Bus News: Uncategorized

Can you hear us now?

What about now? Now?

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Right now—like, literally right now—legislators are talking amongst themselves about a huge game-changing public safety bill called HB 3194. The bill already received a hearing and the sausage-making has commenced.

If HB 3194 were to pass unchanged, it would:

Flatline prison growth over the next decade and avoid $600 million in new prison expenses;
Some of those savings would be re-invested into under-resourced parts of our public safety sector: community-based victim services, community corrections, drug courts, addiction and mental health treatment, and re-entry programs.

So, you know, pretty common sense stuff if you’re a lover of safety, savings, and justice. And let’s be real, who among us isn’t?

But as with actual sausage-making, the figurative sausage-making of the legislature ain’t pretty and it’s totally possible someone could lose a finger. You see, opponents are speaking out and they’re pressuring our policy makers to water down key parts of the bill.

This is where you come in. We need to make sure that the good people in our legislature aren’t just hearing from opponents; they need to hear from the supporters as well.

There’s two ways you can make sure they hear you now and help the bill get a good reception (get it? Because cell phones?) in the legislature.

Option 1: Come to Phone Phest Next Tuesday

Next Tuesday, Partnership for Safety & Justice and the Bus will be calling voters all over Oregon and encouraging them to have a phone date with their legislator. It’s a few hours of telephonic awesomeness plus good eats and great folks.

When: April 30th, food at 5 PM, calls from 5:30 – 8:00
Where: Bus Central, 333 SE 2nd Ave, Portland

Click hear to RSVP so we know how much food to make.

Option 2: Make Yourself Heard

Can’t make the Phone Phest? No worries, friend. Just take 5 minutes today and call your legislator to let them know you support HB 3194. Even if your rep or senator is generally supportive, it still helps to hear friendly supporters cheering them on.

Click hear to find your legislators.

Click hear to learn more about the issues.

Now seeking movers, shakers, et al.

For a Jolly Good Fellowship

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Do you know someone looking to ignite a career organizing for the environment, running political campaigns, fighting for equal rights and social justice, or launching their own nonprofit?

Then they should totally apply for PolitiCorps Summer 2013, the ninth edition of our signature summer bootcamp for aspiring public interest leaders.

The PolitiCorps Class of 2013 is filling up fast, but the search for 24 of the most inspiring young leaders isn’t over yet. And we need your help.

Can you help us identify the most creative, driven, entrepreneurial, passionate young folks in Oregon? We know you know them. In fact, many of you are them.

That’s why we need you to nominate these people. Like, today. (The deadline for applications is rolling, but the sooner someone applies, the better).

Who’s right for PolitiCorps? Well, for starters nominees should be college seniors or recent graduates and they should be ready to bust serious tail for the entire summer. Beyond that, Fellows come in all stripes. They come from every state in the union, some who grew up with a clipboard in their hand and others who are still getting their campaign legs under them.

Sound like someone you know? We thought so. So go ahead and nominate those fine folks here and then let them know that you’ve nominated them. And we’ll take it from there.

Wanna apply for PolitiCorps yourself? Skip the whole nomination process and get started on your application today. Click here to apply.

Yessssssss

We’ll keep this short and sweet: you freaking rule, Bus people.

The candidates that the Bus supported this year went 8 for 8. That’s so much winning that we won’t even begrudge you for busting out a Charlie Sheen reference.

Thanks to you, the Oregon Legislature has five brand-spankin’ new representatives in Chris Gorsek, Caddy McKeown, Joe Gallegos and long-time Bus volunteers Shemia Fagan & Ben Unger.

Thanks to you, Arnie Roblan has made the jump from the House to the Senate.

Thanks to you, Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson keeps her seat where she’ll continue to be a leading advocate for education and health care.

And thanks to you, Oregon can continue to be a leader in accessible, effective democracy with Kate Brown at the helm as Secretary of State.

These eight races were won by an incredible coalition, dedicated campaign staff and some truly inspiring candidates. These wins were fueled by generous donors, selfless volunteers from all over Oregon, and the hundreds and hundreds of Bus volunteers who gave their weekends, weeknights and everything in between to hit over 25,000 doors in races that were decided by just hundreds of votes.

