Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR ANNUAL CLUB PICNIC

It will be Politics in the Park - Largo's Taylor Lake Park - on Saturday, Sept. 29. Put a big red circle around that date for the club's third annual "Old Fashioned Campaign Picnic."

If last year's festivities are any indication, a great time will be had by all.  In addition to Super Duper Hot Dogs and the traditional and not-so-traditional garnishments, there will be plenty of delicious Dems pot luck, a chance to meet and greet many of this area's state, county and local candidates and elected officials and President Obama proxies, music, raffles and a 50-50. Every penny of profits will be used to get Democrats elected.  Last year the club was able to put almost $1,000 into the treasury. 

The picnic planning committee, which is chaired by Mary Ellen Lansburg, is already hard at work.  Expect a call - if you haven't already received one - for help selling tickets, providing the aforementioned pot luck, and logistical assistance.  Let's try to expand our local base by inviting friends and neighbors who might support our candidates or be potential club members.

Tickets are just  $5 and will be available at the August  club meeting and from committee members and others.  If you'd like to get involved in this club activity, contact Mary Ellen at melansburg@juno.com or club president Rich     Piper at 727 588-0891.                                       

Picnic planning committee at work:  seated left, chair Mary Ellen Lansburg, and Judy Sellers. Standing, l to r, Elizabeth Snedeker, Lois Fries, Iris Szwarz and Wanda Schwerer. Photo snapped by committee member Kathleen Jamison.  Shirley Botkin is also on the committee.  

Vote by Mail Link

The link below will allow anyone to check their registration at the SOE to see if they are still registered to receive Vote By Mail Ballots.  I checked mine and Lillian's and we were not listed.  You might want to distribute this info and discuss it at the next meeting, to insure that we all re-register if we have to. 

WE MUST ALL VOTE BY MAIL, AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ELSE TO DO SO.

Jack Nazario

 

 

http://registration.elections.myflorida.com/

From the President’s Desk - December 2010

Now that the frenetic activity of the election campaign has passed, I’m finding more time than previously to read and go to movies. There is a film that I’ve just seen and there are two books that I’ve read recently that I’d like to recommend in this column: each of the three focused in somewhat different ways on the tightening grip of plutocracy in our country.

First, the movie that I’d highly recommend is filmmaker Charles Ferguson’s Inside Job, which my wife and I viewed at the Woodlands Square Theaters in Oldsmar. It begins with dramatic coverage of Iceland’s “meltdown” in the wake of a financial crisis brought on by the manipulations of bankers andthe pliable politicians who served their interests and then shows that the American crisis followed a similar pattern. Since my blood was already boiling over Wall Street’s continuing efforts to gut even the mild reforms enacted this year and over the granting of another set of unjustified bonuses to those who have caused most of our current economic pain, the film mostly reinforced the outrage that I was already feeling. However, I must say that it presented the evidence with unusual clarity and effectiveness in ways that only the mass media can. Since the Wall Street moguls refused to be interviewed for the film, Ferguson chose to rely largely on clips of their testimony in Congress – but these alone are quite damning. As a former professor, I found the interviews of such paid academic lackeys of the financial elite as Glenn Hubbard, the Dean of Columbia Business School (formerly head of the Council of Economic Advisers under George W. Bush) highly revealing and interesting. Realizing belatedly that he has made a mistake in opening himself up to Ferguson’s questions, Hubbard flounders helplessly on film under the relentless revelations that he is paid by the financiers to give academic and political “respectability” to their greedy demands. If the film has a weakness, it is that it leaves the audience feeling angry but with few clues as to how one might channel that anger constructively.

Times recommends Bob Hackworth

Quotes from an email from Bob Hackworth!

Greetings!,


When I said I was going to be "the best county commissioner money can't buy" every political pundit and advisor said it couldn't be done.  Many have doubted my fundraising pledge and said there was no way I could beat the ten-year incumbent without the help of special interest funding.  Susan Latvala has raised more than $120.000, mostly from special interests.

But with your help I've stuck to my principled self-imposed campaign-finance reform stand of limiting my campaign contributions to $100 or less and I have not accepted a single dime from lobbyists, developers, or special interests with business before the County Commission.

And guess what, with just over three weeks to go my campaign is poised to do something that hasn't happened in more than 18 years in Pinellas County - defeat an incumbent County Commissioner running for re-election.

Yesterday, the St. Petersburg Times made its recommendation in my race saying:

"One of the most-watched local races is former Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth's challenge of longtime County Commissioner Susan Latvala... Latvala is probably the most powerful member of the County Commission, backed by some of the county's most prominent individuals and well-known corporations."

