Call to Action May 3, 2020

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PROTECT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE
 ​
Tell Congress To Get Back to Work NOW!!!
 
While Congress is dithering around figuring out how to reopen with new rules, Trump’s administration continues to take advantage of this moment by helping their friends and distorting the realities of the devastating impact of COVID on our country. Billions of dollars of aid money have gone to huge corporations while workers and small businesses get ignored because they are not the preferred customers of the banks. The Whitehouse continues to prevent officials from exposing their ineptitude. This week Trump fired Health and Human Services Inspector General Christy Grimm for doing her job and reporting on the crisis hospitals are facing due to lack of supplies and support. According to the Washington Post our Senator Patty Murray said this about the firing:  “We all know the President hasn’t told people the truth about this virus or his Administration’s response, and late last night, he moved to silence an independent government official who did,” she said in a statement. “The President cannot be above oversight, no matter how he denies, attacks, and fights against it.”  Meanwhile The Whitehouse also blocked Dr. Fauci from testifying to Congress, fearful that the truth would hurt Trump’s re-election.
 
ACTION:  Call our Senators Murray, Cantwell, and Congressmen Heck and urge them to act NOW!
Contacts: Senator Cantwell:(202) 224-3441 Senator Murray: 202-224-2621 Congressman Heck: 360-459-8514
 
Script: My name is ________ and I live in _______. I am calling to insist that (Senator/Congressman_____) act now to curb this dishonest administration.  Our country desperately needs Congress to do their duty and provide oversight of the stimulus funds, as well as protecting public officials that can’t do their job for fear of being fired for telling the truth. This week Dr. Fauci was blocked from testifying to Congress and we learned that billions of dollars of financial aid went to huge corporations, while workers and small businesses were turned away by banks.  We need (Senator/Congressman_____) to provide oversight now before it is too late!
 
SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY
Denny Heck’s strong support for access to voting deserves our thanks
Getting out the vote is fundamental to the Indivisible strategy to take back our government, and putting a stop to the Trump tyranny.  We are both haunted and inspired by photos from Wisconsin of citizens lined up to vote in the midst of a pandemic.  We know this is part of the Republican Party’s strategy to remain in power even as they continue to shrink in numbers (and stature!).  They have admitted that they believe that it is in their best interests to create and maintain barriers to voting, even though both Republican and Democratic Secretaries of State have concluded that voting reforms such as mail-in ballots do not favor either party.
 
What can we do about this?  Support two pieces of legislation in the House, and thank Denny Heck for being a cosponsor of both of them.  HR 92 requires states to allow vote-by-mail in Federal elections.  HR 6202 requires states and localities to prepare pandemic emergency plans for elections in the event that more than 25% of the states have declared an emergency, and provides federal funding to purchase the necessary equipment for vote-by-mail.
We have vote-by-mail in Washington, and we know that it works.   Too many other states do not have this option, and, as we know, it creates real barriers to participation. 
 
ACTION:  Call or email Rep. Heck to thank him for cosponsoring both pieces of legislation.
Representative Denny Heck
Phone:  202-225-9740
Website: https://dennyheck.house.gov/contact/email-me
My name is _______, and I am a member of Olympia Indivisible.   I want to thank Representative Heck for cosponsoring two important pieces of legislation that will protect one of our most fundamental freedoms, the right to choose our leaders in open and fair elections.  I support both HR 92 and HR 6202, and appreciate that Representative Heck is a cosponsor of both.  Washington State is a leader in ensuring that every citizen can vote, and I appreciate that Denny is a leader in the House.
 
ACTION:  Call or email other members of the House, to urge them to support both.
My name is _______, and I am a member of Olympia Indivisible.  I urge Representative ______ to support both HR 92 and HR 6202.   HR 92 requires states to allow vote-by-mail in Federal elections, as a registered Washington voter I know how well vote-by-mail works and believe it should be available to all US citizens.  HR 6202 requires states and localities to prepare emergency pandemic plans for voting, US citizens should not have to choose between their health and safety, and the exercise of their right to vote.  The House must pass both pieces of legislation soon.

