January - Pacific County Democrats

January 2010
Message from the Chair
By John Adams, Chair PCD
What does it mean to be a Democrat? Recent
events have made clear that it means different things to different people. Most people
who consider themselves Democrats are self
identified, meaning they aren’t a member of
an official organization. They vote regularly,
but usually aren’t actively involved in
politics. If this is you, I’m asking you to take the next
step and become a member of the Pacific
County Democrats.
Why? To help shape party policy in Pacific County, get Democrats elected to
local office, and to enjoy political and
social events with like-minded people.
In 2010 we have serious election work to take
care of: county races for Auditor, Assessor,
Treasurer, Prosecuting Attorney and 3rd district Commissioner; both representatives and
senator in our state legislative district; and
Brian Baird and Patty Murray in Congressional races.
We will also be dealing with a new system
for electing delegates to county and state
conventions this year. No more caucuses. Instead there will be a much more direct system for getting grass roots input at the state
party convention.
So, come be a part of it. Be an active participant in our Democratic system. Please see CHAIR, p. 2
Why Are You A Democrat?
By Bud Cuffel, Pacific County Commissioner
Recently I was asked that question and no
quick answer came to me. So I thought back
to the thirteen presidents that have led our
country during my lifetime, and the leadership they have provided.
My earliest presidential memories were of
FDR and his fireside chats. My parents had
lived through the depression of the thirties
and were avid Democrats who admired FDR
and despised Herbert Hoover. They felt Hoover had destroyed the economy of this country. That was a definite influence on my thinking, but many other things came into play
throughout the years.
My party is inclusive. All are welcome: all
races, all creeds, the poor, the halt and the
lame, and even the wealthy who realize
that with wealth comes social responsibility.
I feel comfortable in the company of other
Democrats. They tend to agree that everyone
in this country has the right to a decent life
with health care and a job with a wage that
will allow them to own a home and even save
enough to help send their children to college.
I hear my fellow Democrats discussing events
that are important in their lives. These lively
debates revolve around jobs, discrimination,
healthcare, poverty, fairness, protecting social
Please see CUFFEL, p. 2
January 2010
Pacific County Democrat
CHAIR, continued from p. 2
No more sitting on the bench. Get in the
game! Annual dues are only $10, and meetings are held on the second Monday of each
month (even months in South Bend, odd
months in Seaview).
Highlight annual events are the big crab feed
in March, the picnic in July, the County fair
in August. Parades include Loyalty Days in
Long Beach in May, Old Fashioned Fourth of
July in Ocean Park, Labor Day in South Bend
and Tokeland, Willapa Harbor Days in Raymond. And this is just a partial list of the opportunities we’ll have to get together and
enjoy hanging out with fellow democrats. ♦
CUFFEL, continued from p. 2
security, protecting the environment, funding our hospitals, and providing support for
fire, ambulance and police.
My friends in the Democratic Party are willing to work for what they want and they
hope to see a time when social justice is
available to all our citizens, whatever their
financial means.
page 2
No Rest For The Diligent
President Obama is elected, happy days are
here again and all is well, so let’s get complacent. We Democrats never seem to learn.
In fact, our work has just begun. There is still
so much to do, and Obama needs all the help
we can give him. He will need strong support
from Congress, elected state officials and voters to get the job done. How can we help? It’s
simple:
First — get more Dems to join the club.
Second — get more Dems registered.
Third — get out the Dem vote.
I know you have a full plate: work, family,
volunteering, etc. Just remember one thing —
all of these will be in jeopardy if we don’t have
a strong and honest government. There’s no
room for complacency. ♦
—Mike McNatt, Ocean Park and Vancouver, WA
Local Democrats spend countless hours
promoting these issues at club meetings, in
this newsletter and at social events that are
meant to bring good people together in a
common cause. That cause is a good government that works for all the people.
Lyndon Johnson once said, “Any damn fool
can burn down a barn, but it takes some
brains to build one.” I think that we Democrats have the brains and the determination
to govern this nation for the benefit of all our
citizens.
Please come to our Pacific County Democrat
meetings and join our efforts to elect worthy
candidates, and enjoy the companionship of
friends in the Democratic Party.
Pat Donnelly, Pacific County Democrat of the Year
and Marshall Tate prepare for the soggy Labor DayParade in South Bend.
