6-3-24 Newsletter

 

PROJECT 2025 AND YOU INCO urges you to read this and other information about Project 2025. Project 2025's threat to our freedoms and way of life is very real, especially if Biden loses the November election. Donald Trump and MAGA's major backers and funders sponsor Project 2025, proudly displayed online and endorsed by Trump. INCO has bolded some parts below. "“Project 2025” is a plan to execute what amounts to a comprehensive authoritarian takeover of American government. "Broadly speaking, it envisions a vast expansion of presidential power over the executive branch. Moreover, “Project 2025” seeks to dismantle certain parts of government, the administrative state, and federal agencies – while simultaneously mobilizing and weaponizing others. And finally, “Project 2025” is a promise to purge from government anyone who is not all in on the Trumpist project and replace them with loyalists and ideological conformists. ".... But in general, “Project 2025” is evidence that the American Right has concrete plans and a detailed strategy of how to take over and transform American government into a machine that serves only two purposes: autocratic revenge against the “woke” enemy, and the imposition of a reactionary vision for society against the will of the majority. ".... But beyond just dismantling the state, “Project 2025” also seeks to mobilize and weaponize government in a far-reaching effort to punish and purge “woke” enemies and impose a reactionary white Christian patriarchal order on American society. Public health, for instance, is seen purely as a tool to uphold a traditionalist, conservative Christian understanding of gender, family, and motherhood. Labor Policy? A tool to create more room to legally discriminate in the workplace.  “Project 2025” openly demands, for example, that the president “Rescind regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, and sex characteristics. ".... In a very real sense, that’s what’s on the ballot in November. The election isn’t really about Biden vs. Trump; it’s a referendum on whether the effort to finally realize the promise of a truly democratic, pluralistic, multiracial society should be continued or abolished altogether. Those are the stakes. -- Highlights from The Big Picture interview withThomas Zimmer, who is a historian at Georgetown University focusing on the recent history of American democracy and the anti-democratic impulses of the American right. He explores the topic at length in his Democracy Americana Substack where he has raised the alarm about Project 2025, and co-hosts the Is This Democracy podcast. "“Project 2025” is a plan to execute what amounts to a comprehensive authoritarian takeover of American government." "Broadly speaking, it envisions a vast expansion of presidential power over the executive branch. Moreover, “Project 2025” seeks to dismantle certain parts of government, the administrative state, and federal agencies – while simultaneously mobilizing and weaponizing others. And finally, “Project 2025” is a promise to purge from government anyone who is not all in on the Trumpist project and replace them with loyalists and ideological conformists. ".... But in general, “Project 2025” is evidence that the American Right has concrete plans and a detailed strategy of how to take over and transform American government into a machine that serves only two purposes: autocratic revenge against the “woke” enemy, and the imposition of a reactionary vision for society against the will of the majority. ".... But beyond just dismantling the state, “Project 2025” also seeks to mobilize and weaponize government in a far-reaching effort to punish and purge “woke” enemies and impose a reactionary white Christian patriarchal order on American society. Public health, for instance, is seen purely as a tool to uphold a traditionalist, conservative Christian understanding of gender, family, and motherhood. Labor Policy? A tool to create more room to legally discriminate in the workplace.  “Project 2025” openly demands, for example, that the president “Rescind regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, and sex characteristics. ".... In a very real sense, that’s what’s on the ballot in November. The election isn’t really about Biden vs. Trump; it’s a referendum on whether the effort to finally realize the promise of a truly democratic, pluralistic, multiracial society should be continued or abolished altogether. Those are the stakes. -- Highlights from The Big Picture interview withThomas Zimmer, who is a historian at Georgetown University focusing on the recent history of American democracy and the anti-democratic impulses of the American right. He explores the topic at length in his Democracy Americana Substack where he has raised the alarm about Project 2025, and co-hosts the