Credit: PEN America

Governor Ron DeSantis has banned hundreds of books across the state of Florida, censoring themes centered on race, history, sexual orientation, and gender in an effort to silence the voices and narratives of marginalized communities and further push his MAGA vision for a “Great American Comeback.”

Just last month, a Florida school banned “The Hill We Climb,” the moving poem Amanda Gorman recited at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, saying it would now be off-limits to young readers after one parent claimed the poem was “indoctrinating” students. The school, which claimed the poem is “not educational,” also banned “The ABCs of Black History,” a book intended for readers ages 5 and older.

In response, Gorman, the first national youth poet laureate, described feeling “gutted,” explained that she had written the poem “so that all young people could see themselves in a historical moment,” and said, “We must fight back.”

And we are fighting back.

With Ron DeSantis officially in the race for president, MoveOn is launching a “Banned Bookmobile,” filling it with books that DeSantis and other MAGA Republicans have banned in recent years, and driving it around the country to hand out those books for free. We’re able to make the Banned Bookmobile a reality thanks to the generosity of MoveOn members. 

This response matters because in the past year alone, DeSantis has instituted all of these extremist policies in Florida:

• Instituted sweeping book bans targeting books written by or about people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, books about antisemitism and the rise of the Nazis, and accurate descriptions of American history, leaving entire classrooms and school libraries “suspended, closed, or emptied of books, either permanently or temporarily,” according to PEN America.

• Banned the teaching of AP African American Studies in Florida classrooms, claiming that the course “lacks educational value.”

• Signed one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, banning the procedure after six weeks, long before many people even know they are pregnant.

• Passed laws making it a felony to provide gender-affirming care for trans youth and making it more difficult for trans adults to access care.

• Expanded his “Don’t Say Gay” bill through 12th grade.

• And much, much more.

That is DeSantis’—and the MAGA movement’s—vision for America: a place where our stories, our identities, and our communities are banned. The stakes are high: We must come together to fight for our freedom of expression, to build community, and for young people to be able to see themselves reflected in the classroom through their stories and identities. DeSantis’s bans are an attack on all of our freedoms, but he cannot erase us.

That’s where our Banned Bookmobile comes in.

Our members have come together to fund the Banned Bookmobile, which will launch this summer. We will use this as an opportunity to have conversations with voters about the MAGA vision for our country, provide resources for people to get involved to help defeat the GOP in 2024, and keep the topic of book bans surrounding DeSantis on the campaign trail. 

All while giving out as many banned books as possible to students and others who have lost access to them thanks to MAGA politicians like Ron DeSantis.

Your dollars could expand the route of the Banned Bookmobile to follow DeSantis on campaign stops across the country into more early primary states if enough funds are raised. Because the MAGA Republicans aren’t just passing bans in Florida–they’re staging attacks on classrooms and instituting bans on our bodily autonomy all across the country.

Here are the first 10 books we’re purchasing and giving away in our Banned Bookmobile. All of these books are banned in Florida, and five were among the top 10 most banned books nationwide in 2022:

• “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water” – Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson
• “All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto” – George M. Johnson
• “And Tango Makes Three” – Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
• “The Bluest Eye” – Toni Morrison
• “Gender Queer: A Memoir” – Maia Kobabe
• “The Hill We Climb” – Amanda Gorman
• “I Am Jazz” – Jazz Jennings and Jessica Herthel 
• “Looking for Alaska” – John Green
• “Maus” – Art Spiegelman
• “Out of Darkness” – Ashley Hope Pérez

“Gender Queer: A Memoir,” a graphic novel about nonbinary author Maia Kobabe’s journey toward self-discovery, was the most banned book across the United States in 2022 and has received the most challenges of any book in 2023 as well.

We want to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to read these books and that we spread the word far and wide that DeSantis and the Republican Party are supporting book bans and censorship, on top of their other dangerous and extreme policies that restrict our freedoms. These policies are attacking our bodily autonomy–from abortion, to trans rights and gender-affirming health care. They are enacting voter suppression and mounting attacks on the poor.  Our rights, our stories, and our identities are all under threat.

How you can get involved:

• Chip in monthly to support the Banned Bookmobile. With just a $5 monthly donation, you can help power MoveOn’s Banned Bookmobile cross-country tour so we can keep buying as many copies of DeSantis’s banned books as we can, giving them away for free, informing voters about the MAGA Republicans’ agenda for our country, and hammering DeSantis and the GOP with bad press for as long as it takes.

• Learn more about the Banned Bookmobile and its current stops. You can even request a stop to bring the Banned Bookmobile to your community.

We can’t wait on the sidelines while politicians like Ron DeSantis try to erase history and silence Americans. The more we can get the word out not just about DeSantis but the GOP as a whole, the less they can hide from the consequences of their own actions.

The post MoveOn Launching Banned Bookmobile This Summer: Full of Censored Books appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

MoveOn activists across the country are demanding that corporations including Subway, AT&T, General Motors, and Comcast stop funding Fox News, in efforts to hold the network accountable for dividing Americans and spreading disinformation, bias, lies, and hate. Cable companies and advertisers provide two major revenue streams for Fox News, thus enabling the lies they spread. The most effective way MoveOn members can hold Fox News accountable is to demand that these companies “cut the cord” and stop funding the channel through any new advertising or potential increased cable fees.

Why Fox News is problematic:

According to a recent Navigator report, two-thirds of Americans, including 69% of independents and 46% of Republicans, believe Fox News divides the country and puts a political agenda and profits ahead of getting the story right. Two in three Americans report they’ve heard about Fox News firing talk show host Tucker Carlson, and a plurality believe it was the right decision.

