UPDATED: Saturday 10:45 am
Protests Planned for May 27th Trump Rally
By Doug Porter
The Donald has scheduled an appearance at the San Diego Convention Center on Friday, May 27th at 2pm. Email invitations to sign up for tickets went out to supporters on Thursday afternoon and quickly made their way onto local social media.
Here’s what we know: At least two groups have stated intentions to protest in and outside the rally. Hundreds of people signed up on Facebook event pages to protest within hours of the word getting out. The San Diego Police Department and the County Sheriff conducted training exercises in preparation for Trump’s appearance outside Qualcomm stadium on Thursday.
UPDATES: The Love Trumps Hate Solidarity Network has called for a city-wide meeting on Monday, May 23 to discuss demonstrations. El Union del Barrio has called for Latinos to gather Friday, May 27 at 1pm at Chicano Park. Another group, Smash Trump San Diego, is signing people up to demonstrate and posting info as it becomes available on its Facebook page.
Recent events featuring the presumptive GOP nominee in California have led to raucous protests in nearby areas. In recent weeks, Trump’s security team has seen some success in deterring disruptions inside venues where he is speaking, working closely with local law enforcement agencies to identify and turn away people at the points of entry.
Here’s 10News quoting local pundit Laura Fink:
“This is also about the momentum of the campaign. Right now Donald Trump needs to make strides in a lot of blue states and a lot of swing states in order to gain the nomination, so he needs to demonstrate that he has that energy and you do that where the fight is and June 7 is the fight,” said Fink.
Protests have erupted at some of Trump’s rallies. Law enforcement sources tell 10News they’re getting their riot teams ready in advance of Trump’s visit. San Diego Police Officers and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department spent part of Thursday doing training exercises in the parking lot of Qualcomm stadium in preparation for the visit.
Politico looked into Trump’s private security force a few weeks ago:
A POLITICO investigation revealed that Trump has assembled a privately funded security and intelligence force with a far wider reach than other campaigns’ private security operations: tracking and rooting out protesters, patrolling campaign events and supplementing the Secret Service protection of the billionaire real estate showman during his nontraditional campaign for the GOP presidential nomination.
The investigation ― which utilized Federal Election Commission reports, state licensing records, court filings and interview accounts or testimony from more than a dozen people who’ve crossed paths with Trump’s security ― found that the tactics of Trump’s team at times inflamed the already high tensions around his divisive campaign, rather than defusing them…
…But lately, the fireworks have been on the decline inside Trump’s events, which seems partly a testament to the new, more aggressive efforts by Trump’s private security detail to identify protesters ahead of time, and to bar or eject them before they can disrupt the candidate, partly by deploying private security in plainclothes to intermix with the crowds before and during speeches.
Voter Registration Up, Crank Party Voters Declining
From the Union Tribune:
Nearly 200,000 people registered to vote or updated their records in California during a two-day push by Facebook this week.
Secretary of State Alex Padilla said Thursday that the first day of Facebook’s campaign was the second-busiest day in California’s four-year-old online registration system.
Facebook displayed a registration reminder and link on Monday and Tuesday. Padilla says one in three people who registered was between 17 and 25 years old. California allows 17-year-olds to register if they’ll be 18 by Election Day.
People planning to vote in the June 7 primary must register by Monday. Election officials are reporting a surge of interest ahead of the primary. As of April 8, there was a net increase of more than 230,000 registered voters since the same time in 2012.
The Los Angeles Times led the effort to make California voters aware that registering as American Independent Party wasn’t the same as being a No Party Preference voter, and it’s worked. According to Paul Mitchell, a political data specialist who worked with the Times on the story, 32,000 voters have left the party that once featured segregationist Gov. George Wallace as its standard bearer.
The change comes after a series of stories last month about voters who had intended to be politically independent, what’s known in California as having “no party preference.” A poll conducted for The Times found 73% of American Independent Party members did not know they had registered with an actual political party….
…Mitchell was able to find the new registration of 14,827 former AIP voters — a little less than half of those who left in the final two weeks of April. Of those, 36.5% re-registered as Republican and 32.5% opted to become Democrats. Thirty percent became unaffiliated, “no party preference” voters.
More than half of the Californians who abandoned the AIP in late April — 53% — were younger than 55.
You can confirm your voter registration here and register to vote (or re-register, if you’ve moved) here. Click here to sign up to vote by mail.
The San Diego Free Press has published a Progressive Voter Guide, including endorsements. We tried to buy advertising at Facebook promoting the Voter Guide (yes, we know the technical requirements), but the company has refused to accept the ads. No reason has been given.
You can also view all our articles on the upcoming primary by clicking here.
Take a deep breath…
May 2008, NYT/CBS poll: 60% of Clinton backers say they’d vote Obama
May 2016, NYT/CBS poll: 72% of Sanders backers say they’d vote Clinton
— Taniel (@Taniel) May 19, 2016
Now, to this week’s batch of upcoming events…
Weekly Progressive Calendar: Upcoming in San Diego
A Conversation on Race
Saturday, May 21st, 9:30am
Peace Resource Center
3850 Westgate Place
Info & Updates
This gathering is inspired by our recent conversation series – and figuring out how to continue on! If you missed any/all sessions before, it’s okay. Join us here and now!
We are creating a facilitated-yet-flexible community space around race, privilege, related systems, embedded assumptions, discovering questions, and exploring avenues for change.
