October 8th
Dear ones, it’s time for the next installment of what I learned about beating an election-related power grab. Yesterday I wrote about reaching toward the center to make common cause with friends, family, and neighbors who may not feel as you do about the president but do want to live in a stable, peaceful nation. One of the principles in yesterday’s training was to analyze the pillars of power that sustain a regime. Politicians are one of the key pillars and they are, as a group, inclined to compromise. This is dangerous in the face of a power grab, as we saw in 2000. Now is the time to pressure politicians to commit to the idea that no one should declare victory until every vote is counted. Our target for today is the National Governors Association. The current chairman is our own Governor Cuomo and the vice chair is Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas. Please send them a message (scroll to the bottom of the home page). Here’s what I wrote:
Election laws differ in every state, but the importance of free and fair elections is at the foundation of our democracy. I am calling on the National Governors Association to commit to the principle that no one should declare victory in the upcoming election until every vote is counted. We know that it will take longer to count ballots when millions more Americans are relying on absentee ballots because of the pandemic. Please take the lead and inform the public that a fair election will mean that results will not be clear on election night. Thank you.
Then, contact those folks you wrote to yesterday and ask them to join you in contacting the National Governors Association.
But wait! There’s more. The Working Families Party was instrumental in primary victories of six of the eight candidates who challenged members of the IDC (the group of Democrats-in-name-only who caucus with Republicans). Now, we need to save the WFP from new rules which require triple the number of votes to stay on the ballot. Voting for Biden/Harris on the Working Families Party line will show the Democratic Party that we recognize both the urgent need to defeat Trump AND the continued urgency of working for justice for NY’s working families. Please take the pledge to vote for Biden/Harris on the Working Families Line.
As part of the ongoing effort to get out the vote around the country, please donate to the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which is working to pay off fines and fees of returning citizens who want to exercise their voting rights.
Have a good day, even though Biden will not end fracking. He needs Pennsylvania AND we need him to end fracking.
with love,
L