Upcoming Events
Polk County Democratic Central Committee
Sponsored/Upcoming Events for 2009
More info at: www.polkdems.org
Send events to: calendar@polkdems.org
Upcoming events:

Jan. 7, 6:30 pm Polk Dems’ Monthly Meeting – Volunteer Fair

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Halloween message:

Handed out at the Papen/Williams home on that spooky night

Can you put a blurb about our collection efforts for Guard troops from Polk Co. that are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan?  We'll be collecting at least through the Jan. meeting, perhaps Feb, and interested people can drop stuff off before the meetings, or call me or Allan to drop off in Monmouth or West Salem. Or if they wish, they can donate money to defray shipping costs.

The attachment is a list of what to send or not.

Rob

Care package information

In planning your care package remember that the Flat Rate Boxes available from tile US Postal Service is tile best way to send items as the cost drops dramatically from a regular box as the charge is determined by wcight. Also, Mailing labels and customs declaration forms are also available at the Post Office. Flat rate boxes will arrival in Afghanistan or Iraq within 5-10 days. Secure your box with clear packing tape, do not use string or twine. Anv liquids should be put into Ziploc bags in case of leakage or damage. The return address on the package must be that of a person and not an organization. A good packing material is popped popcorn as it is not a disposal problem at the end location.

DO NOT SEND: Chocolate candy bars because they melt. Pork is offensive to the Muslim culture. DO NOT SEND: It is against military regulations for soldiers to possess pornographic materials, and punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It is also advised that possessing such is disrespectful to the sensitivities of the Muslim culture.

DO NOT SEND: Hygiene items, such as toothbrushes, soap, toothpaste, razors, etc. Our soldiers say that because of the generosity of people sending care packages, there are more personal hygiene items stored at the military base camps than they need.

DO NOT SEND: Religious idols, small bibles are OK

DO NOT SEND: Alcoholic beverages.

DO NOT SEND: Any type of explosive materials.

 

DO SEND: Any kind of snack food that will ship well.

Cookies             Coffee             Jerky             Pepperoni             Microwave Popcorn

Nuts             Trail Mix             Granola Bars              Breakfast Bars             Energy Bars

Fruit snacks             Crackers             Tuna pouches              Cheese and cracker snack packs

Trail Mix             Sunflower seeds              Cup of Noodles                Sugar and creamer                    packets

Bean Dip, Salsa, and Chips      Soup, Canned Chicken (Pop-open cans or send a can                        opener with it.)

Powder Drink Mixes to add to water bottles. (Kool-Aid, Propel, Gatorade)    Sauces (BBQ, Ranch, Catsup, Salsa, Soy Sauce, Hot Sauce, etc.)     Seasonings

DO SEND: Canned-air to clean dust out of computers, weapons, and other equipment.

DO SEND: Anything that the soldiers can do on their down time that will help them relax. They need things that will help them smile and laugh, they need a little comic relief. Video-taped Oregon State and/ or University of Oregon sporting events and even local high school sporting events.  Playing cards, puzzles and games (Small travel size games are the best.) Books, Current Magazines, small flashlights OREGON NEWS-PAPERS! (Especially the sports sections)  CDs and DVDs.        Batteries, Oregon photos, Calendars, Writing supplies, AT &T phonecards.     Hand sanitizer,  Visine

DO SEND: Personalized cards or notes

TOBACCO: Sending these items is up to your personal preference. Cigarettes (Marlboro, Camel) Chewing Tobacco (Skoal, Copenhagen), Cigars.

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Polk County Democrats’ standing committees:
Process & Rules – Timothe Seelbach, Chair
Volunteer Recruitment & Support - open
Finance & Fundraising - open
Candidate Development & Support - open
Platform/Legislative - open
Events - open
Communications – Wendy Brokaw, webmaster

If you are interested in learning about any of these committees or volunteering to help, sign up at the organizational meeting or contact:

Chair, Alan Holland: 503-371-3920 or 503-551-0580 cell
Vice Chair, Jason Brown: 503-838-2500 or 541-760-1907 cell

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Everything below here is repeated from earlier newsletters.

