Voting Rights and Empowerment
CENTER FOR COMMON GROUND’S RECLAIM OUR VOTE CAMPAIGN
Ongoing voter suppression and voter list purging have been disenfranchising millions of eligible voters — especially voters of color. Reclaim Our Vote works in those voter suppression states. Our volunteers inform and mobilize voters of color to make sure they are registered and they know how to get a ballot and vote. It is a nonpartisan campaign of the nonprofit 501(c)3 Center for Common Ground.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
The League of Women Voters of the United States encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS
Postcards to Voters are friendly, handwritten reminders from volunteers to targeted voters giving Democrats a winning edge in close, key races coast to coast.
ROCK THE VOTE
In 1990, music executives founded Rock the Vote in response to the censorship of hip-hop and rap artists. Our first partnership, with MTV, promoted the message that “Censorship is Un-American” and activated millions of young people across the country to exercise their rights and represent their interests. For thirty years, we have continuously adapted to the changing landscapes of media, technology and culture to breakthrough and empower each new generation.
VOTE.ORG
Vote.org uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy.
WHEN WE ALL VOTE
When We All Vote is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.
Immigration and Asylum
ACLU
For nearly one hundred years, ACLU lawyers have been at the center of one history-making court case after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. With attorneys nationwide, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated.
Bet Tzedek
Bet Tzedek attorneys and advocates help people of all communities and generations secure life’s necessities. Wherever people are in crisis, Bet Tzedek’s core services and rapid response programs provide stability and hope.
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights
CHIRLA is a California leader with the national impact made of diverse immigrant families and individuals who act as agents of social change to achieve a world with freedom of mobility, full human rights, and true participatory democracy. CHIRLA’s mission is to achieve a just society fully inclusive of immigrants.
HIAS
HIAS works around the world to protect refugees who have been forced to flee their homelands because of who they are, including ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities. For more than 130 years, HIAS has been helping refugees rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.
Public Counsel
Public Counsel is the largest pro bono law firm in the nation. We work with major law firms and corporations to change people’s futures. A staff of 71 attorneys and 50 support staff – including five social workers – along with over 5,000 volunteer lawyers, law students and legal professionals assists over 30,000 children, youth, families, and community organizations every year.
Equality - Fighting Hate and Discrimination
ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE
ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is a global leader in exposing extremism and delivering anti-bias education, and is a leading organization in training law enforcement. ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.
BEND THE ARC
Bend the Arc is a movement of tens of thousands of progressive Jews all across the country. For years, we’ve worked to build a more just society. Now we’re rising up in solidarity with everyone threatened by the Trump agenda to fight for the soul of our nation.
EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
The Equal Justice Initiative is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
INTEGRITY FIRST FOR AMERICA
Integrity First for America (IFA) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to holding those accountable who threaten longstanding principles of our democracy—including our country’s commitment to civil rights and equal justice.
NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
Freedom of the Press
ACLU
For nearly one hundred years, ACLU lawyers have been at the center of one history-making court case after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. With attorneys nationwide, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated.
REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press provides pro bono legal representation, amicus curiae support, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists.
Resources
Defending our values through knowledge and action.
November 25, 2020
Dear Friends:
Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.
If you were not able to join us tonight to listen to George F. Will you can listen to the program in its entirety at this link starting tomorrow morning. It was a fascinating conversation which will not disappoint!
Dear Friends:
Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.
If you were not able to join us tonight to listen to George F. Will you can listen to the program in its entirety at this link starting tomorrow morning. It was a fascinating conversation which will not disappoint!
Next week (December 2) we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff in conversation with Madeleine Brand to talk about what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ). On December 9 we will host the legendary Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA, presidential Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, to mention just a few positions Panetta has filled over the last many years, in conversation with Larry Mantle; the discussion will focus on challenges related to presidential transitions. (Register here). We have just added a remarkable panel of guests for December 15 (TUESDAY) to discuss “After Four years of Division, Tension, & Bigotry–Now What?” Panelists include Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO, ADL, Derrick Johnson, CEO, NAACP, Sindy Benavides, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Salam Al-Marayati, CEO Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), and Kathy Ko Chin immediate past President, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, (APIAHF), moderated by David Lehrer. (Register here). For our final December program, on December 23 we will once again welcome Bret Stephens of The NY Times in conversation with Henry Weinstein. (Register here)
I
I
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 25, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
Here is the Zoom link for today’s program with GEORGE F. WILL and Warren Olney:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82304452030
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82304452030
FOOD FOR THOUGHT BEFORE HEARING GEORGE WILL:
In his column this week in the Washington Post, George F. Will discusses the constitutional challenges to the census which will be argued before the US Supreme Court next Monday. Twenty-two states and a number of cities and counties claim the census was unconstitutional because the president ordered that “unauthorized immigrants” not be counted in the census. The case is of grave significance, especially to California in which more than 25% of the “unauthorized immigrants” live. The census determines the apportionment of congressional seats, and therefore, the number of electors a state gets. Will impugns the motives of those who support the exclusion of “unauthorized immigrants” from the census. He writes that while usually Republicans argue that the Constitution should be construed according to its original meaning, in this case, they argue the opposite because the president’s order benefits the GOP. “Republicans would benefit from not counting illegal immigrants for purposes of apportionment: This would reduce congressional seats (and electoral votes) in mostly blue states (27 percent of such immigrants are in California) and shift power away from cities.” writes Will. He continues, “Republicans generally say, however, that the Constitution should be construed according to the text’s original meaning. Forced to choose between power and principle, well . . .” The Three dot ellipsis might say it all!
