October 2017 Newsletter - nevadacountydemocrats.com...Letter From The Communications Chair 1...

Inside This Issue Letter From The Communications Chair 1 Announcements 2-3 First Tuesday Educational Forum Flyer 4 NCDCC Candidate Workshop Flyer 5 Health Care For All Flyer 6 NCDWC Flyer 7 Bridgeport Bird Walks 8 Tahoe/Truckee Democrats 9 Supervisors’ Corner 10 Global Warming Update 10 The Clinic 11 Illegal Immigration 12-13 Shadow Of Trump 14-15 Health Care In Peril 16-17 ERA Revisited 18-19 First Tuesday Forum Summary 19-21 NCDCC Mixer Photo Of Dave Jones 22 Constitution Day Parade Photos 22 The Once & Future Liberal Book Review 23-24 Take Part In Local Government 25 RESULTS Workshop 25 Opinion Editorial Instructions 26 Pinterest 26 Facebook Instructions 27 Cartoon 28 How To List Your Up Coming Events 29 Newsletter Information 29 Visit Us On Facebook 29

LETTER FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR

Hello Everyone: You’ll no doubt notice that this month’s edition of the newsletter is different. While we have not changed the content – you will still find announcements, articles, and the usual information seen in previous newsletters -- the newsletter team is working to update the presentation of the newsletter to enhance its design to make it more contemporary. It is a work in progress. Please let us know what you like, what you don’t like, and any suggestions you have for improvement. We plan to continue to revise and refine the newsletter over the next few months. This is your newsletter. We want it to work for you. Please let us have your comments - good or bad - your questions, and your suggestions. Newsletter Deadlines We are working to update our monthly newsletter, including the process by which it gets sent out near the end of each month for the subsequent month. If you could get your submissions to me no later than the 19th of each month, I would greatly appreciate it. We need to review the submissions and this takes time. Also, the process of formatting the newsletter, editing it, redoing it, finalizing it, and sending it out takes several days, so sending me your submissions by the 19th is important. Please send only final drafts, as it gets confusing when we get submissions that need to be revised. We strive to be flexible with the newsletter. If there is an event or circumstance that is timely or important and deserves immediate attention, we will reorganize to the best of our abilities. Thanks, Jackie Finley Chair, Communications Committee [email protected]

NCDCC Peter Minett, Chair

Nancy Eubanks, 1st Vice Chair

Margie Joehnck, 2nd Vice Chair

Joanne Bodine, Controller

Neil Bodine, Recording Secretary

Diane L. Emmett, Corresponding Secretary

Diane L. Emmett, Newsletter Editor

October 2017 Newsletter

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NCDCC Announcements EVENTS Sept. 30, Sat. Candidate Campaign Workshop: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm; 138 New Mohawk, Nevada City;

breakfast, lunch, materials included: $35; contact Margie Joehnck @ 530-278-3321 Oct. 2, Mon. First Tuesday: NOTE CHANGE TO MONDAY; 5:30 – 8 pm; Peace Lutheran Church, 828

West Main, Grass Valley; Special Speaker: John Chiang, California gubernatorial candidate Oct. 7, Sat. Democratic Women’s Club: Special Eleanor Roosevelt Luncheon Award – Marilyn

Chambliss, recipient; 11:30 am; Alta Sierra Country Club, 11897 Tammy Way, Grass Valley; Guest Speakers: Delaine Eastin, California gubernatorial candidate, and Hilary Hodge, candidate for Board of Supervisors, Dist. 3; $30; RSVP to Shanti Emerson at [email protected]

Oct. 7, Sat. Auburn Area Democratic Club: Annual Fundraiser; 2:00 – 5:00 pm; General Gomez Arts and

Events Center, 808 Lincoln Way, Auburn; Wine and Dine; Guest Speakers Christine Pelosi and Dereck Cressman; $39; RSVP to Jan Bell at 530-887-1083 or go to Auburn Area Democratic Club website

CLUBS Oct. 3, Tues. Tahoe-Truckee Dems: First Tuesdays; 6:00 – 8:00 pm; Truckee Donner Rec Center; contact

Jim Hermann at [email protected] for details Oct. 5, Thurs. Auburn Area Democratic Club: First Thursdays; 7:00 pm; General Gomez Arts and Events

Center, Auburn; contact Jan Bell, president, at [email protected] Oct. 7. Sat. Democratic Women’s Club: See above (Events) Oct. 9, Mon. NCID: Meets second Mondays; 5:30 pm; location TBD; contact Chris Hawkins at

[email protected] AFFINITY GROUPS Sept. 28, Thurs. RESULTS Advocacy Workshop: Fourth Thursdays; 7:00 pm; location TBA; contact

Lisa Schliff at [email protected] Oct. 14, Sat. League of Women Voters: Second Saturdays; 9:30 am; Peace Lutheran Church, 828 W. Main,

GV; Panel: Representatives from Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties Oct. 24, Tues. United Nations Discussion Group: Fourth Tuesdays; 4:00 – 6:00 pm; Helen Williamson

home, 357 Nile Street; call 265-5839 for information Mondays Indivisible Gold Country: Weekly, every Monday; M. Helling Library; times vary, so see

Facebook page for details Varies Brady Campaign Meeting (Placer/Nevada Counties of The Brady Chapter): Time and

locations TBD; Call 530-432-2172 or [email protected]

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REGULAR COMMITTEE MEETINGS

By-Laws Committee: Third Thursdays; next: Oct. 19; 3:00 – 5:00 pm; NCDCC Conf. Room Candidate Recruitment and Support Committee: First Wednesdays; next: Oct. 4; 5:00 – 6:30 pm;

NCDCC Office Communications Committee: First Thursdays; next: Oct. 5; 4:00 pm; NCDCC Conf. Room Executive Committee: First Thursdays; next: Oct. 5; 2:00 pm; NCDCC Conf. Room First Tuesday Educational Forum: See above (Events) Fundraising Committee: Fourth Mondays; next: Sept. 25; 10 am; NCDCC Office Political Outreach Committee: Second Wednesdays; next: Oct.11; 3:00 pm; Summer Thyme’s Volunteer/Headquarters Committee: TBA

Next NCDCC Meeting: Third Thursday, Oct. 19; 6:00 pm; NCDCC Conf. Room

Note: Please have all submissions to the newsletter to Jackie ([email protected]) by the 19th of each month. If writing an article, please include an article title and format it in Times New Roman and in 12 point font. Thank you.

