1. Channel rage by telling so-called moderate and retiring Republican Senators to vote for the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. It ain't over til it's over. They reconvene on Tuesday. Flood them with calls, emails, texts, even faxes. Links to Senators:
https://www.vote.org/action/?emci=f259ff4b-78b9-eb1…
1. Channel rage by telling so-called moderate and retiring Republican Senators to vote for the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. It ain't over til it's over. They reconvene on Tuesday. Flood them with calls, emails, texts, even faxes. Links to Senators:
5. MLK Day: Honor MLK and the legions of civil rights workers who literally shed blood, sweat, and tears for racial justice and the right to vote. Walk your talk!
6. Keep the faith in yourself, your good values, and the fact that you are part of millions more.
Peaceful, action-oriented methods to preserve democracy are insufficient. Letters to Senators may make you feel good, but they rarely sway them. The foes of democracy (although they claim they are its true defenders) are willing, if necessary, to break the law and turn to violence to achieve their goals which include the resortation of the defeated former president by these means. HCR makes that clear. On one side are the lawbreakers and their violent supporters. On the other are the American people, represented by government. In many States the foes of democracy have already taken over the governments, often by democratic means, and they are aiming to do that to the Federal government as well. The Federal government, while it still is in the hands of the people, must quickly defend itself with more meaningful actions, especially by the Department of Justice. If that doesn't succeed, American democracy's last line of defense will have to be the Department of Defense, hoping it doesn't behave against insurrection as General McClelland did before Lincoln got rid of him. Congress and our Judicial system are already compromised. Only the Executive branch remains. It is much, much, later than we think.
"last line of defense will have to be the Department of Defense".
I am not exactly sure how that would work. US Soldiers are unlikely to participate in domestic events and it would be a bad idea to have them get involved.
The US Army members are split just like regular Americans. Also, the largest US Army bases are in the south and 44% of the US Army are born and raised southerners. (wikipidea).
To hope that the US Army would interecede in some form of protection action on domestic streets is to roll the dice big time.
They take an oath ... and would have to follow orders, like they did in the Whiskey Rebellion. If the fear of their refusal to act makes military involvement unlikely, the game is over and democracy by election will have been traded in for democracy by those who shout the loudest (which is what is happening to school boards.)
Can the metro, country, and state police handle the combined miltia's, a coalition of Oath Keepers, 3%'ers, Proud Boys etc? And if they can, will they?
Many HCR readers are finding Robert Hubbell to be a good addition to daily reading:
"See The Economist, “An expert on civil war issues a warning about America—But Barbara Walter Exaggerates.” The Economist writes,
These are all grave problems. But they do not portend civil conflict. Ms Walter mentions only fleetingly some of the reasons why today’s America is not like the former Yugoslavia or other imploding states. No country as sophisticated, modern, liberal and democratic as contemporary America has ever descended into civil war."
Scholars said the same thing about 1920-1932 Germany! At that time Germany was the most educated, most technologically advanced, and most liberal democracy in the world!
True. We'd have to read Walter's book for ourselves. But we already have alarms sounded and the information to take action to prevent a bloody civil war by doing our part to wage the ideological one.
I don't think Robert Hubell read the book yet. He just cut and pasted from The Economist article. Reading the economist article, I doubt they read the whole book either.
First, immediate and agressive prosecution of lawbreakers by the DOJ, including those for which they have evidence of their having instigated the lawbreaking. (Look how long it took for the Oathkeepers leader to be arrested.) And only if that doesn't work, opposing armed insurrectionists with military force, as Washington did with the Whiskey Rebellion might be needed. Actually, the threat of that, or perhaps just one incident, might suffice. The First Amendment's right to protest cannot be combined with the Second Amendment's right to bear arms to permit violent armed groups which support lawbreaking to continue to exist. This might sound like Civil War but it might be the best way of preventing one.
I don't assume that the DOJ was twiddling their thumbs on the Oathkeepers and the countless others they are going after. I don't know if it could have gone faster. Maybe. But I do know that you want the best evidence you can get to try to secure a conviction before you charge someone and we have no idea how long that takes in very complex cases like this.
To your other point: Yes, agreed, that may well be necessary. There will be another attempt in some form, and it may be much more organized and effective.
