Monday, May 31, 2021

5-31-21 Newsletter

 

 2 POSTCARDS TO SAY THANKS
Indivisible has given INCO 100 of these stellar postcards featuring our own Cheryl Conway so we can write Senators Merkley and Wyden to thank them for co-sponsoring S.51, for DC statehood. 

You can be part of this statewide and nationwide project. We'll provide you with stamped postcards, the senators' addresses, and talking points. There's room for just 1-2 sentences so this is an easy way to advocate for this important cause. We'll mail you your 2 postcards when you contact incoregon@gmail.com with your name and mailing address. 
DEMAND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Last fall 78% of voters approved Measure 107 to allow campaign finance reform in Oregon. Since then, the state legislature has been developing several reform bills. As of Friday night, HB 2860 has turned into a public financing and small donor bill with nothing about campaign limits on non-public funds. 

COIN 
(Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network) urges us to contact our legislators, with a slightly revised message:
1. Continue to express opposition to HB 2680-1. Support our preference for HB 3343 in terms of contribution limits;
2. acknowledge posting of HB 2680-12, which appears to now be a purely public financing bill that we are still reviewing but are optimistic about, and
3. assuming that this is the case, urge the Rules Committee to immediately push forward with HB 3343 as well. Contact Representative Barbara Smith Warner, the Rules Committee chair; her contact info is below.


Oregon legislative contact info is below.
MOVING RURAL OREGON TOWARD PROGRESSIVE VALUES
Unpacking Deep Canvassing Training series with Indivisible’s Rural Caucus
One of the discussions that emerged from the recent election campaigns is how to communicate progressive values and policies in a rural community. Join other Indivisible groups for a training series on the listening, curiosity, conversation, and practical skills needed to successfully have deep canvassing conversations to move folks toward progressive values and action in your community. This is a 4-part series of sessions that build on each other -- please join us for all four if you can, but drop-ins are also welcome!

You can choose to attend one or more of the following sessions.
 Jun 2, 2021 08:00 PM 
 Jun 9, 2021 08:00 PM 
 Jun 16, 2021 08:00 PM 
 Jun 23, 2021 08:00 PM

REGISTER HERE:  ttps://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEsdeCqpzkiEtePpwmAUE0wT6TJ7sEnVJC3
IMPORTANT BILLS NEED YOUR SUPPORT
INCO supports S.1, the For the People Act
INCO's letter to the editor tells why. We also wrote US Senator Jeff Merkley to thank him for sponsoring this essential bill and Senator Ron Wyden to thank him for co-sponsoring S.1.

Now it's your turn! Our calls and emails prove that their constituents support this vital legislation - something they can tell their GOP colleagues. We must prevent more Republican-sponsored anti-democracy voter suppression bills in states around the country. 

Contact State Representative Suzanne Weber and urge her to co-sponsor and vote for SJM 5. This is a bipartisan resolution endorsing a proposed climate change bill in Congress, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA). This resolution is part of a nationwide effort to show support from state legislatures and their constituents for the EICDA. 

State Representative Weber: 503-986-1432
Senator Merkley: 202-224-3753
Senator Wyden: 202-224-5244
More 
contact information is here.
Wear Orange

Wear Orange Weekend starts June 4 - hosted by Everytown for Gun Safety. Save the date and learn more about Wear OrangeJune 4 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

After Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed in 2013 at the age of 15, her friends and family organized in Chicago to honor her life by wearing the color orange. Wear Orange originated on June 2, 2015—what would have been Hadiya's 18th birthday—and is now observed nationally on the first Friday in June and the following weekend each year in order to raise awareness for gun violence prevention.

This year, that means calling special attention to how the gun violence crisis has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the number of people killed by gun violence exceeded 40,000—the highest rate of gun deaths in two decades.

Ad Fontes Media just released its latest chart to rate news sources via reliability, analysis, and political point of view. Check out the interactive and static charts, and find more here.
OREGON LEGISLATURE CONTACT INFO
Senate Leadership
President Courtney     
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/courtney
            Email: sen.petercourtney@oregonlegislature.gov
Pres. Pro Tem. Manning     https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/manning
            Email: Sen.JamesManning@oregonlegislature.gov
Dem. Leader Wagner    https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/wagner
            Email: Sen.RobWagner@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep. Leader Girod         https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/girod
            Email: Sen.FredGirod@oregonlegislature.gov
 
House Leadership
Speaker Kotek   
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek
            Email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov
Speaker Pro Tem. Holvey           https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/holvey
            Email: Rep.PaulHolvey@oregonlegislature.gov
Dem. Leader Smith Warner       https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithwarner
Email: rep.barbarasmithwarner@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep. Leader Drazen       https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/drazan
            Email: Rep.ChristineDrazan@oregonlegislature.gov
 

Clatsop County's legislators
State Senator Betsy Johnson: 503-986-1716
State Representative Suzanne Weber: 503-986-1432
More contact information is here.
HAPPENINGS
VIRTUAL 
Tuesday, June 8 - INCO South County Community Group Zoom meeting, 6:30 pm - 8 pm. Please RSVP to Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com thru Monday, June 7 for your Zoom link.

