Dear NCW Democrats and Friends,
We haven’t flooded your inboxes with emails since election night. Most of us have been examining the stages of grief from the inside-out. Today and tomorrow will be tough for many of us. Spend time with good people. Do things that feel right. Then, take a deep breath and set a course, keep a focus.
We want to share a few thoughts and information about events that may be of interest to you. (Brief descriptions are being highlighted here in color, with more info highlighted in the same color at the end of the email.)
FRIDAY, January 20, 2017, about 8:30am start time for the INAUGURATION CEREMONY, Washington DC. Many network and cable channels will carry the events of the day. If you just can’t bring yourself to watch, consider going for a walk, donating blood (11-4 @ King’s Orchard Church), or attending a showing of “Hidden Figures” at the theater (Gateway, 1p/3:45p). It will inspire us to action! SATURDAY, January 21, 11 am Women’s March on Wenatchee Valley – All are encouraged to participate (see more info below). THURS, January 26, 5 pm, “Taste ‘O Politics” no-host gathering of Democrats for conversation and action, Jones Tasting Rm @ Pybus. FRI-SAT, January 27-28: Quarterly meeting of WA-Democrats, Olympia. Our party chairs and committee women/men will attend on our behalf. WEDNESDAY, February 1, 2017, 7pm, Joint meeting of Douglas Co Dems and Chelan Dems, DCFD#2 Mtg Rm (377 Eastmont Ave, E Wenatchee). Program tba in future email. All Dems welcome! TUESDAYS (1st & 3rd), February 8 and 22, 10a @ Pybus Mkt: Take a “Coffee Break” with other Democrats. No-host coffee and conversation.
We have elected 2017-2018 leadership teams for the Democrats of Chelan County, Douglas County Democrats, and the 12th Legislative District Democrats (see below). These individuals will seek your ideas and support and define the work ahead. At the end of January, representatives from our local organizations will also help elect leadership for the Washington State Democrats. One of the painful outcomes of Donald Trump’s election is the realization that somewhere near half the voters of our nation were willing to support a candidate who most Democrats find truly unqualified. The details of how, why and what happened will be examined for decades to come, but most of us resolve to act now to prevent the dismantling of our democracy. Local Democratic organizations are preparing to do just that.
Other local groups and non-profits are joining in the activism. Reinvigorated by the prospect of what lies ahead, they are redoubling efforts to address issues and get involved. At work are local perennial voices for human rights causes such as Community for the Advancement of Family Education (CAFÉ), Hand-In-Hand Immigration Services, Climate Conversations NCW, Planned Parenthood of NCW, Wenatchee Education Association and other education organizations, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, organized labor groups, The Spectrum (and Eastmont QSA, as well as LGBTQ support groups in Leavenworth and Wenatchee), VotoLatino, OneAmerica, and many environmental and faith-based organizations. Some groups are formed as 501c3 or c4 and are prohibited from working too closely with our partisan political efforts. Other groups consider themselves “non-partisan/non-political.” In that vein, we’ve observed the emergence of new local efforts, such as NCW United, Pantsuit-Wenatchee, and Pantsuit-Central Washington. They are providing a focus and voice for information-sharing and action for many motivated NCW residents. At some level, all wish to preserve and protect our rights as human beings, and to maintain our positive influence and status in the world community. We encourage everyone to engage and help, and we’ll work as closely as possible with these organizations to achieve common goals. We hope they see us (Democratic organizations) as resources!
A glaring truth from the past election, however, is the unprecedented low turnout by Democratic and independent voters. Yes, there are problems with the process and the system, but our vote is our voice and it is our privilege and responsibility. The turnout numbers at all levels tell us that we have work to do. Although we can and should work in concert with other organizations, such as those listed above, the Democratic Party is uniquely positioned and tasked with the responsibility of organizing at the local level to turn out voters and to help identify and train potential candidates for office. In order to do this, we all need to pull together and do our part.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: What’s in your future? · Stay informed: Locally, statewide, nationally, and beyond. Engage with our public entities. Attend meetings—not just when you have a gripe, but to become informed and see what each organization does. · Get moving: Join the Wenatchee Women’s March this Saturday 1/21(or march in Chelan or Ephrata); lobby our representatives at home (see list of elected officials below) or in Olympia during Legislative Days or in DC; find an interest group and advocate for a cause. Come meet other Democrats and help register voters, canvass neighborhoods, meet for coffees/potlucks/work-parties. · SERVICE: Consider public office. There will be 150+ non-partisan offices on the ballot this year in our two counties. Have a passion or concern? Our schools, water, sewer systems, hospitals, towns and city government, cemeteries, fire districts—all need dedicated community members on their boards and commissions. Become informed by attending meetings, talking with those who are currently serving, clear your schedule, then run for office. Working with a consortium of sponsors, Democratic Party organizations will build a series of “How To Run For Office” workshops. Offices open in Douglas County are here. Chelan Co auditor will post offices soon. Candidate filing week begins Monday, May 15 through Friday, May 19. Ready to jump in this year? Call us. Maybe another year? Call us! · Have you heard about “Indivisible: A Practical Guide For Fighting The Trump Agenda”? Margaret M first introduced us to this manual at the December potluck (thank you!). It’s been revised by the authors and they’ve also published a Group Leader Toolkit AND have set up a registry online for groups that want to share information. We are registered and getting ready to launch a local plan. Join us! · Help your Democratic Party grow. There are many precincts in our counties that have no Democratic precinct committee officer (PCO) identified. You could be that person. Call us to discuss! GET INVOLVED WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY—THERE’S A JOB WITH YOUR NAME ON IT!
