Calling all Democrats, Sunday March 17 at 1 p.m.

Jeannie Klever, California Democratic Party Region 1 Director has called a regional meeting of Democrats in Assembly District 1* which will be held at the Sierraville School, 305 South Lincoln Street (Hwy.89), Sierraville.  We’ll be sharing issues and actions being taken in our counties and statewide to better our communities. 

We will also be asking the region Democrats to adopt a resolution in support of Skilled Nursing Facility funding.  Resolutions adopted at the County and Regional meetings will be presented to the California Democratic convention on April 12-14 for adoption to influence Democratic legislators. All registered Democrats are invited to the convention so check it out: cademconvention.org.

This meeting will never be closer so invite your Democrat friends. Please try to attend and meet some like-minded people in our sea of red.  Give a call if you have questions. RSVP is not necessary, but appreciated.

Cindy Ellsmore, Sierra County Chair
530-862-1379
sierrademocrats@att.net

* Assembly District 1 includes Sierra, Nevada, Shasta, Plumas, Siskiyou, Lassen and Modoc Counties

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America, You Must Not Look Away (How to Finish Off the NRA)

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

Friends,

The year was 1955. Emmett Till was a young African American boy from Chicago visiting relatives in Mississippi. One day Emmett was seen "flirting" with a white woman in town, and for that he was mutilated and murdered at the age of fourteen. He was found with part of a cotton gin tied around his neck with a string of barbed wire. His killers, two white men, had shot him in the head before they dumped him in the river.

Emmett Till's body was found and returned to Chicago. To the shock of many, his mother insisted on an open casket at his funeral so that the public could see what happens to a little boy's body when bigots decide he is less than human. She wanted photographers to take pictures of her mutilated son and freely publish them. More than 10,000 mourners came to the funeral home, and the photo of Emmett Till appeared in newspapers and magazines across the nation.

"I just wanted the world to see," she said. "I just wanted the world to see."

The world did see, and nothing was ever the same again for the white supremacists of the United States of America. Because of Emmett Till, because of that shocking photograph of this little dead boy, just a few months later, "the revolt officially began on December 1, 1955" (from Eyes on the Prize) when Rosa Parks decided not to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The historic bus boycott began and, with the images of Emmett Till still fresh in the minds of many Americans, there was no turning back.


Read the rest ...

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Skilled Nursing Facilities Funding Crisis

The Sierra and Plumas Republicans want the Plumas and Sierra Democrats’ help to prevent closing of our skilled nursing facilities. See the invitation and agenda with details for the Feb 25th meeting in Sierraville.

This issue is affecting rural Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) all over the state, with Medi-Cal cuts of 25%.  No one can absorb that kind of cut and the retroactive provision makes it even more impossible.  Even worse is the affect it will have on those seniors in the SNFs that will be moved, some hundreds of miles away from their families.

This is not a partisan issue and Sierra and Plumas County political parties are joining forces with other partners to solve it.

GO to the meeting

Call your friends and forward this website link.

Sign this online petition:  Stop Medi-Cal Cuts to Most Vulnerable Rural Skilled Nursing Facilities

Make your government care about the people who need care.

This excellent article in the Plumas News explains the local problem we’re facing.

Plumas News article

Contact Cindy Ellsmore if you'd like to help:   530-862-1379   or sierrademocrats@att.net

Read the rest ...

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COMMUNITY FORUM

California Propositions Forum

Saturday, October 13 at 10 a.m.

Sierraville School
305 S. Lincoln (Hwy. 89)

Critical and complicated issues face our state – learn the about the 11 Propositions:

School and public safety funding, closing corporate tax loophole, auto insurance, death penalty, Three Strikes reform, human sex trafficking, food safety, budget reform and money in our politics.

Are these good government reforms or fatally flawed?

Bring your questions and inform your vote.

Everyone is welcome.  Light refreshments will be served.

Sponsored by Sierra County Democrats to promote civic education and participation.

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"Now, our friends at the Republican convention were more than happy to talk about everything they think is wrong with America, but they didn't have much to say about how they'd make it right.  They want your vote, but they don't want you to know their plan.  And that's because all they have to offer is the same prescription they've had for the last thirty years:

"Have a surplus? Try a tax cut."

"Deficit too high? Try another."

"Feel a cold coming on? Take two tax cuts, roll back some regulations, and call us in the morning!"

Now, I've cut taxes for those who need it – middle-class families and small businesses.  But I don't believe that another round of tax breaks for millionaires will bring good jobs to our shores, or pay down our deficit.  I don't believe that firing teachers or kicking students off financial aid will grow the economy, or help us compete with the scientists and engineers coming out of China.  After all that we've been through, I don't believe that rolling back regulations on Wall Street will help the small businesswoman expand, or the laid-off construction worker keep his home.  We've been there, we've tried that, and we're not going back.   We're moving forward."

 

Exerpted from DNC convention acceptance speech September 6, 2012

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WHY I VOTE!

By Trish Taylor, Plumas County Democrat and Quincy Occupier

People say to me, “Trish, I won’t vote.  I won’t get involved in politics. I can’t stand politicians.”

I can’t blame them for feeling that way. I used to teach U.S. Government to high school students.  The class was not called U.S. Politics.  It was called “Gov,” and we studied U.S. democracy.

