July 2025 Newsletter
The No Kings Rally: Thank You
On June 14th, 300 people gathered at the Federal Building for the No Kings Rally to stand up against the authoritarian actions of President Trump. (More than 5 million participated around the country. At least 18 rallies occurred in Alaska.) There were signs, chants, and many people proud to make their voices heard. We even had some tourists join us. Importantly, our protest was well covered by the Daily News.
Please continue to show up (and persuade others to join us). Harvard researcher Erica Chenoweth has shown that only 3.5% of a population actively engaging in civil discourse and protest is enough to bring about serious political change.
Mark Twain once said,
“Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
Letter to the Editor Campaign
Our letter to the editor campaign is going strong. Over 40 people have signed up to write letters on topics of their choice. Our intent is to have 2–3 letters published in the Ketchikan Daily News each week to keep the anti-authoritarian conversation going, keep our representatives accountable, and influence our fellow citizens. Letters can be short and simple or long and impassioned. If you haven’t signed up yet, please do so at https://forms.gle/JBSKXuxZCWWmPxm38. You’ll receive a confirmation email and a reminder email for the week you choose. Making our voices heard consistently is how we make a difference.
Upcoming Events
(see the events page on our website for additional information)
July 4: Independence Day Parade, 1–2pm
Celebrate by cheering on the VFR and Mayday for Democracy floats.
July 9: Voices for Reason Steering Committee Meeting, 5–7pm at Pioneer Hall. If you have ideas about how we can better fight authoritarianism, please join us.
July 19: Good Trouble Lives On Rally, 12–1pm at the Ketchikan Federal Building
This nation-wide demonstration provides another opportunity to speak out. We’re not spectators to history – we’re the makers of it.
Update on the authoritarian provision in Big, Beautiful Bill (senate Budget Reconciliation Bill)
˚In our June newsletter, we recommended contacting senators to exclude language in the bill that would prevent judicial challenges to unlawful and unconstitutional actions taken by the administration. The Senate parliamentarian has declared that this provision cannot be included in the Reconciliation Bill, which only requires a majority vote, so it is unlikely to appear in the final bill to be passed by Congress. President Trump wants this entire bill passed by July 4. It is not too late to contact our congressmen if you have concerns about social safety net cuts, clean energy cuts, tax cuts, or spending increases. See https://5calls.org/issue/hr1-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-budget-reconciliation/ for details.
Comments or suggestions? Email us at info@voicesforreasonpac.org
Voices for Reason PAC
7825 South Tongas Highway
Ketchikan
United States
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June 2025 Newsletter
Thank you to everyone who attended our May 10 workshop and to those already contributing to our letter-writing campaign. Also, a big shoutout to those who participated at the protest on May 3.
120 citizens of Ketchikan demonstrated outside the Federal Bldg on May 3 as part of the “Hands Off” protest.
Upcoming Events in Ketchikan:
Letter to the Editor Campaign:
We’re raising our voices—one letter at a time.
At our May 10 workshop, local supporters gathered to learn how to craft persuasive letters to the editor in the Ketchikan Daily News and other SE Alaska papers. Now, we’re putting that knowledge into action. Our current goal is to publish two letters per week for the next six months, speaking out on issues that matter and standing up for constitutional democracy. So far, we have fifteen people who have committed to write twenty two letters.
We need your help. Claim your slot here. It’s ok to keep it short and simple. Your words can shape voters’ opinions, so let’s make sure our neighbors and our leaders hear them.
Nationwide "No Kings" Protest —
Saturday, June 14, 12:00–1:00 PM
Ketchikan Federal Building
Join fellow patriots nationwide on Flag Day for a peaceful demonstration against Donald Trump’s authoritarian actions. The “No Kings” protest aims to remind citizens, judges, and our congress members that no one, not even a president, is above the law.
Bring a sign, your friends, and your commitment to government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Let’s show that most people in Ketchikan do not want an authoritarian government. Our efforts will give support to those representatives and judges who push back against unconstitutional and unlawful actions. Courage is contagious.
“Big, Beautiful Bill” passes house
On May 22, The House of Representatives forwarded a tax and spending bill to the Senate. While there is much to dislike about this bill, there is one concerning section that increases the power of an authoritarian. It has language that limits the power of federal judges. We recommend contacting our Alaskan Senators and say something like;
“Please oppose the inclusion of language in the Senate text of the Budget Reconciliation Bill that prevents challenges to unlawful and unconstitutional actions taken by the administration or restricts courts from enforcing contempt rulings against government officials.”
Senator Dan Sullivan: https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/contact/email
Senator Lisa Murkowski: https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/contact/email
A Closing Thought
The fight for democracy doesn’t belong to any one political party—it belongs to all of us. Every letter, every protest, every conversation matters.
Comments or suggestions? Email us atinfo@voicesforreasonpac.org
Voices for Reason PAC
7825 South Tongas Highway
Ketchikan
United States
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May 2025 Newsletter
If you wrote postcards in 2024, signed up on our website, or shared your interest with us—thank you. You are part of a growing network of Alaskans who believe our democracy is worth protecting.
Voices for Reason was founded to oppose Donald Trump’s re-election and to push back against the rise of authoritarianism. We sent 20,000 handwritten postcards to Arizona voters in 2024. Now, our focus is to engage Alaska voters and safeguard constitutional democracy.
Upcoming Events in Ketchikan:
Protest: Mayday for Democracy
Saturday, May 3 | 12–1 PM
Ketchikan Federal Building
Make your voice heard. Join us for a peaceful protest against Trump’s unconstitutional actions. Bring a sign, a friend, and your commitment to democracy. (See website)
Meeting for all Voices for Reason Supporters
Saturday, May 10 | 10:30 AM
Ketchikan Public Library – Large Meeting Room
Get insights on writing effective letters to the editor. Help strategize our efforts to defend democracy. Meet the organizers. Light refreshments will be served. (See website)
What We’re Working On
We aim to provide a real check on Trump’s authoritarianism by influencing both public discourse and the makeup of Congress. We anticipate an Alaska Senate seat and our House of Representative seat will be in play in 2026. Our goal is to convince independents and persuadable Alaskan voters that Trump needs a substantial congressional check on his unconstitutional and unlawful abuse of power.
Current Efforts
Democracy Bingo Cards: Small daily actions, big impact. Print yours and start today.
Letter Writing Campaign: Help us submit weekly letters to the Ketchikan Daily News defending democracy. We’ll guide you through it. Learn more at our May 10 event.
Public Awareness: We’re a central hub of information to promote rallies and community events advocating a healthy constitutional democracy and protesting Trump’s abuse of power and congress’s acquiescence to that abuse.
Future Efforts
Looking ahead to 2026, we plan to:
Launch a large scale postcard campaign to Alaska voters.
Host a town hall this summer on how Trump’s executive actions affect Ketchikan.
Encourage conversations that find common ground with friends, family, and acquaintances regarding the importance of a constitutional democracy.
Grow our network—because the more of us there are, the more we can accomplish together.
Stay in Touch
You received this email because you expressed interest in helping defend democracy. We’ll only contact you when we have meaningful updates. If you’d prefer not to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe.
Questions or ideas? Reach us at info@voicesforreasonpac.org
Voices for Reason PAC
7825 South Tongas Highway
Ketchikan
United States
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