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In the Advocate July 2025: Michael Righi The “Big, Ugly, Cruel Bill” Michael Righi The actual name for Trump’s domestic policy bill is One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). It is hard to imagine the sycophancy of Republicans, who named it that in order to please our Dear Leader. The bill is not finalized yet, and there are still some differences between the House and Senate versions, but Republicans have crafted it with a variety of gimmicks so that it can be passed on a majority vote with narrow Republican majorities in both houses. A War on the Public Good It is a tax cut bill for the rich, but it’s much more than that. Buried within its more than a thousand pages is the right-wing plan for the future, a war on the public good. Public institutions, collective care for the planet and each other – all of that is to be flattened. There are too many examples. What follows are just a few. Start with the militarization of immigration policy, which we are seeing in the news and on our streets daily. It started with ICE performative cruelty; the bill would add $150 billion to Stephen Miller’s mass deportation campaign. That’s 10,000 more masked and armed ICE goons and a massive increase in detention facilities. That is a police state intruding into our communities. Funding tax credits for clean energy or tax cuts for the wealthy? It’s clear what has to go. Not only will OBBBA cut clean energy programs, it would grant a tax break to oil and gas companies, essentially exempting them from a corporate minimum tax. The bill establishes as a goal to have school voucher programs in every state, despite the fact that these have been voted down several times, even in deep red states. Despite being pushed and funded by institutions like the Gates Foundation, studies of voucher schools prove they underperform public schools. Is that the point, to punish poor and working class families? There’s more, but let’s get to the tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. OBBBA mainly extends Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, plus some “lipstick on a pig” additional cuts for overtime pay and tips. The bill slashes Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamps, cuts that fall overwhelmingly on working class families. This is unprecedentedly ugly. Past Republican-sponsored tax cuts favored the wealthy and increased inequality. But they didn’t actually take from the poor. The OBBBA benefit cuts reduce the income of the poorest by about $2,000 per year while raising the income of the richest 10% by $12,000. The decline in well-being likely for the lower half of the income distribution would then be similar to a severe recession. Low-income folks are even worse off when tariffs, which are also regressive, are factored in. This is how Republicans are becoming the “party of the working class”. They will piss on you, and explain that it’s raining. And it’s your fault. The Yale School of Public Health estimates that OBBBA will lead to 51,000 additional deaths annually. Debts and Deficits Republican claims that tax cuts will unleash economic growth and so raise tax revenue are complete hogwash; no study, not one, has found any validity in trickle-down economics. That’s just more rain. Reliable analysis of OBBBA predicts it will raise the national debt by somewhere between $3 and $6 tril- lion over the next decade. That’s a wide range, but of course there is a lot of uncertainty. Let’s review some principles. Having the government spend more than it gets in revenue (run a budget deficit) was crucial in 2008, to prevent the financial crisis from becoming a depression. It was crucial in 2020 when COVID shut down the economy. It would also be great if it funded investments in clean energy, schooling, housing or infrastructure. But running deficits to fund tax cuts for the already wealthy? That is what has been happening for the last 45 years, driven by the demands of the rich unwilling to pay even modest taxes. Are deficits and debt becoming a problem? Yes. Bond investors are going to require higher interest rates to lend to the government. Interest costs are becoming a larger and larger part of the government’s budget. Higher interest rates are going to make it harder to buy a house or car, or for governments and firms to build climate investments. Usually it is Republicans who are the “debt scolds”; they use fear of debt to oppose social programs. If they were really worried about debt, they would go after tax cheats (that’s $600 billion a year) and refuse further tax cuts for the rich. But they won’t. They are hypocrites. Will the Trump clown show have serious consequences for the economy? Will ‘the bond market” get nervous about debt and restrain the orgy of tax cutting? It’s not clear yet, but it would surely be a lot better if OBBBA were trashed. That is what would happen in a democracy. Michael Righi is a retired economics professor and a member of the Retiree Advocate editorial board. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

