Committee and Affinity Group News
[See the Web Log for prior Committee News write-ups. All meeting Minutes are available on the Documents and Resources page.]
We are working on a messaging campaign for use in all media that ends with the tagline, “—you might be a Democrat,” Take a look at our current list of messages on this Google Sheet. If you have more catchy lines, please send them to secretary@bencodems.org.
Buttons for Committees and Affinity Organizations:
From the Chair
Norm and Shirley Miller Democratic Leadership Dinner 2024
10th Annual Norm & Shirley Miller Leadership Dinner
Date: May 2nd
Location: Riverfront Hotel, 20 Comstock St. Richland, WA.
Social Hour: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Join us early at 5:00 pm for socializing with many who share the same views and values!
A select no-host bar will be available throughout the evening.
Dinner and program begins at 6:00 pm.
Keynote Speaker: Bob Ferguson
Washington Attorney General and the leading Democratic candidate for Washington State governor.
Catered by: Fat Olives (A vegan option is available.)
Purchase here: Link to ticketing form
Please enter the number of tickets you wish to purchase. You will be able to provide the names of your guests after purchase.
Sponsorships: Link to sponsorship form
This is the premier event for Benton County Democrats!
Checks accepted by mailing to: PO Box 636 Richland, WA 99352
Delivering Results from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Legislation Committee
Follow the progress of Bills of Interest in this linked chart.
Editor’s Note: In the following announcement our Senator joins Tim Eyman in opposing a tax bill needed to fund public services.
Address: 117 Legislative Modular Building * PO Box 40408 * Olympia, WA 98504
Olympia Office: (360) 786-7614 * Toll Free Hotline: (800) 562-6000 * E-mail: Matt.Boehnke@leg.wa.gov
Dear friends and neighbors,
The worst bill before the Legislature this year is Senate Bill 5770, which will triple the allowable annual growth rate of your local property taxes. This means local governments would be able to increase your property taxes by up to 3% WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL. This will cost hardworking taxpayers $6 billion over 12 years and would compound from there.
You, me, and the citizens of Washington State know that we are in an affordable housing crisis and this legislation will only exacerbate it. It needs to be clear, should the majority party pass this legislation, your property taxes will increase, your rents for both homes and apartments will rise. Food, fuel, and housing are already expensive enough, this is the wrong policy at absolutely the worst time.
The members of the Senate Republican Caucus strongly oppose SB 5770.
More than 9,300 people signed in to testify on SB 5770 when it was heard in committee. More than 92% OPPOSED increasing their property taxes.
Senate Democrats plan to run the bill on the Senate floor later in the day.
We will hold a news conference at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 8 in the Senate Rules Room on the 2nd floor of the Legislative Building on the Capitol Campus in Olympia.
You are invited to attend and join us in opposing the bill. The people deserve to be heard.
READ MORE ABOUT SB 5770 IN “RATIONAL STEPS”
If you cannot attend, you can watch the news conference live on TVW on this link.
You can also watch it live on our Facebook and X accounts. @WashingtonSRC
Sincerely,
Sen. Matt Boehnke
R-Kennewick
Elections Committee
Daily Presidential Primary Ballot Tracking
Update on Legislative Redistricting
Document on Partisan Endorsements in Nonpartisan Elections
Candidate Index
We wanted to express our gratitude and ask for your personal endorsement.
We are so grateful to have you on this team. You are directly powering our efforts to reach and persuade voters, spread President Biden and Vice President Harris’ message, and open hundreds of field offices across the country!
Your support matters. It truly makes an impact. But to keep that momentum going, we have an important but simple ask for you today:
This November, it’s Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump.
Donald Trump will spend another four years sowing MAGA extremism, chaos, and hate. Joe Biden will continue building on the progress we’ve made while protecting and expanding our fundamental freedoms. But the truth is, he can’t do it alone.
We can reelect President Biden and Vice President Harris, but only if we build the biggest grassroots movement our country has ever seen. This race will be decided by a razor-thin margin, and we need every single supporter to get off the sidelines and join our team.
Today, we’re asking you to take the next step.
Thank you,
Team Biden-Harris
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
We have an important question to ask:
Do you want four more years of Donald Trump in the White House?
No, we don’t think you do.
Do you want four more years of the chaos, confusion, and division his election would bring to our daily lives?
Do you want to deal with Trump’s promised attacks on Obamacare, Social Security, and Medicare?
C’mon, man!
Our fundraising goals are NOT arbitrary, they are the numbers we need to hit in order to stay on pace to DEFEAT TRUMP.
But there’s no hitting those marks without lots and lots and lots of donations from people like you stepping up before it’s too late. So please:
It means a lot to President Biden to know he has such a strong team behind him.
Team Biden-Harris
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
Our chances of defending the Senate just dropped dramatically.
I’m officially the most vulnerable woman in the Senate. Now, Republicans are zeroing in on Nevada as the one seat they need to win Senate control in November. Because if we lose Nevada, the entire Senate will flip red.
I’ve won tough races before, but this is shaping up to be the closest race I’ve ever faced. GOP megadonors like the Koch network are already pouring millions into this race to defeat me, and I can’t fight back alone. That’s why I’m reaching out for your urgent help as I face a major fundraising gap.
We just ran the numbers, and it looks like I need to raise at least $30,000 by midnight to have the resources to keep this campaign on track, pull ahead in the polls, and defend this seat – but right now, we’re way short.
Thank you for doing your part to help defend Nevada and the Senate.
– Jacky Rosen
Friends of Maria
PO Box 12740
Seattle, WA 98111
United States
Today, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could determine the future of emergency abortion care.
Idaho’s near-total abortion ban, enacted in the aftermath of Dobbs, criminalizes physicians in the state who perform an abortion, even when the mother’s life is at stake. This law is one of the most extreme in the nation, and is in direct opposition to the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).
Let’s be clear: allowing states to ignore federal protections of potentially life-saving care will have disastrous consequences.
Anti-choice extremists’ attacks on reproductive health care are not about “protecting life” – they’re only concerned with exerting control on women’s bodies, even if that means putting millions’ health and lives at risk.
This is the fight of our generation, and we can’t lose.
Thank you for always fighting with me,
Maria
Friends of Maria
PO Box 12740
Seattle, WA 98111
United States
Question: What do wealthy Republicans, Google, and Marathon Oil have in common?
Answer: They are spending a million dollars this week in TV ads to support Bob’s opponent in the governor’s race.
This PAC is funded by special interests including entities that Bob held accountable to Washingtonians and the rule of law. These companies are not happy with Bob making them follow the rules — and now they’re going all out against him.
There’s no limit to what they can spend to stop Bob from winning. That’s why it’s crucial that we reach our end-of-month fundraising goal before tomorrow night’s deadline.
Please rush a donation of any amount today.
Thank you,
Team Ferguson
Email us: info@electbobferguson.com
BOB FERGUSON FOR GOVERNOR (D) PO Box 22169 Seattle, WA 98122
BIG NEWS: more than a million dollars of corporate funded TV ads will soon flood our airwaves. Trust me, these ads won’t have anything nice to say about Bob.
Can you help us fight back by rushing a donation of $5 or more today?
A local news outlet just reported that “a planned seven-figure independent campaign” in Washington’s gubernatorial race will be going live in the next few weeks.
The major corporations behind this campaign include entities that Bob has held accountable to Washingtonians and the rule of law. To name a few…
💻 Google: Required to pay $39.9 million to Washington as a result of Bob’s lawsuit over their misleading location tracking practices.
🍔 McDonald: Illegally restricted its employees’ job opportunities until Bob stopped them, leading to nationwide reforms of McDonald’s franchisee contracts.
🏠 Weidner’s Property Group: One of the property management groups that Bob’s office held accountable for violating fair housing rules.
These companies are not happy with Bob making them follow the rules — and now they’re going all out against our campaign.
Now that you know what Bob is up against, will you rush a donation now?
Meanwhile, Bob is the only candidate who refuses donations from large corporations and corporate PACs. We’re building a winning campaign with an average online donation of $75 that includes individuals from all 39 Washington counties.
Our campaign is for Washingtonians and funded by Washingtonians.
That means we rely on this grassroots team.
We need thousands of individuals donating TODAY to fight back against these powerful special interests. With your help, when this outside spending enters the race we’ll be ready to take on whatever comes our way.
Thank you,
Team Ferguson
Email us: info@electbobferguson.com
BOB FERGUSON FOR GOVERNOR (D) PO Box 22169 Seattle, WA 98122
Jay Inslee here,
It is my privilege to support Nick’s campaign for Attorney General. I’ve known him for years, and I can tell you firsthand that he is ready for the job. I have more to say about Nick, but please consider showing your support with a donation today →
I witnessed Nick’s commitment to defending Washingtonians’ human rights and fundamental freedoms during his time as my general counsel. Together, we worked to end the death penalty in Washington and stood up against Trump’s racist and discriminatory Muslim ban.
You’ve probably heard Nick say that he’s running for Attorney General because he believes every Washingtonian has the right to be safe no matter their age, race, gender, who they love, or where they live. Kendall, I can promise you he means this.
As the U.S. Attorney for Western Washington appointed by President Biden, Nick defended civil rights, fought drug cartels and sex trafficking, addressed the fentanyl crisis, and worked to reduce violent crime. He’s actively committed to understanding and finding solutions for the underlying issues that contribute to homelessness, gun violence, and poverty. He’s a leader and a listener — which is how I know he’ll make an outstanding Attorney General.
The threat of far-right extremism is ever-present, including at the state Republican convention, where the GOP passed a resolution that says they oppose legislation that makes our nation more democratic. Washington’s next Attorney General must be ready to fearlessly defend all Washingtonians from state Republicans and Trump’s hateful agenda. That’s why I’ve already put my full support behind Nick’s people-powered campaign, and I hope you’ll join me today by making a grassroots contribution.
Thank you so much for your support.
Very truly yours,
Jay
Nick Brown for Attorney General
401 2nd Ave S STE 303
Seattle, WA 98104
United States
Today marks 100 days until the Washington primary!
This milestone means it’s time to kick things into high gear, and we can’t fuel this people-powered campaign without you. But before we celebrate any more milestones, we’ll reach our first end-of-month fundraising deadline of the quarter in just over 48 hours.
Here are a few ways to honor the next 100 days with your donation:
- $4 helps us chip away at our April goal. No contribution is too small!
- $39 recognizes Nick’s commitment to represent all 39 counties in Washington as Washington’s next Attorney General.
