News from the Frontlines of the Political Revolution!
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5 YEARS IN THE FIGHT!
Join us for a special call as Our Revolution celebrates
5 years of electing progressive champions in local races
from coast to coast! San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin will join us to talk about fixing the criminal justice system; NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich will discuss how they’ve worked to improve their communities, and Khalil Seren will join us to talk about his campaign to be the next Mayor of Cleveland Heights, Ohio!
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5 YEARS IN THE FIGHT!
5 years ago this month, Bernie started Our Revolution to be a “transformative force” in American politics. Since 2016, Larry Cohen – our founding Board Chair – has worked collaboratively with our local rank-in-file leaders, our volunteer Board, and our team of staff organizers to develop and execute our 5 Point Plan to Win political, economic, and social change and challenge the political establishment.
Over the past 5 years, we’ve established a national network of over 30 statewide organizations – made up of hundreds of city and county groups – to fight for change. And our local grassroots organizing is making a difference. We’ve elected more than 700 hundred progressives candidates up and down the ballot, enacted hundreds of transformative laws and policies, and taken over local and state Democratic parties with bottom-up, insurgent campaigns.
On this week’s National Organize to Win Call, Larry reported that Our Revolution’s organizing program is the “best I’ve seen over the past 5 years” and that “we’re well-positioned to make dramatic gains in the next 5 years.”
US Rep. Ro Khanna also joined the call to thank Our Revolution members for ushering in a “New Progressive Era” and changing the political debate.
He noted that 5 years ago, Democrats were talking about cutting Social Security and other social safety net programs. Today, because of Bernie and Our Revolution, Democrats are fighting to expand Medicare, raise wages, grow unions, and end fossil fuel subsidies to tackle the climate crisis
“We are on the ascendancy,” Ro said. “Progressives – and progressive ideas – are winning.”
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PROGRESSIVE POWER AT THE POLLS!
Over the last 5 years, Our Revolution has helped elect more than 700 progressive champions up and down the ballot: from school boards to city councils to the US Congress.
We’ve elected members of Congress like AOC, Cori Bush, Rashida Tlaib, Ayana Pressley, Ilhan Omar and Jamaal Bowman, who are now shaping the political debate on Capitol Hill and fighting for the rights of everyday Americans over corporate interests.
We’ve elected progressive District Attorney’s like Larry Krasner in Philadelphia, Chesa Boudin in San Francisco, and Monique Worrell in Florida, who are reforming a judicial system that has disproportionately targeted people of color.
We won a longshot primary to likely make India Walton the first socialist elected mayor of a major American city in decades. We’ve elected powerful progressive blocs in cities from New York to Nashville and flipped majorities from St. Louis to Fort Worth. This year alone, we elected the first openly gay black man ever in Texas and the first openly gay black woman, the first South Asian members, and the first female majority on the New York City Council. We’ve elected more progressives to state offices than ever before, including Our Revolution board member and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and members like Grayson Lookner in Maine and Sheila Ruth in Maryland.
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WINNING MORE RACES!
Over the past 5 years, Our Revolution has built an unstoppable grassroots political campaign operation, boosting our win rate to over 70% during the 2020 and 2021 election cycles.
We’ve trained hundreds of volunteers to use best-in-class organizing technologies in support of well-vetted candidates who are building real power – not just “speaking truth to power” without a plan to win. We are showing that progressive values and grassroots campaigning make candidates more electable, not less. And we are making endorsements that strengthen our groups so even when we don’t win, we are better positioned for the next round.
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THE ESTABLISHMENT STRIKES BACK
After 5 years of winning tough races, the establishment knows we’re a threat to business as usual in Washington. That’s why corporate Democrats joined forces with Trump donors to spend millions and beat back Nina Turner’s campaign for Congress. “The corporatists knew my voice and my love for this movement are not for sale,” Nina said.
Nina joined our National Organize to Win Call to thank Our Revolution members for their donating their time and treasure to her campaign. More importantly, she implored all of us to keep fighting against a status quo that favors the rich and powerful.
In Nina’s own words: “What I am asking you to do is not to give up, not to give out, and not to give in. And to know clearly, that even though we didn’t cross that river last Tuesday, that we have many more rivers to cross. And it is because of the 21st-century freedom fighters that you are, that we can see with clarity what needs to happen and what needs to be transformed. Our mission stays the same.”
The loss shows that progressives need to “invest more in building the organizing infrastructure we need to reach every voter,” Joseph Geevarghese, the executive director of Our Revolution, told The New York Times.
“There are more people who are aligned with our values,” Joseph added, “and the question is organizing and motivating them to turn out.”
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Our Revolution isn’t just electing the next generation of progressive champions to office, we’re also on the front lines fighting for transformative progressive policies
at every level of government.
Over the past 5 years, we’ve scored big wins in states and cities across the country – we’ve expanded Medicaid in Missouri, increased the minimum wage in Florida, legalized marijuana in New Jersey, ended cash bail in San Francisco, and so much more!
And now, as we celebrate our 5th anniversary this month,
Our Revolution members are gearing up to hit the streets in our communities to help pass what Bernie is calling “transformative legislation” that will set the stage for the next 5 years of Our Revolution …
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The power of Our Revolution’s progressive base helped put Bernie in control of the Senate budget committee, where he led the development of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation proposal advanced by the Senate on Wednesday. Through this process we have the chance to make progress on many of our top policy priorities – like ending fossil fuel subsidies, expanding health care, and protecting worker rights – without the threat of a Republican filibuster.
On our National Organize to Win Call on Monday, Ro Khanna said progressives must mount an Olympian organizing effort to “run through the tape” and use the Congressional recess to pressure every Democrat to support Bernie’s reconciliation package – which Chuck Schumer and others say represents the biggest expansion of the social safety net since Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society program of the 1960s.
