9-20-2021 Newsletter

 

20 ACRES OF HEARTBREAK “In America: Remember,” which opened Friday, ia an art installation of hundreds of thousands of flags planted along the National Mall in DC in memory of the more than 670,000 people in the United States who have died from the coronavirus. The New York Times article with more photos is here. Visitors are invited to personalize flags for someone they have lost. Those who cannot visit in person can dedicate a flag on this website until September 30th, and it will appear in physical form on the National Mall. The exhibition is open for public participation through October 3rd, 2021.

RECONCILIATION AND RECOVERY You can help make sure that the House reconciliation bill includes progressive priorities and passes by the September 27 deadline. Please thank Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici for supporting a progressive recovery package and urge her to pass an inclusive recovery package.   Per Indivisible, here’s what an inclusive recovery could look like:  A pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants; Lowering drug prices, expanding Medicare to cover vision, dental, and hearing, and lowering the eligibility age to 60 years old; Investments in climate, including a Clean Energy Standard (with no fossil fuels!) and a Civilian Climate Corps; Investments in housing, especially deeply affordable housing and housing for unhoused populations;  Historic investments in the care economy including universal child care, paid leave, and home and community-based care; and Address extreme wealth inequality by taxing the ultra-rich and big corporations so they finally pay their fair share.

REPUBLICAN RADICALISM VS. OUR RIGHTS "The growing radicalism of the Republican Party is putting pressure on Democrats to pass a voting rights act to counteract the vote-suppressing measures that Republican-dominated states are enacting. Today, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he hopes to bring a voting rights bill backed by West Virginia Democratic senator Joe Manchin to the floor for a vote as early as next week." -- Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, 9-14-21 Please contact Senators Merkley and Wyden, even if you've called before. Thank them for their support of S.1, the For the People Act, and urge them to continue to push for its passage. They need to know what their constituents, including you, want. We need the Senate pass this robust voting rights legislation to protect our rights, regardless of which state we live in.

Please join INCO in supporting humane and respectful policies and treatment for immigrants and Dreamers. Photos are from INCO's Rally for DACA, September 16, 2017.

THANK YOU, HIPFISH Remember to pick up your free copy of Hipfish Monthly to read INCO's column every month. Hipfish editor and publisher Dinah Urell has generously provided this space and other coverage to promote local pro-democracy activism and information. Hipfish is available at stores, galleries, and other venues throughout the region. You can also read issues online.

REDISTRICTING AND YOU Redistricting will decide who is included in Oregon's new sixth seat in the US House of Representatives. It could also change our state house and senate legislative districts. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party have submitted their own maps for Congress and the legislature. September 27 is the deadline for the Oregon legislature to approve maps. For more information about redistricting or how to participate, read this article in the Astorian or this one in the Oregon Capital Insider. For information on the process and to see the proposed maps, viisit www.oregonlegislature.gov/redistricting.

HAPPENINGS  EVERY FRIDAY - INCO Write to Voters Virtual Group, 3 - 4 pm. Via Zoom. If you are new to this group, contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link. More details about writing to voters are below. Tuesday, October 12 - 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. 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 "I have one theory in life. I never want to say the words, 'I should have.'.... Never go through life saying you should have." -- Vincent Ardolino, Captain, Amberjack V; in "Boatlift," a film about the boat rescues from Manhattan on 9/11

New York Times graphic.

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 September 20, 2021