Matt Flamm, Palatine Township Democratic Committeeman, has issued a list of his recommendations for voters living in the Greater Palatine area. "These are my personal recommendations," said Flamm. Greater Palatine Area Democrats (GPAD) has not endorsed candidates, and we welcome supporters of all Democratic candidates.

Flamm put special emphasis on several local candidates. "Kim Foxx has new ideas about how to transform the criminal justice system. Jacob Meister understands what needs to be done to clean up the office of the Clerk or Circuit Court and to bring it into the 21st Century."

Flamm also endorsed Hillary Clinton for President. "Secretary Clinton has a broad range of experience. She joined President Obama's cabinet as Secretary of State, a position in which she has helped improve our safety and our reputation around the world. She has withstood a relentless propaganda campaign by the right wing. In doing so, she has proven that she is smart and tough enough to be President."

Flamm' recommendations can be found by clicking on this link. You can print out a list of endorsements and bring it with you when you vote.

Following is a thought-provoking excerpt from a long article in Rolling Stone:

By the eve of 2016, evidence of a profound social and cultural revolution begun decades ago became too strong to ignore. The rise of the Internet, changing patterns in immigration, racial and ethnic diversity, family organization and gender roles, as well as declining religious piety, have created an America unimaginable when Clinton and Gingrich squared off 20 years ago. 

According to data reported by the respected Democratic pollster Stanley B. Greenberg, a majority of U.S. households are now headed by unmarried people; non-religious seculars outnumber Protestants; and two-thirds of women are either the breadwinners or co-breadwinners of their households. Racial minorities now constitute nearly 40 percent of the nation's population. According to one Gallup Poll, 60 percent to 70 percent of Americans consider homosexual relations, out-of-wedlock births and divorce as "morally acceptable."

Even more striking, according to Greenberg, the electorate has changed as well. In 2012, the combined numbers of minorities, single women, millennials and seculars formed 51 percent of the nation's voters. In 2016, Greenberg's analysis shows, these same groups will form 63 percent of the electorate. As each of these groups supports Hillary Clinton for president by margins of two to one, Greenberg writes, "It is fair to say that the United States has reached an electoral tipping point."

Thanks to everyone who made our October 21st fundraiser a great success. Special thanks to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who spoke with many of those present and gave a short, inspirational speech. President Preckwinkle is the type of public servant who makes us proud to be Democrats.

Thanks to the many elected officials who attended including Cook County Recorder Karen Yarborough, State Senator Laura Murphy, State Representative Elaine Nekritz, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Mariyana Spyropoulus, Justice Bernetta Lampkin, Judge Rossana Fernandez. and Judge Fredrick Bates. Thanks also to the many candidates who attended, including Josina Morita and Tom Greenhaw, candidates for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board; Jacob Meister, candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County; Dr. Robert Marshall, candidate for Congress in the 6th Congressional District; and Maureen O'Donoghue Hannon and Pat Heneghan, candidates for Circuit Court Judge.

 We are especially grateful to our sponsors:

• Platinum Sponsor: Alan Prochaska
• Gold Sponsors: Painters District Council #14, State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, and State Sen. Laura Murphy.
• Silver Sponsors:  Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Cook County Recorder Karen Yarbrough, State Sen. Julie Morrison, Patrick J. Heneghan, David Gurion, Laddi Singh, Elizabeth Marcin, Lyn and Frank Huckin, and Friends of Flamm.

We awarded our annual Jim Hightower Community Organizing Award to Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) for its continuing actions to organize local progressives around health care reform, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, diversity, and economic and fiscal issues. Bil Davis, Renee Gladstone, Patrick Watson, and Harold Whyte accepted the award on behalf of NWSOFA.

If you were meaning to make a contribution but didn't get around to it before the fundraiser, there's still time. You can mail your check to GPAD, P.O. Box 2120, Palatine, IL 60078 or go to www.gpadems.org/fundraiser to contribute online.

This event will allow us to continue to maintain our year-round office, which is available for use by all Democrats and progressives, and to continue our efforts to identify and reach out to Democrats in the Palatine area.

Finally, thanks to Susan MacDonald, Beth Marcin, Renee Shapiro, Harold Whyte, and Patrick Watson, who helped make this event go smoothly. An organization is only as good as its volunteers, and we are grateful to have some of the best.