Like Art? Hate Trump? Check Out The Dynamic, Inspiring "Enough Of Trump Campaign"

Working with a stellar group of top shelf American artists, People for the American Way just launched a new program, "Enough of Trump," based on a simple concept: artists using art to convey what they have had “enough” of in the Trump era and to inspire the public to vote in November. The issues driving artists’ response to Trump include his inflaming of racial tensions, encouraging violent and deadly policing, and his failure to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is to put up billboards 3 swing states: Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, like this Shepard Fairey piece, Enough Monarchy, We Need Democracy! 2020

The launch includes works by Carrie Mae Weems, whose concept was key to the project, Shepard Fairey, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Jeffrey Gibson, Mark Thomas Gibson, Deborah Kass, Christine Sun Kim, Takaaki Matsumoto, Amalia Mesa-Bains, Beverly McIver, Sam Messer, Ed Ruscha, Alyson Shotz, Hank Willis Thomas, and Cayetano Valenzuela.

by LaToya Ruby Frazier

Ben Jealous, president of People for the American Way told the media that "This project couldn’t be more timely. Our country is in crisis over the racial injustice, economic disaster and public health emergency that have all been amplified and exacerbated by Donald Trump.  The 'Enough of Trump' campaign captures this moment through art in a way that is both unique and complementary to the activism going on in the streets."

PFAW explained that. "The campaign aims to motivate people across the country, especially in the key Electoral College swing states, to share and create 'Enough'-themed art and to get involved in advocacy and electoral organizing that will ultimately lead to defeating Trump in November. As it unfolds, it will include creative opportunities for the public to engage in creating their own works to deliver the messages of 'Enough' and 'Vote.' Plans include displaying the messages on union halls, at protests, on face masks, on billboards, and on store windows shuttered by COVID. The campaign website, which features a gallery of downloadable images of the artworks, links to volunteer and activism opportunities across the country, resources for getting registered to vote, and a portal to purchase artworks, can be found here. In the coming months, in-person and digital engagement opportunities will include exhibits, webinars, opportunities to join artists online as they engage in the creative process, participatory public events to transform outdoor spaces with the 'Enough of Trump' theme, community-building activities on social media, distribution of 'Enough' themed merchandise and more."

by Ed Ruscha

Carrie Mae Weems: "Artists have played a leading role in social change movements for centuries. In creating art that expresses what we have had ‘enough’ of in the Trump era, we can address the corruption, ignorance, and racism that are so devastating to so many of us. I add my voice alongside many other artists to say definitively that we reject Trump and all that he stands for. Enough is ENOUGH." 

by Carrie Mae Weens

Let’s Vote For Fair Courts In 2020

-by Marge Baker,
Executive Vice President,
People for the American Way

Even after two months into a national health and economic crisis, Donald Trump and his Republican cronies in the Senate have continued their assault on our federal courts. And while Americans from every walk of life are dealing with the devastating health and economic impact of this pandemic, Senate Republicans are quietly processing more of Trump’s judicial nominees.

People For the American Way has led the charge against Trump’s dangerous judicial nominees since he took office. And in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, PFAW’s Vote the Courts 2020 campaign has focused on two goals: encouraging presidential candidates to prioritize the importance of the courts in their campaigns and holding senators who vote for Trump’s dangerous troubling judicial nominees accountable for those votes.

Vote the Courts 2020 strives to educate the public about the role that federal judges play in their daily lives-- whether they have access to affordable health care; whether their rights as workers are protected; whether they have the ability to vote and have that vote counted; whether they can be free from discrimination; whether they will have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. The list is endless and not at all abstract.

During the primary season, we encouraged candidates to address the importance of the courts and share the kinds of judges and justices they would nominate to the bench as president.  Even amid the once-crowded field of contenders, more than a dozen Democratic candidates responded to our call.

Following the campaign launch, PFAW co-sponsored a presidential candidate forum in Iowa that focused on the importance of democracy reform and the courts, where five former candidates spoke in greater detail about their plans to restore balance to our courts.

This issue has become especially salient to progressives in the Trump era: Polling has shown that Democratic voters outrank Republican voters on whether the courts are a reason to support their party’s presidential candidate. In the coming months before Election Day, there is ample opportunity to continue to highlight the importance of fair-minded judges.

And this is relevant not just to the presidency, but also to the senators that vote on these nominees. That’s why another prominent facet of the Vote the Courts 2020 campaign is holding Senators Martha McSally, Cory Gardner, Thom Tillis, Joni Ernst, Susan Collins and David Perdue accountable for their votes to confirm Trump’s dangerous nominees. Working with partners and allies in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maine and North Carolina, we are highlighting senators’ votes to confirm extreme Trump judges who are hostile to health care, reproductive rights, a healthy environment, democracy and voting rights, and the social safety net through videos, op-eds, and activist toolkits.





In the coming months, we will continue to grow our accountability work, as the same poll cited above also indicates that Democratic voters care more about their senators’ judicial confirmation votes than do Republican voters when weighing their support for a candidate.

Our ability to create products that are integral to our Vote the Court 2020 campaign depends on the work of our stellar legal research team.  In particular, both our Confirmed Judges, Confirmed Fears blog series and web tool provide the information we are using to tie Trump judges’ rulings and dissents to the impact they have on issues critical to our daily lives.

After three and a half years, Trump and his Republican enablers have reshaped our federal judiciary by packing our courts with ultra-conservative judges who give them the green light to enact their extreme agenda. In fact, most Trump appointees are white men who are young enough to spend decades in their lifetime positions on the bench. Long after he vacates office, the damage he has done will endure.

Our rights and liberties-- our right to accessible, affordable health care; our right to make decisions about our bodies; our right to cast a ballot that counts; our right to clean air and water, and more-- are all on the line on Election Day. We need to fight for fair courts, and for judges who understand equality and justice for all of us.