In his column this week in the Washington Post, George F. Will discusses the constitutional challenges to the census which will be argued before the US Supreme Court next Monday. Twenty-two states and a number of cities and counties claim the census was unconstitutional because the president ordered that “unauthorized immigrants” not be counted in the census. The case is of grave significance, especially to California in which more than 25% of the “unauthorized immigrants” live. The census determines the apportionment of congressional seats, and therefore, the number of electors a state gets. Will impugns the motives of those who support the exclusion of “unauthorized immigrants” from the census. He writes that while usually Republicans argue that the Constitution should be construed according to its original meaning, in this case, they argue the opposite because the president’s order benefits the GOP. “Republicans would benefit from not counting illegal immigrants for purposes of apportionment: This would reduce congressional seats (and electoral votes) in mostly blue states (27 percent of such immigrants are in California) and shift power away from cities.” writes Will. He continues, “Republicans generally say, however, that the Constitution should be construed according to the text’s original meaning. Forced to choose between power and principle, well . . .” The Three dot ellipsis might say it all!
Next week (December 2) we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff in conversation with Madeleine Brand to talk about what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ). On December 9 we will host the legendary Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA, presidential Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, to mention just a few positions Panetta has filled over the last many years, in conversation with Larry Mantle; the discussion will focus on challenges related to presidential transitions. (Register here). We have just added a remarkable panel of guests for December 15 (TUESDAY) to discuss “After Four years of Division, Tension, & Bigotry–Now What?” Panelists include Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO, ADL, Derrick Johnson, CEO, NAACP, Sindy Benavides, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Kathy Ko Chin immediate past President, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, (APIAHF), moderated by David Lehrer. (Register here). For our final December program, on December 23 we will once again welcome Bret Stephens of The NY Times in conversation with Henry Weinstein. (Register here)
In this week’s New Yorker, Isaac Chotiner’s Q&A interview column he focuses on Newsmax Media—a conservative pro-Trump multimedia company. In Chotiner’s interview with Newsmax’s CEO, Christopher Ruddy, they discuss Ruddy’s personal relationship with Trump, whether Newsmax will become TrumpTV, and whether Ruddy feels any responsibility for spreading misinformation about the elections. One fact came through loud and clear in this very interesting and revealing interview, namely: that Trump has made lots of money for Newsmax by creating a massively popular platform for Trump’s messaging. .
.
In this week’s New Yorker, Isaac Chotiner’s Q&A interview column he focuses on Newsmax Media—a conservative pro-Trump multimedia company. In Chotiner’s interview with Newsmax’s CEO, Christopher Ruddy, they discuss Ruddy’s personal relationship with Trump, whether Newsmax will become TrumpTV, and whether Ruddy feels any responsibility for spreading misinformation about the elections. One fact came through loud and clear in this very interesting and revealing interview, namely: that Trump has made lots of money for Newsmax by creating a massively popular platform for Trump’s messaging. .
.
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 24, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
Here is the Zoom link for tomorrow’s program with GEORGE F. WILL and Warren Olney:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82304452030
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82304452030
Next week (December 2) we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff in conversation with Madeleine Brand to talk about what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ). On December 9 we will host the legendary Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA, presidential Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, to mention just a few positions Panetta has filled over the last many years, in conversation with Larry Mantle; the discussion will focus on challenges related to presidential transitions. (Register here). We have just added a remarkable panel of guests for December 15 (TUESDAY) to discuss “After Four years of Division, Tension, & Bigotry–Now What?” Panelists include Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO, ADL, Derrick Johnson, CEO, NAACP, Sindy Benavides, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Kathy Ko Chin immediate past President, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, (APIAHF), moderated by David Lehrer. (Register here). For our final December program, on December 23 we will once again welcome Bret Stephens of The NY Times in conversation with Henry Weinstein. (Register here)
In his column this week in the Washington Post, George F. Will discusses the constitutional challenges to the census which will be argued before the US Supreme Court next Monday. Twenty-two states and a number of cities and counties claim the census was unconstitutional because the president ordered that “unauthorized immigrants” not be counted in the census. The case is of grave significance, especially to California in which more than 25% of the “unauthorized immigrants” live. The census determines the apportionment of congressional seats, and therefore, the number of electors a state gets. Will impugns the motives of those who support the exclusion of “unauthorized immigrants” from the census. He writes that while usually Republicans argue that the Constitution should be construed according to its original meaning, in this case, they argue the opposite because the president’s order benefits the GOP. “Republicans would benefit from not counting illegal immigrants for purposes of apportionment: This would reduce congressional seats (and electoral votes) in mostly blue states (27 percent of such immigrants are in California) and shift power away from cities.” writes Will. He continues, “Republicans generally say, however, that the Constitution should be construed according to the text’s original meaning. Forced to choose between power and principle, well . . .” The Three dot ellipsis might say it all!
