November 2024 Club Newsletter
Upcoming Meeting
—by Tim Dixon
Join us for our hybrid (in-person and Zoom) club meeting which will be held at the Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, California, 90274 on November 17, 2024. Our meeting starts at 2:30 pm but join us at 2:00 pm to chat with other Democrats.
Allan Lichtman, a Distinguished Professor of History at American University will be our guest via Zoom. Professor Lichtman received his PhD from Harvard University in 1973 with a specialty in modern American history and quantitative methods. He has published thirteen books and several hundred popular and scholarly articles. He earned the title distinguished professor from the American University in Washington, D.C. He has been an expert witness in some 100 civil and voting rights cases.
Professor Lichtman is known for accurately predicting presidential elections and he has correctly predicted 9 out of the past 10 presidential elections dating back to 1984. In this election he has predicted Kamala Harris will win the White House. Professor Lichtman will address our meeting about his prediction and the election results and will take questions.
We will also have speakers from the UCLA, USC and LMU Democratic Clubs and these college democrats will discuss the topic: “What do young people have to say about the election and what is next for America?”
The November Meeting will be an excellent opportunity for our members to examine the November 5, 2024, election results and the potential impact on the United States.
For more information, or to register to attend our meeting, click here.
November 2024 President's Report
—by Rob Wynne
The Justice Department won't save us.
The media won't save us.
The courts won't save us.
Public opinion won't save us.
John Kelly and Mark Milley won't save us.
Taylor Swift won't save us.
The only people we can depend on to save democracy and protect us from a Trump presidency hell-bent on fascism and authoritarianism are us. The voters. The people who check their ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead our nation are the only ones who can save America.
We found out this weekend that the cowardly publishers of the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post -- the so-called "liberal" media - don't have the backbone to stand up for democracy. It's not just the media that failed us.
The Justice Department, led by Merrick Garland, waited almost two years to file charges against Trump for stealing thousands of top secret documents, a case almost any prosecutor right out of law school could win. Garland also sat back and let opposing counsel and lower courts delay the case till infinity.
The guardrails of democracy are much weaker than almost anyone expected. Our institutions, fellow citizens, journalists, judges, have mostly capitulated to an authoritarian who promises to destroy the Constitution.
But good Americans do have one significant weapon to fight back - our vote.
We see the fight here right here in Palos Verdes with parents, teachers, students and thousands of good neighbors who care about our community supporting Yes on SOS. Locally and nationally, good citizens must constantly fight the flood of misinformation, disinformation and outright lies. I know it can be exhausting and frustrating. Our opponents are filled with rage and energy, fueled by hate radio and Fox News.
But the consequences of not fighting back are too great to ignore.
As Winston Churchill said: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender!"
When we vote, we win. Let's hope democracy survives. It's up to us.
October 2024 Club Meeting Report
—by Tim Dixon
On Sunday. October 20, 2024, the Palos Verdes Democrats held their monthly meeting at the Peninsula Center Library and via Zoom. The attendance at the meeting was excellent with over 60 Democrats in attendance either in person or via zoom.
Journalist and author Brian Karem, a columnist for Salon magazine, was the guest speaker via Zoom. Mr. Karem is the former senior White House correspondent for Playboy. He has covered every presidential administration since Ronald Reagan, sued Donald Trump three times successfully to keep his press pass, spent time in jail to protect a confidential source, and covered wars in the Middle East. Mr. Karem discussed the upcoming election, the threat of fascism in the United States if Donald Trump is elected, and the need for everyone to participate if we are to save our democracy. A spirited question and answer period was afforded, and our members are certainly aware that this is the most important election in our lifetime.
Our live speakers at the meeting were two Democrats running for PVPUSD School Board, Eric Allegria and Ami Gandhi.
Ami Gandi, who is an incumbent school board member currently serving in her second year as School Board President, spoke about her experience and a proven record of dedication to our children's education. Ms. Gandi said that with support from teachers, parents, and community members, she can champion common-sense policies that prioritize the well-being and academic success of our children more than anything else. Eric Allegria, who is currently Mayor Pro Tem of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council, spoke about his experience as an educator, public school parent, nonprofit executive, and small business owner running to advocate for our students on the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Board of Education.