Join Us for Our Summer BBQ Tuesday August 19th, 12:30– 3:00 pm Seward Park, Shelter #3 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S, Seattle All PSARA members, families and friends are invited to our August potluck barbeque in Seward Park along the shores of LakeWashington. Come and relax in the presence of old growth trees and visit with friends and make new ones. PSARA will provide some veggie, beef and chicken burgers, sausages and drinks. Members should bring a pot- luck dish to share. If you would like to drink something other than carbonated and plain water please bring it along. But note that alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Also not permitted is amplified sound but you can bring along your acoustic guitars and other musical instruments if you would like to play and sing. Tim Wheeler is bringing copies of his new book No Power Greater, the Life and Times of George A. Meyers (see Mike Andrew’s book review in the May Advocate.) He may also bring his autoharp and lead us in a few songs. Robby Stern has offered to lead a walk through trails in Seward Park’s forest which contains some old growth trees. So, bring walking shoes and binoculars. Seward Park is filled with a variety of birds. Perhaps we can encourage some of PSARA’s birders to go along for the walk and identify some for us. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone in person for a relaxing, fun- filled afternoon in the park. Directions for finding Shelter #3 are below: BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

PSARA Signs an Open Letter Rejecting the House Homeland Security Committee’s Unfounded Inquiries into 200+ Nonprofit Organizations In the Advocate August 2025: PSARA Signs an Open Letter Rejecting the House Homeland Security Committee’s Unfounded Inquiries into 200+ Nonprofit Organizations We, the undersigned more than [...] nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations and community leaders, stand united inopposition to the House Homeland Security Committee’s and Senator Josh Hawley’s unfounded demands for information from hundreds of nonprofit organizations. These charities and organizations have done nothing but carry out their work, including what is outlined in the federal grants some of them were awarded, and include religious organizations and groups working on advocacy and services for immigrants, workers, youth, and a vast array of other organizations serving their communities. These letters of inquiry target civic organizations that have provided services under valid federal contracts that were authorized and appropriated by Congress, filling a need the government cannot perform itself. No allegations of wrongdoing, or evidence is provided for these extraordinary and burdensome inquiries. This effort appears to be an attempt to weaponize Congressional power and create the appearance of wrongdoing against those who the signers believe disagree with their political agenda. The process these lawmakers intend to drag these law abiding, community serving organizations through is the punishment. As nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations and community leaders, we work in communities across the country to feed the hungry; house those without shelter; protect our air and water, our rights to vote, worship, and organize; we fight for consumers, workers, and our children; we advocate for civil and human rights at home and abroad; we have made it safer to drive on our roads, easier to start a business, and healthier to live in our cities. We span the full ideological spectrum. And today, we stand together for our democracy and in solidarity with those nonprofit organizations unjustly targeted by these Congressional letters. Let us be clear – this investigation is Congress weaponizing its powers to target and intimidate nonprofit organizations that are fulfilling the guidelines of federal grants, simply because they disagree with the policy those grants advance. This unfounded inquiry is not about protecting Americans, rooting out waste and fraud, or defending the public interest. It is about using un- checked power to chill constitutionally protected activity, community activism, and voices those sending the letters may disagree with. That is un-American and flies in the face of the Constitution. This specific attack on nonprofits is not happening in a vacuum. Rather, this attack exists in the context of a wholesale offensive against organizations and individuals the administration and its allies find objectionable. We are standing in solidarity with the organizations targeted in this unfounded investigation because nonprofits of all types, members of the clergy and religious groups, advocates, and community serving organizations should not be punished for their work – even if those in power find it threatening to their policy agenda. Our government is meant to serve the people, not those in office. Efforts by members of Congress to attack nonprofit groups they disagree with are reprehensible, dangerous, and a violation offundamental American freedoms. Speaking out for the voice- less is, and has always been, our collective mission. As such,we stand with those organizations wrongly targeted, and with one another. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents October 2025 Some Developments in the Effort to Stop WISeR Robby Stern In the last month the effort to educate elected leaders and as many people as possible about the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model (WISeR) has intensified. Washington is one of 6 states in the WISeR program. The pilot program expands prior authorization in original Medicare and reimburses AI contractors based on how much money they save the Medicare Trust Fund, i.e. denials of care. Here are a couple of examples of how the educational work is having an impact. On September 3rd, PSARA was invited to provide a presentation at Aljoya senior living facility in the Northgate area in Seattle. Over 50 residents attended. The presentation was about the general attack on Medicare through privatization and an explanation of WISeR. The first question we asked was how many people in attendance had heard of