Call To Action 8-2-2020

8/2/2020

SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY

VOTE
The Primary is Tuesday, if you have not voted yet, now is the time. If you are not registered – contact the Auditors office Monday morning – you can still vote. Need some help deciding – go to our OI Elections page. https://www.olympiaindivisible.org/endorsed-candidates.html
ACTION: Vote

URGENT! DON’T LET TRUMP STOP MAIL-IN BALLOTS!
This week the Washington Post and New York Times reported that Trump’s new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy (A wealthy Republican Donor) has put in place new policies that intentionally are slowing down and delaying the mail. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/31/us/politics/trump-usps-mail-delays.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20200802&instance_id=20914&nl=the-morning&regi_id=94282831&segment_id=35036&te=1&user_id=1b24b37f56025943388fda293bd7245a

In normal times the Postmaster General would be independent of politics, but in May, Trump insisted that he install his own Postmaster General in exchange for a crucial loan the Postal Service desperately needed to stay solvent during the Pandemic slow down. This is a classic Trump strategy to install a political hack to undermine a government agency. Although the Postal Service needs reform, these new policies that deny postal workers time to deliver all of the mail will accomplish Trump’s goal to undermine trust in the Postal Service and to delay mail-in ballots. Mail delays are especially a problem in swing states that invalidate ballots that aren’t delivered by election day, even if they were postmarked in time. If nothing is done, it is highly likely this will have a huge impact on voters’ ability to receive their ballots and have them counted.

These events are especially troubling because there are few ways to impact what the Postmaster General is doing. Already the House Committee on Oversight and Reform has written Postmaster Dejoy requiring an explanation for these slow-down policies. https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2020-07-20.CBM%20GEC%20to%20DeJoy%20-PMG%20re%20Postal%20Service%20Changes.pdf

WE NEED TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THIS BLATANT ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE WITH THE ELECTION NOW!

Action:
Call or email CONGRESSMAN DENNY HECK as well as the House Committee on Oversight and Reform

Script:

My name is ___________and I am calling as a member of Olympia Indivisible because I am outraged that the new Postmaster General chosen by President Trump in May has put in place policies that are intentionally slowing down the mail. This slowdown is a clear attempt to prevent citizens from being able to receive ballots by mail and have them delivered in time to be validated.

Federal law requires the Postal Service to deliver the mail promptly and reliably and these new policies that do not allow workers enough time to deliver the mail each day are a threat to our democracy.

I ask that you demand that the House Committee on Oversight and Reform hold PUBLIC HEARINGS immediately to let the American people know what is happening.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (202-225-5051)

Congressman Denny Heck (360-459-8514)

Support Maricopa Democratic Headquarters ARSON Recovery Fund
The Democratic Party’s state and county headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, was targeted in an arson attack this past Friday. Luckily, no one was injured in the early-hours blaze that ripped through and decimated the part of the building occupied by the Maricopa County Democratic Party. The inferno totally destroyed the Maricopa County headquarters, including computers, laptops, phone banking equipment, and decades’ worth of gathered voter and candidate information. Arizona is a key state in the 2020 election and one of the states which Olympia Indivisible adopted to aid in 2020. In fact, our Arizona Field Team was at the Maricopa County headquarters for its opening ceremonies when we did our field trip in February.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
ACTION: Make a personal donation to the Fire Recovery Fund for Maricopa County Democratic Headquarters. The Maricopa County Democratic party has just set up a page on their website which makes this easy to do online. If you prefer to send a check, send your donation to MCDP C/O Brooklynne Sundseth 1101 E Almeria Rd Phoenix, AZ 85006.

Two Weeks Left to Help States Provide Safe Voting
As the pandemic escalates, 16 states still do not provide absentee mail-in ballots or expanded early in-person voting.
During these last four weeks the Advocacy Initiative project, we will continue to PUSH Governors and Election Officials in those targeted states. We also need to contact their US Senators to support safe voting legislation now in Congress. The work is all done remotely from home, it’s easy, and it’s crucial. Contact lists and scripts are provided. The OI Advocacy Initiative Team will help you get started during personalized training sessions. If you’ve already been making contacts but have a few questions, join us at the beginning of a “Check-In and Get Started” session. These sessions are offered twice a week and will continue through mid-August.

Check-in & Get Started Advocacy Initiative sessions

Mondays at 12 Noon PDT
Use this link to register for this meeting.
Fridays at 10:00 a.m. PDT
Use this link to register for this meeting.

STATE & COUNTY ACTION

The Legislative Team Has Selected the Top Actions for the Week Of 08/03/20
Protect our quality of life and the character of Thurston County by commenting on land use policy ahead of the 8/19/20 7:00 p.m. public hearing.
Proposed changes will allow gravel pits and associated truck traffic to encroach into our forests, farms and parks.
Note: References to ‘mining’ are referring to sand and gravel. The Thurston Planning Commission is considering changes to allow more land use by sand and gravel companies.
The Comprehensive Plan Presentation is found at the bottom of the web page.