- And if you’re feeling particularly generous, $100 will help our campaign increase our voter outreach efforts to connect with as many Washingtonians as possible ahead of the primary.
— Team Nick
Nick Brown for Attorney General
401 2nd Ave S STE 303
Seattle, WA 98104
United States
Friends,
As your Secretary of State, my top priorities are ensuring that our elections are secure and accessible to every eligible voter.
That means fighting a Republican Party that prioritizes ending vote-by-mail elections. Seriously, it is in their 2024 platform! The Seattle Times | The WA GOP put it in writing that they’re not into democracy
At their convention, Washington State Republicans endorsed “America first, Washington state first” Republican candidate Dale Whitaker, who shouted with Trumpian gusto, “I am going to be a loud, proud defender of American liberty!” Loud, anyway…
Dwight Schrute would appreciate Dale’s speech.
Even more concerning, he and Washington State Republicans made their top elections priority clear: “I will fight for same-day, in-person voting.” The America First Republican plan is to make it more difficult to cast your vote, especially if you have a disability, live in a rural area, do not drive or generally need an active, government-issued photo ID, or who may have neither the time or ability to wait in long lines. They want to turn the clock backward on the voting accessibility we have achieved.
I am fighting to make advancements in security and accessibility.
Your vote in the August primary election will indicate whether you want to protect our vote-by-mail system that empowers more Washingtonians to participate equitably. I would appreciate your support in protecting the progress we have made, and reaching forward.
-Steve
Friends of Steve Hobbs · 3309 114th Dr NE · Lake Stevens, WA 98258-8787 · USA
Across the U.S., public education is under attack! The right-wing is building grass roots organizations to attack public schools, teachers, and school board members.
This extremism is underway right here in Washington. The Ron DeSantis manufactured “Moms for Liberty” are active in our state. They have stated two goals nationally: to get control of local school boards and to win the State Superintendency in the twelve states that elect this role. Our state is one of those twelve, and I am up for reelection in 2024.
I am running for reelection to support and uphold PUBLIC education, and I would be honored to have your personal endorsement and that of the county party and local LD organizations. I am honored to be endorsed once again by Governor Inslee, other statewide and local elected officials, more than 30 Democratic legislators already, and we’re just getting started!
The extremists are running candidates locally and against me that want schools run by religious institutions and corporations, but paid for by public funds, and they want vouchers that re-segregate our schools. It’s not just the obvious attacks on public education, don’t forget the more subtle forms of corporatization – they want kids and taxpayers to pay testing companies outrageous test fees to “prove” that children are worthy of college credit and other post-secondary options. The College Board runs the AP testing system; they generate over $1 billion in annual test revenue, and they sit on $1.6 billion in reserves, all generated off the backs of our students and taxpayers. They keep pushing their tests, nearly $100 per exam.
In Washington, we have expanded dual credit, while lowering or eliminating fees; we spend $250 million per year in basic education funds to support students taking college courses while in high school! We have near record graduation rates; assessment scores are rising; enrollments are rising; and we are closing equity gaps! We are one of the leading states now in offering true bilingual education and free school meals to nearly all children (we are so close to universal meal access following my proposal last year to the Legislature); and my office has partnered with the Washington Education Association to offer a first-in-the-nation teacher residency/apprenticeship program. The diversity of our new teachers is rapidly growing, and our students are getting the benefits of a more diverse and inclusive group of educators.
Washington’s kids are in great hands in local classrooms and they are re-accelerating following the pandemic. Our students now have multiple ways to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities, and they are accessing more diverse post-secondary pathways than ever before. Apprenticeships, college enrollments, and workforce training programs are rising once again! My emphasis on career and technical education pathways as a complement to traditional college pathways is giving every student a chance to take greater ownership over their education.
The pandemic was tough, complicated, and unknown, but the partnership between me and the Governor allowed our state to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the nation, while still focusing on the needs of children and our communities. We remain a top 15 state nationally based on NAEP assessment scores and we are only getting stronger!
So despite the ugliness coming from the far right, and attacks on public education from “reform” candidates at the state and local level, Washington’s education system is strong. We have much work ahead of us, however. We will keep building-out our regional mental health support system that my office helped create. We will add to the record levels of support we are providing our students with disabilities by finally removing the enrollment cap. And do not doubt for a second that under my leadership we will continue to prioritize the compensation, benefits, and working conditions of the talented professionals that work in our school system — teachers, para-educators, bus drivers, food support workers, building administrators, and so many more. This year, I am proposing to the Legislature a first-in-the nation living wage for para-educators who directly support our students. We have great schools because we have passionate educators; we will not go backwards in supporting them and supporting our public schools.
I’m a former Democratic PCO, YD President, three-term Democratic legislator, current and constant donor to Democrats, and a campaigner for Democrats. And I am a leader who will keep running through walls to ensure that our school system stays PUBLIC, that our students are taught by certificated teachers, and that student learning is evaluated and supported by professional educators in our public schools, not testing companies, not churches, not right-wing “think tanks”, or corporations. We must keep our school system public and provide the best possible education for all of our students and our local communities. By virtue of our State Constitution and laws, this office, and local school board races file as “non-partisan”. That means all kinds of candidates try to hide who they really are by not disclosing their party preference or core values. I am an unapologetic Democrat, and have been for life. My kids’ names are Carter and Kennedy! 🙂
Below is my cell phone, please call or text if you want to chat, set up a visit by me to the LD or county meeting, or to discuss anything else. I work 60+ hours a week being State Superintendent and campaigning for myself and others, so anything you can do to expedite the opportunity to earn local democratic organization endorsements would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you and joining you in your community.
Chris Reykdal
State Superintendent
360-790-3151 (cell)
www.chrisreykdal.org (to see my priorities for the next four years, and to make a contribution within your means.)
Friends –
I want to take a moment to say Happy Earth Day!
As we celebrate our beautiful Mother Earth today and the rest of this month, let’s remember that our responsibility to these lands and each other is ongoing. Earth Day is every day.
“People forget that the soil is our sustenance. It is a sacred trust. It has worked for us for centuries. If we continue this thoughtless submission to pesticides, there will not be an abundance of food to bequeath our children.”
– Cesar E. Chavez
In the fight for climate and environmental justice, food justice, and racial and social justice, we must work together to heal and protect these lands. We must look to our Indigenous siblings who’ve cared for Mother Earth since time immemorial and who hold the knowledge and practices needed to lead us out of an extract economy and into stewardship that benefits us all. We must protect agricultural workers who put food on our tables while bearing the brunt of climate change.
From the forests to the river beds and from the most rural corners of our state to the growing cityscape, it’s our shared responsibility to ensure we are caring for and protecting these lands. Whether it’s standing up to big polluters or cultivating a community garden, each action we take can make sure this generation and future generations have a healthy, thriving environment.
Adelante,
Team Rebecca Saldaña (D)
PO Box 20776
Seattle, WA 98102
United States
Friends –
Thank you so very much for supporting me throughout the years, specifically in this race.
We had a difficult decision to make, and our choice to suspend our campaign for Commissioner of Public Lands is not a reflection of your efforts. Your support, financially and otherwise, helped sustain our grassroots campaign. I’m proud of our work of running a bilingual, multicultural campaign that spoke to the urgency of this moment.
Our work is not done. In the short term, we must protect progressive policies and revenues by defeating I-2109, I-2117, and I-2124–with a decisive NO! Together, we must continue to fight for climate and environmental justice, in part by keeping organizations and the next Public Lands Commissioner accountable.
Adelante,
Team Rebecca Saldaña (D)
PO Box 20776
Seattle, WA 98102
United States
Friends of Maria Beltran (D)
PO Box 2011
Yakima, WA 98907
Platform and Resolutions
The Platform Task Team has proposed a platform update for 2024.
The Platform and Resolutions Committee is starting resolutions work this year.P
For those wishing to propose a resolution, below is a link to a template you can use to craft your resolution.
This is a link to a chart of our current resolutions plan and actions taken.
The following resolutions have been passed by the Central Committee and forwarded to the State party.
- Agrivoltaics Benefits to Eastern Washington
- Reinstate ban on naked credit default swaps
- Limit ratio of Executive v Employee pay
The following resolutions have been passed by the State party.
- Reinstate Restrictions on Stock Buybacks (final)
- Recovery Government Funded IP & Patents developed in whole or in part with taxpayer investments: Modification of Bayh-Dole Act 1980
- Faith and Credit-Debt Ceiling
- Reforming SCOTUS Nomination and Confirmation Process
The following resolutions are available for comments as they are being worked on by the committee:
Link to our Rittenhouse Resolution:
This is a link to the current State Party resolutions.
Organization Committee
Blue Dots in Red Sea – Michael Moore’s latest podcast, Young Voters
Benton County Elected Precinct Committee Officers for 2023-2024
Here’s a complete list of all our PCO’s, elected, appointed, and acting:
Benton County Democratic Precinct Committee Officers
Meet & Greet Candidates for the 14th LD – Christine Dimas & Maria Beltran Tonight!
Meet & Greet Candidates for the 14th LD – Christine Dimas & Maria Beltran!
Reminder: April 18, 2024 Meeting – InPerson & Zoom
4th CD News
Voices Unheard: Empowering Change with Rural Americans United
RAU Expands Programs and Unveils City Councils Questionable Motives
Expansion of Christian Nationalism in Central Washington
Democratic Values and Citizen Actions Keep MAGA In Check
Rural Voices: Restoring Equity to Our Election Process
Breaking: Equal Delegate Access for Central & Eastern WA Dems
Two Shocking Truths Behind Election Spending: $10.2 Billion Estimated for 2024!
The Darkside Of Political Excess
Urgent Call to Preserve Democracy in Yakima!
Candidates, CD5, Ukraine Support, Truth Unveiled!
Meet our Inaugural Advisory Board!
Poll results are in and the numbers are great
Central Washington Q/A with Senators Murray and Cantwell’s Offices (Poll)
Over one million messages delivered!
