Sonoma County Young Democrats

What is Health Care Reform?

2010-03-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

With the passage of the historic Health Care Reform Bill yesterday many people are questioning what exactly is included in the bill. Here is a breakdown:

- Pre-existing conditions will not be a reason that insurers could deny someone of insurance starting in 2014

- Medi-Cal will be expanded to include more lower-income individuals under the age of 65. Households with income up to 133 percent of the poverty level, or about $29,327 for a family of four, would be eligible.

- The Medicare prescription drug program will be changed to close the “doughnut hole”. This is a gap in coverage that affects millions of individuals. While it won’t be eliminated until 2020, there will be improvements in 2011, including a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs.

- Dependent children up to the age of 26 would be eligible for coverage under their parent’s plans.

- Eliminates lifetime dollar limits on policies.

- Prevents insurers from canceling coverage because someone gets sick.

- Immediately prevents insurers from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing conditions.

- While there is no government-run insurance plan included in this bill, there is the creation of the new state-based purchasing pools called exchanges. These will begin in 2014 and will allow for individuals to have the same purchasing power as an employee of a large company.

- Provides new investment in training programs to increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals.

- Increases the funding for Community Health Centers to allow for nearly a doubling of the number of patients seen by the centers over the next 5 years.

There is a great breakdown by congressional district on what the bill includes. Here is an example using the 6^th Congressional District:

- Improves coverage for 419,000 residents with health insurance

- Gives tax credits and other assistance to up to 121,000 families and 20,400 small businesses to help them afford coverage.

- Improve Medicare for 101,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.

- Extend coverage to 42,000 uninsured residents

- Guarantee that 10,000 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.

- Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 28 community health centers.

The link to find this information is http://bit.ly/9bfzuh.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ~ MLK

2010-01-18T00:03:00.000-08:00

On this, the 18th of January, we stop to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. In his short 39 years on earth Martin Luther King had an incredible impact, one that continues on to this day. His efforts to end racial segregation and racial discrimination earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was the youngest recipient of that award.

When I stop to think of the impact he had on our country I am reminded of the speech given by Bobby Kennedy to eulogize his passing, and I thought it would be fitting to reflect on those words today.

Statement on the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Indianapolis, Indiana

April 4, 1968

"I have bad news for you, for all of our fellow citizens, and people who love peace all over the world, and that is that Martin Luther King was shot and killed tonight.

Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice for his fellow human beings, and he died because of that effort.

In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it is perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. For those of you who are black--considering the evidence there evidently is that there were white people who were responsible--you can be filled with bitterness, with hatred, and a desire for revenge. We can move in that direction as a country, in great polarization--black people amongst black, white people amongst white, filled with hatred toward one another.

Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love.

For those of you who are black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and distrust at the injustice of such an act, against all white people, I can only say that I feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man. But we have to make an effort in the United States, we have to make an effort to understand, to go beyond these rather difficult times.

My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: "In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God."

What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.

So I shall ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, that's true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love--a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke.

We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times; we've had difficult times in the past; we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; it is not the end of disorder.

But the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings who abide in our land.

Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.

Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people."

The words that bear repeating for me are as follows:

"What we need in the United States is not division;

what we need in the United States is not hatred;

what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness;

but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black."
As our President celebrates his first MLK day in office, nearly a year, to the day since he was inaugurated, the words state so many years ago still ring true. We do not need division, we don not need hatred. In order for this great country of ours to move forward, in the spirit of change, we need compromise, we need caring, we need compassion, and we need hope.
- We need to comprimise on our differences, so we can move forward for the betterment of the country.
- We need caring, for those amongst us who do not share in our good fortune.
- We need compassion, for our neighbors who have just suffered through a horrible disaster
- We need hope, for a better tomorrow.
While many will be taking this MLK day to relax and recover from the weekend, I feel it is important for us to commit to action. Action that will honor the legacy of this great man. Wether that action comes in the form of volunteering, or simply taking the extra time involved in doing what is right for our fellow man. I know I will try to do my part, and I hope you will too.

Haiti in Ruins

2010-01-13T19:35:00.000-08:00

As we are all very well aware at this point, there was a devastating earthquake just outside of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. This 7.0 magnitude quake has lefts thousands homeless, and roughly 100, 000 dead. The tragedy that Haiti is facing is one that is compounded by the fact that it is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Roughly 80% of the citizens of Haiti live below the poverty level. The per capita income of Haiti is $560 annually. Living in California we have the luxury of strict building codes and seismic standards that are not the norm in Haiti, which has been a major factor in the impact that this earthquake.

I am coincidently staying in San Luis Obispo for training on Emergency Management for earthquakes right now, and I cannot help but let my mind wander off to the thought of how devastating this earthquake has been, and how fortunate we truly are here in California. I have been searching for ways that I may be of help and was able to find a listing of resources from CNN. The below link provides information on charitable organizations that you can donate to.

Hip Hop artist Wyclef Jean is urging people to donate $5 to his Haitian charity, Yéle Haiti, by texting "YELE" to 501501. (The donation will be automatically charged to your cellphone bill.) His is one of many Haiti earthquake relief efforts underway.

Additionally, you can text HAITI to 90999, which will send a $10 donation the Red Cross. The donation will be added to your phone bill and all of the money will go directly to the Red Cross.

While I am well aware of the tough financial situation that many people are in, it is hard to look at the devastation on television and not feel an overwhelming desire to give all you can to help our fellow man in this dire time of need.

