THE SUPREME COURT GOES FULL MAGA
The raw power play by a runaway Supreme Court majority LAST WEEK demonstrates that no attack on voting rights is too racist for these extremists.
QUICK READ: The Supreme Court’s use of the shadow docket to permit Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts—which even the 2 Trump appellate court judges agreed was clearly racial gerrymandering—signals the death knell of the Voting Rights Act and the Court’s return to the Jim Crow era. To prevent further erosion of our rights and the rule of law, Congress must pass the updated Voting Rights Act and rebalance the Supreme Court.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
BACKGROUND
In a democracy, the freedom to vote is paramount.
The GOP, aided by the Supreme Court’s ultra-conservative majority, however, is radically changing state voting laws to prevent millions access to the ballot—returning America to the Jim Crow era.
The Court’s assault on the Voting Rights Act (VRA) has been relentless—eliminating pre-clearance of voting changes policies in racist jurisdictions and approving massive voter-roll purges, extreme partisan gerrymandering, and election laws disparately affecting minorities.
In last Monday’s 5-4 decision made on the shadow docket, the Court declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power:
Rejecting the well-reasoned 225-page decision by an appellate panel 2/3 of which were Trump-appointed judges that the Alabama law violated the VRA
Upholding the law that gave Black Alabamans represented 27% of its population the chance to elect a representative in only 1 of its 9 districts
Precluding future successful challenges.
We now face a radicalized GOP plus an extremely aggressive Supreme Court majority reengineering American law to their liking—precedents be damned!
Only two ways to rein in these runaway justices exist:
Pass the updated VRA, as Senator Durbin demanded
Add 4 justices to rebalance the Supreme Court by passing the Judiciary Act of 2021.
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].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. The only way to rein in these runaway justices is by passing the updated Voting Rights Act and rebalancing the Supreme Court. I urge you to take the lead in this fight by pushing for speedy reconsideration of the VRA and co-sponsoring the Judiciary Act of 2021.
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].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. The only way to rein in these runaway justices is by passing the updated Voting Rights Act and rebalancing the Supreme Court. I urge you to take the lead in this fight by pushing for speedy reconsideration of the VRA and co-sponsoring the Judiciary Act of 2021.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. Consistent with your oath to uphold the Constitution, you must speak out against this clearly unconstitutional decision.
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].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. The only way to rein in these runaway justices is by rebalancing the Supreme Court and convincing the Senate to pass the updated Voting Rights Act. I urge you to take the lead in this fight by co-sponsoring the Judiciary Act of 2021 and pushing for its speedy passage.
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].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. Consistent with your oath to uphold the Constitution, you must speak out against this clearly unconstitutional decision.
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].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. The only way to rein in these runaway justices is by rebalancing the Supreme Court and convincing the Senate to pass the updated Voting Rights Act. I urge you to take the lead in this fight by co-sponsoring the Judiciary Act of 2021 and pushing for its speedy passage.
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].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. The only way to rein in these runaway justices is by rebalancing the Supreme Court and convincing the Senate to pass the updated Voting Rights Act. I urge you to take the lead in this fight by co-sponsoring the Judiciary Act of 2021 and pushing for its speedy passage.
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].
In last Monday’s 5-4 shadow docket decision, the Supreme Court’s extremist majority declared “open season” on racial minorities’ voting power—by permitting Alabama to shove 27% of its voters who are black into just 1 of its 9 districts. The only way to rein in these runaway justices is by rebalancing the Supreme Court and convincing the Senate to pass the updated Voting Rights Act. I urge you to take the lead in this fight by co-sponsoring the Judiciary Act of 2021 and pushing for its speedy passage.
ACTION 3: “GOOD TROUBLE”
Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, make some “good trouble.”
Join Indivisible Oregon.
Demand Justice is working to rebalance the Supreme Court. To get involved in this fight, click here.
Learn about persuasive language and communication research at the Zoom ASO Movement Briefings every second Wednesday.
Join the campaign to hold the House and Senate at GiveNoGround.org
Work to protect democracy in the House by replacing retiring US Representative Peter DeFazio with another Democrat, replacing Democrat Kurt Schrader, the “Manchin of the House,” with a progressive, and electing a Democrat in Oregon’s new Congressional District 6.
Demand your primary news source stop creating false equivalencies and just report the truth.
Check out the Poor People's Campaign Readies 'Massive, Nonviolent' Effort to Save Democracy
Outside of Portland? Check out COIN Oregon.
Center for Common Ground is starting new Reclaim Our Vote campaigns: TEXAS Primary is First! Writing to 730,000 Black registered voters in Texas, urging them to vote in the upcoming March 1st Primary. Only 1 in 25 Texas voters participate in primaries. Postcards For Texas with Center for Common Ground. And phone banks!
Rally inconsisent Democratic voters to vote in 2022 with Progressive Turnout Project | Feb, 2022 | Medium
Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
FURTHER READING:
The Supreme Court Has Crossed the Rubicon
The US supreme court is letting racist discrimination run wild in the election system
SCOTUS Just Blew Up the Voting Rights Act’s Ban on Racial Gerrymandering
No Attack on Voting Rights Is Too Racist for This Supreme Court
The Supreme Court Just Moved the Voting Rights Act From Life Support to Deathbed
Opinion: Supreme Court invites Republican legislators to go nuts
Roberts’ Grip Slips as Supreme Court Conservatives Curb Voting
The Supreme Court Seems to Think Discrimination Is When You Try to Remedy Discrimination