Organized local Ds stop MAGA cold
Ag and Rural Caucus
Ag and Rural Caucus for May
| Better Practices 6:30 pm Thursday 2 May Universal Health Care Carrie Wallace, chair, Whole Washington Kathryn Lewandowsky, vice-chair, Whole Washington https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88689149657?pwd=R3dXbFRpYVUyeGVhb3ErTFI0QXlpZz09 Policy Briefing 6:30 pm Thursday 16 May Off-Shore Wind Development off Washington Coast Brian Polayge, UW School of Engineering https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85907982157?pwd=MU4vV3E3VGZ5VU02dnhvZjg2b3hKZz09 Paste link into browser. |
| How to Sell Universal Health Care Fighting for your agenda Advocates like us have to make choices. Who is our audience, what arguments do we use, when do we go into the weeds, when to appeal to emotions, what to do about allies, how can you control the agenda. Whole Washington advocates for universal health care in Washington. It will be good to get their take on how to handle these questions. A legislative vehicle that Whole Washington got behind this session was ESJM 8006. The senate memorial is organized like a resolution with “whereas” and so forth. What is striking is that the ESJM text is very strong on redressing the administrative burden of our fragmented system. There is welcome attention to the comparative advantage that Washington businesses might enjoy if they could lower actual insurance costs and the business cost of administering health insurance for their employees. This same emphasis is not found in the bill report which is an ill-connected list of arguments for universal health care. This is not Whole Washington’s writing but reflects the hazards of the necessary handing over the bill’s summary to committee staff. This is a question of controlling the agenda. The competing themes left the bill open to easy opposition. Representative Joe Schmick (R-LD 9), usually an ally of health care advocates, announced ahead of the vote that he would oppose because the proposal did not have a finance package. Now, the memorial was not designed to incorporate a finance note. Whole Washington’s very clear funding formula had no home in the process. We can ask Carey and Kathryn about the advocacy choices they made and others made for them. This will be a good learning session for all of us. Don 30 April 2024 |
| Cost. Access. Quality Universal Health Care You think the US military budget is large? Multiply it by 5 and you come up with something like the $4.5 trillion we spend on our health. Health care spending is over 17 percent of our economy. Most other countries spend less than 10 percent. Is size (cost) alone cause for re-thinking our system? Probably. But there are other reasons, like the unequal consumption of health care by income and race; like poor outcomes – declining life expectancy and high infant mortality. In Washington we are rich enough and confident enough to think we can do health better. We have tried for a while. “Over the last 35 years, Washington’s wide-ranging efforts aimed to provide a comprehensive solution to these pervasive problems…” And these pervasive problems? Cost. Access. Quality. Our analysis and our values have moved us to universal health care. It answers most of our questions. The Washington Policy Center, though, does not agree: (Opposed) Washingtonians already have access to quality health care and skilled doctors. Universal health care is expensive, and taxes would have to be raised on low-income populations to fund it. In addition, specialty care would be compromised. In countries that have a universal health care system, wait times for services are lengthy. Their universal health care systems have failed. What do you think? One of our presenters, Kathryn Lewandowsky, spoke in favor of universal health care at the same hearing that the Washington Policy Center slammed the idea. Join Kathryn and Carey Thursday to talk about it. Don 29 April 2024 |
| Whole Washington Advocacy Universal Health Care May’s Better Practices session is about Universal Health Care. The session will, of course, talk about the universal health care and its features. Whole Washington is our presenter. We will also talk about how an advocacy group can move forward an agenda that mixes impossible federal oversight with optimistic state-level possibilities. Where do you start, with the feds or Olympia? How much detail do you present and to whom? The 2024 Legislature took up ESJM 8006 that advocated for federal waivers to allow states to innovate. It passed the senate in 2023 and was re-introduced in 2024 where it stalled in the house. Whole Washington in April reported “Alas, 8006 is dead, dead, dead”. And it was dead in the house partly because Whole Washington was not able to advocate with a full deck. We will talk more about the what and how of universal health care next Thursday with Carey Wallace and Kathryn Lewandowsky from Whole Washington. |
| Policy Briefing: Off-Shore Wind Development in Washington Off-Shore wind proposals are coming to Washington. We are late to the game. Europe is well ahead of North America in adopting off-shore wind, the east coast on the Atlantic is ahead of us on the west coast, and California and Oregon on the Pacific are ahead of us. What can we learn from the early adopters? The “what” in this case is both the technical and the political. Why go to bother of building turbines in the sea? And what are the effects on local fishing industries? Join Brian Polayge, UW School of Engineering, for our policy briefing on 16 May. Brian knows the technical aspects of off-shore wind and understands well the politics. Don 26 April 2024 |
Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2024.
Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved. Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is: Ag and Rural Caucus 2921 Mud Creek Rd Waitsburg, WA 99361
Meet & Greet Candidates THIS Friday, April 12 in Pasco
April 10, 2024
SENATOR MATT BOEHNKE
8TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT – WASHINGTON STATE SENATE
360-786-7614 | 800-562-6000 | P.O. Box 40425 Olympia, WA 98504-0425
Media Contact: Eric LaFontaine: (360) 870-7268
6 Boehnke bills signed into law
OLYMPIA… In a remarkable feat of legislative prowess, Senator Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, saw six of his bills signed into law by Governor Inslee in March. This achievement, the highest number of bills he’s successfully passed since his tenure in the legislature began in 2019, is a testament to his dedication and effectiveness in governance. Of the 28 bills he introduced or carried over from the 2023 session, he deems these six a solid start for 2024, underscoring his commitment to effective governance.
“With each of the six bills now becoming law, I am reminded of the responsibility and trust bestowed upon me by the people of our great state,” Boehnke said. “This milestone transcends legislative success; it’s a testament to the collective efforts of my colleagues, staff, and the community, whose unwavering support and collaboration have been pivotal.”
In mid-March, Inslee signed three of Boehnke’s bills. ESB 6296 creates a retail workforce by creating a retail industry workgroup to identify and recommend four colleges to pilot micro-term and short-term credentials for the retail workforce.
SB 6079 makes juvenile detention records available to managed care organizations and behavioral health administrative services organizations for care coordination activities. SB 6080 simplifies the funding provisions of the statewide tourism marketing account by removing the requirement that deposits to the account may only occur if the Legislature authorizes them.
“I extend gratitude to everyone involved in this team effort. This is a clear sign of our shared commitment to making a significant difference and improving the lives of our constituents,” Boehnke said. “Each bill, from enhancing our retail workforce to improving juvenile care coordination and simplifying tourism funding, is a step forward in making our state a better place for all its residents.”
Over the final three days of March, Inslee signed his last three bills, culminating in a successful session for the first-term Senator. ESSB 5891 protects the safety and security of students and maintains order within school buses by designating trespassing on a school bus as a criminal offense. E2SSB 6068 expands the ability of courts to work with the DOC to collect and report more data about foster kids’ adoption and reunification rates. Boehnke’s last bill, 2SSB 5660, directs the Washington State Health Care Authority to convene a workgroup to create recommendations for effectively implementing mental health advance directives. These directives declare a person’s preferences regarding behavioral health treatment in the event they are incapacitated due to their behavioral health disorder.
“I am deeply grateful for the collaboration and support that led to the success of these initiatives. These laws are not just legislative victories; they reflect our shared values and dedication to making a tangible difference in the lives of Washingtonians,” Boehnke said. “I extend my heartfelt Thanks to everyone involved in bringing these important pieces of legislation to fruition. Your support and collaboration have been invaluable.”
15th LD Democrats News
16th LD Democrats News
Walla Walla County Democrats News
Yakima County Democrats News
Monthly Meeting! Candidates, events planning and more!
Petitions, meet a judge, and more!
March Meeting 3/25 + Run for Delegate!
February 26: See you at Single Hill!
Chelsea Dimas for state representative
City Council letter-writing and 13th LD meeting
Updates! Endorsements, engagement, and the coming spring
Meeting update: Bob Ferguson and local politics watch
Join us for our Election Watch Party!
Thanks for an amazing weekend!
From the State Central Committee
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Hello Democrats and Happy Friday!
Spring is in the air and that means it’s time to get outside and work hard for Democrats everywhere in Washington State!
There is so much at stake this year and we need to do all we can to remind voters that Democrats are the Party that will work around the clock to ensure a better future for everyone. And in case you need a reminder of why this is true, please join me in celebrating the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act!
The ACA ensured access to healthcare for millions of Americans, including the 25% of non-Elderly Washingtonians with preexisting conditions. This historic legislation currently ensures access to safe, reliable and more affordable healthcare for 270,000 Washingtonians! Yet another reminder that Democrats deliver and that we must do everything in our power to prevent the MAGA GOP from tearing down all that we have built together!
The big news in Washington State politics this week is that new legislative district maps have been approved. A report from the Washington Community Alliance shows that the revised boundaries are projected to make LD 14 significantly more diverse and Democratic and notably improve Democratic performance in LDs 12 and 17. All of these districts now present major pickup opportunities and we will fight tirelessly to ensure they go bright blue!
None of our progress would be possible without you. Thank you all for joining us in the critical work of electing Democrats across Washington State and across the nation. We are glad to have each and every one of you on board!
WORKING FOR WASHINGTON
It’s been a terrific week traveling across the state and helping my fellow Democrats get fired up and ready to go for election season!
Last weekend I had the privilege to speak to the Spokane County Democrats at their annual Tom Foley Legacy Dinner. It was my honor to share the stage alongside U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti, as well as my great friend Ken Martin who also happens to be President of the Association of State Democratic Committees and Chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party!
Congratulations to the Spokane Dems on such a successful event – I look forward to lots of quality time spent working in CD 5 this year!
I also had the great privilege of joining Rep. Jesse Johnson and students from Federal Way High School to discuss why voting is so crucial to our democracy and how their voices are even more powerful when they engage in our democratic process. If you have young people in your life, I encourage you to help them get involved!
The Washington State High School Democrats are hosting a virtual forum on Tuesday, March 26th at 7PM. I hope you can join us!
Civically engaged young people are a huge part of our winning Democratic coalition and we intend to work hard to make sure they turn out in record numbers in 2024 and for years to come!
What I’m Listening to This Week
This week I had the chance to join the Research Collaborative’s Freedom Over Fascism Movement Briefing!
I also highly recommend checking out their toolkit – linked here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s0JbXhND7-1iqABNcUNL031NQLxkLfr-USkCKGZTidI/edit?usp=sharing
It’s critical that we share and amplify their message – the stakes have never been higher!
Democrats in the News
Biden to forgive $5.8 billion in student loan debt for nearly 78,000 public-sector workers
President Joe Biden announced another round of student loan debt forgiveness Thursday, totaling $5.8 billion for nearly 78,000 public-sector workers, and will be sending congratulatory emails to those borrowers next week.
Murray, Cantwell, & Schrier Announce Federal Assistance Now Available to WA Cherry Growers
U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), along with Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (D, WA-08), announced that sweet cherry growers in Washington state are now eligible for up to $500,000 in federal Emergency Farm Loans.
