WSSNews | Volume 39 No. 42

Don't Take the Bait:

Venezuela is a Distraction from Trump's Affordability Crisis

As families struggle with rent, groceries, and health care costs, Donald Trump is once again try- ing to drag the national conver- sation off course this time with the dramatic capture of Venezu- elan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro has ruled Venezuela as an authoritarian dictator, rigging elections, imprisoning political opponents, and driving millions of Venezuelans into poverty and exile through corruption and eco- nomic mismanagement. His re- moval is undoubtedly welcomed by those who suffered under his regime.

But Trump didn't work through Congress or international institu- tions he acted unilaterally. As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on ABC's "This

Week," "Maduro's a horrible, hor- rible person, but you don't treat lawlessness with other lawless- ness, and that's what's happened here."

Yet for most Americans, Ven- ezuela is not the issue keeping them up at night. Affordability is. That's the reality Democrats must stay anchored in. We cannot allow ourselves to be pulled into Trump's Venezuela trap. Venezu- ela is a deliberate distraction from the affordability crisis Trump dis- misses as a hoax, from his connec- tions to Jeffrey Epstein, and from a parade of scandals that have sent

By Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel his approval ratings plummeting. He needs Americans focused any- where but on the issues that actu- ally affect their daily lives.

Poll after poll shows working class Americans are anxious about the cost of living. A recent Politi- co poll found 65% of U.S. house- holds say the cost of living has gotten worse or much worse in the past year. They want to know why wages aren't keeping up, why housing feels out of reach, and why basic necessities cost so much more than they did just a few years ago. These are concrete problems that need concrete solu- tions, and Trump has failed to pro- vide any. The political advantage for Democrats is staying focused on the affordability crisis.

Trump understands this dynamic, which is exactly why he's trying to change the subject.He'd rather talk about foreign enemies than explain how his tax cuts for the wealthy and tariffs on everyday goods have raised costs for work- ing families. He'd rather stir fear and nationalism than defend poli- cies that have left many Ameri- cans worse off. He'd rather talk about Venezuelan drug cartels than rising healthcare costs.

Democrats should not help him by amplifying the distraction.

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A bill authored by Assembly- member Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom will extend the sunset (repeal) date of the Cali- fornia Commission on the State of Hate from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2031.

Assembly Bill (AB) 822 allows the California Commission on the State of Hate (CCSH) to continue its work, which includes analyz- ing the state of hate in California; developing recommendations for prevention and response; issu- ing an annual report; and creating policy recommendations.

"We introduced AB 822 to make sure the State of Hate Commis- sion can keep doing the work to protect our communities and stop the spread of hate. This fight isn't over, and we need to keep show- ing up," said Elhawary, who is a member of the California Legisla- tive Black Caucus (CLBC).

WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

Asm. Sade Elhawary

Wrote Bill Extending the Work of the Commission on the State of Hate

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The bill passed both houses with broad bipartisan support, receiv- ing a 65-3 approval in the Assem- bly on June 2, and a unanimous decision of 39-0 in the Senate on September 8.

Newsom signed the bill on Oct. 13 as part of a package aimed at combating the rise of hate crimes and rhetoric. AB 822 addresses various forms of discrimination and hate, including measures to protect LGBTQ+ communities and strengthen laws against spe- cific threats of violence.

The CCHS is a state-appoint- ed public body established to strengthen California's efforts to monitor, prevent, and respond to hate activity and support those targeted by hate. It operates un- der the umbrella of the California Civil Rights Department (CRD).

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