I'm honored to be running as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in the 6th Congressional District, pledged to Barack Obama. I've been a grassroots supporter of Senator Obama's for years, having first contributed to his campaign in 2004 when he was running for Senate from Illinois. I admired his courage in opposing the Iraq War in 2002, when that was a risky stance to take, and I am proud to be part of his campaign of hope.

I am Co-Chair of Berks for Obama, www.berksforobama.com, and currently working hard to register voters in advance of the March 24 deadline for voting in the Primary.

I've never run for anything before, and don't think I ever will again, but I would love to attend this historic convention in Denver, representing the 6th CD and Berks County, and I ask for your vote on April 22. Thank you!

The polls are open 7am to 8pm Tuesday November 6. Get out and vote for our great County candidates: Tom Gajewski & Kevin Barnhardt for Commissioner, Mike Garipoli for Sheriff, Fred Sheeler for Recorder of Deeds, John Adams for District Attorney, Tim Rowley for Judge.

Our Union Township candidates are John Salaneck III for Supervisor and Jo Ann Hartzell for School Board.

Our Statewide Judge candidates are Debra Todd and Seamus McCaffery. Our Superior Court Judges are Christine Donahue, John Milton Younge, and Ron Folino. We recommend retaining John Mussamano for Superior Court.

And stop by our table to cast your vote in our straw poll for the Democratic Presidential Primary!

Tell your friends in Amity Township to write it Jared Cram for Auditor!

See you at the polls.

I had a great time at the dinner last night with my Democratic friends, and fellow volunteers and activists. Seamus McCaffery, candidate for PA Supreme Court gave a funny and inspiring talk that really made us think about the importance of the various races for judges. Judge McCaffery pointed out that these are TEN YEAR positions, but that many voters pay no attention to them. We have the chance to take a Democratic majority on the PA Supreme Court this year if we elect Judge Debra Todd and Judge McCaffery. Judge Todd would be the first Democratic woman ever on the PA Supreme Court. We must get out the vote for her.

We must also elect our three candidates for Superior Court. There is no excuse for ignorance on these races--all these candidates have informative websites, where you can read their resumes, their opionions, and newspaper articles about them. One candidate's spouse told me that 20% of Dems don't go on down the line and vote for their judge candidates, but that the Republicans always vote for their judges. These races are important--you can learn more about these candidates here:

Link

I had a great time volunteering at the Berks County Democratic Party tent at the Reading Fair. All of our local candidates were out meeting the voters: County Commissioner Candidates Tom Gajewski & Kevin Barnhardt; Recorder of Deeds Candidate Fred Sheeler; Sheriff Candidate Mike Garipoli, and District Attorney Candidate John T. Adams; Judge Candidate Tim Rowley. It was also nice to meet the families of these candidates. State Senator Mike O'Pake spent time at the tent, and I had a chance to ask him what's happening with the legislation he's proposed to control political robo-calling (the Republicans have tied it up in Committee--they have a majority in the State Senate & don't want this legislation passed).

I love participating in voter registration drives--it's gratifiying to see young people eager to register as soon as they become eligible; to meet the new folks relocating to our area & updating their registrations; to meet people who are moved to get involved in our demoocratic process and vote for the first time; and to meet folks who are fed up with the Republican party and want to switch their registration to Democratic.

My pictures from our tent are online at www.berksdems.org (click on "Photo Gallery" and then choose "Reading Fair 2007").

You can also check the calendar for the other fairs this summer and fall where the Dems will have a tent. Please stop by to meet our candidates & pick up info or--even better--volunteer with us for a few hours.

Your local Democrats are at the Reading Fair all week. We are right next to the music tent, and we are having a good time meeting the voters and spending time with our local candidates. Yesterday we enjoyed the company of these great candidates: Kevin Barnhardt (County Commissioner), Fred Sheeler (Recorder of Deeds), Mike Garipoli (Sherriff), and Tim Rowley (Judge). Stop by and meet them, and pick up buttons, bumperstickers, and yard signs.

Several Presidential candidates were also represented: Berks for Obama was there, along with local supporters for Governor Bill Richardson, and John Edwards.

We have lots of giveaways--maps, copies of the Constitution, etc. We can also help you register to vote, update your registration or switch parties. Remember: Pennsylvania is a closed primary state, and you can only vote in the primary of a party you are registered in.

