Weekly Call To Action - May 16, 2021

5/16/2021

What the Hell Is Going On With Election Reform?

Time Is Running Out to Protect Our Next Election!

We all know that the Republicans are passing hundreds of voter suppression laws and new ways to overturn our next election. They will suppress voters, over-rule local election officials, and gerrymander their way to retaking Congress and the White House, regardless of the actual votes.

We didn’t spend the last four years working to remove Trump and elect a Democratic President just to watch the Republicans rig the next election right before our eyes, while our senators do nothing. They must pass S1 (The For The People Act) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act by August, or it will be too late to protect the next midterm election.

We also know that Mitch McConnell will use the filibuster to kill both of these bills.

It is Senator Murray and Cantwell’s job to do something about it. It is our job to convince them and make it crystal clear that they must act before August, as well as lobby their fellow senators to join them. It is that urgent. Our Democracy depends on protecting our elections. Call right now and take action! Also, consider joining our Olympia Indivisible’s new Federal Advocacy Team (see article below on how to register).

Action 1: Contact Senator Patty Murray with this message.

Senator Patty Murray, Phone: 253-572-3636 or Contact Form

Script: My name is ____________. I’m calling from Olympia Indivisible because time is running out to protect our next elections. Unless you act by this August, hundreds of voter suppression laws just passed by Republican legislatures will allow republicans to overrule state and county officials if they don’t like the election results. We are asking that you lobby your fellow senators to do 3 things:

Change the Senate filibuster rules
Pass S1, the For The People Act
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and include all states in review of voting laws.

We did not work for 4 years to remove President Trump just to watch the Republicans gerrymander and voter suppress their way to winning the midterm elections. You must act now!

Action 2: Contact Senator Maria Cantwell with this message.

Senator Maria Cantwell, Phone: 253-572-2281 or Contact Form

Script: My name is _______. I am calling to thank Senator Cantwell for her excellent town hall meeting last week. As a member of Olympia Indivisible I am grateful to her for reaching out and candidly addressing our questions.
I am also calling because of the urgency of this moment. Unless Senator Cantwell acts by July, it will be impossible to enact voter legislation to protect our next midterm elections. The Republicans are intent on retaking Congress and the Whitehouse regardless of the actual election outcome.
We are asking her to lobby her fellow senators to do 3 things now:

Change the filibuster rules to allow legislation to move forward
Pass S1 the For the People Act
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and include all states in review of voting laws.

We did not work for 4 years to remove President Trump just to watch the Republicans gerrymander and voter suppress their way to winning the midterm elections. You must act now!

Olympia Indivisible Town Halls for Port Commissioners

Meet the Candidates

Attn: Must register for the first Town Hall by Tuesday, May 18

Much like the Thurston County Commission the Port Commission has a huge influence on the lives of all Thurston County residents. There are currently four candidates running in this race for two open seats. The O.I. Endorsement Team invites you to meet the candidates in this crucial 2021 election.

There is a lot at stake like ensuring a sound ecological plan for the Destination Waterfront, keeping the Commission open to public input, and putting the Port on a sound financial footing for the future.

The race for District 3 to replace retiring Commissioner Zita has three candidates: Joel Hansen, Melissa Denton, and Amy Evans. Jessie Simmons is running in the election for District 2 to replace Commissioner McGregor.

So, join us to meet the candidates and be prepared to participate in the O.I. endorsement process.

District 3

Melissa Denton, Tuesday, May 18 @ 5:30 PM, Register here
Amy Evans, Wednesday, May 19 @ 6:00 PM, Register here

District 2

Joel Hansen, Tuesday, May 25 @ 5:30
Jesse Simmons, Tuesday, May 25 @ 6:15 PM

Register here for both May 25 sessions. Joel Hansen will be interviewed at 5:30 PM, and Jesse Simmons will be interviewed at 6:15 PM.

Register in advance for the above meetings. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You will also be able to submit questions for the candidates on the registration form.

Help Form the New Federal Advocacy Team

Help Us Push Back Against Voter Suppression

As you read these words, voting rights are under attack across our nation. This week in Arizona, Republicans passed a bill which will allow them to purge more than 100,000 voters from the Permanent Early Voting list if the voters don’t vote once every two federal elections. There are now 11 states where the GOP has passed laws in 2021 making it harder to vote.

Are we mad? Heck, yes! Can we do something about it? Absolutely, with your help! Join us in putting together Olympia Indivisible’s Federal Advocacy Team! Our work will focus on:

Passing transformational voting rights legislation in the U.S. Senate in 2021 and pushing for filibuster reform or elimination to make this possible.
We will also work with partner organizations to help Arizona voters exercise their voting rights and stay strong to re-elect Mark Kelly in 2022.

