Indivisibles,

BIG news -- D.C. statehood (H.R. 51) just passed on the floor of the House
yesterday. We’ve been fighting for this for months, and this is a huge
victory for our movement and everyone who made calls, videos, and more to
encourage their representative to pass it.

D.C. statehood is one piece of our sweeping democracy reform plan to enact
real transformative change: the For the People Project. And our work is
far from finished. Below, you can read a lot more about our plan, why we
think it’s important, and what it’ll take to make it happen. Here’s the
short version:

* We need to pass key democracy reform bills, like D.C. statehood (now
S. 51!), the For the People Act (S. 1), the John Lewis Voting Rights
Act (H.R. 4), and more to renew and expand our democracy.
* To have a chance of doing it, we need to transform institutions like
the Senate (ahem, #EliminateTheFilibuster) to be more democratic and
representative.
* We’re using every advocacy tool we’ve honed over the last four years
-- from calls to members of Congress to digital, print, and radio ads
to virtual and in-person events nationwide -- to put the pressure on
Congress.
* More detail below, but if you’re in a hurry, here’s our request: we
can’t do any of it without grassroots funding. [ [link removed] ]Click here to donate
$10 to fund our programming, ads, and more and enable us to reach all
our major progressive goals this year.

Why is democracy reform our #1 priority?

We’ve been talking about it for months (okay, let’s be honest...years),
and now that we have a federal Democratic trifecta 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. We’ve already seen major progress on these priorities, and we’re
constantly coordinating with our partners on Capitol Hill and in the
movement to inform our strategy. Here’s a look at our major priorities
right now:

* Expanding voting rights, combating corruption, and building a more
participatory electoral process, specifically through H.R. 1/S. 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/S. 51.^1 D.C. has a population
of more than 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 S. 1,
H.R. 4, and S. 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 [ [link removed] ]click here to make a donation right now to fund our democracy
reform plans and all our other work.

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 momentum 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, keeping this plan in 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 engaging
and amplifying 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 ([ [link removed] ]click here to write
your own!), and other media coverage in all our target districts and
in national media outlets.
* Build [ [link removed] ]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, newspaper and radio ads in key states to build
pressure on crucial 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 $700,000 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. As always,
we’ll continue to be in touch with actions you can take to get involved,
from calling your members of Congress to joining your local groups in
their plans. [ [link removed] ]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.

If you’ve saved your information with ActBlue Express Lane, your donation
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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

--

^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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