Thanks for a great meeting. Time to get to work. Next meeting Sunday March 13th 4-5:00

FIRST links to donate to help Ukraine

NGO that arranges life-saving equipment for Ukrainian soldiers: https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate

Hospitallers working at the frontline: https://www.facebook.com/hospitallers/posts/2953630548255167

NGO that assists internal refugees: https://unitedhelpukraine.org/

NGO that aids traumatised children: https://voices.org.ua/en/

Foundation that assists healthcare and education in eastern Ukraine: https://razomforukraine.org/projects/zhadan/

NEXT Our three main political links discussed at the meeting

1. https://sisterdistrict.com  The best site for info and links to help down state races in swing state. Check out the State Bridges programs on Wednesdays at 5:00 pm.

2  https://www.activateamerica.vote   Great site to find activities, get postcard addresses etc.

3. https://airlift.fund     We are fund-raising for this group. Find out more about them by attending one of their event such as March 15th event with the founder of Movement Voter Project. Encourage friends to donate.

We have also started writing Vote Forward letters. Let us know if you want to pick up postcards from our porch, get pre-printed Vote Forward letters, more QR codes for our thermometer, etc.

Andy will write on Israel separately. California political news: Bryan Osorio has abandoned his Congressional race in CA–22. Rudy Salas will be the Democrat against Valadao. Adam Gray is a State Assembly member trying to upgrade in Josh Harder’s former district (now CA–13). He’s a Conservadem. Phil Arballo, who formerly took on Devin Nunes, is also running and has the SEIU endorsement. Major effort is going into re-flipping the three SoCal seats: besides Valadao, Eric García, and Michelle Steele.

We also had a spirited conversation about the new leader of the Western world, former clown Volodymyr Zelensky. He is energizing resistance groups who want to strengthen democracies all over the world, including our group. Amazing to watch.

During a grim week what better than to gather with friends and get active? We’ll have reports on what various groups are up to, supplies for our activities and a few notes from Andy about his travels with the Congresspeople. Grab a friend and let’s get to work!

We will resume in-person meetings (Covid willing) on Feb. 27th when Andy returns from his trip. Meanwhile

1. Airlift is sponsoring a very interesting event with Katie Porter this Tuesday, February 15th at 6:00.

2. Vote Forward is starting its first campaign.

3. Someone took all the postcards and the box[!] from our porch but we are putting new ones out. Please click on the Activate America link to get some addresses and scripts.

4. Besides postcards, we will put out the little cards with QR codes that take a browser to our website or ActBlue page, that you can share with your friends who want to donate.

5. We are over $6,000 on the thermometer for Airlift. On to $10,000.

We think it is best to wait until we can meet again in person, hopefully in two weeks. Meanwhile, lots to do.

We are more than half-way to our fund-raising goal (moved past $5,000 and on to $10,000. Andy and I have not added all of our matching funds yet–we hope to use them to finish off the campaign. Small cards with the QR code for our site can be found in the postcard box on our porch. Pass them out, send around the link and we’ll reach our goal.

Our new postcards came with the slogan we picked at the last meeting. They join other designs on our front porch in packs of 25.

Activate America has some good postcards campaigns now, including one to encourage Wisconsin Dems to vote by mail.

Andy contributes: I had the opportunity to meet virtually with Kermit Jones. He’s a good candidate. Wish he had a more favorable district. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones is now running for that seat, as a second Republican candidate. He and Assembly member Kevin Kiley, who announced earlier, are both vicious human beings and terrible on policy; let’s hope their fight costs them and enough voters stay home in November.

Next meeting Sunday 2/13.

I promised to supply this, then forgot. Her SF office fax is (415) 393-0710.

As an addendum to the CA discussion, I have heard a rumor that Jerry McNerney will retire, and Harder will run for that seat instead, with an incumbent D member of the Assembly trying to move up.

As discussed at the 6/20 meeting, we have some new groups to support.

The graphical thermometer link has been broken by software revisions. Go to our site to donate.

In view of omicron, although we will be here, we are also offering a Zoom link to the meeting, and many of you have expressed interest in attending that way.

Email Naomi for the link.

[OOPS: earlier version said 4:30. It’s 4:00!]

Just as the Democratic leadership looks ready to give up, an article on how a more confrontational and effective party might just salvage the situation.

& Insurrection Anniversary

There are a number of commemorative events for Thursday. There’s (some) evidence that Merrick Garland remembers what happened, although he hasn’t yet accomplished much. Neither, honestly, has the House 1/6 Committee, beyond rehabilitating the Cheney Family reputation, something I would not have thought possible. Maybe the various contempt trials and other belated indictments will happen before the election. Maybe not.

Indivisible Marin has a virtual Hour of Action from 5:00–6:00 pm. Barbara Lee is doing a Facebook event (no FB account required) from 5:30–7:00.

Also of interest: the 2021 Sister District report.

Our first meeting will be Sunday, January 16, 4:00 pm, usual place. Bring friends. I will go over the California and national election scene, although (unlike some) I think that what happens with Covid and the economy between now and November will matter a lot. [UPDATE: In view of omicron, we will also offer a Zoom link for this week. Request the link by email.]