Oregon, we love you so damn much.

The New York Times Weighs in on the Youth Vote

Hello Bus Friends,

I thought you’d be interested in this piece the NY Times just ran about the youth vote this year. In addition to the nice boost to our collective self-esteem to see the Bus name-checked as a model for youth organizing, the article sparked a few thoughts:

1. We have to ask the right questions. You’ve probably noticed that media coverage of the youth vote all follows the same, baffled frame: “Why are young people so apathetic?!” And so often the conversation stops there. This piece, however, goes deeper. Young people do care about their communities, their rights and the general welfare of society.

So the question is not “Why are young people apathetic?”, but “What’s the disconnect between the Millennial Generation’s deep connection to community and their comparatively low political engagement?” Which brings me to my next point:

2. We need to meet the Millennial Generation where they are. We need to connect democracy with the issues young people care about, things like equity, sustainability and an economy that doesn’t sport a youth unemployment rate double the national average. And not just that, but we need to proactively reach out to young people where they are: concerts, community gardens, sports events, and the like. When it comes to balancing the voices in our democratic process, relying on the traditional opt-in method just doesn’t work.

3. Politics needs to change. Last, the author makes the argument that we’ve been making since our founding: we can’t just leave politics unchanged and expect young people to jump on board. The generation more likely to get their news from Stephen Colbert & Jon Stewart fully reconginzes the outsize influence of money in politics. They see elected leadership that doesn’t reflect the diversity of the rising American electorate. They see the way that they’re courted during the election season only to be discounted when the sausage-making happens. And all along the way, they’re forced to deal with a process that’s boring, confusing and not built for the 21st century.

If we want a democratic process that includes the voices of the Millennial Generation to the same extent as older Americans, we have to address these three points. We need to ask the right questions, make politics relevant and unavoidable and fundamentally transform the structures of governance.

I like to think the Bus does a pretty good job on these three points, and that’s why I’m proud to be a part of it. Nice to see the Gray Lady thinks so, too.

This work doesn’t happen without your support. Our donors are 15 years old to 80 years old, and they give what they can.Can you make a contribution of $25, $50 or $100 today?

Get on the Bus,

Caitlin Baggott
Executive Director
The Bus Project

The Bus goes 2 for 2 in the ol’ primary

So, quick & cool news. After doing nearly 8,000 doors in the primary, BOTH of the Bus’s target campaigns won. 2 for 2! 2 for 2!

Oregon’s great moderate Republican Bob Jenson survived hyper-conservative challengers in Eastern Oregon. Big news for voter access & tuition equity. Thanks to Shana, Hillary, Elliot (both of ‘em), McKenna, Nick, Scotty, Pete, JP, Scott and Matt for knocking so many damn doors in Pendleton.

David Douglas is getting a new school bond - the children of East Portland will be getting new textbooks, upgraded school buildings and will stop drinking brown water out of their water fountains. Thanks SO DANG MUCH to the Bus volunteers who helped make that happen.

There’s a bunch more work to do. But today, feel good. Oregon is better off than it was yesterday, and you helped make that happen. You kick ass. The Bus loves you.

Sincerely,
Henry Kraemer
Organizing and Political Director / Organize-Czar
Bus Project

503-233-3018 (work)

SupercalifragelisticexpialaVOTEous

Bus volunteers & organizers have done SO DANG MUCH this primary election, it’s almost like they have a limitless bag of tricks (like Mary Poppins, get it?).

This primary, we set our peepers on two small-but-scrappy elections that matter a whole heckuva lot to Oregon’s next generation.

Boosting Bob Jenson (R – Pendleton)

For the first week of voting, the Bus Trips team & a hardcore crew of volunteers from across the state took to Eastern Oregon to support Bob Jenson, Oregon’s great moderate Republican - champion of voter access, sponsor of Tuition Equity and paragon of economic fairness and innovation. In just five days, the team visited ONE THIRD OF ALL likely Republican primary voters, including ALL of Pendleton (1,744 doors in all). Boom.

