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HOW BAD WOULD IT BE?
This November could be a repeat of 2016 – but this time the outcome will be much worse because Donald Trump has evolved from the rookie who never expected to win the Presidency to a seasoned authoritarian who now understands the levers of power and will do anything for his own personal interests. Aided by his cadre of smart and devious henchmen, Trump will begin his second presidency with a well-developed playbook for consolidating power and destroying our governmental institutions. That playbook is in plain sight. Since 2022, under the leadership of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Republicans have been formulating “Project 2025” (officially titled the Presidential Transition Project), a collection of policy proposals to reshape the executive branch. It sounds like what a party out of power might do, but these proposals should scare anyone who cares about our democracy.
The plan aims to take over the entire executive branch by recruiting tens of thousands of conservatives to replace the existing civil service workers it characterizes as “deep state.” These new civil servants would then help carry out the plan’s core policies, which include shrinking the Department of Justice, dismantling the FBI and the Departments of Homeland Security, Education, and Commerce, as well as gutting environmental and climate change regulations. The plan’s contributors include over 100 Trump-aligned partners, such as Turning Point USA led by Charlie Kirk; the Conservative Partnership Institute headed by former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, the Center for Renewing America led by Trump’s former Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought; and America First Legal led by former Trump Senior Advisor Stephen Miller.
If this hasn’t scared you enough, read the excellent summary in Wikipedia – and then tell everyone you know why a second Trump Presidency would be a disaster for our country and the world. We must all work to make sure it never happens.
As always,
Your faithful editor
In This Issue
- How Bad Would It Be?
- An Appeal to Your Better Instincts
- Upcoming Events
- Things You
Can Should Do Now
- In Case You Missed It
- Closing Thoughts from John Lewis
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AN APPEAL TO YOUR BETTER INSTINCTS
This is a time when we are all being asked to dig deep into our pockets to support the many worthy candidates and organizations whose work is so urgent. The Salisbury Democratic Town Committee needs your help so that we can continue to elect competent and caring people to our public offices locally, statewide, and nationally. As seen in this newsletter, the SDTC is a focal point for engaging and empowering concerned citizens to take action to defend and improve our democracy. Please give whatever you can so that we can continue to rally and organize the forces for good in our community. Donate here. Thank you!
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July 8 from 5:30-7:30pm: “Messaging Mondays” with the Sharon Democratic Town Committee (DTC) at The Edward, 19 West Main Street in Sharon. The Sharon DTC hosts twice-a-month gatherings to write postcards to voters. This session will be for writing to voters to urge them to re-elect US Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY). Click here to sign up. For more info call 860-364-0362.
July 15 from 1-3pm: “Messaging Mondays” with the Sharon Democratic Town Committee (DTC) at The Edward, 19 West Main Street in Sharon. This session will be for writing to Michigan voters to encourage them to vote. Click here to sign up. For more info call 860-364-0362.
July 15 at 7pm: Zoom Seminar on Social Media. If you are a Democratic candidate, campaign manager, DTC chair or communication director, or a grassroots organizer, you probably think a lot about your social media presence and how to engage your audience. If so, you may want to attend this zoom seminar sponsored by the Kent Democratic Town Committee. The event will feature Ryan Davis, a nationally-recognized expert in digital politics. Since starting his career working on the 2004 campaign of Howard Dean, Davis has contributed to over 100 campaigns from city council races to every Presidential campaign in the last 20 years. He was instrumental in establishing the social media team at Blue State, the renowned progressive digital agency where he served as the founding Social Media Director. If you are interested in participating in this seminar, contact Patricia Oris, Chair, Kent Democratic Town Committee at kentctdems@yahoo.com. Please include the name of your organization or the political office you seek. A zoom link will be sent close to the date of the seminar.
| July 16 at 7pm: Salisbury Democratic Town Committee. This regular monthly SDTC meeting will be held at Town Hall and via Zoom. The SDTC is committed to promoting good government and democratic principles at every level of our civic life. The SDTC recruits candidates for local elective and appointed offices and supports the most qualified Democrats to run in municipal, state, and national elections. Meetings are usually on the third Tuesday of every month. Contact Al Ginouves to receive a copy of the agenda and the link to the meeting. | |
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July 20 from 5:30-7:30pm: Garden Party Fundraiser for the Sharon Democratic Town Committee (DTC) at the gardens of Lynden Miller in Sharon. Tickets are $50 per person at sharondtc.org. Tour the garden with Lynden while sipping a signature cocktail/mocktail and enjoying homemade hors d'oeuvres, chat with local candidates, and participate in the silent auction.