WISEeR. Only two residents raised their hands, and they were PSARA members. After the presentation, the residents decided to send a letter signed by as many residents that they could recruit. Ninety-two residents signed the letter. The letter will go to our two US Senators, their Representative, the Office of the Insurance Com- missioner, the Governor, and their state representatives and state senator. It requests their support in the effort to cancel WISeR. This presentation is one of a number PSARA has done, and more are on the calendar. We met with the Deputy Commissioner and other officials with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. We had sent them, in advance, information about WISeR. After a discussion they indicated they would brief Insurance Commissioner Kuderer. Since that meeting, Insurance Commissioner Kuderer stated her opposition to WISeR at a public presentation one of our members attended. She and her staff will be reaching out to Insurance Commissioners from other states to build opposition to WISeR and the expansion of prior authorization. On September 11, Rep. Pocan(WI) and Rep. Schakowsky(IL) introduced a Resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the expanded use of prior authorization in Medicare. The Resolution states in part that WISeR undermines beneficiary access to health care and should not be implemented. There is a national effort to get as many House members as possible to sign as co-sponsors of the Resolution. PSARA is asking our members and people attending our presentations to please call your Representative and request they sign the Pocan/Schakowsky resolution. Also, please call our Senators and ask them to publicly speak out against WISeR. Feel free to call more than once. The WISeR model is just another example of private corporations reaping profits from Medicare. PSARA opposes the privatization of Medicare. We sup- port leveling the playing field between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. It will give Medicare beneficiaries a genuine choice between Medicare Advantage and public Medicare. The creation of Medicare was a democratic victory for the people. Resistance to WISeR and the corporate takeover of Medicare is part and parcel of our fight against autocracy and for democracy. Please engage with us as we work to save and improve our Medicare. The Pocan-Schakowsky Resolution Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model undermines beneficiary access to healthcare and should not be implemented… Resolved, That the House of Representatives— (1) expresses disapproval of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model (2) finds that expanding prior authorization processes used in Medicare Advantage into the publicly administered traditional Medicare Program undermines beneficiary access to timely and necessary medical care; and (3) strongly requests that the Centers for Medicare and Med- icaid Services terminate the WISeR Model. Robby Stern is President of the PSARA Education Fund and a member of PSARA's Executive Board. < Back to Table of Contents

Democracy Depends on Truth and Facts As a potential harbinger to the future in our country, Cindy Domingo reports on the challenges to democracy in the Philippines. Read

Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) 2024 Washington State Legislative Agenda. PSARA Government Relations Committee The Government Relations Committee is an active and engaged committee of volunteers that believes PSARA’s advocacy will make a difference in forming our state’s policies and priorities. We meet year around and are open to all PSARA members. Our work helps to center PSARA’s advocacy priorities and lead our members to greater activism in making Washington a healthier and more equitable place to live and thrive. We advocate for the quality of life and well-being of all Washingtonians and particularly seniors emphasizing retirement security, economic and social justice, revenue reform, climate justice, healthcare and housing affordability. Click here to see PSARA’s 2026 Legislative Agenda Here is a breakdown of the key activities and functions of the GRC. Meetings: We meet the first Thursday of every month at 12:30 by zoom (Please contact organizer@pasara.org to attend). In addition, during the legislative session we meet weekly with our lobbyist for timely updates that guide our advocacy for the next week. Membership : While the GRC includes members with specific issue expertise, we are open to any member interested in advocacy. Preparation for Legislative Session: As the legislative session approaches, the GRC doubles down in its work, creating and finalizing our legislative agenda, planning our fall conference, and organizing for Lobby Day. Crafting the Legislative Agenda: The GRC leads the work in creating a comprehensive state legislative agenda that reflects the priorities and concerns of PSARA members. We do this by consulting other PSARA committees, polling our members and meeting with allies. Legislative Conference in the fall: The conference is open to all members, where we introduce the legislative agenda, build excitement and strategize. Relationships with Legislators and Lobby Day: We engage with legislators throughout the year building relationships and bridges to better meet our advocacy goals. On Lobby Day during the session, we meet in Olympia with our legislators to advocate for our legislative agenda. Action Alerts: The committee uses action alerts to mobilize PSARA members to contact their legislators about specific bills. In summary, we encourage interested PSARA members to join us and help make change happen.

