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July 31, 2006
Monday Night Open Thread
Discuss.
Posted by at 8:47 PM | Comments (140)
Whew!
What a day! We launched 100actions.com and have had a great response. Plus, we're only just beginning to share the stories that have been rolling in about The Democratic Reunion. So far we've heard from:
But that's not all. We've got more great stories tomorrow. It's not to late to send us yours!
- stories and photos: democraticreunion@dnc.org
- photos: (on flickr) http://www.flickr.com/groups/democraticflickr
- video: (on YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/group/democrats
Posted by at 5:31 PM | Comments (2)
The Democratic Reunion - Montana: It's Tester Time!
Montana Democrat, Jon Tester, Candidate for U.S. Senate
Jon Tester speaks with supporters at The Democratic Reunion in Billings, MT
This weekend Montana Democrats rallied across the state for Democratic candidates, including favorite son, Jon Tester. With 177 volunteers knocking on 5368 doors in neighborhoods across Montana, The Reunion was a big success!
Jon talks with a Billings voter.
U.S. Senate candidate Jon Tester joined the event at a rally and canvass in Billings. After speaking with local volunteers he hit the streets to talk one-on-one with voters at their doors. The Tester campaign also used the event to promote their house party program, a new way for volunteers to get involved in the campaign. It kicks-off August 20, with a goal of hosting 50 parties in honor of Jon's 50th birthday!
You can also see what local news had to see about the Reunion events, here.
Posted by at 4:20 PM | Comments (1)
Because Staying the Course is Not a Strategy
Today, the Senate and House Democratic Leaders and ranking members from the key national security committees wrote to the President calling upon him to begin the phased redeployment of U.S. forces before the end of the year, to transform the U.S. mission, and to launch a real diplomatic and reconstruction effort to help stabilize Iraq.
While the world has been focused on the crisis in the Middle East, Iraq has exploded in violence. Some 6,000 Iraqis were killed in May and June, and sectarian and insurgent violence continues to claim American and Iraqi lives at an alarming rate. In the face of this onslaught, one can only conclude that the Baghdad security plan you announced five weeks ago is in great jeopardy.
Despite the latest evidence that your Administration lacks a coherent strategy to stabilize Iraq and achieve victory, there has been virtually no diplomatic effort to resolve sectarian differences, no regional effort to establish a broader security framework, and no attempt to revive a struggling reconstruction effort. Instead, we learned of your plans to redeploy an additional 5,000 U.S. troops into an urban war zone in Baghdad. Far from implementing a comprehensive "Strategy for Victory" as you promised months ago, your Administration's strategy appears to be one of trying to avoid defeat.
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We believe that a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq should begin before the end of 2006. U.S. forces in Iraq should transition to a more limited mission focused on counterterrorism, training and logistical support of Iraqi security forces, and force protection of U.S. personnel.
Additionally, every effort should be made to urge the Iraqis to take the steps necessary to achieve a broad-based and sustainable political settlement, including amending the constitution to achieve a fair sharing of power and resources. It is also essential to disarm the militias and ensure forces loyal to the national government. Finally, an international conference should be convened to persuade other governments to be more involved, and to secure the resources necessary to finance Iraq's reconstruction and rebuild its economy.
Read the full text of their letter to President Bush, here.
Posted by at 3:41 PM | Comments (1)
The Democratic Reunion: Tallahassee, Florida
I got this report in from Rick Minor, Chair of the Leon County Democratic Party.
Scores of Democratic volunteers braved the sweltering heat to walk Tallahassee's neighborhoods and reach out to voters. In addition to the neighborhood canvassing, many other volunteers called Leon County voters from the DEC headquarters. Local candidates and their campaign volunteers also participated.
About 80 local Democrats arrived Saturday morning for breakfast and outreach training before heading out into the community or making calls from the county party office. To encourage volunteer recruitment, we held a friendly competition amongst our local Democratic candidate campaigns. The three campaigns that brought the most volunteers are recognized on the Leon DECs website. Many other candidate campaigns both statewide and local participated as well, and were very thankful for their help.
Rep. Curtis Richardson, who seeking his fourth term in the Florida House of Representatives, attended the event and marked the occasion with a $1,000 contribution from his campaign fund. Were extremely grateful for his donation, which will help the party elect other Democratic candidates this fall.
Despite the extreme heat and humidity, our canvassers were intent on pounding the pavement! We paired up and drove to our precincts around 10:15am. Most of us forged on for hours, knocking on hundreds of doors and on occasion dodging a few raindrops! The majority of canvassers returned to the county party office after 2pm, with the last die-hard volunteer checking in at 4:30pm.
The local press coverage of our effort has been phenomenal! A TV reporter and cameraman followed a pair of our canvassers as they spoke with voters, and the Leon Democratic Party's Voter Outreach Day became the lead story our local ABC News affliate. Thats two full minutes of airtime at both 6pm and 11pm! We also have a segment currently playing on Florida News Radio/NPR. With such great press exposure, voters from all across North Florida are hearing about the hard work were doing to GET OUT THE VOTE and TAKE FLORIDA BACK!
Make no mistake about it the Democratic Party is alive and well in Leon County, Florida and we are dedicated to WINNING IN 2006!
Posted by at 3:00 PM | Comments (2)
Kennedy Says Roberts and Alito Misled Us
The Washington Post featured an article over the weekend by U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA). In it, he claims former Supreme Court nominees and current Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito misled the Senate Judiciary Committee on their judicial philosphies.
Now that the votes are in from their first term, we can see plainly the agenda that Roberts and Alito sought to conceal from the committee. Our new justices consistently voted to erode civil liberties, decrease the rights of minorities and limit environmental protections. At the same time, they voted to expand the power of the president, reduce restrictions on abusive police tactics and approve federal intrusion into issues traditionally governed by state law.
As a geek who followed the committee hearings obsessively, I wholeheartedly agree. While most Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee decided that the proceedings were no more than a chance to suck up to the future justices, Democratic senators on the committee asked the tough questions. However, they were for the most part not answered by either nominee. John Roberts refused to answer most questions of substance on his rulings and professional experience, claiming he didn't want to be bound to follow his answers when deciding cases. Please note: this is not a good argument.
