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NTD NEWS   January 18, 2017
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  Commentary     --   Events     --   Your Legislators 


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This Friday, Donald John Trump will become the 45th President of our United States. Millions of us (the majority) may not like it, but as CBS newsman Walter Cronkite used to say, "that's the way it is."
     In two days we will have a President who has never held an elected office, made his fortune doing real estate deals that included a number of advantageous bankruptcies, plastered his name on everything he's built, and hawked a series of eponymous products and services that were often of questionable value. He also gained a great deal of national celebrity hosting a reality TV show. -- The idea that someone with this background is about to become President may be a sign of our complex times but it is pretty surreal.
     Trump also gained national attention by writing how-to-get-rich books and more recently self-promotional political tomes. His books, in particular, reveal pretty clearly the man that Donald Trump is. On July 30, 2015, after spending a week binge-reading eight books by Trump, Carlos Lozada, the Washington Post's associate editor and nonfiction book editor, had these observations: "...is there a single word that combines revulsion, amusement, respect and confusion? That is how it feels, sometimes by turns, often all at once, to binge on Trump's writings. Over the course of 2,213 pages, I encountered a world where bragging is breathing and insulting is talking, where repetition and contradiction come standard, where vengefulness and insecurity erupt at random."
     Later in his article, Mr. Lozada writes how in The Art of the Deal Trump touted the power of psychology and deception, calling his approach "bravado" or "truthful hyperbole." -- In his book Trump says, "I play to people's fantasies," "...It's an innocent form of exaggeration and a very effective form of promotion."
     That Post article was back in 2015. Too bad it wasn't reproduced or re-quoted all across America. But I'm not sure that would have made much difference. We all watched how those techniques, which Trump openly admitted using, helped him win the White House.     
      So how should we deal with the upcoming term of President Donald J. Trump? Some people are saying we should immediately put the disappointment of the election behind us and begin acting supportive of our new leader. But based on the extremism of many of his pre-election statements and the choices he's made for his cabinet, full support of President Trump from Democrats and the majority of Americans is not likely to happen now,
if ever.
     I suggest instead that for now at least, we follow the wise example of that great American Senator Mitch McConnell (with one huge exception). You see, there are parallels between what Senator McConnell and the Republican establishment faced 8 years ago and what we Democrats face today. Both Obama and Trump could be considered "dangerous men."
     After the 2008 Election, McConnell and his right wing masters deduced that the incoming president, Barack Hussein Obama, was quite dangerous. This new President spoke of attacking the manmade causes of climate change; he proposed creating a nationwide healthcare program that would make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every American; he urged infrastructure spending that included the development of high-speed rail and a modernized electric grid. These goals appealed to a huge majority of Americans. But most dangerous of all, this new President Obama with his appealing ideas started getting large numbers of Americans to believe that government could be a good force for change. Dangerous indeed!
     Any momentum generated by that young President had to be stopped. So the Republicans in both houses of Congress established a policy of blocking virtually everything President Obama proposed. It made no difference if it coincided with past GOP policies or might benefit constituents in their states. The end goal was simply obstruction. Today Republicans speak of how "divisive" things became under Obama. -- Really?
     Now, although we don't have any specific policies to respond to, it doesn't look like we Democrats will have to wait very long before we know how dangerous Donald Trump and his administration will be. Trump's ignorance of history, his absence of government experience, his impulsiveness, narcissism, peevishness and vindictiveness, are all reasons to be very wary of what this new presidency will do. The backgrounds of many in Trump's proposed cabinet only add to our sense of foreboding. Will some manipulate him toward the reactionary policies they've championed for years?
     So, until we see any signs to the contrary, we Democrats must support a strong resistance to every destructive policy the Trump Administration attempts to ram down America's throat. (Remember the majority of America did reject the Trump presidency.) But unlike the McConnell/GOP strategy of total obstruction, we must never oppose initiatives that could benefit the average American just for the sake of opposing the Trump Administration.
     What are the odds of those positive initiatives happening? Probably low -- but who knows. Donald Trump is not an ideologue and he does love adulation. In the coming months there are a lot of unknowns yet to be discovered. We must stay vigilant and stand fast for whatever those unknowns bring.
    
                                         
Nels Howard
                                                                       NTDO member since 1973

PS: If you'd like to read Carlos Lozada's entire Washington Post article on binge-reading all of Donald Trump's books, click here .

PPS: Here's an invitation to "Join the Resistance" with a choice of activities  suggested by Congresswoman Schakowsky and her staff. Click here.    

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mini-pizza-spatula.jpg Save the date:
Sunday Jan. 29, 1- 4pm 

It's the New Trier Committeeman's Annual Pizza Party at J.P.'s Pizza in Wilmette on 4th St. just north of Linden. 

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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Saturday, Jan. 21 in Chicago --
The Women's March on Chicago

When: Saturday, January 21. at 10 am (Show up closer to 9 am)
Where: Petrillo Band Shell in Grant Park, Chicago
What:  The Women's March on Chicago amplifies and honors other marches being held across our nation and around the world.
Help send the new administration a message that women and their supporters will CONNECT, PROTECT and ACTIVATE for women's rights, civil liberties, and diverse issues. Let's March!
Tickets are not required for entry.  Registration helps estimate crowd needs.
For more information go here. You can RSVP online  or sign up to help in other ways on the day of the march.