RACE ALERT-- This Coming Tuesday Chris Larson Is Up For Milwaukee County Executive

I met Wisconsin state Senator Chris Larson through People for the American Way, when he was one of their most active members of Young Elected Officials. As you may know Blue America has endorsed him in the current race for Milwaukee County Executive, an office that has often led directly to Wisconsin's governorship. I was thrilled yesterday when Michael Keegan, president of People for the American Way, told me that PFAW had endorsed Larson as well. He agreed to write a guest post explaining why. Please give it a read and please consider contributing to Chris' field campaign by clicking on the thermometer below. And by the way, that video up top is absolutely amazing. It isn't like other campaign videos. But what would you expect... Chris isn't like most other people running for office. Chris is part of the future of Milwaukee County, of Wisconsin and of the United States. Southeast Wisconsin progressive legend, Randy IronStache Bryce: "The first time I met Chris was when he stood up to Scott Walker and did everything he could to keep Act 10 from passing. He hasn't stopped standing up for working people since that day. He has the experience we need to get the job done."

Milwaukee is often called one of the country's most segregated cities and is infamously the setting for Matthew Desmond's book Evicted. Larson has promised to address systemic racism by treating racism as the public health crisis it is and centering the voices of all those who have been marginalized in every decision as County Executive. Specifically, he's promised to end family homelessness in his first term, increase mediation services for landlords and tenants as an incentive not to evict so readily, and increase affordable housing. In addition to addressing housing through the lens of racism, Larson has promised to secure dedicated funding for transit (Milwaukee is one of few peer cities that doesn't have it), and ensure bus routes are dismantling, not furthering segregation. Under the Larson Administration, Milwaukee will refuse to deputize local law enforcement agents as ICE agents, fight mass incarceration and ensure all publications that the County puts out represent and celebrate our diverse community.

Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson Leads The Pack In Key Primary Race
by Michael Keegan

In October 2019, Democratic Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced that he would not seek a third term in office in 2020. Since then, four candidates have stepped up in the nonpartisan primary to fill Abele’s open seat-- and among them, one clearly stands out.

Democratic state Sen. Chris Larson, a lifelong Wisconsinite with twelve years of public service, is running to make sure that the people of Milwaukee County have a leader who will fight for every member of the community, regardless of their race, ethnicity, income or citizenship status.

People For the American Way has witnessed Larson’s career as a public servant blossom for nearly a decade. Larson’s political career began in 2008 at the age of 27 as a Milwaukee County Supervisor. Two years later, he was elected as a state senator. During that time, he’s demonstrated his ability to get the work done on the issues that matter most to the people of Wisconsin, like funding for public schools; accessible, affordable health care; clean water and workers’ bargaining rights.

For example, in 2011, when Republican legislators pushed a bill that would virtually kill Wisconsin’s public-sector unions, Larson didn’t back down. Instead, he stood up for working Wisconsinites and led a nearly month-long walkout with 13 other Democratic state senators. The “fighting 14” left the state, leaving the Senate one vote shy of a quorum and inspiring tens of thousands of working Wisconsinites to join them in protest. An estimated 100,000 convened again to thank the senators upon their homecoming. The most prominent refrain at that rally? “This is what democracy looks like.”

Larson is running on the same progressive values in his campaign for Milwaukee County Executive. He hasn’t accepted a single dollar from any corporate PAC, fossil fuel or dark money groups, and as he has proven in his previous roles, he is committed to using his seat to ensure a better quality of life for his constituents. 

The position of Milwaukee County Executive-- the second-highest executive position in the state-- governs the 952,000 people in the county and the $1.2 billion budget associated with it. Larson has promised to leverage that position and budget to end family homelessness, increase the county’s shared revenue, secure dedicated funding for transit, and protect and county enhance parks and senior centers.

Simply put, Chris Larson has a clear vision for the future, and it’s one in which every person in Milwaukee County has an equal chance at success. PFAW and our Next Up Victory Fund are proud to support dedicated young progressives as they tackle their communities’ challenges head-on. Chris Larson has long shown such leadership, and we’re proud to endorse him for Milwaukee County Executive.

Collins And Murkowsky Must Say No To Trump On The Mad Dash To Confirm Kavanaugh

Brett Kavanaugh-- Partisan Supreme Court Nominee by Nancy Ohanian

With all the problems America is facing today, somehow McConnell thought sneaking a ban on funding Planned Parenthood into the must-pass Department of Defense Appropriations Act would be a smart way for the Senate to spend its time. Thursday afternoon a vote was called while three major Planned Parenthood supporters, Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Patty Murray (D-WA) were out of town. With all Democrats sticking together ro beat back the effort being joined by Republicans Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowsky (R-AK), the amendment was defeated 48-45.

And the Senate Republicans are now on the verge of rushing through a Trump Supreme Court nomination, Brett Kavanaugh, picked by a clearly self-serving (to put it mildly) and obviously illegitimate "president" who was chose strictly because He doesn't believe a sitting president can be indicted or even questioned. Yesterday at NBC's First Read, Chuck Todd pointed out that Trump "praises and pardons friends/allies who have committed crimes (Manafort, Joe Arpaio, Dinesh D’Souza), but calls for the prosecution of enemies who haven’t been charged at all (Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Peter Strzok, Christopher Steele)... continues to use mob-boss language: Manafort "refused to break" … White House counsel Don McGahn must be a John Dean type 'RAT' ... 'Flipping' ought to be outlawed. This is the president of the United States of America. This is also the guy demanding Kavanaugh be confirmed immediately.

People for the American Way is one of the public advocacy organization working to communicate inside and outside the Beltway the dangers inherent in Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court justice. Yesterday, the organization sent members and supporters a reminder that "Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort being found guilty of eight counts of bank and tax fraud amazingly was just the tip of the iceberg in yesterday’s news about the rampant corruption and criminality overflowing from Trump World. Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter of California was also indicted on unrelated charges, meaning that along with Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), the first two members of Congress to endorse Trump in 2016 are now both under federal indictment! And, most importantly, Trump’s former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight charges, including two for engineering or making illegal “hush money” payments to women who alleged affairs with then candidate Donald Trump-- and Cohen said he made those payments at the Trump’s behest." OK, but what does this have to do with Kavanaugh? Glad you asked.