All funds raised will go toward actions to support Democrats in the 2024 election.
| July 27 from 5-7pm: POSTPONED. Fundraiser for Congresswoman Jahana Hayes in Salisbury. | |
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THINGS YOU CAN SHOULD DO NOW
This summer is no time for the doldrums. With so much at stake, it's time to join your fellow citizens in protecting our democracy. If you are already volunteering, thank you. If not, now is the time to get involved. We can win, but only if we all do our part. Below are just some of the ways you can step up and become a force for positive change. We are continuing to update this list each month, so you will see previous suggestions as well as new ones. We can win if we all do our part.
| Can We Have a Frank Discussion About Phonebanking? Please don't scroll past this one! Phonebanking is just too important to reject, and you probably have an inaccurate impression of it from limited or no experience. Veteran phonebanker Lee Greenhouse has written The Introvert's Guide to Phonebanking, a short how-to that will give you the secrets for making phonebanking effective and even fun. Download your free copy here. | |
Doorknock with Maria Horn for Our Fabulous Candidates - Maria Horn's campaign has organized a set of doorknocking sessions designed to help all of our Democratic candidates. Direct, face-to-face contact with voters is the single most effective way to reach voters and build support for all of our great candidates: Sen. Chris Murphy, Rep. Jahana Hayes, State Rep. Maria Horn, and State Senate candidate Justin Potter. Please sign up for as many sessions as you can fit into your schedule. The organizers will make it fun and productive. To see the schedule and sign up, click here.
If you would like to phonebank, please contact campaign manager Melissa Roth Cherniske at rothcherniske@gmail.com.
| Volunteer for Justin Potter – Justin is our candidate for State Senate (District 30). He's a bright, smart newcomer with the right energy and platform to defeat one-term GOP Senator Stephen Harding. We can turn this seat blue for the first time since 1978. We've got a great candidate, and the timing is good for Democrats. Running as a "practical Democrat," Justin has a strong background in affordable housing, which he has made a cornerstone of his agenda. That issue has become a priority for Democrats, Independents, and even Republicans, and is increasingly important to local businesses, which are struggling to attract employees who can live within reasonable distances of work. The 30th District is geographically the largest in our state and Justin needs our help making sure that voters across the district learn about him. Please sign up to volunteer. | |
The Center For Common Ground – The CCG is calling Black voters in North Carolina, encouraging them to vote and providing resources that make it easier to check where they are registered. Join calling sessions on Tuesday evenings from 6-8 pm or make calls on your own time from 8am-9pm. Each calling session starts with a training for anyone who needs it. Sign up here.
Wisconsin Democrats (WisDems) – Wisconsin is a key swing state that Joe Biden narrowly won in 2020. The WisDems have been gradually turning back the GOP tide in the state and are looking for volunteers for a variety of activities for this summer's state elections leading to the fall Presidential and Senatorial elections in November. Join WisDems' weekly virtual phonebanks on Thursdays from 6-8pm. Sign up here.
All in for North Carolina (AINC) – This New England-based group is working remotely to help Democrats win elections in North Carolina. Joe Biden lost here to Trump in 2020 by the smallest margin in any state. However, the influx of young progressive voters, especially in Mecklenburg County where Charlotte is located, makes NC a state that Democrats can win. This phase of calling is focusing on calling people in Mecklenburg County who have expressed an interest in volunteering to elect Democrats. This is a great opportunity for those who have felt reticent to do phonebanking. These efforts should have a multiplier effect. For every person who signs up to canvass, phonebank, or help out in the office, that will mean many other voters reached. Join AINC every other Sunday night for phonebanks from 6-8pm to recruit volunteers for the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party's initiatives. For more information and to sign up click here.
Saving Democracy – Saving Democracy, our local advocacy group, continues to write postcards on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2-4pm at the White Hart Inn. Grab a friend, a neighbor, an acquaintance, or meet someone new and write postcards encouraging Democrats to vote. It is easy – cards, address labels and the scripts are provided. Voter turnout will have a big impact on the outcome of the elections in November and these postcards – and your hard work – have a positive impact on turnout. For more information, contact savingdemocracyct@gmail.com.
If your schedule doesn't allow you to join on weekday afternoons, postcard packets can be picked up during daylight hours from the bench near the front door of 37 Chatfield Drive in Lakeville.
