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Youth Organizers Launch 'Protect Our Power' Campaign to Reelect the Squad
House progressives "have shifted the political narrative to center young people's leadership on the most pressing issues of our generation—from climate justice, labor rights, and abortion access, to anti-war foreign policy."
Apr 05, 2024
A coalition of youth organizers this week launched the "Protect Our Power" campaign to help reelect progressives in Congress who are under attack from pro-Israel lobbyists for their criticism of the U.S.-backed Israeli assault of the Gaza Strip.
"We are among the leaders of the most diverse and progressive generation in U.S. history," says a fact sheet from organizers. "We've met each other on Zoom calls, college campuses, campaigns, rallies, and parties. Spanning across a range of organizations and movements, we're united by our generation's common fight for peace, justice, a livable world, and a multiracial democracy."
"Over the past few years, we've experimented with a diverse set of tactics to grow our power—our involvement in elections being one of them," the organizers noted. "Today, we not only occupy the streets but Congress itself. With just a handful of insurgent electeds known as 'The Squad,' we have forced our generation's priorities to the forefront of American politics and reinspired young people to be involved in the political process."
"We're united by our generation's common fight for peace, justice, a livable world, and a multiracial democracy."
The Squad began with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.)—younger progressive women of color all elected in 2018. The informal group has since expanded to include Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), and Summer Lee (D-Pa.).
Young progressives in the U.S. House of Representatives recently dubbed "Squad-adjacent" by Slate's Alexander Sammon include Reps. Greg Casar (D-Texas), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.).
Tlaib—the only Palestinian American in Congress—and Bush led the first Gaza cease-fire resolution effort in Congress, just days after the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which has retaliated over the past six months by killing more than 33,000 Palestinians, injuring another 75,000, displacing most people in Gaza, and devastating civilian infrastructure.
While global condemnation of Israel grows—a genocide case against the country at the International Court of Justice continues to garner support—the dark money affiliate of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) plans to spend $100 million trying to unseat congressional critics of the Israeli government this election cycle.
Reporting on those plans led to the recent creation of Reject AIPAC, a coalition of progressive organizations working to take on the group and its affiliated super political action committees (PACs). Members include Justice Democrats, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, IfNotNow, Working Families Party, Sunrise Movement, Democratic Socialists of America, and Gen-Z for Change.
Youth organizers from some of those same organizations are involved with the new Protect Our Power effort.
"The only thing that beats organized money is organized people," the young organizers argued. "Fortunately, that's what we know how to do best. Over the next few months, we'll build out a cohort of committed young leaders across the country and equip them with the training and tools to bring their own networks into this work."
"We'll work with these leaders to mobilize their networks to engage in a variety of tactics to defend the Squad," the organizers said. "For some groups, that might mean making texts, calls, and knocking on doors. For others, that could mean birddogging, targeted and disruptive demonstrations, oppo research, and much more. Then, once we win, we'll frame our victories as a governing mandate to shape the Democratic platform and agenda in the 2024 general election."
Before November, progressives targeted by pro-Israel groups are working to win their primaries. In Pennsylvania, voters are set to head to the polls on April 23. Lee's primary challenger is Bhavini Patel, who is taking money from rich right-wingers; a previous challenger, Laurie MacDonald, is now running a write-in campaign as a Republican.
The New York primary elections are on June 25. Bowman faces an AIPAC-backed Westchester County Executive George Latimer—who last week was accused of "straight-up genocide denial" for his comments on the mass slaughter in Gaza.
Bush and Omar are both set to face locally prominent primary challengers in August.
Those four incumbents "and the rest of the Squad have shifted the political narrative to center young people's leadership on the most pressing issues of our generation—from climate justice, labor rights, and abortion access, to anti-war foreign policy," the Protect Our Power coalition said on social media Thursday.
"Help us reelect the Squad and guarantee that our allies in Congress can continue to represent young people across this country," the group added. "Join us this Sunday for our
kickoff."
The coalition is made up of "over 100 youth organizers across issues, including students from 30+ universities," according to spokesperson John Paul Mejia. "We're defending the Squad and our generation's political power from right-wing, billionaire-funded organizations that want to silence us."
I am forever indebted to the squad for holding the line & making sure congress pass the biggest federal climate bill \u2600\ufe0f\n\nWe need their moral clarity & conviction in the Congress. I am excited to join 100+ youth organizers to @protectourpwr against the right wing super PACs\u270a\ud83c\udffc— (@)
Among the campaign's supporters is climate activist Magnolia Mead, who
warned this week that "our movements can't afford to lose their critical voices in Congress. Now and in the coming months we have a chance to throw down and protect them."
Kavi Shrestha, an Oregon-based leader with College Democrats of America, similarly
stressed that "our generation cannot stand by as right-wing billionaires and PACs attack the representatives who stand up for our interests—Medicare for All, a habitable planet, and an immediate cease-fire."
"While they have money," said Shrestha, "we have numbers."
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As AIPAC Boosts Israel Military Aid Package, AOC Says Group Is 'No Friend to American Democracy'
"It is past time for us to recognize how toxic of a presence AIPAC has been in our political system," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Nov 01, 2023
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday dismissed the latest political attack by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee—the powerful anti-Palestinian rights lobbying group—on a lawmaker who rejected legislation endorsed by the organization.
