Hi, John.

The heat waves keep coming as July 4th approaches. No, not just the ones created by the weather, but the ones created by the Supreme Court, state legislatures, and Congress. These are tough times for our democracy, but also hopeful ones.

The Court just punched two more holes in disclosure and voting rights laws; state legislators continue to enact hyperpartisan voting bills; the For the People Act wasn’t even allowed to be debated in the Senate; and our attempts to create a bipartisan January 6th Commission were filibustered. Not good signs in advance of Independence Day.

But we — like so many of our fellow democracy advocates — are on the march. Specifically, at Issue One, we’re:

• Helping set up alternative mechanisms to investigate January 6th, and crafting legislation to avoid such Constitutional showdowns in the future.
• Working on bipartisan federal bills to mitigate some of the damage being done to voters at the state level — and protect the integrity of future elections. 
• Continuing to advocate for a stronger, better Congress by, most recently, boosting funding to more fairly compensate staff and interns, doubling funding for the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion, removing Confederate statues from the Capitol, and allowing DACA recipients to work in Congress.
• Expanding the phalanx for democracy. On July 1st, we helped launch the Partnership for American Democracy — a one-stop-shop for all of us who care about the future of our democracy. Watch — and be inspired by — the powerful kick-off event here.

As we reflect on our country’s upcoming birthday, we should honor the heroes who have come before us. On Juneteenth, our staff watched 1964: The Fight for a Right. With fewer means and tougher odds than us, these champions struck blows to oppression and dramatically broadened the ability for everyone to be involved in the ongoing experiment of American self-governance.

There’s a lot of work ahead, but thanks to your support, Issue One is working toward the promise of what our great republic can become.

Happy 4th of July!

All the best,

Nick

Nick Penniman
Founder and CEO, Issue One

P.S. A great listen for the long weekend: tune in to Swamp Stories to hear a powerful, insightful conversation with former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) on everything from gerrymandering, to her experience in Congress, to the RV trip she took across America alone after the 2016 election.