Update: Indivisible has been working on the Biden 18 for almost a year now. These Unrepresentatives are Republicans who won House seats in districts where Biden won. It’s still the best path to take back the House in 2024.  Check out who they are and our past work!

From 2023: It’s Launch Day here at Indivisible, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring you in on our plans to defeat the MAGA Majority and retake the House in 2024. You may have already heard me share the news last night on Rachel Maddow, but today, we are officially launching The Unrepresentatives — our plan to take on the 18 most vulnerable Republican representatives by exposing their extremism, holding them accountable and defeating them.

For a succinct explanation of our campaign, just watch Rachel, then visit our new campaign site to get to work! But if you want to get into the nuts and bolts, read on!

Meet the 18

Marjorie Taylor Greene and similar MAGAs grab much of the press. Most of the national media attention these days focuses on those right-wing wackadoodles like Marjorie Taylor Greene. Fox News and other GOP propaganda operations are full of politicians like Greene from safely gerrymandered Republican districts trying to out-MAGA each other. The national media eats it up because these people are ridiculous, must-watch TV! If you read an article or see a broadcast of a congressional Republican spouting an outlandish quote on the issue of the day, nine times out of ten, it’s gonna be from one of these safe district MAGAs.

Meanwhile, the actual majority-makers of the MAGA House hide from the headlines.

While Greene’s rants to Tucker Carlson give us a sense of the dystopian clown show driving Kevin McCarthy’s majority, that’s not the whole story. The members who are actually propping up the GOP House majority are hiding behind the curtain — politically scared, maybe a little nauseous, desperately avoiding attention, and just as responsible for the mess we’re in as are the MTGs of the world. 

To understand this, you really just need simple math. There are not enough Marjorie Taylor Greenes from safe GOP districts to produce a House majority. Kevin McCarthy’s speakership is built on a small but significant number of Republicans representing Democratic-leaning districts. We can put a precise number on that — we call them the Unrepresentative 18. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene is a dangerous but entertaining headline-chasing bozo. But it’s these Unrepresentative 18 who give her the power to actually endanger our democracy, menace our economy, and threaten our freedoms. After all, on average, they vote with her 95% of the time. 9️⃣5️⃣%!

To get reelected, the Unrepresentative 18 have to keep their own constituents in the dark. These 18 Unrepresentatives are spread across eight geographically, demographically, and politically diverse states, but they all share one basic political reality: Biden won their districts in 2020. Each of these Republicans is running for reelection in a district heavily favored to vote Democratic next year. And each of them shares the same three-step strategy for reelection:

1. Raise a ton of money from right-wing donors
2. Vote the way these donors want (otherwise you don’t get the money, silly!)
3. Fool their constituents into believing that they have nothing to do with extremists like Marjorie Taylor Greene

Here’s a fun challenge for you: look through the list of the Unrepresentative 18 and without Googling tell me if you recognize more than one. I bet you’ve heard of George Santos — he’s all over the news for his ridiculously corrupt shenanigans — click, watch, retweet (I know I have!). But the rest of the 18 are not household names. Few Americans have ever even heard of them. And that’s by design. 

Yes, these members side with Marjorie Taylor Greene on almost every vote. But they don’t advertise that fact. They don’t go on Fox News to embrace a national default or a federal abortion ban, or to spout pro-Putin talking points. They keep a low profile. They raise a boatload of money. And they try to distance themselves — in style and presentation, if not with their votes — from Marjorie Taylor Greene and her virulently MAGA buddies. You probably haven’t heard of them because they don’t want you to hear about them.

Our Strategy: A Case Study from NY-17

One of the men behind the curtain: the Unrepresentative Mike Lawler (NY-17). Let’s pluck one example out from the 18 — New York’s 17th congressional district, just north of New York City. It’s a district that’s been represented by Democrats for about 40 years. Biden won it, Hillary Clinton won it, Obama won it twice, Kerry won it, Gore won it, Bill Clinton won it twice. It’s not a “swing” district by most definitions.

But in 2022, a Republican won the district by the skin of his teeth — a Republican by the name of Mike Lawler. What’s that? You’ve never heard of Mike Lawler? Of course you haven’t! He doesn’t want you to know his name, because Lawler isn’t a complete idiot. He knows he has to run for reelection next year in a district Biden won by more than 10 points. He knows he’s got only one path for political survival: to lay low, raise a ton of money from right-wing donors, vote the way those donors want, and then do his damndest to convince his constituents to ignore his voting record.

