The First Debate

October 01, 2020, By Webmaster

This post was written by members of the WOW Dems Board in response to the Sept. 29 presidential debate between Democratic nominee Vice President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. If you missed the debate, view it here.

WOW Leaders Respond to First Presidential Debate

Debbie O’Reilly

Debbie O’Reilly, President

Last night, Vice President Biden looked the American people in the eye and reached out to us. He captured our heartbreak, our grieving, and our longing for restored normalcy and decency in America. When Biden said about COVID-19, “It is what it is because you are who you are,” we all nodded our heads in agreement that Trump’s failed leadership could never have helped us battle this virus: He is the virus, and our vote will be the cure.

 

Hazel Weathers

Hazel Weathers, Programs Committee & past WOW president

The disgusting dumpster-fire of a debate was an embarrassment to America. It was exhausting to watch Trump completely ignore the debate rules that had been agreed upon and constantly interrupt anyone else who tried to talk. What stood out most to me was his response to a question about white supremacy. The President of the United States refused to condemn white supremacists and instead sent a signal to “Proud Boys,” a heavily armed white nationalist hate group, to “stand down and stand by.”  He also said he is “encouraging his supporters to go into polling locations” to watch things (read: “intimidate voters”).

It appears to me he knows he is going to lose and wants to create chaos during and after the election in an attempt to invalidate it, and he may even use violence to try to wrest victory from the jaws of defeat. I see this is a battle cry! We must do everything in our power to turn out the vote and ensure an overwhelming victory for Biden-Harris.

Legislative Committee Chairs weigh in on key issues

Healthcare [COVID-19]: Trump suggested he has a replacement plan for the ACA and that he’s made great strides in improving healthcare for people, with few specifics. He also opined that COVID was China’s fault and he’s done great things for our country in containing it. Biden pushed back at Trump, suggesting more needed to be done in March. He blasted Trump for the number of deaths that Biden believes could have been lessened if stronger support of mask usage and social distancing while in public were encouraged by the federal government.

Sheena King, Legislative Committee Co-Chair

“For me, preserving and defending Medicare is a sacred trust between our seniors and our government. We’ve got to give Medicare the power, for example, to negotiate drug prices.” –Joe Biden

Biden mentioned he had a plan to work with scientists and medical professionals to get a vaccine distributed once it’s made. He clearly wants to lead with data and not just by those who are bullied and pressured by the president. He advocated for scientists from various areas to weigh the evidence and facts including those who don’t have a vested interest in their vaccine being selected for widespread adoption and distribution.

Voting Rights: Biden mentioned voting fraud has been debunked and that several states have been voting by mail for several years with no issues. Biden was clear and direct on the need to vote including providing step by step instructions and resources to accomplish it with multiple options. Trump went back to questioning the validity of mail-in ballots. His claims were over-the-top. Biden encouraged those watching to vote in whatever manner they are comfortable. Visit our voter information or www.vote411.org for eligibility and ballot information.

Catherine Mangarelli, Legislative Committee Co-Chair

Social Justice/Police Reform: Biden stated he’s in favor of civil obedience or peaceful protesters but not looting. He also stated we should work with law enforcement and the community to make sure bad police are no longer bringing down the work that good officers are doing. Trump spoke almost exclusively about the protests and the need for “law and order.” Biden attempted to distinguish between peaceful and lawful protests and violence. He stated he supports law, order, and JUSTICE.

Angie

Angie, Communications Committee Co-Chair

“So, let’s try to be serious about it.”

Having to hear Chris Wallace say that before posing a question about COVID-19 during last night’s presidential debate was, for me, symbolic of a new low regarding the state of rhetoric in this country. And I’m happy to point the finger at who’s responsible for this new low: Trump, his enablers, and his supporters.

What I saw last night was repulsive. I knew not to expect much out of Trump, but I’m more convinced than ever that he is incapable and unwilling to learn from his mistakes or show one iota of respect for anyone or anything. I’ve seen petulant, spoiled toddlers behave and listen better than him; this makes my stomach turn.

I am absolutely horrified and embarrassed that this man is the “leader” of this nation and of the free world. I’m terrified at his commitment to spreading misinformation and fear-mongering. Folks, we have to spend every minute of every day from now until the election combating his campaign of disinformation and getting out the Dem vote.

He won’t get another bite at the apple. Not on my watch.

