Good evening, Indivisible Friends!
We are shaking things up and sending out our weekly newsletter this Friday for a very specific reason: voter registration! Indivisible SB is joining forces with local organizations this weekend and next to support new voter registration for this crucial upcoming election.
Please check out the multiple calls for volunteers below. We need patriots like you to help GET OUT THE VOTE!
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Individually we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.
~Ryunosuke Satoro
1. ISB Focus: Harley Rouda CA-48
Harley Rouda is giving Putin’s favorite Congressman, Dana Rohrabacher, a run for his money. What was formerly a safe Republican seat in the Huntington Beach area of Orange County is now a toss-up. It went for Clinton by 2 points in 2016.
A 56-year-old Orange County real-estate investor, Rouda is a former Republican who became a Democrat only last year. In 2016, he contributed to the presidential campaign of his friend John Kasich, the governor of Ohio who was running for the GOP nomination and lost to Trump. Despite his Republican origins, Rouda’s stand on the issues is progressive enough on guns, healthcare, labor, choice, and the environment to have won the endorsement of President Barack Obama, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Kamala Harris, Indivisible, the Sierra Club, the California Labor Federation, Equity California, End Citizens United, and Planned Parenthood.
Rouda’s opponent, Dana Rohrabacher, is friendly with Holocaust deniers, thinks Attorney General Jeff Sessions should be fired because he hasn't shut down the Russia investigation, claims that "global warming is a total fraud" and part of a "game plan" by liberals to "create global government,” and has endorsed a program to give guns to preschoolers. In 2012, the F.B.I. warned him that Russia regarded him as an intelligence source worthy of a Kremlin code name. The following year, Rohrabacher became an even more valuable Russian asset, assuming the chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs subcommittee that oversees Russia policy. The House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy has said half jokingly: “There are two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump.”
This is a race that can be won. It’s time to show Putin’s Republican asset the door.
What we can do:
Phone Bank for Harley Rouda here.
Donate to Harley Rouda here.
2. Volunteers Needed For Three Important Get Out The Vote Efforts In Santa Barbara
- Volunteer to register UCSB Students this weekend (Sept. 22 and 23) and all through next week up to and including Sunday (Sept. 30). Use this form to volunteer, and student organizers will contact you.
- Volunteer to staff the ISB voter registration table at the Riviera Theater during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Call to Action Film Festival from September 28 - October 4. Indivisible SB will be there the weekend of Sept 29 (Saturday) and 30th (Sunday). To volunteer, contact Rick: rgclosson@gmail.com
- Indivisible SB’s Register and Pledge to Vote drive at the Lobero continues until October 22. To volunteer, contact Andrew: abermant@me.com
3. Donate to Flip the House
Indivisible Santa Barbara has been focusing on House races in California, but there are several close races elsewhere that need our support. According to the Take Back Congress Network, these 5 candidates have a 40%-50% chance of winning and they particularly need donations now:
* Paul Davis (https://takebackcongressnetwork.org/house-davis) - KS 2nd
* Andy Kim (https://takebackcongressnetwork.org/house-kim) - NJ 3rd
* Joe Radinovich (https://takebackcongressnetwork.org/house-radinovich) - MN 8th
* Elissa Slotkin (https://takebackcongressnetwork.org/house-slotkin) - MI 8th
* Clarke Tucker (https://takebackcongressnetwork.org/house-tucker) - AR 2nd
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ENVIRONMENT
1. Last Chance to Protect the Endangered Species Act. - Deadline Mon., Sept. 24
Only 450 North Atlantic right whales, 120 Florida panthers, and 35 red wolves remain on the planet. When populations drop this low, extinction is imminent. For 40 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been a bulwark against extinction, saving the bald eagle and the grey wolf among other species from certain destruction. In fact 99% of species covered by the Act survive to this day. The Trump administration’s changes to the ESA would open up endangered animals and their habitats to mining, logging, and drilling. We have until 9:00pm Monday to voice our objections.
More Info
Comment here
Sample Written Script: I strongly oppose any weakening of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as currently proposed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The ESA was adopted in 1973, with overwhelming bipartisan support, and it has been very successful in preserving animal and plant species in the US since then. It is also overwhelmingly supported by the American people who want to see our environment protected and a natural heritage left for our children and grandchildren. The proposed changes would completely undercut the effectiveness of the ESA by overwhelming underfunded federal agencies tasked with making conservation decisions. The proposed changes would benefit a small group of commercial interests (oil and gas extraction, mining, ranching) to the detriment of our nation’s natural heritage and the survival of the species with which we share this land. This would destroy the effectiveness of the ESA’s intended goal of preserving species.