Pacific County Democrat
January 2010
page 3
Are You Ready For 2010?
2010 Election:
By Beverly Olson, PCD State Committee Woman, Bay
Center
the “Unpresidental Election!”
As I write this, 2009 is coming to an end. I—and
probably you—have taken a much needed hiatus
from the entire election process this past year. Remember how ecstatic we were in November 2008?
And then the excitement of the Inauguration? And
then a full year with our new President Barack
Obama and our Democratic Congress?
Congrats to all of us…but now it’s time to go back to
work.
We here in Pacific County are well represented by
Democrats. Do you realize that at the national, state,
and county levels all of our elected officials are Dems,
except two? We need to obtain 100%.
YES WE CAN IN 2010.
In 2010, five partisan races will be on the ballot for
Pacific County voters. These positions are currently
held by five hard-working Democrats:
U.S. Senator
Patty Murray
WA State Reps Brian Blake and Dean Takko
Pacific County Commissioner Clay Harwood.
UPDATE: Brian Baird announced on 12/9 that he
will not be seeking re-election. Exactly how this will
affect the 3rd Congressional District is unknown at
this time. The Top 2 Primary and the WA State Central Committee rules and actions will definitely impact this election race.
Please say yes, when the Murray, Blake, Takko,
and Harwood campaigns come calling and ask for
help. I am encouraging you to get involved. You will
probably enjoy it and I know you can make a difference. Yes we can in 2010.
By Pat Donnelly, Pacific County Democrat of the Year
This is the election that will either keep the U.S.
House and Senate strong supporters for our
President or leave us in gridlock.
I believe in supporting the candidates who will
work toward democratic ideals. Our job did not
stop on January 20, 2008. We will need to work
twice as hard in this election to elect people who
support these ideals because the opposition is
feeling battered from the last election and they
are “raring to go.”
No one person can do it alone. Join me
and other Pacific County Democrats in
working just as hard as we did in 2008.
I will be working hard because we still need
Medical Care reform. We still need to improve
Human Rights, Women’s Rights and Civil Rights
on a world-wide basis. And, of course, I will be
working hard to elect all democratic candidates
in Pacific County and in Washington State. Join
me! ♦
Don’t Rain On My Parade!
Important Dates in 2010
March 14, 2010 19th Legislative District Caucus
April 10, 2010 Paci3ic County Democratic County Convention. June 26, 2010 Washington State Democratic Con-­‐
vention. A state platform will be adopted.
November 2, 2010 Election Day
Pat Donnelly, Beverly Olson, Marshall Tate, Clay Harwood,
Diana Thompson, David Burke, Renée Goodin, John Adams and
Melissa Goldberg at the Labor Day Parade in South Bend
January 2010
Pacific County Democrat
page 4
Why it’s important to join the PCD in 2010
During the next year the Republican Party is
going to conduct an aggressive assault on our
legislative delegations, trying to win the offyear elections to put an end to Barack
Obama's legislative agenda and change our
legislative priorities in Olympia. But in the end, all politics is local and the
place to confront the republican threat is here
at home where Pacific County Democrats
nourish our party’s grass roots. It isn’t much
to ask Democrats to support our party. It
doesn't take much ($10/member), but when
we all join the party, it adds up.
—Frank Logan, State Committeeman, Ocean
Park
The Pacific County Democrats consistently
step up to support progressive ideas and
Democratic candidates. 2010 is shaping up to
be another contentious mid-term election
year, and we know all too well what’s happened during recent mid-term elections with
sitting Democratic presidents.
They have been rough over the past forty
years. In 1966, LBJ lost 4 seats in the U.S.
Senate and 47 in the House. In 1978, Jimmy
Carter lost 3 in the Senate, 15 in the House. Bill Clinton, in 1994, lost 9 in the Senate and
54 in the House. Right now, President Obama's approval rating is hovering near 50%, and the Democratic
Congress falls even lower than that. Not only
will Democratic candidates at the federal
level face this dilemma as they seek election
or support for their legislation, but local candidates will also face an uphill battle as they
are often identified only with the national
party.
Democratic candidates need our support
this coming year to raise money and awareness
to support their efforts and fight the spread of
misinformation that is already blanketing the
political landscape. Let’s be there to lend them a hand.
