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