The La Jolla Democratic Club
is dedicated to voter education and supporting Democratic campaigns.
Founded in 1956, it continues to be a group committed to furthering
the principles, candidates and causes of the Democratic Party. The
Club members are involved in grass root organizing for numerous
campaigns, organizations, projects and causes.
The
La Jolla Democratic Club Newsletter
January 2012
PO Box 288, La Jolla, California 92038
President: Derek Casady(858) 457-0246 E-mail: dcasady@san.rr.com
Sunday, January 15, 2012
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Community Room, AMC Theaters La Jolla 12
8657 Villa La Jolla Drive, 92037
Religion and Politics:
Fire and Water?
How did we get from the "no religious test" of the Founders to Eisenhower's "underGod"? And then from that Cold War innovation to today's pious rhetoric? And what does it mean?
The speaker will be Dr. Robert B. Tapp, Professor Emeritus of Humanities, Religious Studies, and South Asian Studies at University of Minnesota. For more details
Bill Lerarch hosted the Democrats again in December to celebrate the holiday season and get us ready for a busy 2012 campaign season.
Bill admitted that the Democratic philosophy is probably against his interest, but he's a committed Democrat, nonetheless.
He explained that his father died when he was young and it was with the help of a Social Security check of $120/month that his mother raised him and his brothers and enabled them to get an education.
He's committed to the safety net and the Democrat's philosophy of support for all Americans.
LA JOLLA DEMOCRATIC CLUB 2012 MEMBERSHIP
IT'S TIME NOW TO SUBMIT YOUR 2012 DUES!
Membership for the 2012 year is due January
1, 2012. Fill out the linked membership
form and send it with a check to La Jolla
Democratic Club, PO Box 288, La Jolla,
CA 92038.
Programs for 2012
The following topics have been suggested for club consideration in 2012. Please register your interest and add to the list: Endorsements:
• San Diego City Council One (Sherri Lightner and her opponent) •San Diego County Board of Supervisors candidates
• San Diego Mayor election (Update on endorsee, Bob Filner) •San Diego Unified School Board (District A candidate, John Lee Evans, and his opponent) (La Jolla is in District C)
• CA Assembly District candidates •CA 39th State Senate District candidates
• Other????
The Campaign:
• Talking points for Obama: What Obama has accomplished
• GOTEAMS. What are they?
• Our Campaign Headquarters
Issues:
• GE (Genetic Engineering) labeling legislation
•Climate Change
• CA Nurses and the Main Street Contract for the American People
• The Navy Broadway Complex
• Other????
Ballot Initiatives:
• 401K Pension Plan for San Diego City
Resolutions:
Approve in February to send to the Democratic State Convention in April
• Tax on Financial Transactions
• Support for Occupy San Diego
• Break-up of Megabanks
• Getting pension funds out of Wall Street equity investment
• Other???
Bob Filner
Candidate for San Diego mayor was endorsed by the La Jolla Democratic Club at its last meeting.
Grassroots Organizing
(GO Teams)
Hundreds of volunteers serving as part of the Grassroots Organizing Team connect with voters for better voter turnout.
We are currently adding new precinct leaders and data support volunteers for the 2012 elections. The SD County Democrats provide training, support, and all the materials you'll need to talk to fellow Democrats or to provide data support.
Training is available on the first Saturday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. For information or to register contact 858-277-3367 or contact: goteam@sddemocrats.org
Whereas the economy of California, and the entire nation, was severely damaged in a recession triggered primarily by Wall Street-led investment banks and hedge funds trading in opaque and poorly regulated financial instruments, resulting in a severe contraction of credit and lending, significant loss of revenues to federal, state and local governments, decimation of public and private funds held for pensions and retirement, the loss of millions of jobs, and forcing California and other states into a deepening of annual deficits, devastating austerity measures, layoffs and curtailment of essential services, Whereas Wall Street investment banks, hedge funds and similar entities across the nation currently pay zero sales tax on a host of highly profitable transactions, while in contrast American families dutifully pay sales tax of up to 10% every time they purchase necessities including school supplies and children's shoes; and a small fee on financial transactions could raise hundreds of billions or trillions of dollars in new revenue that could be spent on job creation and reduction of deficits, Whereas such a tax, in various forms, on financial transactions has already been strongly supported in in legislation sponsored by prominent Democrats including Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), by labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO and the California Nurses Association, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and by prominent economists Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz and Dean Baker, Therefore be it Resolved that the California Democratic Party supports the establishment of a national Wall Street Transactions Tax on securities transactions, including but not limited to speculative trading, high-speed flash trading, and derivatives, and exempting tax-deferred retirement accounts of U.S. citizens, pension plans, and similar payroll savings plans. Be it Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be transmitted to all members of the California Democratic Congressional delegation for further action.
