[Libs-Or] Civics for Adults Update 4/17/23 - OLA, Tennessee Three, Oregon Legislature and more

Mon Apr 17 09:32:23 PDT 2023

Civics for Adults Update      April 16, 2023. 

April 21 at 3:45 - I will be presenting, virtually, at the Oregon Library
Association Conference!

Empower your inner activist, empower your patrons - strategies for civic
activism and engagement!  

This workshop will inform you about why and how our country has overcome
difficult times, identify key knowledge and strategies utilized to make
change now, and provide a toolkit from which you can build your own - and
help build your patrons' - route to more civic involvement. 

There is an epidemic of not understanding about our civic/political
processes and how to influence them. Let's change that! 

If you would like a say in those decisions that affect your life and/or
would like to help your patrons have a say - this is the workshop for you!

Upcoming in August - in person!

Citizen Activism 101-Making Change Happen 

Thursday, Aug. 24  6:30 PM Cornelius Public Library [OR]. 

*	Historical perspective
*	Examples of successful advocacy
*	Types of advocacy
*	Who makes the rules?
*	Tools / strategies for change
*	Engaging with government / lobbying for influence
*	Tracking political legislation

Selected Civics for Adults Facebook posts:

A lesson on gerrymandering and the power of social media:

Tennessee recently took the unprecedented step of expelling two elected
members of their lower chamber for participating in a 5-minute non-violent
protest on the floor of the Chamber. The protest happened because, although
only a few days earlier 6 people had been killed in a mass shooting in
Nashville, yet the legislature refused to have any discussion on legislation
pertaining to gun use, proposed by these folks. Tennessee is a heavily
gerrymandered state in which about 40-45% of the electorate is Democratic
but about 80% of the legislature is Republican. 

The Tennessee Constitution specifically allows for protest in the
legislature:

<https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=592321222925938&set=p.5923212229259
38&type=3&__cft__%5b0%5d=AZU8LQ6kkr9C-rcTqmiuHaXYNbYeSbPfFMo5zQVVHu7x6DBH8qN
2su6mfyfSji8w-CR9W6UcDKZDSXwsSpBIXGlfMlH8Ys2Ax5sfAKjneGonYQgjOPfj5puWjRg9XAI
WXhfO15FtnFiDAGrpOOpS0hs1gNQq35Ks5KJTyCR9h2EgFHhWtemiiCtEbEdq3iD5F3o&__tn__=
R*F> You can watch the all-day session during which they were expelled here:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kep-WwkyjyE>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kep-WwkyjyE

The Nashville Metro Council and the Shelby County Commission voted to
reinstate both Rep Jones and Rep Pearson to fill their vacant positions.

The specific questioning, and responses of, Rep Justin Jones, Rep Justin
Pearson and Rep Gloria Johnson [Rep Johnson retained her seat by one vote] -
now known as the "Tennessee Three" is eye-opening. Meanwhile, far more
serious accusations and evidence have been uncovered about the Speaker of
the House and others in the chamber, making the actions to expel the T3 that
much more inequitable.

Social media, though, spread word of these events far and wide. The results:

The Tennessean, a major [perhaps THE major] newspaper ran a story about the
hundreds upon hundreds of letters they have received - overwhelmingly in
support of the T3.

A petition from FaithfulAmerica has garnered over 18,000 signatures calling
for the resignation of the Speaker of the House.

"A Christian group has amassed more than 12,000 signatures to oust the
Tennessee Republican leader who expelled two Black lawmakers":

<https://www.businessinsider.com/christian-group-petition-oust-tennessee-spe
aker-expelled-two-black-lawmakers-2023-4>
https://www.businessinsider.com/christian-group-petition-oust-tennessee-spea
ker-expelled-two-black-lawmakers-2023-4 

The T3 are now so well-known, and it certainly appears that the majority of
the public is in sympathy with them, that it seems the efforts of the
Tennessee legislature to disregard and seek to punish members going against
the grain of the majority, has backfired big-time.

**

In November 2024 Oregonians may be faced with two measures to change our
system of primary elections. If you are inspired, think about volunteering.

Oregon Election Reform Act  <https://www.electionreform.info/>
https://www.electionreform.info/

All Oregon Votes  <https://www.alloregonvotes.org/>
https://www.alloregonvotes.org/ 

**

I hope everyone is following at least one bill in the Oregon legislature. It
is ridiculously easy to submit written testimony [aka your opinion] and/or
to testify in person or virtually. The legislature has done an outstanding
job of making our legislature database user-friendly. I've examined these
resources in 17th states, and I truly think we are the best!

For example, here is a bill pertaining to the government housing subsidy
known as the mortgage interest deduction - SB 976. Last spring the Secretary
of State's office did an audit of this tax expenditure [they are called
eXPENDitures because they are equivalent to government spending]. Audit Doc:
The audit: Without Legislative Action the Mortgage Interest Deduction Will
Remain Regressive and Inequitable. OR SOS. Mar 2022.
<https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/Documents/2022-11.pdf>
https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/Documents/2022-11.pdf 

This bill would roll back the MID on second homes and for families earning
more than $250,000/yr. The savings would go to a special fund for affordable
housing, first-time homeowner programs, and programs for the houseless.

More info:
<https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/SB976>
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/SB976 

**

More at  <https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036>
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>
https://static.s123-cdn.com/uploads/2516289/normal_5fe8c854352d5.pdf 

Donna L Cohen, MLIS, MEd

Portland, Oregon

503-737-1425

dcoheninfo at comcast.net <mailto:dcoheninfo at comcast.net>  

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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