Trump is now directly implicated in a conspiracy to violate anti-corruption laws at the very same time that Senate Republicans are trying to steamroll the confirmation of his hand-picked Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh-- a nominee who has argued that the president should be above the law-- and burying Kavanaugh’s record with an unprecedented cover up to keep important insights into his work and legal thinking from ever seeing the light of day.

It’s now crystal clear that for the Senate to confirm Brett Kavanaugh would be a brazen assault on our democracy, checks and balances, and the rule of law itself. Talk about enabling corruption and obstructing accountability-- any senator who now supports Brett Kavanaugh will be complicit in helping the president essentially choose the judge who will decide his own legal fate (perhaps on matters far exceeding the charges in which he was implicated by Michael Cohen).

Trump the other day asserted that he has total authority over the Mueller investigation, saying, “I could run it if I want.” We know from Brett Kavanaugh’s writings and statements that Trump’s Supreme Court nominee agrees, which is radical and, frankly, should scare the hell out of all of us.

We cannot let the Senate confirm this lawless, corrupt president’s hand-picked rubber stamp to the Supreme Court.

Our path to victory is getting every Democratic senator to oppose this nominee and at least ONE Republican senator to break from their president and put their country and what’s right above party.

The fact that Collins and Murkowsky voted on Thursday against all the other Republicans seeking to screw with Planned Parenthood-- and in effect-- a woman's right to choose, gives some hope that these two will oppose an extremist SCOTUS nominee who will move quickly to overturn Roe v Wade... as well as an extremist nominee who will do all he can to prevent the legal process from moving forward regarding the serial criminal behavior of an illegitimate "president." Don't forget, Brett Kavanaugh is now the most unpopular SCOTUS nominee in contemporary history. Yesterday, one of their Senate colleagues, Elizabeth Warren, wrote that "The Trump Administration is the most corrupt in modern history. That’s not an exaggeration. Corruption oozes out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue-- the name 'Trump' is basically synonymous with the concept itself. It’s in your face, everywhere-- like the big gold letters on his flashy hotels." Should this man and his enablers in Congress get to rush through the confirmation of another rubber stamp, this one a life-time appointee to the Supreme Court?

America's Cabinet-- No Trumpists Need Apply

For those who despair about the future of the Democratic Party when they look at the dysfunction and failure in Congress and the geriatric leadership from a calcified self-serving seniority system that elevates the worst elements of politics-- money and corruptibility over ideas and dynamism-- it's worth looking at a branch of People For The American Way, Young Elected Officials. Last month the group of elected officials under the age of 35 introduced "America's Cabinet," a group of young elected officials that will hold the Trump Administration’s cabinet accountable. They were introduced to the American public at the National Press Club where they offered a positive vision of what our country could be with effective leadership and fresh, innovative solutions to everyday problems.

On the day Señor Trumpanzee read his regime's State of the Union speech, most of the media attention had been focused on the outrage of the day and very little focused on how to actually move our country forward in ways that dramatically-- and positively-- affect people’s lives. PFAW announced that "America’s Cabinet is going beyond simply voicing opposition to the harmful policies coming out of Washington today. They are instead presenting specific reforms and policies that will make this nation one that works for all Americans. Since our launch, cabinet members have held local State of the Union watch parties and have been actively monitoring and responding to policy coming out of the current administration."

So what are the policies America's Cabinet is getting behind? The first one they list is "health security," would "guarantee for all Americans affordable, quality health coverage so they can lead long, enjoyable and productive lives by expanding public health plan options."

Already, 42% of children and 94% of seniors have government coverage. Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the VA’s health care system are all highly rated by the tens of millions of Americans who use them. At the same time, there is a dissatisfaction with private insurers and a desire for more simplicity, security, and affordability.

We should guarantee that every American can participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Currently, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans are private plans delivering services within a government framework. Private plans could also be given access to Medicare provider payment rates at significantly lower costs. Additionally, if we then allow Medicare to negotiate for drug prices the way the VHA does, its massive procurement power could result in paying 80 percent less for brand name drugs, saving as much as $16 billion annually-- and that’s only using the clout of the program’s 57 million beneficiaries it has today. This would also be a shot in the arm for entrepreneurs and small businesses, who provide health-related benefits for their employees.

If we’re not strong, physically and mentally, no other policy idea will matter as we won’t be able to enjoy the benefits. Hospitals and doctors must be accessible, just as we must have the capacity to find cures to diseases and solve other health challenges. Each of us deserves this basic guarantee and our country can’t afford to do otherwise.

We are ready for this. More than 70 percent of Americans somewhat or strongly favor allowing 55- to 64-year-olds to buy into Medicare if they have no other coverage. And, among Republicans, opposition to government health care has dropped nine percentage points since 2013, from 75 percent to 66 percent.

Number one sounds good, right? Here are their 9 other agenda items:

• 2. Combat sexual harassment and discrimination
Adopt an all hands-on-deck approach across the federal government, ensuring that our government is a safe and fair place for women to work.

• 3. Manufacturing Moonshot
Help grow small/medium size companies by committing to secure the supply chain here at home for all our defense and adjacent industry needs.

• 4. Ownership America
Create a path toward home ownership and affordable housing for residents of public housing by partnering with building trades unions to provide quality employment opportunities paired with home loan access.

• 5. Green Schools for All
Develop a national green schools infrastructure program to build and renovate green schools across the country, feed our students through farm-to-school programs, and create quality local employment opportunities for parents.

• 6. Employee Voice
Pilot a program that requires companies to include front line employee voices on their board if the company seeks to do business with the government or benefits from public subsidies.

• 7. Corrections transition
We will reinvent the criminal justice system to focus on rehabilitation rather than retribution by improving prison conditions and investing in professional development to meet the expectations of modern day corrections officers.

