“We denounce this desperate attack on our democracy.”
By: Eoin Higgins, Common Dreams staff writer
Originally published on July 31, 2020 by Common Dreams
Over two dozen advocacy groups released a statement Friday, provided exclusively to Common Dreams, condemning President Donald Trump’s recent comments suggesting the November general election be delayed.
“We denounce this desperate attack on our democracy,” the statement reads.
The NAACP, Stand Up America, and the Service Employees International Union are among the groups that signed the statement, which declares that “Trump is trying to steal this election” and calls on the U.S. Senate to approve the $3.6 billion in funding for elections assistance in the HEROES Act passed by House Democrats in May.
The president, the statement continues, “has repeatedly threatened to ignore election results, launched false attacks on the integrity of mail-in and absentee voting, and done everything to further disenfranchise voters of color. He is also sowing seeds of chaos, from sending in secret police forces to intimidate protestors to undermining science critical to fighting the pandemic.”
As Common Dreams reported, Trump’s comments on Twitter Thursday morning calling for a delay in the election due to vague implications of problems presented by voting by mail were widely seen as another disturbing step towards a breakdown in democratic institutions.
“The president of the United States is broadcasting that he is considering a coup to hold on to power,” tweeted consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. “Make no mistake: We are teetering on the edge of autocracy.”
In a statement Thursday on the president’s comments, Stand Up America founder and president Sean Eldridge made clear the danger posed by Trump’s remarks.
“Trump poses an existential threat to our democracy,” said Eldridge. “While he has no authority to delay the election, we cannot ignore his escalating lies and attacks on our democracy.”
The best way to push back agains the president’s rhetoric, Friday’s statement declares, is for Congress to ensure the integrity of the election.
“We denounce this desperate attack on our democracy,” say the groups. “There is no trade off needed between safety and voting, and the lies about Vote By Mail will not stick. Congress needs to pass the $3.6 billion in funding for elections that is in the HEROES Act, and we must be ready to protect our election from a desperate president.”
“Democracy can not and will not be delayed,” the groups add.
Read the full letter:
Donald Trump is trying to steal this election. He has repeatedly threatened to ignore election results, launched false attacks on the integrity of mail-in and absentee voting, and done everything to further disenfranchise voters of color. He is also sowing seeds of chaos, from sending in secret police forces to intimidate protestors to undermining science critical to fighting the pandemic.
Trump’s attempt today to delay the election takes his authoritarianism to a new level. Down in the polls, COVID out of control and desperate to distract from bad economic news today and millions losing unemployment insurance tomorrow, Trump is trying to make excuses for why he is losing. He’s losing because he’s a terrible president.
We denounce this desperate attack on our democracy. There is no trade off needed between safety and voting, and the lies about Vote By Mail will not stick. Congress needs to pass the $3.6 billion in funding for elections that is in the HEROES Act, and we must be ready to protect our election from a desperate president.
Democracy can not and will not be delayed.
Signed:
Alliance for Quality Education
American Federation of Teachers
America Votes
Bend the Arc Jewish Action
Black to the Future Action Fund
Center for Popular Democracy
Climate Hawks Vote
Color of Change
Community Change Action
Democracy for America
Demos Action
Indivisible
League of Conservation Voters/League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
March For Our Lives
NAACP
People’s Action
Progressive Change Campaign Committee
RepresentUs
SEIU
Stand Up America
Showing Up For Racial Justice
Supermajority
UltraViolet
United We Dream Action
Women’s March
