As I break down forms of activism into smaller areas, it is with an understanding of how overwhelming it can be when you realize that there is so much that needs to be done. It can be hard to prioritize.
However, so much of the improvement that is possible now is largely because of the results of the last election, especially including heavy voter registration efforts in Georgia that worked out an equal half of the Senate and a tie-breaker in the vice president.
That is not a strong enough majority for many things, but it is even more important to realize how fragile it is.
There was recently an attempt to overrun the Beaverton School Board with candidates who supported values that were ultimately racist and homophobic, though they would not describe themselves in that way. There were similar candidates in many school districts, some who ran more successfully than others.
I wrote a lot about this. Why am I mentioning it again? Because the losers are now talking about how awful vote by mail is, and how it needs to be done away with. Conservative commentator Lars Larson is joining in, associating mail-in voting with fraud.
It is not, but they don't want people who disagree with them to have a voice. There is a long history of voter disenfranchisement that is racist at its core, but which also disadvantages the elderly, students, and members of the military serving abroad.
It is very rare to find cases of voter fraud. When they turn up the culprit is usually conservative, trying to prove how easy fraud is, though failing as they are caught. (Though there was the Trump voter who murdered his wife and tried to cast her vote for Trump as well.)
Attempts to erect barriers to voting are happening in many states, most notably Georgia and Texas, but not exclusively.
Republicans only have the votes if they cheat. Some of them found it worth attacking the Capitol, but many will just work to make sure there are fewer people voting in the next election, especially fewer non-white people.
This is an important area of focus.
Focus can be spread across multiple areas.
The first would be passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. This would reinforce parts of the original Voting Rights Act struck down by the Supreme Court in Shelby vs Holder.
Because of consistent conservative opposition -- including on the Court -- the legislation is not being hurried through. There will probably not be a Senate vote before September. It does not hurt to show support and keep the act in memory now.
Federal protection could be a strong weapon against states' infringing on voting rights, but state attempts also need to be addressed.
One good source of information is Stacy Abrams, and her organization Fair Fight: https://fairfight.com/
She has a great deal of experience in expanding voter enfranchisement, but different states have different challenges. Local organization should be noted and supported.
At this time, 20 Republican senators are up for re-election in 2022. It would be great if they lost to Democrats for a real majority. A 70-30 balance would remove many obstacles, even under current parliamentary rules.
Does that sound overly partisan? Yes, but the utter lack of honor and integrity shown makes it necessary. To be anything other than Trump's death cult, the Republicans are going to have to re-form. If it is possible, it's not going to happen until after it is completely necessary.
Senate races to keep an eye on in 2022 include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin. Some of them are recognizable names as horrible people.
https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections,_2022
Get on that, and count on them trying to regain the majority in the house. Even in reliable, liberal Oregon, there are people who will be organizing to make voting harder. They won't rest, so we must not rest either.
You may also wish to consider following Ari Berman on Twitter, as he is passionate about voting rights and a good source of information:
This next election cycle may be our last chance to save democracy. Does that sound overly dramatic? Consider how openly they scorn democracy, harping on the United States being a republic, and not a democracy. True, but there are elements of democracy, including that citizenship and voting rights are no longer determined by sex, race, and property ownership.
That may not last. Whether it does or not depends on what we do now.
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