Official Daily Action for Friday, April 2, 2021
Donald Trump may be out of office, but our work is just beginning. Democrats control both chambers of Congress and the White House, but to pass progressive legislation, including democracy reforms, universal health care, climate change legislation, and immigration reforms, we need to abolish the filibuster. As the Senate’s rules exist today, Republicans in the Senate will still have the power to block every single progressive priority using a procedural tool called the filibuster, which requires at a minimum 60 votes to advance legislation.
It’s simple: none of the progressive issues that Democratic candidates and congressional leaders are discussing today will become law unless we do something about the filibuster. If Mitch McConnell expects to be the Grim Reaper of progressive policies, the scythe he’ll use is the Senate filibuster. Unless we change the rules.
We’re already seeing this play out with the For the People Act. The Act would make voting easier and more fair, and head off the efforts of some states to make it harder for Americans to vote. Americans overwhelmingly support the For the People Act, the House has passed it, President Biden is ready to sign it, but Republican senators are using the filibuster to keep it from getting a vote in the Senate. 50 people are blocking a law that Americans want, and they’ll block every other progressive reform, unless we get rid of the filibuster. Now is the time. We may not have the votes to do this after the 2022 elections.
ACTION: Call or email both senators, and tell them to end the filibuster
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Sen. Maria Cantwell: https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email/form or 202-224-3441 / 206-220-6400
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Sen. Patty Murray: https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme or 202-224-2621 / 206-553-5545
Script
Hello, I’m [NAME] from [CITY, ZIP]. I’m calling/writing today because it’s time to end the filibuster, and I want [SENATOR] to do everything she can to make that happen. There is no more clear example of how Republicans have used the lopsided filibuster to damage our country than its use against the For the People Act. Americans overwhelmingly support making voting fair, but 50 people – Republican Senators – are keeping that from happening. End the filibuster. Today. Thank you.
Background:
Event
Seattle Indivisible Monthly General Meeting
Wednesday, April 7, 6:30-8:00PM, on Zoom
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/seattleindivisible/event/380443/