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents February 2025 Pierce County PSARA Committee on the Move Richard Burton Our Pierce County PSARA chapter has gotten underway! We have with tremendous support from PSARA leaders Tim Burns, Karen Richter, Pam Crone, Jessica Bonebright, and Robby Stern. PSARA Executive Board member Lynne Dodson has been chairing the group and was elected to be our delegate to the Pierce County Central Labor Council (PCCLC). Anita Latch and Kit Burns are our alternates to the PCCLC. At our meetings, we’ve had prominent participation from activists in Tacoma Indivisible, UFCW local 367, League of Women Voters of Tacoma- Pierce County, and Retired Public Employees Council (RPEC) of Washing- ton. We are excited about building and adding to these alliances. At our most recent meeting, we made decisions about programs we can put on and campaigns we can help support. These include: Leveling the Playing Field Work- shop. We plan to put on a workshop on this vital topic on March 8. Stay tuned for details. March 18 Lobby Day. We have begun making legislative appointments for Pierce County–area lawmakers for the March 18 PSARA lob- by day and will be turning out as many PSARA activist members as possible. Meetings with Congressmembers. We will be meeting with Congress- members Randall, Strickland, and Schrier – or their office staff – over the next months. We will be pressing them on PSARA’s federal concerns around Social Security and Medicare. As mentioned above, we also plan to articulate our concerns with the contract between ICE and the GEO Group, pertaining to the Northwest Immigrant Detention Center. Social Security Works. A number of members from our new chapter have participated in the strategy meetings about efforts to defend and strengthen both Medicare and Social Security. Tacoma Bill of Rights. UFCW local 367 is likely going to be pushing a municipal initiative in Tacoma, calling for a Workers' Bill of Rights in Tacoma. We hope to help support this effort, which will of course start with signature-gathering. Fighting Senior Center Closures. The City of Tacoma has announced plans to close two senior centers. A campaign to stop the closures at Lighthouse Senior Center and Beacon Activity Center has been launched and PSARA activists will be supporting their efforts. Sadly, Lighthouse, though still open, has no programming. Northwest Immigrant Detention Center. La Resistencia is a wonderful group that has been fighting the ongoing human rights abuses at the Northwest Immigrant Detention Center in Tacoma. The group put on a powerful event in early December– “Melting ICE” – featuring a spectacular and thought-provoking exhibit. The contract between ICE and the GEO group (the private corpo- ration that runs the detention center)is going to expire this September. We will be urging that it not be renewed in meetings with Pierce County Congress- members. Our meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month. New members are always welcome. Richard Burton is PSARA's Co-VP for Outreach < Back to Table of Contents

Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) Legislative Priorities List and Status for the Washington State Legislature 25/26 Biennium. Final Status of 2025 PSARA Washington State Legislative Agenda (updated 04/29/2025 ) PSARA is a multi-generational grass roots organization advocating for all people and seniors, in particular, being able to live their lives with economic security, dignity, and respect. With the close of the session we have updated the bill status. For those bills that have passed we have included a link for more information on the bill. We will make one more update later in May to confirm the Governor’s acceptance or rejection of each of the bills passed through the WA State Legislature. All of this work has been carried out by PSARA’s Government Relations Committee, click here for more information on the Committee. Healthcare PSARA believes that comprehensive, affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate health care is a fundamental human right. Promote Leveling the Playing Field in Medicare SJM 8002 Status: Passed Senate 30-19. Did not pass the House. Will be reintroduced next year. Protect against healthcare program cuts and advance immigrant