Resources to donate:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/

Death to the 2/3 rule!

2009-12-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

Let's imagine a scenario: A once great land is mired in political bickering. Nothing can be done without lies and personal attacks being lobbed by the opposing factions. Social programs that the people have relied on for decades begin to crumble. The price of a college education soars beyond what most can reasonably afford. State parks you've visited your entire life are closing. People are confused, angry and ashamed of what is being done. A land once held up to the world as the shining beacon of hope and equal oppurtunity begins to fade away. Guess what? This land is our great state of California. While there are many factors that brought California to this point, one stands out as the most destructive, and the most to blame; the requirement of a 2/3 majority to simply pass a budget. That requirement may have worked in an age without term limits, when lawmakers from both parties had worked together for years. They were friends and enemies at the same time. Nowadays, they are only the latter.

Every year, a political showdown occurs in Sacramento. Republicans vow to resist any increase in revenues, and Democrats fight tooth and nail to save programs we all unknowingly depend on. And who loses? The people. Especially those people who have no voice; the homeless, the poor, the elderly, students and many other powerless groups. The people who go unnoticed in state politics because they can't bankroll massive campaigns and get politicians elected. We read about these budget cuts every year in the newspaper, yet it's often hard to put a face to them. But behind each dollar cut from a program, there is a person who will suffer or die. Programs that provided funding for HIV/AIDS medication, breast cancer screening for women who can't afford it on their own, and food stamps. Those are just a few of the examples of our social safety net being ripped to shreds. How did this happen in California? Blame that 2/3 requirement.

What is the 2/3 requirement you ask? It's simple; 66% of the state legislators need to vote 'aye' to any budget package, or any tax increase. Since the CA Legislature is mostly Dems(thank god), a few Republicans each year must be coaxed into voting for what is essentially a Democratic budget. Like the health care debate in the US Congress, these handful of GOP lawmakers hold an enormous amount of sway over the debate. They demand concessions for their vote, and they always get them. Last year the Republican leaders in the Assembly and Senate did the right thing and voted for the budget, saving their constituents from hardship. Care to guess their caucus' reaction to an act of political bravery? They immediately removed them from the leadership, and essentially ended their careers in public office. This is the reward given to a Republican by their own party when they bite the bullet, and do the right thing.

And why should the average voter care? It's hard to fathom in the moment when the budget is signed what will happen, but now we are beginning to see the results. Tuition costs at state universities are rising, state parks are on the brink of closure, infrastructure projects languish due to lack of funding, and social services are cut to the bone. Our land of fruit and honey has been reduced to a land of bond debts and no money. And while there are other factors to be considered in this, such as term limits and ballot initiatives tying legislator's hands, the 2/3 rule is the crux of the problem. Eliminate this insane requirement to simply pass a budget, and our great state may yet reclaim it's former glory. Stay tuned for more posts about the budget, because I assure you, this yearly battle is just heating up again.

"We are entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts"

2009-12-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

Below is a link to a lively exchange between Sen. Franken and Sen. Thune. In his short time in the Senate Franken has established himself as a much needed voice of reason. In the clip he attempts to explain to Senator Thune that "We are entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts."

Sadly, in this ongoing debate about healthcare reform, facts haven't always been at the forefront. Watch the clip and enjoy a healthy exchange.

My letter to Santa

2009-12-20T16:30:00.001-08:00

Dear Santa,

I am writing, and I know this is a little late, but I am writing to ask for a small gift. That gift would be Senator Harry Reid stripping Joe Lieberman of his Chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. I know it is not nice to ask for something to be taken away from someone during this holiday season, but I think the time has come. I know what you’re thinking Santa, we need Joe on our side, and letting him have the Chairmanship keeps him in our good graces, but I ask you, is he the kind of friend we want? He campaigned for McCain, he is toying with running as a Republican for re-elections, and he has vowed to vote against a public option.

Sen. Lieberman has been very good to his friends though. Aetna, has contributed over $91,000 to Lieberman. This past September he was interview by a news agency and stated his support of expanding Medicare, but is now against it? Instead he favors “a centrally financed system of private health insurance options”. I wonder if his friends over at Aetna had anything to do with that change of heart?

Sen. Lieberman has stated that he is prepared to live with his opposition to publicly funded insurance, convinced, he said, that it would increase taxes.

Doesn’t this seem like a Republican point of view? I know personally, I am prepared to live with an increase in the taxes I pay if it means as a country, we can allow everyone access to insurance coverage. If I have to skip out on a couple of martinis in exchange for a public insurance option for all, so be it. During the past two years one out of three Americans under the age of 65 were without health insurance. How is that?

If more Americans have health insurance, and thus access to a primary healthcare provider, the costs of providing care will go down. As it stands now, those without insurance will end up going to seek care in Emergency Departments. This is the most expensive venue to provide care in. The costs for providing care to these people in the ED are often times not recouped by the hospitals. In order for the hospitals to make up for that loss, they then charge those persons with insurance more for their care in order to cover their losses. So, in the end aren’t we paying for it already? It is time for change, and it is time for us to get those who are against change out of office.

So, in closing Santa, if you can grant me this one wish, I think we can begin to lessen Sen. Lieberman’s influence, and give us a better chance of getting a Democrat into his seat. Maybe then we will see some real reform to our healthcare system.

