Indivisible to do list:

New Pennsylvania Indivisible Initiative: NEIGHBOR2NEIGHBOR!

There’s an important election underway in Pennsylvania — one that could determine if we keep our Democratic majority in the PA Supreme Court. Electing Judge Dan McCaffery to the court will allow us to keep our majority, and protect abortion access and voting rights in our state. The most effective tactic we have is having meaningful conversations with our neighbors. Just by talking with the folks in our community, we can increase progressive turnout this election, elect leaders who care, and get the word out about the issues most important to us. That’s why Indivisible is re-launching the Neighbor2Neighbor canvassing program for Indivisibles across Pennsylvania! If you’re ready to join in, click here to sign up now.

You don’t need to download an app, and there is no all-day commitment — just short, friendly conversations with a few friendly voters close to you. Neighbor2Neighbor is designed for volunteers of all skill levels, from first-time action takers to group leaders. Once you sign up, we will direct you to a map of the likely progressives near you who might need a little more information on Judge McCaffery. On your own schedule, you’ll knock on their door and have a short conversation about the importance of electing Judge McCaffery to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. This is a critical race for Pennsylvania. Neighbor2Neighbor is a great way to get the word out to voters who may not know much about the election, but would be willing to listen to one of their neighbors. You can be their trusted source for this valuable information, increase turnout, and strengthen our movement, and often without even getting in your car.
Once you sign up, Indivisible provides you with the addresses and an information sheet you can print out. If you don’t have access to a printer and would like copies of the info sheet to give out, email Lynn and she can print them out for you.

Ready to Give Text Banking a Try?
Text Out the Vote with Indivisible Philly, Thurs., Oct. 26, 6-8pm
Text Philadelphia voters and remind them to get out and vote in November! Indivisible Philly will use an internet-based platform for the texting, so you won’t use your phone, your phone number, or any identifying information about you. They’ll have a training first and support from moderators throughout the evening. So join in! It’s fun and you’ll save democracy! RSVP here. You’ll receive the zoom link closer to the event,

More Election Activities

Volunteer opportunities abound for those interested in helping to get out the vote for the Nov. 7 election. Here are just a few examples:

· Help someone you know register to vote and make sure folks in your networks are up-to-date with registration. Deadline is October 23

· Help/encourage someone you know to request their mail-in ballot.

· Help out with a specific candidate campaign or political group (canvass, phone bank, text bank, etc.)

· Every Sunday, Wednesday or Thursday, join a Promote the Vote PA phone bank.

· Sign up to drop candidate literature in your ward/precinct for the November 7 General Election.

· Sign up to drop candidate literature in other precincts that need volunteers for the November 7 General Election.

· Sign up to work at the polls for at least a half-day for the November 7 General Election.

· Sign up to be a greeter for the Upper Darby Dems on Election Day.

· Sign up to be a greeter elsewhere on Election Day.

· Check out and share VoteRiders Voter ID Resource for voters with disabilities.

<Promote the Vote phone banks Graphic Oct. 2023.png>

Also, take note of this upcoming candidate forum:

Tuesday, Oct. 24, 6:30 pm.
Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts will hold a moderated forum with the candidates for Pennsylvania’s Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts. Register here.

Mailing Reminder
A quick reminder to those writing to Ohio voters – please mail your cards by this Tuesday, October 24 (at the latest), and let Helene or Pam know once they’ve been mailed, so that we can report back to Indivisible.

Meeting with Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon’s Staff

On Thursday, Oct. 26 at 2 pm, representatives from area Indivisible groups will meet with Rep. Scanlon’s staff for our next in this ongoing series to discuss issues of interest to our groups. Would you like to represent H-CAN at this meeting? You can attend as a listener or, if you have a specific question for Rep. Scanlon, you can sign up to speak at the meeting (assuming those slots are not all filled). Please let Pam know as soon as possible if you’re interested.

Election Protection Call to Action
Several groups are calling for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to not reappoint election denier and Trump lawyer Cleta Mitchell to the Election Assistance Commission’s Board of Advisors. Her term is up on Nov. 3.

Since her appointment to the Election Assistance Commission Board, Ms. Mitchell has continued to promote false claims of election fraud and has undermined a legitimate, bipartisan program to secure elections. She has even gone so far as to outline a calculated strategy for limiting voting access for young voters, highlighting the need to curtail voting on college campuses and restrict same-day voter registration. This would directly disenfranchise young voters and erode any foundation of a just democracy for all. These activities, which operationalize her belief that Americans do not have a constitutional right to vote for president, further demonstrate her unsuitability for the position. The Commission should replace her with a candidate who respects every American’s constitutional right to vote.

To take action, you can sign this petition and/or contact the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights directly:

Office of the Staff Director

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Phone: 202-376-7700 or 800-977-8339

Email: publicaffairs@usccr.gov

What has Biden done for us?

You may have people in your life who didn’t vote for Biden or are just generally disgusted with politics, and aren’t aware of all his administration has done. Occasionally in these emails, we’ll try to highlight a talking point that you can share if this topic comes up in conversation.

