 Rep. Costa to Attend Memorial Day Event in Fresno
20th District Representative Jim Costa will be headlining a special holiday meeting of the Fresno County Democratic Woman's Club on Memorial Day, May 31st, 2010.
Representative Costa will speak about water issues, the historic health care bill and his current reelection effort. In addition the club will be honored to have the Congressman conduct the installation of the new club officers and board of directors for 2010-2011.
The meeting will be held at the University Ramada, Hwy 41 at Shaw, from 11 am to 1 pm. The Women's Club, largest of it's kind in the Central Valley, has long had the support of Costa, and his late mother, who was active in the organization for many years. The cost of the event is $15 and includes a buffet luncheon. You can make your reservation by calling the DIA office at 486-5422.
Incoming officers include: President Billie MacDougal, Vice President Patsy Montgomery, Secretary Trish Sorenson, Treasurer Helen Wilson, Auditor Edith Burris, and Directors Lucy Elgin, Evelyn Haulman, Rosalie Kelly, and Bob Ramsay. Out-going President is Patricia Brown.
| | Feeling angry about how the GOP and Tea Party folks spread lies and misinformation in the fight for Health Insurance Reform?
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Join us for a two day Campaign Training Seminar to be held in Fresno on Saturday and Sunday, June 19-20, 2010 to be conducted by the best trainers the California Democratic Party has to offer! Fields Skills - Online Strategy - Campaign Finance Law
Using New Technology - Campaign Messaging - and much more!
Eager to learn of the immediate effects of the Health Insurance Reform Bill?
House Passes Health Insurance Reform!The House of Representatives has at long last passed the Health Insurance Reform Bill, overhauling the American medical system. The bill cleared it's last significant hurdle on a vote of 219-212 giving President Obama a long sought after victory. There still remains a few details to work out. To the best of our understanding this is how it works; the measure, which is essentially the Senate's version of the bill, goes to the President's desk to be signed into law. Then it heads back to the Senate for "reconciliation" or fixing. Certain objectionable parts of like the deals made with states like North Dakota and Louisiana will be stripped. Then the Senate votes on the revised bill. Tthe President signs one more time and it's a done deal.There are plenty of opportunities for the Republicans to stall things along the way
Please contact Representative Costa's Office and thank him for his Yes Vote on Health insurance Reform.Fresno: 559-495-1620 - Wash DC: 202-225-3341
Jerry Brown takes on Meg Whitman! Early this month, Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown officially launched his campaign for Governor. In a video on his website, Brown declared, "...what we need is someone with insider's knowledge but an outsider's mind". Celebrity CEO and GOP candidate for Governor, Meg Whitman spent a whopping $27.2 million in the first 11 weeks of 2010, setting a new record for campaign spending in the state. For her money, she has surged ahead of opponent Steve Poizner by a margin of 49 percentage points in the latest Field Poll. The same poll shows that she spent her way to a virtual tie with Jerry Brown, 46 percent to 43 percent. Jerry Brown is certain to win the June 8th Democratic Primary and is wisely saving his funds for the General Election battle in November. Meg Whitman will have to write her campaign another huge check to cover expenses through June 8th as she is down to only $4.5 million in cash as of last week. See more at: http://jerrybrown.org |
 Welcome to Election Year 2010!
There are many elective offices up for grabs this year. Prime among them are the Senate seat now held by Barbara Boxer and the entire slate of statewide offices. Arnold is termed out (good riddance!), his popularity having dropped to an all low in this, the most ungovernable state in the union.
Coming up first is the June 8th primary, with incumbent Boxer as a shoe-in for the Dem side and Celebrity CEO Carly Fiorina as the front-runner for the Republicans.
In the Governor's race, Jerry Brown (as yet unannounced) is expected to take the nomination after the departure from the race of Gavin Newsom and John Garamendi, who won a seat as the 10th District Representative to Congress in November.
On the Republican side another Celebrity CEO, Meg Whitman faces all but forgotten former Congressman Tom Campbell and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.
There are a slew of Congressional, State Senate and Assembly seats, awaiting a decision by the voters. Generating the most attention currently is the 19th  Congressional District seat being vacated by George Radanovich, who apparently feared a serious primary challenge. Lots of prominent local Republicans are lining up in that race to face the likely Democratic nominee and one of our favorite people; Les Marsden, in what promises to be a spirited race.
There are a load of regional and local races, too many to mention here. However our friend, Michael Evans has provided us with a spreadsheet listing those offices, their expected contenders and party affiliations. Please note that these are not official, as the period for filing has yet to begin. Click here to see the list.
We'll have more details in a few weeks as the primary picture becomes clearer...
| Patsy Montgomery Elected to CDP Women''s Caucus Post
On November 15th at the annual meeting of the California Democratic Party Executive Board, Fresnan Patsy Montgomery was elected as Women's Caucus Political Development Chair. She was nominated by State Senator and Majority Leader Dean Florez, and elected by a unanimous voice vote from the floor.
As Women's Caucus Political Development chair, Patsy will have responsibility for developing a statewide program for women candidates, appointees, campaign staff, and volunteers.
