Protect Democracy
🗽Stay informed with daily news updates to hold our leaders accountable and protect democracy. A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
Every action counts in the fight to protect our rights and freedoms. Today in Protect Democracy we’re featuring November 22, 2024 news and critical 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
Click here to Tell Congress: Overturn Citizens United
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
BONUS
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
Register to vote, vote, and help elect leaders that will ensure safe, secure elections and are committed to protecting democracy
Click here to signup for our next training: Stop Project 2025: Mobilize for Change
Defend and Protect Democracy is a reader-supported publication. Click here to upgrade your subscription or become a paid subscriber.
Give us a ❤️ Heart and Leave a comment on this post. Share this post on your social media channels.
Get Protect Democracy on the Substack app
Protect Democracy - News Briefs - November 22, 2024
Hungary invites Netanyahu to visit as world leaders split over ICC arrest warrant
The Guardian By Jon Henley
A spokesperson for the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said the UK “respects the independence of the ICC” but there was “no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, which are terrorist organisations”.
Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad
Seattle Times
“This was the first time seeing a major U.S. presidential candidate address the community in this manner,” said Mariam Wahba, a Coptic Christian and research analyst with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based research institute. “It was really a profound moment.”
Bosses Are Retaliating Against Workers for Showing Solidarity With Palestinians
The Nation By Sarah Lazare, Aaron Fernando, Mohammad Khatami, Zelda Montes
“Democracy in our country is diminished when individuals can’t speak out on an issue that matters to them because their employer wants to dictate what their speech is going to be,” he told me.
Trump's New Attorney General Pick: A Corporate Lobbyist Who Did Wall Street's Bidding
Common Dreams By Jake Johnson
"We should expect an Attorney General Bondi to spread false claims about voter fraud and to undermine the Department of Justice's historic commitment to protecting voting rights," he added.
The Pain Creating a New Coalition for Trump
The New Yorker By Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
But that success turned out not to be enough to protect democracy.” In her media roundup a couple days later, Richardson quoted one writer who described voters as “profoundly ignorant” and another who called the electorate “pickled in right-wing misinformation and rage.”
Advocates fear national book ban under unified GOP government
The Hill By Lexi Lonas Cochran
“I think in some ways, what we’ve been doing is, or what we would hope to do, is demonstrate why there are First Amendment protections around the right to read, and how, you know, this is a principle essential to democracy.
The Guardian By Aaron Gell
In addition to reframing US political discourse around a powerful class-based critique, Occupy proved that an entirely different paradigm of human relations, based on direct democracy and mutual aid, could flourish if left to its own devices.
Litman: Trump's election ended Jack Smith's tenure. But he still has one more important job to do
LA Times By Harry Litman
The core of the Jan. 6 case is a breathtaking effort to exhort supporters to commit an insurrection and prevent the peaceful transfer of power, the sine qua non of a democracy.
Protect Democracy - Video Highlights - November 22, 2024
The Democratic Party Is A Rudderless Ship | The Majority Report with Sam Seder
David Dayen, executive editor at The American Prospect and co-host of the Organized Money podcast, discusses the continued fallout from last Tuesday’s elections.
What Trump’s Win Tells Us About the Democratic Party | New York Times
What is the John Lewis Voting Rights Act?
How the John Lewis Voting Rights Act Protects Democracy | Now This Impact
Donald Trump was elected President, but he is not a leader
Allowing leaders to escape the consequences of their actions sends a dangerous message that power, not justice, prevails—ultimately destabilizing society and giving rise to authoritarianism.
History warns us that unchecked power leads to corruption, oppression, and the silencing of our voices, threatening the freedoms we cherish.
Now, more than ever, we need everyone to step up and stand together. Join us and be part of a movement that demands accountability and justice for all. More resources are coming, but today, please join our Not Above the Law Rapid Response Team and sign on to our Freedom Over Fascism pledge.
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.
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.
Freedom to Vote Act and Money in Politics
We must build a campaign finance system that ensures our elected leaders listen to every American — not just the rich and powerful.
Our current pay-to-play system silences the voices of Black, brown, young, and new Americans and gives unchecked power to the wealthy few.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Progress has been made on the state level, but we need to enact federal legislation securing every American’s right to vote.
People Power United’s 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:
“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. There is no power like that of the people, and People Power United stands ready to protect our communities against any and all injustices,” said Laurie Woodward García 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 protect and empower those we love, 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!
People Power United is a group of community members that champions progressive values and power for the people.