U.S. Travel Names Sam Graves, Rick Larsen as 2024 Legislators of the Year
The U.S. Travel Association today announced recipients of its 2024 Legislator of the Year Award: Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), both serving on the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Strickland Secures Over $13 Million For South Sound Community Projects
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) recently secured funding for fourteen South Sound community projects that will increase affordable housing, boost public safety, enhance regional infrastructure and transit, and support our local food banks.
–
Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!
With gratitude,
Chair Shasti Conrad Washington State Democratic Party
The work we do today wins elections tomorrow. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now.
Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!
Washington State Democrats PO Box 4027 Seattle, WA 98194 United States
I’m Isabella, the Party Affairs Coordinator at the Washington State Democratic Party. As we move closer to the Washington Dems State Convention, an extraordinary opportunity awaits for those passionate about making a difference in our party and our country. I’m excited to invite you to run for delegate and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Democratic Party at our State Convention. The deadline for registration is rapidly approaching: March 31 at 5:00pm, with elections following closely on April 6. This is your chance to be at the heart of our democratic process, contributing your voice and vision to our collective path forward.
Becoming a delegate is a unique and powerful way to engage in our democracy, offering you the chance to represent your community’s values and priorities on a larger stage. It’s a role that not only allows you to contribute to critical discussions and decisions but also to be part of a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to progress and change.
However, if running for delegate isn’t the right fit for you at this moment, there’s another impactful way you can support our cause.
The path to 2024 is paved with challenges, but also with immense opportunities for growth and success. Whether by representing your community as a delegate or supporting our efforts financially, your involvement is key to our collective future.
Thank you for considering how you can make a difference at this critical time. Together, we can shape a Democratic Party that reflects our shared values and vision for a better tomorrow.
In solidarity,
Isabella Maffei, Party Affairs Coordinator
Washington State Democrats
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States
PCOs Can (and Should) Start Doorbelling – For PCOs, the time to walk or call the voters in your precincts is NOW so that we can get that data back into Votebuilder ASAP. The data PCOs collect in the first quarter of this year is essential to the voter targeting every Democratic candidate will be able to do in the primary election and for the rest of the year. If needed, our Coordinated Campaign staff can help set PCOs up with a phone or canvass list, an appropriate script for their precinct, and either a listening or ID canvass – just ask us at organizing@wa-democrats.org.
Democratic National Committee News
Team —
Teacher Appreciation Day is on May 7, and our Varsity collection has the perfect gifts. If you need a way to thank a teacher, or just want to show your support for our educators, check out our stickers, pencils, and other products with messages like “Give teachers a raise” and “Proud product of public schools.”
Teachers are the backbone of this country. They educate and shape the minds of future generations, and no one understands the importance of supporting teachers and students better than Joe, Kamala, and Democrats across the country.
When you buy merch from the Official Biden-Harris Store, you’re directly supporting the Biden-Harris campaign and Democratic candidates who are dedicated to strengthening public education, uplifting educators, and fighting for our children.
Happy shopping,
❤️Emma
Merchandise Director
Democratic National Committee
DNC Best Practices Institute
Tri-City Democrats
Winter Social
Evergreen Voter | LWVWA Council //Extending Your Impact // more
Legislative Action Newsletter March 13, 2024
Legislative Action Newsletter March 3, 2024
League of Women Voters — Redistricting Task Force
The League of Women Voters has appointed a task force to evaluate and study potential changes to the procedure Wa State uses to redistrict our state every 10 years. If changes are developed, these changes will require a constitutional amendment. No small task.
In the local newspaper there have been several stories about Senator Nikki Torres and the redistricting of our area because of a law suit filed against WA state for the maps adopted by the state redistricting commission.
To learn more, please join the Redistricting Reform Task Force for one of two briefings on the Washington State’s new legislative maps. How did we get here? Where do we go next?
Join LWVWA Redistricting issue Chair, Alison McCaffree; Former California Citizen Redistricting Commission member, Cynthia Dai; and Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center, Yurij Rudensky for a lively discussion.
Both sessions are the same. Choose the one most convenient for you. Registration is necessary
New Legislative Map Briefings
Wednesday, 4/10 6:30pm-8:00pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81886694099?pwd=TEhZSDRxMFNuRUpYd0VLSkgzdFRvdz09
Saturday, 4/13 10:30am-12:00noon
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89028354082?pwd=VVVsUitoeFRHNGw5TzRMbGRkYTlXQT09
Get Out The Vote
Local dance group helped create a GOTV video, sponsored by our local League. Please view this delightful video.
Spanish Version
English Version
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Ah1rUQEIS9Efg6U8J-TO1fM9Kz5XJw?e=cLuAc
Columbia Basin Badger Club
BADGER FORUM Thursday, May 9 | Noon - 1 PM
BADGER FORUM: Book Bans and Parents’ Rights: Who decides?
Final week for Fix Democracy First’s Spring 2024 Online Auction – Make your bids today!
Check out Fix Democracy First’s Spring 2024 Online Auction – So many great items to bid on!
Check out our Spring 2024 Online Auction – There’s so many great items to bid on!
Bidding is now underway for Fix Democracy First’s Spring 2024 Online Auction!
Fix Democracy First’s Spring 2024 Online Auction Starts TODAY!
John Lewis: Good Trouble Online Screening Event
Sunday, April 28th @ 4 pm PT/7 pm ET
Join Meaningful Movies Project and Fix Democracy First for a special online screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble on April 28th at 4 pm PT/7 pm ET!
John Lewis: Good Trouble is a documentary film that provides an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis. Spanning over six decades of remarkable activism, the film portrays Lewis’s evolution from a bold teenager at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement to a formidable legislative force. It begins with Lewis’s courageous plea to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for assistance in integrating a segregated school in his hometown of Troy, Alabama, a pivotal moment that cemented their close bond. From organizing Freedom Rides amidst violence and imprisonment to standing steadfastly at the forefront of historic marches in Washington and Selma, Lewis displayed resilience and determination. Throughout his journey, he championed the spirit of “good trouble,” inspiring fellow Americans to confront injustice fearlessly. As the film chronicles Lewis’s unparalleled commitment to justice and equality until his passing on July 17, 2020, it underscores his enduring message of hope and perseverance. View the trailer HERE.
Also join us for a panel discussion after the film with:
Barbara Arnwine is the President & Founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, an organization focused on systematic change that achieves racial justice, gender, economic and social justice and human rights. Ms. Arnwine is internationally renowned for contributions on critical justice issues including the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the 2006 reauthorization of provisions of the Voting Rights Act. She is also a founder of Election Protection, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition.
Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins is a senior advisor with Raben, a public affairs and organizational consulting firm, where he uses his extensive political and ministerial experience to help advance the firm’s Faith Strategies Group. Prior to this position, Rev. Dr. Harkins was appointed by the Biden-Harris administration to serve as director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He also currently serves on the board of Interfaith Alliance.
Cinthia Illan-Vazquez is the Executive Director at The Washington Bus, a movement building organization that increases political access and participation for young people across WA. Prior to joining the Bus, Cinthia was the Community Engagement Manager at the Center for Education Results where she led and supported various community engagement efforts and strategies. Cinthia also served as legislative assistant to current Speaker of the WA State House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins, and as a community organizer with the Washington Dream Coalition, an undocumented and youth-led advocacy organization.
Support Democracy! Please make a donation to support our programs and work for democracy. We can't do this without you!
Follow Us!
Fix Democracy First
1402 3rd Ave Ste 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 552-3287
info@fixdemocracyfirst.org
Support Democracy! Please make a donation to support our programs and work for democracy. We can't do this without you!
Follow Us!
Fix Democracy First
1402 3rd Ave Ste 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 552-3287
info@fixdemocracyfirst.org
John Lewis: Good Trouble Online Screening Event
Sunday, April 28th @ 4 pm PT/7 pm ET
Join Meaningful Movies Project and Fix Democracy First for a special online screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble on April 28th at 4 pm PT/7 pm ET!
John Lewis: Good Trouble is a documentary film that provides an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis. Spanning over six decades of remarkable activism, the film portrays Lewis’s evolution from a bold teenager at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement to a formidable legislative force. It begins with Lewis’s courageous plea to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for assistance in integrating a segregated school in his hometown of Troy, Alabama, a pivotal moment that cemented their close bond. From organizing Freedom Rides amidst violence and imprisonment to standing steadfastly at the forefront of historic marches in Washington and Selma, Lewis displayed resilience and determination. Throughout his journey, he championed the spirit of “good trouble,” inspiring fellow Americans to confront injustice fearlessly. As the film chronicles Lewis’s unparalleled commitment to justice and equality until his passing on July 17, 2020, it underscores his enduring message of hope and perseverance. View the trailer HERE.
Also join us for a panel discussion after the film with:
Barbara Arnwine is the President & Founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, an organization focused on systematic change that achieves racial justice, gender, economic and social justice and human rights. Ms. Arnwine is internationally renowned for contributions on critical justice issues including the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the 2006 reauthorization of provisions of the Voting Rights Act. She is also a founder of Election Protection, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition.
Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins is a senior advisor with Raben, a public affairs and organizational consulting firm, where he uses his extensive political and ministerial experience to help advance the firm’s Faith Strategies Group. Prior to this position, Rev. Dr. Harkins was appointed by the Biden-Harris administration to serve as director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He also currently serves on the board of Interfaith Alliance.
Cinthia Illan-Vazquez is the Executive Director at The Washington Bus, a movement building organization that increases political access and participation for young people across WA. Prior to joining the Bus, Cinthia was the Community Engagement Manager at the Center for Education Results where she led and supported various community engagement efforts and strategies. Cinthia also served as legislative assistant to current Speaker of the WA State House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins, and as a community organizer with the Washington Dream Coalition, an undocumented and youth-led advocacy organization.
Support Democracy! Please make a donation to support our programs and work for democracy. We can't do this without you!
Follow Us!
Fix Democracy First
1402 3rd Ave Ste 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 552-3287
info@fixdemocracyfirst.org
John Lewis: Good Trouble Online Screening Event
Sunday, April 28th @ 4 pm PT/7 pm ET
Join Meaningful Movies Project and Fix Democracy First for a special online screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble on April 28th at 4 pm PT/7 pm ET!
John Lewis: Good Trouble is a documentary film that provides an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis. Spanning over six decades of remarkable activism, the film portrays Lewis’s evolution from a bold teenager at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement to a formidable legislative force. It begins with Lewis’s courageous plea to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for assistance in integrating a segregated school in his hometown of Troy, Alabama, a pivotal moment that cemented their close bond. From organizing Freedom Rides amidst violence and imprisonment to standing steadfastly at the forefront of historic marches in Washington and Selma, Lewis displayed resilience and determination. Throughout his journey, he championed the spirit of “good trouble,” inspiring fellow Americans to confront injustice fearlessly. As the film chronicles Lewis’s unparalleled commitment to justice and equality until his passing on July 17, 2020, it underscores his enduring message of hope and perseverance. View the trailer HERE.