Mary Tipper

Mary Tipper, Communications Committee Co-Chair

It was obvious from the first minutes of the debate that Trump wasn’t there for a serious discussion of issues or to make his case to Americans about why they should vote for him. He was there to lie, to disrupt, and to prevent Biden from making his own case to Americans. He showed complete disrespect for Biden, the moderator, and the American public. He demonstrated he is nothing but a bully, a liar, and a racist.

While his actions and words were no surprise, they were nonetheless horrifying to witness. His inability to denounce white supremacy was unacceptable. And his call to the “Proud Boys” to “stand by” was chilling. After what we all witnessed last night, I don’t believe additional debates will prove productive. This president has spent the last four years dividing us while destroying this country. It will take years to repair the damage. If Trump is given another four years, I truly believe this country won’t survive.

 

P.S. Ensuring Trump is not re-elected is a priority.

So is ensuring we flip the Senate, holding on to and expanding our majority in the House of Representatives, and flipping Texas. Electing a Democratic majority in every body of government across this nation has never been more important.

Voter registration ends Oct. 5 and early voting starts Oct. 10. We’re just a little more than a month from the general election. Please visit the “Voting” section of our website and our Voter Registration Galore post for comprehensive info on voter registration and voting. 

Looking for more ways to get involved? Get involved in the campaigns of our endorsed candidates or join one or more of our committees!

 

To Be or not to Be: Suburbs

September 10, 2020, By Webmaster

The roar of lawn mowers, the melodic sound of children’s laughter, visions of bicycles or sports equipment in the driveway, and the delicious smell of goodness from a neighbors grill. Labor Day meant the end of summer and the transition into fall and football. While that thought used to bring joy and excitement, this year is a tad bit different – in case you hadn’t heard.

This is not a drill. There are just 54 days until the 2020 presidential election. There is so much on the line and we’re all impacted – whether you care about the pandemic, immigration, economy, gun safety, civil rights, healthcare, or plain old voting rights. You’ve heard it said that this is the most important election of our lifetime. It’s for real this time!

You may have read the article “Trump is Targeting the Suburbs, But They’re Not All Alike” and thought to yourself, “Can his ‘fear factor’ campaign win over the suburbs in a large enough number to tilt the election in his favor?

False narrative

The polls show Biden with a clear advantage of 8-15 points above Trump in the suburbs. Let’s not forget the suburbs proved to be a problem for Trump and the Republicans in the 2018 midterms. However, we know he will continue with his shenanigans, stoking more racism and xenophobia. It worked once before, so he’s not going to stop. He is playing to his base and hoping they will support his image of the white family as the only homeowners (circa 1940).

The false narrative Trump is painting no longer exists. His assumptive tweets and campaigns to the contrary are racist, misogynist, classist, and wrong. If that doesn’t get your palms sweaty and your blood racing then riddle us this:

Question: What is a suburb in modern culture? Is the article correct? Can we easily define a suburb based solely on density, diversity, and education level?

Answer: No one knows. Basically, a suburb is not downtown and it’s not rural. It’s fluid, versatile and ever evolving. Historically, suburbs were predominantly white, but that has changed; now, about one-third of suburban residents are people of color.

The reality

Trump would have us all believe “the suburbs” can be easily identified like in the “Stepford Wives,” and he wants all of them. Well, it goes without saying that the rest of America knows there are many types of suburbs and diversity is infused across all of them.

So, we’re calling on all our suburbs, far and wide, to send Trump a message by voting like our lives depend on it. Let him know he doesn’t own us, and even in normal times, he didn’t earn the right to be our Commander in Chief. Biden summarized it best, stating Trump is trying to “scare the hell out of the suburbs.”

Where you come in

Don’t fear. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that there is no such thing as normalcy. We are literally sick and tired of being sick and tired. We are WOMEN Organizing WOMEN Democrats. If you’re with us, get ready to re-imagine a new normal (post-COVID) world and get ready to get the Blue Wave started!

Please vote early and let’s share the spirit of the words “We The People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…”

Choose hope and empathy over fear, truth and ethics over lies, and unity and equality over division.

 

This post was written by WOW Dems’ Legislative Committee. For info on candidates & voting, visit wowdems.org. To join the Legislative Committee, email legislative@wowdems.org.

 

WOW stands against authoritarianism

July 24, 2020, By Webmaster

Acts of social injustice includes discrimination against a minority or under-served population caused by their unfair treatment. Women Organizing Women Democrats strongly supports peaceful protests against such injustices, and we strongly oppose the actions taken by our federal government under the Trump administration’s Operation Legend, most recently in the cities of Portland and Chicago.

