Actions Previous 2024

Previous Actions from 2024

For the Week of Dec 23, 2024

🔷 Many of you will have heard that organizers of the DC Women’s March will be hosting The People’s March on January 18th, 2025. The 2017 Marches in Seattle, around the country and in DC were inspiring to many and spurred folks to connect and form groups. Eight years hence, Indivisible National, who has been helping thousands effectively resist the MAGA agenda these past 8 years, is calling on us to instead have a day of action, with real impact, rather than expending energy organizing folks to attend a march.

To that end, we invite you to join Indivisible Eastside’s Supply Drive for The Sophia Way – a place of hope and change for women on their journey from homelessness to safe and stable living. We will be collecting donations at the January 11 Indivisible Eastside’s In Person meeting at Redmond Library. Click the link for details on what is needed, and how to contribute.

🔷 The Institute for Common Power strives to facilitate the creation of a just and inclusive Democracy while working to eliminate racial and social inequity. Education can and must lead to action. To this end, the Institute’s 2025 Democracy Curriculum provides clear, comprehensive examinations of multiple topics related to race, culture, and politics in America. You cannot understand our modern existence without exploring the historical processes that have worked to create both tragedy and triumph. Register for courses, workshops, and vision conversations that help to historicize our modern world. You will come away inspired to create change!

🔷 Now that the government is funded through March, we hope you and your friends and family enjoy a healthy happy holiday, and we’ll see you in 2025 with our January 6th newsletter and our January 11th group meeting.

Here are your 2 actions and a Bright Spot.

✊ Action 1 – Save the Tongass National Forest!

From Thurston Climate Action Team

S.1889/H.R. 4748 the Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act (aka “Landless”) sounds like it is designed to help Native communities, but the Act’s name is a misnomer. It would open 80,000 acres of old growth forest to logging including 60,000 acres currently protected by the 2001 roadless rule.

S. 1889, which would privatize 115,000 acres of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, is at risk of slipping through the Senate in the next few days. Senator Cantwell has been opposed to this bill and is getting targeted by proponents by a huge emailing campaign to try to get her to flip her position.

To learn more about this bill, check out this podcast episode: The Biggest Threat to the Alaskan Rainforest

🔷 Sen. Maria Cantwell: DC 202-224-3441 | Seattle 206-220-6400 | EMAIL

Suggested Script (Please personalize your message):

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent. I live in [CITY], Washington, [ZIP]. Thank you for your past opposition to Senate bill 1889. Please continue to oppose this bill. It is vital that we protect the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

Thank you.

✊ Action 2 – Ask your lawmakers to support stable housing for Washington renters

From Washington Low Income Housing Alliance

Last year, Washington came very close to passing Rent Stabilization. In 2025, the chances are even better!

Right now, your representatives are deciding which bills to prioritize, and it’s crucial they hear from you. Rent Stabilization is an important issue for all Washingtonians.

Contact your state lawmakers today to tell them to take action by passing rent stabilization during the upcoming 2025 legislative session. (click This Link to be taken to Take Action Network where your the script will get filled in automatically to your email) Washington’s renters deserve housing stability! Opposition to this important policy is trying to convince lawmakers to vote no – but we can join together and demand that our lawmakers stand up for rent stabilization!

You can generate prefilled emails by clicking the EMAIL links below. Please review the email carefully, fill in your CITY and ZIP, and sign your name before sending it.

Suggested Script:

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent. I live in [CITY], Washington, [ZIP]. Rents are sky-high, while excessive rent increases continue to destabilize households all across the state. Evictions are the highest in 10 years, and the number one reason is that people can’t afford to keep up with rent increases. This is all driving our homelessness crisis and we need urgent action now. Please pledge to me and our community to make the passage of rent stabilization a top priority in 2025.

We need the comprehensive, well-thought-out and reasonable solutions that were in House Bill 2114 and Senate Bill 5961 last session. Those bills would have allowed landlords to raise the rent each year by 7%. This is critical to stabilize people in their homes.
Thank you.

Additional Talking Points:

Please listen to the experiences of just a few renters who were recently impacted by excessive rent increases:

“In June my rent was increased by $185 per month, this will certainly impact availability of money for food and utilities.”

“My rent was raised $194, this is the second increase in a year. I am forced to pay over $2000 in rent, but my landlord doesn’t do repairs. This is causing me financial stress, anxiety and impacts my food budget.”

“My rent is going up $220. My landlord said it is because they are putting in a new train [transit] by our house. I just started a new job and thought that I wouldn’t be struggling as much as I once was, but now I’m in the same boat as before.”

This is unacceptable. Renters are families that need and deserve protection. Please pledge to stand up and do everything you can to get a bill like last year’s HB 2114/SB 5961 passed this session.

⛅ Bright Spot

The City of Bellevue finally has a brand new Tree Code! Many IE members took action on this to make it happen. Your advocacy on local issues really can make a difference.

Calendar of Events

Recorded events to check out:

… and More:

More Resources for Your Activism:

  • Indivisible.org has specific actions you can take by zip code or topic area search. Sign up to receive emails from them HERE and donate HERE.
  • 5calls.org 5 Calls list calls to make to your congresspeople, organized by topic, including script and phone numbers, and a way to log/track your 5 Calls actions if you choose.
  • Chop Wood, Carry Water is a daily political activism newsletter that comes out 6 days a week. Free or paid subscriptions HERE.
  • Suzi and Eric LeVine are local activists. Their newsletter gives actions and insight that can inspire and keep you motivated. Subscribe to their newsletter HERE.