Gun Safety

President Biden set up a White House office on gun violence prevention, which will coordinate with gun safety groups and includes gun safety advocates who will join the administration.

Important Links

Selected electoral and voting rights volunteer opportunities

Indivisible’s Practical Guide to Defeating MAGA

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, Oct. 24, 6:30 pm

Virtual Moderated Forum with Candidates for PA’s Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts. Organized by Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts

Thurs Oct. 26, 6-8 pm

Text Out the Vote with Indivisible Philadelphia

Learn more and RSVP

☎☎

Sen. Bob Casey
Phone: 202-224-6324 or 215-405-9660, email link

Sen. John Fetterman
Phone: 202-224-4254 or 215-241-1090, email link

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon
Phone: 202-225-2011 or 610-626-2020, email link

September 29, 2023September 29, 2023

Election Guide

From our friends at H-CAN here is a Voter Guide. This is a non-partisan guide to the candidates. This has all the judicial candidates, county council and DA but it also has the Haverford candidates for two races which don’t apply to Upper Darby. To read about local candidates, they can go to the Dems or Rep. Delco Websites.

https://www.h-can.org/hcan-2023-november-municipal-election-voters-guide
https://www.delcodems.com/

https://delawarecountygop.com/

September 28, 2023September 28, 2023

From Bloomberg News

“So who pays the price if Congressional Republicans shut down the US government? Such an event—which looks increasingly likely—would inflict immediate pain on millions of Americans while triggering a cascading economic crisis. The roadmap shows that while beginning mildly, the damage would deepen as workers nationwide go without salary, private contractors aren’t paid and consumer uncertainty grows over Washington dysfunction. About 1.3 million active-duty military and another 2 million civilian federal workers won’t receive pay for the duration—even the employees who have to work anyway. While federal workers will automatically get their missed checks once a shutdown ends, contract employees historically don’t. And that’s just the start. —David E. Rovella“

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-27/us-government-shutdown-s-economic-risks-grow-the-longer-it-lasts?cmpid=BBD092723_BIZ&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=230927&utm_campaign=bloombergdaily#xj4y7vzkg

September 26, 2023September 26, 2023

Your weekly to-dos

Indivisibles,

Last week, the Biden White House announced that it’s creating an American Climate Corps bringing jobs to 20,000 people in the fight for a greener future with a focus on young Americans.

This comes as a follow through on campaign promises to fund a climate corps similar to the Civilian Conservation Corps of the New Deal. Indivisible has supported this policy for years, and many Indivisibles made calls in support of such a program — now it’s a reality. This is a major step forward in this administration’s ongoing commitment to climate change after passing the biggest climate bill in history last year.

Even in a divided Congress, on the heels of a major election year, Biden is making big things happen to achieve a better future for all of us.

What are Republicans doing?

Nothing.

No, really, they are basically doing nothing. In a moment when we are six days out from a government shutdown, House Republicans can’t even get their ducks in a row enough to coalesce around a unified goal for funding the government. Kevin McCarthy is so beholden to the extremist Freedom Caucus that he is floundering, refusing to pick between his speakership (gifted to him by the Freedom Caucus) and the continued operation of the entire government apparatus (the obvious choice to anyone else).

The Senate is moving forward on a continuing resolution that would extend the deadline for a few months, but even Senate Republicans can see that, as Mitch Mcconnell said, a shutdown is “a loser for Republicans, politically” and are looking for bipartisan compromise.

This is the state of our democracy. A few extremist Republicans have been so empowered as to repeatedly hold our entire country hostage, and it happens so regularly now that it’s almost treated as normal.

But it’s not normal. So, it’s up to us to make noise, expose Republican extremism, point to the absurdity of a party putting on a MAGA impeachment charade as the government is on the verge of shutdown, and sketch a stark contrast with the actual results President Biden and Democrats are achieving for the American people.

If we do that, we’ll continue bringing people into our movement.

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

Your weekly to-dos

If you have a Republican representative, call them now and demand they fund the government. We need to remind our Republican representatives (especially the ones in Unrepresentatives districts) that the American people are watching them and that we will not forget how they decided to throw a tantrum rather than govern. Call your representative and remind them that their duty is to the American people and not to the Freedom Caucus.
If your representative is a Democrat, call them now and ask them to champion reproductive freedom and protect abortion access.We introduced our new Reproductive Freedom Agenda to not only codify Roe, but also extend protections for reproductive freedoms even further. We need all Democrats in the House to cosponsor the entire agenda. Each bill is important on its own, but together they combine to create comprehensive protections for abortion access and care. Once you’ve called, write a letter to the editor (LTE) to your local newspapers encouraging your representative to be a reproductive freedom champion.
If your Democratic representative has already signed on to cosponsor all three bills, submit an LTE thanking them for being a reproductive freedom champion. Our representatives, and their constituents, need to know when we’re proud of their work. Write an LTE to let them know. Make sure to encourage your representative to keep showing up for reproductive freedom by publicly showing your support.