Sincerely,

Gabe Kearney

John Perez chosen to lead Ca State Assembly

2009-12-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

On December 11^th history was made in California. John Perez, freshman assemblyman from Los Angeles was unanimously chosen by the Assembly’s Democratic Caucus to be the 68^th Speaker of the Assembly. While Perez is not the first openly gay official to lead a statewide body, the late Allan Spear of Minnesota made that milestone. Having come out of the closet in 1974, Spear was one of the first openly gay elected officials. He was the President of the Minnesota State Senate from 1992 to 2000.

The Speaker Elect did not just walk into this position. He had to compete against two fellow Latino Democrats from Los Angeles, Kevin De Leon and Felipe Fuentes. The battle lasted all the way up to the day of the Democratic Caucus vote. Although Fuentes had bowed out the week prior, De Leon was still in the race, but after several meetings with Perez, finally decided to step down, and ended up nominating Perez.

Speaker Elect Perez, a former labor leader, and UC Berkeley grad, was elected to the California State Assembly to represent the 46^th district on November 4^th, 2008 with 85% of the votes. Perez faces big challenges in his new post. California is facing a $20 Billion budget shortfall for the next 6 years. With the requirement for California’s budget to pass with a two-thirds vote, and the Republicans vowing to vote against any increase in taxes, make passing a budget a gargantuan task.

With regards to the significance of John Perez becoming the Speaker-Elect, Geoff Kors, Director of Equality California stated, "He's the first openly gay person of color elected to the Legislature, so it's really a testament to what he's done in the Legislature and before in labor, for the environment, for the civil rights movement and for the LGBT movement. To have an openly gay Latino heading the largest legislative body, that represents the most people in the country, in and of itself is going to have a significant impact on advancing LGBT rights."

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano stated Perez’s election to the Speaker’s post was very poignant. "I was a personal friend of (slain San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk) and to live long enough to see this is very significant. ... Like Milk said, you have to give them hope, and I think what happened today is going to give people hope."

As the fight for marriage equality moves forward in California, having one of the most powerful state legislators being an openly gay man will do a lot to increase the visibility of the inequality that our current marriage laws represent. It has been shown that voters are less likely to vote against civil rights measures when they know someone it affects, and having John Perez as a face to the issue will show many more voters that there is still a long way to go until the LGBT community has achieved equality.

In the coming weeks the transition of power will take place with Assembly voting on the confirmation of Perez as the new Speaker, and current Speaker Karen Bass handing over the reigns. This coincides with the release of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s budget.

Assemblyman Perez is the scheduled keynote speaker for the upcoming Sonoma County Democratic Party Crab Feed on February 26, 2010. Tickets can be purchased through the following link: http://www.actblue.com/page/crabfeed2010

Cotati Recall

2009-10-19T15:32:00.001-07:00

George Barich has misrepresented the position of the Sonoma County Young Democrats in the campaign to recall him from the Cotati City Council. The young Democrats strongly urge a "Yes" vote to recall Mr. Barich. The unauthorized use of our logo and the illegitimate use of our organization’s name by the opposition to the recall only further demonstrate his lack of ethics and the need for his removal from the Cotati City Council.

The Sonoma County Young Democrats have endorsed Susan Harvey, a qualified and ethical planning commissioner in Cotati, to replace Barich. We believe that a public official should be an individual of character. Mr. Barich’s actions have demonstrated not only a lack of character, but a lack of integrity.

The Sonoma County Young Democrats support the recall. We support Susan Harvey. We do not support George Barich, or his incredibly inappropriate behavior while on the Council. His latest stunts have done nothing to improve his reputation in our eyes, nor those of the community.

The blog post shown below discusses the constitutional merit of the Cotati recall process, and is not specific to the current recall. This post is not reflective of the official position of SCYD, rather, it is an expression of an individual member's opinion, which is valued and protected. However, as above, the position of the Sonoma County Young Democrats is in favor of the recall.

If there is any confusion on this matter, please contact chair@sonomacyd.org.

Cotati's Recall Procedure

By Kim OJ (please note disclaimer above!)

On November 17th 2009 Cotati will be deciding whether or not to recall City Council Member George Barich and replace him with another candidate. Barich is now walking Cotati, knocking on doors in what looks like a losing battle to retain his seat. Barich needs 50% of the voters to vote "NO" on the recall, despite the fact that he was elected to the city council with only 16.4% of the votes, and the two candidates who finished ahead of him in the 2008 race each got 20.2% of the votes.

One of the most fundamental aspects of Democracy is the protection of minorities from the oppression of the majority. This is expressed in the value of fundamental and equal rights, rights which cannot be repealed by majority decision. This is what the Bill of Rights represents. This should also mean equal right to democratic representation. The way city council elections are conducted in Cotati allows minority opinions a chance for a voice on the city council. George Barich is that minority opinion on the Cotati City Council, who notably stands out from his fellow council members with his fiscally conservative opposition to federal stimulus money and the proposed sales tax increase, which would help Cotati's budget problems. But if Barich can be recalled by simple majority, the minority that he represents has been robbed of their equal access to representation.

The way recall works essentially means that any elected, who is not part of the majority, could be recalled and replaced by a majority approved candidate. It is a problem very similar to the Gerrymandering of districts where minorities are isolated to favor the ruling majority. The democratic problem becomes even more apparent when you look at potentially absurd election results. There are 3 candidates running for George Barich's city council seat, which means that one of them could be elected with as few as 34% of the votes. Thus Barich could garner more "NO" on the recall votes (e.g. 49.9%) than the top replacement candidate, and still be recalled and replaced by a candidate with fewer votes.

