See our current Calls to Action to get involved! This page archives all posted actions.

Week of August 11th, 2022

Action: Canvass for CA-22, help hold the House

Deadline: Sign up NOW – Not all elections where choice is on the line are far away — in the Central Valley’s CA-22, we’re fighting to replace incumbent GOP Rep. David Valadao with his pro-choice Democratic challenger, Rudy Salas. Valadao is vulnerable — CA-22 has a Democratic majority, and a very recent poll has Salas in the lead. A Salas win would help secure the House for Democrats. But Valadao has a lot of corporate money behind him, and this moment is too important to take any win for granted. Contact Ted at indivisibleca11@gmail.com for info on joining us to canvass with local activists in CA-22, and check out our article for more info.

Week of July 18th, 2022

Action: Protect Reproductive Rights in Kansas

The first statewide election over abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade is about to take place in Kansas, and our allies need your help. Early voting has already opened for the August 2 election. In 2019, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution protects the right to abortion. Now, the legislature has passed, with a supermajority, a state constitutional amendment that declares that there is no such right. If the outrageously named “Value Them Both” amendment wins at the polls, the majority anti-choice legislature will be free to pass any abortion restriction they like – even one like Oklahoma’s that bans abortion from the moment of conception, which threatens contraception and IVF as well as termination. In fact, Kansas forced-birth fans have such a bill all ready to go if they win the August election – HB 2746, “Creating the crimes of unlawful performance of an abortion and unlawful destruction of a fertilized embryo, except when necessary to save the life the mother.”

What you can do:

Week of July 11th, 2022

Reproductive Rights Action

It’s been a wild week in the news, so you may have missed the two new reproductive rights bills moving through Congress. The updated Women’s Health Protection Act, H.R. 8296, would to a large extent make Roe and Casey into federal law, and would in addition prohibit state governments from imposing other limits to abortion access. And under H.R. 8297, the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, a state that bans abortions cannot prevent people from traveling to other states for abortion services, and cannot punish anyone seeking, providing, or helping someone obtain an abortion in another state. Indivisible East Bay is joining the ACLU and other groups in supporting these vital bills to protect reproductive freedom. Use our script to ask your Members of Congress for their support today! And for more news and actions, keep checking our article: we’ll keep it up to date as things develop!

What to Say:

I’m ____, I live in zip code ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling to ask ____ to support the updated Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act. These bills are critical for protecting reproductive freedom in all 50 states.

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email) (415) 393-0707  DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Alex Padilla (email) (415) 981-9369 DC: (202) 224-3553

Week of June 27th, 2022

Action: Protect Reproductive Rights

It’s the new deadly plague: the Supreme Court’s long-dreaded decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade and Casey. (In)Justice Alito’s majority opinion says that abortion isn’t protected by the Constitution, and returns the issue to the states – over half of which have or will soon have laws outlawing abortion in whole or in part, including so-called “trigger bans.” Abortion is statutorily legal in California and this is one of the most “supportive” states in the US. But even here, access can be hard, especially for low income women and women of color; and if women lack rights anywhere, women are not free. We’re all furious – but there’s hope, and we can’t be frozen by anger or fear. Join us in action: lobby for state and federal legislation, donate to abortion support funds, protest, find out about corporations that are doing the right thing. For all this and more, check out our article (and keep checking – we’ll update it to keep up with how fast things are moving and new options for action!)

Week of June 2nd, 2022

It’s Almost Election Day!

ACT NOW! – Haven’t voted yet? There’s still time, and we’re here to help. Our June elections article has practical assistance about casting your ballots. We also let you know what the candidates for District Attorney in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties have said about gun control/gun safety, in light of the recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Buffalo, Laguna Woods — and the hundreds more this year you may not have heard about, including 14 over Memorial Day weekend alone. If you’ve already voted, thank you! — your action item for the week is to forward our article and this newsletter to every East Bay resident you know.

Week of May 2nd, 2022

Take Action: Roe v. Wade, the fight’s not over, the battle’s right here!

Deadline: NOW! – Even those of us who thought we were prepared were shattered when Politico published the leaked draft US Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. If you live in California, it’s important to know that legal abortion is very safe here. We also hope you know that isn’t enough – more than half the country is on the brink of having abortion become illegal or unobtainable if Roe is overturned, and we’re damn poor fighters for justice if we sit in safety without helping. And it isn’t just abortion on the edge – no matter what (In)Justice Alito says, this opinion would set the stage to bring down the right to contraception, LGBTQ+ rights, maybe even interracial marriage.

So, be angry if you’re angry – grieve if you need – feel numb if it’s all too much – but read our article because we’re not conceding defeat, we’ve got a list of things you can do to help. And then tell everyone you know, so they can help. The fight has just begun. Again.

Week of April 4th, 2022

Take Action: California For All: StateStrong Advocacy

Deadline: April 20 – California StateStrong, a coalition of Indivisible groups across the state, has issued its annual list of priority state legislation, with 15 bills in five categories: “Economic Justice & Education,” “Racial & Criminal Justice, Gun Reform,” “Climate Justice,” “Healthcare,” and “Democracy Reform & Privacy and Civil Rights.” Thanks to IEB members who voted for your top choices in each category — several of our top bills made it onto CA StateStrong’s list. Our article tells what you can do to help pass two of our favorites — AB 1819, which would prevent corporations with more than 1% in foreign ownership from contributing to political campaigns, and AB 2632, which would begin to reform the form of torture that is solitary confinement.

Week of March 14th, 2022

Take Action: Dude, Where’s My District?

Remember the census? To quote the California Secretary of State’s “California Redistricting” page, CA uses census data “to redraw the Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts based on population changes.” That means that in the June ’22 primary, you may be voting in a new Congressional, State Senate or State Assembly district — you may even be voting in districts not represented by your current electeds. And after the general election, you may have two State Senators — or none! Sound weird? It is. But our article breaks it down for you and tells you what you can do to stay — or get — involved.

Week of January 31st, 2022

Action: Dude, Where’s My District?

Remember the census? To quote the California Secretary of State’s “California Redistricting” page, CA uses census data “to redraw the Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts based on population changes.” That means that in the June ’22 primary, you may be voting in a new Congressional, State Senate or State Assembly district — you may even be voting in districts not represented by your current electeds. And after the general election, you may have two State Senators — or none! Sound weird? It is. But our article breaks it down for you and tells you what you can do to stay — or get — involved.

Get involved!
  • Email info@indivisibleeb.org
  • NEW! Team Garamendi: RSVP here to attend the CA-11 team’s Weds. Feb. 16 meeting with Rep. John Garamendi! Also, join the #moc_team_ca11 channel on IEB Slack to collaborate.
  • Team DeSaulnier: indivisibleca11@gmail.com; join the #moc_team_ca11 channel on IEB Slack to collaborate.
  • Team Lee: join the #moc_team_ca13 channel on IEB Slack to collaborate.
  • Team Swalwell: wardkanowsky@gmail.com; join the #moc_team_ca15 channel on IEB Slack to collaborate.

Week of August 30th, 2021

Action: Total No Recall

Deadline: September 14 – Still unsure what to do about the recall election? First — you need to vote, and vote against the recall. If Newsom is recalled, the lead candidate by a wide margin to replace him is conservative talk-radio host and Trump supporter Larry Elder, who lists himself as pro-life and supports overturning Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion laws up to the states — this, as Texas outlaws most abortions and the Supreme Court lets the law go into effect, and as the Supreme Court itself is about to hear a case that many experts say may lead them to overturn Roe! Elder also opposes the minimum wage, protection against pregnancy discrimination in the workplace, vaccine and mask mandates, environmental regulations on low-income housing, and welfare spending. He’d be an unnatural disaster for the state. Check out our article for info about early voting and drop-off ballot locations near you, voter registration info (you can still register!), and more. And sign up to help! Don’t let California fall to a Trumper — take action!

Week of August 9th, 2021

Action: Still saying no to the recall

Deadline: NOW – Even as we write, ballots are arriving for the September 14 recall election. We know our readers’ opinions vary on this, and that matters to us – but Indivisible East Bay is steadfastly against the recall of Gov. Newsom, for the reasons in our previous article. And more: Over 40 candidates are opposing Newsom (not counting John Cox’s bear), and the odds are huge that if Newsom loses, it’ll be to a Republican. If we lose either of our two Senators before their term ends, the Governor will appoint a replacement. Meaning, ousting Newsom could mean handing the Senate to the GOP. Do you really dislike him that much? Check out these volunteer activities you can help with – think of it as helping keep the Senate from falling! Social media superheroes, help spread the word using this page of customizable posts. And finally, check your registration status, or register to vote online.

Week of July 26th, 2021

Action: What is, Team Indivisible For the Win?

Deadline: why not join us now? – Levar, I’ll take “Political Activism” for $1000: “This zoom session was the most fun activist meeting of the season!” The answer, in the form of a question, is … Our July 25 All Members Meeting — did you miss it? You can still play “Democracy is in Jeopardy!” and take action with us — or make that actions, since we’ve got lots going on. Check out our article for all the things you can do with our National Democracy Reform Working Group, or how to get involved with Janani Ramachandran’s campaign for CA Assembly District 18, plus more about the meeting. And mark your calendars for our next All Members Meeting on Sunday, August 29 at 1 PM — RSVP here.

Week of July 12th, 2021

Action: Deadline for Democracy – still (a little) time left!

Deadline: July 17 event & keep going – On July 7, IEB and several partners hosted a terrific Deadline for Democracy Rally in Oakland to demand the Senate pass S1 – the For The People Act. We need S1 to protect and ensure equal freedom to vote for all — and the Senate needs to abolish or reform the filibuster to make it happen. Don’t be sad if you missed it — democracy reform work is ongoing!

Read more about the Rally and actions you can take in our article!

Week of June 28th, 2021

Action: Just Say No to the Recall

Deadline: July 7 and then keep going – We’re fighting to protect democracy a lot these days. Whether you’re a fan of Gov. Newsom or not, recall elections not based on criminal activity or abuse of office are an abuse of democracy. The campaign to recall and replace Newsom is an election but it’s undemocratic — an attempt to nullify an election by dissatisfied people who don’t want to wait for the next election. (Sound familiar?) In some countries, the government can be unseated by a vote of no confidence. But that’s not how our system works, and we need to say NO. Sign up here for a July 7 text training & text bank, and sign up here to get postcards that you and your friends can send. And pass it on — send our article to five friends in California!

Week of June 7th, 2021

Action: For the People Act, FFS

Deadline: June 21 – You’ve read our past actions and our earlier article about the For the People Act (S.1). Whether you’ve done anything before or not — it’s make or break time now. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he’ll bring a vote on S.1 in the Senate the week of June 21. That means there’s just a little time for us to make a lot of noise, so every Senator and the Democratic leadership — including President Biden — knows this is top priority. And tell our Senators we expect them to be leaders. Call now with the call script below; read more and find many more actions in our article. And pass it on to everyone you know!

What to say:

My name is __________, my address is _________, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling about the For the People Act. This bill is top priority, and I want the Senator to do everything possible to make sure it passes. I hope the Senator will get all [his/her] colleagues to support and vote for it, and let President Biden, Senator Schumer, and all leadership know it’s not negotiable. Any Senator who opposes voting rights or opposes this bill must know that their opposition is unacceptable. If passing the bill means reforming or getting rid of the filibuster — then that must happen.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Alex Padilla (email)
(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Don’t live in CA? Call the Senate switchboard and they’ll connect you to your Senators: (202) 224-3121

Week of May 24th, 2021

Action: Save Rooftop Solar, Stop AB 1139

Deadline: NOW – Hundreds of thousands of Californians have invested in rooftop solar to combat climate change, lower their energy bills, and invest in local communities. Solar energy also helps decrease our reliance on long-distance power lines, which are expensive to build and maintain and are implicated in wildfires and blackouts. Solar’s great, right? Except now AB 1139 would effectively kill incentives for people to add new rooftop solar to their homes, and would heavily penalize people who already have solar. IEB has signed on to a letter opposing this bill. Please call your Assemblymember and State Senator NOW and tell them: oppose AB 1139 and protect residential rooftop solar! We tell you much more in our article, or you can use the script below. But hurry — the legislature is moving fast.

What to say:

My name is _______, my address is ________ and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I am [CALLING/WRITING] to oppose AB 1139. This bill is full of terrible ideas, like slashing the credit solar users get for surplus energy that goes back to the grid, and charging people who have solar an average of $70 a month just to use the grid. California should be a leader in rooftop solar energy. We should keep encouraging solar and making it affordable, not kill it. AB 1139 is a step in the wrong direction.

Assembly:

  • Buffy Wicks: email; District: 510-286-1400; Capitol: 916-319-2015
  • Rob Bonta: email; District: 510-286-1670; Capitol: 916-319-2018
  • Rebecca Bauer-Kahan: email; Capitol (legislative calls): 916-319-2016
  • Bill Quirk: email; Capitol: 916-319-2020; District 510-583-8818
  • Timothy Grayson: email; Capitol: 916-319-2014; District: 925-521-1511

Senate: 

  • Steve Glazer, District 7 (Contra Costa): email; (916) 651-4007; Orinda (925) 258-1176; Antioch (925) 754-1461
  • Nancy Skinner, District 9 (Alameda & Contra Costa): email; (916) 651-4009, Oakland (510) 286-1333
  • Bob Wieckowski, District 10 (Alameda & Santa Clara): email; (916) 651-4010, Fremont (510) 794-3900

Don’t know who your state representatives are, or have friends outside the East Bay? Find legislators & contact info here: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

 

Week of May 10th, 2021

Jan. 6 coup attempt: We need truth & consequences

Deadline: ASAP – Republican Members of Congress who were part of the Jan. 6 insurrection against our democracy want the People to forget what they did, while they double down on racist despotism and punish anyone in their ranks who speaks the truth. Tell your Members of Congress: Don’t work with members who turned their backs on democracy! And tell them we need full investigations led by Democrats; prosecutions of those involved; and a resolution to expel the insurrectionist GOP Members. Find more info & call scripts in our article.

Week of April 12th, 2021

Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Save the USPS

Deadline: Post haste – Louis DeJoy is not the very model of a modern Postmaster General. Since the Banned-from-Twitter-in-Chief appointed him, he’s been trying to cancel many important US Postal Service functions like vote by mail. We’ve made it a priority to save the USPS! Our new action article tells you how to stamp out DeJoy with legislation and ways to expand Post Office services for the underserved — plus, you can get some great pro-P.O. art. One way to take action is below — check out the article for much more! And then you’ve got to wait a minute, wait a minute — don’t forget to spread the word! Help make sure neither snow nor rain nor heat nor DeJoy stays these couriers …

Tell your members of Congress to support the DEJOY Act, to stop Louis DeJoy from gutting the Post Office:

My name is _____, my zip code is _______, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling to urge _______ to support the DEJOY Act. We need the Post Office. It’s central to American democracy, and we can’t let Louis DeJoy destroy it.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Alex Padilla (email)
(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Week of March 29th, 2021

No Fooling, Take Action

Deadline: NOW – No one’ll think you’re an April Fool when you make these calls or pass this info along to friends! Here are highlights of our recent actions. Find more info & call scripts in the linked articles. Forward, March!

  • Fight for Voting Rights: The efforts to pass voter suppression laws are ongoing and so are most of the opportunities listed here.
  • Save Democracy, Kill the Filibuster: Efforts to get rid of the Jim Crow-era, anti-democratic filibuster are looking even better than when we published this action, so call — especially call Sen. Feinstein — today!
  • Support the THRIVE Act: The THRIVE Act is an amazing bill that tackles America’s public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. Thank cosponsors Reps. Lee & DeSaulnier and Sen. Padilla, and tell Sen. Feinstein & Rep. Swalwell to sign on!
  • Stand Against Anti-Asian Violence: No fooling — this is, literally, deadly serious.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Alex Padilla (email)
(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

 

Week of March 15th, 2021

Fight Voter Suppression

Deadline: NOW – We kicked the Vote-Suppressor-in-Chief out and broke the GOP stranglehold on the Senate — now they want to stop folks who vote against them from voting. No vote by mail in Georgia. Nearly two dozen bills to restrict voting in Arizona. Cutting early voting and closing polling places earlier in Iowa. And more. To quote Sen. Raphael Warnock, these restrictions are just “Jim Crow in new clothes.” Join us as we push for nationwide voter protections and resist the suppression efforts directly:

Read more in our article, and share it widely!

Week of March 1, 2021

Action: Kill Fil

Deadline: NOW – Abolishing the filibuster may sound like a boring procedural move – but with a razor-thin Democratic majority in Congress, the filibuster is what stands between us and passing crucial legislation like H.R.1 and S.1, the For the People Act. Senator Padilla has said he’s for abolishing the filibuster — he needs to hear that we’ve got his back and we want him to be a leader. Senator Feinstein says the filibuster “serves a purpose” — she needs to hear that she’s on the wrong side of democracy. Contact them and tell your friends, especially those in Arizona or West Virginia, homes of Democratic Senators Sinema and Manchin, who are on record as supporting the filibuster. All this and more in our article, so spread the word!

What to say to Senator Feinstein:

My name is ________, my zip code is ________, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want Senator Feinstein to fight to abolish the filibuster. We can’t pass the For the People Act and other legislation we need as long as Republicans can block them by filibuster. We need this to undo the damage of the Trump Administration.

What to say to Senator Padilla:

My name is ______, my zip code is ______, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want to thank Senator Padilla for standing up against the filibuster! I want him to keep speaking out, and to do everything he can to convince Senator Feinstein and other Senators to support abolishing the filibuster. Thank you.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Alex Padilla (email)
(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Week of February 15th, 2021

Live Long, Prosper, and THRIVE 
:spock-hand::skin-tone-4:

Deadline: NOW – Last fall, Representative Barbara Lee (CA-13) cosponsored the Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy (THRIVE) Agenda, a framework for economic renewal that addresses America’s public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. In the new Administration, Senator Edward Markey and Rep. Dingell have reintroduced THRIVE. Rep. Lee is an original cosponsor — our other Reps and our Senators haven’t signed on. Tell them we need economic recovery that addresses the many, systemic crises that millions of Americans face.

          What to say to Rep. Swalwell or DeSaulnier and to BOTH Senators Feinstein & Padilla:

My name is _____, my zip code is _____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want ________ to cosponsor the THRIVE Act. We need an economic recovery that looks at all the problems we’re facing. That means creating millions of good, safe jobs with access to unions, and averting climate catastrophe, and investing in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, and more. We can’t wait, we need the THRIVE Act now.

If your Representative is Barbara Lee:

My name is _____, my zip code is _____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want to thank Rep. Lee for cosponsoring the THRIVE Act. We need an economic recovery that looks at all the problems we’re facing. I hope Rep. Lee will persuade other Members of Congress in the East Bay and all over to fight for the THRIVE Act.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Alex Padilla (email)
DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Learn more about the THRIVE Agenda here. Don’t live in the East Bay? Use Indivisible National’s links to tell your Representative and your Senators to cosponsor the THRIVE Act. Got friends who should know about this? Send them this link to this action item.

Week of February 8th, 2021

This Lunar New Year, Stand Against Anti-Asian Violence

You may know of the recent incidents of anti-Asian violence in Bay Area Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Indivisible East Bay stands against anti-Asian hate and bigotry. As Lunar New Year approaches, these incidents cause pain in what should be a time of celebration. We speak as allies and as an organization with AAPI members and leaders: violence and racism are horrifying and unacceptable, here or anywhere. Read our new article here for more on how to stand in cross-cultural solidarity with victims and AAPI communities through this challenging time.

Week of February 1st, 2021

Take Action!

Deadline: NOW – Please welcome brand-new Senator Alex Padilla and tell him we want him to fight for our priorities, including democracy reform and eliminating the filibuster! Good news: Padilla has already cosponsored H.R. 51, statehood for Washington, DC, which is part of the democracy reform ask.

What to say:

My name is ________, my zip code is ________, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling to welcome Senator Padilla. I hope the Senator will work with progressive groups to undo the damage done by the Trump Administration. I want to thank him for supporting statehood for Washington DC. I want him to fight for democracy reform with H.R.1 and to help abolish the filibuster. I look forward to being in touch.

Next, tell our senior Senator Dianne Feinstein that it’s unacceptable for her to praise the “leadership” of Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, her colleagues who supported the January 6 insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol and tried to stop the certification of the Presidential election.

What to say:

My name is _____________, my zip code is __________, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m disgusted that Senator Feinstein has praised Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley and other Senators who tried to stop the vote count in the Jan. 6 attempted coup. Even Mitch McConnell did better than she did. I want Senator Feinstein to speak out against Senators who supported Trump’s attempts at insurrection and insist on investigations, hearings and penalties for these traitors.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Alex Padilla /email)
DC: (202) 224-3553

 

Week of January 18th, 2021

Keep Tenants Housed in the Pandemic 

Deadline: NOW – Tenants across California are losing their homes during the pandemic. The state’s Ellis Act lets landlords evict long-term tenants – usually in rent-controlled areas, and even if they’re paying their rent on time – so they can convert these properties into condos or even Airbnb rentals. Neither the existing statewide eviction moratorium nor a proposed expanded moratorium, AB 15, protect tenants from being evicted under the Ellis Act. Tell your legislators we need legislation providing (1) immediate help – a moratorium on Ellis Act evictions, and (2) long-term reform – a 5-year holding period to keep speculators from buying property for the purpose of immediately flipping it by evicting existing tenants. Read more in our article, but take action TODAY – the deadline to pass a new bill is January 31!

What to say: 

My name is _____, I live in (assemblymember’s name) district and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I am calling to urge _____ to protect tenants in California. The Ellis Act is being used to evict tenants, including low-income, elderly, or disabled people, even if they’re paying rent. It’s not fair to ask people to leave their homes, for no fault of their own, in the middle of a pandemic while a statewide stay-at-home order is in place. I’m asking ____ to support legislation imposing a moratorium on Ellis Act evictions, and also imposing a 5-year holding period and civil penalties for violators.

Rob Bonta: email; 510-286-1670; 916-319-2018
Buffy Wicks: email; 510-286-1400; 916-319-2015
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan: email; 916-319-2016
Bill Quirk: email; 510-583-8818; 916-319-2020
Timothy Grayson: email; 925-521-1511; 916-319-2014
Find your local assemblymember here.

