NTD NEWS
October 19, 2016
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 Commentary:
This Saturday, I rode in a bus full of enthusiastic Democrats to Dubuque, Iowa to ring doorbells for Hillary Clinton. The word is that between our Dubuque group and the Evanston volunteer crew in Clinton, Iowa, we reached over 3000 homes. On the bus-ride to Dubuque, the team coordinator told us that the statistical rule of thumb is "for every 14 houses contacted 1 vote is gained." So, our visit should have resulted in over 200 votes for Hillary. And in this strange campaign year where the women's vote may turn states like Iowa into swing states, every 200 votes gained is a big deal.
If you haven't been on one of these out-of-state trips to Iowa or Wisconsin yet, you should give it a try. The volunteers you meet are terrific people. The votes you affect are all valuable. Plus it is really good exercise.
Beyond all that, the conversations you have with the people outside of our North Shore bubble can be thought provoking. For instance, the driver  for our team of three bell ringers was an elderly gentleman from Dubuque. As we drove to our assigned neighborhood I asked him what were the industries that supported Dubuque's economy. Agriculture? River traffic? He said "the John Deere plant used to be a bigger employer." "And meat-packing companies were big too but that business has gone away."
So I asked him, "then has Dubuque's population declined?" He said, "No, it's still pretty much the same." (Actually, between 1970 and today, Dubuque's population had declined by 7%, falling from 62,309 people in 1970 to 58,068 people in 2014. That's still a healthy number.)
 This got me wondering, are all the jobs left in Dubuque for the people who stayed in Dubuque just low paying service industry jobs? Is Dubuque an example of the disastrous condition of our nation described by Donald Trump wherever he speaks?
So, I did a little research (it's so easy with the Internet) and learned that my suppositions were wrong. I think I had jumped to a conclusion because of the repeated right wing narrative that all American communities outside of the wealthy cities and suburbs are in a state of hopeless collapse. It turns out that Dubuque is far from hopeless.
Data did show that the town's unemployment rate of 6.1%. That's higher than the national average but not beyond hope. People typically have two cars, pick-up trucks, or other kinds of personal vehicles available to them. And other data on Dubuque shows several positive trends. In 1970, about half of the people living in that city had earned a high school diploma. Today that figure has grown to over 80%.
Also, in 1970, only 10% of Dubuque residents had a Bachelor's degree.  Today over 26% of people in Dubuque had graduated from college. The biggest employer in Dubuque is still John Deere. But education, Hospital and health services, technology, financial services and, yes, a couple of casinos, employ thousands of people.
Dubuque saw a slight decrease in the percentage of middle-class households between 1980 and 2010. However, by 2010, 51% of households in Dubuque were middle-class, compared to only 42% in the nation overall. The percentage of households earning higher incomes accounted for some of that shrinkage in the middle-class. Unfortunately some of that middle also fell into a lower income bracket.
Now, I know that there are regions in our country and neighborhoods within our cities that are in terrible economic shape. They deserve unceasing attention until those Americans have regained a sense of inclusion in America's economic opportunities. And I know this can only be achieved with focused leadership and bi-partisan efforts (or a Congress that is so overwhelmingly Democratic that Republican obstructionists are irrevelant). But after my trip to Dubuque I realized that for a lot of Americans, like those residents of Dubuque, things aren't as bleak as the loudest conservatives, right wing talk radio and Fox News pundits would have us believe. They aren't as good as they should be but a better situation is achievable.
In 2017, one of the first things the Hillary Clinton Administration must  do is make it clear to the people in towns like Dubuque across American that they are not being ignored. They need to see that attention is being paid to improve their lives. And this must be shown not just through words, or impressive statistics but through the establishment of clear policies and visible activity led by agents of the administration that people in America's heartland trust. This is no small order. It can happen -- but only if Hillary Clinton is elected. And that's why in the next three weeks, we need to keep visiting those folks in Clinton, Dubuque and Kenosha.
NTDO member since 1973
FYI:
 Longtime gun control advocate Illinois Senator Julie Morrison spoke on her ratings from gun groups. Morrison was endorsed by the Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC) of Illinois and received an "F" grade from the National Rifle Association (NRA). -- That's the sort of grade that makes the NT Dems Proud.
You still have plenty of opportunities to help Hillary Clinton win in Iowa and Wisconsin between now and Election Day.
Just click on one or more of the travel dates below to sign up.
The DPOE trips leave from the DPOE office in Evanston are going -- to Iowa Saturday Oct. 22 -- to Iowa Saturday Oct 29.
In three weeks you will have many weekends ahead of you to use any way you desire. But right now think about how you will enjoy those future weekends a lot more if the President-elect is not Donald Trump.
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Get Your Hillary Yard Sign!