Lawler, like the rest of the 18 Unrepresentatives, has to build his reelection strategy around keeping his constituents in the dark, hiding the fact that his votes directly empower MAGA extremists to do terrible, unpopular things. 

Defeat the dark with some light: a case study in effective, local, public pressure. So how do we cure Congress of these ills? Sunlight is the best disinfectant. And we saw a real world example of that just this past weekend.

This past Saturday, Speaker McCarthy flew into New York 17th for a big fundraiser. Lawler joined him. This was not a public event — Lawler was just trying to raise a lot of money behind closed doors. But rather than a quiet fundraiser that escaped any public attention, Lawler had some unwelcome visitors: his own damn constituents. Indivisible members from Rockland United, Indivisible YorktownNY, Indivisible Westchester joined together with some stellar organizers from NY Working Families Party. They brought signs asking Lawler to not default on the debt, and to not cut Social Security or Medicare. It was a simple, effective message — so much so that it made the local news: Potential cuts to government spending draws protesters to Armonk fundraiser.

As a result of the work and their press coverage, more of Lawler’s constituents know that he’s buddying up with Kevin McCarthy for high-dollar fundraisers with right-wing donors. It was so bad for him that Lawler had to release a statement saying he would refuse to vote for cuts to Social Security or Medicare. Score one for team constituent pressure.

Rinse and repeat to limit MAGA damage and rebuild the Democratic trifecta. This is exactly the kind of local attention that the 18 Unrepresentatives want to avoid. They don’t want to be held accountable for empowering MAGA. But if we’re going to limit the harm done by Kevin McCarthy’s House and ultimately retake control of Congress, that’s exactly what we have to do: shine a light on what they want to keep in the dark. That means asking the tough questions at the right time to the right people.

• Will the United States go into default this summer? Ask the 18 Unrepresentatives.
• Will the federal government shut down this fall? Ask the 18 Unrepresentatives.
• Will the House pass a national abortion ban? Ask the 18 Unrepresentatives.
• Will Congress cut Social Security or Medicare? Ask the 18 Unrepresentatives.

Ready to join us?

This won’t happen unless we make it happen — and everybody can help. We can’t just hope these questions are asked, we have to actively do the work. For our part, Indivisible launched the Unrepresentative 18 to make sure these questions get asked loudly, repeatedly, and authentically by the folks who have the most ability to impact things: the constituents in these districts. We’ll be working with local Indivisible groups to bring a little bit of light to the darkness that MAGA would like to spread in these districts. 

So if you’re in one of these 18 Unrepresentative districts, time to get busy! And if you’re not in one of these districts but want to help, it’s still time to get busy. Huge thanks to all of you who have already chipped in — since last night’s announcement, we’ve received a swell of support from hundreds of donors around the country. 

This is one of Indivisible’s top campaigns for the next two years, and we’re going to need all the help we can get to hold these Unrepresentatives accountable. Let’s shine some light in the dark together. And together, we will win. 

In solidarity,

Ezra

FOR HOLIDAYS, BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, ANY OCCASION 

GIVE OR ASK FOR THE GIFT OF DEMOCRACY

We all have too much stuff!   Does Uncle Charles want another tie? Does Grandma need more jewelry?  

Do you really want to go to the mall or shop on Amazon? 

Give the gift of democracy!

And when someone asks you what you want, tell them “I want the gift of Democracy.”  Make a donation in my name to… or ask for one of the books below.

By donating to Activate America, you’re investing in people-powered action to elect pro-choice pro-democracy Democrats to the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and beyond.  Your donation directly supports person-to-person voter connections.

Vote.org is a non-profit that shares Info on how to  register and vote in all 50 states.  Taylor Swift’s post about this organization encouraged more than 35,000 people to register on this site!  Voter Registration needs early investment, and it is the best way to expand the electorate!  Help the get the word out by donating here.      

Blue Wave Postcard Movement, (all volunteer, non–profit) focuses on voter turnout by sending postcards via targeted lists.  Wish you could write postcards but don’t have time? Donations support volunteers who need financial assistance to write more postcards.  Donate Here 

Working America An affiliate of the AFL-CIO, this organization makes sure the priorities of working people are heard in our state houses,the White House, local governments and Congress.  Working America was formed to especially help working people who do not belong to a union!

In 2022, this group made nearly 10 million voter contacts at the cost of just 10 cents per contact.  They work especially hard in “right to work” states. You can donate to their tax deductible education fund or their politcal activities fund.  Read more here!

