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Ezra Levin Profile picture
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3 Dec, 10 tweets, 5 min read
Two must-read articles this #FilibusterFriday with the good/bad of where we stand on democracy reform.
1) The Good: @Grace_Segers on how congressional leadership is actively working to get to the finish line on filibuster reform and democracy. newrepublic.com/article/164582…
2) The Bad: @srl with an inside look at just how little Biden and Harris are doing to help. theguardian.com/us-news/2021/d…
The congressional piece should make you optimistic about our chances, and because of that, Biden/Harris' absence is baffling. Let me quote Biden here:

"We’re facing the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War. That’s not hyperbole, since the Civil War."
He is right! But then what the hell is his Administration going to do to help congress pass democracy-saving legislation? Why are they not planning anything? Why are they not meeting with advocates like @RevDrBarber & @cliff_notes & @MsLaToshaBrown & @BenJealous?
Why are these and hundreds of other advocates getting ARRESTED every other week outside the White House trying to get Biden and Harris' attention? richmondfreepress.com/news/2021/oct/…
This is a winnable fight. But leaders lead with strategic planning and action, not platitudes and deflection. Biden and Harris can & should be celebrated heroes in this fight - and I desperately hope they rise to the occasion.
I'm an organizer not a commentator, so here are 4 concrete things you personally can do:
1) If you have 2 GOP senators, get your local Indivisible group to sign onto this letter to help our allies in the Senate make the filibuster argument to holdouts. indivisible.org/letter-senate-…
2) Got Dem senator(s)? Every Tuesday, they meet together for a lunch discussion. Call your senators ahead of those internal discussions, and ask them to bring up the urgency for filibuster reform in that meeting. Here's a script: indivisible.org/call-your-sena…
3) In the DC area? Join @RevDrBarber and many many partners for the Moral Monday March at noon on 12/13. More details here: actionnetwork.org/events/moral-m…
4) Want to encourage Biden/Harris to rise to the occasion? Write an op-ed for your local paper, and flag it for me and @IndivisibleTeam - we'll make sure it gets as much coverage as possible. Here's a guide for how to write and pitch an op-ed: indivisible.org/resource/writi…

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More from @ezralevin

Ezra Levin Profile picture
1 Dec
Trump packed the court with anti-choice zealots explicitly for this purpose. Short thread on what Dems *could* do in response... nymag.com/intelligencer/…
Trump wasn't coy about it - he told the public (and GOP senators like Susan Collins) exactly what he was doing.
The court has been packed, politicized, and perverted. The solution to this problem is not just "win elections," or "replace retiring justices," or even "pass democracy reform." You have to reform the institution itself or the answer to Sotomayor's question is clearly "No."
Read 6 tweets
Ezra Levin Profile picture
29 Sep
Everybody who is not Sinema/Manchin should be FURIOUS now. We can have fights on policy - that’s normal. That’s NOT what’s happening here. Sinema/Manchin AGREED to the reconciliation top-line. THAT AGREEMENT is what got the BIF 69 votes in the Senate. Short angry thread...
Without that agreement on reconciliation, the BIF would never have gotten through the senate. We know this because 11 Senate Democrats signed a letter saying passing BIF without the reconciliation bill would be QUOTE “in violation of that agreement.” thehill.com/policy/finance…
This is easy math. Take out those 11 senate votes and what do you get for BIF? 58 votes - not enough to clear the dumb filibuster hurdle of 60. BIF is DEAD without those 11 votes. And the way Sinema/Manchin GOT them was by promising a reconciliation bill along with BIF.
Read 7 tweets
Ezra Levin Profile picture
11 Aug
In July, we set a deadline for democracy for the senate to pass the For the People Act before August recess. They just blew past it. Here's my read on what that means and what our options are. Three points to pull out: [short thread]
indivisibleteam.medium.com/we-blew-past-t…
1) Missing this deadline means that the anti-gerrymandering provision in the bill is more likely to fail an inevitable court challenge. So the GOP is more likely to succeed in rigging maps next year. That is an unavoidable consequence of missing the deadline. This simply sucks.
2) The bill at large and even the gerrymandering provision isn't dead. All Dems voted for it early this morning, and Schumer committed to taking it up as soon as recess is over. If the Senate Dems eliminate the filibuster and pass the bill, there is a ton of good it can still do.
Read 5 tweets
Ezra Levin Profile picture
6 Jul
The President has not given one single speech or held one single event focused on passing the For the People Act. Where the hell is he on saving our democracy?

My hope is that he changes course, but so far that hasn't happened. Some thoughts on the state of things:
Pelosi has prioritized the For the People Act. It passed the House months ago. Schumer says "Failure is not an option" and wrangled 50 votes to move to debate.

There will be a fight on the bill and filibuster reform this month.

Meanwhile, the president is just totally MIA.
Last week, the White House promised more engagement on democracy. Since then...bupkis. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

While the democracy burns, the President is trying to build bridges with chief arsonist Mitch McConnell.
Read 10 tweets
Ezra Levin Profile picture
22 Jun
We hoped for 50 Dem votes & we got 'em. Here's what's next:
1) Congess leaves town Thursday for recess & is out til July 12.
2) When they return, they have 3 weeks to pass a bill before August recess.
3) What they hear now will determine what they do then.
deadlinefordemocracy.org
This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Focus on what you personally can do.

Got a good Dem senator? Your goal is to make sure they are champions on this every damn day.

Got a wobbly Dem? Your goal is to stiffen their spine.

GOP senator? Make them famous for voter suppression.
Your local pressure needs to be persistent and overwhelming. Get creative. Get media attention. Make them listen. We can't give you marching orders - it's up to you to figure out the details. But you're not alone, and we're here to help. Join up and lead. deadlinefordemocracy.org
Read 6 tweets
Ezra Levin Profile picture
21 Jun
Ok I have reached my WTF moment with Biden on this. Tomorrow the Senate will try to vote on the For the People Act. McConnell will filibuster it. What happens next will depend on what we all do. Biden, for his part, is...where? Some thoughts:
Is saving democracy a priority for this Administration or not? Rightwing zealots are systematically dismantling our democratic institutions. I don't want to see some tepid public statement. We need to see the President and VP using the full force of their bully pulpit to lead.
This is what legislatively successful presidents do!

Obama did a live debate with House GOP on the ACA.

Clinton gave 18 speeches on NAFTA and deputized Gore to debate Ross Perot on it.

Trump and GW Bush were all tax cuts all the time.

Where is Biden on saving our democracy??
Read 6 tweets

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