"Working together is how our beautiful Jacksonville mosiac will become the city we are destined to be." Donna Deegan, newly inaugurated Jax Mayor ______________________________________________________________________________
A New Day for Jax! It's Mayor Deegan now!
It was a euphoric weekend in Jacksonville as Donna Deegan was inaugurated as the city's first woman mayor! Supporters and foes alike gathered at the ceremony and related festivities last weekend. Listen to her plans for making Jacksonville the best city it can be here and check out our photos on BAM social media sites! The
diverse and energetic crowd reflected the Deegan campaign's commitment to investing in the future of the entire City. Deegan, a Democrat and Atlantic Beach resident, garnered 52% of the vote in a run-off election by focusing on a positive message of unity and opportunity. Her campaign offers an essential playbook for fighting the GOP's divisive policies and priorities in 2024. Congratulations, Mayor Deegan!
Another number: Biden is 80
In a recent alert, we looked at the numbers and the positive impact the Biden economy is having on the lives of everyday Americans. Despite this impressive track record, those numbers are repeatedly eclipsed by another number: the President's age. It's a favorite GOP foil and a cause for concern even among supporters. So let's deal with it. Biden is 80. Time magazine recently chronicled the important contributions of octogenarians at fragile moments in history --- Benjamin Franklin, Konrad Adenauer, Charles De Gaulle, and Averell Harriman among them. The article notes, "Similarly, the 80-year-old Biden has brought economic resurgence and renewed positive purpose to American character." And he deserves credit and our support for it. History is one thing, the future is another. And that is the strongest argument for another Biden term. The President's priorities and perspective are laser-focused on the future and supporting the success of all Americans. He agilely worked across the aisle and passed the largest infrastructure, climate, science, and technology investments in a generation. He used his executive power to promote economic, social, and reproductive justice. He recognizes the importance of diversity, educational opportunities, access to health care, and voting rights for representative government. In contrast, his GOP opponents --- regardless of age --- have their eyes firmly locked on the rearview mirror. Their agenda turns back the clock to create an America benefitting the few, restricting the rights of the many, and fomenting the politics of divisiveness. A skeptical pundit said it the best: "Biden hasn’t gotten any younger, but he has a purchase on the present and an argument about the future that he didn’t have in 2020, and one which no other Democrat (or Republican) has now. . . Age matters, but so, as Biden keeps showing, does much else." In short, we can not allow ageism to derail our progress in fighting conservative threats to our democracy. The best way to do this is to shine a light on the President's record and the impact of his policies. We will continue to provide talking points like these that you can use to highlight the President's success. If you've found some that resonate, please share and we'll feature them in future alerts. The bottom line: like Indiana Jones, Biden is an action hero who promises a successful sequel --- even at 80!
Save the Date! Beaches Back-to-School Book Bash August 19
BAM, along with a host of community partners, is hosting a Beaches Back-to-School Book Bash on Saturday, August 19th from 11:30 am to 2 pm at Donner Park. The event will feature book giveaways and free school supplies, as well as food, speakers, and kids' activities. Mark your calendar! We need volunteers to help with planning, as well as coordinating and supervising the day of the event. It's a great opportunity to support reading and public education in our Beach community! Email BAM if you can help or want to donate.
240,000 Petitions and Growing!
We are inching toward the goal of 1+ million signatures on petitions to add a referendum to
the 2024 ballot proposing a state constitutional amendment protecting abortion access in Florida. More than 240,000 petitions have been collected in the first two and a half months of the campaign, according to organizers. We've collected more than 200 at our Beaches hub! A special shout-out to petition collectors at Fleet Landing for their efforts! You can help distribute petitions via email using this link. If you need copies for events and gatherings, you can pick them up and return them at our hub. Email us for the address. We'll get them to the campaign for forwarding to election officials. Floridians Protecting Freedom offers volunteer training and "how-to" resources if you need more information.
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