Swing Left mobilizes volunteers to help candidates at the state and Federal level. Donations are held for the winners of the primaries in 2024.  It’s so important that candidates get campaign donations immediately after winning their primaries. Donate here

Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual for Every American by David Pepper An outline of the far right’s playbook to attack democracy and ways Americans can (and must do) to fight back. Video book review here 

Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point  by Harvard professors Steven Levistsky, Daniel Ziblatt. The authors lay out a coherent framework for understanding these volatile times.  We are at a crossroads: we will become a multiracial democracy or cease to be a democracy at all. Link to their talk 

PENZEY SPICES Quality spices from around the world from a company who has come out publicly “against the nonsense of the Republican Party”. 

“Given the choice between saving America and planet Earth or saving the feelings of Republican voters, we are choosing to side with saving our country and our world.” 

The media still hasn’t found a path forward to help protect Democracy. They uplift disinformation, don’t hold radicals accountable and cover only bad news. But you can make a real difference by talking to real people! From Uber drivers to that neighbor or relative, you may have a chance to talk about Biden’s accomplishments or other good news that the media ignores.  Remember, most people do not pay for a newspaper or even watch the news – whatever the reason, they just don’t pay attention. Here are some conversation starters!

Biden shouldn’t do anything v. Biden isn’t doing enough!

Perhaps you’ve just listened to someone voice their opinion – or perhaps you know someone who is very concerned about student loans. If you haven’t been close to someone struggling with these loans, it could be hard to have sympathy.  But the student loan burden is causing people to defer marriage, home purchases, and children.  The loans that Biden can help with are federal loans – not private loans.  To receive a federal loan, the student had to be already considered low-income.

Helpful Hint:

Whether you are responding to or starting a conversation, remember to start by framing your values.  For example, student loan forgiveness is an issue of fairness and helping those in need.  Facts alone do not usually convince people, but talking about values and personal stories does.

General talking points about the causes of our student loan burden:

• College Costs:  In the last three decades, college costs began to rise at a faster rate than other costs.  Tuition for state schools used to be subsidized by state taxes – I remember paying $125 for a quarter at the University of Washington in 1982.  But tax subsidies have steadily decreased, leaving students to shoulder the costs directly.  My takeaway- we used to pay taxes to support students, and now it is time to start again!
• Confusing or Misleading Loan Terms:  Remember that the loans being forgiven are Federal loans, and those eligible were less financially educated.  Students were widely advised to take these loans without any evaluation or support for future ability to graduate or pay.
• Costly:  These student loan interest rates followed car loan rates more closely than mortgage rates – ranging from 5% – 10%
• Compounding Interest: Students were told not to worry about the amount borrowed because payments were deferred until 6 months after graduation.  But interest started compounding immediately!  That’s why you hear so many stories of people owing more than they borrowed after paying for years….

Who benefits from loan forgiveness?

• Private School Graduates? No, it’s not high-income students who took out private loans to go to expensive schools! Remember, these are Federal loans to low-income applicants.
• People with cushy jobs?  No, 35% of students holding student loan debt did not graduate with a college degree.  Others are teachers or in professions that are low-paying.
• Young People?  No, people of all ages, from teenagers to senior citizens, took student loans.  So, these loans affect young people’s ability to invest in families and housing, and older people are also trying to repay these loans out of their social security. 

What is Biden doing to solve this crisis?

UPDATE: 2/21/24 Biden Cancels 1.2B in Student Loans with New Repayment Plan

A NY Times article (no paywall) lays it out beautifully.  Biden has been approaching student debt forgiveness through the lens of fairness.  Many of these programs already existed, but they were bureaucratic failures – tripping up applicants with complicated applications and deadlines.  Other students were failed by the corporations administering these loans, who didn’t even tell them about programs that could reduce their costs.  Here are the groups Biden has helped so far:

Public service loan forgiveness debts canceled: $51 billion for 715,000 borrowers.

Income-driven repayment adjustment debts canceled: $42 billion for 855,000 borrowers.

Borrower defense to repayment and closed-school discharge debts canceled: $22.5 billion for 1.3 million borrowers.

Total and permanent disability debts canceled: $11.7 billion for 513,000 borrowers.

Democracy is on the ballot in 2024 – but most people don’t see the connection between their democratic vote to choose their leaders and progress on the issues they care about. Authoritarians understand this and flood the media with discouragement and disinformation; Authoritarians win when people get frustrated and don’t vote.

What you can do:

From Uber drivers to that relative, you may have a chance to counter disinformation.  However, psychologist George Lakoff has documented that just sharing opposite facts does not persuade people that they do not have their facts correct. Instead, it makes them hold tighter to their opinion.  Here’s how to do it so that they can hear you.

