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The EZ Read will not be published next week due to Thanksgiving. We at JAC are thankful to all of you for your ongoing support and involvement.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Susan Insoft joined Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at an event in Chicago.
(l to r: Susan Insoft, Nancy Pelosi, Becky Geller)
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To celebrate the amazing work JAC members did this year to Get Out the Vote, JAC hosted an appreciation lunch at our office. Thank you again to everyone who worked across the country to make this election such a success for our candidates.
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On October 3, 1789, President George Washington proclaimed and created the first Thanksgiving Day.
Washington wanted it be a day of reflection and gratefulness, "too enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed..."
As we move into the Thanksgiving week, it seems appropriate to reflect on Washington's words. Today it seems at every turn Donald Trump is seeking ways to trample the Constitution.
The ACLU has called Trump a one-man Constitutional crisis because his statements and policy proposals would "blatantly violate the inalienable rights guaranteed by the Constitution."
These include his efforts to ban reporters from covering his news briefings to ending birthright citizenship and DACA, and installing Matthew Whitaker as acting Attorney General.
Trump's failure to divest his business holdings violates the emoluments clause, which prohibits elected officials from accepting gifts from foreign entities. He benefits when foreign officials stay at his hotel in Washington, D.C.
The same year Thanksgiving became a national holiday, the U.S. held its first elections. Since then, the responsibility to ensure our democracy is protected lies with us, the voters.
More than 47 percent of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot, marking the highest turnout for a midterm since 1966. While voter turnout could certainly be higher, this is encouraging news.
Last week's election sets us apart from every other nation. Our elections are peaceful and transitions to newly elected leaders are non-violent. Even as recounts are underway in several races, they are being performed in a judicial manner.
We hope that when you gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving you will find meaning in Washington's words. Pledge, through your political participation, to continue to work to elect candidates who will uphold to the fullest extent the Constitution so that it may continue to protect our rights, as it has done for the past 231 years.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
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Do you know a high school or college student who would like to intern at JAC during the school year or next summer? Call the JAC office at 847.433.5999 about opportunities.
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Click below to see JAC's 2018 Election Scorecard. While some races are still undecided, see how JAC-supported candidates fared in this election.
(Note: As of today, 11/16/18, some races are still undecided and are reflected as such in the scorecard.)
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You gave to us so we were able to give to candidates. We were involved in over 114 races across the country. Now JAC needs to start gearing up for the 2020 race. Help us start strong by supporting us on #GivingTuesday (or earlier!).
Give:
- In honor of a friend or loved one
- In honor of the victory of so many JAC-supported candidates
- Gift memberships
- Donations to further the work of JAC to support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, reproductive rights, separation of religion and state and our other issues.
Please consider a donation to JAC on #GivingTuesday.
We can't do it without you.
Click the button below to make a donation today.
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Israel and Gaza Just Saw Their Worst Violence in Years. It Could Get Worse.
Between Monday and Tuesday, Hamas launched 400 missiles into Israel, killing one civilian and wounding about 16 others. Nearly 100 of the missiles were intercepted by the country's anti-missile system, known as the Iron Dome.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, says it hit more than 100 targets. Palestinians reported that five people died and another 15 were wounded.
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FBI: Jews Subject to 60 Percent of Religiously Motivated Hate Crimes in 2017, Despite Being Just 2 Percent of U.S. Population
The FBI published its annual report cataloging hate crimes for the previous calendar year. This year, as has been the case every year since the bureau began collecting these statistics in 1992, Jews topped the list. And it wasn't close. Of 1,564 anti-religious hate crimes in 2017, 938 targeted Jews. In other words, Jews were subject to 60 percent of anti-religious hate crimes, despite constituting just 2 percent of the American population.
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How These State-Level Abortion Laws Could Have Widespread Impact on People Across the Country
The 2018 midterm elections paved the way for a slew of state-level legislation related to abortion on both sides of the issue. Alabamian and West Virginian voters approved anti-abortion rights amendments to their state constitutions, while Oregonians voted down a similar ballot initiative. With Democrats now in control of the governor's mansion and both legislative chambers, New York is poised to become the first state to enact legislation that would enshrine Roe v. Wade abortion protections since Brett Kavanaugh was appointed to the Supreme Court.
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Trump Lashes out Against Reproductive Rights After the Midterms
This week, the administration is publishing several new rules aimed at cutting off access to contraception and abortion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), by giving companies and institutions participating in the ACA the ability to use religious objections as grounds to restrict coverage for basic reproductive care.
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Trump Claims an ID Is Needed to Buy Cereal and That Fraudulent Voters Simply Switch Hats
There's no good argument underlying President Trump's insistence that U.S. elections are undermined by rampant voter fraud. There's no evidence at all that they are, despite years of looking and years of rhetoric like Trump's. There's no evidence of rampant voter fraud in Florida in the wake of last week's midterm elections, either, despite Trump's tweets and commentary.
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The Suburban Shift Putting Republicans in Peril
A growing number of Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim voters represent areas that once boasted white, Christian, college-educated voters. It's easy to see how an administration that's doubled down on xenophobia has imperiled Republicans' outreach efforts.
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Long-Forgotten Einstein Letter That Predicted Threat of Anti-Semitism Reemerges with Ominous Message
After legendary physicist Albert Einstein fled the German capital, Berlin, in 1922 in fear and haste, he penned a letter that has lost little of its relevance since, even almost 100 years later.
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Introducing JACII, a JAC group for young professionals, advocates, and those young at heart who are looking to get involved. Groups have started in Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Events will feature elected officials and speakers in lively settings. JACII is by and for young people. Now is the perfect time to get involved.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
JAC II Chicago: Evening with Moran Birman, Israel Consul for Public Diplomacy, November 29. Details to follow.
Know someone who would be interested in joining or hosting a meeting? Let us know at
info@jacpac.org. We will be happy to help organize a JACII in your city.
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"When people get in line that have absolutely no right to vote and they go around in circles. Sometimes they go to their car, put on a different hat, put on a different shirt, come in and vote again."
- President Donald Trump
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Talking Points Election Wrap-Up
& Analysis of the Jewish Vote
with Mark Mellman
author of recent poll on the Jewish vote
Thursday, December 6th
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Bannockburn, IL
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Mark Your Calendars!
JAC's Annual Meeting in Washington, DC
Wednesday, March 13 & Thursday, March 14
See you there.
(Want to host a JAC watch party? Contact the office and we will help organize it. 847.433.5999 or info@jacpac.org)
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Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC) is a pro-Israel PAC with a domestic agenda. We support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and advocate for reproductive health and the separation of religion and state and incorporate other issues of importance to the Jewish community, including gun violence prevention and climate change. In addition to providing financial support for U.S. Senate and House campaigns, JACPAC educates our membership with outreach events designed to inform and activate their participation in the political process.
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Federal law requires political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation and employer for each individual who contributes over $200 in a calendar year. Maximum contribution per person may not exceed $5,000 per calendar year. According to law, JACPAC cannot accept corporate contributions. Membership, gifts, or other payments to JACPAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
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