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NEVADA COUNTY DEMOCRATS Candidate Training Workshop

The Nevada County Democrats’ next Candidate Workshop will be held on September 30. If you are thinking about being a candidate or wanting to be able to help candidates win, or protecting your seat on a board or council, don’t miss this workshop. The previous workshops received much positive feedback-great information, great format, and great food, as one attendee summed it up. This one a repeat of the same program with a bit more emphasis on running for boards and councils in smaller districts. It will be in the cafeteria room at 138 New Mohawk Rd. Nevada City, 95845. The workshop covers basic campaign tools-timelines, plans, finances, skills needed, pitfalls- as well as a better understanding of the role the Democratic Party plays in the process. We’ll open registration at 8:30 am so you can get the continental breakfast and your materials and be ready to start the workshop at 9 am. Lunch will be served and the workshop will end by 3 pm. Presenters include Rosalie Adduci, CPA, has worked for Stanford University and consulted with UC Davis and been treasurer for SCYRL, the Democratic Women’s Club, the Democratic Central Committee, and two campaigns. She will discuss campaign finances. Margie Joehnck, who has been on the NCDCC for 12 years, serving as chair, recording secretary, volunteer/headquarters chair, and involved now in six campaign cycles in Nevada County, will present the role of the Democratic Party in the election process. Ben Perkins, new to Nevada County after coming from a recent successful Philadelphia mayoral campaign, will team up with Heidi Hall, a former candidate for Congress and current supervisor of Nevada County for District #1, and Debbie Worth, a former school board member to show you how map out a campaign plan. Don’t miss out! Reservations are required and can be made by going to NevadaCountyDemocrats.com or clicking on the link below. Deadline to register is September 25th. Space is limited. The donation of $35 includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and extensive materials.

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/candtraining

Call Margie Joehnck, Chair Candidate Recruitment and Support Committee

NCDCC, 478-5146 for more information.


HEALTH CARE FOR ALL - CA The Nevada County Chapter of Health Care for All is a group of volunteers working to bring universal health care to all Californians. Our main mission is to educate the public through tabling, house parties, letters to the editor, town halls, films and parades. Right now we are working to pass The Healthy California Act, SB 562. This has now become a two-year bill, which means we have more time to build the movement to pass it. For more info email [email protected] or call 530-273-3033. At our October monthly meeting, on October 21st, we will be hosting the State HCA-CA Board meeting. This meeting is open only to Health Care for All - CA members. We’ll begin with a social mingle at 8:30, meet from 9 until noon, have a lunch break and meet again from 1 until 4:30. If you are an HCA member, you are welcome to join us for morning or afternoon or both. Please bring a lunch if you wish to join us for lunch. We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains, 246 S.Church St. in Grass Valley. By Leah Schwinn


The Nevada County Democratic Women’s Club

Cordially invites you and your guests to a luncheon honoring Eleanor oosevelt; the First Lady of the World

And the 2017Recipient of the NCDWC Eleanor Roosevelt Award given to the local woman who best exemplifies Democratic values and

this year the winner is Marilyn Chambliss! Come and honor her long time commitment to the Democratic Party.

To be held Saturday, October 7th 2017, beginning at 11:30 a.m. At The Alta Sierra Country Club

11897 Tammy Way, Grass Valley Price: $30.00 (includes tax and gratuity)

Speakers: Delaine Eastin and Hilary Hodge Reservations and checks due by October 4th, 2017

Carpooling and scholarships available to members Silent Auction to benefit NCDWC High School Scholarships and Emerge

Candidates ______________________________________________Cut here

Menu Selections and Reservations to be returned with check

All entrée include the following: Romaine and Spinach salad with bacon, peaches, Roma tomatoes, feta cheese with a warm ginger vinaigrette dressing; Tuxedo Cake with cocoa

buttermilk & chocolate sponge and a whipped cream frosting for dessert; and a choice of beverage

Please choose one of the following:

___ Bay Shrimp & Crab Enchiladas with black beans, tomatillo Verde sauce, cheese & roasted corn Spanish rice

___ Marinated Grilled Chicken breast topped with a blueberry lime salsa, served over rice ___ Tofu Tacos with grilled zucchini, Panko eggplant topped with Pico De Gallo Salsa

(Vegetarian) ___ I am unable to attend, however I am enclosing a donation for the 2017 Scholarship Fund

Guest(s) Name and Phone Number:__________________________________________________________________ This form and a check for $30.00 must be received by October 7th, 2017 at NCDWC, PO Box

1573, Grass Valley, CA 95945. Questions? Contact Shanti Emerson, [email protected] 269-1183 or Debra Worth, [email protected] 263-8996


TAHOE TRUCKEE DEMOCRATS

Fellow Democrats and Friends,

This is just a short note to remind you that the next meeting of the Tahoe-Truckee Democrats will be on Tuesday, Oct 3, in Tahoe City, at 6:00pm, Fairway Community Center, 330 Fairway Drive, Tahoe City.

We have two wonderful speakers. Rochelle Wilcox, who is running for Congress in our 4th Congressional District will present her ideas to us and take questions on her positions. In addition, Truckee Mayor, Morgan Goodwin will be giving us an update on the key issues and goings on in the Town Of Truckee. We have more on the agenda, and also want to hear from you. The Sept meeting had around 70 attending. Thanks to all for the great participation and being engaged!