The report also revealed that Americans are troubled by the network’s inaccuracy, propaganda, and division. Americans’ concerns are taking a clear toll on the network, as Fox News’ viewership has dropped within the last month: Navigator reports that regular viewership has declined by 4 percentage points (from 38% to 34%) since mid-April of this year.

Fox News pushes a right-wing political agenda, undermining our democracy with its inherent deceit and spreading of disinformation. “Fox News’ lies are fueled by the financial support of corporate advertisers like General Motors, AT&T, and Subway–every dollar that these corporations and others give to Fox News funds its extreme rhetoric, bigotry, disinformation, and conspiracy theories,” shares MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting. “Prospective advertisers should be on notice: We won’t back down from protesting these corporations until they stop funding Fox’s lies.”

How MoveOn members are taking action against Fox News:

Just last month, Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems nearly $800 million in a blockbuster settlement over the network’s 2020 election lies. Unfortunately, this sum is nothing more than the “cost of doing business” for the media giant. This is not accountability. Not only does Fox News still need to go on-air to acknowledge pushing lies and conspiracy theories that undermined our democracy, but the companies who financially support Fox News must stop funding the network–or else let them continue stoking division and spreading disinformation. 

In the last several weeks, our #StopFundingFox initiative has heightened following  the Dominion trial, Fox News’ recent annual upfront pitch to advertisers in New York City, and Fox’s firing of Tucker Carlson. Our members are taking action in a number of ways to get advertisers’ attention and convince them to stop funding Fox:

• Protesting at the Fox News upfront in NYC: MoveOn coordinated a rally with Media Matters for America and Truth Tuesdays at the Fox upfront to ensure advertisers heard our demands to stop funding Fox as they walked into their meeting with the network. Protesters gathered with signs declaring, “Advertisers: Drop Fox,” “Fox News is Faux News,” and more–all in an attempt to discourage advertisers from funding Fox News.

• Hosting Stop Funding Fox rallies in other cities: MoveOn hosted Stop Funding Fox rallies at the headquarters of Subway in Miami and General Motors in Detroit with mobile billboards. Members delivered our petition with 60,000 signatures echoing this demand for the companies to stop advertising with Fox News.

• Launched a digital ad targeting AT&T, Subway, and General Motors: The same day as the rallies and the Fox upfront, we launched a digital ad highlighting that the lies Fox News spreads are funded by corporations. Any amount of advertising on Fox News subsidizes and supports the network’s far-right propaganda programming.

• Calling Subway, AT&T, and GM out via social media: MoveOn members have also taken to Facebook to get advertisers’ attention and hold them accountable for continuing to fund Fox.
  
  In a Facebook response to AT&T, MoveOn member Sundra Allen said, “Please stop supporting Fox News until their news is fact and opinion only if stated as such. Thank you.”
  
  MoveOn member Ronnie Carlson wrote the following on Subway’s Facebook page: “I’ve always gone to Subway. Until you stop funding Fox [N]ews, myself and my entire family will NOT be returning!”
  
  In a Facebook response to General Motors, MoveOn member Christine Bourg shared, “I own a GM car. I think GM is a pro American company. But supporting Fox News with their lies and hate filled bigotry against the people of color, members of the LGBTQ community and progressives in general is very unAmerican…”

How you can take action against Fox News:

The Fox News controversy won’t end without direct, continuous action against the companies funding Fox’s biased political agenda. We launched our Stop Funding Fox website in April 2023 to take action against said advertisers for funding Fox News’ dangerous rhetoric and spreading conspiracy theories. 

You can take action by signing the petition to make Fox News optional, calling your cable company and telling them you don’t want your cable bill to increase because of Fox, and emailing Fox funders demanding that they stop enabling Fox News’ lies, propaganda, and bigotry by dropping all future advertising on Fox News. Visit Stop Funding Fox to learn more and get involved.

The post MoveOn Members Call on Advertisers Like General Motors, AT&T and Subway to Stop Funding Fox News appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

It’s the takeaway from prosecutors’ willingness to bring criminal charges against the former president—in just one of several investigations finally aiming to hold him accountable for a litany of crimes and corruption. It’s also the message that MoveOn members made sure he saw on his drive home—emblazoned on the 48-foot billboard that his car drove directly past when he left Palm Beach International Airport.

Check out this local coverage of our billboard and MoveOn’s efforts!

MoveOn members funded this billboard—just one more step in years of work to hold him accountable. And now, thanks to our collective efforts, this billboard is a daily reminder to Trump and his allies that nobody is above the law.

And here’s a bit more detail of just how close to Trump’s home the billboard is located.

MoveOn member Hayden J. started a Prosecute Trump petition that has rocketed to 335,000 signers! It’s gotten significant media attention in the aftermath of Trump’s indictment. Take a look at Hayden’s interview that ran on the nightly news in Mar-a-Lago!

Our billboard went up just as Trump was in transit for his New York arraignment. And because of our rapid response, MoveOn members’ values and voices became part of the story of Trump’s day in court. Our billboard made the rounds in local news outlets near Mar-a-Lago, including on local Fox, ABC, and NBC affiliates. And we’ve also reached hundreds of thousands of people through social media. 

While Trump spent the day regurgitating his usual lies and list of grievances, his take about being unfairly targeted isn’t landing. The truth is that a majority of Americans support this indictment, and 9-in-10 agree with the billboard’s statement that Trump is not above the law. Because we acted quickly, MoveOn was able to provide a critical, alternative message to Trump’s posturing. 

