Food. Housing. Wages. Voting. Vaccines. All are vital. All are bipartisan issues. To take action, helping America on these issues, is to help people of both political parties. Democrats have a choice – help the American people, making democracy a reality for all of us, or fall prey to the myth that Congressional Republicans are bipartisan, forfeiting our democracy .

The For the People Act will invalidate all voter suppression bills introduced in 47 states and prevent GOP gerrymandering when census results are released in August. Neither it nor any other progressive legislation will become law, however, unless the Senate reforms the filibuster--and that will only occur when wavering Senators realize that the GOP is filibustering everything and that failure to act will cause our democracy to wither and die.

Biden’s jobs-and-infrastructure plan is a good start, but averting the climate crisis needs a greater investment. And passing infrastructure may slow down S1 so much that the anti-gerrymandering provisions will be too late for ‘22. Now is the time for making your voice heard. Ask the Senate to pass the For the People Act asap, then follow with a robust jobs and infrastructure bill.

America’s public health system hobbled along on starvation funding for decades, leaving everyone, especially BIPOC communities, increasingly vulnerable. Trump trashed what remained. Biden’s infrastructure plan revitalizes public health in smart ways so everyone can THRIVE.

We deserve a government that works For the People and leaders who view their role as promoting the common good. Rescuing our democracy and helping us THRIVE is foundational. We ask Congress to protect our democracy before passing other progressive, anti-racist legislation, because democracy is the foundation of government that works For the People.

We all deserve to THRIVE with racially just education, healthcare, jobs, infrastructure, voting, and climate. Time is of the essence and Congressional Democrats must return from the current Congressional recess, waste no time, and boldly pass the THRIVE agenda.

The THRIVE Agenda’s economic renewal plan can only succeed if supported by a strong progressive judiciary. To counteract the GOP’s packing of the federal courts with rightwing ideologues committed to furthering its racist, corporate-friendly agenda, Congress must quickly expand the number of judgeships to keep up with exploding caseloads, Biden must continue working to rebalancing the federal bench by gender, ethnicity, experience and ideology, and the Senate must expeditiously confirm his nominees.

We cannot THRIVE during an epidemic of gun violence and police brutality or when this violence is targeted at BIPOC communities and women. Legislation to protect the vulnerable has already been approved by the House and awaits Senate action. Together we can pass this critical legislation, stop the racist or misogynist violence, and THRIVE.

The THRIVE Agenda will need new taxes and a revival of union organizing protections to succeed in the long run. Call and attend your Members’ virtual town halls to register your support for the THRIVE Resolution, new taxes — especially on the super-wealthy— and the PRO Act.

Republicans have shown our government has been captured by the wealthy few to enrich the rich. Under Republican leadership, government was incapable of solving even one crisis. Now, cascading crises threaten everyone. To meet these challenges, we must restore a government committed to protecting us all.

Everyone deserves to reach their full potential and THRIVE in America. President Biden, VP Harris, and Congressional Democrats have plans to help us THRIVE. Elected Republicans in Congress and statehouses are actively working to keep us from thriving. Take action to help America THRIVE with a recovery that is grounded in racial, economic, environmental, and gender justice.

Restoring ethical behavior and trust in government demands maintaining ethical standards. An ethics violation is an alarm that self-interest is more important to a politician than serving the public good. We need the For the People Act that toughens government ethical codes. 

It’s time to start building a better country. It will require work in three areas simultaneously: Reinforcing democracy, dismantling racism, and revitalizing the American community. We’ve learned over these last four years that democracy needs constant attention from us. Fighting Trump is ending, but our work to build a better country is just beginning. Call and enlist your MOC in building a better America.

A budget is a moral document, expressing our values.  We are counting on Congress to help us with a budget and COVID relief that will help America build back better.