P.S. We count on the small dollar donors to help fund this movement! If you’re able, please pitch in today to support the grassroots organizing that powers our progressive wins.

September 22, 2023September 22, 2023

UAW Strike – Opinion

From Senator Bernie Sanders

Friends,

There was once a time, decades ago, when union auto jobs were considered the gold standard for blue collar workers in this country. Sadly, that is no longer the case. There was once a time when this country had a strong middle class. Sadly, that is no longer the case.

Today there are tens of thousands of UAW workers who are working 60, 70 hours a week and making inadequate wages and benefits. These workers are getting squeezed while the guys at the top have never had it so good. Meanwhile, weekly wages for the average American worker today are lower than they were 50 years ago.

I strongly support the UAW strike against the Big Three automakers (General Motors, Ford and Stellantis), and I believe you should too. They are fighting for all of us. Please read why in my latest op-ed below:

OPINION · Published September 22, 2023 5:00am EDT

Americans, stand with the UAW and me and fight out-of-control corporate greed

Auto CEOs make hundreds of times more than UAW workers. That needs to change

By Sen. Bernie Sanders

I strongly support the UAW strike against the Big Three automakers (General Motors, Ford and Stellantis). Here’s why.

The fight the UAW is waging has everything to do with the outrageous level of corporate greed and arrogance on the part of senior executives in the auto industry and their masters on Wall Street.

This is an industry that had to be bailed out by U.S. taxpayers in 2008. As part of the bailout autoworkers were forced to make painful economic concessions.

Today, however, the Big Three are enjoying record-breaking profits. During the first six months of this year, they have made $21 billion in profits – up 80% from the same time period last year. And, over the past decade, the Big Three have made $250 billion in profits.

While the Big Three are enjoying huge profits and providing their CEOs with exorbitant compensation packages, autoworkers continue to fall further and further behind.

Last year, Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, received $29 million – 360 times more than the average worker at GM. Over the last nine years, she has made over $200 million in total compensation.

The CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Taveras, made $25 million in total compensation last year – 365 times more than the average worker at this company.

The CEO of Ford, Jim Farley, made $21 million in total compensation last year – 280 times more than the average autoworker at Ford.

Meanwhile, the average wage for an autoworker has gone down by 30% over the past 20 years after adjusting for inflation.

While the Big Three could afford to spend $9 billion last year on stock buybacks and dividends, the average starting wage at these companies is just $17 an hour. Unbelievably, workers are leaving the industry to find better paying jobs at McDonald’s.

Recently I was able to meet with some of these autoworkers. Here are just few things they shared with me. I was told that some workers were forced to work for 90 days straight for 12 hours a day. Think about that. 90 days straight – no time off on weekends or special family occasions – for 12 hours a day.

Another worker told me she had worked as a “temp worker” from March 2006 to December 2012 and could not even become eligible for a loan to purchase a car from the very plant she works at. Why? Because as a “temp worker” her job description did not show the longevity needed to qualify for a car loan. This is the absurdity that the UAW is fighting to reverse.

What the UAW is fighting for is not radical. It is the totally reasonable demand that autoworkers, who have made enormous financial sacrifices over the past 40 years, finally receive a fair share of the record-breaking profits that their labor has generated.

What does that mean?

It means that if the Big Three can afford to give a 40% pay raise to their CEOs and provide billions of dollars to their stockholders, they can afford to provide similar pay raises and cost of living adjustments for the workers who make their products.

And let’s be clear. While decent wages are a key demand for the UAW, there are other important contract changes that the union has proposed.

The union, quite appropriately, wants to get rid of the two-tier system under which newer workers earn lower wages and receive less generous benefits than others doing the same exact work. They also want to end the use of “temporary workers” who are ruthlessly exploited and treated like second-class citizens after working for these companies year after year after year.

At a time when half of older Americans have no retirement savings and no idea how they will ever be able to retire with any shred of dignity, the UAW is demanding the restoration of pensions and retiree health benefits that were taken away from new hires during the Wall Street crash of 2008.

The UAW wants to make sure that autoworkers have the right to strike when the Big Three announces that they will be shutting down another plant. Over the past 20 years, the Big Three have shut down 65 factories and shipped tens of thousands of jobs to Mexico and other low wage countries where they can pay workers starvation wages with no benefits in a destructive race to the bottom.

The union also wants to make sure that as the industry proposes to build 10 new Electric Vehicle battery plants that the workers in these plants become part of the UAW and receive the same wages and benefits as union members.

As we transition away from fossil fuels and move toward electric vehicles in the fight to combat climate change the UAW wants to make sure that the green jobs of the future are good-paying, union jobs.

Now, I understand that many pundits in the corporate media have been telling the American people how bad a strike will be for the economy and how many billions of dollars the auto industry may lose as a result.

Let me offer a different perspective.

