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It was bad enough that the Trump administration failed miserably in its response to the coronavirus pandemic, ignoring the science and failing to come up with a national strategy.

It was pathetic and tragic when Republicans in Congress failed to summon the courage to support the everyday heroes who saved our communities by funding the front lines.

With so much at stake for working families in the 2020 election, AFSCME members across the country stood up to the challenge once again. Although the pandemic prevented us from putting thousands of boots on the ground as we normally do, AFSCME members still made a huge difference in key races across the country.

Members from WFSE Local 1060 and more than a dozen other private and public sector unions defeated a union-busting ordinance that was brought to the Whatcom County Council straight from the right-wing Freedom Foundation’s playbook.

This past Saturday, you might have been cooking a late breakfast, planning a fun weekend activity or taking some quiet time with your family. But with 10 days to go until the most important election of our lifetimes, more than 200 AFSCME members were fired up and raring to go during a Pennsylvania volunteer kickoff Zoom call, one of many being held around the country as the Big Green Machine kicks into high gear.

Coming out of the Great Recession, Governor Inslee rejected the austerity agenda of his predecessor and set Washington on a course for recovery by investing in—not cutting from—working families. He proved that taking care of people isn’t just possible while you grow the economy, it’s actually how you grow the economy. In my view, this is the lesson of his tenure as governor.
It’s easy to say that the 2020 election is the most important of our lifetimes, but hearing this firsthand from AFSCME Retirees, many of whom have dedicated their lives to public service and making America a better place to live, shows the urgency to us all.

No workforce has more at stake in the decisions made by elected officials. No election in our lifetimes has been more consequential.

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If there’s one thing the 2020 election has in spades, it’s choices – and not just the choices between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, and choices up and down the ballot. In a year when our jobs, our families, and every aspect of our lives have felt the impact of a pandemic, there are lots of ways to make your voice heard at the polls.