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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Civics for Adults [and others!] Update December 12, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Happy Holidays, everyone! I'm thankful that so many people are getting more civically engaged. Remember what Chief Justice Louis Brandeis said, ""The most important political office is that of the private citizen."<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white'><b><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>**New legislative session starts in January. Be ready to help you patrons navigate the state legislative database of bills and find out how to submit “testimony” [aka your thoughts] for Hearings. Citizen Activism 101 - Making Change Happen!** <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>And, if YOU want to become versed in how to use our state legislative database I am presenting a pre-conference at the OLA/WLA Conference in April!]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>[Email me for details on all four workshops offered: Misinformation, Fake New and Political Propaganda; Citizen Advocacy 101; The Influence of the Constitution on Political Conversation; Elections and Campaign Finance.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>New Civics Facebook posts:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>An important part of our democracy is an agency we rarely discuss - the IRS, Internal Revenue Service. Its smooth functioning is imperative for funding government. We may not always like what is funded but we recognize it's part of democracy - and it must be efficient and fair.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>That, apparently, isn't the case. Two articles from ProPublica this week outline what is wrong. Here they are: How the IRS was Gutted [also currently published in The Atlantic]</span><span class=MsoHyperlink><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="%0dhttps:/www.propublica.org/article/how-the-irs-was-gutted">https://www.propublica.org/article/how-the-irs-was-gutted</a></span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>and, <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/how-the-irs-was-gutted?fbclid=IwAR1cRjYRbtlQDfx_rDzzwVCFmmC_drX6-1xAeFIA2A8SisfhOVVarV90ieU" target="_blank"><span style='color:black;text-decoration:none'>Who’s More Likely to Be Audited: A Person Making $20,000 — or $400,000?</span></a></span><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='color:black;text-decoration:none'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/earned-income-tax-credit-irs-audit-working-poor?fbclid=IwAR12qBDZ4EcofDRMsbkJImb9zRNrBZomL0cawpVkUK_ez0UIO-ZRg2mc3Ig">https://www.propublica.org/article/earned-income-tax-credit-irs-audit-working-poor?fbclid=IwAR12qBDZ4EcofDRMsbkJImb9zRNrBZomL0cawpVkUK_ez0UIO-ZRg2mc3Ig</a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2129'> </span><span style='color:#1D2129'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2129'>Tax Fairness Oregon <a href="http://www.taxfairnessoregon.org/">http://www.taxfairnessoregon.org/</a> has studied potential ways to increase revenue for schools, etc. in Oregon and are looking for folks to let them know their preferences for how to do this. TFO will be lobbying [as they do every session, every day] for what looks to be the best ideas(s). They outline three options and you can let them know what you think. You may not like any of them -- in which case feel free to tell them that! E</span><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>ach proposal would raise about $1 billion per biennium.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5838/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1424231&fbclid=IwAR2j3c5OWnT8ntoeDyvdLrFsfjEJlBgxXQXBbWIwD4hq9y6UOrSrqSLvtu4">http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5838/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1424231&fbclid=IwAR2j3c5OWnT8ntoeDyvdLrFsfjEJlBgxXQXBbWIwD4hq9y6UOrSrqSLvtu4</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2129'>FYI, there will be another Women's March next year. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2129'><a href="https://www.womensmarch.com/2019/">https://www.womensmarch.com/2019/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The League of Women Voters recently had a presentation on Redistricting, which, of course, will be happening after the 2020 Census [per the Constitution]. After a 2017 task force report from the Oregon Secretary of State’s office a bill was introduce in the last legislative session to set up an independent redistricting commission - a move that several states have made. The bill did not go anywhere, though. LWV, etc. are gearing up for a new bill to be introduced in the next session starting in January [Come to a Citizen Advocacy workshop and learn how to track bills and provide testimony (aka your thoughts) to Committees discussing the bills!]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>They, along with some other groups have a website focused on this - however, it hasn’t been kept completely up-to-date that well. I did contact them and am hopeful they will make improvements. That said, it does have some good info and should allow you to get on the list for updates on Redistricting in Oregon: <a href="http://www.redistrictingmatters.org/">http://www.redistrictingmatters.org/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Brennan Center follows citizen efforts to create fair maps. Read about ballot measures which passed last month: <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/current-citizen-efforts-reform-redistricting">https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/current-citizen-efforts-reform-redistricting</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The GOP was extremely successful as drawing district maps after the 2010 Census. In fact, they titled their effort “RedMap”: <a href="http://www.redistrictingmajorityproject.com/?fbclid=IwAR21-ileTTkg2hykKaTt7Kgl9vZhisL5h230gC_qNieB5ScqFvlVxH60C4g">http://www.redistrictingmajorityproject.com/?fbclid=IwAR21-ileTTkg2hykKaTt7Kgl9vZhisL5h230gC_qNieB5ScqFvlVxH60C4g</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Recently PBS Frontline aired the second part of its investigative report on hate groups in the U.S. See the broadcasts online:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Part 2 is <u>Documenting Hate: New American Nazis</u><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/documenting-hate-new-american-nazis/?fbclid=IwAR20bDFcyiR2m_vbvmdQWWCKq0CdDL8f8Tugwl1LcD1OYHdKAErvJDHb-fI">https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/documenting-hate-new-american-nazis/?fbclid=IwAR20bDFcyiR2m_vbvmdQWWCKq0CdDL8f8Tugwl1LcD1OYHdKAErvJDHb-fI</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Part 1 was <u>Documenting Hate: Charlottesville</u><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/documenting-hate-charlottesville/">https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/documenting-hate-charlottesville/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>I've posted this before but it's worth a rerun. 1 minute video from Reporters Without Borders on Fake News! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnaRrSfQ_lc/">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnaRrSfQ_lc/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Donna<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Donna L Cohen, MEd, MLIS<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Portland, Oregon<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>503-737-1425<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>dcohen@hevanet.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='color:#9E0000'>Civics for Adults Workshops: To Enhance Civic Knowledge and Inspire Political Engagement<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='color:#9E0000'>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/"><span style='color:#0563C1;font-style:normal'>https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/</span></a> or contact to be on Civics email list.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal>“My philosophy is very simple. When you see something that is not fair, not right, not just - stand up, say something, speak up!” Rep. John Lewis. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6lzPpqc2WY"><span style='color:#0563C1'>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6lzPpqc2WY</span></a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>