3-CHAPTER FOR PROGRAM: BOOK DISCUSSION: “Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual for Every American”, Zoom

Sun April 21, 6:30 – 8 pm Pacific time,  Zoom connection info below

The Olympia, Seattle, and Tacoma Fellowship of Reconciliation chapters are pleased to co-sponsor a program meeting with Carolyn Barclift who will be talking about David Peppers book “Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual for Every American”.

See info about this book and several reviews at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/152107785-saving-democracy

Do you think Ohio is a deep red state? Would you be surprised that the voters are split 50% Republican and 50% Democrats? Then why is Ohio run by Republicans and votes Republican in Presidential elections? That is because the Republicans have been organizing for the past 20 years to turn the state red. David Pepper was an Democratic elected official during this time and watched it all happen. Our guest speaker Carolyn Barclift will talk about David Pepper two books “Saving Democracy” and “Laboratories of Autocracy” and how the tactics that Republicans have used in Ohio have been successfully exported to many other states. Including Washington State.

“Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual for Every American,” written by David Pepper, is a clear guidebook to how everyday Americans can, and should, engage their elected officials at all levels of government. Pepper builds on an earlier book he wrote, “Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines.”

Pepper is a former elected official in Ohio, former Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party from 2015-2021, and teaches election and voting rights law. He recognized that so much attention has been given to federal elections and government that local politics gets far less attention than it deserves. We have seen the results of this in the gerrymandering, destructive law making, and minority party rule achieved in many states. As Former Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill, famously said: “All politics is local.”

Carolyn will talk about the work that needs to be done on a local level and highlight some ways we can accomplish what must be done to save democracy and continue our work towards the more perfect union we desire.

Carolyn Barclift was born, raised, married and raised her children in Olympia. She retired from a 30-year career in law enforcement locally, having been engaged in community service and improvement projects her whole life. During her career, she served her union in elected office as the union’s {equivalent to} Lead shop steward, a contract negotiations team member and Lead, and then three terms as President while being the only woman in her bargaining unit. She was elected to the Olympia School Board and served three terms. She served as her Board’s Legislative Representative at both the state and federal levels, several terms as President of the Board, served on a variety of committees for the Washington State School Directors Association, and was elected to the WSSDA Board of Directors.

In 2016 she crossed from one side of the civil protest lines to the other and searched for others who wanted to do something about our political issues. She’d always tried to stand up and take action when she saw something wrong and speak up for others who couldn’t. This became her next effort. She was an original steering committee member for her local Indivisible, she led networking and coalition building efforts. She organized a Congressional District 10 Indivisible Leaders Group, and eventually the Washington State Indivisible Coalition. WaSIC developed a bill tracking process with an effective call to action system. She organized local protests, meetings and other events, and grew in her knowledge and experience of many ways to effectively influence our elected officials. She served as chair for a national political campaign in 2020, and received another education of a lifetime in organizing – and during a pandemic – and has continued her commitment to year-round engagement with our government and officials full time. She has been educating interested communities in civics, issues, skill building/training, and events like watch parties for debates with after-discussions. She holds weekly organizing briefings, group discussions on the issues, hosts a book club and a monthly Our Good Works Projects Community Service event. After the 2020 election was done, she wasn’t. She works directly with many national organizations including Common Cause, Public Citizen, CREW, MoveOn, DemCast, Indivisible, Media and Democracy Project, as well as a member of the Declaration for American Democracy coalition of 260+ national progressive organizations. She is the Founder/Organizer for Fourth Branch Action. Her experience in advocacy work, citizen lobbying at all levels of government, she understands the importance of elections up and down the ballot, how different levels of government can have a strong impact on others, and our role, strategy and tactics for influencing those elected to represent us.

Everyone is welcome!

Info 206-789-5565 or wwfor@wwfor.org

Zoom Meeting Connection Info

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87371368515?pwd=TlVnWllkVExuOFE2elFEaWdOdUVqUT09

Meeting ID:  873 7136 8515, Passcode: 942201

One tap mobile

+13602095623,,87371368515#,,,,*942201# US

+13863475053,,87371368515#,,,,*942201# US

Dial by your location

• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US
• +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 309 205 3325 US
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID:  873 7136 8515, Passcode: 942201

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcUq3njY7S