CALL TO ACTION #897: Fix the Faulty COVID-19 Response Before the Next Spike (April 9, 2020)
208 Days
Until the November 3rd Election
The Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network (COIN)
Twenty-one Indivisible groups spanning the State of Oregon have signed an open letter to the Governor and the Legislature outlining their priorities – putting people and small businesses first. The Special Session expected to convene LAST WEEK to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic is on hold. We will update you here as new information becomes available.
Here is the link to the letter: COIN Letter
FIX THE FAULTY COVID-19 RESPONSE
BEFORE THE NEXT SPIKE
After this first COVID-19 spike passes, we must identify what went wrong and fix those problems before another spike hits us. The next phase starts with us knowing that the virus is here. The White House was warned back in November that the outbreak in China could be a worldwide “cataclysmic event,” but then inexplicably allowed vital medical equipment to be exported for months.
Going forward, We-the-People demand:
- A coordinated national response. Currently, states are competing with each other for vital medical equipment. It is a barbaric and immoral system that results in price gouging.
- That the CDC be unleashed from Trump’s politically motivated abuse of power. The CDC, which has an abundance of experience, has been one of the world’s premier public health organizations, but it has been muzzled.
- A singe trusted national voice. Currently, authorities disagree with each other, often in the White House briefing room. America must be brought together and guided by a trusted political leader.
- A COVID-19 test that is fast, accurate and able to process tens of thousands of samples a day. The current system is a patchwork of labs that too often provide results days after testing.
- Sufficient personal protection equipment for health workers.
Trump is incapable of leading, so our Members of Congress must step up and force changes in the C-19 response that will benefit everyone in America.
Yo, Congress!
Get Back to Work!
Take the C-19 Lead!
**ACTION ONE: CALL OUR U.S. SENATORS**
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SENATORS MERKLEY and WYDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling today because . . .
We need to flatten the COVID-19 curve. We need a better response for the next spike in cases. We need fast testing for 100,000’s of samples per day. The CDC, which has been MIA, needs to jump into the fight to provide deeper insight into the evolving outbreak. We need a coordinated national response, not one that pits states against each other. We need a trusted leader to give guidance and updates.
Most urgently, we need PPE to protect the health workers who put their lives on the line every day. If the Trump administration can’t do it, then the Senator needs to call on states to join together as a unified buyer of supplies and as the source of information.
Thank you.”
SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/
SENATOR RON WYDEN
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/
**ACTION TWO: CALL COMPLICIT GREG WALDEN**
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WALDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling today because . . .
We need to flatten the COVID-19 curve. We need a better response for the next spike in cases. We need fast testing for 100,000’s of samples per day. The CDC, which has been MIA, needs to jump into the fight to provide deeper insight into the evolving outbreak. We need a coordinated national response, not one that pits states against each other. We need a trusted leader to give guidance and updates.
Most urgently, we need PPE to protect the health workers who put their lives on the line every day. If the Trump administration can’t do it, then Greg Walden needs to call on states to join together as a unified buyer of supplies and as the source of information.
Thank you.”
COMPLICIT GREG WALDENDC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me
**ACTION THREE: HELP ORGANIZE VOTERS FROM HOME**
Organizing for the 2020 Election has gone VIRTUAL!
- Find virtual events at http://swingleft.org/
- Host a virtual letter-writing party! Get started here: http://swingleft.org/p/virtual-letter-writing-party
- Call voters in Wisconsin about their April 7th election. Sign up for training and call info here. http://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/263614/
Stay tuned — more activities to come!
**ACTION FOUR: BE AN ACTIVIST**
All ORD2 Indivisible sponsored in-person events have been canceled in order to minimize public gatherings. We anticipate rescheduling several events in the future and will provide updates in the daily Call to Action and on the ORD2 Indivisible website event calendar.
ORD2 Indivisible Virtual Happy Hour!
April 10 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Click here to pre-register:
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/ord2-indivisible-virtual-happy-hour/
ORD2 Indivisible Virtual General Meeting – Your Home!
April 13 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Click here to pre-register:
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/ord2-indivisible-virtual-general-meeting-your-home/
Visit the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar on a regular basis to keep updated on local activities. Participate with us as often as you can. We also encourage you to submit events to be added to the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar and help us keep current with our event postings. https://ord2indivisible.org/submit-your-event/
Let the Coronavirus NOT stop you from being an activist – keep your social distance and join our ORD2 Indivisible Virtual Postcard Party!
