Get Fired Up for the 2024 Election
Great Start to Our Political Activism Year
Thanks to all those who came to our January meeting at Schuyler Commons on Sunday! If you were not able to attend, know that we missed you. We all got a chance to practice how to thread together our core values with the key 2024 election themes through storytelling about the people in our lives who matter to us. Everyone felt more ready to write an effective Letter to the Editor in this important election year after the activity. Here is what one attendee said: "The messaging activity that we did in small groups was excellent. Besides sharing valuable ideas regarding messaging, it gave me an opportunity to engage with others I've seen at past events, but did not really know. It was a great bonding experience!"
It was a full agenda and a packed two hours, but we were especially glad to welcome some first timers including just-announced Democratic candidate for NY State Senate 53, James Meyers. The seat is currently held by Joe Griffo, who has been unchallenged on the ballot for 14 years! You can read more about his announcement--and his endorsement from County Legislator Caroline Reale-- in this Utica Phoenix article. (Note: the author, David Laguerre, is often at our IMV meetings, and writes some really great columns about progressive political activism locally. You can check those out HERE)
Please save the date for our next monthly meeting on Sunday, Feb 25th. More info to come on time and location. And after our "post-it note vote" about how we want to meet with the congressional candidates this spring, we have begun planning for a candidate interview event, probably in April after petitioning season.
Ready to Write a Letter to the Editor?
If you were at the IMV Meeting on Sunday, you probably have lots of ideas and have started writing a letter to the editor in your head. If you think you might want to write a Letter to the Editor, but need an idea, here's a suggestion for this week: Abortion, which most Americans agree should not be illegal and should be something left to women and their doctors--not Republican politicians. Check out these tools from Indivisible to get you started:
Write a letter to the editor (LTE) about Kate Cox, Brittany Watts, and the harsh reality of Republican abortion laws. It’s easy to focus on the political reality of Republicans’ inhumane abortion laws and forget the real impact. Whether it is Kate Cox having to fly out of state to receive life-saving care agreed upon by her doctor and the courts or Brittany Watts facing potential criminal charges for experiencing a miscarriage, these draconian bans impact real lives. Make sure your community knows about the actual cost of Republican extremism.
Write an LTE on Trump’s dangerous positions on abortion. Nikki Haley is still running, but we know that, barring an incredible change in circumstances, Trump is going to be the Republican nominee. His positions reverberate down to every level of Republican governance, and his glee in helping to dismantle abortion access has directly led to more anti-abortion legislation throughout the country. Remind your community why his positions are so dangerous and what’s at stake.
If you want more inspiration on this topic, check out the latest essay from Jennifer Boulanger HERE. As always, if you need help with your LTE (editing, where to send it, etc.) contact indivisibleMV@gmail.com. We can connect you with our awesome LTE work group!
Climate Crisis Working Group Update
Thank President Joe Biden!!: The Biden administration announced that it is pausing decisions on all new LNG export terminals until the US Department of Energy updates its analysis of the projects to include their climate-warming emissions and economic impacts. “This is the biggest check any president has ever applied to the fossil fuel industry, and the strongest move against dirty energy in American history,” wrote Bill McKibben, longtime climate activist. See more of what Bill McKibben has to say.
For more on President Biden’s excellent climate record, read why the NRDC calls President Biden “the strongest climate champion ever.”
ACTIONS TO TAKE
1. Easy Email Action for Climate: Use this one click email tool calling for passage of NY HEAT from IMV’s partner NY Renews to send an email urging NYS legislative leaders and members of the legislative Environmental Conservation Committee to fight for Climate, Jobs, and Justice by passing the People’s Climate Justice Budget to fund community-led projects and to pass the full NY Heat Act.
2. Another Easy Email for Climate: Since its inception in 2017, New York has invested $500 million in the Clean Water Infrastructure fund each year. But that might change this year. Governor Hochul proposed slashing the budget in half to $250 million in next year’s budget. Now, will you join us in demanding a minimum budget of $600 million in 2024 to fund the Clean Water Infrastructure Act? Thank you for sending an email to Governor Hochul and your NYS representatives.
New York has over $80 billion in water infrastructure needs. We need adequate funding to Remove an estimated 494,000 lead pipes across the entire state; treat drinking water contaminated by toxins like lead and PFAS; prevent contaminates from entering drinking water sources to begin with; replace failing septic systems that lead to water pollution and threaten public health.
3. February 27th Albany Advocacy Opportunity: Join fellow IMV CCWG members for another great Albany lobbying day. Beyond Plastics is hosting a lobbying day on February 27 Advocacy Day in Albany for the Packing ReductionAct and Bigger Better Bottle Bill. Lobbying now matters because it is much easier to get bills passed before the budget. Beyond Plastics is making appointments with every legislator in the majority, which will include Assemblymember Buttenschon. Deadline to RSVP is Wed, Feb. 21. Email Maggie margaret_reilly@mac.com or Jennifer jgeiger777@gmail.com for transportation information.
4. Climate Crisis Working Group Meeting: Please save the date and join the CCWG for their first meeting of the year on February 26th. Time and place to be announced. Zoom may be available.
Help Flip NY03 on Feb. 13th: A Message from Sarah Reeske
We have a special election for NY03–the Long Island/Queens district formerly held by George Santos, who was expelled from Congress on December 1st. Early voting begins on Saturday, Feb 3rd and election day is February 13th. Flipping NY03 from red to blue is going to be impactful at fighting MAGA extremism in the House, which we’re all invested in doing.
Indivisible is an anchor partner with the Battleground NY coalition, which is organizing weekly phone banks to talk to key voters in NY03. For all of my stats fans, the first phone bank had a 21% contact rate (almost double than normal), and a third of people who picked up were unsure about whether to vote. Every conversation makes a difference! Will you sign up for an upcoming phone bank on Thursday, February 8th to talk to voters who can be the deciding vote in flipping NY03 blue once again?
Do You Know Anyone in Herkimer County?
The Herkimer County Democratic Committee is in SERIOUS need of a few additional committee members. The very survival of the committee may depend upon this growth. Currently, according to past IMV Steering Committee member Betsy Briggs, the Herkimer Democratic Committee is the ONLY official, constituted Democratic committee in the county - unlike other counties that have County, town, and city committees (that are actually subcommittees of their county committee). The Committee is the conduit to the State Party. They meet once per month on the third Tuesday of the month, and it's usually on Zoom. If you are interested in keeping the party alive in Herkimer County, have a voting address in Herkimer County and want to know more, email HerkDems@gmail.com. Maybe you can think of a friend or family member who would be willing to join the committee to save this critical political group!
Join in! Show Up!
Be part of the amazing effort of NY State Indivisibles to flip NY03 on February 13th and sign up for a Battleground NY phonebank on Feb. 8th. Democracy is not a spectator sport!
Take action on climate. Always do at least one of the actions listed in that section of this newsletter. Remember the next meeting of the IMV Climate Crisis Working Group is Feb. 26.
Consider joining your local Democratic Committee if you are a registered Democrat. Members are always needed in our reddish counties. Email IndivisibleMV@gmail.com for more information.
Save the Date for IMV's February meeting: Sunday, Feb. 25th
Write a Letter to the Editor that can help move voters locally as we head into the 2024 election cycle. Contact IndivisibleMV@gmail.com if you need help getting started!
Democracy will not save itself, and it's not a spectator sport. So get in the game!
Thanks for all you do to resist MAGA Republican extremism, elect good candidates, and save democracy!
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