Americans for Democratic Action
Fighting for progress and resisting reaction since 1947
ADA: Updates (via Facebook)
If Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Synema (D-AZ) have taught us nothing else, they have taught us that 50 plus 50 plus one doesn’t necessarily equal a majority. They also underscore how critically important it is for the political health of the nation, and for the fulfillment of the Biden agenda, for us to focus our attention on expanding the liberal majority in the Senate. The lives and livelihoods of ordinary Americans, quite simply, depend on it.![]()
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That is why when we focused our spotlight last week on Florida’s 27th Congressional District last week, we stated that Florida could be pivotal in the direction the 2022 mid-term elections take. And, that is why last March we directed the spotlight on Florida’s incumbent Republican Senator Marco Rubio. That is also why last week’s much anticipated formal announcement that Congresswoman Val Demings will challenge Rubio was such welcome news! While others are considering running and while Demings may face a primary challenge, whoever prevails is bound to be far superior to Rubio.![]()
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One time Trump foe, now Trump apologist Rubio was first elected to the Senate in 2010. During his tenure he has amassed a lifetime ADA voting record of 2.8 percent and proudly continues that tradition despite the changing character of the state he represents. Although Trump won his now-home state with a thin majority, Florida is considered to be a swing state by many election experts. We believe Rubio’s effort to restrict ballot access by limiting mail-in voting means he agrees with that analysis. We need to prove them right and oust Rubio in 2022. ![]()
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Val Demings, by contrast, has represented Florida’s 10th Congressional District since 2017. The former social worker and former police chief from Orlando has compiled an ADA voting record of 88.3 percent. She was widely rumored to be one of President Biden’s top choices to become his vice presidential running mate. In a sign that Floridians may be ready for a change, Demings raised more than $1 million in the 24 hours following her announcement.![]()
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In Congress, she served as one of the impeachment managers for Trump’s first impeachment trial. She is a member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, the Black Caucus and is Vice-Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. She is a member of the House Committees on Homeland Security, the Committee on the Judiciary and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is a champion of voting rights and has worked tirelessly to combat LGBTQ discrimination. In brief, she would be a definite breath of fresh air should she defeat Rubio. Let's work to make this happen in 2022!![]()
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Follow the ADA Spotlight on the 2022 Midterm Elections page to stay updated on ADA's electoral activity. Thank you, once again, for your on-going support. Time and again, it has been the margin of victory. act.myngp.com/Forms/1994251309506625536
Good read on wage policy.
Wage suppression — not stagnation — is costing workers $10 an hour
thehill-com.cdn.ampproject.org
Policy decisions are responsible for rising inequality, and policy decisions can reverse it. The 55 large corporations that paid $0 in federal corporate income taxes in 2020 spent $450 MILLION on lobbying and political contributions in recent years.![]()
This is what a broken, rigged-for-the-rich system looks like. www.citizen.org/news/report-corporations-that-paid-nothing-in-taxes-spent-450-million-to-influenc...
Corporations That Paid Nothing in Taxes Spent $450 Million to Influence Public Policy
www.citizen.org
Using Uncle Sam’s money to lobby against paying taxes is the perfect embodiment of how Washington works. The state of Florida will be pivotal in 2022. There, we will need to focus on multiple races from trying to unseat Governor DeSantis to the quest to oust Senator Marco Rubio (R) to multiple marginal Congressional Districts. It is not an overstatement to say that what happens in these elections could help determine the direction of the entire country including basic voting rights, health care, economic development and so much more.![]()
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Today, we will shine a Spotlight on Florida's 27th Congressional District, which represents just over half of Miami and was formerly represented by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. She was succeeded by former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala who had also served as president of Miami University and Hunter College. In 2020 Republican Maria Elvira Salazar edged out Shalala (D) by fewer than 3 percentage points. In other words, this district could easily swing either way and we need to ensure that it swings back to the Democratic column, which will be essential to maintaining and expanding a liberal majority in the House of Representatives.![]()