Great news! The "Saving Democracy Postcarding Pub" will start up again in July so you can join fellow activists in the evening to write postcards. Join the Saving Democracy email list to get updates.
The States Project – The States Project focuses on winning governing majorities in the states by making state legislative campaigns more effective and better-funded. Majorities at the state level are the key to preserving voting rights and other important rights. Using data, the States Project selects states and races where strategic investments can result in wins. The good news is that a typical state races costs just a fraction of a US Senate race. Learn more and consider donating. Regardless of where you live, you are invited to join the Saving Democracy giving circle. Everyone is invited to meet the inspiring Melissa Walker from the States Project in Salisbury on July 28. Contact Kathy Voldstad for more information.(See below for the New York Times article about the work of the States Project.)
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Simon Rosenberg: Joe Biden Is A Successful President and Why I Am Optimistic – In his daily Hopium Chronicles newsletter, Rosenberg has been an upbeat observer of President Biden’s prospects for re-election. This recent issue is worth reading to see his latest evidence. The accompanying video is also worth watching. Click to read.
A Closer Look at Harris Shows How Effective She’s Become – Opinion by Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post. She wrote: "After the Supreme Court issued its latest batch of opinions, I spoke briefly on the phone with Vice President Harris. After several days spent attending her appearances, it had become obvious to me that far from being a liability, as her critics insist, she is an effective communicator and skilled advocate — especially on causes on which she has developed expertise over decades. I could see the extent of her political maturation since her first year in office, when withering and often baseless criticism dominated coverage. Her delivery is crisp and authoritative. She appears relaxed, confident and centered in formal and informal settings. And she appears to relish taking on bullies." Click to read the full opinion piece.
Democrats Plan to Turn Statehouses Blue by Dishing Out Green - Little-known state legislative races are drawing big money. Democrats are poised to flood the country’s most consequential state house and senate elections with a huge spending blitz, highlighting the critical role state legislatures play in some of the nation’s most pressing issues — and building on a cash advantage over Republicans. The States Project, a Democratic-aligned group, is set to announce a plan to spend $70 million in legislative battles in nine states. Combined with a previously announced $60 million target from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and $35 million from the aligned group Forward Majority, the total cash coming to help Democratic state legislative candidates will most likely exceed $160 million. The torrent of cash shows how Democrats have surpassed what had long been a Republican advantage in funding campaigns for state legislatures. It underscores the growing realization by national Democratic organizations that state legislative fights will probably have a greater influence on many of the issues affecting voters’ day-to-day lives than other contests this cycle — even the presidential race. Read the full story in The New York Times. (See above for more on the States Project in Salisbury.)
Data: Recent Anti-Voter Laws Have Made It Harder to Vote Since 2020 - The 2020 election had one of the highest voter turnouts in over a century. That may not be the case in 2024 due to the number of states that have made it harder to vote in the past four years. A new report released by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) — an independent nonprofit think tank that promotes civic equality — contains data explaining how voting has become harder in almost half of the states. According to the report, 24 states have enacted restrictive voting policies since 2020, which include strict voter ID requirements, withdrawal from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), giving state legislatures more power to interfere in election administration, and banning private funding for election offices. While the report indicates that 18 states have passed laws to improve voter access to voting, cumulatively, these improvements translate to only 36% of eligible voters living in states that have enacted at least one expansive voting law. Click to read the full report.
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JAHANA HAYES SIGNS ARE AVAILABLE
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes' campaign has barn signs for anyone in Salisbury who would like to offer their property for posting. These are large signs (6' x 4'), so the campaign asks that the area have good visibility and can accommodate garden stakes being hammered into the ground. If you're interested in getting one of these large signs, please email getinvolved@jahanahayes.com.
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CLOSING THOUGHTS FROM JOHN LEWIS
Perhaps no one in our lifetime better exemplified courage and dignity in fighting for change than John Lewis. Think about his words as you consider your own role in the ongoing struggle for change:
"Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.
Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. Take a long, hard look down the road you will have to travel once you have made a commitment to work for change. Know that this transformation will not happen right away. Change often takes time. It rarely happens all at once. In the movement, we didn't know how history would play itself out. When we were getting arrested and waiting in jail or standing in unmovable lines on the courthouse steps, we didn't know what would happen, but we knew it had to happen."
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SHARE YOUR NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please send us any news or announcements that you would like us to share with our community. We publish on the first of each month, so please send us any submissions at least one week earlier. Please submit to the editor at salsdemsnews@gmail.com.
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TELL A FRIEND
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