Monday, February 1, 2021

2-1-21 Newsletter

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAYINCO
It's been four years since activists from around our region launched INCO at  the First United Methodist Church in Astoria on February 1, 2017.  We're delighted that people respect INCO as a valuable action-oriented, pro-democracy grassroots force that opposes authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. With your help, INCO will continue to stand up for free speech, an independent press, fair elections, equal justice, and the rule of law. 
WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE?
Who will develop policy and budgets for school boards, the county-wide Port of Astoria, and other special districts throughout Clatsop County? Who will decide the best way to spend your tax dollars?

The answers? The people we elect on May 18. The first day to file is February 6; last day is March 18. INCO asked the county elections department to post on its website the list of positions on the May 18 ballot. In the meantime, INCO has a list we can send you. Contact incoregon@gmail.com


Will you be one of the pro-democracy candidates we need?
ONLINE UPDATE
What is Senator Merkley's phone number? How many words in a Letter to the Editor? What's the Indivisible Guide? Check out INCO's updated website for answers, plus more resources, contact info, and details about INCO. Thanks to Bebe, Deb, and Laurie for improving the site.
INCO AND COIN TACKLE BIG ISSUES
INCO partners with with other Oregon Indivisibles to strengthen our impact on key issues. Sign up for a team set up by COIN (Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network). We'd love to have at least 1-2 INCO members on each of the six teams. Share the coastal perspective with your team, and keep INCO informed about the issues and ideas your team works on.

The COIN teams are:
Recruiting/Supporting Candidates Team
Rural/Urban Divide Team
State Legislative Team
Federal Team
Anti-Racist Education and Action Team
Social Media Team

Here's the 
Form to Sign up for COIN's Statewide Teams  - the form describes each team.
When you contact your Members of Congress, please thank them and their staff members for their service. Many of them are still dealing with the after-effects of the attempted coup, including threats to their safety and lives. Contact info is here.

INCO encourages you to read Indivisible's new guide, Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Fixing Our Democracy.  It was prepared for this moment of tremendous peril and possibility. Indivisible wrote this guide specifically for the year-long window of opportunity created by the Democratic trifecta.
THE MEDIA BIAS CHART
Here's one way to assess your new sources, including individual articles, episodes, and shows of news sources. Ad Fontes Media now has nearly 300 news sources fully rated. Check out the interactive chart and learn more here.  
THE ATTEMPTED COUP
• The Oregon Republican Party passed a resolution labeling the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol a “‘false flag’ operation,’” claiming that it was people pretending to be Trump supporters who attempted the coup, threatened to kill government officials, and injured and killed law enforcement officers. The resolution said the the Capitol attack might have been “designed to discredit President Trump, his supporters and all conservative Republicans.”  

OPB reports that after the resolution was released, 
"Republicans in the Oregon House on Wednesday took the extraordinary step of distancing themselves from their state party...." Clatsop County's State Representative Suzanne Weber issued a statement agreeing with the GOP House caucus.
 
•  if you have information about people at the attempted coup on January 6, please call the
FBI Tip Line at  800-225-5324.
HAPPENINGS
VIRTUAL
Tuesday, February 9 - INCO South County Community Group Zoom meeting, 6:30 pm - 8 pm. Please RSVP to Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com thru Monday, February 8 for your Zoom link.

Saturday, February 20 - INCO North County Community Group Zoom meeting, 11 a.m - noon. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.

EVERY FRIDAY: The INCO Write to Voters group invites you to a Zoom open house for informal chat and writing to voters in special elections and for ballot issues every Friday from 3-4 pm. Pets and children welcome. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom invitation from Bebe. 
INSIGHTS
 "People wonder where the heroes have gone. Where there is no conscience,
there are no heroes.”
— Hank Aaron, “
When Baseball Mattered,” New York Times, 1997
Comments, news, and photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com
Resources and other information at www.incoregon.org and www.indivisible.org.
Encourage others to sign up for the INCO newsletter at our website or here.

INCO Weekly Newsletter   February 1, 2021