Indivisible activists fired up to fight GOP in Lame Duck

Indivisible groups, which propelled Democrats to victories in key races across Michigan last month, are now firing up to fight the GOP legislation in Lame Duck. Activists are scheduled to rally on the Capitol this morning.

There are more than 60 Indivisible groups across Michigan, many of them built by women who haven’t been politically active before. The organizations are part of a national action effort whose mission is to spawn grassroots movements across the country to defeat the President Trump’s agenda, elect progressive leaders and realize bold progressive policies. The movement was founded in 2016 by Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, two former Washington, D.C., political staffers.

Indivisible groups aren’t resting on their laurels after the Nov. 6 election. The Indivisible Huron Valley group in Southeast Michigan, for example, phone-banked its 600 members last week.

Leaders asked members to call state lawmakers, as well as Gov. Rick Snyder, in hopes derailing Republicans’ effort to gut family leave and minimum wage bills. Activists also are lobbying lawmakers to stop Snyder’s agreement with Enbridge to install a tunnel to encase the Line 5 pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

The group, which includes progressives from Milford, Highland and White Lake, also plans to field emergency crisis teams. They will be prepared to camp out on the state Capitol grounds and in state office buildings to lobby lawmakers around the clock, if necessary.

Organizers from Southeast Michigan said Republicans are thumbing their noses at voters.

“This is a direct slam against the voters, democracy and what this country is all about,” said Vicki Dwelley of Northville. “We are tired of the will of the voters not being respected by the people in office who [are supposed to] vote for us.”

Sherri Masson, who is also active with the Huron Valley group, said several activists affiliated with the organization will rally at the state Capitol today at 9:30 a.m. before the Legislature is in session.