Get Ready for the 2012 Election:
West County Campaign Headquarters
During the San Diego County Democratic Party Central Area meeting earlier this week, Fred Rogers invited and encouraged us to conduct a Central Area fundraiser event to support the establishment of a West County Democratic Campaign Headquarters that would consolidate the 2012 campaign effort in West County (La Jolla, Pacific Beach, and Point Loma).
The campaign headquarters would function, as it did in 2006, 2008, and 2010, as a full service support service for endorsed candidates and propositions, a centralized location for our GO Teams, a voter outreach and community organizing platform for building the Democratic party, and a venue for educational services, fundraisers, and political networking. It will be the “go to place” for all things political during the the 2012 election.
Fred Rogers agreed that the county would work with us to support our fundraising event effort by helping to bring the candidates to the fundraiser, and coordinating our effort with the rest of the county. All the proceeds from the event would go to support the West County Democratic Campaign Headquarters, which we would set up in Pacific Beach.
Ruth Rollins (Point Loma), Phyilis McGrath (Pacific Beach) and Gerry Senda (La Jolla) discussed the possibility of co-hosting a fundraiser event involving our clubs and agreed to form a planning group to come up with a plan to host such an event.
Questions regarding Campaign Headquarters or requests for volunteer information can be sent to Michael McQuary, GO Team Regional Coordinator, via email michael_mcquary@yahoo.com or phone (858-752-9544).
Occupy San Diego
As winter approaches, and as cities are removing the "occupiers", many voices are emerging to suggest NEXT STEPS. MoveOn.org had proposed specific action and legislation.
The National Nurses United have been vocal in presenting concrete ideas in the "Contract for America."
The REAL work of the OCCUPY movement is taking place all around the city and in small groups that meet every day at Civic Center Plaza at 5:30 and the General Assembly (which is anyone who shows up) each evening at 7 p.m.
A group of “mostly middle-class” women have been serenading audience members with reworded show and folk tunes as they enter and/or exit the theater at Civic Center. They call themselves the “Occupella Chorus,” and are members of the Women Occupy of Occupy San Diego (OSD). The group formed in order to support and grow the Occupy movement. In December the group sang Christmas carols at Horton Plaza, Mission Valley mall and outside Civic Center Theater for audiences. song sample
WHEREAS, the overwhelming influence of corporate interests on public policy and institutions - exacerbated by greed, mismanagement, and corruption - has caused catastrophic levels of income inequality, financial distress, environmental harm, climate crisis denial, and other injustices felt by the overwhelming majority of Americans, the 99%, and
WHEREAS, the wealthiest 1% of Americans, and their corporate interests have acquired a concentration of wealth and power that is unparalleled in the history of our nation, and this concentration of wealth and power in the hands of the few has resulted in tremendous economic and social instability that has most recently manifested itself in the "Occupy Wall Street" and "Occupy City" protests, and
WHEREAS, the Occupy protestors, particularly those who have advocated their cause using non-violent means, have served to focus attention on the inadequate regulation of the financial industry, the damage inflicted by the absurd and misguided obsession with deficit reduction and the pressing need to reverse three decades of accelerated income inequality, all goals that we fight for in the electoral arena; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party stands with those protestors peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights to advance an agenda that results in adequate regulation of the financial industry and Wall Street speculators, reverses the catastrophic slide of income inequality and halts the implementation of austerity-driven economic policies that negatively impact the 99% and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party supports the protesters' constitutional rights to free speech and peaceable assembly, and calls on public agencies to protect their rights fully and encourages California Democrats to support local occupy protests throughout the state as well as the movement encouraging individuals to transfer their funds to community banks and local credit unions.
Resolution Committee Substitute - Additional sponsors: State Party Controller Hilary Crosby, San Diego County Party, Jess Durfee, Michael Thaller, Sonoma County Democratic Party, Stephen Gale, Los Angeles County Party, Kess Kessler, Damian Carroll, DPSFV, Dr Michael McQuary
***
Adopted by the California Democratic Party
at its November 2011 Executive Board Meeting
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Burlingame
November 20, 2011
VIDEO: On Thursday, November 17th,
Occupy San Diego took over the Clairemont Drive bridge over the 5 freeway to protest economic inequality and corporate greed.
Short video by Andy Trimlett
MUSIC VIDEO: We are the Many - by Makana
Using Technology
It saves time and money! Let us send you the monthly newsletter via email. If you're not currently receiving the newsletter via email, send you current email address to me at cshadle@mac.com
Also, don't forget to check the website in between newsletters. Ann Kennedy keeps it up to date with the latest and greatest news of La Jolla Democratic Club activities.