Also join us for a panel discussion after the film with:
Barbara Arnwine is the President & Founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, an organization focused on systematic change that achieves racial justice, gender, economic and social justice and human rights. Ms. Arnwine is internationally renowned for contributions on critical justice issues including the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the 2006 reauthorization of provisions of the Voting Rights Act. She is also a founder of Election Protection, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition.
Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins is a senior advisor with Raben, a public affairs and organizational consulting firm, where he uses his extensive political and ministerial experience to help advance the firm’s Faith Strategies Group. Prior to this position, Rev. Dr. Harkins was appointed by the Biden-Harris administration to serve as director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He also currently serves on the board of Interfaith Alliance.
Cinthia Illan-Vazquez is the Executive Director at The Washington Bus, a movement building organization that increases political access and participation for young people across WA. Prior to joining the Bus, Cinthia was the Community Engagement Manager at the Center for Education Results where she led and supported various community engagement efforts and strategies. Cinthia also served as legislative assistant to current Speaker of the WA State House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins, and as a community organizer with the Washington Dream Coalition, an undocumented and youth-led advocacy organization.
Support Democracy! Please make a donation to support our programs and work for democracy. We can't do this without you!
Follow Us!
Fix Democracy First
1402 3rd Ave Ste 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 552-3287
info@fixdemocracyfirst.org
Announcing our FAN Spring Summits
Continuing Opportunities for Advocacy
Important announcement from FAN
Week 8 final push for the Budget
Bills Moving Forward and Budget Asks: Week 6
IFAD 2024: A Celebration of Our Advocacy and Week 5 Recap
FAN resources for You this Legislative Session
Presenting our Legislative Agenda and IFAD 2024
Giving thanks for you + annual dinner report
FAN Autumn happenings in Eastern WA
Standing together against antisemitism and Islamophobia
SCOTUS is stalling for Trump, a national phonebank to Arizona, campus protests, and Monday updates
We know what the end of the month means for your inbox 📥
Join Indivisible’s Rural Summit Saturday, May 4
Today at SCOTUS, Trump makes the case for dictatorship
Angry about the latest SCOTUS abortion case? Here’s what you can do about it
Join us for our annual Rural Summit!
Hello Raucous Rural Caucus,
We will miss you tonight on our regular Rural Caucus monthly call but no worries, we look forward to spending next Saturday, May 4th with you all for our exciting 2024 Rural Summit!
We can’t move “red to blue” without you! Some of rural folks have just joined us, and some of you have been here with us for years — regardless of how long you’ve been with us, 2024 is shaping to be a unique election year for all of us. Don’t be a stranger! Register to join us on May 4th!
Still not convinced an afternoon with Rural is worth it? Well, we mean it when we say there’s something for EVERYONE on Saturday. We’ve planned our programming to reflect the shifts in what we’re offering this year, so if you are…
Working state and local to win? We’re going to teach you and supply you with tools + tips from our red and rural resistance movement. State and local advocacy and electoral work become more and more important by the day as we push back against rogue state legislatures and horrendous governors in our red states. There’s hope — but we need to be brave and lean on each other to win.
Fighting to elect anti-authoritarian judges in tough races? We’ve got you. On our summit, you’ll hear from leaders in the movement who took on judicial races with national support and won.
We want you to access the support we have. As more and more absurd state bills come under legal scrutiny and hit the docket, it’s hugely important we get sensible voices elected to the bench. If the courts are your final line of defense against creeping authoritarianism, this is a can’t-miss section.
Building relationships with other red + rural activists and leaders? We will help you network to your heart’s content with our networking space at the summit.
Ready to take an issue straight to the people with a ballot measure? We’ll do you one better – we’re going to show you how it’s been done, how it’s being done, and how you can use your state’s system to mobilize for citizen-initiated ballot referendums or against whatever your legislature decides it wants to put on the ballot.
Looking for tools to up your election game? As new electoral tools are launched at Indivisible, it can be difficult to keep track of which is the best fit for you, and how you can access electoral support. We’re going to walk through every single tool available to red states through Indivisible this election cycle and help you get support for the work you do when you need it the most.
See you Saturday at 1pm EST!
Register here for Saturday, May 4th, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM PT
Indivisible’s Rural Caucus (Molly, Scott, Natalie, Cameron and Rachelle)
Indivisible Project
PO Box 43884
Washington, DC 20010
United States
Will SCOTUS further endanger pregnant women, a $95 billion aid package, and Monday updates
2024 tactics for fighting an 1864 abortion ban (and other news)
More than our democracy is at stake this election
Don’t forget: Spring Into Action is happening now
We are only a couple of days from the first of three Washington Indivisible Network (WIN) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshops led by DEI consultants Lillian Hawkins and LaTricia Kinlow.
In order to save our democracy, we must continually improve our dedication and ability to organize with an anti-racism lens.
Don’t miss out, sign up now!
Register once to attend one, two, or all of these important workshops.
Understanding & Mitigating the Impact of Implicit Bias and Stereotype Threat This Saturday!
Saturday, April 20 - 10:30am-12:00pm
Through video, interactive activities, and discussion of the research, participants are challenged to examine their own bias and learn ways to mitigate the impact of implicit bias in decision-making. As a result, participants deepen their appreciation of the challenges facing people of color and grow in self-awareness.
Intersections of Identity & Racial Privilege Saturday, April 27 - 10:30am-12:00pm Through lecture, discussion, and experiential exercises we will take a laser-like focus on unpacking racial privilege, exploring what it means to be White within a society that is racially stratified. We will discuss common ways that privilege manifests itself on an institutional level and how it influences relationships within and across cultures.
Racial Microaggressions: What Are They & Why Are They Harmful? Saturday, May 4 - 10:30am-12:00pm When we engage in conversations across cultures, there is always the risk that what we say might offend someone. Oftentimes we don’t even know why what we said was offensive. But rather than risk offending many people avoid cross-cultural dialogue altogether or cling to “politically correct” terminology. The tightrope we walk and the mental labor that ensues is exhausting and often leaves everyone involved feeling unheard or misunderstood. What has commonly become known as microaggressions will be presented.
Hannah Oliver Senior Regional Organizer Pronouns: They/Them Hannah@indivisible.org
The Indivisible Project is a registered 501(c)(4). Indivisible Action is a Hybrid Political Action Committee fueled by the grassroots movement to win elections and build local, independent progressive power nationwide.
Indivisible Project
PO Box 43884
Washington, DC 20010
United States
Take Action Network – Persuasion to Power: Using Words the Win w/ Anat Shenker-Osario
Re: This could shift the outcome of the 2024 election
Who wants to be (paying a lower tax rate than) a millionaire?
We need your help spreading the word about Neighbor2Neighbor
The Arizona Supreme Court just reinstated a TOTAL abortion ban from 1864
Learn to change hearts and minds with Powering Progress’ Intro to Deep Canvassing
This could shift the outcome of the 2024 election
Spring into action in your community with Powering Progress
Trump’s plan to dismantle equal rights, Al-Shifa hospital, and Monday updates
Three reasons why I’m optimistic about this election
Three reasons why I’m optimistic about this election
This email is only sorta for you.
Indivisible powers Andy Kim, holding Medicare Advantage fraudsters accountable, and Monday updates
Newsletter: The Indivisible Presidency
🚀 Campaign Launch: Project 2024
Here it is: our plan to win in 2024
Indivisible Rural Program [2021 WORKING DOC]
Want to get involved?
Council meetings take place in person and online every second Thursday.
Email info@TCDIC.org for more information and the zoom link
Volunteer with the Council today!
Just touching base — Our AAPI So You Want to Run for Office training is happening this Thursday. Focused on first-time Asian American and Pacific Islander candidates, this training will prepare you to set up your run for office.
We’re bringing together an expert trainer, amazing partners, and a curated curriculum designed to walk through all the considerations of making the decision to run. And we’ll give you a preview right here of what’s to come!
The trainer: Vanessa Hsia is a storyteller, writer and PR consultant based in New York City. She has worked in-house within the non-profit communications space for more than five years spanning several organizations, including Sesame Workshop, Priorities USA, and The Hub Project. During the 2020 election, she trained hundreds of candidates and comms professionals in paid media and political messaging best practices. You can find her words in The Vibe Room magazine and at vanessahsia.com.
The curriculum: You’ll learn four key takeaways during Thursday’s training. By the end, you will understand the steps necessary to run for office, be able to explain best practices for choosing which office to run for, identify what support you’ll need from your team, and prepare for sharing your decision to run with friends and family!
The partner orgs:
Public Wise is committed to forging a diverse, multiracial Democratic Party. They accomplish this work by investing in research, supporting grassroots campaigns, and investing in educational opportunities like this training!
AAPI Victory Fund is the only national political action committee with the goal of increasing AAPI representation in elected offices by conducting research and analysis of voter data and demographics, providing resources and training for candidates and campaign staff, and increasing public awareness of AANHPI issues.
NCAAT in Action is committed to supporting equity and justice for all by building political power among Asian Americans and allies in North Carolina through voter education, progressive advocacy and leadership development.
They See Blue seeks to leverage a cultural connection to advance civic engagement among like-minded South Asians. Their goal is to support They See Blue chapters in all states with large South Asian populations and mobilize these voters in battleground states to ensure Democratic control of the White House, the Senate and the House.
DCCC is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats. The DCCC recruits candidates, raises funds and organizes races in districts expected to yield politically notable or close elections.
ASPIRE PAC is committed to supporting candidates of AANHPI descent and incumbents who represent large communities of AANHPI voters. They offer a voice for the AAPI community and encourage active participation in the U.S. political process.
This training will provide you with the support you need to get started in earnest. We hope to see you this Thursday at 1pm ET!
— The NDTC Team
Connect with us on social media!
Here are some ways you can take action.
- Thu, May 2 @ 1pm
So You Want to Run for Office: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Edition › - Mon, May 6 @ 1pm
Developing Your Campaign’s Core Message › - Tue, May 7 @ 1pm
How to Connect with Voters Through Personal Stories › - Tue, May 14 @ 6pm
The Secrets to Fundraising Emails › - Wed, May 15 @ 1pm
How to Write Your Stump Speech › - Thu, May 16 @ 1pm
NDTC Expert Q&A: AAPI Leaders Pave the Way ›
All times Eastern
Connect with us on social media!
