Actions Previous 2023

Previous Actions from 2023

For the Week of May 22, 2023

  • Filing week for 2023 elections has ended. To see who is running in your area, go to the VoteWA.gov Primary Elections site, choose a county, then specify the District Type (e.g. school or city). ???? We enjoyed two excellent presentations at Sunday’s group meeting. Please see the NOTES from meeting, including a link to the recording. 
  • Thank you to everyone who has contributed to Indivisible. $370 will be matched by Indivisible National! There’s one week left for us to double up to $130 more. If you’re able, please donate to Indivisible Eastside through ActBlue.
  • Care about trees in Bellevue? The Planning Commission is taking input on tree code changes now through June. Take their survey!
  • Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Tell the Washington UTC to reject PSE’s bad gas plan!

From the Washington Clean Energy Coalition
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) recently submitted its 2023 Gas Integrated Resource Plan (the second plan shown on their Current IRP Process page) to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) for approval. This 26-year plan describes how PSE will provide fossil gas to customers and meet the requirements of Washington’s 2021 Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA requires the company to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or pay for emissions that exceed the state’s targets.

But PSE’s plan is terrible! Instead of taking steps to achieve significant emissions reductions, PSE’s “Preferred Portfolio” proposes only meager improvements. Meanwhile, the company would charge customers $10 billion to pay the CCA penalties for its enormous emissions. This would delay real progress until after 2050, putting the burden on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren.

The UTC is asking the public what they think of PSE’s plan. A local non-profit called the Washington Clean Energy Coalition (WCEC), led by Don Marsh, has done research and put together two great resources: a petition and a strong letter to the UTC, analyzing PSE’s plan and advocating for better alternatives.

Action 1A: Quick and easy: sign WCEC’s Change.org petition at https://tinyurl.com/RejectPSEGas.

Action 1B: More effort, but also more impact: Write your own comments to the UTC, using the sample below and/or text from the petition. If you want more background, download WCEC’s detailed letter to the UTC. Email your comments to recordscenter@utc.wa.gov, including your name and the docket number UG-220242, before June 5.

Sample email:   Subject: Docket number UG-220242

I am a PSE customer and I am very concerned about PSE’s 2023 Gas Integrated Resource Plan and its “Preferred Portfolio,” which offers only meager progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using unproven technology that isn’t available yet. Meanwhile, the company would charge customers $10 billion to pay the Climate Commitment Act penalties for its enormous emissions. In its plan, PSE rejected viable alternatives that would achieve real emissions reductions, stabilize energy costs, and avoid unproven technologies.
I strongly agree with the Washington Clean Energy Coalition’s letter, dated May 8, 2023.
Please reject PSE’s Gas Integrated Resource Plan. Thank you.
[NAME], [CITY, ZIP] 

✊ Action 2 – Learn about Washington Community Alliance

Louise attended a fascinating presentation by Kamau Chege of Washington Community Alliance – a coalition of over 70 organizations, led by and working in communities of color. You can learn more about one of WCA’s projects by viewing the recorded presentation Data: It’s Absolutely Everything.

One of the resources Kamau demonstrates is WCA’s Elections Dashboard. Feed your inner data wonk by exploring this user-friendly visual landscape of election results backed by real data across the state. This is an amazing tool to dig deep into voter engagement across the state.  

Calendar of Events

Save the Date

Previously Recorded Events of Interest

… and More

Resources

For the Week of May 15, 2023

  • Please join us Sunday May 21st at 3:00 pm for Indivisible Eastside’s next Group Meeting.  La Rond Baker, Legal Director for the WA State chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is our featured speaker. Attorney Baker will address some of the high-profile issues that she and her team are working on in Washington including voting rights protection and access to voting for those currently and formerly incarcerated. She will also share their work around protester rights, including litigation around the BLM protests, and will address the book banning issues she sees in our state. Please take this opportunity by signing up at https://bit.ly/IE-Monthly-2023.
  •  Thank you to the 6 people who have donated $260 to Indivisible Eastside! $150 of that is eligible to be matched by Indivisible National, as well as any contributions we receive until the end of May. We’re hoping this will enable us to operate Mailchimp, Zoom, and our website for at least a year without asking for funds again. If you’re able, please donate to Indivisible Eastside through ActBlue. $10, $20 or $30 will make a difference!
  •  Do you live, work, or play in Bellevue? IE Member Chris Randals needs some help to support a bigger, bolder, and better bicycle network in Bellevue. Information HERE.

Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Oppose Further Criminalization of Drug Possession

From Washington Indivisible Legislative Action

Legislators are holding a special session beginning May 16 to pass legislation determining the penalties for drug possession. Current law expires July 1, and because the legislature didn’t pass a bill during the regular session, many local jurisdictions have already begun imposing penalties of their own.

Right now, legislators are leaning toward making simple possession a gross misdemeanor and imposing other restrictions that will make harm reduction more difficult. This approach reflects a continuation of the failed War on Drugs that has disproportionately impacted people of color.

Let your legislators know that you support an evidence-based approach recognizing that substance use disorder is a public health issue, and sending people to jail is not the answer.

  • Derek Stanford (1st LD): Olympia 360-786-7600 | EMAIL
  • Davina Williams Duerr (1st LD): Olympia 360-786-7928 | EMAIL
  • Shelley Kloba (1st LD): Olympia 360-786-7900 | EMAIL
  • Mark Mullet (5th LD): Olympia 360-786-7608 | EMAIL
  • Bill Ramos (5th LD): Olympia 360-786-7852 | EMAIL
  • Lisa Callan (5th LD): Olympia 360-786-7876 | EMAIL
  • Lisa Wellman (41st LD): Olympia 360-786-7641 | EMAIL
  • Tana Senn (41st LD): Olympia 360-786-7894 | Bellevue 425-453-3037 | EMAIL
  • My-Linh Thai (41st LD): Olympia 360-786-7926 | EMAIL
  • Manka Dhingra (45th LD): Olympia 360-786-7672 | EMAIL
  • Roger Goodman (45th LD): Olympia 360-786-7878 | Kirkland 425-739-1810 | EMAIL
  • Larry Springer (45th LD): Olympia 360-786-7822 | EMAIL
  • Patty Kuderer (48th LD): Olympia 360-786-7694 | EMAIL
  • Vandana Slatter (48th LD): Olympia 360-786-7936 | Bellevue 425-453-6424 | EMAIL
  • Amy Walen (48th LD): Olympia 360-786-7848 |Kirkland 425-822-1114| EMAIL

Suggested script (please add one or more of the talking points):

Hello, I’m a constituent of yours living in [CITY, ZIP]. Substance use disorder is a public health issue that should not be handled by the criminal justice system. We know that our BIPOC communities have been disproportionately impacted by laws criminalizing drug possession, and we also know that research shows that throwing people in jail does not help people recover or make our communities safer.

Please ensure that any legislation passed during the special session focuses on treatment-based solutions instead of punitive ones. Thank you.

[NAME]

Additional Talking Points:

  • Washington has criminalized the acquisition and use of certain drugs for over a century, and this approach has neither decreased rates of substance use disorder nor reversed the current overdose epidemic.
  • Increasing penalties for drug possession and relying on jails and prosecution as a pathway to treatment simply repeats the mistakes of the past and continues the failed legacy and racist outcomes of the War on Drugs.
  • Providing community care is a more effective method of preventing overdose-related deaths and other harms caused by substance use disorders.
  • The bill’s emphasis on punishment allows law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts to be the gatekeepers to services, instead of health care providers.

✊ Action 2 – Important Federal Action on Snake River Salmon Recovery

From Snohomish County Indivisible

An important comment window to the Federal Government Mediation & Conciliation Process (FMCS) on Snake River salmon recovery has recently opened. These comments will be viewed within the Federal Government by a broad range of agencies so if you have commented directly to President Biden or Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in the past it will be important to repeat your comments. You can, however, just cut and paste from your previous work.

Washington state secured 7.5 million dollars in its 2023-25 budget to fund steps in replacing the services of the lower Snake River dams, but it cannot be achieved by state actions alone. We must address in unison; we need federal action! For background information, take a look at the FAQ from Our Northwest Opportunity.

The deadline for comments is July 3, but the earlier the better. 

Action: Begin by going to this Federal Register notice link. Click on the green button at the top labeled “Submit A Formal Comment” and follow the instructions (lower on the notice there are other links for commenting but they use a different tool that is hard to follow so we recommend avoiding those and using the green button).

Sample text: Northwest salmon and steelhead are on the brink of extinction, and our Southern Resident Orcas are starving.  The greatest opportunity we have to prevent extinction and restore salmon abundance is to remove the four lower Snake River dams. The recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report identified dam removal as an urgently needed “centerpiece action” for salmon and steelhead restoration.  Senator Murray and Governor Inslee concluded their in-depth process which confirms the importance of removing the dams.

It’s time to take action. I strongly support the removal of the lower Snake River dams.

Calendar of Events

Save the Date

For the Week of May 8, 2023

  • King County is offering several ‘Repair Events’, where you can take small household and personal items to be fixed by skilled volunteers at King County libraries, instead of sending them to the landfill. Please check their website or the Calendar section for local dates.
  • Speaking of libraries, congratulations and thanks to Seattle Public Libraries, who have opened their collection of e-books and audiobooks to teens and young adults ages 13 to 26 living anywhere in the U.S. as part of the Books Unbanned project started by Brooklyn Public Library.
  • Are you interested in learning about affordable housing in our region? May 7-13 is Affordable Housing Week, with the theme being Housing Equity. Please check the event calendar for a full schedule of education and advocacy events. Of particular interest to the Eastside are the sessions on Transit Oriented Development (May 9) and Exclusion on the Eastside (May 11).

Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – [US HOUSE]  Ask your Representative to support a bill to regulate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in political ads

In recent weeks we have seen examples of the use of AI in political ads. A notable one is the Republican National Committee’s response to President Biden’s announcement that he would be running for re-election. This comically dystopian ad was made entirely by AI imagery. Such political ads are likely to become more common as AI technology proliferates. While the RNC ad did have a small disclaimer that its content was generated by AI, there is no requirement for one to be in place. Republicans in particular have had a distant relationship with truth and accuracy in recent years but the increasing accessibility of these sophisticated tools can only lead to further use of deception as a campaign tool.

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) has just introduced a bill that would require disclosure of AI-generated content in political ads. The bill, known as the the REAL Political Ads Act (H.R. 3044), would amend federal campaign finance law to require that political ads include a statement disclosing any use of AI-generated imagery. Interestingly, a similar bill (SB5152) recently passed in the Washington state legislature and is awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Congresswoman Clarke’s bill is brand new and so far does not have any co-sponsors. It would be great to see our congressional Representatives sign on in support of it. Please send them a message indicating that you support honesty in campaign advertisements and asking them to co-sponsor H.R.3044.

☎ Sample Script (please edit to personalize):

Hello,

My name is [NAME], a constituent from [CITY]. I am writing/calling to ask you to sign on to co-sponsor H.R. 3044, the REAL Political Ads Act, recently introduced by Representative Yvette Clarke. This bill seeks to amend federal campaign finance law to require that political ads include a statement disclosing any use of AI-generated imagery. As we have seen recently from the RNC, it is increasingly easy for campaigns to produce deceptive ads, with no requirement for disclosure about their use of AI. I am concerned about the impact of such ads on voters, particularly with the 2024 election just around the corner.

Please support Representative Clarke and co-sponsor H.R. 3044.

Thank you.

[NAME]

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

✊ Action 2 – Respond to King County’s survey on budget priorities

From Councilmember Claudia Balducci

In the coming years, King County’s General Fund will be facing a $100 million shortfall. In response, King County will be considering an adjustment to this fall’s mid-biennial budget that will include cuts to General Fund programs. These advance cuts will help prevent deeper cuts in the upcoming 2025-26 biennial budget and give time for affected programs to wind down.

These budget cuts are required because of Washington state’s regressive tax system that forces local governments to rely on limited resources like property and sales tax to fund essential services.

In advance of making these hard budget choices, King County has launched a community survey to hear from you about what discretionary programs you want to prioritize. This feedback will inform the Executive and King County Council’s policy and funding decisions.

Please provide input to the county on funding priorities by responding to the survey before May 18.

At about 14% of the total budget, the King County General Fund pays for functions of county government, such as the Sheriff’s office, and critical day-to-day services that are not supported by dedicated revenues. Nearly three quarters of the General Fund (72%) goes to support state-mandated criminal justice and public safety services. The remainder pays for other programs, such as health and human services. More details available here.

Calendar of Events

Save the Date

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of May 1, 2023

????  As Mental Health Awareness Month, May is a time to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding behavioral health issues, as well as highlighting the ways how mental illness and addiction can affect all of us. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning and affect one in five Americans. 

Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity for us to let everyone know that mental illnesses can affect people of any age, race, religion, or income. They are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing and cannot be overcome through willpower. But they are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan.

????  Bellevue residents, there are a couple of opportunities coming up to participate in discussions about the city’s plans.

  • The Comprehensive Planning Team will be hosting a Virtual Lunch & Learn on Wed, May 3 from 12 – 1 p.m, where they will offer an opportunity to discuss the results of their recent survey on the city’s Comprehensive Plan. 
  • Also related to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been released. This considers the potential environmental impacts of Bellevue’s plan for growth over the next 20 years, and residents are invited to submit comments until June 12.

???? Once again, the Calendar section is packed with interesting events. Don’t forget to check it out!

???? Here are your 2 actions this week. As we’re in a legislative lull, this edition of the newsletter will be devoted to actions connected to Mental Health Awareness Month.

✊ Action 1 – Continue to support provisions for better access to behavioral health care

Action 1a – From NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

As we begin Mental Health Awareness Month, we applaud King County voters for passing the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers levy, as well as our state legislature for passing several bills that will enhance options for care and treatment for people with behavioral health needs. These measures will go a long way towards addressing the lack of options for those seeking care in our state. 

Unfortunately there are still many deficiencies in services for those in need of resources. People with mental illness are overrepresented in our nation’s jails and prisons. When someone is released from incarceration, they face additional challenges as they return home to their communities, including increased risk for overdose and death by suicide in the weeks following release. Without connections to community mental health supports and health care, people transitioning into the community are unfortunately also at a higher risk of returning to involvement with the justice system. 

The Reentry Act (HR2400/S1165) would change that. This bipartisan legislation would provide Medicaid coverage for health care, including substance use and mental health treatment, for people who are incarcerated starting 30 days before their release. That means people would better be able to connect to and access community mental health services. This bill has the potential to make a significant difference in the health and wellbeing of people with mental illness and substance use disorders.

Please take advantage of this easy tool provided by NAMI to email your Senators and Representative, none of whom have co-sponsored this bill, to ask them to do so and provide some momentum for this important legislation.

Action 1b – Join Representative Adam Smith for an online panel discussion on May 2 at 6:00 pm on expanding access to quality behavioral health care resources. He will be joined by community leaders from organizations working to meet the behavioral health needs of people in our region. The discussion will focus on the behavioral health crisis we face today and share insights on the next steps we should take to address it. Please RSVP here to attend. You can submit questions for the panel in advance here.

We thank Representative Smith for his interest and involvement in addressing behavioral health needs at the federal level. He has just introduced H.R. 2977 – ‘To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for the purpose of establishing, operating, or expanding one-stop crisis facilities, and for other purposes’.

✊ Action 2 – Learn how you can be trained in Mental Health First Aid

Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.

Several of us in Indivisible Eastside have taken this course and found it to be a valuable source of advice and practical action. The training offers an opportunity to practice through role plays, scenarios, and activities and makes it easier to apply these skills in a real-life situation. No previous experience in the field is neccessary. Just as with CPR training, the idea is to be able to help in a crisis situation, at various levels, with no expectation of diagnosis or further treatment by the first aider. 

Please visit the website of mentalhealthfirstaid.org for an overview and follow the link to ‘Get trained’.

Calendar of Events

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Apr 24, 2023

???? In case you missed it – Notes and Slides from yesterday’s excellent In-Person Meeting! 

???? To celebrate Earth Day, help friends and family make good choices and live litter free. The WA Dept. of Ecology has partnered with Fred Meyer stores across Washington to give away free car litter bags, available at the front customer service counter at Fred Meyer locations. 

???? Don’t miss the Calendar section below – there are LOADS of great learning opportunities. And just below the Calendar see the most recent Indivisible Podcast How We Defeat the Maga Default Crisis.

???? Here are your 2 actions this week. 

✊ Action 1 – Learn about current threats to Washington Public Schools and join the fight

From the WIN Schools Workgroup

What’s happening:

The WIN Schools workgroup is learning that the dark-money funded Florida-based group Moms For Liberty is setting up chapters in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and other Washington counties. This group claims to be for “Parents Rights” but are in-fact ANTI-LGBTQ, ANTI-DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion), ANTI-CSE (Comprehensive Sex Education), ANTI-SEL (Social and Emotional Learning), and basically ANTI-public schools. 

What we are doing:

Louise and other members of the WIN Schools Workgroup have connected with two awesome national pro-public education organizations pushing back against M4L and other Christian National groups. Defense of Democracy is a nonpartisan group advocating for an inclusive public education system.  Stop Moms for Liberty is “fighting against the takeover of our public school system by Moms for Liberty.” For various reasons, the two groups are separate, but leaders are in communication and there’s much cross-pollination of members. On the Stop Moms for Liberty site, scroll down to learn more about M4L.

As election season approaches, voters and donors need to know which candidates’ views align with Moms For Liberty. We need to research if candidates belong to a Moms For Liberty group, or have expressed similar views online or in public comment to school district employees. Voters and donors need to know the facts in order to choose the candidate they feel will best support their public schools. 

Filing week for the November election of School Board directors is May 15-19. Although the positions are non-partisan, the candidates often have an affiliation that can be discovered with a little sleuthing. Once candidates have filed we will have a huge need for research into candidates. We can supply researchers with tips on where to look and a list of “red-flags” that would require more digging.

Join the fight by taking 1, 2 or all 3 of the following actions:

Action 1a:

Email schools@indivisibleeastside.com if you’d be interested in joining the WIN Schools workgroup and/or being a researcher in late May through mid-August. We need lots of help! Let us know your phone number, city and school district and we’ll be in touch. 

Action 1b:

Donate to one of the following organizations supporting honesty in education. 

Action 1c:

Check out and share the amazing resources and actions in Unite Against Book Bans’ Right to Read Day of Action toolkit which includes 1. read a banned book, 2. attend your school or library board meeting, 3. write a letter to your local newspaper or elected official and 4. report censorship.

