MORNING MESSAGE
Donald Trump Wants Working Americans to Fight Each Other
People's Action co-executive director George Goehl writes in The Nation:
Trump’s campaign has already been building a wall—not between the United States and Mexico but between American communities. He is building this wall with myths about white people under siege from black and brown “others”—immigrants stealing jobs, Black Lives Matter activists threatening “law and order,” or Muslim Americans undermining shared values ... I know firsthand how well this story plays. But I also know we have the capacity to tear down walls so that people can unite and build an economy and political system that works for all of us.
LEFT BUOYING CLINTON
Left seen as rallying behind Clinton. W. Post:"...Clinton appears to have less of a challenge on her left flank than Al Gore did in 2000; final polls show her enjoying party loyalty comparable to that of Barack Obama in his two campaigns."
Clinton emphasizes manufacturing to hold on to Michigan. The Hill:"'I am not one of these folks who thinks well we just can’t make it in America anymore, because if we have a plan and we actually commit to fulfilling that plan we can lead the world in precision machining, in 3D printing,' Clinton said ... 'My opponent chose to make many of his products overseas,'..."
Scott Wallace reads excerpt from "The Danger of American Fascism," written 72 years ago by his grandfather Vice-President Henry Wallace, to get out the vote:"A fascist is one whose lust for money or power is combined with such an intensity of intolerance toward those of other races, parties, classes, religions, cultures, regions or nations as to make him ruthless in his use of deceit or violence to attain his ends."
DOWN BALLOT LOOMS LARGE
Our Revolution faces "big test" writes The Nation's D.D. Guttenplan:"A lot has been written about the 'Sanders effect' in close congressional races, where his backing has helped power candidates such as Russ Feingold, Pramila Jayapal, and Zephyr Teachout. Much less attention has been paid, however, to the dozens of down-ballot races where an expenditure of just a few thousand dollars can make the difference between a hopeless cause and a viable campaign. 'Our real focus is down ballot,' says [Our Revolution chair Larry] Cohen."
Dems face uphill road in House races. Roll Call:"Clinton must post large margins to push down-ballot Democrats over the edge. She may have the advantage nationally, but her unpopularity still rivals Trump’s in many places. That’s one reason why Democrats have had to continue spending in districts in Iowa or Nevada, for example, that they should have put away months ago."
Not many governor's races. TNR:"Thirty-six states elect their governors during off-years instead, including 16 of the 20 largest by population ... That form of electoral staggering, which also affects races for the country’s 99 state legislatures, puts Democrats at a significant structural disadvantage ... young people, racial minorities, and the poor—though reliable constituencies during media-saturated presidential campaigns—vanish during midterm elections."
Roll Call explores why Dems likely to lose Senate race in OH:"...when [Ted] Strickland entered the race, the [Sen. Rob] Portman campaign hatched a plan to target the Democrat on two issues: coal and guns [and] spent heavily to discredit Strickland with his former base ... Strickland has raised just $10 million this campaign, less than half the nearly $20 million Portman raised ... Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld [who lost] the Senate Democratic primary [said,] 'If you’re Democrats, you really need to amplify your margins in urban communities and with millennial voters.'"
Progressives see hope in NC. The Nation's Joan Walsh:"In 2008, the new multiracial North Carolina elected Democrats Barack Obama president and Kay Hagan senator. In 2010, the old white conservative North Carolina fought back ... [Rev. William] Barber’s 'Moral Majority' movement, which since 2013 has grown to include those fighting the ugly anti-transgender 'bathroom bill' HB2, as well as the anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant backlash here and nationwide, has gotten ever more powerful."
People's Action co-executive director George Goehl reports on increased youth organizing:"While we were visiting with students in Reno, Student Action launched a tweetstorm using the hashtag #Nov9WeMobilize. With a series of memes and tweets throughout the day, young people at campuses across the country shared stories about why they’re organizing not just for the election, but beyond ... The young people we met in Reno on Thursday, working hard in a sometimes thankless environment, represent a bright spot in an often bleak election cycle."
WILL THE VOTE BE PROTECTED?
NYT's David Leonhardt spots "The Real Voter Fraud":"In Ohio, residents who make a minor error filling out personal information will have their votes discarded ... In Texas, people have posted photographs to social media showing signs at polling places that claim voters need photo identification. They do not ... In Wisconsin, some state employees have made it difficult to obtain voter-identification cards, defying a court order. The same has happened here in North Carolina, with perfectly eligible voters receiving the runaround. North Carolina has also closed polling places in some areas and changed early-voting hours."
Improvement for Native American voting access in Nevada, but problems persist. LAT:"...the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada sued in October and got two sites added to the state’s approximately 435 polling locations. They wrote a letter to the Nevada secretary of state shortly afterward to ask for more but were rejected. Duckwater was one of those places that didn't get a site, even though its residents have the longest trek to cast ballots in Nevada — about 270 miles round trip ... Native American advocacy group Four Directions, was part of the [successful lawsuit that ... placed [sites] in Nixon and Schurz ... early voting at the Nixon site had already born fruit, with a 10% increase in turnout..."
OurFuture.org's Libero Della Piana shares voter help hotlines:"If you have problems trying to vote for WHATEVER reason, call the hotlines below ... 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) Our Vote Hotline hotline will be answered live in real time by trained volunteers from 30 minutes before polls open and 30 minutes after polls close in each state."
Progressive Breakfast is a daily morning email highlighting news stories of interest to activists. Progressive Breakfast and OurFuture.org are projects of People's Action.more »
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