Is This Democracy podcast. * Trump endorses the GOP's Project 2025 , as do the right-wing funders and promoters of this plan for an American dictatorship. Among their goals: Destroy independent news coverage, stack the courts, arrest dissenters, establish concentration camps, obstruct voting and fair elections, weaponize the Justice Department to engage in revenge politics; and prohibit contraception, marriage equality, and other health and sexuality measures. * Another Substack newsletter about Project 2025 is How to Tell Your Friends About Project 2025. Basic Q&As show that many Americans are already suffering under Republican-led laws from Project 2025. GUILTY ON ALL 34 COUNTS: WHAT'S NEXT The judge, Juan M. Merchan, scheduled Mr. Trump’s sentencing for July 11. There is a possibility that Trump could be sentenced to as much as four years in prison, but it is more likely that he will be sentenced only to probation, home confinement, a financial penalty, community service, and/or counseling. If he is sentenced to probation, he could still be imprisoned if he is found guilty of additional crimes (Mr. Trump is currently facing three other criminal cases).  There will almost certainly be an appeal (the notice of appeal may be filed even before the sentencing). It is likely (but not certain) that sentencing would be stayed during the appeal, which could drag on for months. The guilty verdicts do not bar Mr. Trump from continuing his campaign for the presidency. -- Traci Feit Love, Founder & Executive Director, Lawyers for Good Government CHOOSING JUSTICES "Three of the current justices are in their 70s. There’s a good chance whoever wins the presidency in November will fill more than one court vacancy. A strategy for Democrats would be to hammer home the long-term effects of this election on all three branches of government.  "This, among many other reasons, is why defeating Donald Trump matters well beyond the four years he would occupy the Oval Office." -- Dan Rather, "Supremely Unaccountable," Steady, May 28, 2024  AN INSURRECTIONIST JUSTICE ON THE SUPREME COURT Justice Samuel Alito has flown pro-Trump, pro-insurrectionist and Christian nationalist flags at his home and beach house - while he's also deciding cases about the January 6insurrection and attempted coup.    Tell your senators to save democracy from this insurrectionist. Make sure your senators are being vocal about the need for an investigation into Alito’s corruption and political partisanship. Congress must not accept a corrupt court; they must do everything in their power to expose his unfitness to serve and get him off the Supreme Court. Senator Ron Wyden - 202 224-5244, or email here. Senator Jeff Merkley - 202-224-3753, or email here. Here's a sample comment to her senators from a Substack reader in California: Please give your support To Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island on his Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act. I would prefer the word "must" to replace "shall or should" but would be happy with the bill as written. Since this bill requires no money it should not be subject to filibuster. In the near future I would like to see a standardized code of ethics to apply to all appointed, elected, and employed members of the Federal Government. We have a similar code of ethics in California for teachers and government employees. I see no reason why any person of integrity would object to signing a similar one at the Federal level. * You can file a complaint with the Supreme Court regarding Justice Alito. Check it out at dumpalito.com * Robert Hubbell notes that the Court still has to rule "on issues involving abortion (mifepristone and emergency room care), gun safety and domestic violence restraining orders, rights of unhoused people, and presidential immunity. See Eight Supreme Court Cases To Watch | ACLU." WRITE TO VOTERS Gather with like-minded Indivisibles to help elect pro-democracy candidates. INCO provides postcards, scripts, pens, stamps, and Wite-Out.   TUESDAYS, 3 - 4:30 pm - WineKraft, at the east end of Pier 11 Mall, 77 11th Street, Astoria  No purchase necessary   WEDNESDAYS, 3 - 4:30 pm - Geneia's home in Seaside. Contact geneiajam60@gmail.comfor details. INCO INSIGHTS “For liberty without learning is always in peril, and learning without liberty is always in vain.” —President John F. Kennedy, 1963 Thanks to Bebe for this photo of Neacoxie Creek in Gearhart. Indivisible defends democracy by opposing authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption. 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  June 3, 2024 Website Email Facebook Copyright © 2024 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. Our mailing address is: *|766 Lexington Avenue, Astoria, OR 97103:HTML|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.