So said Senator Schumer at the hearing of Senate “For the People Act”.
The “Big Lie” continues, fueled by Republican claims that the 2020 election was rigged. This is despite the fact that many judges and election officials said otherwise.
The Brennan Center reports that State lawmakers continue to introduce voting and elections bills at a furious pace.
As of March 24, legislators have introduced 361 bills with restrictive provisions in 47 states. That’s 108 more than the 253 restrictive bills tallied as of February 19, 2021 — a 43 percent increase in little more than a month.
These measures have begun to be enacted. Five restrictive bills have already been signed into law. In addition, at least 55 restrictive bills in 24 states are moving through legislatures: 29 have passed at least one chamber, while another 26 have had some sort of committee action (e.g., a hearing, an amendment, or a committee vote).
These challenges are, among other things, intimately connected to our nation’s history of racial injustice, from persistent efforts to keep voters of color away from the ballot box, to gerrymandering that has repeatedly sought to dilute their political power, to the racial wealth gap that is a persistent barrier to many candidates of color raising enough funds to compete.
Poll after poll has shown overwhelming public support for this legislation. One recent survey found 67 percent of Americans in favor, including 56 percent of Republicans and 68 percent of independents.
Despite the bill’s popularity, some commentators have suggested that it should be broken up because its individual pieces would be easier to pass than the whole. But the bill’s comprehensive approach is actually its greatest strength. Its ambitious scope has attracted a vast and unprecedented coalition of civil rights activists, labor organizers, faith-based organizations, environmental groups, consumer advocates, voting rights experts, and many others.
But what is to be done, especially since Gerrymandering means members of Congress rarely face legitimately contested elections. Super PACs and interest groups wield tremendous influence on legislators. Can, for examples, letters, phone calls, or meetings really change someone’s mind?
Yes, say current and former members of Congress, pointing to specific constituents who’ve influenced them over the years. But they say some strategies of persuasion work better than others. Here’s what they think works.
It is good to take part in large, organized campaigns with groups of like-minded individuals — letter-writing drives or mass-circulated online petitions, for example.
Persuasive Writing can work.
One of the most effective way to advocate for what you believe in is to write, email, or call your representatives in Congress or local policy maker. Persuasive writing is an art and there are some basic tips that can help you get your point across clearly and concisely.
a. Identify who you are: Depending on the scenario, introduce yourself. If writing to a legislator, make sure they know that you are a constituent by including your address.
b. Get to the point: Early in your message you should highlight specifically what are communicating about. Be as specific with this as possible. List the name of the bill or legislation if applicable.
c. Identify why it matters: Help your audience make a connection as to why it matters to them. Personal stories or anecdotes can be a good way of doing this.
d. Call to action: Finish the message with a call
to action–either asking a decision maker to do something or asking people to help your advocacy campaign by doing something.
My husband and I will be at the NABWMT 2021 Convention in July where you can join a workshop we will hold on these topics.
We look forward to seeing you!