✊ Action 2 – Tell Our MoCs to Hold Clarence Thomas Accountable

From Indivisible Washington’s 8th District

Serious revelations of Justice Clarence Thomas’s ethical lapses continue to emerge. Justices must file full financial disclosure reports annually but, did Justice Thomas disclose –

  • Gifts of luxury trips worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from Harlan Crow, a billionaire from Texas with a history of donations to conservative causes and the GOP?
  • Flights on Crow’s private jet, island hopping on his superyacht, and stays at his various properties?
  • Over $686,000 that his wife, Ginni, was paid by the Heritage Foundation from 2003-2007?
  • The fact that money changed hands between Crow and Justice Thomas when Crow bought properties from Thomas and his family in 2014?

Answer: No to all of the above.

We need to have confidence that justices serving on the U.S. Supreme Court follow the rules and behave ethically, and that their decisions are free from undue political influence.

Congress has a role in holding federal judges and justices accountable, and our Members of Congress have options – from public calls for resignation, Congressional hearings and investigation, to impeachment. Call your Members of Congress today and let them know that doing nothing in the case of Justice Thomas is unacceptable.

Contact your members of congress to insist on action!

☎ Sample Script:

We need to have confidence that justices serving on the U.S. Supreme Court follow the rules and behave ethically, and that their decisions are free from undue political influence. Serious revelations of Justice Clarence Thomas’s ethical lapses continue to emerge. 

Congress has a role in holding federal judges and justices accountable, and you have options – from public calls for resignation, Congressional hearings and investigation, to impeachment.

Please do not let this slide. Doing nothing in the case of Justice Thomas is unacceptable.

Thank you.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

Background:

 Calendar of Events

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Apr 17, 2023

???? Please join us April 23, 3-4:30 in Bellevue for our first IN PERSON Group meeting in more than 3 years! We are thrilled to be able to gather together once again with friends old and new. 

  • Giveaway: Earth Day – a small action for a big impact
  • Activity: Help write Thank You cards to Public School employees – we’ll bring all the materials and stamps.
  • Door Prizes!
  • Refreshments and time to socialize (email hello@indivisibleeastside.com if you can bring something to share)
  • Updates:
    • WA Legislative Session (session ends April 24)
    • Schools Workgroup – what’s happening in WA and around the country
    • Public Safety Workgroup
    • Celebrate Good News!
    • And more …
  • See details about location, parking, and masking HERE. 

???? King County and three other jurisdictions will have measures before voters. Ballots have been mailed today and Election Day is Tuesday, April 25. All ballot drop boxes across the county are open and, as always, ballots must be in by 8 p.m. sharp! Vote today!

???? Ballot alerts. King County Voters can sign-up forBallot Alerts through an online ballot tracker. Get text or email notifications about when your ballot is mailed, received at Elections HQ, when the signature has been verified and the ballot can be counted. Sign-up today!

???? The City of Kirkland is launching its new Kirkland Initiative civic engagement program in May with the goal of diversifying public participation in local government and making City Hall accessible to all.  The City is now accepting applications for the first cohort of the program. See all the details at The Kirkland Initiative.

???? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – It is time the Equal Rights Amendment became the law of the land!

Were it not for an arbitrary, unprecedented deadline in the preamble of the Equal Rights Amendment, it would be the law of the land. House Joint Resolution 25 and Senate Joint Resolution 4 were introduced this year in the U.S. Congress to remove that deadline and affirm that all requirements have been met to be the 28th Amendment.

Please contact your Members of Congress in support of these resolutions to remove barriers for certification of the ERA as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

☎ Sample Script for Senators Murray and Cantwell:

Thank you for co-sponsoring Senate Joint Resolution 4 which removes the arbitrary deadline for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). I strongly urge you to do everything you can to pass it at this critical time of increasing attacks on women’s reproductive autonomy and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.

The Equal Rights Amendment states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.” This language would affirm and enshrine gender equality in our Constitution, creating an explicit prohibition against sex discrimination in the nation’s foundational document. Seventy-five percent of Americans support the ERA.

Thank you.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

☎ Sample Script for Representatives:

I strongly urge you to do everything you can to pass House Joint Resolution 25, which removes the arbitrary deadline for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

The Equal Rights Amendment states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.” This language would affirm and enshrine gender equality in our Constitution, creating an explicit prohibition against sex discrimination in the nation’s foundational document. Seventy-five percent of Americans support the ERA.

Thank you.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

Customize your script with additional information:

  • Certification of the ERA is broadly supported. National organizations including League of Women Voters, American Civil Liberties Union, AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, National Organization for Women, and Planned Parenthood of America are among the more than 300 national, state, and local organizations that actively support passage of the ERA.
  • A 2020 Associated Press poll shows that about three in four Americans support the ERA. Nearly the same number of Americans, 72%, incorrectly believe men’s and women’s equal rights are guaranteed under the law as part of the Constitution. They are NOT.
  • The Joint Resolutions also have bipartisan Congressional support, and Congress must take action now.

✊ Action 2 – Help Southwest Alaska Tribes Fight the World’s Largest Pure Gold Mine

From Earthjustice

The world’s largest pure gold mine, proposed in one of the world’s largest river deltas, has received most federal and state permits needed to begin construction. But the mine is being challenged in court.

The Donlin Gold Mine could soon be built along a tributary of the Kuskokwim River, within an ecosystem hugely important for fish, wildlife, and Alaska Native people, who have continued their traditional ways of life in the region for more than 10,000 years.

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Tribes, represented by Earthjustice, are challenging Donlin in state and federal court. 

Take action: join “Mother” Kuskokwim River protectors in asking President Biden to revoke a key federal Trump-era permit allowing the filling of wetlands and requesting a more thorough environmental study for the mine.

 Calendar of Events

Save the Date

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Apr 10, 2023

???? Save the date! On Sunday April 23rd we will hold our first in-person meeting in three years. The venue is in Bellevue – we will have more details closer to the date. We plan on celebrating the good news about last week’s elections in Chicago and Wisconsin, among other things. Hope to see you there!

????  Ballots are arriving for Prop 1, the King County levy to fund 5 behavioral health crisis centers and implement other support for behavioral health needs. 

  • For information about the levy you can listen to the April 4th Hacks and Wonks podcast to hear an interview with King County Executive Dow Constantine. There are links to additional resources on the podcast home page.
  • For an opportunity to ask questions about the levy there is an educational forum offered by the Seattle Times and the League of Women Voters on Thurs April 13. (Register to attend).
  • To volunteer for the campaign you can sign up here. 

???? The City of Bellevue is looking for people to serve on a variety of boards and commissions, including Arts, Planning, and the Parks and Community Services Board. These are influential bodies who help to shape city policies. Applications can be made online and are due by April 15.

???? Earth Day is coming up on April 22! Check out the Earth Day activities in the Calendar of Events.

???? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Ask Marriott Hotels to stand by their corporate policy and not support hate groups

In the ongoing attacks on public schools and LGBTQ rights, one organization in particular stands out for its rapid growth and relentless determination to spread their Christian nationalist ideology. Moms for Liberty started in Florida but now has groups nationwide, including King County. It purports to be a grassroots organization but is supported by major players in the right wing ecosystem. Moms for Liberty is a hate group that is anti-diversity, anti-inclusion, and anti-LGBTQ. They claim that all members of the LGBTQ community are “groomers,” an anti-Gay trope used for decades to malign and isolate the community. GLAAD (the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization) has recently added them to their Accountability Project. 

Moms for Liberty is ​​preparing to hold their national summit in Philadelphia from June 29-July 2 at the Downtown Philadelphia Marriott. Marriott has a clear corporate policy on diversity and inclusion and has been awarded a 100% score for the past nine years by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for policies and practices relating to LGBTQ equality and inclusion. It is a violation of Marriott’s corporate policy and an insult to their LGBTQ employees and all Americans for them to allow Moms for Liberty to use their property.

The organization Defense of Democracy is hosting a petition to ask Marriott to refuse to allow Moms for Liberty to hold their national convention or any other event at a Marriott property. Please sign and share this petition to support the LGBTQ community and our public schools and to hold Marriott accountable.

You can learn more about Moms for Liberty on the latest Indivisible podcast, ‘How to Run for School Board (and why you should!)’

podcast: Apple | SoundCloud l video: YouTube | Facebook

✊ Action 2 – Encourage your young friends and family to get involved in politics this summer

Action 2a – Do you know a high schooler (rising sophomore or older) or college student (or recent graduate) in the 1st or the 8th Congressional Districts who would be interested in participating in a Democratic Fellowship program this summer? If so, program participants Rep. Susan DelBene and Rep. Kim Schrier invite them to apply for the National Democracy Summer program, which was started by Rep. Jamie Raskin and is dedicated to training the next generation of political activists and leaders. The six-week program will take place from Monday, June 26, 2023 – Monday, August 7, 2023 and requires a commitment of 10-15 hours per week. Participants receive a $500 stipend for the summer. Additional information and the application for the Fellowship can be found HERE. The priority deadline to apply is April 14th.

Action 2b – Do you know a high school student who is curious about how cities grow, change, and develop? Have you ever wondered how governments decide where train lines go? Do you have ideas about how to make our communities better places for everyone? If so, you should apply for the Summer Planning Academy (SPA)! Details at Summer Planning Academy (SPA): Apply Now!

Action 2c – The City of Bellevue is looking for diverse youth and adult candidates for 2023-2024 Bellevue Youth Link Board openings. The City of Bellevue encourages anyone interested to apply online by 5 p.m., Monday, May 15.

Calendar of Events

Save the Date

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Apr 3, 2023

???? Save the date! On April 23rd we will hold our first in-person meeting in three years! Along with presenters and our usual great discussion, we’ll have a celebration of the indictment (at last!) of a certain former president. Details to come.