Paid for by the National Democratic Training Committee, TrainDemocrats.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Connect with us on social media!
National Democratic Training Committee
910 17th Street NW, Suite 925 Washington, DC, 20006, US
Democracy Labs – Florida Republicans Ban Abortions: Map Of Who To Hold Accountable
Democracy Labs – Disconnected Democracy: Mapping internet access, poverty and voter suppression
Democracy Labs – 1873 zombie Comstock Act revived for nationwide abortion ban
Democracy Labs – Cloaked Influence: Opus Dei’s Push for Project 2025
Democracy Labs – How we created a DYNAMIC MAP of student protests against the Gaza war
Democracy Labs – How Project 2025 Creates A Christian Dictatorship
Democracy Labs – Echoes of history: From Nazi-era Jewish ghettoes to Gaza today
Democracy Labs – #JusticeCantWait : Don’t let the Supreme Court Shield Trump from accountability
Democracy Labs – Union leader endorses Biden: Do more with videos using AI-powered SayWhen
Democracy Labs – American woman stay from me: SCOTUS
Democracy Labs – Fatal incompetence: Mapping the deadly cost of Republicans ignoring COVID experts
Democracy Labs – Canvass better: Help people get their unclaimed benefits
Democracy Labs – Follow Trump’s ‘Catch And Kill’ election interference scheme with this visual guide
Democracy Labs – Earth Day Alert Map: Protect Public Lands From Billionaire Exploitation
Democracy Labs – How much is your child’s life worth? Check the real-time school shooting dashboard.
Democracy Labs – Driving Change: VW Workers Shift Gears with UAW Unionization
Democracy Labs – Pregnant Women Denied Emergency Care: Mapping The Toll Of MAGA Abortion Bans
Democracy Labs – FOX cancer claims another victim
Democracy Labs – What’s behind Netanyahu’s war? Follow his criminal indictments!
Democracy Labs – Check this map for the Arizona Republicans who voted to ban abortions
Democracy Labs – How PROJECT 2025 Turns Women Into Handmaids
Democracy Labs – How to make millions denying health insurance claims
Democracy Labs – Justice Unfolds: Track the former MAGA President’s Criminal Trial with NewsTRAC
Democracy Labs – Leonard Leo isn’t above the law. He is the law!
Democracy Labs – Election Interference 101: How To Bury A Scandal
Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could take away people’s power to get emergency abortion care. Only weeks before, I was at SCOTUS as the justices considered imposing sweeping restrictions on mifepristone, a safe medication used in most abortion care nationwide.
The fact that our nation’s highest court is even considering such cases is the result of continuous attacks on reproductive freedom across the country – and that’s why I wanted to give you an update on where our fight is at the moment:
As a senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project, I can tell you firsthand that our legal team is leaving everything on the field as we stand up to these attacks on reproductive freedom – and I promise you that we will never stop fighting for your rights. But we need your support. Will you make a gift today to help fuel the work of our attorneys?
That’s right, ACLU Supporter. The ACLU, backed by the nationwide network of attorneys I’m proud to call my colleagues and by YOU, is fighting for your reproductive freedom:
- We partnered with campaigns led by state advocates and won at the ballot box to enshrine abortion rights into the Ohio state constitution – and then we used that victory to file a new lawsuit challenging harmful restrictions on abortion access.
- We are continuing to fight against abortion bans in states like Georgia – and we’re preparing for our next fights.
- Last year, we launched the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative, which works with defense attorneys across the country who are ready to defend people who face criminal charges or investigations for providing, seeking, or helping others access abortion care.
This is a fight for all of us, but as I listened to the Supreme Court weighing whether to impose nationwide restrictions on mifepristone, I couldn’t help but think of the communities that are most impacted by these attacks – including low-income patients, communities of color, folks living in rural areas, and people in abusive households.
The fight before us is clear, ACLU Supporter, which is why I’m personally reaching out to you for your support: Will you help us raise $50,000 to defend abortion rights by making a donation right now? Your gift will fuel the work of our lawyers and advocates on the ground working to defeat abortion bans and protect reproductive freedom.
The ACLU has been at the center of the fight for reproductive freedom from the very beginning. We will never waver – and it’s your support that keeps us going. Thank you.
Julia Kaye
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Senior Staff Attorney
ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project
P.S. If you or someone you know is planning on protesting, know your rights. Screenshot and share our guide to students’ free speech on campus. (This link takes you to a third party website, instagram.com).
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA
On May 2, Emerge is launching National Women Talk Politics Day, and we want you to be a part of it!
Why May 2? It’s the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision leak, which overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped abortion rights away from millions of Americans.
On Women Talk Politics Day, women will come together on Instagram to flip the script and take over the conversation on the 2024 election by highlighting all of the issues that impact us and sharing why we are so motivated to vote this year.
Having your voice in this conversation matters. We’ve even created a way for you to make a personalized graphic. It’s never been more important to talk about politics with Election Day in November coming up hard and fast.
Sign up to join the conversation on Women Talk Politics Day on May 2!
– Emerge Comms Team
Empowering Democratic women to run – and win!
www.emergeamerica.org
4 Embarcadero Center
Suite 1400
San Francisco, CA 94111
United States
Here are some things MAGA leader Donald Trump has said about abortion:
- Trump believes abortion laws should be left to the states.
- He also says that the states should “do the right thing”– aka restrict abortion access.
- He took the opportunity to claim he was “proudly the person responsible” for overturning Roe v. Wade.
- In the past, Trump has called for a national 16-week ban, and in his current race for president he has not backed down from that call.
But no matter what he claims on his campaign trail, one thing we can be sure about. Trump will enforce a national abortion ban if he becomes President.
Abortion rights are on the ballot in November. Sign our petition today if you believe Donald Trump is a danger to our reproductive freedom.
Let’s protect our reproductive rights together,
Sandra Bishop
Chief Development Officer, Emerge
P.S. We’re actively recruiting and training Democratic women across the country to WIN in November. Contribute $10 or more today to show your support to Democratic women!
Empowering Democratic women to run – and win!
www.emergeamerica.org
4 Embarcadero Center
Suite 1400
San Francisco, CA 94111
United States
LESSER EVIL
Back in the days when Google executives actually seemed interested in following through on their famous “Don’t Be Evil” slogan, they required a commitment to decent working conditions from the companies they paid to provide food service, janitorial, and other such work at their offices. It was pretty basic non-evil stuff, like a requirement that contractors pay their employees at least $15 an hour and provide their employees health insurance and other benefits.
But things took a turn this January, when a court found that Google functioned as a “joint employer” of workers directly hired by a staffing firm, and that they therefore had to bargain with the union which represented employees of those companies. In other words: Google had to actually do a non-evil thing… which apparently was a bridge too far. So the company announced they’re entirely eliminating these requirements, and instead simply stating that contractors have to follow the law, which is of course, something they’re already required to do. In other words: after claiming to take responsibility for working conditions at their contractors, Google was then forced to actually take responsibility for working conditions at their contractors… so they decided to stop taking responsibility for working conditions at their contractors.
Make it make sense.
will get more time, more money, or a little bit of both now that the Department of Labor has officially released new rules restoring overtime protections to salaried workers making up to about $58,500 a year. Employers will no longer be able to compel underpaid salaried workers to work long hours without any additional pay for their additional time.
will be created every year thanks to the FTC’s new ban on noncompete agreements. Almost one in five workers —including engineers, fast food workers, and hair stylists — have been forced by their employers to sign exploitative noncompete agreements which prevented them from finding new jobs or starting new businesses.
published an open letter arguing that efforts to unionize autoworkers in the South would “put our states’ jobs in jeopardy,” that union supporters “call themselves Democratic Socialists,” and that unions are unnecessary because “in America, we respect our workforce.” Workers at a Tennessee Volkswagen plant then proceeded to vote for the union by 75% in a historic victory.
Raising taxes on the rich is one of the most popular positions in American politics, and this chart below shows a big part of the reason why: the top marginal tax rate for the very richest people has been on a long downward trend since the 1960s. And despite the strong public consensus that rich people ought to pay more taxes, it’s still hard to imagine the political dynamics that get us back to the top marginal tax rates that were in effect before the trickle-down era.
But it’s not just the taxes directly paid by the rich. The top corporate tax rate is also down to about half the level it was during t he era when our economic growth was the strongest & most equitable. Estate taxes — paid on inherited wealth by only the richest sliver of the population — are down significantly. Even capital gains taxes on investment profits are down. The trickle-down inflection point in the late 1970s and early 1980s is all too clear in the path of all these lines, and confirms the need for a middle-out inflection point that turns in the opposite direction.
We often think about economic policy and democracy as two largely separate things. Sure, the outcome of elections obviously affects our economic policies, but it’s less obvious how our economic conditions affect our democracy. But in a recent Time Magazine piece, Steph Sterling of the Democracy Revival Center and Felicia Wong of the Roosevelt Institute make a provocative and compelling case about “the relationship between the economy Americans want and the political system that must exist to achieve it.”
As they explain, a bedrock component of a successful democracy is a general public sense that the political system functions to deliver the economic outcomes that people want — and, more broadly, that our government generally seeks to pursue policies that benefit most people. While there can and should be debates on what such policies should be, the reality today is that far too many people have far too many reasons to doubt whether the system has been structured to help them at all. And that needs to change, too: a more robust political system that includes as many people as possible and a more robust economy that includes as many people as people are two sides of the same coin. We need both in order to be confident we have either.
What did you think? Choose a reaction:
Civic Action
119 1st Avenue South Suite 320
Seattle, WA 98014
United States
It’s starting to feel like Groundhog Day. Clarence Thomas is once again refusing to recuse himself from the January 6 cases. I hate it here 🙄.
If you recall, evidence was uncovered that his wife Ginni not only participated in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, but also attended a January 6 rally in support of Trump. Nonetheless, dear old Clarence claims he is able to be partial in the case currently before the Supreme Court in which Donald Trump is claiming immunity from criminal prosecution for his January 6th insurrection attempt.
With an uncompromised judiciary, a judge with a clear connection to a case would undoubtedly either recuse themselves or explain their decision not to do so. Thomas has yet to do either.
