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Chair: Ginger Blair
Deputy Chair: Kimberly Valdez
Secretary: Carmen McZeal
Treasurer: Natalie Ward
Sergeant At Arms: Marc Meyer
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August 15, 2022
Navajo Code Talker Day
The Navajo Code Talkers were a group of men who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and developed an unbreakable code that was used during World War II. They participated in all assaults the U.S. Marines led in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945, including Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu and Iwo Jima.
Their work was instrumental in the Allies winning WWII and we owe them thanks and respect which was a long time coming.
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Click on the Contribute button to help turn Montgomery County Blue!
Please consider becoming a sustaining member at $10 per month (or more!).
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Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters
704 N. Thompson St. #195
Conroe, Texas 77301
936-703-5841
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Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters Hours
Hours of operation: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Due to the continuing spread of COVID, our policy now is for staff and visitors to comply with social distancing guidelines. The best way to reach someone at the MCDP headquarters is to call or leave a message at 936-703-5841 or send an email to mcdpoffice@gmail.com. For urgent matters, please text 713-256-1420 or email chair@mcdptx.org outside of office hours.
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In this issue:
Introducing - Headquarters Support Team
Fun Fundraiser - Run to Save Democracy
Pride Festival - Save the Date
Fiestas Patrias - Save the Date
Final Friday - Meet the Candidates - Michelle Palmer (State School Board)
We Need Precinct Chairs!
State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) Report
Bye Bye Burns - and thanks Interns!
Biden's Statement on the Inflation Reduction Act
Affordable Connectivity Program
Welcome - Back to School
Equality Now video
Contraception/Same Sex Marriage - Register to Vote!
Beto Yard Signs
Beto's Corner
Joe and Kamala's Corner
Tweets
Texas Democratic Candidates
Blue Store
Upcoming Party & Community Events
This newsletter is published on or about the 1st and the 15th of every month. Email content for consideration to communications@mcdptx.org no later than 3 days before publication.
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Headquarters Support Team
Ginger Blair, MCDP Chair, has announced the creation of the Headquarters Support Team which includes many volunteers ready and willing to provide support for Precinct Chairs and Candidates.
These committed and excited volunteers are available to provide support in many ways, including postcard/letter writing, phone and text banking, and block-walking. They are available to Precinct Chairs and Candidates who need help in these areas and perhaps in other ways not yet identified!
This group will be working hard to help us Flip the Flippable Precincts!
The Support Team led by Margie Kremer and Olivia Latham meet every Wednesday from 10am-4pm at Headquarters to work together on your projects.
Contact Headquarters or reach out directly to Olivia Latham cell #346-289-7373 email: O_Latham@Hotmail.com to volunteer, request help, share ideas, and suggest additional ways they can help you.
Let's get to work to turn Montgomery County Blue!
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This is the Fun Fundraiser You Have Been Waiting For!
The Montgomery County Democratic Party is sponsoring its first ever 5K/10K Virtual Race just in time for the weather to cool off and the summer doldrums to lift. It is something different and we couldn’t be more enthused! Check out the details below.
Join us for a 5K/10K virtual race. It is up to you to chose how you run it. You can run by yourself, you can run with a friend, you can run a little at a time.
The entry fee is either $30 or $35 depending on how you would like to receive your real (not virtual) t-shirt. The entry fee is $30 if you pick up your shirt from Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters in mid-October or it is $35 if you would like to have us mail the shirt to you in mid-October. The shirt is a short-sleeve, moisture wicking t-shirt with the “Run to Save Democracy” logo. Proceeds from the entry fees will be donated to the Montgomery County Democratic Party.
Sign up times will be from the beginning of September to the end of September. The race itself should be completed before the beginning of November. The sign-up link for the race and more details are coming soon. But for now, you can find out more on the race Facebook Page.
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SAVE THE DATE!
The Woodlands Pride Festival is being held this year on October 22, 2022, in Town Green Park and the Montgomery County Democratic Party is proud to be participating again. We will need specific volunteers for setting up our booths at the beginning of the event and volunteers for taking them down at the end of the day, as well as volunteers to help with voter registration, distributing literature to the crowd, and celebrating the day, all day long.
Please watch this space for a “Sign Up Genius” link as the date nears and more specific information becomes available. This is one of our most important outreach functions of the year and we hope you will join us.
