Re: DRAFT: Birmingham News Op-Ed

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Believe it's running in Sunday edition Tyrone Gayle Regional Communications Hillary For America 904.612.3495 @TyroneGayle On Oct 17, 2015, at 8:55 AM, Nick Merrill <[email protected]> wrote: Did this run? On Fri, Oct 16, 2015 at 11:41 AM, Ian Sams <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you, Lauren! I am moving this to the AL.com <http://al.com> opinion > folks now. > > On Fri, Oct 16, 2015 at 11:37 AM, Lauren Peterson < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi all, >> >> The attached draft has been approved by HRC. >> >> Thank you! >> >> Lauren >> >> ### >> >> >> >> In Alabama, without an ID, you can’t vote. Yet Governor Bentley >> announced plans this month to close 31 driver’s license offices across the >> state, including in every single county where African Americans make up >> more than 75 percent of registered voters. The closings would make getting >> driver’s licenses and personal identification cards much harder for many >> African Americans, putting up new barriers to voting. As many Alabamans >> have said in recent days, that’s just dead wrong. >> >> >> >> Governor Bentley is insisting that the closings had nothing to do with >> race, but the facts tell a different story. The parallels are inescapable: >> Alabama is living through a blast from the Jim Crow past. Fifty years >> after Rosa Parks sat, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marched, and John Lewis >> bled, it’s hard to believe Americans are still forced to fight for their >> right to vote—especially in places where the civil rights movement fought >> so hard all those years ago. >> >> >> >> Governor Bentley has offered the same excuses we’ve always heard to >> justify laws that disproportionately affect people of color—or, for that >> matter, low-income people, women, young people, and seniors. It reminds me >> of that old saying: “You find a turtle on a fence post, it didn’t get there >> on its own.” Institutionalized racism doesn’t just happen. People make it >> happen. >> >> >> >> But for every Republican governor working to dismantle voting rights >> across our country, there are Americans determined to keep marching >> forward. I’m proud of everyone in Alabama who leapt to confront this >> injustice. The outcry has been so strong, it’s forced politicians in >> Montgomery to reconsider. Governor Bentley and the legislature should >> listen to those voices and immediately reverse the decision to close DMV >> offices. >> >> But the reforms can’t stop there. Alabama is one of 17 states with no >> early voting. That needs to change. Alabama should make sure those who >> serve time have their voting rights restored. And they should eliminate >> the discriminatory requirement that people provide proof of citizenship >> when they register to vote. Too many people don’t have access to their >> birth certificate or passport—especially college students who are living >> away from home. We should be doing everything we can to get more people >> involved in our political process, not turning them away when they try to >> participate. >> >> >> >> Alabama isn’t alone. Over the past few years, many states have passed >> laws that make voting harder. Since the Supreme Court gutted a key >> provision of the Voting Rights Act, the situation has gotten even worse. >> And some people —including many Republican candidates for president—would >> keep pushing our country in this shameful direction. >> >> >> >> Jeb Bush says he wouldn’t reauthorize the Voting Rights Act because >> voting conditions have improved since it was passed. As Justice Ruth Bader >> Ginsburg put it, that’s like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm >> because you’re not getting wet. When asked recently about voter ID laws, >> Marco Rubio replied, “What’s the big deal?” John Kasich restricted early >> voting in Ohio after the 2008 election, when 77 percent of early voters in >> the most populated county were African American. What part of democracy >> are all these candidates afraid of? >> >> >> >> Many of the leaders and activists who led the original fight for the >> right to vote are no longer alive to stop these abuses. But we are. And >> we have an obligation to act. >> >> >> >> First, Congress should put principle ahead of politics and pass the >> Voting Rights Advancement Act. This bipartisan bill would restore the full >> protections of the Voting Rights Act. >> >> >> >> Second, we should set a standard across this country of at least 20 days >> of early, in-person voting—including opportunities for weekend and evening >> voting. >> >> >> >> Third, we should enact universal, automatic voter registration, so every >> young person in every state is automatically registered to vote when they >> turn 18, unless they opt out. I applaud California for beginning to >> implement a similar approach last week. More states should follow their >> lead. >> >> >> >> These steps alone won’t solve all of the challenges we face. But we owe >> it to future generations to fight back against attacks on voting. We also >> owe it to them to make sure our voting system works for a modern America. >> We need to meet this moment with the bravery and determination of those who >> came before us. It’s time for leaders in every party, at every level of >> government, to be on the right side of history. And once again, the >> movement can start right here in Alabama. >> >> >> >> On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 3:59 PM, John Anzalone <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Well that is a new spin. But glad you have talked to them to get the >>> real scoop. >>> >>> *John Anzalone* >>> >>> *Partner * >>> >>> Anzalone Liszt Grove Research >>> >>> (o) 334.387.3121 >>> >>> Website <http://algpolling.com/>*| *Twitter >>> <http://twitter.com/anzaloneliszt>*|* LinkedIn >>> <https://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-anzalone/5/aa2/563>*|* Facebook >>> <http://facebook.com/anzaloneresearch> >>> >>> From: Karen Finney <[email protected]> >>> Date: Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 2:53 PM >>> To: John Anzalone <[email protected]> >>> Cc: Emily Aden <[email protected]>, Tyrone Gayle < >>> [email protected]>, Lauren Peterson < >>> [email protected]>, Speech Drafts < >>> [email protected]>, LaDavia Drane < >>> [email protected]>, Ian Sams <[email protected]>, Brynne >>> Craig <[email protected]>, Christina Reynolds < >>> [email protected]> >>> >>> Subject: Re: DRAFT: Birmingham News Op-Ed >>> >>> In Alabama today and just met with state legislators and political >>> folks; I would not put it on the legislature - essentially the Gov is now >>> saying he "found" the money but holding it hostage to force black rural >>> democrats to agree to raise taxes on some of the state's poorest people >>> So its promise to raise taxes on poor people in order to get your >>> offices back. >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Oct 15, 2015, at 2:46 PM, John Anzalone <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> I would consider running this by Senator Hank Sanders from Selma but yes >>> I think we should change it and move the focus onto the legislature to make >>> it happen. It was after all the super-majority in the legislature who made >>> these cuts. While the Gov signed the budget after the special session, >>> Bentley actually had a funding plan that included big tax increases to fill >>> the hole in the budget that the legislature would not go along with. So to >>> make the legislature the focus I think would be the right place. >>> >>> *John Anzalone* >>> >>> *Partner * >>> >>> Anzalone Liszt Grove Research >>> >>> (o) 334.387.3121 >>> >>> Website <http://algpolling.com/>*| *Twitter >>> <http://twitter.com/anzaloneliszt>*|* LinkedIn >>> <https://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-anzalone/5/aa2/563>*|* Facebook >>> <http://facebook.com/anzaloneresearch> >>> >>> From: Emily Aden <[email protected]> >>> Date: Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 11:07 AM >>> To: John Anzalone <[email protected]> >>> Cc: Tyrone Gayle <[email protected]>, Lauren Peterson < >>> [email protected]>, Speech Drafts < >>> [email protected]>, Karen Finney < >>> [email protected]>, LaDavia Drane <[email protected]>, >>> Ian Sams <[email protected]>, Brynne Craig < >>> [email protected]>, Christina Reynolds < >>> [email protected]> >>> Subject: Re: DRAFT: Birmingham News Op-Ed >>> >>> Flagging that Gov. Bentley announced a plan to reopen the 31 offices, >>> should this be changed to call on him/legislature to do that? Given his new >>> plan, is the 'excuses' language too strong? >>> http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/bentley_plan_would_reopen_clos.html >>> >>> change including those in eight of the 10 counties with the highest >>> percentage of African Americans to: including in 8 out of 12 total >>> majority-minority counties or including in 7 counties where the African >>> American population is more than two-thirds. >>> >>> Alabama is one of 17 states with no early voting, would adjust "handful" >>> language >>> http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/absentee-and-early-voting.aspx >>> >>> Change Rubio hit to Marco Rubio asked "what's the big deal" about voter >>> id laws. >>> >>> Change Kasich hit to: ...a state where 77 percent of early voters in >>> 2008 were African American in the most populated county >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 11:11 AM, John Anzalone <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> One thing I would consider up front is helping readers understand the >>>> link between closing these offices and voting, meaning that people get >>>> personal identification cards here. We assume people get it but I actually >>>> don’t think people do. So I would add as second line to help them out, >>>> something like: >>>> >>>> This means that getting drivers licenses and personal identification >>>> cards required by law to vote is doubly hard for these mostly rural voters. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> *John Anzalone* >>>> >>>> *Partner * >>>> >>>> Anzalone Liszt Grove Research >>>> >>>> (o) 334.387.3121 >>>> >>>> Website <http://algpolling.com/>*| *Twitter >>>> <http://twitter.com/anzaloneliszt>*|* LinkedIn >>>> <https://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-anzalone/5/aa2/563>*|* Facebook >>>> <http://facebook.com/anzaloneresearch> >>>> >>>> From: <[email protected]> on behalf of Tyrone Gayle < >>>> [email protected]> >>>> Date: Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 10:04 AM >>>> To: Lauren Peterson <[email protected]>, Speech Drafts < >>>> [email protected]> >>>> Cc: Karen Finney <[email protected]>, LaDavia Drane < >>>> [email protected]>, Ian Sams <[email protected]>, Emily >>>> Aden <[email protected]>, Brynne Craig < >>>> [email protected]>, Christina Reynolds < >>>> [email protected]> >>>> Subject: RE: DRAFT: Birmingham News Op-Ed >>>> >>>> This is great Lauren. Just a reminder, we have to submit by *COB today* >>>> to have this run on Sunday. If folks could take a look and make edits so we >>>> can get HRC approval, thatd be great >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> *From:* Lauren Peterson [mailto:[email protected]] >>>> *Sent:* Thursday, October 15, 2015 12:49 AM >>>> *To:* Speech Drafts <[email protected]> >>>> *Cc:* Karen Finney <[email protected]>; LaDavia Drane < >>>> [email protected]>; Ian Sams <[email protected]>; >>>> Tyrone Gayle <[email protected]>; Emily Aden < >>>> [email protected]>; Brynne Craig <[email protected]>; >>>> Christina Reynolds <[email protected]> >>>> *Subject:* DRAFT: Birmingham News Op-Ed >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Hi everyone, >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Sending around this Birmingham News op-ed to coincide with Hillary's >>>> trip to Alabama. The op-ed will run this weekend. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Please take a look and let me know your thoughts - this reflects >>>> preliminary input from many of you, which has been much appreciated! I >>>> could definitely use research's eyes on the statistics and the GOP contrast. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Thanks! >>>> >>>> Lauren >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ### >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> This month, Alabama announced the closing of 31 driver’s license >>>> offices in counties across the state, including those in eight of the 10 >>>> counties with the highest percentage of African Americans. Despite >>>> Governor Bentley’s insistence that the decision—which came a year after the >>>> state’s voter ID law took effect—has nothing to do with race, the parallels >>>> are inescapable: Alabama is living through a blast from the Jim Crow past. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> It’s hard to believe that 50 years after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. >>>> marched and Rosa Parks sat and John Lewis bled, Americans are still >>>> fighting to exercise the most fundamental right in our democracy. >>>> Meanwhile, Governor Bentley is offering the same excuses we’ve heard for >>>> half a century to justify laws that disproportionately affect people of >>>> color, low-income people, women, young people, and seniors. It reminds me >>>> of a saying from Arkansas: “You find a turtle on a fence post, it did not >>>> get there on its own.” >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> But for every Republican governor working to dismantle voting rights, >>>> there are Americans determined to keep marching forward. I’m proud of the >>>> outcry in Alabama from people who have come together to demand better. >>>> It’s time for Governor Bentley to listen to your voices and reverse the >>>> decision to close DMV offices in the Black Belt and other rural counties. >>>> But the reforms shouldn’t stop there. Alabama is one of a handful of >>>> states with no early voting—that needs to change. Alabama should also >>>> eliminate the discriminatory and demeaning state requirement that people >>>> provide proof of citizenship along with their voter registration forms—a >>>> law modeled on one that has stopped more than 30,000 would-be voters from >>>> registering in Kansas. And they should make sure that Americans who have >>>> served time should have their voting rights restored once they’re released. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Unfortunately (but not surprisingly), Alabama isn’t an outlier. Over >>>> the past few years, many states have passed laws that make it harder to >>>> vote. Since the Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights >>>> Act, a dire situation has gotten even worse. And there are those—including >>>> many of the Republican candidates for president—who would continue to push >>>> our country in this shameful direction. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Jeb Bush says he wouldn’t reauthorize the Voting Rights Act—because >>>> it’s gotten easier to vote since it was passed. As Justice Ginsburg has >>>> said, that’s like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you’re >>>> not getting wet. Marco Rubio has supported harsh voter ID laws. John >>>> Kasich restricted early voting in Ohio—a state where 77 percent of early >>>> voters in 2008 were African American. What part of democracy are they so >>>> afraid of? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Many of the people who fought and sacrificed for the right to vote are >>>> no longer alive to witness these abuses. But we are. And we have an >>>> obligation to stop the systematic and deliberate effort to disenfranchise >>>> voters. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> First, Congress should put principle ahead of politics and pass the >>>> Voting Rights Advancement Act—a bipartisan bill that would restore the full >>>> protections of the Voting Rights Act. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Second, we should set a standard across this country of at least 20 >>>> days of early, in-person voting—including opportunities for weekend and >>>> evening voting. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Third, we should go even further. We need universal, automatic voter >>>> registration—so that every young person in every state is automatically >>>> registered to vote when they turn 18, unless they choose to opt out. I >>>> applaud California for implementing this measure last week—an incredible >>>> victory in our most populous state. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> These steps alone won’t solve all of the challenges we face. But we >>>> owe it to future generations to fight back against attacks on voting, and >>>> to meet this moment with the bravery and determination of those who have >>>> come before us. It’s time for leaders in every party, at every level of >>>> government, to be on the right side of history. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> > > > -- > *Ian Sams* | Rapid Response > Hillary for America > (423) 915-6592 | @IanSams <https://twitter.com/iansams> > Gchat: icsams >