đ˝Protect Democracy
đ˝Stay informed with daily news updates to hold our leaders accountable and protect democracy. A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
Today in đ˝Protect Democracy, weâre featuring: November 4, 2024 news briefs, video briefs, Brief on the Freedom to Vote Act, and calls-to-action.
Together, we can realize a democracy that represents, reflects, and responds to all of us.
For far too long, special interests, ultra-wealthy donors, and vote suppressors have dominated our politics and attempted to silence the voices of everyday Americans, especially in Black and Brown communities.
America's democracy is under attack as the MAGA agenda seeks to undermine our democratic institutions, erode the rule of law, and strip away the rights that ensure every voice is heard and every vote counts. Join us to champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference.
Together we can Protect Democracy
Register to vote, vote, and help elect leaders that will ensure safe, secure elections and are committed to protecting democracy
Click here to Sign the Petition: Abolish the Electoral College
Click here to Tell your member of Congress to co-sponsor and support the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
Call your member of Congress today (202) 224-3121 and ask them to support the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
Click here to Tell Congress: Overturn Citizens United
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Protect Democracy - News Briefs - November 4, 2024
Trumpâs next Big Lie has already begun.
Slate By By Norman L. Eisen and Juan ProaĂąo
As a longtime election lawyer and a leader of the nationâs oldest Latino civil rights organization, respectively, we have watched in dismay as Donald Trump and his allies have resumed their 2020-style campaign of baseless election litigation and lies.
Thousands of Pennsylvania voters have had their mail ballot applications challenged
NPR
Data from those forms, All Voting is Local and other voting rights groups say, is often part of flawed methodologies for mass voter challenges.
Supreme Court takes up Louisiana racial gerrymandering dispute
NBC News By Lawrence HurleyÂ
One lawsuit claimed that the state had to draw a map containing two majority Black districts to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act.
First Thing: Trump election subversion efforts better organized than in 2020, experts warn
The Guardian By Clea SkopelitiÂ
The former president has made it clear that he will contest the results if he loses â and election lawyers and voting rights experts say that this time, the effort to get Trump into the White House, regardless of the result, ranges from using the courts to local groups organizing election deniers to âŚ
One manâs mission to restore felony voting rights in Florida
ABC News By Tesfaye Negussie, Faith AbubeyÂ
Now he is the founder of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), an organization that fights for the voting rights of people released from prison and has successfully restored voting rights for more than 1.4 million Floridians through Amendment 4, a 2018 ballot initiative that gives people voting
Seattle Times
Justice Department said its election monitoring efforts will include Portage County, where a sheriff was accused of intimidating voters last month, to make sure the county complies with federal voting rights laws during early voting and on Election Day.
Trump escalates false claims of fraud, setting stage to cry foul if he loses
By Marianne LeVine, Patrick Marley, Yvonne Sanchez
Democratic officials and voting rights advocates vehemently dispute Trumpâs claims. Lancaster County election officials said recently that they identified roughly 2,500 voter registration applications that were potentially fraudulent and that local law enforcement was investigating.
Protect Democracy - Video Highlights - November 4, 2024
US Justice Department stresses protection of votersâ rights | KSDK News
Whose Vote Counts, Explained | Full Episode | Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio | Netflix
What is the John Lewis Voting Rights Act?
How the John Lewis Voting Rights Act Protects Democracy | Now This Impact
What is the Freedom to Vote Act?
With the Freedom to Vote Act, we can finally take action against some of the largest issues plaguing our democracy. It will protect the right to vote, end partisan gerrymandering, combat election subversion, and decrease the power of big moneyed special interests. Together we can realize a democracy that represents, reflects, and responds to all of us.Â
TOPLINES
Freedom to Vote Act and Voting Rights:
Since the 2013 Shelby v. Holder SCOTUS decision, we have less federal voting rights protections than in the decades before.
We must ensure the freedom to vote for all Americans to have our vote counted and voice heard.
The Freedom to Vote Act will modernize our voting system and prevent blatant attempts to silence our voices so that we all have the freedom to vote
The Freedom to Vote Act helps dismantle barriers erected to keep Black, Indigenous, young and new Americans from voting, including long lines and eliminated polling places, targeted restrictions to registration, and overt voter intimidation.Â
Freedom to Vote Act and Money in Politics
We must build a campaign finance system that ensures our elected leaders listen to every American â not just the rich and powerful.Â
Our current pay-to-play system silences the voices of Black, brown, young, and new Americans and gives unchecked power to the wealthy few.Â
The Freedom to Vote Act tackles corruption by ensuring that our government works for us by reducing the influence of big money in politics and increasing ethical standards for our elected officials.Â
In order to make progress on the issues that Americans care most about such as, health care, racial justice, reproductive rights, and environmental justice, we must build a system that serves the people, rather than the interests of the rich and powerful.
Freedom to Vote Act and Election Sabotage:Â
The Freedom to Vote Act would set new national standards for voters to safely and freely cast our ballots, ensure that trusted local election officials count every vote, and prevent partisan politicians from sabotaging our elections.
State Anti-Voter Bills
With states across the country working to pass bills that attack our freedom to vote, we need national standards to ensure that we all have equal access to the ballot.
These restrictive voter policies are designed to disenfranchise black, brown, and indigenous communities, as well as people with disabilities, college students, low income voters, and more.Â
We need federal government action to ensure that the will of the people prevails.
Rights Restoration for Felony Disenfranchisement
Restoring the freedom to vote for formerly and currently incarcerated Americans would allow them to fulfill an important civic duty, help those released to successfully re-integrate into their communities, and make us all safer. (Additional Talking points from Stand Up America)
Disenfranchisement disproportionately impacts the vote of Black and Brown communities.Â
Progress has been made on the state level, but we need to enact federal legislation securing every Americanâs right to vote.
People Power Unitedâs Statement on Protecting Democracy
In response to recent MAGA shenanigans to suppress votes and stop voting rights bills like the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act from passing, People Power United - a progressive grassroots group - issued the following statement:
âAmerica's democracy is under attack as the MAGA agenda seeks to undermine our democratic institutions, erode the rule of law, and strip away the rights that ensure every voice is heard and every vote counts. There is no power like that of the people, and People Power United stands ready to protect our communities against any and all injustices,â said Laurie Woodward GarcĂa of People Power United.
People Power United will continue to oppose such harm to our community and champion civil rights for all.
Join us to build People Power! Together, we can champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference.
Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests)
People Power United | In this community, we will always speak out against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, sexism, ageism, ableism, sizeism, elitism, transphobia, misogynoir, and bigotry! Check out our 2023 recap post to see how impactful our scrappy People Power United group is!â
People Power United is a group of community members that champions progressive values and power for the people.