"Hackworth possesses an appealing combination of government experience and fresh perspective on county issues.  For District 4, the Times recommends Bob Hackworth."

Make no mistake about it, this election is winnable.  With your support, I can continue my aggressive voter contact program that will result in an historic victory on November 2nd!

 

So I am asking for your help one last time.  Please contribute $25, $50, or $100.  (If you contributed in the primary election cycle you may make a general election contribution now of $100 or less.)

My victory will be your victory and a victory for good government in Pinellas County. 

Bob

Congratulations, Bob!  Let's help him win this one! We need him on the PC Commission!

Setting Out to Canvas for Charlie Justice

The candidate and club volunteers pose in front of our fabulous new banner at the home of secretary Lois Fries.  Then they were off to lit drop for our congressional candidate Charlie Justice.  If you have any time to help,  there will be phone banking, lit dropping or door knocking most days until Nov. 2.  Contact President Rich Piper at 727-588-0891 for details.
 Photo by Heidi Sanchez
Here's what Charlie had to say about his campaign and what he wants to accomplish for Pinellas County and Florida:  
 

 "I want to bring real solutions to the problems facing our community and country. Creating jobs, improving education, securing access to health care, and solidifying our economy are all goals that I have.

"I want to ensure that our local economy and natural resources are not destroyed by short sighted politicians. I want to bring a positive focus to America that will help lead us into the next era of greatness.

"I have shown time and time again that I am willing to stand up for what I believe is right, despite tremendous political and professional pressure. I have taken the tough votes and sponsored strong legislation. I am proud of my terms in the State Legislature. I think voters are ready to make a change from the way of thinking that we have had for the last 40 years. Inside deals and questionable earmarks should not be the priority of our representative.

"In my first race for the State House, the St. Petersburg Times called me 'thoughtful and progressive.' It is still very true today. With your support, we can work to bring our community together and lead us to future successes.

Rep. Janet Long and OFA Coordinator Connor Davis to Speak at Aug 16 meeting

Representative Janet Long of House District 51 and Connor Davis, regional coordinator of Organizing for America (OFA), are scheduled to speak to the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club at 7 p.m., Monday, August 16, at 301 Crestwood Lane, Largo.

Long will discuss the record of the Florida legislature this year and her own campaign for re-election to the House.

Davis will focus on the continuing activities of OFA for the 2010 elections, particularly here in Pinellas County. Both will also answer questions from the audience.

 

From the President’s Desk - August 2010

Since the mail voting for the Florida primary has already begun, with early voting set for August 9-22 and the actual Election Day on August 24, I’m going to devote most of this column to the primary. Our club is barred from endorsing candidates in competitive Democratic primaries and would not endorse without a vote of the membership in any event. Therefore, all of the comments below are purely my own assessments and not those of the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club.

The Democratic primary contest for Governor pits Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink against perennial candidate Brian Moore, both of them from the Tampa Bay region (Sink, from Thonotosassa; Moore, from Spring Hill). Sink, who is stressing her plans to renew Florida’s economy, enhance governmental accountability, make BP pay for the damage that it has caused and prevent oil drilling off our shores, is a moderate Democrat who appears to me to be the only viable choice here and stands a good chance of winning the general election against either of the two truly terrible Republican gubernatorial candidates. Moore has run for many offices, as a Socialist, as a Non-Party candidate and as a Democrat, but has never made a significant impact and is unlikely to do so this year.

Pinellas County Judicial Candidates - a helpful site with links and info

My absentee ballot arrived this past week and included several Judicial primaries.  I don't really know that much about the judges running, although I do recognize several names from previous years.

In previous years Ed and Adrienne Helm have prepared an analysis and recommendations of judicial candidates.  If they do so this year, and we see a copy we will definitely share. 

In the meantime, Beth Fountain posted a link to Pinskipolitics.com with the party affilications of all the Judicial Candidates and links to their websites (see snip above).   The blog is open for comments, so please, if you have any knowledge of any of the judges, please post comments.  Please visit Pinskipolitics.com for more info and to access the links.

Posted by - Wanda Schwerer Club Member

Save the Date - Oct 2!

cll Rich for tickets or email info@largodemocrats.com....
 

From the President’s Desk - July 2010

By Rich Piper

As we look toward the mid-term elections of 2010, the air waves and print media are littered with predictions of major Republican gains, perhaps even Republican control of both houses of Congress in 2011-12. However, I can think of few, if any, times in history when a political party has been so deserving of defeat as the Republican Party of 2010. It is not too late to reverse current trends and give the Republicans the thrashing that they deserve, both nationally and here in Florida.