Interest at the this years Women's Caucus was high because of the recent vote by some House Democrats to approve the Stupac Amendment to the recent Healthcare Bill. The amendment would prohibit federal money from being used to subsidize a policy offered through the exchange from covering abortions except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother's life. The Stupac Amendment is widely opposed by pro-choice Democrats.
Mixed Bag of Results for Nov 3rd, 2009  There were a number of closely watched races around the country on November 3rd, producing mixed results for Democrats and Progressives as the Republicans gained governorships in New Jersey and Virginia. Our side picked up a traditionally Republican house seat in the NY 23rd and kept one here in the CA 10th.
The biggest disappointment of the night occurred in Maine where Voters turned back a law permitting same-sex marriages. It appears that wherever courts or legislatures grant Marriage Equality, and the question is put to the voters it is rejected. We're certain that groups backing a 2010 effort in California to overturn Prop 8, are taking a long and serious look at Tuesday's outcome in Maine.
As Democrats, the lesson we must take from last Tuesday is despite all we have gained, we must work to keep it. Tens of millions of Obama supporters around the country have retreated back into the woodwork figuring that their work was finished a year ago. They've yet to step up in sufficient numbers to support the President on healthcare reform and we suspect they'll be absent when the discussion on America's energy future begins. We hope they show up soon.
Newsom Bails from Gov's Race 
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's Mayor, Gavin Newsom, has withdrawn from the 2010 race for Governor of California. "With a young family and responsibilities at City Hall, I have found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to — and should be — done,” he said. “This is not an easy decision. But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats.” That leaves Jerry Brown, California's Attorney General and former governor, as the Democratic front runner in next years race. Brown has yet to announce his candidacy but is known to have campaign funds in excess of $7 million.
|  President Tells Critics to "Grab a Mop!"
At a pair of fundraisers in NY City, Barack Obama took aim at his critics who say he hasn't done enough in his first nine months in office.
The President said they should “grab a mop” to help him clean up the mess left him by George W. Bush.
Critics are saying that the persistant sluggishness in the economy and a rise in the unemployment rate to 9.8 percent are evidence that Obama policies were not working.
The president emphasized the sad shape the economy was in when he took over from Bush when he said, “I don’t mind cleaning up the mess that some other folks made. That’s what I signed up to do. But while I’m there mopping the floor, I don’t want somebody standing there saying, you’re not mopping fast enough or you’re not holding the mop the right way.” The President also chided those on Wall Street to go along with proposed reforms: “The financial industry is essential to the health of our economy,that’s why we stepped in to rescue Wall Street by taking steps that by the way were not popular.” He added: “We also know that we should never again have to face a potential calamity and the shortsightedness that led to it.”
“So if there are members of the financial industry in the audience today,I would ask that you join us in passing what are necessary reforms. Don’t fight them.”
| Big Fund Raising Yard Sale!  On Saturday, September 12, 2009, The volunteers at Democrats In Action held their first annual Yard Sale in a front yard at the big Huntington Blvd Mile-Long Yard Sale. We had a lot of great donated items to sell. It was hot, with temps hovering around 100 degrees, so by the time our 2:30 cleanup started we were in pretty worn out. But we kept on, leaving our host's lawn more or less the way we found it. Many thanks to the Louise and Jerry Davoli, for the use of their yard, as well as coffee and bagels they had waiting for us at 5:30 AM. , We hope to do this again next year. It was a lot of work but well worth it. Many thanks to all those that donated such fine items! | | | Senator Edward M. Kennedy died late in the evening on August 25th, at the age of 77. The Senator from Massachusetts succumbed after a 15 month battle with brain cancer. Kennedy served 47 years in the US Senate and wrote more than 2,500 bills. Some 500 of them were signed into law. He had a hand in many of the country’s major pieces of social legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Health Insurance for poor children (SCHIP), the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program (WIC), and No Child Left Behind. Regarding the latter, he frequently criticized Republicans for failing to fund many of it’s provisions. A grateful Democratic Party salutes it's "Lion of the Senate"... Click here for a list of Sen. Kennedy's legislative accomplishments
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 New Women's Club Website is now On-Line!
We are proud to announce the creation of a website for the Fresno County Democratic Women's Club. Check it out at; It is the creation of talented Webdesigner and Graphic Artist, Kerri Schiff. Kerri is a new resident of Fresno and a brand new volunteer at the Democrats In Action Office. Look forward to more really good content as the summer goes on.
