Take action to defend democracy!

Actions for the week of 6.23.2025

Please share this with your friends.

Send your ideas for action items to: cherie.walker.lwv [at] gmail.com
We rely on your input for these items!

These are just suggestions of actions you could take as an individual. If you are a League member, always remember to express your personal views, and not to speak on behalf of the League.Only League Presidents or designees can speak on behalf of the League.

Celebrating Local-Level Actions!

Action 1: Recap June 14 Pro-Democracy Rallies

We shared pictures last week from our local rallies. According to Indivisible Clemson Area, “In Pendleton one attendee did a headcount while present and I've spent some time looking over drone footage and feel confident saying we had at least 600 people out around 4:00. That likely means we had a good bit more than that over the course of our time out. Whatever the exact numbers, it is so heartening to have been with you all.”

Here are a few other pictures from across the state:

Thousands gather for Greenville Rally in Unity Park. See coverage from Fox News on Greenville rally.

Hilton Head Island rallies for democracy.  

Action 2: ATTEND meetings of your local government and stay informed on local issues.

LWVOP.org maintains an extensive calendar of local public meetings. 

Action 3: SAVE the Date: July 17, John Lewis National Day of Action

Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

                                                                                                 — Congressman John Lewis

“Good Trouble Lives On” is a day of action scheduled on July 17 to honor John Lewis’ legacy. The national office has signed on as a partner if Leagues are interested in planning actions that day. Learn more here: Good Trouble Lives On Messaging Guide: March in Peace. Act in Power.

State Of Play: What We’re Fighting For

“We are facing the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations. The same forces that used violence against John Lewis and civil rights leaders for marching for justice on the Edmund Pettus Bridge are back, with billionaires’ backers, extremist leaders, and authoritarian ambition.”   — LWVUS

Action 4: CONNECT at the Community-Focused Town Hall

Sunday, June 29, 2-4 pm, Westside Community Center, 1110 W. Franklin Street, Anderson, SC

Sponsored by Indivisible Clemson Area, they will hold a Community-focused Town Hall, at which they will concentrate on ways to connect the dots between national events and local activism. You will hear from active leaders in our communities and think together about how to work to make a local impact. The national issues are infuriating and often demoralizing, as we've all noted. The Town Hall will be a space where we look to find ways to push back in our local communities and learn how to make a difference here at home. The event will be the afternoon of Sunday, June 29 at the Westside Community Center in Anderson.

State-Level Actions

Find your SC Legislators

Action 5: ADVOCATING in the Off Season: SC Tax Bill H. 4216

Courtesy of Holley Ulbrich, LWVOP

This bad tax bill passed the House and is now at Senate Finance. Senators will be looking at it in the off-season.

They really want to get rid of the income tax, which along with the sales tax is the foundation of state revenues. Rates have been edged down in recent years. This bill has a single rate of 3.99% replacing the current two rates of 3% for a lower income tier and 6.2% above that. It would also replace the federal standard deduction with significantly lower amounts. A larger share of your income would be taxed at a slightly lower rate (3.99% instead of 6.2%). The lowest earners who will pay substantially more income tax as a share of th eir income. It is not strictly speaking a tax cut since it will reduce expected revenue from what it would have been in future years.

Contact your senators! Here are some talking points:

• The people who are hit hardest with a tax increase are the same ones who will see reductions in their health care and SNAP and school lunches from the pending federal budget legislation. Poor red states like South Carolina will be hit hardest.
• Chipping away at a dependable revenue source threatens some important milestones like better teacher pay, fully funding the state retirement system\s, and other important spending priorities.
• The national economic future is cloudy, with many economists expecting higher prices and higher unemployment. Tax cuts should be made in good times, not when people are already struggling.