But what we are talking about here is also necessary: Re-codifying voter protection. Talking here about the silent coup that is going on right now, where military force is not a democratic option.
Nomi, thoughtful. I don’t know how many times it needs to be said but serious widespread prosecutions need to work their way up, solidify the evidence, before prosecuting the ones higher up Who will be preparing sophisticated defenses with some of the best lawyers in this country. This takes time and it seems to be proceeding in that way.
We are barely keeping the lid on an even more widespread violent uprising. So many people in this country and conservative politicians have become untethered from our democracy.
The Capitol police are a good example of a measured response, meaning not firing on the insurrectionists which would have resulted shortly thereafter in an armed, meaning bullets and assault weapons, used by the insurrectionists. I am so very proud of these men and women of the Capitol police Who paid such a dear price for their measured response.
I am so ashamed of the people Particularly the politicians who have stoked the big lie, who objected wholesale to the electoral vote count, and are standing in the way of voter rights legislation like the John Lewis act.
You're wrong. The indictments yesterday of the Oath Keepers and the evidence released show the challenging complexity of DOJ's work. Also, a Trump holdover in the Justice Department had undermined the investigation, making it all the more remarkable that DOJ was able to build a solid seditious conspiracy case. The dominoes are falling. Bigger ones are ahead in relatively short order.
But let the dominoes fall quickly. Every day they continue to be able to sow dissent, spread their lies and organize their supporters is a day closer to the dangerous endgame I fear.
Michael Sherwin. He was leading the DOJ investigation as U.S. attorney for DC, appointed by Barr. His public comments about the investigation, including on 60 Minutes, early last year were interpreted by some as an attempt to sabotage the probe. Thus his departure. The NYT this week reported that he blocked prosecutors who sought a search warrant on Stewart Rhodes, the Oath Keepers leader. Sherwin reportedly cited lack of probable cause and potential violations of Rhodes' civil rights.
Guy's name was John Demers. Fairly high up, requiring Senate approval. Got rid of him in June, 2021. Should have been done much sooner, but Garland could only do so much in his early days on the job.
No. The indictment of the Oath Keepers was based on a DOJ investigation. The AG and his team aren't going anywhere as long as Biden is president. The House J6 committee will be disbanded, assuming the Republicans take the House, but that wouldn't be until the end of the year. The committee plans to make criminal referrals to DOJ and no doubt will turn over all its evidence as well. The committee has vowed to finish this year, as early as summer but definitely before the election.
Partially sarcastic. Trump hasn’t yet showed any fear of DOJ. He and family have ranted against state justice departments in New York and Georgia because he has perceived a real and *imminent* threat from them. To this point he has said nothing about Garland. That, to me, is a tell.
I expect that the usual suspects (Bannon and Stone) will get indicted. But not in a blur of sudden movement.
But I think Garland is too much of an institutionalist to go higher. Reps/Senators will not be charged at all. Or at least until the fever breaks. Those at Meadows’ level will be kicked further down the line. And it’s Inconceivable he’ll charge Trump.
Investigations don’t have to go bottom to top. Two different ones could go on in parallel. If there was any sign that the upper echelons were being investigated, then we would have heard something by now.
Garland could charge Trump based on the Mueller report alone.
Too many ‘i’s to dot and ‘t’s too cross. Too much brutal infighting.
Effectively, the public was thrown a bone yesterday.
We're reading Garland differently. If the DOJ ends up with persuasive evidence that anyone committed crimes involving the coup attempt — including Trump — they will be charged. And the evidence is like an iceberg: the public can see a lot now but the majority of it is out of sight and in the hands of investigators.
Eric you have rebuked Garland and posited his faults based on what have appeared to be your personal feelings for months. When an important breakthrough in terms of indictments for seditious conspiracies transpires, which most legal experts agree is significant, you continue to debunk. You may have have a substantive argument based on your knowledge of the law or reports, which you have not shared. So far, it appears to me that you have the negative on automatic pilot.
Eric, I received your reply in answer to my attempt at understanding your negative opinion of Merrick Garland, and I am eager to continue our exchange. Unfortunately, your rich elaboration about the USA and Garland is not on the forum. I have searched. Do you mind posting it again after my initial post to you. Thank you.