In Washington, the Republicans who voted like automatons to support the Bush Administration’s tax giveaways to the rich, its kowtowing to Wall Street and insurance companies and oil behemoths, and its reckless plunge into the Iraq War, now tell us about how concerned they are to reduce the deficits which they did so much to create. The Senate Republicans have just once again employed the filibuster (already used by them more often than EVER in history) to block extension of unemployment insurance to those whom they drove into unemployment with their unfair, unjust, unwise economic policies. The Republicans claim to favor balancing the budget, and use that as the excuse for their latest filibuster. However, their record shows that their budget-balancing pose is phony; and almost all economists agree that attempting to balance the budget now, just when recovery is getting under way, would be disastrous for the economy. In the wake of the catastrophic Gulf oil spill, let’s also remember that the Republicans in Washington turned the Minerals Management Service into a tool of BP and the other big oil companies and cried “drill, baby, drill” in the run-up to the current disaster. Illustrative of the Republicans’ misplaced priorities and distorted values, Joe Barton, the ranking Republican on the House Energy Committee, actually apologized to BP for President Obama’s alleged “shakedown” of their company to pay for the damage that they have done. This man will become chair of the Energy Committee if the Republicans win in November!

June 21 meeting adds speaker on Fair Districts amendments

In addition to the conference call with Rep. Kendrick Meek and Bob Hackworth, Marti Folwell, President of the North Pinellas League of Women Voters will discuss Amendments 5 and 6 at the June 21 club meeting.

The amendments, which got onto the ballot via a petition drive conducted by the bipartisan group Fair Districts Florida, would force lawmakers to follow strict redistricting standards instead of the current practice of redrawing districts to favor either incumbents or the party in power. If they pass – which requires 60 percent of the vote - district boundaries would follow existing geographic and political boundaries wherever possible.

GOP lawmakers, scrambling to hold onto their current absolute control of the redistricting process, put Amendment 7 onto the ballot in an attempt to confuse voters and defeat Amendments 5 and 6. The Republicans claim their "poison pill" is actually to protect minority districts and merely "clarifies" the other two amendments.

However, the language of Amendment 7 clearly abolishes the competing proposals by stating that its passage would place it "without subordination to any other provision." Folks, that means that if all three pass, only Amendment 7 will count.

Last month, the Florida League of Women Voters, the Florida NAACP and Democracia Ahora filed suit to have Amendment 7 removed because of its misleading language. They called it "a brazen attempt by those in power to continue their absolute control of the redistricting process."

Should be an interesting discussion. 

Anti-Incumbent Pattern in 2010 Primaries Exaggerated by Most Mass Media

As mass media commentators have looked for a common pattern in the primary elections of 2010, many have settled on the notion of an anti-incumbent wave in which an angry electorate sweeps members of the U.S. House and Senate from office.  When Senator Lincoln of Arkansas won re-nomination despite most media predictions, the New York Times described her as overcoming “the anti-incumbent wave that has defined the midterm election year.”  Reuters news service echoed this account by concluding that Lincoln “defied a U.S. anti-incumbent wave.” The defeats of incumbents Arlen Specter and Robert Bennett have provided some limited factual basis for this story line, as have the House defeats of Parker Griffith and Alan Mollohan and the forcing of Bob Inglis into a runoff.  However, the overall results of primaries to date, especially for the U.S. House of Representatives, indicate the continuing power of incumbency far more than they suggest an anti-incumbent wave. 

Let’s consider the Senate races first, since the anti-incumbent theme is strongest here.  Even in the Senate contests, however, 9 of 11 incumbents seeking re-nomination have won so far in 2010; while only 2 have been defeated.  When one examines the defeats closely, special factors played a large role in each of them.   Republican Robert Bennett of Utah was defeated for re-nomination at a party convention, packed with tea-party activists, rather than in a primary, under a nominating system peculiar to Utah.  Democrat Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania recently switched parties, after 45 years as a Republican, and is 80 years old.  Party-switchers and octogenarians have usually been more vulnerable to defeat than others. 

Bob Hackworth to Speak at June 21st Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club Meeting

Bob Hackworth will be speaking to us at our June 21^st meeting. Many of you remember Bob from his distinguished service as Mayor of Dunedin and from his campaign for Congress against Bill Young in 2008. A registered Republican for years because of his family heritage, but long oriented in a progressive direction, Bob served very capably as a nonpartisan official in local government. His record on such issues as equal rights has been impeccable. He switched his registration to the Democratic Party and actively supported the Obama campaign for President . 