In this week’s New Yorker, Isaac Chotiner’s Q&A interview column he focuses on Newsmax Media—a conservative pro-Trump multimedia company. In Chotiner’s interview with Newsmax’s CEO, Christopher Ruddy, they discuss Ruddy’s personal relationship with Trump, whether Newsmax will become TrumpTV, and whether Ruddy feels any responsibility for spreading misinformation about the elections. One fact came through loud and clear in this very interesting and revealing interview, namely: that Trump has made lots of money for Newsmax by creating a massively popular platform for Trump’s messaging. .
.
In his column this week in the Washington Post, George F. Will discusses the constitutional challenges to the census which will be argued before the US Supreme Court next Monday. Twenty-two states and a number of cities and counties claim the census was unconstitutional because the president ordered that “unauthorized immigrants” not be counted in the census. The case is of grave significance, especially to California in which more than 25% of the “unauthorized immigrants” live. The census determines the apportionment of congressional seats, and therefore, the number of electors a state gets. Will impugns the motives of those who support the exclusion of “unauthorized immigrants” from the census. He writes that while usually Republicans argue that the Constitution should be construed according to its original meaning, in this case, they argue the opposite because the president’s order benefits the GOP. “Republicans would benefit from not counting illegal immigrants for purposes of apportionment: This would reduce congressional seats (and electoral votes) in mostly blue states (27 percent of such immigrants are in California) and shift power away from cities.” writes Will. He continues, “Republicans generally say, however, that the Constitution should be construed according to the text’s original meaning. Forced to choose between power and principle, well . . .” The Three dot ellipsis might say it all!
In this week’s New Yorker, Isaac Chotiner’s Q&A interview column he focuses on Newsmax Media—a conservative pro-Trump multimedia company. In Chotiner’s interview with Newsmax’s CEO, Christopher Ruddy, they discuss Ruddy’s personal relationship with Trump, whether Newsmax will become TrumpTV, and whether Ruddy feels any responsibility for spreading misinformation about the elections. One fact came through loud and clear in this very interesting and revealing interview, namely: that Trump has made lots of money for Newsmax by creating a massively popular platform for Trump’s messaging. .
.
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 18, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
If you missed the exceptional hour that just ended featuring Ron Brownstein in conversation with Larry Mantle, you are in luck. The link to view the program will be posted here by tomorrow morning.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Next week (November 25) we will usher in Thanksgiving with a program featuring the incomparable George F. Will (register here) in conversation with KCRW’s Warren Olney. On December 2 we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff to talk about what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ). On December 9 we will host the legendary Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA, presidential Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, to mention just a few positions Panetta has filled over the last many years; the discussion will focus on challenges related to presidential transitions. (Register here). We have just added a remarkable panel of guests for December 15 (TUESDAY) to discuss “After Four years of Division, Tension, & Bigotry–Now What?” Panelists include Jonathan Greenblatt,CEO, ADL, Derrick Johnson, CEO, NAACP, Sindy Benavides, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Kathy Ko Chin immediate past President, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, (APIAHF), moderated by David Lehrer. (Register here). For our final December program, on December 23 we will once again welcome Bret Stephens of The NY Times . (Register here)
This is the article which Ron Brownstein mentioned during tonight’s program. While we have included it twice this week, we decided to include it yet again: In this week’s The Atlantic, Ron Brownstein wrote this in depth analysis of the election in which he concludes that the election revealed the weaknesses of both parties. While the Democrats clearly prevailed in all urban and many suburban regions of the country, Brownstein points out the daunting task facing the Democrats is the question of whether they will be able to build on Biden’s success in the rust belt states in future elections. Whether the rust belt Democrats will support the next generation of candidates, who will likely be less white and male, is a major question. Also, how the changing demographics of the country will impact the make-up and voting patterns of the rust belt electorate remains unknown. The Republicans are also facing a major challenge for future elections; Brownstein questions whether the GOP will be able to replicate their small town and rural victories without (a person like) Trump on the ballot. He concludes his analysis with this rather sobering statement in its reference to an earlier time in our history: “Rather than resolving the escalating conflict between the parties, the 2020 results only underscored how far both remain from a decisive victory. Each side found plenty to mourn in a bruising standoff that I called the Antietam election, after the punishing Civil War battle that left both armies bloodied but neither clearly victorious.”
