Government with Backbone: ROP’s 2025 State Legislative Platform
WHY THIS ACTIVITY?
Oregon, like most states, is facing a severe revenue crisis with the federal government threatening to cut social service funding (about 31% of Oregon’s state budget comes from the federal government). States are suffering from the impact of the administrative coup we find ourselves in that puts corporate profits and Elon Musk’s cronies above people and communities. The Oregon Legislature can and must respond to the billionaire corporate executives’ power grab over our economy and democracy.
We need an economy that’s fair, accountable, and democratic. Oregon needs a Legislature with the backbone to respond to the root of this crisis.
Every legislative session, ROP puts together a platform for rural human dignity leaders to use as a tool to communicate what our communities need from our legislators. This year ROP and our member groups call upon legislators to:
- Put People First: Human well-being is the key indicator of economic success.
- Defend Civic Institutions that are working to uphold pillars of democracy.
- Disrupt and Defy acts of authoritarianism at the federal level to stop the consolidation of power and wealth in the hands of the few.
WHAT IS THE ACTIVITY?
This month’s Kitchen Table Activism asks your group to (1) review and discuss ROP’s 2025 Legislative Platform and (2) set up an in-district meeting with your legislator(s) to ask them what they are doing for the people in their districts. The 2025 legislative session is in full swing and will continue through June.
HOW TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY
- Send this KTA to members of your human dignity group.
- Read over ROP’s Legislative Platform. Get together to discuss this year’s legislative platform. Are there bills missing that you want to add? Are there bills included that are a high or low priority for your team?
- Select someone from your group to contact your legislator(s). Find out when they will be in town and when you can set up a meeting. Every Oregonian has one state representative and one state senator, but your group might span multiple districts. Find who represents you here.
- Prepare for your meeting. Decide who will be there, what you want to cover, and who will say what. Use the “Meeting with Your Legislator in 2025” guide below to help shape your meeting.
- Let us know how your conversation went! Email sidra@rop.org to share an update. Collectively, we can identify our allies and those who are open to thinking differently. Let us know if your legislator is cold, warm, or hot to these ideas
SIMPLER ACTION
If you or your group wants to take a simpler action, use the Legislative Platform and “Meeting with Your Legislator in 2025” guide below to write a letter to your legislator asking them what action they are taking.
- Put People First: Human well-being is the key indicator of economic success.
- Defend Civic Institutions that are working to uphold pillars of democracy.
- Disrupt and Defy acts of authoritarianism at the federal level to stop the consolidation of power and wealth in the hands of the few.
Guide to Meeting with your Legislator in 2025
- Introductions
- Briefly introduce your group to the legislator, emphasizing the values that your group seeks to uphold through your work.
- Let them know why you wanted to meet with them “We know you are in a difficult session trying to figure out how to handle the impacts of anti-democratic federal actions, and we want to hear from you what you are doing this session for our communities.”
- Ask direct questions
- Oregonians of all stripes are dealing with severe impacts from the administrative coup underway at the federal level:
- What are you doing to maintain access to social safety net programs for Oregonians and ensure everyone in our communities has access, regardless of immigration status?
- What are you doing to defy the federal government’s consolidation of power? How are you protecting Oregonians from immigration enforcement and the commandeering of local resources to back up ICE’s multi-billion dollar budget?
- What are you doing to defend civil rights and civic institutions under attack by the Trump administration?
- This session there is an opportunity to strengthen Oregon’s anti-discrimination laws by protecting our public school students from discriminatory book bans and censorship. Do you support passing the Freedom to Read bill to make sure all of Oregon’s students feel safe and welcome at school?
- This session there is an opportunity to build stronger, more resilient communities through Stable Homes for all Oregon families. Do you support replenishing emergency rent assistance, closing rent stabilization gaps, and addressing discriminatory practices in the housing system?
- Oregonians of all stripes are dealing with severe impacts from the administrative coup underway at the federal level:
- Say thanks, and let your legislator know you’ll be in touch. Assign someone to send a thank you note.
Background: Kitchen Table Activism (KTA) is a monthly activity by the Rural Organizing Project. The idea is that small actions can lead to powerful collective results when groups of people gather to complete the same action across the state of Oregon. ROP works to keep each KTA easily achievable so that groups with other projects or groups with limited immediate energy can still complete the KTA each month.
