Welcome to COIN
COIN is made up of Indivisible groups from across Oregon that collaborate to protect democracy and implement progressive values through voter outreach and education, campaigns and elections, holding elected leaders accountable, and advocating for legislation that best reflects our values.
COIN - The Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network
We are part of Indivisible, a nationwide movement of thousands of volunteer-led local groups that engage in progressive advocacy and electoral work at the local, state, and national level.
Form your own group or join a group near you.
COIN's 2024 Priorities and Strategies
Many thanks to those of you who completed the COIN Survey about priorities for 2024. Needless to say, it looks like we are mostly all on the same page with what we need to devote our time and energy to in this most critical of election years. Here's what you told us, and what we aim to focus on through Election Day - November 5, 2024.
Priority #1 - Take Back the House!
We plan to help take back the House by electing Janelle Bynum to Oregon's 5th Congressional District and making Lori Chavez-DeRemer a one-term representative. Be sure to check our our Tell The Truth Lori webpage to understand fully why she needs to go.
We also need to support Val Hoyle in District 4 and Andrea Salinas in District 6 to ensure they win re-election. Scroll down a bit to read more about these three candidates and sign up to volunteer for one or more of their campaigns the campaigns, even if you don't live in their district because we all will benefit if Democrats regain control of the House in November. Under GOP control, last year we saw the most unproductive Congress in close to a century. We deserve better.
Priority #2 - Re-elect Joe and Kamala!
Make sure that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are re-elected. The alternative is just too terrible to even think about. So, we're planning to "adopt" a swing state where the race will be a lot closer and put our energy into helping Joe and Kamala win there, since we can count on them winning here in Oregon. And the swing state we've chosen is...... ARIZONA! Stay tuned for details!
Priority #3 - Maintain a majority in the Senate!
Oregon doesn't have a senate race this year, but there are states not too far away that need our help. The state we "adopted" to help Joe and Kamala win for Goal #2 above, ARIZONA, also has a critical senate race, so we plan to double up our efforts there and help maintain or even expand Democrats' majority in the Senate. Details will be announced soon.
Meet the OR-4, OR-5, and OR-6 Democratic Candidates!
Rep. Val Hoyle OR-4
Rep Hoyle has been busy this past year in Congress working for Oregonians on a variety of fronts, including improving statewide wildfire response, pushing for federal disaster relief after this past winter's severe ice storms, and securing $2 million in federal funds for Curry County's Chemotherapy Project.
Janelle Bynum OR-5
"I’m running for Congress because Washington as we know it is broken. As a mom, small business owner, engineer, and legislator, I’ve seen Republican extremists hold our government hostage and prevent Oregon families from the ability to grow and thrive.
In Congress, I will fight for good jobs close to home, access to health care, clean air and water, and affordable housing, just like I’ve done throughout my time in public service. My focus has always been paying opportunity forward so Oregon is a better place for our children and future generations to live, work, and raise their families."
Rep. Andrea Salinas OR-6
Thanks to Andrea Salinas for joining us Feb 20 to discuss her first term as our CD-6 representative and what we can do to help send her back next year. You can view a recording of that COINversation HERE.
Taking back the House is a top priority for COIN in 2024, and that means not only winning back CD-5 but also holding our other Democratic seats in Congress. Both District 4 and District 6 will likely be close again in 2024, so let's support our incumbents in both of those races!
MAGA Takeover Plans - Project 2025
Have you heard of Project 2025, the collection of MAGA policy proposals and power grabs crafted by the Heritage Foundation, other right-wing organizations, and Trump advisors? They intend to reshape the federal government and quickly impose these MAGA policy proposals if Trump wins.
The president of the Heritage Foundation, Kevin Roberts, hailed the Supreme Court decision in Trump v. U.S. that conferred immunity on the president for “official acts.” He boasted that that decision and Project 2025 are leading to a “second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” a clear threat to anyone who dares oppose it. Roberts is closely affiliated with Hungary’s authoritarian leader, Viktor Orban, who is a Putin ally.
Trump says that he wants to be a dictator on day 1. Project 2025 is the blueprint for him to do so.
**Many thanks to Mary Chaffin for her research on this important topic.
Here are just a few of Project 2025’s lowlights:
Trump would overturn the civil service system, put in place over 100 years ago to stop corruption and cronyism, by reclassifying tens of thousands of merit-based federal civil service workers as political appointees. Trump would exact “retribution” against apolitical federal employees, who would be replaced by cronies willing to implement Trump’s demands, even if they are illegal! Trump already tried to do this in 2020, but his executive order was overturned by Biden when he took office. This time Trump would succeed.
The Heritage Foundation has already created a database of potential replacement employees and has established a training program to guarantee that these new employees will be loyal to the president and adhere totally to the program’s objectives and goals.
Trump could take partisan control of Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This together with the Supreme Court immunity decision would enable Trump to implement an authoritarian, Christian nationalist plan to transform the United States into an autocracy, infusing the government with the tenets of Christianity.
Project 2025 would expand the use of the Insurrection Act of 1807, which authorizes the president to use the military for domestic law enforcement purposes.
Trump could direct the now-subservient DOJ to misapply the zombie Comstock Act, which bans the transmission of “obscene” materials through the mails, to prohibit the delivery of abortion medication by mail.
Project 2025 proposes sharply reducing environmental and climate change regulations to favor fossil fuel production even though the US is energy self-sufficient. Funding for climate research would be cut.
