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Join NowICYMI: The Guardian: “‘Heinous actions’: opposition to Trump, slow to energize, shakes off its slumber”
WASHINGTON – As reported by The Guardian, Punchbowl News, the Associated Press, and Axios, MoveOn helped organize 60 “Congress Works for Us, Not Musk” mobilizations as part of a nationwide effort to hold lawmakers accountable during the February congressional recess. Constituents are voicing their frustration with the growing influence of Elon Musk and Donald Trump over government institutions, demanding that their elected officials prioritize the needs of working families over the agendas of billionaires.
Last week, MoveOn-member-led rallies drew large crowds of activists seeking answers from their representatives. Notable actions include those targeting persuadable Republican House members, including the following:
- AZ Central, Scottsdale, AZ: Outside Rep. Schweikert’s office, where constituents voiced their frustration over Musk and Trump’s efforts to slash federal services.
- NBC Palm Springs, Desert Sun: In Palm Desert, CA, protesters gathered outside Rep. Calvert’s office demanding accountability for cuts to vital government services.
- Tucson and Virginia Beach: Over 175 attendees gathered outside Rep. Kiggans’s office despite wintry conditions. In Tucson, constituents rallied at Rep. Ciscomani’s office, demanding answers on his alignment with Musk and Trump’s agenda.
Constituents nationwide are impassioned to fight against Trump and Musk, as reported in The Guardian:
“He needs to hear from us, we the people,” said Colleen Duffy-Smith, 71, who helped organize the lunchtime demonstration as a volunteer with the progressive political advocacy group MoveOn. The semi-retired trial lawyer and college lecturer waved her “Nobody elected Elon” sign as a string of cars honked. She insisted she was not a “professional activist” but had been “called to action” by a real fear that Trump, with Musk by his side, had put the country’s democracy in grave peril.
“I have to believe, given the heinous actions that are being signed with a Sharpie on the daily, abridging people’s personal freedoms, their civil rights, our social service programs, our aid abroad, that somebody would have a conscience,” Duffy-Smith said. “And once you start tipping the iceberg, other right-minded people will follow.”
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Keeley Level, 64, and her dog Prudence joined the Palm Desert protest on Thursday in hopes that she might persuade Calvert, the Republican congressman, to oppose any cuts to Medicaid, or California’s version, Medi-Cal.
For more than two decades, Level has cared for her husband, who suffered a brain injury that left him partially paralyzed. Without federal assistance, she worries: “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to afford his prescriptions.”
In addition to MoveOn’s efforts, other organizations like the Working Families Party and Indivisible have organized similar actions. A Working Families-led rally took place at Rep. Tom Kean’s office, while Indivisible helped lead protests at Schweikert’s Scottsdale office earlier in the week. These protests have not been limited to Republican districts; Democratic offices are also seeing action, with constituents turning up at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ Brooklyn office to push for stronger opposition to Musk’s agenda.
The protests are part of a broader wave of public outcry against Musk’s role in undermining critical government services, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Activists are rallying to protect programs from cuts that threaten the well-being of working families. Events have been held from Philadelphia to Seattle, with protesters speaking out against Trump and Musk’s slash-and-burn approach to governance.
As part of the recess mobilization, MoveOn also released a memo outlining the top five questions lawmakers must answer during recess, including whether they support cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; whether they will hold Trump and Musk accountable before voting on budget reconciliation; and what steps they will take to prevent Musk from accessing Americans’ personal data through federal institutions.
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MoveOn is a people-powered force for progress. MoveOn mobilizes the left to enact progressive change. We are the home base for millions of members who refuse to accept the status quo and are moved to take action. For more than a generation, MoveOn has been a bulwark against the radical right, channeling our voices to end wars, protect democracy, and advance justice for all.