News & Events


July 10, 2019
Trump, the historian?
So last week , America was treated to the pageantry of President Trump’s Independence Day celebration, a “Salute to America” as interpreted and produced by the only person capable of handling such a tremendous job -- Donald Trump.
 
His original vision was to stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as he reviewed a passing parade featuring America’s military might. His inspiration was a parade he witnessed on the Champs Elysees in Paris for Bastille Day. (I bet he would have really been envious of those parades Stalin used to throw.)
 
Unfortunately for the president plans, the projected costs, logistics and potential street damage forced him to settle for marching men, military bands and aircraft flyovers. A few stationary tanks were, however, delivered on flatbed trucks to the podium location – not exactly creating the drama Trump had in mind.
 
Of course the highlight of President Trump’s patriotic presentation was going to be his speech. And as it turned out, his 45 minute address, read from a teleprompter, was relatively uneventful. Unlike his usual style, the president didn’t use any of his time at the microphone to talk about himself, attack perceived enemies or spread outrageous lies. Quite refreshing.
 
However, at one point his words did conclusively reveal that our nation has the weirdest (or at least most confused) leader in the western world. It was when President Trump spoke of how General George Washington and his brave Revolutionary Army crossed the Delaware “and seized victory from ‘Cornwallis of Yorktown,’ as our army manned the air(space?), it ‘ranned’ the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do. And at Fort ‘McKendry’ (wrong war, wrong name) under the rockets’ red glare it had nothing but victory.”
 
At that moment, anyone paying attention to the words the president was saying might have been alarmed that he was having a stroke. For Donald Trump to speak of George Washington’s Revolutionary War army taking over Cornwallis’ airports in 1775, more than one hundred years before airplanes existed, is disturbing. Is he that ignorant? Or does he even hear the words that come out of his mouth? – And does he care?
 
Later Trump brushed the whole incident off as a problem with the teleprompter. Seriously, if you were reading aloud from a book about the Civil War and you thought you saw words that said, “General Grant pursued General Lee in his Jeep,” would you pause before uttering those words. Or if the type was illegible, would you ad-lib with the word, “Jeep?” I don’t think so.
 
I’ve since read one analysis of what happened, written by a teacher who has worked with kids that have a severe reading disability. She wasn’t speaking of dyslexia. It was more problematic. The words on a page don't even register in the reader’s brain. She opined that this might be why President Trump reads from a teleprompter slowly, one word at a time. And why he refuses to be burdened with reading reports of any length from his staff, who now know to severely limit the size of any reports they put in front of him. -- He literally can’t read them. 
 
I know that is all conjecture. There may be another explanations for Trump’s disinterest in written information. Perhaps it’s simply that Donald Trump is an extremely lazy man. Or he has a tiny attention span. Or his narcissism finds little value in words that aren’t about him or his interests.
 
But I’m betting the schoolteacher’s explanation is closest to the truth. I believe Donald Trump has never mastered the ability to read. And someone so poorly equipped to study and understand the written word, shouldn’t be sitting in the Oval Office. It’s actually quite dangerous.
 
So on that gloomy note, what can we do right now to make the future of our United States a bit brighter? I guess the first thing to do is not give up hope for better things ahead.
 
We should view last November’s election successes as just the beginning for turning the page. --- We should continue to show strong support for all the Democrats from our region that we’ve sent to congress. And as our state goes through some substantive changes, we must stay firmly behind our Democratic state legislators too. The excellent people we’ve elected locally to our state legislature should give us cause for optimism. This also applies to some of the County officials we’ve helped elect. Reform is in the air for every level of government.
 
The point is to stay engaged. So, I’ll end this with three pleasant suggestions for engagement that actually don’t require any effort beyond eating, drinking and talking. (I suppose two of the suggestions also could also include some bargain shopping.)
 
Check out the events listed just below this essay:
The Winnetka Sidewalk Sale on Friday, July 19 and the Wilmette Summerfest & Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, July 20 are two opportunities for political conversations at the New Trier Dems’ table. There will also be information there from Democrats we’ve helped elect. (Some may stop by at any time.)
 
And mark your calendar now for Monday, July 22. The New Trier Democrats’ Annual Meet & Greet will once again be held at Avli Restaurant in Winnetka. There won’t be any political speeches, but there will be lots of candid conversations with a number of our Democratic office holders. The drinks are good. The food is delicious. And the discussions should be inspiring.

Nels Howard
NTD Member Since 1973
New Trier Democrats' Events
Visit New Trier Democrats this Summer at Area Sidewalk Sales

Visit us at the upcoming Winnetka and Wilmette Sidewalk Sales. We would love to see you – whether to chat politics, sign up to become a member, check out local volunteering opportunities or fill out a political survey.