You're probably correct, but now that you mention the Mueller report, couldn't Garland act on what it says, countermanding former AG Bill Barr's refusal to do so? The House Committee investigating January 6 has added considerably more evidence than what Mueller found. Former VP Aaron Burr was tried for treason in 1808 for much less. (and got off.)
As a Canadian watching IMO if GOP get control of Congress in 2022 midterms they will impeach Biden and Harris and install trump illegally. They won't wait til 2024. All rules procedures are off the table with a fascist cult. They are NOT a party They are a dangerous cult. Jan 6 was practice.
Question: How is it that there are no scholars , or elected members of Congress that can make a persuasive argument to Manchin and Sinema? Surely there are enough smarter people than these 2 Senators that could educate them on the risks, history and fascist cults.
Praying for my American friends. The ripple effect across the globe is huge if American democracy falls. "When America gets a cold the world gets a cough"
"How is it that there are no scholars , or elected members of Congress that can make a persuasive argument to Manchin and Sinema?"
I suspect many have tried. It appears greed, money, power and cowardice are directing the Republicans and those like Manchin andSinema. You are correct. This isn't a political party. It's a cult.
I spent time in Toronto a few months ago and I want to live there. Not really my time of life for a major move, but I’m grateful to you and all our Canadian friends for knowing, observing what is happening in the USA. So close! And saying it like it is. Not a party but a cult. And it’s growing.
I disagree with whomever thinks calling and emailing are useless. If we don't tell our representatives what we want, they'll think we're happy with the way things are going right now. "If I were to remain silent, I would be guilty of complicity." Albert Einstein
Yes. Sinema and Manchin may be bought and paid for. But that is not the ONLY pressure that can be put on them. We have power too. They know that money is now coming from EVERYWHERE to support people in races where, at one time, those from out of state could be disregarded.
I'm real tired of people saying "it's too late," "letters don't matter." Both are untrue. Moreover, why discourage ANY kind of pressure, any kind of speech? Yup we're on a precipice. We're late to this party. (I sure am. I did not take things seriously these past 30 freakin' years. Took the election of Trump to wake me up and I have shame about that.) But it is not to late to flood these people with our voices. Nothing is over yet. In fact, nothing is *ever* over.
As always, Thank you Ellie for giving us tools that we can use today to DO SOMETHING! instead of sitting by the woodstove wringing our hands and whimpering to ourselves, "Oh dear, oh dear." Now if I can get myself off my butt and follow through.
Thank you. I am so tired of this schoolyard bullying. And Ted Cruz? Go back to Cancun and don't return. I don't see how any of these morons can face themselves in a mirror. Apparently there is no pride of office left among any member of the House or Senate who believe this dirt. I live in a town where in 2 days...2 days...over 15,000 people fell in battle during the Civil War. Is this what we are heading toward? If you don't remember history, you are doomed to repeat it. And we hear this message often from Dr. Richardson. Keep your eyes open, and your minds and pencils sharp!
Yes, I am so tired of it too. The years of Trump were exhausting and it continues. So sad to see leaders behaving with a total lack of respect for anyone, and, their own offices. It's been brewing for a long time but my feeling is that Trump gave everyone permission to give in to their emotions. Leaders saw that they could get away with it. Everyday people are made to feel more powerful by it. And now our children are watching it.
But have no doubt. McCarthy will kick every Democrat off every committee and definitely impeach Biden. Trump will demand it; in fact, I’ taking bets Trump will demand 3 impeachments of Biden so he won’t be the most impeached President in US history.
Thank you for the information. I just emailed my two senators (OH), thanking Brown for his support of voting rights, and asking Portman to vote for America and democracy rather than for his political party. And I thanked them both for their service. Hopefully our input has some kind of positive effect.