Saturday,  June 19 - INCO North County Community Group Zoom meeting, 11 a.m - noon. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.

The INCO Write to Voters group meets via Zoom on Fridays, 3-4 pm. Join us for informal chat and writing to voters in special elections and for ballot issues. Pets and children are welcome. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom invitation from Bebe. 

WRITE TO VOTERS: Special elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. You can sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org or for general Get Out the Vote campaigns, sign up at Vote Forward.
INSIGHTS
Hope has two lovely daughters,
     anger and courage.
Anger so that what must not be
        will not be
and courage so that what can be
          will be.
                    -- St. Augustine
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  May 31, 2021

Monday, May 24, 2021

5-24-21 Newsletter

 

INCO's new rainbow In Our America flag is decorating Laurie's couch, but we'll display it at rallies and other in-person events once it is safe to do so.
SUPPORT HB 3343 FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Please contact Oregon legislative leaders to get meaningful campaign finance reform passed with HB 3343. The legislature seems more inclined to vote for another bill, HB 2680, which has major loopholes that would weaken any reform. Key talking points and contact information are below.

COIN, Honest Elections Oregon, Common Cause, OSPIRG and many other citizen advocacy groups support passage of  HB3343. They urge everyone to immediately ask your legislators and the leaders to support HB 3343 and reject HB 2680.

Please continue to press State Representative Suzanne Weber and State Senator Betsy Johnson to support HB3343. People studying these bills tell us, "We demand real, meaningful campaign contribution limits be enacted this session that severely curtail the influence of big donors, and favor the lower limits and simpler structure of HB 3343."  

78% of voters approved Measure 107, indicating how strong the support for reform is. Thanks to INCO activist David Delk for his leadership in the statewide effort to enact reform. 

TALKING POINTS
•  Check out 
this information about proposed campaign finance reform bills. 
•  Three key goals of meaningful campaign finance reform are:
  1. reduce the influence of big donors and special interests in our decision-making processes;
  2. build public trust in our democratic process; and 
  3. increase the participation and influence of regular Oregonians, especially those from marginalized communities.
•  Exploitable loopholes in HB 2680 bill would allow big donors and special interests to continue to engage in the electoral process in much the same way they have in the past simply by routing their money through corporations and committees.  

•  HB 2680 loophole:  Any union or corporation can contribute $50,000 (or multiples of $50,000) of paid staff time to any candidate committee. There is no limit on the number of staff members that the "person" (union or corporation) can provide to the candidate's campaign. Even worse, the bill's language does not provide a timeframe for the $50,000 limit: Is it per year, per election, or per something else?

•  HB 2680 also compromises campaign contribution transparency, because the corporation would be contributing in its own name, and there is no Oregon law requiring it to disclose its sources of funds.


Senate Leadership
President Courtney     
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/courtney
            Email: sen.petercourtney@oregonlegislature.gov
Pres. Pro Tem. Manning     https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/manning
            Email: Sen.JamesManning@oregonlegislature.gov
Dem. Leader Wagner    https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/wagner
            Email: Sen.RobWagner@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep. Leader Girod         https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/girod
            Email: Sen.FredGirod@oregonlegislature.gov
 
House Leadership
Speaker Kotek   
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek
            Email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov
Speaker Pro Tem. Holvey           https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/holvey
            Email: Rep.PaulHolvey@oregonlegislature.gov
Dem. Leader Smith Warner       https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithwarner
Email: rep.barbarasmithwarner@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep. Leader Drazen       https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/drazan
            Email: Rep.ChristineDrazan@oregonlegislature.gov
 

Clatsop County's legislators
State Senator Betsy Johnson: 503-986-1716
State Representative Suzanne Weber: 503-986-1432
More contact information is here.
IMPORTANT BILLS NEED YOUR SUPPORT
Contact US Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden to thank them for supporting and co-sponsoring S.1, the For The People Act. Our calls and emails prove that their constituents support this vital legislation - something they can tell their GOP colleagues. We must prevent more Republican-sponsored anti-democracy voter suppression bills in states around the country. Per Indivisible, "either we pass the For the People Act before August recess, or we don't get another shot during this Congress. In other words we've got about two months to pass democracy-saving legislation before it's too late."

Contact State Representative Suzanne Weber and urge her to co-sponsor and vote for SJM 5. This is a bipartisan resolution endorsing a proposed climate change bill in Congress, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA). This resolution is part of a nationwide effort to show support from state legislatures and their constituents for the EICDA. 

State Representative Weber: 503-986-1432
Senator Merkley: 202-224-3753
Senator Wyden: 202-224-5244
More 
contact information is here.
WHICH ISSUES ARE YOUR ISSUES?
Climate. Gun safety. Housing. Indivisible volunteers analyzed 57 bills in the current Oregon legislative session that could affect our daily lives. Find out their current status with this link.  Now is the time to contact Senator Betsy Johnson and Representative Suzanne Weber to tell them what you want. Contact info is here.
It's fun writing postcards to voters! Cathey, Sharon, Laura, Bebe, and Kathleen enjoyed good company and a great reason to gather on May 18, 2018.

