🗽Protect Democracy
🗽Stay informed with daily news updates to hold our leaders accountable and protect democracy. A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
Today in 🗽Protect Democracy, we’re featuring: November 2, 2024 news briefs, video briefs, Brief on the Freedom to Vote Act, and calls-to-action.
Together, we can realize a democracy that represents, reflects, and responds to all of us.
For far too long, special interests, ultra-wealthy donors, and vote suppressors have dominated our politics and attempted to silence the voices of everyday Americans, especially in Black and Brown communities.
America's democracy is under attack as the MAGA agenda seeks to undermine our democratic institutions, erode the rule of law, and strip away the rights that ensure every voice is heard and every vote counts. Join us to champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference.
Together we can Protect Democracy
Register to vote, vote, and help elect leaders that will ensure safe, secure elections and are committed to protecting democracy
Click here to Sign the Petition: Abolish the Electoral College
Click here to Tell your member of Congress to co-sponsor and support the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
Call your member of Congress today (202) 224-3121 and ask them to support the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
Click here to Tell Congress: Overturn Citizens United
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Protect Democracy - News Briefs - November 2, 2024
Why I Regret My Antiwar Protest Vote in 1968
Common Dreams By Robert Levering
Ronald Reagan and later Republican administrations have solidified their appeal to white voters to effectively roll back the hard-won gains of the civil rights movement, especially on voting rights.
The Guardian By Jonathan Freedland, Gabrielle Schwarz
The cautious collaboration between the two reached its peak on 6 August 1965, with the signing of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibited racial discrimination in voting. Johnson is pictured that day, reaching out to pass a smiling King the pen used to sign the act, as Rosa Parks looks on.
The election in Georgia is tight. Meet 5 groups of voters who will shape the outcome
NPR By Sam Gringlas
Despite reservations about both candidates, Alston says he would never skip an election, noting he was born before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “Oh I’m definitely not going to stay at home,” Alston says. “A no-vote is unfathomable from where I come from.
There’s a Legal Plan Well Underway to Undermine a Kamala Harris Win
Mother Jones By Abby Vesoulis, Abby Vesoulis
Danielle Lang, senior voting rights director at Campaign Legal Center, says the agenda is obvious: “I have no doubt that those who are trying to sabotage or undermine an election might use any number of talking points to do so, including pointing it to frivolous lawsuits that they filed way too late.
Why Is Election Day On A Tuesday?
HuffPost By Kelsey Borresen
While making Election Day a national holiday or moving it to the weekend would by no means be a cure-all, it could be used in conjunction with other strategies like automatic voter registration, restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated people and removing other barriers such as voter ID requirements
Supreme Court turns away RNC plea to disqualify Pennsylvania voters who mailed ballots with errors
LA Times By David Savage
The decision is a victory for voting rights advocates who fought the issue in Pennsylvania courts. They said voters should not lose their right to vote because they made a minor error on the mailing envelope.
Building democracy builds hope, too
Seattle Times By Brittany Buford
Most people are familiar with the importance of voting rights: When all people are empowered to choose their representatives, and barriers to voting are actively removed, all of us have voice in shaping our shared future.
Justice Department expands where it will monitor on Election Day
Roll Call By Ryan Tarinelli
Department officials have regularly been utilized to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws on Election Day, with the goal of ensuring ballot access. U.S. government officials deployed monitors for 44 jurisdictions during the 2020 general election.
Protect Democracy - Video Highlights - November 2, 2024
8 Things Americans Should Know About US elections | Study Hall
Nicolle Wallace calls on her former boss, George W. Bush to break silence on 2024 Election | MSNBC
What is the John Lewis Voting Rights Act?
How the John Lewis Voting Rights Act Protects Democracy | Now This Impact
What is the Freedom to Vote Act?
With the Freedom to Vote Act, we can finally take action against some of the largest issues plaguing our democracy. It will protect the right to vote, end partisan gerrymandering, combat election subversion, and decrease the power of big moneyed special interests. Together we can realize a democracy that represents, reflects, and responds to all of us.
TOPLINES
Freedom to Vote Act and Voting Rights:
Since the 2013 Shelby v. Holder SCOTUS decision, we have less federal voting rights protections than in the decades before.
We must ensure the freedom to vote for all Americans to have our vote counted and voice heard.
The Freedom to Vote Act will modernize our voting system and prevent blatant attempts to silence our voices so that we all have the freedom to vote
The Freedom to Vote Act helps dismantle barriers erected to keep Black, Indigenous, young and new Americans from voting, including long lines and eliminated polling places, targeted restrictions to registration, and overt voter intimidation.
Freedom to Vote Act and Money in Politics
We must build a campaign finance system that ensures our elected leaders listen to every American — not just the rich and powerful.
Our current pay-to-play system silences the voices of Black, brown, young, and new Americans and gives unchecked power to the wealthy few.
The Freedom to Vote Act tackles corruption by ensuring that our government works for us by reducing the influence of big money in politics and increasing ethical standards for our elected officials.
In order to make progress on the issues that Americans care most about such as, health care, racial justice, reproductive rights, and environmental justice, we must build a system that serves the people, rather than the interests of the rich and powerful.
Freedom to Vote Act and Election Sabotage:
The Freedom to Vote Act would set new national standards for voters to safely and freely cast our ballots, ensure that trusted local election officials count every vote, and prevent partisan politicians from sabotaging our elections.
State Anti-Voter Bills
With states across the country working to pass bills that attack our freedom to vote, we need national standards to ensure that we all have equal access to the ballot.
These restrictive voter policies are designed to disenfranchise black, brown, and indigenous communities, as well as people with disabilities, college students, low income voters, and more.
We need federal government action to ensure that the will of the people prevails.
Rights Restoration for Felony Disenfranchisement
Restoring the freedom to vote for formerly and currently incarcerated Americans would allow them to fulfill an important civic duty, help those released to successfully re-integrate into their communities, and make us all safer. (Additional Talking points from Stand Up America)
Disenfranchisement disproportionately impacts the vote of Black and Brown communities.
Progress has been made on the state level, but we need to enact federal legislation securing every American’s right to vote.
People Power United’s Statement on Protecting Democracy
In response to recent MAGA shenanigans to suppress votes and stop voting rights bills like the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act from passing, People Power United - a progressive grassroots group - issued the following statement:
“America's democracy is under attack as the MAGA agenda seeks to undermine our democratic institutions, erode the rule of law, and strip away the rights that ensure every voice is heard and every vote counts. There is no power like that of the people, and People Power United stands ready to protect our communities against any and all injustices,” said Laurie Woodward García of People Power United.
People Power United will continue to oppose such harm to our community and champion civil rights for all.
Join us to build People Power! Together, we can champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference.
Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests)
People Power United | In this community, we will always speak out against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, sexism, ageism, ableism, sizeism, elitism, transphobia, misogynoir, and bigotry! Check out our 2023 recap post to see how impactful our scrappy People Power United group is!
People Power United is a group of community members that champions progressive values and power for the people.