Hi Friend, For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, I am feeling particularly thankful this week. Rather than getting all caught up in figuring out why that is, let me tell you the top five reasons I’m feeling grateful as I don my No Labels suspenders this holiday season: #1 THE ELECTION VICTORIES OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL PROBLEM-SOLVING ALLIES This week we learned that Representatives David Valadao (R - CA) and Jared Golden (D - ME) will both be returning in the next Congress, joining Problem Solver Caucus Co-chairs Josh Gottheimer (D - NJ) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R - PA), and many others as courageous fighters for the cause. What’s impressive is that both earned their reelection after being targeted by the extremes in both parties. We lost a few Problem Solvers, but we won a lot, and for that we are appreciative for the contributors, volunteers, and voters who powered these vital wins. #2 THE MOMENTUM FOR REFORMING THE ELECTORAL COUNT ACT There is no way to know exactly what will happen in the lame duck session of Congress that will start in earnest after the Thanksgiving holiday, but the talk in Washington is that the bipartisan efforts to produce a new law to govern how elections are conducted – especially for president and vice president – could finally bear fruit before the next rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” gets belted out at your house. That would be a big triumph for two-party solutions, commonsense, and smart public policy. #3 THE POWER OF THE CENTER IN THE NEXT, CLOSELY DIVIDED CONGRESS As you can see from this Politico story, there is a great opportunity in 2023 for the Problem Solvers Caucus to be at the center of the action. Senators of both parties and even members of the House Freedom Caucus are now reaching out to members of the PSC, knowing that there are extraordinary opportunities for them to have the kind of leverage our movement should naturally have (given that we represent the majority of this nation). I’m excited to work with the PSC next year to support their efforts to enact smart laws with bipartisan support, rather than having the extremes call the shots. #4 OUR 2024 PLAN CONTINUES TO CHUG ALONG From gaining ballot access in more states for a potential No Labels presidential ticket in two years, to developing our issues agenda, to using the latest technology to identify, reach, and mobilize folks like you across the country, we are entering the New Year with our dual track plan firing on all cylinders – giving the country its only insurance policy in case both major parties nominate broadly unpopular and divisive candidates for president in 2024 AND building up the forces and leverage for our movement more powerfully than ever before. #5 YOU! The No Labels constituency is so different than most political organizations. We are for unity, not division. We are for two-party solutions in the public interest, not special interests. And we are for commonsense, not nonsense. And we are different because of members like you from coast to coast (and Hawaii and Alaska!), who want to be part of something larger than yourselves for all the right reasons. We were blow away last week by how many of you took our five-question survey to help understand your thoughts and aspirations going forward. Today, I’m asking those of you who did not take a few minutes to share your views to do so now. |