Just a few miles from Mar-a-Lago, is a second billboard, featuring a text message quote from Tucker Carlson that has been exposed in the Dominion lawsuit, the unprecedented $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought against Fox News for its coordinated campaign after the 2020 election. It reads, “I hate [Trump] passionately.” 

Trump and his allies won’t be able to miss either of these billboards. 

Both of these billboards are possible because of support from MoveOn members who are committed to holding Donald Trump and all who seek to undermine our democracy and freedoms accountable. 

You can help by clicking here, adding your name to the Prosecute Trump! petition, and sharing this message with your family and friends.

The post “Trump is Not Above the Law” Billboard Near Mar-a-Lago appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Take a look at some of the images from this event!

If you’ve not signed the petition yet, add your name today to continue the push for George Santos’s removal. And if you have, share this with three friends to keep this momentum going!

Reporters called our rally the largest rally against Santos yet, demonstrating mounting pressure for him to resign. MoveOn member and NY-03 constituent Charlie Robbins spoke to reporters, saying, “There is no question in my mind that Mr. Santos is not fit to represent the people of Congressional District 3. We have no idea what he stands for except himself and his power and greed. That is why I joined over 100,000 people in signing this petition calling on Mr. Santos to resign.” He handed the petition directly to a staffer for Santos’s office.

It’s clear that Representative Santos shouldn’t be in Congress. Even 78% of his own constituents want him to resign. But at this point, GOP leaders and other MAGA accomplices are fine to keep him in Congress as long as he votes how McCarthy wants him to. That’s why we must sustain our pressure.  

And our pressure is working. George Santos temporarily recused himself from two House committee positions. This is a step in the right direction. More Republicans are even distancing themselves from him. While he may think this will all blow over eventually, we need to continue to expose his lies and be in solidarity with MoveOn members in NY-03 and fight until he is gone. 

Allowing George Santos, who has fabricated almost every aspect of his life, to serve in the House is another outrageous illustration of just how far the GOP is willing to go to hoard power and advance their MAGA agenda to take away our freedoms and degrade our democratic institutions. Santos has lost the trust of his district, and his continued service in Congress is a threat to all of us.

The post George Santos Must Resign Petition Delivery appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

As reported in Women’s Wear Daily, to maximize awareness of the campaign, MoveOn partnered with high-profile nail artists to create bespoke, voting-themed nail art for their celebrity clientele that include Natasha Rothwell, Hannah Bronfman, Jaime King, Jessica Marie Garcia, Elaine Hendrix, Elizabeth Gillies, and more to be announced. The designs will be shared via the artists’ and celebrities’ social media channels through Election Day. Confirmed nail artist partners include Bel Townsend, Latress, Miho Okawara, and more to come.

This campaign is one of many organizing efforts MoveOn designed to reach out to Democratic surge voters, particularly millenials and Gen Z voters, who might not turn out in November without more-personalized and motivational appeals. Nail the Vote will give participants the chance to multiply their vote with vote tripling, a tactic proven to multiply impact at the polls, asking them to post photos of their nail wrap designs to social media using the hashtag #NailTheVote22 and tagging three friends.

MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting said, “There is so much at stake this election cycle, and historically, only voters highly engaged in politics come out to vote in a midterm election. Yet we know politics is where people are some of the time, culture is where people are all of the time. MoveOn spearheaded the Nail the Vote campaign in the hopes of meeting people who are not tuned into politics 24/7 where they’re at to ensure their voices are heard this November.” 

As part of the initiative, MoveOn is releasing two sets of limited-edition voting-themed nail wraps available for purchase at NailtheVote.com. MoveOn has partnered with TaskForce, an independent agency working at the intersection of art and social justice to produce the nail wraps, designed by fine artist Ariel Wilson.

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MoveOn is a people-powered force for progress. MoveOn mobilizes the left to elect Democrats and enact progressive change. We are the homebase for millions of members who refuse to accept the status quo and are moved to take action. For more than a generation, MoveOn has been a bulwark against the radical right, channeling our voices to end wars, protect democracy, and advance justice for all.

The post MoveOn Announces Nail the Vote Campaign appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

You can see the ads that will run statewide in each state here:

AZ: https://youtu.be/5d0foMl5hSw

GA: https://youtu.be/0dBxiJ2tnSw

NV: https://youtu.be/PXXojOmpQi0

“This bill will dramatically lower costs for Americans and signifies a huge political win,” said MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting. “We will remind voters every day between now and Election Day that it was Democrats who stood up to Big Pharma, the oil & gas lobby, and the tax-dodging corporations and delivered a historic investment in the fight against climate change and inflation while every Republican voted against it. And we’re going to run on Democrats’ delivering progress for working people in these challenging economic times.” 

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MoveOn is a people-powered force for progress. MoveOn mobilizes the left to elect Democrats and enact progressive change. We are the homebase for millions of members who refuse to accept the status quo and are moved to take action. For more than a generation, MoveOn has been a bulwark against the radical right, channeling our voices to end wars, protect democracy, and advance justice for all.

The post In Wake of Historic Vote, MoveOn Political Action Launches New Ad Campaign In Battleground States appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Washington, D.C. – Today, MoveOn Political Action announced the launch of its 2022 political program: America for All: Us v. MAGA. MoveOn is mobilizing millions of voters to protect democracy from the extreme right that seeks to overturn our elections, silence our voices, take control of our bodies, and block policies that will benefit all Americans.