Please join us and invite your friends to attend.

Your Leadership Team


SUPERVISORS’ CORNER

Upcoming items of interest on the BOS Agenda (check in again beforehand as these may change):

Oct. 24, 1:30pm Presentation from Caltrans (and possibly Save 174 group) regarding proposed improvements to Hwy 174. This will be a public workshop and a good place to hear about this issue. Public input will be allowed in limited fashion - 3 minutes per person or 5 minutes if you are representing a group.

Nov. 14, 11 am Proposition 90 presentation by the Nevada County Board of Realtors.

Dec. 12, 1:30 pm Review proposed updates to the Zoning Ordinance to provide for more flexibility in the existing permitting process to include a more inclusive list of agriculture marketing events (Agritourism).

More items are likely to be added and some may be changed. For an updated list of the agenda and special items, go to https://www.mynevadacounty.com/822/Meeting-Information-Video-Streaming

Other items of interest: The next CAG meeting takes place on October 10, from 1:30-5 pm at the Foothills Event Center. For more information about the Cannabis issues for the County, go to https://www.mynevadacounty.com/2185/Cannabis-Conversation.

As always, feel free to contact me with questions or concerns at [email protected]. Always contact your own District Supervisor first with specific issues.

Thank you,

Heidi Hall

GLOBAL WARMING UPDATE

GLOBAL WARMING UPDATE. "...while we cannot say climate change "caused" Hurricane Harvey, we can say is that it exacerbated several characteristics of the storm in a way that greatly increased the risk of damage and loss of life." This quote is by Michael E Mann , distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University. Ed Patterson


ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Our friends and relatives from Europe can get a tourist visa in a couple of weeks when they decide to come here for a visit.

Millions of foreign workers absolutely critical to our society's functioning do not have that access because the US has chosen to fill much lower numbers of temporary work visas for the basic functioning of the US economy than necessary for decades.

One major reason is that employers like to have a pool of workers that have few legal rights and are willing to work for low wages. If the illegal immigration to fill these jobs was stopped, large sections of our agricultural sector would break down immediately, severely impacting our economy. Likely operations would be moved to Mexico and Central America because ethnic Americans are not capable and willing to perform these many millions of jobs. We know this for a fact because most of these jobs are in the areas of the country where unemployment is high so there would be little or no need to encourage undocumented workers from other countries to come if ethnic unemployed Americans in these areas could (or would) do the work.

The right-wing vilification machine contends that the undocumented are a drain on our economy. Every believable analysis has shown the opposite. Even the most temporary groups of undocumented workers have a strong over-all positive effect partly because social security is automatically deducted from their pay-checks and the undocumented never get to use it. It is also a fact that Latinos start small businesses at a rate 3 times higher than ethnic white Americans because they have the extra drive that previous immigrant groups also had, leading to the wealth and enrichment of America. German, Irish, Italian immigrants and Asian were all maligned and discriminated against when they first arrived, just like the Latinos now are.

Another lie repeated endlessly from the right wing is that the percentage of drug addicts and criminals is higher among immigrants than in the rest of society. This outright lie is the center-piece of the current radical regime that controls our country. The 2017 current Secretary of State under the Trump Administration, too racist and morally flawed for a federal judgeship by the more bi-partisan 1986 standards, spouts these untruthful claims whenever possible to keep the hating going and the base engaged.

The third major fabrication goes that the undocumented workers are the cause of low wages. The real reason for stagnating wages is the right-wing shift of the Republican Party beginning during the Reagan years, and we can debate who is mostly at fault. Was it the corporate big-money groups financing right-wing think-tanks inventing the myth of trickle-down-economics and wealth distribution from bottom to top that was embraced by Conservative politicians or was it the American voters that actually believed these blatant untruths and began voting for the Republican Party, beginning with the so-called Reagan Democrats. It certainly was not the undocumented workers to whom we all owe gratitude and respect for keeping our agricultural economy flourishing, and large parts of the construction industry as well.

The web of right-wing lies that have led to our political situation is reminiscent of Germany during the 1930's where Jews were cast as scapegoats for German stagnation and poverty in the aftermath of World War I. The careful campaign of lies and baseless appeals to the worst instincts worked wonders and turned Germany, a bastion of democracy and free thinking, into a force of evil against the Jews and the world at large. The Jews had assimilated well throughout Europe and always created jobs, opportunities, and wealth for everybody around them, not to mention their innumerable contributions to the very best in our civilization as far as culture, intellectual thought, and knowledge go.


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Republican voters at every election during the last four-five decades have had a choice between Republicans that have been actively eliminating labor unions, depressing wages whenever possible, working to reduce/eliminate the social safety, including social security and Medicare, or Democrats who consistently work for higher wages, better working conditions, more public infrastructure investments leading to more jobs, and work to protect/expand social security and Medicare. Today we see workers everywhere in the country choosing not to join unions and accepting low wages and poor working conditions. Just a few recent examples are Volkswagen's assembly plant in Tennessee and Boeing's in North Carolina where workers decided to vote against unionizing by large margins.

The right-wing media campaigns of false narratives and outright lies have been working so successfully that during the 2016 election voters had a choice between the Republican Party which last voted for a $5 minimum wage and in which more than half their senators believe the minimum wage should be set at $0, or Democrats with a new $15 minimum wage on the party platform. In most parts of the country voters choose to vote for the former. Tens of millions of Republican voters choose to vote against their own interests believing the lies fed to them from right-wing media.

Trump received 2.5 million more votes than Romney from voters most susceptible to the rank hatred and bigotry of the Trump messaging; one important reason among many others that the election was stolen from Hillary Clinton.

