Monday, October 3, 2022

10-3-2022 Newsletter

 

JOHNSON, KOTEK, AND DRAZAN DEBATE 
Who should be our next governor? The three candidates - Christine Drazan, Betsy Johnson, and Tina Kotek - debated on September 27 in Bend. You can watch Part 1 on YouTube. Part 2 is on YouTube here. 

INCO endorsed Tina Kotek for governor. Check out COIN's side-by-side comparisons of Kotek and Betsy Johnson regarding their actions and statements about climate, guns, reproductive health, housing, families, democracy, and ethics. 


REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
"Tina Kotek is the only true champion of reproductive rights in the race for Governor. If Republican Christine Drazan or Betsy Johnson are elected, they could: 
  • Appoint anti-abortion judges to Oregon’s courts, who could play decisive roles in the generational fight to restore our reproductive rights. 
  • Appoint anti-abortion agency leaders who would have the power to end programs and partnerships that the state currently has with clinics and other organizations that are providing essential reproductive health services across the state. 
  • Veto bills or budgets that aim to expand access to abortion, birth control, and sex education."
-- The Democratic Party of Oregon
YARD SIGNS
Show your support for these excellent candidates with yard signs: Tina Kotek, Melissa Busch, Logan Laity, and Ron Wyden. Contact info@clatsopdems.org with your location and the signs you'd like. 
 
HAVE YOU MOVED OR CHANGED YOUR NAME?
The deadline to update your voter registration with a new name, address, or other vital info is Tuesday, October 18. Without current information, you won’t receive your voter information booklet or your ballot. Contact the Clatsop Elections Office for details at
503-325-8605.
INCO's All In for the Midterms
Thursday, October 13  •  6:30 - 8 pm  •  via Zoom

Q & A with candidates 
First-hand stories of how to Get Out the Vote for democracy

Hosted by INCO's South County Community Group

Contact Bebe at
 
littlebylittle4change@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
All INCO members are invited! We'd love to see you!
AAUW CANDIDATES FORUM
Tuesday, October 18 at 7 pm
Astoria High School
Q&A with candidates for Warrenton City Commission and Astoria City Council

CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED

"... a consistent theme in international events is that governments that lack the consent of the governed are inherently unstable and doomed to fail. At the moment, America still operates with the consent of the governed—however imperfect and messy our system of governing may be.

"Rather than bemoaning its imperfections, we should recognize that it is a distinguishing characteristic of a free people and do all we can to protect, preserve, and improve it."
-- Robert Hubbell, Today's Edition newsletter, 
September 27, 2022 

RESISTANCE
Authoritarianism is expanding across the globe, but so is resistance! American historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat talks about these dramatic social movements in this recent "America at a Crossroads" event. The last 10 minutes are especially hopeful and inspiring.
VOTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
INCO activist and leader Bebe Michel made these buttons to inspire us to vote to support women's rights, including reproductive rights. Thanks to a generous donor for covering mailing costs. Please send your request, including which design, quantity, and mailing address, to incoregon@gmail.com

TESTING THE SYSTEM

"In the coming months, Trump, his desperation growing, will likely seek to test the system to the point of breakage, just as he did after November, 2020. Defenders of democracy and the rule of law, regardless of their political affiliation, had better be prepared."
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, September, 20, 2022  

INCO ENDORSEMENTS
INCO endorses these candidates because they align with our values, defend democracy, and oppose authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. INCO does not endorse candidates for city office. 
 
Governor:  Tina Kotek*

State Senate: Melissa Busch
State Representative: Logan Laity
US Senate: Ron Wyden*
US Representative: Suzanne Bonamici*


*Also endorsed by COIN (Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network). As a statewide alliance of 40+ groups, COIN only endorses federal and statewide candidates.
WRITE TO SAVE DEMOCRACY
Get out the vote for pro-democracy candidates. 
For free postcards, stamps, or information, contact incoregon@gmail.com.

WRITE TO VOTERS
• Postcards To Voters:  Handwritten postcards sent to Democrats to get out the vote. PTV provides scripts. Sign up at the website or at join@TonyTheDemocrat.org
• Vote Forward:  You print prepared letters to voters and add a few sentences. All letters get mailed in October.
• Postcards To Swing States:  Progressive Turnout Project provides the postcards, scripts and addresses to rally Democrats to vote.


WRITE AN LTE
Write a Letter to the Editor (LTE) - Write a few sentences or more, up to 250 words. Send to editor@dailyastorian.com, along with your name, address, and phone.

WRITE TO YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
How will your Members of Congress know what you want if you don't tell them? Send a postcard, write an email through their websites. Even better - call and speak to a Congressional staffer, or leave a message. Here's contact information for Senators Wyden and Merkley, Congresswoman Bonamici, and for other elected officials..
HAPPENINGS 
Thursday, October 13 - INCO South County Community Group hosts INCO's All In for the Midterms, 6:30-8 pm, via Zoom. Contact Bebe at littlebylittle4change@gmail.com to get the Zoom link. 

Thursday, October 13 - INCO-Warrenton Community Group meeting. INCO's All In for the Midterms, 6:30-8 pm, via Zoom. Hosted by INCO South County Community Group. Contact Bebe at littlebylittle4change@gmail.com to get the Zoom link. 

Thursday, October 13 - INCO Astoria/North County Community Group meeting. INCO's All In for the Midterms, 6:30-8 pm, via Zoom. Hosted by INCO South County Community Group. Contact Bebe at littlebylittle4change@gmail.com to get the Zoom link. 

Every Friday - INCO Write to Voters (WTV), via Zoom, 3-4 pm. Informal chat while we write letters and postcards to voters. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link if you haven't previously attended. 
INSIGHTS
"Dreams and deed are not as different as many think. All the deeds of men are dreams at first, and become dreams in the end."
-- Theodor Herzl, Austro-Hungarian writer and political activist
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.
Look for the INCO column in 
Hipfish Monthly. We're on Facebook, too.
INCO Weekly Newsletter       October 3, 2022