We have a menu of six potential actions. Kelly and Lisa have stepped up to co-lead this team and we are committed to making this fun and sustainable (equal to 2 to 3 hours per week maximum commitment from team members)! SPOILER ALERT: several of our projects end mid-July.

The OI Federal Advocacy Team launches on Friday, May 21st, at 5:00 to 6:30 PM. We’ll meet one another, talk about the team’s goals and get started figuring out which actions folks are willing to help initiate. Next, we’ll do a follow-up meeting the week after -- then we will meet every other week. If Fridays turn out to not be a good option, we’ll find something better!

Are you willing to lend a hand? With all the work we did in 2020 to expand voting opportunities in 23 states, we want to push back to keep from losing that ground!

Action: Please join us in this endeavor, and become part of our team.

Register for our first meeting on Friday, May 21 @ 5:00 to 6:30 PM. Find out what this is all about and what part you might like to play. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with info to join the meeting.

Help Save the Trees in Lacey

Testify at the Lacey Planning Commission Meeting

Attn: Must register to testify by Tuesday, May 18 at least one hour before the meeting

Thurston Climate Action Team (TCAT) is asking that OI join with them in commenting at the Lacey Planning Commission meeting regarding their Urban Forest Management Plan. Many people have been involved with this plan to save trees as part of climate control. There are many reasons that we would like the plan revised:

This plan makes almost no changes over five years ago and does not reflect the work of the urban forestry committee or the vast majority of comments by citizens.
The survey asked for the citizen’s priority on tree work. It split protection in two between enforcing current ordinance or making stronger ones. When combined as people wanting protection it is way ahead of “education about trees” the winner. Either way it is clear that huge numbers of citizens want the trees protected.
Rather than protecting the trees the two proposed changes would make it easier to cut. It removes the number limit on cutting and gives HOA’s free reign at cutting. This is not what citizens wanted.
This is not what the mitigation plan calls for. It is clear we must preserve trees and plant more to make it to the science based goals of the plan.
This report does tell that 15 years ago there was 48% of land in Lacey covered in trees now there is 24% covered. In 15 years another 15% of tree coverage has disappeared – or 30% of what is there. This is about 1% tree loss a year – somewhat unnoticeable per year but grave over all. WE CANNOT keep going at this rate!
This report does not set tree canopy goals, it does not create protections for exceptional trees (the biggest ones that draw down the most carbon), nor does it provide a mechanism for enforcement of tree cutting rules. It in fact will accelerate the tree cutting.
It should not be accepted and should be sent back to committee to be reworked in line with the committee and the public's actual view point.

Action: Register in advance for the meeting. When you register, there will be a box at the bottom of the registration asking if you want to testify.

Script: Please pass the climate mitigation plan in full and include it in your master plan. But, please don’t pass the Urban Forest Management Plan (tree plan) tonight but send it back to committee to be reworked. [Then use any of the above talking points to add to your testimony.]

Transforming the Judicial Branch in Regard to Racial Justice

Indivisible Tacoma presents WA Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu, Co-Chair of the state Minority and Justice Commission, who will address a new effort to transform the judicial branch through the new Racial Justice Consortium.

The Racial Justice Consortium has been established by the Washington judicial branch with a year-long mission to identify actions and structural changes that could help end racism and the devaluing of Black lives within the state judicial system.

The consortium consists of representatives from each judicial branch entity, from judges of all levels of court, clerks, court administrators, and community members directly impacted by the justice system. They will identify specific areas in need of change, and produce an action plan.
Justice Yu will be joined on the panel by Patty Lally, Racial Equity Practitioner and Coordinator of the Racial Justice Consortium, and Cynthia Delostrinos, Administrative Manager for the Supreme Court Commissions. Join us!

Action: Please join this discussion on Wednesday, May 19, at 6:30 PM. Register here.

Bonus Material

Book Recommendation

The Inevitability of Authoritarianism

To keep oneself from falling into the trap of- now that Trump is no longer president you can relax your activity of advocacy. In The Road to Unfreedom by Timothy Snyder, gives everyone a reason to recharge and charge on to keep our Republic and not fall into the trap of, if you do not believe in truth, then nothing is true, i.e., Trump’s 4 years in the White House.

“Snyder goes beyond the headlines to expose the true nature of the threat to democracy. By showcasing the stark choices before us—between equality or oligarchy, individuality or totality, truth and falsehood—Snyder restores our understanding of the basis of our way of life, offering a way forward in a time of terrible uncertainty.”

Buy at your local, independent bookstore, online, or download from Timberland Library.

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