Week of January 4th, 2021

EMERGENCY ACTION: Tell Congress: Remove Trump, NOW


Trump has tried to overturn the election and his enabling toadies in Congresstried to stop the electoral vote certification. He incited his supporters to storm the Capitol, a woman died, and his message was “We love you. You’re very special. I know how you feel.” Trump is a threat to democracy and justice in America and it’s time to stop the madness NOW.

Rep. Ilhan Omar is drawing up articles to impeach Trump, and Rep. Ted Lieu called for Pence to start the 25th Amendment process to remove him from office immediately. It’s only days to the Inauguration, but we don’t have days to spare. We must remove Trump from office now and disqualify him from ever holding federal office again – and also hold those who have enabled him to account.

 

What to do:

Call your Members of Congress. Tell them: Use every power you have to remove Trump from office, NOW. Congress also must ensure nothing like this ever happens again.

What to say:

My name is _____, my zip code is _____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want _____ to support the efforts of Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Ted Lieu to remove Donald Trump from office right away, before he incites more violence or does further damage. I also want them to censure GOP members of Congress who’ve falsely cast doubt on the election results and tried to stop the results from being certified. This includes Mitch McConnell, who supported Trump’s efforts up to the last minute and set the stage for the GOP to try to overthrow democracy.

Contact info:

  • Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
  • Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
  • Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065
  • Sen. Dianne Feinstein: (email); (415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841
  • Sen. Kamala Harris: (email); (415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Post a video: Thanks to Indivisible National, you can record a video heredemanding your representative support the impeachment, conviction and disqualification of Donald Trump.

For more info, see our complete article.

Action #2: Call Your State Reps!

Deadline: NOW THROUGH JAN. 31 – The California Legislature’s in session and this month they’ll finalize the list of bills they’ll consider. Contact your representatives, tell them your name, your zip code, that you’re a member of Indivisible East Bay, and that you care about these things:

  • Renter Protection: A current statewide eviction moratorium protects tenants from being evicted for COVID-related financial distress, but that ends January 31, 2021. Ask your legislators to approve AB 15, the Tenant Stabilization Act of 2021, which would expand tenant protections until January 2022. Also: tenants statewide are being evicted during the pandemic for reasons unrelated to paying rent, such as owners taking properties off the rental market. It’s unfair AND unsafe to force people, especially elderly or disabled tenants, from their homes in the middle of a public health crisis. Ask your legislators to temporarily halt all “no-fault” evictions until 90 days after the statewide public health order is lifted.
  • Sheriff Election Reform: Indivisible East Bay has written about serious problems with the Alameda & Contra Costa Sheriffs’ offices, including immigration abuses, police militarization, and jail expansion. One proposal to address the injustices: do away with the requirement that candidates for Sheriff have law enforcement experience. We also support holding sheriff elections during major election years – they now are at the discretion of the county, often taking place at the midterm primary, when there’s notoriously low turnout.
  • Social Safety Net: We in California must take better care of our struggling residents. This year we should push for broad legislation for social programs such as child allowance or other cash assistance, and single payer healthcare.
State Assembly:
  • Buffy Wicks: email; 510-286-1400
  • Rob Bonta: email; 510-286-1670
  • Rebecca Bauer-Kahan: email; 916-319-2016
  • Bill Quirk: email; 510-583-8818
  • Timothy Grayson: email; 925-521-1511
State Senate:
  • Steve Glazer, District 7 (Contra Costa): email; (916) 651-4007
  • Nancy Skinner, District 9 (Alameda & Contra Costa): email; (916) 651-4009
  • Bob Wieckowski, District 10 (Alameda & Santa Clara): email; (916) 651-4010

Find your CA legislators & contact info here: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

Week of July 27th, 2020

Action #1: NO DELAY! Save the Date – Save the Election

Deadline: RIGHT NOW – Worried the Dictator-in-Chief won’t leave if he loses in November? Now he doesn’t want the November election at all, based on his lies about mail-in vote fraud. Can you say “@#$%!!”? We knew you could! See our article and this fact check to fight internet trolls about vote-by-mail fraud. Good news: He CAN’T do it on his own: The Constitution says Congress sets the election date & changing it would require changing the law. Bad news: The Secretary of State, 4th in line for the Presidency, joins Trump in not knowing/not giving a @#$% about the Constitution. (Fun Constitutional fact: check out what happens on 1/20 if there’s no new president!) GOP Members of Congress are starting to say no. Every Member of Congress needs to say HELL NO.

What You Need To Do:

Tell your Members of Congress to scream bloody murder! Contact info for our East Bay folks is below. Even more important: if you (or any of your friends & relatives) live in an area with GOP MoCs, use the “Find your Member of Congress” link below to get names and full contact info.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Find your Member of Congress: https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative

Action #2: Stop the Stormtroopers

Deadline: Right away! – More “Just say Hell NO” — this is happening in our own cities, unmarked federal agents are tear-gassing and abducting Black Lives Matter protesters. And on their tour list: Oakland! We need our local officials to make sure this doesn’t happen, and we need you to tell them so. That includes Members of Congress, Mayors, City & Town Councils, and local law enforcement. Read our article for call scripts, contact info, and more. Then start calling and emailing. Once they hit our streets, it could be too late.

Week of July 20th, 2020

Action: State Bills Need Your Help

Deadline: ASAP, votes will be scheduled throughout August – The California legislature is set to return from recess next Monday, July 27, and all bills must be passed by August 31 — so with a lot still before them, legislators have tough choices. We’re prioritizing legislation that would support vulnerable communities, end punitive fees for criminal defendants, ways to reduce healthcare costs, and more. Our article tells you what your Assemblymember and Senator need to be asked to do, plus more about other priority bills for what’s left of the legislative session — our article here has all of the info you need and tailored call (or email) scripts!

Week of July 13th, 2020

Action: 100 Days to Election Day Challenge

Action Date: starting July 26, sign up now – In honor of the 100 days milestone, IEB is challenging ourselves — and you — to our biggest electoral Week of Action since 2018. Join us by setting a personal goal of at least 100 voter contact attempts, reaching out to voters to get them involved in our democracy. You could call with a phone bank, text, or write postcards or letters. You might ask voters to sign up to vote by mail, vote for a progressive candidate in an upcoming election, or remind folks how important it is to vote. We make it all easy for you. Plus — prizes! But really — do this because it’s urgent. More info in our article and sign up here.

Week of June 22nd, 2020

Action: Tell Congress: no military weapons for cops

Deadline: July 1 – Wonder why local police look like an army? Surprise: they get “excess” weapons, bought with your tax $$$, from the Pentagon’s budget. Does that sound wrong to you? Tell your Members of Congress to offer an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to include H.R. 1714, the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act – and to fight to repeal the 1033 Program of the NDAA, which lets them get the weapons; and to fight for a major overhaul of defense spending so we no longer have “excess” weaponry to begin with.

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. The federal government shouldn’t give police forces military weapons under the 1033 Program of the NDAA. Please offer an amendment to include H.R. 1714, the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act, in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. We need these restrictions now. Please also fight to repeal and defund the 1033 Program, and to overhaul defense spending. It’s obscene to spend so much on defense that we have excess military weapons to give to police.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Week of June 15th, 2020

Action: Demand Justice on Juneteenth

Deadline: NOW – Lest we forget, we’re not only saying the names of Black lives who matter far away. This Juneteenth — and after — demand justice also for Black lives in our local counties, cities, streets, public transit, schools, and throughout our state. Read our article for lots of things you can do, from affecting police budgets to expressing outrage. Take a little time to make a big difference.

Week of June 8th, 2020

Action: The Police – We’ll be Watching Them

Deadline: NOW – We assume you, like us, want to force change on police departments and police unions that have been responsible for anti-Black bias and violence — and to prevent more from happening in the future. Our article details some of the many local, state, and national efforts to reduce police use of force, increase the ability to investigate law enforcement, and reform police departments with training and accountability. These policy solutions aren’t the only path to change, but they’re things we can tell you about right now — please do them, and tell your friends!

Week of May 25th, 2020

Justice for George Floyd. Black Lives Matter.

Deadline: NOW – The police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck. George Floyd told the officer “I cannot breathe.” A bystander filmed the officer strangling George Floyd, while George Floyd and others begged the officer to stop. George Floyd stopped moving and an ambulance took him to a hospital, where he died. The police statement said that George Floyd was “facing a medical problem.” George Floyd, killed for being suspected of writing a bad check. Or rather: George Floyd, another Black man killed for being a Black man. Demand Justice for George Floyd.

  • Say his name. There’s a reason we’ve said George Floyd’s name so many times: it needs to be said, over and over, so his name becomes engraved in our memories.
  • Sign this petition from Color of Change: Demand that the police officers be arrested and charged with George Floyd’s murder. Tell your friends to text “FLOYD” to 55156 for a link to the petition.
  • Use the hashtag #JusticeForFloyd on social media.
  • It’s not enough to be silently angry — learn what it means to be anti-racist. If you’re a person of privilege, are you talking to your family members about race? Have you considered what your colleagues might be experiencing? Or neighbors? If you put even one of these things into practice, you could be there for the next George Floyd. Or Ahmaud Arbery. Or Breonna Taylor. Or Atatiana Jefferson.

Week of May 18th, 2020

Community Love  in the Time of COVID

Deadline: start now & keep at it – COVID-19 is challenging us all. While the Quack-in-Chief recommends trying bleach and hawks a potentially dangerous medication, lots of people are stepping up to support groups doing good for our East Bay community. Whether you or someone you know needs aid or has some extra time, talent, or money to give, or if you’re one unhinged press conference away from losing it and need a channel for your frustration, see our article for many great ways to give or get help!

Week of May 11th, 2020

Pandemic relief: It’s about survival

Deadline: NOW – Lindsey Graham says the new House pandemic relief bill will be “dead in the water” when it gets to the Senate. Mitch McConnell says “this is not a time for aspirational legislation.” We say, horsepuckey! This bill isn’t pie in the sky: it provides for things Americans have needed and not had for way too long, like $$ for state, local, territorial and tribal governments to pay frontline workers; testing, tracing, and treatment for the virus; worker safety and payroll protection; health coverage, housing assistance, and food security; funding for small businesses; and more. And it still isn’t enough — it doesn’t protect part-time and self-employed workers, for example. But it’s better than the GOP’s priorities, that’s for sure. Time to tell our Members of Congress to tell Mitch to … well. Just tell them we need this bill and we’re counting on them.

What to say:

My name is __, my zip code is __, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. The pandemic relief bill needs to include what we need to survive. Please fight hard to protect us from losing our jobs, homes, and health care at least until the end of the year. Above all we need widespread testing and tracing so economic reopening won’t put us into an endless loop of infection and suffering. This must all be in the stimulus package.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Week of May 4th, 2020

Home is Where the Polling Place Is

Deadline: NOW – 2020 elections, just six months to go! Dr. Anthony Fauci says it’s “in the realm of possibility” to have a COVID vaccine by January 2021 – fingers crossed the Clorox-injector-in-chief is history by then! – but we won’t have a vaccine by Election Day. So to the pile of coronavirus problems, add safe voting in November. One solution: Voting at home and mailing or dropping off ballots. But that’ll take huge infrastructure changes to work nationwide, and those don’t come cheap. Without this funding for elections, many Americans will be forced to make a terrible choice: risk getting COVID or don’t vote. There’s much you need to do NOW to support funding for voting at home, plus oversight of the funding. Here’s a call script & contact info. Check out our article for more info and things you can do.

What to say:

My name is _____, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want Congress to authorize $4 billion dollars for all Americans to be able to vote at home in the November election. And the money needs to come with public oversight to make sure it gets spent properly. Do not allow CARES 2 to pass without this funding. It’s un-American to force us to choose between our health and the right to vote.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Week of April 20th, 2020


Deadline: NOW – Day Eleventy-nine of the bailout (O weary reckoning!), and Congress still hasn’t gotten it right. (Yes, we blame Shake Shack and Ruth’s Chris getting small biz $$ on Congress – even Shakespeare knew about oversight.) Indivisible National’s website has a “People’s Bailout for Coronavirus” campaign with lots of info and simple ways to record & send videos to your Members of Congress saying:Bailout for the People

Camera-shy? No problem, an old-fashioned call or email is also great! 

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. The COVID assistance bills that Congress has passed so far haven’t done nearly enough to help workers, communities, or small businesses, haven’t protected our elections or safeguarded workers’ rights, and have been manipulated to favor states that Trump likes and punish those that he doesn’t. Congress needs to do better. I’m counting on you to fight for a bailout that puts people before politics and profits.

Want to say more? We like these points from Indivisible National: Protect our democratic processes while protecting each other; make health the top priority for all people; provide economic relief directly to the people; rescue workers and communities, not corporate executives; make a down payment on a regenerative economy, while preventing future crises Send our article to friends & family!

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email); (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email); (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email); (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Week of April 13th, 2020

We are not a virus

Deadline: NOW and always –

Hate crimes have risen exponentially against Asian American Pacific Islanders since Trump maliciously misnamed the coronavirus the “Chinese virus.” Since then, incidents against AAPIs have been documented from the Bay Area to NYC, causing the FBI to warn that there could be a surge in anti-Asian crimes. Despite the stabbings, spitting, and other vicious acts, the government has been slow to react, let alone protect or defend AAPIs in a meaningful way. Once again, it’s on us to protect ourselves, our neighbors and our community. Read our article to learn how to stand up to bigotry, report incidents, and help us fight the virus, not the people.

Week of April 6, 2020

Action #1: Tell Congress: Fund small businesses

Deadline: NOW – As soon as money to help small businesses from the last COVID stimulus bill was available, banks were overwhelmed with loan applications in a first-come-first-served stampede. Less than a week later the Treasury Dept. is reportedly preparing to ask Congress for another $200 billion. Congress needs to do better now than it did last time, including proper oversight. Our article has a call script, contact info for our MoCs, and a letter from an IEB member with a personal story. Small businesses are the backbone of our country, and the East Bay is a place where neighborhood businesses matter to all of us – please speak up!

Action #2: Save the USPS, save our right to vote!

Deadline: Right away! – It’s reported that without an infusion of $$, the US Postal Service may have to close by June. That would mean little chance of vote by mail being widely available before November’s elections. VBM has its problems, but without it during a pandemic you’ve got the Wisconsin primary, where voting literally meant risking your life. The Vote-Suppresser-in-Chief doesn’t like the USPS and doesn’t like VBM … Tell your MoCs they must make sure the next stimulus bill includes necessary funding for USPS, and to cosponsor the Resilient Elections bills (H.R. 6202 and S. 3440). You’ll find everything you need to send them the message in our article.

Action #3: Help Oakland get counted in the Census

Deadlines: Send out postcards on April 28 & May 13 – Help ensure a complete 2020 Census count by writing informational postcards to historically under-counted neighborhoods in Oakland now through mid-May. Join Women’s March Oakland, United Way Bay Area and Alameda County Complete Count Committee by signing up at this link, they’ll get you everything you need to reach out to 10 households: postcards, stamps, addresses & instructions, all delivered to your home/inbox. And if you haven’t yet filled out your census form, do that NOW! See our article.

Week of March 23rd, 2020

Action #1: COVID bills: help people, not corporations

Deadline: NOW – Congress is working right now to pass much-needed relief for everyone suffering during – and because of – the coronavirus. But there’s a problem: although events are in flux, as of this writing there’s one bill in the Democratic-controlled House, and a different bill in the Republican-controlled Senate, and one of them aims to protect people while the other one protects mainly big corporations. You get one guess which is which. We need YOU to contact our Members of Congress NOW to make sure this country protects people, not big corporations – our article has all the details.

Action #2: Safe elections in the time of COVID

Deadline: Right away! – To vote, or not to vote? To vote, of course (check your registration)! How and when to vote safely during the pandemic? We Californians don’t have to deal with this for our primary, but other states are grappling with hard questions around their upcoming primaries, and this must be addressed nationwide to prepare for November’s elections. How to preserve both public health and our democratic processes? Enter the brand-new Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020, which would help states expand vote-by-mail for this November’s election. Our Senators have co-sponsored it; the GOP is already opposing it. Read our article and find out how you can help.

Action #3: Sit down and be counted

Deadline: Dates vary, do it ASAP – You already organized your sock drawer and baked way too many chocolate chip cookies. You didn’t? oh … never mind, neither did we! But seriously, whether you’re busy or bored, you gotta take a few minutes to fill out your census. Read our earlier article on why it’s so important, and our new article about what to do. And then do it as soon as you’re able (dates vary according to situation, if you got a notice in the mail, please fill yours out immediately). We need to let the Undercounter-in-Chief know that we’re here.

Week of March 9th, 2020

Action #1: Touch your phone, not your face

Deadline: NOW – The Fact-Destroyer-in-Chief is mismanaging the COVID-19 crisis and endangering our lives and health. Take a deep breath – and then take action. Read our article, pick up your phone, open your email, and tell our Members of Congress to do everything they can to make sure that the effort to contain the spread of coronavirus is managed properly by the people who know what they’re doing.

Action #2: Activism in the time of COVID

Deadline: RIGHT AWAY – Every new headline seems to reduce the things we should leave the house for. And maybe staying home is your happy place anyway? We’ve got news for you: political work is not “non-essential”! Read our article to find out how we’re still working together to fight the Ignoramus-in-Chief who told us the spread of coronavirus is “contained.” Even if “together” doesn’t necessarily mean actually, you know, face to face. And wash your hands.

Action #3: Don’t stop believing

Deadline: THIS SECOND – How ya feeling about the presidential primary? Fired up? Pissed off? Blah? The stark fact is, no matter who the blue standard bearer was, the Destroyer-of-Worlds-in-Chief was gonna be the GOP nominee, and you gotta believe that’s worse. Check out this piece on why it’s so important to believe in whoever goes up against him, whether that person was your candidate or not – and why it’s so important to believe that we can win in November. Still can’t see yourself working for the nominee? There’s no sitting it out – see this Buzzfeed article about how you can still be involved in Blue Wave 2020!

Week of February 24th, 2020

Action #1: SHIELD against election interference

Deadline: Until our Senators get off their seats to protect our elections – Are you anxious about foreign interference in our elections? Worried about how it put the Popular-Vote-Loser-in-Chief in the White House, what it might do in this election? You should be. Our Senators should be too. The Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy (SHIELD) Act, S.2669, passed the House but Mitch McConnell is sitting on it in the Senate. Tell our Senators they need to sponsor the SHIELD Act and force votes — like we saw them do during the impeachment trial. If they don’t do everything they can to protect our elections, they shouldn’t be in the Senate. Info & call scripts in our article.

Action #2: Hey – yes, you

Deadline: Right away! – Whatcha doing? Got a minute? Great! The Current Occupant isn’t gonna replace himself, and we need to get Democrats all the way down the 2020 ticket voted in. It can happen! But it’s gonna take work. Hey, you said you had a minute, so:

Action #3: If ya don’t vote, ya can’t complain

Disenchanted with the debates? Worried your top candidate may not have a good chance to win the nomination, but just don’t want to vote for one you think may be more popular? Tired of the whole thing? We’re hearing all this, and we have one thing to say: VOTE ANYWAY. We wouldn’t dream of telling you who to vote for, or whether it’s better to go with your heart or to try to be tactical … but for the love of all we hold dear, VOTE. And make sure your friends vote, too — even if it’s for someone else. Sitting this one out abdicates your voice in our democracy. Don’t do that. In case you forgot: the CA Presidential Primary is next Tues., March 3. VOTE. Info & resources in our article.

Week of February 17th, 2020
Tell UC – Reject religious limits on health care!

Deadline: FRIDAY, FEB. 21 –DO THIS NOW! Our NARAL Pro-Choice California allies alerted us that the University of California — which serves nearly two million patients a year, and trains over 14,000 health professionals throughout UC — has affiliations with health systems that prevent delivery of essential reproductive health care services. That means in some situations UC medical professionals can’t provide LGBTQ+ inclusive care, abortion care, miscarriage management, tubal ligation — even contraception. UC is seeking feedback on this arrangement, but the deadline is this Friday, Feb. 21, so please act now by submitting your comments here! And please share this action with your friends by sharing our blog post, which also has more info. Anyone can comment, no need to live in California or have any connection with UC.

What to say – please customize this message:

My name is _____, I live in [town/city/state] and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. [If you have an affiliation with the University of California, say what it is.] I’m calling on you to reject religiously imposed limits outlined in this report. The University of California needs to end affiliations that discriminate against women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

No one should be denied care because of religious interference. UC is a public healthcare institution and has an obligation to ensure that patients receive appropriate care. You put Californians’ health in real jeopardy by failing to provide this care.

Week of February 10th, 2020

Action #1: No justice, no Senate biz as usual

Deadline: NOW – We thought the Impeached-in-Chief might be too busy hate-tweeting his Dem opponents to engage in blatant corruption, but he made time to interfere in the administration of justice. Lindsay Graham says the Judiciary Committee won’t make AG Barr testify about overruling the sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone. Let’s thank Senators Harris and Feinstein for condemning what Barr & Trump are doing — now they must shut things down ’til it happens. More in our article: tailored scripts for our Members of Congress, START CALLING! 

Action #2: If you’re angry and you know it

Deadline: Right away! – Yeah, we know GOP Senators are a pack of lily-livered cowards. No one blames you for going off to be furious or hide from the news for a bit. But it’s only gonna get worse unless WE ALL do something, and we have a slew of suggestions in our article.

Action #3: CA Primary registration deadline

For Pete’s sake — or Liz’s, or Bernie’s, or Amy’s, or whoever you like’s — make sure you’re registered to vote in the CA Presidential Primary. The primary is Tuesday, March 3, 2020, and your voter registration deadline is Tuesday, February 18. Even if you think you’re all set, check our article for important info & deadlines you may not know about, & tell your friends!

Week of January 28th, 2020

The Senate may vote before the end of this week on whether witnesses will be allowed in the impeachment trial. And if that vote fails, the Senate could vote to acquit right then. That means that you, and everyone you know, have to call your Senators NOW and demand the Senate hold a fair and open impeachment trial with relevant witnesses and documents. Operators are standing by; we wish we could offer BOGO on this deal, but we have something you can’t afford to lose — Democracy!

Our article has ways you can call, and get others to call, and what to say, and more. Because right matters. And truth matters. And truth requires witnesses. Don’t wait — CALL NOW!

Week of January 20th, 2020

Action #1: Demand a fair impeachment trial

Deadline: NOW, the trial is ON – What do we want? Impeachment! No, seriously, what do we want? A real impeachment trial, not a mockery rigged by the GOP who don’t give a … fig … for Constitutional checks and balances, Congress’ oversight, the truth, or rules. House Impeachment lead manager Adam Schiff is reading them the riot act, and Senate Dems are voting in unity to allow witnesses and documents, against the Republicans’ cover-up. But our Senators can’t do this without our support. Democracy: Not a spectator sport. What can you do? Call our CA Senators NOW. Read our article for more info, and for call scripts to share with out-of-state friends.

