Weekly Call To Action - October 31, 2021

Take Two Actions Now:

 If Mitch Can Change the Filibuster, 
Why Can’t Democrats?

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​Mitch McConnell and the Republicans DID NOT HESITATE to use the “nuclear option” to change Senate rules in 2017 in order to change the  filibuster and put Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court.  They voted 52-48 to reduce the vote threshold for confirming nominees to the Supreme Court from 60 to 51.

Our country is now threatened by staggering voter suppression and Republican state laws that will allow their elected officials to overturn elections they don’t like. How long will Democrats timidly allow the Republicans to play by their own rules?

Take this action in Take Action Network (TAN) If Mitch Can Change the Filibuster, Why Can’t Democrats? or do the action below:  

Action 1: Call your Senators.

• Senator Patty Murray, Phone: 253-572-3636 or Contact Form 
• Senator Maria Cantwell, Phone: 253-572-2281 or Contact Form 
  • Email both your MOCs at once using Democracy.io. 

Script: My name is ______. I am calling from Zip Code _____, and am a member of Olympia Indivisible. I am calling to tell Senator _____that we cannot wait any longer to pass voting rights. Senate Democrats MUST reform the filibuster and pass the Freedom to Vote Act.

Republicans changed the filibuster rules in 2017 to get the Supreme Court Judge they wanted and will likely eliminate the filibuster in the future if they get a chance. Democrats must act NOW to protect Democracy and restore fairness to our elections.​

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Tell the DOJ: January 6th Rioters Were Not “Mere Protesters”

​Join the Insurrectionists Accountability Project, a group of WA Indivisibles holding the DOJ Accountable, and take action today!

So far, more than 600 insurrectionists who participated in the riot in the U.S. Capitol on January 6th have been charged, and the Justice Department has been asking the courts for very light jail sentences, some as short as 45 days! Even the Chief Federal Judge in D.C. has raised questions about why pleading guilty to a misdemeanor is being permitted in so many of these cases, calling the DOJ’s approach ‘almost schizophrenic’. (article here)

Take this action in Take Action Network (TAN)Tell the DOJ: January 6th rioters were not “mere protesters” or do the action below:  

Action 2: Help this message go viral by tweeting and posting using the hashtags and demands below. Here are links to the posts crafted by the group on Facebook and Twitter. In addition to doing your own original post, you can share and retweet these posts as well!

Sample Post: Tell Congress to demand heavier sentences for Jan. 6 Insurrectionists – so far it’s all treats from Merrick Garland at @TheJusticeDept. Contact your Congresspeople now: https://www.congress.gov/contact-us  #Jan6Justice #truthbrigade

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Act on Local Issues

​Ask Inslee to Investigate WSP Rejecting Minority Candidates

Background information in this Seattle Times article: Washington State Patrol’s hiring under fire as agency failed to diversify over decades

​The Washington State Patrol is as vastly white today as it was nearly 20 years ago, before the agency’s first Black chief took charge.

​After consultants from Deloitte  found that minorities in a recent group of applicants failed at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts, WSP took notice of a concerning side effect: the psychological evaluation appears to disproportionately reject candidates of color.
Take this action in Take Action Network (TAN) Ask Inslee to Investigate WSP Rejecting Minority Candidates or do the action below:  

Action: Contact 

• Governor Inslee, Phone: 360-902-4111 or Contact Form

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Script: Please investigate and correct the hiring process at the Washington State Patrol (WSP) that results in rejecting minority applicants at a far greater rate than whites. The 9/26/2021 Seattle Times article "Washington State Patrol’s hiring under fire as agency failed to diversify over decades" clearly points out the problems at WSP with longtime psychologist Daniel Clark.

Sincerely,

[NAME] from [CITY],[ZIP]​

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​Roll Over Unused Thurston Conservation Funds

​Conservation Futures is a tax we pay to fund land preservation programs through a grant program to land trusts and other qualified programs for easements or land purchases for habitat, farmland and other open spaces in Thurston County.

In an unusual turn of events during this 2021 grant cycle few applications were received. CF tax dollars will remain unallocated. The Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) are considering options for those funds including moving them to projects other than rolling those dollars into the 2022 grant cycle.

Personalize the email to the Commissioners with these talking points:

• The 2021 grant cycle is unusual. Generally, CF grant requests significantly exceeded the available dollars.
• The 2021 lack of proposal may be due to the inherent complexity of real estate transactions. 
• Money forwarded to 2022 will help to compensate for the land cost increases.

Take this action with one click in Take Action Network (TAN) Roll Over Unused Thurston Conservation Funds or do the action below:  

Action: Email the Thurston Board of County Commissioners.

• county.commissioners@co.thurston.wa.us 

Email Subject Line:  Roll over Conservation Futures

Script: Dear Thurston Commissioners,
I am asking you to roll over unspent Conservation Futures funds and use them in the 2022 grant cycle. We should use those funds to meet preservation goals. 

Sincerely,

​[NAME] from [CITY],[ZIP]​

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​Supporting Our Candidates

Vote Vote Vote 

• Help get out the vote. 
• Encourage three people you know who might not be voting to VOTE. 
• Every vote is important. 

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Have You Scheduled These Events?

​A Great Opportunity To Hear Bob Ferguson
 A Panorama Town Hall 
Wednesday Nov 3 at 1:30pm 

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​Attorney General Bob Ferguson will be speaking at Panorama via a webinar sponsored by Grey Indivisible. He will address:

• Racial inequity
• Police reform and the implementation of Washington’s new laws
• Just how at risk we are of losing our democracy? 
• Actions we can take.

We look forward to seeing you there. You can register here.

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​A Presentation & Conversation on Reparations

​I want to share with you an event that is being hosted by Vashon-Maury SURJ, Backbone Campaign, Indivisible Vashon’s Immigrant/Refugee Rights Group, the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust, Indivisible Vashon. the Washington Indivisible Network (WIN) Race Equity and Inclusion team, and many other local organizations. 
 
Action: On Thursday. November 4th from 4:30 - 6:00 pm PT, this coalition will be hosting A Presentation & Conversation on Reparations.  You can find more info about the event here. You can register here. 

As many of you know, Indivisible National has been and continues to be a supporter of reparations. You can see one of our senior leaders talking about the issue in this NYT Times article. This issue is near and dear to many people's hearts and I encourage you to join this conversation, whether you are already a supporter of reparations or curious about the arguments for reparations. ​