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Monday, March 17, 2025
3-17-25 Newsletter
Welcome to our new INCO members! We're delighted you're part of our democracy community.
WHAT ORDINARY PEOPLE DID
"I was not a great student in college. I liked learning, but not on someone else’s timetable. It was this story that woke me up and made me a scholar. I found it fascinating that a group of ordinary people from country towns who shared a fear that they were losing their democracy could figure out how to work together to reclaim it." -- Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, March 15, 2025
* * HAPPENINGS * *
Kudos to Gwen and the peninsula residents who turned out last week to protect Ocean Beach Hospital from proposed healthcare funding cuts.
RALLY AT OCEAN BEACH HOSPITAL: PROTECT THIS! Monday, March 17 • 3:30 - 5 pm 174 First Ave N, Ilwaco, WA
Suggested signs: Protect This! Medicaid Cuts: Bad for You! No Cuts to Medicaid!
"Let's stay positive and build bridges and educate the public about the healthcare funding threats by Trump, Musk, and Congressional Republicans."-- Gwen
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TESTIFY AT STATE BUDGET MEETING Friday, March 28, 5-7 pm Liberty Theater, 12th & Commercial, Astoria * Gather with other Indivisibles before the meeting in the Liberty Theater lobby at 4:30.
The Oregon Legislature's powerful Joint Committee on Ways and Means will hold one of its 2025 community budget meetings in Astoria. People interested in testifying before the committee can register at this website: tinyurl.com/8afd98b3Ideas for testifying and submitting testimony arehere.
"In the days before the first community budget hearing on March 22, the co-chairs will release their budget framework, which will outline the state's budgetary outlook and what resources might be available to use." --The Astorian, March 9, 2025
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* * * * * SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 5 • PROTECTING OUR FUTURE Nationwide protests hosted by Indivisible and other democracy groups Details about PROTECTING OUR FUTURE local protest coming soon! * * * * *
MAKE A SIGN • BUILD A BANNER Saturday, April 5 9 - 11 a.m. Cambium Gallery and Coffee, 1030 Duane, Astoria Materials provided - you can also bring your own
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PROTESTS, RALLIES, MARCHES, AND OTHER EVENTS
INCO is committed to taking strategic action to stop the coup and restore our democracy. We encourage everyone to stand up and speak out for the causes you support. While INCO can't sponsor every event, we will do our best to promote the ones we know about.
TAXES, BUDGETS, AND POLICIES: MAY 2025 ELECTIONS The last day to file as a candidate is March 20.
CANDIDATES: INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO INCO! If you're running for office on the May 20 ballot, you're invited to come to the April INCO Community Meeting to introduce yourself to attendees. If you'd like to do that, please email Laurie at incoregon@gmail.comso we can put you on the agenda.
Important positions in Clatsop County are up for election in May 2025. The list of positions on the ballot is here. Additional information about district elections from the Clatsop County Elections Department is here.
Thursday, March 20 * noon -1, via Zoom Updates and Q&A with Indivisible co-leaders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin. Submit questions when you register or submit them in the chat during the event. REGISTER HERE for the next What’s the Plan call on Thursday. Watch last week's event on Indivisible's YouTube channel.
* Get updates and action suggestions from Indivisible. Sign up here.
*INCO is part of COIN, the Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network. Get updates, track Oregon legislation, and learn about Oregon's 40+ Indivisible groups. Sign uphere.
ON THE SCHUMER SURRENDER
Admin from North Coast Action (NCA) participated in a national leaders call with Indivisible today. National leaders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg gave a lot of background on why the Dems (across ideological lines) believe the Senate Dems need a new leader. 91% of the 1,100 Indivisible leaders on this call voted for Indivisible to call for Schumer to step down as Minority Leader.
NCA's notes from the national meeting: • Since the Dems aren't in power, we can't set the agenda. But we can choose how we respond. We have to unite, which was supposed to be the plan until Schumer and his nine decided they'd go their own way. • Time is of the essence. Please ask our senators to go on record saying it's time for a change in leadership. Senator Wyden: 503-326-7525; Senator Merkley: 503-326-3386 • While we are out there working hard to save our democracy, Schumer is going on a book tour this week.
WE CAN OBSTRUCT DOGE A MESSAGE FROM CONGRESSMAN JAMIE RASKIN
Today I filed a formal demand for access to my personal data obtained by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk. I encourage all U.S. citizens to join me in doing the same.
Elon Musk should have been more careful in what he wished for, Laurel.DOGE recently dodged lawsuits about its seizure of citizens’ personal data by telling courts that it is a legitimate government agency entitled to extract this information. What Elon Musk apparently did not realize is that this statement triggers DOGE’s obligation to comply with citizen demands to see and—if need be—correct their personal information under the Privacy Act. It also allows every citizen to find out what other agencies or outside parties have been made privy to our information.
Last night, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an injunction commanding DOGE to comply with citizen requests under the Freedom of Information Act. FOIA encompasses the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, which entitles any citizen to access personal information held in any U.S. government records system.
By visiting the link on my website HERE,you can fill out the Privacy Act request form and mail it in directly to DOGE. This newly recognized federal agency, which has been systematically accessing government computer data systems, now has an obligation to respond to specific information demands from any of the 340 million U.S. citizens who exercise their legal right to defend their privacy and establish the security of their personal information.