Resources:

For the Week of Dec 16, 2024

🔷 We learned at the monthly Washington Indivisible Network’s leaders meeting that nearly 500 Washingtonians have reached out Indivisible to be connected to an existing group, or start a new one. Seven new chapters are forming (West Seattle, Milton, Toledo, Eatonville, Harstine Island/Shelton, San Juans, SE King County) and five dormant ones are reenergized. Indivisible Eastside has had over 70 people join our mailing list or facebook group! Welcome one and all!

🔷 If you or someone you know is facing health insurance claim denial, Propublica’s tool can help you find out why your health insurer denied your claim, and help you get the documentation you need to appeal.

🔷 How can we take action against harassment if we don’t know what to do? Right To Be is offering free, one-hour, interactive training to train people on how to safely intervene when you witness harassment — or experience it yourself. View and sign up for different topics on different dates.

🔷 Save the date Jan 11, 2025, 2-3:30 for Indivisible Eastside’s first In Person meeting of 2025 at Redmond Library. Agenda TBD, but we’ll surely be talking about the 2025 Legislative session, as well as celebrating our 8th birthday!

Here are your 2 actions and a Bright Spot.

✊ Action 1 – Tell President Biden to Commute Death Row Sentences

From ACLU

Donald Trump executed more people during his first term as president than all of the past 10 administrations combined, and he has promised to expand the use of the death penalty even more in his second. We must take action immediately before he is sworn into office. The federal death penalty system is plagued by systemic flaws – racial bias, errors in sentencing, and wasted resources. Furthermore, evidence has consistently shown that capital punishment does not deter crime or make us safer. The death penalty instead perpetuates injustice – particularly for Black, Brown, and economically disadvantaged people, who are most vulnerable to wrongful convictions and executions. Continuing the federal death penalty in this country only deepens the systemic inequalities that already infect our criminal legal system.

As a growing number of Americans across the political and faith spectrum urge an end to this outdated and inhumane practice, President Biden has the power to cement a legacy of compassion and justice by commuting all federal death sentences before he leaves the Oval Office. This decision would fulfill his campaign promise to act on the death penalty and uphold his commitment to racial justice and community safety, and save lives. Urge President Biden to commute all federal death sentences before his time as president ends.

Three different options to take action:

Suggested Script:

During your 2020 campaign, you pledged to eliminate the death penalty at the federal level, recognizing its disparate impact on people of color and those suffering from mental illness along with the alarming number of those sentenced to die who were ultimately exonerated. While this work remains incomplete, there is still an opportunity in these final weeks of your presidency to live up to the spirit of this promise. Forty people currently remain on federal death row, awaiting the arrival of a president who aggressively used capital punishment in his first term and is set to do so again. Please honor your commitment to justice and to your supporters and issue a blanket clemency commuting all their sentences to life imprisonment without parole before you leave office.

✊ Action 2 – Support Transgender Military Families

From Olympia Indivisible

The National Defense Authorization Act, which will enact the first federal anti-LGBTQ+ law in over a decade and targets the trans kids of military service members with bans on coverage of their gender affirming care, just passed with 81 Democratic votes. This bill and the votes of several Democrats are seen as a severe betrayal of transgender constituents. Now, passed by the House, it is expected that this policy will severely disrupt the lives of transgender service members by jeopardizing their access to care and stripping transgender family members of vital healthcare coverage. Although some Democrats supported the bill, Representative Adam Smith , Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued a statement in opposition to the anti-transgender provisions.

Action: Contact your Democratic Members of Congress.

There are two scripts. The first script is intended for Democratic Representatives who voted YEA, to tell them how disappointed you are. The second script is for Representatives who voted NAY, to thank them for doing the right thing. Please feel free to personalize your message.

Script for elected who voted YEA – to target the trans kids of military service members

🔷 Rep. Kim Schrier (8th): DC 202-225-7761 | Issaquah 425-657-1001| EMAIL

I am profoundly disappointed by your Yea vote on the NDAA bill that contains an amendment taking care away from trans youth enrolled in TriCare. Your vote enacts the first federal anti-LGBTQ+ law in over a decade and actively targets transgender servicemembers and transgender children of military families by limiting their access to gender-affirming healthcare. Eliminating this care forces transgender servicemembers into the cruel situation of having to choose between accessing health care and serving our country.

This was your first opportunity to resist the Republican Party’s anti-trans campaign and you shirked it. I had expected, based on previous statements you have made, that you would protect the LGBTQ community and demonstrate your commitment to honor and support the sacrifice of all of our servicemembers. You failed on both scores.

Please demonstrate your integrity and backbone; do not obey in advance.

Script for electeds who voted NAY – to prevent harm

🔷 Rep. Suzan DelBene (1st): DC 202-225-6311 | Kirkland 425-485-0085 | EMAIL

🔷 Rep. Adam Smith (9th): DC 202-225-8901 | Renton 425-793-5180 | EMAIL

Thank you for voting against the National Defense Appropriations Act (NDAA). In doing so, you showed courage by rejecting what is most likely the Republicans’ first, and certainly not last, attack on the LGBTQIA community. And you stood up for empathy, healthcare, human rights, and fairness, as well as demonstrating your commitment to honor and support the sacrifice of all of our servicemembers.

Thank you for not “obeying in advance” and for standing up to the politicians who want to take medical services away from our service members and their trans children.

We salute you!

⛅ Bright Spot

From Indivisible Eastside member Laurie W:

I really like former UW professor David Domke and the Common Power organization. They do great work for democracy across our whole country and are continuing!

