Cast Your Ballot & Make a Video!
After the success of the 51 stars video supporting DC statehood—watch it hereif you’ve haven’t seen it—COIN’s social media maven Ariel Knox will be highlighting the act of voting in her next video, and she needs your contributions—videos or photos of you voting. Be creative! Include your pooch, favorite dance routine, or anything else that conveys the joy and privilege of voting. Please upload your photos and videos to this link by May 13.
Climate Justice Q&A with State Treasurer Read This Thursday
Along with 350PDX, Act for Democracy is co-sponsoring a Q&A with State Treasurer Tobias Read on climate justice this Thursday, May 5 from 7:00-8:00pm. It’s our opportunity to tell Treasurer Read that we want state funds used for creating a better future for Oregonians. As manager of the PERS retirement fund, Treasurer Read decides where to invest billions of dollars entrusted to him by state workers, such as firefighters and teachers. It’s time to push for the environmental and human rights protections the public wants! To register and learn more, visit this webpage.
April Monthly Meeting Notes Universal Healthcare with Dr. Metz
Roberta Ruimy kicked off A4D’s April meeting with a moving acknowledgment of the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial and the need to continue pursuing lasting justice, not only individual accountability.
Updates on the activities of Action Teams were presented, including an announcement that 55 bills have been recommended to Oregon legislators along with a request that A4D members contact their legislators to push for enactment of those bills. Check out the Legislative Action Team page for further details.
Our speaker, Dr. Sam Metz who is vice president of Oregon Physicians for a National Health Program and a founding member of Mad As Hell Doctors, explained how and why the US has a uniquely dysfunctional healthcare system that costs significantly more than in other developed countries yet serves fewer people. He described models other countries have adopted, including multiple insurance companies in Japan and the single payer approach in the UK. Dr. Metz stressed the need of a single, basic set of benefits for everyone with an option for people to buy additional services. Savings resulting from the reduction of current administrative overhead would more than pay for the expansions necessary to cover everyone. Read here for more details.
Other Upcoming Events
Virtual Indivisible Tuesday is tomorrow, Tuesday, May 4, at 11:30am. Meet with staff from Senator Wyden's and Representative Blumenauer's offices. Details here. The A4D Activist Reading Group meets Thursday, May 13, from 7:00-8:30pm. The group will discuss George Lakoff’s The ALL NEW Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate. To join the meeting, use this Zoom link. For more information, contact Ken Rosenberg at rosenbergkd@yahoo.com.
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