Friday, 18 September 2009 02:12
Dean Democratic Club
At the working meeting on Monday, September 14, the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley endorsed the following candidates for office:
We want to congratulate these candidates for winning our endorsement. But the reason candidates seek out our club for endorsement is because they know our endorsment means more than a bullet point on a list. It means boots on the ground and voices on the phone. That means you. Our endorsment process is solid and it ensures that the candidates we endorse live up to the finest values of social progressivism and fiscal responsibility. So when you go out there and volunteer, you can be sure you are working for worthy candidates. We will post on our calendar events and volunteer opportunities for our candidates. We need you to come out for your candidates, and together, we will make a great impact.
Last Updated on Friday, 18 September 2009 02:32
Thursday, 21 May 2009 20:27
Dean Democratic Club
At our working meeting on May 18, Alice Smith, Co-Chair of our club, spoke about her work with the ACLU on the Santa Clara County Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, which is focusing on reducing the incidence of prosecutors seeking the death penalty. They are lobbying district attorneys and politicians and trying to get group endorsements. Alice noted that it costs $1.25 million a year to have someone on death row; appeals can last 18-20 years. In five years, California would save $1 billion if the death penalty were eliminated. There are 640 men and 5 women on death row in California now. There is no evidence that the death penalty provides a deterrent, and studies have shown that students in grades as low as fourth can be assessed to determine who will eventually go to prison. After Alice's presentation, members unanimously approved a motion for the Dean Democratic Club to join the Santa Clara County Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Marcene Van Dierendonck volunteered to represent the club in the coalition.
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Wednesday, 09 September 2009 23:26
Dean Democratic Club
In August, the members of the Dean Democratic club unanimously approved the text of a letter to the White House expressing our strong support that in any health care reform legislation, giving Americans the choice of a public option in the pool of choices was essential. The letter was sent in the wake of multiple reports that the White House no longer considers the public option essential to health care reform. Here is the text of our letter to the President: Dear President Obama,
As an active Democratic club working hard since 2004 to elect candidates who support universal health care in this country, we were very dismayed to hear Administration spokespersons tell the nation yesterday that the public option was no longer an essential part of health care reform. Co-ops are not an acceptable substitute.
We worked hard last year and in 2006 to get a Democratic majority in the House and Senate and are proud of our efforts to win back the White House. Put the public option back into any bill in the House and Senate, and keep it there.
Yours for a continuing Democratic majority,
The Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley
PO Box 1083
Mountain View CA 94042
cc:
Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, Jerry McNerney, Pete Stark
As the president prepares to give a speech to Congress on the health care, we remain committed to passing meaningful health care reform, and health care reform will not be meaningful without a robust and immediately-available public option. We need you in that fight with us. Call your member of Congress today and tell them to stand firm on the public option.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 September 2009 23:47
Thursday, 21 May 2009 20:11
Dean Democratic Club
At the members meeting of the Dean Democratic Club on Monday, May 18, 2009, Blair Bobier of the New America Foundation made a presentation for Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), a concept of voting where voters would rank the candidates in order of preference rather than vote for just one candidate. After the first choices are counted, if no one gets a majority, the candidate receiving the least first choice votes will be dropped and his or her votes will be distributed according to the voters' second choice. The process would continue until there was a clear winner. A modified version of this process will also work for seats where multiple candidates are elected on the same ballot. You can learn more about it on FairVote.org. Santa Clara County voters had already approved Measure F to institute IRV pending available technology, and the technology has now become available. San Francisco has had IRV since 2004. The League of Women Voters and Common Cause are among the groups that support it. You can contact your Santa Clara County supervisor and ask them to support IRV; San Jose residents can also contact their city council members. On June 11 there will be a panel on this topic with several speakers including Steve Chessin at the MLK Library in San Jose at noon; lunch will be provided. If and when there are more details, those will be added to our calendar
Last Updated on Thursday, 21 May 2009 20:27
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2009 has been a year of trial as well as success for the progressive movement. Our work goes on, but it can't hurt to have a little holiday fun! That's what our holiday party and brainstorming session tomorrow night is all about!
