Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Keith Ellison is running to lead the Democratic National Committee. He has been endorsed by Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Raul Grijalva, CWA, National Nurses United, MoveOn, the Working Families Party, and PDA. Rep. Ellison has been a champion for working people and the environment. He opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership and helped lead the fight to get the Democratic Party Platform to take an explicit stand against the TPP. If chosen to lead the DNC, Rep. Ellison will return the focus of the party to building political power for working people. The next meeting of the Champaign County Democratic Central Committee is November 30. Champaign County Democrats voted for Bernie in the primary by a margin of two to one. Urge Champaign County Democrats to support the candidacy of Keith Ellison to lead the DNC by signing our petition. If you are a precinct committeeperson, please note that in a comment, including your precinct. Feel free to note any other affiliation you think relevant, such as current or former Democratic elected official, union official or union member, or other organizational affiliation.

New citizens have every right to free speech, the right to peaceful assembly, and the right to dissent. They should not be instructed to "love it or leave it," nor threatened implicitly if they disagree with the president. Judge John Primomo abused the naturalization ceremony by instructing newly naturalized citizens to leave if they didn't like the policies of Donald Trump, and then asserted that dissent using symbols of the United States was wrong. Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, expressed opposing views about President Obama and was not asked to leave the country. Judge John Primomo should be removed from his post for wrongfully instructing new American citizens about their rights.

As our country transitions to the presidency of Donald J. Trump, preserving the social progress made by President Barack H. Obama and his predecessors as it relates to LGBTQI rights, women’s rights, civil liberties, religious freedom, and rights of persons with disabilities is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, statements and policy documents published by President-elect Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence threaten to undo this progress. Their platform includes banning an entire religious group from entering the United States, endorsing discrimination against LGBTQI persons, undermining and overturning Roe vs. Wade, and denying climate change. To this end, President-elect Trump recently appointed a leading anti-gay activist, Ken Blackwell, as head of his domestic transition team; a white nationalist, Steve Bannon, as Chief Policy Strategist; and a climate change denier, Myron Ebell, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency transition. Appointing officials with an established history of disregarding scientific evidence and discriminating against marginalized communities is a troubling trend that would normalize a culture of bigotry, tarnish the integrity of public service, and undermine our constitutional freedoms. Presidential appointees influence and shape the direction of any administration’s platform, and once implemented, these policies have a lasting impact on the social fabric of our nation. As the gatekeepers of our democracy, senators play a critical role in maintaining rule of law, so we are calling on them to exercise their political responsibilities consistent with these duties. Their pledge will ensure that all appointees under President Trump will serve with honor and continue to embody the values that uphold freedom and justice for all Americans. To join the movement against discrimination and fear, please sign the petition below and then ask your senators directly to commit to this pledge via a mailed letter, an e-mail, and/or a social media post. #ProtectPublicService

I'm a democracy advocate who has been following this issue of our vulnerable voting systems for nearly a decade. Thanks to the work of computer scientists at Princeton and MIT - we've known for years our voting systems are unacceptably vulnerable to hacking, malfunction and error. In the 2016 presidential race, an unprecedented Russian attack on voting systems and the DNC as well as serious irregularities in key swing state vote counts necessitate action. Congressional calls for an investigation are helpful, but such a process could take a year or more, and will do nothing to assure our votes counted for this election.

Like many, I was devastated when Trump was elected and especially feared the implications for climate change. This article, "The Lawsuit That Can Save the Planet" by John Little gave me hope. Please read it and then join me in asking President Obama to settle this case before he leaves office. THIS CAN WORK IF WE DO IT NOW. Thank you. http://billmoyers.com/story/lawsuit-save-planet/ https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/us/federal-lawsuit/

Justified fear is on the rise in this and other communities across our nation in the wake of Trump's nomination. We cannot allow the wholesale deportation of peoples in this country and in our city. Let us not give an inch to the rise of a value system that is the antithesis of democracy.

I AM TERRIFIED OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE U.S. I HAVE 6 GRANDSONS. Trump's proposed "law and order" is directed at black and brown young men. ( My greatgrandsons are "at risk." ) His proposed "war against women" is an obstacle to family planning for my granddaughters of child bearing ages. I am an 83 year old twice retired African American woman. I have 7 great-grandchildren, ages 2 to 13 years. I taught my 3 children and grandchildren to be productive citizens, respect other people and pay their "fair share." Trump's refusal to adhere to U.S. "norms" and "good faith" policies suggest that he believes that the "rules" don't apply to him. His claim of being "audited." prevents him from following the procedure of releasing his taxes has been proven to be untrue. Rumors have it that he has "billions" in loans from Russia, China and other foreign banks.. Is this a fact? We don't know.. If it is true, Americans have a right to know before he becomes our President. There is too much at stake, to play a guessing game. Donald j. Trump must release his Federal Taxes!

Justice Scalia died on 2/13/16. On 3/16/16, President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to fill the vacant seat. Garland is the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals, and is highly qualified and respected on all sides. But the Republicans have refused to give Judge Garland a hearing, or a vote. If Republican Senators continue to stonewall, they need to pay for this in the court of public opinion. Americans need to understand why the Democratic caucus is likely to be unreceptive to Trump’s nominees. The balance of the Supreme Court affects us all: the fairness of elections as in money in the Citizens United case, or race in the Voting Rights Act; marriage equality; environmental protections, energy policy, and responses to a warming globe. If you would like to know more, please search for Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley’s interview on the Chris Hayes’ Show on 11/10/16.

I read Mr. Trump's reaction to a NY audience booing Pence and enduring a respectful message from the cast of "Hamilton". This trend in Trump's comment and tweeting is morphing from blatant attacks to a more seemingly polite, "let's be civil and respective" facade. We are in danger of allowing millions of people to misperceive this as a calming, soothing, pseudo-uniting stance from the leader of the country rather than the controlling, suppressing manipulation it is. Expressing dissatisfaction is not harassment. As President Obama said: "Get used to Protests!"

Current Election Results and Mr. Obama leaving office.

Governing is about representing all of the people rather than fear mongering and pitting the people against each other. For his entire political career Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III has put forward an agenda that is hateful to people of color, is hateful to LGBTQ people and their friends and families, is hateful to religious people, hateful to women, and hateful to the sick and infirm. He has an absolute blind spot to science except when he can cherry pick so called facts to support his bigoted, misogynist, xenophobic agenda.

I expect, and we have already seen it begin, a steady stream of nominees and proposals for legislation well outside the mainstream from the pending Trump Administration. Many of these must be passed or confirmed in the U.S. Senate. The two-party model does not serve well for handling such controversy. Some senators fear reprisals by small populations of activists in their home state. The center will provide a strong support group for thoughtful reflection and action, and will be able to link with the party that makes the more reasoned case rather than responding to party leader pressure. This is not a normal time. Care and thoughtfulness within the Senate should be encouraged. The Center Caucus, or the Center Party, will have the clout to ensure the middle path is favored.