What to say:

My name is _______, my zip code is _____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Thank you for working for a fair and open impeachment trial, and for voting NO on the Republican resolution that would allow the Senate to hold a mockery of a trial. And thank you for forcing the Senate to take public votes that show how far the GOP is willing to go to cover for Trump. I’m counting on you to keep fighting for a fair and open trial with witnesses and documents, and to keep holding Republicans accountable to their sworn duty.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Don’t sit down after the March!

Deadline: We marched … time to act – This past weekend was the fourth Women’s March since the Caveman-in-Chief came to DC (and let’s make it the last of his tenure!). We’ve got two actions you can take from Oakland’s rally:

  • Help get a complete Census count, to make sure all our voices are heard at the polls 
  • Help get Prop 13 reform onto November’s CA ballot, so corporations pay their fair share of property tax and support our schools

Read our article for lots of details and background info as well as reports & actions from other Marches, plus great photos!

Action #3: Appraising Arizona

Deadline: Election day – Indivisible East Bay’ers Ted Lam, Alissa McLean and Andrea Lum headed out earlier this month to canvass in Phoenix and Sedona, Arizona. Who’d think that standing in parking lots at Wal-Marts and strip malls would lead to amazing conversations? We would! And by the time you finish reading our article, you’ll want to canvass in the cactus, too, or at least phonebank — we tell you all about how you can do it. 

Week of January 13th, 2020

Tell Sen. Feinstein: No more nukes!

Deadline: right now – In government you can make pretty speeches, but often what really matters is when Congress says how much money they will allocate for what. The 2020 National Defense Authorizations Act (NDAA) allocates a LOT of money for further development of nuclear weapons and delivery systems — and Senator Feinstein voted for it. Her record on nuclear weapons is generally good, in this administration and before — even noting Congress’s role to prevent acquiring or developing nuclear weapons the country “doesn’t need.” We’re concerned that now she may be listening to those urging her in the other direction. It’s up to US: tell her you’re worried she voted for the 2020 NDAA, and you want her to stand firm against further funding for or approval of nuclear development. Read our article for more information and background.

Contact Sen. Feinstein: 202-224-3841 / email

Please call and keep calling until you get through. Phones ringing off the hook have an impact that full inboxes can’t match. Better yet, call first and follow up with an email!

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want to thank Senator Feinstein for standing up against increasing nuclear weapons development in the past. But I’m worried about her vote for the 2020 NDAA because it mandates more spending on nuclear weapons components and delivery systems. I want Senator Feinstein to stand firm against further nuclear funding or development.

Week of January 6th, 2020

Action #1: War, HUH, what is it good for? Absolutely NOTHING! 

Deadline: ASAP! – The Aggressor-in-Chief rang in 2020 in his special way, by attacking Iran. He had neither Congressional authorization nor evidence for his claim of imminent threat, as the Constitution and War Powers Act require. No shock, Iran swiftly retaliated. While Trump postures, it’s up to Congress to keep us out of war — a war which, terrifyingly, many Americans seem to want. Pick up your phones NOW and ask our Members of Congress to support legislation to prevent unauthorized war. Read our article for more info and customized call scripts. Please especially call Sen. Feinstein, (415) 393-0707; DC: (202) 224-3841 (call the DC number if you can) — her office tells us calls are hugely pro-war, and she’s our only MoC who hasn’t spoken out against Trump’s warmongering!

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ______, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I do NOT want the US to go to war with Iran. I would like Senator Feinstein to speak out against Trump’s unauthorized military aggression, and I hope she’ll do everything possible to prevent war with Iran and ban the use of funds for unauthorized war. Please support Senator Kaine’s War Powers Resolution and AUMF amendment, and Senator Sanders’s anti-funding resolution.

Action #2: Blue is a Primary color. Vote. 

Deadline: Now and ongoing – It’s finally 2020 — time for the Blue Tsunami! The CA Presidential Primary is Tuesday, March 3, 2020, and you need to be ready. Double-check that your voter registration is accurate — and are you sure you and your friends will be able to vote for the candidate of your choice in the primary? Are all your eligible family and friends registered? Do you want to vote by mail? Our article has the important facts and deadlines you need: read it, bookmark it, pass it around!

Action #3: Flipping Arizona from A to Z

Deadline: Many! – Have you heard IEB is busy Raising Arizona…voters? With our official partners Flip the West, we’re ready to flip Independent voters (one-third of all registered AZ voters) blue! Building off the ’18 Blue Wave, FtW’s strategy is to support grassroots groups embedded in winnable Western states. AZ is first up, with their key primary in early March, so take the 3:10 train to our first phone bank on Jan. 19 in El Cerrito!  Read our article to find out what else Yuma can do to help!

Week of December 9th, 2019

Action #1: Oppose unjust asylum regulations

Deadline: Comments due January 13, 2020 – Refugees have a legal right to asylum in the U.S. if they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country for specific reasons. Horribly, though, the persecutor-in-chief has handed immigration policy over to white nationalist, immigration hater Stephen Miller. The latest: newly-proposed DHS Security regulations put up more barriers, like making it nearly impossible for asylum claimants to get work permits. The comment period on the proposed regs ends January 13, so please make your voice heard by submitting a comment. Read our article for more info & guidance on what to say.

Action #2: Make sure Dems debate election security

Deadline: Submit questions by 12/13 – Our dedicated readers know: our elections are under threat, our election security & infrastructure need urgent help, and there are solutions but Congress is blocking funding. Now we have a chance to get this crucial info out to the whole country and hear some solutions! PBS & Politico, hosts of the upcoming Dec. 19 Democratic debate, want to know what we want them to ask the candidates. Let’s hear them debate election security and how they’d solve the problems. You have until Dec. 13 to submit questions on PBS’s form and Politico’s form. See our questions in our article — please copy & paste to submit them yourselves, and spread the word so as many people as possible ask them to explore this critical issue.

Action #3: Gifts that really do keep on giving

Deadline: No time like the present(s) – We survived Black Friday & Cyber Monday. This holiday season, if you’re going to give or get gifts, how about a donation to a charity that helps immigrants and refugees? Charity Navigator has this list of organizations that includes their ratings of the charities’ efficacy. And see our list of local & national groups that deserve your support and donations, in our prior article.

Week of December 2nd, 2019

Action #1: Oppose unjust asylum regulations

Deadline: Comments due January 13, 2020 – Refugees have a legal right to asylum in the U.S. if they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country for specific reasons. Horribly, though, the persecutor-in-chief has handed immigration policy over to white nationalist, immigration hater Stephen Miller. The latest: newly-proposed DHS Security regulations put up more barriers, like making it nearly impossible for asylum claimants to get work permits. The comment period on the proposed regs ends January 13, so please make your voice heard by submitting a comment. Read our article for more info & guidance on what to say.

Action #2: Make sure Dems debate election security

Deadline: Submit questions by 12/13 – Our dedicated readers know: our elections are under threat, our election security & infrastructure need urgent help, and there are solutions but Congress is blocking funding. Now we have a chance to get this crucial info out to the whole country and hear some solutions! PBS & Politico, hosts of the upcoming Dec. 19 Democratic debate, want to know what we want them to ask the candidates. Let’s hear them debate election security and how they’d solve the problems. You have until Dec. 13 to submit questions on PBS’s form and Politico’s form. See our questions in our article — please copy & paste to submit them yourselves, and spread the word so as many people as possible ask them to explore this critical issue.

Action #3: Gifts that really do keep on giving

Deadline: No time like the present(s) – We survived Black Friday & Cyber Monday. This holiday season, if you’re going to give or get gifts, how about a donation to a charity that helps immigrants and refugees? Charity Navigator has this list of organizations that includes their ratings of the charities’ efficacy. And see our list of local & national groups that deserve your support and donations, in our prior article.

Week of November 18, 2019

Action #1: Tell our state reps: shine some light on PG&E

Deadline: December 13 & keep it up – Hope your electricity is on & you have the energy to tell your state legislators: it’s time to hold PG&E accountable. The California Public Utilities Commission has voted to make PG&E improve how it prevents catastrophic wildfires & deals with planned outages, and to call them to account for their poor performance. The state’s utility companies must report to the CPUC by Dec. 13. Let’s make sure they don’t slip through a loophole. Tell your state reps to insist on a thorough investigation of PG&E, support legislation to adequately protect CA residents and PG&E consumers, and support actual sanctions for wrongdoing. We’ve got lots more info, call scripts and contact info at our illuminating article.

Action #2: But his emails! Stephen Miller must go

Deadline: Right away! – It’s in writing, over & over — over 900 emails from White House senior adviser Stephen Miller to Breitbart editors in 2015 & ’16, revealed in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Nov. 12 Hatewatch report. You’ll need Dramamine: white nationalism, hatred toward communities of color and immigrants, all in keeping with the administration’s worst anti-immigrant policies that Miller created. Lawmakers are demanding that Miller resign or be fired, including Rep. Lee, who answered a HuffPo survey, and Rep. DeSaulnier, who has spoken out — please thank them! We’re still waiting to hear from Rep. Swalwell and Senators Feinstein and Harris — tell them to speak out NOW. Read our article for more info.

Action #3: Cold SNAP hitting the poor & hungry

Deadline: Comments due December 2 – Cutting back the SNAP program that gives food aid to needy people is a high priority of this administration. This winter’s new proposal will mostly affect people who live in cold climes, so they can be both cold AND hungry. You have until Dec. 2 to submit comments here, to try to keep the Grinch-in-Chief from having his way. Read our article to find out more about this mean-spirited attempt and how you can help stop it.

Week of November 11, 2019

Action #1: Fight for immigrants’ path to residency

Deadline: Act NOW & join Nov. 19 rally – Help fight for a pathway to permanent residency for over a million longtime U.S. residents at risk of losing their legal status under Trump administration attacks. On Tues. Nov. 19 the El Cerrito City Council will vote on a proclamation titled “In Support of Protections from Deportation and a Path to Permanent Residency for Beneficiaries of DACA, TPS and DED” — 7 PM at EC City Hall. Come early for a rally outside City Hall from 5:30-6:30 PM. ALL are welcome, not just EC residents. And right now, tell Senators Feinstein and Harris to fight for protections from deportation and a path to permanent residency for longtime residents. Read more in our article!

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code  is ______, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Please do all you can in the Senate to fight for protections from deportation and a path to permanent residency for longtime residents, including pushing for a similar bill to H.R. 6, which the House passed on June 4, 2019. I’m counting on Senator ____ to be a leader in fighting against the Trump administration’s racist anti-immigration policies.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Potluck & postcards at AMM

Event date: All Members Meeting Nov. 24 – Don’t miss IEB’s November All Members Meeting! Party with us in Sports Basement Berkeley’s Community Room on Sunday, November 24, from 1 to 3 PM. Yes, party! It’s a potluck, so bring food or drink to share if you can (though please no alcohol — SB doesn’t allow it). We’ll celebrate the good VA & KY election news, recap our VA electoral work & strategy, and start to look ahead to the 2020 election. Bring friends — this is a fun, low-key way to introduce them to IEB! Read more here and RSVP here.

Action #3: Time to build Blue Tsunami 2020

Deadline: Start now! – Our Canadian neighbors can’t get over our crazy long election season, but it gives us Yanks more time to mobilize, eh? And with less than a year ’til election day, don’t wait — as they say, “2020 starts now.” In our “Phone! Canvass! More!” section below we list great local groups we partner with, all offering lots of ways we’ll make the Blue Tsunami happen. This week we feature Swing Left East Bay, whose goals are to flip Arizona and Colorado senate seats, hold CA-10 and CA-21 Congressional seats, & more. They have letter-writing parties, canvassing in & out of state, and more. Sign up for their updates here. And can you help IEB organize electoral events? Join our #election channel on Slack. For an invite to Slack, drop us a line at info@indivisibleeb.org

Week of November 4, 2019

Action #1: Election Security Day of Action & John Oliver!

Deadline: 11/13 Day of Action –  No, not clickbait — really, John Oliver! Maybe you haven’t read our earlier amazing but wonky articles on why election security is national security and why the Senate needs to sign off on the $600 million authorized to secure our voting machines. But now you can watch John Oliver tell you about it, and be inspired and join the Nov. 13 nationwide Day of Action to tell the Senate we need this money to protect our democracy. Read our article and get out there!

Action #2: Menashi: unfit to sit

Deadline: Right away! – There’s so much bad news about federal Court of Appeals nominee Steven Menashi, we can’t fit it in this little space. The Senate Judiciary Committee just voted to advance him to a vote by the full Senate, though we don’t yet have a date (and predicting the Senate is above our pay grade). Fortunately, Senators Feinstein and Harris have already spoken out about his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad record. Thank them, give them the support they need, and ask them to do all they can to get their colleagues to vote NO — even Sen. Susan Collins is on board, we can win this one! Read our article to find out how.

Action #3: Watching the debaters 

Deadline: RSVP now, space limited – Friends don’t let friends watch presidential debates alone! Join IEB’s CA-11 Team on Weds. 11/20, at 5:30 PM in the Scene Room at El Cerrito’s Rialto Cinema, at 10070 San Pablo Ave. as we watch the debate, enjoy refreshments from the theater (not just popcorn!), and discuss the candidates and how to make sure the eventual nominee beats the Villain-in-Chief. Seating is limited, so be sure to RSVP! Check out our article for more info about the event & the CA-11 Team — all are welcome, not just CA-11 residents.

Week of October 28, 2019

Action #1: The fire this time

Deadline: Now. The crisis is NOW – We lost power and are breathing smoke, and fires raged and continue to rage to the north and south — again. Our hearts go out to all those affected, including our colleagues in Indivisible Healdsburg and Indivisible Petaluma. At the same time, we’re outraged, and our article gives you ways to fight for environmental justice, support immigrants and undocumented families, help fire victims, and more.

Action #2: Protect migrants from forced DNA grab

Deadline: Comment due Nov. 12 – The Dept. of (In)justice again targets our most vulnerable communities, with a new rule that would require DHS to forcibly take DNA from immigrants in detention centers. Learn much more about the rule in our article, where we also give info on how to file your comment — by November 12 — and supply suggestions for what you can say to fight this intrusion into migrants’ rights.

Action #3: Come support Tax the Rich 

Deadline: Join us Nov. 6 – Hear ye, hear ye, rich people should pay more taxes! If you agree, join us at the Tax the Rich event on Nov. 6 at SF City Hall. Taxing the rich benefits everyone, it’s a matter of social justice and economic justice, and it makes sense (plus cents). Read our article for more info on the event, and to find out why it’s so important for you to join this movement!

Week of October 21, 2019

Action #1: What’s the budget got to do with hate?

Deadline: Now, before another racist budget or shutdown – The Wallhead-in-Chief and his administration have abused this country’s budget and their budgetary authority time & again to achieve their racist goals. Our Congressional procedure experts break it down for you and tell you how to tell our Members of Congress: don’t allow this continued abuse of the budget process and don’t let our money fund anti-immigrant racism! Read all about it.

Action #2: Help KY Dems Turn the Bluegrass State Blue

Deadline: ASAP, election is 11/5 – Kentucky is the Bluegrass State, so why’s it still red? Democrat Andy Beshear is running for Governor against Republican incumbent Matt Bevin in a Nov. 5 election that’s predicted to be very close. You can help the whole Democratic slate win this critical horse race, whether you can travel to Kentucky, make calls or write postcards from the comfort of your own home, or more  — read our article for all the details.

Action #3: Lights, Camera, Take Action!

Sunday, October 27, 1 PM – Indivisible East Bay presents a two-act (and all action) event this Sun. Oct. 27! Charlie Varon, half of the creative duo behind The Great American Sh*t Show, takes center stage in the Community Room of Sports Basement Berkeley in a special performance that will speak to the postcarder, canvasser, text or phone banker in us all. Then, choose yer adventure: get a juicy role in the model House Judiciary Impeachment Hearing or write letters to ask voters in VA to vote, with Vote Forward. Let us know you’re coming and we’ll save you a seat!

Week of October 14, 2019

Action #1: Talk of the Town: Trump administration racism

Event date: October 19 – Notice the glaring lack of questions at the debate on how to tackle the Trump administration’s racism & all it has spawned? We clearly can’t wait for the mainstream media to do the right thing. This Sat. Oct. 19, hear IEB’s own Linh Nguyen and other experts, including Texas Rep. Al Green — champion of impeachment resolutions — at a Town Hall hosted by the Equal Justice Society. You’ll especially want to hear Linh talk about how YOU can help remedy the effects of the Racist-in-Chief and his administration. At the Oakland Marriott; public transit accessible. Please note, security will be present. Free, but registration is requested. More info & register here.

Action #2: Roll On Over to ACA Open Enrollment 

Deadline: By December 15 – It’s that time of year — before the holidays kick off in full swing, make sure you & your loved ones have health insurance coverage for 2020! Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, 2019. It’s not surprising if you haven’t heard much about this, since the Plaguebringer-in-Chief cut spending on promotion & ads to educate the public on the deadlines — again! — as part of his pet initiative to undermine or roll back anything by the Obama Administration (from Iran Deal to lightbulbs). But have no fear — we’ve got what you need to know about ACA Open Enrollment in this article.

Action #3: It’s a bird, it’s a dog …? 

Deadline: Go ahead, do it now – Birddogging? No, we haven’t bred a new species, we’re talking about how you can get your elected officials and political candidates to talk about important issues that even the media may be ignoring. All you need is a couple of friends, some planning, and a willingness to show up at their public events. Read our article to find out how to turn a cute photo-op into a serious opportunity to push them and get them on the record!

Week of October 7, 2019

Action #1: Tick tock, knock knock! 

Deadline: Yes, right NOW – We resisters DO chew gum & walk at the same time! As we push to impeach the Traitor-in-Chief and his minions (chew ’em up & spit ’em out), we also walk & knock doors to register voters, GOTV, and more! There are countless elections we must work on to flip it ALL from red 2 blue, and to defend the vulnerable and underserved. And it’s scary how quickly the months will pass before the March presidential primary and the moment of truth Nov. ’20 presidential election. See our article for events organized by IEB and by amazing local groups we work with. Whatever your skills or experience, no matter how much time you have, we all must do something, please help in any way you can! 

Action #2: All for Kava-naught

Deadline: Don’t wait, the Court’s already in session – While Constitutional scholars try to tell the Dunce-in-Chief that Senators can’t be impeached, we note that federal judges CAN be. Brett Kavanaugh, we’re looking at you, time’s up. Our own Sen. Harris has called on the House Judiciary Committee to open an inquiry, saying it’s the only way to pursue the truth after the sham of his confirmation hearings. Rep. Ayanna Pressley introduced H.Res 560, which Rep. Barbara Lee has cosponsored. SCOTUS pocus, let’s end this mockery of justice – our article gives you easy ways to tell all our Members of Congress to support impeaching Kavanaugh.

Action #3: Hear ye? No, hear us! 

Deadline: Sign up by next week – Hey, let’s put on a show! With folks from Indivisible SF and others, we’re going to write, perform, and videotape a model House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearing, to be held near the end of October. We want to show Congress what we need them to do: save the country! It’ll run like a real (if condensed) hearing, laying out the case with segments for each article of impeachment, and more. Roles of representatives and witnesses will be performed by… us! It takes a village to raze a childish, corrupt president – can you or people you know help? Read our article for lots more info, including the wide range of things you can do to join in, and sign up at this link.

Week of September 30, 2019

Action #1: Impeach & Dis-Barr Barr

Deadline: Now & till he’s out – As patriotic whistleblowers and intrepid reporters shine light on the Current (not for long?) Occupant’s abuses of power, also illuminated are his colluding toadies’ high crimes. It’s time to ferret out what AG Bill “Cover Up” Barr has been up to! Mr. Meltdown in Chief has gotten away with obstructing justice and endangering our national security largely due to Barr’s collusion & cover. Tell your Members of Congress to keep speaking out, and to investigate and open an impeachment inquiry into the AG’s dirty dealings. Read our article for more info on what a Barr impeachment inquiry may focus on, and talking points tailored to our MoCs.

Action #2: Registration Nation

Deadline: Right away – Didja miss Nat’l Voter Registration Day (Sept. 24)? No worries – you still have time to register, to CHECK your registration, and to make sure everyone eligible you know is registered to exercise our most valuable duty and right, to vote. Find a treasure trove of info & resources in our article about elections and voting. And pass on this easy to remember link — vote.org – it’ll connect people in any state with the voting info they need!

Action #3: Not 2 late 2 help VA

Deadline: RSVP now for Oct. 7 & 21 – Since June, we’ve been spreading the good word of Reclaim Our Vote, writing to underrepresented voters in Virginia. Come join us in Oakland as we enjoy popcorn, good company, and fun, effective activism! A $5 donation gets you 10 postcards & stamps, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. We’ve already sent more than 850 postcards to VA voters! RSVP to join us on October 7 or October 21 from 6:45-8:45 PM and help us reach 1,000! Location & details sent after you RSVP. Can’t make it, or want more info about Reclaim Our Vote? Email Andrea at andrea@indivisibleeb.org 

Week of September 23, 2019

Action #1: Impeachment harvest: our demands

Deadline: Save it or lose it – Historic date: Sept. 23, 2019, the impeachment dam finally broke. As lagging House Democrats scrambled to get on the right side of history, Speaker Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry into the Extortionist-in-Chief’s high crimes and misdeeds. We’re energized to keep the pressure on Congress, to keep the momentum going, and to unite to fight trolling, lying, and pressure from the forces of evil. Find out what you can do in our article, from thanking our East Bay Reps, to taking direct action, and lots in between!

Action #2: Strike back at climate inaction

Deadline: Before we lose Greenland – Last Friday, tens of thousands of people, youth and allies, gathered in San Francisco to join the Global Climate Strike. People all over the world are galvanized by the wise words of Greta Thunberg into taking action. Read our article for more on what our international IEB team witnessed, and what you can do to lower the earth’s thermometer.

Action #3: Everyone counts

The 2020 Census is coming! A complete count of “all persons” living in the US will determine how many Congressional seats each state gets and how much federal funding states and communities get. Given the Xenophobe-in-Chief’s attempts to suppress the count by adding a citizenship question, our concern that vulnerable communities will be undercounted looms large. The Urban Institute reports that CA has the greatest undercount risk; and that’s our schools, roads, and other public services at risk of losing money. Read our article to learn about how YOU can help ensure an accurate count (there are even some paying jobs!)