Sen. Kennedy argues in his piece that Roberts and Alito purposely evaded questions on their views, yet their votes on Supreme Court cases show them as the ultra-conservatives the Democratic committee members figured they were. Unfortunately, because the nominees would not answer questions, the American public effectively had the wool pulled over their eyes -- until now. A sampling:
During Roberts's hearing, I asked him about his statement that a key part of the Voting Rights Act constitutes one of "the most intrusive interferences imaginable by federal courts into state and local processes." In response, he suggested that his words were nothing more than an "effort to articulate the views of the administration . . . for which I worked 23 years ago."Today -- too late -- it is clear that Roberts's personal view is the same as it was 23 years ago. In League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry , the Supreme Court held that Texas's 2003 redistricting plan violated the Voting Rights Act by protecting a Republican legislator against a growing Latino population. Roberts reached a different view, concluding that the courts should not have been involved and that it "is a sordid business, this divvying us up by race."
Similarly, Alito had a pattern of ruling against individuals in Fourth Amendment cases -- including a case involving the strip-search of a 10-year-old girl. When questioned, he insisted that one of the judiciary's most important roles "is to stand up and defend the rights of people when they are violated." But Alito cast the deciding vote in Hudson v. Michigan , in which the court decided -- contrary to almost a century of precedent -- that evidence gathered during an unconstitutional search of a suspect's home could be used to convict him.
But all is not lost - today we launch 100actions.com, where an action a day will help Democrats win in state legislature races, take back the Senate (where having a majority would've allowed us to block right-wing extremists like Roberts and Alito), and compete in every race in every state across the country.
Posted by at 2:40 PM | Comments (10)
Waah! Texas Republicans Complain Some More...
From the Washington Post:
Texas Republicans asked a federal appeals court on Monday to let them replace former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on the November congressional ballot, but Democrats argued that Texas state law requires keeping DeLay as the GOP candidate.DeLay won a March primary before resigning from Congress in June amid a growing scandal. He is awaiting trial on money laundering and conspiracy charges connected to the financing of Texas legislative campaigns in 2002 with alleged illegal corporate money.
Barring catastrophic illness or other extreme circumstance, there is no legal way to replace Delay, Democratic Party attorney Chadd Dunn told a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals."It's a high bar, the Republican party has to get over," Dunn said.
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U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks said that if he adopted the Republicans' argument, then either political party could change candidates after a primary election merely by declaring a candidate ineligible based on a move.
"This would be a serious abuse of the election system and a fraud on the voters, which the court will not condone," wrote Sparks, a Democrat appointed by Republican former President George Bush.
I love how Republicans can't stop whining about how they have do a crazy little thing like follow the law!
Tom DeLay thought he was so slick when he pulled this stunt. He thought he could get away with this the way he has gotten away with his other shady dealings. Well the repercussions of those actions are catching up with him, and he can't blatently disregard the rules anymore.
One word, buddy: Karma.
Posted by at 2:40 PM | Comments (2)
The Democratic Reunion: Wisconsin
Some Democrats kicked-off their Reunion events last week. Here is an update I received from a Wisconsin Democrat.
Another local Democratic organizer and I put together an event that brought out about 30 people, and included Democratic candidates and staff for almost every single local campaign, from County Sheriff to State Assembly to Attorney General to Secretary of State to U.S. Representative and U.S. Senate. We also had people from the group Fair Wisconsin.I conceived of organizing our Democratic Reunion event as a way to connect the local grassroots activists with the campaigns of this fall. It was a first step in the longer-term vision of building a local, activist, grassroots Democratic Party. It went off very well, and we built a lot of forward momentum. Some of the best ideas that came out of everyone meeting was a continuation of the event at 75, 50, and 25 days out from the election. And many of us found new avenues of activism with which to get engaged.
Our local DNC organizer, Bob (who has done a great job - especially in the western part of our state), showed up and we talked at length about his work, the 50-State Strategy, and how the fall is shaping up.
The event was great, and I'm thrilled that the DNC is looking to get more local organizing into their plans at becoming a vitalized, energetic and activist party of the people.
All in all, it was fantastic to connect with other local Democrats (many of us Democratic activists knew each other, but we got to expand our network of contacts and friends) and I look forward to seeing more of it in the future. Keep up the great work! Chairman Dean and the DNC staff are making me proud to be a Democrat.
Posted by at 12:35 PM | Comments (1)
Introducing 100actions.com
This weekend we kicked-off the 100 days before Election Day 2006. Today we launch 100actions.com.
100actions.com has one goal: to help elect Democrats in November.
Each day, a new action will appear that will help make that happen. Some actions may be as simple as writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Others may be things like volunteering for a campaign, organizing people for an event, or mailing postcards with the Democratic agenda printed on them. Whatever the action, meaningful activism through Election Day helps Democrats in every race in the country -- from school board to U.S. Senate.
100actions.com will also provide you with the tools you can use to host and manage your own events, make effective phone calls to your voters, or help spread the word about the Democratic agenda. It also provides a place for you to connect with the volunteer coordinator for your state, who will be able to help you volunteer where your help is needed most.
Check it out, let us know what you think, and take action today!
Posted by at 11:45 AM | Comments (3)
"Political Cover for Cowards"
Friday night I left the DNC at a pretty normal hour. I enjoyed dinner with some of my co-workers and I headed home. Around 10 p.m. I got home, did the obligatory e-mail check and flipped on the news. Before leaving work I had been keeping an eye out for news on the GOP attempts to hijack the minimum wage issue and poison it before leaving for their August recess.
Sure enough, that is exactly what was happening. As I watched the Congress debate a pension bill, knowing the minimum vote was approaching I was increasingly disgusted with the actions of the Republican leaders of Congress. Here it was almost midnight on a Friday night, and Republicans in Congress were bringing a minimum wage bill to the floor.
This was not the same bill that Democrats had tried to bring up for a vote 7 times. This was a bill that GOP leaders hoped to pass in order to claim victory on the minimum wage, knowing it had little chance of being signed into law.