By Richardt Stormsgaard


POLITICS IN THE SHADOW OF TRUMP It's a scarier world than I could have imagined. No, not the hurricanes, nuclear threat, or global warming. I'm talking about the horrifying experience of finding myself agreeing with one comment voiced recently by a certain Republican ex-Supervisor in THE UNION. He had attended two demonstrations in Berkeley, and witnessed "left-wing" antifa "thugs" causing violence and general havoc, with little “liberal outrage.” Here's one interpretation: politics has never been a deadlier sport, and to the degree we fail to acknowledge and rein in our own intolerance, we repeat the cycle and place ourselves on the same level (at least perceptually) as the Right wing extremists we need to discredit. I see this––the owning our own personal and collective shadow––as a vital game-changing issue in this contentious, media-hyped time. There's no doubt that the fascist Right vastly outstrips the leftie loonies in the evil quotient. In fact, the antifa guys aren't leftist at all but raging anarchists at war with government itself. And that's the point, as well as the danger. If these radical extremists become identified with our Progressive movement, the public's vision gets distorted and a notion of "false equivalency" naturally forms in the minds of many Americans. Image is everything, and we lose major ground when such violent confrontations are viewed as the same, i.e., Americans perceive the Progressive movement as violent as the Nazis or KKK. If that occurs we lose the edge in claiming the moral high road in these contentious times. My fervent hope is that many on the Left will raise their voices against these attacks publically, calling out the antifa aggressors for being anarchists and not legitimate Progressives. For this reason, it is imperative that the Progressive coalition finds a way to stop these attacks on the opposition. People have a right to believe in, and espouse, the idea of white supremacy (regardless of how abhorrent this belief might be) as the free expression of ideas is protected under our Constitution. One reason this is so important is that the roots of fascism in our country are not nearly as deeply buried as many would like to think. It is indisputable, relevant and historically true that our country was founded on racism ––toward indigenous and non-white people––and religious intolerance (imagine being a "free thinker" in the colonial period). I wonder how many of us are aware of America's shadowy endorsement of fascism during the first half of the 20th Century. This vile aspect of American history has recently been documented by David Motadel in The Guardian ("The United States Was Never Immune to Fascism. Not then, not now"). In the period between the two world wars, there was a huge upsurge in fascist organizations supporting the movement in Europe. Several fascist groups were organized by Italian Americans, and in 1924, were brought under the single umbrella of "The Fascist League of North America". In 1933, the state of Massachusetts saw the formation of "The Silver Shirts Movement", and in 1936 our country saw the rise of the "German American Bund''. Culturally aligned with the domestic white supremacist movements of the time, these organizations were dedicated to the notion of racial discrimination, a government that supported industrialism vs. labor, the elimination of the free press, propagandizing education, creating a divisive ethno-political system, and suppressing any movement that supported individual freedoms. (See: Witness to a Century, a book by George Seldes. He dispels the illusion of an American “free press,” and provides insight into Trump’s success in coercing the Fourth Estate into passive compliance.) My point: the political and journalistic tolerance most of us have known is an exception in our national history, not the rule. These insidious, racist beliefs have never gone away, and continue to exist in the American psyche like hot embers resting at the bottom of a––supposedly--–dampened inferno. President Trump's venal rhetoric and actions have brought the zombie of racist intolerance out of the crypt in an open-war attempt to sabotage the very ideals under which our country was founded.

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This resurgence of fascism sabotages the national will by pandering to the most fear-based and reactively intolerant impulses within us. In fact, as reported by many news sources (e.g. The San Francisco Chronicle, August 15), the white separatist movement is growing in spite of horrific incidents such as Charlottesville. The organizers of such marches operate from a well- planned strategy to provoke such confrontations to publicize their agenda and position themselves in the minds of the general public as a legitimate (and threatened) movement trying to defend "core American values." The pivotal question is how do we best counter the threat to our democratic values? Engaging in open street warfare punch-for-punch with these traitorous thugs is playing directly into their hands. Many in the general public are already biased against anything left of center; they will see these opposing sides as being morally equivalent and will lose sight of the underlying threat these alt-right movements represent. Counter-sliming Trump doesn’t work. We need to start thinking "out of the box". Terry Gross recently had a guest on Fresh Air who spoke to this issue, arguing that even though the white supremacist movement is growing, countering their hateful rhetoric and violence with more violence will only serve to embolden the movement by providing it with the free publicity they crave. It is important to remember the huge amount of free publicity Trump gained through his outrageous rhetoric. He was (and is) as nutty as last year's fruitcake, but the publicity helped get him elected. Could the same dynamic work for the White Supremacists? Terry's guest suggested that ignoring them would be more effective, i.e., DO NOT FEED THE BEAST YOU DO NOT WANT TO LIVE. Refuse to report on their statements and activities; deny them venues to spout their hatred; and refuse to engage in dialogue advocating racist views that contradict our Constitution. While in Europe several years ago, my wife and I listened to an interview with the Prime Minister of Sweden who outlined the same approach to the white nationalists in his own country. He strongly advocated a refusal-to-engage policy in dealing with hateful fringe groups, not legitimizing either their beliefs or advocates by allowing them public discourse. Many of you know the wonderful Native American story I am paraphrasing here. An old man was speaking to his grandson about what it meant to be a brave. He told the boy that there are two wolves at war within every person. One wolf is filled with hatred, cruelty and greed, the other with love, compassion and generosity. It is our destiny, the old man said, to continue this fight until there is a final victory. "But Grandfather," the boy said, "which wolf will win?" It is the one, the elder said, whom we choose to feed. We are all very aware of the threat we face from without, but the threat from within our own righteous intolerance is much harder to see. The old chief did not say that we need to kill the wolf of hatred, for that would just magnify evil and allow our own disowned shadow to be fed by the hatred. Gandhi saw this, and succeeded in liberating a nation. At this point, it's unknown whether we can liberate our own nation from the shackles of fascism and intolerance. The more difficult question may be: can we unshackle ourselves from our own intolerance and hatred? Looking inside to see which wolf we are truly feeding may be the place to start. By Bill Larsen


