This article is not just an explanation of the situation but offers a path to immediate direct action… You want your money? This is how you get it.
Over the last few days, I’m sure you heard the noise over a new relief bill.
First, we get nothing, then we have $600 and Trump suddenly demands $2000 per person and blows up the whole deal… or did he?
Trump did eventually sign the bill but Democrats immediately called what may or may not be a bluff. After months of frustration, the Dems finally have a path to action on a larger relief payment and they jumped on it…
But what does that mean for you?
Are you just a spectator in a game played by politicians in DC who have already shown us that they don’t give a damn?
Absolutely not.
This is a moment where we have to create a lot of public pressure very fast.
Bernie Sanders says that today he will freeze the Senate when they vote to overturn Trump’s Veto on the Defense Budget until they get a clean vote on the additional $1400, we say $2000 not to confuse anyone on the Senate floor.
He can hold the Senate business until the 1st.
What we do in that time will determine if we will push this through in this Senate session or if we are going to have to wait for Georgia’s runoffs.
Which BTW… if you are not making calls or dropping texts for Georgia, please consider doing so… And if you are volunteering, please add links to the comments. So far, 27% of registered voters have voted already, and things are looking strong for the Senate flipping control.
If the Senate flips then Biden, Pelosi, and the rest of the Democrats can’t hide behind the Republicans and they will be forced to vote and act the way they claim they would if the Republicans were not in the way.
But right now, let’s stay focused.
Relief Bills…
First off, the pressure we create rolls directly over into the pressure for Biden’s first relief bill… the UI Benefits were only extended for scant eleven weeks, and only ten after Trump lingered to sign, which means we will need a new bill almost immediately.
The push for that start right now, and we could cash out an extra $1400 for every American if we push hard enough in the next 24–48 hours.
Second… This is entirely separate from both the push for $2k Monthly payments and retroactive payments to the beginning of the Pandemic.
Depending on who you ask they can be different things but we should always direct folks to the bill put up by Markey, Sanders, and Harris that covers both.
It is currently up on the Vice-President Elects Website, this should be a slam dunk to get on Biden’s first bill should Dems retake the Senate.
Here is the link…
But even if we win in Georgia, then we still need 10 Republicans who will cross over to give us 60 votes and with 22 Senate Republicans up for election in ’22, it give us a unique opportunity IF we play our cards correctly.
We can’t wait to start building that pressure and each extra step they try to create to stall the process gives us an opportunity to twist the dagger a little more… until they give us what we want.
The next year is going to be an incremental process, there is no way around it. The Neoliberals are going to try to use austerity and it simply will not work.
We have to be prepared to make consistent demands that continuously gain us ground as the reality of the pandemic becomes more grave.
In the end, this has to be more about saving lives than it is advancing our agenda, though the two can, and should, be one and the same.
So, how do we create pressure and where do we put it?
The answer is surprisingly simple, so simple in fact that folks have to be reminded of it…
You have to make contact… have your voice heard, however you can.
Do literally anything except sit and wait for something to happen.
That means right now, today!
Everyone has a different role to play in this, but if you are still unsure that means first you start by making calls to the Senate offices in DC.
You can find a full list of their offices here …
You can find the original FB post here…
Never done it before or don’t know what to say?
Just speak from the heart, don't be timid, and by the time you get through the list, you will have it worked out… But don’t worry because many of them have their phones turned to voicemail at this point…
So, then we move on to the next phase.
Direct in-person protest.
The Protest is one of the few things that we are still allowed to do during the Pandemic and please… do it as safely as possible, but we cannot let the politicians hide behind the very Pandemic we are seeking solutions from.
So, hear me out… The Protest will be the Concerts of 2021.
And it starts right here.
You can find a full list of the in-state offices here …
Now, this is where things can get really interesting because there is unlimited potential for organizing that can come from this.
For example, if you notice there are offices all over each state.
That means if you get a protest started at each office, you can link them together to form a statewide organization and begin creating the necessary infrastructure for a candidate to challenge your current Senator…
24 Senators, 22 Republicans, and 12 Democrats are up for reelection.
If you wanted to send a message, ’22 is your chance and it starts right now with these actions in the Senate today and backing Bernie on his move.
A proper inside/outside strategy works when you have someone like Bernie Sanders willing to step up and freeze the process to speak for the people… in that time, it’s our job to build power for his demands.
That’s how that strategy functions and we have a rare opportunity when a US Senator wants to take the risk and create space for activists to work.
Will you answer the call… or will you remain a spectator?
You can do standard signs… whatever non-violent protest you think is necessary to make the message clear… anything that will gain visibility.
If you can stay outside, it is safer there, and greater visibility.
If you can’t travel, support those who can. Anything goes a long way right now.
Sadly, Republican Senators will never listen, not until we are making their lives as uncomfortable as they are making ours… and the protests have to grow progressively more active until it becomes a well-funded challenger running against them with the people’s support.
That’s the only thing they fear.
Start at McConnell’s offices until he allows a vote and then hit every Republican who speaks out against it first… the more calls in one place the better… and don’t be afraid to fax.
Ron Johnson in Wisconsin voted against the $1200 Amendment, we can expect him to be a problem again… he is also up for reelection this year with a Democrat holding the other seat, he is extremely vulnerable.
Start with those two and then broaden your scope as each Republican Senator does anything that stands in opposition until they just let it go “this time”… and that’s all we need to build.
The phase of protesting after this involves protesting their homes and I definitely saw some addresses flying around claiming to be McConnell’s home address… so it’s already happening.
Demands start with forcing the vote in the Senate, then a “Yes” vote on the bill, then a push straight through with non-stop pressure until we make clear what we want in the next one…
And it's going to be Emergency Single-Payer.
We don’t have a lot of time, so go get ‘em.
I'll be back with more updates and strategy, but the big thought on hand is what are the needs/demands from Biden’s first relief bill and how can we make that happen? Anything you do now will make that easier later.
You can follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/TheWordofDon