I can’t wait to see what DOGE has been doing with all of our data, and I can’t wait to see what the courts will do if DOGE refuses to comply with the District Court’s injunction.
In a democracy, as opposed to a dictatorship, assuming the powers of government carries real burdens and obligations for our officials as well as the benefits and riches the billionaires routinely seek out.
I hope you will join me in this unfolding monumental struggle for transparency and the rights of the people. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to fill out the form HERE.
With gratitude and solidarity, and nothing but great high hopes for America,
Jamie Raskin March 11, 2025
LET SALEM HEAR YOUR VOICE!
Help Shape Oregon's Future!
Let legislators know how you feel about legislation currently under consideration. Go to COIN Legislation Watch Team at https://www.coinoregon.org/2025-legislation. Scroll down to see the list of bills where you can take action and submit comments with a simple click.
Your comments can be as brief as "I support this bill" or "I oppose this bill." Other information is supplied if you wish to write more detailed testimony. It can be especially helpful if you include how the bill will impact you or your loved ones.
INCO recommends this article about the hearing regarding the orders from Secretary of Defense Hegseth, acting on the orders of the president, to discharge any and all trans people currently serving as active duty, reserve, and National Guard in the military. Here's an excerpt:
"It didn't stop there. The lawyer for the Department of Justice said that $5.2 million was spent annually by the Pentagon on treatments for gender dysphoria. The judge asked him how much the Pentagon spent annually on Viagra. When the lawyer said he didn't know, Judge Reyes informed him that the Pentagon had spent $42 million on Viagra during 2024 alone. “It's not even a rounding error, right?” the judge asked. “If it's a cost per service member, it does matter,” the DOJ lawyer answered meekly." -- Lucian Truscott IV, "Trump’s utterly stupid transgender ban flames out in court hearing," Substack, March 16, 2025
VOICES: NEWS AND PERSPECTIVE
BUILDING THE DEMOCRACY COMMUNITY
Our movement keeps growing, with more Indivisible groups forming each month - more than the previous month, more than since November of 2016! In fact, 72 new Indivisible groups started in just one week from March 6-13!
Many Indivisible groups, including INCO, are connecting with other like-minded organizations to unite and unify their opposition to Trump, Musk, and Congressional Republicans.
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DEMOCRATIC POLICIES AND POSITION PAPERS
INCO was asked about Democratic think tanks that develop policies and legislative ideas. Please email your suggestions to incoregon@gmail.com. One INCO member suggests these:
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics - they at least publish position papers, if not draft legislation https://www.citizensforethics.org/
At the state level, the State Innovation Exchange actively works with state legislators to provide training, support and policy materials. https://stateinnovation.org/
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REPUBLICAN VOTERS WANT AUTHORITARIANISM
The World Values Survey looked at values and beliefs of Republican voters allied with Trump. The article's author is Jonathan V. Last, of The Bulwark. Read the March 10, 2025 article here.
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TRUMP ACCOUNTABILITY TRACKER
Democracy Docket is tracking the 55 most important Trump accountability lawsuits related to democracy. Restricting Birthright Citizenship 10 lawsuitshave been filed against this action. Status: Courts have blocked this action.
Federal Funding Freeze 5 lawsuits have been filed against this action. Status: Courts have blocked most efforts to freeze federal funds.
Establishing DOGE 5 lawsuits have been filed against this action. Status: Courts have yet to rule, so the action is in effect.
Granting DOGE Agency Access 12 lawsuits have been filed against this action. Status: Courts have blocked DOGE’s access to the Departments of the Treasury and Education and the United States African Development Foundation. Courts have yet to rule in cases related to DOGE’s access to the IRS and USAID so those actions are in effect.
Unlawfully Dismissing Political Appointees 7 lawsuits have been filed against this action. Status: Courts have reinstated the chairof the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB); a National Labor Relations Board member and a Federal Labor Relations Authority member.
Targeting Federal Employees and Civil Service 9 lawsuits have been filed against this action. Status: Courts have blocked actions firing federal workers at several agencies including the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs. An agreement stemming from litigation has blocked some efforts targeting FBI employees.
Dismantling Agencies (CFPB, USAID, Dept. of Education) 6 lawsuits have been filed against these efforts. Status: Courts have blocked some efforts to dismantle the USAID. Courts have yet to ruleon efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. -- Marc Elias, Democracy Docket, March 14, 2025
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STAY INFORMED
INCO encourages you to check out new sources of information and opinion. INCO's recommendations include: Joyce Vance - Civil Discourse Jay Kuo - Status Kuo Robert Hubbell - Today's Edition Heather Cox Richardson - Letters from an American The Contrarian The Bulwark The Jim Acosta Show Democracy Docket
All of these, except for Democracy Docket are on Substack. Some include audio and videos. Some columnists are on YouTube and frequently appear on news and opinion programs.
“What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?” -- George Eliot, “Middlemarch”
INCO defends democracy by opposing authoritarianism, bigotry, and corruption and by promoting civic engagement and building community. 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 here. Look for the INCO column in Hipfish Monthly. Indivisible North Coast Oregon is on Facebook, Instagram, and Blue Sky. INCO Weekly Newsletter • March 17, 2025
