The John Lewis Voting Rights Bill and Freedom to Vote Act will go a long way to protect our democracy and blunt Republican efforts to block Democratic voters. Thoughtful conservative Republicans, such as Bill Krystal and Governor Christine Whitman have spoken out loudly against these authoritarian tactics. By contrast, Democrats in the Senate have been paralyzed. They must push our Senators to pass both bills.

Democrats negotiating with themselves over what to tear out of BBB provides us with an opportunity to influence the final package. So, let’s tell them what programs are essential, whether to go wide or push just a few, what constituencies to prioritize, and what funding mechanisms to use.

This week, as critics worried the $3.5 trillion care bill would create an “entitlement society,” we identified who are the freeloaders living off government handouts — oil companies, the pharmaceutical industry, the ultra rich, and more moochers. Then with the anti-democrats seeking to control elections, we called for the Democrats in Congress to restore the guardrails Trump destroyed to protect the country from another would-be dictator. And we reported that, thanks solely to AT&T, we have another extremist propaganda machine, One America News network.

The One America news network grew as it endorsed white nationalism, pro-Trump propaganda, and deadly misinformation about coronavirus. Viewership exploded when the network claimed falsely that “treasonous radical Democrats” stole the 2020 election and without a doubt, OAN played a significant role in provoking the January 6 insurrection. We demand that Congress hold hearings to investigate OAN/AT&T.

“Trumpism with or without Trump remains a peril, because his unprecedented appetite for authoritarianism has spread to his followers. . . .The continued viability of the United States as a constitutional republic requires both that seditionists be brought to justice and that we. . .repair the weaknesses in our system that they exposed.”

Laurence Tribe, Professor of Constitutional Law, Harvard University

The destruction of the global economy was postponed this week. Senate Republicans agreed to move the deadline for raising the debt limit from Oct. 18 to Dec. 3. Meanwhile, the Build Back Better bill — which would provide a range of needed social benefits and climate actions — is still in limbo as Dems wrangle over something but it’s not exactly clear what opponents want. And Trump holdovers in high government offices, like the IRS and the Post Office, continue Trump’s war on democracy. Stay ahead of the news and be fully informed with Indivisible Oregon’s Daily Actions.

Unless the borrowing limit is raised or eliminated, on October 18 our inability to pay our debts will trigger a deep recession here and a global economic catastrophe. Until now, this threat has always been scary enough to motivate Republicans to compromise. Now, the catastrophe caucus plans only a filibuster--just another example of the tyranny of the minority.

Today, large portions of our government serve the rich and big corporations. (See Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader’s fight to protect pharmaceutical riches.) Fundamentally, the reconciliation bill attempts to shift the government’s emphasis from abetting the rich to remaking the government so it works for all of us.

It was a chaotic week in Congress. If you were reading our Daily Actions, you were well informed when issues arose. It began with the GOP's attempted sacrifice of our economy. Then, Wednesday, we supported Progressives and urged our Representatives to vote “no” on the infrastructure bill. And yesterday, we asked you to urge your Members of Congress to back the Freedom To Vote Act, because if certain people are denied the vote, we will be subject to the tyranny of the minority.

The GOP has stacked the deck, preventing many bills supported by the majority of Americans, such as gun safety, health care and reproductive rights, voting rights, and infrastructure legislation, from being passed. Passing the Freedom to Vote Act and abolishing the filibuster will restore balance to our democratic institutions. Our democracy is at stake!

“When Congressional Republicans are willing to tank the economy and literally ruin millions of families’ livelihoods as part of some political strategy, you no longer have a loyal opposition, you have a dangerous threat to the American people. That is what Mitch’s obsession with power has done to the GOP.” House Budget Chair John Yarmuth (D-Ky)