Bob is now running for the Pinellas County Commission in District 4 (northern Pinellas County). He has limited his campaign contributions to only $100 each and is campaigning on the theme that he is the “best candidate money can’t buy.” Bob’s Republican opponent will likely be the incumbent Susan Latvala, a darling of the big developers, though Latvala faces several opponents in the Republican primary.  Please come out to hear Bob Hackworth’s message, ask questions, and support his campaign.  

The meeting will start with a conference call with Congressman Kendrick Meek, candidate for US Senate, so don't be late!  Marti Folwell of the North Pinellas League of Women Voters will be speaking on the Fair Districts Florida amendmentsthat will be on November ballot.   The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m., at 301 Crestwood Lane, Largo.

From the President’s Desk - June 2010

I’ve just returned from a ten-day vacation in Alaska, during which I read two political books by Jonathan Alter, a  Newsweek reporter and MSNBC commentator, on two of my favorite Presidents: Franklin D. Roosevelt and Barack Obama. After reading these books (The Defining Moment on FDR and The Promise on President Obama), I am more convinced than ever that President Obama is likely to prove the best President of the United States since FDR. Especially in The Promise, Alter makes a number of explicit comparisons between these two Democratic Presidents, and also quite a few comparisons with other Presidents, including Bill Clinton. I don’t agree with all of his assessments but do find both books highly informative and thought-provoking.

Although we hear many complaints from Republicans that Obama is a “socialist” or a “fascist,” Alter debunks these charges effectively, demonstrating that Obama, like FDR, is a pragmatic centrist with progressive leanings. Both presidents were in fact denounced in similar terms, though the attacks on Obama have come much more from the Republican Party and its allies than was true of the opposition to FDR in the 1930s. Roosevelt, unlike Obama, was able to win a good deal of Congressional Republican support for his policies of the first and subsequent years.. In fact, some of the strongest opposition to FDR came from within his own Democratic Party and from third parties. Certainly, one of the biggest differences between 1933-34 and 2009-10 is that party lines are drawn much more sharply now than then. Another is that big business is considerably more powerful now than in the 1930s, creating heightened obstacles to progressive change.

Kendrick Meek Reception Photos

The crowd that turned out for Saturday's reception of U. S. Senate Candidate Kendrick Meek was enthusiactic and ready to work.  Congressman Meek spoke for 20 minutes or so, then talked with attendees and posed for photos.    St. Petersburg City Councilman Wengay "Newt" Newton was the Master of Ceremonies.  Many of our Pinellas County elected officals and candidates for office were in attendance.  The Pinellas County Democratic Clubs had tables to promote their clubs and activities.

Click here to visit the photo gallery and download your favorite photos. 

Shown here:  Congressman Meek with Rich Piper and Heidi Sanchez.

Don't Miss the April 19th Meeting!

Belleair City Commissioner Stephanie Oddo will speak against Amendment 4 - the Hometown Democracy initiative - at the April 19th meeting of the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club.  The meeting will begin at 7:00 pm at the home of Rich Piper, 301 Crestwood Lane, Largo. 

Ms. Oddo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Politics from Penn State University and a Master’s Degree in Latin American Studies from San Diego State University.  She was a public relations and web services consultant for government, nonprofits and business in the metro Washington, DC area before moving to Belleair in 2005.  Elected to the Belleair City Commission in 2007, and re-elected in 2009, Ms. Oddo's other community service includes board membership on the Pinellas Planning Council, Belleair Civic Association Board, Belleair Historic Preservation Board, Pinellas County Historic Preservation Board, Florida League of Cities Finance and Tax Policy Council and Home Rule Policy Council. She is also a member of Clearwater Rotary, Leadership Pinellas and Suncoast Tiger Bay Club.

Last month George Niermann spoke in favor of Amendment 4.  These two meetings will provide a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons, setting the stage for some lively debates between now and November.  The goal is to make us more informed voters.

Please remember to bring donations of non-perishable items for the local food pantries.

Come meet Kendrick Meek - April 17th at Tucson's

(Download invitation)

  

Hands across the Vinoy - club members protest off-shore drilling

The March 31 issues of Creative Loafing lead their reporting of Newt Gingrich's Town Hall meeting at the Vinoy, with a piece about the protestors:

On March 31, Hands Across the Sand — a Florida anti-offshore drilling movement — staged a protest in front of Newt Gingrich’s American Solutions town hall meeting at the Vinoy in Downtown St. Petersburg. Protesters dressed in black to symbolize how beaches would look if there was an oil spill, and carried signs bearing anti-drilling messages such as “Oil and Water Don’t Mix.” One protester went so far as to cover herself in chocolate sauce, clearly depicting the ugly effects of oil spills.

