John, let me be blunt. Texas is the poster child for what can happen when a government isn’t accountable to the people it serves.
Here’s the Texas GOP’s recipe for disaster:
First… draw rigged, gerrymandered district maps that lock in a voter-proof, ultra-partisan legislative majority in a state that’s trending purple…
Next... use that brazen power grab to fuel another -- passing dozens of voter suppression laws targeted directly at Black and brown Texans to silence them.
Now… there’s nothing to stop them from ramming through extremist legislation, which is then rubber stamped by the Supreme Court majority engineered by Mitch McConnell.
All of these actions are, of course, deeply unpopular with ordinary Texans -- whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents -- and Gov. Greg Abbott has the low approval ratings to prove it.
But so absolute is their grip on power that many Texas politicians simply ignore public opinion in pursuit of their ideological agenda. The sad fact is, their democracy has been so devastated that there are precious few ways remaining to deliver change.
I’m sure you’re just as horrified as I am by the news out of Texas this week. But even more horrifying is the prospect that this could spread nationwide.
Sadly, John, that is precisely what will happen unless you and I take immediate action.
If the Texas blueprint for authoritarian rule is allowed to go unchecked, GOP legislators in other states will surely pursue the very same strategy. And, because the very first thing they do when they seize power is to take steps in order to keep it permanently, we must act immediately.
After all, if we hesitate and give them time to consolidate their anti-democracy gains, it could be too late.
That’s why the last, best hope for our democracy -- and the ONLY way to stop Texas Republicans’ all-out assault on our rights, is federal action. We’ve spent all summer persistently and powerfully advocating for the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act -- two groundbreaking pro-democracy bills before the Senate right now.
That’s why we’re seizing every opportunity on the table right now. Common Cause members have made millions of calls to voters in states like West Virginia and Arizona -- whose senators will decide whether we take the bold action that you and I both know is necessary. We’ve placed over 6,000 letters to the editor in local papers, held hundreds of events, and organized faith, business, and civic leaders in our target states.
John, the coordinated attacks our democracy is facing are the culmination of a decades-long far-right plan to seize power despite the majority’s wishes. In order to push back, I need you to show that you’re in this fight for the long haul too.
That’s why I’m asking today if you will step up and make a major impact, right now, by joining a special group of Common Cause members as a Guardian for Democracy.
This is a special group of members who make small, monthly gifts of $5, $10, or even $25. These steady, reliable monthly donations provide a solid base of resources that helps us plan and budget for these necessary long-term efforts before us.
Frankly, the simple act of becoming a Guardian of Democracy is one of the most important steps you can take to defend our democracy in this critical moment. And, as our way welcoming and thank you for taking this special step, we’ll send you a copy of Robert Reich’s new book, “The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It”, to say thanks >>
Sorry, I can't become a sustaining member at this time, but I’d still like to make a one-time gift to help where it’s needed most >>
The next few months will make all the difference -- and we need to give it everything we’ve got to make sure Senate Democrats seize this opportunity to rebuke the shameful anti-voter tactics we’re seeing in state after state.
What is taking place in Texas as I write you should serve as a stark reminder of how high the stakes are. I don’t want to see our democracy and our rights slip away and wonder if there is more I could have done -- and I’m so glad to know that thanks to you, I won’t have to.
Your action and mine will make all the difference,
Karen Hobert Flynn, President
and the team at Common Cause
