Wednesday, July 17, 2024

In this Issue: Statement from Lake Dems Chair, Lauren Beth Gash
● Project 2025 – The MAGA Mandate ● Holly Kim and Carissa Casbon’s Freedom Fest/An Intern’s View ● Great News on Jobs and Inflation ● A Democratic Intern’s View: Winning Over Wisconsin for Democrats ● Lake Dems Out and About ● ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) ● Upcoming Events

What happened to Donald Trump and those who attended his rally is not OK. Political violence has no place in our democracy. Regardless of target or motive or method, it must be condemned and we must strive to be better than that as a country.

As we’ve seen over the years, gun violence has shattered the lives of too many people in and out of the political world.

All of us, whether President Reagan, White House Press Secretary Jim Brady, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, Congressman Steve Scalise, the people who watched the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park two years ago, and countless others whose tragedies were not covered extensively, deserve to live free from the terror of gun violence.

We are better than what happened at the rally in Pennsylvania — and, together, we will show that to the whole world.

President Biden delivered an address from the Oval Office of the White House on July 14, 2024, in Washington, D.C., to call for a calming of political rhetoric a day after a shooting in Butler, Pa.,
left former President Trump injured at a campaign rally.

Click here to read his address.

Photo Credit Erin Schaff / Getty Images N America

This is not a drill. The stakes are clear.

Do we want to continue progressing toward a pluralistic, multi-racial democracy? Or do we allow the MAGA crowd to implement Project 2025, an anti-democratic plan to transform the federal government and permanently impose extreme right-wing ideology on American society?

This radical 920-page Heritage Foundation blueprint is built on four pillars:

Among the parade of horrors, Project 2025 threatens to:

Recently, Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, but don’t believe
him. At least 140 people from Trump’s administration were involved in its creation, including Project 2025’s Director and Assistant Director. Also, Trump and his administration are named hundreds of times in the Project 2025 document.

Finally, Donald Trump’s newly chosen Vice Presidential running mate JD Vance has been quoted as saying, “I will say, look, the Heritage Foundation [authors of Project 2025] does a lot of good work.”

While this vision of America is chilling, take heart. The Heritage Foundation and the MAGA activists behind Project 2025 are operating from a position of weakness, not a place of strength. Society is moving away from this, becoming increasingly diverse, pluralistic, and secular. But the majority’s complacency has opened the door to minority rule.

Vote Democratic up and down the ballot to safeguard our progress to an ever more egalitarian America.

Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim and Lake County Board Member Carissa Casbon recently hosted Freedom Fest, a barbecue celebrating America. Holly took to the podium and energized the crowd with her words about patriotism and the Democratic party reclaiming their place as the party of fiscal responsibility, family values, and freedom.

“We called our recent event Freedom Fest because Carissa and I are intentional in reclaiming patriotism. And we encourage you to do so as well because America and the flag belong to everyone in this country. Not just Republicans. For too long, Republicans have been allowed to hold themselves out as the party of all that is good. No longer — Democrats are taking it back.

Democrats are the party of fiscal responsibility — and we can prove it. Every data set you look at, everyone does better when Democrats are in charge. Democrats are the party of family values because we don’t believe in separating children from their parents at the border and we believe in helping families and their kids — even after they are born. And Democrats are the party of freedom.

The freedom to choose what happens to our own body, the freedom to love, and the freedom to vote. We want to give our kids just as much freedom as we had growing up, and we will continue to fight for our values because we love this country, the United States of America.”

Holly Kim and Carissa Casbon’s Freedom Fest event was an incredible opportunity to meet our candidates, elected officials, and like-minded friends. Holly, Carissa, Brad Schneider, Eric Rinehart, Erin Cartwright Weinstein, and Hilary Winiarz each spoke about the importance of the upcoming election and how crucial it is to keep Lake County blue.

Great News on Jobs and Inflation

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the June jobs report which showed the economy added 206,000 jobs in the previous month. Inflation dropped to .01% in June, its lowest level in three years. Our economy continues to be the envy of the world.

The continued job gains keep up a historically long run of monthly improvements. As reported in The Washington Post, “the latest jobs report is decent news for President Biden, whose tenure has coincided with 42 months of consecutive job gains. Employers have created more than 15 million jobs during his administration, with a monthly average of about 380,000 positions.”

The Biden-Harris economy is doing great, wages continue to outpace inflation at a sustainable rate. Wages are up 3.9% year-over-year, and the latest inflation rate was calculated at 3.3%. This steady approach to rising wages is good news.

All of this is at risk. We urgently need to get out the vote for Democrats in November. 

by Harikesh Prasad

On a beautiful, sunny Saturday, I was one of around a dozen Lake Dems and Tenth Dems volunteers who traveled north to canvass for Democrats in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. A first-time canvasser, I had many great conversations with voters and felt I was making a difference for Democrats; most were very friendly. Everyone I went to talk to at the door stated their intention to vote Democratic in November. In addition, some were willing to spread the word by taking yard signs or encouraging friends to vote.

Though we had many unanswered knocks, the frank discussions we had with the people who did open their doors about critical issues such as threats to democracy, abortion rights, etc., made this important activity also an inspiring one for me. And, the smooth technology with the MiniVan App, and the excellent short training we received before heading out, allowed me to record voter information quickly. It was truly a delightful experience. The next day of action is July 27, and I definitely will be there. Want to join us? Sign up here.

We love to include event photos in our newsletter! To be considered for inclusion, please send yours to info@lakedems.org with a brief description of the event. Have an event coming up? To submit future events for consideration for our website and emails: lakedems.org/submit-an-event.

Waukegan Township Democrats July Meeting

Highland Park Reception in Support of Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton

Fremont Township Dems 10th Birthday Dinner

Fundraiser on the Chicago River for Nabeela Syed

Avon Township Dems July Meeting

West Deerfield Township Dems at Farmers Market

“Batting for Democracy” Fundraiser for Esiah Campos

Senator Bernie Sanders Laid Out What’s at Stake This November (Great talking points!)

Lake County to Receive $18.7 Million in Federal Funding to Improve Cedar Lake Road Safety and Resiliency

Governor JB Pritzker Signs the Healthcare Protection Act into Law

Illinois and Utah Authorized to Provide Health Care Coverage for People Transitioning Out of Incarceration

For the complete list of Upcoming Events, go to lakedems.org/events.

Click here to submit your event for consideration.

How Do I Join Lake County Democrats?

Lake County Democrats is made up of people like you, people who are passionate about building better communities and a better world. We’re a grassroots political organization, working with Democrats in all parts of Lake County – from Antioch to Highland Park, Libertyville to Waukegan, Barrington to Zion. Become a member online now (individual: $35/couples $60 – though more is always appreciated), or send a check payable to Lake County Democrats to P.O. Box 671, Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Questions? Contact info@lakedems.org.