[Libs-Or] Civics for Adults Update!

Wed Oct 30 10:19:24 PDT 2019

Civics for Adults [and others!]  Update Oct 30, 2019

New website!  <http://www.civicthinker.info> www.civicthinker.info 

Just a reminder that all my Resource Lists are downloadable from my website.

Scheduled workshops:

Misinformation, Fake News and Political Propaganda 

Sat Nov 9    2:00-3:30 Hollywood Library 4040 N Tillamook St PDX

Sat Nov 23   2:00-3:30 Midland Public Library 805 SE 122nd PDX

Weds Feb 19, 2020   6:30-8:00 Bethany Library Annex 4888 NW Bethany Blvd,
PDX

Elections and Campaign Finance

Sat Nov 2   4:00-5:30   Oregon City Public Library 606 John Adams St.,
Oregon City

Sat April 18, 2020   2:00-3:30   Bethany Library Annex 4888 NW Bethany Blvd,
PDX

The Influence of the Constitution on Civic and Political Conversation

Thurs April 2, 2020   6:00-7:30    Sherwood Pub. Lib. 22560 SW Pine St,
Sherwood, OR 97140

Some of the recent Facebook posts on my Civics for Adults page:

 <https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/>
https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/ 

Lots of developments with redistricting/gerrymandering

Last summer the Supreme Court ruled in two cases of partisan gerrymandering
- one preferencing Democrats, one preferencing Republicans. 

For many, it was hoped that the court would finally do something to help
stop the severe gerrymandering we've seen - where a state ends up with
elected officials overwhelmingly from one party even though the citizens of
the state are much more evenly divided by party.

The majority on the court decided not to intervene. In this audio [and
transcript] Elena Kagan gives her reasons for dissenting with this opinion.

<https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/10/elena-kagan-audio-partisan-gerr
ymandering-dissent.html?fbclid=IwAR3zOi33Pt9jPwoM5I_pZy-73GJInbY0H00rebbOAhM
rWrpqZL0yvZTnNlE>
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/10/elena-kagan-audio-partisan-gerry
mandering-dissent.html?fbclid=IwAR3zOi33Pt9jPwoM5I_pZy-73GJInbY0H00rebbOAhMr
WrpqZL0yvZTnNlE 

But the states may be picking up the mantle:

North Carolina's Congressional Gerrymander Is Dead

<https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/10/north-carolina-court-kills-repu
blican-gerrymander.html?fbclid=IwAR1B5tLBNbqOPtlvjghKqALhO2b3JlKfP4xMh8WAp-Y
Dz_lMiZ3SUZcD0Ugs>
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/10/north-carolina-court-kills-repub
lican-gerrymander.html?fbclid=IwAR1B5tLBNbqOPtlvjghKqALhO2b3JlKfP4xMh8WAp-YD
z_lMiZ3SUZcD0Ugs

What about independent redistricting commissions?

Look for Oregon to have a ballot initiative in 2020 for an independent
redistricting commission.

And, election security is a huge issue.

KATU just did an interview with the director of Elections in Oregon on
election security.

<https://katu.com/news/your-voice-your-vote/director-of-elections-in-oregon-
talks-election-security?fbclid=IwAR1nv6LZ_oW_fODcAp7NAHLzzmhCUx1_w6IGrBABmVx
IEIevPqKmSZgw2Yg>
https://katu.com/news/your-voice-your-vote/director-of-elections-in-oregon-t
alks-election-security?fbclid=IwAR1nv6LZ_oW_fODcAp7NAHLzzmhCUx1_w6IGrBABmVxI
EIevPqKmSZgw2Yg 

A brief from the Brennan Center on where we stand with 2020 election
security

<https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/how-secure-election
s-2020-and-beyond?fbclid=IwAR0GXpprQX2BUYN_xAkg3p_bKqn7LpGYxXN2bFjFEzDyJFmxA
8V50I3-cCg>
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/how-secure-elections
-2020-and-beyond?fbclid=IwAR0GXpprQX2BUYN_xAkg3p_bKqn7LpGYxXN2bFjFEzDyJFmxA8
V50I3-cCg

What does election security cost?

