard work to make this all happen while we’ve got the chance. From our organizers working with local groups to build a steady drumbeat for progress across the nation, to digital staff creating the call tools, graphics, videos, and ads that get the word out, to policy staff providing the expert guidance you need every time the news breaks, getting this plan into motion is going to be our biggest project for the foreseeable future.
We’ve got some really ambitious goals that will build the pressure needed to enact all these reforms. Here are just a few of the ways we’re planning to engage and amplify the movement:
- Generate 30,000 calls to key House and Senate targets on H.R. 1 and D.C. statehood.
- Secure earned media, letters to the editor, and other media coverage in all our target districts and in national media outlets.
- Build a new website to serve as a hub for all the democracy work Indivisibles are doing, sharing toolkits and resources to expand your organizing horizons.
- Convene a working group of activists nationwide who are ready to buckle down and get deep into democracy reform efforts.
- Run targeted digital and radio ads in districts to build pressure on crucial members of the House and Senate.
- Keep up all the communications -- through email, social media, text message, and other channels -- that help activists like you stay informed and connect you with the resources and actions that will be most impactful.
That’s just the start, but we know we can’t leave any stone unturned if we want to win before time is up. That means we’re making a major investment -- all told, we’re planning to spend over $625,000 on hard tactics alone, not to mention all the staff time and digital infrastructure we’ll employ to put them all into action.
Grassroots engagement from across the movement is what makes plans like this successful, which means we need your support to do it. We’ll be in touch throughout the coming months with actions you can take to get involved, from calling your members of Congress to joining local groups in their plans. In the meantime, the absolute best way you can help get this program off the ground is to make a donation to Indivisible Project to support all our groundbreaking, democracy-saving work in 2021. We’re proud to be funded by thousands of small-dollar donors like you, an extension of our mission to make a more democratic society. Your support will help us place ads, host websites, run texting and calling campaigns, and more.
Indivisibles have spent the last four years fighting back against the Trump agenda and resisting Republican attempts to enact a cruel, kleptocratic agenda. Democrats now have full control of the federal government, but we know the systems that enabled Trumpism aren’t going away -- and we’re running out of chances to change course and make a democracy that works for the people. That’s what the For the People Project is all about: demanding that our members of Congress defend democracy and enact plans to empower all of us. Our opponents are quite literally in the minority, not just in the halls of Congress but nationwide, and together we can overcome their corrupt interests and rigged rules. We need you to join us.
In solidarity, Indivisible Team
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1 When we talk about D.C. statehood, a lot of people (understandably!) ask about Puerto Rico. We support self-determination for Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories -- meaning that we want the residents of those territories to choose how to move forward, whether that’s through statehood, independence, or some other measure.
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