Democracy for Virginia

News-Press Describes Progressive Determination in Falls Church

The Falls Church News-Press was on hand to witness the remarkable display of determination of Virginia progressives during the campaign leadership training weekend in Falls Church on July 9-10 offered by Democracy for America and co-hosted by DFV.  An article in yesterday's edition describes the scene:

There aren’t many things that could convince somebody to give up a sunny summer day to spend hours in a high school classroom. Just the idea of leaving the beach blanket to sit in an uncomfortable desk under fluorescent lighting is tantamount to punishment.

Yet earlier this month, as the hours ticked away on a glorious July weekend, over 100 people, from teenagers fresh out of high school to senior citizens now earning Social Security checks, showed up at George C. Marshall High School at 8 a.m. and staying all day for two days, sacrificing their free time in exchange for an education in grass roots politics.

During the day before the training, I was on the phone with a candidate for the House of Delegates, talking about the candidate forum planned for the next day.  He said to me, "You're telling me you're expecting more than a hundred people in July to give up two whole weekend days for training on campaign leadership?  Did you bribe them or something?  That's unheard of."

Nope, we didn't bribe them (although we did feed them).  In fact, most participants contributed to cover the cost of the training and to sponsor scholarships for other participants!

Many Democrats and others who fought to defeat Bush are taking this year "off" - regaining their hope, replenishing their bank accounts, re-connecting with parts of their lives that were neglected while volunteering on campaigns.  But here in Virginia, we've had to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get immediately back to work for our 2005 elections.  Seeing so many people gathered together to learn to be more effective volunteers and campaign leaders was a real inspiration.

In addition to the FCNP article, blogger Teddy Goodson (an inspirational and feisty ex-Republican) over at Raising Kaine has been describing her experiences at the training in a series of detailed posts.  Her first three installments are here, here, and here, with more to come.  And lovely Luna over at Liberal Rage has a great writeup, too.

A Message From Jim Dean of Democracy for America

The following message was just sent from Jim Dean, Chairman of Democracy for America (and brother of Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee) to all 20,000 Democracy for America supporters in Virginia.

You want to change politics in this country, starting locally. But how do you start?

For the first time in Virginia, Democracy for Virginia has teamed up with Democracy for America and Latinos for America, to organize a dynamic weekend-long training program specifically geared to the 2005 Virginia House of Delegate races.

The training is this weekend, April 30th and May 1st.

This campaign course is staffed by top campaign professionals leading sessions on key topics in organizer training, media production and management, data mining, constituency outreach and fundraising. The presentations will be supported by small group sessions for in-depth work in each of the featured areas.

As with almost everything Democracy for America undertakes, leadership has come from the ground up. Grassroots leaders in Virginia have been planning this event for over a month to shape the agenda, coordinate facilities and materials, and recruit participants. Most of the committees have been working since March preparing for you.

http://democracyforamerica.com/virginiatraining

If you can't make the training, but you'd like to sponsor training for a participant-- please  make a small contribution at http://democracyforamerica.com/contribute.

$50 contribution sponsors one student participant to attend the training.
$25 contribution sponsors meals for a training participant.
$10 contribution sponsors one set of training materials.

In the 2003 election, 43 of Virginia's 100 delegate seats held by Republicans were uncontested by the Democrats. The only way to take back these seats is to learn the skills to win. Please join us on April 30th and May 1st in Charlottesville.

http://democracyforamerica.com/virginiatraining

Thank you,

Jim Dean
Chair, Democracy for America

PS: If you can't make the training, check out Democracy for Virginia's website to find out what else is going on in your area.

For those of you visiting us here at Democracy for Virginia for the first time, welcome!  We hope you'll join us so we can stay in touch with you about opportunities to get involved in activities and events around Virginia. 

Social Security Presentation a Hit at Falls Church DFV Meetup

Don Wells, a special guest from the Charlottesville/Albemarle DFA Meetup, was a hit at last night's Democracy for America Meetup in Falls Church.  Don's presentation on Social Security was extremely informative, entertaining, and helpful.

