john,
One election won’t magically fix the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade’s constitutional protection for abortion rights. But this election is still hugely important, and we are not helpless.
The most straightforward fix would be to pass a new federal law protecting the right to abortion. And the only reason it hasn’t happened yet is because the filibuster allows a minority of Republicans to stop legislation from moving forward. We need 50 votes to change that rule. And while we have 50 Democratic senators right now, two of them oppose getting rid of the filibuster.
That’s really frustrating, but here’s the good news: If we elect two more Democratic senators – and keep our majority in the House – we can get this done. That’s our first big chance to change things, and it really is possible if enough people show up at the polls.
If you’re sick of being promised that voting in the next election will fix everything, well, I get it. But frustration isn’t a strategy, and we need to understand what this fight looks like long-term.
The truth is, no matter what happens in these elections, the fight over abortion rights is going to continue for a long time. The anti-choice radicals who want to control women’s bodies are not giving up. And if we want a government that protects our freedom instead of taking it away, we can’t give up, either.
That’s how democracy works. It isn’t a one-shot deal and it’s not the only thing we’re going to need you to do. This fight isn’t just going to happen at the ballot box. It’s going to take place in courtrooms and in city council chambers and in corporate boardrooms and in the streets. And by the way, it’s going to require fixing not just our laws, but the Supreme Court and our democracy itself — and you have a role to play in all of that.
That also means it’s not just who is at the top of your ballot tomorrow that will protect abortion rights. It really, really matters whether your state’s attorney general is okay with putting women in jail for having an abortion, whether your state’s elections officials are willing to help right-wingers steal power when they don’t have the votes, and whether your local school board member wants to shove anti-choice propaganda down your kids’ throats.
So, here’s the deal: this election isn’t the only battle that matters, but it’s the one we’re facing right now. And there are three things you can do to make the biggest impact possible:
- First, make sure — make absolutely sure — that your vote is counted. Go to iwillvote.com right now to check your registration. Make a plan for how you’re going to vote tomorrow. And write that plan down, in ink.
- Second, when you do vote, be prepared to vote for every office on the ballot. Members of Congress have a lot of power in this fight, but so do state legislators and secretaries of state and even city councilors. If you need help figuring out which candidates are on your side, go to voteprochoice.us/voter-guide.
- Third, pledge to do one thing this election cycle that you’ve never done before. There’s still time to make a big impact on tomorrow’s election. If you’ve never phone banked, sign up to make calls. If you’ve never gone door knocking, try it. If you’ve never donated, see if you can spare a few dollars. And if you’ve done everything you can think of, recruit a friend who hasn’t.
This is not an easy time to be part of this fight. But that’s what makes it such an important time. So, take a deep breath and get ready to wade in. It starts with tomorrow – but this election is just the beginning.
— Tina