MoveOn’s over-$30 million election program—its largest ever for a midterm—will build long-term progressive power and move the needle in key races spanning from Congress to gubernatorial contests. And with the real threat of MAGA Republicans taking over state and local election systems to control the outcome of elections, MoveOn members will bundle an unprecedented $1 million in small-dollar donations to support secretary of state and gubernatorial candidates running in competitive races in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.   

“The choice we face in 2022 was already a dire one between the majority who support democracy and helping all Americans thrive and MAGA Republicans who are so extreme they attempted to overthrow our government,” said MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting. “The danger is even greater now as Trump’s radical justices on the Supreme Court get ready to overturn Roe and hand over more power to states where MAGA Republican candidates are lining up to criminalize abortion and take us backward to a time of forced births, even in the case of rape or incest.”  

Epting continued, “With basic freedoms, our health care, and democracy under attack, MoveOn members will also be keenly focused on state and local elections, including gubernatorial and secretary of state races.”

To achieve these goals, MoveOn will be raising millions for candidates, running the largest-at-scale relational voter outreach program of the midterms, and launching a multimillion-dollar paid media program to microtarget voters to boost turnout.

MoveOn has already endorsed 14 candidates for state and national office and will announce more in the coming weeks.

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MoveOn is a people-powered force for progress. MoveOn mobilizes the left to elect Democrats and enact progressive change. We are the homebase for millions of members who refuse to accept the status quo and are moved to take action. For more than a generation, MoveOn has been a bulwark against the radical right, channeling our voices to end wars, protect democracy, and advance justice for all. 

The post MoveOn Launches $30M+ 2022 Political Program: Us v. MAGA appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Coast to coast, we declared “Bans off our bodies!” Watch and share this video from marches and news coverage across the nation.

These incredible rallies were powered by MoveOn members like you, alongside Planned Parenthood, UltraViolet, Women’s March, state and local reproductive justice leaders, and abortion providers in hundreds of communities around the country. In spite of endless attacks on our rights, we came together to show that we won’t give up in this fight—and that we can’t afford to until there are bans off our bodies, as well as affordable, quality, and comprehensive health care for all.

Online and in the streets, MoveOn members across the country came together passionately to support abortion access and demand that abortion be safe, legal, and accessible in all communities.

Together, in the last two weeks since the Supreme Court opinion leak, MoveOn members …

• Raised over $150,000 for abortion providers
• Gathered over 300,000 signatures for abortion-related petitions
• Joined over a million people at a total of 450 Bans Off Our Bodies events across the nation.

We urgently need to keep the pressure up—because as politicians continue to restrict our bodily autonomy and access to vital healthcare, we have to continue to come together and show that we won’t back down.

We’ll be taking to the streets again through the weeks ahead and when the final decision comes down from SCOTUS. Sign up here to make sure you’re among the first to know when and where to show up.

You can also keep the momentum going by taking these steps:

• Share Yellowhammer Fund’s petition demanding that SCOTUS uphold Roe with 3 friends.
• Donate here to support abortion funds and share with your networks.

MoveOn will continue to fight for a country where everyone can thrive. We will push back against the right-wing-packed Supreme Court, and we’ll continue demanding those in power expand and protect our rights. Together, we can build a movement that can’t be ignored.

The post Bans Off Our Bodies Highlights: Over a Million Rally! appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Republicans in the Senate did everything in their power to derail and undermine Justice Jackson’s nomination, treating her confirmation hearings as an opportunity to spew racist, sexist bile and spread ridiculous conspiracy theories. But through it all, Justice Jackson refused to stoop to their level, maintaining her composure during even the most outlandish attacks from Republicans hoping for a bit of air time.

And through it all, MoveOn members like you were there to support Justice Jackson and stand against the efforts of Republicans to stop her confirmation.

Since the start of her confirmation hearings:

• MoveOn members made almost 10,000 calls to Congress in support of her confirmation,
• more than 80,000 members signed on to a petition calling for her to be confirmed,
• young MoveOn members took to the streets in front of the Supreme Court to immediately demonstrate public support on the day of her nomination, and
• 150,000 people ordered these beautiful stickers, designed by artist Amanda Mustard, to show their support for her historic nomination.

You can join with hundreds of thousands of fellow MoveOn members to celebrate Justice Jackson’s confirmation today by ordering your free KBJ sticker, placing it somewhere visible, and sharing this message with your family and friends! Click here to order now.

Justice Jackson will be a voice for the people on the court, having served as a public defender and on a sentencing commission. The work must continue to rebalance the court after Mitch McConnell and Republicans packed it with ultra right-wing conservatives. We need at least three more Justice Jacksons on the court, because our human and civil rights are on the line. So grab your sticker now to proudly display your support for this historic confirmation and as a reminder of what’s at stake in our work to build an America where everyone can thrive.

Thanks for all you do.

Source:

1. “The Senate confirms Jackson, elevating the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.” The New York Times, April 7, 2022
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/07/us/ketanji-brown-jackson-vote-scotus#the-senate-votes-to-move-forward-with-jacksons-confirmation

The post Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed! appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

(Washington, DC) – MoveOn, Demand Justice, and Working Families Party ran a new ad this morning calling out Justice Thomas for not being able to impartially call “balls and strikes”—as Chief Justice Roberts said the Supreme Court must do—when his wife is in the game. 

“Ginni Thomas aided and abetted an insurrection against America to throw out the results of an election, and then Justice Thomas tried to help cover it up by not recusing himself from the case where Trump tried to hide White House documents, including Ginni Thomas’s texts,” said MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting. “Justice Thomas has clearly demonstrated he is not fit to serve on the Supreme Court and must resign or be impeached.”