 

Week of September 16, 2019

Action #1: Change the regime with ice cream! 

Deadline: Sundae Sept. 29 – Raise a spoon if you think the resistance runs on ice cream! We’ll gather for the Sept. All Members Meeting at IBEW Local Union Hall in Dublin with bowls in one hand, and phones in the other, as we dial for democracy & register people to vote. Also, Livermore Indivisible’s Kyoko Takayama will talk about GOTC (Get Out the Census!) efforts in Alameda County, and we’re happy to welcome Dennessa Atiles, Indivisible’s new organizer for Northern CA, Alaska & Hawaii. Read this for the full flavor on getting yourself & your friends unstuck from existential crises over the evil regime (P.S. it involves a magical dairy product and an RSVP!)

Action #2: Comment like justice depends on it
Deadline: Comments due by Sept. 23 – Losing track of all of the administration’s horrible no good terrible plans? A gentle reminder; time’s running out to speak up against two really sinister actions. First, DHS is expanding the expedited removal program, which would make hundreds of thousands more people vulnerable to deportation without due process. There are only around 350 comments, please stand up for undocumented immigrants and vulnerable communities! Then, add your comment to the 8K+ submitted about a rule change to the SNAP (aka food stamp) program that would take away states’ rights to expand eligibility, disqualify millions of recipients, and worsen food security nationwide. You only have until Sept. 23 to help! Find more info, easy instructions, and even ideas on what to say about expedited removal at this article; and about SNAP at this article.

Action #3: Raising Hell with Jim Lazarus

Deadline: Join us Sept. 23, 5:15-7:30 PM – You’ve got something you’ve been wanting to let Senator Feinstein know, right? Well, here’s your chance! All are welcome to join IEB and co-host Indivisible Berkeley at our face to face Q&A with her new state director Jim Lazarus. Read our article for more info, and sign up here. See you at the Berkeley Public Library Main Branch, upstairs in the third floor administrative wing.

Week of September 9, 2019

Action #1: Step up to bat for Global Climate Strike week

Starting Sept 20 – To those of you who watched the full CNN climate town hall, congrats, take a break; for the 99.9% of us who genuinely care and understand the dire need to save the planet but have a life that works better with trending highlights than a seven hour binge-watch, it’s time to step up and join allies across the world in the Global Climate Strike, Sept. 20-27. Luckily for us, there’s a week’s worth of events lined up at the Bay Area Week of Climate Action — check out the info in our article and get on out there because, no pressure, but the future of humanity is literally depending on you.

Action #2: Sign up for Election Integrity Conference

Deadline: Register for Oct. 5-6 conference – With the ’20 election only 417 days away, and as election integrity and voter suppression issues get more complex, the time is NOW to help everyone be able to vote and have all votes counted as cast. Learn what YOU can do at the National Voting Rights Task Force third National Election Integrity Conference on Oct. 5-6, at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Hear from 20+ election integrity movement leaders at The Coming 2020 Election Crisis: In Paper We Trust. Find out much more at our article.

Action #3: Impeachment gets real

Deadline: today and every day – Congress is back in DC; we hope their ears (and phones) have been ringing — with you and your friends telling them to push hard for impeachment. The House Judiciary Committee just set out rules for their inquiry, including letting Chair Nadler deem hearings as impeachment hearings. Wow. NOW’s the time to tell your MoC what YOU think should be included in articles of impeachment. Our article has all kinds of info to help you take action — from marching to submitting your own testimony and more — read it, do it!

Week of September 2, 2019

Action #1: Rescue FEMA’s $ from ICE

Deadline: Right away! – Hurricanes are here, but will rescue efforts be better than Bounty? DHS is using its so-called “reprogramming and transfer authority” (we call it theft) to give ICE money Congress allocated to FEMA, the Coast Guard and more, to use for the administration’s deadly immigration agenda. Now they’re stealing $3.6 BILLION from Pentagon-funded military construction projects for the separator-in-chief’s stupid wall. The House appropriations bill would keep sticky fingers out of the cookie jar — now our Senators must pass something similar. For more info, call scripts and contact info, see our article.

Action #2: Don’t deport people getting lifesaving care

Deadline: Keep up the pressure – The US Citizenship and Immigration Services caved to pressure about its evil policy ending the humanitarian “deferred action” program for immigrants getting lifesaving medical treatment in the US. Facing public outrage, and likely not wanting obvious blood on its hands, they’re reconsidering this terrible decision. We need to keep the pressure up; it’s literally a matter of life and death for at least one East Bay family, and to an unknown number of others here legally in the US for medical treatment — read our article to learn more & find out what you can do.

Action #3:  Join us for Defund Hate week 

Sept. 9-13 – Immigrant families are under all-out assault from the hater-in-chief’s barrage of racist, deadly policies — and Congress has continued to fund each and every one. IEB is a member of the Defund Hate Coalition, and we stand with immigrant families to focus our collective power to defund hate. Join us during Indivisible’s Defund Hate Week, 9/9 to 9/13 — we have all kinds of events, from crafting to calling to rallies and more! Read our article for all the details.

Week of August 26th, 2019

Action #1: DHS/ICE – hands OFF other agencies’ $

Deadline: Right now – The Dept. of Homeland Security is taking hundreds of millions of $$ from federal agencies like FEMA and giving it to ICE for the administration’s deadly immigration agenda. Their fancy term is “reprogramming and transfer authority,” but we call it sleight of hand. And theft. The House passed an appropriations bill to keep those ICE-y fingers out of the cookie jar; tell our Senators (who’ve made strong public statements) to fight for the same in the Senate. For more info, call scripts and contact info, see our article.

What to say:

My name is _____, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want to thank the Senator for opposing the administration’s horrible immigration agenda, and also opposing ICE’s reprogramming and transfer authority. I hope the Senator will work for a DHS appropriations bill like the one passed by the House. We need a bill to protect immigrants and put an end to using all of DHS as a slush fund for immigrant detention, deportation, and abuse.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Act NOW to secure the vote

Deadline: Right away! – You know our elections are threatened by foreign interference — our state and local governments need $$ to defend the foundation of our democracy. Several major pro-democracy organizations collaborated on a webinar and call to action to ensure we get that funding: read about it and find out what you can do — including getting ready for a September 17 Day of Action — in our article.

Action #3: Just say NO to G7 as cash cow

Deadline: NOW please – What’s an emolument, and can it possibly be legal for the Grifter-In-Chief to turn the G7 into a personal moneymaking venture by holding it at his failing resort? Right, no. The House Judiciary Committee will investigate — for now, we can all ask Rep. Barbara Lee (who sits on a relevant House subcommittee) to insist on a rider to appropriations for the State Department that would ban the use of funds for any clear violation of the emoluments clause. Call (510) 763-0370 • DC: (202) 225-2661. You’ll find a call script and contact info and more in our article.

 

Week of August 19, 2019

Action #1: Say NO to more expedited removal

Deadline: Submit comment by September 23, 2019 – Last month, DHS announced a major expansion of the expedited removal program — the fast track process that lets low-level immigration officers quickly deport some non-citizens who are undocumented or have committed fraud or misrepresentation. The expansion makes hundreds of thousands more people vulnerable to deportation without due process rights such as a hearing before a judge or the right to a lawyer. This change is now open for public comment; you can comment here by September 23, 2019. Read our article for more info, suggested talking points, and resources.

Action #2: Rockin’ the Congress

Register now for 9/7 conference – “Strength in Diversity, Power in Unity” — that’s the theme for the East Bay Rock the Congress conference, Saturday, Sept. 7 at Berkeley City College. Join IEB members and hundreds more local progressives — new & experienced, all backgrounds & ages — for a day of presentations and discussion about 2020’s crucial elections. You can even hear about lessons learned from the recent IEB Governance Committee retreat! Register here; a sliding scale donation of $25-$100 is requested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. More info in our article.

Action #3: GOTV at Sunday’s AMM!

Be there Sun. 8/25 – Fun facts: Phone calls from real people increase voter turnout by 5%; and Virginia is only TWO seats away from flipping their state legislature blue on Nov. 5! Meaning: your get-out-the-vote (GOTV) calls will make a difference. It’s not as scary as you think — East Bay Activist Alliance will show us how at our Aug. 25 All Members Meeting, Sports Basement, from 1-3 PM, with phone banking to 4 PM! Bring your phone + ipad/tablet/laptop. Plus, Swing Left East Bay will share their 2020 strategy & how we can help. Also, yowza! We’ve got new IEB 🌈 t-shirts and Mueller (mis)fortune cookies! Find out more about all the fun, & RSVP. And save the date for the 9/29 AMM in Dublin, with amazing special guests!

Week of August 12th, 2019

Action #1: Free the Vote – Voting Rights for People on Parole

Call-in day August 19 – We believe in voting rights and we want California to join the national trend letting people vote once they leave prison. Now ACA 6, the “Free the Vote Act,” would amend our state Constitution, which says they can’t — and it’s coming up for a vote in the State Assembly the week of August 19. Join the call-in day on 8/19 and tell your Assemblymember: Vote YES on ACA 6. Read our article for a short call script, contact info, and below that, more information and talking points.

Action #2: Act to Secure Our Elections

Deadline: Call MoCs now, & register for 8/20 webinar – We know that Russia targeted voting systems in all 50 states, and that the 2016 election interference was only a preview of what’s coming — unless Congress acts to give states and counties $$ to secure voting systems. There’s lots you can do NOW: our article has info, call scripts & more to let you easily tell your Members of Congress to protect voter data and replace paperless voting systems with hand-marked paper ballots and scanners. Also! A nationwide coalition of groups is pressuring Congress to fund secure elections — sign up for the webinar call Tues. Aug. 20 at 5:30 PM, and join us then!

Action #3: Action & fashion at August AMM 

Deadline: Sun. 8/25 – Ready for action? Get set for our busy All Members Meeting , Aug. 25 (1-3 PM, Sports Basement, Mezzanine). Leanne Karns from Swing Left East Bay will talk about the 2020 strategy & what we can do to help. East Bay Activist Alliance will lead us in phonebanking to flip Virginia in 2019 — bring a phone & device (laptop, tablet). And you won’t want to miss our beautiful new IEB rainbow design t-shirts! Plus: get your Mueller (mis)fortune cookie while they last! Find out more about all the fun, & RSVP. If you can’t make the AMM, join us online where we do our planning & organizing — email us at info@indivisibleeb.org for an invite.

Week of August 5th, 2019

Action #1: Congress, you have one job

Deadline: Now, before more killing – Too bad Congress can’t do anything to stop these terrible mass shootings. Oh, except for legislation the House has passed that Massacre Mitch McConnell won’t let the Senate vote on… Our Senators have said the Senate should come back from vacation and get off their NRA-funded a$$e$ (ok, not exactly) and vote. We must thank them, because the NRA is mobilizing their supporters. Our article has talking points and a list of gun control groups and organizations in Dayton and El Paso you can support.

What to say:

My name is ____, my zip code is _____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling to thank the Senator for supporting gun control legislation. She is right: the Senate needs to reconvene, now, to vote on H.R.8 and H.R.1112. Trump is cheering on white supremacist violence and Mitch McConnell is enabling it by refusing to let the Senate vote on these bills. Also, I hope the Senator will use her position on the Judiciary Committee to do everything possible to pass S.42.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Investigate domestic terrorism

Deadline: Right away! – Even FBI agents are finally saying it: domestic terrorism poses “a threat to the American people and our democracy.” Right-wing extremist violence is out of control since election of the White-Sheeter-In-Chief, who denies that a white nationalist threat exists even as that threat, and his own words, inspire racist massacres — and his administration slashes resources to address threats from domestic extremists. Tell our MoCs to to push for more funding for the Countering Violent Extremism program to focus on white supremacists and their radicalization, and to investigate political pressure on law enforcement to ignore white supremacist extremism. Our article has more info.

Action #3: Join us: Q&A with Sen. Feinstein’s State Director 

Save the date – Sept. 23 – Meeting with our Members of Congress’ staff in person is one of the most effective ways to influence our representatives. Join us for a Q&A discussion with Senator Feinstein’s State Director on Sept. 23 from 5:15 to 7:30 PM, at Berkeley Library Main Branch. We set it up in the evening & in the East Bay to make it easy for working people and families to attend. Read more about the meeting in our article, and sign up here.

Week of July 29th, 2019

Action #1: Impeachment takes flight

Deadline: Now & every day – Our hard work has borne (peachy) fruit! The House Judiciary Committee, in a 7/26 court filing, announced it has begun an impeachment inquiry. And a majority of the House Democratic caucus now supports an impeachment inquiry. It’s a great start, but we gotta keep up the pressure to ensure they follow through. Go to our article to find out the many things you can do to make this Impeachment August!

Action #2: Help asylum seekers – locally

Deadline: Right away! – Asylum seekers are at the U.S. border, but we’ve learned, and want to share with you, that some of their most urgent needs are actually in our own communities. Read our article to find out why Centro Legal de la Raza — the leader in removal defense in CA — says it’s key to support local organizations, and what organizations they and we suggest. Think globally, act locally!

Action #3: Oh SNAP!

Deadline: September 23 – They never stop trying to take food from the hungry: on 7/24/19 the administration announced their latest plan to disqualify three million Americans from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP, known as food stamps), this time by taking away states’ ability to expand eligibility rules beyond Federal limits. You can comment directly on the proposed change on this easy form from the Food Research and Action Center. You’ll find background info, suggested talking points and more in our article.

Week of July 22nd, 2019

Action #1: De-ICE OAK

Deadline: now – Right in our backyard — ICE deported nearly 27,000 people through Oakland Airport between 2010-2018. Even worse: according to the Center for Human Rights at the University of Washington, 6,000+ of those removals were potentially problematic, including people deported despite having pending immigration proceedings. The Port of Oakland has jurisdiction over OAK, and the Port Commissioners are nominated by the Oakland mayor. Read our article for more info & if you’re an Oakland resident, please contact Mayor Libby Schaaf: call 510-238-3141 or email officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com.

What to say:

My name is ________, I’m a resident of Oakland and a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m asking Mayor Schaaf to hold the Port of Oakland accountable in their response to the deportations that occurred at the Oakland Airport.  If the Port is truly committed to the sanctuary city policy, they should be transparent in how that is upheld and maintained.

Action #2: Still Standing for (Debates) Round 2

Deadline: July 30 – Got your debate bingo cards ready for the July 30 & 31 Dem Debates? More important: find out where the candidates stand on the issues, and give ’em a piece of your mind if you don’t like what you see. We make it easy for you! We also make it easy for you to watch the debates: come to our watch parties, one or both nights. Read our article for info about the watch parties, the debates, the candidates, and more.

Action #3: Immigration info at July AMM

Deadline: July 28 – Come to the meeting: we have cookies! That’s IEB’s All Members Meeting on Sunday 7/28 from 1-3 PM at Berkeley Sports Basement. You’ll be inspired, informed, and surrounded by kindred resisters. Guest speakers from East Bay legal services agency for immigrants Centro Legal de la Raza will fill us in on what they’ve witnessed and how you can help. Join breakouts to take direct action by writing postcards or letters to voters, and to hear from our impeachment experts. Plus: get your Mueller (mis)fortune cookie while they last! RSVP here. If you can’t make the AMM, join us online where we do our planning & organizing — email us at info@indivisibleeb.org for an invite.

Week of July 15th, 2019

Action #1: It’s STILL Mueller time

Deadline: Now, and sign up for the 7/24 watch party – Every American should read what Robert Mueller’s investigation unearthed about Russia interfering in our election, the Trump campaign’s collusion, and Trump’s obstruction of the investigation. And that goes DOUBLE for our Members of Congress, who have the duty and power to hold the Criminal-in-Chief accountable. Read our article and take action, including:

  • Find out whether your MoCs have read the Report, and urge them to hold Trump accountable 
  • Join the Mueller Book Club and sign up to join their online live stream and discussion of Mueller’s Congressional testimony on Weds. July 24

Action #2: Border news you probably haven’t heard

Deadline: Now! On July 1, advocacy organizations sued the administration for its new policy making it harder for unaccompanied minors to seek asylum. We’re shocked, shocked that Childcager-in-Chief is still up to his usual; we were surprised how hard it was to find this news. We think everyone should know about it and there should be public outrage. Our MoCs are with us on this issue; tell them to speak out and demand that this NOT be swept under the rug. And CA-15 Rep. Eric Swalwell, who’s on the House Judiciary Committee, can do even more. Read our article for info, call scripts, and more.

Action #3: Education: the REAL Key to Freedom

Deadline: before the bell rings – While some kids may think school feels like prison, education is one of the best tools to help previously incarcerated people keep their freedom. So when the federal government took away Pell Grant education funding that could help over 400K prisoners, Congress responded with the bipartisan Restoring Education and Learning Act (REAL Act of 2019), H.R. 2168 in the House,  S.1074 in the Senate. Rep. Barbara Lee is a cosponsor — read our article for all the info you need to thank her and tell our other MoCs they should cosponsor too, plus a moving personal story about the importance of Pell Grants.

Week of July 8, 2019

Action #1: The Administration created the border crisis

Deadline: right now, there are kids in cages – Hard to believe, but we agree with the Crisis-Creator-in-Chief: there IS an immigration crisis. Except — he and his administration created it. And they’re making it worse with new stealth policies about to go into effect. All our MoCs must raise their voices and show leadership on these new and renewed threats; and CA-15 Representative Eric Swalwell, who’s on the House Judiciary Committee, can do even more. Read our article for info, call scripts, and more. Also: read our report from Rep. Swalwell’s July 8 roundtable discussion about his first-hand look at what’s going on at our border and in the immigration detention centers.

Action #2: Tell CEOs: No Cruelty for Profit!

Deadline: do it now! – Conditions at border detention facilities are dangerous and inhumane, reports detail overcrowding, degrading treatment, and worse. Everyone knows it, but some CEOs see only profits: their companies are doing business with the folks running the camps, and they’re making $$$ from human misery and rights violations. Brave employees at some of these companies, like Wayfair and Salesforce, are standing up for what’s right. It’s time for us to stand up as well, to tell the CEOs that we see them and we’ll hold them accountable. Read our article for talking points, contact info for a handful of the worst offenders, and more ways you can help.

Action #3: Lights for Liberty Vigils

Deadline: July 12 (but don’t stop there!) –  Join thousands of people nationwide this Friday in Lights for Liberty: A Nationwide Vigil to End Human Detention Camps, and help us protest the inhumane conditions and human rights violations this administration is inflicting on migrants and refugees. IEB is co-hosting an event on Friday, July 12 from 8 to 9 PM, and our members will also join several other Bay Area events set for July 12 & 13. Read our article and find local events here. And remember — this isn’t about one lone day of action — it’s a chance to demand change AND to fight for it, and to spread the word to people who don’t know what’s going on or haven’t ever gotten involved, so please let everyone know and bring a friend! 

Week of July 1, 2019

The Resistance isn’t a picnic

Deadline: until we’re free of the Tyrant-in-Chief – What do you and your friends do for Independence Day? BBQ, glimpsing fireworks through the fog? How about resistance to tyranny?

We the people need YOU!

  • Contact your members of Congress about the issues you care about and tell them to speak and act against this abusive regime — contact info for all East Bay reps (including both CA Senators) is below.
  • Commit to attend a resistance event (check the events calendar in our regular weekly newsletter and on our website).
  • Grow the resistance — bring friends to a resistance event.
  • Get friends to sign up for the IEB newsletter
  • Post one (or more!) of our action items or events on your social media.
  • Let us know about more events or actions, or get active with IEB by joining us on Slack — contact us at info@indivisibleeb.org.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Week of June 25th, 2019

Action #1: Fight for immigrant justice

Deadline: protest on June 29 & ongoing – Raise your voice and protest sign for immigrant justice! Join IEB members and many others, from noon to 2 PM on Sat. 6/29, at our rally in El Cerrito, part of nationwide events called by Immigrant Justice Now. RSVP here and read our article for more about the protest and MANY more ways you can take action NOW to help immigrants — especially kids — by supporting local and national organizations on the ground.

Action #2: Extinction Emergency

Deadline: right now, before it’s too late – Worldwide, a million plant and animal species are on the brink of extinction, and the Endangered Species Act isn’t enough to protect many of those species in the U.S. The Extinction Prevention Act of 2019 (H.R. 2918) would strengthen protections for some of the most imperiled wildlife species in the United States, with funds to conserve species, protect ecosystems,address threats to species survival, and more. We’re surprised none of our East Bay reps have signed on, but we’re sure that with a little urging, they will. You know what to do. Read our article for more info, and pass it on!

Action #3: Election security IS national security

Deadline: today and after – Yes, folks, we’ve got foreign interference right here in our elections. Robert Mueller has said it over and over. U.S. intelligence agencies reported it in January 2017 and are predicting it for 2020. It’s as much an issue of national security as an armed threat, but spending on election security is a tiny fraction of what we spend on defense. Now, the proposed 2020 budget that the House passed on June 26 includes $600 million for election security, but surprise, surprise: the Senate keeps stalling election security bills. Our representatives are (mostly) doing the right thing; our Senators have influence they can wield. We need this funding; read our article to find out what you can do.

Week of June 17th, 2019

Action #1: CA stands for Sanctuary

Deadline: NOW and ongoing – On the eve of throwing another hate-filled tantrum, oh, we mean launching his re-election bid, the Threatener-In-Chief announced that the administration would begin removing “millions of illegal aliens” [sic]. Even if it’s more lies, just red meat for his base, we must speak out! Federal authorities could NOT do this on their own without local help, and we must say NO. California is a sanctuary state, and many of our cities and counties are sanctuary jurisdictions. This newsletter goes out on World Refugee Day; tell our state & local electeds — many of whom have strongly spoken out in support of sanctuary status — that we expect them to stand by sanctuary laws and refuse help to ICE and CBP. Details, contact info, and more in our article.

Action #2: Prescription meds cost too much

Deadline: Right away! – Even if you’re healthy as a horse, you know prescription drug prices are crazy high in the US. Our government is the largest purchaser of prescription meds in the world through Medicare Part D but it’s not allowed to use that to bargain for lower prices for patients. We can change that — H.R. 1046 and S. 377 in the Senate would give Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies to bring drug prices down. Read our article for call scripts & contact info so you can urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor this much-needed legislation.

Action #3: Tell the candidates: speak out!

