The nation must be wary of the double-headed snake of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Donald Trump (R). Republican legislators’ have eroded from just playing politics to some of the dirtiest tricks around. That devolution may simply be the last near-death spasm of the Grand Old Party and its members, but their bite could still be poisonous.
The Republican state legislators have introduced well over 360 voter suppression laws ever since Georgia gave us the explosive team of President Joe Biden, Senator Raphael Warnock, and Representative Jon Ossoff in the last election.
Those laws in Georgia would effectively allow Republicans to change any election results they did not like aka the ones they lost. Grassroots organizers went to the top corporations in Georgia and asked them to put pressure on the GOP. Although they may have come through too late for Georgia, because the laws had already gone into effect, other states have been more fortunate.
CEOs from the largest companies headquartered in America and “at least one NFL owner” came together in an online phone call to discuss how they can make their disapproval of the Republican legislators known. According to one of the organizers, Yale management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, The Washington Post Reported:
‘[Executives] talked about potential ways to show they opposed the controversial legislation, including by halting donations to politicians who support the bills and even delaying investments in states that pass the restrictive measures.’
Even Georgia will be on notice. This meeting showed how Corporate America has dialed up its opposition to the “controversial voting measures” across the country. Their CEOs are used to being in command of their organizations, so Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) warning to “stay out of politics” did not go over well.
In fact, it may have just given these business leaders an idea about exactly how to make the most of their own political pressure. Within just hours, McConnell was back in front of cameras saying he did not mean staying out of political donations.
Earlier in April Donald Trump told conservatives to boycott some of the largest companies:
‘[B]oycott Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Citigroup, ViacomCBS, UPS, Major League Baseball and other companies after they opposed a new law in Georgia that critics say will make it more difficult for poorer voters and voters of color to cast ballots.’
Of course, Trump was seen shortly after with a coke on his desk.
The online call between corporate executives on Saturday:
‘[Corporate executives’ online call] shows they are not intimidated by the flack. They are not going to be cowed. They felt very strongly that these voting restrictions are based on a flawed premise and are dangerous.’
Some of those on the Zoom call included: Starbucks, Linkedin, Levi Strauss, and Boston Consulting Group, Sonnenfeld said.
Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) pointed out how the power of boycotts could change “the course of history.” She told CNN‘s Jake Tapper on State of the Union:
‘We know that boycotts have allowed for justice to be delivered in many spaces. So our hope is that…’
‘this boycott would result in changes in the law, because we understand that when you restrict people’s ability to vote, you create a democracy that isn’t fully functioning for all of us. And if we are to continue to be a beacon of hope for all democracies around the world, we must stand our ground.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