These new 3 lectures are really good. Domke does a great job of tying together trends and facts. Lots of research similar to Dr. Heather Cox Richardson. Lecture #3 begins by dispelling the mistruths that FOX et al are promoting that the Democrats got crushed, annihilated, humiliated etc in the last election. They did not and we need to be vocal about this.

I paid for the lectures, but asked Domke for permission to forward them on and he enthusiastically gave it. So you can forward them too.

I hope you find some time to watch. I am watching ½ hour at a time.

Peace, Laurie

Beating the Backlash: How Democracy Might Actually Be Winning in America

Calendar of Events

Recorded events to check out:

… and More:

More Resources for Your Activism:

  • Indivisible.org has specific actions you can take by zip code or topic area search. Sign up to receive emails from them HERE and donate HERE.
  • 5calls.org 5 Calls list calls to make to your congresspeople, organized by topic, including script and phone numbers, and a way to log/track your 5 Calls actions if you choose.
  • Chop Wood, Carry Water is a daily political activism newsletter that comes out 6 days a week. Free or paid subscriptions HERE.
  • Suzi and Eric LeVine are local activists. Their newsletter gives actions and insight that can inspire and keep you motivated. Subscribe to their newsletter HERE.

Resources:

For the Week of Dec 9, 2024

🔷 Do you love to make cookies? The Christmas People, an organization that collects homemade cookies and delivers them to shelters and centers across Seattle in time for the holidays, wants your cookies. West Seattle Blog has more details, but The Christmas People hope to collect at least 9,000 cookies this year and they plan to pick them up December 21-24 at select locations. If you know of organizations doing this on the Eastside please drop us a line at hello@indivisibleeastside.com.

🔷 A reminder: we won’t hold a member meeting in December but are hoping to meet on the weekend of Jan. 11-12. Watch this space for details.

🔷 The new session of our state legislature (Jan. 13 – April 27) opens in just a few weeks and you can expect to hear a lot more about it from us. Our bill trackers and action writers are gearing up for the session and getting up to speed with the issues. As a Blue Trifecta state (Democrats hold the Governorship and control of both branches of the state legislature) our leaders have tools to resist Trump’s agenda and defend our residents. Please take a few minutes to read Indivisible’s Democrats Safeguarding Democracy: A Blueprint for Blue States to Prepare for Trump 2.0. to better understand the power we have as a state.

Here are your 2 actions, a bonus action and a Bright Spot.

✊ Action 1 – Tell Sen. Maria Cantwell to hold up the expansion of fracking

From Climate Defiance

The Department of Energy is considering six new terminals or terminal expansions for exporting liquified natural gas (LNG). Export terminals are crucial nodes that allow fossil fuel companies to export their fracked gas all over the world – incentivizing still more fracking within the US. These proposed terminals – five on the Gulf Coast and one in Georgia – would have roughly the same impact on the climate as 1000 coal-fired power plants. They are a carbon nuclear bomb. For more background on the importance of blocking new LNG export terminals, see this article by Bill McKibben.

The Department of Energy could TODAY declare that these projects constitute a massive threat to the US and the planet. DOE could deny the projects’ permits. This would be a small bureaucratic decision that would make it MUCH harder for the Trump administration to resurrect these terminals. They would face a slew of administrative hurdles. They would face court challenges. But should the DOE not take action, Trump could *fast track* these projects on day one.

Democratic leadership has a key role to play. They must tell the DOE and the White House in public and in private that these export terminals cannot be approved. Democrats must push Biden to fight Trump by denying these permits. Time is running out.

Sen. Cantwell sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, which oversees the Department of Energy. Please contact her today and ask her to hold the Biden administration accountable to fighting the climate crisis by insisting that DOE deny LNG export permits.

On Wednesday, Dec 11, Climate Defiance activists in Seattle will demand that Sen. Cantwell speak out and demand action from the Biden administration before it’s too late. If you are interested in participating please sign up here and an organizer will reach out with more details.

☎ Sample Script:

Hello, my name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY]. I am contacting you to ask that you fight the proposed development of six new terminals for exporting LNG. If the DOE could deny the projects’ permits it would be a small bureaucratic decision that would make it MUCH harder for the Trump administration to resurrect these terminals. These new facilities constitute a massive threat to the US and the planet.

Please use your position on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee to lobby against the expansion of these facilities. It might be the final chance for this administration to make a difference before the new administration begins to tear down climate protections.

Thank you.

[NAME]

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

✊ Action 2 – Tell your state legislators not to cut education, health care, and housing

From Invest in WA Now

Soon our lawmakers will be meeting in Olympia to discuss how to handle a $10 billion budget shortfall that threatens our state’s education, housing, health care, and more. The truth is, we face massive funding gaps because our state budget is still overwhelmingly balanced on the backs of working families. We pride ourselves on being a great place to live, yet Washington is the second WORST in the nation when it comes to tax fairness. The richest Washingtonians pay the smallest share for public education, housing, and health care, while those with the least pay the most.

By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, Washington voters overwhelmingly rejected Initiative 2109, which would have cut taxes for mega-millionaires and billionaires. That’s a big win for the working class! We need to insist that our state legislators support this commitment by voters, seek more approaches for asking our wealthiest residents to pay their fair share, and not make drastic cuts that will impact millions of working families. Please contact your representatives and senator to advocate for tax fairness.

