This piece was originally published in the July 28, 2020 edition of CAP Action’s daily newsletter, the Progress Report. Subscribe to the Progress Report here.
“COVID-19 does not stop at a state border. It doesn’t observe party lines.”
— Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) today, criticizing Mitch McConnell’s latest stimulus proposal for its failure to meet the needs of struggling states
We all saw what happened in Georgia’s primary election: Thousands of voters waited hours and hours to cast their ballots, with especially long lines in areas with large Black populations.
But it’s not just Georgia. According to the Brennan Center, Black voters nationwide wait an average of 45% longer to vote than white voters.
This is racist voter suppression, plain and simple.
Share this graphic on Twitter and Facebook to get the facts out:
IN THE NEWS
- Mitch McConnell announced the Republicans’ latest legislative scam last night, this time in the form of a severely misguided stimulus bill. To give you an idea of McConnell’s priorities, the bill would cut federal unemployment insurance by two-thirds while setting aside $7 billion for military fighter jets and other military equipment. This legislation is yet another sign that Republicans have no interest in meeting the needs of working Americans. As Senator Bernie Sanders points out, the bill offers a deduction for “three-martini CEO lunches” while allocating a whopping $0 for election security, $0 to help states implement vote by mail, $0 for the U.S. Postal Service, $0 for un- and under-insured Americans, and $0 for state and local governments.
- The White House announced plans to further chip away at DACA, a critical program that provides protections for young undocumented people in the United States. This comes just weeks after the Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration’s attempt to end DACA unconstitutional. According to NBC News, the administration will not accept new applications for the program and will limit the length of DACA renewals to one year.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Today is National Vote by Mail Day! Naturally, Attorney General Barr marked the occasion by lying about vote by mail while under oath at a Congressional hearing. Barr repeated a myth that’s conveniently very popular among Republicans, falsely claiming there’s a “high risk” that voting by mail will lead to massive fraud. He then admitted he himself has voted by mail.
- Americans love vote by mail. In fact, in states that offer an option to vote via mail-in ballot, voters consistently take advantage of that option. It just makes sense — why take time off to stand in line at a polling place (and this year, potentially risk your health) if you can complete your ballot at home? Unfortunately, some states still haven’t put into place the needed infrastructure to carry out a mid-pandemic election that is expected to be largely dependent on mail-in voting. That’s why we’re calling on Congress to pass the HEROES Act, which would provide federal funding for states to build out existing infrastructure and offer a variety of safe and accessible voting options. If you agree, add your name here to urge your senators to fully fund vote by mail.
WHAT WE’RE READING
Got plans for happy hour this Friday? We do. Join Stacey Abrams and Cory Booker for a virtual discussion on where progressive priorities lie during the pandemic.