???? Please continue to advocate for Prop 1,  the King County levy to fund 5 behavioral health crisis centers and other support for behavioral health needs. See our meeting notes from our March meeting which include a recording and helpful links if you were not able to attend. There are volunteer opportunities starting this week to help the campaign. Please sign up here if you are interested. Election Day is just three weeks away, on April 25th!

???? Indivisible Eastside is now part of the ActBlue universe for fundraising purposes, and as such is eligible for Indivisible National’s fundraising matching program. For the months of April and May, our National organization will match all funds raised dollar for dollar. If you have been thinking about donating this would be a great time to do so! We appreciate all of our members and their support, financial and otherwise – thank you! Indivisible Eastside ActBlue Donation Page

???? If you live in Kirkland, your city council is asking for your input to a Sustainability, Climate and Environment Survey. This will help to Identify key issues to study during the Comprehensive Plan amendment process.

???? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Add your voice to the fight against the Alaska Willow Project

Environmental and indigenous groups have filed two separate lawsuits challenging the enormous Willow Project on Alaska’s North Slope after the Biden administration approved the oil drilling venture recently, calling into question the administration’s climate policies. The project’s sheer size is stunning. It is slated to produce a peak of 180,000 barrels of oil per day, roughly 40 percent of all current daily production in Alaska. At a time when scientists say emissions must start to drop to address climate change, Willow would lock in an estimated 9.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year — equal to driving nearly 2 million gas-powered cars — for potentially 30 years. 

Please consider adding your voice to the thousands who have already spoken up in opposition to the Willow Project. Many climate and environmental organizations have a format for you to participate. Among them are protectthearctic.org, sierraclub.org and earthjustice.org. Please choose an action that suits you and, if you are able, consider donating to one or more of these organizations to support their legal work to stop the Willow Project.

You can also write a letter to President Biden at:

The Whitehouse

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20500

As a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Maria Cantwell has been a strong voice against this development and released a statement after the decision to proceed was announced. If you would like to thank her for her stand you can contact her at:

✊ Action 2 – Ask Lawmakers to adjust their budget proposals to address the homeless crisis

From the WA Low Income Housing Alliance

In Washington state, document recording fees are the state’s main source of funding for all homelessness services. But the state is facing a loss of up to 50% of these funds, because of the decrease in real estate activity and the associated document recording fees. If the operating budget doesn’t make up the difference, every county in the state will experience a significant reduction in homelessness funding starting this July. With a growing crisis and an already underfunded homelessness prevention sector, cuts are unacceptable.

Budget negotiations in the House and the Senate will be happening in Olympia over the next few weeks. Both operating budgets need to make up the revenue shortage from document recording fees that are a primary source of funds for homeless services across the state. Please use this form to send a letter to your lawmakers today in support of fully funding homelessness services. Thank you.

 Calendar of Events

Save the Date

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Mar 27, 2023

???? At our March meeting, King County councilmember Girmay Zahilay spoke about the King County Levy to fund 5 behavioral health crisis centers and other support for behavioral health needs. See our meeting notes which include a recording if you were not able to attend. 

???? Good news! The WA Supreme Court has upheld the Capital Gains tax passed in 2022. It applies a 7% tax on profits above $250,000 on the sale of financial assets such as stocks and bonds. It does not apply to real estate or retirement accounts. The tax is projected to bring in about $1 billion in the upcoming two-year budget. “Today’s decision provides much needed certainty for budget writers as the Legislature continues to craft our state’s next two-year operating budget,” said Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “We are eager to expand support for working families, and today’s ruling locks in dedicated funding to increase access to affordable early learning and child care.”

???? Take Action Network (TAN) Training offered by Kevin L of Indivisible Bellingham 

???? Here are your 2 actions this week. 

✊ Action 1 – Voice your support of 2 Gun Safety Bills before the March 28 10:30 am Hearing

From Washington Indivisible Legislative Action (WILA)

Two Gun Safety bills, HB 1240 and HB 1143, will be voted on in executive session in the Senate Law & Justice Committee on March 28. As there is strong organized opposition (for example HB 1240 sign-ins Pro: 1683 Con: 6183), it’s important to voice your support for these bills to ban assault weapons and require safety training and a waiting period for firearms purchases. 

Senator Dhingra and Senator Kuderer serve on this committee and are co-sponsors of the companion senate bills SB 5265 and SB 5211. Senator Wellman is a co-sponsor of SB 5265. Let them know we have their backs!

???? Sen. Derek Stanford (1st LD): Olympia 360-786-7600 | EMAIL

???? Sen. Mark Mullet (5th LD): Olympia 360-786-7608 | EMAIL

???? Sen. Lisa Wellman (41st LD): Olympia 360-786-7641 | EMAIL

???? Sen. Manka Dhingra (45th LD): Olympia 360-786-7672 | EMAIL

???? Sen. Patty Kuderer (48th LD): Olympia 360-786-7694 | EMAIL

☎ Sample Script

I want you to know that I strongly support HB 1240 and HB 1143. 

HB 1240 prohibits the manufacture, importation, distribution, selling, and offering for sale of assault weapons.  HB 1143 requires firearms safety training and a 10-day waiting period. It requires a background check before firearms can be transferred, and it updates more consistent firearms transfer and background check procedures.

These changes will make our communities safer from gun violence.

[For Senator Dhingra and Senator Kuderer, ADD:]

Please ensure these bills are passed out of the Law & Justice committee on March 28.  Thank you for co-sponsoring the companion bills SB 5265 and SB 5211.

[For other senators, ADD:]

Please vote YES when these bills come up for a vote. Thank you for doing all you can to protect Washingtonians from gun violence.

Thank you,

[NAME]

[CITY, ZIP]

✊ Action 2 – Help Protect and Expand Immigration Legal Services

From Northwest Immigrants Rights Project (NWIRP)

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is one of several organizations facing the prospect of significant cuts in funding unless state legislators take action in the coming weeks. Governor Inslee is proposing to cut funding for immigration assistance services at a time when the need has grown significantly and the cost of providing these services is growing. Please support the request of a coalition of organizations led by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to expand immigration and naturalization funding in the upcoming budget.

Write your representatives and senator to prevent significant cuts to immigration legal service and services to victims of crime. Basic language is provided below but please personalize the message as much as you can as this will be most effective:

☎ Sample Script:

I am writing/calling to urge you to ensure that immigration and naturalization assistance is protected and expanded in the state budget. I was disappointed to learn that Governor Inslee is proposing to cut funding for immigration assistance services at a time when the need has grown significantly. Please restore and expand funding for the Legal Support and Community Safety program, funding for the Washington New Americans program and for the DSHS Naturalization program.

I am also asking you to protect critical services to victims of crime in our state by fully funding the $132 million request for crime victim services. I am deeply concerned about the potential for cuts to services that support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes. This funding will help protect the stability and continuity of survivor services.

Thank you,

[NAME],

[CITY]

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

Background: Help for Crime Victims drops to ‘Crisis Level’ in WA

Calendar of Events

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Mar 20, 2023

???? Please join us Sun, Mar 26, 3-4:30 pm for Indivisible Eastside group meeting. We’ll be hearing from King County councilmember Girmay Zahilay who will speak about the King County Levy to fund 5 behavioral health crisis centers and other support for behavioral health needs.

???? Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin joined The Rachel Maddow Show on March 7th to discuss the launch of Unrepresentatives, a program to take back the House by targeting the 18 GOP members of Congress who represent districts that President Biden won in 2020. Learn more and get involved at unrepresentative18.org

???? The latest Washington Indivisible Podcast has dropped: Can Washington Protect Out-of-State Abortion Rights? listen here: Apple | SoundCloud or view here: YouTube | Facebook

???? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Stand with Native youth to prevent salmon extinction

From Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

In 2021 The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Youth Council began a petition to the Biden Administration advocating recovery of salmon and other species by breaching the lower Snake River dams. Help CTUIR youth reach their goal of 35,000 signatures before April 15, the date they travel to Washington DC and present their petition. Go to the CTUIR Youth Council’s Change.org page to sign the petition.

“America made a deal and promised that we would be able to fish forever. We can’t fish if there aren’t any salmon left.” – Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Youth Leadership Council in their letter to President Biden

✊ Action 2 – Continue pressure on Walgreens to restore access to abortion medication

From Chop Wood Carry Water Substack March 6 and March 7

This is a follow on to last week’s action ✊ Ask Governor Inslee to Join California in Shunning Walgreens. Walgreens has decided to collude with politicians who want to decree what a woman can and can’t do with her own care. If you’re angry about this, please take one or both actions below (and last week’s action if you haven’t already).

Action 2a. Call the office of the Walgreens CEO Rosalind Gates Brewer to protest the new policy and to inform Walgreens that you will cease shopping in their stores until the policy is repealed.  

Rosalind Gates Brewer, Walgreens’ CEO, at 847-315-2500. You’ll get an operator – ask for the CEO’s office. 

☎ Sample Script:

My name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [CITY, STATE] because I am very upset about Walgreens’ decision to stop selling abortion pills. Why is your company playing politics with my healthcare? I will not be shopping at Walgreens or any of its subsidiaries until you reverse this decision, and I’m going to encourage everyone I know to do the same. Thanks.

Action 2b. Click to Email Senior Vice President, Pharmacy and Healthcare Rick Gates and Senior Vice President, Operations Lisa Badgley

(or paste these addresses into your email program: lisa.badgley@walgreens.com, rick.gates@walgreens.com, wcrexecresponse@walgreens.com)

Subject Line: Restore access to safe, legal abortion medication

☎ Sample Script:

To the Leadership Team at Walgreens,

I’m writing because I’m appalled that, due to pressure from Republican Attorneys General, Walgreens has chosen to stop selling the abortion medication Mifepristone in 10 states where abortion remains legal. This decision is cowardly and appalling, as pregnant people will be placed in horrible and even dangerous situations because you chose not to help when you could. 