  • 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
  • Rep. Tana Senn (41st LD): Olympia 360-786-7894 | Bellevue 425-453-3037 | EMAIL
  • Rep. My-Linh Thai (41st LD): Olympia 360-786-7926 | EMAIL
  • Rep. Roger Goodman (45th LD): Olympia 360-786-7878 | Kirkland 425-739-1810 | EMAIL
  • Rep. Larry Springer (45th LD): Olympia 360-786-7822 | EMAIL
  • Rep. Vandana Slatter (48th LD): Olympia 360-786-7936 | Bellevue 425-453-6424 | EMAIL
  • Rep. Amy Walen (48th LD): Olympia 360-786-7848 |Kirkland 425-822-1114| EMAIL

☎ Sample Script:

Hello, my name is [NAME]. As your constituent, I joined 2.3 million other Washingtonians in voting NO to cutting taxes for Washington’s billionaires and mega-millionaires. I-2109 lost in a landslide with 64% of voters showing our overwhelming support for rebalancing Washington’s tax code by making the mega-rich pay what they owe for early learning and school construction.

I urge you to support proposals that rebalance our tax code by making sure those who have the most pay their share for education, housing, health care, and other vital state services.

Thank you.

[NAME]

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

✊ Bonus Action – More Resources for Your Activism

5calls.org 5 Calls list calls to make to your congresspeople, organized by topic, including script and phone numbers, and a way to log/track your 5 Calls actions if you choose.

Chop Wood, Carry Water is a daily political activism newsletter that comes out 6 days a week. Free or paid subscriptions HERE.

Indivisible.org is our parent organization and they have specific actions you can take by zip code or topic area search. You can also sign up to receive emails from them HERE and donate HERE.

Suzi and Eric LeVine – The LeVine’s are local activists. Their newsletter gives actions and insight that can inspire and keep you motivated. Subscribe to their newsletter HERE.

⛅ Bright Spot

As Democrats start to regroup after the election, there is understandable pressure for leadership to show the fortitude to stand up to the new administration and not seek to placate and ‘obey in advance’. Leadership in the House and Senate remain much the same and reflect the tradition of seniority in appointments, and Suzan DelBene will continue in her role as DCCC chair.

There are several exciting candidates for other important roles that could help to both hold the new administration accountable and to plan ahead for future elections (yes, there will be future elections!).

  • Current head of the Wisconsin Democrats, Ben Wickler, has proven that he has the skills and talent to run a successful Democratic organization and has thrown his hat into the ring for the position of chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
  • News has just broken that WA state Democratic chair Shasti Conrad has declared her candidacy for the role of vice-chair of the DNC. We love to see a strong female candidate in the race, who led her party to success in the recent election, bucking the shift to the right that we saw in the rest of the country.
  • Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has declared her candidacy for the position of Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. This position is vacant because Rep. Jerry Nadler has decided not to continue in his post as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, paving the way for Rep. Jamie Raskin (current head of Oversight) to run for that position.

These are all candidates who would do an excellent job of shoring up opposition to the threats to democracy that are coming our way.

Calendar of Events

Recorded events to check out:

… and More:

Resources:

For the Week of Dec 2, 2024

🔷 The past few weeks have been difficult, to say the least. We hope that you have been able to switch off a bit and enjoy some rest, good food, and time with supportive family and friends. It’s important that we all find ways to cope with the stresses that we’ll face in the months and years ahead. One way to find support is to find writers that can put into words what we’re experiencing and lift us up a little. Here are links to pieces suggested by the excellent ‘Chop Wood, Carry Water’ newsletter by Jessica Craven. You can sign up for the free or paid subscriptions HERE.

A few readings on hope —all really worth your time:

🔷 Tues Dec. 3 is Giving Tuesday, an international day of giving to organizations that help people in need in many different areas. Think about all of the people who will be negatively impacted by the election results and you will find organizations that are working hard to improve their lives. You can search by topic (e.g. immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, climate and environment, civil rights, etc.) and choose as many organizations to support as you want, or just focus on one – every dollar helps. Here is the link for WAGives, our state organization in the wider Giving Tuesday network.

🔷 Our state is fortunate to have weathered this election cycle by actually turning BLUER! Help  Washington Indivisible Legislative Action (WILA) continue our effective advocacy for just and popular legislation by filling out the 2025 WIN Legislative Priorities survey. Thank you!

🔷 King County Emergency Management wants to know if the recent windstorm caused you any damages. This information may help Washington request disaster assistance from state and federal programs. If your primary residence or business was damaged by the weather, they’d like to hear from you at this link.

🔷 A reminder: we won’t hold a member meeting in December but are hoping to meet on the weekend of Jan. 11-12. Watch this space for details.

Here are your 2 actions, a bonus action and a Bright Spot.

✊ Action 1 – Tell your Senators to OPPOSE H.R. 9495 to Stop Trump From Attacking Dissenting Organizations

From Indivisible and the Electronic Frontier Foundation

On 11/21, the House passed H.R. 9495, a bill that would give the incoming Trump administration unchecked power to shut down any non-profit organization that stands in the way of his MAGA agenda. Now, the bill is going to the Senate for consideration. 

Under this legislation, Trump’s Treasury Department could indiscriminately label any non-profit organization a “terrorist supporting organization” and strip it of its tax-exempt status, without oversight, due process, or justification. Trump could use it to shut down any and all dissent against him. The bill’s authors combined this attack on nonprofits, originally written as H.R. 6408, with other legislation that would prevent the IRS from imposing fines and penalties on hostages while they are held abroad. These are separate matters. The Senate must insist on the separation of these two bills to allow a meaningful vote on this dangerous expansion of executive power. 

This vote is a litmus test for Democrats as we prepare for the incoming Trump administration: are Democrats going to make it easier for Trump to pursue his authoritarian agenda, or are they going to fight back? 

