Locally Sourced Democracy

It’s been two weeks since the fall of Roe, and the response from national Democratic leadership remains maddening. Biden is clearly movable here, as is evidenced by his turnaround on the filibuster, but we shouldn’t have to waste our energy on him or anyone in leadership at this point. And yet here we are, pressuring the party that promised to protect Roe to meet the moment.

The “just vote” refrain that has emerged is particularly obnoxious. I understand the rationale behind the argument, but without saying how many Senate seats you need and what the plan is, it falls completely flat. I know citizen whip counts locking Senators down on the filibuster are currently underway, but Biden and Schumer have that information already and need to share it with the public. Voters deserve to know the plan and what it will take to get there. Without that information, calls to vote will continue to fall flat.

So, of course, I’m about to tell you to vote. Thankfully, I’ve got some receipts.

It’s become increasingly clear that the fight against Fascism is happening in state and local governments across the country. Roe is one of many battlegrounds and one where voting in down-ballot races can have a tangible impact on access to abortion and reproductive care. For instance:

• In Blue states, we can create sanctuaries where access to care is…