You can write to voters, too!
 Special elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. You can sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org, or sign up at Vote Forward for general Get Out the Vote campaigns. For more information, contact incoregon@gmail.com.
HAPPENINGS
VIRTUAL 
Tuesday, June 8 - INCO South County Community Group Zoom meeting, 6:30 pm - 8 pm. Please RSVP to Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com thru Monday, June 7 for your Zoom link.

Saturday,  June 19 - INCO North County Community Group Zoom meeting, 11 a.m - noon. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.

The INCO Write to Voters group meets via Zoom on Fridays, 3-4 pm. Join us for informal chat and writing to voters in special elections and for ballot issues. Pets and children are welcome. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom invitation from Bebe. 

WRITE TO VOTERS: Special elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. You can sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org or for general Get Out the Vote campaigns, sign up at Vote Forward.
INSIGHTS
"We live like gods! But very forgetful gods. Very amnesiac and babyish gods. The question is, How do we make ourselves alert again in the face of all this opulence and richness?"
-- Richard Powers, author, 2014
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  May 24, 2021

Monday, May 17, 2021

5-17-21 Newsletter

DEMOCRACY NEEDS YOUR VOICE
Contact State Representative Suzanne Weber and urge her to co-sponsor and vote for SJM 5. This is a bipartisan resolution endorsing a proposed climate change bill in Congress, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA). This resolution is part of a nationwide effort to show support from state legislatures and their constituents for the EICDA. 

Contact US Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden to thank them for supporting and co-sponsoring S.1, the For The People Act. They can tell their GOP colleagues they've heard from hundreds/thousands of their constituents who support undoing the the hundreds of anti-democracy voter suppressions bills in states around the country. Per Indivisible, "either we pass the For the People Act before August recess, or we don't get another shot during this Congress. In other words we've got about two months to pass democracy-saving legislation before it's too late."


State Representative Weber: 503-986-1432
Senator Merkley: 202-224-3753
Senator Wyden: 202-224-5244
More 
contact information is here.

YOUR BALLOT IS DUE TOMORROW BY 8 P.M.

Postmarks don't count, so you must take your ballot to an official drop box by 8 pm tomorrow, May 18. Drop box locations are:

  • Clatsop County Clerk’s Office, 820 Exchange St., Astoria
  • Cannon Beach City Hall, 163 E. Gower
  • Gearhart City Hall, 698 Pacific Way
  • Seaside City Hall, 989 Broadway
  • Warrenton City Hall, 225 S. Main (located in back parking lot off S. Main Court)
  • Knappa High School, 41535 Old Hwy 30
  • Jewell School, 83874 Highway 103

Voters can check to see if their ballot has been received by the local elections office by going to www.oregonvotes.gov/myvote. Confirmation that a ballot has been received is usually posted within 48 to 72 hours.

Thanks to the Clatsop County Democrats for presenting candidate information on their web site and providing the endorsements shown below. INCO isn't affiliated with the Clatsop Democrats, though we share many values and goals. 

If you haven't received your voter information booklet and ballot, or if you have questions about your ballot, contact the Clatsop County Elections Office, 503-325-8511.

WHOSE MONEY TALKS?
It's time for each of us to press State Representative Suzanne Weber and State Senator Betsy Johnson about Campaign Finance Reform. What legislation will get passed, especially about public financing and campaign contribution limits? How will Suzanne and Betsy know what you want if you don't tell them?

78% of voters approved Measure 107, indicating how strong the support for reform is. 
Here are talking points and updates about proposed bills so you can contact legislators or write a letter to the editor. It was prepared by Bill Vollmer and INCO activist David Delk. 

State Senator Betsy Johnson: 503-986-1716
State Representative Suzanne Weber: 503-986-1432

More contact information is here.
CLIMATE AND HOUSING AND GUNS AND MORE
Find out the current status of COIN's 57 bill recommendations in the Oregon legislature. Here's the link.  This is a great time to contact Senator Betsy Johnson and Representative Suzanne Weber. Contact info is here.
These endorsements were provided by the Clatsop County Democrats. 
HAPPENINGS
VIRTUAL 
Saturday,  May 22 - INCO North County Community Group Zoom meeting, 11 a.m - noon. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.

Tuesday, June 8 - INCO South County Community Group Zoom meeting, 6:30 pm - 8 pm. Please RSVP to Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com thru Monday, June 7 for your Zoom link.

The INCO Write to Voters group meets via Zoom on Fridays, 3-4 pm. Join us for informal chat and writing to voters in special elections and for ballot issues. Pets and children are welcome. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom invitation from Bebe. 

WRITE TO VOTERS: Special elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. You can sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org or for general Get Out the Vote campaigns, sign up at Vote Forward.
INSIGHTS
“Don’t assume (Trump) will fail just because his actions are so far outside the American mainstream. The rule of law depends on a society’s willingness to stand up for it when it’s under threat. This is our time of testing.”            
 --David Leonhardt, New York Times              
        
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  May 17, 2021