[Libs-Or] Civics for Adults!! Update.

Sat Aug 27 11:19:33 PDT 2022

I will be away from the Library until Tuesday, September 6. If you need immediate assistance, please call Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney at 541-

On Aug 27, 2022, at 11:19 AM, Rachel Humpert via Libs-Or <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov> wrote:

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I will be away from the Library until Tuesday, September 6. If you need immediate assistance, please call Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney at 541-

On Aug 25, 2022, at 12:37 PM, Donna Cohen via Libs-Or <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov> wrote:

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Civics for Adults Update, August 25, 2022

Upcoming Tuesday, Sept 20. 1:00-2:30 In-person.
Citizen Activism 101 / Elections [combination workshop with elements of both].
Sponsor: Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St, SE, Oregon
Register:  Not required
• Engaging with government / lobbying for influence
• Tracking civic / political legislation
• Right to vote?
• Election 2022/2024 issues
• New/potential election practices
• Campaign financing issues and tracking

Upcoming Tuesday, Sept 20. 6:30-8:00. In-person.
The Constitution: Fulfilling Democracy’s Promise?
Democracy, the Constitution and Representation in Congress
Sponsor: Hillsboro Public Library, 2850 NE Brookwood Parkway, Hillsboro, Oregon
Register:  Not required
        •       Status of democracy
        •       Forming a country
        •       Bill of Rights
        •       Interpreting the Constitution
        •       Structural issues / representation
        •       Changes needed?

Selected Civics for Adults Facebook posts:
Nicked from Tom Jones at Poynter [Poynter, along with Columbia Journalism Review, are websites that cover the media]: "…Today is the 15th anniversary of PolitiFact, the fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others. It was launched by the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) in 2007, and won a Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for coverage of the 2008 election. It moved under Poynter’s umbrella in 2018. Today, founding editor Bill Adair, who is now the Knight Professor of the Practice of Journalism and Public Policy at Duke University, has a column about PolitiFact.
Adair wrote, “There’s still a substantial audience for facts. This can be forgotten in our hyper-partisan age, when so many people seek validation of their beliefs. But there still are plenty of people who want to consider all sides and know the facts.”
https://www.politifact.com/article/2022/aug/22/fifteen-years-later-we-havent-given-facts-neither-/?fbclid=IwAR0jCp1kdARgsmt_FJVOz9jYw_sZaYIYesrCmNmfTT0xXwu3nUqoEfh6aPY
**
Because the potential changes to the government of the City of Portland are so significant there will be a number of postings related to that over the next couple of months. That said, I welcome similar information about any government entity in the country. Structural changes to government, wherever they are being considered/happen, teach us a great deal. I often make the point that the changes we want/need may go well beyond the simple act of electing a different public official. Sometimes we need structural changes to our political system. We can learn a lot by watching what is going on in Portland.

This is a PowerPoint presentation by one of the members of the City of Portland Charter Review Commission about the committee's recommendations for changing Portland's government structure. They will be on the ballot in November.
Even if you don't live in Portland, the plans are quite interesting and you may find some/all of what's in them appealing to your location.
https://static.s123-cdn-static-d.com/uploads/2516289/normal_6302eb1054cfe.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0bIIvq_y4WYd5vj52Y7VRgRrSZRp1EQ9KaSUqYk8cBYsxz_8rjppH-KoE
The big changes on tap for the City of Portland when voters fill out their ballot in November require a major voter education campaign since several would be brand new approaches in Portland.
Here is a comic strip that was created to educate the public about the ballot initiative.
https://www.portland.gov/.../2022/publiceducation_comic.pdf
**
New Multnomah County campaign finance rules are now in effect. Here is a short video explaining them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNPj72cdX9g
**
Synthetic Media: How deepfakes could soon change our world. I encourage everyone to watch this 60 Minutes segment on deepfakes. Very eye-opening. Something we need to be well aware of!! https://www.cbsnews.com/news/deepfake-artificial-intelligence-60-minutes-2022-07-31/
**
Congress Takes Historic Step to Tax Stock Buybacks. This is a very positive feature of the Inflation Reduction Act.
https://inequality.org/research/congress-takes-historic-step-to-tax-stock-buybacks/?fbclid=IwAR2xQi4hKQFB5819L_BMmTqRoOKEMcPvUXHshuszcKOJWJeI1dh7dFgzd0g
**
In July I presented a workshop on Misinformation, Fake News and Political Propaganda at the Oregon Library Association Support Staff Division annual conference. As always, I love speaking to folks in the library community about these important topics. Libraries are a key pivot point in helping the public deal with misinformation!

More at https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036
Ask your local library or community group to sponsor a workshop! Thanks.
Flyer describing workshops: https://static.s123-cdn.com/uploads/2516289/normal_5fe8c854352d5.pdf

Donna L Cohen, MLIS, MEd
Portland, Oregon
503-737-1425
dcohen at hevanet.com
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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