Here is what we have accomplished so far:
We created two-sided cards stating “Make a Difference in 2018—Start Now” and Democrats Believe in These Principles” Printed and mailed 500. Other groups are asking to use them.
January: 16th Successful Martin Luther King
January 21st Women’s March is the largest march in Sacramento history and in Washington D.C. in U.S. History..
February: 4th The huge turnout at the Roseville McClintock Town Hall meeting made national news. McClintock becomes the national media poster child for anger at Republican members of Congress. Later that day, Twenty of us meet at the Georgetown Library and plan further actions. Room is full.
February 7,14,21 and 28th Weekly protests at McClintock’s office on Douglas Blvd.
February 11th Protests in support of Planned Parenthood in Roseville and Sacramento and Washington D.C. dwarf the Right to Life rallies
February 12th Jerry and others attend a packed El Dorado Progressives meeting in Placerville. Membership passes the 1,000 mark.
February 21st Trump forced to fire his National Security advisor. Cabinet picks are hitting a brick wall of opposition resulting in razor thin confirmation votes that are unprecedented.
February 21st, Penny, Jerry and others carry signs at McClintock’s Office in Roseville wearing T-shirts printed with the “DEFINITION OF A NARCISSIST” on the back..
February 24th Jerry attends the El Dorado County United Democratic Club meeting at noon at Denny’s in Placerville. Room fills to standing room only. Instead of thirty attendees sixty attend including new members.
In Auburn, protestors greet Republican officials meeting on water issues.
February 25th a huge outpouring of protestors lined both sides of Douglas Boulevard and Eureka road to dramatize the need to retain and strengthen the ACA rather than repeal and replace it.
March 4th, 1500-1700 people turned out in El Dorado Hills for McClintock’s Town Hall meeting. Two thirds or more were strongly opposed to him.
March 7th, we testified before the El Dorado Board of Supervisors in support of a resolution on tolerance, non-discrimination and civility. It passed 5-0 after being amended to ask staff to explore creating a County Civil Rights commission.
March 7th, we met with the some of the leadership team of the El Dorado Progressives and shared the two sided card. They may use it changing it to “Progressives Believe”. We said that would be fine. If we have a Progressive candidate running against McClintock, he or she is likely to be listed as the Democratic candidate.
WHAT GROUPS ARE FORMING AND WHEN AND WHERE THEY MEET
In 2016 we lost because the majority was divided. Jill Stein who ran to the left of Bernie Sanders siphoned off enough votes from Hillary to give Wisconsin and Michigan to Trump. All across the country Bernie voters stayed home unhappy they said with their choices. They helped elect Trump too. A Bernie supporter described this way—“The donkey couldn’t decide which bale of hay to eat so it starved to death.” We don’t have the luxury in 2018 of staying home because McClintock’s opponent is good but not “good enough”. Even a conservative Democrat who supports things I don’t like (for example the NRA) would be a huge improvement over McClintock. Such a candidate, if elected would mean one more vote for the “D” team and one less for the “R” team in Congress. Penny and I are working with both wings of the Democratic party—the Progressives on the left and the regular democrats who are not quite as liberal on every issue. We are working with the Resistance too. Our philosophy is “a bird cannot fly very far on only one wing”. We need EVERYONE!.
To that end we have written to the DNC twice and the State Democratic party three times. We have met the Democratic Party chair for El Dorado County and a Placer County Democratic official. Also leaders of Democratic groups like ours in Lincoln area and Pollock Pines. We are in touch with activists in Republican districts in Wisconsin and Oregon.
WHAT IS PLANNED IN THE COMING WEEKS — WHAT YOU CAN DO,
Events and issues are dynamic and changing so stay tuned. But in addition to the on-going meetings and events there is a barrage of legislation being introduced and rushed into enactment by the Republicans. We have sent out a list of the bills introduced so far. Letters and phone calls are always in order. They are most effective if directed to our Senators (Feinstein and Harris) Congressman (McClintock), and the Chair and members of the Committee where the bill is being heard. In addition, letters and phone calls or emails to local papers (Gazette, Sacto Bee are always helpful). Please share your letters by email with friends. Seeing others writing encourages us all.
We need to grow the movement. To that end, we are exploring funding one or more billboards with messages about 2018 and why we need change. For $400/month we can have a billboard on highway 99 in La Malfa’s District. The $400 includes art work and a new message on the board every month at no additional cost. No annual contract is required. If we can get 10 sponsors at $40 a month we can do this. It is better than simply pledging a donation into the party.
Other print media we are looking into include: posting messages on bulletin boards, creating a Facebook page and/or a website. We have a meeting on that a week from Tuesday. There are also simple roadside signs, bumper stickers, T-shirts and buttons.
Upcoming meetings
March 11th “Huddle at Scribner’s
March 12th Sunday 3PM in Placerville meeting of the El Dorado Progressives currently 1500 strong and growing.
March 15 Postcards to Trump
April 15th “Show Us Your Tax Returns” Trump protest. Leaders from January’s women’s marches are joining with a constellation of liberal groups, including MoveOn.org, the American Federation of Teachers, and Our Revolution — the organization built from the skeleton of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign — to bring together marchers to walk from the U.S. Capitol to the White House, passing both Trump’s hotel and the IRS building. Organizers say they also have more than 60 other marches planned in cities across the country. There is a Facebook event page for the one in Sacramento.
March 9, 2017
