February 27, 2022 / Newsletter 265 |
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RUN FOR OFFICE!
You can help Dems up & down ballot by being a candidate.
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When: Monday, March 14, 2022,
6:00 pm (meeting called to order at 6:30)
Where: Gainesville Civic Center
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Go Tell It In The Mountains! · Democratic Party of Georgia
Democrats Care about preserving and protecting our North Georgia environment!! YOU are INVITED to attend a Day of Engagement! JOIN US at a Regional Environmental Summit and afterwards hear from our local and state Democrat candidates. This event...
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www.mobilize.us
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Ida B. Wells: Crash Course Black American History #20
In this video, we'll learn about the life story of journalist, orator, teacher, suffragette, and anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett. Ida B. Wells ma...
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www.youtube.com
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Upcoming key election dates:
For May primary election:
First day to qualify to run for office: 9 AM March 7
Last day to qualify to run for office: NOON March 11
First day to request absentee ballot for May primary: March 11 (mailing out begins April 5)
Last day to register to vote in May primary: April 25
For Flowery Branch City Council Post 2 special election:
Qualifying: Feb 14-16
Election: March 15:
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Writing Wednesdays with Fair Count & VoteRiders · Fair Count
Nearly 155,000 registered Georgia voters do not have ID on file with the State. Under the State's new voting law, they will face additional barriers to casting their ballots. Join Fair Count and VoteRiders for a virtual letter writing party! You...
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www.mobilize.us
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Apply to Be a Poll Worker |
Hall - WorkElections
Apply online by clicking on the "Apply Now!" button above. Hall County also has a downloadable PDF application, available here. Poll workers should plan to vote before Election Day unless they are assigned to their own polling place. Citizens who ...
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workelections.com
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Drive Voters to the Polls
Hall County Dems have the opportunity to work with RideShare2Vote, a national organization that helps coordinate getting voters to the polls.
if you're interested in volunteering to drive people to the polls during the primaries or the general election, email Jennifer LaRose at jblarose13@gmail.com to learn more.
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Run for Hall County School Board |
Are you a resident of Hall County who cares about education? Then run for the Hall County School Board! Three seats are up for election this year:
Board of Education Post 1
Board of Education Post 2
Board of Education at Large
To run for the Post 1 or Post 2 seats, you must live in the associated district. To run for the at-large seat, you cam live anywhere in Hall County except inside the city limits of Gainesville (which has its own school board).
Serving on the school board requires a small time commitment for attending monthly meetings and keeping abreast of school issues and initiatives. It provides huge rewards through its impact on the education of all K-12 students in the county.
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Weekly Thoughts from the Chair:
Of Courage and Treason
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"Courage is “not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear” – Nelson Mandela.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the 44 year old President of Ukraine, is such a man. Standing with other patriots, Zelensky, a Jew, is facing down Vladimir Putin’s missiles, fighter jets, bombers, and tanks. By the time you read these words, Putin’s war crimes against the Ukraine may include the murder of Zelensky.
Vladimir Putin is the most dangerous and dedicated enemy of the United States – ever. Defeated ex-president Trump was – and is – Putin’s most “useful idiot” of all time. Any doubt about the manifest evil that is Vladimir Putin was erased by Putin’s attack on the Ukraine. Even “Cancun” Ted Cruz says that Putin’s actions threaten “the national security of the United States.” We have a moral duty to help preserve the free people of Ukraine, right? You decide.
Defeated ex-president Trump abandoned that duty, was impeached, and would have been removed from office except for Republican Senators who were unable to find the courage to do their sworn duty. With their spineless abdication of political courage, these Republican Senators allowed Trump to give birth the Big Lie and instigate the insurrection of January 6. In a shameless spectacle of moral bankruptcy, Republican leaders have relentlessly spread lies about a “stolen election in 2020” and proclaim that the January 6th insurrection was “legitimate political discourse” or a “normal tourist visit.” Duped leaders or simply evil? You decide.