<https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/what-does-election-
security-cost?fbclid=IwAR2OlvVogpnVlrBcFEDCFxn7ECsjuBTHjw_XY2k1XTNAJR5Ty75pc
NH4YX4>
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/what-does-election-s
ecurity-cost?fbclid=IwAR2OlvVogpnVlrBcFEDCFxn7ECsjuBTHjw_XY2k1XTNAJR5Ty75pcN
H4YX4 

Here's a place with updates on election security issues

<https://www.dontmesswithus.org/election-security-updates?fbclid=IwAR1-HCG90
GrV8Jk1GZQrQFrAgGF7y57iM_Kb__bXtrsNK09WhaCpHECnMD0>
https://www.dontmesswithus.org/election-security-updates?fbclid=IwAR1-HCG90G
rV8Jk1GZQrQFrAgGF7y57iM_Kb__bXtrsNK09WhaCpHECnMD0 

I've started following the Oregon Elections Twitter feed. Here's one:

"Counties having a November 5, 2019 election have completed their logic and
accuracy testing where they verify their vote tally machines are counting
accurately. They test every possible contest in every precinct."

<https://twitter.com/oregonelections/status/1189553553632718849?s=20&fbclid=
IwAR0T7XCTv5pfHTKugsl-vV45qI6pn_LEb4DcNkiu7b0_QnLoAcGpxpP2zSs>
https://twitter.com/oregonelections/status/1189553553632718849?s=20&fbclid=I
wAR0T7XCTv5pfHTKugsl-vV45qI6pn_LEb4DcNkiu7b0_QnLoAcGpxpP2zSs

Prepare to be amazed [or appalled]

How I Helped Hack Democracy

By  <http://nymag.com/author/christopher-wylie/> Christopher Wylie
[whistleblower on Cambridge Analytica]

<http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/10/book-excerpt-mindf-ck-by-christopher
-wylie.html?fbclid=IwAR22RELx-aNnelwzzVlvtaLHdUTwtA39iWXzMvhNTPEmaj2z2xPa1jR
UUAE>
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/10/book-excerpt-mindf-ck-by-christopher-
wylie.html?fbclid=IwAR22RELx-aNnelwzzVlvtaLHdUTwtA39iWXzMvhNTPEmaj2z2xPa1jRU
UAE

[A great interview with him on Amanpour & Co., is also available. (PBS)]

You've heard of the Mueller report? Well, here is the report of the Senate
Intelligence Committee into election security, Vols 1 and 2

<https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Vo
lume1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L7ijo3UWCqRO0MPPs1HJaF4kctFrBKxaZNQWQ0-INHY7zPbWA-1y9H
pw>
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Vol
ume1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L7ijo3UWCqRO0MPPs1HJaF4kctFrBKxaZNQWQ0-INHY7zPbWA-1y9Hp
w 

<https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Vo
lume2.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3woW56FirNh11cIdw8GNZrVwmVAqJUjnBgiedufyou2SADEE_oyXdul
x4>
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report_Vol
ume2.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3woW56FirNh11cIdw8GNZrVwmVAqJUjnBgiedufyou2SADEE_oyXdulx
4 

What of Democracy writ large? 

No silver bullets About democracy reform.

<https://thefulcrum.us/no-silver-bullets?fbclid=IwAR3EZ11ykoYKud_GW9bhKfIjHs
4i-oe84X3rAWvTuyC4o19kJH74NA6rTls>
https://thefulcrum.us/no-silver-bullets?fbclid=IwAR3EZ11ykoYKud_GW9bhKfIjHs4
i-oe84X3rAWvTuyC4o19kJH74NA6rTls 

Take care, Donna

Donna L Cohen, MLIS, MEd

Portland, Oregon

503-737-1425

dcohen at hevanet.com <mailto:dcohen at hevanet.com>  [Let me know if you want to
be on my Civics email list.]

Civics for Adults - and Others - Workshops: To Enhance Civic Knowledge and
Inspire Political Engagement

Webpage www.civicthinker.info <http://www.civicthinker.info>  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/

"My philosophy is very simple. When you see something that is not fair, not
right, not just - stand up, say something, speak up!" Rep. John Lewis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6lzPpqc2WY 

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