“Justice Thomas has plunged the Supreme Court into an ethics crisis, and there is no reason to believe the Republican-dominated court will do anything but let its legitimacy continue to erode,” said Demand Justice Executive Director Brian Fallon. “If Thomas will not step aside, it’s up to House Democrats to begin impeachment proceedings.”

“Justice Thomas’s wife actively conspired to overthrow a free and fair election,” said Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell. “At a minimum, Justice Thomas should have recused himself from any of the cases with which Donald Trump and his lawyers flooded our nation’s highest court. Instead, he effectively covered for his wife’s association with an attempted coup. No one can ever again look at him as an impartial arbiter of justice or the law. Let’s be clear: This isn’t about being a progressive or a conservative. Not taking part in a coup should be a bipartisan value. Even though he committed this dishonorable act, we know Justice Thomas won’t do the honorable thing and resign. It’s incumbent on both parties to impeach him, and the vote in the Senate should be 100-0.”

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MoveOn is one of the largest independent progressive advocacy groups in the United States that mobilizes millions for a better society—one in which everyone can thrive. Whether through supporting candidates, passing legislation, or changing our national culture, MoveOn members are committed to mobilizing together for an inclusive and progressive future marked by equality, sustainability, and justice.

The post New Ad: Justice Thomas Can’t Call Balls & Strikes With Wife In The Game appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

MoveOn Political Action has released a new ad campaign during March Madness in key battleground states highlighting how, in the face of rising consumer gas prices, Republicans are siding with Big Oil and dictators. Big Oil is backing Republicans as they make record profits and pay out huge dividends to shareholders, all paid for by families every time they go to the pump. And as Americans struggle to afford a Putin price hike at the pump, Trump praises the dictator for being a “genius” and “savvy.” 

“For decades, Republicans have helped Big Oil pad their sky-high profits and opposed every effort to transition away from fossil fuels. Now we are all paying the price at the pump,” said MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting. “And even as gas prices continue to soar, Republicans are still blocking Democrats’ green-energy investments that would create 8 million jobs. It is clear that Republicans continue to side with Big Oil and dictators no matter the cost to hard-working families across America.”

The TV ad will run on cable in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin during the NCAA basketball tournament, one of the highest-rated events of the year. MoveOn will also help spread the message by mobilizing members, using aerial banners and mobile billboards, and distributing #PutinPriceHike stickers in local communities.   

The ad can be viewed here. 

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MoveOn is one of the largest independent progressive advocacy groups in the United States that mobilizes millions for a better society—one in which everyone can thrive. Whether through supporting candidates, passing legislation, or changing our national culture, MoveOn members are committed to mobilizing together for an inclusive and progressive future marked by equality, sustainability, and justice. 

The post New Ad: GOP Siding With Big Oil and Dictators as Gas Prices Spike appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

The post In 2021, MoveOn members rose up against injustices and ran inspiring campaigns! appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Framework makes historic investments, but more work ahead to seal the deal

“Voters elected Democrats to the White House and majorities in Congress on the power of President Biden’s vision of the Build Back Better Agenda. All of its provisions—jobs, care, climate, and immigration—are popular because they are essential to what our country needs to thrive. Taken together–the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill, and this Build Back Better framework–would be historic investments in our communities, our climate, and our economy. To ensure Congress delivers on this landmark progress, we support progressives calling for assurances that everything in this promising framework ends up in the final legislative package.

“The framework includes so much of what MoveOn members and progressives have supported for decades. It includes historic investments for the care our children and elders need, the biggest investments in history to tackle the climate crisis and advance a more equitable, clean energy economy, along with critical reductions to healthcare and childcare costs. It also reflects the administration’s continued commitment to advance important immigration reform. It will make life better for nearly all Americans, while also finally making the rich pay more of their fair share. 

“There is obviously more work to be done to address the economic and climate crises impacting our communities, and many desperately needed provisions are not included. Today’s news is a good start on the path to an equitable recovery for all – but make no mistake – there should be no rush to vote on the Bipartisan Infrastructure plan until assurances are firmed up in Congress committing to this Build Back Better framework.” 

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The post MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting on Announcement of Initial Framework on Build Back Better appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

The :30 ad highlights just a few of the many times Ron Johnson has been “dunked on” for hurting his constituents by embracing fringe conspiracists, which is why the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board has called him, “…not fit to be your senator.”

The ad will air throughout the state during ABC’s broadcast of the game. 

“From fueling conspiracy theories about vaccines to continuing Donald Trump’s Big Lie to defending those who stormed the Capitol to standing in the way of the economic relief that the people of Wisconsin need, it is clear that it’s time for Ron Johnson to go, ” said Rahna Epting, Executive Director of MoveOn Political Action. “MoveOn members throughout the state will be using the NBA Finals to send a clear message that it is time for Wisconsinites to #BenchRonJohnson so Wisconsin can have a Senator who looks out for them, instead of wealthy donors and conspiracy theorists.” 

In addition to the T.V. ad, basketball-themed mobile billboards, digital ads, and trading cards are also being shown to WI residents during the game, using the hashtag “#BenchRonJohnson,” to further spotlight the need for Johnson to go. An aerial banner enlisting Wisconsinites to #BenchRonJohnson will fly over downtown Milwaukee Sunday ahead of tipoff.