At the same time they were proposing raising the minimum wage of millions of hard-working Americans, they were trying to give billions away to the richest 7500 families in America with a revision of the estate tax. Although I have become accustomed to the under-handed, two-faced tactics of the Republican Party, this was a move I had to see for myself.
So, just before 11 p.m., I walked from my house to the United States Capital and went to watch the debate in person. I wanted to see for my own eyes how they could justify these grossly manipulative actions.
As I took my seat in the Gallery, the Congress was wrapping up debate on a pension bill. I had never been to see Congress in person, so while they voted on the measure I took in the scene. The chamber I watched daily on C-Span seemed much smaller in person. Yet the activity was more vivid, the speeches more passionate, the seemingly dull parliamentary procedures more urgent. I saw several familiar faces in conference out of view of the cameras, a flurry of young pages running to and fro with messages and paperwork, the grimaces or smiles as the Members watched their colleagues debate and reacted to their words.
As I watched the minimum wage bill come to the floor and the debate began I was struck with a tremendous amount of respect for our Democratic Caucus. They were passionate about their support for working families and their words and movements reflected how deeply they cared about the issue.
"This proposal that links the estate tax and the minimum wage and a bill you know that is not going to pass the senate is the most ethically dishonest, morally bankrupt ploy I have ever seen in a legislative body. For you, Mr. Speaker, and your party, to perpetrate this conscious deliberate deception, not only on the American people but the poorest and hardest working among them is something I would have thought previously you would have been ashamed to do but apparently shame has become entirely irrelevant for you and your party."
Across the aisle, the Republican Caucus lounged in their seats, smug grins plastered on their faces as they goaded the Democrats time and again, a fact they weren't trying to hide:
“You have seen us outfox you on this issue tonight," one Republican remarked.
Democrats countered that they were being held hostage by the vote, knowing that this bill had little hope of being passed by the Senate because it paired a minimum wage raise with a tax cut for the richest of the rich, and would cost billions in revenue.
I have no doubt that Republicans, who are terrified of losing control of Congress, will quickly begin to campaign on this vote. They hope their midnight charade will fool American voters into thinking that they actually care for the working poor. Yet they know that this bill has little hope of passing the Senate and being signed into law.
Democrats tried over and over to raise the minimum wage during this Congress. Seven times they have been blocked by Republican leadership who refused to allow a clean vote on the issue. Republican leaders would not even consider this topic until they found a way to poison the bill - linking it to billions of dollars in giveaways for a few thousand families.
"We are robbing America's families who are struggling for a better future for their children in order to give a tax cut of $800 billion. Not only is this a burden for these low-income families, they are saying to them: 'Your children and future generations, and everyone alive and paying taxes today will be paying for $800 billion added to our national debt. Values – foisting that on to our children and the American taxpayers. Values – putting in a sham bill to give political cover for the cowards who won't stand up and bring a clean bill to this floor to see where the choice would be...We are here to get the job done for the American people. We are not here to transfer wealth to the wealthiest people in America. And who pays the price? The middle class. If we are going to survive as a healthy democracy that is a model to the world it is about time we understood that central to that democracy is a thriving, expanding middle class whose job we are here to do. Let's have tax cuts for them, not the wealthiest people in the country and send the tax bill to the middle class."
On Friday night, I witnessed the best and the worst our Congress has to offer. I saw House Democrats being boxed into a corner by their GOP counterparts but standing firm and fighting back, fighting for the hard-working Americans who deserve a real raise, not a political ploy. In contrast, the GOP stood up for the most obscenely rich families in the country and pulled a political stunt disguised as legislation that has no hope of actually helping working families.
“In all my years here, this is the height of hypocrisy,” said Representative Sander M. Levin, Democrat of Michigan, who said Republicans considered a raise in the minimum wage only out of fear of losing House seats in November. “If you really cared, you would have acted long ago. This is not an election-year conversion; it is an election-year trick.”
The American people will see this election-year trick for what it is. And come November, a Democratic Congress will enact a real increase in the minimum wage, one that will pass the Senate and reward hard-working Americans the raise that they deserve.
Posted by at 9:45 AM | Comments (5)
Manic Monday Open Thread
Stories are rolling in from The Democratic Reunion!
Remember we wants yours!
Keep the stories, pictures and video coming. Send:
- stories and photos: democraticreunion@dnc.org
- photos: (on flickr) http://www.flickr.com/groups/democraticflickr
- video: (on YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/group/democrats
Posted by at 9:17 AM | Comments (163)
July 29, 2006
The Democratic Reunion: Governor Dean in Pennsylvania
This morning I met up with Governor Dean and around 80 volunteers at Bob's Inn in Murrysville, Pennsylvania for a Democratic Reunion event. Fred Terling, a DNC-funded organizer for Pennsylvania, helped organize the canvass with Jason Altmire, the Democrat running against Melissa Hart in PA-04, and a host of other Democratic officials and volunteers (including Danny Bertani, the Westmoreland County Democratic Chairman, State Rep. John Pallone, County Commissioner Tom Balia, and County Clerk Dave Patterson).
I got to Bob's Inn and found a packed restaurant of people eager to hear from both Jason Altmire and Governor Dean. Fred gave a quick run-down of the canvass itself, and given that the turnout was triple what was expected, had to think-fast on a shortage of walk lists -- certainly a nice problem to have. After a 10-minute warm-up speech and shaking quite a few hands, our small group headed out to a quiet neighborhood in Murrysville to start walking, while others scattered elsewhere across town, walk lists and door hangers in hand.
I'm won't even try pretend that Governor Dean's presence in a neighborhood on a Saturday morning is subtle. He's always well-recognized and people are always eager to talk. But as soon as everyone hit the ground, it was all business. The Governor was quick to get to the first voter, stunning the man who had stepped out to see what the gathering canvassers were up to. After a brief conversation, it was on to the next house. As Governor Dean worked his way down one side of the street (the even side), Altmire volunteers headed down the other. By the end, everyone was so thrilled with the way things had gone that the Governor walked back up the street, talking with residents who had missed on his first pass.
