STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY
Democracies can die. Now, by declaring a national emergency, Trump is pushing our democracy to the edge.
American democracy has worked because the founding fathers created three independent branches of government to check a potential despot. But Trump has efficiently packed the courts and is now tossing Congress aside.
If his emergency declaration survives Congress and the courts, Trump will have access to extraordinary new powers.
Trump may understand little about democratic traditions, treaties or the constitution but Putin, his mentor and role model, knows exactly how to transform a democracy into a dictatorship.
Trump entered the Oval Office believing the presidency was all-powerful, and chafed at any attempt to deny his wishes. Until now, he relied on Executive Orders to:
- Launch a war on immigrants and their children
- Discard nuclear deals with Iran and Russia
- Hobble Obamacare, consumer protections, and environmental regulations.
Now, he has grabbed a much more lethal tool.
If he succeeds, he will use it again … perhaps canceling the 2020 elections by declaring a “voter fraud” emergency.
Congress must override the President’s emergency declaration. And, while it is not yet illegal or lethal to protest, we urge you to join the Resistance. Fight for democracy.
ACTION ONE: GO TO #IndivisibleTuesday
Join us at #IndivisibleTuesdays to stop the #FakeTrumpEmergency, Tuesday, February 19th at 11:30AM in the courtyard of Senator Merkley’s office at 121 SW Salmon Street.
- We will demand Senator Merkley do all he can to override the #FakeTrumpEmergency.
- After packing the courts, Trump is now trying to seize power by bypassing Congress.
- If his declaration is not overridden, he will use it again and again, perhaps even cancelling the 2020 elections.
- Senator Merkley needs to do everything inside and outside of Congress to stop this erosion of our democracy.
ACTION TWO: CALL YOUR SENATORS
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WYDEN AND MERKLEY:
(Leave a message if you can’t get through)
My name is [Name]. I am a constituent and I live in [ZIP code number]. Trump’s fake emergency must be stopped. After packing the courts, he is now trying to seize power by bypassing Congress. If his declaration is not overridden, he will use it again and again, perhaps even cancelling the 2020 elections. You need to do everything inside and outside of Congress to stop this erosion of our democracy.
CALL SENATOR MERKLEY
CALL SENATOR WYDEN
ACTION THREE: CALL YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES
Not sure who your U.S. Representative is? Find out here.
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR REPRESENTATIVES:
(Leave a message if you can’t get through)
My name is [Name]. I am a constituent and I live in [ZIP code number]. Trump’s fake emergency must be stopped. After packing the courts, he is now trying to seize power by bypassing Congress. If his declaration is not overridden, he will use it again and again, perhaps even cancelling the 2020 elections. You need to do everything inside and outside of Congress to stop this erosion of our democracy.
CALL Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Call Greg Walden (OR-02)
CALL BLUMENAUER (OR-03)
CALL PETER DEFAZIO (OR-04)
CALL Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
SOURCES:
“The Alarming Scope of the President’s Emergency Powers” The Atlantic, January/February 2019 issue: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/presidential-emergency-powers/576418/
“On Tyranny – Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century” by Timothy Snyder, published by Duggan Books/Random House 2017 http://timothysnyder.org/books/on-tyranny-tr
“The View from Flyover Country” by Sarah Kendzior, Flatiron Books 2015. https://sarahkendzior.com/2018/04/27/the-view-from-flyover-country-interviews-and-reviews/
Brennan Center for Justice, December 12, 2018: “What the President Could Do If He Declares a State of Emergency – A vast array of obscure presidential powers spans everything from the military to criminal law, and some are ripe for abuse. They need to be reexamined.” https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/what-president-could-do-if-he-declares-state-emergency
