FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2022
Contact: Emily Phelps | press@indivisible.org
Washington, DC — Today, Indivisible co-executive director Ezra Levin issued the following statement:
“While Republicans across the country are engaging in some of the most brazen attacks on our democracy and our right to vote, two Democrats – Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin – joined Mitch McConnell in blocking what would have been the most consequential suite of democracy reforms since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As a result of Sinema and Manchin’s betrayal, the likelihood of constitutional crises, democratic breakdowns, and rightwing political violence are higher today than it was yesterday. That is their legacy now.
“This loss hurts, especially for a movement who could not possibly have done more to fight to get this legislation passed. But we are still devoted to the idea that a real democracy is worth fighting for. We know that there are more of us than there are of them. We still believe that the authoritarian movement, which has been reinvigorated in recent years by Donald Trump and his enablers in Congress, is a danger to us all. And, most importantly, we know that the only way we will succeed in defeating the fascists is through organized grassroots constituent power.
“Manchin and Sinema may believe that history will remember them as brave mavericks who ‘protected’ the reputation of the Senate by blocking this bill on procedural grounds. It will not. They will be remembered as cowards who sided with Mitch McConnell and enabled his party’s march toward authoritarianism and minority rule.
“To Joe Manchin: you betrayed the working people that you claim to represent – workers rights are inextricably linked with voting rights, and instead of protecting either of those things, you gave permission to Republicans everywhere to amp up their suppression efforts.
“To Kyrsten Sinema: Earlier this week 94% of Indivisible members in Arizona voted to primary you if you betrayed them on this vote. See you in 2024.”
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ABOUT THE INDIVISIBLE PROJECT
The Indivisible Project (501c4) is a social movement non-profit driven by a vision of a real democracy - of, by, and for the people. Indivisible began in 2016 as a viral guide to resisting Trump’s agenda. Today, the Indivisible movement is a network of thousands of local groups and millions of activists across every state. The Indivisible Project drives campaigns for bold progressive policies, lobbies Congress, and equips activists with tools to build lasting progressive power, everywhere. Together, we fight to defeat the rightwing takeover of American government and build an inclusive democracy.