The midterm elections are just around the corner! Are you prepared?
Yesterday was National Voter Registration Day. The Koch brothers may have billions to influence our government, but the rest of us have our voices and our votes. Let's use them!
Through their shadowy front groups, corporate CEOs like the Koch Brothers are spending unprecedented amounts of money to influence this fall's election. As a matter of fact, special interest groups have already spent $228 million on races, and it's not even October yet!
There is way too much money in politics trying to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. The only way to push back against all that money is to vote! But come Election Day, that won't be possible unless you're registered.
Our job of upholding our democracy doesn't end there. Sadly money in politics isn't the only thing blocking out voters' voices at the polls.
Too many states now have voter identification laws aimed at making it more difficult for people to vote, particularly people who traditionally vote for progressive candidates. Women, people of color, people who live in rural areas, seniors, students and poorer Americans are affected most by these laws.
Voter ID laws are just once piece of anti-democratic voter suppression efforts. If these tactics -- which prevent up to 11 percent of voters from ever reaching the polls -- wasn't enough, some states are even trying to restrict access to early voting. Millions of Americans who work full time jobs depend on early voting to make it to the polls. All of these attempts to keep people from exercising their right to vote are corrosive to democracy and simply un-American.
But politicians who support these efforts aren't acting alone in their attempts to suppress voters' rights.
The Koch Brother backed organization ALEC has pushed and financed discriminatory voter suppression laws in dozens of states. For years now the Koch Brothers and other big money interest groups have been trying to suppress the voices of their opposition.
Politicians bankrolled by the Koch Brothers know their values are not the majority values, not the Koch Sister's values. That's why they scheme to shrink our democracy and cut back our ability to exercise our rights as Americans.
Well we have news for them: it ends now!
We will not let our voices be silenced by wealthy billionaires who are out of touch with everyday Americans. Elections offer us the opportunity to tell our government that, contrary to the Koch Brothers, we believe that hardworking Americans deserve a raise! We understand that our seniors rely on Social Security and Medicare to make ends meet during retirement! And we definitely believe that in 2014, women deserve to be paid the same as their male counterparts!
This week, as part of National Voter Registration Day, we challenge you to find 3 people to register to vote in the upcoming election -- and register yourself if you haven't already. Let's make sure everyone's voice is heard and show the Koch Brothers that you don't have to be a billionaire to be counted.