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MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR. AUGUST EDITION.
By Greg Hosé
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Fellow Democrats,
When is it not an election year? As we move toward 2022 we must all work together toward our common goal of electing fellow Democrats who share our values. More than ever we need people in government on all levels who share our values -- equal rights for all under the law, protecting public health, safeguarding the right to vote, and so many more.
All of us play a crucial role in this effort and it starts right here in our own Downers Grove Township. Precinct committeepersons and volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. We will be beginning a recruitment canvass in order to increase our number of precinct committeepersons and volunteers to elect our candidates. We will be calling on you to join us in knocking doors in open precincts soon.
In the meantime, you can help right from the comfort of your own home. Please send the names and their email of 5 people you know who share our values and might be interested in volunteering with the DGTDO to [email protected] with "Volunteer" in the subject. We will use these names as a starting point for recruitment. Each new name and new volunteer puts us closer to our goals. Thank you in advance for your help and thank you for all you do.
Democratically Yours,
Greg Hosé
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SUPPORT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION |
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DWDC Honors Women’s Equality Day
with a special panel presentation
(Virtual Event)
Sunday, August 29, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
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EVERY STUDENT IN, NO STUDENT OUT! CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING (CRT). |
Venue Change: Due to the current designation of being a Covid high transmission zone we are moving this event to remote only. Details for the Zoom call will be provided to all registered attendees.
Panel Presentation: “Every student in, no student out.” Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT).
- Do we teach anti-racism in schools? Should we teach anti-racism?
- Why is there so much fuss right now about Critical Race Theory and what does it have to do with K-12 public schools?
- What is Culturally Responsive Teaching? Is this the same as Critical Race Theory?
- What is mandated by the state of Illinois regarding Culturally Responsive Teaching?
- How are teachers prepared for Culturally Responsive Teaching?
- How can concerned community members support the accurate teaching of American history, and negate false information about CRT brought up at school board meetings, on social media, etc.?
- What is the experience of students? Why is Culturally Responsive Teaching needed?
Panel Members:
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Karina Villa, State Senator 25th Senate District, former school social worker and school board member
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Stacy Davis Gates, Vice President Chicago Teachers Union, Executive Vice President of Illinois Federation of Teachers, former high school social studies teacher (on leave), Chair of United Working Families, board member of Action Center on Race and the Economy
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Dr. Robert Bruno, President of Glen Ellyn School Board 41, Professor of Labor Relations at UIC
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Rebecca Gamboa, 5th grade teacher, co-president Lombard Education Association, National Education Association Director, IEA Grassroots Political Activist, Chair of IEA Committee to Advance Public Education
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Drushya Musham, recent graduate of Matea High School, student at Indiana University, co-chair of Interns for Obama Legacy Initiative, Student Ambassador for Save the Children Action Network.
Additional information on the panel members is available through the following links:
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NPR: Texas School Make Masks
Part Of Its Dress Code
To Get Around Gov. Abbott's Ban.
Did this make you giggle a little?
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Send checks to DGTDO, PO Box 785,
Downers Grove 60515
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SUPPORT DGTDO OFFICE AND HELP ELECT DEMOCRATS! |
Please donate today to keep our office open and help us to continue our outreach to our voters. We will be meeting in person again and knocking on doors in this election cycle. In addition to social media and email, we will continue to outreach through the U.S. Mail. Also, we must continue to pay for our office rent, utilities and other expenses.
The DGTDO office is instrumental in supporting and electing Democrats to offices at all levels of government. We need to start planning for the 2022 election cycle. Because of redistricting, we will have more candidates in 2022 than in other election cycles. All US Representatives, State Senate, State Representatives, County Board, and Forrest Preserve Board positions will be up for election. We will be busy and your donation allows us to do the work to elect Democratic candidates.
If you are a monthly supporter, we appreciate your ongoing commitment to the organization. We also appreciate the annual checks that we have received from some of our special donors.