Several members of our Club were there, along with many other bi-partisan protestors, to let Gingrich and the media see that we do NOT want off-shore drilling along Florida's Gulf Coast.  Estimates of the protestors varied from 100 to 300, but it was enough to draw the attention of the media.

St. Pete Times: 5 questions: Rich Piper, former professor and political activist

5 questions: Rich Piper, former professor and political activist   By Piper Castillo, Times Staff Writer

The March 24th Largo Times section of the St. Petersburg Times ran this 5 Questions interview with Rich.   

In the interview, Castillo asks Rich about the photo with then-Candidate Barack Obama (included here courtesy of Rich Piper); how he got interested in politics; what would make a good Republican; his belief in the 2-party system; and the political awareness of the citizens of Largo.

In 2008, after a 32-year career as a professor of government and world affairs at the University of Tampa, with 12 years spent as director of the honors program, Piper took early retirement to work full time as a volunteer in the Obama campaign. He has no regrets. "I loved teaching, but the Obama campaign was the experience of a lifetime. It gave me the chance to promote the kinds of change that I believe America needs,'' he said. Because of his efforts, which also include helping to start the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club in February 2009, Piper received the Chiles-Graham Award for Grassroots Leadership at the Pinellas County Democrats' annual Kennedy-King Dinner on Feb. 27.

From the President's Desk - April

In this month's column, Rich talks about the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Kendrick Meek's support of this historic reform as well as his overall support of President Obama's agenda, and the work the Club has been doing on behalf of the Meek campaign.

Speaking of which, Kendrick Meek will be here for a special rally/fundraiser on Saturday, April 17, 7:30 p.m., at Tucson’s, 13563 Icot Blvd. just off Ulmerton Rd. East of U.S. 19, Clearwater.  The admission is $20.10 to meet the candidate.  Please make your reservations now at http://www.kendrickmeek.com/PinellasDems. Read more about it!

Organizing for America - Pinellas County

Heidi Sanchez, Rich Piper, Doug Hickman and Theresa Fedorczyk attended the March 13th OFA meeting in Pinellas Park. The meeting was productive with approximately 60 attendees ready to get to work!  Malanda Schmitz  will be overseeing volunteer efforts in North Pinellas.   Robin Rosenbaum is the Regional OFA Coordinator for the overall area.  Robin spoke at our September meeting last fall.

Doug and Rich both collected Justice and Meek petitions before and during the meeting, and Mike Fox (pictured at right, in the ball cap) is overseeing the Justice effort.  Club members met some other Largo area people who were encouraged to come to the club.        (Report and photos courtesy of Heidi Sanchez)

Congratulations to Joe Barkley!

Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club club member Joe Barkley came in first in the three-way race for the Belleair Bluffs Commission in Tuesday's election.  Thanks to all club members for your superb efforts to assist Joe's campaign, whether making phone calls or addressing, stuffing and stamping envelopes!  Congratulations to Joe on a victory well-deserved! 

A word from Joe:

Dear Friends:
 
I want to sincerely thank all of you for your kind assistance in helping me win reelection to a new two year term as Commissioner in Belleair Bluffs. Your hard work, dedication, and encouragement helped me to achieve my goal of continuing to serve my fellow citizens and to keep our city moving forward even in these tough economic times.
 
The citizens of Belleair Bluffs may not know the significance of the assistance I received from the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club, but I do, and I greatly appreciate your help.
 
Please accept my thanks for a job well done!
 
Best wishes.
 
Joe Barkley
Belleair Bluffs Commissioner At Large
joebarkley.bbcommissioner@yahoo.com

Mark your Calendar for Monday, March 15

UPDATE:  Added to the agenda:  Robin Rosenbaum, Regional Coordinator of Organizing for America, will update us on the new campaign plans for 2010.  John Bivona, the State OFA Coordinator, is tentatively scheduled to attend to share some ideas.   We will also be circulating a list of Club Committees and seeking volunteers to server.  These include:

• Budget (budget preparation)
• Bylaws
• Campaigns
• Finance (auditors)
• Membership
• Publicity
• Ways & Means (fundraising)

Our featured speaker will be George Niemann speaking in favor of the Hometown Democracy Amendment which will be on the ballot in November. 

George is a resident of Hillsborough County.  He is an active participant in the county’s growth management process, helping to found a watchdog coalition of countywide advocates called United Citizens’ Action Network (U-CAN) that monitor the county’s growth management policies and process to ensure government accountability to its citizens. 

George also writes for Creative Loafing covering local news, politics and growth management and is a member of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority’s (TBARTA) Land-Use Working Group Committee, and the Tampa Bay Sierra Club.

