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Saturday, August 28, 2004

Bylaws Bring Order to a New PAC

Stuart Heady is the Chair of Democracy for America, Snohomish County. DFA Snohomish has crafted a set of bylaws that serve as a model for grassroots leaders across the nation.

Snohomish County, Washington (just to the north of King County, which includes Seattle,) is a sprawling terrain comprised of seven legislative districts. With river valleys, coastal plains, mountain valleys and foothills with large national forest tracts, the distances involved in communicating are a real challenge. DFA-Snohomish takes the stage at a significant moment in the history of this county—it is now heavily urban along the coast and rural towards the Cascades foothills.

On Aug 25th, a group of 15 people—representing most of the legislative districts—met in a restaurant in the center of the coastal region. These people had been leading or attending Meetups for as much as a year and a half, and were attracted to a discussion about a grassroots organization that would network among the isolated and far flung progressives of the county. The goal was to promote a climate in local politics that is more responsive to local citizens.

The Patriot Act
The Patriot Act; 4 acoustic guitars and a keyboard
Bad legislation never sounded so good!

On July 8th, following a Meetup vote, DFA-Snohomish was officially certified with the Secretary of State and registered as a PAC with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission. DFA-Snohomish has established itself as a grassroots PAC, with bylaws defining as open and democratic a structure as possible. At our first Steering Committee meeting, we decided to hold a meeting immediately after the November election in order to look ahead to the 2005 and 2006 county and city council races across the county. Early next year we expect to hold countywide meetings to develop an action agenda and assemble a package of endorsement process bylaw amendments for the 2005 County Council election cycle.

We hope DFA-Snohomish can become a model for local organizing in this county and in other counties nationwide. We have attempted to revive the art of person-to-person community-level networking that has been lost over the past several decades. On the day after the election, we don't want to look back on the one idea we had not considered, the one thing we didn't do, one more dollar we could have contributed or one more hour we could have worked.

Please visit our site to learn more about us, read our bylaws and view pictures from our first annual picnic.

—Stuart Heady
Chair
Democracy for America, Snohomish County
Edmonds, WA

Posted by Guest Writer at 12:25 AM
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Friday, August 27, 2004

Meet the Final Dean Dozen

Over 900 candidates applied to be part of the Dean Dozen and less than 100 were picked. As we prepared to roll out the final selection, there were a lot of tough choices. Here is the final list of candidates endorsed by Howard Dean and Democracy for America:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/finaldozen

Because of the overwhelming response from so many socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates, this final set (also included below this letter) consists of more than our usual twelve.

There were just too many excellent candidates running in tough races to limit the final set to twelve. I think you will agree when you see the list:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/finaldozen

Over the next two months we'll be highlighting many of the other 800 candidates as they seek and win the endorsement of local DFA groups like San Francisco for Democracy and DFA Rochester.

Please learn more about these candidates and get involved in any way you can. Using our new interactive candidate map, you can find endorsed candidates near you or search by issues important to you:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/candidates

By supporting these candidates now, we can win important races this November and build the future of the Democratic Party.

Thank you,

Tom McMahon
Executive Director
Democracy for America

P.S. NPR did a great segment on the Dean Dozen last week. You can listen here.

The final Dean Dozen for 2004 are:
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/finaldozen

Alabama: Anita Kelly for Circuit Judge

California: Jim Brandt for Congress, Karen Heumann for State House and Jerry McNerney for Congress

Colorado: Jay Fetcher for State Senate and Stan Matsunaka for Congress

Florida: David Patlak for Congress

Indiana: Jon Jennings for Congress

Iowa: Greg Stevens for State House

Kentucky: Virginia Woodward for State Senate

Maryland: Malinda Miles for County Council

Michigan: Marie Donigan for State House and Evan Hope for Township Council

New Hampshire: McKim Mitchell for State Senate

New Mexico: Richard Romero for Congress

New York: Jimmy Dahroug for State Senate

Ohio: Greg Harris for Congress and Jeff Seeman for Congress

Pennsylvania: Lois Murphy for Congress, Ginny Schrader for Congress and Allyson Schwartz for Congress

Texas: Katy Hubener for State House and May Walker for Constable

Vermont: Jessica Falker for State House and Jane Kitchel for State Senate

Virginia: James Socas for Congress

Washington: Laura Ruderman for Secretary of State

Congratulations to all and good luck!

Posted by Tom McMahon at 03:27 PM
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Get On The Road With DC for Democracy

DC for Democracy has been working all summer to get its new organization off the ground, and is excited to launch its new website and asking folks to Get On The Road.