I have photos posted below (and on DemocraticFlickr), and Tracy has done an absolutely phenomenal job at posting the first few reports we've gotten in so far today, so be sure to check those out as well (see: Ohio, Washington, and New Jersey).
Posted by Josh McConaha at 9:36 PM | Comments (9)
Amazing!
Amazing. That's the only word I can think of to describe the tremendous amount of work that went into making today a success by Democrats in all 50 states.
Thank you.
A fellow staffer just sent this my way and I think it sums up the day perfectly:
I am sitting at a Willie Nelson concert in Raleigh, NC. This guy in front of me strikes up a conversation. He asks me where I am from and where I work. I proudly say, "I work at the Democtratic National Committee."He says, "You had a big day today with all of the reunions. We went to two of them. You guys are doing a great job. We need you in this country."
So if you think that what we are doing doesn't matter...Think again.
Keep the stories, pictures and video coming.
- stories and photos: democraticreunion@dnc.org
- photos: (on flickr) http://www.flickr.com/groups/democraticflickr
- video: (on YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/group/democrats
100 Days. 100 Actions. And every single one counts.
Consider this an open thread...
Posted by at 9:22 PM | Comments (429)
The Democratic Reunion: Columbus, Ohio
40 different events were held across Ohio today. In Toledo we heard they were expecting over 500 hundred people to turn out for a single event. Then yesterday I spoke with the Field Director for Sherrod Brown's campaign and he commented about all the excitement and how much work Ohio Dems were putting into making The Democratic Reunion a success.
The following are the first set of pictures to make it in.
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Posted by at 8:32 PM
The Democratic Reunion: Washington
In Washington, Democrats could choose from a number of events for The Democratic Reunion. Spokane Democrats decided to focus on reaching out to rural voters.
DNC-funded field organizer Autumn sent in the following information and these photos!
Who: Volunteers ages 4 to 90 from across northeastern Washington gathered today in Spokane..
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The goal: As part of the nation-wide Democratic Reunion we each committed to contacting 100 voters by the end of the day!
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How: Local candidates, including our next Congressman in Eastern Washington, Peter Goldmark, came to inspire us for this fun-filled day of voter contact. Together we all made the commitment to contact 100 people each. Working side-by-side many of our local candidates kept us motivated to stay on the phones or out on the streets and reach our goal of 100 voters!
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The local and national party teamed up to provide doorhangers for canvassing, call lists for phone banking and postcards for letter writing - all terrific activities to reach out to voters. Together, we'll make America better one door, call and postcard at a time!
Remember, send your photos, video and stories too!
- e-mail: democraticreunion@dnc.org
- photos: (on flickr) http://www.flickr.com/groups/democraticflickr
- video: (on YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/group/democrats
Posted by at 6:56 PM
The Democratic Reunion: New Jersey
This Democratic Reunion story was submitted by Colleen, one of your DNC-funded field organizers.
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Our Democratic Reunion in Scotch Plains, NJ has been such a success! People began arriving at the Stender Headquarters around 10:15am. By 10:45 the office reached maximum capacity and people were spilling out onto the front lawn.
At 11:15 things got underway. We held a rally in front of headquarters. Linda joined DNC Finance Chair Phil Murphy and Governor Corzine on the front porch to speak to the crowd before hitting the street to canvass with volunteers, stuff envelopes, and work the phones on behalf of Democrats running for office in New Jersey.
The group varied in age from 18 to 81, but they all rallied together, united behind the idea of going out to spread the Democratic Vision for America. Even though it was close to 100 degrees in the sun today, our volunteers were energized and ready to go!
It was encouraging to see the dedication and pride of so many Democrats in New Jersey. They were willing to put up with the heat and humidity to see three leaders speak and then go on to reach out to their fellow neighbors. We all know how important Linda’s race is this November. Today’s event was the perfect way to celebrate the team we have built and to raise the profile of her canvassing efforts!
Because so many volunteers showed up, we were able to canvass every single Democratic and unaffiliated District in Scotch Plains, Fanwood, and North Edison. In a single day we will be able to reach thousands of voters. After seeing the energy and dedication of Democrats here in New Jersey, I know the next 100 days are going to be amazing as we run towards Election Day and Victory in 2006.
[Update]: Check out this diary on DailyKos to hear another 1st hand account of this event.
Corzine, Murphy and Linda energized the crowd (photos will be added later, once I get home and put it up online) by calling for change in Congress and for Mike Ferguson to be fired ASAP. Corzine got loud cheers when Linda saluted him for taking on the property tax crisis, which is a terrible burden on New Jersey taxpayers. Linda roused the crowd when she pointed to the gas station next door and said:"THAT is what's wrong with the direction of this country!"
I also met a number of my old friends, and made some new ones, too. They are people from all ages, all colors, all backgrounds; but they all have a common vision: to take this country back!
More pictures!
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Posted by at 2:03 PM | Comments (4)
Get the Party Started!
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So it appears Governor Dean's first event is turning out to be a great success. They have way more people there than they expected and they are all out going door-to-door to talk with their neighbors about the Democratic Vision for 2006 and beyond and what it means for PA.
Congressional Candidate Jason Altmire joined Governor Dean and went door-to-door to talk about his campaign to represent the 4th District.
I also hear that Governor Corzine will be joining Linda Stender in New Jersey and Darcy Burner in Washington is rumored to have a big event shaping up as well!
In April, for our last nation-wide event we had door-hangers to spread the message of the Democratic Party. This time around we have palm cards featuring the Democratic Vision ready to distribute.
State parties and organizers received boxes of cards this month. They were left blank on one side so they could tailor the message for their state and local candidates. They are also perfect for mailing as postcards if you just stick on a stamp! You can download your own here.
Posted by at 12:22 PM | Comments (1)
Listen Up: This Week on the Radio
Governor Bill Richardson delivers this week's Democratic Radio address.
You can listen here.
