Current Actions

Thank You – to all those who have been with us since the beginning and the amazing numbers of you who have joined since Nov! If you have an action you want to socialize and get going, please do come to a WI Social and drum up interest. For reference, our meeting cadence:

• WI Monthly: 3rd Thursday, 7-8:30pm. Keystone Church (5019 Keystone Place) – this month on May 15.

And given all the activity, we are also having a working meeting on Sun, 5/25, 12 – 2pm, Greenwood Library.

• WI Social: 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 6-8pm, Rough & Tumble (5309 22nd Ave NW) – next one is 5/8.

• In-person Postcarding: Every Other Tuesday, 10am-12pm, alternating between Blue Star Cafe (4512 Stone Way N) and Mabel Cafe 7001 24th Ave NW) – next one is 5/6 at Mabel and then 5/20 at Blue Star.

• Zoom Postcarding: Every Wednesday, 11-12 (email postcardpowerwa@gmail.com for the link) – next one on 4/30.

Momentum Shifts – Signs of push back are everywhere. This week, in particular, I took note of the youth engagement. Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run For Something, shared the following on a recent episode of Pod Save America (scroll down to Elon Gets DOGE’d and the interview starts at the 48:55 mark):

-          Since Trump won in Nov, 41,000 young people raised their hand to run! For reference, first two years of the first Trump administration, 30k total signed up.

-          Run For Something’s overall pipeline exceeds 200k!

-          75% of the current pipeline are under the age of 40 and in all 50 states!

-          Commonly heard reason for running “If my leaders are not going to fight for me, I’m going to fight for me”

We are all needed in the fight. Listening to Amanda Litman and what is going on at just one such organization, it’s hard not to feel encouraged. So, pick one thing you feel passionate about and engage. It’s working!

FEDERAL ACTIONS

Call Murray/Cantwell to co-sponsor Resolution 147 to save USPS by May 15
Trump already laid the groundwork to privatize the USPS in his last term, and he’s itching to finish the job. Senator Tillis and Senator Hassan have introduced Senate Resolution 147, which states that the government must “take all appropriate measures to ensure that the USPS…is not subject to privatization.” Take action!

Don’t Let this Administration Gut the Endangered Species Act by May 19
NOAA and FWS want to redefine "harm" under the Endangered Species Act to no longer include the destruction of habitat. They're so worried about public backlash that they've cut the comment period from 60 days to 30.

-          Read this article for more info

-          If you have Instagram, watch this for more info

Make a comment in the federal register and help the legal battle to come. Sample script:

I oppose this new proposal that would eliminate this “harm” definition. Research shows that habitat loss is a primary driver of extinction. Biodiversity is critical to protect from harmful mining, drilling, and development.

Keep Up the Pressure to Return Kilmar Abrego Garcia
We need to remind our MOCs that they need to continue to take action to return Kilmar to his family. There are signs that the pressure is working, but we can't let up until he is home.

STATE ACTIONS

The Session is over. It was hard, with a state budget deficit forecast and our Governor and big money fighting against any attempt to address our upside-down tax code. The Dems managed to pass some legislation to raise some progressive revenue, but many cuts are about to be enacted.

Actions

-          Let Governor Fergusen know the cuts in this budget will hurt the most vulnerable (like cutting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library that has proven to be successful, cuts to Treehouse, etc) and could have been avoided if he was more serious about equity in our tax system.