Doors for David Douglas Schools

And all the while, Bus volunteers were kicking tail for the David Douglas School Bond. With one of Oregon’s most diverse & underserved school districts facing huge cuts (and unsafe buildings and drinking fountains producing brown water), volunteers ponied up a spit-ton of time asking the people of East Portland to vote to raise money for, ya know, the kids. All told, they visited 6,185 David Douglas households - over a thousand more than voted in the last primary election (4,899).

Here’s a picture of one of the Trips, because it’s pretty.

We’ll see how it all turns out tonight. But here’s what we know already: Bus volunteers are glorious. They infused quiet-but-critical campaigns with over 650 volunteer hours that they deeply needed. And that is just A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

Bus volunteers are the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. In a most delightful way. #poppins #chimneysweep #dickvandyke

Get out that vote. Get it.

The voters need you. So much.

Elections: they’re back like bell-bottoms in the ’90s.

In the next four weeks, voters across Congressional District 1 (Washington County, the north coast, Yamhill, west PDX & a bunch more) have the chance to cast ballots in America’s first election of 2012.

First off, if you haven’t registered, do that here. The deadline is tomorrow. Don’t be lame. Do it now.

The problem: a bundle of folks need a reminder to get their ballots in.

The solution: PHONE PHEST 2012, baby. Gettin’ folks together to remind SO MANY PEOPLE TO VOTE.

The Phone Phest recipe: Vivacious volunteers + tasty treats + delicious drinks + magnificent music + dialing for democracy = the greatest phone calling experience of your sweet young life.

We’re giving quick, easy, impactful nonpartisan reminder calls to young voters and voters of color in CD 1 and we need your help, alongside our partners CAUSA, the Urban League of Portland, the Center for Intercultural Organizing, Oregon Action and more.

Our big ol’ kickoff Phone Phest is this Sunday, January 15th, from 3pm to 6pm.

Sign yerself up now.

There’ll be a taco bar (yes, you read it right), drinks and nonstop tunes.

So RSVPlease & be like this one:

All the January Phone Phests you’ll ever need.

We need the sweet dulcet tones of your voice to help remind CD-1′s young people and people of color to vote every night, so we made every night special for you.

Click the linky-links to sign up.

Big Ol’ Kickoff – Sunday, January 15th, 3pm to 6pm @ Bus Central (333 SE 2nd Ave)

Dial “V” for Voting – A night of mystery. Wednesday, January 18th, 5:30pm to 8:30pm @ Bus Central

Ring My Bell – Disco-style. Sunday, January 22nd, 3pm to 6pm @ TBD

Ring a Ding Ding – Rat Pack / Mad Men stylings. Wednesday, January 25th, 5:30pm to 8:30pm @ TBD

Notorious D.I.A.L. – In honor of Biggie Smalls. Sunday, January 29th, 3pm to 6pm @ TBD

Can’t Stop Won’t Stop – Monday, January 30th, 5:30pm to 8:30pm @ TBD

Call Til You Fall – Tuesday, January 31st, 4pm to 7pm @ TBD

If you’re outside of the metro area & wanna help, respond to this e-mail and we’ll set you up on remote callin’.

All hands on deck.

THE BUS IS SO HIRING.

Everyone’s wondering where the jobs are. We don’t have all of ‘em, but we do have a whopping six new gigs open.

The Bus has a huge year coming up in 2012. It’s going to require a serious dream team. Think Ocean’s 11 but…cooler. We need to grow our team in a big way, adding dynamic, energetic and hilarious people to our band of lovable misfits. We need people who are gonna grind out some big wins with us over the next 12 months. We need you.

Check out our jobs page for info and details on how to apply.

In addition to the six staff positions, we will soon be accepting applications for two fellowships: PolitiCorps Summer (June-August, bootcamp for 25 fresh from college rockstars, with a stipend) and Democracy Summer (March-November — ok, it’s nine months, but Democracy Spring-Summer-Fall didn’t roll off the tongue. This is a paid term of service position for a dozen folks with a previous direct campaign experience).

When We First Met(ro)

Young voices needed. Stat.