A preview:
Democrats know from experience that maximizing our national strength means knowing when to work with others, and when to act alone. It means knowing when and how to employ our great military.Above all, it means understanding that military power and diplomacy are not alternatives to one another, but rather are complementary sources of strength. What the Bush Administration has failed to understand is that while diplomacy without power is weak, power without diplomacy is blind.
Posted by at 12:13 PM | Comments (1)
The Democratic Reunion: Mississippi
Future Democrats join in The Democratic Reunion
Mississippi Democrats will gather around the state today as part of a national push for the November elections."We want to get out and reach voters in person," Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told the Daily Journal in a telephone interview. "I think one reason we've gotten ourselves in trouble in the past is we let Republicans define who we are. The Democratic message is about a new direction and new opportunity for the future. We are going to be talking about that all across the country."
Dean will not be in Mississippi this time around, but he said the state party is on the move.
"We've won four special legislative elections and we've got great candidates like Ken Hurt," Dean said, referring to the Democratic nominee for the 1st District U.S. House seat held by Rep. Roger Wicker. "The whole state party has been reinvigorated. The gatherings this weekend are part of that."
Mississippi Democrats have been holding events all week long. This weekend teven more Reunion activities are scheduled. Demiktric Biggs sent in some early photos and info:
In the above photo, the location is the infamous Neshoba County Fair held annually outside of Philadelphia, MS. Our Democratic nominee for U.S Senate, Erik R. Fleming spoke to a crowd filled with "Blue Dot Brigaders" about what he will do for Mississippi if elected in November. Hundreds of people from all over Mississippi came to here the speeches.
On the web:
Erik Fleming
Mississippi Democratic Party
Posted by at 12:00 PM | Comments (1)
Getting Things Rolling
It looks like things are off to a great start for The Democratic Reunion.
I just got word from one of the staffers traveling with Governor Dean in Western PA - they have had more than double the amount of people expected at their reunion.
Keep the stories coming in. Pictures and video too!
e-mail: democraticreunion@dnc.org
photos: (on flickr) http://www.flickr.com/groups/democraticflickr
video: (on YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/group/democrats
Posted by at 11:35 AM
The Democratic Reunion
Remember we want stories, photos and video!
e-mail: democraticreunion@dnc.org
photos: (on flickr) http://www.flickr.com/groups/democraticflickr
video: (on YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/group/democrats
This is an open thread...
Posted by at 9:18 AM | Comments (54)
July 28, 2006
Tune In: Governor Dean on TV
Governor Dean will be making the rounds early tomorrow morning before heading to The Democratic Reunion.
Tune in before heading out:
7:00 AM - ABC Good Morning America Weekend
8:05 AM - CNN Saturday
8:15 AM - MSNBC Live
Posted by at 4:03 PM | Comments (2)
This Weekend
Tomorrow's Democratic Reunion events are shaping up to be bigger and better than ever. I hear one event in Toledo, Ohio is expecting over 500 people!
That's amazing.
So what do you need to do before the big day? What are you wearing? What are you bringing? These are very serious questions that I thought we should address.
First up - what to wear? Always a tough question before any important event. I'm going for casual comfort - expecting that the summer heat won't let up anytime soon. This would be a good time to sport any Democratic gear you may have collected or to promote your favorite candidate. If you are going to be canvassing, I'd suggest sneakers.
Now - what to bring? That depends on your event. If you'll be at a potluck - bring something yummy. If you are going to canvass, eat a good breakfast and bring a smile. If you are going to a rally, bring a homemade sign.
Yesterday, Jason León sent an e-mail to Dems across the country to remind them that there are a few things that you should make sure to bring along, no matter what event you are attending:
- Bring your passion!
- Bring a camera
- Bring some friends!
Whatever you do, don't forget that last item - bring a friend along. Last year I read a poll of voters done after the 2004 elections. The thing that stuck with me was the #1 reason why a person became politically active was that they were asked to do something by a friend.
You have the power to swell our numbers simply by bringing someone along. Send one last email. Make one more phone call. Ask again. Getting someone involved now means dramatically increasing the chances that they will get involved this election season.
And, don't forget to document your events! We're looking for photos and feedback from all the Democratic Reunion events. You can get it to us a couple ways.
First, e-mail us stories and photos to democraticreunion@dnc.org.
In addition, you can upload your photos to Flickr and your videos to YouTube. We have groups set up on both sites.
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/democraticflickr
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/group/democrats
Although each reunion is a little bit different, one thing remains true across all 50 states - Democrats everywhere are committed to winning in November.
We are mobilized now. We are active now. We are going to make a difference today and every day until we change the direction of our country. Stay the course is not an answer. It is not a strategy. It is not a policy. It is not acceptable.
This weekend Democrats make a promise: to our Party, to our candidates, to our neighbors, to each other, but most importantly, to our country.
You have the power to take action, to set a new course of action for America, and to send America in a new direction. This weekend we celebrate that.
Find an event | Check out the Resouce Center
Posted by at 2:40 PM | Comments (2)
Playing Politics with the Minimum Wage
Late yesterday it appeared House Republicans were moving towards a vote on minimum wage, after blocking Democrats from bringing the issue to the floor time and again.
The willingness of the leadership to relent on a wage vote after months of reluctance illustrates Republican nervousness about the November elections...
Yet, even though they are trying to hedge their bets with this vote, Republicans are unlikely to bring the bill to the floor for a clean vote.
Republicans might try to tie the increase to an unacceptable piece of legislation on taxes or health care as a “poison pill” to drive off Democrats and make certain the increase could not clear the Senate or become law.“American workers deserve a fair vote on a minimum wage increase, not a vote on a bill that’s larded up with harmful provisions,” said Representative George Miller of California, the senior Democrat on the Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Some facts on the minimum wage from Rep. Miller's Committee:
- The minimum wage has not been raised since 1997.
- It is now at its lowest level in more than 50 years (adjusted for inflation).
- Nearly 15 million Americans will benefit from this minimum wage increase -- 6.6 million directly and 8.3 million indirectly. Three million children have parents who would benefit directly from the minimum wage increase.
- It now takes a full day’s pay for a minimum wage earner to fill the gas tank. The average annual premium for family health insurance now exceeds the entire annual income of a full-time minimum-wage worker.