Use a relative’s address, or an apartment address (real apartment building) in Maine to write Collins. I use a burner phone #. Say just moved in—they sometimes check voter registration
Don’t forget Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Great that they are working with D’S on the Jan.6 Committee, but we need them to vote for the two voting bills in the a Senate as well
Pissed off and what's next:
1. Channel rage by telling so-called moderate and retiring Republican Senators to vote for the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. It ain't over til it's over. They reconvene on Tuesday. Flood them with calls, emails, texts, even faxes. Links to Senators:
https://www.vote.org/action/?emci=f259ff4b-78b9-eb11-a7ad-501ac57ba3ed&emdi=95f35617-2cba-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=13982010
https://5calls.org/
https://resist.bot/
https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
Blast them on Twitter (thanks to Annette D for this list):
Krysten Sinema: @SenatorSinema
Richard Burr @SenatorBurr
Pat Toomey @SenToomey
Rob Portman @senrobportman
Richard Shelby @SenShelby
Roy Blunt @RoyBlunt
Mitt Romney @SenatorRomney
Mitch McConnell @LeaderMcConnell
Chuck Grassley @ChuckGrassley
Mike Crapo @MikeCrapo
Susan Collins @SenatorCollins
Jim Inhofe @JimInhofe
Lindsey Graham @LindseyGrahamSC
John Thune @SenJohnThune
John Cornyn @JohnCornyn
Marsha Blackburn @MarshaBlackburn
John Boozman @JohnBoozman
Shelly Moore Capito @SenCapito
Jerry Moran @JerryMoran
Roger Wicker @SenatorWicker
2. Pivot to support Democrats in down-ballot races so filibuster is not a roadblock.
https://runforsomething.net
3. Badger Congress to expand the Supreme Court by passing the Judiciary Act of 2021:
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/a-hard-day
4. Know thy enemy. Read the links posted by Heather on who the OathKeepers are and who the seditionists are:
https://twitter.com/threadreaderapp/status/1481726508897083393?s=20
https://twitter.com/TonyHussein4/status/1480348870404096003?s=20
5. MLK Day: Honor MLK and the legions of civil rights workers who literally shed blood, sweat, and tears for racial justice and the right to vote. Walk your talk!
6. Keep the faith in yourself, your good values, and the fact that you are part of millions more.
❤️
Thank you for posting peaceful, action oriented methods to preserved Democracy.
Peaceful, action-oriented methods to preserve democracy are insufficient. Letters to Senators may make you feel good, but they rarely sway them. The foes of democracy (although they claim they are its true defenders) are willing, if necessary, to break the law and turn to violence to achieve their goals which include the resortation of the defeated former president by these means. HCR makes that clear. On one side are the lawbreakers and their violent supporters. On the other are the American people, represented by government. In many States the foes of democracy have already taken over the governments, often by democratic means, and they are aiming to do that to the Federal government as well. The Federal government, while it still is in the hands of the people, must quickly defend itself with more meaningful actions, especially by the Department of Justice. If that doesn't succeed, American democracy's last line of defense will have to be the Department of Defense, hoping it doesn't behave against insurrection as General McClelland did before Lincoln got rid of him. Congress and our Judicial system are already compromised. Only the Executive branch remains. It is much, much, later than we think.
"last line of defense will have to be the Department of Defense".
I am not exactly sure how that would work. US Soldiers are unlikely to participate in domestic events and it would be a bad idea to have them get involved.
The US Army members are split just like regular Americans. Also, the largest US Army bases are in the south and 44% of the US Army are born and raised southerners. (wikipidea).
To hope that the US Army would interecede in some form of protection action on domestic streets is to roll the dice big time.
They take an oath ... and would have to follow orders, like they did in the Whiskey Rebellion. If the fear of their refusal to act makes military involvement unlikely, the game is over and democracy by election will have been traded in for democracy by those who shout the loudest (which is what is happening to school boards.)
Exactly.
Can the metro, country, and state police handle the combined miltia's, a coalition of Oath Keepers, 3%'ers, Proud Boys etc? And if they can, will they?
Ted, "who can handle the right wing militia's" (your high level question).
Answer: We Can.
But, should we? I am not sure yet.
Reading this indictment, seems like this is to big a job for local and state cops. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/leader-oath-keepers-and-10-other-individuals-indicted-federal-court-seditious-conspiracy-and
Jack, Dr. Barbara F. Walter is right there with you.
Thank you for introducing me to her.
My pleasure! I think Dr. Richardson should have Dr Walter on her pod cast. It’s that good of a book and analysis.
