September Meeting

Sunday, October 18 @ 2:30 PM
Peninsula Center Library Community Room & Zoom

President’s Report

By Tim Dixon
President, Palos Verdes Democrats

Defending Our Democracy: One Month to Go 

We are now just one month away from the November midterm elections. Within the next few days, Californians will begin receiving their vote-by-mail ballots. 

So, before we vote, this is an appropriate time to look beyond the slogans and examine what has actually happened during the past two years. Now Americans have every right to ask: Did he keep them?

Donald Trump returned to office promising Americans that he would defeat inflation. He promised lower grocery and gasoline prices and dramatically lower energy costs. He promised prosperity. He promised to end the war in Ukraine almost immediately, and he presented himself as a president who would keep America out of new wars. 

Today, the war in Ukraine continues. America is now involved in another war in Iran. Families continue to struggle with the cost of living, and disruptions in global energy markets have pushed fuel and energy costs significantly higher.  

Trump’s tariffs have exacerbated these problems, and Americans are seeing the cost of goods rise because of the Trump tariff taxes — which are paid by Americans, not other countries, as Trump to this day falsely claims. 

Trump has failed to keep his campaign promises, and Americans are feeling the consequences. 

A new AP-NORC poll found that only 26% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, and just 17% approve of his handling of the cost of living. About 65% said Trump’s policies bear at least some responsibility for today’s high prices. 

Those are not numbers any administration would want to run on. 

So, what is the Republican answer? 

Apparently, it is not to acknowledge mistakes or change course. 

Instead, Americans are watching their own tax dollars pay for nearly $1.5 million in television advertisements promoting Trump and his agenda — including a government-funded advertisement virtually identical to one used by Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. 

Read the disclaimer at the end: 

“Paid for by the U.S. Government.” 

In other words, paid for by you. 

The White House calls these “public service announcements,” which insults our intelligence. The ads are taxpayer-funded propaganda. 

There is also considerable irony in hearing Trump and his allies routinely accuse Democrats of being “communists,” “Marxists,” and “socialists.” 

Enough with the name-calling, let us talk about conduct. Let us examine some of the methods historically employed by authoritarian governments — communist and otherwise: 

Authoritarian governments frequently use state resources to promote the leader. 

They attempt to weaken or intimidate an independent press. 

They seek greater control over elections and undermine confidence in electoral systems. 

They attack independent courts and institutions that restrain executive power. 

And one of the most dangerous practices is the politicization of the criminal-justice system against people regarded as enemies of the leader. 

This is not merely rhetoric about authoritarianism. Organizations that study democratic decline identify political prosecution, pressure on independent media, and attacks on judicial independence among the recurring tools governments use as democratic institutions erode. 

That makes developments here at home worthy of serious scrutiny. 

President Trump has publicly demanded action against political adversaries, followed by Justice Department cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both denied wrongdoing and called the prosecutions retaliatory. Though initially dismissed on technicalities, the Justice Department has sought to revive them. 

No individual is above the law. If credible evidence establishes that anyone -  Democrat or Republican - committed a crime, they should be investigated and prosecuted. 

However, there is an immense difference between impartial law enforcement and a president publicly targeting political rivals. The Justice Department must enforce the law, not become a personal instrument of the executive branch. 

We should apply the same principle to the free press. 

The Trump White House revoked access for CNN, MSNBC, and Politico, prompting the news organizations to go to federal court. They contend they were punished because the administration disliked their reporting. 

And we should apply that principle to elections. 

A Reuters investigation published October 2 found that Trump’s administration has expanded federal efforts surrounding his longstanding claims about voting machines, even though those efforts have uncovered no evidence supporting allegations of foreign hacking of the 2020 election. Reuters reported that the effort forms part of a broader attempt to expand federal involvement in elections traditionally administered by the states. 

And Trump has repeatedly expressed admiration for authoritarian leaders abroad while attacking or feuding with our democratic allies. 

Again, forget the labels for a moment. Look at the conduct: 

• Using government resources to promote a leader. 

• Putting pressure on independent news organizations. 

• Attempting to increase executive influence over elections. 

• Undermining confidence in elections without evidence. 

• Using — or appearing to use — the criminal-justice system against political adversaries. 

History tells us that Americans should pay close attention whenever political power begins moving in these directions. 

Our constitutional system was deliberately designed to prevent power from becoming concentrated in any one person. 

• Congress is supposed to check the president. 

• Courts are supposed to enforce the Constitution. 

• A free press is needed to hold government accountable. 

• States administer elections. 

• And the Justice Department is supposed to enforce the law without fear or favor. 

Those guardrails matter regardless of which political party controls Washington. 

