Republicans in Congress know full well how the drastic, automatic cuts known as the sequester would hurt the middle class and take our economy to the brink. Just last year, many of them were calling for action to stop it. Today, they're singing a different tune―and they're threatening to take our economy hostage.
If you had any doubt that Republicans are willing to gamble our economy to protect their political interests, watch—and share—this video.
Tomorrow, President Obama will walk into the chamber of the House of Representatives, and in the presence of members of Congress, the Cabinet, and Supreme Court justices, deliver his second State of the Union address.
Read More"When I think about what it means to be a Democrat in this day and age, I start with the basic proposition that we are all created equal, that we’re all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights. And my governing philosophy and my interest in public service grows out of how we make that union more perfect for more people, day in, day out."
–President Obama addresses the House Democratic Issues Conference
Yesterday, President Obama called on all of us to play our part in reducing gun violence across the country. Here's something you can do right now: Sign our petition asking Congress to act quickly and pass legislation that will make our communities safer. Read the email with the details that our executive director, Patrick Gaspard, just sent to Democrats—then add your name.
Friend --
Yesterday in Minneapolis, President Obama told the American people that it's time to take some basic commonsense steps to reduce gun violence.
It's up to Congress to take the next step and pass legislation -- but first, we have to let them know that Americans demand they act quickly.
If you stand with the President, add your name to this petition telling Congress to act swiftly to pass legislation to reduce gun violence:
http://my.democrats.org/Reduce-Gun-Violence
Thanks,
Patrick
Patrick Gaspard
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee
Ours has always been a nation of immigrants. From Albert Einstein and Google's Sergey Brin to the millions of ordinary people with an extraordinary belief in the American Dream, immigrants built this country. But today, our immigration system is broken.
President Obama has made it clear from the beginning that comprehensive immigration reform is a priority. In his first term, the Obama administration put more boots on the ground on the southern border than at any time in U.S. history, and today, illegal crossings are down nearly 80 percent from their peak in 2000. Enforcement efforts were focused on criminals who entered illegally, and deportation of criminals is at its highest level ever. And the President and Democrats have stood on the side of DREAMers, high-achieving young people who were brought to this country as children.
But there's far more to be done to fix the system—and we need Congress to act. There's reason to hope this time: For the first time in years, Republicans are joining Democrats on a bipartisan approach to comprehensive immigration reform, and it's in line with the principles that President Obama outlined in a speech yesterday. But our representatives in Congress need to know that we stand behind comprehensive reform that:
1. Keeps strengthening our borders.
2. Cracks down on businesses that hire undocumented workers.
3. Holds undocumented immigrants accountable in order to earn their citizenship. This means having undocumented workers pay their taxes and a penalty, move to the back of the line, learn English, and pass background checks.
4. Updates the legal immigration system for families, workers, and employers.
This is a blueprint to fix our broken immigration system in a way that requires everyone to take responsibility and ensures everyone plays by the rules.
But as the debate heats up, it's important to remember that the lives and futures of millions of people are at stake. There are 11 million people currently living in the shadows. As President Obama said, "Remember that this debate isn’t just about policy. It’s about people. It’s about men and women who want nothing more than the chance to earn their way into the American story. Throughout our history, that has only made our nation stronger. And it’s how we will make sure that this century is the same as the last: an American century."
If you want Congress to pass comprehensive immigration, add your name.
In 2012, the Republican Party led a coordinated campaign to disenfranchise millions of voters through burdensome voter ID laws and shortened early voting periods—with the express purpose of sending Mitt Romney to the White House.
They failed. Republicans lost their battle to suppress the vote in our nation's courts, and they lost on the issues at the ballot box, as African Americans, Latinos, and young voters turned out in record numbers. But instead of learning the lessons of 2012 and working to appeal to our growing electorate, Republicans are fixated on finding new ways to undermine the majority of voters and keep another Democrat from winning in 2016.
Their philosophy is simple: "If you can't beat 'em, rig the game."
Tomorrow in Virginia—where President Obama won decisively in 2012—a state Senate committee will vote on a bill that would rig the 2016 election in favor of Republican candidates by changing how the Electoral College appropriates votes.
Currently in Virginia, Electoral College votes are allocated on a winner-take-all basis. But Republicans want them allocated by congressional district—ensuring their heavily gerrymandered Republican districts will deliver for the Republican candidate in the next presidential election.
If this scheme had been in place in 2012, President Obama would have won only four out of 13 electoral votes in Virginia—even though he received 140,000 more votes from Virginia voters than Romney did.
It's too extreme even for Virginia's Bob McDonnell, one of the most far-right governors in the country. A spokesman for McDonnell said last week, "The governor does not support this legislation. He believes Virginia's existing system works just fine as it is."
But another Tea Party governor, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, thinks election rigging is an "interesting" idea—something "worth looking at."
This is only the beginning. Virginia and Wisconsin are just the first of several states President Obama won in 2012 whose Republican governors and legislatures are considering rigging their Electoral College votes in favor of the GOP. And the head of the party, Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus, has endorsed the plan, saying, "I think it's something that a lot of states that have been consistently blue that are fully controlled red ought to be looking at."
But if we learned anything in 2012, it's that the American people will not stand by and watch Republican politicians manipulate our electoral process and trample on our hard-won voting rights. We'll fight to make our voices heard and our ballots counted—and oppose any and all attempts to rig our electoral process.
For more information on the Republican-sponsored efforts to rig the next presidential election, sign up for updates from the Democratic Party.
Last week, we inaugurated a president. It's easy to see an inauguration as the culmination of a long-fought campaign, but as our chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, reminded supporters in an email today, we still have a lot to do. From tackling climate to working for LGBT equality, the next four years will be busy.
Read the chair's email below, then chip in what you can to make sure it's a productive term.
Friend --
Watching President Obama take the oath of office last Monday was an incredible reward for all of the time and energy that you and millions of other Democrats put in throughout the election. And when I looked out at the sea of supporters who braved the cold to watch the President's inauguration, I was reminded that in you we have the support we need to make incredible change over the next four years.
Since I became Chair of the Democratic Party two years ago, my motto has been "no one will outwork us." And although we're still celebrating our incredible victories in 2012, it's time for us to get back to work.
President Obama has outlined an ambitious plan for his second term, including tackling climate change, working for full equality for LGBT Americans, and making sure that all Americans, no matter where they come from or who their parents are, have an equal shot. And it's up to us to fight for Democrats and make sure that that agenda becomes law.
Donate $5 or more now to make sure we have the resources to fulfill our duty to our country, ourselves, and the millions of Americans whose lives will change for the better:
https://my.democrats.org/Back-to-Work
Let's do this,
Debbie
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair
Democratic National Committee