• 8. World Class Infrastructure
By investing in rebuilding our decaying infrastructure and hiring the best trained skilled trades workers to do it alongside a new generation of service recruits, we can get America back on track.

• 9. Family Re-investment
Promote Universal Family Care to support families with child and eldercare needs and professionalize the care industry so that our loved ones receive quality care.

• 10. Middle Out Economics
We must reinvent our antiquated labor law system to reflect the changing nature of work, support our democratic values, and promote the freedom of individuals to associate as they choose.

There are 19 officials from 13 states in the cabinet. It sure sounds a lot better than the Trumpanzee cabinet!

“As a nation built by immigrants, we must adhere to immigration policies and tactics for immigration control that recognize the strengths that these individuals bring to our nation,” said Minnesota State Representative Ilhan Omar (Secretary of Homeland Security), who was selected as the Secretary of Homeland Security for America’s Cabinet. “Tearing families apart at our border, holding them in overcrowded detention centers without basic human necessities, and preventing people from entire countries from entering the United States makes our country less safe, not more. I want to use America’s Cabinet as a platform to raise the dialogue around these current dangerous and unconstitutional policies that do not reflect the values of our nation and are un-American.”

“Now more than ever, the American people need new, bold leadership,” said Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott (Secretary of Housing and Urban Development), who was selected as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. “We need leaders with vision who are working to strengthen families and communities in our urban centers, lifting millions out of poverty by empowering and investing in them to rebuild every aspect of their community. As Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for America’s Cabinet, I look forward to meeting the American people to listen to their needs and to discuss new bold policy ideas that will improve the lives of all Americans.”

“We must articulate an alternative vision for America to implement policies that correct historic injustices, uphold our democratic rights and expand opportunity for all people.” Said Jane Kim (Attorney General), who is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

“In today’s political climate, it’s so important for young progressive leaders to step up and demand that our country live up to the promise of opportunity and fairness for all,” said Colorado State Senator Dominick Moreno (Secretary of Health and Human Services), who was selected as the Secretary of Health and Human Services for America’s Cabinet. “For that reason, America’s Cabinet seeks to move beyond the politics of opposition and derision by offering bold policy proposals in order to create a government that works for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected.”

“America is ready for a new generation of leadership, and America's Cabinet is showcasing how young leaders are making a difference across the country right now,” said Michigan State Representative Jon Hoadley (Secretary of Treasury), who was selected as the Secretary of the Treasury for America’s Cabinet. “Starting today-- on day one-- America’s Cabinet is offering real policy solutions to challenges faced by Americans every day, both those we’ve faced for generations and those newly created by the Trump administration.”

"This challenging political era demands dedicated leadership focused on real solutions and real people,” said Wisconsin State Representative David Bowen (Secretary of Labor), who was selected as the Secretary of Labor for America’s Cabinet. “If no one else will, America's Cabinet will meet that demand for the American people. I count it an honor being a part of this group of young elected leaders willing to push against the status quo for the sake of our communities, who deserve more."

These are the cabinet members:

Will The Anti-Trump/Anti-Ryan Tsunami Be High Enough To Reach Into West Virginia?

Many years ago People for the American Way chose me-- and Rob Reiner-- for Spirit of Liberty Awards. I was gobsmacked at the unexpected honor. The head of the PFAW office in Los Angeles at the time was a young woman named Kendra Huard and she helped me navigate preparations for the daunting award dinner and ceremony. And now, all these years later, Kendra is running for Congress... in a red, red, red West Virginia district where Trump beat Hillary 68.0% to 26.4%. And that's when the district's PVI was just R+14. Now it's an even more daunting R+19. But look at the bright side; Bernie beat Hillary in every single one of WV-01's 20 counties and in the biggest county in the district, Mon (short for Monongalia), Bernie's 8,096 vote win over Hillary's 4,963 votes was also a substantial win over Trump's 5,971 votes that day in the GOP primary. In fact, if you add up the votes of the top four Republicans on primary day-- Trumpanzee, Kasich, Cruz and Rubio-- their 7,972 votes combined doesn't even come to Bernie's total. So maybe it isn't completely hopeless... if the Democrats have the right candidate. Ah, yes, the right candidate. The establishment insiders have a multimillionaire Republican-lite Manchin type Democrat, Ralph Baxter; couldn't be further from Bernie. And that brings us back to Kendra, now Kendra Huard Fershee. I asked her to introduce herself with a guest post. (And if you like what she had to say, you can contribute to her campaign here.)


Why I Think I Can Beat a Republican Incumbent in the Heart of Trump Country
Kendra Huard Fershee,
Democratic Candidate for Congress, West Virginia 1st

Why do I think I can win an election as a Democrat in the heart of Trump country? Because this Democrat shares West Virginia’s values. West Virginians-- like all Americans-- believe in freedom. But you can’t be free if you don’t have health care. And you can’t be free if you don’t have a good job. And you can’t be free if you don’t have access to quality education for your family. In a time when many Americans who felt abandoned by their elected officials turned to people who fell outside the traditional political mold (as evidenced by the success of both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump) we need leaders who can connect with the values of the voters. In the West Virginia 2016 Democratic presidential primary, Bernie Sanders outperformed Hillary Clinton by more than 15 percentage points, and beat her by even higher percentages in most counties in the West Virginia First District. Also, and perhaps more importantly, in some counties in the district, Bernie Sanders earned more votes than Donald Trump in the Republican primary. These numbers show that West Virginians are yearning for real change.

West Virginians are, quite literally, struggling to survive. The drug addiction epidemic, a lack of healthcare, too many educational systems that do not have the resources to prepare people for a changing economy, and a near total lack of an economic base in countless communities all combine to make living in West Virginia incredibly difficult for families who have lived here for generations. This is heartbreaking for West Virginians because we love this wild and wonderful state fiercely and never want to leave. So, I’m ready to go to Washington to fight for our freedom to stay in West Virginia.

