John,

A shocking three out of four Republican voters don’t think Joe Biden won legitimately.^[1] About 45% even support the storming of the Capitol.^[2] The crux of the problem is Americans now occupy two separate worlds – a fact-based pro-democracy world and a Trump-based authoritarian one.

Trump spent the last four years seducing voters into his world, turning the GOP from a political party into a grotesque projection of his pathological narcissism.

Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to America. He must not be allowed to hold office ever again.

While the GOP failed to convict him, an impeachment conviction is not the only way to prevent him from holding office. Under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, anyone who has taken an oath to protect the Constitution can be barred from holding public office if they “have engaged in insurrection” against the United States.

As Constitutional expert and former Yale Law professor Bruce Ackerman has noted, a majority vote that Trump engaged in insurrection against the United States is sufficient to trigger this clause.

Democrats have the majority. They alone can make this happen.

Join me in calling on the Democrats to protect America by barring Donald Trump from ever holding political office in America again. Sign the petition >>

The end of Trump's presidency has given the nation a reprieve, but the mere possibility of him running again energizes his followers. Even if Trump doesn’t run again, without consequences, other Republicans from Ted Cruz to Josh Hawley to Nikki Haley, will continue to embrace Trumpism as the only path forward.

That’s why, unless Democrats use this moment to do what they can to end Trumpism’s hold over tens of millions of Americans, and relegate him to the dustbin of history, that reprieve may be temporary.

As we work to undo Trump’s cruelty, repair our tattered democracy, and build a better nation, we cannot allow his “acquittal” by Senate Republicans to be used to excuse the violent attack on January 6 that aimed to overthrow the U.S. government and left 5 dead.

Democrats must act. Congress must follow the law outlined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and bar Trump from ever holding office again.

It all boils down to this: If we do not hold Trump accountable, we are asking for this to happen again.

If we don’t, next time an insurrection might succeed.

Thank you in advance for joining me in standing up to save democracy in America.

Robert Reich
Co-Founder, Inequality Media Civic Action

^{[1] 3 in 4 Republicans Don't Think Joe Biden Won Election Legitimately: Poll}

^{[2] Most voters say the events at the US Capitol are a threat to democracy}