One Day More

Tomorrow millions of Americans will go to the polls… and millions more will not. While here at Resistbot we’ve been working round-the-clock to do everything we can to drive voter turnout, the simple truth is that most Americans don’t vote in midterm elections.

That needs to change.

So tomorrow, when you talk to your friends who aren’t voting, remind them of what’s at stake.

Healthcare

Since well before Donald Trump declared his candidacy for President, Republicans have been trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Senator McConnell has made clear that, should Republicans hold the House and Senate in 2019, they’ll take another shot at the program. While Republicans have claimed that they want to protect Americans with “pre-existing” health conditions, their legislative record says otherwise. Attempts to push short term plans, cut the individual mandate, and eliminate essential health benefits all serve to undermine the ACA’s promise that all Americans should have access to healthcare. Republicans even back a Texas lawsuit aimed directly at the ACA’s “pre-existing” conditions protections all while promising to protect patients.

Republicans to Voters: Ignore That Lawsuit We Support to End Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions

Corruption

While President Trump was nominated and ran on a platform of “Drain the Swamp,” in power he has done anything but. The Republican Congress, meanwhile, has refused to hold him or his administration accountable. Trump’s administration has had more people indicted and convicted for felony offences than any Democratic President in the last 50 years. Just as concerning is the culture of excess and corruption that clings to every part of the administration: Scott Pruitt’s empire building and lavish spending at EPA, Tom Price’s chartering of private jets with taxpayer money, Ben Carson’s $31,000 dining room set for his offices at HUD, the blatant violation of the Constitution’s Emoluments clause, the list just goes on and on and on and yet Congress has refused to investigate.

Emoluments Lawsuit Against Trump Can Go Forward, Judge Says

Fiscal Responsibility

Remember when Republicans were worried about deficits and the national debt? That was back when American tax dollars were being spent on infrastructure, economic recovery, stabilizing the auto industry, and healthcare. But the 115th Congress’ concern over debt and deficit spending is best summed up by the elaborate accounting tricks used to keep the CBO’s deficit estimate for the Trump Tax Cut under the threshold that would allow a filibuster. Of course, despite Congress’ insistence to the contrary, the cut will, in no way pay for itself. Most of the tax savings are being used to fund stock buybacks, not hiring or employee raises.

• US tax cut said to have little impact on investment
• The federal budget deficit is soaring, and you can blame it all on Republican tax cuts

The Courts

Under Mitch McConnell the U.S. Senate has treated the Judicial Branch like a prize to be won rather than a coequal branch of government. We’ve discussed the importance of judicial impartiality in the past and certainly the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh was a trainwreck, but the Senate’s dereliction goes well beyond that. From blocking dozens of nominees under Obama to the outright-theft of Scalia’s seat on the bench, the GOP’s blatant abuse of the Senate confirmation process may already have destroyed the institution. After decades of decrying judges who legislate from the bench, Republicans have finally decided they’d rather just judge from the legislature.

And many many more

How about children being locked into cages? The “good people on both sides” of the nazi march through Charlottesville, VA? The pardoning of the overtly racist Joe Arpaio? The firing of James Comey? The 2018 “Traitorgate” summit in Helsinki? Climate change and the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement? The trade war with China and the thousands of Americans who will lose their jobs as a consequence? The list goes on, and on, and on and Congress sits silent.

Newly Uncovered Memo Suggests Kirstjen Nielsen Lied to Congress About Family Separation

That needs to change.

Cast your ballot

It’s time to vote. Send POLLS to find out where to go. If you did all that, useINVITE to send your friends instructions on getting their polling places. Then while you’re waiting in line, say BALLOTto get your sample ballot. You can find Resistbot on Facebook Messenger, Telegram, or on Twitter via direct message. If none of those work for you, Resistbot also supports old fashioned SMS: text VOTE or one of the keywords above to 50409 to get started. It takes 2 minutes to make history.