Send a message to mcdpoffice@gmail.com to join the LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee today. Jay Stittleburg is the new chair.
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CELEBRACIÓN DE LA LIBERTAD Y LA INDEPENDENCIA
CUANDO
DOMINGO, 18 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2022, 4:00PM – 8:00PM
704 N. THOMPSON STREET, CONROE, TX 77301
MÚSICA, ALIMENTOS, ENTRETENIMIENTO DE LOS HIJOS
DIVERSIÓN FAMILIAR GRATIS!
VEN A CELEBRAR CON NOSOTROS
___________________________________________
CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE
WHEN
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022, 4:00PM – 8:00PM
WHERE
704 N. THOMPSON STREET, CONROE, TX 77301
MUSIC, FOOD, CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT
FREE FAMILY FUN!
COME CELEBRATE WITH US!
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Michelle Palmer,
Leadoff Speaker for
Final Friday, August 26, 2022
Michelle Palmer is the only teacher running for the State School Board of Education, District 6. She describes herself as a Teacher and an Activist and proudly asserts her membership in the Texas Democratic Party. Her platform is based on “Fidelity to the Facts” which in these times feels like a breath of fresh air.
For August, September, and October we will provide an opportunity for our candidates to speak directly to us because nothing is worse than going into the voting booth and having no idea who to vote for or what the candidate stands for.
Instead of just a two-to-three-minute block of time to explain why she is running for office, the major issues she is facing in her campaign, and the things she would most like to accomplish while in office, Michelle will have plenty of time to tell us about herself and learn about our concerns.
If you have Republican friends, relatives that are independents, or neighbors who are searching for some new choices, ask them to tune in with you. Our Final Friday Candidate Series is an easy and non-confrontational way to learn about different people and different points of view.
So, mark your calendars now for Friday, August 26, 2022, at 6:30 in the evening to hear Michelle Palmer and other local candidates. The Series is being presented in a hybrid format with participants and speakers being able to attend via ZOOM or in person.
The link to watch virtually is highlighted in blue below. You may also watch on Facebook Live.
Topic: MCDP Final Friday Speaker Series – Michelle Palmer, Candidate for State Board of Education District 6
Time: Friday, August 26, 2022 , at 6:30 p.m.
Place: 704 N. Thompson St., Suite 195, Conroe, TX 77301
Manner: Zoom, Facebook Live, or In Person.
https://zoom.us/j/91535333507?wd=dkEwYU1meWJ5UzJWNXZBcEk0SnphUT09
+13462487799ng ID: 915 3533 3507
Passcode: 969389
One tap mobile
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We Need Precinct Chairs!
The listed precincts are currently vacant. If you don't know your precinct number, you may look it up by running a Street Search on the Montgomery County Elections website. To identify the area, check the maps also posted on the same website. MAPS Scroll all the way down to Individual Precinct Maps.
2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 34, 37, 38, 41, 51, 52, 54, 55, 59, 60, 65, 66, 72, 74, 83, 84, 89, 91, 94, 98, 102, 104, 106, 107, 111
To apply for a Precinct Chair Vacancy, please download, print, and complete this application form, and submit it to us by U.S. mail, email as an attachment to mcdpoffice@gmail.com, or drop it off in person at 704 N. Thompson St. #195, Conroe, TX 77301. We would be delighted to meet you!
If your precinct is not listed here as vacant, you may find out who your Precinct Chair is by going to the Secretary of State website. Please call or email the MCDP HQ Office to get in touch with your Precinct Chairperson.
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The Texas State Democratic Party Executive Committee (SDEC) for the 2022 session is off to a strong start. For Senate District 4, a new committeeman, Chris Powell (mcdptxcc@gmail.com) took the position vacated by Mike Midler who is now running for Conroe ISD School Board, Position 3!
The first order of business was to meet for a Special Meeting called for Aug. 6th. The announced scope of this special meeting of the SDEC was to update the Texas Democratic Party Platform for 2022 as well as to discuss two resolutions that were unable to be addressed at the convention due to the loss of quorum before consideration and vote.
The next in-person meeting of the Texas SDEC, will be in San Antonio on September 17th. This will be a chance for the team to work together to get party planning and strategy set for the upcoming elections!
Submitted by Chris Powell, SDEC 4
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Bye Bye Burns - and Thanks Interns!
