Happy Monday, Activists! We hope you are all staying safe and healthy. We're starting to find out how hard it is to distance ourselves from friends and family. But that’s our mandate until health experts tell us we can go back to our normal lives. In the meantime, we can do other things to stay connected, and that’s what we at Indivisible Philadelphia HQ would like to do with you. Today’s newsletter brings you up to date on our activities. We also provide a few ideas for continuing to take action. And we have some ideas to help you stay sane during the next several weeks while we all suspend our normal activities, both personally and with Indivisible Philadelphia. We’ll bring more to you often. Please stay in touch with us too. We count on your ideas and good nature to keep us going! We have some ideas for virtual meetings that we’d like to roll out in a few days. So we’ll be in touch about that soon.
CALL TO ACTION
Sen. Casey – Phila office 215-405-9660; D.C. office 202-224-6324; email link Sen. Toomey – Phila office 215-241-1090; D.C. office 202-224-4254; email link On Friday night, in response to the pandemic, the House passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R.6201). This package includes measures like making coronavirus testing free, implementing paid emergency medical leave, expanding unemployment insurance, and providing food assistance.This bill is a start, but its language around paid sick leave does not apply to large employers (something we know leaves a lot of working families out), so our work is not done yet. But the Senate has yet to vote on the bill -- and Senate Republicans have already been signaling their opposition. Republicans are so caught up in protecting corporate profit margins that they’re unwilling to take basic and necessary steps to protect the health and safety of millions of vulnerable people nationwide.We must demand they pass the House legislation without weakening it further, and continue to move on still needed responses and support in the upcoming economic stimulus package.
At this point we have to make sure the Senate passes this bill. Call our Senators’ offices and demand they pass H.R.6201 as soon as they receive it.
MAKE 20 CALLS FOR HAROLD HAYES TODAY
We worked so hard canvassing and writing postcards for Harold Hayes in TOMORROW’S special election. Governor asked the legislature to postpone the election due to coronavirus concerns, but House Speaker Republican Mike Turzai refused to change it. We are concerned (and Turzai is hoping) that a lot of Democrats will not come out to vote due to safety concerns. We are told that the polling places have been scrubbed and are very clean for voters. So although it’s not our preferred choice, we still need to encourage voters to come out and vote for Howie. Even if you can only make 20 calls, it will make a big difference. Sign up HERE. The phone bank is open 10:30 AM-8:00 PM, and you'll get all the information you need to start making calls once you sign up. You’ll be directed to a webpage with directions, the virtual phone bank link, voter details and script, and talking points about the candidates.
POSTCARDS, VOTER REGISTRATION, IN-PERSON MEETINGS
All of our postcard events, voter registration drives, and in-person meetings are suspended until we can determine we can safely gather again. It seems this could last for six to eight weeks. In the meantime, we'll have actions you can do to maintain your activism! First up -- You can write postcards from home. Several of our postcarders have started doing it and like it quite a bit. Here's how it works: – Step One: Order postcards from the Postal Service at this link. They are 39 cents each, including the stamp, and are the cheapest way to buy cards and stamps. – Step Two: Email us at info@indivisiblephiladelphia.com and let us know you want to write cards and we’ll get you all the information you need.
– Step Three: We will send you addresses and a script for you to write the cards. We’ll replenish your supply of addresses as needed.
FUN READING + ACTIVITIES
Here is a very informative and far-reaching article for all you data geeks and anyone who wants to peruse a lot of topics about coronavirus. Maps and up-to-date stats – If you like a visual presentation of where the virus is tracked now and updates on the basic facts, the well-respected Johns Hopkins tabulator and map is fantastic and also the New York Times map. Coping in the time of coronavirus – Here is a fun article for activities people in other countries have invented for diversions from checking the news every five minutes. By the way, the New Yorker’s virus coverage is free to all without a subscription. – Here is an article from CDC about coping in the time of coronavirus. – One more article with ideas to improve our lives while social distancing. Non-news activities – THIS WEEK: The Metropolitan Opera is streaming favorite operas for free in the wake of coronavirus, starting with Carmen tonight at 7:30! Watch La Bohème (tomorrow night) and other favorites and forget that you’re social distancing for a while. If you know someone without internet access: Or if you know someone who might know someone without internet access, Comcast is offering their “Internet Essentials” access for free for 60 days to low-income customers. Do you have more ideas for maps, articles, games, or diversions you recommend we share? Email us! info@indivisiblephiladelphia.com We’re all in this together. We’ll stay in touch with you and you stay in touch with us! Talk to you soon.