Senate Democrats must fight back and vote NO on H.R. 9495 – and oppose any bill that it’s attached to as an amendment – to send a clear message to Trump that they will not just give in to his power grabs. Please contact your Senators today and let them know that you expect them to oppose this bill.

☎ Sample Script:

Hello. My name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY]. I am very concerned about the recent passage of H.R. 9495 in the House, which would allow the Secretary of Treasury to strip a U.S. nonprofit of its tax-exempt status.  If it passes the Senate and is signed into law, H.R. 9495 would give broad and easily abused new powers to the executive branch. This bill is an existential threat to nonprofits of all stripes. 

Please oppose the passage of H.R 9495 and oppose any bill that it is attached to as an amendment. It must be separated from its attachment to legislation concerning tax obligations on hostages while they are held abroad as they are entirely separate matters and must be dealt with accordingly.

Thank you.

[NAME]

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

✊ Action 2 – Remind your Members of Congress to support the LGBTQ+ community from attacks

From the early days of the election campaign, Republicans made it clear that one of their priorities would be to attack the civil rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community, focusing on transgender rights in particular and airing several hateful ads widely as part of the campaign. The president-elect has promised to end access to gender-affirming care for youth, defund hospitals that provide such care, punish teachers for acknowledging transgender children, and ask Congress to pass a bill stating there are “only two genders.” Trans people are rightly concerned about what the next administration might bring, even in states such as ours which have some protections in place.

This campaign of bullying and harassment reached new lows recently after the election of Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del) to Congress. In response to Rep. McBride’s election as the first openly transgender person in Congress, her future colleague, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), has introduced an escalating series of ‘bathroom bills’ to ban transgender women from bathrooms that do not correspond to the sex they were assigned at birth, in Federal facilities as well as the House. This comes from a member of the party whose leader and many of his cabinet picks have been accused of sexual assault and rape.

Whether or not the bill to ban one member out of 435 from using specific bathroom facilities in her workplace passes, we can be sure that this is just an early salvo fired by the next administration in their war to establish Christian Nationalism as our basis for government. We need to show up for our LGBTQ+ community. 

Please contact your Members of Congress and ask them to make an unequivocal statement denouncing this bill and making it clear that they will support our LGBTQ+ community in the tough days ahead. Even though this bill affects only the House and will not go to the Senate for a vote, it would be good to put all of our Members of Congress on record in supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

☎ Sample Script:

Hello, my name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY]. I am contacting you with concern about the increase in rhetoric among Members of Congress against the LGBTQ+ community. I’m concerned about the anti-trans legislation introduced by Representative Mace in the House, as well as plans by Republicans to step up their campaign of discrimination and bullying towards all members of this community. Protecting hard won gains of previous years will require a hard fight, and I look to you to show resolve for this fight. Please issue a statement of support for our friends, family members, and colleagues who are burdened with fears about what they may face. My community and I will support you in this fight to protect the civil rights that have been gained but now feel so precarious. 

I look forward to reading your statement.

[NAME]

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

✊ Bonus Action – More Resources for Your Activism

This is a repeat from last week, but we wanted to offer it again. For almost 8 years we have been giving you at least two actions a week right into your inbox. If you are one of those people who have moved from the “grief” stage of the election to the “fired up and ready to fight” stage, we want to give you the resources to take even more actions than we bring to your inbox. Check out these excellent resources:

5calls.org — If you want to find more actions to take even if you don’t have much time, check out 5 Calls. They list calls to make to your congresspeople, organized by topic, including script and phone numbers, and a way to log/track your 5 Calls actions if you choose. It’s one way to supplement your efforts through Indivisible.

Chop Wood, Carry Water is a daily political activism newsletter that comes out 6 days a week. Subscribe and you’ll receive a short, encouraging email in your inbox each weekday telling you how you can make a difference by taking 5-7 minutes worth of EASY actions.  Free or paid subscriptions HERE. 

Indivisible.org is our parent organization and they have specific actions you can take by zip code or topic area search. You can also sign up to receive emails from them HERE and donate HERE.

Suzi and Eric LeVine – The LeVine’s are local activists. Suzi was Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein during the Obama Administration. Their newsletter gives actions and insight that can inspire and keep you motivated. Subscribe to their newsletter HERE.

⛅ Bright Spot 

For a long but encouraging summary of pushback against Trump, here’s a partial list from Amy Siskind via her Facebook page.

* Fed Chair Powell will not resign or let Trump fire him

* Growing list of GOP Senators speak out against recess appointment idea

* Democrat Sen Judiciary senior member Amy Klobuchar saying only voting on FBI vetted candidates

* GOP Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski join Klobuchar

* GOP Sen. Mike Rounds says if background check is outsourced it needs to be validated

* Federal agencies refuse to meet with Trump nominees until Trump signs ethics and transparency pledges

* Billionaire hedge manager Griffin saying Trump tariffs will lead to crony capitalism at NY Economic Club

* GOP ranking member on Senate Armed Services Committee Roger Wicks says yes, Trump nominees need FBI checks

* US farmers push back on deportations, saying half their workers are undocumented and it would cause a shock to the food system and price spikes

* CA Gov. Gavin Newsom says Tesla will not be eligible for CA state EV rebates if Trump does away with federal subsidies

* Republicans speaking on the record against Trump extremism nominees like Gorka, Gabbard and RFK Jr.

Calendar of Events

Recorded events to check out:

… and More:

Resources: 

For the Week of Nov 25, 2024

🔷 This Thanksgiving was preceded by an unprecedented storm that left many on the Eastside without power for so long that the contents of our refrigerators had to be thrown out. Consider donating to a local food bank like HopeLink, Jubilee Reach, or Renewal Food Bank to help those who might find this loss of food a hardship to replace.

