Your New Year’s Resolution: Join us in do-it-ourselves democracy!
We want 2020 to be the last we see of our openly corrupt and lawless president and his ethically-challenged GOP lapdogs. Whether Trump is banished permanently to his golf courses early through impeachment or through the 2020 elections, we now know that nothing happens without effort and pressure from our side. The resistance is ready.
America is a progressive country. The majority of our citizens, from both major parties, want fair and safe elections, more gun control, increased abortion access, universal health coverage, maternity leave, funding for childcare, higher minimum wages, tuition-free college, higher taxes on the wealthy, protection of public lands, regulations to keep our air and water clean and positive actions to stop climate change and gerrymandering. A majority also support DACA recipients and oppose the border wall and the administration’s heinous family separation policy.
However, more than 275 bipartisan bills that address our concerns have been blocked by one man, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is concentrating instead on pushing through unqualified and extremist judicial appointments to serve corporations, oligarchs and theocrats. Just as wealth disparities have grown to a level not seen since the 1920′s, so has the chasm widened between the legislative and social justice that most Americans want, and the interests of those currently in power.
But even the richest conservatives in America have but one vote apiece. The secret of this small demographic’s continued power over us is their use of wealth to fund voter suppression efforts against minority populations and to convince us to stay home. If someone says their vote doesn’t matter, tell them that how we vote, or don’t vote, is literally worth billions of dollars. And when progressive America votes in great numbers in fair elections, we win.
Indivisible Ventura will be joining hands with our sister resistance groups, unions, local churches, the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, Black Lives Matter, Planned Parenthood and VC Reproductive Rights Network, immigrant, healthcare, educational and environmental groups as well as Democratic organizations to bring a flood of voters to the polls and America fully into this century.
Progressive America is a sleeping giant and it’s time to wake it up. Check out our latest version of our weekly newsletter below! If you want to sign up for it, click here. If you want our daily actions, send an email to indivisibleventura@gmail.com.
1) Make a resolution – Make your phone calls! Every day Congress is in session (and a lot of other days too!), we send out Calls to Action to help you easily make those 5-second calls that are changing our nation. All of our graphics, scripts, research, and elbow grease are freely given to hundreds of groups nationwide who then amplify them out to their members. We also do our part locally by keeping an events calendar to support our allies in the community. You can click here help us keep our website, newsletter, calendar, social media accounts, and outreach going strong.
2) Join our postcard parties. Every Third Thursday, we get together for pizza, camaraderie, and postcards! We are currently writing postcards for NCAAP and Black Lives Matter for people who have been dropped from voting rolls in swing states to remind them that their vote counts. We will be joining in Indivisible Chicago’s campaign of postcards to the +200,000 voters dropped from the rolls in Wisconsin. Closer to the elections, we will focus on getting out the vote in key districts. You can click here to make a donation for stamps, postcards, supplies, and energy-giving pizza.
3) Join our voter registration drives. These drives will restart soon – keep an eye on the calendar and newsletter! Last election cycle, we focused on our local colleges and supported events (from the Climate Strike to the Women’s March) with registration booths. We registered almost 750 new voters!
4) Keep coming to the rallies! The Impeach and Remove Rally had between 400 and 500 concerned citizens demonstrating what democracy looks like to our community!AND we have our glowing IMPEACH letters ready to go when we need to nudge the Senate!
5) Be a part of Swap Meet Justice, our Free IMMIGRATION LEGAL AID Fair – Volunteers Needed! Every last Sunday of the month we assist residents, alongside immigration lawyers, in filling out paperwork for citizenship, DACA and green card renewals.Or click here to make a donation for these life-changing events to continue for those in need in our community
6) Stay tuned for our March 3rd Voter Guide, if you need help knowing who your favorite community groups are endorsing. Here’s a look at our past Voter Guide.
This year we will also be involved in getting EVERYONE counted in the Census – it’s imperative for local, state, and national elections, as well as funding coming into our community. We’ll also join the Homeless Point in Time Count (VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!) – the fruits of this nation-wide effort brings resources to our city to help our homeless neighbors off the street. And we’ll continue to support events in our community – here are a few that are coming right up:
- 4th Annual March for Justice Ventura,
- Ventura County’s 34th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration,
- Rising Up for Roe: The Fight for Reproductive Justice
- Medicare for All – on Saturday February 1st from 3-5 pm at Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, 5654 Ralston St, Ventura, CA 93003. Presented by the Physicians for Progress Ventura County (aka Ventura Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Care Program (PNHP).
Originally posted on Indivisible Ventura. Re-posted with permission.