Other upcoming events and news items:

Sunday, January 22 in Evanston --
The Democratic Party of Evanston. is hosting a "Big Ideas" event to discuss the path forward.

 
Who: Democrats and Progressives
What: Big Ideas organizing event
When: Sunday, January 22, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Fleetwood-Jourdain Center, 1655 Foster, Evanston
The Democratic Party of Evanston invites you to a grassroots organizing event to chart the path forward and form action groups for progressives to work together in 2017 and beyond. RSVP here or via Facebook 
 
Friday, Jan 20 in Deerfield -- Tenth Dems Round-trip Transportation to the Women's March on Washington
 
When: Friday, January 20, 2017 at 8:00pm
Where: Depart from The Home Depot, 655 Lake Cook Rd., Deerfield, IL
What: Tenth Congressional District Democrats is chartering a bus from Deerfield, IL to Washington, D.C. for the January 21st Women's March on Washington to arrive the morning of the March. It will leave Washington D.C. 45 minutes after the event ends, and will arrive back in Deerfield on Sunday morning, January 22nd. We will be sleeping on the bus for two nights.
Purpose of the March: Because women's rights are human rights. We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families - recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.
To sign up for the bus online, select Women's March on Washington at the top of the screen, and then pick Illinois and Deerfield from the drop down menu.
For further information about the March, please contact Kim Parson via text or call 847-714-3145.,

Friday, Jan 20 in Evanston -- Transportation for the Evanston Women's March on Washington

Evanston residents who want to attend the Women's March on Washington on Saturday, January 21 but don't want to spend a lot on flights and hotels, have a perfect alternative: take a bus journey with other Evanstonians overnight to the March and back.
Their goal is to have a diverse, inclusive group of women, and anyone who supports human rights, on buses specifically for Evanston residents so that the journey to Washington DC is a community-building experience, and just as important as the destination.
PLEASE SPONSOR A RIDER -- so that every Evanstonian who wants to go to the WMW is able to do so, to help click here. The bus trip will now cost $164 per rider per Rallybus. Every amount is deeply appreciated. Thank you.
Note: We increased our initial fundraising goal to $3,542 so that twenty riders who need 100% support will be able to march in DC ($3,542 includes the gofundme processing fee of 8%). And even more riders will be able to go, should some riders need partial subsidy. Any funds not utilized by riders will be donated equally to Curt's Cafe and the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy; two Evanston non-profits.
Following the lead of the national organization, Evanston marchers will travel to DC on RallyBus, a company that determines the price of a ticket based on the number of riders. Two buses are already full annd a third is filling up fast.
For information on how to receive financial support for the trip or how to sign-up for the March go to wmwevanston.weebly.com .  

If you're not traveling to Washington on Jan. 20, you can Laugh with fellow Democrats at the Capitol Steps in Skokie!

When: Friday, January 20, at 8 PM
Where: Center Theatre, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
What: Join Tenth Dems at an upcoming performance by the political satire comedy troupe The Capitol Steps. For more information email Events@tenthdems.org or call 847-266-8683 --
or sign up here.

Sunday, January 22 in Mettawa --
Human Trafficking Here and Elsewhere

When: Sunday, January 22, at 2:00pm
Where: Stevenson Center on Democracy,
25200 N. St. Mary's Rd., Mettawa (Libertyville)
What: Panelists include: Caleb Probst, a teacher curriculum developer and speaker for CAASE (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation; Dr. Joel Filmore, a survivor of sex trafficking; and Anne K. Ream, founder of Voices and Faces Project and former Group Creative Director at Leo Burnett. JCAST (Jewish Coalition Against Sex Trafficking - Chicago) will bring personal stories about sex trafficking. You can get more information or register online click here,
or call 773-633-5661
 
Monday, January 23 in Glenview --
Rep. Laura Fine's Winter Reception

When: Monday, January 23, from 6:00 to 7:30pm
Where: Wildfire, 1300 Patriod Blvd., Glenview
What: You're invited to a reception supporting State District 17 Representative Laura Fine.
You can RSVP online, or email katy@kjdstrategies.com
or call 312-600-9496

Thursday, Feb. 2 in Glencoe -- Let's Talk Politics

When: Thursday, February 2, at 7:30pm
Where: Glencoe Historical Society, 375 Park Avenue, Glencoe. -- The building is just through the Eklund Garden on the north side of Park Avenue.
What: TDU's Let's Talk Politics is a moderated discussion that allows opportunities for Democrats, liberals, and progressives in and around the 10th District to talk about important issues of the day with each other and guests who often include elected officials, candidates, political analysts, and authors. For additional information or to RSVP, register online, email events@tenthdems.org or call 847-266-VOTE (8683).
 
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Your Legislators:


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. 

Brad Schneider, 10th U.S. Congressional District Representative which includes a number of precincts in Glencoe. (His Congressional website is under construction.)
    
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 ,  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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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

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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. 
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.