Clovis Democratic Club's Annual Patriotic Picnic On Thursday Evening, July 2nd 6 PM, the Clovis Democratic Club will hold it's annual Patriotic Picnic at Bicentennial Park in Clovis. The Club will furnish hot dogs and cold drinks. All you have to do is bring a potluck side dish or dessert. The program will include: Patriotic Speeches, Live Music by Uncle Ephus (Not just an Old Time String Band) , Singing, Prizes, Fun and Food. The Club invites other organizations to bring their own table to promote themselves in return for offering a Prize for the Raffle Drawing. Bicentennial Park is located on Sunnyside Ave, just north of Sierra and a block south of Herndon. Be there! For more info call Evelyn Haulman at 291-6814
 Stonewall Dems to Host Fundraiser to mark the 40th Anniversary of the NYC Stonewall RiotsFresno's Stonewall Democratic Club and The Den will recreate the 1969 Police Raid on the Stonewall Inn located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. This event is generally regarded as pivotal in the rise of the Gay Liberation Movement. Those "arrested" at this fundraiser will be "bailed out" with help from the attendees. Proceeds will benefit the Stonewall Democratic Club. A riotous good time is promised! Sunday, June 28th, beginning at 9:00PM The Den 4538 E. Belmont Ave. Fresno, CA 93702
MARSDEN LAUNCHES 19th DISTRICT CAMPAIGN Democrat Les Marsden of Mariposa officially launched his campaign for the 19th District Congressional District seat in a series of events held on June 10th and 11th. The District, encompassing parts of five counties and including Yosemite National Park has been represented (many say poorly) by seven-term Republican George Radanovich. Candidate Marsden will be speaking at the Clovis Democratic Club Picnic mentioned above.
Let's get out and support Les as he kicks off his campaign for 2010! | |
 Meet in the Middle 4 Equality, a Huge Success! When the Supreme Court of California upheld Prop 8, the ban on gay marriage, in a 6 to1 ruling, groups that had been planning a huge rally in Fresno jumped into action. On May 30th the Meet in the Middle 4 Equality March and Rally was held with a crowd estimated between 3500-5000 in attendance at the City Hall in Fresno. Media coverage of this even was broadcast worldwide. The March began in Selma in the early morning, and by noon hot and tired marchers had covered the 17 miles to the Fresno City Hall to kick off the event to thunderous applause. A multitude of speakers, both celebrity and non-celebrity spoke of the need to work hard and fight for Marriage Equality in our state. Democrats In Action was pleased to receive an invitation to set a voter registration booth at MITM4E and quickly accepted. Our admiration and congratulations goes to the various groups, including the state and local Courage Campaign and MITM4E for pulling off such a well organized, important event. We salute you! For more info on MITM go to: http://www.meetinthemiddle4equality.com/
 Obama Nominates Sotomayor
to the Supreme CourtOn Tuesday, May 26th, President Barack Obama nominated federal appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court Pending confirmation by the Senate, Sotomayor would be come the first Latino to sit on the Supreme Court. Nominated in 1991 by the first President Bush to a seat on the US District Court and promoted to the Court of Appeals by Bill Clinton in 1997, Sotomayor has an impressive resume and a compelling life story. Republicans are bristling for a fight on any Obama pick for the nation's highest court. They are expected to lose this one. Read more about Judge Sotomayor here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonia_Sotomayor
New Gallup Poll on Abortion may be Misleading A new Gallup Poll released Friday, found “51 percent of Americans calling themselves ‘pro-life’ on the issue of abortion and 42 percent ‘pro-choice.’ Such a finding is unexpected and raised eyebrows among polling experts. They raised concerns that Gallup's respondants were evenly split between Republicans And Democrats (32% vs 32%), while the nation's electorate more accurately reflects something in the neighborhood of 38.7% Democrats and 32.6% iRepublican. In the polling business such results are known as "outliers". In statistics, an outlier is an observation numerically distant from the rest of the data. They are usually the result of skewed methodology regarding how questions are asked and the makeup of the sample of respondents. For more on this topic visit the most respected polling analysis site: fivethirtyeight.com
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CDP Convention Held
The annual California Democratic Party Convention was held last weekend in Sacramento. Delegates voted to endorse Propositions 1B, 1C and 1F and remain neutral on Props 1A, 1D and 1E. Party rules required a 60% approval for an endorsement. No surprises as former state Sen. John Burton was elected chair of the state Democratic Party. He will be replacing 13 year chairman Art Torres, a long time bay-area legislator. Burton, 76 years old, cruised to victory with 76 percent of vote. Unfortunately our own Patsy Montgomery lost her bid to be elected to the post of Legislative and Policy Issues Chair to the Women's Caucus. Patsy, selected only a week ago to the Change to Win Slate, was nonetheless proud of her participation on a slate that was culturally and geographically diverse.
First Pup Revealed!
Despite the best efforts of the White House to keep it under wraps, the identity of the First Pup has been revealed. Given the name Bo by the Obama Girls. the 6-month-old Portuguese water dog was a gift from Sen. Edward Kennedy. The choice of first pet has been the subject of considerable media speculation since the election last November. Specific details began to emerge on Friday in stories by the Washington Post and TMZ. It is likely that Bo will make his first appearence in public on Tuesday in an event that might overshadow coverage of Tea Party demonstrations being held throughout the country the following day.
 Help for Homeowners The Obama Administration has released details regarding the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. Find out if you qualify for assistance by going to: http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/ Your lender must talk with you about loan modification according to the new law. In some cases they can lower payments, or lower payments for 5 years. Some borrowers are getting principal reductions. More programs to help homeowners are being legislated this month in Washington. Nobody wants more foreclosures from upside down owners. Remember: You don't have to pay anyone to get this help. Beware of scams!
Links to Articles on the Details of the Stimulus Plan
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Reconciliation Pitfalls
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