holliswein's blog

As we inch towards the midterm elections in November, we cannot let early Democratic primary victories lull us into complacency. We still have a long way to go and still need to encourage more people to vote.

Primaries generally bring out the base, those voters who are more engaged and who are extremely partisan. Since primaries are not a contest between two candidates of different parties, the results are a more direct proxy for partisanship preference.

By the time today ends, 96 more people will die from gun violence, while hundreds more will be injured. This is not a one-time occurrence. This happens every day in America.

More children have been killed by guns since the Sandy Hook school shooting than U.S. soldiers in combat following 9/11. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center shows that 57 percent of U.S. teenagers are worried that a shooting could take place at their own school - and one in four are "very worried" about the chance.

President Trump today announced a domestic gag rule preventing doctors from sharing information -- sometimes life-saving information -- with women if it involves abortion services. The Trump administration is using censorship as a road block to undercut Roe v Wade.

This week, we honored the victims of the Holocaust. According to a study from the Claims Conference, there are critical gaps both in awareness of basic facts as well as detailed knowledge of the Holocaust amongst young adults. Nearly half of millennials cannot name a single death camp.

Since the tragic shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month, our nation has been captivated by the spirit of those students and other young people from across the country. 

Like Nachson, who jumped in and took the first steps to split the Red Sea for the Jews to escape the approaching Egyptian forces, these young people have parted the political waters. They have also leapt into the unknown with nothing but their faith and courage guiding them as they forge ahead. 

Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.s death on April 4, 1968. King raised the consciousness of a nation embroiled in the ugliness of segregation and racial hatred. 

While he was only 39 when he was gunned down, he did see the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. These bills were seen as major accomplishments for the civil rights movement. Unfortunately, today we still grapple with the same issues those Acts were meant to address. 

Today, in an unprecedented move, the White House released a highly sensitive intelligence document for political gain. Donald Trump's aim is to discredit his critics. There is a dark shadow hanging over Trump and his associates with alleged ties to Russia and other unconstitutional actions, and a dark cloud over the country.

The Mueller and FBI investigations, the government shutdown, and the overall gridlock in Washington, D.C. does not give the public a great deal of confidence in Congress and our elected officials.

Monday marks the 45th Anniversary of Roe v Wade when the Supreme Court ruled that the constitutional right to privacy "is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy," thereby ensuring that women had a protected right to a safe and legal abortion.

Prior to that, women went to extreme, dangerous and desperate measures to end a pregnancy. Women were willing to risk their lives to have control over their bodies.

Last May, I was lucky enough to join JAC at their annual Washington D.C. meeting.  At that time, I was frustrated, dismayed and dejected following the 2016 election.  However, those days changed my life and renewed my passion.

We arrived in DC and after a briefing by JAC staff and policy experts we immediately headed to the Hill to begin our advocacy work. I met with dozens of Members of Congress whose commitment and dedication to public service, despite the political climate, reassured me hope was not lost.