INCO Weekly Newsletter 4/22

IMPEACHMENT In the wake of the Mueller report, Indivisible national has come out in support of Congress opening impeachment hearings. Congressional Democrats continue to investigate even as they work on other kitchen-table issues. Iimpeachment is unlikely to go away. You can help convince the public to make their voices heard on this vital issue. Impeachment starts in the US House. Contact US Representative Suzanne Bonamici at 202-225-0855; email via https://bonamici.house.gov/contact-me. You can help by submitting a Letter to the Editor (LTE) to the Daily Astorian (250 words or less; no more than 2 letters per month by the same person). Click here for talking points to inspire your letter. "Whether or not this is politically wise, failing to impeach would be a grave abdication. If you want people to believe that the misdeeds enumerated in the Mueller report are serious, you have to act like it. To not even try to impeach Trump is to collaborate in the Trumpian fiction that he has done nothing impeachable." -- Michelle Goldberg, New York Times columnist   Thank you for taking action at this critical time for our democracy.  CHECK OUT LOCAL CANDIDATES On May 21 voters elect Clatsop County volunteers to serve on the boards of Special Districts, including local school districts; and local fire, water, health, and sanitary districts. Serving all of the county are the college, the Port of Astoria, and Sunset Empire Transportation District. These board members set budgets, policy, and hire key staff. This election is non-partisan. Learn more about the candidates at these forums: Seaside School District Board Candidate Forum Tuesday, April 30, at 7 pm Broadway Middle School Library 1120 Broadway, Seaside Hosted by Seaside AAUW and the Seaside Signal Candidate Forum Saturday, May 4 1 - 1:45 pm:  Clatsop Community College - Sara Meyer and Andrea Mazzarella 2:15 - 3 pm: Port of Astoria - Bill Hunsinger and Scott L McClaine Candidates of other races are invited to be available for questions from the public during this time. Bob Chisholm Community Center 1225 Avenue A, Seaside Hosted by the Clatsop Democrats If you know about other candidate forums, please contact incoregon@gmail.com so we can list them in the newsletter. The last day to register to vote in the May 21 election is April 30. * * * * * * * *  INCO on KMUN Cheryl Johnson and Bryan Kidder talk about the May 21 Special District election with "Perspectives" host Joan Herman.  Tuesday, April 30 9 - 9:30 am 91.9 FM and 91.3 FM on the south slope KEEP INCO ACTIVE AND EFFECTIVE  Donate to INCO in April, and Indivisible national will MATCH your contribution.   Your contribution to INCO this month will help us promote informed voting and support a vigorous campaign and election season to elect progressives to Congress and the Presidency in 2020. Use this link so Indivisible will double your contribution, up to a total of $500. This is an excellent way to help make our country better. Donate by April 30 so your contribution will be doubled! Only donations given through this ActBlue site will be doubled by Indivisible.  Thank you for contributing to INCO and for working to save our democracy. CONVINCE ASTORIA TO BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS  Single-use plastic bags. You see them in trees, along the Riverwalk, in parking lots, and flying down the street. They end up littering our ocean, beaches, rivers, and other waterways, where they break down, leaching harmful toxins that destroy wildlife and their habitat and ending up in the food chain - even in our food. Join Jesse Jones and INCO at the Astoria City Council meeting on May 6 to urge city councilors to support a ban on single-use plastic bags. We'll speak during public comment at the end of the meeting. Astoria City Council Public Comment Monday, May 6 Meeting begins at 7 p.m.  Astoria City Hall, 1095 Duane Street, 2nd floor, City Council Chambers Sign up to speak when you arrive.  Corvallis, Bend, Manzanita, Portland, Newport, Eugene, Forest Grove, Ashland, McMinnville, Milwaukie, Hillsboro, Salem, Lake Oswego have all banned the bag. Having more Oregon cities ban these bags will make it easier for Oregon to enact a statewide ban.  Please plan to attend in support of our efforts to ban single-use plastic bags in Astoria! Contact Jesse at  jesseannjones@gmail.com with any questions.  INCO IN ACTION! Kudos to our INCO activists who asked nearly half the questions at US Representative Suzanne Bonamici's Town Hall on April 16 in Astoria. Bebe, David, Laura, Deb, Pamela, Kegan, Eric. and Carolyn raised important issues, including healthcare, impeachment, taxes, tariffs, and children. Thanks to Megan, Laura, Wendela, Jen, and Laurie for distributing our popular "Agree/Disagree" signs for audience response. INCO activists and other constituents met with our State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell at a recent Lobby Day in Salem. Tiffiny's in purple in the center holding the baby. YOUR VOICE COUNTS IN SALEM  The Oregon legislature is considering hundreds of bills that are likely to be voted on. Don't miss this opportunity to tell your legislators what you want them to do.  