See Where Presidential Candidates Stand — Play Debate Bingo with AAUW!

Now that both political parties have held their conventions and have their nominees, it’s time for both candidates to show the American people where they stand on important issues. The presidential nominees will meet for a series of three debates, and their vice presidential running mates will participate in their own debate.

This year, we’re proud to announce a new debate bingo feature: interactive bingo cards! You now have the option of either downloading and printing out your bingo cards (great for a large group!) or playing online with our brand new interactive bingo cards! It’s as easy as click, click, BINGO!

Debates offer an opportunity for voters to see where candidates stand on issues. It’s a chance to see candidates speak off the cuff, without the prepared remarks and teleprompters, and defend their plans for our country. As in past election years, AAUW will be watching to find out candidates’ plans to address policies affecting women and girls like equal pay, campus sexual assault, college affordability, paid leave, STEM representation, and others.

But because you’re doing such important work holding the candidates accountable for their stances on women’s issues — and because it’s always more fun to play with friends — we hope you’ll tweet your progress and a picture of your winning card with hashtag #AAUWDebates. We’ll be watching and even awarding some prizes! Make sure to follow @AAUWActionFund as we live tweet every debate.

By the end of the debates, we’ll not only have some bingo winners but also a better sense of where both candidates stand on issues important to advancing equity for women and girls. Good luck to us all!

Key Immigration Resources Ahead of First Presidential Debate

Google Hangout on Monday, September 26 from 8-8:30 PM:

Join Frank Sharry and Juan Escalante ahead of the debate to discuss what is at stake for undocumented immigrants across the country, specifically the threat of DACA going away if Donald Trump is elected. The event will be live streamed via the AV site: http://americasvoice.org/debate/

State debate watch parties with America’s Voice staff and friends (click through link for details):

Asheboro, North Carolina – 825 W Dixie Dr.
Cleveland, Ohio  – Moncho’s Bar & Grill 2317 Denison Ave
Columbus, Ohio – Bottoms Up Coffee Co-Op 1069 W Broad St
Durham, North Carolina (joint phone bank and debate watch party)
Las Vegas, Nevada – 4120 N. Martin L. King Blvd.
Milwaukee, WI  – Candelas Banquet Hall 2537 W National Ave
Washington, DC – Stoney’s on L  2101 L St NW

Key Questions for Donald Trump on Immigration:

1) You have said you will immediately end President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, including the DACA program that currently protects 750,000 young people commonly referred to as DREAMers from deportation. Would they be subject to deportation under a President Trump? 

2) Polls consistently show that by a 3-1 margin Americans believe undocumented immigrants should be able to gain legal status by meeting certain criteria, rather than be deported. Why do you support the deportation of most of these people, especially given multiple reports that doing so would cause significant damage on the economy and impose significant costs on the federal government? 

 Key Questions for Hillary Clinton on Immigration:

1) President Obama promised early action on immigration reform during his first year in office and again after his re-election. You have done the same. He didn’t get legislation passed, how will your administration be different?

2) What will be your policy toward Central Americans fleeing widespread violence in the northern triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala?

Background Resources:

New Studies: Immigrants and Immigration Benefit America: A massive new immigration study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine finds that immigration creates strong economic growth for the nation as a whole. As the chair of the NAS Panel, Dr. Francine D. Blau noted, “The panel’s comprehensive examination revealed many important benefits of immigration — including on economic growth, innovation, and entrepreneurship — with little to no negative effects on the overall wages or employment of native-born workers in the long term.” Additionally, new immigration studies from the Center for American Progress and Pew Research both demonstrate the incredible costs that America would incur by following Trump’s mass deportation vision.

Immigration Polling: The American people are overwhelmingly – and increasingly – in favor of citizenship for undocumented immigrants – see this polling overview. Immigration may be a point of contention between Trump and Clinton, but Americans have already decided – overwhelming support for legalization and a path to citizenship. More than 72% of Americans back either citizenship or legalization for undocumented immigrants instead of deportation in recent polls from In New York Times/CBS, Quinnipiac, Washington Post/ABC News, CNN, and Gallup. In fact, as the Washington Post highlighted, Donald Trump’s overt nativism actually is “increasing sympathy for immigrants and depressing support for his harsh enforcement techniques.”

Immigrants and Crime: Trump engages in blatant falsehoods regarding immigrants and criminality – see this American Immigration Council overviewon how and why immigration is associated with less crime and safer communities.

Key Reminders and Takeaways

Donald Trump has pledged to immediately end President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for DREAMers – a real threat to a real program that is a real benefit for approximately 750,000 DACA recipients (read the new Medium post from DACA recipient and America’s Voice staffer Juan Escalante, who writes that, “My ability to remain in the United States hinges on the 2016 general election”). Recently, Donald Trump, Jr. said that his father likely would seek to deport prominent DREAMer Astrid Silva (who herself penned a recent op-ed making the case for why DACA should matter to 2016 voters and affect races up and down the ballot).

