.
Here’s what you need to know:
One: Stop Worrying!
Whether you love or hate Joe / Kamala / Gavin / Pete / Raphael / or Gretchen, in the end chances are you and I will probably not be on the decision-making team. In fact, the real decision lies with Joe Biden and no one can do anything until he makes it himself. So, please, stop worrying. If there is a rising chorus for Joe to stay or go and you feel strongly, go ahead and join it. But at the moment, this IS NOT in your hands.
Two: COMMIT to voting Blue, no matter who.
The future of our country IS in our hands. Whoever is on the D side of the ballot should have our full-hearted support. Period. Take a deep breath and let this play out. We know. It’s scary and painful, but most things worth doing are. Be thankful that we Democrats are not blind followers of a cult leader. We are mature adults who ask hard questions and are willing to do the right thing when it’s necessary.
Three: FOCUS on Trump.
Donald Trump is the one who should have been asked to drop out of the race – because he is a felon. He is a SCOTUS-crowned, would-be king. He will use his office to do whatever wants to further his fascist agenda, and once he’s there he will try to stay there and never leave. That is the threat to our democracy.
Four: KNOW about Project 2025.
We know you’re seeing a lot of social media posts about Project 2025 right now. Trump said that he wants to be a dictator on day 1. Project 2025 is the blueprint for him to do so. It is a detailed plan for turning our country into a Christian nationalist autocracy. It’s a fascist agenda, dreamt up by the Heritage Foundation – the same group who picked out the last four Supreme Court justices. And you know how that’s worked out.
Trump now claims to know nothing about Project 2025 which is, of course, untrue. Twenty-five of the project’s thirty-five authors served as members of the Trump administration, and the president of the Heritage Foundation has even credited Trump with creating Project 2025.
For a funny, easy-to-listen take on it, listen to John Oliver explain it all HERE, or you can check out the summarized details HERE.
From the Horse's Mouth
Trump may be trying to distance himself from Project 2025, but here are his own plans, in his own words, told to a reporter from Time Magazine:“What emerged in two interviews with Trump, and conversations with more than a dozen of his closest advisers and confidants, were the outlines of an imperial presidency that would reshape America and its role in the world. To carry out a deportation operation designed to remove more than 11 million people from the country, Trump told me he would be willing to build migrant detention camps and deploy the U.S. military, both at the border and inland. He would let red states monitor women’s pregnancies and prosecute those who violate abortion bans. He would, at his personal discretion, withhold fundsappropriated by Congress, according to top advisers. He would be willing to fire a U.S. Attorney who doesn’t carry out his order to prosecute someone, breaking with a tradition of independent law enforcement that dates from America’s founding. He is weighing pardons for every one of his supportersaccused of attacking the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, more than 800 of whom have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury. He might not come to the aid of an attacked ally in Europe or Asia if he felt that country wasn’t paying enough for its own defense. He would gut the U.S. civil service, deploy the National Guard to American cities as he sees fit, close the White House pandemic-preparedness office, and staff his Administration with acolytes who back his false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen.” THIS IS WHAT IS AT STAKE.
NOW DO SOMETHING
Look for opportunities (listed in green below) and join other Indivisibles to canvas, write postcards & letters or plan strategies.
Be willing to phonebank, textbank, and better yet, knock on doors.
Talk to your friends, family, and coworkers! Go HERE for ideas.
Become a Neighborhood Leader. Janelle Bynum said that her campaign strategists figure the CD5 race will be won or lost by only 500 votes.Which means that if every volunteer convinces only four voters, it would make all the difference!
Donate a few bucks, a few hours, and whatever talents you have to an organization that surely needs it.
Memorize at least one (preferably more) of the Highlights of Project 2025and Trump’s plan to create an America welcome only to white, male, heterosexual, American-born evangelical Christians.
Go HERE for an easy-to-remember cheat-sheet contrasting Democrat values and policies against GOP horrors.
Emergency SCOTUS Phonebank to Pennsylvania:
Thursday, July 11, 4pm - Pennsylvania is the state that may decide whether MAGA can seize control of Congress and the White House. Sign up HERE.
More events organized by Indivisible National can be found HERE.
Help Janelle Bynum win in CD5
Writing:
Indivisible Clackamas Postcard Party: Sunday, July 21, 12:30pm at The Midway Public House, 100 7th Street, Oregon City, OR 97045
Vote Forward as well as Postcards to Voters will be announcing projects for CD5 soon. Stay tuned for updates.
Phonebanking:Choose some shifts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5pm.
Canvassing:
Oregon City:Sunday, July 14, 10:00am, in Oregon City with Indivisible & Swing Left.Saturday, July 27, 10:00am, in Oregon City with Indivisible & Swing Left.
Write for Democracy!
Indivisible Clackamas Postcard Party:Sunday, July 21, 12:30pm at The Midway Public House, 100 7th Street, Oregon City, OR 97045Friday’s at 4 Letters, Postcards & More:Sign up HERE.
Indivisible Oregon - Vote Forward letter writing campaigns:Saturday, July 27, 2pm at Migration Brewery in NE Portland.Monday, August 12, 2pm at Hopworks Brewery in SE Portland.Vote Forward as well as Postcards to Voters will be announcing projects for CD5 soon. Stay tuned for updates.
Help Marie Gleusenkamp-Perez win in Washington CD3
You can sign up for events with Marie’s campaign via Mobilize or volunteer directly with the campaign.
Help Andrea Salinas win in CD6
Phonebanking:Sign up here for some Thursdays at 5pm.Canvassing:Tualatin: You can sign up for these dates.Salem: You can sign up for these dates.
When You Talk About These Things
Stay in relationship with sincere people, even when they are wrong.
While maintaining healthy boundaries.
Call out manipulators and their motives.
Call in those who mean well, but are ready to know better (Calling in vs. Calling out.)
Learn how to have effective conversations: Join Smart Politics any Sunday evening for a weekly “It’s Not Too Late” discussion session on Zoom. Everyone is welcome. Sign up HERE.
Recent research has shown that our direct social networks have a surprising power to shape the lives of people up to three degrees of separation. With misinformation polluting most people’s feeds and inboxes more than ever, and reliable news sources disappearing by the day, democracy once again depends on direct, person-to-person communication.
This edition of the newsletter draws heavily from the content of a newsletter published by Terrie Martin of Indivisible ORD2 and detailed research provided by Mary Chaffin. Thank you!
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