Each October, GAAMC hosts a program to help members and guests make more informed decisions when they head to the polls in November.  This Election Day, the stakes are seen as supremely important for Democrats, Republicans, Greens and independent, non-affiliated voters.  

Voters have had opportunities to meet the candidates in virtually every municipality in their districts, with significant overflow into adjoining communities.  We have received forests worth of direct mail.  Our lawns, highways, and byways are covered in campaign lawn signs.  Ads by candidates and PACs have been streaming into our view from every media outlet, and social media platform.  Debates between candidates for NJ's 11th Congressional District (Mikie Sherrill and Jay Webber) have already taken place.  Debates between candidates for NJ 7th Congressional District (Tom Malinowski and Leonard Lance) as well as debates between NJ's Senatorial candidates (Bob Menendez and Bob Hugin) take place this week.  Links to the times and lists of channels are on our website.  If you want to become the smartest voter you can be, RSVP and add the "event" to your calendar.  

For the past twenty years, if not longer, we have witnessed a growing political polarization in this country.  Some would say it began 40 years ago with the rise of "The Moral Majority."  As each of the parties in our duopoly attempts to morph into something new, while still holding onto the brand images that give them power, the electorate is becoming more extreme; extremely angry, that is.  Social media, texting, and instant access to opinions and opinionated news coverage have helped us drift to the corners of our political and ideological boxing rings.  

Actor Joe McGovern, who considers himself a "bleeding heart liberal," took note of this.  He decided to go on a nationwide expedition in search of the true contents of conservatives' hearts and minds, in his effort to better understand how we can help the country heal and unite...if we can.  After interviewing political, fiscal and social conservatives throughout the USA, he sorted the clips into 7 major issues, then spliced them together.  

Do all liberals want to bankrupt the nation with lazy give-away programs?
Are all conservatives homophobes?
What is the real problem with immigrants, anyway?  
Which side is the bigger warmonger?
Which group is actually more fiscally responsible?  

McGovern's documentary, "The Other Side," goes in search of answers to some of these questions.  Join us, sit back, open your ears, your eyes, your mind, and your heart, to get a better understanding of what makes the other side tick...and find out if they really are "the other side."  

The film will start at 7:00 PM.  President Gordon Sauer will lead a discussion following the film where we examine these topics and what they mean to our members, and to our broader community.