217 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 is expected to convene THIS WEEK to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a link to the letter: COIN Letter
TRUMP MUST PROTECT HEALTH CARE WORKERS NOW!
The most urgent need to fight the pandemic is for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) including N95 masks, eye shields, and surgical gowns for our health care workers and first responders. If they fall ill and get pulled off the front lines, everyone loses. They are begging for PPE; Trump is demanding quid pro quo “appreciation” from mayors and governors before responding.
“Trump has sparred with a handful of Democratic governors who are asking for aid and medical equipment to help combat their coronavirus outbreaks, including Jay Inslee of Washington and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. On Friday, he called Whitmer “the woman from Michigan” and said “she has no idea what’s going on.” (Business Insider, March 27)
Oregon has burned through half of its stock of N95 masks, two-thirds of its surgical masks and more than 80% of its surgical gowns. That’s before our peak.
The supply chain has been drained. Restocking PPE is difficult since many of the supplies come from Asia, which has its own needs. Yesterday, at Trump’s briefing (AKA, rally), he paraded several CEOs who announced they were retooling their facilities to make PPE.
Why now? As one CEO stated, they are retooling now to avoid the demands that would be imposed if the president invokes the Defense Production Act. Assuming Trump isn’t lying again, it’s unclear if the gear will be distributed fairly and quickly, and to where it is most needed.
Democratic Congressional leadership knows Trump cannot be trusted, so it is working on legislation that would force Trump to take over the medical supply chain.
We must fight like hell for this to protect our friends and neighbors who are fighting for us!
**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 . . .
I am shocked the Senate is on vacation. Our Senators need to get back to work and push for Senator Chris Murray’s bill to order Trump to take over and speed up the manufacturing of medical supplies and ensure that they are distributed fairly. Right now! Our neighbors are risking their lives to protect us. We have a moral obligation to do all we can to protect them.
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 . . .
I’m outraged that we could protect our health workers, but we aren’t. That’s barbaric. Greg Walden should be in DC pushing for Senator Chris Murray’s bill to order Trump to take over and speed up the manufacturing of medical supplies and ensure that they are distributed fairly. Right now! Our neighbors are risking their lives to protect us. We have a moral obligation to do all we can to protect them.
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 is going 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 events have been canceled in order to minimize public gatherings. We anticipate rescheduling several events in the near future and will provide updates in the daily Call to Action and on the ORD2 Indivisible website event calendar.
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:
OPB, March 20, 20202: “Fear Grows As Protective Equipment Supplies Dwindle For Oregon Health Care Workers” https://www.opb.org/news/article/ppe-gloves-masks-gowns-oregon-shortage-health-care/
US News, March 29, 2020: “Relief Package Billions Can’t Buy Hospitals Our of Shortages” https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-03-29/stimulus-billions-cant-buy-hospitals-out-of-shortage-crisis
Kaiser Health News, March 28, 2020: “Health care workers getting sicker from coronavirus than other patients, expert says” https://www.thedailybeast.com/coronavirus-emails-federal-health-official-warned-of-mask-and-glove-shortages-a-month-ago?source=articles&via=rss
Washington Post, March 26, 2020: “As they rush to save lives, health care workers are updating their own wills and funeral plans” https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/26/healthcare-workers-coronavirus-end-of-life/
Vox, March 27, 2020: “Why America ran out of protective masks – and what can be done about it” https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/3/27/21194402/coronavirus-masks-n95-respirators-personal-protective-equipment-ppe
Medscape, March 29, 2020: “Survey Shows Just How Dire PPE Shortages Are at Many Hospitals” https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927728
ProPublica, March 26, 2020: “Medical Workers Treating Coronavirus Are Resorting to Homemade Masks” https://www.propublica.org/article/medical-workers-treating-coronavirus-are-resorting-to-homemade-masks
CNN, March 19, 2020: “ Health care workers getting sicker from coronavirus than other patients, expert says https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/16/health/doctors-coronavirus-health-care-hit-harder/index.html
NY Times, March 19, 2020: “Of Course Trump Deserves Blame for the Coronavirus Crisis” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/opinion/trump-coronavirus-us.html?searchResultPosition=1
Yahoo News, March 27, 2020: “Senator says White House turned down emergency coronavirus funding in early February” https://news.yahoo.com/senator-says-white-house-turned-down-emergency-coronavirus-funding-in-early-february-003319950.html?bcmt=1
Sen. Chris Murphy, March 23, 2020: “Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act” https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-schatz-announce-legislation-requiring-federal-government-to-take-over-medical-supply-chain
Representative Chellie Pingree, March 24, 2020: “Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act” https://pingree.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?