3-27-23 Newsletter

 

LOBBYING FOR SMART CLIMATE BILLS Kudos to INCO members Cheryl Conway and Eric Halperin and about 150 other climate-conscious Oregonians who met with their state legislators via Zoom last week. The Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV) and the Oregon Climate Network (OCN) held their virtual Lobby Days with legislators  to advocate for the OCLV/OCN priority bills. These included support for: Resilient, Efficient Buildings (SB 868, 869, 870, 871) Toxic Free Environment (SB 546, 426, and HB 3043) Zero Waste (SB 542, 543, 545) Natural Climate Solutions (SB 530) Factory Farm Moratorium (SB 85) Opposition to HB 3382 which allows ports to dredge without complying with state land use laws.   Cheryl and Eric met first with Senator Suzanne Weber’s Chief of Staff Katie Pritchard (Senator Weber was unexpectedly called away). They were joined by two other constituents, one from Columbia County and one from Washington County.  They then met with Representative Cyrus Javadi. Cheryl and Eric found that Javadi was receptive to discussion on controversial bills, and he even reported having that morning voted in support of HB 3043, Toxic Free Kids. They were hopeful that there may be openings for future bipartisan cooperation on climate and environmental issues with the Republican Representative.  They also thought the Zoom format was very effective, much easier than traveling to Salem, and encourage other INCO members to look for opportunities to join in the future.   41 VOTERS: "LIVES WILL BE SAVED" Three Nebraska legislators are filibustering Republican proposals to ban gender-affirming healthcare. In fact, they are committing to filibustering ALL legislation until the anti-trans bill is withdrawn. Jessica Craven explains how they can do this: "Democrats in the Nebraska Senate are in the minority. By a lot. They are able to filibuster this bill because it takes 33 votes to overcome a filibuster. Republicans have 32. They are short the ONE VOTE they need. "And that one Democratic seat blocking them? It was won just last year by 41 votes. Votes that the States Project helped get with their strategic work and fundraising. Do you see now why their work matters? And why every vote matters? And why every seat in every statehouse matters? "Lives will be saved, trans kids’ hope maintained, dastardly legislation stopped—all because of ONE seat, and the 41 extra people who turned out to vote for it. "The flap of a butterfly’s wings, essentially, changing the course of history. "NEVER think for a second that what you do doesn’t matter. ALL of it matters. Every single bit of it." -- Jessica Craven, Chop Wood, Carry Water newsletter, March 24, 2023  •  "This bill is a top priority for Oregon’s environmental justice leaders because it ties housing production statewide to local equity indicators and will increase affordable housing and location choice."   -- Oregon Just Transition Alliance  •  Visit COIN's Legislation 2023 web page for updates on bills COIN has endorsed or opposed, or bills we are still watching. Legislators won't know what you want unless you tell them. Please take a moment to comment on at least one of the bills on COIN's Legislation web page. •  All INCO members are invited to the  COIN meeting on Tuesday, April 4, at 7:00 pm, via Zoom.  Register for COIN meetings here (just once for all 2023 meetings). THE CASES AGAINST TRUMP: A GUIDE In its March 23 newsletter, an Atlantic magazine article clarifies the timelines, the issues at stake, and the threat the legal cases pose to the former president. This is one of the most concise and clear descriptions available. If you can't access it, contact incoregon@gmail.com so we can forward the newsletter to you. STOPPING MAGA "Only about 20% of Americans are die-hard MAGA supporters, but they give a bad name to American democracy writ large. Why isn’t every concerned American speaking out vigorously, continuously, and loudly? If we all did so, MAGA extremism would be less of a threat than it is." -- Robert Hubbell, Today's Edition, March 24, 2023 Check out Indivisible's plan to defeat the Unrepresentative 18, including US Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer, (OR-05), a MAGA backer.  TIME TO REFLECT "I’ll close with what’s likely to be an unpopular take. I don’t find any joy in the prospect of indicting a former President, and certainly none in the fact that there are multiple criminal investigations into his conduct under way. It’s an enormously sad moment for our country. That doesn’t mean that justice shouldn’t be done—it must be. But for me, at least, it’s more a somber moment of reflection than one for busting out the champagne.  "I hope we won’t become a country of people chanting, “Lock him up.” It would be as distasteful and anti-democratic when aimed at Trump as it was when he aimed it at Hillary Clinton and others. Let’s let our justice system work: slow, imperfect, but still essential to the rule of law. If the system works, we continue to be a country governed by laws, not the whims of men. Let’s not permit Trump to change who we are." -- Joyce Vance, Civil Discourse, on Substack, March 21, 2023  RURAL CAUCUS & STRATEGY SESSION Saturday, May 20 in person Gather with like-minded rural Oregonians at this year's Rural Caucus & Strategy Sessionhosted by the Rural Organizing Project. It is Saturday, May 20th in the Linn/Benton county area. INCO can help with registration, lodging, and travel costs. Please contact Laurie at incoregon@gmail.com soon if you're interested. HAPPENINGS Thursday, April 13 - INCO Community Meeting, via Zoom. Social time at 6 pm; meeting is 6:30-7:30 pm. All INCO members are invited to attend. We meet the 2nd Thursday of each month. Link to join Zoom meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87835618044  Meeting ID: 878 3561 8044 One tap mobile +12532050468,,87835618044# US +12532158782,,87835618044# US (Tacoma) INSIGHTS “The one thing never in question was the necessity of hope – not some airy wish for better times, but a belief that calls for action, demands she make her own way there.  Hope: not for its own sake, but for all that it reveals.” --Brian Payton, THE WIND IS NOT A RIVER 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      March 27, 2023 Copyright © 2023 INDIVISIBLE North Coast Oregon, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website or signed up at a community group meeting. Indivisible North Coast Oregon (INCO) defends democracy by opposing authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. Our mailing address is: 766 Lexington Avenue, Astoria, OR 97103 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list