We hope that everyone will continue to donate to fund our work during this next vital election cycle. Don't forget, in recent elections, we elected a majority on the County Board and the Forest Preserve Commission, a judge to the Circuit Court, county wide offices, and to the State Legislature. It is our job to help get voters to the polls, and we welcome your support. Here are links to online donation opportunities:
Send checks to DGTDO, PO Box 785,
Downers Grove 60515
Thank you for your continued support!
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DGTDO OFFICE RESOURCES AVAILABLE. |
DGTDO Office resources are available for volunteers and PC. Here are some of them:
- To reserve the office for a meeting, text Sue at 630-441-6640 or email at [email protected]. Provide date, time, reason and how many people are expected.
- Print and make copies of PC letters to voters thanking them for voting
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Voter lists based on your needs - contact Sue Sitton at [email protected] if you need help
- Run and print voter lists
- Voter labels for mailings
Let us know what you need.
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PC CORNER - AUGUST 2021.
By Chris Hotchkin
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We hope all our PC’s are enjoying their summer. Take time to travel, enjoy time with family and friends, read a good book or two. Soon we will be canvassing and contacting our voters in various ways. Now is a good time to register new voters, especially young people home from college. They can register at ova.elections.il.gov. You might also want to invite some of the Democrats in your precinct over for an informal get together just to get to know each other. There are postcards to voters in swing states remaining in our office that you can pick up, write, and send. |
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CAN DEMOCRATS EVER LEARN TO TOOT THEIR OWN HORN?
By Mary Coen
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Since January, Democrats have been in control of the White House and both houses of Congress, albeit by a very slim majority. Have we accomplished anything? Are we going in the right direction? Are we in any way better off than we were? If so, why aren't we shouting it from the rooftops? Are we holding our breath, crossing our fingers and hoping nothing goes wrong? Republicans didn't do that. If something went wrong for them, they ignored it, or resorted to "whataboutism", or simply lied. Do Democrats believe that the only time to toot our own horns is leading up to an election? The Republicans daily reminded us about how great they were. Are we ignorant of the facts? I do think that for many of us, the fact that government is doing its job has allowed us to back off paying close attention. So, what IS going on?
As of this week we have a new bill passed by Congress, and it's a bill to be proud of, this Fix-It bill, not just because it was so seriously needed but because it passed with bipartisan support. Amazingly! And this is after the Democrats passed: 1) the American Rescue plan - more money for COVID 19-related issues, 2) extensions of some of the protections of the CARE ACT like small-business bankruptcy and paycheck protection, 3) 5 Veterans Affairs bills for such things as vaccine availability, facilities for controlled substance meds and mental health facilities, and retraining assistance for veteran employment, 4) a bill expediting the review of COVID related hate crimes, 5) one naming Juneteenth as a legal public holiday, 6) one about money for the Crime Victim's Fund and one awarding medals to the Capitol Police who protected the capitol during the January 6th riot. So, the Democrat-controlled Congress has been busy. There has been some re-naming of Post Offices too, but a fair number of these accomplishments are major. Compare this to the all-Republican government of 2017-2018 when the only major legislation was the tax cut for big business and the rich. Not until March of 2020 was other major legislation passed, the CARE ACT, (actually three of them), dealing with the COVID-19 emergency. But by then Congress was divided with the House under Democratic control.
This lack of Republican legislation was by design: under Mitch McConnell the designated job of the Senate was to prevent the Democrats from getting anything done. Their focus was lowering taxes and filling all judicial benches. Nothing else. And they weren't shy about saying so publicly. But they got it wrong: the conservative ideal of smaller government isn't accomplished by enacting no new laws but by reducing bureaucracy. Trying to govern without keeping up with the needs of the modern world can be seen as simply laziness. So, the disservice done is that the public has come to expect little or nothing from Congress. And we need to turn that around.
