OREGON UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST VOICES FOR JUSTICE
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2020 Annual Meeting Presentations

Our four presenters for our 2020 Annual Meeting were
David Delk -  Deepening Democracy
Paul Cienfuegos - Environmental Justice
Regina Lopez - Human Rights
Chuck Collins - Economic Inequality
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September 10, 2020 session
Paul Cienfuegos - Environmental Justice
"Rethinking the Corporation, Rethinking Democracy"
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  • Founder, Community Rights PDX
  • Educator * Organizer * Writer
  • Resources List
  • Questions to think about
  • Paul's Talk
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* Book List to learn more about the Community Rights movement: HERE
* List of Local Laws (ordinances) that have been successfully passed in twelve states across the US since 1999:  HERE
* A 12-minute YouTube Video introducing the basic concepts of Community Rights local law-making: HERE
* An archive of Paul’s Weekly Radio Commentaries/Podcasts: HERE
* Subscribe to the monthly Community Rights US newsletter: HERE
* Make a one-time or monthly Tax-Deductible Donation to Community Rights US: HERE
* Contact Paul Cienfuegos for more information: HERE
  • Can we have democracy when large corporations wield so much power and wealth under law?
  • Can we reclaim from corporations the Constitutional rights of people?
  • Can we exercise our right of local self-government to protect the health, welfare , and dignity of our citizens, our commons, and our future generations?
  • How has the failure of federal and state government to act on environmental and social emergencies from mass evictions to small business failures to climate meltdown undermined democratic practices?
  • How can local residents and their local government pass groundbreaking laws to address these societal crises?
p._cienfuegoes_talk_9-19.2020.pdf
File Size: 43 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Audio file of Paul Cienfuegoes talk here
David Delk - Deepening Democracy
How do we make democratic practices real in Oregon?
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  • Oregon Progressive Party - Chair
  • Alliance for Democracy - Nat. Co-chair
  • OR UU Voices for Justice - board member
  • Resources List
  • Questions to think about
  • David's Talk
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AMEND THE OREGON CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW LIMITS ON MONEY IN POLITICAL SYSTEM
OR Honest Elections Here
BM 107 Text here to amend the OR Constitution to allow limits on campaign contributions.
Vote Yes on BM 107 for Fair and Honest Elections website here 

RANKED CHOICE VOTING
Information on ranked choice voting:
Ballotpedia  |  Common Cause  |  Fairvote

PUBLIC FUNDING OF CANDIDATE ELECTIONS
Common Cause | In the City of Portland |

NATIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE

The right to vote is the foundation of democracy, yet the U.S. Constitution contains no explicit right to vote. The Constitution should be amended to explicitly grant the affirmative right to vote to every citizen of voting age. Legislation has been proposed to create such a right.  See HJR75 in the Senate (co-sponsored by OR Sen Merkley) and HJR93 in the House of Representatives (co-sponsored by OR Rep. Blumenauer).
Fairvote | Right to Vote Initiative

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT : MONEY IS NOT SPEECH AND CORPORATIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE
HJR48 has been proposed as a US Constitutional amendment to state that money is not speech and corporations are not people.  Oregon's US Representatives Blumenauer, Bonamici and DeFazio are listed has co-sponsors.

Move to Amend

Contact David Delk/OR Honest Elections for information on any of these and to get involved
503.232.5495 or davidafd@ymail.com 

  • Is Oregon one of the best states for democratic practices?
  • Why should OR voters approve Ballot Measure 107 to allow limits on money in politics and a ballot measure for redistricting reform (if it gets on the Nov 2020 ballot)?
  • Shall the OR legislature enact specific limits on money in politics and enact public funding for state level political candidates?
  • How and when should cities and counties enact limits on big money in politics?
  • Shall the super quorum in the OR legislature be eliminated?
  • Shall we consider other reforms to Oregon's political system?
Audio file of David Delk's talk 
dd_talk_-__deepening_democracy.pdf
File Size: 79 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