Treason against the United States consists of “adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort within the United States or elsewhere.” Useful idiot Trump continues to speak glowingly of Putin and his invasion. Is that adhering to and giving aid and comfort to our enemy, Putin? You decide.
Until Trump, the very idea of calling a sitting president of the United States “unfit” in the wake of a Russian invasion in Europe would have been inconceivable. Yet that is exactly what Trump and his sycophant, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik have done. Republicans are unconcerned about what effects their statements may have. Republican senate candidate J. D. Vance said: “I gotta be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another.” Mike Pompeo, former secretary of state says Putin is “talented,” “savvy,” and a “capable statesman.” Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson’s comments are so fawning that they are played on Russian state Television. So, who and what is served when these three, Pompeo, Trump and Carlson, heap praise on former KGB agent, Putin? You decide.
When actress Jane Fonda went to North Vietnam in 1972, spoke on Radio Hanoi (Voice of Vietnam), was photographed on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft battery, and denied the North Vietnamese torture of American prisoners, lawmakers called her actions treason. The VFW wanted her to be prosecuted as a traitor. She will always be “Hanoi Jane” to me – my decision.
Trump, Pompeo and Carlson are heaping praise on Putin and appearing on Russian state television. So, are they adhering to our enemy or giving him aid and comfort? I know Zelensky’s answer and mine. So, is it treason or not? You decide.
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Multiple efforts to save democracy |
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This past week saw two major historical events: Putin's invasion of Ukraine and the nomination of the first Black woman to the US Supreme Court. Both events clearly illustrate why it was so important to elect Joe Biden in 2020.
Putin's attack on Ukraine has resulted in a NATO united in a way not seen since the Cold War. Biden, his Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, our Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and other members of the administration have been working around the clock to ensure a strong but measured response among a coalition of allies, particularly among the NATO nations. Even outliers like Viktor Orban of Hungary condemned the attack.
Nations around the world have pledged support to the Ukrainians fighting to save their country. Sanctions against Putin, Russian companies, and Russian oligarchs are being imposed. Nations are supplying weapons, ammunition, food and medical supplies to Ukraine. Neighboring countries are taking in refugees. Hackers are taking down Russian sites and playing the Ukrainian anthem over Russian TV. Cities around the world are lighting up monuments in Ukraine's national colors of yellow and blue to symbolize unity with their cause. Demonstrators are out in the streets, including in Russia, protesting the invasion. For individuals who are inspired to help Ukraine, see the article below for ways to contribute.
On the domestic front, President Biden kept his promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court. His nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, is a well-qualified jurist who faces racist and misogynistic attacks from those on the right. Lindsay Graham all of a sudden is worrying that being a graduate of Harvard Law School makes her too elitist to serve on the court. Far from bringing an elitist mind-set to the bench, Judge Jackson will be the first Supreme Court Justice who served as a public defender. Mitch McConnell accused Jackson of being the nominee of "left-wing dark money groups." McConnell, the beneficiary of many dark money groups, is apparently proud to be a massive hypocrite. By the time the confirmation hearings begin, you can bet the GOP Senators will have their objections lined up in lock-step so they can perform for the cameras.
Having noticed that democracy is indeed in danger, the Washington Post has announced it will be setting up a "democracy desk," with full-time reporters and editors to focus on the challenges to democracy we're now facing. Whether this will be distinguishable from horse-race type reporting on swing states remains to be seen.
Finally, the primaries in Georgia take place in May. Learn NOW how last year's voting laws make this year different, and make your plans accordingly.
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Atlanta lights up blue and yellow for Ukraine
ATLANTA - Atlanta lit up some of its most prominent landmarks Friday night in solidarity with Ukraine. The City of Atlanta posted pictures from its Twitter account of the displays, including at City Hall and at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta...
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www.11alive.com
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Biden nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to be first Black...
President Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Friday, setting in motion a historic confirmation process for the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the nation.
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www.cnn.com
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'The Washington Post' takes new approach to national...
The Washington Post is about to unveil a Democracy Desk to report on the front lines of battles over voting, access to the polls, and the people caught up in these fights.