TV Ad:

Mobile Ads:

The post MoveOn’s New Ad: #BenchRonJohnson Will Air During Game 3 of NBA Finals appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Historic Legislation: We Helped Push Congress to Pass a Strong COVID Relief Bill

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan brings immediate relief to Americans. In the video above, MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting talks about what Democrats should do to overcome Republican obstructionism and pass more bold legislation like this.

And it wasn’t easy getting the American Rescue Plan over the line. Your support helped mobilize masses of people to pressure Congress to pass a robust bill. A glimpse of our actions:

 

We ran a full-page ad in the Arizona Daily Star pressing Senator Kyrsten Sinema to fight for everyone in need of support.

 

Members made thousands of calls to senators and representatives, and showed up outside senators’ offices to urge them to support robust relief, amplified by billboards member donations helped fund.

 

Thousands joined our Twitter rally #OurSurvivalAtStake, sharing their stories of pandemic hardship. #OurSurvivalAtStake was the #3 trend nationally on the day of the rally.

 

Mohammad Khan
MoveOn Campaign Director

Mohammad has been a MoveOn member since 2003, worked at MoveOn since 2019, and played a vital role in organizing our MoveOn member community to fight for robust COVID relief.

Fighting for Accountability for GOP Seditionists

We are determined to hold traitorous officials in Congress accountable for helping to incite the deadly January 6 insurrection. Supporters like you helped launch a Treason Caucus Accountability campaign (read more about it here). Together, we took actions such as these:

Homepage ads on the sites of the home-district newspapers of Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) to remind constituents how their senators failed them.

 

We helped remove extremist Marjorie Taylor Greene from her House committee assignments by intensifying public pressure with eye-catching billboards and in-person member events.

 

Emergency Humanitarian Aid for Texans

When millions of Texans suffered massive power outages and clean water shortages, we swung into action:

Together, we raised more than $500,000 for the Workers Defense Fund and the Texas Organizing Project, who worked frantically to deliver water and food to hard-hit communities.

 

MoveOn volunteers also used text messaging to check in on hundreds of thousands of Texans and to share helpful resources.

 

While our fundraising for aid for Texans has wrapped up, we’re pushing for accountability and changes. Check out and sign petitions such as “Ted Cruz: Resign,” “Investigate ERCOT Now,” and “Greg Abbott: Reinstate Texas Mask Mandate.“

 

The post A New Supporter Briefing—See Our Impact appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

NEW YORK — Today, MoveOn Political Action is announcing that its members in New York’s 11th Congressional District have voted to endorse Brittany Ramos DeBarros for the U.S. House.

Sixty-eight percent of voting MoveOn members in the district supported endorsing Ramos DeBarros, citing her political and military experience and her progressive agenda.

DeBarros is a combat veteran and progressive organizer who understands how powerful we are when we come together. She is stepping up early to build a people-powered movement to defeat extreme Republicans, such as incumbent Nicole Malliotakis. The DeBarros campaign is making an investment in organizing the community in order to flip this critical district and elect another progressive leader to Congress in 2022.

Here is what MoveOn members in New York had to say about why they support Ramos DeBarros:

“Brittany Ramos DeBarros knows how to get things done. We need her experience, compassion, and diversity in office.” –Silvia V., Staten Island, NY

“Brittany will bring a new progressive voice to Congress. In 2022, she can flip a Republican-held congressional seat and serve as a consistent vote for progressive policies that will benefit the middle class and marginalized communities.” –Ashely O., Staten Island, NY

“It’s time to offer a genuine alternative to the GOP and to motivate Staten Island’s progressive voters. Brittany Ramos DeBarros is the future of the Democratic Party!” –Shaun R., Staten Island, NY

“New York MoveOn members are ready to have representatives that stand with them for progressive change, something Brittany Ramos DeBarros can bring to the 11th District,” said Rahna Epting, executive director of MoveOn Political Action. “Nationwide, voters are rejecting the policies of far-right, Trump-aligned candidates like Nicole Malliotakis, and New Yorkers are ready to once again stamp out Trumpism and elect progressives like Brittany Ramos DeBarros, who will bring both a fresh voice and an organizer’s and veteran’s experience to Congress.”

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The post New York MoveOn Members Endorse Brittany Ramos DeBarros for Congress appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

“The people of our multiracial democracy have spoken, loudly and clearly. They have deposed a would-be dictator and voted for government action in the face of crisis.

“We congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their decisive victory. Even as officials continue to count the final outstanding votes, the outcome of the presidential election is clear. People showed up in unprecedented and awe-inspiring numbers, continuing the vast reawakening of American democracy that began following the 2016 election, and they voted overwhelmingly for change.

“I am immensely proud of and deeply grateful for the millions of MoveOn members who worked so hard over the past four years and who powered our largest-ever voter mobilization campaign over the past few months. Together, we overcame a flood of voter suppression, misinformation, intimidation, and the unlawful use of government resources for political campaigning. Together, we turned the tide of American politics and created a significant opportunity for progress. But this is no time for complacency or to rest on laurels. There is much work to be done. MoveOn members in Georgia will be all-in to use our grassroots power in that state’s Senate runoffs. And then, with new leadership being sworn in in January, we must dedicate ourselves to making good on the mandate that a broad, multi-racial, multi-generational coalition of voters provided.

“Our country faces multiple crises on a scale we have not faced since the Great Depression and World War II: health and economic crises resulting from mismanagement of the pandemic; a climate crisis fueled by accommodation to fossil fuel lobbyists and denial of science; a crisis of racial injustice that has been part of the story of this this country for far too long and can no longer be tolerated; a crisis of democracy, with Americans divided, the right to vote under attack, and trust in institutions faltering. The election’s results and the record participation of the American people in the democratic process show a clear demand for change.

“Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Democrats in Congress have set forth plans on each of these fronts. We will have their backs as they advance their agenda and will hold them accountable and demand better when they fall short. Now is not the time for timidity or half-measures. Now is the time for those we elected to deliver on behalf of the people, with bold action commensurate with the scale of the challenges we face. That is how we will restore trust in government, and how we will ensure continued widespread participation. We know the stakes are high, and we are ready to meet the moment. We will continue to fight, together, for an America that works for all of its people and country in which everyone can thrive.”

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The post Biden and Harris Win! The People Have Spoken Decisively and Demand Action appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

What motivates me to be an activist comes from my family. It comes from being a witness to the Civil Rights Movement when I was a child. My parents would sit for hours talking about the issues, explaining the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr., and The Civil Rights Movement. They would vow to fight against Barry Goldwater for President and his “Go Back to Africa” campaign. My Godmother, who was also my Great Aunt, founded the NAACP chapter in my hometown of Oroville, CA.where she also worked as a poll worker every election. It was the many Black churches preaching about and raising money for the Civil Rights movement. It was singing “We Shall Overcome” at every Sunday morning church service. It was being taught by example the importance of being aware of the issues and being involved in the community.

I come from a family of activists. At the height of the movement, after the footage of protestors being knocked down with water from fire hoses, members of my hometown community became outraged. Most of the African American elders in my community migrated from the south, and like the south, through the churches the adults came together and organized a march in solidarity with Dr. King and all the people protesting in the south. My father had learned the sheriff’s department might harm us if we marched, but being who he was, he wasn’t going to let that deter us. He instead informed all the pastors, congregations, and community members what he learned and since the adults planned to bring their children they decided we would instead march in the middle of the night.

One night my six siblings and I were awoken out of our sleep. While my mother dressed my younger siblings, we older ones were told to, “Get up, and put our clothes on. We’re going out.” My parents explained to us where we were going and why during the car ride to the rendezvous point the march would start from. Signs were put in our hands to carry as we quietly marched down the street on the south side of Oroville in the middle of the night with a large number of people from our community, all carrying signs calling for equal rights, the end of Jim Crow and the nationwide legalization of voting for all citizens. It’s an experience that profoundly touched me, that I still carry in the inner sanctum of my soul. My parents, elders and youthful experiences taught me the importance of standing up for what’s right and what I believe in.

A few years later, during the Civil Rights era, my uncle, with my aunt who was also his wife, as his campaign manager, ran for mayor in Berkeley, CA. My dad wanted two of my six siblings and I to experience the inner workings of a political campaign, so he took us out of school for two weeks and sent us to stay with our aunt and uncle in Berkeley. We along with our Berkeley cousins worked tirelessly knocking on doors, passing out flyers, door jamming, calling people and stuffing envelopes. Election night we experienced history when my uncle won and became the first African-American mayor of Berkeley.

When Obama was running back in 2008, in honor of my father who had passed away in 2001, I wanted to help elect him. So I joined the campaign as a volunteer and did some phone banking and texting, but when he won, I felt like we had finally made it so I started to get complacent in my activism compared to before his tenure. As time went by I noticed the disrespectful things being done and said about him and his family. Things we would never see or hear about his predecessors, but when Donald Trump won in 2016 my blood boiled. When I saw the youth walk out of their classes the day after the election chanting “not my president”, I was right there with them in spirit. He isn’t nor will he ever be president for all Americans. He’s the president for his base and his base only, and that’s not right. When he won, I joined the resistance. I joined MoveOn.

As a MoveOn member, I’ve been signing and sharing petitions with my community on social platforms, been a MoveOn Moderator, and I’ve been on MoveOn’s Support Team. Most recently for this election cycle, I’m a Vote Mobilizer where I assemble a team of people to make sure they have plans to vote and can get other people to make plans to vote. I’ve also been following up with people who signed up to be Vote Mobilizers to make sure they’re getting their team ready. Those conversations happen over text, but it’s never just a ‘yes, I’m ready’ or ‘no, I’m still getting ready’ kind of conversations. These interactions are a little more involved. People will respond and tell me that they have been laid off, furloughed, now rely on food banks, or about to be evicted. You have to listen to people because they are hurting, they are scared, and they need someone to talk to.

The fear and desperation people feel is a direct result of this administration, which is why I am supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Joe Biden has the experience and knowledge to get our country back on track. He has the compassion to understand how people feel and what people are going through because he’s been there. He knows what it’s like to live in the lower income part of town. When Joe says, “I want to restore the soul of our nation. Heal the soul of our nation,” I know that’s what we need. We need healing.

I, like so many, cannot sit this election cycle out. I will vote because so many people gave their lives for our right to vote. I vote because it’s my voice. I think about all my ancestors who could not vote. I vote because we must.

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MoveOn members and Vote Mobilizers like Queen want to make sure that we can remove Donald Trump from office. Vote Mobilizers are building teams of at least 10 eligible voters across battleground states to make sure people have plans to get out the vote in November. Together, we’ll create a better tomorrow.

The post MoveOn Member Stories: Why I, a child of the Civil Rights Era, am voting in 2020 appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

I come from a long line of people who have served this country and people who, despite there being so many odds stacked against them, have pushed through and said, “The American dream is for me too. I am going to vote and you will respect this right to vote.”

