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.
Every action counts in the fight to protect our rights and freedoms. Today in Protect Democracy we’re featuring December 4, 2024 news and critical 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
Tell the Senate: Don't Let Trump Bypass Your Constitutional Duties
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
Click here to Tell Congress: Overturn Citizens United
Click here to Sign the Petition: Abolish the Electoral College
BONUS
People Power United stands with our coalition partners as champions for progress in our communities. Here are some People Powered actions we can take.
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
Register to vote, vote, and help elect leaders that will ensure safe, secure elections and are committed to protecting democracy
Click here to signup for Why We Must Stop Recess Appointments
Click here to signup for Office Hours: Freedom Over Fascism
Click here to signup for our next training: Stop Project 2025: Mobilize for Change
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Protect Democracy - News Briefs - December 4, 2024
Wisconsin party chair joins crowded race to chair Democratic National Committee
The Hill By Julia Manchester
“The thing about the last four years is that we’ve seen a Republican Party that in Wisconsin came in and tried to dismantle our democracy, robbed working people, smashed unions, attacked public schools, restricted voting rights, and Democrats organized, united, and fought back,” he said.
The Democrats Disregarded Poor and Low-Income Voters-to Their Peril
The Nation By Low-Income Voters
The Democrats Disregarded Poor and Low-Income Voters—to Their Peril .Poverty is clearly anything but a marginal experience—and yet, as in the last election, it’s repeatedly minimalized and dismissed in our nation’s politics. … Indeed, although Donald Trump has the distinct “honor” of being the first Republican to win the popular vote in 20 years, he has done so after more than a decade of assaults on voting rights, unleashed in 2013 when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act.
The Guardian By David Smith
Judge Upholds A Missouri Law Requiring Voters To Show Photo ID To Cast A Regular Ballot
HuffPost
Voting rights advocates say getting the records needed to obtain proper photo identification can be challenging, especially for older voters and people with disabilities.
Insight: After Trump's win, his election denial movement marches on
Reuters By Peter Eisler, Ned Parker, Nathan Layne, Joseph Tanfani
Election officials and voting-rights advocates see a different aim: to cement electoral advantages for Republicans with new rules that would make it harder for some voters to cast ballots, and to lay the groundwork for discrediting the results of future elections if their preferred candidates lose. … Democrats and voting rights groups say the attacks on Fulton are a cover for efforts to suppress Black and Democratic votes. McKoon dismisses his critics as blind to problems in the election system. “It's a position that is insulting,” he said.
A Second Trump Term Poses a Crucial Test of the Senate's Independence
NY Times By Carl Hulse
The threshold for nominations was reduced to simple majority in 2013, and some on the left have argued it should be weakened further to allow action on major legislation, such as a measure to preserve voting rights.
‘Disenfranchised and demobilized’: Native Americans face ballot box barriers in Arizona
The Guardian By Sam Levine
Taken together, those barriers result in a significant gap between turnout among those living on tribal lands and those who live off of them, according to a new study from the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit that studies voting rights and elections.
Trump Is Likely Plotting to Succeed Where South Korea’s Yoon Failed | Common Dreams
By Thom Hartmann
Trump—if he’s successful at cowing Republicans in the Senate into rubber-stamping his picks or allowing recess appointments—may not have those constraints, since he will have ended opposition in the Senate, and his MAGA-seized GOP now also controls the House and the Supreme Court.
Looking Back: Project 2025, Mar-a-Lago and Fox News: What Connects Trump’s New Staff Picks
NY Times
Project 2025, Mar-a-Lago and Fox News: Here are the connections among Trump’s cabinet picks.
Protect Democracy - Video Briefs - December 4, 2024
'We need to fight back': State-level Democratic chair launches national bid | MSNBC
What is the John Lewis Voting Rights Act?
How the John Lewis Voting Rights Act Protects Democracy | Now This Impact
Donald Trump was elected President, but he is not a leader
When leaders escape accountability, it sends a chilling message: that power, not justice, reigns supreme. This erodes trust, destabilizes society, and paves the way for authoritarianism to take root.
History has shown us that unchecked power breeds corruption, oppression, and the silencing of voices—threatening the very freedoms we hold dear.
But we have the power to change the course of history. Now, more than ever, it’s time to rise, unite, and demand accountability and justice for all. Together, we can protect our democracy and secure a future where fairness and equality prevail. Join us and be the voice of change! More resources are coming, but today, please join our Not Above the Law Rapid Response Team and sign on to our Freedom Over Fascism pledge.
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 protect and empower those we love, 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.
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