Recall George Barich
George Barich

Alternate Candidates:
Linell Hardy
Susan Harvey (Endorsed by Sonoma County Young Democrats)
Eric Kirchmann

Budget Deal Finally Reached

2009-07-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Bee has just reported that State lawmakers have finally reached an agreement to end our State's budgetary crisis. CNN has also confirmed this with the Governator. Reportedly, the representatives were able to do minimal (if any) damage to the already faltering school system with the caveat that the state had to shift "costs into the future and [capture] funds from cities and counties".
"Compromises" such as this only serve to reaffirm our purpose in the Young Democrats. Shifting the cost into the future is kicking the problem to us: the future of California. If the elected officials in Sacramento want us to deal with the problem tomorrow, rest assured they will hear what we have to say today.

Big T and His Giant Tricycle

2009-07-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

“Look out the window! What is that?” I asked my neighbor at the bar of one of the handful of nice restaurants in downtown Cottonwood.

“Oh that’s Big T,” He said, as though people drive strange contraptions through town here every day. For all I know maybe they do. I looked to my friend Aaron for conformation and found him looking over my head at our bar mate with a distinct conspiratorial smile as though to say, “She’s from California. She’ll never understand.”

Maybe I won’t understand, but I would have loved to get a closer look at Big T’s vehicle. From a distance it looked like a giant tricycle with a motor and two raised seats in the back. It was sort of like a car with three wheels and no top. It was rigged with lights, and it sparkled in the eerie darkness of the monsoon clouds backlit by a full moon. He drove in a couple of lazy doughnut circles before pealing down the deserted street.

The conversation turned to rock crawling vehicles, and I tuned it out thinking about Big T’s American flag bandana, and wondering why anyone would possibly get on a giant motorized tricycle without a helmet. This is again a sign that I am far from home, since aside from Aaron who works with people who’ve had traumatic brain injuries, I seem to be the only person who is at all concerned about Arizona’s lack of helmet law. The prevailing wisdom is, “If you’re stupid enough to get on a motorcycle with no helmet than you deserve to die.”

Statements like these leave me very confused about Arizona. People here, especially in the rural northern section, say please and thank you, they go to church, and they spend time with their families. I think most would say family and community are important to them. It seems odd to me that people, who are kind and considerate, would be so inconsiderate about other people’s deaths. Furthermore I think it’s pretty inconsiderate of helmetless motorcycle riders to crash and die. Not only does this leave a hole in their heads, but a hole in their families as well. And once we’ve paid to air life the crash victim to the nearest hospital, and in the event that he has no health insurance paid for all of his care, and if he survives, all of his rehabilitation, and if he is paralyzed or brain damaged, services for the rest of his life, there will be quite a hole in the tax payers wallets as well. All this might be prevented by asking Big T to wear a helmet over his American flag bandana, when he rides his giant tricycle.

Killing Rabbits

2009-06-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

I just began a new job working at a vineyard and winery in Northern Arizona, so I will be writing dispatches from outside Sonoma County.

A couple of weeks ago the owner of the vineyard where I work gave her son a gun, and told him to go outside and kill the rabbits in the vineyard. Let’s leave for a moment the fact that rabbits are so cute and cuddly that Amy Sedaris believes you should always have one hopping around the house, because they make people happy. Let’s also choose not to dwell on the owner’s assertion that the state of Arizona is too much like California, because there are some environmentalists in Arizona who believe it’s wrong to kill wildlife. Let’s instead pause to note that her son, a 35 year old self-proclaimed conservative, was unsuccessful at the task at hand. He did not kill or injure any rabbits. He was successful at puncturing, in several places, the irrigation lines for the grapes.

The battle between farmer and wildlife for supremacy in the field is an old one. This battle plays out every day in Napa and Sonoma where I heard a vineyard manager say that the only natural enemy of the wild turkey is the shot gun. Farmers the world over are not much different when it comes to protecting their crops. Maybe I would be a lousy farmer, but I don’t think I could kill a rabbit. I have a hard time cooking lobster and, unlike these rabbits, at least someone will eat the lobster.

All the talk of shooting animals this week drove home to me that I’m a bit out of step with the culture here. I’m a California girl, and I don’t like guns. The Arizona state legislature this week also spent some time talking about guns. They took steps toward passing a law that would allow people with permits to carry a concealed weapon into a bar. Even though this law would make it illegal for gun toting bar goers to drink alcohol, I still feel that there are a few obvious problems with this legislation. What happens when a bar-fight breaks out, and our sober permit holder pulls out his gun to settle it? Will one of the crazy drunk people punching each other wrestle the gun away from the sober person? Or does that only happen in movies?

What if, as happened in my new home town a month ago, a rabid bobcat walks into the bar, and drunk people corner it, and start taking pictures of it with their camera phones until it bites them? Is it ok for our sober friend to brandish her concealed weapon then? And who is it ok for her to shoot?

Time to go to work

2009-05-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

In this last election, the Democratic Party at the state level captured three additional Assembly seats, maintained the status quo in the State Senate, U.S. Senate, and The House. At the federal level, the Democratic Party picked up the Presidency, 21 seats in the House of Representatives and 7 (or so) seats in the Senate. You would have to be crazy to say that Democrats don’t have the upper hand in the next round of elections.

