INCO Weekly Newsletter 9/2

"I'm so grateful for Indivisible. You guys kept the lights on when we thought they were going out." -- Elizabeth Warren

TOWN HALL:  STATE REPRESENTATIVE TIFFINY MITCHELL Sunday, September 8 3 - 4 pm Clatsop Community College - Columbia Hall 219 - 1653Lexington - Astoria ADA parking in back: enter on Lexington just east of 15th  Representative Mitchell was a founding leader of INCO. In this photo she gathers with INCO folks after her recent town hall in Warrenton. She is second from left, with Pat, Tamra, Carmen, Kat, Pamela, and Kathi.

ELECTION SECURITY: SEPTEMBER 17DAY OF ACTION Call your U.S. Senators at 833-413-5906.  Bills to safeguard the security of our elections in 2020 were passed by the House of Representatives, but Moscow Mitch McConnell is preventing a vote in the Senate. Even Oregon's elections could be at risk. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, “As of right now, 2020 will make 2016 look like child’s play” in terms of the potential for hacking and other abuses. He is urging us to create a “tidal wave” of support for the SAFE Act and HR 3351. These bills will provide states with more than $600 million, along with enforceable standards for election security. Go here for more information and to get talking points and be connected with your senators’ offices. Tell them you want the Senate to secure our elections now by passing the election security bills already passed by the House. Info at https://secureourvote.us. You can also write a letter to your local paper in support of election security. Go here for talking points for a letter to the editor (LTE). Send your letter to editor@dailyastorian.com. Include your full name and contact info; the paper will call to confirm.

Meridee and Kathi chose a quiet corner to work in at last fall's postcard parties.

STRENGTHEN ELECTIONS WITH POSTCARDS TO VOTERS  Weekly postcard parties start Friday, September 6 2 - 4 pm Mary Blake Playhouse, 1215 Avenue A, across from the Bob Chisholm Community Center, Seaside Please park in the BCCC parking lot. Everyone is welcome, no matter where you live. PTV campaigns make a difference in election turnout and outcomes, so your postcards matter.  Candidates for Congress and state legislatures in other states are already campaigning. Florida's Vote By Mail PTV campaign is reaching thousands of voters. Bebe Michel and Laura Allen, INCO's postcarding organizers, invite you to write postcards to voters over the next 15 months to support candidates and other election issues. INCO and Postcards to Voters (PTV) provide supplies, addresses, and text. You provide energy and enthusiasm! START OTHER POSTCARDING PARTIES Gather a few friends or neighbors or relatives; find a good spot - a home, a business, a meeting room, etc. Contact incoregon@gmail.com if you'd like Bebe and Laura to help you get started. POSTCARD ON YOUR OWN A  postcard party doesn't work for you? You can postcard on your own.  Text (484) 275-2229, e-mail join@TonyTheDemocrat.org, or go to PostcardsToVoters.org and fill out the web form under the Volunteer tab to become a verified postcarder.

CANDIDATE TOWN HALL AND DEBATES CNN'S CLIMATE TOWN HALL Wednesday, September 4 starting at 5 pm ET, 2 pm Pacific Per CNN, these are individual 40-minute interviews with 10 Democratic candidates for President. Schedule and detail, including how to watch, are here. DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE Thursday, September 12   Presented by ABC News and Univision, from Houson

INCO'S GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE WEEK

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 INCO GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE RALLY Noon - 1 pm SEASIDE: At the orange chair, Highway 101 and Broadway Bring your signs SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 "PARIS TO PITTSBURGH"  A free public screening of the 2018 documentary film about climate change Directed by National Geographic filmmaker Sidney Beaumont In conjunction with INCO’s Global Climate Strike Week Columbian Theater, Astoria Doors open at 2:30. Film at 3 pm Hosted by INCO FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 INCO GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE RALLY Noon - 1 pm ASTORIA: On Marine Drive between 16th and 18th Bring your signs

INDIVISIBLE OREGON'S TUESDAY CALL OF THE WEEK Tell your Members of Congress: Trump and his administration's attacks on immigrants grow more brazen and life threatening - mumps outbreaks, withholding medical treatment, withholding flu vaccines. These are impeachable offenses.  Congress must start immediate impeachment hearings and only vote for a budget that defunds hate. 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.