And now, some thoughts from the chairs of your local Democratic Party organizations. Exchanging concerns and news is a useful first step in helping to protect important Democratic policies and principles. However, that exchange is not enough. President Obama at his farewell address https://www.whitehouse.gov/farewell spoke clearly on this topic: “If you're disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. (Applause.) Show up. Dive in. Stay at it.” (“Stay at it” is the necessary key element.) That also means helping at the grassroots level to build a stronger Democratic Party that can influence decisions and elect officials locally, state-wide and for federal positions -- and that is how we’ll bring change.
“And so we’re going to have to forge a new social compact to guarantee all our kids the education they need – (applause) – to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the w3ay we live now, and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from this new economy don’t avoid the obligations to the country that’s made their very success possible.”
This will mean going outside our comfort zone to gain the trust and support of the individuals who didn’t vote or who didn’t vote the way we did in this last election. The solutions we are working for require long-term commitment and the hard work of many committed Democrats and independent voters.
The good news? We have non-partisan local elections this year and in 2019; opportunities to help us improve our election campaign skills and broaden our base. In 2018, more opportunity to further advance our campaign experience as we recruit and support partisan candidates who will challenge Trump Republicans and their policies. By 2020 we’ll be ready to help elect new members of Congress in those seats held by Trump Republicans and elect a new President and Vice President to lead our great country.
Support your local county and legislative district Democratic Party organizations – we’re all in this together and we have work to do.
Bill Miller, Chair, Democrats of Chelan County Karen Keleman, Chair, Douglas County Democrats Dan Maher, Chair, 12th LD Democrats
WOMEN’S MARCH ON WENATCHEE VALLEY—Saturday, January 21, 11am-2pm—ALL are welcome to participate! · People all over the US, all over the world will be marching on Saturday! · Walk begins at Wenatchee Community Center, 504 S Chelan St, Wenatchee · Go to the Facebook page for more details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1854650878153055/
Your elected officials: consider pinning to the top of your FB page, print and tape to your frig, enter the phone numbers in your phone! US CONGRESSIONAL
SWITCHBOARD (for Senate and House): 202-224-3121 US SENATE MURRAY: DC office (866) 481-9186; Seattle (206)
553-5545; Yakima (509) 453-7462; Spokane (509) 624-9515; www.murray.senate.gov WA LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE: (for WA Senate and/or House) 800-562-6000 GOV INSLEE: Olympia (360) 902-4111, governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message
Newly elected local Democratic Party leadership--HUGE congratulations to: 1/4/17: Douglas County Democrats: Karen Keleman (Chair), Luther Beaty (Vice-chair), LaVern Strawn (State Committee Woman), Don Spurlock (State Committee Man), Rebecca Cattin (Secretary), and Pam Morris (Treasurer). 1/8/17: Democrats of Chelan County: Bill Miller (Chair), Joanna Nesgoda (1st Vice-chair), Sandi Bammer (2nd Vice-chair), Nancy Miller (SCW), Eric Torres (SCM), Tona Chacón (Secretary), and Frances Titus (Treasurer). 1/8/17: 12th LD Democrats: Dan Maher (Chair), Keely Murdoch (Vice-chair), Alma Chacón (State Committee Woman), Patrick Bodell (State Committee Man), Suellen Harris (Secretary), and Gary Provo (Treasurer). Congratulations to all! You make an powerful team! Thank you to all PCOs and friends who came to the reorganization meetings to help "get this show on the road!"
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