You can read more about the Hometown Democracy Amendment (Amendment 4) at Florida Hometown Democracy Land Use, Amendment 4 (2010). 

Join us at 7:00 pm on Monday, March 15th, at 301 Crestwood Lane, Largo.   Bring your questions and bring a friend. 

Be an informed voter!

 

Have you checked out the Opinions and Letters blog recently?

If you haven't been over to the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club's Opinions and Letters blog recently, check it out.  In addition to posting Letters to the Editor written by Club Members or District 54 PCDEC committee members, we are also posting longer versions of articles that first appear in the newsletter, along with opinion pieces, links to interesting articles or commentary on other websites, or items of special interest as a extension of our front page. 

See something you want to comment on?  Click on the Comments link and leave a comment. 

Have an opinion or a Letter to the Editor that you'd like to see posted for discussion?  Submit your entry to Editor@largodemocrats.com.

Hackworth and Harris Carry the Democratic Banner in County Commission Races

Bob Hackworth, former Mayor of Dunedin and candidate for Congress in 2008, announced his candidacy for the County Commission in District 4 Saturday night at the PCDEC’s Kennedy-King Dinner.  To date, he is the only Democrat running in the race in this district (which extends from Clearwater Beach and Safety Harbor north).  The incumbent, Susan Latvala, has several Republican challengers in the August 24 primary, and has scored poorly in a recent survey of voters, conducted by Schroth, Eldon & Associates. 

In his announcement, Hackworth promised to be “a citizen legislator beholden to no one.  That’s why I will limit contributions to my campaign to $100 and only from individuals, not developers, corporations or those with business before the County Commission.” 

Though most of our club members reside south of the boundaries of District 4, some are registered voters in this district.  Even those who live in other districts are encouraged to assist in Bob Hackworth’s campaign. 

In the other County Commission race in 2010, Democrat Calvin Harris is seeking re-election to an at-large seat, representing all of Pinellas County.  At present, he is opposed by Republican Norm Roche (a former Democrat who switched parties recently).  Harris’s campaign also welcomes our support. 

Shown are Bob Hackworth (right) with Kathleen Jamison and St. Petersburg Council-member Steve Kornell.

PC DEC Kennedy-King Dinner - Feb 27, 2010

Two Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club Members Win Leadership Awards .  At the Pinellas County Democrats' Kennedy-King Dinner Saturday, February 27, two of our club members were among the three individuals who won leadership awards. 

Jack Killingsworth received the John F. Kennedy/Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award for a lifetime of commitment to the Democratic Party that has included running for Supervisor of Elections and School Board, heading the St. Petersburg Democratic Club, raising funds and giving advice to an array of Democratic candidates and causes and helping this club and many others to get started. 

Our club President, Rich Piper, received the Lawton Chiles-Bob Graham Award for Grassroots Leadership, in recognition of his efforts on behalf of Democratic candidates and causes since moving to Pinellas County a few years ago. 

Betty Morgenstein of St. Pete Beach was the other recipient of an honor, winning the Fannie Lou Hamer/Eleanor Roosevelt Leadership Award.  She and her husband Harvey have been the leaders and major moving forces of the Greater Pinellas Democratic Club for several decades. 

Rich is shown here with Florida CFO and Gubernatorial candidate, Alex Sink, who was the keynote speaker at the dinner.   For more photos of the evening, click here. 

Busy February!

The Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club was busy this month with gathering petitions and envelop stuffing for our Candidates, the Hands-across-the-Sand anti-drilling event, Candidate events, and club meetings.

Picture here are Fl. Sen. Charlie Justice, Candidate for US Congress, Dist 10, who spoke at a town hall at the Largo Community Center, Lois Fries and Neil Kiernan, who were gathering petitions for Charlie.

We have more in store in the coming months.  Watch for the announcements about the March and April meetings. 

From the President's Desk - February 2010

Rich offers some serious thoughts on the effects of the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United v FEC and a call to action!  (This is, after all, what the Democratic Clubs are all about!)   Click here to read his full column.  

As Rich notes, January was an eventful month for Democratic politics, from the special election in Massachusetts, to the President's State of the Union, Town Hall in Tampa and Q&A at the GOP Retreat in Baltimore.  Locally, our club had a record turnout to hear Sen. Charlie Justice and other great candidates explain their positions, respond to questions, and tell us how we can help. In our districts and around Pinellas County, we have some excellent candidates who need your help.  At the PC DEC meeting we heard from still more impressive candidates.  Please make some time to get involved and help elect Democrats.  The November election will give us an unprecedented oppotunity to elect Democrats to the top State Executive offices including Governor and Attorney General; we have great candidates for the US Senate and US House of Representatives; and we have many qualited and dynamic candidates running in municipal and county-wide races.  To get more involved with the Democratic Party and our candidates, email chair08@pinellasdemocrats.com  or President@largodemocrats.com.   