Deadline: through June 26, and even after – Did you hear what all the Presidential candidates said on all the big issues? No, you didn’t — because many of them haven’t spoken out on some of the major questions facing this country. We know, you’d probably vote for Godzilla over the Current Occupant. But we’re betting you’d rather make a more refined decision. Our article tells you how you can find out what the candidates want you to hear about the issues that matter to you, and how you can pressure them to do better if you’re not satisfied.

Week of June 10th, 2019

Action #1: Watching the debaters

Deadline: June 26 – Can you name all the Democratic Presidential candidates? How about the ones who’ll be in the debates later this month? Don’t worry, it’s not gonna be on the test. But do plan to watch the debates on 6/26 and 6/27: go to a debate watch party, host a party, or get some popcorn and watch on your own. You can even send NBC News a question and they might choose it to ask the candidates. Also — don’t forget to take the Indivisible Pledge, and get all your friends to take it too. Read our article for info on your debate watch options — and if you want to go to a watch party, act fast, they’re filling up!

Action #2: Don’t let them make the poor poorer

Deadline: June 21 – The latest from the Administration That Decency Forgot: changing the way the poverty line — which is used to determine who qualifies for benefits like food aid, health care, Head Start, and more — is adjusted annually for inflation. Over time, millions of people could lose benefits they need to survive. You have until Friday June 21 to submit comments. Our article gives you a choice of ways to submit comments, along with resources for talking points, background info, and more. Have a heart — this Administration doesn’t.

Action #3: Eat street food! Have fun! Volunteer!

Deadline: Keep going – Summer’s almost here, and you know what that means – time to dive right in and get active! Work off your anxiety & anger (yes, we’re talking to YOU!) by helping out an an IEB event. We promise good company and upbeat surroundings — getting out & doing things is the best cure for the summertime blues. IEB needs volunteers for impeachment events, SF Pride, and July 4th – read our article for all the deets. And bring along friends so we can grow the resistance!

Week of June 3, 2019

Action #1: Summer Impeachment Pop-Up!

Deadline: RSVP now & join us on June 15 – Do you dare to eat a peach? Join us at the flagship Bay Area Impeach Trump event in Oakland on Sat. June 15 from 1-3 PM! Part of the national day of action called by MoveOn, Indivisible National, and many other partners, IEB & Alameda4Impeachment are hosting a fun, family-friendly event to inspire, inform, and create. Sneak peek: an education and take-action station, a reclaiming the letter “I” selfie station, a video station where folks can record short readings from the Mueller Report, and more! Our article has lots of info, including actions you can take NOW. And please RSVP here so we know how many 🍑 peaches to bring!

Action #2: Next Stop Hunger Games?

The Gamemaker-in-Chief and his underlings are always coming up with new horrors for the Tributes, we mean migrant children, like separating them from their parents and leaving them in vans in a Texas parking lot for nearly two days, or confiscating their medicine. But this is NOT A GAME! They’re now plotting to cut back on (or completely cut) activities and services for unaccompanied children, like legal aid, English classes and recreation. Our Members of Congress are speaking out and introducing legislation, and they need your support. Tell them to keep up the outcry against this inhumane treatment of small, defenseless human beings, and to keep doing everything they can as legislators to protect all those crossing our borders. Read our article for call scripts and more info.

Action #3: We ❤️ Virginia Voters

Deadline: June 11, 2019 – We are visualizing, venerating and valuing VA voters, especially those in VA SD-35! There’s a critical primary election next Tuesday and while it’s between two Democrats, newcomer Yasmine Taeb is the clear progressive choice against incumbent Dick Saslaw. The action? Reclaim Our Vote needs your help phonebanking to voters of color in this district. Fewer than 25K out of 200K residents voted in the last state election, so volunteers with vitality are um, very velcome! Read on to find out how to get started.

Week of May 27th, 2019

Action #1: Tell Congress: The Case Isn’t Closed

Deadline: still now – Did you hear Robert Mueller’s May 29 statement? His message was clear: it’s up to Congress to pursue action — meaning, an impeachment inquiry — against this sitting president, who cannot be cleared of criminal action. Meaning: it’s up to US to get Congress to act. Urge your Representative to continue to investigate and to initiate an impeachment inquiry. Read our article for more info, call scripts, and resources. Bob Mueller can’t do this. Only we can.

Action #2: Don’t frack Mt. Diablo!

Deadline: June 9 – Despoiler-in-Chief and his administration are all about sacrificing priceless public lands to benefit private oil & gas interests. This time, it’s right here. The Bureau of Land Management’s Proposed Resource Management Plan & Final Environmental Impact Statement would open 725K acres of California land for oil & gas leasing; including areas in & near Mount Diablo State Park and Butano State Park in Pescadero. It’s a local environmental disaster waiting to happen, so speak out to keep it from happening! Read our article to see exactly what you can do. 

Action #3: Join IEB for Pride

Pride March on 6/30 & other June events – It’s Pride, when we combine activism with a fabulous time! Join IEB at the SF Pride March on June 30 (word is we’ll be right near the front, behind Dykes on Bikes!). More rainbow events in Dublin, Richmond, Emeryville, starting June 1. And on a serious note: Tell Dublin’s Mayor & Vice Mayor that caving to bigoted comments and refusing to fly the Pride flag is shameful. Read our article for much more info on East Bay Pride!

Week of May 20th, 2019

Action #1: Once Upon a Time is now for Impeachment Inquiry

Deadline: ASAP until an impeachment inquiry is opened – Impeachment talk these days sounds like a modern day Goldilocks tale – some say “Too soon!”; others, “Too late!” and the rest, “Now!” Wherever you lie, our article has something for YOU! Already convinced? Get to work on our inspiring list of actions, including urging your Rep. to cosponsor H.Res.257 authorizing an impeachment inquiry. Not there yet or want more info? Read our Whys, Hows & Whats of impeachment, & check our resource list. Will there be a happy ending before 2020? We don’t know. We do know that our actions matter — we can’t sit idly by and wait for Prince(ss) Charming. Push for an inquiry, for impeachment, or just inform yourself and join the conversation — but stand up and be counted. This could be the most important moral and legal turning point in our lifetimes.

Action #2: Tell our MoCs: Get REAL about education!

Deadline: Do it now – Fortunately, Congress told the Education-Buster-in-Chief NO to robbing federal education funding to send a rocket to the moon. But don’t toss your caps in the air yet. Although education is incredibly effective at helping previously incarcerated people avoid going back to prison, the federal government took away Pell Grant education funding that could help over 400K prisoners. Now, the bicameral and bipartisan Restoring Education and Learning Act (REAL Act of 2019), H.R. 2168 in the House and S.1074 in the Senate, seeks to fix that — to restore funding and help prisoners get an education so when they leave prison, they stay out. Rep. Lee is on board; tell our other MoCs they should be too! Get all the info you need, and read a moving personal story about the importance of Pell Grants, in our article.

Action #3: Time to end the endless wars

Deadline: Now through June (at least) – In the almost 16 years since 9/11, the occupants of the White House have expanded the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to conduct seemingly endless wars without Congressional authorization. And Rep. Barbara Lee has been fighting it. Now the House Appropriations Committee has passed an amendment by Rep. Lee to the defense spending bill that would repeal the AUMF. And not a moment too soon — the Powergrabber-in-Chief is making noises about using it to go fight Iran! Tell our Members of Congress: End the wars. End the AUMF. End the Presidential power grab. Read our article and take action now!

 

Week of May 13, 2019

Action #1: Repeal the AUMF now

Deadline: Before 45 & Bolton get us into more wars we can’t get out of – Earlier this year, we wrote an article about Rep. Barbara Lee’s bill to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), enacted after 9/11. We asked folks to urge Rep. Eric Swalwell to cosponsor the bill (Rep. Mark DeSaulnier was already a cosponsor). As of now, despite a recent tweet from Swalwell that Congress must authorize any military action, he still hasn’t cosponsored Rep. Lee’s bill. Let’s keep reminding Rep. Swalwell (email; 510-370-3322): there’s already a bill to end the AUMF and he should support it! Read our article for background and call scripts.

Action #2: Georgia (& AL, TX, OH…) on My Mind – and Out of My Uterus!

Deadline: It’s already started – Legislators in a bunch of red states have gotten in their DeLoreans and taken women back to pre-Roe v. Wade days. Social media is full of cries for women to get out, withhold sex, boycott. We at IEB respectfully disagree. Leaving and starting over isn’t realistic for most women (and leaves the most vulnerable behind); boycotting hurts low-income people most, and that isn’t cool unless workers themselves are seeking the boycott; and since when is “abstinence only” our game plan? (Not to mention, LGBTQI women need repro health too.) What’s our answer? Support organizations that support women where they are, where they need it. Read our article to find out who, what, where, and how.

Action #3: ISO social media resisters

Deadline: now & 4eva – Are you handy with hashtags? Do you tweet your heart out? Did you know that 45’s re-election campaign has spent nearly double what the entire 2020 Democratic field COMBINED has spent on FB & Google ads!? We want YOU to join IEB’s social media team — use some online time to help us #resist the evil empire! We have something for everyone, whether you’ve got a couple of minutes here & there, or more time and creative superpowers. Start by following IEB on FB & Twitter, fill out our volunteer form, and find out MUCH more at our article. Questions? Email us or join the #comms-social-media channel on our Slack. 

Week of May 6, 2019

Action #1: Read. Discuss. Resist!

Deadline: Starting May 13 – Summer reading starts early this year! We worked hard to make sure the Mueller Report would be completed, and we’re working hard to get the full report released — the point is for people to read it. Starting Monday, May 13, tens of thousands of Americans will resist the Obstructor-In-Chief and his lawless administration by reading and discussing the Mueller Report — together. Over a month, the Mueller Book Club will read the report, section by section, legal and policy experts will explain the contents and address key questions, and we’ll debate and discuss its findings online. It’s a blockbuster bestseller, debuting at #1 on the NYT  list, and topping Amazon’s, but you can download it for free — see how in our article, and find out how to join us!

Action #2: Charter law reform: Get Buffy & Becky on board

Deadline: Right away! – Four charter law reform bills currently are moving through the California legislature: AB 1505, 1506, 1507, and SB 756 would stop rampant charter school proliferation that comes at the expense of public schools and local control. Our newly elected Assemblymembers, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (AD-16) and Buffy Wicks (AD-15) are still on the fence. Tell them we need their support; and sign and circulate the CharterLawReform.com petition, which demands four fundamental changes to state charter law that would go a long way to leveling the playing field. Read our article for more info, call scripts and contact info.

Action #3: For all women & all of us

Deadline: today and every day – Mother’s Day: love it, hate it, wish Hallmark hadn’t co-opted it? Whatever your feels, women are at the heart of the Indivisible movement and the resistance every day. We’re using the occasion to give a shoutout to some of our favorite pro-woman groups. Some you’ll know — some you may not. You can support them, work with them, be part of them, and also part of Indivisible, because we need to fight for each other and we need to fight together. Here’s our list!

Week of April 30, 2019

Action #1: Obstruction busting

Deadline: now & until they stop blocking! Obstructor-in-Chief, fearing his “presidency” will be forked if the truth leaks out about his abuses of power and other bad acts, is heaping new obstructive conduct atop the already sky-high stonewall pile. As Democrats trying to perform oversight grapple with the obstruction, we must let our Members of Congress know we have their backs, and that they can’t blink first or bow to pressure. We also need to urge them to use every possible tool to fight the roadblocks, and at the same time to keep following every possible path to investigate. Read our article for more info & call script.

Action #2: Don’t frack with CA’s public lands!

Deadline: June 10, 2019 – The Despoiler-in-Chief’s Bureau of Land Management has released a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement as a final step in a rush to allow oil companies to frack their way through California’s public lands. Gas & oil companies could lease parcels of public lands in and around CA’s national parks, monuments, forests, and neighboring communities — for as little as $2 an acre. BLM is required to take and respond to public comments — we have a voice, let’s use it before they roll back decades of environmental protections and destroy our beautiful lands. Read our article for instructions on how to submit a comment to BLM, talking points, & more info.

Action #3: Take the Indy Pledge

Deadline: why not today? What’s short & sweet and already has tons of fans (beside your editrixes, lol)? It’s the We Are Indivisible 2020 Pledge: (1) Make the primary constructive. (2) Rally behind the winner. (3) Do the work to defeat Trump. Click the link above to learn more, and sign the Pledge. There’s a version for presidential candidates on the same page: 13 have signed so far, including Kamala Harris but not including Eric Swalwell. What you can do:

  • Sign the Pledge & spread the word
  • Who’re your fave candidates? If they’ve signed, thank them; if not tell them to do it now!
  • Thank Harris for signing the Candidate Pledge, and tell Swalwell you want him to sign! Sen. Kamala Harris: email, 415-981-9369; Rep. Eric Swalwell: email, 510-370-3322 

 

Week of April 23, 2019

Action #1: Women & Lung Cancer Act

Deadline: today and as long as it takes – Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women and men in the US and worldwide, taking the lives of more women than breast, ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers combined. We need federal action to coordinate a public health plan, accelerate research and investigate solutions to address the impact of lung cancer in this country — and the Pussy-Grabber-in-Chief isn’t prioritizing women’s health! Sen. Feinstein is an original sponsor of the bipartisan, bicameral Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2019 (Senate & House bills S.1107 & H.R. 2222). Thank Sen. Feinstein for her leadership and ask your other Members of Congress to cosponsor the bills. Find more info and tailored call scripts in our article.

Action #2: Fight Voter Suppression & Free the Vote in CA!

Deadline: Friday April 26 and ongoing – Every vote matters, but going to jail or prison for a felony affects your right to vote; and since people of color are far more likely to be imprisoned, this is a major civil rights issue. Two bills in the state legislature need your help: Assembly Constitutional Amendment 6, the “Free the Vote Act,” eliminates provisions of the California Constitution that disqualify people on parole from voting; AB 646 amends the provisions of the Elections Code. Learn more about this important issue in our article, along with call scripts & other actions you can take, including signing up by April 26 for buses going to an event in Sacramento on May 20.

Action #3: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Deadline: Sunday April 28, 1-3 pm – We’ve got a packed agenda for our All Member’s Meeting on Sunday in Berkeley’s Sports Basement! We’ll hear from Airlift Fund, which supports organizers in battleground areas — also, updates on what’s up with the Oakland city budget, postcarding to thank TJ Cox voters, breakouts, and more! RSVP here and we’ll see you there! Can’t make the meeting? Join us online, where we do much planning and organizing — email us at info@indivisibleeb.org for an invite.

Week of April 15th, 2019

Action #1: Barr’s transparency: clear as mud

Deadline: hair on fire right now – Attorney General “Cover Up” Barr finally released his redacted version of Mueller’s report, after delaying nearly a month. But this is just the end of the beginning. Congress must keep pushing to get the FULL report & all underlying investigatory evidence. It’s also for Congress to decide whether the evidence establishes that Trump obstructed justice — Barr is out of line making that determination. Congress must move ahead and redouble its investigations to hold Trump and his cronies accountable. Call your Members of Congress NOW and every day. More info and a call script with contact links, in our article.

Action #2: Tell Sen. Skinner: NO on SB 230

Deadline: Monday 4/22 – The California Senate Public Safety Committee holds a crucial hearing on SB 230 next Tuesday, 4/23. We can stop this weak police reform bill right now, paving the way for AB 392 and true reform. East Bay Senator Nancy Skinner is committee chair — she has championed true police reform before, and now we need to make sure she doesn’t pass this bad bill along. Read our article for more info about SB 230 and AB 392.

Sen. Nancy Skinner: email; 916-651-4009 or 510-286-1333

What to say:

My name is ____, my zip code is _____and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m asking Senator Skinner to vote NO on SB 230 and to use her leadership to kill it in the Public Safety Committee. It’s a weak bill law enforcement is using to defeat AB 392, the real progressive police reform we need to save lives. The Committee passed the stronger policy last year as AB 931, it should not pass a weaker bill this year.

Action #3: Rebuilding churches … and more

Deadline: today and every day – This week’s fire at Notre Dame was heartbreaking, and the impulse to help rebuild is generous. But there are urgent needs that aren’t, in Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ words, a “symbol of Western civilization.” It’s been five years but Flint still doesn’t have a system for clean water, and is just now getting money allocated two years ago. Puerto Rico still doesn’t have power fully restored after 18 months. There are torched Black churches that no one is donating close to a billion dollars to help rebuild. You might like to help them or others who are truly in need.

Week of April 8, 2019

Action #1: Nielsen replacement: we deserve better

Deadline: ASAP – Baby jails, toddlers separated from parents & forced to appear alone in court, or families who won’t be reunited for TWO YEARS – not a “tough” enough policy for Brutalizer-in-Chief. On April 7, he held a purge, including forcing out Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Kevin McAleenan, now acting Secretary, has an appalling record (tear-gassing babies, anyone?). Trump’s nominee for DHS Sec’y, whoever it is, will need Senate confirmation. As Senator Harris says: “The next DHS Secretary must unequivocally denounce this abusive [family separation] policy. We deserve better.” Senator Feinstein needs to get on board. Tell our Senators: Don’t approve anyone with a history of promoting, tolerating, or overlooking human rights abuses of any kind. Read our article for more info & ideas for what to say.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Support AB 1022, fight hunger

Deadline: sooner is better – We recently reported about the administration’s attempt to take food from the poor by limiting food aid to just three months for folks who can’t get work (unemployed and underemployed people without dependent children). Now East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks has introduced AB 1022, which would provide a state funded nutrition benefit for CalFresh recipients hurt by the time limit. We support it, and we hope you’ll do the same – your fellow Californians need it. Read our article for more info, call scripts, and contact info.

Action #3: Seriously, five minutes

Deadline: today and soon – Whaddya think? No seriously! Indivisible National is asking for input from local Indy groups. Make your voice heard, please take these two surveys: one short, the other shorter:

  • To impeach, or not to impeach? And what are the ramifications? Those (and a few more) are the questions! Indivisible National’s survey is here.
  • And our super short version of National’s questionnaire on the Democratic presidential primary — the deadline is midnight Thursday, April 11 (because we really want your voice to be heard we’re including this despite the short deadline). Please take five minutes to add your opinion to what others have said. The survey is here.

Posted Week of April 1, 2019

Action #1: NO to “Drill, Baby, Drill” David Bernhardt

Deadline: ASAP – Interior Department Secretary nominee David Bernhardt claims to love the land, but he’s spent decades lobbying for oil and gas companies. As Acting Sec’y, it’s clear he sees his job as implementing the Driller-in-Chief’s anti-environmental agenda: he’s pushed for oil drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, supported rolling back Endangered Species Act protections, weakened emissions limits for oil and gas companies, and supported dismantling our national monuments. He’d be to the Interior Dept. what Betsy DeVos is to the Dept. of Education. Tell our Senators to vote NO on his nomination, for all our sakes.

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Please vote NO on the nomination of David Bernhardt as Interior Secretary. As Acting Secretary he’s shown he favors industry over wildlife, climate, and our national monuments. And with his long history lobbying for the fossil fuel industry he’s the wrong person to protect our land against pollution from these sources.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Support AB 392, real police deadly use reform

Deadline: April 8 – It’s vote time for the important bill AB 392, addressing the huge problem of police use of deadly force that kills and injures too many people – especially young men of color – in CA. The Assembly Public Safety Committee is voting on Tuesday, April 9, so you need to act NOW. Assemblymember Bill Quirk (Hayward) is on the Public Safety Committee; we hear he’s flipflopping & parroting talking points from law enforcement’s competing, toothless bill. He needs to hear from us! Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, also on the committee, is expected to support the bill, but also needs to hear from her constituents. Read our article for call scripts, contact info, and more. DO IT NOW – this is literally a matter of life and death!

Action #3: IEB Operators are Standing By

Deadline: April 10 – Whatever you think of the Democratic presidential candidates, it’s exciting to see them put forth bold proposals in response to an activist base. And it’s exciting to be part of that base! We’ve got a great way to participate in the process right now: a survey by Indivisible National on a variety of topics about policy issues and campaigns. We want Indy National to know what our members think, which means we want to hear from you! Read our article about what folks said at our March All Members Meeting, and take the survey yourself before April 10 to be included in our responses. Democracy is not a spectator sport!

Posted Week of March 25, 2019

Action #1: Release the full report!

Deadline: Right Now! – So far all we’ve seen of Special Counsel Mueller’s 300+ page report is Attorney General Barr’s four page Cliffs Notes summary, which raises more questions than it answers. The DOJ says Barr will make a “version” of the report public, but we didn’t fall for his first whitewash, and we won’t accept the Cover-up Attorney General’s version — we demand the full report! We also must support the House committees investigating Individual-1 beyond the scope of Mueller’s probe. Tell your Members of Congress: We the people demand to see the full report and all investigatory evidence. Read our article for call scripts and other actions. And stay tuned — if Barr misses the deadline to make the report public, a Release the Report protest may be called for April 4 at 5 PM, so sign up now for a Nobody Is Above the Law rapid response rally near you.

Action #2: Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act

Deadline: now & forever – The title says it, and it doesn’t need explanation or justification: Tell our MoCs to push to reauthorize H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Act. VAWA was first enacted in 1994 and must be reauthorized periodically. It’s ridiculous that it’s even an issue, but funding expired on Feb. 15 when Congress didn’t include it in the compromise spending bill. The reauthorization bill is now in the House; it includes expanded protection for Native women, increased prohibitions against gun access for some convicted abusers, and more. (News just broke that the NRA is opposing the reauthorization because of this last — we’re shocked, shocked!) Rep. Swalwell has cosponsored H.R. 1585; thank him if he’s your Representative, and ask Reps. Lee and DeSaulnier to add their names, if they’re yours.

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Action #3: Save our healthcare!

Deadline: today & every day – Our healthcare is under attack by the GOP, again — or, well, STILL! The Department of (In)Justice just took the position in a pending lawsuit that an appeals court should strike down the entire Affordable Care Act. This is the administration’s latest try to kill the ACA (and many many of us, along with it). You’ve fought for the ACA and sane healthcare policies before, it’s time to join the battle again! Read our article to find out what you can do, including learning about the legal case from Indivisible National’s article, telling our Members of Congress to do all they can to support the ACA and to reform our health care system to guarantee health care coverage for all, and more.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Posted Week of March 18th

Action #1: Stand up to the bully: override his veto

Deadline: now and until March 26 – In February and March, the House and Senate both passed H.J. Res. 46, the joint resolution to terminate Racist-in-Chief’s unlawful national emergency. Even a few Republicans finally had enough, but Trump won’t take no for an answer, so he vetoed the resolution. The House will hold a veto override vote on March 26. With a 2/3 majority needed it’s an uphill battle, but worth fighting for. What you can do: Thank our Members of Congress for voting YES on the joint resolution, and ask them to vote to override the veto. Also ask them to support the Protecting Disaster Relief Funds Act, a bill to prohibit 45 from using funds to build a barrier on the border. See our article for more info and call scripts tailored to each of our MoCs. And spread the word to your friends, especially those in Red states.