But, it’s politics that fills our news and conversations.  And politics is mean and dirty, full of big egos and deceptive language. It can be truly ugly to watch. Why would anyone participate?  Why vote?

So, I must caution you. Voting is not a political action. Voting is a democratic action.

Democracy is government by the people, directly or through representatives, with equality of rights, opportunity and treatment of people.  That is what my Webster’s Dictionary says.

Politics, on the other hand, is defined with these words: methods, tactics, factional scheming, seeking gain.

Read the rest ...

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Family Values?

The Republicans have been trying to tell us they are the party of family values.  I am not so sure.  Maybe so, if they believe hungry children, mothers without prenatal care; women without adequate cancer screenings; elderly without homes, healtcare or food are family values.  That is exactly what the Ryan Budget endorsed by Mitt Romney will give us.  By the way, 31 Republican senators voted to oppose the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act.  That's family values for ya!

These are the same folks who want to close rural post offices so they can continue to reduce raxes on the very wealthy.  But here is the good news.  Paul Ryan's budget will increase defense spending because the fact that we already spend more than the rest of the world combined is not enough.  It must be auful to be fearful all the time!

Don McKechnie, Sierraville

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Supervisor and Judge Candidates Forum

Thursday, May 3 at 7 p.m.

Yuba Theatre, Downieville

Who will best guide our county in the future?

Bring your questions, meet the candidates
and form your opinion.

Sponsored by the Sierra County Democratic Party to promote civic education and participation. 

Co-sponsored by the Sierra County Arts Council, a state and local partner of the California Arts Council.

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Fifteen Differences Between Democrats And Republicans

January 8, 2012

By Jeff

I’ve noticed over the years, there are some fundamental differences in the way Republican and Democratic politicians think. Here are just 15 examples.

Republicans fear that the government has too much control over corporations. Democrats fear that corporations have too much control over our government.

Democrats believe it benefits all of us to help the weakest and the poorest among us. Republicans believe it benefits all of us to help the wealthiest and most powerful among us.

Republicans believe large corporations will always do what is best for the American people if the government stays out of the way. Democrats believe large corporations would disembowel you and sell your organs to the highest bidder if the government didn’t stop them.

Democrats believe everyone is entitled to health care regardless of their ability to pay. Republicans believe everyone is entitled to jack squat if they can’t pay for health care.

Democrats believe too much of our money goes to crooked corporate executives who take government subsidies and pay themselves $80 million salaries. Republicans believe too much of our money goes to teachers who make $30,000 a year.

Democrats believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of patriotism. Republicans believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of communism.

Democrats believe that we need to set high standards for clean air and drinking water. Republicans believe that standards for clean air and water are burdensome over-regulation.

Democrats believe the President and Congress need to work together to create jobs during a weak economy. Republicans believe that Congress should do nothing to create jobs and then blame the President.

Democrats believe that corporate polluters should be made to pay for the cleanup of their pollution. Republicans believe that making corporations clean up their pollution is burdensome over-regulation.

Democrats believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making people healthy. Republicans believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making a healthy profit.

Democrats believe Congress should be of the people, by the people and for the people. Republicans believe corporations are the people.

Democrats believe that corporations have too much influence over Congress due to their lobbyists and huge campaign contributions. Republicans believe the middle class has too much influence over Congress due to their voting and paying taxes.

Democrats believe we need to protect victims of corporate negligence by allowing Americans to file lawsuits against corporations. Republicans believe we need to protect large corporations from lawsuits by Americans who’ve been victimized by them.

Democrats believe that the rich should be taxed more than the poor and middle class. Republicans believe that the rich should be allowed to keep all their wealth, except for the millions in campaign contributions they give to politicians.

Democrats believe that too much money in politics produces corruption and destroys the American way of life. Republicans believe that money and corruption in politics are the American way of life.

These are just my observations from a lifetime of watching Democratic and Republican politicians. I’m sure some Republican will come up with their own clever list.    ≡     Jeff at Addictinginfo.org

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102 Things NOT To Do If You Hate Taxes

– May 18, 2011

So, you’re a Republican that hates taxes? Well, since you do not like taxes or government, please kindly do the following.

1. Do not use Medicare.
2. Do not use Social Security
3. Do not become a member of the US military, who are paid with tax dollars.
4. Do not ask the National Guard to help you after a disaster.
5. Do not call 911 when you get hurt.
6. Do not call the police to stop intruders in your home.
7. Do not summon the fire department to save your burning home.
8. Do not drive on any paved road, highway, and interstate or drive on any bridge.
9. Do not use public restrooms.
10. Do not send your kids to public schools.
For 11 through 102, please click HERE on the public internet, developed by the military using your tax dollars.

The fact is, we pay for the lifestyle we expect. Without taxes, our lifestyles would be totally different and much harder. America would be a third world country. The less we pay, the less we get in return. Americans pay less taxes today since 1958 and is ranked 32nd out of 34 of the top tax paying countries. Chile and Mexico are 33rd and 34th. The Republicans are lying when they say that we pay the highest taxes in the world and are only attacking taxes to reward corporations and the wealthy and to weaken our infrastructure and way of life. So next time you object to paying taxes or fight to abolish taxes for corporations and the wealthy, keep this quote in mind…

“I like to pay taxes. With them, I buy civilization.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

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