The New Democrat 2 August 2019
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TThhee NNeeww DDeemmooccrraatt A Publication of the Peninsula Democratic Coalition (PDC) August 2019 Congresswoman Anna Eshoo Mark Your (CD-18) traveled to Texas Calendar! detention centers: “The Sunday, August 18, 2019 conditions are Inhumane” 4:00-7:00 pm Congresswoman Eshoo Tours Texas Border and Speaks with Border Officials, Families, and Volunteers WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Anna PDC Annual G. Eshoo (D-CA) traveled to McAllen and Brownsville, Texas recently Family Potluck to tour the McAllen Border Patrol Processing Center and the Brownsville Port of Picnic & Entry on Saturday, July 13. Eshoo assessed firsthand the deterioration of care in Funwildl ber heald ait as er Texas since her first visit in June 2018. The Cuesta Park , Congresswoman met with located directly beside the El Camino families, questioned U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, right, spoke border officials, and heard with a Border Patrol agent in Texas YMCA and El Camino Hospital, from humanitarian on June 22, 2018, during a tour volunteers. Rep. Eshoo with congressional members of in Mountain View. released the following immigration detention facilities. statement after the trip: Photo courtesy of Rep. Anna “The conditions I Eshoo's office. Special Guest witnessed at the border were inhumane. Forty or more detainees are being kept in cells built to Speaker: house a maximum of eight people for days or even weeks, and children are without access to proper hygiene. Since my first visit Ricardo Lara to the southern border last year, the crisis has worsened and it’s clear the Administration’s policies have exacerbated the Insurance humanitarian crisis. The decision to suspend foreign aid to Commissioner of countries in the Northern Triangle has been catastrophic. The individuals fleeing to our border are coming from the most California violent and dangerous countries in the world. “We need comprehensive immigration reform. We need to go to the root cause of why so many are fleeing and seeking asylum. And we need agency standards met when they detain See page 7 and 8 for individuals.” Rep. Eshoo was part of a Congressional Delegation of 20 information & map. Members of Congress. She returned to the site of last summer’s investigation into the conditions and treatment of migrants at (Continued on page 3) The New Democrat 2 August 2019 is ours, she is us, and we owe her the benefit of the doubt. I want to be on her team, even when, especially when, I don’t know exactly how the game is going to turn out. I’ll give Madam Speaker the last word, which is from her latest interview with Maureen Dowd in the New York Times : President’s “If the left doesn’t think I’m left enough, so be it,” she said, breezily. “As I say to these people, come to my basement. I have Column these signs about single-payer from 30 years ago. I understand what they’re saying. But we have a responsibility to get Leora Tanjuatco something done, which is different from advocacy. We have to have a solution, not just a Twitter fight.” In defense of Speaker Pelosi Making a difference! Sometime in 2017, I was at an event, and Nancy Pelosi was introduced as “the once encourage a non-registered and future Speaker of the House,” to rapturous Citizen to VOTE applause. Since we hadn’t yet won back the House, it was By Diane Rolfe closer to a hopeful campaign The key to retaining our democracy and Democrats winning slogan than a real fact, but it in 2020 is to inspire people to VOTE!!! The Democratic was the first time I’d felt a Volunteer Center (DVC) will be writing letters to inspire non- glimmer of hope since registered citizens to vote on Thursday, August 22, 2-4 pm at November of 2016. My heart the Embarcadero Room at the Rinconada Library at 1213 soared. After several torturous Newell Road, Palo Alto, CA. Research clearly shows that the months of watching Paul Ryan more people turn out to vote, the more Democrats win here attempt to dismantle and across the nation. In 2016, 44 percent of the those who Obamacare and successfully could vote, did NOT bother to vote for President. pass tax cuts, the hope of having Nancy back in charge was Can we, by working together, send out 300 letters? 500 almost too blissful to imagine. I felt like I would cut off my right letters? 1,000 letters? If you want to write letters, all hand to have Nancy be the Speaker again. materials—including envelopes, writing suggestions, pens and Thankfully, we didn’t have to go there. Millions of Democrats stamps—will be provided. If you want to help, please contact across the country came together, and Nancy Pelosi is at the helm Diane Rolfe at (650) 326-6328 or Mary Gill, (650) 857-0593 once again. The pride I feel in hailing from the same region as for further information or to sign up. Together, let us save our she is only eclipsed by my pride in her as the most powerful democracy. woman in the history of the United States. And yet, mere months after we took back the House, she is under fire from some Democrats for not moving quickly (enough) on impeachment. You can read a million thinkpieces that are critical of her Hand strategy—she has said that impeachment is not off the table—but that there is more work to be done before resorting to painted impeachment. I’m on her side, and I’m an advocate—I organize communities silk for a living. Sure, I would love for every elected official to scarf! implement every policy solution we suggest, but that’s not their job. Their job is to fashion solutions, given the parameters. I don’t envy their jobs. 8”x54” Habotai silk* And honestly, the fact that I’m writing this column is a mini- victory for Republicans. Our infighting only strengthens them. So There are plenty let’s keep the eye on the prize. We have about a year until the of favorite Democrats presidential campaign is in full swing. Until then, let’s stick Only together. Let’s support the woman who got us here, who didn’t to choose give President Trump the money for his border wall, who from this season! comports herself with class at every turn, and also, outstrategizes Margaret in Connecticut a man who, although he is racist and sexist and undoubtedly wearing an Obama scarf! Made to order at [email protected] dumb, somehow still lives in the White House as our leader. She The New Democrat 3 August 2019 with AT&T. And a while back I had to spend a bit of time in a Martin’s hospital where the cell signal for one carrier was strong and reliable while the signals for all other carriers was non-existent.) Health care is a market in desperate need of financial reform. EDITORIAL Health insurance is one part of the problem. It is clear that a by PDC Member Martin Gorfinkel government option for health insurance would be a step in the right direction. That could be a single payer program that replaced the current health insurance industry or it could be a “Some people are fond of saying that private enterprise can government insurance option that operated in the marketplace handle tasks better and more efficiently than government. These with private insurance. The less desirable of those two options, people want to privatize almost everything from Social Security to which ever it may be, is still far better than the current situation. the postal service to the prison system to the schools. Their The steps suggested here are not socialism! They are measures premise is false! The result of privatization is at least added to be taken to ensure that our current economic system works expense for the consumer and at worst, disaster for the country.” better for consumers. The rich and powerful are doing well – but, That paragraph opened last month’s column. The column in a rephrasing the song by Tom Leher, they are not doing good went on to detail the ways in which private enterprise in the by doing well. form of charter schools are a dire threat to the public school system. And, it was argued, the public school system is vital to our democracy. Eshoo Now the argument will be made that, in some cases the (Continued from page 1) change should go in the other direction. It would benefit the country and consumers if the government were to take on several Department of Homeland Security facilities. The latest responsibility for delivery of some goods and services either Congressional Delegation to the border followed the release of replacing private enterprise or offering a government option to a report on July 2nd by the Inspector General of the existing services. Department of Homeland Security. The report revealed For those who might think it untenable for government to widespread sub-standard and squalid conditions at border compete with private enterprise, there are myriad examples: facilities. (For full text of Anna’s special report of her June 21- public libraries have not eliminated bookstores, public golf 22, 2018, border visit: https://eshoo.house.gov/news- courses have not dampened the demand for private facilities, stories/e-newsletters/rep-eshoo-trip-to-the-border-june- public colleges thrive alongside private ones, and private hospitals 2018/ ) have not gone away in the face of competition from public ones. Members were briefed by detention center staff, and they It is possible to have both public and private organizations spoke to officials, parents, respite care workers, and children.