If you live in Medford, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Talent or Ashland, we’ll deliver to your doorstep a pack(s) with 25 stamped postcards and stickers to write for a campaign through https://postcardstovoters.org/
We ask you to leave a donation in an envelope by your front door to cover the cost of postage. We’ll drop off a packet(s) with everything you need to write from home.
Simply join postcardstovoters.org online. Once you get your packet of cards from us, write your cards and mail them from home.
ORD2 Indivisible 2020 Fundraising Campaign
As we approach what will be the most important election of our lifetimes, ORD2 Indivisible wants to be in a secure financial position to help engage as many voters in our district in the election process as possible. To accomplish this goal we are conducting the ORD2 Indivisible 2020 fundraising campaign. Click on the image below to donate.
To make a donation by check, please make the check payable to ORD2 Indivisible and mail to:
ORD2 Indivisible
P.O. Box 1242, Phoenix, OR 97535
SOURCES:
Washington Post, April 4, 2020: “The U.S. was beset by denial and dysfunction as the coronavirus raged. From the Oval Office to the CDC, political and institutional failures cascaded through the system and opportunities to mitigate the pandemic were lost.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/04/04/coronavirus-government-dysfunction/?arc404=true
The Hill, April 8, 2020: “US intelligence warned in November that coronavirus spreading in China could be ‘cataclysmic event’: report” https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/intelligence/491712-us-intelligence-warned-in-november-that-virus-spreading
Associated Press, April 6, 2020: “US ‘wasted’ months before preparing for coronavirus pandemic.” https://apnews.com/090600c299a8cf07f5b44d92534856bc
NBC News, April 5, 2020: “Two months in, Trump’s coronavirus response creates more chaos
Analysis: Amid America’s biggest crisis in generations, the president’s actions have often complicated problems rather than resolved them.” https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/two-months-trump-s-coronavirus-response-creates-more-chaos-n1176986
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, April 3, 2020: “5 Ways the U.S. Botched the Response to COVID-19” https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/articles/5-ways-the-us-botched-the-response-to-covid-19.html
Wired, April 6, 2020: “The Asian Countries That Beat Covid-19 Have to Do It Again” https://www.wired.com/story/the-asian-countries-that-beat-covid-19-have-to-do-it-again/?bxid=5cc9dff9fc942d13eb1e6a84&cndid=54804944&esrc=&source=EDT_WIR_NEWSLETTER_0_SCIENCE_ZZ&utm_brand=wired&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_mailing=WIR_Science_040620_PaywallSubs&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl&utm_term=list1_p1
The Atlantic Magazine, April 7, 2020: “This Is Trump’s Fault. The president is failing, and Americans are paying for his failures” https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/americans-are-paying-the-price-for-trumps-failures/609532/
USA Today, March 27, 2020: ‘The coronavirus test that wasn’t: How federal health officials misled state scientists and derailed the best chance at containment” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/03/27/coronavirus-test-officials-botched-rollout-derailed-containment/5080781002/
Representative Katie Porter, April 6, 2020: “EVERYONE BUT US. The Trump Administration and Medical Supply Exports” https://porter.house.gov/uploadedfiles/everyone_but_us.pdf
Foreign Policy, March 25, 2020: “The Coronavirus Is the Worst Intelligence Failure in U.S. History. It’s more glaring than Pearl Harbor and 9/11—and it’s all the fault of Donald Trump’s leadership.” https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/25/coronavirus-worst-intelligence-failure-us-history-covid-19/
Forbes, March 30, 2020: “I Spent A Day In The Coronavirus-Driven Feeding Frenzy Of N95 Mask Sellers And Buyers And This Is What I Learned” https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2020/03/30/i-spent-a-day-in-the-coronavirus-driven-feeding-frenzy-of-n95-mask-sellers-and-buyers-and-this-is-what-i-learned/#1fa1815356d4
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, April 3, 2020: “5 Ways the U.S. Botched the Response to COVID-19” https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/articles/5-ways-the-us-botched-the-response-to-covid-19.html
Office of the Inspector General, HHS, April 2020: “Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23–27, 2020” https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.pdf
New York Times, March 28, 2020: “The Lost Month: How a failure to test blinded the US to Covid-19” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/testing-coronavirus-pandemic.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab
