91 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.

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

DON’T SETTLE FOR A BAD DEAL WITH

LIVES AT STAKE

COVID-19 has infected over 4.5 million Americans—killing well over 150,000—and leaving everyone else still vulnerable. Meanwhile, the GOP outrageously continues to enable Trump’s denial.

The Democratic House passed a bill IN MAY to help people and their local governments weather the financial impact of the pandemic and to vote safely. The GOP Senate, led by Grim Reaper Moscow Mitch McConnell, ignored it. Days before enhanced unemployment insurance and the rent moratorium expired, as Trump undermines the USPS and Vote-by-Mail (VBM), they proposed an “economic stimulus” package for their wealthy donors, including a liability shield for employers that do not keep workers safe. Using racist tropes, they claim adequate unemployment insurance (UI) would discourage people from working. Their UI formula is cumbersome and can’t be implemented quickly.

The GOP wants to force people to choose between their health and their home, even as unemployment far exceeds available jobs. And of course, they are trying to use the pandemic to suppress the vote, which they believe helps the GOP.

Trump, McConnell, Walden and other democracy-shredders hope their timing will force Democrats to settle for a bad deal, or take the blame for no deal at all.

We reject their racism, cynicism, and greed. We insist that ANY deal includes:

$600 per week UI
Eviction and foreclosure moratoriums
Funding for:
- SNAP
- State, local, and tribal governments
- USPS
- VBM
No liability shield for employers

Lives are at stake!

Stop the GOP Money Grab!

Make this Relief Bill For The People!

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].

I want to thank the Senator for everything he does. I’m calling today to urge him to reject Republican racist tropes about people not wanting to work if the UI is more than 70% of the minimum wage, the GOP’s cynical political games, and their demands for more money for the wealthy few at the expense of the rest of us. I urge him to insist that any bill includes:

$600/week UI
Eviction and foreclosure moratoriums
Funding for:
- SNAP
- State, local, and tribal governments
- USPS
- VBM
No liability shield for employers

A bad deal is worse than no deal at all, especially when people’s lives are at stake.

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].

The pandemic has wiped out a third of our economy and killed over 150,000 Americans. I demand that Greg Walden puts his constituents’ lives over his party’s attempts to avoid giving a life-line to people who are truly suffering.

Lives are at stake when UI is too little to live on, there’s no eviction moratorium, and employers are shielded from liability for refusing to protect those employees who even have jobs to return to. I am appalled that Trump is undermining the post office when vulnerable people will die without their medications and take enormous risks voting in person, simply to further suppress voting that does not seem to be going his way. It is up to Republicans like Greg to stand up for our democracy and people.

To remain silent on 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 WALDEN

DC (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

Letters to Voters Garden and Zoom Parties – Medford (And Your Homes)
August 4 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Ongoing, every Tuesday
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/letters-to-voters-garden-and-zoom-parties-medford-and-your-homes/

August 5, 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.

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:

In yesterday’s newsletter, the contact information for Dasja Dolan, who is one of the leaders of ORD2 Indivisible’s letter-writing campaign for Vote Forward, was incorrect. Her email address should be . We regret the error.

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/