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www.npr.org
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How to Help People in Ukraine Right Now
As international aid organizations and governments work to support Ukrainians, here's what individuals can do to help.
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time.com
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Opinion | The GOP's real fear about Judge Jackson? That...
Even before President Biden formally announced his appointment of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Friday, the Republican assault began. After congratulating Jackson, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) got right to...
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www.washingtonpost.com
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How SB202 (Election Integrity Act of 2021) changes voting
The Election Integrity Act of 2021, originally known as Georgia Senate Bill 202 (SB202) is a law introduced in the Georgia Legislature which would change certain voting procedures currently in the state.
Read more
vote.cae.gatech.edu
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You can help amplify the message that our area isn’t a monolith of right-wing adherents. If you are interested in writing a letter to The Times, sign up for our Letters to the Editor project. The mission of our Letters to the Editor project:
- counter disinformation with facts
- express opinions that reflect Democratic Party values
- raise the profile of Democratic voices in the Hall County community
The Times limits individuals to having 1 letter published per month. We’re looking for writers to help our members with expressing their views and for individuals willing to have their letters published in The Times. Email hallcountydemocrat@gmail.com to help with our Letters to the Editor project.
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Opinion: Give thanks for our public school teachers
Public Schools Week started on Monday, Feb. 21. A congressional resolution celebrating the event delivers this message: Strengthening public schools strengthens America. The motto of our country, E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One), is a goal that ...
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www.gainesvilletimes.com
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In its quarterly business meeting, the Hall County Democratic Party committee voted to amend the by-laws to expand the number of at-large seats on its committee from 5 to 7. Laura Colaninno, the hardest-working woman at HQ, was elected to fill at-large post 6.
In its next quarterly meeting, the committee will update the representative structure of the committee based on the newly-approved redistricting maps. Later this year, there will be elections for those seats whose term expires in 2022 If you are interested in serving on the committee, please email hallcountydemocrat@gmail.com. You must be a registered voter in Georgia and live in Hall County to serve. Please include your name as it appears on the voter rolls and your street address in your email, so we can identify which district you live in.
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State & Local News (Some links may require a subscription)
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Ossoff, Warnock secure funding to expand Lumpkin Co....
Expanded broadband access is coming to Lumpkin Co. thanks to just over $8 million in funding recently secured by Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. The $8.1 million dollars will be used to improve internet connectivity in more than...
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accesswdun.com
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Georgia GOP chair tells January 6 committee that Trump...
The chairman of the Republican Party in Georgia on Friday told the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot that the Trump campaign had directed the party in 2020 to put forward an alternate slate of electors after then-President...
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www.cnn.com
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Georgia votes 2022: New Trump effect, new election law,...
by Jill Nolin, Georgia Recorder [This article first appeared in the Georgia Recorder, republished with permission]February 22, 2022 Georgia voters might not hold the power this time around to dramatically flip control of the federal government,...
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cobbcountycourier.com
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Rep. Greene's speech at white nationalist event draws...
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene headlined a white nationalist conference in Florida, triggering new calls for the GOP to rebuke Greene, who has largely escaped reprimand from her own party for a history of racist, xenophobic...
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www.ajc.com
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PLEASE NOTE: Any articles we post about Georgia Democrats on the primary ballot in 2022 are intended to keep you informed. They are not an endorsement of any candidate. |
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National News (Some links may require a subscription)
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Some records taken by Trump are so sensitive they may...
Some of the presidential records recovered from former president Donald Trump's residence at Mar-a-Lago are so sensitive they may not be able to be described in forthcoming inventory reports in an unclassified way, two people familiar with the...
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www.washingtonpost.com
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Opinion | GOP humoring of Trump's praise of Putin sinks...
The invasion of Ukraine has presented Republicans with a vexing conundrum. How can they express horror and condemnation - which no doubt are sincerely felt - over Vladimir Putin's actions while avoiding taking a position on Donald Trump's praise...
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www.washingtonpost.com
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