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
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