CALL TO ACTION #971: Save Our Democracy (July 23, 2020)
103 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 a 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.
**Keep Oregon House District 5 Blue!
President: Joe Biden
U.S. Senate: Jeff Merkley
U.S. Congress CD2: Alex Spenser
Secretary of State: Shemia Fagan
State Treasurer: Tobias Read
State Attorney General: Ellen Rosenblum
State House District 4: Mary Middleton
**State House District 5: Pam Marsh
State House District 6: Alberto Enriquez
Jackson County Commissioner: Terrie Martin
***Today’s Call To Action***
SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY
We have written often about the HEROES Act. The House version of the bill must pass intact in the Senate. At the same time, we must stop Trump’s fascist takeovers of American cities.
We see through his plan to make the elections about law and order when the police are the greatest instigators of violence and the most assiduous practitioners of lawlessness and disorder. We see him trying to turn Black and Brown people into the enemy. We must show up on the front lines and we must GET OUT THE VOTE.
The Portland Police Bureau and their lack of de-escalation skills were the first cause that gave Trump such a juicy target for testing deployment of his brownshirts. As one writer said, “No amount of spin can undo that the weeks of gassing protesters and arresting journalists BEFORE Trump got here…” (Greg McKelvey)
Read the history of the protests below, and then ask yourself why there were 50 days of tear-gassing, pepper-spraying, flash-banging and beating 200-300 protestors and journalists. The police are still gassing protesters despite a court order, and still cooperating with DHS despite orders from their commissioner.
Defunding the police is starting
to make sense.
**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].
Please thank the Senator for all he is doing to stop Trump from rolling out his fascist plan. We need vote-by-mail, the HEROES Act to pass intact — without any reduction in payroll taxes or weakening of liability laws for employers — and the withdrawal of paramilitary police from Portland.
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].
Tell Greg Walden his party is a disgrace. Tell him he has a chance to partially redeem himself by coming out publicly for the Senate passing the House version of the HEROES Act intact. He should also insist that the Post Office and vote by mail be protected. And he should vote to end paramilitary occupation of American cities. Does he even remember that Portland is in his home state?
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: CALL GOVERNOR KATE BROWN**
Governor Kate Brown Phone: 503-378-4582 Trump’s militarized DHS forces who have invaded Portland are acting without restraint or accountability. They are suppressing free speech and terrorizing peaceful protesters. I want to thank the governor for calling for them to leave and speaking out against Trump’s abuse of power. But I am asking for more. Every night that the DHS continues to march on Portland streets, more people are endangered. I am asking for real action to get DHS forces out of Portland now. And action necessary, up to and including use of the Oregon National Guard, to protect all Oregonians on the streets of Portland.
**ACTION FOUR: BE AN ACTIVIST**
July 23, 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.
Non-ORD2 Indivisible Event: Federal Police Out of Portland NOW! Rally & March – Ashland
July 25 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-event-federal-police-out-of-portland-now-rally-march-ashland/
Letters to Voters Garden and Zoom Parties – Medford (And Your Homes)
July 28 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Ongoing, every Tuesday
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/letters-to-voters-garden-and-zoom-parties-medford-and-your-homes/
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.
Correction:
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/
SOURCES:
Background on Portland’s occupation:
Greg McKelvey: https://twitter.com/gregorymckelvey/status/1284007847173386240?s=21. And https://www.revolt.tv/2020/7/21/21332826/portland-protests-truth
Defunding the police:
https://twitter.com/chandlerhowell/status/1286038810657161216?s=20
https://twitter.com/InmanCochrane/status/1285751280057454592?s=20
Multnomah Commissioner on gassing: https://twitter.com/SMeieran/status/1285831588056412162?s=20
Riot Ribs, feeding the protestors, reports on police treatment:
https://twitter.com/riotribs/status/1285953638477660161?s=20