- A minimum wage worker working full-time earns just $10,700 per year – $5,900 less than is needed to lift a family of three out of poverty.
House Democrats have been fighting for a higher minimum wage - they have campaigned to bring a clean bill to the floor and have been blocked by their GOP counterparts, who have refused to join 192 members of Congress to discharge their petition from committee.
Now Republicans in Congress see the American people sour on their extreme right-wing policies and do-nothing politics they appear poised to move on the minimum wage in order to provide themselves political cover.
A Republican bill on minimum wage that is compromised with special interest provisions, is not what the American people want, and it is certainly less than they deserve. As Democratic Leader Pelosi has said:
"The American people have spoken: it is immoral that nearly 7 million workers making minimum wage have not gotten a raise in nine years."Before Congress goes home for August recess, we must have a vote on the House floor to raise the minimum wage to $7.25. But that means a clean bill – a straight up or down vote on increasing the minimum wage, without the usual Republican poison pills of attaching tax cuts for the wealthy or other so-called sweeteners for the Republican special interests.
"Democrats stand ready to pass a minimum wage increase into law. We challenge our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us."
Posted by at 10:23 AM | Comments (20)
Democratic Reunion Eve Day Open Thread
That's today.
That means tomorrow is The Democratic Reunion. We have over 900 events scheduled across the country!
Woo-hoo!
This is an open thread...
Posted by at 9:15 AM | Comments (368)
July 27, 2006
Listen Up: Tampa Talks Dean
Governor Dean is wrapping up his Florida visit today. You can check out what the folks in Tampa are saying here.
Here's a preview:
"Every race counts." And it shows how much impact at a local level can have, all the way up to a national level.
Posted by at 4:25 PM | Comments (7)
Senator Reid Blogs on A New Direction for America
Over at HuffPo:
In my home state of Nevada, in Reno, families are paying $3.12 for the gas they need to drive to work - more than double the price they were paying in 2001. That means they have hundreds of dollars less each month to spend on food, medicine, and their other needs.In Boulder City, there's a man in a wheelchair I know from church, whose hope has been crushed because President Bush catered to the radical right and vetoed stem cell research last week.
In Las Vegas, there are two families – the Lukac's and Salazar's – who lost their sons in Iraq. Their lives will never be the same, and they're doing everything they can to ensure their sons’ sacrifices are honored.
In Pahrump, there's a senior named Robin who found her prescription drugs would cost 8 times more under the President's Medicare drug plan because it was written for drug companies, not for her.
These Nevadans – and the millions of Americans just like them – are who Democrats are standing with today. They've been ignored by the Do Nothing Republican Congress, which has put special interests and a special few first. They've suffered through weeks of debates over non-issues such as marriage, flag desecration, the estate tax, and medical malpractice. Meanwhile, their real problems have only grown worse.
We need a New Direction for America, and that is what Democrats offer. By changing course in Iraq, providing affordable health care, strengthening the middle-class, and embracing science and medical research, the Democratic agenda will unite America and turn away from the divisive politics of the last six years.
We won't pit Big Oil against working families when it's clear we're all better off pursuing a bold new future of energy independence.
We won't force workers to choose between getting by and saving for the future, because we'll protect Social Security, cut taxes for the middle-class, and build an economy where work pays.
And we won't go to war based on trumped up threats; we'll be tough and smart with a foreign policy that concentrates on our real threats, Iran, North Korea, and Osama bin Laden.
To bring our message to the American people, on the first weekend in August, House and Senate Democrats will kick off a coordinated nationwide effort. Already more than 200 town halls, press conferences, and speeches are scheduled.
And this weekend, the DNC will host 750 New Direction for America, Democratic Reunion events around the country. These events include party officials, candidates, sitting members of Congress, Governors. It’s a party wide effort to nationalize this race and bring it across the finish line.
Sign up to attend an event in your area by clicking here.
The challenges America faces are great. But we can meet them together by working in our common good, making America work for all, and charting a new direction for our great country.
More on A New Direction, here.
Posted by at 4:00 PM | Comments (22)
The Power of 10
With over 800 events in the works for The Democratic Reunion it's not easy to highlight just one. Here is a look at 10 different events, in 10 different states!
- In New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt has his campaign office Grand Opening in conjunction with The Democratic Reunion.
- In Texas, Congressional Candidate Mary Beth Harrell are "Troopin' and Scoopin'" with a combo Ice Cream Social and Canvass to Kick-Off the 100 Days of Action
- In IL Fighting Dem John Laesch supporters rally for Victory
- In Indiana you can check out the Harden Family Farm event, for an old-fashioned get together with fellow Dems.
- North Carolina favorite Heath Shuler hosts his own event in Asheville
- In Hamilton County, Ohio The Reunion is an all-day affair complete with live music and a Cornhole tournament.
- In Nebraska, join the NDP for a door-to-door effort.
- In West Virginia the Harrison Co. Democrats gather at the West Virginia Blackberry Festival
- In Arkansas you can attend aPotluck social with good people and good food.
- Jon Tester and Co. are in good shape - they've got events all across Montana dedicated to sending him to Washington
Find one in your state today!
Posted by at 1:17 PM | Comments (3)
Mid-Day Open Thread
Polls are all the rage today.
- Bowers on the 50-Most Competitive House Races
- Markos on the 50-Most Competeitive House Races
- The Next Hurrah has a different poll & more analysis.
- David is back! He's taking on Conrad Burns, who thinks it is a good idea to insult men and women who run into burning blazes for a living.
- Apparently Michael Brown, formerly of FEMA, is interviewed by Playboy this month. Of President Bush he says, "He doesn't have an incredible command of the English language." Guess he didn't like his nickname.
- Brilliant as always, Think Progress lays out why Bolton has been a complete and utter failure at the U.N.
Posted by at 1:13 PM | Comments (152)
Listen Up: Podcasting Ohio
The DNC podcast is up! This week we chat with Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern.
You can listen Chairman Redfern discuss the upcoming elections, 50-State Strategy in battleground Ohio and this Saturday's massive national organizing event, The Democratic Reunion here.
