As Joe Manchin Declares “No Room in the Democracy” This Christmas, Faith Leaders Vow To Intensify Their Struggle Alongside Poor & Low-Income Americans 

Bishop William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, will join religious leaders, impacted people, economists, and civil and voting rights lawyers to detail their plans to intensify nonviolent moral direct action and a political challenge to Senator Manchin and those who continue to block policies that would improve the lives of the 140 million poor and low-wealth people in this nation.

“Senator Manchin, Republicans, and so-called moderates keep saying, ‘There is no room in our democracy for the uplift of poor and low-wealth people,’” Bishop Barber said, “but the Christmas story shows us that God can work through poor people to bring good tidings of great joy for everyone, even when those who think they’re in control and say that there’s no room.” 

During this Christmas season, too many people are being denied access to the basic building blocks for abundant life—living wages, voting rights, health care, a pathway to citizenship, and protection from ecological devastation. The continued erosion of the Build Back Better agenda and the dismantling of voting rights protections across the country this year have revealed a dangerous and immoral political philosophy that assumes there is no room in the democracy for the poor and low-wage worker, the immigrant, the sick, and all those in need. But this is a lie. The Christmas story highlights our need to welcome a new spirit of possibility and good news for all people into American politics.

Join us online for a Christmas Eve Press Rally on Friday, December 24th at 12pm ET. Media and press can register here, and a link will be sent to you.