President Joe Biden has been no slouch either: We have rejoined the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement. He has revoked the Keystone XL pipeline access (and none too soon, since we found out this spring that Enbridge pipeline in Wisconsin had leaked back in 1999, hadn't been capped for 37 days and then not reported for over a year). He reversed the travel ban for Muslin countries and began the reunification of migrant families, extended protection for DACA. He demanded an Ethics pledge for all executive branch personnel. He also signed 20 COVID directives -all in his first 100 days.
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LESSONS FROM OHIO ELECTION.
By Joanna Williams
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Lessons from the Ohio 11th District Congressional election to replace Marcia Fudge, now Secretary of HUD. (summarized from Nancy Kohn’ s “NKC Occasional Update” August 6, 2021)
Billed as a major contest between the Biden/centrist wing and the Sanders/progressive wing, the Aug 3rd race was between two good Democrats: Nina Turner who was co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential run and who took a strong early lead, and Shontel Brown, a Cuyahoga County Council Member and Democratic County Party Chair who started out as the underdog but brought together a coalition of centrist Democrats who delivered a decisive victory for her.
There are a few lessons we should take away from this race. First, at this point in time, Democrats who lean towards the center tend to win. The center has moved considerably to the left and the progressive wing of our party deserves enormous credit for that. But it’s not a coincidence that Joe Biden won the Democratic primary and the presidential election, Terry McAuliffe won the gubernatorial primary in Virginia, Eric Adams won in New York City, Troy Carter won in LA-2, and Melanie Ann Stansbury won in NM-2.
Second, we can argue about who will be more electable or who we support without ripping each other apart. We’re a big family with lots of views and that makes us stronger and builds our base.
Third, and most importantly, we can accomplish great things when we work together. We Democrats know a lot about loud boisterous families. But we also know when it’s time to have our policy differences and when it’s time to come together to face down mutual threats and bring real progress to America. Now is that time.
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DO CORPORATIONS REALLY SUPPORT DEMOCRACY OR SEDITION?
By Joanna Williams
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Meet the Corporations That Went Back on Their Word Not to Support the Sedition Caucus
(summarized from Dennis Aftergut in The Bulwark)
After the insurrection on January 6th, many corporations announced that they would not give political contributions to politicians who had sought to overturn the election (the so-called Sedition Caucus). Have they kept their word? Some have, others have gone back on their pledge.
According to current reporting, some 35 major corporations have honored their January promise to cut off financial support to the 147 Republicans who voted against certification.
These companies include Airbnb, Google, Amazon, American Express, CBS, eBay, Lyft, Microsoft, Nike, Sony Music Group, Walt Disney, Warner Music Group and Zillow.
And which corporations have gone back on their word? The June 30 Federal Election Commission’s campaign contribution disclosures show that since April a number of major corporations have resumed donating to Sedition Caucus members including:
- General Motors ($15K to Kevin McCarthy and his PAC, $25K to Steve Scalise’s PAC)
- Ford ($2.5K to Tom Rice, R-S.C., who sits on the House Committee that writes the tax laws)
- UPS ($25K to McCarthy’s PAC, $2.5K to Byron Donalds, R-Fla, who serves on the committee with pending legislation to reform the US Postal Service, a UPS competitor).
- Merck ($5k to McCarthy’s PAC, $5K to Scalise’s PAC)
Could shining a light on these corporations get them change course and honor their pledge?
Take Toyota for example - In January Toyota pledged not to support members of the Sedition Caucus. But then Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington revealed that Toyota had quietly reversed course and had started giving to politicians who voted against certification again. Following that announcement, the Lincoln Project produced a video highlighting the company’s turnaround, causing Toyota to announce it would halt its donations to the Sedition Caucus politicians.
Ultimately, as consumers, we have the power to align our purchasing with our values and need to let corporations know that we will exercise that power.
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OUR DEMOCRACY IS IN GRAVE DANGER!