This gathering will have an “agenda” that includes: Welcome/Intro to Why & How of the work for the day, Self assessment, Breakout groups, Next Steps, and Social/Fellowship time with Potluck!
We invite you to bring food to share, if you are able. This is not a requirement, so if you can’t bring food, please still join us! If you are able, “brunch” type foods would be awesome since our time together is morning into lunch-ish. We will specifically spend some of our time sitting and eating together – we believe this is a crucial part of building community!
March Against Monsanto Rally, March, & Festival
Saturday, May 21, 10am
Rally & March: Balboa Park Fountain (near Natural History Museum)
Followed by Festival on the lawn between La Cultural de la Raza & World Beat Center. More info: MAMSD.org
Hillary Clinton for President Rally,
Featuring Former President Bill Clinton
Saturday, May 21, 10:30am
Bonita Vista High School, Chula Vista
RSVP & Info
Join President Bill Clinton in Chula Vista for an organizing event at Bonita Vista High School ahead of California’s June 7th primary. Doors open 10:30AM
Bernie Sanders for President Rally
Saturday, May 21st, 4:30pm
Kimball Park
1243 National City Blvd, National City
RSVP & Info
This event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged. Admission is first come, first served.
For security reasons, please do not bring bags and limit what you bring to small, personal items like keys and cell phones. Weapons, sharp objects, chairs, and signs or banners will not be allowed through security. Limited parking available on site, carpooling is encouraged.
Black & Brown Families Unite:
On the 6th Anniversary of Anastasio’s Murder
Saturday, May 21, 3pm
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
1770 Kearny Avenue
Info & Updates
Over the last decade, police brutality in communities of color has become an overlooked epidemic. Whether the law enforcement agency is the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency or the local police force, black and brown communities must unite to combat abuse.
Please join us in a panel discussion on police brutality in communities of color. Let’s work together to end law enforcement impunity.
Politics of Choice in San Diego, Why Planned Parenthood Matters
Sunday, May 22, 4pm
Pt Loma/OB Democratic Club
Pt Loma Assembly
3035 Talbot Street
Info & Updates
Nora Vargas, the VP of Community and Government Relations department of Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwestwill be speaking about the politics of choice in San Diego County, why Planned Parenthood matters, and she will share some of our electoral plans for this election cycle.
Bernie Sanders for President Rally
Sunday, May 22, 11am
Rancho Buena Vista High School Stadium, Vista
RSVP & Info
Join Bernie Sanders for a rally in Vista, California.
This event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged. Admission is first come, first served.
For security reasons, please do not bring bags and limit what you bring to small, personal items like keys and cell phones. Weapons, sharp objects, chairs, and signs or banners will not be allowed through security. Limited parking available is on-site, carpooling is strongly encouraged. Public transit offered by North County Public Transit buses.
La Raza Lawyers Association City Attorney Debate
Tuesday, May 24, 6:30pm
USD University Forum Halls
5998 Alcala Park
Info & Updates
Join SDLRLA and our partner community organizations for our 2016 City Attorney Forum on May 24th at USD’s University Forums Halls at 6:30 PM. The debate will be moderated by NBC-7’s anchor Catherine Garcia and will focus on a range of issues affecting the Latino community and communities of color throughout the city of San Diego.
Many San Diego residents are not fully aware of how the City Attorney’s decisions directly affect their daily lives. This forum seeks to illuminate the City Attorney’s impact on residents’ lives and their communities by elucidating the important role played by the City Attorney. In doing so, we hope to empower voters so they are better equipped to make an informed decision this June at the ballot box. We hope you will join us!
Meet Your Local Politicians
Thursday, May 26, 5pm
Bluefoot Bar & Lounge
3404 30th Street (North Park)
Info & Updates
A Political Revolution isn’t just about voting for president. It is time to get involved in local politics!!! Come to the Blue Foot on Thursday may 26th to grab a beer with some candidates you will see on your ballots June 7th (or maybe you have already seen on your mail ins :) )
I will also be providing some information about the propositions so we can vote effectively!
Bryan Pease
Lori Saldaña for Mayor of San Diego
Jose Caballero for City Council District 7
Steve Stokes for Senate
America’s Youth
Justice for Janitors March
Friday, May 27, 11:30am
700 B Street (Downtown)
Info & Updates
SEIU-USWW Janitors are fighting for a fair union contract! Join us to say “Ya Basta!”
Janitors will take to the streets to ask for:
Salary increases
Maintain our family health insurance coverage
Protections for Immigrant workers
Protection against sexual assault and rape on the night shift
A stop to worker abuse!
Smash Trump San Diego Anti-Trump Rally
Friday, May 27, 2pm
San Diego Convention Center
111 Harbor Drive
Info & Updates
San Diego Anti Trump Rally Call of Action
Protest inside and outside of event
Shut it Down!
No Progressive Calendar Next Week: I’ll be on vacation
On This Day: 1945 – The “Little Wagner Act” was signed in Hawaii, guaranteeing pineapple and sugar workers the right to bargain collectively. After negotiations failed, a successful 79-day strike shut down 33 of the territory’s 34 plantations and brought higher wages and a 40-hour week. 1961 – A white mob attacked the Freedom Riders in Montgomery, AL. The event prompted the federal government to send U.S. marshals. 1971 – Peter Cetera (from the band Chicago) was beaten up by four men at a Chicago Cubs-Dodgers baseball game. The men objected to the length of Cetera’s hair. Cetera underwent four hours of emergency surgery.
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Doug Porter
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Do the members of Trumps private security force all wear brown shirts?