In defense of democracy,
Tamika Middleton, Managing Director
| Women’s March is a 501c(4) organization. Your generous support helps us prepare for fights we see coming and those we don’t. Donations are not tax-deductible. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible gift, we encourage you to support the Women’s March Network. Gifts to the Network support our organizing, communications, advocacy, and public education efforts. |
We know you know the impact of organizing women. Many people don’t. Every time we have an election, the world is looking at women as the group that needs to turn out, or, if things go wrong, the people who are to blame.
Organizing feminists is hard. Fundraising for feminist work is hard. Building a base is hard. We constantly have to make the argument that this work matters.
Except to you. We know you get it.
Every time we do an action, our fundraising dips. To launch our 2024 election defense program on time and at scale, we need to raise an additional $20,000 by April 30. You’re receiving this email because you’ve donated in the past, so we know you know how important our work is in this coming year. Will you sign up to give $20.24 to support the largest feminist basebuilder in the country?
In struggle,
Rachel O’Leary Carmona, Executive Director
| Women’s March is a 501c(4) organization. Your generous support helps us prepare for fights we see coming and those we don’t. Donations are not tax-deductible. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible gift, we encourage you to support the Women’s March Network. Gifts to the Network support our organizing, communications, advocacy, and public education efforts. |
We’re only one week away from the 12th annual Alliance for Gun Responsibility Luncheon at The Westin Seattle on May 8th! The anticipation is building, and we can’t wait to come together with you and other supporters to make a difference in the fight against gun violence.
If you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time to do so. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this impactful event. Reserve your seat today by clicking the link below:
Can’t make it to the luncheon? You can still show your support by making a donation to support our mission. Your contribution will help us continue our crucial work of advocating for common-sense gun violence prevention measures that save lives.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at The Westin on May 8th!
Warm regards,
Abdirahman (He/Him)
LeVar Burton here. For more than 20 years, I shared my love for reading with you on “Reading Rainbow,” and I know firsthand how powerful books can be.
Which is why I’m so troubled—and frankly, angered—by the alarming rise in censorship and book bans being pushed by extremists.
But we can’t give in to despair. We must fight back.
That’s why I’m so excited to join my friends at MoveOn to offer you a special way to push back against book bans: by getting your very own special-edition “Read Banned Books” T-shirt.
And today, I’m proud to announce that we are now offering our T-shirts in youth sizes—because you’re never too young to be an advocate for the freedom to read!
Together, MoveOn and I have been at the forefront of the fight against censorship and book bans.
I worked with my friends at MoveOn—and 175 artists, including Judy Blume, Ariana Grande, Roxane Gay, and Amanda Gorman—to launch a huge Artists Against Book Bans letter.1
And thanks to support from MoveOn members like you, MoveOn launched a nationwide Banned Bookmobile tour through more than a dozen states last year, handing out thousands of banned books—for free—and energizing voters.2
In addition, nearly 500,000 MoveOn members from across the country have signed our petition calling for an end to book bans.3
Now you can join the fight against book bans by getting your special-edition “Read Banned Books” T-shirt today!
And remember, unlike at corporate retailers with harmful business practices, at MoveOn your money will go directly toward our work fighting book bans and building a country where everyone can thrive.
Click here to get your shirt—or a shirt for a young reader you know—today!
Thanks for all you do.
–LeVar Burton
P.S. “Reading Rainbow” was more than just a TV show; it was a gateway to new worlds, ideas, and inspirations—reflecting the colorful tapestry of cultures and possibilities that the world has to offer. And now, I’m proud to announce that the documentary about “Reading Rainbow,” “Butterfly in the Sky,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, is available on demand! Click here to watch the new documentary “Butterfly in the Sky” from the comfort of your home starting today!
Sources:
1. “Nearly 175 Celebs & Notable Figures Sign ‘Artists Against Book Bans’ Statement Organized by LeVar Burton & MoveOn,” MoveOn, September 19, 2023
https://front.moveon.org/nearly-175-celebs-notable-figures-sign-artists-against-book-bans-statement-organized-by-levar-burton-moveon/
2. “Banned Bookmobile Tour,” MoveOn, accessed April 30, 2024
https://campaigns.moveon.org/banned-bookmobile/
3. “Stop Book Bans Across the U.S,” MoveOn, accessed April 30, 2024
https://sign.moveon.org/efforts/end-book-banning-across-the-country
Want to support MoveOn’s work? Book bans have skyrocketed thanks to right-wing state laws which have forced teachers to remove books from their classrooms. In response, MoveOn is launching a “Banned Bookmobile,” filling it with books that the far right has banned, and driving it around to hand out those books, for free, in highly trafficked areas that will attract media attention. To keep the Banned Bookmobile up and running into 2024, we need your help.
Will you chip in to power our critical work?
MOVEON POLITICAL ACTION, https://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. MoveOn Political Action – PO Box 96142, Washington, D.C. 20090-6142.
On Thursday, a lawyer for Donald Trump argued to the Supreme Court that the president could assassinate a political rival and be immune from prosecution.
That’s not even the most shocking part. No, the most shocking part is that the MAGA Supreme Court justices agreed with him.1
The court heard arguments as to whether Trump can be tried for attempting to overthrow the 2020 presidential election, and while it’s hard to be surprised by anything Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, or any of the other MAGA justices say, the comments coming from the bench were downright terrifying.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted for breaking ANY law that doesn’t specifically mention “the president” in the statute. Justices Amy Coney Barrett and John Roberts tried to qualify Trump’s actions as “official” behavior. Justice Clarence Thomas sat in judgment of this case despite the fact that his wife participated in the insurrection. Justice Samuel Alito said that presidents must be immune from prosecution or else it would … *checks notes* … “destabilize our democracy”?!2
It’s obvious that this court is going to at least delay the Department of Justice’s January 6 trial against Trump until after the election, if not declare at least some of his actions immune. But more important: The Supreme Court has made it clear that if Donald Trump is reelected, they will give him legal cover to commit any act he wishes—the absolute nightmare scenario.
Our ONLY recourse to save the nation from a lawless Trump presidency is defeating him soundly at the ballot box. MoveOn has the plan in place to do just that—Robert Reich has said it, The New York Times has said it, years of experience and intensive research have said it! But as a grassroots organization, we can see this plan through to November only if our members step up, and we are worryingly behind in our fundraising goals right now.
When America was founded, the intention was to move away from the kings and despots of colonial Europe. Thomas Paine said that as America has no king, “In America, the rule of law is king.”3
The current Supreme Court majority seems poised to throw that 250-year-old ideal out the window.
And here are just some of the potential crimes against our democracy that Trump has said he wants to commit:
- Gut civil service positions in favor of political appointees to do his bidding. Trump already has a plan in place to replace thousands of agency employees with his own sycophants, ready to roll back civil rights and undo environmental protections.4
- Weaponize the FBI to jail his political opposition. As Trump recently said, “If I happen to be president and I see somebody who’s doing well and beating me very badly, I say, ‘Go down and indict them.’ They’d be out of business.”5
- Incite violence against anyone he deems a threat. Trump hasn’t just said he wants to do this; he has done it. As recently as this month, he has posted an image of President Biden hog-tied in the back of a pickup truck—a serious crime for anyone else.6
Kendall, this is exactly what fascism looks like. And the MAGA majority of the Supreme Court, perhaps our most important check on unfettered power, seems perfectly OK to let it happen.
We, the grassroots, are the last bastion standing between our democracy, our civil rights, the country we love—and Donald Trump. If you have been waiting to donate until it was “the right time,” believe us when we say, this is that moment.
Will you donate $9 to MoveOn’s election program and help defeat Donald Trump and his MAGA movement?
The race between Biden and Trump right now is statistically tied.7 Just as in 2020, battleground states will likely be decided by thousands of votes, not millions. The question is how we get the thousands of votes we need to win.
Obviously, Trump has voters behind him who do not care what crime he commits—they will vote for him anyway. We are not spending a dime trying to change their minds.
Instead, our $32 million election program is targeting the voters who came out in 2016 but have become disengaged since then. Interest in the presidential election is at a 20-year low, and it is critical that we reengage people with the democratic process and let them know what is at stake in November.8 As The New York Times says, these are the voters who will decide the election, if they turn out.9
Our Vote Mobilizer and education programs are reaching out to the 1.4 million “surge voters” in battleground states to take the Trump threat to our democracy out of the abstract and let them know exactly how our lives will change with a second Trump term. We are talking about bodily autonomy and abortion rights. We’re talking about climate disasters and clean drinking water. We’re talking about an economy that works for the 99% instead of just the 1%. But how many people we reach depends on you.
We need voters to understand these stakes before we deploy our vote tripling tactic, the get-out-the-vote method as much as five times more effective than other tactics. This is the plan that will stop Trump’s march to the White House—but we cannot wait until September to kick it into high gear. This plan must be funded now.
Thanks for all you do.
–Mohammad, Kelsey, Alexis, Emily, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. Post on X by Marc E. Elias, April 25, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/189758?t=5&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
2. “Donald Trump had a fantastic day in the Supreme Court today,” Vox, April 25, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/189759?t=7&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
3. “2.5 Primary Source: Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776),” National Constitution Center, accessed April 26, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/189760?t=9&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
4. “A guide to Project 2025, the extreme right-wing agenda for the next Republican administration,” Media Matters for America, March 30, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/189537?t=11&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
5. “Trump says on Univision he could weaponize FBI, DOJ against his enemies,” The Washington Post, November 10, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/189536?t=13&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
6. “Donald Trump May Have Just Committed a New Crime—Attorney,” Newsweek, April 1, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/189761?t=15&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
7. “Biden gains on Trump in series of polls,” The Hill, April 25, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/189762?t=17&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
8. “Poll: Election interest hits new low in tight Biden-Trump race,” NBC News, April 21, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/189763?t=19&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
9. “They Could Decide the 2024 Election. If They Vote.” The New York Times Magazine, March 1, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/187753?t=21&akid=381912%2E37680734%2ExMMz4A
Want to support MoveOn’s work? The MAGA movement’s book bans have forced teachers and librarians across the country to remove books from their shelves and censor what young people can learn. MoveOn is fighting back, including by filling a “Banned Bookmobile” with books that the far right has banned and driving it to key cities and towns to raise the visibility of book bans, hand out banned books for free, and bring people together to stop censorship. To keep up the fight against book bans and the MAGA politicians who support them, we need your help.
Will you make a gift to power MoveOn’s critical work?
MOVEON POLITICAL ACTION, https://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. MoveOn Political Action – PO Box 96142, Washington, D.C. 20090-6142.
