8-16-2021 Newsletter

 

Learn what’s at stake, what we should expect - and what we need to advocate for - in redistricting this year. Register for this Zoom webinar here.

REDISTRICTING STARTS SOON IN OREGON   " ... redistricting is about more than partisan politics. It is about how people in our diverse communities are best represented." -- State Representative David Gomberg, HD 10 (Tillamook and points south and east) More information and these graphics are from his excellent newsletter of August 9, 2021.

S.1 - FOR THE PEOPLE ACT UPDATE "A bill to expand Americans' access to the ballot box, reduce the influence of big money in politics, strengthen ethics rules for public servants, and implement other anti-corruption measures for the purpose of fortifying our democracy, and for other purposes." -- govtrack Our thanks to Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley for sponsoring this bill, which was introduced last March. It has 48 Cosponsors (46 Democrats, 2 Independents). The committees assigned to this bill sent it to the House or Senate as a whole for consideration on August 11, 2021. Follow the bill's progress, get more details, and read the bill's entire text here. Please contact Senators Merkley and Wyden, even if you've called before. Thank them for their support of S.1 and urge them to continue to push for its passage. Your calls matter! The Senate needs to pass S.1, the For the People Act, soon to allow time for its provisions to go into effect before the 2022 midterms. Pro-democracy groups around the country, including Indivisible, are keeping up the pressure.

CORRECT LINK FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE INITIATIVE Oregon Honest Elections and Oregon Progressive Party are gathering names of people interested in working on a statewide November, 2022 ballot initiative for campaign finance reform since the Oregon legislature did nothing on this issue. The initiative will be filed with the Secretary of State's office soon. You can make campaign finance reform happen.  Here's the correct link for signing up to help.

GOP GAINS IF NEWSOM LOSES "The potential recall of Newsom has national ramifications. Although the California legislature is solidly Democratic, a temporary Republican Governor would appoint a replacement U.S. Senator if a vacancy occurred in California’s Senate delegation. Diane Feinstein is the oldest Senator (88) in the Senate. Questions have been raised about her competency and health. See The New Yorker, “Dianne Feinstein’s Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats.” If Democrats lose their majority in the Senate because of the Newsom recall, that would complicate (read: doom) Biden’s effort to appoint a Supreme Court justice if an opening occurs." -- Robert Hubbell, Today's Edition, 8-13-21 Encourage California's Democratic voters to vote NO to recall. Write to California voters through Postcards to Voters.

DEMAND A SEAT Thinking about running for office? Demand a Seat is Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund's program to train Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers and gun violence survivors to run for office on the issue of gun safety.  Demand a Seat will recruit, provide opportunities for mentorship, and train volunteers interested in running for office or running campaigns. More information here.

HAPPENINGS  SUMMER HIATUS - INCO South County Community Group and INCO North County Community Group are not meeting during the summer. They'll resume meetings in September.    Write To Voters - Special elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. INCO encourages you to sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org or for general Get Out the Vote campaigns, sign up at Vote Forward. For supplies or information, contact incoregon@gmail.com.

INSIGHTS "Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom.                  It’s adolescence." -- M. Karl, Reader's Comment, New York Times, August 13, 2021

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  August 16, 2021