In my view, when you have autoworkers who cannot afford to buy the cars they make on the assembly line, that is bad for the economy.

When you have autoworkers who cannot afford to take out a mortgage to buy a modest home while the companies they work for make record-breaking profits, that is bad for the economy.

When you have autoworkers who can’t afford childcare or to send their kids to college, that is bad for the economy.

That is why the UAW is on strike.

Let’s be clear. What’s going on in the auto industry is not unique. It’s pretty much what’s been happening all over the American economy.

In the United States today, at a time of massive income and wealth inequality, weekly wages for the average American worker are actually $50 a week lower than they were 50 years ago after adjusting for inflation.

In other words, despite a massive increase in worker productivity in the automobile industry and every other sector of our economy; despite CEOs now making 400 times more than what their employees earn; despite record-breaking corporate profits; despite corporate America spending hundreds of billions on stock buybacks and dividends, the average American worker is worse off today than he or she was 50 years ago.

In America today, over 60% of workers are living paycheck to paycheck. They are living under incredible stress as they worry about how they are going to pay for rent, healthcare, childcare and other basic necessities. Families in the automobile industry and every other industry in America, should not have to live with that kind of stress.

What the UAW understands, and all of us should remember, is that over the last 50 years there has been a massive redistribution of wealth in America. Unfortunately, it has gone in exactly the wrong direction. Since 1975, over $50 trillion in wealth has been redistributed from the bottom 90% to the top 1% – primarily because a growing percentage of corporate profits have been flowing into the stock portfolios of the wealthy few.

In 1937, the UAW played a historic role in American history. The autoworkers of that time had the extraordinary courage to take on the greed and power of the auto industry and formed their union. Their successful sit-down strike in Flint, Michigan, ignited a grassroots movement across the country that helped create an American middle class which became the envy of the world.

Now in the year 2023 – 86 years later – the UAW, once again, is helping to lead the effort to rebuild and grow a middle class that has been beaten down by their corporate bosses for far too long.

Their fight against corporate greed is the fight to improve the lives of every worker in America.

As the Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, I am very proud to stand in solidarity with the UAW and I will do everything that I can do to make sure they receive a fair contract.

September 1, 2023September 1, 2023

Action Items

Hello, Indivisible friends:

We hope everyone had a chance to relax a bit this summer before the start of another busy fall season. Here are a few simple actions to take now.

National Indivisible Call to Endorse President Biden

From a recent Indivisible national email: Last week, the Republican hopefuls gathered without their frontrunner to defend his Big Lie, call for harsher restrictions on reproductive freedom, and push horrifying ideas like a war with Mexico. Since 2020, the MAGA Republican Party has accelerated its descent into extremism aided by a dangerous right-wing media ecosystem, but once again the Indivisible movement is rising up to meet them and beat them. When President Biden announced his reelection campaign in April, we celebrated his decision — and now, we are asking our movement to formalize our support by voting to endorse President Joe Biden.

Learn about The Keystone

Speaking of the media environment, we want to make sure you know about an organization that’s working to make it better. Some of you may know the name Tara McGowan, a journalist who founded the nonprofit ACRONYM to build online infrastructure for the progressive movement, among many other accomplishments. She is now founder and publisher of the Courier Newsroom, a left-leaning local news network. One of the outlets, The Keystone, is a progressive newsroom committed to fighting disinformation and strengthening our democracy by providing accurate news to Pennsylvanians through a website and on social media.

Abby Barker, regional organizer for The Keystone, connected with H-CAN and other Indivisible groups in the region recently and we agreed to share stories and content with one another. Let’s help The Keystone reach a wider audience and engage more Pennsylvanians in fact-based, credible news. Please sign up for The Keystone’s e-newsletter to learn more. If you’re on social media, please follow and amplify The Keystone’s posts:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheKeystoneNews

Twitter: www.twitter.com/thekeystone

Instagram: www.instagram.com/keystonenewsroom

Tik-Tok: www.tiktok.com/@keystonenewsroom

Tell PA Republicans to Fund our State Universities Instead of Raising Tuition

Extremist republicans in the PA House recently voted against funding for Penn State, Pitt, Lincoln and Temple Universities. Instead they voted to raise tuition by up to $10,000 a year on our students.

PA House Democrats created a simple way for you to email the extremists pushing this harmful plan. Click here to demand legislative leaders vote to provide the funding these schools need to prepare our students for their futures.

The Delaware County Health Department Needs Your Help!

If you live in Delaware County and haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes to fill out the DC Health Department’s health survey to help them ascertain the needs of the county. You can find the survey here. The deadline is August 31.

Important Links

Selected electoral and voting rights volunteer opportunities

Electoral activity tracker (please add your volunteer activities!)

Indivisible’s Practical Guide to Defeating MAGA

Upcoming Events

(color code: blue – Indivisible events; green – H-CAN events; purple – events sponsored by other groups)

Wed., August 30, 7 pm (our time) via Zoom

Rural Urban Bridge Initiative Training to improve communication between urban and rural populations

https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/event/576307/

Tues., Sept. 5, 8 pm via Zoom

Indivisible Blue District Cohort Call – learn actions we can take to fight MAGA from a blue district.

