This election constantly reminds me of scholar and cultural activist Bernice Johnson Reagon's wisdom:
There is no chance you can survive by staying inside [your] barred room.If we're going to expel Donald Trump from the White House, an awful lot of us who don't necessarily much like each other's politics are going to have to work together. As Nevada medical student Alex Cabrera, a Bernie Sanders supporter, told the Los Angeles Times:
... Cabrera looks forward to the November presidential election with a combination of sadness, anger and reservation, consigned to a choice between the “fascism” of President Trump and the “neo-liberalism” of Joe Biden, which feels like no choice at all.He knows what he has to do.
The full article is a good picture of the state of the election in Nevada, a state that Democrats hoped to take for granted and that the Trump campaign hopes it can steal from the Biden column.
I'm making calls from home to voters in Nevada with the good folks from the hotel and restaurant workers' union, UniteHERE. If you haven't yet settled on what you are doing to evict Trump (why not???) and can help, send me a message or email me at janinsanfranatgmail.
I'm sometimes asked why we're working in Nevada, not some more obvious battleground state. Here's what I think people need to know:
- Although Nevada is now considered a blue state, Democratic presidential candidates have been winning its 6 electoral votes by declining margins over the last 3 elections. In 2008, Obama prevailed by a margin of nearly 121,000 votes. In 2012, he only won by 67,800. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the state by a mere 27,000 votes. This is not a pattern to feel assured about.
- Moreover, early September polls show the race in Nevada tightening with Biden up by only 4 points, down from nearly 6 earlier in the year. We cannot be assured that Biden has a tight grip on the state.
- Finally, Trump is screaming bloody murder about Nevada encouraging voting-by-mail by sending all registered voters their ballots. Unless we can run up Biden's margin, there will be a fight over Nevada's totals -- even if it is a dishonest lawsuit. That's just who Trump and the Republicans are.
There's plenty of work to do.
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| Reno, Nevada -- back in the day when the town's skies were not clogged with wildfire smoke. |
Interesting to learn about Nevada’s voting history and potential for Nov. outcome.
ReplyDeleteRight now I am slipping into depression over politics. I watch tv rallies of DT and it angers me that he can break a State law with a rally. It depresses me that people still are unmasked in those groups. There is nothing I can do to help. I am caring for a husband with dementia and I am not to get stressed as I don't need another stroke. Politics stresses me. I do admire the work you and others are doing.
ReplyDeleteDear Bonnie -- we all have times and seasons when we can engage and other seasons when we can't. We really do get by with help from each other. Be well.
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