What is Indivisible BOISE CHAPTER ONE?
We are part of a national Indivisible movement that is committed to resisting the Trump agenda whenever it threatens our American principles of inclusion, fairness and honesty in government. With more than 1700 members, Indivisible Boise Chapter One represents concerned citizens in Boise and Southern Idaho. You can learn more about us at Indivisible Chapter One Facebook Page.
How did you get started?
This last year progressive people of Boise, despondent over the election, agreed that Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric, vindictiveness, greed and general ignorance of the issues posed a real threat to our nation. Some had heard of an online guide that was inspiring thousands of local communities to form resistance groups. Deciding to start the group here, the members spread the news by word of mouth, social media and in January of 2017 Indivisible Boise Chapter One began.
Who wrote the guide?
The 26-page document was written by five former Congressional aides who witnessed first-hand how the Republican Tea Party movement effectively thwarted President Obama’s agenda. Called Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda, the guide shows how progressives can use the very same strategies to resist Trump. Its advice can be summarized by these two core principles:
- Focus on your local members of Congress (MOCs). Track their positions and activities on proposals and bills put before Congress.
- Be firm and persistent. Exert continuing pressure on your MOCs by deluge their offices with letters, phone calls and visits. Demand they hold town halls and ask them hard questions. Insist they be accountable to you, their constituents.
Why focus on our local MOCs?
Because voicing our opinions to our own Congressional representatives—Rep. Mike Simpson, Raul Labrador and Senators Mike Crapo and James Risch―is the most effective way for us to resist policies we consider harmful to our country. Our MOCs must pay attention to us because they know that if enough of us are displeased with the job they are doing, we can turn them out of office in the next election.
How do you communicate with them?
We visit their local offices regularly. We call, email, tweet and send post cards. We organize rallies, write letters to the editor, and pressure them to hold town halls. In all these ways, we make sure they hear us and remind them they serve at our pleasure.
Is it true that Indivisible is funded by rich Democrats like George Soros?
No. The national Indivisible movement accepts donations from members, but Indivisible Bluegrass does not accept donations.
Is it true that Indivisible is led by outside seasoned organizers?
No. The vast majority of us have never been politically active before. We are Sixth District residents whose only common bond is an abhorrence of the current Administration’s divisive and unjust policies and a desire to promote inclusion, compassion, fairness and honesty in government.
I’ve heard that Indivisible is an angry group. True?
We are firm in our convictions, but we do not engage in vindictiveness or mockery. As our steering committee regularly reminds us: We are peaceful and non-violent, we listen respectfully, and we conduct ourselves with dignity.
Are there any areas in which you would support the President?
Yes. If the President ever proposes a policy that promotes inclusion, fairness and honesty for all Americans, we will support it.
Is the Indivisible movement having an impact?
Since mid December, the guide has been viewed by over three million users and downloaded two million times. There are more than 6,000 local Indivisible groups—at least two in every Congressional district in the country. Indivisible is an important part of the nationwide resistance movement in which millions of Americans are writing editorials, marching, filing lawsuits, visiting their local MOCs, and speaking out in other ways against this Administration. Spirited resistance from Indivisible and similar groups has contributed to these Trump Administration setbacks:
- The Trump Administration’s first and second attempts at banning citizens from specific Muslim majority countries from entering the United States have been stuck down by the courts.
- Congress has passed a spending bill that flatly rejects most of President Trump’s budget cuts and specifically excludes funding for his controversial border wall.
- A federal judge has blocked Trump’s order to withhold federal funds from the “sanctuary cities” that refuse to assist federal authorities in deporting illegal Hispanic immigrants without criminal records who have been living here for decades.
- Two Congressional committees, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Justice Department are investigating Russian influence in the election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign.
- The U.S. Government Accountability Office is investigating conflicts of interest related to the Trump family’s business holdings and the Administration’s dealings with foreign governments.
Where does Indivisible go from here?
The anger and frustration many experienced after the election cannot be allowed to fade away. Indivisible Boise Chapter One is working with other progressive groups in Boise and Southern Idaho to effect change in the 2018 mid-term election and beyond. We will persist with coordination and persistence. We will persist in the knowledge that Donald Trump did not receive a mandate and is an increasingly unpopular president. And we will persist in the belief that inclusion, fairness and honesty will, in the end, trump petty demagoguery.