An article in Popular Information reported that Walgreens has donated $80,030 to the Republican Attorney Generals Association (RAGA) and $123,500 to 39 members of Congress who received a failing grade in the latest scorecard from NARAL Pro-Choice America. This group includes 12 co-sponsors of the Heartbeat Protection Act of 2021, a bill that would ban abortion nationwide after 6 weeks — before many women know they are pregnant.

Your recent actions, combined with your generous donations to anti-choice politicians, prove that Walgreens does NOT care about the healthcare of 50% of the population, but instead stands against reproductive freedom. 

Until you restore access to safe and legal Mifepristone, I will stop shopping at your stores and encourage others to do the same.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[CITY, STATE]

Calendar of Events

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Mar 13, 2023

???? The state legislature has passed the halfway mark, with most bills either moving on to the opposite chamber or dying. While there have been some great bills passed (yay assault weapons ban and middle housing!), there have been some disappointments too (e.g. most police accountability bills) and some interesting moves by Democratic leaders. If you have questions for your state legislators, this is the season for Town Halls. Please check the Calendar section to see what we could find for Eastside districts. Not all districts have them scheduled so if that’s the case in your LD you could ask your legislators why!

For an overview of messaging on key legislative bills please listen to the latest Indivisible podcast featuring Reiny Cohen of Fuse WA. 

Podcast:  Apple l  Soundcloud  Video: YouTube | Facebook

???? If you haven’t yet had a chance to catch the presentation by Eastside For All (and others) on the History of Exclusion on the Eastside, you can now watch it on YouTube. It’s a fascinating deep dive into the history of East King County through a racial equity, transportation, and affordable housing lens.

???? Here are your 3 actions this week. 

✊ Action 1 – Ask Governor Inslee to Join California in Shunning Walgreens

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is officially pulling back the renewal of a $54 million state contract with Walgreens after the company said it will not dispense the drug Mifepristone in four states where the drug remains legal. The decision comes after attorneys general in 21 states, mostly with Republican governors, have warned Walgreens and CVS they could face legal consequences if they sell abortion pills in their states.

Mifepristone is a pill that, when combined with another pill, will end a pregnancy. The USDA approved the pill in 2000 for use in up to the 10th week of pregnancy. Today, more than half of all abortions in the U.S. are done by pills, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. Mifepristone has also shown promise in trials for other health conditions such as cancer and PTSD. Those trials are now in jeopardy as its availability is compromised.   

This latest attack on reproductive healthcare is just part of a widespread right wing plan to shut down  access to such care nationwide. Mifepristone is also the target of a lawsuit that could be decided any day now which could ban the drug entirely, even in states where abortion is still legal. 

While that lawsuit plays out we must ask our elected officials to do everything that they can to protect access to this important drug. Please take action to ask Governor Inslee to pull our state out of any contracts with Walgreens and show support for Governor Newsom’s action. 

☎ Sample Script: (Please edit to personalize)

Dear Governor Inslee,

I’m a Washington resident from [CITY] and I’m concerned about reproductive healthcare in our state. Walgreens has said that it will not distribute the abortion medication, Mifepristone, even in states where abortion is legal, bowing to pressure from anti-abortion lawmakers and lawsuits.

Governor Newsom said “California won’t be doing business with Walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk.”

I’m asking you to join Governor Newsom and pull our state out of any business contracts that it has with Walgreens. 

Thank you.

[NAME]

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

✊ Action 2 – Help to find great school board candidates and fight the anti-public school agenda

The Nonpartisan Guide to Running For School Board – A Pro-Public School Approach (https://bit.ly/RunForSchoolBoardGuideWA) was conceived, edited, rewritten, reorganized and made beautiful by a small team of “Totally Grassroots Patriotic Pro Public School Pals”. This is meant to appeal to anyone who believes in and cares about public school, in a time when we see concerted efforts to send public funds to private or religious schools, ban books, or not allow educators to teach honest history. Please share freely with anyone you think might be thinking of serving, or wanting to help someone run for school board.

If that person is running in a bluer area, and is more progressive, there are resources to serve that type of candidate in a “Slightly Spicy Addendum for our Progressive Friends” https://bit.ly/RunForSchoolBoardAddendum. 

There WILL be revisions so ALWAYS share using the bit.ly links as they will always point to the latest and greatest revision.

✊ Action 3 – Help to stop a MAGA takeover of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court

As we shared in a previous newsletter (Action 2), the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 4 will be very significant nationally for abortion rights, gerrymandering, and voting rights. Wisconsin is one of the most politically competitive states in America and often determines the outcome of the presidential election. In the Primary, two candidates emerged, one democrat-leaning (Janet Protasiewicz) and one very right wing (Dan Kelly). Despite an early fundraising lead by Protasiewicz, a Maga-funded PAC has now dropped a $3.2m donation to Kelly, which they are using to fund attack ads against her. If you are able to support the Protasiewicz campaign with a donation, it will be put to good use fighting back against these ads and telling Wisconsinites the truth about Kelly’s record.

Another way to help is by signing up to write postcards through either Mobilize or Blue Wave Postcards. If you are signed up with Postcards to Voters you should have had an email with details about their campaign for this race. Please help fight off the MAGA movement in this important election.

Calendar of Events

  • Tues Mar 14, 6:30-8 pm – Bellevue Behavioral Health and Transit Safety Community Meeting on the rollout of the Community Crisis Assistance Team (CCAT) and the proposed Police Transit Team. North Bellevue Community Center, 4063 148th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98007. You can also join remotely by using this link. (MS Teams)
  • Thurs Mar 16, 6-7 pm – 45th LD Telephone Town Hall. The  automated system will call out to landlines in the district. All you have to do is accept the call and press *3 to ask questions. To ensure you are called, you can sign up here. If you do not receive the call, you can still participate by dialing 877-229-8493 and using ID code 116292, or by going to this website.
  • Sat, Mar 18, 10 am-1 pm – Bellevue Housing Forum at Crossroads Community Center. This will be a drop-in event. Sign up to attend.
  • Sat Mar 18, 11:30 am-1 pm – 45th LD In-Person Town Hall, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, 11605 132nd Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034, West Building, Auditorium
  • Sun Mar 19, 1-2:30 pm – 1st LD In-Person Town Hall, Cascadia College, Bothell
  • Tues Mar 21, Noon – 1:30 pm – Rally to Stop Dirty Banks that fund fossil fuel projects, Bellevue Downtown Park. (Also see the map for other local actions to Stop Dirty Banks.)
  • Tues Mar 21, 6-8:30 pm – Bellevue Housing Forum at East Shore Unitarian Church. This will be an interactive workshop and presentation with opportunity for in-depth, small-group discussion. Sign up to attend.
  • Thurs Mar 23, Noon-1 pm – Bellevue Housing Forum virtual event. Hear a short presentation from city staff with time for questions. Sign up to attend.
  • Thurs Mar 23, 6:30 pm – 48th LD Telephone Town Hall. Sign up at least an hour before the meeting.
  • Sat Mar 25, 11:30 am – Congressman Adam Smith Town Hall, Carco Theatre, Renton. Sign up to attend.
  • Sun, Mar 26, 3-4:30 pm – Indivisible Eastside group meeting. Register once for all 2023 meetings. 

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Mar 6, 2023

???? State legislature bill tracking continues, with many of the good bills that we support passing out of their chamber of origin. We are now at the session’s halfway mark and this will be a busy week trying to get bills over the line. Bills that don’t make it out of their chamber of origin by March 8th will be dead for this year.

 You can get an update on the legislative session so far on the new WIN podcast, featuring several expert bill trackers in various policy areas. (You might want to watch this on video, since it includes slides.) 

Podcast: Apple | SoundCloud   Video: YouTube l Facebook 

???? If you live in Bellevue there are several opportunities coming up to get involved in your city.

  • The City Council is seeking candidates for vacancies on Bellevue’s Parks & Community Services Board. Interested residents can apply online. Applications are due by Wednesday, March 15.
  • There will be three forums with varying formats seeking your input on housing options in Bellevue that will help to shape future policy. Please try to attend at least one and share your views. They are on March 18, 21, and 23. Details are in the Calendar section.
  • We welcome information from other cities to share with our members! Please send it to hello@indivisibleeastside.com.

????Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Speak up against the Biden administration’s new policy on asylum seekers

Despite President Biden vowing at the start of his term to restore a humane approach to the border crisis after the harsh immigration policies of his predecessor, his administration recently announced problematic new measures to crack down on asylum seekers. It would allow rapid deportation of anyone who had failed to request protection from another country while en route to the United States or who did not notify border authorities through a mobile app of their plans to seek asylum. 

However, the mobile app, in use since January, has been overloaded by huge demand and plagued with glitches since tens of thousands of migrants staying in shelters on the Mexican side of the border began using it. This proposed policy will present a formidable barrier to those hoping to submit applications for asylum in the US.

The ruling comes in anticipation of the May ending of Title 42, a Trump-era health emergency rule that has allowed border authorities to swiftly expel migrants back to Mexico. While the administration has attempted to distinguish its asylum ban from Trump’s policies, it has the same effect: denying asylum seekers the protection they need in the United States.

Community members are able to submit comments until March 27 on the new rule. Please use this link from the Immigration Justice Campaign to send in your comments but to make sure the government counts and considers your comment, please edit the pre-drafted suggestion to make it unique – duplicate comments will otherwise be lumped together and responded to as one.