…But Democrats do not have the upper hand in the next round of elections.

According to the Secretary of State website, California’s Democratic Party experienced a small increase (about half of a percent) of voter identification while the Republican Party lost about 2.5%. This means the Independent, or decline to state, soaked up the additional two percent in Republican losses, bringing its representation to 20%. If you add in every registered non-Democrat or Republican, it would make up one fourth of the California electorate.

Even more important is the voting trend in non-Presidential elections. Consistently in off years the Democratic and Republican parties both see a drop in representation at the hands of independent/decline to state, both in relative and absolute numbers.

And finally, 31 of the 58 counties showed a Republican majority even in the face of the Democratic landslide victory.

Instead of looking at the last election as a voter mandate to the Democratic Party, it’s very easy to see it as a backhand to the Republican Party. While we as a party did gain, the amount of voters who don’t feel represented went up even more. I strongly believe that while the incumbent always has the advantage for their specific position, the party not in power has an inherent advantage campaigning. The average person, with the aid of the media, remembers the things that aren’t going well much more readily than the things that are.

It’s time for us all to really get to work. This last election was a gimme- a throw away by the Republicans. They walked into it standing little to no chance. Maybe not this next election, but an election soon, we as a party need to work hard to understand why our message hasn’t courted the 25% of voters up for grabs.

The 31% of people in California who are Republican are not changing. If, at this point and time, you’re still a Republican, then chances are you’re not going to be persuaded to change ever. That 31% is their base figure, the amount they can always count on. And make no mistake, the Republicans have some very smart and charismatic young leaders. I would know, I study with them. They WILL eventually find a way to grab some of those swing voters if we don’t get there first.

We as Democrats should ride the wave while we can, but don’t forget that it’s the swell building under the wave that determines where it goes.

A California Carol?

2008-12-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

Have you seen "A California Carol"?

Just in time for the holidays, it's a new video from the Courage Campaign featuring Governor Schwarzenegger as Ebenezer Scrooge, facing the ghosts of California past, present and future.

You don't want to miss this:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/CaliforniaCarol

After you watch the video, please consider joining me in signing the card for Governor Schwarzenegger. Tell him that California deserves a leader, not a Scrooge, this holiday season!

Sonoma County Rocked the Vote!

2008-12-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

For those who missed the election results - Sonoma County rocks! We set a record voter turnout of 93.4%. Numbers straight from the CA Secretary of State's website: 231,817 total voters out of 248,122 registered voters. Don't believe me - check it yourself.
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2008_general/contents.htm

Young people across the state were alo rocking the vote. California voters under age 30 favored Obama by 56 points, 77% Obama-21% McCain; voted to defeat Proposition 4 by 24 points, 38% Yes-62% No; and voted to defeat Proposition 8 by 26 points, 37% Yes-63% No.

Ed's Sexy Voting Recommendations

2008-11-03T22:59:00.000-08:00

Ed made this list, and since he is right on, here it is for you to read and follow!

Friends,

Of course tomorrow will be the biggest election in modern history. For this reason, I have put together a sample ballot "Cheat-Sheet" that you can take along with you to the polls. Know that I am completely comfortable with the positions I have taken, and for your own peace of mind, I think you should just trust me on these matters. I assure you, we'll all sleep better at night if you do. Also, feel free to distribute this list to as many people you know. Be sure to let them know that this is how I intend to vote tomorrow. This should give them peace of mind.

I guess you should also know that my ballot decisions are not based on logic, political insight, thorough knowledge of issues, or even common sense. No, no… not this year. Tomorrow's election is all about the young voter, and one thing is certain; young voters love sex and sex appeal. Because there are so many sexy issues and candidates on tomorrow's ballot, I have based all of my decisions entirely on the “sex factor.”

Here are my sexy picks:

PRESIDENT & VICE PRESIDENT
Barack Obama & Joe Biden Two Sexy MFs. If they were R&B artists, they'd be Barry White and Michael McDonald. You got it, damn sexy. McCain, on the other hand has absolutely no sex appeal. We do know why Palin was picked as McCain's running mate, though. She is every Young Republican’s wet dream. Just imagine a Budweiser bikini-clad Sarah Palin draped over the hood of a Nascar. I know I have, but that’s a scary thought in and of itself.

CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS (in the North Bay)
* Remember, I only vote for the sexy people
6th District: Lynn Woolsey, sexiest 71 year old hottie in the House
1st District: Mike Thompson, he's got a Vietnam Vet kinda sexiness working for him
9th District: Barbara Lee, "Barbara Lee Does IT for Me"
? District: Democrat Candidate of Choice, they're all just so sexy

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS (in the North Bay)
State Assembly: District 7: Noreen Evans, dare I say, I have a sexy boss
State Senate: District 3: Mark Leno, if I wasn't a straight man...
State Assembly: District 1: Wes Chesbro, got that whole Tom Selleck mustache thing going on
State Assembly: District 6: Jared Huffman, member of the 1987 World Champion US Volleyball Team, how sexy is that

SONOMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
District 5: Rue Furch, West County sexy environment friendly naturalist, yeow
District 3: Shirlee Zane, one sexy redhead
District 1: Valerie Brown, oh, baby... don't even get me started

SONOMA COUNTY CITY COUNCIL RACES
Santa Rosa City Council, 4-Year Seat:
Michael Allen, the naughty nurse
Lee Pierce, think Shaft, without the hair
Gary Wysocky, sex on wheels
Marsha Vas Dupre, Cougar

Santa Rosa City Council, 2-Year Seat:
Judy Kennedy, sassy bitch

Petaluma City Council:
Tiffany Renee, she only looks innocent
David Glass, the bookworm type
Spence Burton, don't really know him, but i've beentold he satisfies the ladies

Sebastopol City Council:
Kathleen Shaffer, the naughty librarian
Jen Thille, will give you thrills

Cotati City Council:
Janet Orchard, ahh...if I were only this Diva’s type

Windsor City Council:
Debora Fudge, better than chocolate

Healdsburg City Council:
Mike Mcguire, "Hott Damn!"