This operation’s intent was to support local police efforts, NOT be a takeover of local police efforts, but has morphed into the feds assuming an authoritarian posture we believe is a massive overreach. It unfairly and blatantly targets protestors who are part of the Black Lives Matter movement, regardless of whether those protestors are peaceful or not.

The president’s remarks are especially partisan when he chooses to call protesters “anarchists” and labels leaders of the opposing party “socialists.” His acting Homeland Security Secretary said federal agents are only targeting and arresting “those who have been identified as committing criminal acts,” yet many of those peaceful protesters tell a different and believable story of abuse. Texas Sen. Cruz only added to the political name-calling by referring to the Democratic Party as “the party of suppressors.”

All caring patriots must be united in our opposition to authoritarian actions by this president and his administration to deflect from the important challenges we face as a nation. We must remember the democratic values our country was built on.

Trump has declared open war on Democrats by targeting Democratic-run cities. What’s more, he’s opened war on our rights as citizens.

WOW Dems will not stand for any of this. Instead, we stand proudly and strongly by the sides of the kindred souls fighting for justice across this country. We are mobilizing our membership and the electorate to flood the voicemails and inboxes of every rep in this country until Trump’s actions are checked and he is voted out of office.

We encourage advocates for social justice to stand their ground, demand the protections afforded by the constitution, and know their rights. (Non-citizen protestors: know your rights.) We encourage protestors to contact the ACLU if they believe their rights have been violated.

Yes, this situation is ramping up. Yes, it’s most likely going to get worse before it gets better. But this is a movement, and it’s a movement we can’t afford to stop.

In solidarity,

Women Organizing Women Democrats

Education: Support, Don’t Hurt

July 15, 2020, By Webmaster

By Debbie O’Reilly

Editor’s Note: This is the 12th installment of “Our Stories,” a WOW Dems series that tells personal stories related to the critical issues of our time, such as the COVID-19 crisis. This story is from WOW Dems President Debbie O’Reilly.

A labor of love, not profit

Teaching children is a profession of emotional labor. We don’t produce a profit for shareholders. We don’t construct a building that we can point to and say, “our work is done.” Our work is based on the intellectual and emotional enrichment of human beings in the most fragile and unstable points in their lives. Our products are educated, productive citizens who will shape their community.

Every day brings new emotional challenges. Some students ask you if you have any snacks because they’re hungry and rely on free cafeteria food as their only warm meal of the day. Many students have parents who are working multiple jobs for long hours and don’t have the time to sit down and help them with their homework. Students are often trying to claw out of their current environments toward a better future through our greatest social escalator: public education. All students are burdened with just being a teenager: the highs and lows of friendships and relationships, impulsive thoughts and behaviors, fluctuating hormones, struggles with identity.

Every day, teachers work to support these unique and tumultuous beings. It’s a lot of work, to say the least, but it’s the most fulfilling and rewarding work I know.

From lockdowns to shutdowns

When we started the 2019-2020 school year, school staff devoted hours learning new safety protocols because mass shootings are now a daily concern in the United States of America. We added a PA system, locked outside doors remotely once the bell rang, expected students to wear ID badges, and practiced regular lockdown drills in case someone walked the halls with the aim of hurting us. It was a lot to take in and a lot to add to an already stressful job.

We were all then abruptly thrown, after spring break, into online learning due to Covid-19. Will we see our students in person again? How is the student abused at home dealing with being at home with their abusers around the clock? How is the hungry student getting enough food? Are they scared about someone in their family getting sick? Are they figuring out how to manage their schedules? Teachers’ concerns for our students tear us apart.

It’s difficult enough for a teacher to start any normal school year. How will I shape my curriculum according to our students’ needs? How will I differentiate to suit ESL, Special Education, and 504 students? How will I design and organize my classroom for my students? This year, teachers now have to manage the fears and logistics of social distancing, teaching with a mask, sanitizing everything, and much more. Now, we’re asking new questions with even higher stakes: What if Covid-19 spikes even more and we go fully online again? What if my coworkers or students get sick? And all while we’re still trying to keep them safe from the shootings?

For a comprehensive perspective of the implications of the next school year, please take the time to read this article

What next?

We have to start school with face-to-face learning as an option. There’s no way we can expect parents to stay home when most need to work to survive. As a society, we utterly lack the supportive infrastructure necessary to handle this any other way. Teachers, once again, provide the foundation for literally everything else.

