Monday, July 2, 2018

INCO Weekly Newsletter 7/2

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"
                                               --Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers)


"Congress has abdicated its constitutional duty. SCOTUS belongs to POTUS now. It's down to the people to defend democracy."    -- Walter Schaub

We salute each of you who defends democracy with calls to Congress, letters in newspapers, rallying with INCO, donating to progressive causes. Now, more than ever before, our country needs each of us to be informed, vigilant, and active citizens. 

Welcome to new Indivisibles! Saturday's rally was an important step in defending our democracy. Keep reading this newsletter to see the many ways we're making a difference.

--Deb and Laurie
INCO Co-Chairs
INCO's Rally to Keep Families Together on June 30 in Astoria drew 500 people demanding this country give respect, kindness, and welcome to immigrants. More photos below.
Celebrate with INCO and our Vote Boat 
in Seaside's July 4 Parade
We invite all Indivisibles to walk with INCO Seaside/Gearhart and Warrenton 
Find the INCO Vote Boat on Necanicum Drive at Position 30B between 1st - 12th Avenues
10 a.m. - Finish decorating and start to gather
11 a.m. - Parade starts
Dress in red, white and blue clothing. .
Contact Kathleen Macdonald at 
kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com or 971-404-7192 for more information.
Astoria INCO Community Group Monthly Meeting
Saturday, July 7 at 8 a.m 
Street Fourteen Cafe, 1410 Commercial; no purchase necessary

WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS!
INCO t-shirts and 'Storm the Midterms' signs available 
"Here is Gearhart, Oregon sand to throw in the gears of the McConnell-led Republican machinery. We must stop the illegitimate right-wing takeover of the Supreme Court. Protect Roe v. Wade. We won't go back!"

This was the message with a bag of sand that Bebe Michel gave Senator Wyden at an Astoria campaign event Saturday.
 Tiffiny Mitchell, shown at left, is a candidate for Oregon's House District 32.
ACTION PRIORITIES
 www.indivisible.org    Contact elected officials here.
Sign up for the weekly Americans of Conscience Action Checklist. 
 
We're in the midst of a right-wing takeover of every branch of our federal government.
It's time to show up, stand up, speak up.
 
Tell Your Members of Congress to:
• Uphold the rule of law and protect our democracy. Especially if Trump fires Rosenstein or Mueller or otherwise tries to stomp on the rule of law. Restore trust in the judiciary, media, and in all the other civic institutions being deliberately attacked by Trump and his administration.  The Congress is supposed to be one of three branches of government - not the puppet of the Executive branch. 

• Go after the corruption throughout the Trump administration. Scott Pruitt, Ryan Zinke, Ben Carson, and Betsy DeVos are the stars on a long list of grifters on the taxpayers' payroll.

• Delay the hearings and confirmation of a new Supreme Court Justice until after the winners of the November election take office.  National Indivisible 
just released its guide on the SCOTUS campaign - please review and share widely!

•  Develop a humane, practical bipartisan immigration policy. This includes reuniting families forcibly separated by the US government, restoring the possibility of amnesty, and not incarcerating migrants because they are migrants. Info and opinion columns here.

• Protect all Americans. Stop the administration's attacks on America's allies and embrace of America's totalitarian enemies. Stop the bigotry and oppression by Trump and his administration. Demand effective government actions to deal with climate change. Provide meaningful help for Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricane Maria. Oppose  nominees to be federal judges who fail to support equal rights for all people. Stand with people who need help getting medical care and enough food to eat. 
HAPPENINGS
Check for details and new posts on our events page.
All Indivisibles are welcome at all these events and meetings.
 
THIS WEEK
Wednesday, July 4 - Walk with Seaside/Gearhart INCO and Warrenton INCO in the Seaside 4th of July Parade. Details above.  All Indivisibles are invited to parade with INCO. 

Friday, July 6 - Postcards to Voters Writing Party, 4 - 5:30 pm, Gearhart.  Contact Bebe at littlebylittle4change@gmail.com for address.  Note the new time. If you can, join us afterwards for food and drinks at the Sand Trap.

Saturday, July 7 - Astoria INCO Community Group meeting, 8 a.m., Street Fourteen Cafe, 1410 Commercial; no purchase necessary.
                                                                                       
UPCOMING
Wednesday, July 18 INCO Vote the Future Team, 6:30 pm, Seaside Library Board Room. All Indivisibles interested in voting and elections are welcome.

Wednesday, July 18 -  Keep Russia Out of Oregon's Elections - Confront Corruption Event, 8:18 pm, at the big orange Seaside Chair at the corner of 101 and Broadway in Seaside. Bring signs and drums. Wipe out corruption with a Blue Wave 2018.

Saturday, July 21 - Warrenton INCO Community Group Meeting, 11 am, Dooger’s Seafood and Grill, Highway 101, Warrenton. No purchase necessary. 

Wednesday, August 8 - A Conversation with Chris Lehmann: PROSPERITY AND POLITICS: THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, 7 pm, Lovell Showroom, 426 14th Street, Astoria. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Free and open to everyone. Snacks and drinks available for purchase. Doors open at 6:15 pm. Hosted by INCO Astoria Community Group.
FLIP THE SENATE - SAVE THE SUPREME COURT
Sign up with national Indivisible to flip the Senate, focusing on five seats identified as flippable. You'll get calls and texts with news, info about events, and most important, actions you can take to make November a progressive success. This is exactly what INCO is doing and will continue to do with the Congressional races in OR-2 and WA-3. 
INCO's Rally to Keep Families Together, June 30, Astoria
Postcards To Voters Writing Party
Friday, July 6  •  4 - 5:30 pm 
Contact Bebe at littlebylittle4change@gmail.com for the Gearhart address.
We provide postcards, pens, and postage. And good company, of course.