🔷 The Washington State Legislature website has had a full rebuild. If you follow state legislation, check it out and familiarize yourself before January when the legislature will reconvene.

🔷 BloodWorks NW is in need of donors. They are having a blood drive at Eastgate Public Health Center on Wednesday Nov 27 from 9-3 pm. Reserve a spot there, or schedule an appointment at your nearest location.

🔷 OpenSecrets, the non-partisan organization that researches and tracks campaign donations had to lay off 10 employees after the election. Please consider donating to this valuable source of information.

Here are your 2 actions and a Bright Spot.

✊ Action 1 – Publish the Equal Rights Amendment Now

From LWV and ERA Coalition

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has been ratified by the requisite 38 states to add it as an amendment to the constitution. However, it has had a long and complex history, and there are obstacles such as lapsed deadlines and the US archivist not issuing the final certification of the states’ ratification. The League of Women Voters and the ERA Coalition feel President Biden has the power to direct the archivist to certify the amendment so it can finally be published into our Constitution. This document from Congress and this description of legal viewpoints on the status of the amendment also give some good background. The blatant disregard for women by the incoming administration, and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 plan for women and gender issues shows us we must act now to attempt to guarantee our rights. Please urge President Biden to act now on the ERA!

🔷 White House 1-202-456-1111 | EMAIL

☎ Sample Script:

Dear President Biden,

I urge you to direct the US Archivist to certify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), adding sex and gender equality to the Constitution once and for all. Final publication of the ERA is within your power, and it is time to secure your legacy.

I appreciate your years of commitment to the fight for gender equality, including your legacy of authoring the Violence Against Women Act, as well as your Administration’s work to address gender-based violence, and defend and expand reproductive rights and health care access. In recent years, we have seen how quickly our rights can be stripped away and our nation’s progress overturned. We cannot take a single liberty for granted, and we cannot wait to take this vital step.

Your White House has repeatedly spoken about enshrining the principle of gender equality in our Constitution. Mr. President, you have that power.

In your remaining time in office, I implore you to instruct the Archivist to certify the Equal Rights Amendment and with that, unequivocally define your legacy as a lifelong champion for equal rights.

The future of our democracy depends on it.

Thank you.

[NAME]

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

✊ Action 2 – If you have the bandwidth: Take more actions!

For almost 8 years we have been giving you at least two actions a week right into your inbox. If you are one of those people who have moved from the “grief” stage of the election to the “fired up and ready to fight” stage, we want to give you the resources to take even more actions than we bring to your inbox. Check out these excellent resources:

5calls.org — If you want to find more actions to take even if you don’t have much time, check out 5 Calls. They list calls to make to your congresspeople, organized by topic, including script and phone numbers, and a way to log/track your 5 Calls actions if you choose. It’s one way to supplement your efforts through Indivisible.

Chop Wood, Carry Water is a daily political activism newsletter that comes out 6 days a week. Subscribe and you’ll receive a short, encouraging email in your inbox each weekday telling you how you can make a difference by taking 5-7 minutes worth of EASY actions. Free or paid subscriptions HERE.

Indivisible.org is our parent organization and they have specific actions you can take by zip code or topic area search. You can also sign up to receive emails from them HERE.

Suzi and Eric LeVine – The LeVine’s are local activists. Suzi was Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein during the Obama Administration. Their newsletter gives actions and insight that can inspire and keep you motivated. Subscribe to their newsletter HERE.

⛅ Bright Spots

The satirical “news” organization, The Onion, was the winning bidder at the auction of Alex Jones’ InfoWars. Alex Jones spread hateful lies about the Sandy Hook school shooting and some of the parents sued. They won such a big judgment that Jones was forced to sell his propaganda business. The satirical newspaper plans to shutter Jones’ InfoWars and rebuild the website featuring well-known internet humor writers and content creators, according to a person with knowledge of the sale.

Calendar of Events

Recorded events to check out:

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Resources:

For the Week of Nov 18, 2024

🔷 We had over 80 people attend our “Worth Fighting For” Community Gathering on Sunday and it was wonderful being in community with everyone. If you haven’t yet, view the amazing Indivisible Strategy Briefing from Wednesday with co-founders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg. Senator Elizabeth Warren has some great guidance about how Indivisibles can be effective in the days ahead. The first 40 minutes are well worth your time. Also, if you can, read at least the first two pages of the new Indivisible Guide: Indivisible: A Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink. If you’re fired up, you’ll likely want to read the entire 27 page document. Please see the follow-up notes from the meeting for more information.

🔷 The final weeks of the election highlighted the heavy hand US billionaires had in our election. Elon Musk put an unprecedented amount of time and money into helping Trump win this election. Post election, over a million people made the switch to Bluesky. If you are ready to leave X (formerly Twitter), here is a guide to help get you oriented there. Once there, be sure and follow @indivisibleguide.bsky.social and @indiviseastside.bsky.social. While you’re at it, everyone can encourage our Democratic Congresspeople and Senators to join as well. Indivisible National put out this guide to leaving X months ago.

🔷 The 2025 Legislative session is just around the corner and runs from Jan 13th through April 27th (budget year). Our state is fortunate to have weathered this election cycle by actually turning BLUER! Let’s continue our effective advocacy for just and popular legislation through Washington Indivisible Legislative Action (WILA).

You can help WILA prepare for the 2025 legislative session by completing the 2025 WIN Legislative Priorities survey.

🔷 Indivisible National is asking us to call our Representative to Vote NO on H.R. 9495 to Stop Trump From Attacking Dissenting Organizations.

