Quote of the Week:“He seems to avoid her. He has barely made it to his own podium by this point, but she has already crossed her podium and the space between them and now stands behind his podium, on his turf. “Kamala Harris,” she says, in case he needs a refresher. I cannot recall a presidential candidate saying their own name to their adversary like that. It strikes me that that was how she would have introduced herself in courtrooms.” – Anand Girardharadas, The Ink, Sept. 11, 2024 Help Our Candidates Win! Now’s the time to support our candidates! Go to our OI Campaign Support Calendar. Pick. One.Thing. And do it! Check the link above for more information on the following UPCOMING events:
Check the link for Continuing Events and Actions:
You can write letters, phonebank, put up a yard sign, and more! The important thing is that you DO SOMETHING! So let’s do it! Federal Actions:Ask DOT: Strengthen Regulation of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photographer: Jeffre Beall From our friends at Earthjustice Pipeline companies are planning to build a network of carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines throughout the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions. CO2 pipelines are dangerously underregulated and pose significant safety hazards to communities and the environment. Transporting CO2 isn’t like transporting natural gas. Its unusual thermo-physical properties can turn a crack in a pipeline into what engineers call a “running ductile fracture” – i.e., the pipeline opens up like a zipper. Being heavier than air, and odorless, CO2 does not simply dissipate but flows downhill – possibly into populated areas to asphyxiate people and animals without warning. The unique physical properties of CO2 create a higher likelihood of a pipeline opening up like a zipper when a rupture occurs, leading to more gas being released over a shorter period of time and potentially violent and dangerous pipe shrapnel. Action: Tell the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) that it must ensure the safety of communities and recognize the immediate need for comprehensive regulation of CO2 pipelines. Uphold Our Commitment to Our Afghan Allies Image Source: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Abbasi786786 From our Friends at Americans of Conscience Three years after our withdrawal from Afghanistan, our Afghan allies who were evacuated to the U.S. still have not been granted refugee status here, and over 250,000 remain stranded in Afghanistan and other countries. The Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act (FPAAA), a bipartisan amendment to the Department of Defense funding bill, offers a lifeline to displaced Afghan allies, providing a pathway to permanent U.S. residency after thorough security vetting. This legislation is vital to honoring our commitment and ensuring the safety of those who stood by us. Action: Copy the following and Ask our Senators to support the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act. Script: As a constituent who has voted for you, I am asking for your support of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 4638) called the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act. Three years after our withdrawal from Afghanistan, our Afghan allies who were evacuated to the U.S. still have not been granted refugee status here, and over 250,000 remain stranded in Afghanistan and other countries. I’m counting on you to establish pathways to permanent U.S. status and protect those stranded outside the U.S. by supporting this crucial amendment to the NDAA. Thank you. Local Actions:Proposed New Warehouse at the Port’s Marine Terminal Is Financially Risky with Environmental Controversy  Photo source: Wikimedia Commons, author HVL Background: Why public dollars should not be invested This month, the Port of Olympia is poised to fund the first installment of a $2.5 million new warehouse at the Marine Terminal. The warehouse expansion is intended to attract additional business from the Suzano corporation, which states it is the largest pulp manufacturer in the world, and one of the largest paper producers in Latin America. In spite of serious international environmental concerns about eucalyptus forests, the Port of Olympia is promoting Susano as a green company. If the Port allows Suzano to increase its imports of eucalyptus pulp, alternatives to investing in a new warehouse should be explored. For example, off-site storage could be owned or rented by Suzano. Another option could be to extend a ground lease to Suzano at the Marine Terminal where it, or another investor, could construct, own, maintain, and insure a new warehouse. Action: Send a message to Port Commissioners by Friday, September 20. Send Message to: [email protected] Dear Commissioners, I have serious concerns about the Port’s potential investment in a new warehouse at the Marine Terminal which would be used mainly to store eucalyptus pulp. This appears to be a financially risky investment since there are no written guarantees from the Suzano corporation for continual shipments that would allow the Port to recoup its $2.5 million investment of public funds. Logically, any new capital investments should wait until after the Master Plan for the Port peninsula has been completed in 2025. There are also concerns about importing a product grown on eucalyptus plantations that have caused significant environmental damage in Brazil, Portugal, and many other countries. In consideration of both the financial risk and environmental impacts, I ask you to vote against investing in a new warehouse at the Marine Terminal. Sincerely, (Your Name) (City, Zipcode) Messaging Tip: Image Source: Canva In light of yet another school shooting last week, let’s talk about smart messaging for safe and thriving schools. MESSAGING OF THE WEEK TIP #5 Principles:
Have You Scheduled These Events?League of Women Voter Forum The League of Women Voters of Thurston County, in Partnership with the NAACP of Thurston County, invites the public to
Drinks and Democracy! All of us who are actively working to protect democracy deserve a glass of cheer! If that’s you and you’re in town this coming Saturday (September 21st), come join Olympia Indivisible co-founder Lisa Ornstein at her home in SE Olympia for a Drinks and Democracy Happy Hour! From 5:30 to 6:30pm, Lisa will be serving up a signature house drink with a pro-democracy theme. Wine and non-alcoholic mocktails and snacks will be on hand as well. You are also welcome to bring some to share! Come raise a glass and enjoy good company with your fellow Indivisiblers. Please RSVP here to confirm attendance and for directions. Action Cafe 2024 is back this Monday, September 16th. Action Cafe is a weekly, Monday noontime virtual cafe where OI members meet, make new friends, and take actions together. Every Cafe comes with a side order of live music and a heapin’ helpin’ of good cheer! Cafe patrons receive an email on Sunday with a sneak-peek at what we'll do at the cafe the next day. On Monday morning, Chef Lisa will send you a pdf "Menu" which has links to the actions we'll take together at the Cafe. Action: Register HERE. We will send you a Zoom link and tomorrow morning, Chef Lisa will send your "menu." Your Work Pays Off:No on I-2117 Met Their Goals!
A huge shout-out to all the amazing Olympia Indivisible volunteers who came out for the No on 21117 Weekends of Action. Thanks to you, No on I-2117 didn’t just meet their goals — they crushed them! Across the state, we surpassed the ambitious goal of reaching 70,000 voters! Across all three weekends, volunteers completed 1,063 shifts in 67 different cities and towns–including Olympia–reaching a total of 70,200 voters. Bravo! |
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