Weekly Call To Action - September 10, 2023

Quote of the Week:

 “This is the next step in our quest to form a more perfect union.” 
– U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), speaking about legislation to increase the size of the House and Senate, as well as restore the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to better align with Article III of the US Constitution. Read on for a CTA to support this legislation!

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Campaigns, Get Active:

Stay Updated on Candidate Support Opportunities

Action: Access OI’s Endorsed webpage for the latest opportunities to help our endorsed candidates turn out the vote for the upcoming General Election. At any time put the words Olympia Indivisible in your browser and you will find our website. 
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Note there are upcoming events this coming week for:

• Emily Clouse
• Jasmine Vasavada
• Sarah Tonge

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School Board Corner:

​Exceptional Candidate for School Board 
Hilary Seidel - Olympia School District Position 4

Hilary is dedicated to protecting our public schools, community and country. 
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She is endorsed by Rep. Beth Doglio and many more. Read more about Hilary on her website. 

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Federal Actions:

Comment on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Photo Credit: FFRF Action Fund

On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) into law. The PWFA requires a covered entity to provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee's or applicant's known limitation related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, absent undue hardship on the operation of the business of the covered entity.

Please comment on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) rule that will include abortions in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). Anti-abortion religious extremists are attacking this abortion provision. 

Action: Support pregnant workers. Click the SUBMIT button to send your comments to the EEOC .

A Common Sense Vision for American Democracy

U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced a package of legislation to increase the size of the House and Senate, as well as restore the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to better align with Article III of the US Constitution.

Background
Rep. Sean Casten introduces reform legislation

The package, named “A Common Sense Vision for American Democracy” would:

• Add approximately 138 additional Members of the House which will grow and equalize the Electoral College. 
• Establish 12 at-large senators to be elected through a nationwide system of ranked choice voting
• Change the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and create a 13-judge multi-circuit panel to hear cases where the United States or a federal agency is a party

Action: Ask your Rep to support "A Common Sense Vision for American Democracy"

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Electrify the School Bus

From our friends at Earthjustice. Photo Credit: Neal Sharp

What if school kids could ride a magic carpet to school — swift, smooth, silent, with no tailpipe and no exhaust fumes? Alas, magic carpets don’t exist anywhere except in cartoons — but electric school buses do, and they come pretty close. School districts around the U.S. are starting to convert their fleets from dirty diesel buses to pollution-free electric ones, sparking a transformation in how 26 million of the country’s schoolkids get to school every day.

Action: Sign this petition: Tell the EPA to stop funding combustion engine school buses and to prioritize clean, electric school buses for districts where kids breathe the dirtiest air in the country.

Have You Scheduled This Event?

September 16: Drinks and Democracy

This Saturday (Sept 16), OI’s Action Cafe Chef Lisa invites OIympia Indivisible members to her cozy back patio in SE Olympia for a Drinks and Democracy Happy Hour! From 5:30 to 6:30pm, come enjoy a signature house drink on a democratic theme. Non-alcoholic beverages will be on hand as well as snacks. Please feel free to bring a snack to share if you wish!

Come raise a glass of cheer, catch up with your fellow Indivisiblers, unwind, and build our fellowship.

Please note that you must be vaccinated and boosted for COVID in order to attend. Chef Lisa intends for these events to spread good cheer, not germs! 

Action: Please rsvp at [email protected] if you’d like to come. Address and details will follow.

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Your Work Pays Off:

Government Cancels Illegal Oil Leases in Alaska
In our August 14, 2022 Call to Action, we asked you to protect the Western Arctic from drilling. 

On September 6, the Biden administration canceled a set of illegal leases for oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and added protections against future fossil fuel development across Alaska’s Arctic lands.

Congratulations! You do make a difference.