Our Final IMV Meeting of 2023 is on Sunday

Please join IMV at our December 2023 meeting, Sunday, December 17th, 2:00-3:30 pm. NY Energy Zone, 35 Utica Zoo Way, Utica.

We’re meeting in this beautiful, conference room space for the first time.  It’s up the hill off the Parkway, on the right, before you get to the Utica Zoo parking lot. There is plenty of parking in the lot at the building. We’ll be talking about what we want to do for a Jan. 6th action and discussing how we can call out #NY22’s  #WeakWilliams and hold him accountable in 2024.  See you there!  

Want to start thinking about the action IMV could take on Jan. 6th, 2024?  Check out this toolkit, and then bring your ideas to the meeting!  There will be treats, and we'll keep to the time so you can get to family/holiday events or preparations.  Bring a friend!  We look forward to seeing you!
 
Call Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand: Reject MAGA Immigration Policy

You may have already responded to the emergency message on the need to mobilize our Democratic senators to fight hard against the MAGA immigration proposal that is currently circulating on the Hill.  We need you to keep making those calls!  As we heard from Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, the ACLU says this is the scariest legislative proposal they have heard yet. 

What's going on? 
For months, Senators have been negotiating over what's called the "supplemental" funding package -- additional money the Biden administration requested from Congress to respond to crises around the world. Republicans are playing brazen, dangerous hardball in order to force Trump-era immigration policies in exchange for support for Ukraine, and Democrats are considering caving to their demands.

They haven’t reached a deal yet, but the policies on the table are nothing short of breath-taking: an end to asylum for everyone except the small number of folks who can afford to buy a flight into the U.S., mass deportation -- nationwide -- without a hearing, and a dramatic increase in the incarceration of asylum-seekers, including families, and a restart to Trump’s signature Title 42 policy.

These policies would be dangerous and harmful enough on their own. But we’re heading into a tough election year with Trump and Trump-acolytes threatening to take back power, we cannot hand them even more tools to inflict their cruel agenda on vulnerable people.

Click here, and the process of calling both of our NY Senators on this issue will just take a few minutes. Thank you for taking action!

Take Action Re: Sham Impeachment of Pres. Biden

Republicans in Congress are wasting time and tax dollars, all in an effort to politically damage President Biden, appease Trump, and distract from their own inability to govern.  Brandon Williams is part of this destructive MAGA effort and we can call him out.  There are detailed tools for action HERE.  Want a quick action summary?  Please take action NOW!

1. Call Rep. Williams today, and tell him NO to the sham Biden revenge impeachment inquiry,  (Never mind, he voted YES earlier in the week-BOO!.)
2. Email Rep. Williams today and tell him you'll hold him accountable for the sham inquiry.
3. Write a Letter to the Editor about this ridiculous revenge impeachment inquiry.
 

Climate Crisis Actions

The Birds and Bees Protection Act (A.7640/S.1856) was delivered to the governor this week. That means that there is now a 9-day countdown for the Governor to make a decision on the bill. In other words, it’s now the LAST CHANCE to voice our support for the bill! We urge everyone to do so by: 

• Calling the Governor! Instructions below

• Emailing the Governor too! Nothing pairs better with a call than a nice follow-up email. Instructions also below.

• Participating at the 12/20 Action Party! Everyone is welcome to our virtual action party in support of the bill, Wednesday, December 20 at 7:00 PM. All the information is available at this Eventbrite page, and hope to see you there!

 Every call and email counts.
 
GOVERNOR’S PHONE AND INSTRUCTIONS
1-518-474-8390 | Office hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
 
Whether you reach a live person or an answering machine, please tell the office your name, where you are from, and that you want Governor Hochul to sign The Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7640/S1856A) to protect New York’s food supply, water, and public health from highly toxic neonic pesticides. It’s as simple as that, although more information for talking points is available at this blog. 
 
GOVERNOR’S EMAIL
For Individualized Emails from Organizations or for Sending Organizational Support Memos: legislative.secretary@exec.ny.gov
For Large Blast/Form Emails: Correspondence.office@exec.ny.gov
 
Individualized emails from organizations or individuals are best. Information on the bill is available at this blog, but writing a supportive email does not need to be more than a paragraph or two. Simply state why the bill is important to you or your organization, and urge the governor to sign the bill into law. Sending an official support memo can also be helpful for those groups that are so inclined—some examples are here.
 

Sarah Klee Hood Virtual Fundraiser

You're invited to join a Virtual Fundraiser with Sarah Klee Hood Tuesday, Dec. 19th, 6:00-7:00 pm,  Register HERE.  A number of IMV members and supporters are co-hosting the event. To purchase your ticket and get the Zoom link sent to you: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/skh12.19?refcode=imv
 

Flipping NY22 Blue Starts with YOU

December 11th (Monday) was the SEVEN year anniversary of (the original) The Indivisible Guide, published by a few congressional staffers following the devastating 2016 election. Since that date, following the practical steps in the guide, Indivisibles around the country have resisted Trump, then the MAGA movement, and we're not done yet. 

We got some great updates and learned about some amazing ideas for flipping congressional seats in NY--and making 2024 "the year of New York" in the work of saving democracy.  Volunteers are going to be needed to organize a messaging summit, and coordinate "Days of Action" where volunteers from blue parts of the state help Indivisible groups in places like NY22 where everything about democracy hangs on flipping the seat blue in 2024. Every single one of us will be needed for the work that lies ahead. But we won't be alone.  Groups across the state will pitch in together along with our allies in order to accomplish our electoral goals. And it starts now. 

Please join us at our meeting on Sunday, 2 pm at the Energy Zone. We will be planning our first actions of 2024 to hold Brandon Williams accountable, call out his failed MAGA policies, and build the people-powered momentum to defeat him in 2024.  Then we'll take a bit of a break for holidays before our Jan. 6th action. 

Remember to make the calls, send the emails, and write the letters to the editor listed above.
We are not powerless.
Our power lies in collective citizen action.
Democracy is not a spectator sport. 

 Follow us on Instagram's Threads.net/@indivisiblemohawkvalley, on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.