PASS THE FREEDOM TO VOTE ACT TO STOP THE GOP’S MINORITY RULE

Daily Action
Written By Dick Thompson

Although the GOP represents 41.5 million fewer voters, they maintain a stranglehold on our democracy by denying the vote to those who oppose them. This stops the Majority from Enacting Popular Laws

QUICK READ: The GOP has stacked the deck, preventing many bills supported by the majority of Americans, such as gun safety, health care and reproductive rights, voting rights, and infrastructure legislation, from being passed. Passing the Freedom to Vote Act and abolishing the filibuster will restore balance to our democratic institutions. Our democracy is at stake!

TAKE ACTION NOW:

BACKGROUND

Why is it so difficult for popular legislation to be passed? The majority of Americans support Biden’s infrastructure bills and responsible gun safety and women’s reproductive rights legislation. Yet, a vociferous minority systematically blocks the majority’s will by cynically exploiting the weaknesses in our system, originally designed to protect the slaveholder minority.

History teaches us that democratic window-dressing can be used to conceal an authoritarian, anti-democratic system. When districts are gerrymandered and certain targeted voters aren’t able to vote, the system can “function” but produce wildly distorted results, resulting in minority rule.

GOP state legislators are passing bills to suppress voting and disproportionately elect Republicans. At the state level, that results in extremist laws not supported by the majority of voters, like grotesquely limiting women’s reproductive rights and forbidding public health measures to control the pandemic.

At the federal level, it results in stalemate and crisis as GOP Senators, who collectively represent 41.5 million fewer people than Democratic Senators, can use the filibuster to block popular legislation, shut down the government, and crater our economy by reneging on the debt that Republicans accrued.

It’s time to prevent this crisis! Pass the Freedom to Vote Act and abolish the filibuster NOW!

ACTION One: Call the Senate.

Script for Oregon Senators

SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753

My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Our democracy is at great risk. We’re counting on you to do everything possible to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and abolish the filibuster to restore balance to our system of government.

SEN. WYDEN: Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Our democracy is at great risk. We’re counting on you to do everything possible to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and abolish the filibuster to restore balance to our system of government.

Script for Republican Senators

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].

The GOP has become the party that supports authoritarianism for the few, not the will of the American people. I ask that you uphold your oath of office, put your country before party, and vote for the Freedom to Vote Act and to abolish the filibuster

ACTION TWO: Call the House.

Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)

Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Our democracy is at great risk. We’re counting on you to do everything possible to pass the Freedom to Vote Act to restore balance to our system of government.

Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)

Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Our democracy is at great risk, in large part because of the Big Lie that you have helped to propagate. Lies about the integrity of the 2020 election have been used to bolster GOP voter suppression laws. It is past time for you to renounce the Big Lie and restore balance to our system of government by voting for the Freedom to Vote Act.

Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)

Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Our democracy is at great risk. We’re counting on you to do everything possible to pass the Freedom to Vote Act to restore balance to our system of government.

Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)

Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Our democracy is at great risk. We’re counting on you to do everything possible to pass the Freedom to Vote Act to restore balance to our system of government.

Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)

Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Our democracy is at great risk. We’re counting on you to do everything possible to pass the Freedom to Vote Act to restore balance to our system of government.

Action 3:

Other opportunities for action include:

  • WRITE LETTERS AND POSTCARDS IN GOOD COMPANY, 

        FRIDAY, OCT. 1, 4:00pm: https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/274619/

  • PHONEBANK TO ENCOURAGE VIRGINIANS TO VOTE

        SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 12:00 noon-2:00pm: https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/410893/

Dick Thompson
Previous

FRIDAY RECAP: Oct. 1, 2021
Next

Vote "no" on the infrastructure bill tomorrow