Health Care in Peril As the group leader for RESULTS.org, I receive emails daily from the staff in Washington, D.C. Sometimes I get one that makes me stop and ponder, such as the one below. As I read it, I felt a deja vu, as if the writers were describing our own collective experience here in Nevada County with Congressman Doug LaMalfa. The content was actually an Op Ed (Editorial) written by a RESULTS member in Grant's Pass, Oregon. The editorial is re-published in part below with my commentary in italics: Congressman Greg Walden has been a chief architect of congressional efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and to gut Medicaid and the Oregon Health Plan. That is why working families and small business owners in Bend and Medford took action recently to show him, again, that many people in his district oppose his efforts to strip them of life-saving health care services. I will never forget the well-attended Town Hall meeting with Congressman LaMalfa at the Nevada County Fairgrounds last spring. As in Bend and Medford, Oregon, constituents took the microphone and made their points over and over again that the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid needed to be kept and expanded, not scratched and replaced with a tax break for the rich that will strip them of their medical insurance. In fact, among majority-Republican districts nationally, his district has disproportionately benefited from the Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid expansion; in fact, 20 percent of adults in Oregon’s second district are enrolled in Medicaid. It is therefore more disturbing that he supports this bill despite knowing the people of his district have an awful lot to lose if it passes. A hefty 100,646 enrollees receive direct assistance from Covered California (ACA) in LaMalfa's district, surpassed only by five other Congressional districts in our state. Yet LaMalfa, like his Republican counterpart Walden in Oregon, stubbornly supports the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. As in Oregon, he encountered numerous protests of his position on health care at the Town Hall meetings. In response to his constituents raising their concerns about his vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and to re-structure and cut funding to Medicaid, he had the following to say: “These latest stunts and claims (about cutting Medicaid) are misguided and untrue. Independent fact checkers made it clear that the legislation we passed in the House guaranteed current Medicaid recipients could continue on their coverage uninterrupted.” This statement is deliberately misleading. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, whose analysis has always been taken as fact by both sides of the aisle in Washington, estimated that the bill Walden voted for in May would strip 20 million Americans of health care, spike costs for millions more and reduce the overall quality of care. For small-business owners, who have always had a very difficult time finding and keeping affordable health care plans, this bill would have been a severe setback and a return to a time when large insurance corporations made all the rules. LaMalfa maintains, “After a 13% rise in premiums in 2017, you would forgive Californians for expecting a decrease this year. Unfortunately, that is not the case – as North State residents will experience an average rate increase of 33.2% in 2018. This is exactly why the ACA must be repealed and replaced with something that middle income families can afford. Premiums continue to rise at an increasingly alarming rate, and the only solution offered by Covered California is to switch to a worse plan. This doesn’t cut it – not for California and not for America – and we must continue the fight to repeal this disastrous law and replace it with something that works.” As a small-business owner, I can attest to the fact that premiums and deductibles were spiking long before the Affordable Care Act was enacted. He doesn't mention the benefits of Covered California to his many low-income constituents, some of whom never had health insurance in the past.


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In short, Congressional District 1 of California is not the only district suffering a major disconnect between their House Rep and the will of the people living there. No doubt there are more congressional districts that reflect the disharmony of our own, given how many people across the country objected to the repeal of the ACA. The bill Walden supported also directly cut $800 billion from Medicaid over the next decade by ending the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, a program that provides coverage to 11 million low-income people, and by cutting federal funding for Medicaid by implementing a capped system. This would force states to make a dire choice: either cut back on health care for low-income people who are elderly, disabled, children or parents, or shift the cost of that coverage to our state budget, one that is already stretched thin. Either way, if the bill he voted for had passed, Oregon’s local economies, small businesses and residents would have suffered the consequences. It’s also worth noting that the House bill he supported takes roughly $1 trillion over 10 years out of Medicaid, while also giving $600 billion in tax breaks to the rich and to corporations. Let us say that again: The bill he supported would cut life-saving health care programs for poor seniors, children and the disabled while giving tax breaks to people who do not need them. The majority of those individual tax cuts would have gone to the less than 1 percent of Americans who make over $1 million a year. And the wealthiest 400 Americans — whose average incomes exceed $300 million a year — would have gotten an average tax cut of $7 million a year each. That’s one major reason all these groups opposed this bill: the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Diabetes Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Hospital Association, the March of Dimes, AARP and others. Small-business owners learn early on how to add two plus two, and Greg Walden’s math just doesn’t add up when he says Medicaid wouldn’t be impacted. Gutting federal funding for Medicaid would, without a doubt, disrupt coverage for current recipients and cost us all more. And even though the bill Walden voted for didn’t pass in the end, the current federal budget proposals he will be asked to vote on include the recommendation to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid expansion and also make similarly devastating major cuts to Medicaid and Medicare through caps and privatization — to the tune of about $1.5 trillion. This new bill will be debated in the House in September. So, a question for us, his constituents, is what we’re going to do if Greg Walden continues to vote against our interests and for those of major insurance companies and the wealthy. — Constance and Kevin Marr, owners of the Motel Del Rogue in Grants Pass, are members of the Main Street Alliance. By Lisa Schliff