CANDIDATES—SPECIAL DISTRICTS:
Cotati/Rohnert Park Unified School District:
Ed Gilardi, makes you want to stay after school, if you know what I mean

PROPOSITIONED

1A High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century.
YES, c'mon baby, do the loco-high speed-motion with me

Prop 2 Treatment of Farm Animals
YES, being locked in a cage is only sexy for so long. I wouldn't want to spend my whole life that way

Prop 3 Children's Hospital Bond Act
YES, more hospitals, more hot nurses

Prop 4 Teen Safety
NO, ain't nothing sexy about endangering the health of young ladies

Prop 5 Nonviolent Offenders Rehabilitation Act
YES, rehabilitation, think of it as a "safe word"

Prop 6 Safe Neighborhoods Act
NO, this is definitely not the "girl next door" kind of Prop.

Prop 7 Renewable Energy
NO, this is a scam. if you want to save energy, just do it with the lights off

Prop 8 Marriage Inequality
NO, hate ain't sexy, neither are the Knights of Columbus http://www.kofc.org/un/index.cfm "vote No on ha-8"

Prop 9 Victims' Rights and Protection Act
NO, if you're into "Caged Heat" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071266/ save our State’s tax dollars by going to the video rental store

Prop 10 California Alternative Fuels Initiative
NO, sounds inviting, but T.Boone Pickens is not at all sexy http://apolloalliance.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pickens372.jpg

Prop 11 Redistricting
NO, a Republican power-grab is NOT sexy. stick with the reacharound

Prop 12 Veterans Bond Act.
YES, help veterans do things in the privacy of their own homes

Measure Q
YES, just imagine all the sexy things you can do while commuting

Yes We Carve

2008-10-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

As shared by our Political Director - Ed...

check it out:
http://yeswecarve.com/

Yes we can … have civilized pumpkin carving

Three old friends who met while working for a Seattle record label launched the nationwide Obama pumpkin extravaganza Yeswecarve.com last week. Josh Horton, 29, lives in Memphis, Tenn.; Jason Powers, 31, lives in Manhattan; and Josh Jeter, 25, mans the carving operation in Chicago.

It's not your typical pumpkin-carving affair — these pumpkins will have candidates' heads carved into them.

It's civilized pumpkin carving, so no smashing pumpkins and "no attack pumpkins," assures Powers. "We're not going to allow any bashing on our site."

Here's how it works: The site offers creative Obama stencils for pumpkin carvers to meet up for carving parties around the nation. The page showcases photographs of the carvers with their Obama pumpkins. Horton said he came up with the idea while lying in bed with his wife. The couple was discussing, of all things, pumpkin carving and began conjuring silly Obama pumpkin phrases such as the "Barackolantern" and the "Obumpkin." The next day he bought the domain name and phoned his friends. One thing agreed upon early on was that the site should not be overtly political, despite the fact that all three are Obama supporters.

There are rules: no negative stenciling, and no carving McCain's head into a pumpkin with a large red X through it. Mainly, the creators just wanted something different.

"Everyone has a yard sign," Horton said. "There's nothing personal about that. There's something expected about that."

Jeter, who enjoys pumpkin carving in his off time from the University of Chicago Law School (where Obama taught), thinks of it as the "organic version of lawn signs." He's also looking forward to BYOP (last letter stands for "pumpkin") parties. "I was thinking maybe we'd restore civil discourse one pumpkin at a time," he said. So far, the site is catching on, having accrued approximately 8,000 visits.

Sarah Palin's "poetry"

2008-10-16T19:43:00.001-07:00

I didn't believe this at first, so I went back and listened to her during the VP debate. She actually talked as if reciting poetry. This Slate.com article displays Palin quotes in poetic cadence from the few media interviews she has given.
http://www.slate.com/id/2201342/

China's Melamine scandal hits U.S. candymakers

2008-10-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Just what you want to find out before Halloween and buying all the candy to give away. Not to mention the dangers posed to children. Parents be warned about Snickers, M&Ms, Oreos.
See CNN's newstory for details.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/29/candy.milk.ap/index.html

The REAL McCain

2008-09-30T18:37:00.001-07:00

If you haven't heard about Brave New Films' project chronicling the "Straight Talk Express" aka McCain's flip flopping. They have done an excellent job compiling video of various speaking engagements of McCain contradicting himself. Here is the link to check it out yourself.
http://therealmccain.com/

Is Heart pissed at McCain?