Proposed changes to the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan include:

Mineral lands (How & why to keep land with sand, gravel and bedrock available for continued mining).
Forestry (How & why to keep forest lands forested).
Parks (How much land to set aside).
Health (Update with current community health info).

What: Planning Commission Public Hearing on 2020 Comprehensive Plan Update
When: August 19, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. or soon thereafter.

Attend Virtually: The Planning Commission will provide a link on their agenda at: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/planning/Pages/pc-meetings.aspx
If unable to attend the public hearing, you can submit comments to Maya Teeple, Senior Planner, at maya.teeple@co.thurston.wa.us.
Review some of the already submitted comments:
https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/planning/planningdocuments/CompPlanComments_07152020.pdf

Additional Talking Points:

Preservation of the rural character, agricultural uses and sensitive environments are keys to quality of life. Thurston’s rural character can not withstand a severe cut to farmland.
Mining causes pollution to air, groundwater, noise and traffic. Please reduce the amount of land designated for mining.
Maintain the 1,000 foot buffer from public parks and preserves and mining operations. A shorter buffer is not adequate to protect sensitive areas from noise, dust, lights, potential pollution and groundwater changes.
Co-designating mineral lands and long-term forestry lands unreasonably inflates the acreage and the resources that will likely be extracted from both categories.
Land Trusts should be included as “parks” for the 1000 foot setback protections from mining activities.

Action: Send comments.

Suggested script:
To: maya.teeple@co.thurston.wa.us
Subject: Comprehensive Plan Update Comments

Maintain the 1,000 foot buffer from public parks and preserves and mining operations.
Do not co‐designate long‐term agriculture as mineral lands.
Do not co‐designate mineral lands and long-term forestry lands.

Help Beth Doglio Get An Indivisible.org National Endorsement.

Please help secure a national endorsement for Beth Doglio by completing a very simple registration form from Indivisible. org which will allow you to participate in their voting process to determine the endorsement. We, Olympia Indivisible, have submitted Beth’s name for consideration. After vetting, they will pole registered CD10 members. There are a number of benefits to this endorsement for Beth, so please help and register. https://act.indivisible.org/signup/endorsement-signup

Olympia Indivisible Elections Alerts and EventsHelp out our OI endorsed candidates – go to https://www.olympiaindivisible.org/endorsed-candidates.html to see their upcoming needs. Here’s what’s posted this week:

Beth Doglio - Congressional District 10 Representative
ALERTS: Beth Doglio for Congress is looking for volunteers (RIGHT NOW) to host a virtual fundraiser, phone bank, and text bank! Please contact Caitlin Krenn, Field Director, for more information: (360) 339-5744 / caitlin@bethdoglio.com.
Beth Doglio is proudly endorsed by Olympia Indivisible Group, Indivisible Tacoma Community, and Indivisible Puyallup.

Jessica Bateman - Representative District 22 Position 2ALERTS: Jessica Bateman's campaign is wanting volunteers for phone banking every Wednesday and Saturday leading up to the primary. They also need volunteers for literature dropping. Contact Sara at: sara.develle@gmail.com.

Team Bateman Sign-Waving Events
There are only two weeks until Election Day! Please join us to sign-wave for candidate Jessica Bateman! They are requesting O.I. volunteers to help wave signs at these outdoor events, while observing social distancing and wearing a mask. As always to support community health, we encourage you to stay home if you are not feeling well.

Please send questions or an RSVP to: info@votejessicabateman.com.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Carolina Mejia - Thurston County Commissioner District 1ALERTS: Team Carolina Mejia needs your help! We need volunteers and we will train! What: Here is what our campaign needs: Virtual phone banking, lawn sign planting, host a virtual fundraiser, and sign waving.
Where: Volunteer from home or walk/drive around your community and plant lawn signs!
When: We meet virtually every Thursday and Friday from 4 - 7pm and Saturday from 11 to 2pm. You can make phone calls, plant yard signs or host a virtual fundraiser on your own schedule.

Please contact Antonia Moore Volunteer Coordinator (antonia@carolinaforthurston.com) for more information.
Phone: (253) 468-3725

Michael Steadman - Thurston Commissioner District 2ALERTS: Michael Steadman’s campaign is currently requesting volunteers who will do phone banking. Any of our members who would be willing to volunteer should contact Jesse Simmons via email (jwsimmons0824@gmail.com).
Campaign phone: (360) 525-4142

ZOOM: Weekly Zoom phone bank sessions from 6pm to 8pm on Monday, Tuesday, Friday from now until Wed Aug 5.

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