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ERA REVISITED

Recently there has been renewed interest in the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), the ill-fated amendment to the U.S. Constitution that appeared headed for success in the 1970s, only to be derailed by determined opponents of both genders. Claiming that American women would ultimately suffer – not benefit – by the amendment, the unfounded fear that women would lose certain protections resulted in the amendment’s rejection. For those unfamiliar with the amendment or too young to remember when for generations, women were oftentimes subjected to blatant professional, economic, and social inequalities, the amendment reads as following: Section 1: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex. Section 2: The Congress shall have the power to enforce by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. Section 3: This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification. Earlier versions, including those drafted in the 1920s and 1940s, did not receive much attention. The above version, however, was passed in 1972 by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. On June 30, 1982, the extended deadline for adoption, the amendment remained three states short of the required 38 states. By today’s standards, the amendment’s language seems innocuous. Even 35 years ago, however, it was regarded as radical to those who believed “protecting” women was more important than guaranteeing them equality. In the 1960s and 1970s, gender equality was a new and at times controversial idea. Perceived as comical or even “unnatural” by some, as a teenager and young adult I found nothing funny about having to play a limited feminine role, whether at home, at work, or in broader society. Denied access to certain “boys only” classes in my Bay Area high school, my guidance counselor tried to direct me toward a traditional career, e.g., teaching or nursing, after college. My first post-graduate job was working in a bank. At that time (1975), new male bank employees with B.A. degrees were sent to management school, while the female hires with B.A. degrees were put on the teller line and instructed to smile. At least opportunities were opening up for my generation at that time. My mother, a 1940s chemistry graduate from a top university with plans to be a medical researcher, was denied an advanced degree, also at a prestigious institution, as the department chair held the belief that women were not qualified to earn graduate degrees in scientific fields. The university did not intervene on her behalf and as did many others, my mother accepted the status quo and changed professional direction to a more acceptable one, elementary school teaching. Her frustration never left her, however, and it made a life-long impression on me. In 2017 it is difficult to understand that such patent discrimination existed, but it did. Consequently, when the ERA started to gather momentum, it was a ray of light for many. While viewed as more symbolic than substantive by some, it nevertheless represented the recognition that women – over 50% of the American population – should be guaranteed economic, professional, and social equality. A nation-wide acknowledgement in the form of a Constitutional amendment would be the first step to righting a wrong, and doing so in a public and unequivocal way. Constitutional amendments have been used to remedy societal ills; as our society changes and hopefully becomes more inclusive and understanding in its views, amendments speak, as if to say, “We’re righting a wrong.” They can open the door to not only entitled rights, but to broader mindsets as well. Would passing the ERA be strictly symbolic and unnecessary? Many Americans believe that women are already guaranteed equality and that the amendment could deprive women of some protections, such as support during divorce settlements or security from a mandatory military draft. I personally feel that many traditional Americans are afraid that if guarantees of gender equality are “on the books,” our society will disintegrate. Our Back To Home Page

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country may be disintegrating – another issue altogether – but if it is, it is not due to the fact that we have started to recognize and correct serious wrongs in our history and consequently if the ERA is an imperfect solution, it at least acknowledges that women deserve the same respect and opportunities given to men; it can serve as a structural basis on which to build broader equality for all. There is rarely an ideal time for change. There will always be those individuals who say we should wait until the time is “right,” although that time often never arrives. Women, along with people of color, LGBT individuals, non-Christians, etc., have waited long enough to be recognized and supported as equals. In this time of reactionary politics and fear, a few simple words can go a long way in keeping our society from going backwards and giving hope to those who continue to work for fairness and inclusivity. By Jackie Finley

FIRST TUESDAY EDUCATIONAL FORUM SUMMARY OF SEPTEMBER 5TH HOW TO DEFEAT LA MALFA

Three declared Democratic Candidates who are challenging Congressman La Malfa for his seat as our representative in District 1 came to speak to us and share their vision and ideas and answer our questions. The forum was well attended. DENNIS DUNCAN, born and raised in Butte County, attended U.C. Berkeley where he graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and then attended CSUC where he got an M.A. in Public Administration. He has worked as a social worker, primarily with families, most of his adult life. He also worked in federally funded outpatient addiction programs. “One thing I learned while working at Child Protective Services is that neglected kids don’t think they deserve anything. Voters seem to think the same way. We live in the richest country in the world. You deserve better.” he said. Dennis supports Medicare for All, free public education, good jobs with good wages. He supports raising the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour. “You deserve a representative that does your bidding. A representative who puts us before Party, power and money. That means no Super Pacs, Big Pharma or big corporate money should be sought. You deserve someone who puts families, the people first. Remember, La Malfa voted for a Healthcare bill that would take 100,000 people in our district off healthcare by 2020 (including 35,000 kids).” He acknowledged there is a long history of conservative Republican representatives, “…but there is lots of disaffection with the way things are in this District. Economic issues affect red and blue alike.” He pointed out the high unemployment and the real need for our Representative to be involved in the communities s/he serves to determine what that community needs, and how to address it, regardless of Party. “We need to develop economies that work and are unique to our various rural communities. For example, there is very high unemployment in Susanville which the economy needs help to move beyond lumber and tourism.” JESSICA HOLCOMB is a business attorney in Auburn who got her BA at Georgetown University and served as a Congressional aide. She got her J.D. at UC Davis and is an advocate for civil and immigrant rights and improving the lives of working families. She is the eldest of seven children whose family lived below the poverty line. This experience informed and sensitized her to the plight of the poor. “One in two children in California is born in poverty. They need scholarships, grants and the like. College and healthcare are just too expensive. All of this is holding people back.” she said. “University should be free and affordable day care is necessary so parents can work.” She despises the scapegoating of Muslims and the undocumented who need a path to citizenship. “America has been built on the backs of immigrants who will no doubt rebuild Houston. We have to fight to keep democracy in place. La Malfa won’t change. We need to take our District and country back. We need to take action while focusing on policy not parties. Social Security and Medicare need to be funded, not cut. Affordable healthcare, pharmaceuticals, housing, childcare, education must be made available.” She supports sensible safety gun measures to protect kids, people. “We don’t want to take people’s guns away.” “Pro Choice isn’t just about abortion; it is about how women want to live their lives.