February is Black History Month and our February 15th meeting will include a history of Largo's Ridgecrest neighborhood, and other special speakers to be announced.  Watch your email and this site for further details.

 

President Obama and VP Biden in Tampa Jan 28th

A delegation from the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club attended the Tampa Town Hall on Thursday, Jan 28, to hear Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama deliver the news of a new high-speed rail  to be build between Tampa and Orlando, a project funded by the 2009 Stimulus Package.

The Vice President said "we're determined to restore America to its rightful place at the leading edge of innovation, with bold ideas that will create jobs immediately and serve as the foundation, a new platform -- a new platform to build this economy on that will serve not just our immediate needs but future generations; ideas like wind power, solar energy, a smart grid, broadband and high-speed rail.  And that's why we're here today."

In his remarks before taking questions, President Obama said "it's important to repave our roads; it's important to repair our bridges so that they're safe.  But we want to start looking deep into the 21st century and we want to say to ourselves, there is no reason why other countries can build high-speed rail lines and we can't.  And that's what's about to happen right here in Tampa -- we are going to start building a new high-speed rail line  right here in Tampa, building for the future, putting people to work."

These is a link to more photos on the left and here. (Photos by Heidi Sanchez)

Rep. Alan Grayson - "Save our Democracy" petition

from an email from Rep. Alan Grayson:

This morning, I watched five Supreme Court Justices stab at the heart of democracy, our electoral system.

They overturned over 100 years of statute and precedent, and declared that corporations can spend all the money that they want to buy elections. In fact, these five men in robes declared that they have a constitutional right to do so.

I was there. I saw it. And one seat away was Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who could barely contain his glee.

If you signed our petition, you were there, too. Right in the courtroom. Because your petitions were with me, and I delivered them to the Supreme Court. If you signed our petition, you were one of almost 15,000 people who told these judges that "we cannot have a government that is bought and paid for by huge multinational corporations."

And now, we have to fight. We have introduced six bills to prevent the sale of our government to the highest bidder. The "Save Our Democracy" package must pass. As Lincoln said in his first inaugural address, the war is forced upon us. And if we fail, then as I said yesterday, "you can kiss your country goodbye."

Forward this message to your friends now. Tell them to sign the petition at SaveDemocracy.net to support the "Save Our Democracy" package now.

Regards,

Alan Grayson
Member of Congress

Charlie Justice Addresses Largo Democrats, Pledges to Represent the People of Pinellas County, not the Special Interests

Portraying himself as a candidate with strong local roots, and a consistent commitment to representing the average citizens of Pinellas County, Senator Charlie Justice addressed an enthusiastic overflow crowd of more than fifty cheering participants Monday, January 18 at the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club.

Senator Justice urged the audience to support his candidacy for the U. S. Congress in the 2010 elections. He began by describing his lifetime of local experience in the Pinellas County public schools, St. Petersburg College, USF (where he earned his college degree, long served as an academic adviser and currently serves as Assistant Director of Leadership Programs for USF St. Petersburg), and a wide array of local community service projects, beginning with his youthful efforts in the Sertoma Club. Sen. Justice also discussed his public service as a state senator (2007-present) and state representative (2001-07) and emphasized his record of representing children on family services and toy safety concerns, students and their parents on education issues, the public at large on consumer protection matters, and the general public good on campaign finance and ethics showed the kind of commitment to the public interest that he now hoped to take to Washington.

Looking to the future, Justice pledged to work always to serve the people of Pinellas County, not the special interests that so often try to dominate policy-making in Washington. He specifically pledged to work to promote more and better jobs, a clean environment, effective protection of consumers and improved public safety. In answer to a question, he stressed his strong and consistent opposition to oil-drilling off the shores of Florida and explained how he had fought effectively against such drilling during his years in the Florida legislature. After his address, audience members crowded around Senator Justice with further questions, eagerly made donations to his campaign and signed up to gather petitions to help him get on the ballot.

Wanda Schwerer of Belleair Beach echoed the sentiments of most attendees when she emphasized: “Charlie Justice is really the candidate whom we need to represent us in Washington. I’m tired of having a Congress member who gives lip service to the public interest while doing the bidding of special interest groups on the issues that most concern me.” “What especially impresses me about Charlie Justice is his authenticity,” remarked Carlos Leyva, a visitor to the meeting. He and his wife, Debbie, were so enthusiastic that they volunteered to help the campaign free of charge with their Internet expertise.

