Trail Mix

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, one of the deadliest in US history, killed 146 garment workers – 123 women and 23 men – who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or jumping to their deaths. Most of the victims were recent Jewish and Italian immigrant women aged 16 to 23. Even the corrupt Tammany Hall politicians understood that reforms were necessary, investigated the catastrophe and inspected other factories, leading to unprecedented regulations of worker conditions that eventually spread nationwide and inspired the New Deal itself.

FDR Labor Secretary Frances Perkins (the first woman Cabinet member in U.S. history): “The New Deal began on March 25, 1911, the day the Triangle Factory burned. We banded ourselves together, moved by a sense of stricken guilt to prevent this from ever happening again. “

“I am a working girl. One of those who are on strike against intolerable conditions. I am tired of listening to speakers who talk in general terms. I move that we go on a general strike. Now.” — Clara Lemlich (Cooper Union rally, 11/22/1909)

The next morning 20,000 garment workers joined the picket lines, the largest strike of women in the history of the United States. It was one of the early great strikes of the modern labor movement, and the resulting settlement with factory owners marked a step forward in labor power.

Seems like a fitting time to remember Emma Lazarus, the poet who authored our nation’s greatest promise:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Is this getting ridiculous or what?

Washington Post: “Hackers targeted voter registration systems in Illinois and Arizona, and the FBI alerted Arizona officials in June that Russian hackers were behind the assault on the election system in that state.”

By Dvitale300, a Trail Mix Contributor

I’ve seen lots of posts and comments about whether or not Clinton should debate Trump.  Now, the common wisdom is that if a candidate is really ahead – they should avoid / diminish the number of debates.  After all, if you are going to win – there’s no upside to debating – only a downside – let’s say you curse at your opponent, or compare yourself to Kennedy, or perhaps misspeak about what territory Russia is controlling!

Fearless leader says Clinton should not debate Trump.  I’m leaning in that direction.  I thoroughly believe that the media (whatever that means) is not interested in a debate, a discussion of contrasting ideas on how to solve such major issues like immigration reform, crime in cities, overpopulated prisons, foreign trade agreements, etc. . .  Instead, a media faced with the possibility of an electorate bored with a foregone conclusion, is focused on instigating a cage fight between two septuagenarians.  We won’t see questions about how the United States should handle Syrian refugees, but rather we will see questions about who is the biggest bigot.

In an interesting post, Steve McQuinn from Quora, gives his sage advice to Clinton as to how she should approach the Presidential debates:

“My advice to Hillary:

1. Do not ever engage Trump directly in verbal exchange, do not respond directly to his provocations. A debate is not a dialog. A shouting match of zingers and putdowns will only depress the turnout.

2. Keep nonverbal reactions to Trump very subtle and mild. Don’t roll your eyes, just raise your eyebrows. Don’t laugh out loud, just smile wryly. Respond to Trump’s style with a deconstruction of his demagoguery, directed at the audience in terms that show Trump is disrespecting the audience.

3. Respond to Trump’s misstatements with simple, informative corrections that not only set the record straight, they educate the audience without being condescending. Use down to earth metaphors, analogies, and stories about real people.

4. Always speak to the audience, not to the moderators, who are mostly interested in provoking spectacle. Everything uttered should be couched as values that serve people. Everything should be a positive assertion of faith in the best of human nature.

5. When in doubt about how to conduct yourself, ask yourself, “What would Elizabeth Warren do?”

So what say ye Trail Mixers?  Should Clinton debate or not – and what should the strategy be if she decides to?

More Posts by Dvitale300