Russian Invasion Intensifies World Food Crises
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated the world food supply. Millions of poor people from the Middle East to Asia and from Africa to the Caribbean are facing acute shortages of basic foodstuffs as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and their blockade of exports of grain from Ukraine. The U.S. government has committed to protecting Ukraine’s frail democracy. It, along with other Western governments, must also provide massive food aid to forestall a famine in countries already suffering from droughts, unprecedented heatwaves and Covid.
CONGRESS MUST PROTECT WOMEN’S RIGHT TO CONTROL THEIR BODIES
Justice Alito’s draft opinion overturning women’s right to control their reproduction ignores precedent, relies on a faulty reading of history, and will greatly harm the most vulnerable Americans and their families. All Senators who claim to care about women’s equality and the health and wellbeing of American families, whatever their party, must show American voters where they stand by passing the Women’s Reproductive Health Act, which will be voted on tomorrow, and working to expand SCOTUS with Justices willing to protect Americans’ fundamental rights.
Biden’s Ukrainian Aid Package is Critical to Defending Democracy
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine starkly demonstrates the conflict between democracy and dictatorship. Biden has committed the US to protecting Ukraine’s fragile democracy. But Americans must simultaneously fight to preserve our democracy which is under constant attack by Trump and MAGA Republicans—demonstrating that we cannot separate domestic and international politics. Americans must stand behind the President on both fronts.
THE SUPREME COURT HAS GONE ROGUE
Through manipulation by Trump and McConnell, SCOTUS now has an ultra-conservative majority which is prepared to overturn precedent recognizing women’s right to control their reproductive choices—and possibly other personal liberties that also emanate from the right to privacy, which is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. To stop this rogue Supreme Court requires both creation of a federal right to abortion and the Court’s rebalancing to reflect the values and life-experiences of Americans.
We Have To Talk About Authoritarianism
By validating extremists and normalizing lawlessness, Trump transformed the GOP into an illiberal, rightwing party opposed to democratic governing. Even worse, his authoritarian brand of politics has trickled down into their states throughout the nation. We must turn out a massive vote at the midterms to protect our democracy.
FRIDAY RECAP: April 29, 2022
All of the issues discussed in this week’s Daily Actions must be faced by Democrats as they prepare for the extremely important midterm elections, which will determine whether we can continue moving towards a government that works for all Americans, not just the rich and powerful.
So, no matter how often you’ve called, commit to at least one more. And whatever the script, keep stressing to our Members of Congress the need to sharpen their message and regularly repeat it–outlining Democratic successes in understandable terms and clearly painting the massive differences between them and obstructionist Trump Republicans.
The January 6 attack on our country was a crime
The January 6 Committee has doggedly interviewed 8,000 witnesses and reviewed tens of thousands of documents to hold accountable those who planned, promoted and paid for the crime. “The illegality of the plan was obvious,” said one federal judge after examining the Committee’s evidence. As the Committee prepares for public hearings in June, we’re beginning to see compelling evidence of the horrendous crime they’ve uncovered.
DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES
A constitutional democracy is challenged when a lone judge, can unilaterally dismantle a nationalwide policy, as Judge Mizelle did last week and MAGA judges have been doing since day one of the Biden Administration. To prevent ultra-right groups from being able to effectively judge shop, our Members of Congress must streamline the confirmation process, expand the number of judgeships that can be filled by Biden’s diverse nominees, and work hard to consolidate their control of Congress in 2022.
RESPONDING TO THE CULTURE WARS
The most rabid culture warrior is Florida governor Ron DeSantis who, last week, signed a bill limiting discussions of race. One outraged state senator said: “The governor is on his bogeyman tour of issues that are not issues. The Republicans continuously cloak themselves in freedom, but clearly pick and choose which freedoms and for whom they support said freedoms …They sure don’t support the freedoms of Black people.”
FRIDAY RECAP: April 22, 2022
It’s exhausting living through historic times…Indivisible Oregon’s Daily Actions can help. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday you’ll find a new DA drilling into a topic crucial to Oregon Progressives. The DA will not only give you the facts quick, but links to “make good trouble, further readings and even scripts to help with the call to your Members of Congress. This week’s Daily Actions:
PROSECUTE PUTIN AND HIS HENCHMEN FOR WAR CRIMES
Putin, his officers, and many Russians soldiers have engaged in multiple illegal acts against Ukrainian civilians and armed forces—from rape to mass bombings of unarmed civilians and the forced deportation of thousands, all violating international law. The culprits must be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) established in 2002 to prosecute such war crimes, crimes against humanity.
AMERICANS NEED ECONOMIC RELIEF NOW
Some in Congress still hope portions of Biden’s domestic agenda, like the Child Tax Credit, student debt cancellation, childcare and universal pre-K, can be passed through reconciliation, but time is running out. In this period of soaring inflation, struggling Americans need help, and so do the Dems heading into the midterms. If Congress cannot quickly provide this relief, Biden must do so through executive action.
One Million COVID Deaths Later, Are We Numb?
At this time two years ago, the United States counted one million American COVID cases. This month, we will face another milestone: one million American COVID deaths. One million deaths has to be transformative. We need a “playbook” guided by public health experts and coordinated by federal institutions that we protect from political dismantling.
FRIDAY RECAP: April 15, 2022
Read this week’s Daily Actions on the direction of the ultra-conservative Supreme Court, the Florida governor damning those who are “woke,” and the interplay of Ukraine and climate change. Then, commit to calling your MoC again today on one of these topics.
Our actions give you solid information quickly, provide ways to fight for our democracy, and even supply sample scripts for you to use when calling your Members of Congress.
The War in Ukraine AND the Crises of Climate Change
A total embargo on Russian oil and petroleum products together with a rapid transition to renewable energy is not only smart environmental policy but can help Ukraine and reduce our dependency on petro-dictators. The surprisingly rapid changes have alarmed scientists that the United Nations Secretary-General put it bluntly. “Delay is Death”