INCO Weekly Newsletter 2/4

Need to Impeach Summit Last weekend, four INCO community group leaders traveled to Washington DC to attend the first Need to Impeach Summit. Shown here meeting with Congresswoman Suzanne BonamiciI are Jai Merrill, Beeb Ashcroft, Bonamici, Kathleen Macdonald, and Tracy Abel. They were the only delegates from Oregon. Tom Steyer, the founder of Need to Impeach, hosted events attended by 275 volunteers from 35 states. The Monday summit consisted of special occasions speakers, break out training sessions, networking and a town hall. Constitutional scholars presented information about the 10 Impeachable Offenses President Trump has committed since his inauguration two years ago. Former US Representative Elizabeth Holtzman (D-NY) spoke about her experience in the House of Representatives during the Nixon Watergate trial and subsequent resignation. She reflected on the many parallels to our current political environment. On Tuesday, the volunteers delivered Articles of Impeachment and the book “The Constitution Demands It - The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump” to each US Representative's office. Our goal on Capitol Hill was to assess the current level of support for impeachment and ask the Representatives to begin investigations into the offenses.  --  by Kathleen Macdonald Election for Port, School Boards, Fire Departments and More First Day to File is February 9  Voters will elect board members throughout Clatsop County on May 21 for Special Districts that oversee schools, water, fire departments, the Port of Astoria, and more. These Special Districts are essential parts of our communities. Board members set budgets, decide programs and priorities, and make other major decisions.  Positions up for election here.  May 21 Special District Election You can be a candidate for a Special District board in Clatsop County.                                                         February 9 - first day to file                                                        March 21 -   last day to file Details about positions and filing here: Clatsop County Elections Office, 820 Exchange, 2nd floor, Astoria. If you don't run, who will? Families, Food, and Funds The Lower Columbia Hispanic Council, based in Astoria, and other area groups are providing financial help to families entangled with ICE, and their funds are stretched tight. If you'd like to help, send your check to: Lower Columbia Hispanic Council 818 Commercial Street Ste. 100 Astoria, OR 97103 There is a GoFundMe page to help the family of Ruben Vera Perez, of Astoria, who has been detained by ICE for nearly two months. His wife, children and grandchildren are all United States citizens. You and Oregon's Jobs Future You can help convince legislators to support legislation to bring Oregon the economic and environmental benefits of clean energy jobs. Our legislators need to hear what you want for Oregon. Please contact them this week. For more information, contact Eric Halperin at ehod1@yahoo.com. State Senator Betsy Johnson 503-986-1716 Sen.BetsyJohnson@oregonlegislature.gov State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell ‭(503) 986-1432 Rep.TiffinyMitchell@oregonlegislature.gov  Get your INCO t-shirt and In Our America yard sign at the INCO table at Ales & Ideas, the first Thursday each month; Lovell Showroom, 426 14th Street, Astoria; doors open at 6 pm; program starts at 7 pm. T-shirts available in blue, crew- or v-neck for $15. Signs with stakes are $10. Contact Laurie at incoregon@gmail.com to make other arrangements. Advocacy Team Tackles Issues and Priorities Because so many of us care about so many important issues, INCO now has an Advocacy Team - the A-Team -  to look at issues our group as a whole might want to tackle. Each Community Group has its own projects and programs as well. The A-Team's mission statement is:  The INCO Advocacy team (A-Team) assesses, recommends, and helps to implement actions in keeping with the goals of opposing authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption and promoting progressive values. The team provides a means for INCO leadership and members-at-large to propose actions on relevant topics. Based on these proposals and on input from regular A-team participants, the team plans and prioritizes advocacy actions, working to empower members-at-large to become effective advocates for the issues that most concern them. Anyone interested in joining the A-Team or bringing an issue to it for consideration can attend the monthly meetings, which are open to the public. The next A-Team meeting is Wednesday, February 6, 6:30 - 8 pm, Seaside Library Board Room. HAPPENINGS Details on our events page. Everyone is welcome to all these events. THIS WEEK Wednesday, February 6 - Advocacy Team monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm, Seaside Library Board Room. Thursday, February 7 - INCO Table at Ales & Ideas, 7 pm, Lovell Showroom, 426 14th Street, Astoria. Doors open at 6 pm. Food and drink available for purchase. UPCOMING Tuesday, February 12 - Seaside-Gearhart Community Group Monthly Meeting, 6:30 -  8 pm, at Bebe & Eric's in Gearhart. Contact incoregon@gmail.com for directions. Wednesday, February 20 - INCO Book Club, 6:30 pm, Astoria; discussing HOW TO THINK: A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED, by Alan Jacobs, Profile Books LTD, 2018.   Email cebeady@outlook.com for address. Wednesday, February 20 - Vote the Future (VTF) monthly meeting,  6:30 pm, Seaside Library Board Room.   Saturday, March 9 - Warrenton Community Group monthly meeting, 11:30, Dooger's Seafood & Grill, Highway 101, Warrenton. Saturday, March 9 - Astoria Community Group monthly meeting, NEW TIME: 2 pm, Street 14 Cafe, 1410 Commercial Street, Astoria. SPECIAL EVENTS Ales & Ideas: White Ally-ship in Close-knit Communities Thursday, February 7 at 7 pm Doors open at 6 pm Lovell Showroom, 426 14th Street, Astoria INCO will have our information table at this event. Hosted by Clatsop Community College, Oregon Humanities, and Fort George Brewery & Public House "In the Executioner's Shadow" - A documentary film about the death penalty Saturday, February 16 at 2 pm Doors open at 1:30 Astoria Public Library Flag Room, 450 10th Street Hosted by Alliance for Democracy and Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty  "Gerrymandering and What We Can Do to Stop It", presentation by the Oregon League of Women Voters Saturday, March 2 at 2 pm Astoria Public Library Flag Room INCO is a co-sponsor. "Campaigns 101" - The basics of running an election campaign Saturday, March 9 from 10:30 - noon Astoria Public Library Flag Room Presented by the Clatsop County Democrats Open to the public Angry Uncle at the Summit Here are links to the Angry Uncle presentation at the INCO Summit and to Linai Vaz's presentation, "Messaging & Morality." INCO welcomes your feedback about the summit events on January 19 - and especially your suggestions for future similar events. Send to incoregon@gmail.com. INSIGHTS “It struck me that something is wrong when we learn to shout our anger and whisper our kindness. We have got to to learn to stop being ashamed of being kind….”  — Deval Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts ACTION PRIORITIES   How will your Members of Congress know what you want if you don't tell them? •  Members of Congress (MoC) care about getting re-elected, so contact ONLY elected officials who represent you so you don't dilute the power of actual constituents. •  It's more effective to contact your MoC about one issue at a time.  •  Be sure to tell your MoC when you agree with their positions and votes.   Contact YOUR elected officials here.   For current action items, visit www.incoregon.org and www.indivisible.org. Find other suggested actions in the Americans of Conscience Checklist.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS  Get active with INCO's Advocacy Team, Vote the Future Team,  Book Club and Community Groups. Contact Laurie at incoregon@gmail.com for more information.   Questions, suggestions, & photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com.  INCO has 3 websites: our main one; Vote the Future; and Really Do Care INCO Under 40s. Really Do Care also has a Facebook group.  Join INCO's closed Facebook group. Share this newsletter with other resisters. You can sign up for emails from national Indivisible at www.indivisible.org. INCO is supported entirely by donations. Please donate online or mail a check to INCO c/o PO Box 536, Warrenton, OR 97146. Deb Vanasse and Laurie Caplan, INCO Co-chairs INCO Weekly Newsletter   February 4,, 2019