Action #2: Let’s put our money where our principles are

Deadline: now and ongoing – Who’s profiting from your banking? Probably not you or your community. Now, CA Assembly Bill 857 would allow local governments to establish their own public banks – banks managed by professional bankers, owned by a governmental entity, and accountable to the public. Public banks can create many social benefits, unlike mega-banks. And a recent study says they’re feasible right here in the East Bay. Read our article to find out more and see how you can help make them a reality!

Action #3: Level the field for public schools

Deadline: now and ongoing – As the recent Oakland teacher strike showed, charter schools are related to public school teachers’ struggles for a living wage. But local school districts have little to no control over charter schools — location, number, finances — and even if they say no, they can be overruled. And the charter industry spends billions to elect pro-charter legislators and school boards and keep California laws stacked in favor of charter schools. Time to change the laws and level the playing field. Sign the CharterLawReform.com petition, and tell your state reps to support a package of bills that would reform current laws favoring charter schools over public ones. Read our article for info and call scripts.

Posted Week of March 11th

Action #1: Dumpster fire budget

Deadline: Now, while the Drump-ster Fire burns – Would someone tell Current Occupant the budget isn’t funny money & he can’t build a hotel on Boardwalk? Because his 2020 budget is just a monument to his monumental ego. $8.6 billion for the Wall; slashing social services & gutting the EPA. Our Members of Congress are speaking out, and they need our support. We’ve got articles with more info & detailed call scripts so you can tell them you oppose prioritizing the Wall over our people & our environment and you’re against cutting library services that benefit millions of people. Or just say thanks & tell them to keep opposing the presidential budget in favor of decent, humanitarian governmental spending:

My name is ____, my zip code is ____ and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want to thank ______ for opposing Trump’s outrageous 2020 budget. We shouldn’t spend any money on the Wall or separating families. It’s wrong that the budget slashes social services and the EPA and cuts library programs that educate people. That’s where I want our money to go – not to militarize the border or tax cuts for the rich. Please keep speaking out against this terrible budget.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Action #2: Reproductive access for EACH Woman 

Deadline: today & every day – Good news! Most East Bay Members of Congress are already sponsors — and Rep. Lee and Sen. Harris are original sponsors — of the EACH Woman Act, bills that would make abortion available to ALL women, regardless of income. The Act would overturn the notorious Hyde Amendment, which since 1976 prohibited federal Medicaid funding for most abortion services and kept countless millions of low-income women from exercising their reproductive rights. This will be an uphill fight, especially in the Senate, and anti-choice forces will be out in force. We need every pro-choice person to support our pro-choice MoCs. Read our article for more info & call scripts. EACH woman in the country needs this, NOW.

Action #3: Thank Governor Newsom

Deadline: no time like the present – On March 13 Gov. Newsom, by executive order, put a moratorium on the death penalty in California and ordered the repeal of California’s lethal injection protocol along with immediate closure of the Death Chamber at San Quentin Prison. Among other reasons, Newsom said that our death penalty system discriminates against defendants who are mentally ill, black and brown, or who can’t afford expensive legal help. Newsom’s statement expanded on the unjust application of capital punishment. Read our article for more info about the order and the death penalty, and see how you can thank him for his action. 

Posted Week of March 4th

Action #1: GND resolutions

Deadline: now, really, do it now – Since our last post on the Green New Deal, we now have a pair of identical resolutions in the House and the Senate “Recognizing the Duty of the Federal Government to enact a Green New Deal”! To keep the Green New Deal on our policy agenda, call your representatives and urge them:

  • to vote for the resolutions if they have the chance, and
  • to keep pushing for legislation to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs in our growing green economy, and support all communities and workers through the transition.

See our article for lots more info about the resolutions and where our Members of Congress stand, what the Republicans are doing in response, and what YOU can do, including detailed call scripts & contact info.

Action #2: Support SNAP

Deadline: April 2 – Some people can’t afford to buy food. Some of those people can’t get jobs. Is that so hard to understand? We won a 2018 Farm Bill that didn’t cut aid for millions of SNAP/CalFresh (food stamp) recipients, but now Trump’s Department of Agriculture wants to sneak in the back door with an executive order to impose work requirements on people getting food aid, limiting benefits to three months for unemployed and underemployed people without dependent children. The proposal takes away states’ ability to waive SNAP’s time limits in areas that don’t have enough jobs. It could potentially disqualify 755,000 beneficiaries. You can say NO: leave comments here by April 2. Read our article for more info & talking points.

Action #3: NO on SB 230, police use of deadly force

Deadline: ASAP – Remember Stephon Clark? You should. Almost exactly a year ago, in March 2018, police chased him into his grandmother’s back yard in Sacramento, shot him multiple times, including in the back, and killed him, because the police were suspicious of . . . his cell phone. It’s past time to change when police are permitted to use deadly force. There are two competing bills in the California state legislature, but only AB 392 is good. The other, SB 230, is a weak bill being pushed by law enforcement as a counterpoint to AB 392. Contact State Senator Nancy Skinner, Chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, today. Read our article for a call script, contact info, background and more.

Posted Week of February 25th, 2019

Action #1: No AUMFs – No blank check for war

Deadline: now, before the world blows up – It’s the law: only Congress can declare war. After 9/11, Congress enacted Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to retaliate against Al Qaeda and to wage war in Iraq. Eighteen years later, we’re involved militarily — with no declarations of war — all over the world, just on the basis of those same AUMFs. And it may be about to get worse: first strike against Iran, anyone? Tell our MoCs: it’s past time to repeal the AUMFs, halt/oppose US military intervention taken without Congressional authorization, and reject the administration’s assertion that the AUMFs permit Trump to order further military strikes without Congressional authorization. Read our article for background info, detailed call scripts, and more.

Action #2: Stop payday lending predators

Deadline: May 15 – GET CASH NOW! The payday lending industry is getting its $$$’s worth from the Conman Administration. After investing heavily in Trump and GOP lawmakers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unveiled its proposal to reverse the Obama Admin rule that protects borrowers from predatory, short-term loans. Help stop this reversal, which targets low-income and minority communities, from going into effect! Read our article for more info on the proposal, and instructions on how to submit a public comment about the CFPB’s rollback.

Action #3: Help Get Coal Outta Richmond

Deadline: now through end of March – The fight to end coal transport through Richmond is heating up. An ordinance to prohibit new coal handling (and more) will soon be before the Richmond City Council. You can help the Sierra Club / Sunflower Alliance-backed group No Coal in Richmond pass the No Coal in Richmond ordinance. Help get signatures to support the ordinance at scheduled canvassing events on March 3, 10, 16 and 24, from 1:30 to 4 PM. Richmond residents, call your City Council members to urge them to support the ordinance, and come to the Council meeting (date TBD) when the ordinance will come up for its first vote. Read our article for more info about this important campaign and how you can help!

Posted Week of February 18th, 2019

Action #1: Fight 45’s anti-immigrant moves

Deadline: all the time, of course – The battle against 45’s illegal emergency declaration is now in Congress & the courts, and you need to speak out! Tell your Members of Congress to support a Joint Resolution of Termination to end the emergency status, and to sponsor the Protecting Disaster Relief Funds Act, which prohibits the plunder of funds to build the wall. Also, thank AG Becerra for filing a lawsuit to block 45 from diverting money designated for other purposes. Read our article for more info & call scripts.

Also: Seems we’ve been running action items forever to tell our MoCs to vote against funding the wall and anti-immigrant ploys. We were disappointed last week when only Sen. Harris voted against H.J.Res. 31. It was a hard vote, but we expect a lot of our MoCs. Tell them to stand strong when the president’s budget is released, and to prohibit Trump from raiding money allocated to specific agencies for his wall & inhumane policies. Read our article for more info & call scripts.

Action #2: Support Oakland’s teachers

Deadline: beginning 2/21 and ongoing – As we send this newsletter, Oakland’s teachers are on strike over living wages, class size reductions, and the ratio of support staff to the number of students they’re expected to serve. IEB stands strongly behind Oakland’s teachers, and we hope you will too: wherever you live, and whether or not you have a kid in Oakland public schools, read our article and find out how you can help.

Action #3: Terminate the tax on periods – period!

Deadline: March 8 and ongoing – Fill a prescription — no tax. Get a walker — no tax. Buy pads or tampons? Those are taxed, even though the FDA says they’re medically necessary (no kidding!) and menstrual products are a major expense, especially for women and girls already struggling to make ends meet. Progressive forces in CA have been trying for years to end the “tampon tax” (really a tax on all menstrual products) — now AB 31 is making its way through the legislature and with your help, maybe this will be the year we succeed! Read our article for easy things you can do. But do it NOW — the bill needs to clear its Assembly Committee to go any further.

Posted Week of February 11th, 2019

Action #1: Tell our MoCs: Stay strong

Deadline: right now – The current proposed $1.375 billion budget deal may not please Bully-in-Chief, but it isn’t good enough for us either: it doesn’t limit immigrant detention, and it doesn’t prevent him from using DHS $ as a slush fund for the wall, ICE and other anti-immigrant projects. Don’t be fooled: we don’t have to choose between taking this deal and accepting another government shutdown (aka holding the government hostage). Read our article for more important info and to find out how to tell our MoCs to say NO to a bad deal.

Action #2: A few good ways to avoid nuclear war

Deadline: before the world blows up – Worried by the image of certain small fingers on big red buttons? Action is better than biting your nails. There’s the Hold the LYNE Act, which would prohibit research, development, production, and deployment of low-yield nuclear warheads for submarine-launched ballistic missiles. We need to get Reps. DeSaulnier and Swalwell, and Senator Harris to sign on. Then there are two bills, S. 200and H.R.921/S.272, that would prohibit the first use of nuclear weapons unless Congress has declared war. Again, Sen. Harris needs to to step up (and the bicameral bill is brand new – we want all our House members to sign on as well). You’ll find info, detailed call scripts and contact info in our article.

Action #3: We Love You, You Love Us (We Hope)

Deadline: today but why not every day – OK, sorry if that headline triggered an earworm. But seriously, we couldn’t resist — the newsletter is coming out on Valentine’s Day! Take a moment to think about some people or organizations that warm your heart and keep your resistance flame burning — and tell them you love them! A thank you note, a contribution, some of your time — you decide. And yes, aw shucks, it could even be us. We’ve got nice red Donate buttons, and you can drop us a love note at info@indivisibleeb.org if you’d like to, you know, get involved. We ❤️ you!

Posted Week of February 4th, 2019

Action #1: Clap Back at the Wall

Deadline: every day through Feb. 15 – Clap if you can hear me, and tell our Members of Congress: No wall, no use of military funds for the wall, no further immigrant detention and border militarization, no bargaining to keep the government open. Rep. Lee is on the bipartisan committee with a 2/15 deadline to write the Dept. of Homeland Security bill to avert another shutdown. Sen. Harris is one of the original cosponsors of a new bill that would block the administration from using military funds to build the wall without Congressional authorization. Please thank all our MOCs for their work so far, and ask them to keep it up. See our article for detailed call scripts, contact info and more.

Action #2: Deal Us In!

Deadline: Ongoing – Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey just unveiled their Green New Deal (GND) proposal. Good news — Reps. Lee and DeSaulnier are already cosponsors! We can’t wait to read it, and there’s a long road ahead for it or any other environmental plan, but you can act now!

  • If you’re in Rep. Eric Swalwell’s district, tell him to join his East Bay colleagues and cosponsor the GND resolution. (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065
  • If you’re in Rep. DeSaulnier’s district, thank him for cosponsoring, and join the Sunrise Movement and other allies on Feb. 13 at 2 PM at the Rep’s Richmond office about next steps for the GND. Details, map & RSVP here.
  • If you’re in another district, check this link for updated info on events at your Rep’s office between Feb. 11 and 13!
  • Tell our MoCs to support the GND Resolutions, take the No Fossil-Fuel Money Pledge, and work actively toward everything the Green New Deal stands for. 
  • Read our recent article for lots more info, detailed call scripts, and contact info — and stay tuned as we learn more and post action items!

Action #3: Restore former prisoners’ voting rights

Action deadline: ASAP and ongoing – Guilty as charged, Mitch McConnell — the Democrats’ provisions in H.R. 1 to expand voting access IS a power grab! And H.R. 196 would grab … well, the Democracy Restoration Act uses the word “secure”  … Federal voting rights for people with felony convictions. Help extend a voice and vote to this vulnerable population by contacting your Representative! Read our article for more info and a call script for each of our Representatives. 

 Posted Week of January 28th, 2019

Action #1: We still say DON’T build that wall!

Deadline: every day through February 15, 2019 – Tell our members of Congress: Keep the government open, without funding for the border wall! The shutdown is over — for a minute. But the new bipartisan committee only has until Feb.15 to come up with a compromise bill, or Mr. Tantrum may smash the game again or issue a bogus emergency declaration in order to get his funding. Keep the calls coming, because the opposition sure is! Read our article for background info, call scripts, contact info, and more.

Action #2: Let the sun rise on a Green New Deal

Deadline: February 4, and also afterward – Barely into 2019, our Members of Congress are about to be able to show — and act on — their support for the Green New Deal. Two resolutions supporting the GND are proposed in the House and Senate during the week of February 4. Tell our MoCs to support the Green New Deal, publicly support the upcoming resolutions, and vote for the resolutions when they reach the floor. And tell them also to support the ideals of a Green New Deal by taking the No Fossil-Fuel Money Pledge. Read our article for lots more info, detailed call scripts, and contact info.

Action #3: Support Oakland public school teachers

Deadline: today through February 5 – Oakland Unified School teachers have worked without a contract for over a year, while dealing with school closures, increased class sizes, and other issues. The Oakland teachers’ union (Oakland Education Ass’n) is voting on whether to authorize a strike in February. IEB stands with the teachers and their colleagues in their struggle for a contract that provides good pay for themselves and good schools for Oakland’s children. We’ve signed onto a letter urging the Oakland City Council to support a resolution in support of the OEA’s demands, and we urge you to support OEA too. Read our article for more info and exactly how you can help, whether you live in Oakland or have children in public school or not.

Posted Week of January 21st, 2019

Action #1: Shutdown Spotlight – Our National Parks

Deadline: today and every day – In our series on effects of the Wall Tantrum, we focus this week on the shutdown of services at the National Parks. More than a disaster for people with vacation plans — it’s environmentally and economically ruinous for communities, states, and the whole country. Read our article to learn more. And now, you can use this Indivisible tool to help constituents in other states make their calls; and read these instructions, and then sign up to text Red Staters to call their Senators to say #NoWall. Check Indivisible’s latest message and tell our Members of Congress that we need to reopen the government — but NOT at the cost of funding the worthless wall!

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m strongly opposed to the border wall. Thank you for everything you’ve done in opposition to it. I’m counting on you to vote against any bill that has funding for the wall. And don’t let the President keep using federal employees as hostages — we need to reopen the government without funding the wall!

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 981-9369 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Election Security – H.R. 1 is Priority One

Deadline: now, and continuing – Voting is so important, people have fought and died for it. But the right to vote is an illusion if your vote isn’t counted. That’s why one of the first priorities of the new Democratic House is H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which among other things lays the foundation for more secure elections. That’s why you need to tell your Member of Congress you want them to support H.R. 1. Read our article for more info and what to say.

Action #3: And now we are 2 (years old, that is)

Sunday January 27, 1-3 PM – Join our All Members Meeting and celebrate our Terrific Two Year birthday! At Sports Basement, Berkeley. We’ll have presentations on hot topics and breakout sessions, so RSVP to save the world while eating birthday cake — and bring friends! Can’t make the meeting? Join us online, where we do much planning and organizing — email us at info@indivisibleeb.org for an invite to our Slack group! Also, leave extra time to get to the AMM, traffic is gonna be a mess.

Posted Week of January 14th, 2019

Action #1: No wall, no way!

Deadline: today and every day – Current Occupant told his supporters to call their elected representatives and say build that wall. An IEB member who was in Sen. Feinstein’s D.C. office last week heard interns taking calls from people doing just that. What she didn’t hear much of was people saying No Wall! Our Senators have spoken out against the wall, but they need our support when their constituents overwhelmingly demand this crime against decency … You know what to do. Do it, today and every day! Read our article.

What you can say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling to thank Senator Feinstein/Harris for opposing the idea of building a border wall. The Wall is anti-humanitarian, anti-environmental, and a terrible waste of resources. Please don’t give in. No wall!

Sen. Dianne Feinstein

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris

(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Raise the Bar, Bar Barr

Deadline: ASAP and until the vote – William Barr, current nominee for Attorney General thinks the president has unfettered powers, religion trumps law and is more important than LGBTQ rights, the Muslim ban is good but abortion rights and criminal defendants’ and prisoners’ rights are not …The vote on Barr’s nomination is fast approaching. Senator Harris has said she opposes his nomination. Please thank her, and ask Senator Feinstein to say the same – and to commit to vote against the nomination. See our article for more info and for call scripts & contact info.

Action #3: Just say no to Interior Dep’t secrecy

Deadline: January 28 – Is Ryan Zinke a secret agent man? FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act, gives private citizens the right to get information from federal agencies. Under proposed revised regulations, however, the Interior Department would be able to decide for itself whether it felt like giving out information – even info on whether the government was involved in possible criminal behavior. You have until January 28 to comment opposing these proposed regulations and preserve our right to get crucial information. Like info about former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, subject of 18 misconduct investigations … Read our article here, including tips on what to say in your comments. Note that due to the shutdown the link may not be working, please keep trying if you get an outage message.

Posted Week of January 7th, 2019

Action #1: Shut down the shutdown

Deadline: NOW until the government reopens – You may have been watching Stormy Daniels fold her laundry, but you know Dirtbag-in-Chief is holding our government hostage … The House has a bill to reopen the government without money for the Wall, and we want the Senate to refuse to advance any legislation except that bill. And just before Trump’s speech/Stormy’s laundry, our Senators did just that. Please call Sen. Feinstein at 202-224-3841, and Sen. Harris at 202-224-3553 – thank them, and ask them to keep voting NO on everything that isn’t the House bill to reopen the government without Wall funding. Read our article for more info and call script … our article also talks about how the shutdown is affecting people, health and safety, and the environment, and how you can help alleviate suffering by donating or volunteering at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, Second Harvest Food Bank, or at Catholic Charities of the East Bay or Operation Dignity, which help with housing needs.

Action #2: Don’t let DeVos gut Title IX 

Deadline for public comments: January 28 – Education Secretary Cruella DeVos has proposed regulations that would destroy an important part of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs. You have until Mon. Jan. 28 to protest the proposed changes by submitting a public comment. Read our article for more info about the proposed regs, how to file a comment, and many suggestions for what to say.

Action #3: Call BS on Likability

Deadline: no time like the present – Women politicians. So smart. So accomplished. Why can’t they be more … likable? We call BS. In fact, we’re calling it #LikabilityBS. If you’re tired of this everything-old-is-new-again campaign, join us in calling out the media when they trivialize women … politicians and others … by focusing on supposed personality defects — or problems with their dancing, their hair, their wardrobes, their unladylike language, and on and on … Read our article for great ways to bring attention to this problem, and to say: you don’t have to like them; you don’t have to like us; but you do have to take us seriously, and you do have to start covering our substantive positions and issues.

Posted Week of December 17th, 2018


Action #1: Support the Green New Deal

Deadline: right now – Support for the Green New Deal keeps growing (like a healthy plant)! At the COP24 UN Climate Talks over 300 state and local elected officials from the U.S. signed a letter calling for a GND approach to phase out fossil fuel use. Among other things, the letter calls for a concerted national effort and plan to guide investment in renewable energies and move our economy away from fossil fuels. Several of our East Bay elected officials have signed, but many are missing, including all of our state senators and assembly members. Check to find out whether your electeds at all levels signed the letter, and if not, tell them to sign on — see more info and a call script at our article.

Action #2: Pardon Sophea Om 

Deadline: ASAP – You may have heard that the Trump Administration is working to deport Vietnamese refugees, but did you know it has already targeted Southeast Asian refugee communities for deportation? This week, 46 Cambodian refugees were deported to a country they fled as children, some of them for crimes committed decades ago. But Governor Jerry Brown has the power to pardon and bring back deported refugees like Sophea Om (referred to in some articles as Sophea Phea), a teacher and immigrant rights leader who was deported for passing a bad check when she was in her early 20s — a crime she served her time for. Call Gov. Brown at 916-445-2841 or email him and ask him to pardon Sophea Om and show his support for immigrant communities.

What to say:

My name is ____, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m asking Governor Brown to pardon Sophea Om so she can come home. The Governor would solidify his legacy as a strong supporter of immigrants by pardoning Sophea and other refugees.

Action #3: National Day of Action 1/3/19!

The new Congress starts on Jan. 3, 2019! Indivisible Day of Action events are being organized all across the country — keep an eye out for a special IEB email about our East Bay plans. Due to chaos in the White House, it’s not clear whether the focus will be “No $$ for 45’s Stupid Wall” or “Congratulations, Now Let’s Save Democracy.” Maybe both! Check for updates as other East Bay events are planned.

Join the IEB CA-11 team on January 3, 12:00 PM at Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s Richmond office as we deliver a “Back-to-Congress” backpack of tools to help DeSaulnier represent us in Congress. He’ll get info on HR-1 to remind him that we expect Congress to reduce the influence of $$ in politics, limit the power of lobbyists, and expand voting rights — and other fun stuff. If you have ideas for what to include in or on the backpack, or if you can help at our backpack assembling party or be there with us to deliver the “Back-to-Congress” backpack and share your own message with our Congressmember, contact us by Friday 12/28 at indivisibleca11@gmail.com.

Posted Week of December 10th, 2018


Action #1: The Wall will crush everything

Deadline: now, before any more destruction – Did you see Nancy Pelosi go head to head with 45 about the Wall? It’s good our likely leadership is up in his face, but it’s up to us to make sure Congress doesn’t give into the Bully-in-Chief’s threats to “proudly shut down the government” if he doesn’t get $$$$ for his border wall & continued anti-immigrant enforcement. (Instead of a shutdown, how about this clever idea?) And as if all the horrors so far aren’t enough: the latest proposal for the Wall includes bypassing 28 federal laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Clean Air Act, to bulldoze a monarch butterfly sanctuary! (What, he even hates butterflies that migrate?) Tell your Members of Congress to stand firm. Read our article for more info.

