Action Newsletter

 

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

 

1.  Central Committee Meeting of the Skagit County Democrats, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, 10 a.m. – noon, Party Headquarters, Mount Vernon

All PCOs are urged to attend.  All interested Democrats are welcome, as always. We will be electing a new Vice Chair from among the PCOs to fill the vacancy created when Josie Hedgpeth took over as our Chair.  We will also begin the important work that is necessary to prepare for caucuses and the county convention leading up to the critical November election. Don’t forget something for the food bank boxes.

 

2.  Voter ID Phone Bank, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 6 pm, Party Headquarters, Mount Vernon

If you are new to Voter ID, we will explain the whole process and provide a phone script. Skagit County has 30,000 registered voters who have not been identified as Democrat, Republican, or Independent.  We have two objectives with the Voter ID project:

• Find our Democrats so we can call them during a get-out-the-vote campaign.
• Clean up bad phone numbers, addresses, people who have moved out of the area, etc.

Please join us for an evening of camaraderie and shared “Hurray” when we find another Democrat.

Let Headquarters know that you are interested by either phone (336-1555) or email  staff@skagitdemocrats.org .

Janet McKinney, Voter ID Coordinator

 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

 

1.  New – MoveOn Skagit Petition Drive for a Constitutional Amendment

MoveOn Skagit members and members of the Labor/Dem Work Group will be registering voters and gathering signatures at the Conway, Anacortes and Mt Vernon Post Offices on Friday, Jan 20 from 12 to 2 p.m. on a petition to amend the U.S. Constitution to remove the Supreme Court “Citizens United” decision.   Let’s overrule the Supreme Court!!

Mary Laski, MoveOn Skagit and Janet McKinney, Labor/Dem Work Group

 

 

2.  MoveOn Skagit “Occupy the Courts”, Friday, Jan. 20, Saturday, Jan. 21, Mount Vernon

MoveOn Skagit is joining citizens across America to protest the Citizens United decision which declared corporations to be persons and money to be free speech.  Event details are available at the following links. (PS we have ordered good weather)

 

OCCUPY THE COURTS TO OPPOSE CORPORATE PERSONHOOD, Friday, Jan 20, 11:30 am, in front of Skagit County Courthouse.
http://civic.moveon.org/event/standforthedream/125607

 

RALLY TO GET THE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS, Saturday, Jan 21,1 pm, College Way and Riverside Drive.
http://civic.moveon.org/event/standfor thedream/125606

This message was sent from the MoveOn Council system. Log into your council page here: http://www.moveon.org/team/members/index.html

Mary Laski, MoveOn Skagit and Janet McKinney, Labor/Dem Work Group

 

 

3. “The Great Infection of the Sea”, Presented by Captain Charles Moore, Saturday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m., Port of Bellingham Cruise Ship Terminal, Dome Room,  355 Harris Avenue, Bellingham

A prominent seafaring environmentalist and researcher shares his shocking discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean, and inspires a fundamental rethinking of the Plastic Age and a growing global health crisis.

 

4.  Democracy School 6, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 & 4, Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1207 Ellsworth Street, Bellingham

AT THE SCHOOL, YOU WILL:

• Learn how communities in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine, Virginia, and Washington are using their municipal governments to drive economic and environmental sustainability into law;
• Learn why large corporations seemingly possess more rights than the communities in which they do business, and why communities lack the legal authority to say “no” to projects that they don’t want;
• Learn what prior movements of people in the United States have done when the legal system failed them; and
• Discuss the next steps for passing laws to expand protections for people, communities and nature.

Cost for the class is $195.  For more details call Corrine Salcedo 360-293-7114

 

 ANNOUNCEMENTS 

1.  New - Senator Ranker’s Statement on Governor Gregoire’s  Discussion of Marriage Equality

State Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, released this statement following Gov. Gregoire’s press conference today:

“Today, our governor took a historic step toward extending the fundamental rights and freedoms that we embrace in America to all of our citizens; ensuring that all families are treated fairly.

“In 2007, Sen. Ed Murray began this process by introducing and passing the first domestic partnership legislation in Washington. That bill was the first step on a journey that must end in full marriage equality.

“Marriage is more than just a collection of rights and protections – it is the commitment between two people who love each other and have pledged to support one another in life. Love for our partners and for our family gives life meaning, provides us comfort, and shapes our identity. By continuing to differentiate between types of loving relationships, we separate and isolate those within our communities. We must recognize that separate can never be equal and a domestic partnership can never be a marriage.

“Growing up, I was taught that a family was not determined by the genders of the persons involved but by the love and commitment that they shared. I was taught that every person is to be treated with respect and dignity. These are the values that I have carried with me throughout my life. These are the values that my wife and I have passed on to our daughter.

“The marriage equality legislation discussed today by the governor is a long overdue recognition of these core human rights. This legislation does not create new rights for gay and lesbian couples. Nor does it force our religious institutions to abide by new rules. This legislation simply recognizes that all families deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

“As the son of a gay man, I grew up with a strong value system nurtured by a father who provided me with a foundation to succeed and gave me unconditional love and support. This legislation will provide thousands of families like mine with the respect and dignity they deserve.

“For decades our country has struggled with discrimination in many forms. While it takes time, education and sacrifice to conquer injustices, those on the side of promoting tolerance and equality have always prevailed. This year, we have a chance to do something wonderful for thousands of Washingtonians.  This year we have the opportunity to stand up for equality for all.

“I am thankful for the leadership of Sen. Murray and others who have worked tirelessly for years to bring us to this point, and to our governor for her commitment to human rights.  I am honored to have the opportunity to stand up and be on the right side of history this session by strongly supporting marriage equality.”

 

 

2.  Listen to We Do The Work, a Worker Radio Program, Every Monday at 5 pm on KSVR, 91.7

Monday, January 9 KSVR had technical problems and the OURWalmart Part 1 was not aired so the interview schedule has changed.

The next 4 shows:

Monday, January 16 and 23, OURWalmart, Parts 1 and 2:
Walmart workers who voluntarily joined the OURWalmart campaign will reveal the work conditions at Walmart and how the OURWalmart campaign proposes to convince Walmart to treat its employees with respect and to provide them with adequate wages and benefits.

Monday, January 30, United Steel Workers
Steve Garey, President of United Steel Workers Local 12-591, will explain how unions are good for our communities, and he will tell us that workers are not responsible for the prices we all pay at gas pumps.

Monday, February 6, Mount Vernon Education Association
John Sadzewicz, President of  Mount Vernon Education Association, and Dr. Carl Bruner, Superintendent of Mount Vernon School District, will explain why passage of school levies is essential to maintaining local school programs and quality education.

 

For live streaming go to Live Broadcast of KSVR programs and “click here for live broadcast” on KSVR’s website to listen to the radio show through your computer.

To hear previous programs that are archived, go to http://ksvr.org/archives.html; Look for the Skagit Talks section, click on a Monday date, and We Do The Work will be within that archive audio clip.

Questions about interviews? Email  ksvrwedothework@gmail.com

Janet McKinney
Labor-Democrat Work Group Coordinator

 

3.  News and Needs from Party Headquarters

• Amie with Organizing for America [OFA] is available Thursday afternoons after 1pm.  Her team needs volunteers for the Obama 2012 campaign. There is much to do!

 

 

Gail Nicolls, Secretary
Skagit County Democrats
guemesgail@gmail.com

Posted by Brad Clure, Chair of Technical Committee

Skagit County Democrats
300A South 1st Street
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
360-336-1555
www.skagitdemocrats.org

Email to staff: staff@skagitdemocrats.org 

Send news items to news@skagitdemocrats.org