Indiana Democratic Party 1-23-21 Weekly Radio Address

Chairman John Zody and the Indiana Democratic Party 1-23-21 Weekly Radio Address:

Some of those naysayers happen to live right here in Indiana. In fact, the Indiana Republican Party has been largely complicit to the last five years — and the former president is splitting that Party in two. Attorney General Todd Rokita, U.S. Senator Mike Braun, and Members of Congress like Jim Banks, Jackie Walorski, and Victoria Spartz all continue to swear an allegiance to Trumpism.

TRANSCRIPT:

This is Chairman John Zody, bringing you the weekly message for the Indiana Democratic Party.

Hoosiers, darkness has left our nation this week, after Joe Biden was sworn in on Wednesday as our 46th President of the United States. And in several firsts, Kamala Harris was sworn in as our country’s first Black, Asian, and woman to ever hold executive office as our new Vice President. 

There’s a lot to be excited about as we turn the page on what will be remembered as a horrible chapter in American history. However, as President Biden even said, democracy prevailed — and now is the time we begin to rebuild and help fortify our nation for future generations. 

Already, President Biden has gotten to work. He’s begun to streamline the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic by invoking the Defense Production Act. By doing so, the United States will be able to fast track the creation and distribution of our vaccines while also creating proper PPE for our essential workers. 

Further, President Biden has begun rolling back or halting other measures from the Trump-Pence Administration that either target people from marginalized communities or were just simply un-American. So whether it’s climate change, halting construction of border wall, or installing legitimate protections for our minority communities, we’re getting to work.

But, we only have so much time to repair the damage from the past and deliver on the promises made for our future — and there is already an echo chamber of naysayers who want to do everything possible to appease that fringe ideology that almost demolished our fragile democracy. 

Some of those naysayers happen to live right here in Indiana. In fact, the Indiana Republican Party has been largely complicit to the last five years — and the former president is splitting that Party in two. Attorney General Todd Rokita, U.S. Senator Mike Braun, and Members of Congress like Jim Banks, Jackie Walorski, and Victoria Spartz all continue to swear an allegiance to Trumpism. And Governor Eric Holcomb and U.S. Senator Todd Young are doing their best to dismiss the former administration — but their complicity just makes them look like hypocrites. 

But here’s what we should bank on — the Indiana Republican Party will try to avoid any sort of responsibility from the last five years. They will try to project a call for “unity”, because they don’t want to be held accountable for their silence or part in inciting violence in our nation. They don’t want to admit that they chose political power over American values. 

So it’ll be on us to hold the line and hold them accountable. And only after we fully restore our democracy and our American values will we truly be able to unite as one nation. 

This is why the Indiana Democratic Party is asking all Hoosiers to join us in this new era we find ourselves. Issues are important, but it’s become clear the Democrats’ fight moving forward is about literally protecting the democracy and values we hold as Americans. It’s about protecting our institutions and our freedoms. 

I hope you can join the Democrats in this new effort, and I urge those who are listening to consider stepping up and running for office yourself. Whether it’s through municipal, state, or federal elections, let’s all do our part and elect leaders who will protect our American values, and not the values of fringe politics. 

Stay safe, Hoosiers. Take care of yourselves. And mask up. 

Thank you for listening.