Democracy, more hinges on our ability to vote

Our world has been completely upended in the last year and a half. I am grateful we have a vaccine and a way forward for the immediate crisis, even if it is a bumpy road back. I think the only way we tackle the other important issues we face is to remove the corruption from our government by passing the Freedom to Vote Act (revised For the People Act).

We have watched climate change; gun violence and wealth inequality get worse for years and thrown up our hands in frustration that there was nothing we can do because big money and lobbyist control kept us from real reforms. Democrats barely won the presidency and fought hard to elect two senators in Georgia and it felt like this was the momentum America needed to truly clean up our government and make a better future for ourselves and our children. It’s all related!

The protections for our voting rights and sensible voter ID requirements in this bill are important, but I think the life-changing next steps will come from the reduction in lobbyist influence and big money’s control on politicians, so we pass bills that reduce climate change and create good jobs with new economic engines, pass commonsense background checks, and implement fair taxes on the wealthy. We must save our republic and ensure the promise of democracy, so politicians work for you and me again-not just for a handful of wealthy donors fighting to keep the status quo.

Susan Holstein

Everett

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