Thursday, March 20, 2025

👋 Hi Friend! Happy Semaine ensoleillée ☀️, first day of Spring 🌸, and March Madness! 🏀

We are happy to bring you The People’s Bi-Weekly Watchdog Newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Thursday. We bring you the news you need to know to hold power accountable from the nonpartisan source you can trust.  

This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a four minute read at 583 words. 

💰Elon Musk’s Billionaire Budget

Last week, Congress passed the “Billionaires’ Budget”—because let’s be real, it slashes funding for everyday people while handing massive tax breaks to the ultra-rich. This isn’t just bad policy—it’s a direct attack on working people to make the top 1% even richer. This is what happens when billionaires run the country.

Here’s the reality: 49% of Americans (according to our poll with YouGov) are worried about billionaires like Musk slashing critical programs like Social Security and Medicare—just to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. 

And what are Democrats doing? Business as usual—while millions of Americans are at risk. It’s time to fight back. Join us in holding power accountable. Because if we don’t, who will?

Read more about why backdoor budgets are bad for democracy and working families.

🗳️ State Voting Rights Acts

While Congress fails to protect us from voter suppression, states are stepping up to defend our right to vote. That’s exactly what’s happening in Maryland, Florida, and Colorado—where we have teams on the ground fighting to pass state level Voting Rights Acts. 

The Maryland Voting Rights Act would give local governments the tools to fix discrimination at the ballot—fast. The Florida Voting Rights Act is a game-changer to protect access to the ballot at a time when federal protections are crumbling. The Colorado Voting Rights Act locks in equal and equitable voting access for generations—so no politician can take it away.

We can’t count on Congress but we’re not backing down. It’s time to deliver the ballot for us and our friends and family. 

🧑‍⚖️North Carolina Supreme Court Race

Remember Jefferson Griffin? He’s the guy who lost his North Carolina Supreme Court race last November. Instead of accepting defeat like an adult, he’s trying to overturn the results by challenging over 60,000 votes. 

Right now, this mess is stuck in the appeals court—but it could go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Hear from Carrie who is the wife of a U.S. soldier overseas and is one of the 66,000 voters whose votes Griffin wants to ignore.It’s time to end this wild goose chase so the North Carolina Supreme Court can actually get back to doing the people’s work. That’s why 200 former state justices, judges, and current attorneys are calling on losing candidate Griffin to end his baseless lawsuit and accept the will of the voters.

📱 Our Favorite Tweet 

👀 ICYMI 

We’re working so hard to protect our democracy, we could write you a novel instead of a newsletter. Instead, here are the top headlines you don’t want to miss:

• National 🦅: Common Cause is holding power accountable by asking the important question of who is really running our country – our president, or an unelected billionaire? Rachel Maddow highlights our Fire Elon Musk campaign, calling attention to his dangerous attacks on our democracy. Watch here. 

• Wisconsin 🧀: The high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race is reaching a boiling point, with tensions fueled by out-of-state donations from billionaires like Elon Musk. Common Cause Wisconsin’s Executive Director speaks to the dangers of big money’s meddling in our democracy. Read more at Isthmus. 
• New Mexico 👽: Common Cause New Mexico’s Policy Director spoke with New Mexico In-Depth about the need to modernize the legislature and pay legislators a living wage so that all New Mexicans can afford to serve their communities. Watch the interview here.

🗞️ Kicker Quote 

🌸 Spring into Season

👋That’s all for this week! 

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