But Trump is a failed president, and the American people can see that he has failed. This is why he is resorting to these authoritarian tactics — because he does not have a record to run on. Further, again and again, Republicans in Congress have demonstrated their unwillingness to provide any meaningful oversight of this president. 

If Republicans in Congress will not provide an effective check, then it is up to us — the American people. We still possess the most powerful check of all: our vote. 

In the next few days, our ballots will begin arriving. 

Make a plan to vote, whether it is by mail or at an early voting location. Do not leave your ballot on the kitchen counter. 

Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors, and make sure they have a plan to vote. 

Volunteer, knock on doors, write postcards, and if you can, contribute to Democratic candidates. Ultimately, we - the voters - are democracy’s final guardrail. 

We have one month. One month to organize, one month to volunteer, one month to persuade, and one month to vote. Let us use every single day of it.  

If we all do this, we will win! 

From the Activism Chair

By Caryl Schwartz, Activism Chair

A month before the Midterms, the Trump Regime is escalating attacks on free and fair elections. Trump's plan to rig the election through gerrymandering probably will not deliver what he hoped. His plot to collect voter data and boot voters off the rolls has failed in court after court. And even his vendetta against mail-in voting has been blocked.  He is hoping to intimidate voters, but I think this may backfire too.  I have noticed a strong resolve by voters to vote early, volunteer, and engage with their personal sphere of influence to Get Out the Vote.  Your voices matter, and your work reaching out to voters is critical. 

Republicans currently in power support the Big Lie and other false narratives. Voter suppression is the only method they have to hold onto majorities in the Midterms. DHS has circulated a list of jurisdictions providing multilingual voting materials along with DOJ guidance for prosecuting election crimes. The possible use of immigration or criminal enforcement against these communities is meant to intimidate eligible voters and discourage them from voting; early voting will make those attempts more difficult.   Voters strongly oppose sending ICE agents and the National Guard to the polls.  Federal law generally bars troops or armed men at a place where a general or special election is being held.   

Congressional Democratic leaders filed a lawsuit on September 24th aiming to prevent the Trump administration from following through on statements that they are considering sending armed federal agents to polling places in November.  Trump’s aggressiveness against fair elections reflects upon his failed policies, corruption, and weakness rather than his strength. 

Let’s hear it for the BLUE TSUNAMI! 

Call to Action

By Caryl Schwartz, Activism Chair

Voter Outreach via both canvassing and phone banking will be critical to winning the upcoming Midterm Elections. PV Dems community must ramp up our efforts to elect Democrats in local and Federal races. To fight the authoritarian, corrupt Regime and eliminate ICE abuses, we MUST flip the House and Senate. 

I invite you to join me at my home to phonebank every Thursday 2:30- 4:30 and Sunday 3PM - 5 pm. If those times don’t work for you, we can pick a convenient day for you. There are phone banking opportunities every day. 

Please reach out to me 310 897 0219 or pvcaryl@verizon.net 

IN-PERSON EVENT 

PV DEMS: Canvas for Derek Tran October 10th  Garden Grove, CA  9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
https://www.mobilize.us/cadems/event/1030827/ 

Phone Banks Links: 

Call for Change: Every Sunday 3:00 - 5:00 PM multiple candidates to choose, good training & support  https://www.mobilize.us/call4change/event/816062/ 

Alaska:  Elect Mary Peltola 6:30 PM - 8 PM PST Wednesdays
https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/1015873/ 

Ohio: Elect Sherrod Brown US Senate, Amy Acton Governor Statewide Elections 
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 3:00 - 5:00 PM Saturdays, Sundays and various times
https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/1000592/ 

North Carolina: Roy Cooper Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
https://www.mobilize.us/ncdems/event/598615/ 

Wisconsin: Thursdays 3:00 -5 :00 PM Saturdays and Sundays 10 am-noon, noon -2: 00 PM, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 
https://www.wisdems.org/call
https://www.mobilize.us/wisdems/event/940771/ 

Michigan: for Abdul El Sayed! 
Wednesdays 5:30-7:30 ET/2:30-4:30 PT 
 https://mobilize.us/s/lOpRE6 

California: After redistricting, two California Congressional seats are considered toss-ups; please consider volunteering or financially supporting.  