health equity Status: Budget Support efforts to advance universal healthcare SJM 8004 Status: Passed the House and the Senate and filed with Secretary of State. Ensure quality affordable healthcare for nursing home workers (WA Essential Worker Healthcare Program) HB 1523/SB 5344 Status: Dead 2025 Strengthen and protect WA Cares SB 5291 Status : Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Housing and Homelessness PSARA supports keeping people housed, building more low-income housing, and preventing homelessness in the first place. Ensure reasonable and more predictable rent increases by passing rent stabilization HB 1217 /SB 5222 Status: 1217 Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Invest $500 million in the Housing Trust Fund Status: Budget Preserve supportive services and prevent cuts to homelessness programs Status: Budget Create affordable housing close to transit HB 1491 Status: Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature The final rent stabilization bill passed the legislature on Sunday, April 27. The conference budget, unfortunately, did not cap residential rent increases at 7%. That is a disappointment, but housing advocates still count the final bill as a win and are urging Governor Ferguson to sign the bill. Caps rent increases for manufactured homeowners at 5% per year; Caps residential rent increases at 7% plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 10% per year, whichever is lower; Covers apartments and single-family homes; with some exceptions (including subsidized housing owned by nonprofits or public housing authorities; homes developed with low-income Housing Tax Credits regulated by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, and duplexes through fourplexes when the owner lives on site); Exempts newly-built homes for the first 12 years; Ends the caps for residential tenants after 15 years. The manufactured housing cap does not expire. The agreed upon capital budget includes $605 million for the Housing Trust Fund. Workers Rights and Economic Justice PSARA supports legislation that promotes healthy families and workplaces. Extend job protection in the Family & Medical Leave Program to ensure low wage earners can return to their jobs after leave to care for themselves or family members HB 1213 /SB 5539 Status: 1213 Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Extend unemployment benefits to striking workers SB 5041 Status: Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Extend unemployment benefits to undocumented workers SB 5626 Status: Dead 2025. Build economic security for low-income families by creating the Washington Future Fund Pilot Program (Baby bonds) HB 1661/SB 5541 Status: SB 5541 Dead 2025. Working Families Tax Credit HB 1214/SB 5768 Status: SB 5768 Dead 2025. Climate and Environmental Justice PSARA supports the right of all people to live and work in a clean and healthy environment. Divest Washington State Investment Board (“WSIB”) funds from fossil fuels (No Coal Act) SB 5439 Status: Dead 2025. Add a Green Amendment to the Washington State Constitution Status: No Action Improve solid waste management outcomes by reducing use of plastic wrap and containers HB 1150/SB 5284 Status: 5284 Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Curb Act Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions HB 1303 Status: Dead 2025 . Fiscal Reform and Revenue PSARA supports a state budget that is transparent, pays a living wage to state workers, and provides services that help our people, economy, and environment thrive. Prevent devastating budget cuts by providing new progressive revenues such as a wealth tax that taxes extraordinary financial assets Current Status: The final legislative operating budget includes nearly $6 billion in cuts and close to $9 billion in new revenue over the four-year outlook — significantly less revenue than legislative Democrats had initially sought. Governor Ferguson previously rejected each version of the revenue plan, citing concerns that the proposals were “too risky.” Governor Ferguson has partial and line item veto power. The final signed budget must be balanced. The Governor can’t add items or move money around. If his vetos are significant, a special session could be needed to produce a balanced final budget.