Democrats Surge in Florida!

The subject line of a recent Florida Democratic Party Memo from Scott Arceneaux, the Florida Democratic Party Executive Director, read:

Florida Democrats On Path To Victory in 2010: Enter Election Year With $1.04 Million Cash on Hand

Advantage; Democratic Voter Registration Advantage Grows To 800,000

This is good news, HOWEVER we still need to get them out to vote!  Our challenge, fellow Democrats, is to mount an effective GOTV effort for the November election.  We can't slow down; we can't lose momentum.  If we can turn out our registered voters, we can bring positive change to the Florida Statehouse.  Let's paint the statehouse BLUE!

 Click here to read the whole memo.

Rep. Janet Long addresses October meeting

On Oct 19, Rep. Janet Long (FL HD-51) spoke to the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club.  In her second term, Rep. Long is the ranking member on the House Military & Local Affairs Policy Committee and  serves on the Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council,  General Government Policy Council,   Insurance, Business & Financial Affairs Policy Committee and the Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee .

Rep. Long spoke of lessons learned during her campaigns for office, how she has worked with the Pinellas County delegation on legislation and her accomplishments.   She spoke of upcoming legislative battles, including how the initiatives to get off-shore drilling through the legislature are being positioned, efforts to increase use of renewable energy (solar and wind), and the upcoming 2010 elections, where for the first time in decades all of the top elected positions in Florida will have no incumbents running.

She responded to many questions ranging from redistricting efforts,  how we can recruit and elect more Democrats, and her position and votes on school vouchers.   It was quite a lively discussion and we look forward to hearing from Rep. Long again in the coming months.

Camp Wellstone Provides Great Campaign and Activist Training Experience

Doug Hickman and I spent three intense but exciting days during the weekend of October 23-25 at Camp Wellstone in Tampa with 90 other progressive Democratic activists and candidates, learning from the experts how to run successful election campaigns, build the Democratic/progressive base and develop a long-term progressiv e action community dedicated to positive change.  We both felt that this was the best of any such classes we had taken, and we urge all of you to look at the materials that we brought back from the weekend and consider enrolling in a class sponsored by the Wellstone Foundation if the opportunity presents itself in the future.  The Wellstone Foundation was founded in honor of Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, a progressive Democratic Senator who died tragically in an airplane accident while he was campaigning for re-election to a third term, exactly seven years ago on Oct. 25, 2002.  

Topics over the weekend included such issues as how to make a campaign plan and lay out a path to victory, how to create a message and deliver it to your audience, how to raise and spend money, how to use direct mail to reinforce your message and target specific voters, and how to build a long-term progressive community. Experts in the field brought in from Washington, New York, Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul gave effective lectures and power-point presentations, which were interspersed with group activities to allow us to experiment with implementing their ideas and to get to know each other.  For me, just interacting with 90 activists of all age groups (but predominantly under 40), races/ethnicities and social classes was inspirational and gave me renewed hope for the future of the Democratic Party and progressive causes.  We really do have a farm team that’s developing for the future!  Sometimes here in Pinellas County, where most of our activists appear to be over sixty like me, I have begun to wonder.  Much to my surprise, three of the participants had formerly been my students at the University of Tampa.  One of them is now preparing to become a candidate for elective office, and the other two are actively involved in current campaigns.  They are just super.  

Doug and I have reams of handouts and notes and a book (Winning the Wellstone Way) that covers many key points from the Wellstone weekend.  We’d be glad to share this information with any of you who are interested.  The Wellstone Foundation promised to send us the power-point slides, too, and of course we’ll also share them with any who want to see them.  -- by Rich Piper

Welcome to the Largo/Mid-Pinellas Democratic Club.  We are an active group of more than seventy-five members in mid-Pinellas County, Florida, who seek to stimulate interest in political and governmental affairs; to strengthen and to further the ideals and principles of the Democratic Party; to provide reasonable and ongoing financial support to the county Democratic Executive Committee; to promote participation among Democrats; to assist in identifying prospective Democratic candidates; to support and elect the duly selected nominees of the Democratic Party in national, state, and local campaigns; and to foster good fellowship among Democrats. 

Our next club meeting will be Monday, May 20, 7:00 p.m., at the Thirsty Marlin Grill, 351 West Bay Drive, Largo (Downtown) 33770.  For further information, contact Rich Piper at 727-588-0891 or rpiper3404@aol.com.   For information about voting in Pinellas County please visit www.votepinellas.com