As the campaigns are heating up in the dog days of August and heading into the fall, it looks more and more like the decision over who controls Congress and the White House rests in the hands (or ballot boxes) of the voters in battleground states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.

That's why DC for Democracy has planned two trips this fall (and two more are in the works) to Ohio and Pennsylvania to register new voters and send George W. Bush packing his bags in November. DC wants a new neighbor living at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. On the weekend of September 18th, volunteers will head to Canton, OH, and on the weekend of October 2n to Pittsburgh, PA. But we need your help to make these trips a success!

Check out the trip details and how to get more involved at DC for Democracy's event listings. Once you decide to get on board, RSVP today to save your seat!

Canton, OH, weekend of Sept. 18, RSVP here
Pittsburgh, PA, weekend of Oct. 2, RSVP here

We need everyone's help. As we've all heard the Good Doctor say over and over, voting is not enough, in fact, it's just the price of admission. Get out of the bleachers, and let's take the field!

—Charles Allen
DC for Democracy

Posted by Guest Writer at 12:08 PM
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Dean Visits Castor in the Sunshine State

Betty Castor is a Dean Dozen candidate for US Senate in Florida.

I threatened to keep Governor Dean with us in Florida until November!

That's how well received Howard Dean was by the people of Palm Beach County and South Florida when he campaigned for me in my bid for the U.S. Senate, this past Monday (August 23, 2004).

Several hundred people turned out for a highly-charged rally with Governor Dean, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and Palm Beach mayor, Lois Frankel at noon on Monday. I cannot tell you how extremely grateful I am for Howard's support. His support—and the great work of the Democracy for America staff and that of all the DFA chapters across Florida—has given me a huge boost as we enter the final week of the Florida primary (August 31). Thanks in part to Howard, I'm leading the primary field by double digits!

Howard Dean and Betty Castor

Governor Dean's message of providing access to high-quality health care to all Americans and running clean and positive campaigns hits home with me! We are uniting all Floridians and Americans in our fight to take back the U.S. Senate this November!

So, Howard, we can't wait to see you in Florida again. You're a great friend to me, my campaign, and all Floridians.

—Betty Castor
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate (Florida)

Posted by Guest Writer at 12:19 AM
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Thursday, August 26, 2004

Celebrating the Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote

85 years ago today, women gained the right to vote when the 19th amendment passed. One DFA supporter shared her mother's story in a letter to Shaunee Higgins, operations manager at Democracy for America.

Working at Dean for America and now Democracy for America, I have had the enlightening opportunity to read the incoming mail. Not just from all over the USA, but all over the world. Supporters of Howard Dean have written personal letters to share their thoughts on every issue.

Letter writing is still popular! Although at the height of the campaign DFA received as many as 7,000 emails in a day, the paper mail, lovingly called 'snail mail', also overwhelmed DFA. All ages of supporters put the pen to the paper or rapped the keyboards to express their ideas and opinions to Governor Dean.

Although Howard Dean's presidential campaign is said to have changed the way campaigns use the Internet and fund raising, DFA still continues to receive regular handwritten and typed letters. From day one, every letter has received a written response.

Nadine Perry is an example of a letter that came this week from the Midwest. Like many people, she sent items with her letter: including photos and posters. Why was Nadine's letter interesting? In her words to Governor Dean:

"I'm grateful to you for getting me and so many others to feel like we could be passionately involved in this election. You deserved every hand clap at the Democratic Convention... I'm almost 79 years old but I limped to hear John Kerry at Toledo University this Spring."

Even more exciting then the fervent desire to support her Democratic convictions was the next part of her letter. Nadine's mother had marched for the Suffrage Vote. Nadine took a 1917 picture of her mother and turned it into a great poster for anyone to use—"SHE MARCHED FOR THE VOTE—USE IT!"

She Marched for the Vote

That was part of the Howard Dean campaign strategy: give away great ideas to help elect good candidates. It is people like Nadine who inspire all of us to keep up the hard work for November 2.

—Shaunee Higgins
Democracy for America

Posted by Guest Writer at 03:57 PM
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Get out the vote with the LCV and DFA

Deb Callahan is the President of the League of Conservation Voters. DFA volunteers are mobilizing to help LCV get people on the ground to deliver 5 states for Kerry in November.
v
In late June, I had the opportunity to travel to Burlington, VT to sit down and talk with Governor Dean. We discussed how President Bush has the absolute worst record of any president when it comes to protecting the environment and the implications that has for the American people. The implications it has for public health by forcing people to continue breathing polluted air; the implications for our economy by refusing to seize on the opportunity we have to develop the technologies and associated jobs that will create to give us a clean, secure, and sustainable supply of renewable energy; and the implications for our national security by continuing to rely on oil from the most unstable and dangerous parts of the earth.