In today’s Washington Post, opinion columnist Paul Waldman writes that the 2020 presidential election results were actually much closer than most realize, despite BIden’s large electoral college as well as popular vote victory. Biden prevailed in Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin by a combined total of only 45,050 votes whereas Trump won the electoral college in 2016 by prevailing in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania by a combined total of 77,000 votes. Had Trump prevailed in 2020 in Arizona, Georgia and WIsconsin there would have been a 269-269 tie which would constitutionally require the election to then be “decided by the House of Representatives, with each state delegation getting just one vote. Even though Democrats have a majority in the House, more state delegations have Republican majorities. Trump would have been reelected.” Waldman analyzes how far GOP legislators in those states might have gone to hand the election to Trump. In the end, Waldman concludes, “Fortunately, we won’t have to find out. But the fact that we came so close shows us how fragile this system is. Until we find a way to fix it, we’ll always live with the threat of the kind of stolen election Trump is still hoping he can pull off.”
This is the article which Ron Brownstein mentioned during tonight’s program. While we have included it twice this week, we decided to include it yet again: In this week’s The Atlantic, Ron Brownstein wrote this in depth analysis of the election in which he concludes that the election revealed the weaknesses of both parties. While the Democrats clearly prevailed in all urban and many suburban regions of the country, Brownstein points out the daunting task facing the Democrats is the question of whether they will be able to build on Biden’s success in the rust belt states in future elections. Whether the rust belt Democrats will support the next generation of candidates, who will likely be less white and male, is a major question. Also, how the changing demographics of the country will impact the make-up and voting patterns of the rust belt electorate remains unknown. The Republicans are also facing a major challenge for future elections; Brownstein questions whether the GOP will be able to replicate their small town and rural victories without (a person like) Trump on the ballot. He concludes his analysis with this rather sobering statement in its reference to an earlier time in our history: “Rather than resolving the escalating conflict between the parties, the 2020 results only underscored how far both remain from a decisive victory. Each side found plenty to mourn in a bruising standoff that I called the Antietam election, after the punishing Civil War battle that left both armies bloodied but neither clearly victorious.”
In today’s Washington Post, opinion columnist Paul Waldman writes that the 2020 presidential election results were actually much closer than most realize, despite BIden’s large electoral college as well as popular vote victory. Biden prevailed in Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin by a combined total of only 45,050 votes whereas Trump won the electoral college in 2016 by prevailing in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania by a combined total of 77,000 votes. Had Trump prevailed in 2020 in Arizona, Georgia and WIsconsin there would have been a 269-269 tie which would constitutionally require the election to then be “decided by the House of Representatives, with each state delegation getting just one vote. Even though Democrats have a majority in the House, more state delegations have Republican majorities. Trump would have been reelected.” Waldman analyzes how far GOP legislators in those states might have gone to hand the election to Trump. In the end, Waldman concludes, “Fortunately, we won’t have to find out. But the fact that we came so close shows us how fragile this system is. Until we find a way to fix it, we’ll always live with the threat of the kind of stolen election Trump is still hoping he can pull off.”
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 18, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
We are excited to be welcoming once again, Ron Brownstein, one of America’s greatest political analysts, to help us understand more about the results of the election. He will be in conversation with AirTalk’s Larry Mantle. (see full flyer below) Ron is one of the most widely respected political mavens and analysts in the country today. Join us!! (register here)
UPCOMING EVENTS: On November 25 we will host the incomparable George F. Will(register here) in conversation with KCRW’s Warren Olney. On December 2 we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff to talk about what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ). On December 9 we will host the legendary Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA, presidential Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, to mention just a few positions Panetta has filled over the last many years; the discussion will focus on challenges related to presidential transitions. (Register here). We have just added a remarkable panel of guests for December 15 (TUESDAY) to discuss “After Four years of Division, Tension, & Bigotry–Now What?” Panelists include Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO, ADL, Derrick Johnson, CEO, NAACP, Sindy Benavides, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Kathy Ko Chin immediate past President, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, (APIAHF), moderated by David Lehrer. (Register here). For our final December program, on December 23 we will once again welcome Bret Stephens of The NY Times . (Register here)
ICYMI: RON BROWNSTEIN ANALYSIS: In this week’s The Atlantic, Ron Brownstein wrote this in depth analysis of the election in which he concludes that the election revealed the weaknesses of both parties. While the Democrats clearly prevailed in all urban and many suburban regions of the country, Brownstein points out the daunting task facing the Democrats is the question of whether they will be able to build on Biden’s success in the rust belt states in future elections. Whether the rust belt Democrats will support the next generation of candidates, who will likely be less white and male, is a major question. Also, how the changing demographics of the country will impact the make-up and voting patterns of the rust belt electorate remains unknown. The Republicans are also facing a major challenge for future elections; Brownstein questions whether the GOP will be able to replicate their small town and rural victories without (a person like) Trump on the ballot. He concludes his analysis with this rather sobering statement in its reference to an earlier time in our history: “Rather than resolving the escalating conflict between the parties, the 2020 results only underscored how far both remain from a decisive victory. Each side found plenty to mourn in a bruising standoff that I called the Antietam election, after the punishing Civil War battle that left both armies bloodied but neither clearly victorious.”