2008-09-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

http://www.cbsundstrom.com/fuckyoujohnmccain.jpg

Marriage Equality...Finally

2008-05-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of equally and made same-sex marriage legal in our state. Effective 30 days from the decision (June 16, 2008) couples who have been together longer than I’ve been alive (I’m still in my twenties, at least for a few more months) will be able to have their relationship defined as married. That is after they file the marriage petition. There are still some questions and concerns not fully addressed by the Court’s decision, and Equality California (www.eqca.org/marriage/faq) is a great resource.

The full impact of the decision didn’t truly hit me until I ran into some friends who’ve been together a long time, and they shared with me their plans to get married on June 16th. Tears rushed to my eyes, as they are doing right now as I type this. I was and am overwhelmed that so many couples I know will finally have the chance to marry the person s/he loves.

Not all of my friends in this situation are planning weddings yet. This has actually caused a disagreement among one couple I know. Several years ago they had a commitment ceremony with family and friends. Now that they can get married one wants a big ceremony the other just wants to go down to the courthouse. I’m just thankful they now have the choice.

Unfortunately, opponents of marriage equality were prepared for the CA Supreme Court’s decision by putting a proposition on the November ballot that would overturn this ruling. Governor Swarzenegger has stated he will not support the proposition. And, a poll released today shows that 51-42 percent of registered voters believed same-sex marriage should be legal in California. That is a significant change in ideology.

Thank you to all the LBTGQ people and friends (like PFLAG) for speaking out and making this issue personal. Although the scenes from 2004 of the San Francisco weddings were deemed a reason why Republicans retained control, I believe it paved the way in people’s hearts to be more accepting of others. The numerous pictures of couples expressing their love for each other after years together made it personal.

How much more personal can you get then from a statement from one of our members included in the California Young Democrats’ press release.

"We thank and congratulate the Supreme Court for their monumental and historic decision, and look forward to the fight that is still ahead," said Rachel Kau-Taylor (Sonoma County), Chair of the YDA GLBT Caucus. "A Constitutional Amendment to limit marriage (1298. (07-0068) is pending signature counting and stands ready to qualify for the November ballot in California. This would embed discrimination in the California State Constitution, and great leaps forward still remain in making one marriage available to all in our state laws and at the national level."

I can’t wait until June 16th! I’ll be heading to the courthouse to witness the barriers of segregation crumble under love.

No on 98, Yes on 99

2008-05-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

Or if you prefer: We hate 98!

Proposition 98 goes too far. It was placed on the ballot by wealthy landlords who spent millions to put it on the ballot. It would rollback laws protecting renters and the environment. Proposition 99, on the other hand, provides protections to landowners from eminent domain (for private development purposes) while also protecting renters' rights and the environment.

The authors of Prop 98 think people should be able to do anything they want on their own land. Hmm…I wonder if the language would allow them to bypass other laws and regulations like land-use that neighbors rely on to keep their neighborhoods respectable (and with no monstrosity eye-sores).

Prop 98 guts environmental protections. Just when we are beginning to take serious action on global climate change, the laws we’ve passed to protect our land, air, water and coasts would be overruled. Our drinking water all comes from the same supplies. This puts us all at risk.

Hate frivolous lawsuits? Then vote no on 98. If this passes it opens the door to a lot of those lawsuits. The end results higher taxpayer costs and an economy hurting even more than it already is.

Who opposes Prop 98? That's why a broad coalition including AARP, League of Women Voters of California, the Coalition to Protect California Renters, California Professional Firefighters, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Teachers Association, California Police Chiefs Association, California Chamber of Commerce, and dozens of others. Governor Schwarzenegger, Senators Boxer and Feinstein and nearly every other state-wide elected official also are urging a NO vote on Prop 98. Many of these same groups are also supporting a real eminent domain reform on the June 3rd ballot. Proposition 99 is the straightforward solution we need to protect against eminent domain abuse. Prop. 99 prohibits government from using eminent domain to take a home to transfer to a private developer. Unlike the landlords' Prop. 98, Prop. 99 is eminent domain reform with NO HIDDEN AGENDAS. Please be sure you have the facts and vote NO on 98 and Yes on 99 on June 3rd.

Superdelegate Dilemma

2008-03-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

There are so many people up in arms about the structuring within the Democratic Party that gives superdelegates a vote for the next President. Let’s be frank, it wouldn’t really be an issue if there was an obvious nominee, but since we are stuck with a very questionable outcome… poof…we have controversy.

We cannot do away with superdelegates, at least this go round, because the structure was pre-arranged. This has worked no problem for how many years? (Hint: since before I was born) So now we are faced with two questions: How should the Democratic National Committee resolve this dilemma?, and, Do we want to continue with a convention structure that gives superdelegates a vote for a Presidential nominee?

Addressing the question of how the DNC should resolve the current dilemma, keeping in mind that superdelegates will still have a vote, there are many options and theories out there. Personally, I would like to see the DNC offer Florida and Wisconsin an opportunity to recast their votes in caucus and thus recognizing their delegates at the Convention. FL and WI should not have their previous election count, because they knew they scheduled the election dates in opposition of the DNC rules there would be repercussions and they would lose their delegates. To allow those votes to count now would be unfair and set a terrible precedent for the next Presidential election.

Why is it unfair? For one, not all the candidates listed themselves on the ballot (campaign-wise a stupid move) because all the candidates pledged not to campaign in those states. To count those votes is unfair to all the candidates including those who have already withdrawn from the race. It is also unfair to the voters in the States that followed the rules. Our state governments or state Democratic Party followed the rules for fear of penalty. Why should FL and WI get everything they wanted after breaking the rules just because there happens to a questions of whom the nominee will be? I say if they want a say give them the option to caucus. That still penalizes them while giving them delegates and prevents future problems with the primary lineup. Personally, I feel it is important to give the voters in those states a chance to be heard because no one’s vote should be silenced (but it happens when you break the rules or fill your ballot wrong).