Many HCR readers are finding Robert Hubbell to be a good addition to daily reading:
"See The Economist, “An expert on civil war issues a warning about America—But Barbara Walter Exaggerates.” The Economist writes,
These are all grave problems. But they do not portend civil conflict. Ms Walter mentions only fleetingly some of the reasons why today’s America is not like the former Yugoslavia or other imploding states. No country as sophisticated, modern, liberal and democratic as contemporary America has ever descended into civil war."
(sorry--paywall)
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/do-not-relent
Scholars said the same thing about 1920-1932 Germany! At that time Germany was the most educated, most technologically advanced, and most liberal democracy in the world!
True. We'd have to read Walter's book for ourselves. But we already have alarms sounded and the information to take action to prevent a bloody civil war by doing our part to wage the ideological one.
I don't think Robert Hubell read the book yet. He just cut and pasted from The Economist article. Reading the economist article, I doubt they read the whole book either.
So what measures do you think would be "sufficient"?
First, immediate and agressive prosecution of lawbreakers by the DOJ, including those for which they have evidence of their having instigated the lawbreaking. (Look how long it took for the Oathkeepers leader to be arrested.) And only if that doesn't work, opposing armed insurrectionists with military force, as Washington did with the Whiskey Rebellion might be needed. Actually, the threat of that, or perhaps just one incident, might suffice. The First Amendment's right to protest cannot be combined with the Second Amendment's right to bear arms to permit violent armed groups which support lawbreaking to continue to exist. This might sound like Civil War but it might be the best way of preventing one.
I don't assume that the DOJ was twiddling their thumbs on the Oathkeepers and the countless others they are going after. I don't know if it could have gone faster. Maybe. But I do know that you want the best evidence you can get to try to secure a conviction before you charge someone and we have no idea how long that takes in very complex cases like this.
To your other point: Yes, agreed, that may well be necessary. There will be another attempt in some form, and it may be much more organized and effective.
But what we are talking about here is also necessary: Re-codifying voter protection. Talking here about the silent coup that is going on right now, where military force is not a democratic option.
Nomi, thoughtful. I don’t know how many times it needs to be said but serious widespread prosecutions need to work their way up, solidify the evidence, before prosecuting the ones higher up Who will be preparing sophisticated defenses with some of the best lawyers in this country. This takes time and it seems to be proceeding in that way.
We are barely keeping the lid on an even more widespread violent uprising. So many people in this country and conservative politicians have become untethered from our democracy.
The Capitol police are a good example of a measured response, meaning not firing on the insurrectionists which would have resulted shortly thereafter in an armed, meaning bullets and assault weapons, used by the insurrectionists. I am so very proud of these men and women of the Capitol police Who paid such a dear price for their measured response.
I am so ashamed of the people Particularly the politicians who have stoked the big lie, who objected wholesale to the electoral vote count, and are standing in the way of voter rights legislation like the John Lewis act.
"with law, our land shall rise, but it will perish with lawlessness" -Njal's Saga ( from The Road to Unfreedom, Tim Snyder
And as we sing in "America, the Beautiful," .... 'confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.'
Doubtless the DOJ will connect the Oath Keepers to the real conspirators in a year or so.
You're wrong. The indictments yesterday of the Oath Keepers and the evidence released show the challenging complexity of DOJ's work. Also, a Trump holdover in the Justice Department had undermined the investigation, making it all the more remarkable that DOJ was able to build a solid seditious conspiracy case. The dominoes are falling. Bigger ones are ahead in relatively short order.
But let the dominoes fall quickly. Every day they continue to be able to sow dissent, spread their lies and organize their supporters is a day closer to the dangerous endgame I fear.
Who's the JD holdover? What did they do?
Michael Sherwin. He was leading the DOJ investigation as U.S. attorney for DC, appointed by Barr. His public comments about the investigation, including on 60 Minutes, early last year were interpreted by some as an attempt to sabotage the probe. Thus his departure. The NYT this week reported that he blocked prosecutors who sought a search warrant on Stewart Rhodes, the Oath Keepers leader. Sherwin reportedly cited lack of probable cause and potential violations of Rhodes' civil rights.
https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-government-and-politics-85570e719f84e47c6f1b01edcedb58a5
https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/us/politics/justice-department-capitol-riot-investigation.amp.html
Guy's name was John Demers. Fairly high up, requiring Senate approval. Got rid of him in June, 2021. Should have been done much sooner, but Garland could only do so much in his early days on the job.
