Insider News from the Political Revolution!
HEADLINES: 2023 KICKOFF! | 4 New Organizing Teams! | Congrats Bernie | US Rep Greg Casar Rallies Fellow Our Rev Members | Raise the Wage Launch | Power for Grabs in Major Cities | St. Louis Basic Income | Party Takeover | & MORE!
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2023 KICKOFF!
Thanks to the great work of our members and our movement, Our Revolution is kicking off the new year strong in 2023!
Because we held the Senate by electing John Fetterman and Raphael Warnock, Bernie’s taking the helm at the powerful HELP Committee (healthcare, education, labor and pensions).
On the House side, our electoral organizing helped elect NINE new progressives who will make the largest Congressional Progressive Caucus ever since Bernie founded it in 1991.
Not only that, we passed sectoral bargaining for fast food workers in California, increased funding to the NLRB, and killed Manchin’s Dirty Deal three times
This year, we will build on our work and our inside-outside strategy — deepening our grassroots organizing, electing more allies, and growing our influence in the party.
Our Revolution members and activists were joined on Monday by progressive leaders like new US Rep. Greg Casar to lay out the mission on our LIVE Organize-to-Win 2023 Kickoff Call.
From building out progressive cities in down ballot races to raising wages state by state, we have lots of exciting work planned for 2023.
This is a year we can make serious gains as a movement. The more of us organizing together, the greater our impact. Become a 2023 Member now to power this work for the year ahead.
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FEDERAL ACTION
Although Republicans control the House, there’s still much we can do to advance our policy agenda in 2023 — including ramping up pressure for federal action.
Our Revolution member and new Congressman Greg Casar joined our LIVE Kickoff Call between votes on the House floor, where he told us Republicans were “trying to seem like populists but the first bill I just voted ‘no’ on is trying to help the wealthy evade taxes.”
Republicans are making it clear they’re willing to shut down Congress over cuts to Social Security and Medicare, Greg said, “but we must refuse to allow any deal that would balance the budget on the backs of the sick, our seniors, and struggling everyday people.”
Not only must we fight the far right, we must also use our power to “incentivize the good and push back on the bad of the Democratic party itself,” Greg said. “We need to work on executive action.”
In 2022, we got steps on climate, drug pricing, and more through legislation. Now, with a Republican House, we must push President Biden to deliver more through the power of the pen.
Just to name a few: Biden can use his executive authority to give paid sick leave to rail workers, ensure union rights for federal contractors, and close tax loopholes for the wealthy.
And although establishment Democrats and progressives stood together during the first Congressional votes this year, we are going to push to make sure our priorities get addressed in 2023.
“I don’t think this show of unity should create any illusion that progressives are going to pull their punches,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese told the AP. “There’s an old organizing adage, ’No permanent allies, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.’ There’s a conversation that’s been happening where progressive have an opening with Joe Biden to press our priorities.”
Join the Federal Action Team to help us develop strategy and build pressure on Congress and the White House to deliver for American families in 2023!
JOIN OUR FEDERAL ACTION TEAM
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RAISE THE WAGE!
Also on our 2023 Kickoff Call, One Fair Wage President Saru Jayaraman discussed the racist history of tipped wages and set out a roadmap for us to raise wages for millions this year.
It’s been a hard fight as the National Restaurant Association has wielded so much power over both parties. But, Saru told us, with the pandemic everything changed.
“Tips went way down because sales went down, harassment went way up, and millions of workers reached their breaking point, leaving the industry,” she said. “So, restaurants started raising wages and now we have an historic moment where we’re winning.”
Last year in Michigan, restaurant workers won a full minimum wage — the 8th state to end the subminimum wage for tipped workers. And, in DC, 76% voted to raise the wage to $16.75.
“We’re on a roll,” Saru said on our call, launching our campaign to end the subminimum wage in 10 states in 2023 — NY, MD, MA, CT, RI, VT, HA, CO, PR and CA.
We’ll also be collecting signatures this year to put the measure on the ballot in AZ, OH, and MI in 2024. We have a chance to help millions of workers in each state win higher wages.
JOIN OUR RAISE THE WAGE TEAM
The Raise the Wage team is already getting started! If you’re near Albany, NY, join Our Revolution and One Fair Wage to rally at the introduction of a state bill to End the Subminimum Wage for tipped workers! The event kicks off at 11 am ET, Monday January 23rd.
