Subject: Excerpts From DNC Press Call to Discuss Donald Trump’s Visit to the Los Angeles Area
From: DNC Press <[email-masked]>
To: DNC Press <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 24 May 2016 20:16:15 +0000

For Immediate Release
May 24, 2016
Contact: DNC Press – 202-863-8148<tel:202-863-8148>

Excerpts From DNC Press Call to Discuss Donald Trump’s Visit to the Los Angeles Area

Today, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County Henry Vandermeir hosted a press call to hold Donald Trump accountable ahead of his visit to the Los Angeles area. Simply put, Trump is divisive and lacks the temperament to be president, and so, we cannot afford to give him the keys to the White House.

Please find excerpts below from the call as prepared for delivery:

Mayor Eric Garcetti

Donald Trump will be making his way to the Los Angeles area tomorrow, and we simply can’t afford to give him a free pass. The fact of the matter is that on issue after issue, he is completely out of touch with Angelinos.

Let’s take the minimum wage, for instance. It just so happens that tomorrow marks the nine-year anniversary of the last time Americans got a minimum wage increase. On May 25, 2007, President Bush signed into law the Fair Minimum Wage Act which raised the federal minimum wage to $7.25 per hour.

I’ve been a proud champion of the $15 minimum wage because I know that hardworking Americans deserve some relief from back-breaking poverty, and that’s precisely why earlier this year, I signed into law<http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0614-minimum-wage-signing-20150614-story.html> a measure to raise the citywide minimum wage to $15 by 2020. But where does Donald Trump stand on this critical issue? Well, we already know that Republican politicians across the country are opposed to raising the minimum wage, but believe it or not, Trump is even worse. He's said on multiple occasions that wages are actually “too high” in the United States, and he doesn’t support the idea of a federal minimum wage at all. Is this the person we want running the economy?

Let’s also take the recent housing crisis. Angelinos were hit hard by it, and foreclosure signs littered far too many of our streets. Trump  - on the other hand - was cheerleading for a housing crash so that he could benefit financially. To quote Trump, regarding the housing bubble bursting, “I sort of hope that happens because then people like me would go in and buy.” Clearly, he’s only looking out for himself, and until Trump releases his tax returns, it’s impossible to tell how much he profited while millions of Americans were suffering through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Finally, let’s talk about the issue of immigration. Instead of focusing on fixing our country’s broken immigration system, Donald Trump has been doing the exact opposite: he has been trying to exploit unfounded fears for political gain. Among other things, he’s called Mexicans ‘rapists’ and ‘drug-dealers’; he wants to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants; he wants to repeal President Obama’s executive actions, DAPA and DACA; and he wants to erect a giant wall along our Southern border, all while banning Muslims from entering our country. That’s not leadership, and that’s not who we are as a people. We are and will always be a country of immigrants, and my story is a testament to that – I’m absolutely proud to be the grandson of Mexican immigrants. And for that reason, I’ve made sure to take action on immigration as Mayor, even though we don’t have a lot of formal power at the local level. Our “citizenship corners” program is a testament to that, as it helps immigrants attain citizenship.

And so, to wrap things up, I’d like to reiterate that Donald Trump does not represent the values and beliefs of Angelinos. Los Angeles is a beautiful and thriving city not because we’re afraid of diversity; but because we embrace it and we make sure that everyone is treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve.

Orange County Democratic Chair Henry Vandermeir

Orange County was once known as the "Most Conservative County in the Nation,” but the fact of the matter is, that it’s no longer the GOP stronghold it once was. The Republicans have been losing an average of 1.1% per year in registration over the last decade and now hold just a 8-point voter registration advantage over Democrats, down from 22 points in 1990.

…

In fact, since the beginning of the year when Donald Trump began winning primaries, Democratic registration has surged in Orange County - outpacing Republican registration 2 to 1. The three largest cities in the county (Anaheim, Santa Ana and Irvine) already have Democratic majorities and four of the top five voting blocs are in the Democratic column.

Although the Democratic Party of Orange County has worked hard over the past several years to make significant in-roads with our targeted registration programs, the truth is, Donald Trump has become our best marketing tool. He's insulted pretty much every constituency in this county and that’s helped drive Democratic registration to new highs.

And so, the difference between the two parties has never been clearer than in this election. Trump has helped to spotlight the difference in our policies and priorities. I think that’s what’s resonating with the people of Orange County, who understand just how dangerous and divisive Trump’s candidacy really is.

Unlike the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee, our Party celebrates and encourages diversity. We know that our nation was made great by valuing - not vilifying - immigrants and people of all faiths. Both of our presidential candidates have records of inclusiveness and campaign on issues that bring us together, so it’s no surprise that they’ve been a huge hit with voters.

Trump's impending nomination is a reminder that for years the Republican Party has elevated extreme voices, and I think the registration numbers clearly show that the people of Orange County are not interested in that type of rhetoric.

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