In this week’s New Yorker, Steve Coll wrote this article, entitled, “What Does Trump Get Our of Contesting Biden’s Win?” While the election of Biden was not close, Coll points out that Trump’s bogus claims of voter fraud are simply a distraction from his many failures as President. He also suggests that Trump’s motivation for refusing to accept Biden’s win likely relate to his desire to continue to accrue personal benefits which, right or wrong, Trump sees associated with being president, to wit: avoiding criminal liabilities, delaying repayment to his creditors, and enjoying enrichment of the Trump family businesses. While those factors surely exist, Coll suggests that the noise Trump continues to create in contesting Biden’s win is, perhaps most of all, a distraction from Trump being labeled: “Loser”.
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 17, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
We are excited to be welcoming once again, Ron Brownstein, one of America’s greatest political analysts, to help us understand more about the results of the election. He will be in conversation with AirTalk’s Larry Mantle. (see full flyer below) Ron is one of the most widely respected political mavens and analysts in the country today. Join us!! (register here)
On November 25 we will host the incomparable George F. Will (register here) in conversation with KCRW’s Warren Olney. On December 2 we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff to talk about what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ). On December 9 we will host the legendary Leon Panetta, former Congressman, presidential Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, to mention just a few positions Panetta his filled over the last many years; the topic will focus on challenges related to presidential transitions. (Register here) On December 23 we will once again welcome Bret Stephens of The NY Times . (Register here)
RON BROWNSTEIN ANALYSIS: In this week’s The Atlantic, Ron Brownstein wrote this in depth analysis of the election in which he concludes that the election revealed weaknesses of both parties. While the Democrats clearly prevailed in all urban and many suburban regions of the country, Brownstein points out the daunting task facing the Democrats is the question of whether they will be able to build on Biden’s success in the rust belt states in future elections. Whether the rust belt Democrats will support the next generation of candidates, who will likely be less white and male, is a major question. Also, how the changing demographics of the country will impact the make-up and voting patterns of the rust belt electorate remains unknown. The Republicans are also facing a major challenge for future elections; Brownstein questions whether the GOP will be able to replicate their small town and rural victories without (a person like) Trump on the ballot. He concludes his analysis with this rather statement, which is sobering in its reference to an earlier time in our history: “Rather than resolving the escalating conflict between the parties, the 2020 results only underscored how far both remain from a decisive victory. Each side found plenty to mourn in a bruising standoff that I called the Antietam election, after the punishing Civil War battle that left both armies bloodied but neither clearly victorious.”
In this week’s New Yorker, Steve Coll wrote this article, entitled, “What Does Trump Get Our of Contesting Biden’s Win?” While the election of Biden was not close, Coll points out that Trump’s bogus claims of voter fraud are simply a distraction from his many failures as President. He also suggests that Trump’s motivation for refusing to accept Biden’s win likely relate to his desire to continue to accrue personal benefits which, right or wrong, Trump sees associated with being president, to wit: avoiding criminal liabilities, delaying repayment to his creditors, and enjoying enrichment of the Trump family businesses. While those factors surely exist, Coll suggests that the noise Trump continues to create in contesting Biden’s win is, perhaps most of all, a distraction from Trump being labeled: “Loser”.
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 11, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
During these very unsettling days, it was comforting to hear Bill Kristol’s intelligent analysis of the state of the election and the transition. If you were not able to attend, it will be available at this link by tomorrow morning.
On November 18 we again welcome the exceptional Ron Brownstein moderated by AirTalk’s Larry Mantle. (see full flyer below) Ron is widely viewed as one of the most widely respected political mavens, analysts and pollsters in the country today. Join us!! (register here)
On November 25 we will host the incomparable George F. Will (register here) in conversation with KCRW’s Warren Olney. On December 2 we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff who will give us his best analysis of what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ) And, our latest addition to our line-up is a command appearance by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Bret Stephens of the NY TImes on December 23. (Register here)
Thomas Friedman’s op-ed in yesterday NY Times entitled, Only Truth Can Save Our Democracy stresses the point that to ensure that American democracy has a future, we must de-legitimize and un-normalize lying. He proposes a “Trump Rule” which he describes as follows: “If any official utters an obvious falsehood or fact-free allegation, the interview should be immediately terminated, just as many networks did with Trump’s lie-infested, postelection, news conference last week. If critics scream ‘censorship’ just shout back ‘truth.'” He also proposes that we mandate that all children learn “digital civics” whereby they learn how to ascertain fact from fiction on the internet. In short, Tom concludes, “We need to restore the stigma to lying and liars before it is too late. We need to hunt for truth, fight for truth and mercilessly discredit the forces of disinformation. It is the freedom battle of our generation.”