RSVP HERE
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BUILD LOCAL POWER
While we prepare to take out Kyrsten Sinema in 2024 — unlike other groups — we’re not skipping critical races in 2023.
The balance of power is up for grabs this year in major cities all across America, and we plan to elect progressive city leaders in St. Louis, Chicago, NYC, Philly, Nashville, Dallas and more.
Local seats are a proving ground for progressive leaders — remember, Bernie started off as a mayor in Vermont!
On our Kickoff Call, St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Megan Green told us about the basic income pilot program passed by our progressive bloc and the need to build local power.
“Our progressive majority in St. Louis got off to a running start, but success came from our coalitions with racial justice orgs, unions, public schools,” Megan said. “A lot of policies start locally, and that can push state and federal policy.”
Our Revolution helped Megan win a special election in November, and now she’ll be working with us to make sure we keep progressives leading the city in the spring election.
“We have more work to do in St. Louis — tax incentive reform, labor peace agreements, tenants’ and homeless bills of rights — all contingent on maintaining that progressive majority,” she said.
Megan and our St. Louis bloc are proving why it’s so important to build local power. If you want to help keep our majority in St. Louis and build out more progressive cities this year — sign up for our new organizing team!
JOIN OUR ELECT PROGRESSIVES TEAM
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California Dems Progressive Caucus Chair Amar Shergill joined our 2023 Kickoff Event to talk about progressive power in the party and, specifically, the ongoing election for party delegates in his state.
Our Revolution is working with Amar and the CA Progressive Caucus to grow the number of progressive delegates. The establishment knows what’s at stake — and the lobbyists don’t want us to win — so we need everyone in CA to go to PDN.vote, then show up and vote!
Endorsed candidates include Our Revolution’s own Timothy Cotran, who is running with a slate of progressives in AD-53! Even if you’re not in CA, you can join us Wednesday for an important phone bank to help get them elected!
“If you like Ro Khanna, Katie Porter, Barbara Lee — they got elected because of party endorsements and progressive delegates,” Amar explained, noting the impact on the CA Senate race. “We know Feinstein is not coming back, so we’re going to replace her and it's going to be a progressive.”
As Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese told Politico this week, “places like California present an opportunity to grow a progressive voting bloc in the Senate, just like we’ve worked to build on the House side.”
Meanwhile, in Florida, the state party chair has resigned because “progressives stood up and said we’ve got to change,” Amar said. “We see what that pressure has brought. And, the pushbank we’re seeing is a clear sign that what we’re doing is working!”
The corporate wing is using any tactic they can to push back against the growing power of progressives they’re seeing at every level of the party across the country.
If you’re involved with the party already — or if you want to help grow pressure and board the ship to make the party more responsive and less hostile to the grassroots — take action with us now for the new year!
JOIN OUR PARTY TRANSFORMATION TEAM
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In NY State, Our Revolution-NYPAN and the Replace Jay Jacobs coalition organized a big press event last week on the steps of NY City Hall to say loud and clear that it’s time to #FixTheNYDems
We’re demanding Jacobs be fired as State Party Chair after his actions led directly to NY getting crushed in the midterms, losing 5 winnable seats — including to serial liar George Santos — and giving the U.S. House to Republicans.
We were joined by NY Sens. Jessica Ramos and Robert Jackson, Assembly Members Harvey Epstein and Robert Carroll, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and NYC Council Member Christopher Marte.
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Join Our Revolution and One Fair Wage as we rally around the introduction of New York legislation to End the Subminimum Wage for tipped workers. The event kicks off at 11 am ET, Monday January 23rd in Albany NY.
RSVP HERE
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Join Our Revolution Wisconsin to launch our state chapter’s 2023 Organize-to-Win series with a presentation, Q&A, and actions to expand and improve Medicare!
RSVP HERE
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The corporate wing of the Party knows what’s at stake in the California delegates election happening right now — and so do we!
The lobbyists don’t want our slate of progressive candidates to take power in the party, and doing so will help us in the upcoming Senate race. If you’re in California, go to PDN.vote, and make sure to vote!
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As the country’s largest grassroots-funded progressive political organization, we are carrying out Bernie’s mission in 2023 through our 4-Point Plan to Win:
Organize the Grassroots
Elect Progressive Champions
Transform the Dem Party
Fight for Progressive Issues
Let’s head into 2023 as strong as possible. As a Movement Builder you’ll power the meaningful and strategic work we have planned for the year ahead.
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WHEN WE ORGANIZE, WE WIN!
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