Over here in Bus-land, we care SO MUCH about our generation getting heard in our democracy. We’re inheriting this place, so it’s on us to keep it awesome. Trouble is, people in power rarely ask us what we think about anything (except computers — they effing always ask us about computers).

Today, we’re grabbing the microphone. Metro, Oregon’s world-famous regional government, is specifically asking what our generation thinks about how our neighborhoods should look & feel for the next 20 years.

So here’s the skinny: we need you to join Opt-In, Metro’s internetz panel to hear from people about their community. Right now, they’re mostly hearing from old folks. Which isn’t bad exactly, just troublingly incomplete.

But really now: we’re going to inherit this corner of the world. It’s on us to make it awesome(r). It’ll take you a few minutes to sign up & then you’ll be one of the folks guiding the future of this place.

Ok, now go here. Go. Really, go.

Love,
Caitlin Baggott

Executive Director of the Bus

Session Confessions

Hey Bus fam,

Now that the Oregon Legislature is done, we’ve taken a bit of time to marinate in the aftermath of the sausage-making & wanted to share some longer-than-usual thoughts. Hope you don’t mind the extra words and if you’re in such a hurry, just read the bold or italicized parts and skip to the end.

Here’s the short version, Speedy:

This was a pretty darn good session for innovation. After tons of predictions to the contrary, legislators got bipartisan and made some genuinely forward-thinking stuff happen. The Bus family racked up real common-sense achievements. Still, it sure wasn’t all sunshine and puppies. Despite some amazing organizing by our coalition partners, issues of equity got hosed this session. The big lesson: we need to build a space for our leaders to be bold and follow their consciences. And it’s on us to make it happen.

Here’s the longer version, Ready McReaderson:

Bus-beloved ideas came to life.

At Rebooting Democracy 2010, the Bus family decided on two top policy priorities. After a load of work from folks across the movement — on the Bus & off — both made it to the Governor’s desk. No small feat (feet?).

A major win for voter registration. Our top priority HB 2880 (which makes sure public assistance agencies and the DMV fully integrate voter registration with their services) passed with broad bipartisan majorities. So now Oregon’s on the path to making voter registration a proactive part of state services for underserved communities (which has led to tens of thousands of new voters from low-income communities in other states). We’ll need to make sure the council created by the bill focuses on equity to make the thing work. Testimony from Bus peeps Dina Yazdani, Salome Chimuku & Daisy Quinonez were huge in making it happen.

Farm to School will be a (small, but tasty) part of the menu. For the last couple years, lawmakers have been really into saying that it’d be a good idea to feed Oregon food to Oregon kids, but hasn’t been into paying for it. This year, though, they unanimously passed HB 2800, which puts real money toward a Farm to School pilot project. One nutritious baby-step for this biennium, one giant leap toward a fully-funded statewide initiative (three cheers for sexy bureaucratic language, eh?).

Bus Family in the legislature did some great things (not just Rickrolls).

Bus Board member Rep. Ben Cannon passed the first major update to the Bottle Bill recycling program in 40 years (in partnership with GOP Bus-friend Rep. Vicki Berger). He teamed up with OG Bus Trips champ Rep. Brian Clem to pass Buy Oregon, which lets state agencies put a priority on using Oregon products. Ben also scored victories on bills that allow cities to lower speed limits in residential neighborhoods (aka Greenways) & pave the way for peer-to-peer car sharing.

Bus Board member Rep. Lew Frederick was a true champion of a small, but real victory for communities of color this session — helping to educate foster parents on issues of skin and hair care for foster children from different racial backgrounds. To boot, after literally decades of work, Lew created incentives for cleaning up brownfields (a real victory for environmental justice, particularly in North & Northeast Portland).

Lane Bus leader Rep. Val Hoyle closed a legal loophole that allowed insurers to deny coverage for certain breast cancer treatments. Plus, she scored a victory for student transfers between community colleges and universities.

Bus Founder & Board member Rep. Jefferson Smith helped lead the way on Cool Schools (energy retrofits for public school buildings) — one of the sessions biggest deals. All the while, he brought us the innovative ‘Grow Oregon’ program (economic development through the cultivation of local businesses) & our much-beloved public assistance agency voter registration.