You might be interested in attending this Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics presented by the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, of which our recent guest, Robert Shrum, is the DIrector. The Seminar is this Friday from 10-4 via Zoom and is entitled “The Making of the President 2020: What Happened and What’s Next?” The Conference is free and will feature a wide array of panelists including James Carville, Gloria Borger, Bob Shrum, and many, many more. For more information and to register, use this link: https://dornsife-center-for-political-future.usc.edu/event/34505094225357
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 11, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
While the election results are in, so are all of the dark problems which have surfaced this week as Trump, his enablers and supporters refuse to accept those results and wreak havoc with our democracy. Today at 5 pm (PST) Bill Kristol, moderated by Patt Morrison, will help us understand the current state of the post-election chaos which was almost certain to accompany a Biden win. We hope you will join us via the ZOOM link above.
On November 18 we again welcome the exceptional Ron Brownstein moderated by AirTalk’s Larry Mantle (register here), and on November 25 we will host the incomparable George F. Will (register here) in conversation with KCRW’s Warren Olney. On December 2 we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff who will give us his best analysis of what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. ) And, our latest addition to our line-up is a command appearance by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Bret Stephens of the NY TImes on December 23. (Register here)
Speaking of Bret Stephens, his column in Monday’s NY Times espouses the notion, contrary to what many pundits have suggested, that last week’s election results constituted a significant repudiation of President Trump. Stephens writes: “Trump lost despite 56 percent of Americans saying they were better off now than they were four years ago, according to a Gallup survey from September. He lost despite Republicans gaining seats in the House, doing well at the state level and having reasonable hopes of holding the Senate. He lost despite the damage that progressive rhetoric about defunding the police and banning fracking did to some Democrats. He lost despite all the usual advantages of incumbency.” But, Stephens’ bottom line is best embodied in the title he gave his op-ed : “The Conservative Movement Needs a Reckoning”. Trump lost because he was surrounded with those who pandered, flattered, defended and deluded him for the duration of his presidency. And for that, Stephens declares, for conservatives, it is time for a reckoning.
While we included this op-ed in yesterday’s email, we feel it is worth re-publishing. If you haven’t read it yet, give yourself a treat…it is very special.
In this eloquently written and brilliantly presented NY Times op-ed published Saturday, professor of history at Yale and author, David W. Blight, talks about the “wreckage” of our country and the challenge before us to repair. “The challenge of repair from all the wreckage left by Trumpism may be the work of not merely a political season, but of a generation…The road to Trumpism was decades long; the road from Trumpism to a better, revived America is equally long.” But, he does not leave us in despair as he notes that our country has been equally challenged and “wrecked”, referring specifically to the aftermath of the civil war, and has recovered and moved forward. Blight writes: “Fondly do we hope that rebirth from Trumpism will not come from bloodshed, but from legal reform, peaceful activism and politics. But our history should prepare us to know we have been here before, and no regeneration comes without strife. Above all we will need to revive, somehow, the idea that truth matters.”
You might be interested in attending this Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics presented by the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, of which our recent guest, Robert Shrum, is the DIrector. The Seminar is this Friday from 10-4 via Zoom and is entitled “The Making of the President 2020: What Happened and What’s Next?” The Conference is free and will feature a wide array of panelists including James Carville, Gloria Borger, Bob Shrum, and many, many more. For more information and to register, use this link: https://dornsife-center-for-political-future.usc.edu/event/34505094225357
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 10, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
THE ONLY WAY TO JOIN THIS PROGRAM IS VIA THIS ZOOM LINK:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83777357323
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83777357323
1. Tomorrow evening with Bill Kristol, and over the course of our next few programs, we will hear in-depth analyses of the election results from some of America’s greatest thinkers and pundits. On November 18 we again welcome Ron Brownstein moderated by AirTalk’s Larry Mantle (register here), and on November 25 we are graced with a repeat visit from the incomparable George F. Will (register here) in conversation with KCRW’s Warren Olney. And, on December 2 we will welcome Congressman Adam Schiff who will give us his best analysis of what to expect from the 117th Congress. ( Register here. )
But, for now, we thought that these two op-eds from the weekend’s papers were exceptionally inspiring and we wanted to share them with you.
2. While our democracy might still be suffering a serious beating, Max Boot’s op-ed published in the Washington Post on Sunday might lift your spirits. In the final paragraph, Boot declares: “Democracy is far from secure in America. The Republican Party remains dangerously authoritarian, and other illiberal populists will arise in the future who no doubt will be smarter and thus more dangerous than Trump. But at least the immediate threat is past, and we can all exhale again. Cheers, America — we did it.”
