Let Us Know What You Think A Future for A4D?
As we look ahead, we’d like to hear from you, dear friends, about the future of A4D. Please help us make the best decision possible—for us individually here in Portland and for the future of democracy itself—by kindly completing our five-minute survey. You will find it at this link. Thank you! And thank you to everyone who has already submitted the survey. We very much appreciate your participation and insights. Without you we can’t do more vital work.
Ask Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 28 at 5:30pm, Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer will hold her first tele-town hall. She wants to hear from her constituents. If you live in District 5, call in and tell Lori what you think is important for her to know. Join toll-free by calling 855-933-0827. Consider checking her Facebook pagefor any updates or changes.
Stand Up to Factory Farms
COIN is a supporting member of the Stand Up to Factory Farms coalition(SUFF), which is advocating for Senate Bill 85 that would put a moratorium on new factory farms until there are proper regulations to protect air and water quality and animal welfare.
An informational hearing on the bill is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, February 28, at 5:00pm in the Senate Natural Resources Committee Room. If you can attend the hearing, arrive at 4:30pm at the Capitol Building and meet at the ADA accessible doors on State Street entrance (south side) for a photo and SUFF sticker. Also, please wear red clothing. There will be carpools from Portland. If you’d like a ride, get in touch with Brooke Crouch, 434- 242-3215, or Lilli DiPaiola, 717-601-0344. If you can’t attend in person, you can join remotely by following instructions at this link. Attending the hearing will demonstrate to committee members that Oregonians are serious about a factory farm moratorium.
COIN Candidate Class
COIN is offering an online class for candidates and campaign workers on Saturday, March 18, from 10:00am to 12:30pm. Taught by Kevin Sullivan, political and field director for Tina Kotek’s campaign, the class is designed for first time candidates, for anyone thinking about running in the future, or for folks who have run for office before and want to brush up on their skills. It’s free and you can sign up here.
COIN Meetings & Notes
COIN meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Meetings are open to all members of Indivisible and coalition partners. The next meeting will take place on March 7 at 7:00pm. To register for a meeting, go here. To read the notes from the last meeting, go here.
Join Third Act’s Bank Protest
Big banks are huge funders of coal, gas, and oil companies. Since the Paris climate accords, they have loaned more than $3 trillion to these companies, even as scientists tell us that we must stop expanding the fossil fuel industry. Where did this $3 trillion come from? It came from us, unsuspecting Americans with our ordinary bank accounts and bank-issued credit cards. It’s time to block this money pipeline! On March 21, Third Act, an organization founded by environmental activist Bill McKibben, is calling for a nationwide protest at our country’s four dirtiest banks: Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo. Third Act members across the country, including in Oregon, will show up at local bank branches to protest, cut up credit cards (both symbolically and actually), and pledge to close their accounts if the banks don’t cooperate. To join an action in Portland, sign up here; in Corvallis, use this link. To learn about more actions or organize an action in your community, go here. And, lastly, consider signing Third Act’s Banking on the Future pledge at this link and reading Bill McKibben’s latest article about the March 21 action here. It’s about time we banks stopped funding fossil-fuel infrastructure and start funding sustainable-energy infrastructure!
Let’s Flip District 2 and Toss Bentz Out
Indivisible has identified Oregon District 2, currently represented by Cliff Bentz in Congress, as one of 18 districts nationwide to flip from red to blue in 2024. To that end, COIN’s Bentz Accountability Team/DeRemer Accountability Team (BAT/DRAT) has started working to get it done. And they need your help. Spread the conversation. Use the information from BAT/DRAT at this link to write a postcard, make a call, send an email, or write a letter to the editor. And join the next BAT/DRAT meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, March 8, at 7:00pm. Here’s the link to join the team.