By Carla Feinkind
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It's the dog days of summer with daily temperatures in the 90s, high humidity, and nightly tornado warnings. (I'm from New York; I don't LIKE tornado warnings!)
But, sorry, this is NOT the time to get complacent or distracted. Our Democracy is hanging on by a thread. NEVER before has a defeated president refused to admit defeat or acknowledge the newly elected president. Loser Trump is STILL CLAIMING the election was stolen, thus inciting his base to violence. His disciples swear January 6th wasn’t the beginning and that it will certainly not be the end.
More dangerously, the GOP supports Trump! Ever since the Big Lie about a "stolen" election, 41 states have passed over 216 VOTER SUPPRESSION laws. Thanks to these laws, the GOP can now.
- PURGE VOTER ROLLS…
- MANIPULATE the number of POLLING PLACES, and…
- THROW OUT BALLOTS!
But that's just the tip of the voter suppression iceberg. Worst of all, after BLOCKING nearly all of Obama's Federal Judge nominations, Mitch McConnell reshaped the courts nationwide by ramming through Trump's Federalist Society judges, including 3 Supreme Court Justices! The now conservative courts, while not finding any election fraud, have upheld the unconstitutional voter suppression bills.
And this has all happened since January!
What can we do about it??
- First, TALK with friends, family and neighbors about these PRESSING issues.
- Then, CALL both Houses of Congress at (202) 224-3121. Congress must PASS THE VOTER RIGHTS ACT, NOW!
- Next, DONATE to organizations protecting voting rights. Think locally and nationally.
- Finally, DONATE to Democrats. Any little bit helps, and ask your friends to do this, too.
After decades of hard-fought, even bloody battles for the universal right to vote, the GOP is DESPERATELY trying to take us back in time. They are open and frank about it – they don't want everyone to vote. They only want THEIR supporters to vote. DON'T LOOK AWAY.
If we do not turn this back NOW, it could be a generation of violence before we regain any semblance of democracy. THIS IS A CRISIS.
Please get busy NOW. Everything depends on our actions!
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Now that the office is open, we have coffee and chat on Saturday mornings - in person. Typically people show up around 10 am, but the office is open from 9 am to 12 noon. Stop by for good conversation with like-minded democrats. It helps to keep our sanity and to get caught up on what's going on is our community. You might also find a great volunteer opportunity.
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POSTCARDS TO SWING STATES AVAILABLE AT DGTDO. |
In case you missed it,
POSTCARD STAMP PRICES ARE INCREASING 4 CENTS
(FROM 36 TO 40 CENTS)
AT THE END OF AUGUST.
TIME TO STOCK UP.
Are you interested in writing postcards to swing states? Stop by DGTDO office and pick them up. We currently have postcards for Georgia, thanking voters for voting in the 2020 election. These postcards can be mailed as you write them. Thanks for your help.
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RACES ON THE 2022 BALLOT. |
Due to the delay in finalizing redistricting, the 2022 Primary Election will be in June. Here are key dates:
Petition signatures: 1/13 to 3/14
Petition filing: 3/7 to 3/14
Primary Election: 6/28
For a current list of races that will be on the 2022 Ballot for DG Township (based on current districts), go to our website dgdemocrats.org.
Districts for state house and senate are done. DuPage County and Congressional districts are expected to be available in September. Stay tuned for updates.
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MORE EVENTS AND RESOURCES |
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DuPAGE DEMS GOLF OUTING 2021. |
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Invite your friends and family!
Friday, September 10
9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Bloomingdale Golf Club
181 Glen Ellyn Road
Bloomingdale
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DuPAGE DEMS FAMILY PICNIC. |
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Invite your friends and family!