3. In this eloquently written and brilliantly presented NY Times op-ed published Saturday, professor of history at Yale and author, David W. Blight, talks about the “wreckage” of our country and the challenge before us to repair. “The challenge of repair from all the wreckage left by Trumpism may be the work of not merely a political season, but of a generation…The road to Trumpism was decades long; the road from Trumpism to a better, revived America is equally long.” But, he does not leave us in despair as he notes that our country has been equally challenged and “wrecked”, referring specifically to the aftermath of the civil war, and has recovered and moved forward. Blight writes: “Fondly do we hope that rebirth from Trumpism will not come from bloodshed, but from legal reform, peaceful activism and politics. But our history should prepare us to know we have been here before, and no regeneration comes without strife. Above all we will need to revive, somehow, the idea that truth matters.”
4. You might be interested in attending this Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics presented by the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, of which our recent guest, Robert Shrum, is the DIrector. The Seminar is this Friday from 10-4 via Zoom and is entitled “The Making of the President 2020: What Happened and What’s Next?” The Conference is free and will feature a wide array of panelists including James Carville, Gloria Borger, Bob Shrum, and many, many more. For more information and to register, use this link: https://dornsife-center-for-political-future.usc.edu/event/34505094225357
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events here.
November 5, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
As we await the final election results, please mark your calendars to join us next Wednesday on November 11 @ 5 pm (Los Angeles time) with Bill Kristol, moderated by KPCC’s and the LA Times’ Patt Morrison. Kristol will give us his best analysis of the election results and/or status. Register here
Here is Kristol’s analysis published yesterday in The Bulwark. He writes: “In 2016, 46 percent of the American people voted for Donald Trump. They were willing to take a gamble on an outsider, a businessman, a celebrity, against an unpopular Hillary Clinton. They could also tell themselves there would be constraints on his behavior, from his own party, and from Congress. Now, after four years of seeing Donald Trump govern with results that are, I think, pretty horrifying, and faced with the choice of giving him a second term—in which he would assuredly be less constrained—the American people rewarded President Trump with an increased share of the overall vote. Having seen him in office, almost half the country wanted to give him four more years.” Join us next week for more in-depth analysis from one of our country’s brightest political analysts.
And, in yesterdays The Atlantic, conservative Tom Nichols, author of book,The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters, wrote this essay entitled, A Large Portion of the Electorate Chose the Sociopath. In the essay, Nichols shares that his “greatest fear, aside from an eventual Trump victory over the coming days, is that no matter the outcome, both parties will rush to draw the wrong lesson from this close election. The Republicans will conclude that just a bit more overt racism (but less tweeting about it) will carry the day the next time. They will see the exit polls that called for a “strong national leader,” and they will replace the childish and whiny Trump with someone who projects even more authoritarian determination. They will latch on to the charge that democracy is a rigged game, and they will openly despise its rules even more than Trump has.The Democrats, for their part, might look at this near-death experience, and, as they sometimes have in the past, conclude that moving left, including more talk of socialism and more social-justice activism is just the tonic they’ll need to shore up their coalition.”
On November 18 we will again welcome Ron Brownstein moderated by AirTalk’s Larry Mantle (register here), and we finish our November programming on November 25 with a repeat visit from the incomparable George F. Will (register here) with KCRW’s Warren Olney.
And, to start off our December…We launch our December programming on December 2 at 5 pm (LA time) with Congressman Adam Schiff who will help us understand the new Congress and talk to us about the new legislative agenda. Register here.
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events at: https://www.jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/past-events/
Dear Friends:
As we await the final election results, please mark your calendars to join us next Wednesday on November 11 @ 5 pm (Los Angeles time) with Bill Kristol, moderated by KPCC’s and the LA Times’ Patt Morrison. Kristol will give us his best analysis of the election results and/or status. Register here
Here is Kristol’s analysis published yesterday in The Bulwark. He writes: “In 2016, 46 percent of the American people voted for Donald Trump. They were willing to take a gamble on an outsider, a businessman, a celebrity, against an unpopular Hillary Clinton. They could also tell themselves there would be constraints on his behavior, from his own party, and from Congress. Now, after four years of seeing Donald Trump govern with results that are, I think, pretty horrifying, and faced with the choice of giving him a second term—in which he would assuredly be less constrained—the American people rewarded President Trump with an increased share of the overall vote. Having seen him in office, almost half the country wanted to give him four more years.” Join us next week for more in-depth analysis from one of our country’s brightest political analysts.
And, in yesterdays The Atlantic, conservative Tom Nichols, author of book,The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters, wrote this essay entitled, A Large Portion of the Electorate Chose the Sociopath. In the essay, Nichols shares that his “greatest fear, aside from an eventual Trump victory over the coming days, is that no matter the outcome, both parties will rush to draw the wrong lesson from this close election. The Republicans will conclude that just a bit more overt racism (but less tweeting about it) will carry the day the next time. They will see the exit polls that called for a “strong national leader,” and they will replace the childish and whiny Trump with someone who projects even more authoritarian determination. They will latch on to the charge that democracy is a rigged game, and they will openly despise its rules even more than Trump has.The Democrats, for their part, might look at this near-death experience, and, as they sometimes have in the past, conclude that moving left, including more talk of socialism and more social-justice activism is just the tonic they’ll need to shore up their coalition.”
