September 21, 2024
Held at Park Ridge Community Church
Meeting called to order at 7:05 pm by Nan Parson.
She indicated that this year meetings will be scheduled every other month or as needed. A new slate officers will be nominated in November and voted on in January. Kate Kerin,Marilyn Nowak and Kristin Berg will serve on the nominating committee. She requested that members keep her informed about important matters that could be addressed at future meetings.
We need a new communications director as Cynthia Kater is retiring from that position. Nan thanked Cynthia for her work in updating the web site, posting minutes, creating and sending flyers to the Chamber of Commerce etc. Cynthia uses Canva a free-to-use online graphic design tool, and the updating doesn’t require a lot of time. If someone is interested in being the AR External Communications Lead, please let Nan and Liz know.
Nan introduced our speaker for the evening, Patrick Hanley, whose organization. Operation Swing State, “a coalition of grassroots volunteers contacting voters in key states” is mobilizing Illinoisans to impact the presidential election in Wisconsin and Michigan. Patrick is a small business owner and civic leader in Winnetka, who serves on the board of Openlands, a Chicago area nature and conservation nonprofit, and on the leadership team of FairVote Illinois.Patrick emphasized the importance of getting out the vote for the upcoming election cycle and how we can help. He also shared his thoughts on key factors influencing the election, including the 2025 Project.
Project 2025 was created by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization that has been in existence since the Reagan era. In2026 they began to realize that Trump could be a supporter of the organization.With Trump staff coming and going, the foundation found an opportunity to push for a tax package and a way to influence the appointment of members to the Supreme Court. Then COVID began.
While the country and the world were dealing with health, economic and mental health issues, the conservatives were considering a playbook to dismantle the governmental administrative systems. They collected resumes, identified supporters and Trump policies and created a database of ideologies.
The project was designed for a new Trump presidency. They shared common ideas, supported isolationism, engaged with Evangelical Christians, and said that they supported family values.
Question: Will the Republican party ever come back from the Trump control?
Answer: The Democratic party has held together through some rough times. The Republican party as it once was, has been pushed aside. There are ways to work around some of the extremes by offering ranked voting, allowing voters choices instead of just a single vote. Other countries offer varied systems while ours is tied to the two- party system, both subject to some extremes. Conservatives are also influencing politics in other countries as well. The Heritage Foundation is one of the best funded organizations and exerting its influence internationally as well as locally.
Question: What is the future of the Electoral College? Any chance of a change?
Answer. Congress hasn’t approved any amendments since 1992. Several states have taken a different route and have passed legislation tying electoral votes to the national popular vote. There is an agreement among a group of U.S.states and the District of Columbia to award all of their electoral votes to whichever presidential ticket wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact is designed to ensure that the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide is selected president, and it would come into effect only when it would guarantee that outcome.
Project 2025 is overtly Christian and calls for the elimination of civil service rules and employees, appointing those who follow their positions, instead. They advocate for the centralization of power.Supporters are in favor of rolling back minimum wage and overtime pay. They seek to weaken unions and target the National Labor Relations Board. They seekto rollback protections for the LGBTQ+ community, remove reproductive freedoms,eliminate the Department of Education and turn responsibilities to the states.Some states are already incorporating some segments of the 2025 policies.
Question: Is there anything good represented in Project 2025?
Answer: It is credible that government has become large and unwieldly but destroying all systems is not the answer.
Question: How do they propose running elections?
Answer: They support ID voting, rolling back voting by mail, and supporting voter suppression methods.
What Do We Do?
· We need to organize.
· Get out the vote.
· Illinois is within 2 hours of swing states, Wisconsin and Michigan
· We need to join campaigns in those states in door knocking campaigns
· Carpools leave for those states on a regular basis
· We could help swing some important votes since the margin of success could be very small.
Comment: from the audience:People may have fears about approaching a house in an unfamiliar neighborhood. There is no need for fear. Residents are nicer than expected.
Question:Does Moms for Liberty impact Project 2025
Answer: Not sure
Question: On your map showing States status you show Minnesota as light blue. Has the leaning changed to blue since Walz was named as the Vice-Presidential candidate?
Answer: There is some evidence that Minnesota is going bluer.
Comment: One attendee has a small home near Detroit where some could stay if traveling to Michigan to assist with door knocking.
Question: Are residents in Wisconsin and Michigan put off by us bringing our Chicago ideology to their doors?
Answer: We just identify as friends interested in the election without disclosing our home State. Topics that are easily discussed, such as medication assistance,possible elimination of Medicare, climate change, etc. are a good idea. What yousay may be shared with a resident’s friends thus expanding the influence
Comment: Talk to people, offer your honest assessment when possible. Signs make a difference. The Harris Walz committee is concentrating on Swing States, but Jan Schakowsky’s office has some signs.
Reports: Voting
Chris Parson reported thatAction Ridge voter registrars are visiting high schools to register eligible students to vote. They have registered almost 600 voters so far this year.There are 50 registrars available for Action Ridge events.
Kathy Rolsing announced that the Center of Concern is sponsoring a free event at the Des Plaines Theater on Monday, 9/9/24 at 5:30 pm. There will bea reception hour of snacks and cash bar followed by a panel on the Loneliness Epidemic,awards for Center volunteers and a great networking event.
Nan thanked Patrick Hanley for the wonderful presentation.
Adjournment: 8:45 pm
Respectfully submitted:Kathy Rolsing and Nan Parson