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These are deeply personal and private issues for individual women. Government has no right to interfere.” As concerns climate change and the Trump administration leaving the Paris Agreement and rolling back important environmental regulations: “The future is renewable energy. We need subsidies. We are losing the coral reefs, animals, so much more. The government should furnish every home with solar and give tax credits for electric car purchases,” she said. “I propose that we have a Renew America Act (funded with $750 billion), similar to FDR’s Rural Electrification Act, which would fund rural broadband and help us to get off of fossil fuels by 2050.” MARTY WALTERS is an environmental scientist who worked with the U.S. Navy to clean-up hazardous waste in the Pacific Rim area. She subsequently worked for General Electric, where she learned about the finance industry. Presently she works remotely for a New York bank from her residence in Plumas County. She is also a musician and single parent of three children. Given increasingly severe weather causing floods, droughts, fires and substantial damage due to climate change, Ms. Walters agrees there is need for immediate, substantial government action. “We need to protect our people and slow and finally eliminate these horrible consequences. Our government needs to fund and build in anticipation of more and more severe weather. Government also needs to support renewable energy projects while providing incentives for people to buy and use e.g. solar power and electric cars to help reduce carbon emissions,” she said. Ms. Walters also insists that government impose appropriate financial penalties on private industry whenever their endeavors have negative environmental impact. “There is much to do,” she said. “It’s hard for a Democrat to win in District 1 because there are clearly more Republicans than Democrats but we can take advantage of all the new energy since Trump was elected. We need to appeal to women and “no party preference” voters. Candidates need to understand the demographics and make sure every identifiable group knows who you are. It is also really hard to raise money in District 1. You have to go outside and refuse any Pac money and the like. Thankfully I have connections to individual donors in New York that I intend to access to support my campaign,” Ms. Walters said. All three of these fresh faced candidates are concerned about the Democratic Party and the need for new leadership. Ms. Walters suggests “It should be a bottom up effort. Bring in millennials and let them make decisions.” Ms. Holcomb agreed and added, “Politicians do not have to be insincere and in the pocket of big money. Just look at Bernie Sanders who is honest and clearly has our interests at heart.” Mr. Duncan declared, “Division is poisonous in the Party. Generation X and millennials are ambitious, empathic and intelligent. Respect and take an interest in them. Invite them in. We all deserve better.” (Photos next page) By Michele Spencer

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←

DENNIS DUNCAN ←

JESSICA HOLCOMB

→

MARTY WALTERS ←

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ABOVE: Dave Jones, CA Insurance Commissioner, speaking at the NCDCC Mixer held at Seamons Lodge, Nevada City. Dave is a candidate for Attorney General.

Above: Nevada County Democrats marching in the Constitution Day Parade Nevada City.

Below: Nevada County Democratic Women’s Club marching in the Constitution Day Parade Nevada City.

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BOOK REVIEW

THE ONCE AND FUTURE LIBERAL: After Identity Politics By Mark Lilla

Harper/HarperCollins Publishers 143 pp.

Copyright 8/15/2017 The author, Mark Lilla, is a professor of humanities at Columbia University. Lilla summarized his political concerns last November in the New York Times article: “American liberalism has slipped into a kind of moral panic about racial, gender, and sexual identity that has distorted liberalism’s message and prevented it from becoming a unifying force capable of governing.” This book, The Once and Future Liberal, expands his argument. Interestingly, Lilla offers an impassioned, tough-minded, and stinging look at the failure of American liberalism over the past two generations. His premise, that out of the liberal “Roosevelt Dispensation” came the conservative vision that Ronald Reagan offered: a commitment to – small government, lower taxes, and self-reliant individualism, and that this vision remains the country’s dominant political ideology. He challenges the Democratic Party to present a competing vision in response. Lilla gives a good history of the right and the left, and presents his explanation of how politics has evolved into where we are today. Lilla labels identity politics as divisive, introspective, narcissistic and annoying. It is also, he argues, apolitical. In a frequently high-lighted passage, he writes that “Black Lives Matter is a textbook example of how not to build solidarity and labels it as a movement which uses “Mau Mau tactics” to respond to dissent (pg. 129). Lilla acknowledges that social movements like feminism and civil rights played important roles in American history, raising questions and insisting on changes that could be secured no other way. At the moment, however, he finds such movements to be counterproductive, sucking energy away from the simple and urgent task of getting more Democrats into office. Getting votes is Lilla’s goal. He tells Democrats that as we have focused our attention on minority groups (gays, transgender, Latinos, blacks, etc.), we left out the “deplorables" (an unfortunate campaign word choice). That omission strengthened the resolve of the Trump voters. They experienced themselves as being labeled and treated as “other”. They reacted with their votes. Interestingly, when you divide our total voting population at this time, you end up with just enough “deplorables” to elect a “Trump”. Of course, demographics in this country are constantly changing, but that in itself is creating unrest in the electorate. The part of the book that resonated with me most was its focus on “citizenship”. The author believes that the energy of the Democratic Party needs to be on winning elections up and down the political spectrum. He believes the time of hectoring is over. It is time to reach out and start persuading people from every walk of life and in every region of the country that liberals will stand up for them. We must appeal to – but also help to rebuild – a sense of common feeling among Americans. We must champion a sense of duty through our commitment to “citizenship”…a platform for all people. For Lilla, the Democrats’ road to recovery means re-embracing this concept, and the principle that being an American entails reciprocal rights and