CIVIL RIGHTS
2. California Police Reform
Two bills on Gov. Brown’s desk would inject some oversight and transparency into California policing. AB 3131 will restore transparency and accountability by ensuring that law enforcement agencies provide notice to the public before they decide to acquire military equipment and requires that they receive majority approval from their local governing body or oversight board before items can be acquired. SB 1421 will improve law enforcement transparency and accountability by honoring the public’s right to know about how agencies handle deadly uses of force and proven misconduct by peace officers.
More Info
Call Gov. Brown at 1-833-522-8923
Sample Script: I’m calling from [zip code] to urge Gov. Brown to sign SB-1421 and AB-3131 in to law. Police departments should notify the public when they plan to acquire military equipment. In addition, Californians deserve accountable and transparent decision-making by all government officials, particularly those with the state-sanctioned ability to kill civilians.
NET NEUTRALITY IN CA
3. Save SB-822 - Time Is Running out for Gov. Brown to Sign It.
Governor Brown has one week to sign (SB-822), the bill that would restore net neutrality to California, before the bill dies of natural causes. Please call Governor Brown at (866) 377-6921 and urge him to pass SB-822.
More Info
Sample Script: I am calling to urge Gov. Brown to sign SB-822. The majority of Californians, like the majority of Americans, support net neutrality. We need a secure and open internet to remain globally competitive.
SOCIAL MEDIA
4. Disclose Funders of Ballot Measures and Political Ads on Social Media.
Gov. Brown has yet to sign AB 2188, the Social Media Disclose Act, a bill passed by overwhelming bipartisan support. It would require Facebook, Twitter and other online platforms to disclose the three top funders by name on ballot measures, ballot measure ads, and independent expenditure ads, rather than allowing them to use misleading committee names.
More Info
Sample Script: I’m calling from [zip code] to urge Gov. Brown to sign AB-2188. It’s wrong to allow political ads on social media to mislead voters about who is really paying. We must stop dark money in politics and this bill will help do that.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
5. Investigate the Federal Response to the Puerto Rico Hurricanes
A recent Harvard University study found that 4,645 people died last year in the two hurricanes that struck Puerto Rico. That’s well over the 3,000 people who died in 9/11, and over 70 times the official Puerto Rican death toll of 64. House and Senate legislators have introduced bills (S.3076 and HR.6103) that would establish an eight member, bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the federal government's preparedness and response to the disasters, the discrepancy in the reporting of the deaths, the disparities in FEMA’s response to Puerto Rico as opposed to the US mainland, the collapse of island’s telecommunication system, and of other systems that failed to protect the inhabitants.
More Info
Sample Script: I’m calling from [zip code] to insist that Senator Feinstein/Harris and Rep. Carbajal support the National Commission of the Federal Response to Natural Disasters in Puerto Rico Act of 2018. Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States and deserve our protection. We owe it to them to examine the federal response to the devastating hurricanes of 2017.
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Senator Dianne Feinstein
Washington, DC: (202) 224-3841
San Francisco: (415) 393-0707
Los Angeles: (310) 914-7300
San Diego: (619) 231-9712
Fresno: (559) 485-7430
Email
Senator Kamala Harris
Washington, DC: (202) 224-3553
San Francisco: (415) 355-9041
Los Angeles: (310) 231-4494
San Diego: (619) 239-3884
Sacramento: (916) 448-2787
Fresno: (559) 497-5109
Email
Congressman Salud Carbajal
Santa Barbara: (805) 730-1710
San Luis Obispo: (805) 546-8348
Washington, DC: (202) 225-3601
Email
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CALIFORNIA:
Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson
Santa Barbara: (805) 965-0862
Oxnard: (805) 988-1940
Sacramento: (916) 651-4019
Email
Assemblywoman Monique Limon
Santa Barbara: (805) 564-1649
Ventura: (805) 641-3700
Sacramento: (916) 319-2037
Email
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A federal court ruled that contributors for a major category of dark money spending will have to be disclosed to the public. And despite objections by dark money organizations, the Supreme Court just announced they won’t stand in the way of this decision (at least for now).
The New York Times has put together a useful resource list of ways to help people impacted by Hurricane Florence.
Blue Wave Update: Cooks Political Report has upgraded the Texas senate race from “leans R” to “toss up” as Beto O’Rourke shows a slight lead over Ted Cruz. And in other good news, Cook’s has revised West Virginia’s senate race from “toss up” to “leans D”.
For those trying to keep track, the New York Times has posted a very helpful timeline of Russia’s interference with the 2016 election.
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Indivisible Santa Barbara continues to help like-minded volunteers connect through our Activist Buddy Network. You can sign up online at indivisiblesb.org to connect with other local volunteers for motivation and inspiration during this push toward achieving a Blue Wave. Volunteering with a buddy can provide the encouragement and support you need at events that interest you!
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