Dear John,

Here at the Capitol, things are eerily quiet. As you probably know, Oregon’s Senate and House Republicans walked out on us earlier this week. For the fourth time in less than a year, they’ve stopped showing up for work and brought the entire legislative process to a halt. They are blocking the climate bill from going to a vote because they know we have the votes to pass it.
 
But Oregon’s Democratic Leaders are staying strong. Day after day, they’ve shown up in the Capitol and they refuse to give in. Help us thank the House and Senate Democrats! If you have a Democratic legislator, send them a quick thank-you email! Or, if you have Republican legislators, you can help by sharing our thank you posts on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Today, armed with a basket  of handmade chocolate chip cookies, I thanked the lawmakers who chose to be at work today in my own way. It was just a small token of gratitude for showing up when Oregonians need them most. I baked these cookies with my 5 year old daughter Delaney (my 2 year old, Sylvan, was less helpful). It felt just right—these legislators were standing up for the next generation, and my kids’ future. Will you help me thank them with a quick email? 
 
As a mom and a former civics teacher, the Republican lawmakers’ new trend of walking off the job worries me. What precedent does this set for Oregon’s future? By refusing to show up for work, Republicans are breaking our democratic process. This is not the kind of Oregon I want our young people to inherit. Oregonians elected a majority of lawmakers who support climate action. And, yet, Oregon’s Republicans insist on running away and preventing legislators from doing the jobs we elected them to do. Walking away is not the Oregon way. 
 
Handing out cookies felt good. On a tough day, it brought smiles to legislators’ faces. While Oregon’s House and Senate Republicans are breaking our democracy, Oregon’s Democratic lawmakers are guarding it. They’re living up to their oaths as our legislators, and they’re standing up for their constituents. Will you send a quick thank-you message to your Democratic legislators? Or, you can also help by sharing our thank-you video on Facebook and/or Twitter.
 
It’s not easy for legislators to stay strong through all this madness. Seeing how much their constituents support them goes a long way. Oregon deserves leaders who show up for them, and our legislators deserve a big thank you for doing the right thing. Please join us in thanking Oregon’s Democrats, whether by sending an email, sharing our posts on Facebook and/or Twitter, or maybe even by handing out your own homemade goodies. 
 
The next generation is counting on us to save our democracy. We can’t give in. 
 
Here’s to staying strong, and standing together,

Christy Splitt
Interim OCN Director/Development Director, OLCV

 
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Staying in touch via the Oregon League of Conservation Voters’ email list is the best way we have of keeping in regular contact with supporters like you and letting you know about the ways you can take action to protect the environment. You can unsubscribe from our supporter list, but if you leave, it will be harder for you to stay involved with OLCV and continue the work that you’ve been such a critical part of. OLCV wins environmental policy fights and elections because of dedicated activists like you, and we’d hate to see you go.