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obligations. Our fellow countrymen deserve to be listened to and respected even when we disagree with them. The term “citizenship”, however, is loaded these days, with all the immigration/refugee issues. What does it mean to be a citizen today? Are we citizens of the USA or citizens of the world? How do we govern with both corporate and individual intent? This book gives us an opportunity to delve into these issues. How should the Democratic Party balance diversity with a common vision of citizenship? How and where should concerned Americans focus their energies – on social-movement activism, on “resistance,” on electoral politics? How, for that matter, can Democrats start winning a few more local races? Lilla acts as if there are easy answers to these questions. I’m not so sure. What is true is that the Democratic Party must take these issues seriously Reviews from both the right and the left are mixed. Some Progressive reviewers see his position as a betrayal of their core values. Some Conservative reviewers see it as little more than a ruse to capture votes. Of course, Lilla’s position isn’t the only answer, but it is grist for the mill. Whatever you decide after reading it, and I hope you will, his positions are thought provoking. Rev. Karyn Packard

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TAKE PART IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT The Candidate Recruitment and Support Committee invites you to participate in local government through appointment to a local board, committee or commission. There are many opportunities to serve our local community, with terms running from one to four years. You will meet other leaders in our community and learn more about the workings of local government. Nevada County Boards, Committees, and Commissions. The available openings are on the:

• Agricultural Advisory Commission • Assessment Appeals Board (2 vacancies) • Fish and Wildlife Commission (Eastern Nevada County) • Historical Landmarks Commission (2 vacancies: Districts I and II) • Kingsbury Greens Community Services District • Nevada County Sanitation District No. 1 Advisory Committee • Nevada-Sierra Connecting Point Public Authority Governing Board (3 vacancies) • Sewage Disposal Technical Advisory Group

More information about serving and a listing of all current openings is available at the Nevada County website:

http://www.mynevadacounty.com/nc/bos/cob/Pages/Committees-and-Commissions.aspx Nevada County Sheriff’s Office The Sheriff’s Office is seeking volunteers to be involved in almost every division—civil, evidence, jail, community or boat patrol, or office support. There are also opportunities to help with charity and public safety events throughout the year. For more information or to express interest, visit:

http://volunteernevadacounty.org/got-the-right-stuff-join-the-nevada-county-sheriffs-office-volunteers/ Submitted by Bob Branstrom

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RESULTS Advocacy Workshop

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

RESULTS Advocacy Workshop hosted by Lisa Schliff (volunteer group leader)

Location TBD

Make a difference in the world and join us in ending poverty everywhere!

For more information: [email protected]

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OPINION EDITORIAL INSTRUCTIONS

One of the ways we Democrats can get our message out to the public is through our writings. We encourage all Democrats to write opinion pieces to BOTH The Union and YubaNet. To submit to YubaNet please send it electronically to [email protected]. Submissions must include your real name, city, state and phone number. Only your name, city and state of residence will be published. No word limit is imposed, but “brevity is the soul of wit so we recommend the following guideline: try to keep it under 1,700 words.” Also, “Yubanet.com adheres to strict civility policy. Only issue-oriented opinions will be considered for publication. During election season you are welcome to submit letters of support for candidates.” To submit letters and Op-Ed pieces to The Union you can go to their website http://www.theunion.com/ and follow the directions. Letters to the Editor need to be less than 200 words and Op-Ed pieces need to be 500 – 750 words. You can also post on-line comments. By posting comments you’re keeping a conversation going in the community about our candidates and issues. That is what democracy is all about. Following is how to post an on-line comment (it is easy!)

• Go to http://www.theunion.com/. • Click on “opinion”, located top left underneath the words The Union. • You will see a list of names and letters to the editor or Op-Eds. Scan them to those that support of Democratic

issues or candidates. • If you find one, click “learn more” at the bottom of that entry. It will open up the entire letter or Op-Ed. • Click on the “comments” tab at the top of the letter or Op-Ed. You will see “add a comment”. Click in that box

and type your comments. • Click “post” when done. There is often a time lag to editorial review before anything is posted. Wait an hour or so

and then check again to see if your comment was accepted and is visible to the public.

PINTEREST Pinterest link is now available on our website. Look for it in the upper left corner of the home page. As most of you know, Ellen is our great photographer. Now we can all enjoy her many pictures. If you’d like to add photos, send them to Ellen Macdonald at [email protected]. She can size the photos to fit.

Nancy Eubanks

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FACEBOOK INSTRUCTIONS

It is really very simple. Log onto your Facebook account and search for Nevada County Democrats in the “Search Facebook” bar at the top of your page. You will find our NCD Club Facebook Page with posting, photos, and even videos. Your job: Post a comment. Adding your two cents, point of view, constructive criticism, and especially support for the postings of our fellow Democratic members is worth its weight in gigabytes. As a member of the Communications Committee, I was taken aback when I visited the NCD Facebook Page and saw postings with very few or no comments posted. Comments are important for educating, livening up the page, inviting others to participate, and ultimately, to make us more visible to the general community. The same goes for “Likes.” Simply click on that word under the posting and you will be counted along with others who support a member’s posting to Facebook. Of course, if there is something posted that you don’t like, don’t be shy. Post a comment and be sure it is constructive, diplomatic and respectful. Even better, you can start your own topic with an original post (a photo or chart, if possible, adds appeal). So please check into the NCD Facebook page at least once a week and work that social media! Lisa Schliff

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By

By Charles Green

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List Your Upcoming Event Here!

Email the following information about your upcoming charitable or social event, and we will include it in our next newsletter:

• Name of organization • Contact information (email, phone, etc.) • Event details (flyers, etc.)

Email: [email protected]

Your Nevada County Democratic Newsletter!

Contribute to your Nevada County Democratic Newsletter. Send your Democratic stories and photos so we can include them for all to read. Send us ideas for articles. We will be improving our newsletter over the next several months to help keep you better informed about what Nevada County Democrats should know. Email your stories, photos, and ideas to: [email protected]

Visit us on Facebook at Nevada County Democrats. Share your thoughts, ideas, and interesting articles you have read.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/355077870274/?ap=1

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October 2017 Newsletter - nevadacountydemocrats.com...Letter From The Communications Chair 1...

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