Ms. Gandi and Mr. Allegria also discussed the need to pass the SOS Measure on the November 5, 2024, ballot to Save our Schools. They were joined in the discussion by Giadi Mirigliani, a 6th grader at Miraleste and her mother, Gina Mirigliani who has been active in the Yes on SOS campaign. The Yes on SOS would provide funding to keep PVPUSD students safe and competitive with other top performing school districts. Currently PVPUSD ranks 48th out of 48 districts in Los Angeles County in facilities funding and the measure would cost the median PV Homeowner less than $1 a day. The California Democratic Party endorsed the SOS measure.
To view the meeting video, click here to go to our YouTube channel.
From the Activism Chair
—by Caryl Schwartz
Polls driving you crazy? Feeling anxious about the upcoming close election? I know I am, but the great antidote to anxiety is ACTION! The “margin of error” is the margin of opportunity. There are still undecided voters and independent voters that need to be spoken to.
Additionally, our success getting out the Democratic voters will determine the outcome of the election. I urge you to get involved in this tight election; now is the time that voters are paying attention. Canvassing and phone banking statistically impact voter turn-out by 4% and will make the difference between winning and losing.
Quoting Michelle Obama: “DO SOMETHING!!!!!”
There are tightening trends in the polls that began several weeks ago and are continuing. While Vice President Kamala Harris is still ahead nationally, as well as in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada, her lead in Pennsylvania has decreased to one percentage point. Donald Trump continues to lead in Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina. Yet non-red wave national and state polling has been steady since the debate. Vice-President Harris is beginning to close the gap on the economy with Trump. Harris is infinitely more likable and positive than fear-mongering Trump. Perhaps that can matter for late-deciding voters.
Interested in helping a candidate? Go to their website or their state’s Democratic Organization to volunteer.
For more information, visit our “From the Activism Chair” page at https://www.pvpdemocrats.org/from-the-activism-chair
Vote 2024
—by Reggie Jue
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. The Palos Verdes Democrats does not endorse candidates or measures/propositions on the ballot. However, we do follow the official party endorsements, which are provided by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party (LACDP).
We have summarized the party endorsements on our website at https://www.pvpdemocrats.org/2024-general-election-endorsements
Track Your Ballot with BallotTrax https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/
Blue Voter Guide - helpful to see who is endorsing whom - https://bluevoterguide.org/
Other helpful endorsement guides can be found here:
LA County Democratic Party endorsements: https://www.lacdp.org/candidates
Indivisible Endorsement Tracker Nov 2024 see who is endorsing whom/what:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uJgIIdDvXRgI_0WG-uRzV-MlZq3mSWR1ryJPUxty06Y/edit?gid=0#gid=0
League of Women Voters (LWV) ballot recommendations: https://lwvc.org/ballot-recommendations/
Notes from the LACDP November 2024 Meeting
—by Jon Munoz
The LACDP meeting was held on Tuesday October 8th. The bulk of the meeting was taken up with endorsements on all the propositions in November’s election. Below is the list of recommendations affecting AD66 specifically – all of which were voted on and ratified by LACDP voting members:
| Measure SOS (Save Our Schools) | SUPPORT |
| Measure BC (Beach Cities) | SUPPORT |
| Measure HV (AD 66) | SUPPORT |
| Measure MMB (AD 66) | SUPPORT |
| Measure RLS (AD 66) | SUPPORT |
| Measure RB (AD 66) | NO ENDORSEMENT |
| Measure SD (AD 66) | NO ENDORSEMENT |
| Measure TC (AD 66) | NO ENDORSEMENT |
There were four recommendations that were pulled from the consent calendar and debated/voted on. However, none of these affected AD66. In other news, the Roosevelt Awards were deemed a considerable success with an attendance of 700. Lastly, several speeches, including Chair Mark Ramos,’ emphasized the importance of the election and energizing those who are not normally engaged. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday Nov 12th.
Color Me a Democrat Nov 2024
—by Fraser Perkins
Forward Freedom Future
This summarizes where Kamala Harris could lead us:
Choice and Autonomy for Everyone.
Universal Healthcare.
Voting Rights Protected.
Climate Action.
Economic Opportunities for All.
Fair Taxes.
Gun Safety
Please vote and make sure your family votes.