Lordy! I hope so !
It has to be done while the Democrats still control the House. A year or so, as you sarcastically point out, will be too late.
No. The indictment of the Oath Keepers was based on a DOJ investigation. The AG and his team aren't going anywhere as long as Biden is president. The House J6 committee will be disbanded, assuming the Republicans take the House, but that wouldn't be until the end of the year. The committee plans to make criminal referrals to DOJ and no doubt will turn over all its evidence as well. The committee has vowed to finish this year, as early as summer but definitely before the election.
Partially sarcastic. Trump hasn’t yet showed any fear of DOJ. He and family have ranted against state justice departments in New York and Georgia because he has perceived a real and *imminent* threat from them. To this point he has said nothing about Garland. That, to me, is a tell.
I expect that the usual suspects (Bannon and Stone) will get indicted. But not in a blur of sudden movement.
But I think Garland is too much of an institutionalist to go higher. Reps/Senators will not be charged at all. Or at least until the fever breaks. Those at Meadows’ level will be kicked further down the line. And it’s Inconceivable he’ll charge Trump.
Investigations don’t have to go bottom to top. Two different ones could go on in parallel. If there was any sign that the upper echelons were being investigated, then we would have heard something by now.
Garland could charge Trump based on the Mueller report alone.
Too many ‘i’s to dot and ‘t’s too cross. Too much brutal infighting.
Effectively, the public was thrown a bone yesterday.
We're reading Garland differently. If the DOJ ends up with persuasive evidence that anyone committed crimes involving the coup attempt — including Trump — they will be charged. And the evidence is like an iceberg: the public can see a lot now but the majority of it is out of sight and in the hands of investigators.
Eric you have rebuked Garland and posited his faults based on what have appeared to be your personal feelings for months. When an important breakthrough in terms of indictments for seditious conspiracies transpires, which most legal experts agree is significant, you continue to debunk. You may have have a substantive argument based on your knowledge of the law or reports, which you have not shared. So far, it appears to me that you have the negative on automatic pilot.
Eric, I received your reply in answer to my attempt at understanding your negative opinion of Merrick Garland, and I am eager to continue our exchange. Unfortunately, your rich elaboration about the USA and Garland is not on the forum. I have searched. Do you mind posting it again after my initial post to you. Thank you.
You're probably correct, but now that you mention the Mueller report, couldn't Garland act on what it says, countermanding former AG Bill Barr's refusal to do so? The House Committee investigating January 6 has added considerably more evidence than what Mueller found. Former VP Aaron Burr was tried for treason in 1808 for much less. (and got off.)
They don’t have a year.
The Justice Department has until Jan. 20, 2025.
Just doing something—anything—helps assuage the helpless feelings.
As a Canadian watching IMO if GOP get control of Congress in 2022 midterms they will impeach Biden and Harris and install trump illegally. They won't wait til 2024. All rules procedures are off the table with a fascist cult. They are NOT a party They are a dangerous cult. Jan 6 was practice.
Question: How is it that there are no scholars , or elected members of Congress that can make a persuasive argument to Manchin and Sinema? Surely there are enough smarter people than these 2 Senators that could educate them on the risks, history and fascist cults.
Praying for my American friends. The ripple effect across the globe is huge if American democracy falls. "When America gets a cold the world gets a cough"
"How is it that there are no scholars , or elected members of Congress that can make a persuasive argument to Manchin and Sinema?"
I suspect many have tried. It appears greed, money, power and cowardice are directing the Republicans and those like Manchin andSinema. You are correct. This isn't a political party. It's a cult.
Can we come live with you if any of this happens? We can be your extended family. I clean very well…
I may have to build that extension I've been dreaming of!
I spent time in Toronto a few months ago and I want to live there. Not really my time of life for a major move, but I’m grateful to you and all our Canadian friends for knowing, observing what is happening in the USA. So close! And saying it like it is. Not a party but a cult. And it’s growing.
Money talks are all they have ears for
Who was it who said , “You cant be sold if you’ve already bought been bought “ ?