We'd love for you to join us afterwards for food and drink at the nearby Sand Trap.

You can send Postcards to Voters on your own 
It's easy to sign up for www.postcardstovoters.org - they'll send you guidelines, and you can anonymously contact anonymous voters elsewhere at your convenience.
Keep Russia Out of Oregon’s Elections
Confront Corruption on July 18 

8:18 pm at the big orange Seaside Chair
at the corner of Highway 101 and Broadway in Seaside

Bring signs and drums.
Do you have 18 minutes to spare?  If so, join us at this INCO event at 8:18 pm at on Wednesday, July 18.  Bring signs and drums. Wipe out corruption with a Blue Wave 2018.
We must transform our anger into action. Text, phone, tweet, write postcards, knock on doors -- tell us how you'll help INCO #StormTheMidterms. Together, we must hold Congress accountable and save the Supreme Court with a blue wave in Congress.

•  WA-3: Polling numbers are looking great for Carolyn Long, one of the top Democratic contenders to unseat Republican Jaime Herrera-Buetler in WA-3, our closest swing district. 


•  OR-2: Unseat GOP Representative Greg Walden, a devoted Trump follower, in OR-2 by helping elect Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner

 
Let's Start Storming!  
Important actions you can do at home, from your kitchen table, anytime.
TEXT: Sign up at textthevote.com to help get out the vote in upcoming elections nationwide. We’ll be adding local texting options soon.

DONATE to a candidate willing to stand up to this administration.
 
Sign up here to be part of INCO's Storm the Midterms team.
Order 'I am the Storm' t-shirts here. 
OTHER VOICES
•  Musical inspiration for hope and healing from Broadway (YouTube).
 
•  The Daily Astorian's editorial on June 28 is a powerful full throated repudiation of the administration's refugee policy. Imagine living someplace where the newspaper was defending him.  
 
•  Author Timothy Snyder (ON TYRANNY) applauds Indivisible's role in the essential resistance as he explains the desperation behind right-wing attacks on democracy in the US and Europe. It's a video worth watching.

•  Rachel Maddow featured Ezra Levin, Indivisible's co-founder. He says it's our active engagement that can create a "pathway to victory." "We must retake the Senate....Let's get this done." Watch the 5-minute video here.

•  Larry Taylor of Astoria is a creator of Progressive Oregon's podcast that offers a European take on US politics. Topics include fighting fascism and campaign financing.

•  The ACLU has a new podcast, At Liberty, with fascinating guests discussing the biggest civil rights and civil liberties issues of the day. 

•  Messages from Clatsop County's Members of Congress send messages of support to INCO's Rally to Keep Families Together. Scroll down on our website to June 30 to read them here.
Part of the crowd at INCO's June 30th Rally to Keep Families Together in Astoria.
Save the Date
PROSPERITY AND POLITICS: THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE
Conversation with Chris Lehmann
Wednesday, August 8, 7 pm
Lovell Showroom, 426 14th Street, Astoria
Free and open to all. Doors open at 6:15 pm.
 
Join Chris Lehmann, editor of The Baffler and author of The Money Cult and Rich People Things, for an on-stage conversation on how and why money corrupts American democracy and what we can do about it. 
 
Light fare and drinks available for purchase. Donations welcome. 
Hosted by Indivisible North Coast Oregon (INCO) Astoria
Double Your Money for New Projects 
Donate to INCO this summer using our new distributed fundraising link, and your donation will be matched by Indivisible National, up to $500 total. Your gift will help fund our "I Will Vote" essay contest for high school students in Pacific and Clatsop counties and our campaign to Storm the Midterms this fall. Exciting details coming in future newsletters.
INSIGHTS
"Politics: Who Gets What, When, How"         -- Harold Lasswell
We're Ready! 
Here's INCO's plan if Trump crosses one of three red lines that threatens the rule of law as it relates to the investigation: fire Mueller, fire Rosenstein, or pardon key figures. 
  • If actions are triggered BEFORE 2 p.m. local time —> events will begin @ 5 p.m. local time.
  • If actions are triggered AFTER 2 p.m. local time —> events will begin @ noon local time the following day.
We'll take to the streets to Rally for the Rule of Law at 8th and Commercial in Astoria. Indivisibles across the nation will be gathering according to this schedule.  

We'll post info about a Rally for the Rule of Law on our INCO Facebook page and email an Action Alert. You can also sign up (RSVP) for a notification here.  
USE YOUR VOICE
Inform and inspire others with a letter to the editor (LTE) to the Daily Astorian. Letters are among the most popular features in the paper. Even a paragraph or two makes an impact. Rules and directions for submitting your letter are here
Write about an issue you care about.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
INCO has Community Groups in Manzanita-Cannon Beach, Seaside-Gearhart, Warrenton, Astoria-East County, or the Washington Peninsula. All INCO Indivisibles are invited to get active with INCO's Events Team, Oppose Bigotry Team, Vote the Future Team, and Book Club. Contact Laurie at incoregon@gmail.com for more information.
 
Questions, suggestions, & photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com
Elections, voting, issues, and more at INCO's Vote the Future website:  incovotethefuture.org.

 Join INCO's closed Facebook group for more actions, information, and discussion.
Share this newsletter and our website with other resisters.
INCO is supported entirely by donations. Please donate here.

Deb Vanasse and Laurie Caplan, INCO Co-chairs
INCO Weekly Newsletter   July 2, 2018