Sun., Sept. 10, 11 am

H-CAN Indivisible Monthly Meeting

Join us as we plan for our actions during the upcoming election season. Stay tuned for more details on meeting logistics.

RSVP here.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81803625321

Sun., Sept. 17, 1pm – 4pm

All H-CAN Social at Merwood Park

Join H-CAN members as we come together to enjoy a potluck picnic, catch up with old friends and make new ones! All are welcome, and we encourage you to invite any friends who may be interested in learning more about H-CAN. We’ll have Action Group info available and group members will be available to chat and answer questions. We hope to see you there!

Saturday, October 7, 10am – 4pm

H-CAN Booth at Haverford Township Day

Save the date for this one! Join us for a shift at our booth to let visitors know about H-CAN, its mission and our Action Groups. We’ll also do voter registration/education and share information about the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act. Look for a SignUp Genius and more details to come.

Saturday, October 7, 10:30am

March with H-CAN in the Haverford Township Day Parade!

We’ll gather at the Oakmont School Administration Building at 10:30am and join in the parade route as it comes down Eagle Road and turns onto Darby Road. More details to come.

In solidarity,

Alyce, Lynn and Pam

☎☎

Sen. Bob Casey
Phone: 202-224-6324 or 215-405-9660, email link

Sen. John Fetterman
Phone: 202-224-4254 or 215-241-1090, email link

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon
Phone: 202-225-2011 or 610-626-2020, email link

Resistbot: Text resist to 50409, or connect with Resistbot on Facebook to use it with FB messenger–

July 30, 2023July 30, 2023

Calls to Action

Calls to Action
Thanks to our sister group – H-CAN Indivisible for these great ways to be active in our government. Thanks to all of you who will be called to Action this coming week and in future weeks!

MAGA Republicans are once again taking aim at one of our fundamental rights: The right to vote. After realizing that granting every American fair and easy access to the ballot box is detrimental to their electoral chances, Republicans looked at Trump’s attempted steal of the 2020 election and said, “Let’s do more of that.”

And so they drafted The Big Lie Bill (officially known as the American Confidence in Elections Act or ACE).

We can’t allow Republicans to control the narrative about elections. They are attempting to sow as much disinformation as possible to hold power. We have to make sure people know exactly what they are doing, and it starts with spreading the word. Below is a new graphic from Indivisible – use these links to share on Twitter, if you’re still there, and then share on Facebook, share on Instagram, and share on Threads too! The more eyes, the better.

And our own Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon is doing her part. On Thursday, August 3rd at 6:30pm at the Media-Upper Providence Library, she will be hosting an information session on the Inflation Reduction Act’s benefits related to home energy upgrades and electric vehicles. Per Rep. Scanlon, “The transition to a green economy is expected to save families an average of $1,000 per year in energy costs. Millions of Americans are already eligible for tax credits that will make it easier and more affordable for them to upgrade to more efficient appliances, purchase an electric vehicle, install residential clean energy systems, and save money on their energy bills. I’m thrilled to see the benefits of this historic law start to reach Pennsylvanian families, so I want to alert you to an educational program my office is hosting to help constituents learn more about the cost-saving benefits available to them.”

Indivisible’s Powering Progress Campaign

As we recently mentioned, Indivisible has launched the Powering Progress campaign to build support for an active and inclusive government through celebrating the individual and community-level investments in the Inflation Reduction Act. August is the one year anniversary of the IRA passing, a significant step toward making corporations pay what they owe in taxes, tackling healthcare affordability, and creating a better, clean energy-powered future for our families.

The Biden campaign is actively trying to get the word out (and Rep. Greene is helping!), but when the media doesn’t focus on the positive, we need to make sure folks in our area hear about the wins being made possible through the IRA.

H-CAN Indivisble is hoping to plan a tabling event in August/September to spread the word further but in the meantime, consider joining the Race Class Narrative Zoom session on August 2 at 8pm EST. The right regularly uses racial fear as a tool to exploit economic anxieties and turn people against one another. The Race Class Narrative messaging architecture fights back at these attacks and racial dog whistles. Join our Zoom to learn how to use Race Class Narrative messaging in your work – including but not limited to actions supporting the August celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act.

POSTCARDING:

Note from Jenn Hallam: Postcards to Philly voters are here and ready for pickup on my front porch (4719 Woodland Avenue). Feel free to come get some even if you didn’t respond initially. There are plenty! Optional donation towards the cost of cards ($.10/card), can be left in the box.

(IMPORTANT) PLEASE NOTE:

The packs are divided up into 25 cards each. If you had requested fewer than that, please take the whole pack anyway. Then send me a photo or an email with the names of anyone you didn’t get to on your list.
There is a mistake in the pre-printed info on the cards. Please correct according to the instructions that come with your cards.
These cards are to be mailed on SEPTEMBER 26. So, please hold on to them until then. I’ll send out a reminder the day before. If you don’t want to hold on to the cards, feel free to drop them back off to me once completed and stamped and I will get them in the mail on the correct date.