 
October 10, 2020 session
Video recording of the entire session here.   Passcode required: 
by23iUP+
Chat Box from entire session here.
Regina Lopez - Human Rights
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Human Rights presenter, Regina Lopez is  Exec. Director, PCUN, Oregon's Farmworker Union (PCUN is focused on building a stronger voice for all Latinx working families in Oregon, from farmworkers to young folks, so that we can collectively improve their well-being and increase prosperity for all.)
  • Resources List
  • Reyna's talk
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  • PCUN - Oregon's farmworker union.
    PCUN is based in the heart of the Oregon Latinx community, and in one of the most vibrant agricultural areas in the state. We’re Oregon’s Farmworker Union, and we fight for low-wage workers, and Latinx families.
  • CAUSA -  Oregon's Immigrant rights organization.
    Causa works to improve the lives of Latino immigrants and their families in Oregon through advocacy, coalition building, leadership development, and civic engagement. Latino immigrants and their families are the heart of Causa and inspire, implement, and champion our work.
  • Farm Worker Ministry Northwest - We are a faith-based farm worker solidarity organization working for justice with the local farm worker community in the Northwest.
  • United Farm Workers - UFW national campaigns include pesticide bans, farm worker visa reforms, and national legislation for immigration reform.  
Chuck Collins - Economic Inequality
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  • Program on Inequality and the Common Good, Institute for Policy Studies (www.inequality.org)
  • Co-editor, "Born on Third Base"
  • ​Author: "The Wealth Hoarders: "How Billionaires Pay Millions to Hide Trillions"
  • Resources List
  • Chuck's Talk
  • More from Chuck
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  •  Institute for Policy Studies - Program on Inequality and the Common Good
    • Report:  "Inequality in America: Far Beyond Extreme" by Bob Lord
  • Oregon Center for Public Policy - Poverty and Inequality                                                                              Sign up for their email newsletters.
  • Oregon Tax Fairness -  "We read the bills, so you don't have to"
  • Other national organizations dealing with inequality, tax fairness and economic policy:
    • Citizens for Tax Justice
    • Good Jobs First
    • Economic Policy Institute
    • Center for Budget and Policy Priorities
    • Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
Summary of Chuck's talk
Chuck talks about how we address the concentration of wealth and power in America. 
What reforms do we need to make besides reforms to make our democracy work for all of us

     He talks extensive about the problem of hidden wealth - wealth that the wealthy have but which they use various mechanism to hid to taxation. 
     The top 1/10 of 1% (those with wealth over $25 M) have hidden their wealth in trusts, off shore tax havens and shell companies.  This hidden wealth amounts to $25 - $35 trillion.
What do we do?
1.  Enact corporate transparency laws
2.  Enact progressive tax laws like the Sen Sanders Wealth Tax S4490 - 1 year tax on wealth of billionaires
3.  Tax income from wealth at the same rate as we tax income from work (no tax loopholes for capital gains income)
4.  Enact a millionaires surtax (10% of income of 1/10 of 1%; this could generate $600 billion over the course of a couple years)
5.  Change laws on how we treat charity giving and the tax benefits for such giving.  There is 1.2 trillion locked up in charities.  We need to double the payout requirement from 5 to 10%. 


Why We Must Protect Essential Workers From Billionaire Pandemic Profiteers  Wednesday, Nov 18, 2020, Common Dreams
When billionaire owners and CEOs fail to fulfill their responsibility during this extraordinary time, it is the duty of elected officials and Congress to step in and enact public policies to protect essential workers and their communities.  President-elect Biden should establish a Presidential Commission on Essential Workers with on-the-ground, diverse worker representation.  Congress should pass the Essential Workers' Bills of Rights developed in collaboration with workers' organizations at the local, state, and federal levels.
Lawmakers should also address the problems of pandemic profiteering and billionaire enrichment.  Congress should levy an emergency pandemic wealth tax on billionaires to raise revenue for health care and aid to localities.  Congress should also establish a Pandemic Profiteering Oversight Committee that goes beyond oversight of stimulus funds
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New Book by Chuck Collins

Available on presale by publisher.  will be available at your local bookseller later March 2021.
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  • Home
    • GA 2022 >
      • GA 2022 AIWs Enacted
  • About Us
    • Vision/Mission
    • Contact Us
    • Board Members
    • Coalition of Unitarian Universalist Social Action Networks
    • UUA Social Justice Home Page
  • Donate
  • OR Legislature
    • 2023 legislative Info
    • 2021 legislative bills
  • Campaigns
    • 2020-21 campaigns >
      • Deepening Democracy
      • Economic Justice
      • Environmental Justice
      • Human Rights
      • Right to Repair
  • Participate
    • Sign Up for our "Action of the Week"
  • Communications/Videos
    • Pic - 2016 meeting
  • 2022 Docs