CA 22: Democrat Randy Villegas http://www.villegasforcongress.com 

CA 48: Marni Von Wilpert http://www.marnivonwilpert.com 

Phone Banks Links: https://www.mobilize.us/cadems/event/887949/ 

Phonebanks: Battleground States: https://www.mobilize.us/call4change/ Sundays 3:00-5:00 PM PST   

Swing Left Phonebanks: 

• Sundays: PA State Senate phone bank- Flip the State Senate 4-6pm ET  

• Tuesdays: ME Dialing for Democracy in Maine 6-8pm ET

•  Wednesdays: NC Calling for Roy Cooper and Justice Anita Earls 6-8pm ET 

• Thursdays: PA Ground Truth-- calling for Bob Brooks- 6-8pm ET 

Battleground Congressional Races: https://www.mobilize.us/?event_type=2&q=Ground truth 

Senate Races: Alito and Thomas are getting old. If Republicans lose Senate control in the midterm elections, they lose their ability to confirm another Trump-appointed justice to the Supreme Court. Every Senate seat we win now is a six-year investment. Between 2027 and the end of Trump’s term, a Democratic Senate could block additional dangerous judicial and executive nominees.   

Senate Campaigns to Support: Please visit websites to volunteer or contribute financially.   

Contribute to all races with a single donation https://secure.actblue.com/donate/sl-balance-of-power-2026 

• Re-elect Jon Ossoff, Georgia https://electjon.com/ 

• James Talarico for Texas Senate https://jamestalarico.com/ 

• Sherrod Brown for Ohio Senate https://www.sherrodbrown.com/ 

• Chris Pappas for New Hampshire Senate https://chrispappas.org/ 

• Mary Pelota for Alaska Senate https://marypeltola.com/ 

• Roy Cooper for North Carolina Senate https://roycooper.com/ 

• Josh Turek for Iowa https://turek4iowa.com/ 

• Annie Andrews for South Carolina https://drannieandrews.com/ 

• Troy Jackson, Maine https://www.jacksonformaine.com/ 

• Abdul El Sayed, Michigan https://abdulforsenate.com/ 

• Angie Nixon, Florida https://angienixon.com/meet-angie/ 

Why Governors’ Races Matter  

Victory in Gubernatorial races is critical in opposing Donald Trump’s agenda. Governors wield executive authority to block federal policies and safeguard state-level systems. We have witnessed Governors directing state attorneys general to coordinate multi-state lawsuits to halt Trump’s executive overreach. Democratic Governors in battleground states can veto restrictive voting laws passed by conservative state legislatures, ensuring that ballot access remains protected. 

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/sl-states-2026?akid=2358.1005342.85_IQI&rd=1&refcode=e 

Immigrant Assistance 

• You can download a printable sheet that outlines what to do if ICE comes to the door here. These can also be ordered as “red cards”.   

• Here’s a sheet that explains how to identify ICE vehicles and what to do if you see them.    

• Here are more ways to help immigrants.  

• South Bay for All – Raising rental aid for immigrant neighbors and helping them run their businesses safely from home. Instagram | southbayforall@gmail.com  

• Gardena Guardians – Standing in solidarity with Gardena's immigrant community, providing resources and advocacy. Instagram  

• HILL – Supporting day laborers and immigrant families. Instagram | hillresponseteam@gmail.com  

• Harbor Area Peace Patrols – A collective of concerned Harbor residents patrolling neighborhoods to defend neighbors from ICE/DHS, sharing Know Your Rights information. Instagram  

• CHIRLA – A California leader advocating for immigrant rights since 1986, building a just society inclusive of immigrants. Website Please donate to our CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights - Los Angeles) fundraiser. Money raised will help this highly-regarded non-profit to help inform immigrants of their legal rights. We have raised just over half of our $5,000 goal.  

• CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) – Mobilizing the faith community to stand with workers and families for dignity and justice. Website  

• Immigrant Defenders Law Center – A social justice law firm defending immigrant communities from injustices in the immigration system. Website  

• Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) – Training advocates, shaping policy, and empowering immigrants through civic engagement and Know Your Rights tools. Website  

For additional Activism options and opportunities, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me @pvcaryl@verizon.net or 310-897-0219.  

Thank-you,
Caryl Schwartz
Activism Chair 

Campaign Donations

By Paul Klose, Board Treasurer

In September, the club board voted to significantly use our accumulated savings to donate to various local, state, and federal candidates to help Democrats win during this important and pivotal election year, with a focus on close and strategic races and state/local candidates endorsed by CADEM or by our club. 

Here is a list of campaigns that we sent checks out to: 

PACs (Total $1,000) 

$1,000 - Blue Momentum PAC, run by Ted Lieu, supports congressional candidates running in strategic, competitive, or swing districts. 