And remember, there is still time to find one of the 42 Democratic Reunion events being held in Ohio or any other state this weekend.
Posted by at 11:52 AM | Comments (2)
In Their Own Words...
Americablog tipped me off to this article, which looks at the Iraq war through the eyes of the soldiers on the ground.
This kind of reporting, from those closest to the violence, at the center of the conflict, is intense - much more so than listening to General X, Y or Z repeat talking points over and over.
"It sucks. Honestly, it just feels like we're driving around waiting to get blown up. That's the most honest answer I could give you," said Spec. Tim Ivey, 28, of San Antonio, a muscular former backup fullback for Baylor University. "You lose a couple friends and it gets hard.""No one wants to be here, you know, no one is truly enthused about what we do," said Sgt. Christopher Dugger, the squad leader.
It is for these men and women who are being put in danger every single day, that we ask again and again, "What is our plan to succeed in Iraq and at what point can our troops begin to return home?"
Senator Reid said last week that he wanted to see the Senate discussing the situation in Iraq before their August recess, to which the Republicans gleefully responded:
Republicans questioned why Reid wants to go over old ground and were ready to highlight the divisions among Democrats once again."Talk about your bad summer reruns," said Eric Ueland, Chief of Staff to Majority Leader Bill Frist, "if they want to do that we'll go to the mats," he said.
A bad summer rerun? That is how the Republicans in Congress see efforts to end the insanity of Iraq, how Republicans in Congress view attempts to find a plan for success and discussions on when our troops can come home.
They rejoice at the idea of a debate on our side because they remain committed to a raging endless conflict that gets worse everyday. Republicans in Congress refuse to hold the President, his Administration or themselves accountable for the policies that have made American less safe and hampered our ability to deal with other conflicts.
We need a plan for success. We need a plan that sets benchmarks and measures progress. We need to respect our fighting men and women with something more than recycled rhetoric and cherry-picked facts.
Posted by at 11:07 AM | Comments (8)
Failure Personified
The New York Times' Bob Herbert:
The Middle East is in flames. Iraq has become a charnel house, a crucible of horror with no end to the agony in sight. Lebanon is in danger of going down for the count. And the crazies in Iran, empowered by the actions of their enemies, are salivating like vultures. They can’t wait to feast on the remains of U.S. policies and tactics spawned by a sophomoric neoconservative fantasy — that democracy imposed at gunpoint in Iraq would spread peace and freedom, like the flowers of spring, throughout the Middle East....
“Obviously the violence in Baghdad is still terrible,” said Mr. Bush, “and therefore there needs to be more troops.”
One did not get the sense, listening to this assessment from the commander in chief, that things would soon be well in hand. There was, instead, a disturbing sense of déjà vu. A sense of the president at a complete loss, not really knowing what to do. I recalled the image of Mr. Bush sitting in a Sarasota, Fla., classroom after being informed of the Sept. 11 attacks. Instead of reacting instantly, commandingly, he just sat there for long wasted moments, with a bewildered look on his face, holding a second-grade story called “The Pet Goat.”
Posted by at 10:17 AM | Comments (7)
Thursday Open Thread
There are 2 days left until The Democratic Reunion!
Governor Dean will be in PA, where will you be?
Posted by at 9:25 AM | Comments (61)
July 26, 2006
Standing Out from the Crowd
USA Today features an article on the five female Governor's up for re-election and their unique abilities to bring people together.
Although their numbers are still small, female governors stand out as better than their male counterparts at drawing crossover voters, dealing with the opposition party and winning re-election.This emerging statistical picture suggests intriguing prospects that will be tested in November's elections, when a record five of the eight female governors in the USA are running for new terms.
Non-partisan analysts favor four of the five to win, even though all four are in states that were carried by the other party in the 2004 presidential race.
Among governors whose terms are up this year, women are twice as likely as men to be favored to win re-election.
And among all 50 governors, women are three times as likely as men to be running states dominated by the other party.
"You have to ask if there's a female M.O. (modus operandi) that acts to depolarize our politics, to dilute the ideological polarization between the parties that exists throughout the country," says political scientist Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.
Kathleen Dolan, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and author of Voting for Women in the United States, questions whether women govern in fundamentally different ways than men: "I do not see women coming from Venus and men from Mars."
Still, she says, the public does view female candidates differently. "Voters see women as more bipartisan, they see them as more able to work across the aisle, they see them as more honest," she says. "It's possible that in very polarized electorates a woman candidate might receive a benefit of a doubt from voters."
The stakes are high. Governors forge statewide political organizations that can be key in other races and sometimes develop innovative policies in such areas as health and education. State capitals are a training ground for presidents: Four of the past five presidents served as governors.
...
80% of the female governors eligible to run this year are favored to win new terms. In contrast, 11 of the 26 male governors eligible to run are favored to win by the Cook report; that's 42%. Congressional Quarterly rates nine, or 35%, as favored.
Among all governors, five of the eight women — or nearly two-thirds — are in states dominated by the other party, compared with nine of the 42 men, or one-fifth.
Jeanne Shaheen, director of Harvard's Institute of Politics and a former three-term governor of New Hampshire, says female leaders tend to be "more consensus-building, more interested in getting input from other people and less interested in taking credit." She adds: "Women don't often have the need to be macho, to put it very bluntly, and therefore we have less trouble reaching out to somebody who might have been an opponent."
On the Web:
Democrat from Arizona, Janet Napolitano
Democrat from Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius
Democrat from Michigan, Jennifer Granholm
Posted by at 6:08 PM | Comments (2)
50-State Strategy: Fired Up in Florida!
Governor Dean is in my home state today, and it would seem he is fired up!
From AP:
Down with divisiveness was the message Wednesday delivered by Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean as he told a group of Florida business leaders that Republican policies of deceit and finger-pointing are tearing American apart.Dean called President Bush "the most divisive president probably in our history."
"He's always talking about those people. It's always somebody else's fault. It's the gays' fault. It's the immigrants' fault. It's the liberals' fault. It's the Democrats' fault. It's Hollywood people," Dean said. "Americans are sick of that. Even if you win elections doing that, you drag down our country."