Sunday, September 12
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Hidden Lake Forest Preserve
(Main entrance is on the east side of
Route 53, 0.25 mile south of
Butterfield Road)
- Full BBQ Lunch provided by caterers with COVID precautions
- Games and Prizes for Kids and Grownups
- Elected Officials in Attendance
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WE THE PEOPLE CONSTITUTION DISCUSSION GROUP (Virtual)
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TOPIC: To be announced
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Tuesday, September 14
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
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PEACE! TOASTMASTERS
1ST FRIDAY 6:30-8:30PM (virtual)
3RD SUNDAY 3:00-5:00pm (in person)
DUPAGE DEMOCRATS OFFICE
- Improve your impromptu speaking
- Learn to articulate your message clearly
- Learn to use feedback to improve performance
- Try out new ideas
- Vent with like-minded people
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Federal Elected Officials
White House: (202) 456-1111
Click on GET INVOLVED in the blue header
Dept of Justice: (202) 353-1555
Congressional Switchboard for Both House and Senate: (202) 224-3121
Local offices if Washington office is busy:
Sen. Dick Durbin (312) 353-4952
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (312) 886-3506
Rep. Sean Casten 202-225-4561, 630-520-9450
Rep. Mike Quigley (773) 267-5926
Rep. Bill Foster (630) 585-7672
Rep. Marie Newman (773) 948-6223
Illinois State Elected Officials
State of IL: JB Pritzker:
(217) 782-0244
State Sen Suzy Glowiak
(217) 782-8148, (630) 785-3177
Rep Deanne Mazzochi
(217) 782-1448, (630) 852-8633
State Sen John Curran
(630) 796-2623, (217) 82-9407
State Rep Jim Durkin
(217) 782-0494, (630) 325-2028
State Rep Anne Stava-Murray
(217) 782-6578 , 630-605-0595
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DGTDO OFFICE HOURS:
August / September 2021
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DGTDO Office
(PO Box 785)
908 Curtiss, Downers Grove
630-297-8600
Monday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Friday 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
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Upcoming Events and Key Election Dates
Types of events: DGTDO, Candidate, Education / Issues, “Be Active”, Organization Meeting
Updated August 19, 2021
Recurring Events
DGTDO Office Hours (In-Person – We’re back!)
Saturdays, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Stop by for coffee and chat. Good conversation with like-minded people.
DGTDO Office
908 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove
August 2021
August 19 (Thursday), 7:00 to 8:00 pm
NWSOFA/Indivisible Gun Violence Prevention Issues Team Planning Meeting
Virtual Meeting
August 24 (Thursday), 11:00 am to 12:30 pm (CDT)
No More Excuses! Voting Rights Now Rally.
Lafayette Square Park
Washington, DC
August 31 (Tuesday), 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Book Discussion: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
Virtual Event
September 2021
September 3 (Friday), 6:00 to 9:00 pm
PEACE Toastmasters Meeting (1st Fridays, 3rd Sundays)
Virtual Meeting
September 10 (Friday), 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
DuPage Dems Golf Outing 2021
Bloomingdale Golf Club
181 Glen Ellyn Road, Bloomingdale
September 12 (Sunday), 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
DuPage Dems Family Picnic – BBQ Lunch Catered
Hidden Lake Forest Preserve
Main entrance is on the east side of Route 53, 0.25 mile south of Butterfield Road
September 14 (Tuesday), 6:30 to 8:00 pm
We the People Constitution Discussion Group
Virtual Meeting
Details to follow
September 15 (Wednesday), 7:30 to 9:00 pm
DGTDO Monthly Meeting (2nd Wednesday)
D99 Administration Building
6301 Springside, Downers Grove
September 19 (Sunday), 3:00 to 5:00 pm
PEACE Toastmasters Meeting (1st Fridays, 3rd Sundays)
In-Person – check for location
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
October 23 (Saturday), 6:00 to 8:00 pm
DGTDO Wine Tasting & Fundraiser
(hosted by: Downers Grove Township Democratic Org.)
SavWay Fine Wines & Spirits
3821 South York Road, Oakbrook
Details to follow
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