Calling and sending letters is not "useless" as some here are saying. It never has been. If Ellie's very good list above is too much for you right now, here is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez form for people to write Sinema and Manchin telling them to vote for an exception to the filibuster for voting protection. Ocasio-Cortez reaches tens of millions of people. Emails may be easier to ignore. But hundreds of thousands, a million emails? It takes few seconds: https://act.ocasiocortez.com/letter/ads-ea-facebook-manchin-sinema-voting-rights?source=ads_MS_AOC_20220113-EA-FB-FilibusterLetter_ntlfbadslal1-Natl-1865U-MF_a002-AOC-Chyron-stat-1200x1200-Text1&fbclid=IwAR2JEaR9DwFadZOgyYNu5-aziQfvuPfBhGL0BR1HgL2Qiz82q_7CDcX0WcU
EDIT: After you message them, you will get an email with their phone numbers and a script.
I disagree with whomever thinks calling and emailing are useless. If we don't tell our representatives what we want, they'll think we're happy with the way things are going right now. "If I were to remain silent, I would be guilty of complicity." Albert Einstein
The letters and calls and emails are tallied. Numbers do count.
Yes. Sinema and Manchin may be bought and paid for. But that is not the ONLY pressure that can be put on them. We have power too. They know that money is now coming from EVERYWHERE to support people in races where, at one time, those from out of state could be disregarded.
I'm real tired of people saying "it's too late," "letters don't matter." Both are untrue. Moreover, why discourage ANY kind of pressure, any kind of speech? Yup we're on a precipice. We're late to this party. (I sure am. I did not take things seriously these past 30 freakin' years. Took the election of Trump to wake me up and I have shame about that.) But it is not to late to flood these people with our voices. Nothing is over yet. In fact, nothing is *ever* over.
AMEN!
Amen!
Done! Easy-peasy and fast. 💙
As always, Thank you Ellie for giving us tools that we can use today to DO SOMETHING! instead of sitting by the woodstove wringing our hands and whimpering to ourselves, "Oh dear, oh dear." Now if I can get myself off my butt and follow through.
the resistbot is as easy as a click, click....please do it
Thank you. I am so tired of this schoolyard bullying. And Ted Cruz? Go back to Cancun and don't return. I don't see how any of these morons can face themselves in a mirror. Apparently there is no pride of office left among any member of the House or Senate who believe this dirt. I live in a town where in 2 days...2 days...over 15,000 people fell in battle during the Civil War. Is this what we are heading toward? If you don't remember history, you are doomed to repeat it. And we hear this message often from Dr. Richardson. Keep your eyes open, and your minds and pencils sharp!
Yes, I am so tired of it too. The years of Trump were exhausting and it continues. So sad to see leaders behaving with a total lack of respect for anyone, and, their own offices. It's been brewing for a long time but my feeling is that Trump gave everyone permission to give in to their emotions. Leaders saw that they could get away with it. Everyday people are made to feel more powerful by it. And now our children are watching it.
it is only about power, position and money...period.
But have no doubt. McCarthy will kick every Democrat off every committee and definitely impeach Biden. Trump will demand it; in fact, I’ taking bets Trump will demand 3 impeachments of Biden so he won’t be the most impeached President in US history.
Thanks Ellie. I’d also suggest adding Senator Lisa Murkowski to the list. She’s going to be primaried by Trumpists and she’s got some grit.
Good call!
Lisa Mukowski @lisamurkowski
Thank you for the information. I just emailed my two senators (OH), thanking Brown for his support of voting rights, and asking Portman to vote for America and democracy rather than for his political party. And I thanked them both for their service. Hopefully our input has some kind of positive effect.
I found myself doing exactly that this morning, and emailing my democratic senators to thank them for their support.
We cannot let a junta undermine our democracy.
Thank you, Ellie!
They will only listen to their own constituents and if its Susan Collins she won't listen at all. But we try anyway.
Use a relative’s address, or an apartment address (real apartment building) in Maine to write Collins. I use a burner phone #. Say just moved in—they sometimes check voter registration
Brain.
Heart and guts
Thank you for your post, Ellie.
Done, Ellie! Thank you.
Don’t forget Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Great that they are working with D’S on the Jan.6 Committee, but we need them to vote for the two voting bills in the a Senate as well
Cheney and Kinzinger are in the House, not the Senate.
Thank
You so much for this post!!
Thank you so much for this. Ellie!!
Thank YOU!