That’s why Our Revolution is working with Ro, and other members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) to make sure centrist Democrats don’t undermine our movement’s priorities.
This week, Rep. Pramila Jayapal and other CPC leaders pledged to vote as a bloc and withhold support for the bipartisan infrastructure bill until the Senate passes Bernie’s progressive budget bill.
And though Sen.Joe Manchin voted to advance the reconciliation bill, he signaled in a statement that he thinks the price tag for progress is too costly.
Our Revolution responded by sending a warning shot to Manchin: “We will not cave,” Our Revolution executive director Joseph Geevarghese told Roll Call. “We will organize like we never have before to ensure that Senator Manchin and the like don’t turn their back on working families.”
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Bernie’s budget bill will expand Medicare for millions more Americans. One of them is Our Revolution Ohio’s state organizing coordinator, Diane Morgan. When she’s not organizing our Ohio volunteers, she’s busy cultivating fruits and vegetables as an urban farmer on Cleveland’s West Side. But like so many independent entrepreneurs, Diane doesn’t have health insurance.
So when her tooth started hurting, Diane had no choice but to take it out herself. “I’m a farmer, not a dentist, so I was fortunate I managed to get it out myself without complications.”
In Newsweek last week, Diane told her story and called on Congress to pass Bernie’s budget bill, which would lower the Medicare eligibility age to 60 from 65 and expand coverage to include eye and dental care. After a decade of planting and picking, she says her body is starting to break down. She’s developed arthritis, but at 63 does not yet qualify for government-funded medical insurance.
“My story is not unique. Far too many people put off needed care until they’re finally eligible for Medicare at 65. It’s unconscionable.”
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DEFEND VOTING RIGHTS!
The For the People Act (FTPA), addresses voter intimidation and suppression, gerrymandering, dark money, and ethics laws to ensure our government works for the people. Passing this bill is urgent, as GOP lawmakers across the country push baseless election fraud claims to pass laws that restrict voter access – 253 bills in 43 states have already been introduced.
Wednesday morning, Sen. Chuck Schumer asked to begin debate on the For the People Act, but Ted Cruz objected and blocked even a discussion on this and two separate provisions.
The White House hasn’t yet stepped up to fight for our democracy the way they are fighting for the infrastructure bill, and it is deeply disappointing that Senate Democrats left town without passing new voter protections. That means our movement will have to get Senate Dems to reform or reject the filibuster to pass FTPA as Sen. Mitch McConnell does everything he can to run out the clock. Our Revolution Arizona and West Virginia members are running pressure campaigns on their Senators. Without all Democrats – like Kyrsten Simena and Joe Manchin – sticking together, Republicans in statehouses around the country will soon start redistricting to lock in minority rule for another decade.
JOIN OUR REVOLUTION & SUPPORT OUR ORGANIZING IN WEST VIRGINIA AND ARIZONA!
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The untimely death of Richard Trumka, who led the AFL-CIO for 12 years, has brought the future of labor to the forefront.
“American workers’ level of collective bargaining coverage is not comparable to that of any other similar democracy,” said Larry Cohen, Our Revolution Board Chair and a former president of the Communications Workers of America. “If you’re not there to grow, you’re in trouble. You’re just playing defense. You’ll be here till someone turns the lights out.”
That’s why Our Revolution is fighting to make sure key provisions of the PRO Act – like imposing tougher penalties for union-busters and serial labor lawbreakers – are included in the budget reconciliation bill. As Mother Jones said, we honor Rich’s memory by “praying for the dead, and fighting like hell for the living!”
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CLIMATE CODE RED!
The latest UN report on climate change makes clear the world can’t wait any longer to end the use of fossil fuels. Global temperatures are likely to rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius over the next two decades no matter what we do. But we can still avoid a climate catastrophe if countries embrace renewables and phase out fossil fuels. The report is a “code red for humanity,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
It is also a timely reminder of why fighting for Bernie’s $3.5 trillion budget bill is so critical. It is our one chance to finally end subsidies for oil, gas, and coal companies.
That’s why Our Revolution Maryland members joined Food and Water Watch and other climate activists this week to call on House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to support ending fossil fuel subsidies.
Fossil fuels are responsible for the climate crisis, yet big fossil fuel companies receive $15 billion every year in direct government subsidies. The US government has propped up the coal, oil, and gas industry for decades, even though a majority of voters want to end fossil fuel subsidies.
IF YOUR GROUP IS READY TO HOLD DEMOCRATS ACCOUNTABLE ON CLIMATE, RSVP FOR OUR ACTION TRAINING HERE!
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JUST A FEW OF THE MANY!
Our Revolution is the only group dedicated to transforming the Democratic Party into a truly progressive party. We’ve worked hard to reform the rules of the party at both the state and federal level, successfully fighting to unrig the rules against progressive candidates and to get rid of the use of superdelegates on the first ballot.
We’ve won by forming progressive caucuses in 20 state parties, and electing more than 50 members of the Democratic National Committee. We’ve taken over the Democratic Party in Nevada, and won our fight to create the first-ever DNC Council on the Environment & Climate Crisis.
But more remains to be done. We need to get more of our members involved inside the party and work alongside them to take advantage of opportunities to make the party more progressive.
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STRATEGIC ACTION TRAININGS!
We’re gearing up for Revolution Recess!
If you or your group is interested in organizing a local action to pressure Congressional Democrats to support Bernie’s budget bill and expand Medicare, end fossil fuel subsidies, and crack down on union-busters, sign up for our Strategic Action Training on Wednesday at 12.30p ET or 9p ET! The sessions will also give our members the organizing skills necessary to wage strategic actions to win other fights both at the local and national levels.
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