She Walks Miles in Other People’s Shoes, Part I Interview With Maureen Bo Angie Bartels interviews PSARA member and labor organizer Maureen Bo on her life experiences and work in organized labor Read

The Fiscal Commission Is a "Death Panel" for Medicare and Social Security (This is a reprint from PSARA’s March 2024 Advocate) By Jaisri Lingappa and Robby Stern Jaisri Lingappa Robby Stern Republicans and a few “business” Democrats in Congress are determined to set up a fast-track process to cut Social Security and Medicare. They know from experience that they can’t do this out in the open – their previous attempts resulted in massive public outcries. Indeed, polling from Data for Progress last month showed that 70 percent of voters, including 71 percent of Republican voters, oppose the idea of cutting Social Security and Medicare. Instead, the GOP is using a backdoor approach to achieve their goal by demanding a bipartisan fiscal commission to examine potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare as a means of reducing the debt. The House Budget Committee voted on Jan 18, 2024, to advance this fiscal commission (HR 5779) to the floor of the House. The legislation provides that the commission will develop its recommendations behind closed doors. Four non-voting members of this 16-member commission would be from outside of Congress. Thus, the discussions that will decide the fate of these critical social insurance programs will be held in secret with a small number of unelected individuals influencing the outcome. The favorable vote of two of the Democrats appointed to the commission is all that it will take to forward the proposal to Congress. The commission’s voting process is designed to make it likely that the recommendation will be to cut earned benefits, a stated goal of the Republican Party. The legislation also sets up a fast-track vote by Congress on the commission’s recommendations, with a limit of a two hour debate, no amendments permitted, followed by an up or down vote in each chamber. Removing the vote from the democratic process provided by “regular order” means our elected representatives will be prevented from proposing changes to the commission recommendations. Initially, the GOP intended to insert this bill into one of the two budget bills that need to be passed to keep the government running. As of this writing, one of those bills remains to be voted on and could still be linked to the fiscal commission bill. But even if the budget passes without this bill, there will be many other opportunities for the fiscal commission legislation to be pushed through, including during the lame-duck session after the election. So voters will need to stay vigilant. The White House has called the commission a “death panel for Medicare and Social Security.” Biden likely had the fiscal commission in mind when he said during his March 7 State of the Union speech: “If anyone here tries to cut Social Security or Medicare or raise the retirement age, I will stop them.” He went on to say “I will protect and strengthen Social Security and make the wealthy pay their fair share!” Currently the wealthy pay into Social Security only for their first $168,000 in wages annually. The White House wants to raise that cap. Moreover, in a March 7, 2024, fact sheet, the White House proposed to “modestly increase the Medicare tax rate on income above $400,000” and close loopholes in existing Medicare taxes. These proposals would go a long way in funding Social Security and Medicare without increasing the debt or increasing the tax burden on lower- and middle-income earners. Even though President Biden appears to be on our side, it would not be wise to count on a Presidential veto in the event that Congress passes the fiscal commission legislation as part of another piece of “must pass” legislation. Shortly after President Biden’s State of the Union speech, former President Trump showed his willingness to consider cuts to Social Security and Medicare in a CNBC interview. This is no surprise. The GOP has long prioritized cuts to Social Security and Medicare, with strategies such as raising the eligibility age, reducing cost-of-living adjustments, and reducing benefit amounts. We should not take any chances. We must prevent the bill enacting the fiscal commission from passing the full House of Representatives, since it would then have a high likelihood of being passed in the Senate. And we shouldn’t stop at just preserving Social Security and Medicare. A big part of what is needed is to make these programs work better. Excellent legislative proposals exist that would fix the Social Security funding gap and even expand benefits for the first time in 50 years. And to fix Medicare, we need to “Level the Playing Field” between the Medicare Advantage plans offered by the for-profit insurance industry and Traditional Medicare, which is currently hamstrung by rules limiting what it can offer. PSARA will try to keep you as up-to-date as we can on the attacks that are being mounted on Social Security and Medicare and what we can do to deny success to those who attack the programs while cynically saying they are saving them. Jaisri Lingappa is a University of Washington Professor Emeritus of Global Health and a member of PSARA's Jefferson County Organizing Committee. Robby Stern is President of the PSARA Education Fund and a member of PSARA's Executive Board

Read American Medical Association’s (AMA) In Opposition to the Medicare WISeR Program

