CALL TO ACTION #961: Trumpists Want to Wear Us Down. Do NOT Give Up! (July 9, 2020)
117 Days
Until the November 3rd Election
Our Recommendations for November
What Voting Blue means to us: We Steering Committee members are pragmatic progressives with no “purity or litmus tests” for our key issues. Rather, we will support the candidate that comes closest to our positions, which means that moderate Joe Biden is much preferred to fascist Donald Trump. And, electability matters; one can’t govern from the sidelines. Sometimes that means backing someone who looks less blue than their opponent, someone who is in better position to be elected and actually help us. Finally, some candidates might want us to maintain our distance for political reasons specific to their constituencies. We respect that, so people we would otherwise recommend may be missing from this list.
Let’s flip a couple of state house seats Blue! **
President: Joe Biden
U.S. Senate: Jeff Merkley
Secretary of State: Shemia Fagan
State Treasurer: Tobias Read
State Attorney General: Ellen Rosenblum
**State House District 5: Alberto Enriquez
**State House District 6: Mary Middleton
Jackson County Commissioner: Terrie Martin
Watch this space; more to come.
***Today’s Call To Action**
Trumpists Want to Wear Us Down!
Do NOT Give Up!
Trump’s next victim is the school system. In short order he has 1) told foreign exchange students they will lose their visas if they don’t go to class in person; 2) threatened schools with losing federal funds if they don’t open; and, 3) bullied the CDC into weakening its guidelines on how to reopen safely.
Trump wants schools to reopen so that parents can go back to work. Senate Republicans want to cut unemployment benefits to force people back to work. But no one except Florida governor and Trump acolyte Ron DeSantis is delusional enough to think that schools can reopen full-time. So where will the kids go on the days they are learning online? Oops…no universal daycare or after-school programs.
The HEROES Act must pass intact when Congress returns July 20. Then we need to work extra hard on voting Trump and his Republican enablers out of office. Check out ways to help with actions aimed at doing just that in Action Three below.
Remember, action is the antidote to despair. Keep calling, keep working to dump Trump and flip the Senate in November.
**ACTION ONE: CALL OUR U.S. SENATORS**
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SENATORS MERKLEY and WYDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
We are heading for a Coronavirus train wreck when schools reopen. Students will not be safe, teachers will get sick, parents will not really be able to work. Millions more will contract the virus. Hundreds of thousands more will die. It doesn’t have to be this way. The Senate must pass all of the HEROES Act. Everything in that bill is crucial to lessen the impending pain.
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].
The House is tasked with oversight to check this or any administration. Greg Walden and his colleagues must investigate and hold this Administration accountable. Document the cruelty. Uncover the crimes. Shout from the rooftops.
To remain silent on all of this is a moral outrage. If that’s Greg’s decision, I call on him to resign his office effective immediately.
Where’s Walden? History is watching; Greg’s legacy is at stake.
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**
July 10, 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ongoing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
#MyORHealth Support is available for Oregon’s “helpers”
Lines for Life has created a Virtual Wellness Room to offer support to helpers, mental health professionals, first responders, social workers and anyone considered an essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon. Each check-in call will have a facilitator to guide the conversation.
“We at Lines for Life want to thank you for all the work you do to keep our communities safe,” the organization said. “We are offering a place for helpers to exchange stories of hope and areas of need. We especially want to hear what things are coming up for you personally and explore how we can cheer one another on to continue the good work you are already doing. We ultimately want to create space to breathe out stress and breathe in hope.”
The meetings are held using Zoom conference calls from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at this link: https://zoom.us/j/4848426773. Please share this invite with anyone in your network of Oregon helpers.
ORD2 Indivisible Virtual General Meeting
“Policing in the Valley: Re-Imaging Police Work During a Time of Black Lives Matter.”
July 13 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
To register for this important meeting, please click here.
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/ord2-indivisible-virtual-general-meeting-2/
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:
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/