Finally, if you want to write cards but cannot pick them up and/or cannot supply stamps, please let me know and we’ll figure it out!

Promote the Vote PA

A record number of voters requested mail-in ballots for the 2023 Primary Election in PA, however, many of them did not return their ballots to be counted. Others did not follow ballot instructions and their ballots were canceled.

Here’s an opportunity to reach out to these voters and gather info that will allow us to help make voting easier & empower them for future elections! Join Promote the Vote PA for their Tuesday/Thursday phone banks from 6-8 p.m. Sign up here and learn more here.

Upcoming Events:

Wed., Aug. 2, 8pm

Indivisible Race Class Narrative Zoom Session

Join our Zoom to learn how to use Race Class Narrative messaging in your work – including but not limited to actions supporting the August celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Learn more and RSVP here.

Thurs., Aug. 3, 6:30 pm, Media-Upper Providence Library

Information Session with Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon

Join the Office of Congresswoman Scanlon to learn more about how the Inflation Reduction Act can help you reduce energy costs and save on electric vehicles.

Learn more here and register.

☎☎

Sen. Bob Casey
Phone: 202-224-6324 or 215-405-9660, email link

Sen. John Fetterman
Phone: 202-224-4254 or 215-241-1090, email link

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon
Phone: 202-225-2011 or 610-626-2020, email link

June 22, 2023June 22, 2023

Action Items

Yesterday, the PA House took the first step in raising the Pennsylvania minimum wage since 2009.

In a bipartisan vote of 103-100, the House has passed HB 1500 – a bill that will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026 and tie the wage to cost of living increases.

Passing this bill out of the House is just one step in this fight to reach a fair, livable wage. Democrats will keep up the pressure as this bill moves forward to the Senate and beyond. And you can help with this fight too – contact your state senator and urge them to support this minimum wage increase by passing HB 1500.

UPDATE — FREEDOM TO READ RALLY + MARCH

Friday, June 30 at Noon

As you will hear at our June 22nd meeting, Moms for Liberty is holding their annual convention here in Philadelphia from June 29 – July 2. The Philadelphia Inquirer has reported that they plan to protest at various branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia, including the Central Branch on Vine Street. So we will tell them we will protect our libraries from their book bans and our communities from their hate speech.

The Rally For Freedom To Read will be on Friday, June 30 at noon in front of the Central Branch, 1901 Vine Street. Then we will march to the Marriott Hotel, 1201 Market Street, which is where the M4L convention will be held and day-long protests by other groups will be going on.

Sign up here so you get all the updates.

Pride Month Call to Action: Protect LGBTQ+ Rights

Recently, the PA House passed the PA Fairness Act. (HB 300), which would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to add sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression to its list of protected classes. Most Pennsylvanians would be embarrassed to know the Commonwealth is the only state in the Northeast that doesn’t explicitly prohibit denying someone a job or housing or service simply because they are LGBTQ+.

Now it’s time to try to pass this through the PA Senate. Contact your state senator and urge them to vocally support the Fairness Act to enshrine protections from discrimination for LGBTQ+ people into Pennsylvania state law.

Sen. Amanda Cappelletti: 717-787-5544, cappelletti@pasenate.com

Upcoming: Plastic Free July

Can you challenge yourself to go “plastic free” in July?

Plastic Free July is an international challenge to cut back or eliminate harmful single-use plastics for one full month with the underlying goal that it leads to permanent lifestyle changes when it comes to plastic use. Last year, 140 million people worldwide accepted the challenge.

Main Line Unitarian Church created a regional website to cultivate discussion on the topic of single-use plastics, while also providing helpful resources to those interested in participating. Join in pledging to cut out or limit single use plastics!

The international website for Plastic Free July includes interactive tools geared towards getting people involved in this globally recognized challenge.

Environmental Actions:

For State Senator Kearney

Senate Bill 755, “Energy Efficient Appliance Standards”: If adopted, this measure could benefit us residents in the 26^th District by reducing our water and electricity costs. In addition, more efficient appliances require less consumption of fossil fuels, thereby reducing both indoor and outdoor toxic air pollution as well as helping to mitigate global warming.

– Senate Bill 422, “100% Renewable Energy Bill”: Because fossil fuel burning is the cause of our global warming crisis, it is essential that we transition to renewable sources of power. As your constituent, I urge you to do all you can to promote this transition quickly and efficiently.

– Senate Bill 230, “Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard”: Pennsylvania’s shamefully low AEPS requirement functions as a disincentive, slowing down our state’s necessary transition to renewable sources of energy. Please take a leadership role with your colleagues in supporting SB 230, which would raise the AEPS to 30% by 2030.