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Salazar, a former journalist for Telemundo, was diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly before being sworn into Congress where one of her first acts was to join the unanimous Republican caucus in voting against Biden’s COVID-19 relief package. She was born in little Havana, the daughter of Cuban immigrants. Her website states that, “In Congress, she’s fighting to stop socialism from ever coming and ruining America.” As one of the Republican assistant whips under Steve Scalise (R-LA), Salazar is certain to toe the conservative Republican Party line with full enthusiasm. We definitely need to make this swing district swing back in 2022! ![]()
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Follow this link to get involved in ADA's efforts in the 2022 midterm elections or to make a donation to the ADA voter turnout program! act.myngp.com/Forms/-1896295818588061696
This week’s Spotlight is different because it demands your IMMEDIATE attention. Tomorrow – that’s right, tomorrow – will provide the first real test of the 2022 election season and we, quite simply, can’t take anything for granted.![]()
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The special election to fill the seat vacated when Deb Haaland resigned to become Secretary of the Interior will be held on June 1. While New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District is normally considered a safe Democratic seat and the Dems have done a whiz bang job of fund raising, this is an off-year election and turn out will be key. Complacency cannot be allowed to take hold here when so very much is at stake. Specifically, the already razor thin liberal margin in the House of Representatives must not shrink.![]()
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The election will pit Democratic state representative Melanie Stansbury against Republican state senator Mark Moores and two other candidates. Stansbury formerly worked for Senator Maria Cantwell on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee; she has worked diligently for community development and on land and water issues. Her first priority will be economic relief and recovery following the pandemic. She is an advocate for immigration reform and a path to citizenship.![]()
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Moores, a former college football player, opposes the Biden Administration’s pause of new federal oil and gas leases as well as the Administration’s American Rescue Plan. He has attacked Stansbury’s support of the Breathes Act. His race is further complicated by the other two candidates in the race who could pull support from him.![]()
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So, what do we want you to do since the elections is tomorrow? There are two important things needed:![]()
✅If you live in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District and haven’t yet voted, be sure you get to the polls tomorrow and bring neighbors, friends and relatives with you. Turnout is essential!![]()
✅If you don’t live there, share this Spotlight widely to encourage those who see it to reach out to everyone they know in the district to help with voting and voter turnout. act.myngp.com/Forms/-4562426797991395328
After over a year of COVID, workers are sick, dying and broke. Vaccines are a critical step forward. But right now only 40 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated -- and many frontline workers have been left out. On his first day in office, President Biden issued an executive order requiring the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to review the need for workplace COVID-19 protections, with a target date of March 15th. It’s May- and workers can’t wait any longer.![]()
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Here’s why we need a federal safety standard:![]()
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👉The majority of the public and workers have not been vaccinated. Even when they are, there will still be a need to ensure that basic safety measures are in place.
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👉Workers go home at the end of their shifts. If we are exposed to infections in our workplaces, we increase the risk of illness, disease and death to our family members and in our communities.
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👉The Director of the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, warns that COVID-19 is still spreading and that public health measures are needed to contain it.![]()
COVID-19 won't stop in our communities if we don’t stop it in our workplaces. We need a comprehensive ETS released this week that covers all essential workers.
No matter our race, background or zip code most of us believe that for democracy to work for all of us, it must include us all. To move forward together as a nation, we must ensure that every eligible American has the #FreedomToVote.
Instead of doing their duty to tackle the urgent issues facing our society, like delivering pandemic relief and ensuring that Americans can get the vaccine, a handful of politicians in states want to make it harder to vote and create barriers to register. We need to fight back. Take action — call your elected officials to demand the #FreedomToVote.