About 25 Democracy for Virginia supporters and guests gathered at our cozy new DFA Meetup venue, Stacy's Coffee Parlor on Rt. 7 in Falls Church, for two hours last night to hear Don's presentation and discuss strategies for protecting Social Security from the Bush administration's efforts to dismantle it.

Continue reading to find out more about Don's presentation, see more pictures, and to find out where you can find a DFA/DFV Meetup this month in your area of Virginia!

Democracy for America DC/MD/VA Regional Caucus - This Saturday!

2005 will be a pivotal year for Democrats in Virginia.  Not only must we make sure Virginia has a Democratic governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, but all 100 seats in the Virginia House are up for grabs.  Democracy for Virginia believes that grassroots activists can make a significant positive impact in these races.

In order to organize Democracy for Virginia so we will be most effective this year and beyond, DFV leaders have worked with leaders from DC for Democracy and Democracy for Maryland at the behest of Democracy for America to organize a Regional Caucus this Saturday.  Please come!

Democracy for America DC/MD/VA Regional Caucus
Saturday, February 26
George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs
1957E Street, NW, Suite 611 (Near Foggy Bottom Metro)
10:00 AM to 4:30 PM

RSVP today:  http://www.democracyforamerica.com/dccaucus

Interested Virginians should attend this caucus to:

• Participate in planning and structuring of Democracy for Virginia
• Learn hands-on details of what works and doesn’t work in building membership in grassroots organizations, funding them, field operations and what legal structures are possible;
• Create a loose caucus of Virginia, Maryland, and Distinct grassroots organizations that will coordinate their efforts and help channel additional resources into local races.

More information including working agenda and directions available below the jump.  We hope you will attend!

DFA Meetup Members Barred from Bush's Social Security Tour

We've all heard stories about how Bush campaign officials restricted access to Bush/Cheney campaign rallies to only die-hard supporters by requiring attendees to sign "loyalty oaths", removing anyone who appeared to support another candidate, even going so far as to bar a person for wearing a t-shirt in support of civil liberties.  (The ironies abound.)

Many people excused this, saying it was the campaign's right to control access to campaign events, even though some Bush appearances during the campaign from which ordinary citizens were barred for not appearing "loyal enough" were paid for by taxpayers.

But now we see the Bush administration is continuing to block access to official Presidential events, this time targeting Democracy for America Meetup members and banning them from one of his events today to promote his plan to privatize Social Security.  Yep.  They've banned us now.

The following are names of area people included on a list of those not to be admitted into the Bison Sports Arena for today's visit by President Bush, according to two unnamed officials close to the visit.

A quick search through the Internet and The Forum's archives revealed some information about the people on the list. At least 33 of the 42 people on the list are or have been members of the Fargo-Moorhead Democracy for America Meetup Group.

The group is a local progressive organization dedicated to electing fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates in the Fargo/Moorhead area.

In addition to banning 33 Democracy for America Meetup members in Fargo, the Bush event organizers have also banned people who have written letters to the editor in the Fargo news that are critical of Bush administration policies or that support gay marriage.  One woman barred from today's Bush event is a Fargo City Commissioner, Linda Coates, who wrote a letter that said:

When the richest 2 percent of Americans are showered with huge tax cuts during wartime while our children and grandchildren are stuck with the tab - that's morally wrong.

Bush said last night that he's bringing his Social Security plan "to the people".  But it's apparent that he's simply planning another tightly-scripted propaganda tour for which the audience is not "the people", but rather "the people he's pretty sure already agree with him." 

And this time Democracy for America members are targeted for banning.  I can't help but think of Pastor Martin Niemöller's chilling poem:

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

Thanks to the Internet, we can still speak out.  Thanks to Meetups, we can still find each other.  They're targeting us now.  Will you speak out before it is too late?

Can't you just hear the questioning at a new House Committee on Un-American Activities Committee Meeting?

"ARE YOU NOW, OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN, A MEMBER OF A DEAN FOR AMERICA OR DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA MEETUP GROUP?"

Speak out now.