Here are your 2 actions and a Bright Spot.

✊ Action 1 – Protect our Immigrant Community

From NWIRP and WAISN

There was a ton of anti-immigrant rhetoric during the final weeks of the campaign, and the potential cabinet appointments seem to indicate they are serious about targeting our immigrant community. This is nothing new. We fought this in the first Trump administration. We intend to support our area immigrant community and to do that, we will be taking cues from two great local organizations.

The Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network’s role as an organization founded in love and rooted in community has only become more important in the face of anti-immigrant rhetoric and a for-profit detention agenda seeking to break apart families. Last Thursday they held a “Looking Forward” event to plan for resistance.

Immigration attorneys at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project gave a post-election update about what they expect to see and what folks’ rights are, regardless of their immigration status. View with English or Spanish Closed Captioning at https://vimeo.com/1027829846. Share with friends and neighbors. NWIRP’s Know Your Rights page has resources from different organizations, including “Know Your Rights” pamphlets from ACLU in many more languages than English and Spanish.

✊ Action 2 – Tell Senators to Cosponsor and vote in favor of Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel

From Friends Committee on National Legislation

October 7 marked a year of war in Gaza, with entrenched dynamics that have brought suffering and death to tens of thousands of people, and no clear end in sight. Despite all that has gone on, two months earlier, in August, the Biden Administration approved a series of arms sales to Israel totaling more than $20 billion. Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) led by Senators Bernie Sanders (VT), Peter Welch (VT), Jeff Merkley (OR), and Brian Schatz (HI) would block the sale of many offensive weapons that have been used in strikes that have killed thousands of civilians, including aid workers and journalists, in Gaza over the last year.

These weapons include joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs) and 120-millimeter tank shells, which the Israeli military has repeatedly used in attacks that have killed civilians in densely populated areas. The JRDs do not oppose missile defense systems such as the Iron Dome and David’s Sling.

The United States cannot claim the high ground when it sends billions of dollars in weapons to a government that has shown so little regard for civilian life, and which credible reports allege has engaged in actions that violate international law. Congress must pass these resolutions and use all forms of U.S. leverage to bring a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Lebanon, and across the region. Please ask our Senators to pass these Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to stop the sale of offensive weapons to Israel. You can either use this form, or call or write using the script below.

☎ Sample Script:

Dear Senator [Last Name],

I do not understand why the United States continues to supply the Israeli government with U.S. weapons. Israel’s incursions into Lebanon to attack Hezbollah are a major escalation of the ongoing war and only deepen the likelihood that the entire region could become immersed in conflict.

Israel has repeatedly failed to protect civilians in Gaza and has not engaged in a meaningful effort to end the war and secure the release of the hostages.

A year of escalating war and violence cannot continue to be rewarded. I urge you to support efforts led by Senators Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley, and Brian Schatz that would block the sale of lethal weapons to Israel through Joint Resolutions of Disapproval.

More weapons of war will only intensify this already terrible conflict and cause it to spread further. New weapons sales to Israel will send a message of impunity in the face of repeated violations of U.S. and international law.

Please use the leverage the United States has to act for peace and do not approve further arms sales to Israel.

Thank you,

[Name]

[City, Zip]

⛅ Bright Spots

From Americans United for Separation of Church and State

After Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed into law a mandate that all public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools display a state-prescribed version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom, Americans United for Separation of Church and State joined forces with coalition partners to protect the religious freedom of all Louisiana students and families by filing a lawsuit challenging the law.

Last week, a federal district court issued a ruling prohibiting that Louisiana law from going into effect.

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For the Week of Nov 11, 2024

🔷 Tuesday’s election brings memories of 2016 flooding back. While this is not the outcome any of us hoped and worked for and it is difficult to fathom what the next few years will hold, the work did not begin and does not end with this or any election. Times like these call for us to lean in to supporting each other and finding the things we can do individually and collectively to create change and protect the most vulnerable and marginalized in our community. We have been here before and we all chose to stand shoulder to shoulder to fight for progressive values —we will continue to do that now.

An important difference between now and 2016 is that many of us who were new to organizing had so much to learn before we could lead effectively, and Indivisible itself was just a PDF on a website. We had so many questions such as: What organizations are already doing this work and who can we connect with? How can we use Facebook to get our message out and create a safe communication space? Who can design a logo for us, build a website, manage a mailing list? Who knows how to run a rally safely? We know the answers to these questions now, and so much more. Today, we have a tight-knit steering committee, a fantastic Weekly Actions team, a robust Postcarding program, a statewide Indivisible Network, a powerful National Indivisible, strong connections to allied organizations, and a mighty band of dedicated, passionate, trustworthy activists. We’re here for each other, and we’re not going anywhere.

🔷Let’s gather to process what just happened, deepen our bonds for the challenges ahead, and orient ourselves to taking strategic action on the road ahead. Please join us Nov 17th from 1:30-4 pm for an Indivisible Eastside Community Gathering. Indivisible National has been working with the “Worth Fighting For” coalition to prepare for the possibility of a Trump 2.0 presidency, and are equipping leaders with resources to help us all process, grieve and come through stronger and more determined. All democracy loving people are welcome. Register at Indivisible Eastside’s “Worth Fighting For” community gathering to receive location details.  There is so much work ahead, we need you and we look forward to being in community with you.

🔷 Take some inspiration from Vice President Kamala Harris’s Speech to Supporters. “The light of America’s promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up, and as long as we keep fighting.”