April 25, 2024
In this issue:
- In WA and beyond, a child care crisis is holding parents back
- The myth of the mobile millionaire
- Why there’s more work to do to make Washington’s tax code and budget more equitable
- Nobody “earns” a billion dollars. We need a wealth tax
- World leaders have a chance to raise taxes for rich people like me. I’m begging them to take it
Are you an early endorser of the No I-2109 campaign? It’s not too late to join hundreds of people, small businesses, and organizations like the Washington State Parent Ambassadors, Children’s Alliance, Save the Children Action, and MomsRising in signing your name now.
Parents, children’s organizations, teachers, and many more are opposing I-2109, the mega-millionaire tax break, because it will take billions (more than $5 billion over 6 years!) from Washington’s childcare, schools, and early learning programs.
And as this week’s Seattle Times reports, Washington’s child care crisis is holding parents back, causing economic pain for families and for businesses who need a stable, dependable workforce.
I-2109 will make our child care crisis even worse by taking away billions dedicated to making childcare more affordable and more accessible – and giving it to Washington’s mega-millionaires and billionaires.
Be an early endorser: add your name, your small business, or your group to the growing list of I-2109 opposers today.
– Treasure
IN WA AND BEYOND, A CHILD CARE CRISIS
IS HOLDING PARENTS BACK
“Slemp expected to return to work after having her son in August. But then she and her husband started looking for child care — and doing the math. Even the least expensive option still ate up most of Slemp’s salary. But between her and her husband, they earned too much to qualify for government help.
I really didn’t want to quit my job, she says, but she felt like she had no choice. I have to just keep telling myself, I’m a stay-at-home mom now. Now, they’re struggling to pay their bills on a single income.
The dilemma is common throughout Washington and the U.S., where high-quality child care programs can be prohibitively expensive, government assistance is limited and day care openings are sometimes hard to find at all. In 2022, more than 1 in 10 young children had a parent who had to quit, turn down or drastically change a job in the previous year because of child care problems.
And that burden falls most on mothers, who shoulder more child-rearing responsibilities and are far more likely to leave a job to care for kids. For mothers without college degrees, a day without work is often a day without pay; they are less likely to have paid leave. The stay-at-home moms in this country are disproportionately mothers who’ve been pushed out of the workforce because they don’t make enough to make it work financially to pay for child care.”
More – Daniel Beekman, Moriah Balingit, & Sharon Lurye, Seattle Times
THE MYTH OF THE MOBILE MILLIONAIRE
“State tax codes, which bring in about one-third of U.S. tax revenue, on average shift money from poorer households to richer ones. According to a recent report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, forty-four states’ tax systems exacerbate income inequality, with the poorest 20 percent of households paying the highest effective tax rates.
Things don’t have to be this way. The notion that rich taxpayers will flee if the state comes for their money is mostly fiction. The most obvious clue comes from the existence of the small number of states, including California, New Jersey, Minnesota, and New York, that buck the overall trend by taxing rich people at higher rates. If the conventional wisdom were accurate, you would expect those states to be devoid of wealthy people. Instead, they are among the richest in the country.
A number of international studies from the past decade further undermine the idea of millionaire flight. In 2011, for example, Spain reintroduced its wealth tax. Crucially, the exact rate varied from place to place within Spain, and the government raised $19 in new revenue for every dollar lost to relocations. A study of the Swiss wealth tax and studies of Scandinavian wealth taxes found broadly similar results.
In this regard, Europe and America don’t appear to be too different. An analysis of confidential IRS data on earnings and relocations reported that millionaires are not very mobile and actually have lower migration rates than the general population. Researchers at the Stanford Graduate School of Business found that, much as in Spain, relocations sapped only about a nickel out of each new dollar in revenues from the 2010 California tax increase.”
More – Brian Galle, The Atlantic
WHY THERE’S MORE WORK TO DO TO MAKE WA’S TAX CODE & BUDGET MORE EQUITABLE
“When it comes to tax justice, it has also been powerful to see the progress we’ve made in our state in the past few years. For example, the new capital gains excise tax brought in almost $1 billion in its first year – simply by ensuring the ultra-wealthy pay what they owe – to support schools, child care, and early learning initiatives. Washington needs these kinds of progressive revenue solutions to ensure we can pay for schools, affordable housing, and other supports that help our communities thrive.
Three initiatives coming before voters this November threaten the progress we’ve already made. These measures could overturn the payroll tax that funds the state’s long-term care insurance benefit; remove $1 billion annually from schools and early learning by overturning the capital gains tax on the uber-rich; and undo the Climate Commitment Act, which supports efforts to curb air and water pollution and helps fund programs like public transportation and programs that make homes more energy efficient.
Children and people who are aging or who have a disability need the funding provided by the capital gains tax and the long-term care benefit. And programs designed to protect our environment will ensure a healthier future for everyone. We all need to keep working for a more equitable tax code that raises the revenue to fund these critical services, and we need to ensure the state doesn’t go backward in areas where we’ve made progress.”
More – Preston Parish, Washington State Standard
NOBODY ‘EARNS’ A BILLION DOLLARS.
WE NEED A WEALTH TAX
“It’s simply not possible to make that much money by working for it, no matter how hard you work or how smart you are. So we have to ask, where does this enormous wealth come from?
One way is by outright plunder: taking money and resources from other people, either by naked expropriation or monopolization or grand corruption. The second is by inheritance. The third way is through the income spun off by wealth itself — profits, dividends, interest, rents, capital gains — what economists call returns to capital as opposed to returns to labor.
The real problem is not that wealth grows over time. It’s that so few people have so much of it, while so many people have so little. The toxic concentration of wealth in the U.S. and many other countries is a political problem too. Disproportionate wealth translates into disproportionate political power.
As inequality widens, the ultra-rich become more able and willing to elevate their own self-interest above the public interest. One obvious way they do so is by cutting their own taxes while increasing taxes (and cutting benefits) for everyone else.”
More – C.J. Polychroniou & James Boyce, Truthout
WORLD LEADERS HAVE A CHANCE TO RAISE TAXES FOR RICH PEOPLE LIKE ME. I’M BEGGING THEM TO TAKE IT
“The public supports it, and even the rich are calling for it. We must prevent a deeper slide into global inequality. The need to tax rich people like me has never been so dire. Extreme wealth concentration in the hands of a few oligarchs is a threat to democracy the world over.
This week, finance ministers and central-bank governors from G20 countries will meet in Washington DC at the spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). They will have a chance to commit to raising the taxes of wealthy people.
Movement in the G20 to tackle this issue is a small sign of progress. But for nearly two decades, I have been calling on the US to raise my and other wealthy Americans’ taxes. So what is getting in the way? It can’t be a lack of public support. Between 2017 and 2022, public polls in all G20 countries indicated strong backing for reducing inequality and raising taxes on the rich. A 2023 survey found that even millionaires in G20 countries are supportive of raising taxes.
We are making progress. But the work has just begun. The spring meetings provide an opportunity for the G20 nations generally, and the US specifically, to strengthen their resolve to save the planet and safeguard our democracies. The first step in doing so involves taxing the rich.”
More – Abigail Disney, The Guardian
Be an Early Endorser!
Get in Touch Today
Invest in Washington Now, 509 Olive Way Ste 1133, Seattle, WA, 98101
Dems 101 – Upcoming events in Michigan, Georgia & Ohio
Dems 101 – This time, just Forward!
Dems 101 – Backward and Forward
Dems 101 – March 2024 Newsletter – BUILDING A COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY COALITION (Part 2)
Dems 101 – February 2024 Newsletter – BUILDING A COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY COALITION
Wondering how much money the right-wing campaign to upend our climate law really has?
Enough to pay for bizarre stunts like this:
Seriously, how rich and delusional do you have to be to think this is a good idea… and then actually do it?
While our opposition spends who knows how much to send fake gold bars across the state, we’re using our resources to actually connect with voters. Can you chip in to help us stay competitive against their boatloads of money?
Our opposition has enough money – they don’t mind wasting it on Trumpian vanity projects. We don’t have that luxury. Here’s what your donation will go toward with us:
📋 Organizing Washingtonians across the state to be part of the No on 2117 campaign
📺 Ads on TV to explain why voting NO is so important
📢 Visiting communities across the state to talk directly to voters
And a full $0 will be spent on fake gold bars.
While our opposition entertains themselves with publicity stunts, we’re focused on the real stakes of this race. This right-wing initiative would allow more pollution – and force communities, workers, and families to pay for it.
Onward,
No on 2117
Now that we’ve officially launched our campaign to vote NO on 2117, the opposition is already attacking us and doubling down on their lies.
Why are they attacking us? Because they’ve noticed we have a strong campaign. I want you to see these numbers from our launch:
- More than 1,800 grassroots donors have contributed to No on 2117
- More than 100 Washington organizations have endorsed No on 2117
- 95% of No on 2117 donors have contributed $100 or less
That last one speaks volumes. No matter what you can chip in, it truly makes a difference in this fight. This movement is built by grassroots supporters like you – and together, we can beat the right-wing millionaire funding the campaign to upend our landmark climate law.
Very truly yours,
Jay Inslee
New GOTV volunteer opportunities!
Our intrepid researchers have identified new writing opportunities:
.
Newest opportunities: Montana – Blue Wave – writing postcards to encourage registration of voters in Montana
.
Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania – Field Team 6 –
writing postcards to encourage registrations of voters
.
Arizona, and Nevada – Vote Forward
writing letters to encourage young citizens (18-35 year olds) and Democratic-leaning voters to
turn out in the 2024 election. also available are Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania letter-writing
.
These opportunities are still available:
Arizona, with Activate America and Grassroots Dems – Supporting Gallego for Senate, Engel for Congress,
and supporting Reproductive Freedom
.
California, Nevada, and Pennsylvania with Grassroots Dems and Activate America – Re-elect Jacky Rosen to hold the US Senate,
re-elect Dina Titus, Steven Horsford, Susie Lee to help flip the US House of Representatives
.
Pennsylvania with Activate America – Encourage primary voting in this most critical swing state
.
Find all GOTV opportunities on the Indivisible Vashon Get Out The VOTE volunteer opportunities matrix HERE.
Green cells in the “Goals” section indicate which states will make a difference achieving that goal.
Each green cell in the Writing, Phone Banking and Voter Registration sections indicate which organization is hosting opportunities.
Just click on the organization name to see what they’re offering!
.
Thank You for helping build a strong and vibrant democracy!
Good of the Order
BCDCC Officers and Subcommittee Chairs for 2023-2024
The Benton County Democratic Central Committee is searching for a Newsletter editor, if you’re interested please check out information here: https://www.bencodems.org/newsletter-editor/