The Headquarters Volunteers said a fond farewell to Erica Burns, our main Summertime Intern this week. We will miss her smile, fast talking, quick wit, and massive talent for graphic design.
Here she is with the “pronoun buttons” she designed for our Woodlands Pride booth. She and her cohort of Young Dems that volunteered this summer also designed stickers, painted signs for the fourth of July, wrote cards, entered data, copied training manuals, and otherwise kept the wheels on the bus through these busy months.
Our thanks also go out to Penelope and Charlotte Steffan, James Koos, Kiana, Elise Burns, and their friends and siblings who also showed up when we sent out the call for help. It was great to have them around and we hope they will continue to help us this year as their studies and other extracurricular activities allow!
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Statement by President Biden on Senate Passage of the
Inflation Reduction Act
Today, Senate Democrats sided with American families over special interests, voting to lower the cost of prescription drugs, health insurance, and everyday energy costs and reduce the deficit, while making the wealthiest corporations finally pay their fair share. I ran for President promising to make government work for working families again, and that is what this bill does — period.
This bill caps seniors’ out of pocket spending for prescription drugs at $2000 per year – no matter what their drug bills would otherwise be, seniors will not have to spend more than $2000. In addition, 13 million Americans, covered under the Affordable Care Act, will see their health insurance premiums reduced by $800.
This bill tackles inflation by lowering the deficit and lowering costs for regular families.
This bill also makes the largest investment ever in combatting the existential crisis of climate change. It addresses the climate crisis and strengthens our energy security, creating jobs manufacturing solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles in America with American workers. It lowers families’ energy costs by hundreds of dollars each year.
Finally, it pays for all this by establishing a minimum corporate tax so that our richest corporations start to pay their fair share. It does not raise taxes on those making under $400,000 a year – not one cent.
I want to thank Leader Schumer and every member of the Senate Democratic caucus for supporting this bill. It required many compromises. Doing important things almost always does.
The House should pass this as soon as possible and I look forward to signing it into law.
(Update: The House passed the bill on August 12. Every Democrat voted Yes; NO republicans voted for it. President Biden is expected to sign it this week.)
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Once again, it’s time to send the kids back to school. Many children anticipate the start of a new school year with as much enthusiasm as they felt running out the door at the start of their summer holiday. Buying school clothes and supplies and meeting up with friends they couldn’t see outside of school is a time-honored tradition. For others, the first day of school is an anxiety producing event that doesn’t get better throughout the school year. All students need to experience a welcoming and inclusive environment. Feelings of being something other than “normal” often make a student feel unwelcome or invisible. Identities based on race, ethnicity, economic status, or sexual orientation may make it even harder for students to thrive if they attend a school that doesn’t make an intentional effort to create an inclusive environment.
Our challenge as adults, whether we are educators, parents, or community members, is to ensure our children feel safe and secure. In Texas, Republican lawmakers are hard at work passing legislation making it increasingly more difficult for teachers to teach and support students in their classes. Dan Patrick seeks to pass legislation like the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation in Florida. Texas already has legislation restricting what and how teachers address critical historical events such as slavery. Senate Bill 3 is an even more restrictive version of existing legislation devoted to limiting lessons on current events and history.
I could write volumes on what schools should and could be doing, but until we have some sanity (VOTE FOR BETO) in the statehouse, let’s focus on what we can do from outside the school walls.
- If the school your children attend has removed all the books with an LGBTQ theme, that doesn’t stop you from reading them to your children at home. Reading to children from an early age is an undisputed boost to academic achievement. Read to them on a wide range of topics and normalize conversations about issues of race, LGBTQ, and any other topics your children show an interest.
- For older students consider a weekly visit to the local public library where they can check out books and read at home.
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Establish a routine before and after school hours. If school feels hectic, home can be a place of calm.
- Remember self-care. Parents often make sure their children exercise, rest, and eat a healthy diet, only to neglect the same for themselves.
- Teachers are under an increasing amount of pressure. They are trying to make up for instructional time lost to the pandemic and simultaneously meet the social/emotional needs of students who may have suffered trauma due to the pandemic. Try your best to help the teachers who support the students.
- Develop a positive relationship with the teacher and school. It’s a good rule of thumb to address issues with the classroom teacher first. They are often able to provide the students with tools to solve problems on their own.