Like Governor Dean and DFA, the League of Conservation Voters is mobilizing at the grassroots level to help defeat George Bush this November. Our Environmental Victory Project, www.envirovictory.org, is relying on an organization of volunteers just like Governor Dean did to canvass in persuadable precincts in 5 battle ground states that could decide the election.

Since we started in May, we have already knocked on over 300,000 doors and talked to over 120,000 voters in the swing states of New Mexico, Oregon, Wisconsin, Florida, and Pennsylvania. And like Governor Dean and DFA, we are depending on volunteers who are committed to restoring faith in our democracy to carry our message of hope and positive change. The only way this project will be successful and we will get George Bush out of office is with your help. We need your help now and through the fall to win in November! Volunteers from across the country are traveling to these five states to join us for a day, a weekend, even a week or longer. We are planning on knocking on 1.5 million doors so, in the spirit of taking your country back, we need you to join us. I encourage you to visit www.envirovictory.org today and see how you can take action and defeat the most divisive president our nation has ever known.

I am looking forward to working with Governor Dean to restore a presidency that actually represents all the American people. But there is still much to do and much help is needed. DFA is legendary for its grassroots capacity and for turning words and passion into action. That is the same spirit of the Environmental Victory Project and I ask you to help us succeed.

Join us at www.envirovictory.org

Last summer at this time the "Dean Phenomena" was beginning to grip the nation. We all remember how his energetic supporters galvanized into a true national movement, but it was Governor Dean's habit of telling the truth to Americans -- no matter how striking or politically incorrect it may be—that really woke up our party and our country. Governor Dean offered then and offers now an alternative to the daily barrage of taxpayer financed blather that comes out of the White House. Governor Dean and DFA are a tremendous asset to John Kerry and the Democratic Party.

Howard Dean and I will be crossing our country over the next 75 days speaking to Americans about they can help and we urge you to join us. Like Governor Dean, LCV believes wholeheartedly that you have the power to create change and that is the essence of the Environmental Victory Project. Check out www.envirovictory.org to see just how you can help! I am thrilled to join Governor Dean as together all of us take our country back!

—Deb Callahan
President, League of Conservation Voters

Posted by Guest Writer at 11:31 AM
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Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Greetings from Seattle

John, Karen and Kendrick Burns have been on the road for eight weeks in their "Veterans for Kerry" RV. They made a stop at Democracy for America headquarters on August 3rd.

So far we have racked up 8 weeks, 9,194 miles, and 26 states in our "VETERANS FOR KERRY" RV.

DSC00523.JPG

The campaigning across America has been wonderful because we have met hundreds and hundreds of people just like you.

We are taking a vacation from our vacation and have flown back to Seattle, Washington for a week plus. Soon we fly out to Philadelphia, PA to pick up our RV and head to NY, NY for some action on the streets during the RNC. After NY, we are thinking about heading down to Dade County, Florida.

Thank you for your efforts to help elect John Kerry. Please keep up the pressure during the home stretch. If we all do our part, we can give the Bush Regime a swift kick out door of the White House and get our country back on track.

Rock The Vote!

—John Burns
Seattle, WA

Posted by Guest Writer at 10:28 PM
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Grassroots Workshop Energizes Hundreds of Texans

Fran Vincent is the Lead Organizer at Democracy for Texas.

Saturday and Sunday in Austin, over 400 Texans (and a handful of folks from beyond our borders) attended the largest grassroots training conducted to date by DFA and 21st Century Democrats. And, while Austin is known as a stronghold of liberal political activism, the remarkable thing about the makeup of the crowd was that less than 20% of the attendees were from Austin. Many of these Texans drove 6-8 hours to spend 16 hours on a weekend to talk politics.

Gov. Dean at the Austin Rally

The highlight was a visit from Governor Dean, who clearly loves coming to Texas as much as we love having him here. Over 1,000 people braved the 90-degree heat and 95% humidity to hear him talk about the upcoming election and the future work we all have ahead. He got in some nice shots at Tom Delay as well!

After the rally, 100 people were deputized as voter registrars. Think Texans are ready to take our state back?