I have no doubt that teachers will rise to the occasion. We are some of the most resilient workers you will ever meet. The problem is that once again, teachers must solve the problems brought on by failed leadership and, frankly, a lack of will on the part of many to care for the most defenseless and voiceless among us: children!

Threatening instead of helping

Of the 7.4 million children in Texas, 21 percent live in poverty, according to the 2018 State of Texas Children Report. In fact, Texas leads the nation in childhood poverty. Why have we allowed this?

Now, facing a pandemic, all of the cracks in the infrastructure are deepening and widening. Through recapture, Texas took about $1.9 billion in local property tax dollars out of communities during the 2019-20 school year. In Plano ISD, 34 percent (or $208 million in aggregate) of property taxes designated for Plano ISD operations goes to the state; that equates to $3,918 per Plano ISD student. (For more information, read this from PISD’s website.)

To add to our challenges, the President and Secretary of Education threaten to defund the federal government’s contribution to schools if they don’t fully reopen five days a week. Remember: The beneficiaries of federal funding to schools are students in poverty and those with special needs.

How much more can teachers and students possibly take? If those in power won’t help, can they at least stop threatening to hurt our students?

How you can help

As we charge headfirst into educating thousands of students during a pandemic, please be kind to teachers. Please be patient with us and the administrators who are working tirelessly to adapt CDC (Center for Disease Control) and TEA (Texas Education Agency) guidelines to suit our campuses’ and our students’ specific needs. Please help us by voicing your appreciation to our school boards, which do a tremendous job on our behalf and which speak truth to power across the state and at the federal level. And when the time comes, please vote for legislators who are pro-public education.*

We all need public education to work. We need those in power to make decisions that support us. And we need you.

*USA.gov and Vote411 are other good resources to find out what candidates stand for & what’s on your ballot. For Texas-based candidates, visit Texans for Public Education, VoteTexas.gov & the TX Secretary of State site to find out who and what’s on your ballot.

Debbie O’Reilly is President of WOW Dems, a precinct chair, a longtime HS English teacher, and English Dept. Chair at a local high school.

Want to read more about how Covid-19 has impacted educators and students? Check out “Teaching from the Epicenter,” a guest post written for WOW Dems by a NYC public school teacher.

 

We want to share YOUR story as part of the “Our Stories” series! Send them to communications@wowdems.org.

 

 

P.S. Betsy DeVos, we have a few questions for you…

• If a teacher tests positive for Covid-19, are they required to quarantine for 2-3 weeks? Is their sick leave covered /paid?
• If that teacher has 5 classes a day with 30 students each, do all 150 of those students then need to stay home and quarantine for 14 days?
• Do all 150 of those students now have to get tested? Who pays for those tests? Are they happening at school? How are the parents being notified? Does everyone in each of those kids’ families need to get tested? Who pays for that?
• What if someone who lives in the same house as a teacher tests positive? Does that teacher have to take off 14 days of work to quarantine? Is that time off covered / paid?
• Where is the district going to find a substitute teacher who will work in a classroom full of exposed, possibly infected students for substitute pay?
• Substitutes teach in multiple schools. What if they are diagnosed with COVID-19? Do all the kids in each school now have to quarantine and get tested? Who is going to pay for that? Also, if a substitute becomes ill, will he/she receive free testing and treatment? Subs now get NO benefits, just daily pay.
• What if a student in your kid’s class tests positive? What if your kid tests positive? Does every other student and teacher they have been around quarantine? Do we all get notified who is infected and when? Or because of HIPAA regulations, are parents and teachers just going to get mysterious “may have been in contact” emails all year long?
• What is this stress going to do to our teachers? How does it affect their health and well-being? How does it affect their ability to teach? How does it affect the quality of education they are able to provide? What is it going to do to our kids? What are the long-term effects of consistently being stressed out?
• How will it affect students and faculty when the first teacher in their school dies from Covid-19? The first parent of a student who brought it home? The first kid?
• How many more people are going to die, that otherwise would not have, if we had stayed home longer? Thirty percent of the teachers in the U.S. are older than 50. About 16 percent of the total deaths in the U.S. are people between the ages of 45-65. We are choosing to put our teachers in danger. We’re not paying them more. We aren’t spending anywhere near the right amount to protect them. And in turn, we are putting ourselves and our kids in danger.

The above section of questions for Betsy DeVos was compiled by a WOW Dems member.

 

 

 

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