AIPAC, the New York Democrat suggested, has little credibility when it claims to fight for democracy and security in the U.S. by supporting Israel's violent policies in Palestine.
Ocasio-Cortez responded to a social media post by AIPAC, which backs both Democratic and Republican political candidates as long as they unquestioningly support Israel's policies—including the war it has waged against civilians in Gaza in retaliation for an attack by Hamas last month. The group criticized Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) for being the only Republican who voted against House Resolution 771, which stated that the U.S. stands "with Israel as it defends itself."
AIPAC also denounced Massie on Tuesday for announcing he would vote against a separate resolution, scheduled to be taken up by the House Rules Committee on Wednesday, to send more than $14 billion in aid, including military funding, to Israel. AIPAC said in support of the proposal that "the U.S. is stronger when Israel is secure."
"AIPAC endorsed scores of January 6th insurrectionists. They are no friend to American democracy," Ocasio-Cortez responded to the group's comments on Massie.
AIPAC in recent U.S. elections has spent millions of dollars to defeat progressive candidates such as Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) and former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner—both supporters of Palestinian rights as well as pro-democracy reforms in the U.S.—with mixed success.
The group has also backed more than 100 GOP lawmakers who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results in support of former Republican President Donald Trump.
Despite its claims that it aims to make the U.S. "stronger," Ocasio-Cortez said, AIPAC is "an extremist organization that destabilizes U.S. democracy."
Massie's objection to H.R. 771 differed from that of Ocasio-Cortez and eight other Democrats who voted against it. He said on social media that he objected to provisions called for in the resolution, including sanctions, foreign aid commitments, and a broad "open-ended promise of military support."
Ocasio-Cortez and several of the other Democrats who opposed the resolution have joined calls for a cease-fire as Israel has bombarded Gaza with airstrikes, killing at least 8,796 Palestinians so far.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), who backed the resolution and has not joined the call for a cease-fire, admitted that Ocasio-Cortez's comments summed up "how many feel about what AIPAC really is about."
"Rep. Mark Pocan is right," said Ocasio-Cortez. "It is past time for us to recognize how toxic of a presence AIPAC has been in our political system. They actively boost candidates who tried to overthrow the U.S. election and run smear campaigns on members of Congress who stand up for human rights. Enough."
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'Meet the Needs of People': CBPP Pres. Parrott Tells Congress How to Avoid the Next Shutdown Showdown
"In divided government, appropriations bills must be bipartisan to pass," Sharon Parrott said, adding that the House must "shift its approach."
Oct 01, 2023
With a government shutdown narrowly avoided hours from the midnight Sunday deadline, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities president Sharon Parrott had advice for how lawmakers could move forward.
"With a stopgap measure in place, Congress needs to pass funding bills that meet the needs of people, communities, and the economy and eschew cuts already rejected in the debt ceiling agreement," Parrott wrote Saturday on the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
Parrott noted that the House was only able to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government temporarily funded Saturday when Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) abandoned attempts to pass partisan spending bills and instead pivoted to a bipartisan, clean CR with no additional social spending cuts or right-wing policies tacked on.
"They shouldn't repeat this mistake as Congress moves to complete full-year funding bills that meet the nation's needs."
"In divided government, appropriations bills must be bipartisan to pass," Parrott continued Saturday. "That's how the Senate has crafted funding bills this year, and today's House CR vote shows it is the only path forward. But that means the House needs to shift its approach."
In an August report, David Reich of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) observed that the House appropriations bills up until that point had been passed along partisan lines, with Republicans including steeper cuts to non-military spending than those negotiated in the debt ceiling agreement, rolling back Inflation Reduction Act funding earmarked for addressing the climate crisis and modernizing the Internal Revenue Service, and tacked on riders attacking LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and reproductive freedom.
"The House's sharply partisan approach is likely to make it harder to reach an agreement on final funding bills," he predicted accurately.
Now that the House has passed a temporary clean CR, Parrott urged Republicans to learn from the experience.
"It took House Republicans too long to abandon their partisan approach of deep cuts and controversial riders in a CR," Parrott said. "They shouldn't repeat this mistake as Congress moves to complete full-year funding bills that meet the nation's needs."
If they return to pushing cuts and poison pills, she warned, "that would only waste more time and risk more shutdown drama."
Whether House Republicans will heed her advice remains to be seen. As of Sunday, most of the talk within the party revolved around whether or not the far-right flank would challenge McCarthy's speakership over Saturday's compromise.
Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) toldABC News' This Week that he planned to file a motion in the coming week to remove McCarthy.
"I am relentless and I will continue pursue this objective," Gaetz said.
In response, McCarthy told Gaetz to "Bring it on" when speaking withCBS's Face the Nation.
"Let's get over with it and let's start governing," he said.
In a Sunday appearance on CNN's State of the Union, however, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned the Republicans' ability to do that.
"The Republican Party right now is completely out of step with the American people," she said, observing that even self-described moderates had voted for spending bills that would cut funding for low-income schools by 80%.
"This is not a moderate party, period," she said. "There are not moderates in the Republican Party."
As a shutdown loomed, She said the party had "run around the House like a Roomba until they found a door that House Democrats opened."
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