For State Representatives Curry and Boyd

HB 1032, the “Solar on Schools” bill. This bill could potentially benefit schools in the 164^th District by reducing their energy costs, thus allowing the saved funds to be spent on other educational priorities. Secondly, solar arrays as a source of energy could potentially reduce toxic air pollution in and around schools, a benefit to school staff, students, and residents in the neighborhoods around these schools.

A second measure which I urge you to support is the “100% Renewable Energy Bill”, soon to be reintroduced by Representative Rabb. As you know, the adverse impacts of global warming are expected to be especially severe on less resourced neighborhoods and communities, including those in the 164^thDistrict. Given the impending crisis of global warming, it is absolutely necessary to do all we can to mitigate its effects.

Thirdly, I’m asking you to support the “Energy Efficiency Appliance Standards” bill, which is soon to be introduced in the House by Representatives O’Mara and Mehaffie. Higher energy efficiency standards for appliances means that less fossil fuel energy would be spent to operate them, resulting in a reduced contribution to air pollution and global warming. In addition, water and electricity use by consumers would be substantially reduced, saving them money.

Finally, I ask you to support the “Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard” bill, soon to be introduced by Representative Otten. Pennsylvania’s current AEPS requirement is shamefully low, given our worsening climate crisis. Raising it would incentivize the state’s utility industry to foster our needed shift to renewable energy.

Tim Kearney

Call: 610-352-3409
Senate Box 203026
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3026
Room: 463 Main Capitol
(717) 787-1350
Senator Timothy Kearney
438 E. Baltimore Avenue
1st Floor
Media, PA 19063
Office Hours: M – F 8:30am – 4:30pm
(610) 544-6120Senator Timothy Kearney
51 Long Lane
Upper Darby, PA 19082
Office Hours: M-Th. 8:30am-4:30pm
(610) 352-3409

https://www.senatorkearney.com/contact/

Gina CurryHon. Gina H. Curry
Barclay Square Shopping Center
1500 Garrett Road
Upper Darby, PA 19082
(610) 259-7016
Fax: (610) 259-5575

Capitol

Hon. Gina H. Curry
25A East Wing
PO Box 202164
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2164
(717) 783-4907
Fax: (717) 780-4750

https://www.pahouse.com/164/Contact/

Heather Boyd

Drexel Hill Office

5248 Township Line Rd.
Drexel Hill, PA 19026-4527

P*: (484) 200-8262

F*: (484) 200-8273

Hours of Operation – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Clifton Heights Office

6 South Springfield Road
Unit A
Clifton Heights, PA 19018-2234

P*: (484) 200-1563

Harrisburg Office

106 A East Wing
PO Box 202163
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2163

P*: (717) 783-8099

F*: (717) 772-9947

https://www.pahouse.com/boyd/Contact

Rep. Heather Boyd | Contact MeRep. Heather Boyd serving the 163rd Legislative District.www.pahouse.com

May 22, 2023May 22, 2023

Greetings Indivisibles!

There was lots of supportive honking at yesterday’s “Honk & Wave” MAGA Default Crisis event! About 16 of us from H-CAN Indivisible, Lower Merion Indivisible and Upper Darby Indivisible came together with catchy signs proclaiming the importance of raising the debt ceiling and not giving in to MAGA Republicans’ pressure to compromise on the budget with cuts that would hurt everyday people in all aspects of their lives. It was nice to know we are not alone in our deep concern for the consequences of default. And that people out there are paying attention! Here are a few pictures from the event

And we’re also already featured in a small piece in the Delco Times!

HERE’S OUR CALL TO ACTION:

House Republicans have created a MAGA Default Crisis, forcing an impossible choice between defaulting on their debt – which would cause unprecedented economic chaos – and slashing funding for public programs like K-12 education and Medicaid. These extreme cuts would:

Cut Medicaid, jeopardizing the healthcare for 21 million people who rely on it
Slash funding for schools, eliminating the jobs of over 100,000 teachers, impacting 32 million students

Either way, it’s hard-working families who will suffer the most. We need all Democrats in the House to stand strong against the MAGA Default bill and not give in to those extreme Republican demands.

Please call or email Rep. Scanlon and Senators Casey and Fetterman and urge them to commit to a clean default bill that does not cut funding for the critical programs that our communities rely on. We all know how important this is! Can you call, email or Resistbot every day until this is resolved? Let’s give it a try and make sure they know how strongly we feel about getting this done!

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon – Phone: 202-225-2011 or 610-626-2020, email link
Sen. Bob Casey – Phone: 202-224-6324 or 215-405-9660, email link
Sen. John Fetterman – Phone: 202-224-4254 or 215-241-1090, email link

Resistbot: Text resist to 50409, or connect with Resistbot on Facebook to use it with FB messenger

Calling all Members! Join our Indivisible PA State call this Wednesday!Wednesday, May 24th, 7pm – 8pm, via Zoom, RSVP here

Becca Litt, our Indivisible PA Statewide Organizer has invited all of our members to join the monthly statewide Indivisible call during this MAGA Default Crisis Week of Action. The call will feature PA 02’s very own Member of Congress and Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Brendon Boyle! Rep. Boyle has been the forefront of the MAGA Default Crisis fight and is one of the three members who penned the sign on letter asking Republicans for a clean debt ceiling + the MoC who filed a discharge petition to give Congress the flexibility to prevent a catastrophic default.