Stop the charade: Trump hasn’t “softened” on immigration: While the Trump campaign’s recent and continued word blizzard around immigration is designed to sow confusion and misinformation, the policy thrust remains consistent and disturbing – Trump certainly has not “softened” on immigration. America’s Voice Executive Director Frank Sharry called Trump’s approach “the most radical immigration policy of any nominee in modern American politics. The intended outcome of Trump’s policy is to drive all but a handful of undocumented immigrants out of the country. That’s 11 million people who live and work and are settled throughout America. If implemented, it would be one of the most shameful chapters in American history.”

The two parties have never had a sharper contrast on immigration. As the Trump-led nativist backlash on the right pulls the Republican Party in the wrong direction on immigration, Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party are leaning into pro-immigrant policies like never before: pledging to make reform with a path to citizenship a top legislative priority; maintaining the DACA program for DREAMers; and promising to “end family detention, close private detention facilities, and stop the raids and round ups,” as Clinton stated at the recent CHCI gala.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- API President and CEO Jack Gerard highlighted the importance of American energy ahead of the first presidential debate. Gerard's full remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Monday's press conference call are available on API's website.

"When it comes to Securing America, U.S. status as the world's leading oil and natural gas producer is a game-changer. With steady U.S. supply adding stability to world markets, the influence of less stable regions on fuel costs is diminished.

"Voters identify the economy and jobs as their top election concern, and the American energy revolution's role in economic growth should ensure that it's a focus in tonight's discussion. Last year American drivers saved, on average, over $550 on transportation fuel costs, along with significant savings on home heating and electricity costs. When lower product costs and other savings are factored in, Americans households have an extra $1337 per year in the bank due to shale energy production. Those are major savings that have a real impact for family budgets.

"Our nation's leadership on these critical issues happened largely through American ingenuity, American innovation, and free markets. If the president's 2008 campaign message was 'Yes, we can,' America's oil and natural gas industry in 2016 can say 'Yes, we did.'  Not only is the United States the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world, we are leading the world in reducing carbon emissions – which are at 20 year lows.

"Whatever the outcome tonight, the American people have already cast their ballot for energy. Seventy-seven percent of voters support increased production of U.S. oil and natural gas. Eighty-two percent support increased infrastructure development, which keeps affordable energy moving to homes and businesses, and could generate $1.14 trillion in capital investments and support as many as 1.15 million jobs."

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API's more than 650 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation's energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 30 million Americans.

 Growing Campaign Calls for Presidential Candidates to First Debate Democracy

Over 30 Democracy Reform Groups Urge Debate Moderator Lester Holt to Ask Clinton and Trump about Democracy Reform

Washington, D.C. — A growing campaign under the banner “First Debate Democracy” is calling on presidential debate moderator Lester Holt of NBC to require presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to talk about how they plan to make our democracy work for all Americans at the very first debate.

The campaign consists of a coalition of over 30 organizations committed to democracy issues and representing millions of Americans nationwide.

“While there are a number of critical policy differences between the candidates, there is one subject so fundamental to our future — so essential to our national identity — that its inclusion in this debate must be guaranteed.  The candidates must first debate democracy itself,” said Morris Pearl, Chair of the Patriotic Millionaires, in an open letter to Lester Holt that kicked off the First Debate Democracy campaign. “Power—more specifically, the distribution of power—in this country affects every aspect of American life from trade deals to criminal justice from water quality to access to medical treatment.”

Groups including money-in-politics and voting reform groups are circulating petitions that will be delivered directly to Lester Holt urging he ask the candidates about democracy issues such as money in politics, voting rights, and filling the Supreme Court vacancy.

Here are more organizations on why the presidential candidates must First Debate Democracy:

“Voters know the problem – our democracy is out of balance – and they are ready to embrace bold solutions. Candidates must tell voters how they will create a 21st Century democracy that works for all of us. Polls indicate voters don’t trust candidates’ plans on any issue unless they address democracy reform first. Americans want to know how can we work together, across party lines, to ensure democracy of, by, and for the people survives the Citizens United era.” – Karen Hobert Flynn, President of Common Cause

“It’s evident this election cycle that Americans are fed up with a democracy that isn’t working for them. At a time in which many Americans are losing faith in our government and public trust in politicians is at record lows, it’s critical that Lester Holt give voters a chance to hear from our presidential candidates about their take on our democracy and how they plan to restore people’s faith in the system. After all, if they want a chance at accomplishing their top priorities when in office, they’ll need to first fix our democracy and the gridlock that pervades Washington, D.C.” – Rahna Epting, Chief of Staff of Every Voice