Pending legislation includes: •  PLASTIC BAG BAN: This would provide uniform standards for banning single-use plastic bags for stores throughout Oregon and would help consumers and businesses switch to more environmentally-conscious reusable bags. •  NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE (NPV): The NPV bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate receiving the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It passed the state Senate and must pass the House this session to count. •  CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM: Oregon's latest attempt to limit corporate and individual campaign contributions is SJR 18, with Measure 5 amending. •  CLEAN ENERGY JOBS BILL (CEJ): HB 2020 would be a big step toward supporting a clean energy economy.  • THE STUDENT SUCCESS ACT:  HB 2019 proposes improved funding for education. Please ask Betsy to support the measure, which was largely developed by a joint Senate and House committee.  • GUN SALES AND STORAGE: SB (Senate Bill) 275 and HB (House Bill) 2505 require that that guns be safely secured. HB 2251 was introduced by Governor Kate Brown to require common-sense limits on gun ownership.  Check out OPB's look at proposed legislationthis session. CONTACT BETSY AND TIFFINY TODAY!  Ask them to support important progressive bills coming to a vote! Ask State Senator Betsy Johnson to vote for these bills endorsed by INCO; she has been silent on many progressive issues. Thank State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell for her ongoing support of progressive legislation. • Betsy -- 503-986-1716and Sen.BetsyJohnson@oregonlegislature.gov.  • Tiffiny -- ‭(503) 986-1432‬ and Rep.TiffinyMitchell@oregonlegislature.gov. INDIVISIBLE TUESDAY CALL OF THE WEEK Tell your Members of Congress to demand accountability. Mueller punted to Congress. Now Congress must follow the blueprint in the Mueller report and investigate Trump for obstruction of Justice. This investigation must include Mueller testifying before Congress ASAP.   Senator Merkley's DC office: 202-224-3753. Senator Wyden's DC office: 202-224-5244.  Congresswoman Bonamici's DC office: 202-225-0855 Join other Oregon Indivisibles and call your MoCs on Tuesday. Contact info is here.   After you call,  • WRITE a Letter to the Editor. The Daily Astorian - editor@dailyastorian.com or through their website - publishes up to 250 words. No name-calling. Include your contact information. HAPPENINGS Details on our events page. Everyone is welcome to all these events. THIS WEEK Wednesday, April 24 - US Representative Bonamici Town Hall, 6 pm, Clatskanie Cultural Center, Birkenfeld Theater, 75 South Nehalem Street, Clatskanie UPCOMING Tuesday, April 30 - INCO on "Perspectives" radio program, 9 am, KMUN. Cheryl Johnson and Bryan Kidder talk about the May 21 Special District election with host Joan Herman. Tuesday, April 30 - Last day for new voters to registerto vote in the May 21 Special Districts election. Clatsop County Elections, 820 Exchange, 2nd floor, Astoria. More info here. Tuesday, April 30 - Seaside School Board Candidates Forum, 7 pm, Broadway Middle School Library; hosted by Seaside AAUW and the Seaside Signal. Wednesday, May 1 - Advocacy Team monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm, Seaside Library Board Room Thursday, May 2 - INCO Table at Ales & Ideas, 7 pm, Lovell Showroom, 426 14th Street, Astoria. Doors open at 6 pm. Food and drink available for purchase. INCO t-shirts, ON TYRANNY, and In Our America yard signs available for purchase.  Saturday, May 4 - Astoria Community Group monthly meeting, time changed to 10:30 a.m. - noon, WineKraft, on the Riverwalk at the foot of 10th. Talk with candidates for the Astoria School Board. Saturday, May 4 - Warrenton Community Group meeting, 11:30, Dooger's Seafood and Grill, Highway 101, Warrenton. Our first Adopt-a-Road pickup of Harbor Drive following the meeting, if we have at least 8 participants. Saturday, May 4 - Candidate Forum for Clatsop Community College and Port of Astoria, 1 pm, Bob Chisholm Community Center 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Candidates of other races are invited to be available for questions from the public during this time.  Hosted by the Clatsop Democrats. Monday, May 6 - INCO at Astoria City Council, 7 pm, 1095 Duane, 2nd floor, City Council Chambers. Public comment to support single-use plastic bag ban. Tuesday, May 14 - Seaside-Gearhart Community Group monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm; email incoregon@gmail.com for location. Wednesday, May 15- Vote the Future (VTF) monthly meeting,  6:30 pm, Seaside Library Board Room Tuesday, May 21 - Ballots due by 8 pm for the Clatsop County Special Districts election. INSIGHTS "The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day; a movement is only people moving.”‬ — Gloria Steinem ACTION PRIORITIES   How will your Members of Congress know what you want if you don't tell them? •  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. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Get active with INCO's Advocacy Team, Vote the Future Team, and Community Groups.  INCO has 3 websites: our main one; Vote the Future; and Really Do Care INCO Under 40s.   Join INCO's closed Facebook group. Really Do Care also has a Facebook group.  Sign up for emails from national Indivisible at www.indivisible.org. Questions, suggestions, & photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com.  Deb Vanasse and Laurie Caplan, INCO Co-chairs INCO Weekly Newsletter   April 22, 2019