Rep Boyle will talk to us about MAGA Default Crisis more generally and what he is doing as ranking member of the Ways and Means committee to pass a clean debt ceiling bill. He will also talk about the letter he penned as well as the discharge petition(read more about that here). AND, he may even have time for questions. We will also be hearing from our Legislative Director, Andrew O’Neil who will update us with what’s next and what other fights we should be prepared for after the June 1st debt ceiling deadline.

Call to Action on PA House Gun Bills

Per the group Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is likely to vote on the four gun reform bills shortly. This week HB 1018 is likely to come up for a vote.

Let’s reach out to Rep. Boyd or Curry ASAP this week to urge them to vote for HB 1018 that focuses on Extreme Risk Protection Orders. Passage of this bill by the PA House is a critical step toward enactment.
Locate your PA House Rep at Find Your Legislator – PA General Assembly (state.pa.us)Get Ready for Delco Pride!As listed below, the Delco Pride Festival is coming up in just over two weeks, on Saturday, June 10th, 1pm – 6pm.

Important Links

Indivisible’s new Practical Guide to Defeating MAGA

Upcoming Events

Saturday, June 10, 1 – 6 pm

Delco Pride Festival, Upper Darby Municipal Building, 100 Garrett Road

Come out for this fun festival where H-CAN Indivisible will will be doing voter registration and outreach. You can also volunteer to help out during the day.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctDXw_7uwqySiaM2ltf_eL70yegS5RLmU2JbGd2KZzbkzJfA/viewform
Thanks for everything you continue to do!

☎☎

Sen. Bob Casey
Phone: 202-224-6324 or 215-405-9660, email link

Sen. John Fetterman
Phone: 202-224-4254 or 215-241-1090, email link

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon
Phone: 202-225-2011 or 610-626-2020, email link

Resistbot: Text resist to 50409, or connect with Resistbot on Facebook to use it with FB messenger

May 17, 2023May 18, 2023

Congratulations!

Congratulations Indivisible Upper Darby Members! We don’t know what you did to make it happen, but we know that you are out there working in your own ways and have helped to change the state of Pennsylvania for the good! Heather Boyd was elected last night as the new #163 State Representative helping us to hold on to the majority in Harrisburg. This is huge! Finally, the things that we as progressives are fighting for can get on the table in PA! Finally, after decades, our $7.25 minimum wage might get addressed and the freedom for women to decide what to do with their own bodies can be protected….these and so much more. Thank you for any part you played in making this happen….even if you only did the most important thing….came out to vote for Heather! This is tremendous news for all of us at the local level.

We do have more battles to fight and one of the biggest right now is making sure that our federal government does not default on its debts and that we raise the debt ceiling without taking away needed services to people. We hope you will come out to the Stop the MAGA Default Crisis on Sunday!

Sunday, May 21, 11:45 am – Rally to Stop the MAGA Default Crisis

Where: Intersection of City and Lancaster Avenues

Why: Join us to tell Congress that we won’t stand for anything less than a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling. We need to avoid the MAGA default crisis!

RSVP: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/562175/

” While we know that the consequences of defaulting on our national debt would be catastrophic, many of us wonder what we, as ordinary citizens, can do about this. Since this battle runs through Congress, we have agency because our representatives work for us! We can build urgency, show our Democratic representatives that we have their back as they stand up to MAGA extremism, and let everyone know that it’s unacceptable for MAGA Republicans to play politics with our livelihoods.”

If you don’t want to register….no problem, just show up! Here are some suggestions for signs you can bring. Hope to see you on Sunday!

DEFAULT WILL BE MAGA’S FAULT

NO COMPROMISE – AVOID DEFAULT!

AMERICA WANTS TO PAY ITS BILLS

MAGA DEFAULT CRISIS (with circle and line through it)

THE MAGA DEFAULT CRISIS IS A MESS!

NO CRUEL CUTS TO SAFETY NETS
HONK TO PROTECT GRANDMA’S SOCIAL SECURITY
HONK TO PROTECT TEACHERS (TEACHERS’ JOBS)
HONK TO SUPPORT VETERANS (VETERANS’ BENEFITS)
NO DEFAULT – DON’T LET MAGA WRECK THE ECONOMY

MAGA DEFAULT CRISIS = STARVING KIDS & SENIORS

JOE: STAY STRONG, DON’T GIVE IN TO MAGA TERRORISTS/HOSTAGE TAKERS

NO DEFAULT! CALL YOUR REP! 202-224-3121

CALL YOUR REP! PROTECT OUR ECONOMY FROM MAGA

KEEP CLEAN ENERGY PLANS IN PLACE