How do you engage in a conversation that respects your relationship and emphasizes the truth?

1. First, listen carefully to understand the underlying emotion and find common ground.  What is this person really upset about?  
2. Then, frame the issue carefully, keep it simple, and appeal to common values.
3. Deliver a “Truth Sandwich.” 

What is a Truth Sandwich?

It’s a way of communicating, either in person or on social media, that avoids spreading the lie and begins to inoculate people from more disinformation.  

This takes a little practice, but you will find that even just an attempt at this method of communication will leave both parties feeling like they were heard.  

Example: 

“Students are lazy and just want handouts to pay off their loans.”

1. Truth/Common Ground–  We all want to be able to pay our debts and provide for our families. 
2. Plant Seeds of Doubt -It’s so terrible that young people were taken advantage of when they took these loans and later, too, when applications for relief were deliberately tricky.”
3. Truth/Proactive and Positive– I am so glad our government is fixing its mistakes and helping people get the help they deserve.

Support pre-election voter empowerment with tax-deductible donations.

Looking for a year-end tax deduction for your political giving? Are you confused about which donations are both meaningful and tax-deductible? Here are the rules plus some of our recommendations. Tax status information about organizations can be found on their websites. 

Rules: 

• Donations to groups organized as 501(c)(3) charities generally are tax-deductible. The charity’s activities must be nonpartisan and perform public-service activities, e.g. voter registration and education. 

• Donations to groups organized as 501(c)(4) charities that seek to influence legislation, are generally not tax-deductible. Political action committees (PACS) fall into this category. 

• Larger charities may have both tax-deductible and non-tax-deductible arms that perform different activities. For example, Planned Parenthood Federation of America is a 501(c)(3) charity that supports reproductive health through education and health services. Donations to PPFA are fully tax-deductible. The affiliated Planned Parenthood Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) charity that works with legislators and political candidates to advocate for reproductive rights. Donations to the Action Fund are not tax-deductible. 

Where to Donate for Tax Purposes: As a starting place, you can scroll through Turn Purple 2 Blue’s curated Recommended Groups. Or if you’re looking to make one or two donations that cover more ground, Force Multiplier is a useful resource (“We do the research so you don’t have to”). Here are two of their fully tax-deductible funds that target key swing states and demographics, mostly in rural and small town communities, and the excellent 501(c)(3) grassroots organizations they support. See full descriptions:

• Democracy in Action educates and builds political power in young people, women, gender-nonconforming folks, people of color, and other historically disenfranchised groups. Grassroots groups supported by this slate: Worker Power Initiative (AZ), New Georgia Project (GA), Forward Montana Foundation (MT), You Can Vote NC (NC), Ohio Women’s Alliance (OH), Make the Road PA (PA).

• Heartland Fund registers, educates, and mobilizes rural and small town voters. Groups supported: RAZA (AZ), Black Male Voter Project/Georgia (GA), We the People MI (MI), Down Home North Caroline (NC), Rural Organizing (OH), and PA United (PA).

Whatever option(s) you choose, your donation(s) will make a difference in 2024!

Update 4/22/24: The Biden Administration just opened applications for the American Climate Corps. From Sunrise “Four years ago, Sunrise began campaigning for a Climate Corps. We walked hundreds of miles. We protested in the streets in DC and around the country. We built coalitions. Now 20,000 young people will work this summer and fall to care for their communities and tackle the climate crisis through the program. Check out the open positions and share them with every young person you know. CHECK OPENINGS 

The media still hasn’t found a path forward to help protect Democracy. They uplift disinformation, don’t hold radicals accountable and cover only bad news. But you can make a real difference by talking to real people! From Uber drivers to that neighbor or relative, you may have a chance to talk about Biden’s accomplishments or other good news that the media ignores.  Remember, most people do not pay for a newspaper or even watch the news – whatever the reason, they just don’t pay attention. Here are some conversation starters!

Biden and Climate

This won’t be your grandfather’s CCC, though – Biden has centered equity and environmental justice at its core.  That simply means fairness.  It means creating good jobs in communities most affected by pollution, usually disadvantaged areas.  It’s not an accident that industrial pollution is worse in communities already suffering; they don’t always have the resources to fight back.  So, the American Climate Corp will create good jobs, where investment will make a huge difference in the health and well-being of its residents.  I’d sure like to see that program continue and expand under another Biden term!

Conversation Tip:  

This might be a great way to bring generations together!  My grandfather was in the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps – his (all-white male) unit built roads and bridges in the Colorado mountains.  What did your family do in the 30s?  Was the New Deal meaningful to your family?  It’s almost 100 years since then – can we use it again to lift people out of poverty and give back to the nation at the same time?

