Newsletter of the Platte County Democratic
 Central Committee
Volume 13 No. 7                                July 2021
Calendar 

August 9 - Platte County Federated Women’s Democratic Club will meet in person at 5:30 p.m. Platte County Resource Center, 11724 NW Plaza Circle, KCMO

August 17 - Northland Democratic Club, ACA Business Club, 1400 NW Vivion Road, KCMO. 6:30 pm.

August 19 - Platte County Democratic Central Committee will meet at Platte County Resource Center, 11724 NW Plaza Circle, KCMO, 7:00 pm.

SAVE THE DATE: October 16 - Platte County Democrats Fall Event at Aldridge Orchards.

 
Clay County Democrats - click here. 
Jackson County Democrats - click here. 
Indivisible Kansas City - click here.
Greater KC Women's Caucus - click here.
Northland Progress - click here.
Buchanan County Democrats - click here. 
Platte County Federated Women's Democratic Club
The July 12 meeting of the Women’s Club – our new officers were sworn in and Rita McGuire, the new President presided over the meeting. The penny collection fund-raiser began and coffee mugs featuring a picture of Pauli Kendrick on the Whistle Stop float Platte County Democrats used for Parkville Days parades was the raffled prize. A question was raised about whether we wanted to have a booth at Parkville Days this year. Inquiries to the Parkville Main Street Association revealed that they are only accepting booth applications from arts & crafts, retail/boutique, and food vendors. Sharen Hunt asked the American Legion in Parkville if we could set up a voter registration table there during Parkville Days. They said yes. We will be asking for volunteers at our August 9th meeting.

Our guest speaker was Stephen Melton, a retired military officer living in Parkville and the current leader of the Kansas City Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on a specific piece of legislation and a proven strategy to gain its passage. They are working for the passage of Carbon Fee and Dividend, the climate change solution economists and climate scientists alike say is the “best first-step” to preventing the worst impacts of a warming world. Detailed information about the legislation is available at the link above. He urged us to call our Senators and Representative to ask them to support HR2307.

In the discussion that followed he said he had signed up for ARCADIA so he gets his energy from clean sources instead of from coal. In the discussion that followed he emphasized that protecting our environment is not a partisan issue. He said he gives the same presentation to everyone – Chamber of Commerce, Republicans, Democrats or not for profit organization because protecting the climate is protecting the planet for our children and grandchildren.

Sharen Hunt will be attending the Platte County Commissioners meetings, asking questions, seeking clarification, and reporting back to the PCFWDC about the meetings. She reported on a recent meeting she attended. She noted that Commissioner Vanover said that he was sure “people have other things to worry about besides our county government.”

It was announced that there is a survey of Platte County citizens regarding the use of the $20 millon that the county will receive from the federal government as part of the COVID stimulus funding. This survey can apparently only be accessed by going to the county’s website and then to Commissioner Vanover specifically. Everyone is encouraged to fill out the survey online.

Go here for the proposals and here for the survey. Note that the survey questions are slanted in the same way that Republican Surveys/Fundraiser letters that you may have received to get the responses wanted by the survey writer.
Platte Country Democratic Central Committee
The Platte County Central Committee met at the Platte County Resource Center on July 15.

Ken Hunt reported that the 34th District is still looking for sites for a district office.

Officers and Candidates: Ashly Aune reported that the legislature had just finished a special session. She said that it looks like Critical Race Theory would be pushed as a new hot button issue. One of the comments in the discussion was that this is a thinly disguised attack on public education and that people need to be aware. Ashley also noted that the Governor just signed the cybersecurity law that she had helped sponsor. There is likely to be a veto session in the fall.

Guest Lucas Kuntz, candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Senator Roy Blunt, gave a presentation that included his background as a lifelong Missourian, his educational background, military service, law degree and his work with the American Economic Literacy Project.

Guest Charles West, Candidate for Missouri’s 6th Congressional District seat currently held by Sam Graves, introduced himself and provided a list of the issues he finds most important.

Chair David Christian announced that Vice Chair Wanda Park was stepping down and asked for nominations for a replacement from the floor. Jamie Johnson was nominated and elected.

The Committee held a discussion about the Fall October 16 event at Aldridge Orchard. A save the Date notice has been sent out; details to follow.
Northland Democratic Club
The July 20 meeting of the Northland Democratic Club featured Patrick "Duke" Dujakovich, President of Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO and Deputy Chair of the Kansas City Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Duke spoke about the importance of collective bargaining that gives workers a seat at the table. He also noted that although they have successfully defeated right-to-work that doesn’t mean it will not resurface in the future.

Guests Gina Ross, Candidate for the U.S. Senate made a brief presentation. Ashly Aune reported that as part of the effort to get more people involved in Democratic politics, she would be presenting a workshop on Getting Started in Missouri Politics on August 5th at the Platte County Resource Center. She explained that the workshop is aimed at encouraging people to get involved as well as to help identify potential Democratic Candidates. We need to do everything possible to find candidates for every office and race. We need to start building a bench of future candidates.
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