Come on out!

We had a great day in Philly! Here's a piece from the "Reading Eagle" about Berks for Obama on the road to see Barack.
*************
Obama’s backers from Berks County travel to hear him in Philadelphia
By Kori Walter Reading Eagle
5/22/2007 11:10:00 PM
Berks County, PA - Both parties will probably settle their presidential primary fights before Pennsylvania voters cast ballots in the April 2008 primary election.

But a Berks County-based group backing Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama wants to help the Illinois senator as much as it can. That’s what motivated more than a dozen members of Berks For Obama to show up Tuesday evening for the senator’s appearance in Philadelphia.

Jesse J. Routte, a 25-year-old Reading resident, took the day off from his customer-service job so he could attend the event. “We want to be very visible in our support of him (Obama),” Routte said to explain his interest in an election more than a year away. “Hillary (Clinton) and John Edwards have very solid campaigns going and a lot of name recognition. In order to give Obama a chance, we need to get out there early and give him a lot of support.”

Routte and others said Obama lived up to the hype surrounding his rock-star persona. “I think, in general, what he is saying is really resonating with a lot of people,” Routte said.

Cynthia Baughman said Obama’s opposition to the war in Iraq resonates with her. Baughman, a 52-year-old Democratic state committeewoman from Union Township, is a co-leader of Berks For Obama. She said the group has been meeting for about three months and typically draws about 15 people. A supporter of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential bid, Baughman said she wrote a $25 check to Obama during his 2004 Senate campaign. Baughman said she paid $100 Tuesday night for balcony tickets at the Electric Factory, the concert venue where Obama spoke. After listening to Obama’s speech, Baughman didn’t regret spending the money. “He was incredibly eloquent and inspiring,” she said. “I walked away thinking if this man becomes president that will be a dream come true.”

•Contact reporter Kori Walter at 610-371-5022 or kwalter@readingeagle.com.

Senator Obama is coming to Philly!  He will be at the Electric Factory at 4pm.  Here's the link for more information, and to buy tickets.  There are only 2500 tickets available, so don't delay if you want to go:
Link

There is box at the bottom of the contribution page asking who encouraged you to make this contribution.  Please enter "Berks for Obama" to help put us on the map.  Thanks!

The "Allentown Morning Call" ran a great article on April 22 about Obama's online organizing, including our work in Berks for Obama. Go to www.mcall.com and search for "Obama online" or go to this link:

Link

Today the Berks County Democratic Committee unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Pennsylvania legislature and the US Congress to impeach President Bush & Vice President Cheney. The well-researched resolution is online here:

http://www.berksdems.org/

It was very satisfying to be able to vote for this resolution and join the many citizens across the country who in their town meetings and local government and state legislatures have voted to remove this criminal team from office and take a step towards restoring our full range of Consitutional rights, and respect for our laws, including the Geneva Conventions.

Our Reading Phillies Game is a hit! 18 tickets sold, only 2 left. We will be announcing a June game date soon.

Thanks to all.

Please join us at our third monthly meeting, Wed. April 18 at 7pm in Douglassville.  Full details are at www.berksforobama.com.

We will welcome several new members at this meeting.  Agenda items include the following:  finalize plans for our April 22 Earth Day Table in Reading and May 5 Reading Phillies trip; form local media watch rapid response team; finalize press release for local media on our group; a member who volunteered with the Dean campaign in Iowa will report on lessons learned as an out-of-state volunteer in a primary campaign, and we will discuss how we can best support the nearest early primary--NJ's Feb. 5 2008 Super Duper Tuesday primary.

We will also plan future events:  possible July 4 party; more Reading Phillies trips (with Berks for Obama on the scoreboard!).

Free button & bumpersticker to all new members.  Buttons, bumperstickers, Berks for Obma baseball caps and Reading Phillies tickets for sale--all proceeds go to purchasing more materials.  

See www.berksforobama.com to RSVP, contact us, and get details on this & future events.

Reading Phillies Tix are going like hotcakes--only 2 left in our block. I'm thrilled with the interest in this event. If demand exceeds supply, I can order another block of tix, or can add another game--possible date Sunday afternoon June 10, Ryan Howard Day in Reading.

On Saturday March 31, Berks for Obama met to participate in the nationwwide kickoff of the Barack Obama campaign. We had a great turnout of supporters ranging in age from their 20's through their 70's, and Berks, Montgomery & Chester Counties (PA) were represented.

