DEMs vs. GOP: Democracy over Authoritarianism

Daily Action
Written By Barbara Isaacman

QUICK READ: “The choice is clear: Donald Trump’s campaign is about him. Not America, not you….He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy [to] put himself in power.” In order to defeat a dark turn coming our way, we must come out in record numbers to cast votes in defense of democracy.


CONTENTS:

BACKGROUND

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

Earlier this month in Pennsylvania, President Biden spoke about the “urgent question” of our time: the sanctity of democracy in America.

“The choice is clear: Donald Trump’s campaign is about him. Not America, not you…. [h]e’s willing to sacrifice our democracy [to] put himself in power.”

Trump was testing our commitment to the rule of law and democracy when he stood by while violent mobs stormed the capital in defiance of a peaceful transfer of power. So too, when he threatened to “root out…radical left thugs that live like vermin within…our country,” or proposed to round up millions of immigrants into camps for deportation, or exulted in the violent assault of the House Speaker’s husband.

In contrast, Biden extended the concept of freedom in his Pennsylvania address to include voting rights, reproductive choice, and economic fairness—none of which would be possible, “if democracy falls.” He further decried Trump’s followers as “an extremist movement that does not share the basic beliefs in our democracy.” 

Former Wyoming representative Lynn Cheney echoed similar concerns’’—that Americans may be “sleepwalking into dictatorship,” that Trump “told us what he will do [making it]  very easy to see the steps that he will take.”

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].

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to regularly use your bully pulpit both to stress to constituents the fundamental differences between the parties and to pressure the media to accurately contrast these fundamental differences without the perpetual “bothsides-ism” that obscures them instead.

*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].

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to regularly use your bully pulpit both to stress to constituents the fundamental differences between the parties and to pressure the media to accurately contrast these fundamental differences without the perpetual “bothsides-ism” that obscures them instead.

Script for Republican Senators

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121

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

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to speak out in support of democracy and reject the authoritarianism being spouted by your party’s leaders.

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].

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to regularly use your bully pulpit both to stress to constituents the fundamental differences between the parties and to pressure the media to accurately contrast these fundamental differences without the perpetual “bothsides-ism” that obscures them instead.

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].

American taxpayers should not be forced to pay for arms that kill Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to speak out in support of democracy and reject the authoritarianism being spouted by your party’s leaders.

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].

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to regularly use your bully pulpit both to stress to constituents the fundamental differences between the parties and to pressure the media to accurately contrast these fundamental differences without the perpetual “bothsides-ism” that obscures them instead.

Script for Val Hoyle (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].

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to regularly use your bully pulpit both to stress to constituents the fundamental differences between the parties and to pressure the media to accurately contrast these fundamental differences without the perpetual “bothsides-ism” that obscures them instead.

Script for Lori Chavez-DeRemer (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].

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to speak out in support of democracy and reject the authoritarianism being spouted by your party’s leaders.

Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643

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

Democracy cannot thrive while citizens see voting as a choice rather than an imperative. To defeat the dark turn coming our way, record numbers must come out to cast votes for democracy. As your constituent, I expect you to regularly use your bully pulpit both to stress to constituents the fundamental differences between the parties and to pressure the media to accurately contrast these fundamental differences without the perpetual “bothsides-ism” that obscures them instead.

FURTHER READING

Barbara Isaacman
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