Will that direction fix the problem concerning superdelegates? Unlikely. The DNC and the two candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, will have to sit down and negotiate. A floor vote at the August convention will only fracture the party. Many voters will feel disillusioned with the party and we will likely lose some as voters for a very long time. We cannot afford that! The best for the future of our party would be for the candidates to come to an agreement.

As for the continuation of the superdelegates within the Democratic Party process, I have a question for you: Are you involved with the Democratic Party? This does not mean donating money or casting your vote on election day. This means donating time and energy to building the party including elected positions on local central committees, attending state conventions, walking precincts, organizing community events, phonebanking, etc. If you have never done any of the above for the party, not a candidate, then you probably have not been involved with the Democratic Party. Regularly I hear someone complaining about the government etc. Immediately I ask that person if s/he voted. If not, then my response is “you chose not to vote and silence your voice in so doing you gave up your legitimate right to complain”. So now I say to those who are complaining about superdelegates, if you are not involved with the Democratic Party then you are choosing to stay silent so stop you’re whining and do something about it. I know the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee is always looking for members and alternates. There is a link to their website from our site under links.

Why do all middle-aged white women support Hillary Clinton for President?

2008-02-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

Why do all middle-aged white women support Hillary Clinton for President?
Offended by that question? How do you think I feel when I’m repeatedly asked “why do all Young Democrats support Barack Obama for President?” Just as not all middle-aged white women don’t support Hillary, not all YD’s support Barack. As soon as people learn to get past their categorizations (ie “isms”) maybe this country will begin to move forward.

Look at us Democrats now debating whether sexism or racism is the bigger issue in this Presidential race. Who will be the one to win it in November? I’m just elated that our two top candidates are a woman and an African American. We have come so damn far from the old rich white guy group in 2004. Not that all old rich white guys are bad – remember to donate to Democrats J - because I’ve been supporting the Democrats for years now and that’s all we’ve been putting up for Presidential candidates. Not that others minorities, read non-white and/or male, to be a serious contending but they never made a scratch in national polling.

You may be wondering what got me started on this rant. Basically, I got tired of repeating not all YD’s support Obama. The most recent happened at the annual Sonoma County Democratic Parties Crab Feed. A middle-aged white woman introduces herself to me, btw I was wearing a SCYD nametag, and begins lecturing me on why YDs should be supporting Hillary instead of Barack. Excuse me! She never once asked whom I support(ed) and besides CA has already voted and those delegates are assigned. Personally, I see pros and cons to both candidates.

So old people listen up – don’t start lecturing a YD about who they should or should not support. Did it work with your kids? We are going to decide in any way, shape, or form we choose to whether based on charisma, policy, or flip of the coin. If you want to DISCUSS candidates then start a conversation NOT a lecture. You’d be surprised – some of us may know more than you do…

Young Democrats Endorse Assemblymember Mark Leno

2007-09-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

Young Democrats Endorse Assemblymember Mark Leno in Bid for State Senate (Rohnert Park, CA) The Sonoma County Young Democrats, on August 22, 2007 unanimously endorsed Assemblymember Mark Leno in his bid to unseat incumbent Senator Carole Migden. “Mark is a proven leader who has always actively supported young democrats throughout the state” said SCYD Chair Jennifer Dawes. “He will bolster the credibility and integrity of the 3 rd District and the Democratic Party.” “I am thrilled that young Democrats in the 3 rd Senate District are united in their support for Assemblymember Leno.” said Luke Klipp, President of the San Francisco Young Democrats whose organization endorsed Assemblymember Leno earlier this year. Leno has a long history with the California Young Democrats supporting and collaborating with young leaders on a regular basis. In recognition of his leadership in youth development, he was awarded the 2006 Mentor of the Year award by the CYD.

Updates on the AG Mess

2007-04-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

From ThinkProgress.org:

During yesterday's hearing, Gonzales claimed that he has since learned most of the firings were due to poor management issues of the former prosecutors. Yet US attorney Rachel Paulose saw four of her top staffers step down in protest oh her "dictatorial management style" with the intention of sending a message to Washington that she is in over her head and managed to retain her position. Instead, the AG's office issued a statement reaffirming their support of Paulose while the eight prosecutors have lost their jobs based on manufactured evidence. Given Paulose's background it is easy to see why she got to stay: she is a former special assistant to AG Gonzales and is good friends with Monica Goodling. The message this sends is it is okay to do a terrible job as long as you know the right people.

The Attorney General

2007-04-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

Those who caught the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing yesterday (or at least the Daily Show recap) got another great example of the forgetfulness of this administration. Like Scooter Libby, Alberto Gonzales while being grilled over the highly political Federal prosecutor firings used the "I can't be asked to remember what I do at work" defense. Over sixty times during the hearing, the Attorney General evaded questions citing his inability to recall details of meetings he had regarding the firings. While this may potentially absolve him of responsibility, it raises serious questions about his competency and ability to do one of the most important jobs in the world. Further, it highlights Bush's poor personnel decisions, which includes Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice (who has turned the State Department into a mess).