By Lauren Jacobs
What an election.
Yet again, people like you proved that the power of many can defeat the cruelty of a few.
Voters soundly rejected the fascist and billionaire agenda — and made clear we want bold action to make our lives better and help our communities thrive.
Across the country, Black, Brown, and working people of all races voted in record numbers. People turned out because corporations have made life too expensive, because we are disgusted by fascist violence, and because we see the link between the two.
Millions of people went to the polls despite intimidation, hours long lines, voter elimination tools supported by corporations like Amazon, and nearly $500 million spent by Elon Musk.
People showed real courage. Voters risked being illegally detained by ICE to go cast a ballot. Black people, especially in the South, turned out to vote in huge numbers, as we have year after year despite Trump’s threats and the long history of state violence against our community.
Now we should expect that same kind of courage from our elected leaders.
In Congress, that means using every available tool to rein in the fascists. It also means pushing forward a policy agenda where government works for people instead of the billionaires:
-
Raise Wages, Lower Rents: universal childcare, free healthcare, affordable housing, fully funded public schools, free college, and good union jobs for all.
-
Feed the Hungry, Care for the Sick, Tax the Rich: billionaires and corporations that have gotten rich off the rest of us need to pay what they owe so everyone can thrive.
-
No ICE, No War: stop criminalizing communities of color and end private armies for authoritarians.
-
All of Us Together: set a path to citizenship for our immigrant neighbors and restore the Voting Rights Act.
Even while Trump remains President, there is much Congress can do. This is a moment to lean into the possibility to have real accountability and to make the lives of everyday people better. We will not go back to the failed status quo that created the conditions for fascism to thrive.
At the local and state level, there’s even more room to demonstrate the future voters are clamoring for.
In our cities and states, we must keep building momentum for action that concretely makes people’s lives better. Just this year, organizing has won things like:
-
A $1 billion/year tax on tech giants in Illinois
-
Worker protections against AI in California
-
$565 million for historically underfunded public schools in Pennsylvania
Let’s keep showing what’s possible and inspire other communities to act.
We’ll continue to watch out for any attempts to interfere with the results, but so far it seems like all your preparation and the massive turnout prevented major last-minute sabotage attempts.
To everyone who knocked on doors, made phone calls, and encouraged their friends to vote, thank you. To everyone who stood vigil around polling places and election offices to keep watch for ICE and DHS, thank you. To everyone who took action to demand corporations stop powering and profiting off election sabotage, thank you.
I hope you’ll take a moment to rest and to celebrate. And then I look forward to pushing alongside you to build on last night’s momentum, drive back the fascists, and push forward multiracial feminist democracy.
In solidarity,
Lauren Jacobs
Executive Director, PowerSwitch Action