—Fran Vincent
Democracy for Texas

Posted by Guest Writer at 06:09 PM
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How We're Taking Back Congress

Last night, Governor Dean sent an email to DFA supporters laying out the plan for taking back the House of Representatives. The agenda is no less than a complete overhaul of how the Democratic Party does business.

The main point is this: we have to support socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates wherever they are—not just where pundits and operatives think they can win easily. For too long, we have abandoned our cause in races where the Democrat isn't a millionaire or worse, isn't Republican enough.

If all we ever do in districts where Republicans are strong is try to mimic Republicans, we will never persuade anyone. Socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates who stand up for what they believe in deserve our support not only in Ohio, Florida and New Mexico but also in Georgia, Montana and Texas.

Those candidates will begin to change hearts and minds in places where people are tired of being told to vote on guns, God and gays. And they will be the farm team of seasoned candidates who run for all levels of office in the future.

DFA is already pursuing this strategy. Both the national office and the state groups are fighting for candidates who stand for our mainstream values. A couple of statistics:

  • DFA has already donated nearly a quarter million dollars to 210 candidates for all levels of office who stand for what we believe in, no matter where they are

  • By the end of next month, DFA will have helped train over 2,000 organizers from among its ranks, who are working on races across the country

  • Governor Dean is criss-crossing the country for House candidates like Richard Morrison in Texas, who is challenging Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay in his home district.

    How can you help? Make a contribution now to join all of us who want to stand up for our cause no matter what the pundits and political operatives say.

    What's happening in many of these districts is exactly what was happening on a national scale in early 2003. You can't stand up and challenge the Republicans, they said. But one person did and it changed everything—and brought us to the verge of taking the White House back.

    Now let's get to work on taking back the House at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

    Posted by Joe Rospars at 02:30 PM
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    Governor Dean Captures the Texas Spirit

    David Van Os, Democrat for Texas Supreme Court
    Dean Dozen Candidate

    In Houston and Austin on August 21-22, Governor Dean thrilled thousands of Texans with his affirmation that Texas Democrats are going to knock Tom DeLay out of the Congress, win a statewide office again for the first time in 10 years by breaking the right-wing monopoly on the state supreme court and return Texas to its rightful place in the Democratic column.

    David Van Os

    Texas Democrats are tired of being written off and found a passionate ally in Governor Dean in this most memorable of weekends. People drove from as far as 10 hours away—from El Paso, from Lubbock, from Laredo, from Fort Worth, from San Antonio and many points in between—to hear from the man who woke up America. Texans like fighters and they love Governor Dean's passionate, plain-talking, give 'em hell spirit, just like their mommas and daddies and grandmas and granddaddies loved Give 'Em Hell Harry Truman.

    Governor Dean delivered five addresses in the space of 24 hours and was met repeatedly with thunderous Texas ovations from exuberant cheering crowds. It was also a special treat to hear three times from our awesome Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, as she joined in Governor Dean�s call to believe in our power as citizens to take back our country and our state.

    David Van Os and rally attendees

    One of the high points was the two-and-a-half-hour car ride from Houston to Austin with Governor Dean and my great friend Richard Morrison, the Democrat who is about to knock Tom DeLay out of the U.S. Congress.

    There's more — click here to continue reading "Governor Dean Captures the Texas Spirit" ...

    Posted by Guest Writer at 09:58 AM
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    Tuesday, August 24, 2004

    September Summer Blog Book Club

    This month's book is "What's The Matter With Kansas" by Thomas Frank

    We will discuss this book online with the author, Thomas Frank.

    Monday, September 13th, 7:15pm EST
    Right Here on the DFA Blog—look for the Book Club post.

    This book is about how conservatives won the heart of America. A quick read (200 pages),structured so you can choose to just read certain chapters.

    Sign up, get really cool DFA bookmarks and buy the book here:
    http://www.takeyourcountryback.com/DFABOOKCLUB

    Posted by Tara Liloia at 11:55 PM
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    Watch Governor Dean Now

    Governor Dean on Anderson Cooper 360
    Tonight: Tuesday, September 24, 2004
    7-8 p.m. ET

    Posted by Tara Liloia at 06:45 PM
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    Get Out the Vote for Eddgra

    Today is primary day for Dean Dozen candidate Eddgra Fallin in Alabama. Eddgra is running for school board in Huntsville, Alabama to ensure that all children have equal access to a quality education. She believes that working parents need to know how to be involved as parents and what really makes a difference for their children.