Winnetka Sidewalk Sale: July 19, 2019 from 9:00am to 3:00pm

Wilmette Summerfest & Sidewalk Sale: July 20, 2019 from 9:00am to 3:00pm
July 22, 2019: New Trier Democrats’ Annual Meet & Greet at Avli

When : Monday, July 22, 2019 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
What : It’s our Annual Meet & Greet at Avli! We will have delicious Greek nibbles, refreshing drinks and lots of liberal conversation with fellow Democrats, office holders and candidates. This is a great opportunity to speak with your local representatives in person, as well as candidates running for office.  Don’t miss this special event!
Other Events of Interest
Inclusion in our "Other Events of Interest" List – whether it’s a fundraising event for a specific candidate or an event concerning a particular issue – does not mean that the New Trier Democrats have endorsed that candidate or adopted that position on an issue. 
This Friday, July 12, 2019: “Lights for Liberty” Vigil to End Detention Camps

When : Friday, July 12 at 7:00pm
Where : Port Clinton Buhai Plaza, Highland Park.
What : This local event will join thousands of Americans at events throughout the nation in peaceful protest to bring attention to the inhumane conditions faced by refugees. The vigil will include brief comments from: Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director, Heartland Alliance National Immigrant Justice Center; Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering; and Illinois State Representative Bob Morgan. Sponsors include Tenth Dems.
This Saturday, July 13, 2019: Take Action to End Criminalization, Detention & Deportations

When : Saturday, July 13, 2019 from 11:00am to 1:00pm
Where : Daley Center Plaza, 50 West Washington, Chicago
What : Join immigrant rights, social justice, and grassroots organizations in protest against the Trump administration’s destructive policies and actions, and take a stand to welcome immigrant communities in solidarity. For more information,  visit their Facebook event page .
Monday, July 15, 2019: Corey Booker Grassroots Happy Hour

When : Monday, July 15, 2019, 7:00pm
Where : Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse, 33 West Kinzie Street, Chicago
What : Join Team Cory for a happy hour with special guest, Cory Booker. You’ll meet supporters, our local team members, and of course, Cory.  RSVP online .
Tuesday, July 16, 2019: Rooftop Reception For Robyn Gabel

When : Tuesday, July 16, 2019 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Where : Five & Dime Rooftop, 1026 Davis St, Evanston
What : Join Robyn Gabel, Illinois State Representative for the 18th District, for her Annual Summer Reception. To RSVP or for more information contact Katy Langenfeld at 312-600-9496 or katy@kjdstrategies.com, or  register online .
Thursday, July 18, 2019: Youth Brain Trust’s Launch Party

When : Thursday, July 18, 2019 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Where : Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave, Arlington Heights
What : The Youth Brain Trust is a progressive, student run non-profit focused on increasing civic engagement among youths. On Thursday, July 18th, The Youth Brain Trust will be officially launching at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in Arlington Heights, IL. The event will take place from 7-9pm on the second floor. Free parking will be available downstairs. Speakers list will be released soon. For more information,  please visit their event page .
Thursday, July 25, 2019: Invest To Elect and Democratic National Committee Brunch

When : Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 9:30am
Where : DLA Piper, 444 West Lake Street, Suite 900, Chicago
What : Invest to Elect hosts a brunch with Organizing Corps 2020 featuring Tom Perez, DNC Chair, and other guests. To RSVP, please contact Wendy Serrino at wserrino@aol.com or 847-421-9966.
Friday, July 26, 2019: Dawn Clark Netsch Policy Forum on Voter Suppression

When : Friday, July 26, 2019. Cocktail reception: 5:00pm to 5:30pm; Policy Forum: 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Where : Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, 151 N. Franklin St., #2500, Chicago
What : The Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership Training Academy (IWIL) sponsors a policy discussion on Voter Suppression Then and Now: 19th Amendment, Ballot Box Access, and Illinois Stories. The panel will be moderated by Kristina Zahorik, President, Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association (IDCCA).   Panelists will include Ami Gandhi, Director of Voting Rights and Civic Empowerment, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights; Sheila Nix, President, Tusk Philanthropies; and Audra Wilson, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Illinois. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP and ID required. To RSVP,  register online  or for information, contact Sandra Hosseini at 312-646-0276 or email staff@iwiltrainingacademy.org.
Saturday, July 27, 2019: Illinois for Bernie People’s Convention

When : Saturday, July 27, 2019 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Where : Edward Hotel, 6600 Mannheim Rd., Rosemont
What : Join Bernie supporters from across the state as they converge for the four-year anniversary of the first IL4B convention in 2015. Speakers include Cori Bush, star of the documentary  Knock Down the House . Sen. Bernie Sanders will not be in attendance. For additional information or to RSVP,  register online  or email info@illinois4bernie.org.
Sunday, July 28, 2019: Brad Schneider’s Coffee Club – Glencoe

When : Sunday, July 28, 2019 from 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Where:  Hometown Coffee & Juice, 700 Vernon Ave., Glencoe
What : Meet to discuss issues affecting our community and hear the newest updates on Brad’s campaign. Brad’s Coffee club is a chance to have a more in-depth conversation with Brad and meet the campaign staff.
For additional information visit  the Facebook page  or to purchase tickets,  register online . For questions, email Emanuela at Emanuela@schneiderforcongress.com.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019: Glenview Event for Sen. Laura Fine

When : Tuesday, July 30, 2019 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Where : Valley Lo., 2200 Tanglewood Dr., Glenview
What : Support State Senator Laura Fine at her Glenview event.  Link to purchase tickets . To RSVP and for further questions contact CARLY@ILSENATEDEMS.ORG.
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