“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“
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Senate Bill 755, “Energy Efficient Appliance Standards”: If adopted, this measure could benefit us residents in the 26th 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 164th 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 164thDistrict. 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
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!
” 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
The biggest legislative fight this year is quietly playing out in back rooms in the halls of Congress, but hardly anyone nationally is talking about it. Now, Indivisible is pulling back the curtain on the Republican plot to blow up the economy, and we’re preparing to throw down and prevent The MAGA Default Crisis.
MAGA Republicans are trying to drive our country into default because they don’t want to pay for the bills the US has already incurred. We won’t let them. We want our Members of Congress to protect families and communities from the MAGA plan to cause a default crisis and stick regular people with the bill. We want them to fight back against MAGA demands to cut to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Join H-CAN Indivisible, Indivisible Lower Merion, and Indivisible Upper Darby 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.
I imagine everyone has heard that Sen. Fetterman is in the hospital being treated for depression. We know that recovering from clinical depression is a difficult challenge, especially for someone who is in a very public role with outsized responsibilities and expectations. It must be equally challenging and terribly worrisome for those in a position to provide love and support, especially the recovering person’s family and office staff.
For this reason, we encourage you to send a card or email this week to Senator John Fetterman to wish him a speedy and long-lasting recovery, and to thank his family and office staff for providing much-needed support during the Senator’s recovery. If you are handwriting a card, we suggest mailing it to:
Sen. John Fetterman 200 Chestnut Street Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19106
Fetterman las† year during his campaign
Wisconsin Supreme Court Election
There’s still time to take action before the WI supreme court primary on Tuesday, Feb. 21, with phone and text actions set for tomorrow. If one of the two progressives wins on Tuesday, there will be many more ways to get involved before the April 4 general election. Check out the list of volunteer opportunities for electoral and voting rights work, refreshed for 2023.
Alert for likely opportunity to write postcards for WI Supreme Court April 4 election: Indivisible will run a postcard program for the WI Supreme Court general election on April 4 if Janet Protasiewicz wins the primary on Tuesday. Stay tuned to see if this action moves forward – we’ve ordered 250 cards. Note that Indivisible will provide postcards and postage.
Volunteers Keep Our Movement Strong
If you’ve been thinking about getting a little more active in progressive causes or organizing, H-CAN could use your help!
Messaging Corner
Remember that one of the primary goals of Indivisible this year is to continue reminding voters that MAGA Republicans are extreme and don’t represent the values held by the majority of Americans. Here is a brilliant explainer from Anat Shenker-Osorio/ASO Communications with great advice on why and how to center the argument that the MAGA Republican faction is holding our country, our lives, and our livelihoods hostage so they can grab power and hoard wealth for billionaires and corporate backers.
We should not need to defeat Donald Trump on the 2024 presidential ballot, because Donald Trump should not qualify to even be on the ballot.
The 14th Amendment states that anyone who has taken an oath of office and then engaged in “insurrection” against the government of the United States is disqualified from ever holding office again.1
And an “insurrection” is exactly what the violent attacks of January 6 were, orchestrated by Trump to stay in office against the will of the people, as the overwhelming evidence of the January 6 committee has demonstrated.
The decision to enforce the Constitution in this matter rests with the secretaries of state in each state—and that’s why we need to call on them to follow the Constitution and ensure Trump is not above the law.
Demand that all secretaries of state and state voting officials reject Trump from the ballot because his insurrection disqualifies him under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment!
After the Civil War, the 14th Amendment was ratified to address the white supremacy inherent in our founding documents and to make governing possible after the rupture of the Civil War. One piece of that was barring those who took up arms against the country from office, via the “disqualification clause” of Section 3.
Since being used to eject Confederates from Congress, the disqualification clause lay mostly dormant for over a century … until Donald Trump’s January 6 insurrection.
Since January 6, the disqualification clause has become relevant again. Earlier this year, a New Mexico judge removed County Commissioner Couy Griffin from office under the disqualification clause for his participation in the violence of January 6—the very same argument against Trump.2 And several other courts have upheld the view that the disqualification clause can be applied to members of Congress or other people seeking office who participated on January 6.3
This legal precedent affirms what we all know is right: that Trump should not be allowed to run again when he was at the center of a violent and deadly criminal conspiracy to sabotage the 2020 election. Just as secretaries of state can bar someone from the ballot for failing to meet other qualifications, such as residency or age, they can and must do so for insurrection. Trump’s refusal to stop seeking power forces the question, and it’s up to us to make sure that election officials do their duty to keep him off the ballot.
You’re receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.
We will be celebrating the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act with a phone bank to make sure we have the power to enact other impactful policy moving forward. Warnock won by just over 90,000 votes in his 2020 special election. We cannot afford to lose this seat moving forward.
The fight for our country’s future begins today. If we do not hold the House and achieve a real majority in the Senate, our plans to codify basic human rights will falter. To win, we must get the message out. Give No Ground is our home for opportunities to phonebank, textbank, canvass, postcard, and more so that when November comes around, we can say that we gave it our all for democracy. MAGA Republicans are mobilizing, but there are more of us than there are of them. Let’s make sure we show it!
Click here to call your senator and tell them to pass the Marriage Equality Act. Following the Dobbs decision, same-sex marriage is now on the chopping block for the Republican Supreme Court. Recently, Senate Republicans blocked passage of the Right to Contraception Act reminding us that our rights are not only in jeopardy, but Republicans will actively refuse to enshrine them into law without pressure. We cannot allow the MAGA-led rollback of our rights to continue — not while our senators have the power to intervene. Voting against the Marriage Equality Act would be wildly unpopular and put these politicians’ careers in jeopardy (which is why we saw some House Republicans vote with Democrats on it). Let’s make sure Republican senators know it too!
The largest investment in climate action in our country’s history
The ability for Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices
Continued savings on ACA Marketplace healthcare premiums
A commitment to reduce carbon emissions 40% by 2030
…And those are just a few highlights. To learn more about this historic bill click here to visit the Indivisible Unpacked resource. If you have time this week, call Sen. Casey and Rep. Scanlon to thank them for their votes.
Stay tuned for our next Indivisible Upper Darby meeting in September. For now, here are some other ways you can stay active.
Postcards in the Yard: Tuesday, August 23rd, 7 pm, 629 Overhill Road, Ardmore
Our last summer “Postcards in the Yard” will be on August 23rd (but don’t worry, there will be more writing opportunities!). Join Upper Darby Indivisible and H-CAN Indivisible in writing letters and postcards to get folks registered, get out the vote, and get progressive candidates elected.
Bring yourself, a friend, some stamps if you can, and some snacks if you want! We’ll have all the other supplies you need and refreshments to share. RSVP by emailing Pam. Note: event will be held rain or shine (we’ll be inside if it rains or is extremely hot).
Summer is for relaxing, recharging, and writing for democracy. Every other Tuesday at 7 pm, June 28-August 23rd. 629 Overhill Road, Ardmore (Pam and Jason’s House)
If you can’t make it to postcards and still want postcards, contact Jenn Hallam at jenn_hallam@yahoo.com to see when there will be more Postcards on the Porch.
Call for Nominations
Last year, activism endured a great loss with the passing of long-time member of both Indivisible Upper Darby and H-CAN Indivisible, Nelson Vecchione. H-CAN has established an annual award to honor Nelson’s legacy and remember the difference that he made in the world, in particular his profound belief in advocating without alienating.
Those of us who had been fortunate enough to work with Nelson were deeply impacted by his commitment to activism and advocacy. He fought for the rights of diverse groups of people by appealing to diverse groups of people. He didn’t write anyone off as unreachable merely because they embraced a different point of view.
The Nelson Vecchione Award for Meritorious Service to Broadening Perspectives is established in memory of Nelson Vecchione and is intended to honor an individual who, like Nelson, builds bridges rather than walls. It will be awarded to a member of the community who brings together people of diverse beliefs and ideas to further the common good.
Please use this Google form to nominate someone who you feel embodies Nelson’s legacy. The deadline for submissions is September 30. The awardee will be announced on Nelson’s birthday, October 18.
Phone Banks and Other Volunteer Activities
See our schedule of phone and text banks happening this week here and upcoming voter registration and engagement events in the Let People Vote calendar.
Want to discuss an issue or educate your Congressperson, Mary Gay Scanlon? Jeanne Mann expertly sets up lobbying days with Mary Gay so that members of Indivisible can talk to her about what is on their mind and find out the inside story on Congress. Our next visit is on September 1, 2022. It is a virtual meeting. If you are interested in being there as a speaker or a listener, please contact Jeanne Mann at cats0107@rcn.com
☎☎
Sen. Bob Casey Phone: 202-224-6324 or 215-405-9660, email link
Sen. Pat Toomey Phone: 202-224-4254 or 215-241-1090, email link
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon Phone: 202-225-2011 or 610-626-1913, email link
Council members received the preliminary report from the investigation into the alleged missing Covid relief funds. Surprise! They aren’t missing.
If you’re angry that the money designated for flood relief, gun violence reduction, open space and grants to small businesses – among other things – has been held up for 7 months, PLEASE COME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING on August 10, at 7:00 pm in the Municipal Building. Sign in before 6:55 pm if you want to speak during public comment. Bring friends, family, and neighbors.
Read the Letter to the Editor by Peggy Wilson, Delco Indivisible, and Upper Darby Resident….and be inspired to write your own to share your frustration and anger about the hold-up of the allocation of the ARPA funds!