STATE & COUNTY ACTIONS
Indivisible Town Halls

Tuesday 5/5/20 3:30 p.m.   OI Endorsement Town Hall
3:00 p.m. Glenda Breiler for LD22 -Position 2, and David Gaw running for County Commissioner - district 1
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvdOuurDkuH9ySd526E1zsfMCsLSQYdobZ?fbclid=IwAR0n7pmBQcpOl8QERVB-hcrTjKdh6AsFWOCABmn4n2KjKZqWQQFetJrLuM4

Tuesday 5/12/20 3:30 p.m.   OI Endorsement Town Hall3:00 p.m. Jessica Bateman for LD22 and Carolina Mejia for County Commissioner district 1

Tuesday 5/19/20 3:30 p.m.  OI Endorsement Town Hall Mary Ellen Biggerstaff for LD22 and Rory Summerson for County Commissioner district 1

From Indivisible Tacoma:
Tuesday 5/19/2020 7pm, Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands (Register at: https://bit.ly/PublicLands_TownHall)
 
The program will also be rebroadcast on the WA Indivisible Podcast on Thursdays before noon. Washington Indivisible network podcasts
 
Here are the links to the video and podcast.
Video Recording of the WA Indivisible Town Hall with Gael Tarleton, candidate for Secretary of State, and Mike Pellicciotti, candidate for State Treasurer, April 21, 2020
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1enZyI4mbjHbW3DiF4UR9EaY0JZXGbjNx
 
Podcast of WA Indivisible Town Hall with Gael Tarleton, candidate for Secretary of State, and Mike Pellicciotti, candidate for State Treasurer, April 21, 2020
Website: http://www.indivisiblepodcast.org/special-town-hall-series-progressive-candidates-for-wa-secretary-of-state-and-state-treasurer/
 
 
Parallel University is Back on the Air
Kim Dobson has been hosting Parallel University on KAOS 89.3 FM for 19 years. It is an excellent source for information as Kim interview progressive activists, many with a strong environmental bent, on issues of concern in our community. Recently the show went dark as The Evergreen State College is closed and KAOS has only broadcasting Democracy Now and programmed music playlists. The show started airing again three weeks ago – it is now pre-recorded one day in advance and sent in to the station to air. Tune in!
 
Parallel University: Thursdays @ noon to 1:00pm KAOS 89.3 FM or online at https://www.kaosradio.org/listen (you can stream the last two weeks shows)
 
You can also stream previous broadcasts from Kim’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/paralleluniversityradioshow/
 
READY FOR MORE
Americans of Conscience has a bunch of great actions this week – click the link below to act!
 
https://americansofconscience.com/05-03-2020/
 
COMING SOON
 
May 4th Monday 7:00pm – Federal election update. Kevin Jones will tell us the 9 states to focus on and why. Then he'll lay out options for engagement. Host: Indivisible Vashon

Register here.

 May 7th Thursday 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
New Member Orientation
How about joining with other OI members for an evening of conversation and connection at our next New Member Orientation (which isn't just for new members!). Our next New Member Orientation, hosted on Zoom, will be Thursday, May 7 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.  If you can attend, please RSVP to olyindinmorsvp@gmail.com.
 
 
May 7th Thursday 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
WEBINAR: Glimpses of a Coming Climate Mitigation Plan
Thurston Climate Action Team is holding a panel on what the now-forming Thurston Climate          Mitigation Plan has to hold for us, via Zoom.
Panelists include:

• Chris Van Daalen of the NW Eco Builders Guild, speaking about buildings and energy features in the plan.
• Karen Messmer speaking about the transportation and land use features.
• Carrie Ziegler speaking about EVs in the plan. 
• Lynn Fitz-Hugh, moderator and speaking about trees in the plan and about job creation.

 
Email Lynn Fitz-Hugh for Zoom link lynn@thurstonclimateaction.org
 
May 13th Wednesday 7:00 – 8:30 PM
 
WEBINAR: A Healthy Diet for You, Me and the Planet

Research shows that the diet with greatest health and longevity for people is almost the same as what has the best carbon footprint for the planet!  Presentation and discussion via Zoom. 
Come learn more about what studies show about how foods that are best for human health are also those whose production methods have the lowest environmental impacts, including GHG emissions. We’ll also hear tips on a sensible approach to making lasting changes towards adoption of a plant-based diet. At the conclusion of the event we will invite those who are interested to sign up for an online support group for people who are trying to learn to cook in a new way to support personal and planetary health. When we can, we’ll arrange time to meet for a healthy, planet-friendly meal together!
Speakers:

• Marilyn Sitaker, Food Systems Researcher at The Evergreen State College
• Cathy Visser of True for You Nutrition

 
Email Lynn Fitz-Hugh for Zoom link lynn@thurstonclimateaction.org