✊ Action 2 – Take a stand against Fox ‘News’

From IE member Sally F.

You probably read the unsurprising news recently about Rupert Murdoch acknowledging under oath that Fox News knowingly endorsed the false narrative that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, and that he could have stopped Fox’s falsehoods but chose not to. This disclosure emerged from the $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News. 

Fox News has been described as being at the apex of the ecosystem of disinformation in this country. While we wait for the long legal process to play out, we can play a part by calling to account the advertisers who still fund Fox News’ online operation. The organization checkmyads.org explains how the system works and offers a way to contact the ad exchanges who place online advertisements for companies. They need to be told to stop placing ads with FoxNews.com, which will help defund the platform.  Here’s the link to take action: https://checkmyads.org/fox/

Calendar of Events

  • Thurs, Mar 9, 6:30-7:30 pm – 41st LD Town Hall – Facebook Live. Submit questions in advance HERE. 
  • Tues, Mar 14, 6:30-8 pm – Bellevue Behavioral Health and Transit Safety Community Meeting on the rollout of the Community Crisis Assistance Team (CCAT) and the proposed Police Transit Team. North Bellevue Community Center, 4063 148th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98007. You can also join remotely by using this link. (MS Teams)
  • Sat, Mar 18, 10 am-1 pm – Bellevue Housing Forum at Crossroads Community Center. This will be a drop-in event. Sign up to attend.
  • Sat Mar 18, 11:30 am-1 pm – 45th LD In-Person Town Hall, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, 11605 132nd Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034, West Building, Auditorium
  • Tues, Mar 21, 6-8:30 pm – Bellevue Housing Forum at East Shore Unitarian Church. This will be an interactive workshop and presentation with opportunity for in-depth, small-group discussion. Sign up to attend.
  • Thurs, Mar 23, Noon-1 pm – Bellevue Housing Forum virtual event. Hear a short presentation from city staff with time for questions. Sign up to attend.

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Feb 27, 2023

? As we heard at IE’s Group Meeting on Saturday, the legislative session is nearly half over. So far Washington Indivisible members reported using Take Action Network (TAN) to take 11,922 Actions! IE members were responsible for more than 10% of those! With more people using TAN we can have an even bigger impact. Are YOUR Legislators Hearing From YOU? If you’re not signed up, please see IE’s TAN website page for details on how to sign up and be part of making Washington better for all.  

? Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that health care providers, seekers, and helpers in Washington have a new avenue to obtain pro bono legal assistance to facilitate abortion access. Read the Press Release HERE.

? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Help feed and transport Refugees, including Ukrainians, Turks and Syrians

February 24, 2023, marked one year since Russia unjustly invaded Ukraine and plunged its people into a life filled with war. During this time over 7,000 civilians have been killed, 8 million people have fled to safety, and almost 5 million more remain displaced, in their own country. Stand in solidarity with all those who have been impacted by war or natural disaster, and their right to human dignity no matter the circumstance. These forced migrants still urgently need to reach safety. 

Miles4Migrants needs help to continue removing transportation barriers for millions of individuals experiencing the horrors of war, persecution, torture, and climate disaster. Your unused miles, credit card points, and cash can make a huge impact. If you can donate, your support will go to the most urgent cases, which may include Ukrainians along with refugees and asylum-seekers from all backgrounds who are in need of airfare to reach safe homes. Please help make this possible.

Acton 1a. Donate to Miles for Migrants if you can

World Central Kitchen provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. When disaster strikes, WCK’s Relief Team mobilizes to the frontlines with urgency to start cooking and providing meals to people in need. Good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis. Your donation today will be used to support our emergency food relief efforts. 

Action 1b. Donate to World Central Kitchen if you can

✊ Action 2 – Get Involved in the WI Supreme Court Race

From Seattle Indivisible

The April 4, 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court race might be the most important election this year: if it tips the balance of power to a liberal majority, the court could un-gerrymander their legislature, legalize abortion, and defend free elections in 2024.

Take action to help progressive judge Janet Protasiewicz win the WI supreme court race. Here are three great options:

  1. Donate to WI Democrats through SwingLeft
  2. Write 5 – 20 letters to WI voters with Vote Forward, to be mailed on March 28
  3. If you’re a Postcards To Voters writer, you can request addresses for candidate Janet Protasiewicz by texting Hello to 341-444-2229

Calendar of Events(* items shared by members at the IE meeting)

  • Mon, Feb 27th, 9 – 9:30 am – * Rally to Shut Down the King County Jail * 500 Fifth Ave. Seattle – Livestream on Instagram @decrimseattle 
  • Tues, Feb 28, 6-7 pm – * Futurewise Floor Vote Frenzy Kick Off * – to mobilize 1000 Washingtonians to get 5 priority Environment and Housing bills passed off the floor. 
  • Tues, Feb 28th 6-8 pm – Congregations for the Homeless (CFH) Eastgate Community Gathering regarding the Men’s Shelter on Eastgate Way, Seattle Humane, 13212 SE Eastgate Way, Auditorium A (in Bellevue)
  • Tues, Feb 28, 7-8:30 pm, Crosscut Origins: Refuge After War Film Screening – Includes interview with LD 41 Rep My Linh Thai
  • Wed, Mar 1, 11 am – * Protest U.S. support for Saudi brutal war on Yemen * – At Rep. Adam Smith’s District Office 101 Evergreen Building, 15 S. Grady Way, Renton
  • Thurs, Mar 2, 2-5 pm – Totem Pole Journey to protect Oak Flat – East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue
  • Thurs, Mar 2, 6 pm – * Save Coal Creek – Public Hearing Bellevue City Council on the Isola Development Proposal * – Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave NE, Bellevue
  • Thurs, Mar 9, 6:30-7:30 pm – 41st LD Town Hall – Facebook Live. Submit questions in advance HERE. 
  • Sat, Mar 18, 11:30 am – 2 pm 45th LD In-Person Town Hall – Lake Washington Institute of Technology, 11605 132nd Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034, West Building, Auditorium

Previously Recorded Events of Interest:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Feb 20, 2023

? Please join us for our group meeting on Zoom – Feb. 25, 3-4:30. We’ll be sharing some exciting news from the WIN Schools workgroup. Register once for all 2023 online monthly meetings. Also, we’re considering going back to in person meetings – reply to this email to let us know what you think.

? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Learn what’s happening to address the healthcare cost and access crisis in WA

In an effort to address the healthcare cost and access crisis here in Washington, the Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI) is endorsing a slate of bills in this year’s legislative session, taking aim at things like mergers, prescription drug costs, and protections for our frontline healthcare workers.

EOI’s healthcare policy advisor, Sam Hatzenbeler, explains the big issues on the Washington Indivisible Podcast.

✊ Action 2 – Help Support an Ordinance Banning Discrimination Based on Caste

With over 150,000 people from South Asia now calling Washington State home, caste has become a political issue, with reports of caste-based discrimination in both the public and private sectors. People from a caste-oppressed background often live closeted lives, hiding their caste to avoid discrimination, particularly in the workplace. When their caste is “outed,” they can experience devastating discrimination in work and community.

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant has introduced an ordinance that would ban discrimination based on caste, and if passed, Seattle would become the first city in North America to pass such legislation. On Feb 17th, 140 Washington organizations wrote a letter to the council urging them to pass it. The council is set to vote on the measure on February 21st.

Tech worker Raghav Kaushik explains the big issues regarding caste discrimination on the Washington Indivisible Podcast last week.

We are asking everyone, not just those residing in Seattle, to listen to the podcast and do a 1-minute action. 

  • Action 2a:  CLICK HERE to send a pre-drafted email to the Seattle City Council. Make sure to fill in your name and city at the bottom.
  • Action 2b: Listen or watch the Podcast: audio: Apple | SoundCloud | video: YouTube | Facebook
  • Read more about this issue HERE.

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For the Week of Feb 13, 2023

? The news from Turkey and Syria continues to be heartbreaking. As the death toll climbs in the strongest earthquake in the region in 80 years, organizations are scrambling to provide aid across the area. Syria faces additional hurdles due to the humanitarian crisis, compounded by more than a decade of civil war.

You can help by donating to organizations of your choice if you are able – there are many to choose from. Charity Navigator rates charities on the cost-effectiveness and overall health of a charity’s programs and has recommendations for donations in a variety of categories. 

If you are looking for a local connection, the Turkish American Cultural Association in Bellevue and the Salaam Cultural Museum Medical Missions team in Seattle are combining efforts to get monetary and in-kind donations to Turkey.

? The Working Families Tax Credit launched on February 1st. This new annual tax refund for Washington residents is worth $50-$1,200 depending on your income level and how many qualifying children you have in your household. Check the Working Families Tax Credit Coalition website to see if you qualify and how to apply.

? Save the date for our next group meeting on Zoom – Feb. 25, 3-4:30. Register once for all 2023 online monthly meetings. (We’re considering going back to in person meetings – let us know what you think.)

? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Take a deep dive into issues being debated in our state legislature

The current session is moving along apace and that is where the energy of Indivisible groups locally is currently focused. For a partial overview of the session, try KUOW’s legislative issues list from January or the House Democratic Caucus’s Newsroom postings. There are some great bills under discussion and some terrible ones that we need to keep our collective eyes on. Feb 17 is the cut off date for bills to move out of their policy committee in either the House or Senate and we will update you on where things stand next week. 

