John, this is outrageous: more than 400 voter suppression bills have been introduced in states nationwide this year -- many specifically targeting Black and Brown voters. [1]
At the same time, state politicians are gearing up to draw gerrymandered maps rigged for their own partisan advantage. And much of this anti-democracy manipulation is backed by wealthy special interests pouring in millions of dollars -- often in secret.
BEWARE -- if the 2022 midterm elections are held under these conditions, eligible Americans across the country could be cut out. This would clear a path back to power for the anti-democracy, conspiracy-peddling forces stoked by Donald Trump.
Sign the Petition: The Senate must not let Mitch McConnell block the Freedom to Vote Act -- whether that means fixing the undemocratic filibuster or abolishing it altogether >>
John, the Freedom to Vote Act -- a modified version of the For the People Act -- would protect voters’ rights, end partisan gerrymandering, hold politicians accountable, and more. But as long as Senate Republicans are allowed to abuse the filibuster to stymie progress, they’ll be able to keep our dangerous status quo in place.
In case you haven’t heard: the filibuster is a parliamentary loophole that requires 60 Senate votes, instead of a simple majority, to even begin debate on most bills. It largely took hold during the Jim Crow era and was infamously used by racist senators to impede civil rights legislation.
But now, this outdated Senate maneuver could shut down a bill that would not only protect our democracy from the GOP’s onslaught against the freedom to vote -- but that also has robust support from voters in red, blue, and purple states.
The best thing for our democracy would be to abolish the filibuster altogether -- and with enough targeted pressure, we can get it done. But at the very least, our senators should be ready to amend the filibuster to make sure the Freedom to Vote Act gets a fair vote.
If you agree that this all-important bill can’t wait, add your name today and urge the Senate to take swift and bold action.
We cannot let Senate Republicans continue exploiting a Jim Crow relic to silence voters, keep Big Money in politics, rig our district maps, and more. I hope you’ll speak out today, John.
Thanks for all you do,
Devon Nir, Digital Strategies Manager
and the team at Common Cause
P.S. Help us respect your inbox! We occasionally partner with like-minded groups for campaigns like this. If you'd rather just hear from us on Common Cause-only campaigns -- please fill out this one-click form, and we’ll remove you from these emails.
1) https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-july-2021