If you haven’t been here, you need to come, because West Virginia is the most beautiful state in the country. And the people are among the kindest you’ll ever meet. Despite all of our challenges, I’m incredibly optimistic about West Virginia’s potential right now. We are the most perfectly poised state in the country for a complete economic turnaround. We have rich soil, blue skies, and abundant water. We have beautiful little communities tucked in the hills, full of people who want to work. Working people here know how to work hard, and they value doing it. I know the potential of this incredible place because I live in a pocket of success that demonstrates what West Virginia can be. Morgantown is a small university town with good public schools, world-class health care facilities, and low unemployment rates. Yet even here, too many of our citizens lack the tools to succeed in school, the healthcare they deserve, and the training to get the jobs they want.

Despite the obvious challenges we face, we have a Representative in D.C. who doesn’t seem to understand that people are dying every day because they don’t have access to healthcare, and even if they could access it, they wouldn’t be able to afford it. He has no new ideas about how to build a diversified economic base, and he does not support public education. The hardworking people of West Virginia literally fueled the build of this country by hand and deserve better from our Representative.

I’m ready to go to Washington to fight for healthcare for everyone. I hear it from people all over the district; too many West Virginians are in a prison of ill health and drug addiction and we need a Representative who will treat our health crisis like the emergency that it is. At the same time, we know we need to support families and communities from the ground up. People who live in healthy, thriving communities are less likely to seek the escape of drugs because they have purpose and are fulfilled. We have our challenges, to be sure, but we can and will overcome them with an optimistic, open minded, and innovative leader. I am a working mom, a family law professor, a high-level law school administrator, and I am a West Virginian. I understand the struggles of working families and I can’t wait to champion them and this incredible state in Congress. I have no doubt that we West Virginians can turn this state around. Now I just need to get to Congress to be the advocate we need for the things we deserve. With your help, I will beat a Republican incumbent in the heart of Trump country.

To check out our web page and support Team Kendra, please go to TeamKendraWV.com or ActBlue.com.

Trump Coddles His Fascist Followers, Claims Incorrectly Charlottesville Violence Was "On Many Sides"

In Trump's America, all of our America

There was already trouble Friday night when old-fashioned KKK racists and Nazis and new-fashioned alt-right Trump supporters descended on Charlottesville looking for trouble in response to a Trump nut named Jason Keller's call for a "pro-white" rally. This is something they've been promoting for weeks in the fever swamps of TrumpWorld. On Friday night they were screeching anti-Black and anti-Semitic chants, marching around waving cheap Walmart tiki torches.

Although officially organized by several fascist groups, the League of the South, the National Socialist Movement, the Traditionalist Workers Party, the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights and Vanguard America and Identity Evropa, this was nothing short of a warning from the Bannon wing of the Trump Regime to remember that Trump's supporters are easily roused to violence and that if Trump is removed there will be blood in the streets.

Much of the country was stunned and horrified that after the first death yesterday, Trump was finally forced to say something. But his message was basically to blame both sides, referring to what happened as an "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides." Many sides of what? The movement he's the titular head of? Politico noted that "white nationalists cited Trump's victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trump's critics pointed to the president's racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nation's festering racial tension."

The organizers had named their weekend of racist rallies, "Unite the Right." Both Richard Spencer, the Nazi leader who's always getting punched in the face, and KKK leader David Duke were present. Duke was quick to declare Charlottesville a "turning point" for a movement that aims to "fulfill the promises of Donald Trump." When I asked Alan Grayson what he thought of the conflagration he told me that "David Duke said it far beyond my poor power to add or detract. Duke said that the racists are trying 'to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump.' If the hood fits, wear it." This was the poster Richard Spencer-- who hasn't been charged with inciting violence of as accessory to murder yet-- had up on his social media pages.

Michael Keegan, President of People for the American Way, spoke for all American-- except Nazis and racists, obviously, when he said that yesterday's events were "heartbreaking and infuriating. When Donald Trump was elected president, many of us feared that his election would embolden radical extremists and white supremacists. Today shows that those concerns were entirely justified. Moreover, the President’s refusal to clearly and emphatically denounce a group of Nazis and white supremacists underscores his longstanding willingness to exploit the Right’s most hateful impulses for political gain-- as well as the GOP’s willingness to abide Trump’s tactics of hate in order to push its own ideological agenda. Elected officials should make clear in no uncertain terms that they condemn the hate and racism of the 'Unite the Right' rally and its leaders, and they won’t associate with those who do otherwise. Our thoughts are with the victims of today’s terror attack, as well as with their families and loved ones. I’m grateful for the activists of every race and creed who are standing up for their values every day in nonviolent protest in Charlottesville and across the country. They, not those who spew bigotry and hatred, represent the true American way."

Even a few Republicans were willing to say aloud what manu of the non-racist ones are all whispering among themselves. Cory Gardner is the GOP Senator from Colorado and Rob Portman the GOP senator from Ohio, parts of which are as Trumped-up as any backward, unrepentant and treasonous part of the Old Confederacy.

And David Jolly is the former congressman from St. Petersburg, Florida who was defeated last year, largely dragged down because of so many voters' revulsion with Trump and everything he and his white nationalism sociopaths stand for. More Republican elected officials should confront the stark, ugly truth of what he tweeted for all the world to see yesterday:

We got in touch with Jenny Marshall, the progressive candidate running in the central North Carolina district represented by bigot Virginia Foxx. "Americans across this country," Jenny told us, "must stand together in condemning the aims of white supremacy and white nationalism. While our government must protect freedom of speech, we, as its citizens, have a duty to reject the violence provoking, hate speech and intimidation shown by the alt-right. Our president and his administration have been silent as our fellow Muslim citizens in Minnesota had their mosque attacked and again during these horrific events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia. We cannot wait for his leadership in this matter, as it is obviously lacking. So, now is the time for America's citizens to gather together and resoundingly reject bigotry and racism. We must show the world that love trumps hate."