- Pay close attention to verbal and non-verbal communication. Sometimes children are bothered by something they can’t put in words. This may be especially true for the younger students. Ask open-ended clarifying questions about their school day.
- If your children experience or witness harassment, discrimination, or bullying and they feel traumatized, model calm and compassionate behavior. Your children will be influenced by your reaction to these situations. Seek assistance from the teacher/school to remedy issues before they escalate.
Whether your children are thriving academically and meet every new social situation with gusto, or they are shy and need academic support, they all deserve a quality education. Ensuring they feel welcome and valued as part of the school community contributes to their ability to learn. It is a shared responsibility to make this happen for every student. You can be a part of ensuring Texas schools are moving in the right direction by voting. Pay close attention to local school board races as well as state level elections. Follow proposed changes to curriculum and school policy. Public education is a right that we are all privileged to have. It is not a privilege for only a few. This is a construct we have come to believe, but it is currently being challenged.
Preserving public education for all is worth the fight.
Submitted by Kim Valdez, Deputy Chair
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Click here to view this powerful and important message
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You Beto Believe We Still Have Yard Signs!
This is what Bob Mabry, a heroic volunteer who happened to be nearby and Ginger Blair, a hard-working shoeless County Chair look like while almost single handedly moving three pallets of Beto yard signs and the devilishly heavy sign stakes from the loading dock behind the building at Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters into our offices. So, the answer is resoundingly “YES!”, we still have plenty of yard signs and the rumors you may have heard that we are out of yard signs are not true!
If fact, we will be keeping the Headquarters Offices open this coming Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m just to make it easy for you to drop by and pick up signs for yourself and your neighbors.
Our Beto signs are available now for a $15 donation each, or 5 for $50. This donation represents a significant fundraiser for us, and if we are successful in raising money, the proceeds should allow us to mail and print literature for the voters and help fund our candidates as well.
If you live in the far-flung corners of the County and would like us to deliver signs to you in batches of at least ten or more or if you need us to keep the Headquarters open for you so you can pick up signs after work, please let us know so we can plan to help you.
Letting our neighbors know that they are not alone in supporting our Democratic values during this particular election cycle is critical and we are here to help! Contact us at mcdpoffice@gmail.com or call us at 936-703-5841.
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This is Happening!
As you may have heard, Beto and his very large team are Block Walking across Texas and Driving for Texas. Here is info about a rally in Porter.
And here is a link to see all Beto events and volunteer opportunities.
We aren't sure when the man sleeps but seeing him live is a unique and inspiring experience!
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JOE and KAMALA'S CORNER !
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TEXAS DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES RUNNING IN NOVEMBER
(including links to their websites)
Please become familiar with all of our candidates - up and down the ballot. They are all working hard for your vote but many have limited resources.
Learn what each stands for and consider donating to individual candidates as well as MCDPTX.
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TX Court of Appeals District 9 Place 2 - Bob Mabry
Montgomery County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 - April Prim
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Drop by the Blue Store at Headquarters
to get your Merch or
Order a t-shirt!
As more of our neighbors show their Democratic Party allegiance, consider joining the crowd by becoming more visible as you are out and about. We have many beautiful unique items available to show that we are not alone in Montgomery County!
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Event Calendar - For more details, click on the image and follow link to the MCDPTX.org website; click on the date to view event.
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Other Groups & Community Events: |
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BETO TOWN HALL IN KINGWOOD TX- AUGUST 24, 2022
TIME:
Wednesday, August 24
12:30 – 1:30pm CDT
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IMMIGRATION CLINIC REOPENS - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! - Lorena Perez McGill |
Can you help?
- Legal consultation
- Set up, clean up, organize
- Speaker
Third Thursdays
5:00 to 9:00pm
24803 Oakhurst Dr. 77386
Questions and Information:
contact Lorena Perez McGill at
email or 202-294-4473.
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Coffee, Conversation & Cardboard Rolls (RESCHEDULED)
Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 9:00 AM
11133 Interstate 45 S · Conroe, TX
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Event Sponsored by Village Books of The Woodlands
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MON, SEPT 12 - TWJ GENERAL MEETING, 10:00am, 54 Stardust Pl. 77381
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Paid for by the Montgomery County Texas Democratic Party, www.mcdptx.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. |
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