Thread by @DavidPepper

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NEW WHITEBOARD

I’m done celebrating. No time for complacency. Time to go on OFFENSE for democracy. Now!

Go BIG!

How?

To start, use the lameduck to end partisan & discriminatory gerrymandering.

The current election shows us why we MUST.

WATCH, then read the 🧵:

What can the Senate do?

Pass the Freedom to Vote Act, which includes prohibitions on partisan gerrymandering and racially discriminatory gerrymandering that would end all the nonsense we just witnessed.

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brennancenter.org/our-work/analy…

Why do it now?

1) Because we have only a few weeks to get it done. And we must get it done

2) Because the filibuster is NOT a legitimate obstacle to laws that are part of upholding the Guarantee Clause, and democracy itself. Those are part of an oath Senators take, and…

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…a procedural rule should not stand in the way of fulfilling the Constitution itself.

The current state of intense gerrymandering clearly is NOT in compliance with the Constitution’s assurance that the people are sovereign in states. DeSantis and illegal maps are…

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…determining outcomes more than the people themselves in too many states.

The Senate has a Constitutional duty to stop it, as I argue in my book and here: dataforprogress.org/blog/2021/10/1…

3) for those who were hesitant to eschew the filibuster even when democracy itself was at stake because they thought McConnell would retaliate once he took over….he’s NOT taking over. That threat is off the table. So do your Constitutional duty & protect democracy in states

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4) NEVER be complacent.

In Ohio and North Carolina, make no mistake, new state Supreme Courts elected last week will clearly uphold new and MORE aggressively gerrymandered House maps in the GOP’s favor. And, I fear, quickly.

We’re talking multiple seats.

The best way…

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…to prevent that is to make such gerrymanders illegal under FEDERAL law NOW. And that means the Senate must act.

5) speaking of Supreme Courts, there are TWO major cases that will be decided this term that could also set back fair districting in dramatic ways.

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Folks know about Moore v. Harper, which is scary and could do great harm.

But there’s a second case, out of Alabama, that’s also incredibly dangerous. It could destroy long-time Voting Rights Act protections against discriminatory districting.

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scotusblog.com/2022/10/conser…

And while I’m not convinced the court will go all in on the wacko independent state legislature theory, I have NO DOUBT they have already voted to crush the VRA along the nonsensical lines that Alabama argued to defend its discriminatory map.

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And what’s the best way to fix that?

GET AHEAD of the Court by passing the bill now before the Senate that makes clear that the VRA STILL prohibits this kind of discriminatory gerrymandering.

And adds some teeth to it.

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Bottom line: democracy remains in the balance. And it’s a constant struggle to protect it.

Major threats remain, like the current gerrymandering that could empower folks like Jim Jordan, and coming cases that could make it even worse.

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It’s time to be BOLD to protect democracy.

Get this done, Senators.

One other thing: to all my Republican friends who will no doubt say — “Democrats gerrymander too!”
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My answer is: “All the more reason to pass this reform so everyone is kept from doing it! Welcome aboard! Let’s make it 100-0! Bipartisan.”

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