I cannot, after seeing my grandparents never miss an election, sit on the sidelines and just let things happen to me. I know that my vote and my voice counts. That’s why I will be working with MoveOn as a Vote Mobilizer to make sure my vote and the votes of others in my community are heard on Election Day.

As a Vote Mobilizer with MoveOn, I’m committed to getting 10 people I know to the polls on November 3rd. I’ve been using my son’s football games as a means to identify people who may not be registered to vote here in Georgia. I sit with people, especially young people, during half-time and speak with them one-on-one about their voter registration status or if they’ve moved recently. I’ve gotten several people registered to vote and are now excited about voting, so my job after that is to get them to the polls.

I’ve taken the day off work on Election Day so I can make sure the members of my community cast their ballot and that their votes are not suppressed. Mask on and mask up, I’m going to stand there and I’m going to press those buttons for the candidates of my choice. I’m going to watch my ballot be scanned. I’m going to get my confirmation back, and you’ll see me post my Georgia peach sticker saying that I voted.

On Election Day, I want to be a resource for the mother who’s concerned about their kids being hungry. I want to be able to tell her that she can stay in line so she can vote, and I’ll go get her kids a happy meal. I want to help the older person who is standing and fatigued by giving them one of the several chairs that will be in my SUV. I even plan on having large coolers of water ready for people when they need it.

My time with MoveOn has really caused the passion I have inside me to overflow, and I think it’s becoming contagious. My husband, who works at a university, had a Zoom call with 65 football players and his colleagues to make sure they were all registered to vote before the October 5th deadline. I hope that the football team is transferring that passion to their other friends, and that together we can burn this light that brings about change. 

I am turning out myself and others to vote because I am a Black mother, an educator, and a health care worker. As a Black mother, I have a Black son and daughter. So seeing the murders of Black men, children, and women at the hands of law enforcement becoming more rampant sparks an urgency to address systemic oppression today. As an educator, I see the unequal access to and quality of education that burdens so many who look like me, be it the Black community, single mothers who work multiple jobs, or those who simply cannot afford having broadband or Internet at home. 

As a health care worker, I have also seen what not having insurance does to so many. I’m a clinical pharmacist who specializes in pain management. By the time so many patients reach us, their pain is out of control. Here in Georgia, we are unfortunately one of the few states that did not accept the Medicaid expansions that could have helped thousands of people get insurance under the Affordable Care Act. All of my concerns are things that our government is responsible for fixing, so I will use my voice to choose my government. 

It is so important to vote for responsible leaders from the bottom-up, be it your city councilors, sheriffs, mayor, attorney general, senators, or president. This year, I’ll be voting early and in-person for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The Biden-Harris ticket is a ticket of stability and decency, but it is also a ticket of good policy. I trust that Biden and Harris will fight for the Affordable Care Act, the Voting Rights Act, and for the families being separated at detention centers in the border. I firmly believe that the Biden-Harris ticket will work feverously to do the right thing.

I vote because I know that it is the source of change. I know that from the bottom-up, meaning from my local elections to the highest office in the nation, that my vote matters. On a local level, I select my mayor and that mayor may fill the police chief or school board positions. This effect exists in the state and national environment as well, so I will vote, because I know that it makes a difference.

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MoveOn members and Vote Mobilizers like Kimm want to make sure that we can remove Donald Trump from office. Vote Mobilizers are building teams of at least 10 eligible voters across battleground states to make sure people have plans to get out the vote in November. Together, we’ll create a better tomorrow.

The post MoveOn Member Stories: Change Starts From the Bottom-Up appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

The rights of so many are at stake this election cycle. As a proud gay man, I cannot just stand by and see my rights made unavailable to me. But I know this election cycle in particular, it’s not only my rights that are on the line, but the rights of all underrepresented communities. We need to fight for all of our rights to make sure that our needs are met and our voices are heard. Having our voices heard is so important because I know that if you speak with confidence, conviction, and from the heart, your voice can resonate in so many people’s lives.

I am making sure my voice and the voices of others are heard as a Vote Mobilizer with MoveOn. As a Vote Mobilizer, I work with a team of 10 people together in battleground states and act as their guide to the polls. I make sure they are registered, that everyone knows when and how they are voting. I make sure they have a ride to either drop-off their mail-in ballot or to the polls on Election Day. I follow up with them and make sure they actually voted. I’m also on MoveOn’s support team, so I also help other Vote Mobilizers create their team of 10 people. My hope is that the Vote Mobilizer program can have a ripple effect. I want to be the drop of water that gets 10 people to vote, and hopefully they will also get 10 more people to vote, and so on.

My vote team includes a lot of my friends here in Florida where I live and people in my home state of Montana–both of which are battleground states. It’s particularly exciting because in Jacksonville, FL, if we can get just enough Democrats to vote and flip the county, we could turn the whole state blue.

Together with my vote team, I’ll be working to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I support them because they are, unlike our current administration, for the people. They truly want what is good for this country and they want to undo the damage of this administration by uniting everybody back together. They will be able to repair this country’s now besmirched reputation with the rest of the world. We need to heal from the division this administration has created, so I will be calling everyone on my list 20 times to make sure they get out the vote in November.

Listen to Todd’s story here.

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MoveOn members and Vote Mobilizers like Todd want to make sure that we can remove Donald Trump from office. Vote Mobilizers are building teams of at least 10 eligible voters across battleground states to make sure people have plans to get out the vote in November. Together, we’ll create a better tomorrow.

The post MoveOn Member Stories: Why I’m a Vote Mobilizer appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.