CALL TO ACTION #901: CDC and the U.S. Constitution are Trump Pandemic Casualties (April 15, 2020)
202 Days
Until the November 3rd Election
CDC AND U.S. CONSTITUTION ARE TRUMP PANDEMIC CASUALTIES
We all benefit from America’s scientific treasures like the Centers for Disease Control. But amid the pandemic, Trump has “disappeared” the CDC. After all, in his own words on the 2016 campaign trail he declared, “Only I can fix it.”
Initially, Trump deferred the US COVID-19 response to the states. It may have been an acknowledgment that Trump’s war on government had hollowed out the CDC. Trump budgets have choked the life out of America’s most vital public health agency. Hundreds of jobs remain unfilled. The decimation may explain why the CDC’s coronavirus test failed catastrophically.
As a result of Trump’s general downsizing, a CDC epidemiologist working in China was recalled. In that role, she would have been one of the first to learn of the outbreak in Wuhan.
Left on their own, states began ordering social distance measures and fighting for equipment to protect front line hospital staff who were trying to save C-19 patients. The cutthroat competition for PPE and ventilators forced bidding wars that lead to price gouging. Nevertheless, states who acted early are bending the curve.
In the absence of a coordinated national response, states like and California, Oregon and Washington are forming regional alliances to coordinate restarting their economies. In the meantime, “wannabe King” Trump claims only he has the authority to reopen the economy. “(My) authority is total,” he said.
Not if the Constitution and WE THE PEOPLE have anything to say about it!
Hold Trump and the GOP Accountable!
**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].
First, I want to thank the Senator for fighting for us in these dangerous times. I am also calling to ask him to publicly endorse the action by Governor Kate Brown in joining a regional alliance to decide when to relax social distancing and reopen businesses. Trump claims he has “total authority” but the Constitution says he’s wrong. Please add your voice to this wise move by Governor Brown.
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 to demand that Greg Walden puts his constituents before his party and his president. We need an investigation to understand why one of our greatest public health assets, the CDC, has almost disappeared. Normally, we’d expect a national strategy, supported by the best data, but that is missing from this outbreak-response. Trump has been cutting CDC budgets. Hundreds of jobs are unfilled. And in its first big assignment, to develop a COVID-19 test, it failed catastrophically. We need to know why Trump has lowered our defenses.
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: BE AN ACTIVIST**
Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: GO LIVE with KS Wild and Rogue Riverkeeper: Clean Water and Forest Campaign Updates Online
April 16 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-go-live-with-ks-wild-and-rogue-riverkeeper-clean-water-and-forest-campaign-updates-online/
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden Virtual Town Hall
April 17 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/u-s-senator-ron-wyden-virtual-town-hall/
Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: Online event: Ask an Expert about Wildflowers of the Illinois River
April 18 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-online-event-ask-an-expert-about-wildflowers-of-the-illinois-river/
Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: SOCAN Facebook Live, 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
April 22 @ 10:00 am – 10:30 am
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-socan-facebook-live-50th-anniversary-of-earth-day/
Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: Earth Day Online with Alice DiMicele
April 22 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-earth-day-online-with-alice-dimicele/
Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: Find out about Fungus with John Villella Online!
April 23 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-find-out-about-fungus-with-john-villella-online/
Ongoing Action: ORD2 Indivisible Virtual Postcard and Letter Writing Parties
- Postcards to Voters
Our postcard team is temporarily suspending the delivery of postcards to your door. However, the good news is that you will find everything you need to continue writing from home (including templates to print your own or purchase pre-printed cards) here: https://postcardstovoters.org
You can sign up through https://postcardstovoters.org/volunteer/To avoid unnecessary trips to the post office, order stamps directly from the USPS:
https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/coral-reefs-postcard-stamp-S_745104…and voila, you’re ready to go! Send an e-mail to with any questions.
- Letters to Voters
We encourage our team of volunteers to sign up with Swing Left to start writing letters to voters in 12 swing states. It is super easy to join. Check out their website, sign up, and let’s start writing! https://swingleft.org/Send an e-mail to if you would like more information about how to get involved. - Virtual Letter-writing Parties
We encourage you to join virtual letter-writing parties hosted by Oregon Indivisible / Swing Left. The parties are held at noon every Saturday and on the last Tuesday of every month. Here are the links for the next two parties:
April 18 virtual letter-writing party – https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/267144/
April 25 virtual letter-writing party – https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/267146/
**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/