IC-SS Weekly News: August 28, 2023
Virginia Matters – How To Help
We’ve said it before: democracy in the United States depends on democracy in the STATES. Our focus now is Virginia, where state legislative elections will happen this fall.
Write with Us – Sept 6 & 21
This month, 17 of us wrote hundreds of letters to turn out Virginia citizens who are unlikely to vote but likely to vote for Democrats when they do cast a ballot. Thanks to all who’ve been writing!
“We’ll mail the letters in October,” says our Vote Forward letter leader Steve Kagan, “so we’ll keep writing in September.” Next dates for our letter parties at the Nile? Wed. September 6th and Thursday, September 21st, 6:00-8:00 pm. Sign up now
DETAILS: We meet at the Nile, 1162 E. 55th, on the patio, weather permitting (otherwise inside). Bring beer or wine to share, if you wish. We encourage you to order your own food to support the Nile, which has been such a friendly host. If you can, bring postage stamps to donate. The most important thing is to bring yourself! Sign up for Sept 6, Sept 21, or both.
Why Virginia Matters
Some quotes and stories about the upcoming Virginia election:
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“I think there are a lot of very frightening things in our future if we do not hold the majority in the Senate, and if we don’t have a successful election year for the Democrats,” says VA State Senator Jennifer Boysko; under threat are reproductive rights, gun violence prevention, LGBTQ+ equality, climate protections, and voting rights. ~American Independent
The futureof [Virginia] hinges on who is elected—and so does the future of the entire South. ~ACLU of Virginia
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[If the GOP wins in the general assembly, GOP Governor] Youngkin would be free to implement a sharply conservative policy agenda in a state that had been drifting Democratic for the better part of two decades. And that could boost the national profile of Youngkin, [who has presidential aspirations]. ~ US News & World Report
Trump Indictments Explained
From national Indivisible: Donald Trump made history as the first former president to be indicted. And then he did it again. And again. And again.
The 45th President is alleged to have committed a lot of crimes before, during, and after his time in office, and untangling the web of charges he and his accomplices are facing is a daunting task for anyone.
These indictments are separate from the civil penalties Trump has faced after many years of lawsuits, in which he’s been found liable for rape, fraud, and a host of other offenses.
Get Indivisible’s simple, clear breakdown of the four indictments and 91 charges Donald Trump is facing across four jurisdictions at Indivisible’s indictments page:
Organizations and Opportunities
Indivisible Chicago-South Side shares information and actions from other organizations on issues important in our country, state, city, and communities.
Bring Chicago Home Town Hall: Aug. 30
From JCUA: This Wednesday, August 30th, 6:00-7:30 pm, join JCUA and Not Me We for a Bring Chicago Home South Side Town Hall. Sign up.
JCUA and Not Me We are bringing together community members on the South Side to learn about the Bring Chicago Home ordinance, and we’ve invited Alds. Lamont Robinson (4), Desmon Yancy (5), Gregory Mitchell (7), and Michelle Harris (8) to attend and hear from their constituents.
There will be childcare available and dinner provided after the town hall. Sign up.Background info: Bring Chicago Home (BCH) is the long-term, systemic solution to homelessness our communities have been asking for. It would create a dedicated revenue stream for affordable housing and services — safely housing 12,000 families over the next 10 years. We can do this by raising the one-time Real Estate Transfer Tax taxes only on properties purchased for more than $1 million. ~ Jimmy Rothschild, JCUA blog post
Support the Pretrial Fairness Act: Aug 30
From the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice: Illinois is getting ready to end money bond and transform our pretrial legal system. It’s essential that we connect with our communities about what the Pretrial Fairness Act is and how they can support it.
Join the IL Network for Pretrial Justice on Zoom this Wednesday, August 30th, 6:00 pm. Register here. Important: Check the box marked Statewide Virtual Outreach: August 30th from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM on zoom with the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice.
Generative AI & Its Impact on Democracy: Sept 21
From Public Citizen: From deep fakes in election advertising, to threats to election administration, to the impacts on participatory governance in our rulemakings, AI is already having a vast impact on our democracy– and we know the potential harms and impacts are only going to increase. Please join us to learn more about the issues, bipartisan engagement to-date, and how to engage.
What: Please join Public Citizen and Issue One for an important event on democracy and generative artificial intelligence
When: Thursday, September 21st, 2023 10AM-11:30PM CT (11:00 am ET)
Where: Virtual, Zoom link provided upon RSVP.