Among the major policy areas with important legislation this year are Housing, Gun Safety, and Police Accountability. The Washington Indivisible Podcast team has been busy interviewing experts in all of these areas recently and you can listen to them in a variety of ways. Please take some time to hear about the hard work of advocates in these fields. They represent some of the groups that we rely on for expertise when we write Calls to Action for TAN and we are so grateful for their work.

Podcasts can be heard via  Soundcloud or Apple and watched on Facebook or YouTube. (Please note that legislation referred to will probably be at a different stage from when the podcast was recorded.)

For members who are new (welcome!) or if you haven’t participated in TAN (Take Action Network) yet, you can learn all about it HERE. For those without a TAN profile, click the green button to accept the invitation from Indivisible Eastside to sign up. For more information or if you need a refresher you can use the red and yellow buttons.

If you already have a TAN account, please take a few minutes to take the following steps: 

  • To ensure that TAN emails arrive in your inbox, click HERE and follow the directions. That’s it. You should be set to receive action emails from TAN. 
  • If you’ve changed Legislative or Congressional districts you may need to update them in TAN. From the TAN Profile → Contact Info menu, review and correct your districts if necessary.

✊ Action 2 – Explore more great resources for Black History Month

We hope that you were able to enjoy some of the resources we shared last week for Black History Month. Here are a few more free events to learn about Black history and culture.

We know that our public libraries provide a wealth of literature that we can easily access, including curated book lists, but they also have terrific online events. Please explore some of these upcoming events to learn more about the Black experience. 

  • Precarious Lives of Free Blacks Pre-1865

    Tues Feb 21, 6-7:15 pm, Please register

    What was life like for Free Blacks prior to 1865? This presentation discusses how freedom was obtained pre-Emancipation in British, French and Spanish colonies as well as the new nation of the United States. Speaker Janice Lovelace, PhD, has more than thirty years of experience in genealogical research and has presented nationally on methodology, DNA, and ethnic minority genealogy. She is author of the National Genealogical Society’s course African American Roots: A Historical Perspective. 

  • Author Voices: Clyde W. Ford

    Wed Feb 22, 7:30-8:30 pm, Please register.

    Join a discussion with Clyde W. Ford, author of Of Blood and Sweat: Black Lives and the Making of White Power and Wealth. As Ford reveals, in tracing the history of almost any major American institution of power and wealth you’ll find it was created by Black Americans, or created to control them.

Throughout the month of February PBS is streaming a variety of programs that showcase Black excellence. Collectively called The Block Party, the series will showcase music, documentaries, and history.

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For the Week of Feb 6, 2023

?February is Black History Month, with the theme this year being Black Resistance. We have several actions that you can take to honor, celebrate and learn about the Black experience and community  but let’s start with the words of President Barack Obama: 

 “This month should be more than just a commemoration of particular events. It’s about the shared experience of all Black Americans, high and low, famous and obscure, whose lives have shaped, challenged, and ultimately strengthened America. It’s about taking an unvarnished look at the past so we can create a better future. It’s a reminder of where we as a country have been so that we know where we need to go.”

? In a victory for years of activism, the EPA has issued a final determination under the Clean Water Act that bans the disposal of mine waste in part of the Bristol Bay, Alaska watershed, in effect killing the Pebble Mine project. The outcome of this twelve year fight to protect the sockeye fishery there is wonderful news (although we should note that it could be undone by future politicians). We should also note that Senator Maria Cantwell has long been a champion of this cause and we thank her for her work to help to achieve this great result.

?Positions are open on many of the City of Kirkland’s Boards and Commissions. Residents are encouraged to run for a position and have a voice in the shaping of city policies. Applications are due by Feb 16. Please see the City’s website for more information.

?Be sure to check out the Calendar and Recordings section at the end of the newsletter for new additions.

?Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Celebrate and learn about Black History Month

Before it was Black History Month, “Negro History Week” was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, an African American historian, scholar, educator, and publisher. He is considered the “Father of Black History.” Initially, the intended purpose of “Negro History Week” was to encourage coordinated teachings of Black history in America’s public schools, although it took a little while to catch on.

How ironic that the College Board has chosen the start of Black History Month to announce that they will strip important content and resources from the AP African American Studies course. These resources include the works of writers and scholars such as Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, Roderick Ferguson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and bell hooks, who have all made important contributions to discussions about race, feminism, class, and gender.

Here are some opportunities to learn about Black lives and experiences that need not be limited to this month. We’ll share more next week. 

✊ Action 2 – Help Wisconsin to protect abortion access and ensure fair redistricting

On February 21st, Wisconsin will hold a Primary Election (with 4 candidates running) to determine the two candidates who will appear on the April 4th General Election ballot. While the race is non-partisan, two candidates identify as progressive and two identify as conservative justices. The court currently leans right so this is an opportunity to flip the balance of the court.

In decisions that they will likely start making this summer, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will determine the fate of abortion rights, gerrymandered legislative maps, the Wisconsin governor’s appointment powers and possibly influence the state’s 2024 presidential election. Currently, abortion is illegal in Wisconsin since the overturning of Roe v Wade, under a law that was enacted in 1849. This is being challenged by the state’s Democratic attorney general in a case likely to come before the court this year.

The election, which has been called ‘the most important election that nobody’s heard of’ by the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, is hugely important in this swing state. Funding to support the conservative justices, both of whom have ties to Donald Trump, is coming from some of the biggest donors to right wing causes. The Democratic party and other organizations in Wisconsin are working hard to flip their Supreme Court. A win would help to keep the focus on fighting for abortion rights across the country and help in the battle against gerrymandering, which could have national implications for future elections. 

Please find a way to support those efforts by choosing one or more of these actions. 

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For the Week of Jan 30, 2023

?It is with heartbreak that we bring you our first Action below – to read and reflect on the words of Bear Bellinger, a member of the Indivisible Black Staff Caucus, on the brutal murder of Tyre Nichols.

?Our newsletter last week, which opened with a greeting for what is typically a joyous occasion for many in our community, was written before the news broke about the mass shooting in Monterey Park, CA at a Lunar New Year gathering. We want to take a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting and their loved ones, and recommit our energies and actions to countering the many linked factors that give rise to such tragedies.

?The King Conservation District (KCD) is holding its annual Board of Supervisors Election – this year for Seat #3. The KCD Board of Supervisors oversees a roughly $8 million dollar budget paid by residents of King County through rates and charges. Voting is open now until February 14, 8 pm. Click the link to read candidate statements, and check out the recent League of Women Voters Seattle-King County candidate forum.

?Would you like to be considered for an appointed position on KCD’s Board of Supervisors? The Washington State Conservation Commission will appoint a supervisor to Seat #5  to serve on King Conservation District’s board in 2023. The window for applications for the appointed seat is January 1, 2023 through March 31, 2023.  See more details HERE and scroll down to Appointed Positions.

?Here are your 2 actions this week. 

✊ Action 1 – Read this message from the Indivisible Black Staff Caucus

Tyre Nichols

✊ Action 2 – Provide feedback to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA)

When we shared a survey asking you for your top 3 concerns, housing came in at #3 out of 15 categories. 

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) is tasked with developing a Five-Year Plan which will act as the agency’s roadmap through 2028.

They are seeking feedback from community members in King County on the Five-Year Plan before it is approved by KCRHA’s Implementation Board and Governing Committee. There are 7 goals and 24 strategies detailed in the plan, so they are also seeking feedback on which items are priorities for the community. The feedback collected from this survey will be shared with KCRHA’s governing bodies.

Action: 

  1. Please read the: Executive summary | Complete list of goals, strategies, initiatives, and metrics |Glossary of terms.
  2. Please complete this form by February 8, 2023 to ensure your feedback is considered.

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For the Week of Jan 23, 2023

?Happy Lunar New Year! The Lunar New Year that begins Jan. 22 ushers in the Year of the Water Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac calendar and the Year of the Cat in the Vietnamese one. It’s a time to call in prosperity, health, and good luck.

?If you missed the really engaging group meeting Saturday, you can catch up by viewing the Notes | Slides | Recording. The next meeting will be Saturday Feb 25, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm Register to attend (new link for 2023).

?Reminder: Voting opens for King Conservation District election on Tues Jan 24 at 8 am. 

?Here are your 2 actions this week. 

✊ Action 1 – [State Legislature]  Four quick actions to support Reproductive Freedom before Jan 24th

From Washington Indivisible Legislative Action (WILA)

The landmark supreme court case Roe v. Wade was decided 50 years ago on January 22, 1973. Many people reading this witnessed the passing of this decision and the changes and opportunities it brought for reproductive rights, and we thank all who have contributed to this activism up until now. 

The Washington State Legislature is holding hearings on a number of bills to shore up and safeguard protections for Washingtonians and those from neighboring states who need reproductive healthcare. Please take these quick actions to support 4 bills. 

Please check out Indivisible Eastside’s TAN Resources page to learn more about Take Action Network (TAN) and join the hundreds of others taking quick and easy actions each day. To see more actions you can take on Gun Safety, Housing, Police Accountability, Environment and Education, visit Washington Indivisible Legislative Action’s page on TAN.

✊ Action 2 – [US HOUSE & SENATE] Tell Congress: Don’t sign insurance industry letter promoting private plans in Medicare

From Healthcare is a Human Right (HCHR)

This week, industry lobbyists from American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) will swarm Capitol Hill asking Representatives and Senators to sign an annual letter to CMS requesting strong support for private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Healthcare is a Human Right (HCHR) is asking people to contact Congress right away urging them not to sign the AHIP letter. Last year, sadly, 80% of House Members signed the AHIP letter – including all WA Reps except Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith. 