We also reached out to two nationally prominent civil rights attorneys who are both running for Congress. Dan Canon is probably best-known for his successful arguments to the Supreme Court for marriage equality in the Obergefell case. He told us that Trump's "repeated failure to condemn his white supremacist supporters speaks volumes. This isn't a situation in which 'both sides' bear equal fault. It's not even close. There's simply no place in American discourse for the idea that our neighbors should be subjugated or separated by race. We've known that the 'alt-right,' in its various guises, has been a cancer in America for more than a century. You don't let a cancer metastasize. You fight it head on."



The other civil rights attorney is Jim Thompson, who is running for the Wichita-based Kansas congressional seat. We want his eloquent words to be the official Blue America response to the tragedy in Charlottesville:

"My heart aches for those injured in Charlottesville, especially for the families of the three who lost their lives standing up to hatred and protecting our democracy. The thoughts and prayers of myself and my family are with you all. As a civil rights attorney and a U.S. Army infantryman, I have sworn to protect the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. What we witnessed in Charlottesville is no less than a domestic enemy intent on the subversion of our American principles and embracing the evil of terrorism. We saw White Nationalists, Nazis, and the 'Alt Right' claiming to 'Unite the Right' and seeking to destroy equality. They consider themselves superior simply because of the color of their skin and religious preference. They raise their hands in salutes paying homage to Hitler and Nazi principles, which included the killing of millions of men, women and children of different races, colors, religions, and those who did not fit the stereotype of the “master race.” Our grandfathers fought in World War II to eliminate this stain on humanity, and we must continue their fight. In a land where all men and women are created equal and entitled to the pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, there can be no ultimate peace between the Nazi/white supremacist/'alt right' philosophy of government, and our American values stated in the Constitution. I unequivocally reject their philosophy and will continue to fight all enemies of equality, justice, and the United States of America.

"I embrace our diversity of religion, race, and opinion in this country. However, the right to an opinion does not mean that the opinion is right. When immorality, hatred and intolerance form the basis of an opinion or movement, we must exercise our freedom of speech to identify those who hold that opinion and condemn them and their beliefs. Mr. President, you must lead that charge. I ask you Mr. President to formally and unequivocally reject the alt right movement, white supremacy and Nazi philosophy, and to state their beliefs and philosophies are inconsistent with American values. Contrary to your assertion, there are not “many sides” to this issue, there are only two sides: right and wrong. Mr. President, it is long past time for you to choose which side of the fence you are on because riding the fence will just get splinters in your ass."

Want to help put a stop to this quasi-condoned racism and violence? Help elect progressives like Jenny Marshall, Randy Bryce, James Thompson and the other Blue America-endorsed candidates here. We'll leave off with an eloquent and simple statement from VoteVets that puts into context the tragedy that this country suffered in November, 2016: "Hundreds of thousands of Americans gave their lives fighting the hateful ideologies that fueled yesterday's protests and subsequent violence in Virginia. The president dishonors their memories with his 'many sides' response to yesterday's domestic terrorist attack."

People For the American Way Launches The Next Up Victory Fund

Progressives like Keith Ellison, Pramila Jayapal and Jamie Raskin-- as well as other Democrats-- joined the folks at PFAW this week at an event introducing the launch of their newest in a series of progressive bench-building initiatives the Next Up Victory Fun. the purpose of the new program is to elect young progressives to state and local offices.

Next Up will support young progressive candidates running for state and local office across the country by providing endorsements and direct contributions, as well as a platform and greater access to the broader progressive community. PFAW has focused on young people as a major part of its work for more than a decade through its c3 affiliate, PFAW Foundation, which runs Young People For (YP4), a training program for college-age activists and the Young Elected Officials Network. PFAW also has an extensive track record in electoral politics, and this program will be an extension of its state and local work.

In particular, Next Up will target critical races in states where Democrats are poised to regain control of state legislatures—including states where legislatures can impact 2020 redistricting—and in helping candidates win races that will allow them to make credible runs for higher office in years to come.

Crisanta Duran is the Speaker of Colorado's House and a member of the Next Up advisory board. She said that "in order to transform our political system, we need to be working on the local and state levels to elect progressive leaders nationwide. If we want strong, progressive candidates to run for Congress and the presidency in five, ten or fifteen years, we need to make sure they’re getting elected to city councils and the statehouse right now. We’re going to fight for change from the bottom up. This work is critical to building power in the progressive movement and I am proud to be a part of its launch."

Michael Keegan, the PFAW president, made the point that "Republicans have methodically taken complete control of 32 legislatures and control every branch of government in 25 states-- half of the entire country, allowing them to ram through gerrymandering, voter suppression, and attacks on the rights of women, workers, LGBTQ people, and others unchecked... The goal of Next Up is to significantly shift the map within the next few election cycles to retake power in the states, win vital Democratic control over the redistricting process, and nurture a crop of progressive officeholders well positioned to win in their districts, statewide, and in future pursuits of federal office."

Despite all the anti-Trump energy, if we take off our blinders we can see that the landscape in the states is still dismal for progressives. I bet you agree with PFAW that that has to change, not the kind of phony DCCC one-cycle-- elect our sheathed instead of the other shithead-change, but a long-term infrastructure building change that PFAW has been doing for 3 decades. Keegan went on to say that "The Next Up Victory Fund is the next step in our deep, long-term investment in youth leadership development. It’s the continuation and expansion of our former Young Elected Progressives program. Our nonpartisan affiliate People For the American Way Foundation has supported young leaders for over a decade, through Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network and Young People For (YP4). PFAW has more than 30 years of expertise and a proven track record of success in helping strong progressive candidates win tight races. This is going to be one of our most important endeavors of the next several election cycles-- including elections taking place this year, in advance of the all-important 2018 midterms."

If you'd like to contribute to their efforts, you can do that here.