New material will be posted as it is received.

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        We Invite You to Get Involved! We meet monthly on the first Thursday 6:30 pm, Polk County Courthouse Conference Room, Dallas.
     What we do:   The past two years have been very busy many projects including election campaigns, Highway Litter cleanups, parades, fairs,  and now focusing on Democratic voter registration and Health Care. We have made a difference and part of our success was been our visible location along Hwy 99W in Monmouth during the election. Thanks to Dick Reynolds for the use of office space in his tax business.
     What we are asking:   With this economy, we do need your help. No democrats were elected in Polk County last election despite a lot of work phoning, canvassing, and registering. The difference was in money spent for mailers that reached targeted voters. We have not had that kind of money for candidate support. We need to be ready to support good candidates in the next elections. We are asking for $5, $10, or maybe $20 per month to keep building the county party--whatever you can afford. We have still much work to do, and there are elections coming up in 2010. The regularity of committed monthly contributions allows for more orderly and sustained planning and support and is greatly appreciated by us and candidates that Dems support.

    Polk County Democrats have no other source of income at this point other than donations and fundraising so we are asking you to help us make you part of the change we wish to see in America. We get no funding from the State or National Democratic Parties and all our locally raised money is used for issues and candidates directly affecting or serving  Polk County.
    The future:    There have been many changes recently; one of those is Organizing for America (OFA). Organizing for America (OFA) is now part of the DNC and although it has not fully matured yet, OFA is intended to promote the efforts of the Democratic administration, to get Democrats elected and to engage Democrats in becoming more involved in their communities, and all that while fostering two-way communication from those knocking on doors to the top and back again…Whew, long sentence, this is exciting stuff.
    We do need your help to keep our doors open, and maintain a physical presence in our county.
    You can contribute at:    Polkdems.org
Mail us at;
 Polk County Democratic Central Committee
P.O. Box 224
Independence, OR 97351

Alan Holland , Chair  Polk County Democrats
Alan Holland
503-371-3920/503-551-0580

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Polk County Democrats’ standing committees:
If you are interested in learning about any of these committees or volunteering to help, please contact:
>Process & Rules: Timothe Seelbach, timseelbach@msn.com 503-581-2869
>Volunteer Recruitment & Support: Chair open, Beth Fleisher EC liaison 503-409-0441
>Fundraising: Chair position open, Fred Brown EC Liaison, 503-510-4579
>Candidate Development & Support - open
>Platform (i.e. legislative action): open, Alan Holland EC Liaison
>Events: (& meeting programs) open, Lani Kirby EC Liaison    503-831-1669   
>Communications: Chair position open, Beth Fleisher EC liaison, 503-409-0441
>Central Committee Chair: Alan Holland:   503-371-3920 or 503-551-0580 cell
Vice Chair Lani Kirby    503-831-1669        vicechair@polkdems.org

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Anthology? of our deadline poet, Rob Breyer

December -

The D.C. Follies

What's going to happen? It's anyone's guess.
Just when you think it can't become any more of a mess,
Blue dogs, birthers, lefties, yes it's mass confusion.
Look! Just in time to clear it up: a massive cash infusion.

First termer just not sure what to do or where to go?
Any crime solver will tell you: always follow the dough.
Provided by those knowledgeable political hobbyists
Revered far and wide: the registered lobbyists!

The situation is grim and only getting grimmer,
So pay attention to my modest congressional primer.
For most of these folks the definition of "constituents"
Is "people living in my district with absolutely no influence."

The Supremes have repeatedly ruled that Big Money is "free speech;"
Which makes access and influence for the rest of us beyond reach.
But do not say die; black, white, young, old, poor, rich, male
and female Combine your voices, continue to write, call and email.

Keep reminding them that if we want to survive as a great nation
A functioning republic requires genuine representation.
And if you're frustrated at what's happened with your selection
Remind them where you do have access and influence: in the next election.

