MORNING MESSAGE
...Merkley
offers real value. He’s the sole senator who endorsed Bernie Sanders in the
primaries, an act of remarkable courage. Putting him on the ticket would pay
tribute to the millions of voters who backed the Sanders surge. His presence
would excite the young and independent voters that were at the heart of the
Sanders vote. It would reassure skeptical labor activists. He would add
credibility on trade, on investment, on Wall Street reform, on money and
politics and on climate, all areas where doubts linger about Clinton’s
commitment. He more than anyone other than Sanders himself can make the case
about why the movement that Sanders helped to build needs to mobilize to rout
Donald Trump in the fall.
TRADE ISSUE ROILS BOTH PARTIES
Trump
message on trade threatens Clinton, reports W. Post: “… the risk is not
necessarily losing support directly to Trump but rather not inspiring enough
enthusiasm among rank-and-file union workers, whose turnout and ground-level
organizing have traditionally been crucial for Democrats … At least two unions
that endorsed Sanders … said they are unlikely to make an endorsement for the
general election. ‘The problem is that Clinton has been a free-trader her whole
life, so we’re not going to endorse her,’ said Peter Knowlton, president of the
electrical-workers union. ‘We will be running an anybody-but-Trump campaign…
.'”
Ohio
Sen. Rob Portman squeezed on trade as well. Roll Call: “[Democrat Ted]
Strickland’s campaign recently released a video clip of Portman giving a floor
speech in 2011 in which he spoke positively about the 12-nation Trans-Pacific
Partnership … Portman’s position on the TPP has since shifted.”
“Potential
Clinton VP Perez still supports trade deal” reports Politico: “‘Absolutely,”
[Tom] Perez said on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday when asked whether he
supports the trade deal. ‘Absolutely what we have done in the negotiations with
Mexico and with Vietnam are I think some of the most far-reaching protections
that we’ve seen in a labor agreement. And that’s the work that I have done and
I’m proud of that work we’ve done.’ He also said Clinton would do more to crack
down on bad actors in trade agreements than presumptive GOP nominee Donald
Trump.”
Pro-TPP
Dem frets about ratification, but hopes for lame duck vote. The Hill: “[Rep.
Gerald] Connolly, who supports of the deal, conceded that Clinton’s shift on the
trade deal — combined with Trump’s opposition — would make it nearly impossible
to ratify the agreement she is elected. ‘Given her position and given how
Democrats are going to get elected … that portends ominously for the future of
free trade agreements any time soon’ he said. ‘If the TPP is not brought up and
addressed the lame duck, I think its prospects in the next Congress are very
dim.'”
Clinton
aims to win over college-educated whites. Bloomberg: “For decades, white
voters with at least a bachelor’s degree have favored the Republican nominee
over the Democrat in U.S. presidential elections … [But] while presumptive
Republican nominee Donald Trump is the clear choice among white voters without a
college education, whites who’ve completed college prefer Clinton … “
Trump
lacks Ohio campaign infrastructure. NYT: “‘…Trump could get two-thirds of
the white working class,” said John C. Green, a political scientist at the
University of Akron. That would improve on Mitt Romney’s share … ‘The flip side
is Trump’s appeal to white working-class men very well may cost him other kinds
of Republican voters,’ Mr. Green said … Mrs. Clinton and her supporters are
already spending heavily in the state on ads … [Trump] has not bought any
general election ads in the state … Trump recently called [the state party
chair] after reading that Mrs. Clinton was far ahead in hiring field staff
members in Ohio…”
CLINTON EYES BIPARTISAN DEALS
Clinton
hopes to break gridlock on immigration and infrastructure. NYT: “Should she
win the presidency, Hillary Clinton would quickly try to find common ground with
Republicans on an immigration overhaul and infrastructure spending … Picture a
steady stream of senators, congressmen and other leaders raising a glass and
talking policy in the Oval Office with her and her likely chief of staff, John
D. Podesta … She faces skepticism on the right about her willingness to
compromise and her potential use of executive actions, and there is outright
suspicion on the left that she might sell out progressive goals for the sake of
bipartisan action with Republicans.”
Sen.
Lindsey Graham plans immigration reform push in 2017. Politico quotes: “I’ll
tell you what I’m going to do in 2017. I’m going to take the Gang of Eight bill
out, dust it off and ask anybody and everybody who wants to work with me to make
it better to do so.”
TRUMP ZEROES IN ON VP
Trump
teases VP picks. NYT: “Donald J. Trump met in New Jersey on Monday with
Senator Joni Ernst … Earlier in the weekend, Mr. Trump met with Gov. Mike Pence
of Indiana … In a post on Twitter on Monday, Mr. Trump praised Senator Tom
Cotton of Arkansas … Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee and another
potential vice presidential nominee, is set to appear with Mr. Trump at an event
in North Carolina on Tuesday…”
Trump
couldn’t do a blind trust to avoid conflicts of interest. WSJ: “‘A blind
trust would never work in Trump’s case, because his assets are known, not blind,
and children aren’t independent trustees,’ [said Richard Painter, University of
Minnesota law professor.] No federal law would require Mr. Trump … to remove
himself from running his empire, ethics experts say. But Mr. Trump … would be
closely scrutinized for any policy stance that would affect banking, real estate
or the foreign countries where his properties sit.”
Clinton
slams Trump campaign for anti-Semitic tweet. NYT: “Hillary Clinton’s
campaign said on Monday that an image posted byDonald J. Trump on Twitter over
the weekend that showed a photo of Mrs. Clinton against a backdrop of $100 bills
and a Star of David was ‘blatantly anti-Semitic.’ The post accused Mrs. Clinton,
the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, of being the ‘most corrupt
candidate ever.'”
BREAKFAST SIDES
Gun
debate returns to House. Politico: “The chamber will vote this week on an
‘anti-terrorism’ package that includes a gun-control proposal similar to that
offered by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and already rejected by the Senate … The
Cornyn proposal is backed by the NRA and most Senate Republicans. House
Democrats adamantly oppose the Republican plan, which they see an empty
political ploy … [Speaker Paul] Ryan, however, will meet privately on Tuesday
night with Democratic Reps. John Lewis of Georgia and John Larson of
Connecticut…”
San
Francisco considers technology corporation tax to combat housing crisis.
NYT: “Eric Mar, a member of the city’s Board of Supervisors, announced the
proposal last week for a 1.5 percent payroll tax that would serve as a form of
indemnification for what he described as the downside of the technology boom …
Money from the tech tax would go toward paying for programs for the homeless and
the housing ‘affordability crisis,’ Mr. Mar said … The proposal, which would
need the support of six of the 11 members of the Board of Supervisors to be
placed on the ballot in November, has the public support of just
three…”
Progressive
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