The Saturday Morning Song You Won't Be Able To Get Out Of Your Head

I'm thinking this video got lost last night in the post You Know "California" Is A Spanish Word, Right? so... I decided to feature it again this morning. The point is still the same: Trump and Triumpism is encouraging a huge surge in Latino voter participation-- 1,960.060 newly registered Latino voters in California alone,unprecedented numbers of early vote by mail ballots already cast in Hispanic neighborhoods... and major trouble for entrenched Republican congressional incumbents like Jeff Denham, Darrell Issa, Steve Knight, David Valadao, maybe even Kevin McCarthy! To put 1,960.060 newly registered Latino voters into some kind of perspective, that's around the same number of people who voted for Obama and Romney combined in states like South Carolina, Alabama and Louisiana. It's more than the total number of 2012 presidential votes in plenty of states... like

• New Hampshire- 799,479
• Mississippi- 693,582
• Iowa- 1,553,161
• Kentucky- 766,560
• Maine- 693,582
• Connecticut- 1,539,975
• Idaho- 633,698
• Kansas- 1,133,360

1,960.060 is more than the number of people who voted for Romney in Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, or Colorado and more that Obama's total vote in Georgia in 2012. It's more than the number of people who voted in total for George W. Bush, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, John McCain and Mitt Romney combined in the state of Delaware. And 1,960.060 is more votes than all 4 of Nevada's members of Congress got in 2014... combined:

• Dina Titus- 45,643
• Mark Amodei- 122,402
• Joe Heck- 88,528
• Cresent Hardy- 63,466

And that's just newly registered Latinos in California alone since Trump came down that escalator at Trump Tower. The 2 Florida counties with the highest share of Latino voters, Miami-Dade and Osceola, are outpacing the rest of the state in terms of early voting-- 75% more in Miami-Dade and 74% more in Osceola. This is huge for Democrats up and down the ballot in two of the most important counties in the biggest prize of all the swing states! Early voting from Latinos in Bexar and Travis counties in Texas is the highest anyone remembers. Hillary is going to crush Trump in the center of Texas-- and 20 year veteran congressman-- and Congress' #1 Climate denier-- Lamar Smith, could get swept away by an under-financed Berniecrat, Tom Wakely, in TX-21, a candidate so not on the DCCC's map that they never once returned a phone call from him after he won the primary against some conservative Democrat there.

The 11 year old actress in the video, Sarai Gonzalez lives in Green Brook, New Jersey. The NY Times described her as "he nerdy, round and confident tween who confronts bullies on the streets of Brooklyn in the video for "Soy Yo" or "That’s Me," by the Colombian group Bomba Estéreo. If you’re Latina, chances are you’ve already seen her.

“Soy Yo” seemed to appear at precisely the right moment-- a defiant, and adorable, rebuke to the anti-Latino rhetoric of the Trump campaign, and haters in general. “Don’t worry if they don’t accept you,” goes the song’s chorus, in Spanish. “If they criticize you, just say, ‘That’s me.’ ”

The video resonated particularly with Latinas. Rarely in American life, especially in an era of ugly debates over immigrants, had popular culture created a young, brown, working-class character so heroic, free of victimhood, full of straight-up dignity.

Sarai made Latinas visible. Real Latinas. And they responded, in a chorus of “yes, that’s me.”

“It’s a reminder that Latinos are part of American life, American space is Latino space,” said María Elena Cepeda, who studies Latino representations in popular culture and teaches at Williams College. “Right now, that is a pretty transgressive statement.”

For Sarai, the video became like a home movie forever on repeat. “My mom was always checking it,” Sarai said. “My dad was playing it when he was washing clothes."

And yesterday NBC News reported that "the young Latina who stole the show in Bomba Estéreo's music video for "Soy Yo" is back with a message for Hispanics: vote. Sarai Gonzalez, of central New Jersey, replete with oversized glasses, braids, dance moves and overalls that made her a social media sensation, is the star of a new video campaign paid for by the liberal group People For the American Way to inspire more Latinos to vote in the coming elections. In the video she serves as a Latina pied piper to get her family off the couch and neighbors and friends out of homes and yards to lead them to the voting booth."

And this People for the American Way music video isn't the only effort helping channel Latino indignation and furry at Trump's racism into the 2016 election.

The ad is part of a flurry of activities by Democrat and liberal groups targeting English-and Spanish-speaking and bilingual Latinos as early voting continues and the days tick down to Election Day, Nov. 8.

Service Employees International Union/iAmerica Action, working with the pro-Clinton PAC Priorities USA, released an ad to run on cable on Spanish language stations Univision, Telemundo, Estrella and Mundo Max. The $3 million ad featuring a young boy praying that his parents vote against Donald Trump started Friday and is expected to run through the election.

The Clinton campaign announced that Jennifer Lopez plans a free performance in Miami with Marc Antony and Cuban reggaeton duo Gente de Zona and DJ Extreme to encourage early voting and voting on Election Day for Clinton. Lopez endorsed Clinton in April 2015.

Not all activity is focused on the presidential race. The American Federation of Teachers' political action committee re-released a digital ad criticizing Sen. Marco Rubio, who bowed out of the presidential race after losing his home state of Florida but is seeking re-election to the Senate. The digital ad, which AFT said costs five figures and was paid for by AFT Solidarity PAC, criticizes Rubio's response to the Puerto Rico fiscal crisis. A previous report had put the cost at $135,000.

The add previously ran for two weeks in September. Kombiz Lavasanay, a director at AFT, said the ad was successful and so is being used again and will be delivered to Puerto Ricans in Florida and run through the election on various web sites. The group purchased space on the sites where the ad will run, he said. Rubio has done better than Trump with Latinos in Florida.

Meanwhile, Latino Victory Project, a national group founded by actress Eva Longoria and businessman Henry Muñoz, announced it was investing $100,000 to pay for 92,000 calls to be made to Latinos ton behalf of Catherine Cortez Masto, the Nevada attorney general who hopes to fill the seat now held by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who is retiring. Winning the seat could help return Democrats to control of the Senate, but Republican Joe Heck has been mounting a tough challenge.

