Unite and Rise 8.5

by Lilly Gioia

Both the PA League of Women Voters website and the national League of Women Voters website boldly warn that America is facing a CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS. “It is time to take our democracy back,” they urge. ARE WE REALLY IN A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS? The League defines a Constitutional Crisis this way:

“When the executive, the legislature or judiciary branches cannot or will not adequately protect the US Constitution, when there are explicit attempts to dismantle a functional democracy within any of the three branches, or when any level of federal government takes action to destroy democratic institutions in a manner that intentionally or purposefully jeopardizes the US Constitution – When these events occur, the constitution is deemed at the highest serious risk and warrants full-scale action to preserve and protect democratic institutions and civil society.”

According to the League’s statement, “Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, we’ve seen increased attacks on our democratic systems and a failure by Congress to intervene. This came to a head in early April when the president defied a Supreme Court order to return the wrongfully deported Marylander, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. On April 16, 2025, a US District Court Judge, James Boasberg, ruled that there is “probable cause” to find the Trump Administration in criminal contempt of court for violating his order to immediately pause deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. The executive branch’s blatant disregard for an order by the judicial branch constitutes an attack on our democratic system. Therefore, we consider our country to be in a Constitutional Crisis.

The League’s plan is called UNITE & RISE 8.5. Through engagement, education and collective power, 8.5 million voices are needed to be heard by the mid-term election in November. The League invites us to: BE ONE!

Many Unitarian Universalists are already committed to this goal through their support for UUtheVOTE, but the League has been organizing women’s advocacy groups around the nation since April 17, 2025.

Their effort began with this statement: From the flagrant disregard for congressional authority and governmental checks and balances to defying Supreme Court orders, one thing is abundantly clear: our country is in a Constitutional Crisis. We the people must fight back. That is why the League of Women Voters is launching a powerful new initiative, Unite and Rise 8.5.

Through Unite and Rise 8.5 we will engage and mobilize 8.5 million voters to protect and preserve our democracy. Unite and Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration. Launching in May 2025 and running until the 2026 midterm elections, this initiative is part of the WOMEN DEFEND DEMOCRACY campaign.

The number 8.5 million is the estimated number of voters it would take to bring about change through nonviolent protest. This is based on research showing “Nonviolent protests are twice as likely to succeed as armed conflicts...and those engaging a threshold of 3.5% of the population have never failed to bring about change.” According to a University of Florida study, approximately 245 million Americans were eligible to vote in the 2024 general election. If 3.5% of those eligible voters –8,575,000 people—engage in non- violent protests, we WILL bring about meaningful change.

Unite and Rise 8.5 will fight for our democracy on multiple fronts from the courts to the streets. More actions will be outlined in the future, but if you go online to LWV.org or PALWV.org, you will find action items already under way beginning with signing their “commitment.”