...
The Republican agenda "is flag-burning and same-sex marriage and God knows what else," Dean said. "We need real change in this country. We're in trouble."
...
Dean said Democrats need to start defining their own party to energize voters and to provide a real message of change.
"For too long, we have allowed the Republican Party to give the message about what the Democratic Party is about to the voters," he said to thunderous applause. "That is over with."
He said party supporters would contract two million people across the country on Saturday to ask them for their votes.
"We're going door-to-door. We're going to picnics," Dean said. "Television ads are not enough. You need to knock on doors. You need to knock on every door. You need to personally deliver the message."
The Democratic Party has foundered in recent years because not enough quality candidates have run for local offices that would later put them in positions to become national players, Dean said.
"The truth is one of the reasons we're in trouble in this party is we have not tended to our farm team," he said. "We need to get a good bench."
Dean also lashed out at President Bush's Iraq policy and at allowing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to address Congress on Wednesday, calling the foreign leader an "anti-Semite."
"We don't need to spend 200 and 300 and 500 billion dollars bringing democracy to Iraq to turn it over to people who believe that Israel doesn't have a right to defend itself and who refuse to condemn Hezbollah," he said.
A group of House Democrats called on GOP leaders to cancel al-Maliki's address to Congress for the same reasons.
...
Dean also attacked the president on national defense, health care, education and Social Security.
"He is bankrupting the middle-class," Dean said.
Posted by at 5:26 PM | Comments (13)
Around the Blogosphere Open Thread
This stuff caught my eye...
- Connie Schultz blogs over at HuffPo about Sherrod Brown's race in Ohio: "Long before a single vote has been counted, we've already won."
- Idaho Rocks. But we already knew that!
- Stoller's got the goods on what my favorite NY Times writer has to say about the President and his unwillingness to learn and adapt.
- Ouch! Harris staffers up and quit and go work for her opponent! That one's gotta hurt!
What are you reading today?
Posted by at 4:52 PM | Comments (215)
This Weekend: Will You Have Howard's Back?
When the DNC members elected Gov. Howard Dean chair of the Democratic Party, we did so because of his determination to make the Democratic Party a 50-state party. I personally received hundreds of emails, postcards, and letters asking me to vote for Dean based on his strategy.Dean made good on his part of the promise, quickly funding organizers on the ground in every state. We have four talented people (Autumn Wilburn, Justin Thiltgen, Cyreena Boston, and Jesse Bontecou) working every single day to organize Democrats here in Oregon.
Gov. Dean has often been assailed by the establishment wing of the party, which seems to prefer that money flowing into DNC coffers be used for TV ads in targeted races. Like most DNC members, I believe that the 50-State Strategy is the right direction: We need to fight in every district, in every race that we can. We need to build our farm teams by electing state legislators, governors, mayors, county commissioners, and sheriffs.
So, Dean kept his part of the bargain. Will you? Will you go out and work for candidates and show that people-powered politics, rather than triangulation and targeting, can keep the red tide at bay?
July 29th is the Democratic Reunion, a national day of organizing called by the DNC. July 29th marks 100 days before the election. The DNC and the Democratic Party of Oregon, are asking Democrats throughout the state to show up for events on this day. There are a wealth of opportunities, including a picnic in Klamath, ice cream in Corvallis, a highway cleanup in Florence, and canvasses throughout the Willamette Valley. You can also organize your own event, call your favorite candidate and see if he or she has a canvass scheduled, or get on the (nonpartisan) Bus.
Local DNC organizer Jesse Bontecou says, "For years, we've all been talking about the power and promise of grassroots activism. Now that the DNC feels the same way, it's our chance to prove we're right. Now's our time to show up and deliver on the promise." Please find an event and volunteer today.
And, to keep the discussion going, what do you think about the 50-State Strategy? Do you think it's working? Do you agree with it? And what are you going to do to further progressive politics this weekend?
The Democratic Reunion is a nation-wide event. You can find an event near you or you can host your own. It's never too late to take back our country, to commit to moving it forward and to make a difference.
For more information on Reunion events near you, check out The Democractic Reunion Resource Center.
Posted by at 12:26 PM | Comments (21)
The Democratic Reunion: Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley Democrats also got a headstart on their activities, hosting The Democratic Reunion with a luau theme. The following is an update from one of your 50-State Organizers, Fadia.
Bad weather did not deter Democrats from coming out to the Lehigh Valley Democratic Reunion Luau in Whitehall, Pa. The Luau was a great success and over 170 attendees had fun and committed to taking action to get the job done in November. The event sparked a new energy among the Democratic family in the Lehigh Valley. It was evident that Democrats are ready to fight to keep Pennsylvania blue.
Over 170 Dems reunited during The Democratic Reunion
Luau to be a social, civic, and political.
In addition to the social aspect of the event, Lehigh Valley Democrats adopted a community project. Democrats donated boxes of needed items to the 6th Street Shelter and Turning Point which was a great success.
Charles Dertinger, candidate for 15th Congressional
District fires up the crowd.
Finally, Democrats also pledged "Think Globally, Act Locally" and to commit to doing 10 things to help stop global warming.
Energized and united for Victory in 2006!
There are a slew of events this weekend across Pennsylvania, and the rest of the country. Find one now!
Posted by at 11:48 AM | Comments (1)
Split Three Ways
In an attempt to unify the extreme right-wing House Immigration Bill with Republicans in favor of the Senate's more comprehensive legislation, Republicans have presented a third plan, which is likely to fracture them even further, according to early reviews.
The proposal -- sponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Tex.) and Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.) -- would pressure illegal immigrants to "self-deport" to their home countries within two years of the law's enactment and apply for a new kind of visa that would allow them to return to the United States quickly and work legally if a job awaits them. They would have to work here for 17 years, however, to be eligible for U.S. citizenship. The plan, which has received mixed reviews from those briefed on it, is aimed at unifying Republicans on an issue that has bitterly divided them for months and threatens to damage the party in future elections.The stringent rules for illegal immigrants are certain to draw bipartisan opposition from