“A working democracy is the key to progress on all other issues. Unless we have a fully-functioning Supreme Court, voting protections that allow everyone to cast a ballot, and a political system that’s not tilted towards wealthy special interests, it will be next to impossible to tackle challenges ranging from climate change to the stagnant minimum wage. It’s no wonder that polls show democracy issues are at the top of Americans’ minds in 2016. In the first debate, voters deserve to see how each of the candidates plan to address the problems undermining our democratic system.” – Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People For the American Way

“Americans overwhelmingly agree on a wide range of issues. They want policies to make the economy more fair and hold corporate executives accountable. They want stronger environmental and consumer protections. They want Social Security expanded and corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. But our government is not responding. That’s why it’s so important that the presidential candidates be challenged in the first debate to put forward their solutions to a broken democracy that enables corporate interests to block movement on the American agenda.” – Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen 

“A central question facing the nation today is whether America will live up to its promise of democracy and political equality for all. We urge Lester Holt of NBC News, as the moderator of this year’s first presidential debate, to ensure that the candidates debate first the health of our democracy and what they will do to preserve our common vision of self-government: of, by, and for the people.” – John Bonifaz, Co-Founder and President of Free Speech For People

“Common sense campaign finance reform is essential to preserving the principles of democracy that have made America great. The people, not the highest bidder should be the decision maker. That’s why we are joining the demand that the presidential candidates first debate democracy itself.  Candidates must demonstrate that their decisions are not based on money, but instead on what is best for the people they aspire to represent.” – John Pudner, Executive Director of Take Back Our Republic

“We’ll never break the death-grip that Big Oil, Big Banks, Big Pharma, and Weapons companies have on America if we don’t first debate Democracy,” – John Sellers, Founder of Other98, an anti-corporate netroots group

“Our republic is at a point of crisis. The donor class is drowning out the will of the people, and politicians are limiting the franchise so they can choose their voters instead of the other way around. This great nation deserves a great system of governance where everyone has an equal say and an equal chance.” – Heather McGhee, President of Demos 

“With one vacancy already on the Supreme Court and three justices who will be in their eighties in the next presidential term, the person who is elected President of the United States this year will have a nearly unprecedented opportunity to shape the Court for decades to come.  It is essential that we hear the candidates’ views on the role of the Court in our democracy, and the qualities they would look for in nominees to the Court.” – Nan Aron, President of Alliance for Justice   

“The deterioration of our democracy is arguably the most important issue we face as a nation, and Americans on the left and the right deserve to hear what the candidates have to say about fixing our broken political system. Conservatives, progressives, and everyone in between agree it’s time to pass laws that stop political corruption – now it’s up to our future leaders to lay out their plans for reform during the presidential debate.” – Josh Silver, Executive Director of Represent.Us

“When Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump first appear on stage together, the candidates should be forced to address the one thing that unites public opinion and that they both seem to agree on: we need to limit the control well-financed special interests’ have over politics and policy making. Every poll conducted on the role of money in politics in recent years demonstrates near-universal agreement about severity of the problem, and about the need for bold solutions.” – Nick Penniman, Executive Director of Issue One

“Americans aren’t just angry that we don’t know who is buying our politicians, we’re angry that our politicians are being bought, period. Before we talk about anything, we have to know what the candidates plan to do to preserve our democracy.  We hope Lester Holt will ask the candidates how they will end the corrupting influence of money in politics” – Olivia Zink, NH Rebellion

“The vast majority of Americans of both political parties understand that money in politics biases our democracy in favor of the wealthy and powerful. The candidates must first debate democracy because the effects of money in politics deeply distort the debate on every other issue.” – Max Stahl, Director of Political Engagement at Democracy Matters 

“With free speech and press freedom issues in the crossfire in‎ the political campaigns, on campus and online (in the first debate) the candidates should be talking about what they will do to uphold and protect the First Amendment. allowing the media  to do its job and making sure that the marketplace of ideas remains open to all.” – Suzanne Nossel, Executive Director of PEN American Center

Groups joining the First Debate Democracy campaign include the Agenda Project, American Promise, Alliance for Justice, Brave New Films, Coalition for Open Democracy, Common Cause, Demand Progress, Democracy Matters, Democracy Initiative, Demos, Every Voice, Free Speech For People, Funders Committee on Civic Participation, Issue One, MAYDAY.US, MoveOn.org, The New York Urban League, NH Rebellion, he Other 98%, Headcount, the creators of the documentary Pay2Play, Patriotic Millionaires, PEN American Center, People for the American Way, Public Citizen, Represent.US, ReThink Media, Rootstrikers, Scholars Strategy Network, Stamp Stampede, Take Back Our Republic, and U.S. PIRG.

Office: Common Cause National

Issues: Money in Politics

Tags: Fighting Big Money, Voting Rights

Common Cause is a nonpartisan grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.

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100,000 Petition Signers Urge Presidential Debate Moderators to Ask Climate Questions