TODAY’S GOP PRESENTS A DANGER TO DEMOCRACY
The January 6th Hearings Demonstrate that The GOP No Longer Believes in Free Elections
QUICK READ: GOP has become an “authoritarian cult movement.” It poses a serious danger to democracy. We should expect that Trump and his allies will attempt to invalidate free elections this November and in 2024 just as they did on January 6 of 2021. We must defend democracy in the United States.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
BACKGROUND
“The clear and present danger to our democracy now is that…Donald Trump and his political allies appear prepared to exploit the Electoral Count Act of 1887…to seize the presidency in 2024 if Mr. Trump or his anointed candidate is not elected by the American people.”
So led J. Michael Luttig in an opinion piece in the New York Times last February.
Where the first two Congressional hearings focused on our past, marshaling evidence and testimony masterfully to present a multimedia production about a premeditated, violent, attempted coup led by an “incipient fascist strongman,” his allies including Putin, right-wing churches, and right-wing media to overturn a free election, the third hearing was about our future.
Today’s GOP has become an “authoritarian cult movement” willing to support schemes promoted by a drunken Rudy Guiliani, a morally vacant John Eastman, and hundreds, if not thousands, of dangerous rightwing paramilitary extremists.
We should expect the same criminal strategy in November and again in 2024. When even conservatives like the former federal Judge Luttig, Attorney General William Barr, or a Cher-inflected Ivanka Trump acknowledge disturbing violations of the Constitution enacted to spread “The Big Lie,” we must defend American elections against a party that no longer believes in democracy.
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].
Today’s GOP no longer believes in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the expectation of criminal and Constitutional violations to come next November and again in 2024. We must protect free elections at home.
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].
Today’s GOP no longer believes in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the expectation of criminal and Constitutional violations to come next November and again in 2024. We must protect free elections at home.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
I believe in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the criminal and Constitutional violations exposed by the January 6th hearings. We cannot have a repetition of this next November or in 2024 if the GOP is to continue to be a legitimate American political party.
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].
Today’s GOP no longer believes in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the expectation of criminal and Constitutional violations to come next November and again in 2024. We must protect free elections at home.
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].
I believe in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the criminal and Constitutional violations exposed by the January 6th hearings. We cannot have a repetition of this next November or in 2024 if the GOP is to continueto be a legitimate American political party.
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].
Today’s GOP no longer believes in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the expectation of criminal and Constitutional violations to come next November and again in 2024. We must protect free elections at home.
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].
Today’s GOP no longer believes in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the expectation of criminal and Constitutional violations to come next November and again in 2024. We must protect free elections at home.
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].
Today’s GOP no longer believes in Democracy and free elections. Please use your voice to educate American voters about “The Big Lie” and the expectation of criminal and Constitutional violations to come next November and again in 2024. We must protect free elections at home.
ACTION 3: GOOD TROUBLE
GOOD TROUBLE: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”
Watch the January 6 Committee's televised hearings.
Demand Justice is working to rebalance the Supreme Court. To get involved in this fight, click here.
TUESDAY 11:30am-12:30pm LETTER WRITING PARTY - INDIVISIBLE OREGON:
https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/442887/Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
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
Demand that 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.
Rally inconsisent Democratic voters to vote in 2022 with Progressive Turnout Project | Feb, 2022 | Medium
FURTHER READING:
Opinion | The Conservative Case for Reforming the Electoral Count Act - The New York Times
Opinion | The media must say it: The GOP is undermining democracy - The Washington Post
Jan. 6 panel says Trump fleeced his base and 5 other takeaways from the 2nd hearing
10 Important Moments From The Third Jan. 6 House Committee Hearing | HuffPost Latest News
Cult expert Steven Hassan sees 95% chance of worsening pro-Trump violence | Salon.com
New revelations and 3 other takeaways from the first Jan. 6 committee hearing
6 takeaways from the Jan. 6 committee's first prime-time hearing - The Washington Post
4 Takeaways From Day 2 of the Jan. 6 Hearing - The New York Times
Pence prevented a fall into chaos, and 3 other takeaways from Jan. 6 hearing