The NTD office, 800 East Oak St., Suite 112 in Winnetka now has Hillary Clinton yard signs available for pick up. The recommended contribution for a sign will be $5.00 per sign. A system to deliver signs to homes will be established at a later date. Office hours are Mon., Wed., Fri. from 9 a.m. to noon. However, you can also stop by the office any weeknight during phone-banking before 8:30 p.m., to drop off 5 bucks (or more) and pick up your sign(s). -- And if you bring your cell phone, your invited to join in that critically valuable campaign work.
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Attention!
The army of phone bank callers at the NTD office could still use some floor fans or and some
Every Monday - Thursday, 4:30 to 8:00 pm stop by the NTD Office and join in our phone banking to send Hillary Clinton and Tammy Duckworth to Washington.
Every Sunday -- 10:00 am to 4:30 pm there will be phone banking too. --- Just bring along your charged cell phone and help save America from Donald Trump and today's Republican Party.
A message from Phone Bank Team Leader Stacy Zeidman:
"We have less than 3 weeks left
until Election Day!
We need the help of New Trier residents to reach out to potential voters. Please feel free to
stop by the NTD office at 800 Oak St. (Suite 112) whenever you can -- although it will help us a lot if you schedule ahead of time for organizing our space. Each one of us can truly make a difference in this historic election. Hope to see you soon." -- Stacy
Very important info for potential phone bank volunteers.
The only hours for phone bank volunteering are the hours listed above. If any of you have received a call to come to the NTD office at another time, please verify that time with Team Leader Stacy Zeidman at 847-224-2023. (Some volunteers received incorrect info from an unidentified caller.)
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Mark you calendar now: Election Night Party at Tommy Nevins!
The New Trier Democrats, The Democratic Party of Evanston and the Northbroook Democrats have agreed to hold a joint Election Night Party at
Tommy Nevins, 1454 Sherman in Evanston,
Tuesday, November 8, likely 8pm - 12 midnight.
There will be a buffet of tasty food and a cash bar
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Other upcoming events and news items:
Tonight, Oct 19 in Northbrook -- A Debate Watch Party and Phone Bank with Brad Schneider and Cheri Bustos.
  When: Wednesday, October 19, 5:00-9:30pm
Where: Brad's Northbrook Office at 3000 Dundee Rd., Suite 314
Join Brad and special guest Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-17) to kick off
phone banking, immediately followed by a watch party for the 3rd Presidential Debate.
Tomorrow night, Oct. 20 in Glenview -- Brad Schneider will debate Robert Dold
 When: Thursday, October 20, 7:00pm
Where: Glenbrook South High School, 4000 W Lake Ave, Glenview, IL
(Watson Auditorium)
The Glenbrook South Advanced Placement (AP) classes have planned a debate between Republican Bob Dold and Democrat Brad Schneider.
The debate is open to the public.
Monday Oct. 24 in Wilmette -- A Tammy Duckworth Reception with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
  When: Monday, October 24, from 5:30 - 7:00pm
Where: The Wilmette home of Laura Alter Klapman & Howard J. Klapman, MD. Address provided upon RSVP.
You're invited to a reception with Jan Schakowsky in support of Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate.
For more information or to RSVP, register online, email Sharon Weber or Kelly McKevitt at Kelly@TammyDuckworth.com or call 312-955-0573.
(If you are interested in watching all or parts of the Chicago Tribune's
Tammy Duckworth -- Mark Kirk Senate Candidate debate click here.)
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The Tenth Dems needs attorneys for Election Day.
A message from the Tenth Dems:
 "We need attorneys to be our eyes and ears early when the polls open on Election Day. You will observe the opening of a polling place at 6:00 a.m. and then visit other polling places to ensure that things are running smoothly and take action if they are not. Your time commitment would be from approximately 5:45 a.m. until 9:00 or 9:30 a.m.
We need attorneys to monitor polls near closing time. You will need to arrive at the assigned polling place at around 5:30 p.m. and remain until it closes. You will ensure that everyone in line by 7:00 p.m. has an opportunity to vote and then monitor the closing process and call in the voting tally. Your time commitment would be from approximately 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
We also need attorneys who can monitor for blocks of several hours throughout the day. You can cover assigned polling places, or you can be part of our rapid response team to be dispatched to sites where legal issues have been reported.
We need folks who can help monitor early voting locations before Election Day.
If you speak a foreign language-especially Spanish-let us know so that we can assign you to areas where non-English speaking voters may need assistance. Spanish-speaking phone responders also are needed.
Let us know if you are available to help in any of these ways. You can sign up here: tenthdems.org/protection. Also, feel free to recruit and/or forward to lawyer friends and family. Law students and paralegals may also participate.
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The Cook County Clerk's office is recruiting community members to serve as suburban poll workers for the Nov. 8th Presidential Election.