In the Advocate May 2025: Cindy Domingo Resisting Immigrant Deportations – This Is Just the Beginning Cindy Domingo Two hundred fifty people packed Seattle’s International Association of Machinists Local 751 union hall on May 3rd, with another 60+ online, to de- liver a powerful message to the Trump administration that they would resist deportations occurring at a massive level in the US. In a show of unity, a multi-racial crowd of Asian Americans, Latinos, and white people coming from over 150 organizations/affiliations listened to three different panels composed of immigrant rights organizations and advocates, elected officials, lawyers, educators, and representatives from faith-based organizations, labor, and community-based organizations. The new organization Standing for Democracy was the convenor of the conference, which was cosponsored by another 20 organizations, including PSARA and the major statewide immigrant rights organizations NW Immi- grant Rights Project and Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network. Opening keynote speaker Rosalinda Guillen, Executive Director and cofounder of Community to Com- munity, provided a vision for Standing for Democracy as she recalled the history and work of the Washington State Rainbow Coalition (WSRC) of the 1980-90’s. WSRC, often portrayed as a multi-racial movement that had an inside/outside Democratic Party strategy, was part of Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition, but maintained its independence from Jackson. The WSRC developed a comprehensive forward- looking program, which encompassed a local, state, national, and international platform that guided its domestic and foreign policies that remain relevant today. Elected officials and political candidates coming to the WSRC for endorsements were measured by that program. For many during that period, the WSRC became the model of what participatory democracy could look like in the context of a progressive program and party. Presentations by County Council member Teresa Mosqueda and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (via video message) both signaled that the first 100 days of the Trump administration’s policies are quickly moving us towards fascism. The attacks on immigrants, misinformation, denial of due process, and Trump’s seizure of power held by Congress and the Courts is the classic playbook of dictators and authoritarian regimes. Both women called on conference attendees to continue to resist and organize because it is the power of the people that will stop the dismantling of our democracy. The conference reflected the willing- ness of people to come together to de- fend immigrants but also peoples’ need to develop concrete strategies and plans to further disrupt Trump’s over- all move towards fascism. As Jayapal stated, the attacks against immigrants are about all of us and all our democrat- ic rights. While Standing for Democracy in Washington State is just beginning, some ideas from the conference are already taking form. Out of the conference panel on litigation strategies, a group of lawyers led by Attorney Michael Withey are developing a legal “Strike Force” that will use various tools like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to uncover information on the strategies of ICE and local police forces in Washington State. As a sanctuary state, local police forces are not allowed to cooperate with ICE on sharing information on immigrants or cooperating on arrests for federal civil immigration violations. Information from FOIAs could lead to further lawsuits to stop illegal activity. King County Councilmember Jorge Baron, a longtime leader on immigration policy in Washington State and nationally, and Mosqueda both called upon Standing for Democracy and attendees to assist in developing and supporting policies that resist the Trump administration’s attacks on im- migrants, diversity/equity/inclusion, and programs such as Medicaid, Social Security, and Medicare. Washington State has already been targeted by Trump for severe federal budget cut- backs. Although that policy has been contested in court, the two Councilmembers along with Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, who presented on the allies panel, need a strong movement to develop new revenue to support core programs for working class people of our state and those most impacted by poverty and racism. Organizers for Standing for Democracy are considering going to the vari- ous organizations that cosponsored the conference and others across the state who are interested in building an inter- sectional movement to resist Trump’s anti-democratic policies and his moves toward fascism. There are many organizations operating throughout Washington State that work on a variety of issues, including in rural Washington and in municipalities of various sizes. These organizations do great work in their communities. As a new organization, we want to know how we can move forward together without usurping what others are doing already. One of the ideas that evolved out of the Social Forum model was the concept of Peoples’ Assemblies where communities of particular areas or sectors come together to develop their own platform based on their experiences, knowledge, and aspirations. This model has the potential of develop- ing a statewide platform similar to the Washington State Rainbow Coalition. Another tool that the National office of Standing for Democracy has developed, which was tested at the conference, was a curriculum on fascism that could potentially be adapted for use in particular sectors or communities. Standing for Democracy is holding a follow-up Zoom gathering on May 22. It is open to conference attendees who would like to further develop ideas and strategies for working together to grow our movement. Cindy Domingo is PSARA's Co-VP for Outreach and a veteran activist with LELO (Legacy of Equality, Leadership, and Organizing) and APALA (Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance). BACK TO THE ADVOCATE