🔷 Are you struggling, as most of us are, with post-election emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, and intense anxiety, and need help managing your emotions? This can be especially tough if you have to get up and function normally as if nothing is different. Maybe you have to go to work, or interact with others who you know are celebrating this moment. Please check out these 10 Tips to Cope with the Election Results from Dr. Samantha Wagner to help manage what you are feeling without crumbling.

🔷 Over 100,000 people participated in the “Worth Fighting For: Making Meaning of the Moment” webinar last Thursday. There are far too many takeaways to list here, but it was energizing to listen to reflections of Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Jamie Raskin, as well as activist leaders from Working Families Party, Indivisible, MoveOn, Public Citizen, ACLU, SEIU and others on YouTube and Facebook. Note: It’s a jam-packed 4 hours long, but you can listen to it while rage gardening, deep cleaning the garage (tip #9 from Dr. Wagner’s list above), or taking a rejuvenating walk (tip #5).

Here are your 2 actions and a Bright Spot.

✊ Action 1 – Immediate need for Ballot Curing efforts

from Indivisible.org

The makeup of the US House is still up in the air with a narrow path still available for Democratic control. To make sure every vote is counted, Ballot Curing efforts are underway. Most people who receive a call about their ballot are very happy to be given the opportunity to correct any issues.

Sign up to Ballot Cure Phone Bank with Indivisible. Choose an event that interests you and then click “See details and more times” to see all the options available.

You can also help candidates in tight races have the resources they need to cover ballot curing and potential recount expenses.

House: Support House Democrats to Retake the House Majority

Senate:

Donate to Ruben Gallego’s Ballot Curing effort in Arizona

Donate to Sen. Bob Casey’s Recount Account in Pennsylvania

✊ Action 2 – Tell your Senators to fill every judicial vacancy NOW

from Indivisible.org

Congress is reconvening for the final session of the year and Senate Democrats only have a few more weeks in the majority. With another Trump presidency and a Republican-controlled Senate looming, Democrats must make the most of this time and do everything in their power to safeguard our democracy and our rights.

That’s why they must prioritize confirming pro-democracy judges in the final session. President Biden has nominated a slate of diverse, highly qualified candidates to federal judgeships. The Senate has confirmed over 200 of these judges, but there are 30 more nominations still pending – and that number could grow before Biden leaves office. Confirmations can be slow because there are a number of procedural hoops to jump through in the Senate – but with determination and long hours, Democrats can get this done.

Federal judges serve for lifetime appointments, so it’s crucial that these positions are filled by candidates who are dedicated to upholding the Constitution and our democracy. And we know that if these seats are still vacant when he takes office, Trump will nominate judges that will further the MAGA agenda from the bench.

Contact your senators urging them to spend the final session confirming as many judges as possible before Republicans take control of the Senate. Or use this Indivisible Form with the same message.

☎ Sample Script:

As a constituent, I urge you and your colleagues in the Senate to prioritize confirming pro-democracy judges during the final session of Congress.

The Senate has already confirmed over 200 of President Biden’s judicial nominees, but there are still 30 nominations pending. We need to ensure that those vacancies are filled by judges who will uphold the Constitution and our democracy before Trump returns to the White House. We cannot afford to have these lifetime appointments filled by Trump’s judicial picks, who will just further his MAGA agenda from the bench.

Thank you for your past work to protect our democracy. I’m counting on you to use these last few weeks to do everything you can to continue safeguarding our democracy before Republicans take control of the Senate. That includes confirming all of the pending judicial nominees.

Thank you.

⛅ Bright Spots:

From Suzi and Eric Levine’s Newsletter

Washington State showed that we can elect exceptional individuals, respect diversity, AND protect our environment. Congratulations to all the great candidates including Bob Ferguson, Nick Brown, Dave Upthegrove, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and the rejection of 3 out of 4 initiatives. Washington was the only state to get bluer!

Calendar of Events

Save the Date

Recorded events to check out:

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Resources:

For the Week of October 28, 2024

🔷 Have you voted? Turning your ballot in early frees up resources for the campaigns’ GOTV efforts and gets you off the email and call lists!

🔷 Thanks to everyone who came to Ballots and Brews yesterday. It was great to come together and gather to work off some pre-election stress!

🔷 There are still several Ballot Drop Boxes that don’t have an observer on election night. This can be arranged for anyone who identifies as a Democrat. Sign up to observe a Ballot Drop Box on Election night, 7:15-8:30 pm Tues Nov 5. Questions? Email elections@kcdems.org

🔷 Join Indivisible co-founders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg for a special pre-election virtual coffee klatch on Nov 4th at 12:00 pm. They will break down how to deal with election day, from what to expect, what information to consume and how to interpret returns, to how to curb your anxiety. Register to attend.

🔷 Do you have campaign yard signs that you’ll need to dispose of after the election? They are always tricky as they’re not recyclable in the regular system. Good news – Ridwell will be collecting them this year! If you have a subscription you will get a notice in your regular email from the company but even non-subscribers can sign up for a special collection by using this link.

Here are your 2 actions this week.

✊ Action 1 – Vote and encourage others to do so!

Action 1a. Mail or drop off your ballot in a drop box or at a vote center by 8 pm on November 5th! If you’re unsure about judicial positions or ballot measures, here are some resources to help:

Action 1b. Encourage friends and family to vote and share these resources with them. If you need help, Vote Save America has a script that you can use to text three friends to convince them to vote. This is especially helpful if you know people in swing states!

Action 1c. Pick your opportunity to support democracy.

We have one week left to ensure that we elect leaders who reflect our values. Alleviate your election stress by checking the list below to see how you can help.

To quote Indivisible, an election that’s within the margin of error is also within the margin of effort.

Canvass

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