--Rob Breyer, Oct 31 2009

 

 

September -

The "No" Cheer and Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Republican Reform Rag

We just get all warm and excited
By helpful, caring corporations
With our endless rationalizations
We have faith our love's not unrequited

It's the death panels that want to kill us
That's why I love my insurance company
Even though they'll soon be dumpin' me
To avoid risks of covering chronic illness.

   (chorus)
   No no no no, we don't want no reform
   No fascist or socialist plots
   No no no no, we don't want to perform
   And maybe give voters what they want

The thought of universal care makes us shivery inside
All those bureaucrats standing in the way
It's HMOs and PPOs that should have the final say
When anyone finds their health care delivery denied

We have the best health care system in the world
And we're big fans of Ayn Rand and also of John Galt
So if you and your family are uninsured
You can be sure it's your own damn fault.

   (reprise)

Birthers, tea partiers, jump on the bus
Let's get back to personal responsibility
We don't care if your poor or have a disability
No more handouts (unless its more money for us.)

It's really fun, and besides, we're good at
Giving Grampa and Grandma the willies
Plus we've found what we think is Obama's achilles
Come on, how fantastic is that?

   No no no no, we don't want no reform
   We like hearing the Democrats yelp
   No no no no, we don't want to perform
   Or do anything that might possibly help

   No no no no, we don't want no reform
   No fascist or socialist plots
   No no no no, we don't want to perform
   And maybe give voters what they want

 

August 2009

"If He's Been a Traitor,
We Must Have an Investigator"

For years he's assassinated characters through speeches and lying words.
Now we hear Cheney's behind a secret CIA program for assassination?
We already know he likes to shoot lawyers, while aiming at little birds.
Does anyone, anywhere find this news much of a revelation?

The saddest thing of all may be that the enemies we wanted to kill
Were pursued with the same kind of competence Cheney showed when hunting.
After eight years of lies, deceit, propaganda and Plame-as-day CIA spills,
He's back and he's praising torture, while wrapped in flag and colored bunting.

Obama, despite the campaign promises, is a consummate politician,
With no desire to make punishing Dick a main part of his mission.
I'd hoped a Constitutional scholar would stand up for the Bill of Rights
And at least not interfere while DOJ investigates and indicts.

Hard to say what the best approach is to benefit the Commonweal:
Continue "moving forward," or pursue violators with passion and zeal.
Then again, if I have to listen to much more from the former VP
I'd rather he scram, take the mills and be corporate shill for his old friends at BP.

July 2009

So if Obama’s creed is “Come on, and let’s go!
Is it true the GOP is the party of “No!”?
It is exceedingly simple for me to show
That they’re definitely not the party of “know.”

Global warming? They still don’t believe it.
Carbon caps—how so? Every day we all breathe it.
On this one thing they will never budge:
Empathy—oh! That is a bad thing for a judge.

They decry socialism but won’t touch Medicaid,
No amnesty but they still want their Latina maids.
And if you really want to see us all go straight to heck,
Then for gosh sakes pass the bill guaranteeing card check.

The successes which are now starting to stick to President Barack
Have unfortunately had no effect on the nature of Republican talk.
Rush, O’Reilly, Coulter, and the ubiquitous duplicitous Cheney,
Are peeing on more than Judge Judy’s leg and telling us it’s raining.

-- Rob Breyer  May 31

 - - - - -- - - -

 

The Republican Litany...

The Republican litany is becoming inaner,
They preen on C-Span and put on a show:
Fresh ideas from Rep. John Boehner
Which can be summed up in a word, “No!”

Colin Powell believed in the Pottery Barn rule,
After eight years at the wheel, they broke it.
Now, with the economy gasping for breath,
All they want is to continue to choke it.

“Let’s fan the flames of anti-tax hate;
Using every tired cliche’ we know.
No one will notice we don’t have our facts straight
And have no clue how to make things go.”

For eight years they had a grand old party
For themselves and the wealthiest two percent.
Spending like sailors, deregulating heartily
Reaching Norquist’s goal: to “break government.”