Candidates for US Senate (Total $6,000) 

$1,000 – Ohio - Sherrod Brown 
$1,000 – Maine – Troy Jackson 
$1,000 – Iowa – Josh Turek 
$1,000 – Michigan – Abdul El-Sayed 
$1,000 – Alaska – Mary Peltola 
$500 – Texas – James Talarico 
$500 – Georgia – Jon Ossoff 

Candidates for Governor (Total $2,750) 

$500 – Georgia - Keisha Lance Bottoms 
$500 – Ohio – Amy Acton 
$500 – Nevada – Aaron Ford 
$500 – Wisconsin – David Crowley 
$250 – Iowa – Rob Sand 
$250 – Michigan – Jocelyn Benson 
$250 – Texas – Gina Hinojosa 

Candidates for California State Office (Total $550) 

$275 – Assembly District 68 – Paul Seo 
$275 – Insurance Commissioner – Ben Allen 

Candidates for Local Offices (Total $700) 

$175 – RPV City Council – David Chura 
$175 – PVPUSD – Allyson Lehrer 
$175 – PV Library District – Beth Whittenbury 
$175 – PV Library District - Mary Villa-Lathrop (pending her establishing an independent campaign account) 

After this spend, we prudently maintained a balance slightly greater than the club’s yearly operating expenses, which are roughly $4,000 a year. If you haven’t renewed your membership or joined our club yet, now would be a good time, as it would help to replenish our account to make us strong for our next battle. 

Ballot Drop Boxes Locations and General Information

The Democrat Party HIGLY recommends that you drop off your ballot in a designed ballot drop box, instead of mailing them.  

Click here for the nearest location of a drop box - https://locator.lavote.gov/locations/vbm?culture=en  

About the Vote by Mail Drop Box Program 

The Vote by Mail Ballot Drop Box program started in 2017 as an initiative to provide voters with a secure alternative option to return their ballot. 

Ballot Drop Boxes provide voters with a safe, accessible, and contact free method to return their voted ballot. 

What You Need to Know 

• Drop Boxes are available to voters beginning 29 days before and on Election Day 

• Drop Boxes close at 8 PM on Election Day 

• Drop Boxes are bolted securely into cement or chained in place 

• Drop Boxes are designed with security features identified in state regulations 

• Drop Boxes have an exterior coating to reduce permanent graffiti or damage 

• Ballots are picked up regularly by two Election Workers 

• The County works with law enforcement agencies, cities, local stakeholders, and community-based organizations to monitor and safeguard all boxes 

Ballot Return Checklist 

Before you drop off your Vote by Mail ballot make sure: 

• Place your voted ballot card(s) inside the Official Return Envelope 

• Securely seal the Official Return Envelope 

• Sign and date the back of the Official Return Envelope 

How to Check if Your Ballot was Received and Counted 

After returning your voted ballot via Drop Box or by mail you can check your ballot to make sure it was received and tallied through our Vote by Mail Status Tool. 

Report an Issue with a Ballot Drop Box 

It is our mission to uphold the integrity of all elections in a transparent and accessible manner. If you see something that looks suspicious, report it! 

Source - https://www.lavote.gov/home/voting-elections/voting-options/vote-by-mail/vbm-ballot-drop-off 

LACDP September MEETING RECAP

By Jon Munoz, PV Democrats LACDP Associate

The LACDP meeting was held on Tuesday September 8th via ZOOM. The focus of the meeting was on ratifying the Endorsement Committee recommendations for the November election. Several items on the Consent Calendar were pulled so the recommendations could be reconsidered. This caused the meeting to be continued on Wednesday September 16th . To note – none of the items pulled had to do with AD66, so all AD66 recommendations were approved by LACDP voters. We have provided a list of all endorsements for local races and the LACDP recommendations for statewide races and ballot measures as part of the Endorsement article just below in this month’s newsletter.

CADEM Endorsements

2026 General Election Endorsements & Ballot Measure Positions

August 2, 2026

State & County Offices

Governor: Xavier Becerra | Lieutenant Governor: Fiona Ma | Attorney General: Rob Bonta | Secretary of State: Shirley Weber | Controller: Malia Cohen | Treasurer: Eleni Kounalakis | Insurance Commissioner: Ben Allen | Superintendent of Public Instruction: Richard Barrera | Board of Equalization District 1: Nelson Esparza |Board of Equalization District 2: Sally Lieber |Board of Equalization District 3: Mike Gipson | Board of Equalization District 4: Tom Umberg

Propositions

Proposition 1: YES | Proposition 2: YES | Proposition 3: YES | Proposition 4: YES
Proposition 5: YES | Proposition 37: YES | Proposition 38: YES | Proposition 39: NO
Proposition 40: YES | Proposition 41: NO | Proposition 42: NO | Proposition 43: NO
Proposition 44: NO | Proposition 45: NO