INCO co-chair Deb Vanasse welcomed Moms Demand Action leaders from the Portland area, Katt Beckley and Hilary Uhlig, to INCO's August 29th Gun Sense Advocacy event. Hilary urged attendees to contact Senators Merkley and Wyden to push the Senate to vote for universal background checks. More info at momsdemandaction.org.

HAPPENINGS Details on our events page. Everyone is welcome to all these events. THIS WEEK Wednesday, September 4 - Climate Crisis Town Hall: Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate; on CNN. Thursday, September 5 - Forestry/Climate Advocacy Group, 7 - 8:30 pm, Astoria. Contact incoregon for directions.  Friday, September 6 - Postcards to Voters Postcard Party, 2- 4 pm, Mary Blake Playhouse, 1215 Avenue A, across from the Bob Chisholm Community Center, Seaside. More information above. This is a weekly event. Saturday, September 7 - Astoria Community Group monthly meeting, 10:30 a.m. - noon, WineKraft, on the Riverwalk at the foot of 10th. It’s OK to bring your own food and drink. State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell talks about her first term in the state legislature. Sunday, September 8 - Town Hall with State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell, 3 - 4 pm, Clatsop Community College, Columbia Hall 219, Astoria. UPCOMING Tuesday, September 10 - Seaside-Gearhart Community Group monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm, contact Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com for location. Thursday, September 12 - Presidential Candidates Debate, presented by ABC News and Univision, from Houson. Friday, September 13 - Indivisible National Day of Action: Defund Hate. Details here. Contact your Members of Congress. Saturday, September 14 - Warrenton Community Group monthly meeting, 11:30 - 1 pm, El Compadre Restaurant, 119 South Main Avenue, no purchase necessary. Contact Meridee about road pick-up details. Wednesday, September 18 - Vote the Future (VTF) monthly meeting,  6:30 pm, Seaside Library Board Room Friday, September 20 - Global Climate Strike Rally, noon - 1 pm, Orange chair at Highway 101 and Broadway, Seaside. Bring signs. Sunday, September 22 - "Paris to Pittsburgh," Doors open at 2:30; film starts at 3; Columbian Theater, 1114 Marine Drive, Astoria. Free public screening hosted by INCO in conjunction with INCO's Global Climate Strike Week. Tuesday, September 24 - National Voting Registration Day, 10 am - 2 pm. INCO activists will be at the Astoria Senior Center, and Clatsop Community College to register voters and to assist if voters need to change address or party affiliation. Update your voter registration on your own - new address, party affiliation - at Oregon's official site, My Vote. Friday, September 27 - Global Climate Strike Rally, noon - 1 pm, 16th and Marine Drive, Astoria. Bring your signs. WEEKLY Starting September 6, Fridays - Postcards to Voters Postcard Party, 2 - 4 pm, Mary Blake Playhouse, 1215 Avenue A, across from the Bob Chisholm Community Center, Seaside. INCO and Postcards to Voters provide supplies, addresses, and text. Please park in the BCCC parking lot.  NOTE for September 27th INCO Postcard Party in Seaside:Due to the Global Climate Strike Rally in Astoria that day, the INCO Postcard Party in Seaside will be from 3 - 4:30 pm, September 27 only.

INSIGHTS "If history teaches us anything is that change never starts in the center. But it always starts on the fringes with people who are first dismissed as crazy and unreasonable and ridiculous." -- Dutch historian Rutger Bregman

DO SOMETHING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE How will your Members of Congress (MoC) and state legislators know what you want if you don't tell them? Contact info here. Contact ONLY elected officials who represent you so you don't dilute the power of actual constituents. Tell your MoC when you agree with their positions and votes.   Write a Letter to the Editor about an issue. Effective letters focus on one topic and can propose solutions and positive actions readers can take. Editor@dailyastorian.com.   OTHER ACTIONS THAT MATTER •  Be a postcarder! See info above about Postcards to Voters. •  Get active with organizations that strengthen our communities. •  Donate to causes that defend our democracy. •  For current action items, visit www.incoregon.org and www.indivisible.org. •  Update your change of address or party affiliation at Oregon's official site, My Vote.

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  September 2, 2019