Suddenly they realize we might need it.
But fear is so easy to summon on request.
So they mindlessly continue to feed it
But the public knows we need more than a “no”fest.

Next election to be in 2010
Will they have any ideas by then?

-- Rob Breyer 

(Our Deadline Poet Nails it Again)

We stagger and reel....

We stagger and reel, it's a disaster,
The economy is trapped in free fall,
Spiraling downward, faster and faster:
Obama and team must answer the call.

They find themselves facing a "perfect storm"
Which, frankly, we did not anticipate
And we worry that any solutions
Will turn out to be too little too late.

We try not to give in to doubt and the fear it is sowing:
To show that we have lost neither our will nor our heart

But, truth is, we can take some comfort in knowing,
At least, at last, we elected a man who is smart. 

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Voter Registration report.

These were the statistics Apr. 29:

	Dems	Repubs	(diff.)	LBT	NA	PAC	IND	Others
Dec. 31	12988	16306	3318	249	8105	134	204	109
Apr 29	14348	16400	2052	243	8038	126	356	101
Oct 2	15331	16416	1015
Oct 13	21398	22974	1586		@15500
NET CHANGE:	+8410	+6668	-1732		@7500

We have cut the registration difference, Dem/Rep, by nearly half.  Our hope for the elections is to get a good majority of the @15500 non-aligned ("NA") voters. We'll see.

The voting totals from the May 20 primary were very favorable.
(totals up from the Polk County official Precincts Primary Report,
at http://www.co.polk.or.us/tempimages/EL30.HTM)

REGISTERED VOTERS - TOTAL ..... 39525
BALLOTS CAST - TOTAL ..... 23662
BALLOTS CAST - DEMOCRAT ..... 11227
BALLOTS CAST - REPUBLICAN ..... 9743
BALLOTS CAST - NONPARTISAN ..... 2692

Perhaps the favorable margin was due to the more competitive primary races on the Democratic side... and consider this: of the 11227 Democrats who cast ballots, 3855 did not vote for a State Representative.

There are 3 things we can do right now:

1) Educate voters, especially new Democratic voters, about the importance of being informed on LOCAL elections and voting down the ballot.
2) Canvass for the candidates, both national and local, here in Polk County

3) Find PCP's for Independence and Dallas - and be Active as a PCP

Pick one of these, and do it now!

 

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Even Older News & Repeats (some slightly amended)

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From the Voter Registration Drive

Polk Dems have done lots of voter registration this year: Highlights included Sen. Obama's visit to Salem in February, where they worked with the crowd waiting outside the armory, a booth at every Polk County festival, and "Polk County Day" at the Oregon Democrats' booth at the state fair. We'd like to know how many we have registered: in the hundreds, but don't know the exact figure. Here are a few photos from the state fair, with some of the stalwart registrators (is that a word?):

Fred Brown set up a monitor so we could watch the convention from the booth...	Jackie Pierce, Paul & Darci Kugler, and friend

Gloria Holland	Lane Kirby	Ron Dodge

Thank you to all the volunteers!

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SOME REPEATS OR OLD NEWS:

 

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ed. note - yes, it isn't news any more... but the pictures are so nice:!

Western Days/ The Big 4th of July Parade Monmouth - Independence.

Polk Democrats had a booth for Voter Registration and Information, on Main Street at the Park in Independence, open from 10 am to midnight, Friday through Sunday.
Our voter registration teams wearing blue visor caps labelled REGISTER HERE went through the crowd with blank forms and pens. We registered 73 new voters.
We wish we had brought a camera to record the mother helping her daughter register for the first time, on the 4th of July: they both looked so beatific. Gloria Holland made a touching registration on the 5th, when she recruited a young Latina who had never registered because she thought it would cost money.
Richard Riggs walked the length of the parade accompanied by a large contingent of marchers wearing Riggs for House T-shirts.

Alan Holland drove a truck for the Polk Democrats, directly in front of Jason Brown’s float. Jason's truck played a new "Brown for House!"campaign song the entire distance. (Jason didn't so much march as run circles around his float the entire distance, passing out candy on both sides of the street!)