    When she's elected, she plans to meet with principals to encourage training for teachers, administrators and staff on the importance of parental involvement. She also plans to establish Centers of Excellence designed around educational themes, such as science and foreign languages, technology, academics and arts, year round schooling, vocational education, cooperative education and alternative high school programming. These centers would help schools make better use of resources by eliminating duplicate programming and strengthening magnet schools.

    Eddgra's election is likely to be extremely close—just a few votes could make the difference. Do you know anyone in Huntsville? Please call them today and tell them about Eddgra's exciting plans for improving Huntsville schools and ensuring that all children have equal access to a quality education.

    —Chris Warshaw
    Democracy for America

    Posted by Guest Writer at 03:48 PM
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    Dean Supports Texas Candidates

    Governor Dean has recently been in many states, campaigning not only for John Kerry, but for Dean Dozen candidates around America. Gov. Dean has made stops in Ohio, California, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Texas alone in the past several weeks. He was most recently in Houston, where "The Houston Chronicle" reported on his efforts to encourage people to vote. That has been the most significant pillar of Gov. Dean's Democracy for America organization and a key point that he has made in his many speeches this summer.

    Dean in Texas

    Gov. Dean beseeched the hundreds crammed into the Houston International Theatre School on Saturday to run for office, regardless of past political experience and anticipated electoral prospects. Governor Dean's words were both inspiring and rousing for the crowd.

    "This is about ordinary people running for office, because politics is too important to be left to professional politicians, even in the most conservative county in Texas," Gov. Dean said.

    Governor Dean also acknowledged his efforts were to help raise awareness about the campaigns of David Van Os, Richard Morrison and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Van Os is running for a seat on the predominantly Republican Texas Supreme Court. Morrison is working to replace House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Jackson Lee is running for re-election to Congress. Jackson Lee was firmly in favor of the Governor's message.

    "I attribute to him what has now been finalized by a bipartisan (9/11) commission: that America has not yet reached its promise," Jackson Lee said.

    The Governor also appeared at a rally with Van Os and Morrison, which drew nearly a thousand people. Prior to the rally, he attended one of the many workshops that DFA state groups and 21st Century Democrats have been conducting in conjunction in an array of cities this summer. The workshops emphasize practical advice for moving beyond simply voting to activism and involvement. "The Daily Texan" chronicled the event and those familiar with Gov. Dean recognized the tone of his words.

    "Voting gets you about a D. That's barely passing," Gov. Dean told the impassioned crowd.

    The Governor will continue his efforts on behalf of the Dean Dozen and continue to encourage people to vote in New York City and Seattle later this month.

    —Lakshmi Barot
    Democracy for America intern

    Posted by DFA Intern at 02:35 PM
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    Finally Someone Says It

    Like many of you, I've been wondering how in the world the media has spent days combing through John Kerry's record of heroic service using lame phrases like "questions have been raised" and "some claim" to lend credence to right-wing smears.

    And also like many of you, I've been wondering why the guy who won't release all of his service records—you know, the one with the running mate who also "had other priorities" during the war—isn't getting anything approaching that level of scrutiny.

    Well, as he frequently does, Michael Tomasky of the American Prospect takes that nagging outrage and puts it plainly:

    At first blush, the treatment given to Michael Dobbs' page-one swift-boat article in Sunday's Washington Post seems at least vaguely reassuring. There's the neutral headline "Swift Boat Accounts Incomplete," but below that, a deck-headline informing readers that "Critics Fail to Disprove Kerry's Version of Vietnam War Episode." The banner treatment, running across three-fourths of the front page above the fold, places the onus of proof where it belongs—on the accusers, not on Kerry, a point that Bob Novak and others have chosen to ignore, obscure, or even refute; and in announcing that the proof isn't there, it seems to be a plus for Kerry.

    So what's wrong with this picture? This: The Washington Post should not even be running such a story—a takeout of something in the neighborhood of 2,700 words, I'm guessing, delving into the remotest arcana about what really happened on the Bay Hap River on March 13, 1969—in the first place. Len Downie and the paper's other editors would undoubtedly argue that the story represents the Post's tenacity for getting to the truth, without fear or favor. But what the story actually proves is that a bunch of liars who have in the past contradicted their own current statements can, if their lies are outrageous enough and if they have enough money, control the media agenda and get even the most respected media outlets in the country to focus on picayune "truths" while missing the larger story.

    There's more — click here to continue reading "Finally Someone Says It" ...

    Posted by Joe Rospars at 10:24 AM
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