Here is the HCHR letter sent on January 13 to WA state’s Congressional delegation, with documentation of how large insurers in the MA program have engaged in inappropriate delays and denials of care and fraudulent practices to increase their profits, essentially stealing from the Medicare Trust Fund. This is a time bomb that will eventually bankrupt Medicare at the worst possible time, when seniors and disabled folks need it most. 

You can help this week by contacting your Members of Congress asking them NOT TO SIGN ON to the AHIP letter.

Subject: Protect Medicare. Don’t sign the AHIP letter praising private medicare plans. 

☎ Sample Script:

Hello, my name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY]. I am calling/writing in support of Health Care Is a Human Right (HCHR) Washington’s January 13th letter urging you not to sign the annual AHIP letter addressed to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, praising and supporting Medicare Advantage. 

According to research and findings from Congress, reports from the Inspector General at Health and Human Services, articles in the New York Times and other journals, large insurers in the Medicare Advantage program have engaged in inappropriate delays and denials of care, upcoding, and fraudulent practices to increase their profits. They are essentially stealing from the US Government and taxpayers which is resulting in a significant threat to the Medicare Trust Fund. In the year 2020 alone, the New York Times estimated that $12 billion was defrauded from the Medicare Trust Fund.  

For more details please see the Letter sent to you on January 13th. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h1FdCzTt4gX-L2Vcb3wB_W03W-2U6eCb/edit 

Thank you.

[NAME]

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

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For the Week of Jan 16, 2023

?We are looking forward to seeing you at  our first group meeting of 2023. It will be on Jan 21, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm via Zoom. We will talk about what’s going on at the state legislature as well as hearing about the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the ongoing legal fight for abortion access. Register to attend (new link for 2023).

?Jan 16 is the celebration of what would be the 94th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service. For opportunities to celebrate his life and give service to your community please check out this list. Of particular interest is the re-opening of the Northwest African American Museum, with many events throughout the day. 

? The 2023 Legislative session started on Jan 9 and bills are already moving into and through committees. 30 Indivisible members from 12 different groups around the state are tracking bills in priority areas such as Environment, Healthcare (including mental health and reproductive health), Gun Safety, Democracy, Criminal Justice Reform, Police Accountability, Education, Housing, and Online Privacy. If you aren’t yet signed up for TAN and would like such actions delivered to your email inbox, you can sign up by going to this link.

For an explanation of all things TAN please go to this link. If you are new to the process start with the green button and for more information click on the red and yellow buttons.

? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 –  [US HOUSE] Ask your Members of Congress to support C-Span’s request to control the cameras in Congress

During the first week of this session when the Speaker was being elected to the House and before the Rules package was approved, C-SPAN was able to use its own cameras to film the proceedings. Historically the nonprofit cable network relies on a live feed provided by House officials but in this instance it was able to capture all of the drama that ensued. This turned out to be compelling viewing, as reflected in the large numbers of people who tuned in to watch. 

On Jan 12 Representative Mark Pocan introduced a resolution (HRes.35) to amend the current House rules to require the broadcasting of the House Chamber to be similar to how it was broadcast from Jan. 3-6, during the election for Speaker. He currently has the support of over twenty colleagues (including Rep. Jayapal). Multiple groups, including C-SPAN, have sent letters of support to Speaker McCarthy to allow greater camera access to the chamber.

Please call or write to your Members of Congress and ask them to support this resolution. Giving broader access to C-SPAN’S cameras would improve transparency and encourage greater engagement of the general public in the political process.

☎ Sample Script:

Hello, my name is [NAME], from [CITY]. I am calling/writing to ask you to support the resolution introduced by Representative Pocan for an amendment to the House rules to require fuller broadcasting of the House Chamber during legislative business by allowing greater camera access. As we saw during the first week of the new session of Congress, this change would allow for greater transparency and encourage greater engagement of the public with the political process.

Thank you.

[NAME]

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

✊ Action 2 – Participate in decision making in your community

Action 2a – Get involved in the endorsement process for local election coverage

We hope that you have had a chance to get acquainted with the Urbanist newspaper over the past few years. Founded in 2014 as a Seattle-based online publication, it has become required reading in the areas of transportation, housing, land use, and local politics. Since last year we have had the good fortune of having increased reporting on the Eastside, something which has been severely lacking from other local media. The issues that the Urbanist addresses are equally relevant on this side of the lake and we don’t always have the information that we need to make informed decisions. 

As part of its mission to inform and educate readers the Urbanist has an Elections Committee which interviews candidates across the area and issues endorsements for local elections. The committee is currently seeking passionate, knowledgeable Eastside volunteers to help guide their political endorsements for the 2023 cycle. The more Eastside volunteers they have, the wider the coverage can be. If you are interested in participating please fill out this form and submit it by Mar. 1.

Action 2b – Most cities have websites where you can give your feedback about active projects, including the important Comprehensive Plan updates that cities are currently undergoing. A regular check of these will enable you to participate in decision making via surveys and questionnaires. You can also sign up for email notifications of updates and be ready to have your say.

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For the Week of Jan 9, 2023

? Welcome back, Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to us! It’s been six years since a small group met to set up this group and I think it’s safe to say that, with a lot of hard work, we are more organized and focused than ever. The first order of business is the new session of our state legislature, which begins today, January 9th. More on that later. While we survived and even thrived in 2022, with a successful midterm performance by Democrats, don’t forget that there are no off years, as far as elections are concerned. This year will see important city, county and school board elections and we will be keeping a close eye on all of these to provide you with information and ways to take timely action. 

? With a new Congress comes a new version of the Indivisible Guide, titled A Practical Guide to Defeating MAGA. This whole movement started with a team of former congressional staffers writing a guide on navigating a Trump presidency back in 2016. Since then, Indivisible have continued to put out guides for every new Congress, updating the state of play and consolidating tactics for the new year in one place. The 2023 guide will break down the stakes, go over the game plan, explain the framing for both Democrats and Republicans, and bring together big-picture tactics for how we want to activate in the new session. Of particular interest is the section ‘What to Do if You Have a Democratic Member of Congress’ on p.18. Please take a minute to look it over!

? Save the date for our first group meeting of 2023. It will be on Jan 21, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm via Zoom. We will talk about what’s going on at the state legislature as well as hearing from a speaker about the 50th anniversary of Roe v Wade and the ongoing legal fight for abortion access. Register to attend (new link for 2023).

? Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Get ready for the 2023 state legislative session: sign up for Take Action Network and verify that emails are arriving in your inbox

The new legislative session starts January 9 and ends April 24. This will be a ‘long session’ (105 days) which means there is more time to pass bills and negotiate a brand new biennial budget for 2023-2025, with the fiscal year starting July 1, 2023. 

The best and most effective way to be engaged is to sign up for Take Action Network (TAN), our Washington-state Indivisible portal that helps you find and organize actions to take. In 2022, Washington Indivisible Legislative Action (WILA) bill trackers published 238 Calls to Action resulting in 8,175 actions taken by users of TAN statewide. This year WILA will be tracking bills and publishing actions on TAN concerning Healthcare (including reproductive health), Environment, Gun Safety, Housing, Police Accountability, Criminal Justice, and Democracy. 

Get ready to be part of this. Click HERE to learn about TAN – or refresh your memory (red and yellow buttons). For those without a TAN profile, click the green button to accept the invitation from Indivisible Eastside to sign up.

If you already have a TAN account, please take a few minutes to take the following steps: 

  • To ensure that TAN emails arrive in your inbox, click HERE and follow the directions. That’s it. You should be set to receive action emails from TAN. 
  • If you’ve changed Legislative or Congressional districts you may need to update them in TAN. From the TAN Profile → Contact Info menu, review and correct your districts if necessary. 

The legislature will continue to offer the ability to sign in Pro or Con for a bill remotely before a committee hearing. TAN makes that action VERY easy, and leg.wa.gov allows you to keep track of these actions. 

Whether you use TAN, another organization, or both to take action, if you create an account on Leg.wa.gov, your sign-in actions will be saved to help you keep track so you don’t accidentally duplicate. Additionally, you can modify sign-ins if you changed your mind or made an error. To do this, follow the instructions on the Create a leg.wa.gov account to keep track of your sign-in actions

✊ Action 2 – Vote in the King Conservation District election

From the League of Women Voters, Seattle King County

King Conservation District (KCD) is holding its annual Board Supervisor election Jan. 24 – Feb 14, 2023. The 2023 election has three candidates running for the position. April Brown, Csenka Favorini-Csorba, and Chris L. Porter are all competing for the seat. Candidate statements and access to online voting can be found at kingcd.org/elections. The League of Women Voters will be holding a candidate forum on Jan. 26 at 7:00 p.m. You can register for the Zoom webinar or watch on their YouTube channel.

For the fourth year, the King Conservation District election will primarily rely on electronic ballot access. Ballots will be available to eligible voters online from Jan. 24, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. through Feb. 14, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. Voters may return ballots electronically through the online ballot access system or reach out to KCD for assistance. Democracy Live operates the online ballot access portal and King County Elections will tabulate all ballots and report all results.   

KCD is a special purpose district committed to helping people engage in stewardship and conservation of natural resources, and serves over two million people in 34 cities and unincorporated King County (excluding the cities that are not member jurisdictions: Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific, and Skykomish). KCD assists private residents with forestry management, streamside and shoreline enhancement, farm conservation planning, and other environmental efforts. It works with cities and community organizations to support community gardens, urban forest canopy, and local food systems. KCD is funded primarily by a per-parcel rates and charges fee paid by residents of the district.

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