Jason's truck and song were also in the Sheridan parade July 5, to lots of applause. To hear the song, poke here: "Brown for House!" (return via back buttons)

In the three days at Independence, 25 Democrats helped with shifts at the booth and/or in the crowd. Jackie Pierce, for example, did yeoman work; after six hours of registration outreach on the 4th she minded the booth Sunday for the toughest segment, the Christian Rock shift. We also sold many buttons and bumperstickers.

David Papen and Linda Williams ready with registration forms	A Booth Crew at Independence Fair: Jackie and Suzi

Rhetorical Question: Are Voter Registration Drives Worth It?

-- photos courtesy of Jackie

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DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT COMMITTEE PERSONS
POLK COUNTY: AS ELECTED MAY 20, 2008

Welcome to our new PCPs: Mary E. Ehly in 118, Norman Hesseldahl in 144, Alex Mozell in 146, and Lois and Dale Deroin in 154, and Peter Wells in 134, and thanks Peter for all the hours helping with the Oregon Democrats' State Convention in Monmouth June 19.
As you can see we dearly need PCPs in Independence and part of Dallas. If you or someone you know would like to volunteer, come to two monthly meetings, and let us know.

PRECINCT
102 (2)
Maren Sohn 2889 Oak Knoll Rd NW Salem 97304 503-399-1797

106 (3) (none)

110 (1)
118 (7)
Jason Brown 10725 Briedwell Rd Dallas 97338 503-838-2500
Mary E. Ehly 1157 Willow Creek Dr. NW Salem 97304 503-585-8282
Lisanne Pearcy 10725 Briedwell Rd Dallas 97338 503-838-2500
Kathleen A. Smits 12070 Uppenback Pl Monmouth 97361 503-838-3189
Patricia A. Wheeler 12090 Rolling Hills Rd Monmouth 97361 503-838-1436

122 (1)
134 (8)
Carol Joy Ferron 1630 Wallace Rd NW #50 Salem 97304 503-581-7940
Jackie Pierce 1991 Westport Ct NW Salem 97304 503-362-5524
Peter Wells 1910 Harritt Dr NW Salem 97304 503-585-0750

144 (10)
Steve Evans 1936 Orchard Hts Rd NW Salem 97304 503-588-1092
Norman Hesseldahl 1705 Onyx St. NW Salem 97304
Kristin Kuhns 590 Rosemont Ave. NW Salem 97304 503-375-2060
Timothy Markwell 1643 Olympia Ct. NW Salem 97034
David N. Papen 1516 6th St NW Salem 97304 503-364-7963
Linda E. Williams PO Box 13555 Salem 97309 503-463-6892

146 (7)
Alan Holland 530 Riverview Dr NW Salem 97304 503-371-3920
Alex Mozell 471 Eola Dr. NW Salem 97304 503-391-6301
Timothe Seelbach 125 Eola Dr. NW, Salem 97304 503-581-2869

152 (8)

154 (6)

Lois Derouin 497 SE Walnut Ave Dallas 97338 503-623-6340
Dale Derouin 497 SE Walnut Ave Dallas 97338 503-623-6340
C.R. (Dick) May 309 SE Ironwood Ave Dallas 97338 503-623-6870
Dick Reynolds PO Box 160 Dallas 97338 503-580-1048
Sharon K. Reynolds PO Box 160 Dallas 97338 503-580-6744

162 (9)

166 (1)

178 (7)
Jeanne Deane 22 Ivy Lane E Monmouth 97361 503-838-2278
Waeil H. Eltelbany 797 Monmouth Ave S Monmouth 97361 503-999-7093
Paul Evans 744 E Main St Monmouth 97361 503-606-2052


182 (6)

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For a complete guide to Oregon candidates (and some nice old buttons) see http://politics1.com/or.htm

 

 

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Contributions or material for the newsletter are needed and welcome. Send to Truman Price, truprice@oldchildrensbooks.com , (503) 838-5452