On November 18 we will again welcome Ron Brownstein moderated by AirTalk’s Larry Mantle (register here), and we finish our November programming on November 25 with a repeat visit from the incomparable George F. Will (register here) with KCRW’s Warren Olney.
And, to start off our December…We launch our December programming on December 2 at 5 pm (LA time) with Congressman Adam Schiff who will help us understand the new Congress and talk to us about the new legislative agenda. Register here.
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events at: https://www.jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/past-events/
November 1, 2020
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
If you missed it, you will want to watch tonight’s 90 minute panel of experts! DECISION DAY 2020: WHAT WILL HAPPEN AND WHAT WILL IT MEAN included a stellar panel of experts: Max Boot, Jennifer Rubin, Bob Shrum, Lynn Vavreck, and Paul Maslin. It was an exceptional panel of journalists, campaign consultants, pollsters and scholars. Tomorrow morning, you can watch it here.
What’s in store for November? We might not know the election results on Tuesday; in addition, the stage has already been set for what is likely to be numerous election-related legal challenges. While we are “dark”on November 4, we resume programming on November 11 @ 5 pm (Los Angeles time) with Bill Kristol,moderated by Patt Morrison. The program, entitled, “What Happened: A Thinking Conservative’s Post Mortem” will, without a doubt, provide cogent analysis of the election results and/or status. Kristol is a leading neoconservative political analyst who is the editor-at-large of The Bulwark and the founder of Republicans Against Trump. Register here
We will continue each Wednesday in November to hear from the best and the brightest. After Kristol, on November 18 we will again welcome Ron Brownstein moderated by AirTalk’s Larry Mantle (register here), and we finish our November programming on November 25 with a repeat visit from the incomparable George F. Will (register here).
And, to start off our December…We launch our December programming on December 2 at 5 pm (LA time) with Congressman Adam Schiff who will help us understand the new Congress and talk to us about the new legislative agenda. Register here.
Donations to help offset our costs can be made here: JUDJ website or here: CAI website. Our virtual series, America at a Crossroads, is a joint venture between JUDJ and Community Advocates, Inc (CAI).; all funds donated are shared and used for the benefit of this series.
(JUDJ ( EIN 82-0742397) is a fiscally sponsored project of Jewish Center for Justice (EIN: 81-4397882) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt California public benefit corporation.)
1. LATEST POLL RESULTS
According to the latest NY TImes-Siena College poll released in today’s NY Times, Biden leads in the 4 key battleground states of Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with the largest Biden lead being in Wisconsin where the poll showed Biden with a 11% lead. The poll data was gathered earlier this week.
2. BILL KRISTOL-November 11
In anticipation of our November 11 program, this interview of Kristol in the Washington Post magazine from several months ago focuses on the price the Republican party and the American people will pay for having elected Trump. Kristol, a conservative “never Trumper” said: “[W]e’re really going to pay a price for this terrible failure in leadership. Probably three years ago, I was a little more, ‘Look, the institutions are strong, and they will beat him back.’ But watching the way in which he has corroded the constraints on him within the government and gotten rid of various guardrails and corrupted certain institutions, it reminds you that four years — four years is a lot better than eight years, but it can still do quite a lot of damage.”
3. RON BROWNSTEIN-November 18
In this story in this week’s The Atlantic, renowned political commentator and senior editor at The Atlantic, Ron Brownstein, explains why the 2020’s might be as dangerous as the 1850’s. He writes that as Biden embraces an America of inclusion and forward-moving evolution, Trump unabashedly appeals to the white voters most fearful of that evolution. Brownstein analyzes why even if Democrats win a clear and decisive victory, there is no assurance that the Democrats will succeed in implementing its agenda. Brownstein writes: “As if laying sandbags against the coming demographic wave, Republicans have erected a series of defenses that could allow them to impede their rivals—even if demographic and social change combine to more clearly stamp Democrats as the nation’s majority party in the years ahead.” It is that dynamic which Brownstein feels make the 2020’s “the most turbulent decade for America since the 1850s, when a very similar dynamic unfolded.”
4. GEORGE F. WILL-November 25
In this op-ed entitled “The Coming Decade of Democratic Dominance” published earlier this week in the Washington Post, George F. Will declares “A presidency that began with dark words about ‘American carnage’ probably will receive what it has earned: repudiation”. WIth that prediction, Will proceeds to describe America’s exhaustion with its current President. He also describes the President’s many broken promises and failures, and deeply challenges Trump’s assertion that his economic successes would be apparent but for the pandemic. Will explains that despite Trump’s assertion, there have been few, if any, net economic gains for most of America, irrespective of COVID.
BALLOT TRACKING: If you have mailed in your ballot or dropped it in an official ballot drop box, you can track the status of your ballot here: https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/
PAST PROGRAMS:
You can access recordings of all of our past events at: https://www.jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/past-events/