—Tip Wonhoff, PCO, South Bend
The year 2010 will be a very important year for
the Pacific County Democrats. This is the year
most of the county offices are open for election;
Assessor, Auditor, Clerk, Prosecuting Attorney,
Treasurer, Sheriff, North District Court Judge,
South District Court Judge and County Commission District 3.
All the incumbents are Democrats. It is our
responsibility to see that we keep the county
government running smooth and working for
our people. Join the Pacific County Democrats
and support our candidates by voting in 2010.
Not only are the county offices open in 2010 but
there are several M&O levies that will be run
for the school districts. An M&O levy is a maintenance and operation levy used to fund school
districts.
As a Pacific County Democrat, I feel that we
need to support these levies and show the voters of our communities that we support the
school operations within our county. These
elections could be run in 2010 in February, April
or May. Please watch for these elections in your
local newspapers.
All your election information can be found on
the Pacific County Auditor ’s web site,
www.co.pacific.wa.us: select Auditor, then Elections. If you have questions call (360) 875-9317
or (360) 642-9317.
—Pat Gardner, Pacific County Auditor
Pacific County Democrat
January 2010
page 5
Letters To The Editor:
Good job on the newsletter, and the blog! I
appreciate reading the updates, even if we
continue to miss the meetings and activities. I am hoping a large majority will vote down
I-1033.
—Lietta Ruger, Bay Center, WA
I would like to commend you on a great
newsletter and all the work you do on it.
—Pat Gardner, Pacific County Auditor,
Raymond
Interesting and informative. Thanks to all
who wrote it.
—Beverly Olson, PCD State
Committeewoman, Bay Center
From the Editors:
We wish to thank all those who have generously contributed articles, letters and photos
to the PCD Newsletter, and special thanks to
our invaluable proofreaders: Pat Bray, Lynette Dowty, Sue Staples and Sharon Van
Heuit.
(You mak us look so much bettr than we wood without you.)
Many thanks!
— Peter Janke and Marshall Tate, Co-Editors
JANUARY MEETING
January 11, 2010
Seaview Transit Center, 7 p.m.,
Seaview, WA
Pacific County
Democrats
P.O. Box 455
South Bend, WA 98586
www.pacificcountydemocrats.com
Chair John Adams
[email protected] 360-665-0102
First Vice Chair Colleen Cohern
[email protected] 360-875-6024
Second Vice Chair Bill Grennan
[email protected] 360-642-7228
Treasurer Renee Goodin
[email protected] 360-642-9420
Secretary Marshall Tate
[email protected] 360-665-0023
State Committeeman Frank Logan
[email protected] 360-665-0552
State Committeewoman Beverly Olson
[email protected] 360-875-6039
Calendar of Events
Dec. 14, 7 pm.
Jan. 11, 7 pm.
Feb. 8, 7 pm.
Mar. 8, 7 pm.
Mar. 13
April 12, 7 pm.
May 10, 7 pm.
General Meeting, So. Bend
General Meeting, Seaview
General Meeting, So. Bend
General Meeting, Seaview
Crab Feed, South Bend
General Meeting, So. Bend
General Meeting, Seaview
We meet at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each
month, alternating between South Bend (even
months) and Seaview (odd months).
Pacific County Democrat Newsletter
Co-Editor: Peter Janke 360-665-0773
[email protected]
Co-Editor: Marshall Tate 360-665-0023
[email protected]
PACIFIC COUNTY DEMOCRATS
P.O. BOX 455
SOUTH BEND, WA 98586
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It’s Time to Renew Your PCD Membership
The Pacific County Democrat Club is a forum to present and discuss your ideas for future actions by the Democrat party in Pacific County. Meetings are often attended by
State and County elected officials. You can express your views to your elected representatives by participating.
Membership provides you unique opportunities to become involved in the Party and
participate as a club member, a Precinct Committee Officer, or as a member of various
local and statewide committees.
Join us. Make your voice heard. Our members are our lifeblood and we need you. We
need your support to maintain the course.
Your membership in 2010 will help keep Pacific County Blue!
✂…………………………….…………………………….………………………………………………...
PACIFIC COUNTY DEMOCRATS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Annual Dues --- $10 Per Year
____ New Membership
____ Renewal
Name_____________________________________________________________
Mailing Address___________________________________________________
City_________________________________________State______Zip________
Phone___________________Email____________________________________
Mail to: Pacific County Democrats, PO Box 455, South Bend, WA 98586
Thank you for your support!