Action 6. SAVE the Date: Oral Arguments in the Partisan Gerrymandering case

June 24, 2025, 2 p,m., SC Supreme Court

On July 29, 2024, the League of Women Voters became plaintiff in a lawsuit filed with the South Carolina Supreme Court by ACLU and the Duffy and Young law firm. This suit, LWVSC v. Thomas Alexander, asks the Court to exercise original jurisdiction to recognize protection against partisan gerrymander in the South Carolina Constitution, and to invalidate the existing Congressional map as inconsistent with those protections.

“South Carolina’s Constitution protects its citizens’ right to exercise equal influence over our elections,” said Lynn Teague, VP for Issues and Action of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina. “We are asking the court to establish redistricting standards consistent with our Constitution. Our political process must not become one that only preserves the power of those already in office, but the rights of the people. The League remains committed to ensuring South Carolinians’ voices aren’t drowned out by systems that favor politicians.”

Read more about this issue on the LWVSC website and watch LIVE.

National Level Actions

Action 7: CALL, WRITE or VISIT YOUR SENATORS about the proposed federal budget, that includes tax cuts for corporations and wealthy Americans, and massive Medicaid cuts. Ask for town hall and in person meetings to discuss your concerns.  

There are two recess periods coming up where Leagues can discuss the cuts to Medicaid with their members of Congress: the House will be in-district June 16 – 20 and both the House and Senate will be in-district June 30-July 4. 

State and Local League leaders can use our Letter to the Editor Template form to request a Town Hall during this recess.

LWVUS will put together additional materials in the coming weeks, but you can share our town halls blog and also use our action alert to contact your Senators (and Representatives) about the bill. Take action today!

Federal budget update from LWVUS 5/30/25:

“The House passed its budget bill known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last week in the very early hours of Thursday morning. Now the Senate will most likely write its own budget bill and then the chambers will reconcile the two for final passage and then to the President for signing. They will need to pass the bill before the August recess.  

The House bill extends and expands tax cuts that disproportionately benefit corporations and wealthy Americans, while making massive cuts to Medicaid, threatening loss of coverage for millions of currently eligible people.

In addition to cuts to Medicaid, the bill included ideological riders covering the declaration of nonprofits as “terrorist organizations” and a provision barring courts from enforcing contempt citations for violations of injunctions or temporary restraining orders unless a bond has been paid.” More information on these riders is available on the LWVOP website.

Write or call your Congressperson and tell them not to pass this dangerous bill.

Budget deficits are also a huge concern with this bill. News articles about the deficit are here:

• America’s Fiscal Future, from the General Accounting Office
• Trump Tax Bill will had $2.4 Trillion to the Deficit, from The Hill
• Breaking Down Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, PBS 

Contact information

• The Honorable Lindsey Graham (Dear Senator Graham) 
  290 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
  202-224-5972
• The Honorable Tim Scott (Dear Senator Scott)
  104 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
  202-224-6121

Action 8: LEARN: Upcoming Unite and Rise Training LWVUS Democracy in Your Hands Series | July – October 2025

This virtual training series will include five key topics, outlining how Leagues can activate and mobilize their communities in this rapidly changing political environment and make a lasting impact. Members are welcome to attend any of the following sessions, occurring through the summer and early fall. Find the upcoming agenda and more information on each session.

• Jul. 23, 11am ET | Championing Issues That Matter Most to You
• Aug. 20, 12:30pm ET | Understand the Three Branches of Government
• Sept. 17, 11am ET | Working With Local Election Officials to Anchor Change 

Action 9: Take Care of Yourself! 

With so much going on in the world, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Take some time to do something you enjoy. Here’s a little cartoon to remind us to smile and be kind to others. Courtesy of FunnyTimes.com.

Action 10: Join the League (if you are not already a member!) 

Help support the League in their mission of educating and informing voters. 

Action 11: Sign up for the mailing list.

If someone forwarded this email to you, sign up to get it directly!

We would love to hear from you about this initiative. Feel free to forward this email to others who wish to find ways to participate. Whether it’s how this made you feel, results you saw, or suggestions for future topics, please let cherie.walker.lwv [at] gmail.com (Cherie Walker) know. 

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