What to say:

My name is ____, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m horrified at the atrocities that border enforcement officials are committing against refugees, from family separation to family gassing at the border. And I’m disgusted at the idea of bypassing environmental laws and demolishing a butterfly sanctuary to build the Wall. Thank you for speaking out. We need a clean funding bill, without funding for the Trump and GOP anti-immigrant agenda. 

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)

(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841

Sen. Kamala Harris (email)

(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095

Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Action #2: Time for a Green New Deal

Deadline: why not right now? – The Blue Wave created the new Blue House, ready to begin its legislative session in January 2019 — and a top priority of some incoming members is the multifaceted environmental/economic “Green New Deal.” The GND will be a plan to save the planet through jobs and justice, but first it needs to be written! We must let our legislators know it’s a priority, and tell them to push House leadership to make the GND a priority in the new congressional session. Read our article for more info and specific messages for your Member of Congress. (Spoiler: Barbara Lee is an early champion!)

Action #3: Don’t sneeze! Get health insurance now

Deadline: 12/15/18 outside of CA, 1/15/19 in CA – The Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee may not understand why Google won’t give them results for “Obamacare sucks” but we can tell them … You still have time to sign up for health insurance, but not much! Obama tells it straight: December 15 is the deadline for people in states other than CA to sign up for health insurance. Tell your peeps in the rest of the country! And the deadline for us in the Golden State is January 15, 2019: that’s the very last day to sign up for health insurance in California.

Posted Week of December 3rd, 2018

Action #1: No dice for ICE

Deadline: right now – Baby-in-Chief is throwing a tantrum, says he’s gonna shut down the government unless Congress gives him $5 billion for his wall and DHS enforcement at the border (more tear gas for real babies?) So far, the House says OK, the Senate says no. Congress should reject this outrageous demand, perhaps by passing a Continuing Resolution, basically authorizing just enough funding to keep the government going until the next Congress takes office. And both Houses should investigate the administration’s inhumane immigration policies. Read our article for more info and specific messages for Senators Feinstein and Harris and your member of the House of Representatives.

Action #2: Warning on Warming

Deadline: today and ongoing – Senators Feinstein and Harris signed a Senate resolution “expressing the need for bold climate action” in response to the recent UN report on global warming. Now it’s time for action, in the form of carbon pricing. Bills such as S. 2352, S. 2368, and H.R. 7173 promote different methods of carbon pricing, with different economic theories and ramifications. We want our Senators to take a stand. Read our article for more info and a message you can send to our Senators (even if you’re not an expert in the science or economics of climate change).

Action #3: No Distraction — New Year’s Action!

Mark your calendars: January 3, 2019 – Start the New Year right with an Indivisible National Day of Action! Our New Blue House will kick off its brand new legislative session with H.R. 1, key legislation to address the foundations of democracy: voting rights, campaign reform, and government ethics reform. Along with Indivisibles nationwide, we’ll be talking to our Members of Congress about H.R. 1 and other issues near & dear to our hearts. So mark your calendars and stay tuned for info about IEB events happening near you!

Posted Week of November 26, 2018

Action #1: Tears at the border

Deadline: today and every day – Asylum seekers must be permitted to apply for asylum, and must be protected from the atrocities they flee, not be subjected to further brutality and violation of their human and legal rights. Immigration officials continue to perpetrate a growing list of atrocities — from family separation and detention of children to family gassing! There’s much you can do to help fight this administration’s barbaric and illegal actions. Read our article, including a call script to urge your Members of Congress to stand up, and stand up yourself at a protest. Families Belong Together has called for nationwide rallies on Sat. & Sun., Dec. 1-2. There are several events in the Bay Area at varying times. See our list below, or enter your zip code at this link to find one near you.

Action #2: Don’t fork with food stamps

Deadline: ASAP because a deal on the bill may be imminent – Oh, they’re cutting a deal, checking it twice! Congress is still in DC and still working on the Farm Bill, that huge piece of legislation that, among other things, includes SNAP/CalFresh, otherwise known as food stamps, which tens of millions of Americans need to put food on the table. They’re tussling it out between a House version that cut access to SNAP and a Senate version that protected the program. New and ugly: 45 scorns global warming, champions raking forests to prevent fires but slashed funding for forest management, and now wants to use the Farm Bill to let the timber industry do more logging, pretending it’s for fire prevention. Tell your members of Congress to protect SNAP and vote against any poison pill amendments to the Farm Bill like logging. More info about the Farm Bill in our article.

What to say:
My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Thank you for your past support of SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Please protect and strengthen SNAP and vote down any Republican efforts to weaken the program or cut its funding in the Farm Bill. Please also vote against any poison pill amendments to the Farm Bill like support for more logging. Fire prevention should be handled through proper forest management, not deforestation.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841
Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

 

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Action #3: Out of the mouths of babes

Deadline: December 10 – ‘Tis the holiday season, so what could be more appropriate for the Grinch Administration than to plan to turn legal immigrants out of their homes and take food away from their kids? You have until December 10 to comment on a proposed regulation that would make food and housing assistance considerations in whether immigrants can be denied green cards or visas on grounds that they might become “public charges.” Here’s where you can go to comment (be sure to reference DHS Docket No. USCIS-2010-0012 in your comments); read our article for more info and suggested language to include. Also — bah, humbug!

Posted Week of November 19, 2018

Action #1: IEB ❤ Barbara Lee

Deadline: right now! – There’s an exciting but under-reported race for Congressional leadership going on, and the East Bay is at the heart of it! Our own Representative Barbara Lee (CA-13) is running to be the new chair of the Democratic Caucus. Indivisible East Bay strongly supports Rep. Lee for this crucial leadership position. Read our statement of support. Rep. Swalwell (CA-15) has told IEB he supports her; if you’re in his district, thank him and ask him to speak out loud & proud. If you’re in Rep. DeSaulnier’s district (CA-11), ask him to speak out in support of Rep. Lee; if you’re in CA-13, let Rep. Lee know you support her. And ask family and friends with Democratic MoCs to lobby on her behalf as well. Let Barbara Lee speak for all of us!

What to say:
My name is ____, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Please support Barbara Lee for Democratic Caucus Chair. Barbara Lee has for years been a force for progressive policy in the House of Representatives. We need her fearless moral leadership on important issues like responsible management of military force, prioritizing funding for our communities, the environment, and social justice. Barbara Lee is a proven leader and she’s the leader we need in this new Blue House.

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Action #2: Thank our Senators for speaking out against Whitaker

Deadline: no time like the present – Senators Feinstein and Harris have both publicly challenged 45’s appointment of Matthew Whitaker as Acting Attorney General. Among other things, Sen. Feinstein released a statement that the Office of Legal Counsel’s opinion justifying the appointment is fatally flawed; and Sen. Harris has supported the lawsuit filed by three Democratic senators to stop Whitaker from serving. Thank our Senators and ask them to continue to do all they can to fight this dangerous appointment! Tell your friends in other states to contact their senators. Read our article for more ways to help protect the Mueller investigation.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841
Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #3: A few of our favorite things

Deadline: when you can – We know, we spend a lot of time and virtual ink bitching about stuff that makes us angry. But this time last year we wrote an article naming some people and organizations that made us happy, and we’re carrying on the tradition. Read our article, share it around, think about local and online folks and groups that make the Resistance the dynamic engine that it is. For example, Sports Basement: they not only provide great free meeting space for our All Member Meetings and Governance Committee meetings at their Berkeley location (we have an 11/25 All Member Meeting!), they’re offering a 20% discount coupon for all IEB members at all stores — check it out just below! And super important: don’t forget to thank each other — we certainly thank YOU!

Get the discount at all ten Sports Basement stores by showing this flyer on your phone. Or, at Sports Basement Berkeley, you can also just mention Indivisible East Bay at the registers!

Sports Basement discount 11.23.18

Posted Week of November 12, 2018

Action #1: Protect food stamps, protect the Farm Bill

Deadline: today and until Nov 27 – One in eight Americans need food stamps to put food on the table. Food stamps, technically called SNAP/CalFresh, are part of the massive Farm Bill, currently before the US Congress. Last June, the House drastically cut access to SNAP; the Senate passed a version that protected the program; and the bill is now in conference to resolve differences between the versions. Read our article for more info and contact your members of Congress to protect this vital benefit.

What to say:
My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Thank you for your past support of SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Please protect and strengthen SNAP and vote down any Republican efforts to weaken the program or cut its funding in the Farm Bill.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841
Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Action #2: Protect the environment, protect the public records

Deadline: today and until November 26 – Interior Dept Secretary (still in office as of this writing) Ryan Zinke has sent the National Archives & Records Administration a “Request for Records Disposition Authority” – or in normal-speak, he wants to destroy a massive number of records about environmental protection. Find out what you can do about it, including writing our Members of Congress and filing a formal Public Comment, along with more details and sample scripts, in our article.

Action #3: Protect Mueller’s investigation

Deadline: today and every day – Hundreds of thousands of us flooded the streets on Nov 8 to stand up for the rule of law and protect the independence of Special Counsel Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation. There’s more you can do to fight this slo-mo Saturday Night Massacre! Call your Senators and Representative and read our article for info & other actions you can take.

What to say:
My name is __, my zip code is __, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has a profound conflict and must be removed from overseeing the Mueller investigation. Thank you for speaking publicly, and please do all you can in Congress to hold Trump accountable and protect the Mueller investigation.

Posted Week of November 5, 2018

Action #1: THURSDAY – Nobody is Above the Law!

Deadline: THURSDAY November 8, 5 PM (local time) and stay tuned for ongoing actions – We don’t normally include actions or events for the day we send you this newsletter, but this isn’t normal. More than 900 nationwide Nobody Is Above the Law rapid response rallies have been called after Trump fired Jeff Sessions and installed Matt Whitaker, an outspoken critic of the Mueller investigation, as Acting Attorney General to oversee the investigation in place of Rod Rosenstein. Rallies are planned around the Bay Area: find one near you and RSVP.

Seeing this too late to join us on Thursday? See Indivisible National’s article for more info and actions you can take. And we’ll update our article with further actions, because this isn’t the end of 45’s attempts to obstruct the investigation into his wrongdoing, and it’s not the end of OUR FIGHT to hold him accountable!
Action #2: United Against Hate Week

Deadline: November 11-18 – Here’s a great way to celebrate some of the firsts coming out of the midterms (including first Muslim and Native women in Congress, first Latina MoCs from TX, first Black woman to represent MA in Congress, first openly gay governor, who’s also the first Jewish governor of CO). Next week is United Against Hate Week. Join in: find events near you, show your support with a free poster, plan an event of your own.
Action #3: For RBG and Thousand Oaks

Deadline: today and every day – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Notorious RBG, has been hospitalized after breaking three ribs in a fall. Say a mi shebeirach (Jewish prayer for healing) or whatever your custom or heart dictates for our own matriarch of justice.

And let’s pause to reflect on the shootings in Thousand Oaks. Young people enjoying themselves at a night out in one of the safest cities in America — we have replayed this scene 304 times out of 312 days this year. We can and will end this horror.

Posted Week of October 29, 2018

Action #1: Go canvass. Do not pass Go. Do not gamble with our democracy.

Deadline: Sign up NOW to canvass THIS WEEKEND! – Time to break the Republican Monopoly in DC! Here’s two great options for one last trip around the board on this last weekend before midterms:

  • Our Northern Nevada Indivisible friends have worked tirelessly to identify voters who’ll vote to unseat Trumpbuddy Sen. Heller; it’s time to seal the deal and we need you! Join lots of IEB’ers going to Reno this weekend, Nov 3-4. It’s not too late, sign up here.
  • Help get voters to the polls to vote for TJ Cox and flip CA-21! A generous donor will cover shared hotel rooms in Delano for volunteers who canvass at least 2 days. A bus will leave MacArthur BART this Fri, Nov. 2, at 6 PM, returning Sunday (probably leaving Delano around 4 PM, arriving Oakland around 9 PM). Contributions welcome but not required. RSVP to jratner53@gmail.com.

Action #2: Save Democracy with us on The Last Weekend

Deadline: Nov 3-4! – You have work/kids/cats/commitments/[your life here] — we get it — you can’t get out of town to canvass. No problem! Here’s another great way for you to be Indivisible with us this weekend, right here in the East Bay: our massive Get Out the Vote phone & text bank on The Last Weekend! Come together with friends at Oakland’s beautiful Preservation Park, near 12th St BART, Sat & Sun, Nov. 3 & 4, 9 AM to 9 PM. Training & tech support, FOOD, and the best part: SAVING DEMOCRACY! Please join us. RSVP here NOW.

Action #3: Texting, the flexible GOTV tool

Deadline: today and every day until Nov 6 – Texting voters is effective and fast. Do it on your phone or laptop; do it during breaks at work, riding on BART, any spare moment; JUST DO IT! Read our article for basics and links to get started with IndivisiText and Resistance Labs. Do it on your own, with friends, or sign up to text with us this weekend at the Last Weekend GOTMFV.

Want to urge friends in flippable districts to vote? Check out the VoteWithMe app. Read our article.

 

Posted Week of October 22, 2018

Action #1: Dial Daily to Save Democracy

Deadline: today and every day until Nov. 6 – Thanks to YOU we’re headed to over 500 signups for IEB canvassing trips & phone banks! Can’t knock on doors? Then phoning voters is the best way for you to help Get Out The Vote. No need (or time) to be nervous — we give great training and a script to follow. Plus, there’s snacks, and often furry pets to pet! Read all about it in our article, including how and why our most committed phone bankers overcame their resistance to calling strangers. One vote can make the difference in an election, YOUR CALL could tip a race.

Action #2: My Ballot ’Tis of Thee

Deadline: today and every day until Nov. 6 – Worried you’ll run into troubles at the polls and have to ask for a provisional ballot? Nervous your vote-by-mail ballot will be rejected? We’ve got ways to prevent problems before they occur, plus advice on what to do if they come up. Hint: demanding a provisional ballot is only the right answer some of the time! Plus, useful links & resources! Check our article out NOW and pass it on to your friends.

Action #3: It’s Red or Blue, Not Pink or Blue

Deadline: Right Now! – According to a Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) memo obtained by the NY Times, Pussygrabber-in-Chief is considering creating an HHS rule to determine “a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth,” as dictated by genitalia, original birth certificates, and genetic testing. LGBTQ advocates, and especially the trans community and allies, see this as an attempt to erase trans folk and everyone who doesn’t fit into a male/female binary. What you can do: Speak out. Talk about this wherever, whenever you can. Read our article for tips, and check out the scientific, religious, and activist resources it links to. And stay tuned — if this rule is proposed, we’ll let you know how to comment on it!

Posted Week of October 15, 2018

Action #1: You can sleep after Nov. 6

Deadline: today and every day until 11/6 – We’ve been resisting, now it’s time to win elections. Indivisible National came to town for a fantastic GOTV workshop, and we’re convinced that person-to-person contact — canvassing and phone banking — is the best way to get out crucial voters. Missed it? Read our article! And check out Indivisible’s great resource. Bottom line: join us to canvass & phone bank! Take a road trip or do it from home. Snacks should always be included. However you do it, just — ya know — DO IT! Find an event. Sign up. NOW. Hey look, how about this one in Oakland on Sunday 10/21?

Action #2: Speak up for immigrant families

Deadline: submit comments online, by email, or by letter by Nov. 6, 2018 – We told you last month about the administration’s attack on refugees via a proposed rule to end a court settlement that ensures the proper care of minors in immigration detention, including how long and under what conditions they can be jailed. We now only have until November 6 to comment on the rule. We’ve added a new option at our updated article: choose whether to submit your comments online or by a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security. All contact info, links and suggested talking points included!

Action #3: Power Plant Emissions are no treat (& 45’s proposed plan is a trick)

Deadline: October 31 – Ghosts and vampires, not the only things we gotta worry about this Halloween; that’s the last day to comment on proposed plans to undo Obama-era rules limiting harmful emissions from fossil fuel power plants and substitute much weaker rules that won’t do nearly as much to reduce emissions and the harms they cause. Comment on the rule while you still can! Read our article for more details, more ways to comment, and suggestions for what to say.

 

Posted Week of October 8, 2018

Action #1: Call Canvass Text Repeat

Deadline: Tuesday Nov. 6, but you knew that – There’s only one way we can get rid of the Senators who voted for Brett Kavanaugh (and their compatriots in the House) and support those who did the right thing. We know, you’ve heard it before. But it’s less than four weeks until the midterms and there are still voters who could tip the balance in contested House and Senate races if someone calls them or texts them or knocks on their door. Who could that someone be? … Yeah, YOU. Us, actually — because we want you to join IEB’s amazing group of folks reaching voters in our own state and all over the country. Read about the great stuff we’ve been doing, and what we need YOU to do in the vanishingly few days left.

Action #2: Vote early, Vote often (every election, that is!)

Deadline: October 30 – that’s the deadline in CA to request a vote by mail ballot. Print & fill out the application and mail or bring it to your County Elections Office; or call your county elections office to see if you can apply by phone. Get the lowdown on other critical voting deadlines & much more at our article. Here’s why voting by mail is best:

  • Take your time. Vote at home with your notes & snacks — throw a ballot mark-up party!
  • No Election Day worries about long lines, scrambling at lunch hour, or polling places that run out of ballots
  • Paper ballots: no hanging chads or #($*%& electronic ballot machines
  • You don’t even have to mail it in — drop it off before Nov. 6 or drop it at your polling place on Election Day (if you need a ride check out offers from Uber & Lyft)
  • Say yes to Question #7 on the vote by mail application to be a permanent vote-by-mail voter!

Action #3: Give, because it hurts (them)

Deadline: whenever you can – When GOP Senator Susan Collins hinted she’d vote for Kavanaugh, people made it rain for her TBD future opponent. The more she talked, the more $$$ flooded in. Collins voted yes, Kavanaugh thanked her at his swearing-in, and now a pro-Kava group is funding her bigly. Let’s donate to defeat her at this site or this site (hey Joe Manchin and Lisa Murkowski get ready to hold Susan’s beer!) And kudos to Sen. Heidi Heitkamp for her brave NO vote; say thanks with a donation. If donating isn’t your bag, that’s OK — spread the word to your family & friends. And shameless plug; your good friends at IEB have two convenient red DONATE buttons in this newsletter, or go here. Since we’re not funded by George Soros, your donations support our actions against the Evil Empire. Because of tax & campaign finance laws, we don’t use them for candidate-related events.

 

Posted Week of October 1, 2018

Action #1: Feel your rage, Find an action, For F-‘s Sake, don’t Forget

Deadline: RIGHT NOW – We hope you’re outraged at what’s going on with Shouty McShoutFace Kavanaugh, because otherwise you’re not paying attention. (Senators Feinstein and Harris will both vote NO — though remember, even our elected representatives need to be constantly pushed/supported.) Now it’s time to throw everything we’ve got at the midterms. Don’t make us beg: if you haven’t stepped up yet it’s time to do your part:

  • Check out our Midterm Election Work page listing upcoming phone banking, canvassing, postcard, and other events. Got the travel bug? Californians can make a huge impact canvassing in the Senate races in NV and AZ!
  • Sign up for our weekly email listing upcoming election events. Don’t miss a thing!
  • Commit now to helping GOTV (Get Out the Vote) during the final 4 days before the Nov. 6 election.

Action #2: Desert Shame

Deadline: right now and ongoing – They gave the kids snacks, and that’s damn near all. They woke them in the middle of the night, put them on buses with backpacks, took them to tent jails in the West Texas desert. There are: no schools, not much legal representation or mental health services — it’s an emergency facility, doesn’t have to meet child welfare standards. The government says the kids won’t be there long, they’ll go to sponsor homes soon. We’ve heard that lie before! Our Senators tell us calls on this national disgrace have fallen off while people call about Kavanaugh (we must multi-call!) Meanwhile, a ray of hope: a brand-new bill in the House of Representatives to prohibit ICE from arresting undocumented immigrants who offer to sponsor kids to get them out of baby jail. Tell your members of Congress: you want them to raise hell over kids in tent jails and you want them to support the “Prevent CHILD Harm Act of 2018.” Yes, even our good reps in DC need to hear from you. And the kids surely need help, ASAP. See our article.

What to say:
My name is __________, my zip code is ____ and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m ashamed that this country is jailing immigrant children in tents in the desert without even pretending that they’re trying to meet child welfare standards. I want to thank [Senator or Representative] _______ for fighting against the administration’s attacks against immigrant children and families. Please fight against putting kids in tent jails and put an end to this disgrace! [For members of the House of Representatives: And I want to ask _____________ to cosponsor the “Prevent CHILD Harm Act of 2018.”]

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841
Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (email): (510) 620-1000 DC: (202) 225-2095
Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661
Rep. Eric Swalwell (email): (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Action #3: Elevator Speech

Deadline: today and every day – Jeff Flake walks into an elevator … and something happened. Have you noticed: people are talking, and it’s different. We’ve posted our stories about sexual assault on social media, prompting friends to tell their own, some for the first time. People are asking questions, others answer; people say they’re gaining new understanding. So: TALK. Talk to as much of the world as you can. Tell your story if you can, or support someone else telling theirs. Explain why a 15-year-old might not tell her parents that she was assaulted at a party, or why someone might not remember details of a trauma. Talk as though people will pay attention and it will matter. Because that most likely is true.

 

Posted Week of September 24, 2018

Action #1: Power up at the All Member Meeting!

Deadline: September 30, 1-3 PM – Keep your eyes on the Nov. 6 prize by joining us at this Sunday’s IEB All Member Meeting at Sports Basement, Berkeley. Special guests will show and tell the most effective ways to make the Blue Wave happen and how we can all participate. RSVP here and join us for what will be one of our most powerful and engaging meetings yet. Change is coming and we can’t do it without you.

Action #2: Talking to people works

Deadline: today and every day – Yes, it’s déjà vu all over again! Okay, we know lots of people don’t enjoy canvassing or phone banking, so why do we keep nagging? BECAUSE THEY WORK! Saving democracy is gonna take each of us getting outside our comfort zone, make it easier by bringing a friend along! Start now:

• Go to our elections page, pick some activities and sign up for them and do them!
• Sign up now to get our weekly election work email.