It’s a wage shortage, not a worker shortage. Join @OneFairWage @RAISEHighRoad and partners on Tuesday/Wednesday, May 25/26 for live rallies across the country to show state leaders and Congress: it’s time to #RaiseTheWage. RSVP: onefairwage.com/wagestrike
onefairwage.com
Sixty years ago, in May of 1961, one of two buses carrying an interracial group of Freedom Riders was firebombed on the outskirts of Anniston, Ala. The riders barely escaped with their lives, only to be beaten by the mob outside. On this 60th Anniversary of the 1961 Freedom Rides, ADA highlights the important contributions of the Freedom Riders, and the impact the rides had across America. ADA leader Robert Farrell was in attendance, learn more about his experience in this video: www.nbclosangeles.com/on-air/freedom-riders-60th-anniversary/2596346/?amp
Freedom Riders 60th Anniversary
www.nbclosangeles.com
The world watched in horror 60 years ago as Alabama racists torched a bus full of civil rights activists known as The Freedom Riders. We spoke to an LA veteran of the rides that helped integrate America. Beverly White reports for NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on May 14, 2021. Today, despite the summer heat, we turn our spotlight on Florida’s 13th Congressional District. This is the seat currently held by Charles Crist who has focused his attention on a bid for the Democratic nomination to unseat Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, a post Crist already held from 2007-2011. ![]()
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Florida’s 13th was reliably Crist’s since he captured it in 2017. Crist, who was a Republican until he endorsed Barack Obama in 2012, has amassed an ADA voting record of 75% in a district which includes both liberal bastions like St. Petersburg and more conservative areas such as Clearwater. In a midterm election year, this district could be difficult to win but much depends on redistricting. It is definitely a district we need to watch, and win, if we are to increase the liberal majority in the House of Representatives.![]()
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Already eyeing the seat are Democrats Ben Diamond and Eric Lynn and Republican Anna Paulina Luna. Needless to say, others may jump in but here’s what we know so far: Diamond is a state representative whose grandfather Dante Fascell served in Congress for almost 40 years. In the state house, Diamond has worked for the overhaul of the criminal justice system and for environmental interests including attacking climate change. Eric Lynn was an Obama national security advisor. He supports an increase in the minimum wage to $15/hour and supports President Biden’s policy in the Middle East. He lost a race for state senate in 2016 to Ben Diamond. This could be an interesting rematch. Republican Luna is an ardent Trump supporter and Right-Wing media personality. She embraces Trump’s “Big Lie,” is a proven fund raiser who ran against Crist in 2020 and came within 6 percentage points of defeating him.![]()
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As stated earlier, redistricting will be crucial here. Also paramount will be how the state’s recently adopted voter suppression laws will impact the eventual turnout and outcome. Once the field is clearer, we need to hit the ground running in this pivotal district. ![]()
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Click here to get involved in ADA's efforts in the 2022 midterm elections or to make a donation to the ADA voter turnout program!![]()
act.myngp.com/Forms/Preview/-5427117926446530560
From our dear friend, colleague, and ADA National Exec. Comm. Chair.
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A New Kind of Filibuster
Check out what ADA is supporting as an alternative to the filibuster. READ HERE.
ADA Vote 2022
Visit ADA's 2022 Election Resources Page.
ADA Mourns the Passing of Joe Duffey, former ADA National Chairperson
Joe was a champion of liberal causes and a loyal ADA member throughout. Take a look at the articles in the NY Times and Washington Post on his passing. RIP Joe.
Expel Rep. Boebert (R-CO)
In light of reports that Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) on January 6 directed domestic terrorists to the location of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and on January 12 forced her way past security and onto the floor of the House of Representatives while carrying a gun, Americans for Democratic Action calls upon the House Ethics Committee to immediately convene an inquiry into her actions with the possibility of expelling her from the House of Representatives.
ADA Convention sets agenda
January 15-17, 2021 ADA activists from around the country gathered via Zoom to share ideas, hear from experts, and set ADA's agenda for progress.
Congrats to President-elect Biden and VP-elect Harris!
PDF HERE November 7. 2020 President-elect Joseph Biden Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Biden Transition Congratulations, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris. Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) was proud to endorse your campaign and...
The American Commentator
Through feature articles, essays, interviews, personal remembrances, and reviews, we seek to promote a stimulating dialogue about liberal ideas and ideals among ADA members and friends.
ADA Awards Gala Video
Enjoy the video and please make a donation to ADA's work to #DitchMitch and #DumpTrump. You can also Text ADA2020 to 202-796-2201.
ADA Voting Record
ADA's Latest Voting Record is online now.
Covid-19 Resources
Check out updates, information, and actions related to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.
ADA Fireside Chats
ADA is doing weekly Fireside Chats on different topics. Join us at 8pm eastern. CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE or on ADA's Facebook Page HERE. View last week's ADA Fireside Chat HERE.
ADA Time Machine
Check out this interesting exchange between Daniel Patrick Moynihan and John Kenneth Galbraith about ADA Membership. https://adaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ADAGalbraithMoynihan1970.pdf
Check back from time to time to see other ADA History.