On an extra cool note, Ben, Jeff & Val are all on caucus leadership for the interim, which is one hefty load of Bus.

A few big things didn’t happen.

The hardest, longest and ultimately most painful battle was for SB 742, Tuition Equity. The idea is clear and smart: charge in-state tuition for long-time, high-achieving Oregon students who never got documentation when their parents brought them to America. Bipartisan support in 11 other states have made this a model law — good for the economy, the work force, and citizens.

The Oregon Student Association and CAUSA led the way through tireless and extraordinary organizing, with huge help from the Oregon DREAMers, APANO, CIO, Stand for Children, SEIU and our team (especially awesome testimony from Bus badass Zahara Muhammed). Business and labor came together around the campaign, as did folks across parties.

Republican Senator Frank Morse endured death threats as he bravely brought the bill to pass the Senate for the first time in nearly a decade. Democratic Rep. Michael Dembrow brought perseverance and thoughtfulness to the work in the House, where it ultimately failed to make it to the floor for a vote. It was heartbreaking. Simply heartbreaking

We also felt real confusion and sorrow with the failure of SB 97, which would have offered cultural competency training to Oregon health care providers. The bill had deep support from the Bus family, but it died in the House on a party line vote.

In this decade, if you we want real innovation and equity, we need to build a culture of courage.

During the height of the Tuition Equity debate, the legislature pulsed with people, diverse in every way: Age. Race. Region. Party. It was beautiful. This is what democracy looks like (but really).

Yet in spite of it all, we didn’t win this one.

Great bills that would have helped real people’s lives died this session because of fear. Not like fear of wolves or clowns or anything, but fear that some powerful interest is going to put an ad on television that distorts your vote and ends your political career. That fear shuts down innovation and it shuts down equity. It sucks and we have to stop it. There needs to be a space in Oregon for legislators to be brave – to follow their consciences. It’s why we knock on doors, make phone calls and talk to voters. It’s why we organize. It’s why we have a Bus.

We all need to renew our focus and our energy. Starting now.

Between now and next election, we’re going to knock on 100,000 doors for innovation, equity and justice. To give Oregon’s leaders the courage and support to follow their conscience and do what is just.

Thanks for reading and, ya know, for being cool and all. See you on the Bus.

Love,
Henry Kraemer
Organizing and Political Director / Organize-Czar
Bus Project

503-233-3018 (work)

P.S. We’re leaving out a LOT of what happened this session. For some other debriefs, read any of these.

P.P.S. If you want to help (please do – it won’t work if you don’t), call or e-mail me to volunteer. Become a Monthly Bus Driver or give $25, $10 or whatever you can.

The Wheelies: Dazzle, Delights and Democracy

Leave the Grammys for your grammy*.

The Wheelies are coming. You can relax now. Everything’s going to be ok.

The Bus Project’s Awards Show for Stuff that Mattersis coming back to town onMonday, October 10th, with a hefty load of limelight to shine on our awesome community.

So grab that gCal, iCal or zCal and SAVE THE DATE, friends.

Break out your top hat. Dust off your tuxedo. Add an extra 3″ to those stilletos. There’s fabulousness on the horizon.

The Wheelies is our big benefit gala (which means every dollar goes to support innovative, volunteer-driven democracy) and a chance to celebrate the wicked-extraordinary work done by good people across the movement, from champions of organizing to captains of industry to paragons of public policy.

Early-bird VIP packages (save $100 on a 5 ticket pack) are available now, as are regular VIP tickets. Buy ‘em now. General admission’s going on sale next month.

All in all, if you’re looking for one spot where the entire creme de la creme de la Oregon will be, that spot is The Wheelies on October 10th. So be there.

Check out TheWheelies.Org for more deets.

*Leave the Oscars for your Uncle Oscar. Leave the Tonys for your Tony Danza. Leave the CMT Awards for your EMT. Leave the Soapys for Jefferson “Soapy” Smith, the 19th century gambler and criminal (no relation to this guy). Blah blah blah. Come to The Wheelies already.