It calls for more tax cuts to benefit the wealthiest while cutting social, programs, including the VA.
It would cut Social Security by raising the retirement age and adjusting downward cost of living adjustments.
Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act would also be on the chopping block.
Project 2025 is larded throughout with divisive culture war language like “woke agenda,” “climate fanaticism,” “radical Left,” and “flyover country.”
It would abolish the Department of Education for purely ideological reasons and divert taxpayer funds to support private religious schools.
It would remove legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and terminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, as well as affirmative action.
It would abolish the Federal Reserve.
Responding to recent harsh criticism of the extremist Project 2025, Trump has recently tried to disavow it. But his own allies and advisors participated in creating it, and it closely tracks his past statements. We can’t believe Trump because he lies about everything. Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer refused to answer a question about her position on Project 2025 at her so-called tele town hall on June 25.
Our democracy is now at great risk. We are under attack by forces allied with authoritarian Orban and dictator Putin. We cannot put in power those who would destroy it.
To learn more about Project 2025, read about it here and help spread the word!
Inside Project 2025 - Boston Review
Project 2025 Is A Blueprint For Business Disaster (forbes.com)
Project 2025 | Presidential Transition Project
Weekend of Action - June 22-24
Indivisible has asked groups across the country to plan a Weekend of Action event, June 22-24, to observe the second anniversary of the Dobbs Decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
So far, events are planned in:
MILWAUKIE – Saturday, June 22, from 12-1 p.m. at Milwaukie Bay Park, SE McLoughlin Blvd and Monroe, a “Roe Anniversary Rally” hosted by Indivisible Clackamas and Indivisible Cedar Mill. Sign up here.
ASHLAND – Sunday, June 23, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Ashland Plaza, Roevember Is Coming” rally hosted by ORD2 Indivisible, Women’s March Southern Oregon and Planned Parenthood.
BEND – Sunday, June 23, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Peace Corner downtown, 1077 NW Wall St, hosted by Vocal Seniority and Indivisible Sisters.
THE DALLES – Monday, June 24, from 3 - 5:30 p.m., Rally for Reproductive Freedom at The Dalles City Park 707 Union St., hosted by Protect Oregon’s Progress and Columbia Gorge Women's Action Network. Sign up here.
ENTERPRISE - Monday, June 24 from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Wallowa County Courthouse, 101 S River St. Womens Strike 2024 in recognition of Contact wallowademocrats@gmail.com.
If you want to host an event in your corner of the state, here is the Weekend of Action Toolkit. Indivisible National is offering $200 to support each event. Once you’ve planned yours, please add it to the national list and let us know so we can add it to our state list by emailing debiferrer@gmail.com.
Just last week MAGA Republicans in the Senate killed a bill that would have safeguarded access to contraception. In the House, during Pride Month, Rep Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Rep Cliff Bentz voted for a MAGA appropriations bill that would prevent the VA from providing gender-affirming care to veterans and would bar the Pride flag from being flown at any federal building.
Make no mistake: Reproductive freedom, the right to marry who we love, and other basic human rights are on the ballot in November.
We Care Fund-A-Thon with
Northwest Abortion Access Fund
In the latest assault on reproductive freedom, a Trump-appointed judge has issued a ruling withdrawing FDA approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs used in abortions. FDA approved the abortion pill 23 years ago, and it has proven over and over to be a safe and effective drug for early abortion and care during miscarriages.
The judge's unprecedented ruling may jeopardize access to the abortion pill across the country including in Oregon. Join the fight to protect reproductive freedom and access to safe reproductive health care services!
Join the COIN We Care Team's 2023 Fund-A-Thon with Northwest Abortion Access Fund by donating to provide access to abortion and other reproductive health care services.
Together we can fight for reproductive freedom for everyone! Here are some ideas:
Ground transportation - $20 to help folks get to and from the clinic if they don't have transportation or can't drive after anesthesia or $75 for those who must travel hundreds of miles for reproductive health care or $500 for air travel from states that have banned abortion
Fund a mail order medication abortion - $200
Or donate any amount you can to support reproductive freedom
For more information and how you can donate, check out COIN We Care's fundraising page.
COIN Groups Take Action in their Communities
We Care
Thank you health care workers!
Indivisible activists know the work that starts in our homes and communities is just as important as the work that goes on inside the government. Whether we're gathering in homes or by zoom, organizing rallies, sign waving from bridges, phone banking, post carding, meeting with elected leaders, working on legislation, or even running for office, our members put in the time because democracy matters.
"This is about the fight for the soul of our democracy." Elijah Cummings
Kudos to Indivisible North Curry County on the success of their Women's March in January. For a small town, they have an active group and a very visible location for their rallies. Bret Cecil reported that the group marched a mile along Oregon Coast Highway 101 and was met with much support in the form of honks and waves from cars driving by.
If you have a photo of your group's event, send it to us for the website at coinleadership@gmail.com.
WOW! What a Weekend!
COIN's Voting is Our Superpower rally and COINvention was pretty awesome!
Indivisible Co-Founder, Leah Greenberg and SIX of our COIN-endorsed candidates were there to emphasize how critical it is for us to turn out voters in this election to protect the freedoms we all value, freedoms under threat by an extremist GOP.
Freedom to VOTE
Freedom to choose when to start a FAMILY
Freedom to love and marry who we LOVE
Freedom to be OURSELVES
Freedom to live in a healthy ENVIRONMENT
Freedom to live in a healthy DEMOCRACY