We watched and listened to Sen. Obama's meeting with supporters in Iowa, and discussed issues important to us. With several active & retired teachers attending, we discussed their experiences with No Child Left Behind, funding shortages, and their first-hand reports on what teachers need to help their students achieve.

We had a short workshop on voter registration & distrubuted voter reg. forms & instruction sheets. We talked about future plans for visibility, and letter-writing campaigns, and field trips to states with early primaries to help out.

Our next meeting is on Wed. April 18. Check out our website at www.berksforobama.com.

I now have our custom-designed blue twill baseball caps with the Obama '08 logo on the front & Berks for Obama on the back. They look great. $20 each.

Check out this article from the Los Angeles Times--the Bush Administration has put hard-core right wing values into action, and people do not like what they see.

***************************
Fewer pledge allegiance to the GOP
A poll says 35% of those surveyed identify with Republicans. Public attitudes seem to be drifting toward Democrats' values.

By Janet Hook
"Los Angeles Times" Staff Writer

7:20 PM PDT, March 22, 2007

WASHINGTON--Public allegiance to the Republican Party has plunged during George W. Bush's presidency, as attitudes have edged away from some of the conservative values that fueled GOP political victories, a major survey has found.

The survey, by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, found a "dramatic shift" in political party identification since 2002, when Republicans and Democrats were at rough parity. Now, 50% of those surveyed identified with or leaned toward Democrats, whereas 35% aligned with Republicans.

What's more, the survey found, public attitudes are drifting toward Democrats' values: Support for government aid to the disadvantaged has grown since the mid-1990s, skepticism about the use of military force has increased and support for traditional family values has decreased.

The findings suggest that the challenges for the GOP reach beyond the unpopularity of the war in Iraq and Bush.

"Iraq has played a large part; the pushback on the Republican Party has to do with Bush, but there are other things going on here that Republicans will have to contend with," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew center. "There is a difference in the landscape."

A key question is whether the trends signal a broad and lasting change in the balance of power between the national parties or a mood swing that will pass or moderate. It remains to be seen whether Democrats can capitalize on Republican weaknesses and achieve durable political dominance.

I have the tix for our May 5 game in hand, ready to distribute. $7 each, and include a coupon for $5 off a $20 bill at TGI Fridays. Sign up here if you are planning to attend, and either mail me your check, or give me the money next time you see me and I'll mail or give you your tix. Thanks!

Robert Greenwald gave an inpiring presentation last night at Penn State Berks, discussing his groundbreaking work as an activist documentary filmmaker, distributing his films through grassroots online networks. Check out his films and his work at www.bravenewfilms.org, and consider signing up for his e-mail list.

Drinking Liberally provides a great forum for meeting your fellow Dems over good food & drink. Local candidates frequently attend, and you have the opportunity to talk with them one-on-one.

This Thursday, bring canned goods to help out fellow DL member,
Dave Miller, and his efforts to help John Edwards' OneCorps campaign as well as
the Greater Berks Food Bank.

Mike Leibowitz, former 6th U.S. Congressional District candidate will also be
joining us.

The Works in Wyomissing
1109 Bern Road (across from the Wyomissing Post Office)
6 - 10 p.m.

Great opportunity this week to hear fillmaker Robert Greenwald speak. He has pioneered partnering with grassroots groups to bypass mainstream funding and distribution and get his films financed and seen by a wide audience.

March 21 - Robert Greenwald, director/producer of the recent film, "WalMart: The High Price of low Cost" and "Iraq For Sale - the War Profiteers" will speak in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium on the Penn State Berks Campus. The program is at 7:30 p.m., is free and is open to the public.

The 2007 primary election will be THE election for several important races in Reading. Working Families Win and the Coalition for Better Healthcare are co-sponsoring a forum for the candidates in contested primary races for Mayor and City Council. The forum will focus on better jobs, wages and healthcare in Reading. PLEASE ATTEND! Bring your family and friends.

It will be at 7 pm on Tuesday, April 10 in Seminar Room 118 of the Schmidt Training and Technology Center at N. Front and Penn Streets. Park on Front Street either in the lot by the Orange Car or in the garage.

The future of Reading is at stake! Come, learn where the candidates stand and ask your questions.

For more information contact phila_back@verizon.net