Action #3: Protect the Trump-Russia Investigation

Deadline: today and every day – Looks like we picked the wrong week to stop hovering over the panic button on whether Current Occupant would cross a red line to obstruct the Russia investigation. Hard to write an action when the damn news won’t hold still! Though latest WH blather postpones a meeting with CO and Rod Rosenstein, keep your sturdy shoes and your signs by the door, you may need to head out at any minute. And fasten your seat belt while seated – there may be more turbulence ahead!

What you can do: SIGN UP NOW for a Nobody Is Above the Law rapid response rally to get alerts if/when mass protests are called. Read our article for more info and to learn how to help protect the investigation.

Posted Week of September 17, 2018

Action #1: Take Action! Volunteer; here’s what you can do

Deadline: today and every day – What do we want? Election victories! When do we want them? Every G-D- time! What are you gonna do about it? Ooh ooh – we’ve got the answer to that one, too! Drum roll please — introducing IEB’s “Volunteer to Flip the G-D- Congress” calendar, chock full of things that you, yes YOU, can do between now and November 6 to make a difference. Check it out on our elections page and our home page; bookmark them; pick some activities and sign up for them and do them! Sign up to get the weekly email list. And read IEB superhero Ted Lam’s first hand account of why he canvasses.

Action #2: Get others to Volunteer; here’s why

Deadline: today and every day – We need a Blue Wave, not Blue Droplets! Have you done Action #1? Now send it on to your friends. Invite them to phone bank or canvass with you. They don’t live near you? That’s cool, tell them how they can find events near them. And while you’re at it, tell them to sign up for this newsletter, and for our new weekly phone bank & canvassing email. In case anyone needs reminding: it takes lots of people voting to make sure bad things don’t happen.

Action #3: Come to the All Members Meeting; learn how to Take Action

September 30, 1-3 PM – It’s a social gathering! It’s social activism! Stop, you’re both right! It’s IEB’s September All Member Meeting at Sports Basement, Berkeley. Learn the who, what, and why of canvassing & phone banking — the most effective ways to make the Blue Wave happen! Hear from experts, ask them questions, and sign up to help. We’ll also have demos to demystify and show you how! Come, bring friends, spread the word! RSVP & details here.

Posted Week of September 10, 2018

Action #1: Kava-not-ever!

Deadline: today and every day – Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, has a record against women’s reproductive rights, environmental & consumer protection, workers’ rights, and common sense gun safety. Most troubling, he has said a sitting President should be exempt from criminal prosecution and investigation, including questioning by prosecutors and defense counsel. No wonder Trump likes him! Read our article for more info, a suggested call script, and contact info to call your Senators today and every day. And sign up for the nifty Indivisible hubdialer to phone bank to folks out of state whose Senators need persuading. We know, no one likes to phone bank but the hubdialer makes it much less painful, and you can do it from your couch!

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841
Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Stories to save lives

Deadline: now, and whenever you can – Brett Kavanaugh would have denied access to abortion for a detained undocumented teenager, saying that undocumented youth in custody are not entitled to “abortion on demand” — favorite words of the anti-choice movement. Does his nomination mean we could be facing a return to the horrible old days when abortion was illegal? As of the last census in 2010, less than 40% of the US population were born before Roe v. Wade. We need to tell the stories of that terrible time — or more than half the people in this country may have to relive them.

  • Read our article and share the stories.
  • Share your stories. If you have a story, or if you know someone who has a story, you can send it to us anonymously.
  • Tell your elected representatives you’re not willing to give up any of your reproductive rights, and you’re not willing to accept judges who would be willing to compromise them.

Action #3: Don’t jail migrant children!

Deadline: submit your comments here by November 6, 2018 – The administration’s latest attack on vulnerable refugees comes in the form of a proposed rule by the Departments of Homeland Security and Health & Human Services. The rule would end a long-standing federal court settlement that ensures the proper care of minors in immigration detention, including how long and under what conditions migrant children can be jailed. We only have until November 6 to comment on the dreadful proposed rule, so read up and act now – more info & suggested comments at our article.

 

Posted Week of August 27, 2018

Action #1: Hello new IEB activists!

Deadline: today and every day – Did you meet IEB for the first time at our 8/26 #stopkavanaugh All Member Meeting? Is this your first IEB newsletter? Or have you known us for a while, but you have friends who aren’t involved but may like to be? This action item is for YOU! Check out our top quick-action resources for activists new to IEB (and reminders if you’re an old friend!):

  • Find action items from our most recent newsletters — plus contact info for members of Congress — on our website’s Call & Email page. Our newsletters are archived here and here.
  • Find our latest blog posts on our website home page. Most of these articles include action items, with call scripts and contact info. Looking for an article or action on a specific topic? Enter a keyword into the search box (upper right of each web page).
  • Want to do midterm election work? Check this out.
  • Has our work against the Kavanaugh nomination gotten you interested in the federal courts? Our Federal Judiciary team’s work is used by national resistance organizations.
  • Find out what else is going on! Our newsletter has an events calendar, and so does our website.

Action #2: Say “No fracking way in CA!”

Deadline: email comments by September 7 – In a coordinated attack on California, after challenging our emissions standards the Trump administration is now taking steps to open up 1.6 million acres of CA public land to fracking and oil drilling. Read our article with more background and info about how to fight, including sample comments and contact details for your email comments to the Bureau of Land Management. Note the short deadline, comments are due by Saturday, Sept. 7.

Action #3: Choose Your Blue Voter Adventure!

Deadline: ASAP and through November 6 – You can join IEB and Indivisible Northern Nevada in their phone-banking and canvassing project to give non-partisan and progressive registered voters in Reno info they need to vote for a Senate candidate who shares their values.

  • You sign up to travel with IEB on canvassing trips with INNV on September 15-16, September 29-30, October 20-21, October 27-28 and/or November 3-4. Help with carpooling and lodging may be available!
  • You sign up for an IEB phonebank to recruit volunteers to help us in Nevada.
  • You make calls to to flip California red districts blue through one of many phonebanking opportunities!

Read the full adventure here!

Posted Week of August 20, 2018

Action #1: Just Say No to Kavanaugh Hearings

Deadline: today and every day – It’s breaking wide open, with more to come, that Trump may have committed serious crimes to influence the election – which means it’s more important than ever to stop this administration in its tracks. That means keeping Trump from putting another Justice on the Supreme Court, and that means not sitting back and letting the GOP control the agenda. Democratic senators are speaking up: NO hearing for nominee Kavanaugh while Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator implicated in Michael Cohen’s guilty plea. As Senators Feinstein and Harris have said, the Supreme Court could rule on these very crimes, and Kavanaugh appears not to believe a president can even be investigated. Please contact your Senators today and every day.

  • What to say:
    My name is ___, my zip code is___. I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I think Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is dangerous and I’m grateful to you for standing up for our rights and taking a lead in speaking out against his nomination. I hope you’ll challenge Senators McConnell and Grassley directly in committee and on the Senate floor. There should be no hearings for Kavanaugh while Trump is a potential unindicted co-conspirator with Michael Cohen. Please don’t let Senate Republicans steamroll our democratic process.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)                                        Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841                              (415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Make Social Media Transparent & Improve Voter Access in Jails

Two important bills will be voted on by the California Senate before August 31:
• AB 2188: Deadline: August 30 – Ads on social media are not always what they seem; many have done serious damage to our democracy. Free speech should be public. Make everyone show their names & faces if they’re paying to change our minds on Facebook, Twitter, and more sites!
•[UPDATE Aug. 26, 2018: WE ARE CHECKING ON WHAT OCCURRED WITH THIS BILL, FOR NOW WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING ANY ACTION] AB 3115 (Jails: Voter Education Program). Deadline: ASAP – IEB supported AB 3115’s passage in the Assembly because it gives people with criminal convictions who still have the right to vote a chance to become participating citizens again.

Call your state senator to ask them to vote YES — see our article for a call script and contact info.

Action #3: SB 10 – When a good bill goes bad

Deadline: ASAP – We had hoped state Senate Bill 10 would end money bail in California. Unfortunately, by the time it was passed by both houses of the state legislature, it codified many of the problems it was originally intended to cure. Read our article for more info, and contact Governor Jerry Brown ASAP before he signs it into law and tell him to VETO SB 10. (916) 445-2841; email; @JerryBrownGov

  • What to say:
    My name is _______________, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I am calling to urge Governor Brown to VETO SB 10. I support abolishing cash bail in California, but the amendments to SB 10 have changed it so that it isn’t real bail reform any more. It allows pretrial detention so that people who are arrested can be held without due process for nearly 2 weeks. It let judges decide who stays in jail based on their subjective determination, instead of giving them an objective risk assessment tool. Please VETO this bill, and tell the legislature that you want real bail reform instead.

Posted Week of August 13, 2018

Action #1: For pity’s sake, call about Kavanaugh

Deadline: today and every day – Senator Feinstein’s staff recently told us point blank that they aren’t hearing from us opposing Kavanaugh’s nomination. Some numbers: She’s had fewer than 33,000 contacts opposing the Kavanaugh nomination, with Judiciary Committee hearings starting in less than three weeks. She’d received a hundred thousand contacts opposing Neil Gorsuch by the time of his 2017 Judiciary Committee vote. In a recent poll, only 37% think the Senate should vote to confirm Kavanaugh, making him “the least popular SCOTUS pick in decades” — so the current response is pitiful. TL;DR: this is winnable but only if we act like we want to win. So call. Email. Tell Senators Feinstein and Harris — they’re both on the Judiciary Committee — that you don’t want Kavanaugh on the US Supreme Court. Thank them for insisting that his papers should be released. Read our article for more info and a call script, if that will help. But say something. NOW.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email)                              Sen. Kamala Harris (email)
(415) 393-0707 • DC: (202) 224-3841                      (415) 355-9041 • DC: (202) 224-3553

Action #2: Tell 3 friends to call about Kavanaugh

Deadline: today and every day – Send an email to three friends (hell, call your frenemies also!) with a link to our article and tell them it has everything they need: a call script, phone numbers, info about why it matters. Or post it on facebook and tag three people you know who care about this. Or use any other form of social media or electronic communication; or, what the heck, tell people face to face. Just tell people to do it.

Action #3: Call (or email) every day about Kavanaugh

Deadline: today and every day – Yes, really. How do you think the NRA does it? Senator Feinstein’s staff tells us that they tally numbers of contacts per zip code per issue every day and give those numbers to the Senator. Our MoCs use these numbers to justify actions they take and how strongly they push. And if we don’t call, you can bet they’re still hearing from the other side. Emails are just fine, too. Put both senators on speed dial, or whatever makes it easy for you. We’ve got a script, and more info, here. But contact the senators. Every. Day. Please.

Posted Week of August 6, 2018

Action #1: SB 100 = 100% Clean Energy

Deadline: August 30 – While the Current Occupant of the White House works to Make America Oil-Friendly Again, California is working on going 100% for clean energy with SB 100, the 100 Percent Clean Energy Act. That means cleaner energy for buildings, industry and transportation without fossil fuels. Read our article for more info about this opportunity for our state to become a national leader in combating climate change, and contact your Assembly member to support SB 100.

  • What to say:
    My name is ____, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling to ask Assembly member ___ to vote YES on SB 100. I support the goal of powering California with 100% clean electricity by 2045. California needs to move toward this goal as quickly as possible because global warming and extreme weather and fire are threatening the state as never before. SB 100 can help create jobs, clean our air, improve health conditions and prevent damage to our whole state. Let’s have California be a leader in taking this crucial step. Please vote YES on SB 100.

Action #2: A little privacy, please

Deadline: ASAP – Do you think it might infringe on your First Amendment rights if white supremacists have a campaign to harass or threaten you for taking part in a protest against them? How about if the government — the one headed by the guy who thinks white supremacists are “very fine people” — talks about passing a law that by its very name targets left-wing protesters who wear masks (as opposed to, say, Klansmen)? How about when the media publish the names and home towns of people arrested at an anti-alt right rally, making them clear targets for retaliation, as happened this past weekend in Berkeley? Read our article about why all of these are dangerous to the most vulnerable in our community — and maybe even to you — and several things you can do about it.

Action #3: Keep our air clean

Deadline: October 2, 2018 – Who doesn’t want cleaner air? You get one guess … On August 2, the administration released a proposal to weaken the Obama administration’s antipollution and fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, and to revoke the Clean Air Act waiver that lets California set tougher standards than the federal government. This is a terrible idea for our health, the environment, climate change, and the growing development of greener tech. Read our article for more info and actions you can take, including submitting a comment to the EPA and Department of Transportation. You can include these points:

  • Climate change is real. We need to reduce our use of fossil fuels.
  • The automobile industry needs a goal to work toward. It’s in no one’s interest to move the goalposts.
  • Clean air is important for public health.

Posted Week of July 30, 2018

Action #2: Make Social Media Transparent & Improve Voter Access in Jails

Action deadline: Sunday August 5 – Two important voter bills have hearings in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Mon. August 6, last stop before the full Senate.

  • AB 2188 (Social Media Disclose Act): Social media ads aren’t always what they seem and many have damaged our democratic process. Make everyone show their names and faces if they’re paying to change our minds.
  • AB 3115 (Jails: Voter Education Program): Reducing barriers to voter registration and increasing voter ed and access to thousands of people in CA jails will improve civic participation and public safety.

Call the Committee to ask them to vote YES — see our article for more info, call script, and contact info.

Action #3: Don’t let the GOP turn it into the Endangered Corporations Act

Action deadline: September 24, 2018 – Humpback whales. Bald Eagles. Bald eagles, for heaven’s sake, our national bird! … they’d likely be extinct without the Endangered Species Act, and unless we stop this insanity that may be what happens. The latest GOP plans to replace protecting nature with protecting business would roll back two key provisions of the Endangered Species Act. Comment on the proposal by September 24, and call your members of Congress. Read our article for more info and suggestions of what to say. Do it now before all we have left is pictures of wildlife and the Endangered Corporations Act.

Posted Week of July 23, 2018

Action #1. Stop the Charade of a Parade.

Everybody loves a parade, amirite? How about when it’s to glorify someone who thinks international diplomacy is best waged 280 characters at a time AND OCCASIONALLY YELLING AT FOREIGN HEADS OF STATE IN ALL CAPS? Plans are for several thousand US troops plus military vehicles to perform a pre-Veterans’ Day farcical homage from Trump to himself — to the tune of 12 to 30 million dollars. Is this why we need a $700 billion military budget? How about we instead mark Veterans’ Day by spending money to help veterans? Tens of thousands of vets are homeless today, and that number is rising; an estimated 20 US veterans take their own lives every single day; and veterans are twice as likely as non-veterans to die from accidental overdoses of highly addictive painkillers. Read our article for more info and tell your MoCs you want them to put a stop to this charade of a parade. It’s worth a shot (sorry not sorry).
What to say:

My name is __________, my zip code is _____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I am outraged that Trump’s ludicrous military parade is moving forward. This is an outrageous use of tens of millions of taxpayers’ dollars and of the time of thousands of people.The parade is callously scheduled for the day before Veterans’ Day. Tens of thousands of vets are homeless today, and that number is rising. 20 US veterans take their own lives every single day and are hard hit by the opioid epidemic. I ask you to fight to dramatically decrease military spending. Vote NO on the 2019 NDAA which authorizes this obscene display to rival images of authoritarian regimes in places like North Korea and Nazi Germany.

Action #2: Pass the PAVE Act

Even without Russian hacking, elections can be compromised if we don’t protect the ballots! Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced S,3049, the PAVE Act, to require that all voters have the option to use hand marked paper ballots in federal elections. Paperless voting is vulnerable and problematic (see Georgia, South Carolina). The Act also requires Risk Limiting Audits for all Federal races. Midterms are coming up, and we need to tell our Senators it’s time for them to support the PAVE Act, and to demand a 2018 implementation date (it’s currently 2020) for the hand marked paper ballot clause. Read our article for other actions you can take.
What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want Senator _____ to support the Protecting American Votes and Elections Act, S.3049. We need to ensure that California’s voters are protected from malicious influence. We also need the hand marked paper ballot clause implemented for 2018 to cover the upcoming midterm elections.

Action #3: Let’s See Your Papers, Kavanaugh

Trump’s proposed Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is a proponent of a strong Presidency, to the point that he said the Supreme Court’s 8-0 ruling requiring Nixon to turn over tapes might have been “wrongly decided.” Kavanaugh has an enormous (but non-public) paper trail documenting those and other views from when he worked for George W. Bush and Ken Starr. Before the Senate votes on his lifetime appointment, Senators need to see his written views to be able to ask intelligent questions about them. Read our article for more info and a suggested call script; then call Senators Feinstein and Harris — both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee — and ask them to insist that the White House and Kavanaugh turn over the documents Kavanaugh wrote, before the Judiciary Committee hearing.

Posted Week of July 16, 2018

Action #1: REUNITE immigrant families

In a July 17 press conference, Senator Kamala Harris, with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), introduced the Reunite Every Unaccompanied Newborn Infant, Toddler and Other Children Expeditiously (REUNITE) Act, a comprehensive bill to reunite immigrant families ripped apart by the administration’s disastrous policies. Please thank Senator Harris for introducing the bill, ask Senator Feinstein to support it, and spread the word on social media! Read our article for more info, including talking points and more actions you can take.

Action #2: Speak Out for Choice While We Can

Deadline: July 31 – They don’t have to outlaw reproductive rights to drive women back to back alleys for abortions. The Administration is proposing to take away all federal funding for reproductive health services, including birth control, cancer screenings and sexually transmitted disease tests, from any clinic that has anything to do with abortions. The clinic doesn’t even have to provide abortions — the administration will take away funding from clinics that even refers patients for the procedure. Say something NOW before it’s too late: comments on this proposed administrative action are due by 7/31. Make your comment here; our article has points you can make in your comment and more pro-choice actions you can take.

Action #3: Doing Nothing (about selling our country to Russia) is Not an Option

Showing both initiative and decent use of the language, Rep. Eric Swalwell has declared that “doing nothing is not an option” on Russian election meddling. He and other Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee moved to subpoena the translator for the private Trump-Putin summit meeting. As Swalwell put it: “EVERY Republican voted against the motion.” Thank Rep. Swalwell for taking real action to find out what was in the room where it happened. Email; (510) 370-3322 DC: (202) 225-5065

Posted Week of July 9, 2018

Action #1: Save the budget and ACA. AGAIN.

Deadline: today and every day – June 19 must have been Backwards Day on Capitol Hill, since that’s when the House Budget Committee issued a press releasedeclaring the “Budget for a Brighter American Future.” That would be the 10-year budget containing over $300 billion in cuts to crucial social services, plus reconciliation instructions allowing Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act via an expedited process and with just 51 votes in the Senate. Read our article for more info and call your Representative today — and keep calling every day. We have to make sure they do everything possible to keep Paul Ryan from bringing this horror of a budget to the floor for a vote.
What to say:

My name is _____, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want Representative _______ to do everything possible to oppose the horrible GOP House budget. I’m outraged that the budget cuts over $300 billion from social services to pay for the $1.5 trillion deficit that will be created by the GOP tax scam giveaway to the wealthy 1% and corporate donors. I hope that Representative _____ will work to make sure every California Democrat and any possible Republican votes NO on these terrible priorities.

Action #2: Everybody counts in the Census

Deadline: August 6 – When is a person not a person? The Constitution says the Census must count all “persons” and that means everyone, regardless of citizenship or status. But the administration says they have to ask everyone whether they’re a citizen to “protect against racial discrimination in voting.” Did you follow that? Neither did census experts or civil rights advocates, who say that the proposed citizenship question is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea; nor members of the House of Representatives who say Commerce Secretary Ross has made “contradictory and misleading statements”; nor lawsuits brought by several states, including California, which say among other things that the question was added in bad faith. You can say what you think too: comments on the proposed question are being accepted until 8/6. Read our article for more info and suggestions for things to say, and submit your comments here.

 

Action #3: Time to say Kava-heck-no
We know you already know Brett Kavanaugh is Bad News; but we’ve all gotta step up our game to keep the Handmaid’s Helper off the Supreme Court – it’s THAT important. Kavanaugh has a record against abortion rights, consumer & environmental, and common sense gun safety. Most troubling – he has said that a sitting President should be exempt from criminal investigation and prosecution, including questioning by prosecutors and defense counsel. No wonder Trump chose him! It’s up to the Senate, and they need to hear from you: Please call Senators Feinstein (202) 224-3841 and Harris (202) 224-3553 and ask them to do everything they can to block this nominee who would gut Roe v. Wade and give someone like Trump even greater executive power. Our article.
What to say:

My name is _____, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. He would be a threat to our rights, our environment, and our protections against a dangerous administration. I want Senator ____ to speak out against Kavanaugh’s nomination, and to vote against him, and to persuade other Senators to vote against him.

Posted Week of July 2, 2018

Action #1: Welcome the Stranger

Asylum seekers are still turned away or jailed; parents and children are still separated and children are still in detention — although now HHS won’t say how many! — and the tyrant has not backed away from seeking to abolish all due process for anyone undocumented. Keep raising your voices and tell our members of Congress to keep raising theirs! Call them today, and then read our article for more actions you can take.

 

What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want ____ to visit and inspect detention facilities, and to call for oversight and demand documents from agencies that are ripping children from their parents and mistreating immigrants. Please work to block bills that stop all these immoral anti-immigrant practices.

Action #2: And Justice for All

This newsletter has at times referred to the Current Occupant of the White House, stressing that that person will not be there forever — or, we hope, long-term. Supreme Court appointments, however, are for life, or until a Justice steps down. Soon, the Current Occupant will name his choice to replace retired Justice Kennedy. Read our article and tell Senators Feinstein and Harris, who are on the Judiciary Committee and who will vote on the nominee, that you want them to do everything in their power to make sure that the new Justice doesn’t reflect the Current Occupant’s zeal for destroying reproductive & voting rights, LGBTQ equality, health care, our environment, and so many other things we hold dear.
What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___ and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I’m calling about the Supreme Court vacancy. I want the senator to do everything possible to oppose whoever Trump picks from his short list, or any other nominee who will take away our rights.

Action #3: SNAP, Crackle, Pop!

House Republicans drastically cut SNAP/CalFresh (AKA food stamps) from the Farm Bill, despite the fact that millions of Americans depend on it to put food on their tables and avoid hunger for their families. Congress is finalizing the Farm Bill now; please let your elected representatives hear from you!
What to say:

My name is ___, my zip code is ___, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. I want ____ to support a Farm Bill that protects and strengthens the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. People need food stamps, and SNAP is the nation’s first line of defense against hunger. Please protect SNAP!