People for the American Way also released an television ad to reach Spanish-speaking Latinos in North Carolina. The ad targets Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., and his support of Donald Trump. As North Carolina has become more important in the presidential election, its Latino voters-- 248,000 who are eligible to vote-- are getting more attention.

Polls have shown overwhelming support by Latinos for Clinton and Democrats are hoping it will help win some elections lower on the ballot.

Watch the video again and please consider contributing to Doug Applegate, Ruben Kihuen, Alina Valdes, Tom Wakely and DuWayne Gregory, the progressive opponents, respectively, of Trump-enablers Darrell Issa, Cresent Hardy, the shameful and disgraced Mario Diaz-Balart, Lamar Smith and Peter King.

They're Bringing Drugs, They're Bringing Crime, They're Rapists

You might not know it from looking at him-- with the $60,000 weave, all the plastic surgery and the cosmetics-- but Wednesday old man Trump turned 70. It was also the first anniversary of his descent down the escalator at Trump Tower in NYC to make his ugly, racist speech against Hispanic-Americans, a speech which has wrecked the Republican brand (again) among the fastest-growing voter demagraphic in the country. In fact, what Trump's vicious speech did was accelerate that growth, as Hispanics flocked to registered to vote in greater numbers than anyone can recall.

Patricia Sullivan reported for the Washington Post that People for the American Way used the occasion to launch a new Spanish language ad (above) in 8 swing states-- Virginia, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. They kicked off their campaign in Virginia with a joint appearance of civil rights icon Dolores Huerta and the former 1966 Miss Universe, Alicia Machado, who Trump called "Miss Piggy" regarding her weight and "Miss Housekeeping" regarding her accent. Today the Venezuelan-born Machado is on the verge of her American citizenship with will become a reality in time for her to vote against Trump in November. "I hope," Machado told the media, "my testimonial will help everyone to make a good decision in November."

In Virginia, expected to be a key battleground state, Latinos make up 8.7 percent of the population and 4.6 percent of eligible voters, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. Nationwide, Latinos account for 17 percent of the population but only about 11 percent of eligible voters, according to a 2014 study by Pew.

“In a tight election, the Latino community can decide who wins,” J. Walter Tejada, a former Arlington County Board member and the chairman of the Virginia Latino Advisory Commission, said at the news conference. “To Mr. Trump, we want to declare a message that hate will not win.”

Del. Alfonso H. Lopez (D-Arlington), the first Latino elected to Virginia’s House of Delegates, added “A career built on boorish behavior, xenophobia and division is not worthy of Virginia or the United States.”

At the news conference, a coalition of speakers whose families came from Mexico, Venezuela and El Salvador urged Latinos to unite against Trump.

“During his journey, he has attacked everyone: Muslims, women, disabled people and immigrants,” said Dolores Huerta, 86, who is co-founder with Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

“This person is very dangerous to the United States of America,” Huerta said. “I’ve never seen any candidate for president who has so overtly attacked people with such gusto . . . and a portion of the people who follow him are really unstable.”

She made a connection between Trump’s statements about undocumented immigrants and Latinos and the massacre of 49 people-- including many gay Latinos-- at an Orlando nightclub Sunday morning. Trump’s rhetoric, she speculated, could inflame other acts of violence.

According to a poll released Wednesday by the Center for American Progress, the top concern of both Latinas and African American women in the United States remains economic security for their families. Among Latinas, 21 percent of those queried said immigration and deportation worries were the second-most important concern.

Machado, who has two daughters and works as an actress, said she loves the United States but still remembers how insulted she felt 20 years ago when, she says, Trump mocked her appearance and background.

Trump has confirmed pressing Machado to lose weight, and according to Business Insider, he called her “an eating machine” in an interview with radio personality Howard Stern.

Referring to the “Miss Housekeeping” moniker, Machado said, “That’s how he called me in front of his friends, to make fun of me.”

“Then, I thought it was an insult,” she said. “Now, I think it’s an honor” because of the hard work of immigrant housekeepers and nannies.

“Everybody in America needs to open their eyes,” Machado said. “We don’t need more divisions in this country.”

Alicia Machado sobrevivió al racismo y humillación de Donald Trump

The biggest population-center of Venezuelan-Americans in the U.S. lives in South Florida, more specifically in Doral near Miami International Airport in the 25th congressional district. FL-25 is currently represented by Trump supporter, Mario Diaz-Balart, the only Miami area congressmember to be backing Trump. Blue America has endorsed Dr. Alina Valdes in her bid to replace Diaz-Balart. This morning we asked her to comment on this effort by People for the American Way, Dolores Huerta and Alicia Machado. She didn't mince words, immediately making it clear she sees Trump as "a vile little man with delusions of grandeur and an exaggerated ego to go along with his insecurities. He belittles others to give himself a sense of superiority that could only come from a man with no moral compass. Trump was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and has taken advantage of people he finds inferior by calling them names and then saying how wonderful he treats the Hispanics because he has employed so many." Alina on a tear:

His hatred of anything not white, male and straight has been broadcast time after time for all to hear but yet he has his "uneducated" sheeple following him and believing he can do all that he says. His Trump Hotel in Doral, the very same city with a large population of Venezuelans, is now in foreclosure. He has also stiffed many workers and contractors by underpaying or not paying them at all. This is the very same man who claims to be worth $10 billion but refuses to show his tax returns. My suspicion is that if he does, it will show him to be the liar that we know he is and that he has probably never paid any taxes using loopholes to get out of his civic responsibility. This is one of the best examples of corporate welfare which continues to plague our American democracy. In spite of all this, the incumbent Republican in FL-25, a Cuban American representing a large Latino population, has stated that he will vote for Trump. The mere thought of supporting a man for President with such hateful rhetoric against your own people should be evidence enough that Mr. Diaz-Balart is part of the problem and I am the solution.

Have you contributed to Alina Valdes' campaign yet? Don't you think we need someone like her in Congress... instead of Mario Diaz-Balart?