Local Indivisible Groups Push Progressive Policy During Hyannis Rally

HYANNIS – As the new Democratic-led House of Representatives was sworn in yesterday in Washington, Indivisible groups from across the region rallied in Hyannis.

Activists from Cape Cod Women for Change, Indivisible Outer Cape, Lower Cape Indivisible, Martha’s Vineyard Indivisible and Plymouth Indivisible gathered at Congressman Bill Keating’s district office on Stevens Street.

They presented his staff with their progressive priorities for the new Congress. About 60 people took part in the rally.

“Indivisible expects our new Congress to be bold, to be progressive and to perform the essential job of oversight that the Republican Party has refused to perform,” said Laurie Veninger, a member of Indivisible Outer Cape.

Veninger said the groups were lucky to have Keating representing them.

“We rally here today to support him supporting us in Washington,” she said.

The Indivisible groups presented a symbolic basket of bills for issues they consider to be most urgent, including democracy reform, immigration reform, healthcare, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, climate change and gun reform.

The top of the activists’ list is the support of H.R.1, which is the planned first bill to preserve democracy with reforms to voting processes and campaign finance regulations.

Indivisible groups from around the country are calling on their representatives to demand the bill be a progressive, comprehensive pro-democracy package that addresses voter empowerment and access, along with money in politics and corruption.

“The past two years have brought into sharp focus the importance of protecting our democracy from threats abroad as well as threats at home,” Veninger said. “The President and his GOP enablers have worked hard to suppress the vote and to profit off of their positions.”

The Indivisible movement began in 2016 as a reaction to the election of Donald Trump as the 45^th President of the United States.

“The Indivisible’s represented here today sprang up organically, energetically, some might say ferociously, along with 6,000 other Indivisible groups around the country,” said Fran Schofield, a member of Lower Cape Indivisible. “We are organizing. We are resisting and we are prevailing against the Trump agenda.”

Schofield said the groups will work with Congressman Keating and his staff over the coming years to make sure there is a progressive Congress and that things get done.