Chicanos, Prison, and Presidents
In today’s Daily Chela newsletter….
Spotlight: Election 2024
Story: Prison Reform
Podcast: Kamala Launches
Support: Chicano Media
Voting Third Party
More News and Links
Election 2024: Two Months To Go!
With both presidential nominees officially in place, the election is in full swing.
Vice President Kamala Harris raised $82 million during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, bringing her total fundraising for the presidential campaign to $540 million.
But the convention was not without controversy. Outside of the convention, pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held each day, peaking on Thursday night before Harris' speech with thousands of protesters taking to the streets.
Critics of the convention also included current Green Party candidate Jill Stein and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, both who condemned the Democratic National Convention and accused the Democrat Party of succumbing to special interests.
Kamala
With the convention over, the focus now shifts to how the Kamala Campaign can harness the recent surge in support to sway voters in crucial swing states.
Currently, all five battleground states are polling within the margin of error, and Democrats must win 4 of 5 states if they cannot win Pennsylvania.
Media observers are urging Harris to increase her visibility with press conferences and interviews. Although she has addressed reporters briefly and spoken off the record, she has not participated in any formal interviews or press conferences since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Trump
In other political news, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ended his independent presidential bid on Friday, endorsing GOP nominee Donald Trump. During the press conference, Kennedy cited a lack of a clear path to victory as his reason for the endorsement.
Trump also clarified his stance on abortion, saying he would be “great for women and their reproductive rights.” In addition, Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance stated that the former president would veto any federal abortion ban passed by Congress.
Polls
In the latest national polls, Harris has taken a four-point lead following Kennedy's exit from the race, according to Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin. While Trump has gained slightly from Kennedy's departure, Harris remains ahead, boosted by the DNC convention.
The first presidential debate between Harris and Trump is set for Tuesday, September 10, at 9 p.m. ET, hosted by ABC News. Moderators will be Linsey Davis and David Muir, with Davis leading "ABC News Live Prime" and Muir hosting "World News Tonight."
More Informative Things For You…
Story: Newsom Blocks Path to Solitary Confinement
On Monday, while California Governor Gavin Newsom was in Chicago for the opening of the Democratic National Convention, the Mandela Campaign, solitary confinement survivors, faith leaders, and community members held a press conference in front of the California State Capitol Lawn to call on Governor Newsom to take meaningful action on solitary confinement.
The practice of solitary confinement is still widely used in a variety of carceral institutions across California.
The bill, which aims to eliminate solitary confinement for certain groups, including individuals with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable populations, has garnered support from both Republican and Democratic Party members.
A report released in May 2023 by “Solitary Watch” and the “Unlock the Box” campaign is the latest and most thorough tally, revealing that 122,000 incarcerated individuals— including men, women, and children—were subjected to some form of isolated confinement each day in prisons and jails across the country in 2019.
Of the 122,000 individuals held in solitary confinement nationwide, 56.8 percent are in state prisons, 33.7 percent in local jails, 9.0 percent in federal prisons, and 0.5 percent in federal jails.
Weekly Podcast: Convention Analysis
In this most recent episode of Brandon Loran Maxwell Live, Brandon discusses the DNC Convention and the latest election polling numbers, which show waning support for Democrats among Black people and Latinos. In addition, Brandon will discuss Trump's ongoing campaign struggles, and Kamala's "price control" economic proposal.
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Democrat Party Files Complaint To Keep Third Parties From Ballot
Earlier this month the Democratic National Committee (DNC) filed a formal complaint seeking to disqualify Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein from appearing on the ballot in Wisconsin. The DNC argued that the Green Party does not meet the eligibility requirements to participate in the state’s presidential election.
The action marked the latest effort by the DNC to restrict the presence of third-party candidates in various states from competing against Kamala. In addition to targeting the Green Party, Democrats have also worked to prevent independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from appearing on the ballot in multiple states.
The presence of the Green Party on the Wisconsin ballot is considered potentially influential in a state known for its tight presidential races. In recent elections, Wisconsin has been decided by margins ranging from 5,700 to approximately 23,000 votes. Jill Stein is anticipated to secure the Green Party’s presidential nomination at the party’s national convention, which starts on Thursday.
How Should We Define Chicano?
The late Chicano journalist Ruben Salazar once said, “a Chicano is a Mexican-American with a non-Anglo image of himself.” Salazar wasn’t wrong. However, understanding the different subcultures within the larger umbrella of Chicano culture is equally important.
To be more specific, a Chicano is a Mexican American who identifies with either one of the social or political aspects of Chicano culture—or both.
Watch now: American Homeboy Movie
American Homeboy explores the complex origins of pachuco and cholo culture which sprouted from American soil more than 100 years ago in response to wartime sentiment, social alienation, and government discrimination only to become a pop culture phenomenon.
More Links From Daily Chela
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