More good climate news

In August, Montana youth won their lawsuit arguing that their state violated their right to a clean environment.  Why is this so important?  The district court was striking down a Republican state law barring Montana from considering climate impacts when permitting energy projects.  Yes, that’s correct – Republicans wrote a law to say you couldn’t even talk about climate issues during zoning and permitting processes.  

Montana’s constitution is unique in that it includes the right to a “clean and healthful environment,” added in 1972.   The Court affirmed that climate is included in this right. 

Currently, the Republican government of Montana has promoted fossil fuels, especially coal, which is significantly dirtier than natural gas.  The plaintiffs, from age 5 to 22, testified that “climate change has jeopardized their recreation, traditions, mental health and physical health.”  The Indigenous plaintiffs testified that climate change threatens their land and culture.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that 2022 was the 50th anniversary of Montana citizen’s 1972 state constitutional convention that changed their state from a “corporate colony to an era of grassroots democracy.”  It’s an inspiring story of people rising up to do what is right for the land and themselves.  I bet learning about this history helped inspire the current lawsuit!

Conversation Tip:

Ask someone to share their experience in nature.  What makes it important to protect and preserve our natural spaces?  Who really benefits when Republicans allow corporations to industrialize?  Who is hurt?  Climate Change is such a broad term – what does it mean for our wild spaces? 

The media still hasn’t found a path forward to help protect Democracy. They uplift disinformation, don’t hold radicals accountable and cover only bad news. But you can make a real difference by talking to real people! From Uber drivers to that neighbor or relative, you may have a chance to talk about Biden’s accomplishments or other good news that the media ignores.  Remember, most people do not pay for a newspaper or even watch the news – whatever the reason, they just don’t pay attention. Here are some conversation starters!

Biden and Gun Safety

Frustrated with the lack of action from Republicans in Congress, President Biden signed an executive order to create the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.  Vice President Harris will oversee the Office, which was created this September.  The leadership team also includes Stephanie Feldman, Greg Jackson, and Rob Wilcox, activists who have been working on gun safety policy for a decade.  This new WH Office is an important way to devote resources and expertise to implementing executive actions, rules and regulations through the DOJ .  They will also provide a critical function often overlooked by activists-making sure the existing laws are fully put into practice. 

Biden was able to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in June, 2022, the only significant gun safety legislation in 30 years.  This legislation keeps guns out of the hands of minors, improves mental health services in schools, and invests in community violence interventions.  It makes it easier for communities to pass “Red Flag” laws by providing coordination and funding.   It also gives the DOJ more authority to prosecute firearm traffickers.

Biden’s Executive Orders include holding rogue gun dealers accountable, keeping repeat shooters and dangerous weapons off our streets and providing resources to address the root causes of gun violence.

Biden needs Congress to pass legislation to go further.  He has called on Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; require safe storage of firearms; require background checks for all gun sales; and eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability.  Republicans and the NRA categorically refuse any gun regulation.  In order for legislation of this magnitude to pass, Democrats must have full control of the House and Senate.  

Did the Assault Weapon Ban from 1994 to 2005 prevent gun violence?

The recent gun safety legislation has renewed interest in gun violence data collected before, during and after the Federal assault weapon ban from 1994 to 2004.  The data gives rise to several conclusions:  

• Even though the ban was limited to new sales, gun deaths fell during the ban.
• After the ban expired in 2004, there was an immediate and steep rise in gun deaths.
• The calculated risk of a person in the U.S. dying in a mass shooting was 70% lower during the period in which the assault weapons ban was active. 

Do “Red Flag” Laws prevent gun violence?

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO), are sometimes called “Red Flag” laws.  Moms Demand Action encourages using the actual name of ERPO, or Extreme Risk Protection Orders to combat the NRA propaganda around the name “Red Flag.”  There is broad public support for these laws.  16 states currently have varying versions, but basically they allow family or law enforcement to petition a court to at least temporarily remove guns from a dangerous person.  They are especially important in suicide prevention. There is not a Federal ERPO provision.

As of this writing, the latest gun massacre was in the state of Maine, which has no ERPO laws, or background checks.  The Maine shooter was known to the police for threatening acts of violence, but they had no mechanism to remove his guns.  

Even when ERPO laws exist, Sheriffs and other law enforcement sometimes refuse to enforce them, calling themselves “2nd Amendment Sanctuaries.”  Is your Sheriff elected?  Who oversees the law enforcement in your town?