Next DFA-MC meeting is on Wednesday, February 7th at 6:30pm.  Location and speakers to be announced.

On Martin Luther King Day the Republicans held a debate where they touted South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s efforts to block African-Americans from voting by requiring a state issued ID at the polls on Election Day. This bill was so egregiously targeted toward disenfranchising the African-American vote that the Department of Justice stepped into block it.

This is an outrage.

For the first time in history state legislatures around the country are working to shrink the numbers of Americans who can vote. And to add insult to injury, this effort to disenfranchise 21 million voters is being funded by the Koch brothers.

That’s why we are fighting back on two fronts. DFA is hosting a live Telephone Town Hall with Rep. Keith Ellison, Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus, to talk about what we can to do stop corporate millionaires from ruining our Democracy and to defend everyone’s fundamental right to vote.

Join the live Telephone Town Hall on Monday, Jan. 23rd at 8:00 PM EST with Rep. Keith Ellison.

While the 2008 election saw more people turn out to vote in over a decade, as many as 5 million voters will be restricted from voting in this upcoming election due to state laws that have already passed.

It’s no surprise that those disenfranchised voters include African Americans, Latinos, elderly, students and others.  Why?  It’s all part of a larger Republican strategy — to restrict voting rights to people who have traditionally voted for Democratic candidates.  Almost five decades ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act of 1965, outlawing discriminatory voting practices. The bills champion, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, fought tirelessly to expand voting rights to all Americans. As we celebrate his legacy this week we need to keep a keen eye on every attempt to keep Americans from the polls.

DFA and Rep. Keith Ellison are fighting on the legislative front and to expose the corporate money that funds these efforts to disenfranchise voters. And, we need your help.

We want to hear from you at the Live Telephone Town Hall on Monday, Jan. 23 at 8:00PM EST with Rep. Keith Ellison. Sign up to join in here.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

SAMPLE LETTER TO CONGRESS:

I am writing to you as a voter in your district. I urge you to vote “no” on cloture for S. 968, the PROTECT IP Act, on Jan. 24th. The PROTECT IP Act is dangerous, ineffective, and short-sighted. It does not deserve floor consideration.  I urge my representative to vote “no” on SOPA, the corresponding House bill.

Over coming days you’ll be hearing from the many businesses, advocacy organizations, and ordinary Americans who oppose this legislation because of the myriad ways in which it will stifle free speech and innovation.  We hope you’ll take our concerns to heart and oppose this legislation by voting “no”