Quote of the Week:My heart is moved by all I cannot save. So much has been destroyed. I have to cast my lot with those who, age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power, reconstitute the world. – Adrienne Rich This week, we ask you to lean in to turn Adrienne Rich’s quote into living, breathing change here in Thurston County and Washington state. And right now, you have some special powers because:
Take Two Actions Now:No War Over Ukraine  The Biden Administration seems to be pounding the drums of war as if that is the only way to deal with Putin and Russia. Americans are exhausted with war. We have just pulled out of Afghanistan and already the Biden Administration is preparing to once again send “advisors” and lots of deadly, very expensive weaponry. This failed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Libya just in the past 20 years. Why do the Dems believe it will succeed now when it has never succeeded in the past? This must STOP! The American people will not tolerate entering another war and this is likely to be the demise of the Democratic party. The people of Ukraine and Russia do not want war. The people in the neighboring nations in Europe do not want war. We don’t want our children to die on foreign soil and we don’t want our fellow humans on the Eurasian continent to die. The cost of war is too great. The military-industrial complex is promoting war so their stock valuation doesn’t drop now that we’ve pulled out of Afghanistan. The money that could pay for healthcare or to address climate change or rebuild our bridges will instead, once again go to the rich stockholders of Raytheon, Boeing and Halliburton. We say NO! Action 1: Call our Senators and tell them we must find a diplomatic solution Contact WA Senators
Script: My name is ____ and I am a member of Olympia Indivisible. I am calling to insist that Senator Murray/Cantwell lobby Biden to stop this aggression. Do not send troops and weapons to Ukraine, send diplomats. We can begin with the Senate confirming an ambassador to Ukraine as soon as Biden nominates one. We must also allow the European nations, France, Germany, Poland, Romania, to take the lead on this, as they are the people most affected by these decisions. Putin is doing this because it is in his interest, it is not in our interest and Biden is a fool to play along. Finally, we have a War Powers Act, that demands that Congress, not the president, decides when we go to war, and Americans do not want war. Ask Rep. Strickland to Support the Bank Act H.R. 3339, or the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2021, is a bill that creates the National Infrastructure Bank to facilitate the long-term financing of infrastructure projects. Representative Strickland is on a committee that H.R. 3339 has been referred to, and her vote will be needed to advance the bill (she is Vice Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure). Categorical benefits of projects include:
Read more information about the importance of this bank from the Coalition for a National Infrastructure Bank. Action 2: Contact Representative Strickland Option A: Contact your representatives by telephone or email.
Script: I am asking Representative Strickland to cosponsor H.R. 3339, the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2021 and support it in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure where the bill is waiting for a vote. Option B: Take this action with one click in Take Action Network (TAN) Ask Rep. Strickland to Support the Bank Act - H.R. 3339 Legislative Action of the Week:Washington Indivisible Legislative Action Please join us in support of important legislative bills in the 60 day session. Legislative Actions After taking the following actions, click the green 'I took this action' button. Sign "Pro" to Support SB 5426 (Wealth tax) A 1% tax after the first billion dollars would be used to offer credits against taxes paid disproportionately by low-income and middle-income families and small businesses. Deadline: Feb 1 3:00pm Signing in "Pro to Support SB 5485 (Prevent Low Level Traffic Stops The ACLU and the WA Coalition for Police Accountability support this bill. It will prevent law enforcement from making traffic stops on certain civil and low level violations. Deadline: Feb 3 3:00pm Hearing Rescheduled: Support SB 5308 (Hybrid vehicle fees) by Signing in "Pro" to the Senate Transportation's Public Hearing. This bill would decrease fees in order to incentivize electric vehicle purchases. Deadline: Feb 3 3:00pm Take Action Training If you are not a member of Take Action Network (TAN), sign up for a training session or request a meeting with one of the TAN trainers for a one-on-one session. It takes 15 minutes or less for the basic sign up. If you are already a TAN member, watch this video to learn how to filter TAN so you only get the actions of interest to you. Introduction to TAN Activists. Local Environmental Issues:Keep Trees on the County Commissioners Docket County Commissioners Two Year Docket The Thurston Board of County Commissioners is meeting to look at the preliminary docket for 2022-2023, which essentially sets forth the work plan for the County’s community planning department over the next two years. Once the Board finalizes the items on the docket they will go through a prioritization exercise to identify their top priorities. Forest and Trees One of the proposed docket items (carried over from prior years) is titled “A-25, Update Forest Conversion Ordinance and Review Rural Tree Protection Standards”. It has, to date, been quite confusing what the county’s rules are about trees, and we appreciate that work is being done to clarify this. Doing a canopy study and setting canopy goals in an excellent start. It is also good to
Purpose If this project remains on the docket, it will consist of code updates and may also include working with the counties regional partners to complete a canopy assessment using a mix of 2021 aerial mapping and recently gathered LiDAR data from DNR, to be followed by setting canopy goals. Therefore we need OI members to write in and indicate their support . Action: Please indicate your support for item A-25 being brought forward on the docket for the next two years. Option A: Contact Thurston County Commissioners. Use this link and copy the script below to comment to the Commissioners. Feel free to adapt the language to your own words. Script: I am writing to you regarding the BoCC preliminary docket for 2022-2023. I strongly support you including “A-25, Update Forest Conversion Ordinance and Review Rural Tree Protection Standards” on the docket. The Climate Mitigation Plan, which you have signed, calls for both stronger tree protection and more tree planting. We know the Mitigation Plan cannot succeed without sequestration, and the NW forest is second only to the Amazon in its ability to sequester carbon. Thank you for your efforts and your attention to this important topic. Option B: Take this action with one click in Take Action Network (TAN) Keep Trees on the Thurston County Commissioners Docket! Saving Our Forests and Wetlands |
To submit topics to the CTA Team use this email: OICTATeam@gmail.com. Archives
May 2022
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