Call (312) 603-0965 to learn more and submit an application.
Do you know if your voter registration is up to date?
Are you considering using an absentee ballot? Do those questions apply to any of your family members or friends? Here is a very easy-to-follow website with voting information. Check it out for yourself and your family or to send to any friends who might need Illinois voting info. For
voter registration information
click here. For
absentee ballot information
click here. -- On either page you can scroll down further for other info.
If you or someone you know has not yet registered to vote you can get started right hare -- right now!
HelloVote is the chat bot that helps you register to vote! Simply enter your number on this page or text HELLO to 384-387 and HelloVote will guide you through the process and help take care of filling out the voter registration form for your state. It's as simple as sending a few texts! (Data & message rates may apply. Text STOP to 384-387 to stop all messages.)
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Our Wisconsin Democratic neighbors are fighting to keep Wisconsin's November election honest. --
NTD President Judy Mandel has invited one of them to reach out the NTD members for help.
"My name is Carl Johnson. I am one of the Deputy Voter Protection Directors for the Democratic Coordinated Campaign in Wisconsin this election. We are
recruiting poll observers for Election Day and Early Vote;
We are looking to recruit lawyers and other professionals to volunteer as poll observers. Because non-Wisconsin residents can be poll observers in Wisconsin, we're hoping to draw in a sizable number of volunteers from out-of-state. Our poll observer training, which can be done remotely via webinar/teleconference, provides all the information volunteers need, and is designed for both first-time observers and those with prior experience. Poll observers in Wisconsin will identify any issues preventing qualified voters from casting their ballots, and will use a state-of-the-art reporting system to help the campaign team respond to incidents in real-time. If you would like to volunteer in Wisconsin, please click here.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me and I will respond as promptly as I can."
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Have you visited Senator Biss' website "The Road Back" --
click on the link to his video -- then, throughout the summer follow his plan's development on the website.
Daniel explains a lot about how Illinois got where it is today and how we can begin the journey on the road back toward achieving our state's tremendous economic potential.
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| Dear Fellow Democrats, If you are not already an NTDO member, and enjoy our Newsletter, we hope you consider joining us as a dues-paying member. NTDO is a not-for-profit political action organization. We depend on our membership dues to support our Democratic causes and candidates. There are two options for dues payments: by check or credit card. By Check: Make check payable to NTDO and mail to our office: NTDO 800 Oak St., Suite 112 Winnetka, IL 60093 OR By Credit Card: visit our website by clicking here Click on the "Get Involved" tab
Find the link for "contribute with ActBlue"
or go directly there by clicking here.
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Your Legislators:
Democratic Legislators
who represent New Trier Township in
Washington, Springfield and Cook County
You'll be hearing a lot from these exceptional public servants. --
And they want to be hearing a lot from you.
The fact is, they need to hear from you and want to hear from you in order to represent you most effectively. So, the first thing you can do is get to know who these people are. The links below to their campaign websites are a good place to start.
Jan Schakowsky
, 9th U.S. Congressional District Representative
and Chief Deputy House Democratic Whip. The new Ninth District boundaries include all of New Trier except for Glencoe.
Daniel Biss,
State Senator for Illinois' 9th State Senate District.The Ninth District includes all of New Trier Township.
Julie Morrison, State Senator for Illinois' 29th State Senate District. The district includes New Trier's northernmost precincts.
Robyn Gabel,
IL 18th District State Representative. The 18th District includes much of New Trier up to Hazel Avenue and Dundee Road.
Laura Fine
, IL 17th District State Representative.
The 17th District includes the East Glenview and West Wilmette areas of New Trier Township.
Scott Drury
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IL 58th District State Representative.
The 58th District includes the northernmost precincts in Glencoe.
Larry Suffredin, Cook County 13th District Commissioner. The 13th District includes all of New Trier, Evanston and Niles Townships.
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Still not a member of the New Trier Dems? Your participation in grassroots political action will make a difference. -- Come join us.
 When you're a member of the New Trier Democratic Organization, you have an active role in affecting the political process; participating in grassroots campaigns, staying in touch with elected officials, playing a role in deciding which candidates are endorsed. You'll also gain free admission to select forums and events throughout the year.
Come be a part of New Trier's grassroots political community.
About Us:
The New Trier Democratic Organization is made up of hundreds of grassroots volunteers dedicated to advancing progressive ideals through the political process. We welcome your participation.
Sincerely,
Dean T. Maragos, Committeeman New Trier Township
We are located at 800 Oak Street in Winnetka, IL. Ph: 847-446-8030
Contact: newtrierdemocrats@gmail.com.
*This Internet communication paid for by the New Trier Democratic Organization and not authorized by any federal or state candidate or campaign committee. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is available for purchase from the State Board of Elections in Springfield, Illinois.
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