|
|
|
November 2024
Democratic
Women's Club
of Worcester County
NEWSLETTER
| |
A Message From DWC President Debra Fisher-Reynolds | |
|
Sad, Shocked, Stunned, Devastated, Despondent, Apoplectic. No words. No Thoughts.
A LOSS DUE TO RACISM
A LOSS DUE TO MISOGYNY
A LOSS DUE TO DISINFORMATION!
We are the Resistance
We need to use our energy to fight specific atrocities outlined in Project 2025
VP Harris says we must continue to fight to protect our freedoms
We need to focus on new goals, specific goals, and continue our fight locally.
We are the Resistance
Like the Suffragettes, over 100 years ago - we must fight for our freedoms!
We won't go back!!
Reminders: Hope to see you all Monday, 9:30 a.m., November 18 at our general meeting and at the Holiday Luncheon, December 16.
Thank you to the many, many volunteers who wrote postcards, who helped at the poll locations and staffed the office in Snow Hill.
We will fight on.
| |
 |
Harris Concession Speech is Full of Hope
"We will never give up the fight to protect our schools and our streets from gun violence. And America, we will never give up the fight for our democracy, for the rule of law, for equal justice and of the sacred idea that every one of us, no matter who we are or where we start out, has certain fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.
And we will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square. And we will also wage it in quieter ways. In how we live our lives, by treating one another with kindness and respect. By looking in the face of a stranger and seeing a neighbor. By always using our strength to lift people up. To fight for the dignity that all people deserve. The fight for our freedom will take hard work, but like I always say, we like hard work. Hard work is good work, hard work can be joyful work and the fight for our country is always worth it. It is always worth it."
Thank you, Madam Vice President. Thank you.
| |
|
Our post carding helped Dr. Andes, Ms. McComas and Angela Alsobrooks win their elections!
Thank you to all who worked so hard in the last few months.
- More than 25 worked at the Dems table during early voting
- More than 30 worked at Dems tables at various polling locations on election day
- Nearly 20 were poll watchers at various locations in the county on election day
- Many volunteered multiple days at the Worcester County Democrats' office in Snow Hill
- Many canvassed for our school board candidates and Angela Alsobrooks
- More than 25 attended at least one Friday Honk and Wave Rally in West OC
- More than 100 wrote postcards to voters here and in other states
- Many of you donated to various Democratic organizations and candidates
A special thank you goes to Debbie Gousha, who stepped in several places when we needed a volunteer coordinator for the office and for the Dems tables! Debbie, you are our hero.
| |
|
|
|
Thoughts After the Election
While many of us are devastated at the national election results, we must look for the silver lining. We came together with the same goal -- saving democracy -- and everyone played a part in this effort. After all, we saved the school board from two or three Moms for Liberty candidates, and we helped Angela Alsobrooks beat Larry Hogan in the U.S. Senate race!
We all need comfort and encouragement now and Robert Hubbell (Today's Edition newsletters Nov. 3, 6 and 7) makes many good points - this among them:
"Democrats and people who love America are grieving. That is understandable. Everyone will need time to express feelings of shock, anger, and fear. Respect those who need to talk about what happened and those who don't want to talk about it. Everyone will need to process the results in their own way. Reach out to those who feel as you do."
It will take time to digest what happened and why it happened. Both are necessary inquiries. But there is no rational explanation for America's election of a felon, adjudicated sexual abuser, incessant liar, narcissist, and aspiring dictator. None. So, think about it as much as you need to, but don't waste emotional energy seeking answers where there are none.
If you need a break, take one! You deserve it. But please come back to the DWC community. We will welcome you with open arms.
Gail Jankowski
| |
DWC Breakfast Club is Going Strong!
Just a reminder that the DWC Breakfast Club meets at various restaurants around the area on the second Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m. This month, it was the On the Way Cafe -- next month???
If you would like to be included in the monthly email breakfast club notices, email marywhitcomb@gmail.com
| |
|
Slate of Nominees for DWC Board of Directors 2025
With much care and time, the 2024 Board of Directors' Nominating Committee has assembled an excellent array of nominees for next year's governing body. We are pleased to present their names to the DWC members:
Co-Presidents: Kathy Hardy and Carol Pauley
Vice President: Susan Buyer
Treasurer: Dana Barney
Recording Secretary: Debra Fisher-Reynolds
Corresponding Secretary (and Newsletter): Gail Jankowski
Three Members at-Large: Debi Koczen-Doyle, Maria Lawrence, Cherie McNett
Political Action Committee: Joan Roache, Gail Jankowski
We present this slate, including some new Board members and some returning, to serve in 2025. The goal is to work together through transitions and sharing the tasks.
We offer our sincere appreciation to all those who served on the 2024 Board and to all those who considered joining next year's Board of Directors and have agreed to remain open to future service.
As per the DWC Bylaws, the first reading of the slate of nominees was presented at the September 16, 2024 general meeting, the second reading at the October 14 meeting, and the formal election will be held at the November 18, 2024 DWC General Meeting.
| | |
|
|
Monday, November 18, 10 a.m. (conversation, 9:30 a.m. - please bring your own beverage)
Democratic Women's Club Monthly Meeting
Ocean Pines Community Center
Assateague Room
Our speaker will be Justin Butler
(REMINDER: Postcard Pizza Party, noon - following the meeting. )
Thursday, December 5, 5 to 7 p.m.,
Drinking Liberally
Marriott Residence Inn (Bar and Grille)
300 Seabay Lane, Ocean City
Monday, December 16, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
DWC Holiday Luncheon
Worcester Technical High School
6290 Worcester Hwy, Newark
Cost is $30
reservations and payment due by December 6
REMINDER: There will be no Political Action Committee meetings in November or December 2024. Meetings will resume via Zoom in January 2025.
| | |
|
And Now for Some Good News...
Yes, there was good news for Democrats in this election - some from Maryland, and some from around the country!
It turns out that while we got beaten in a lot of places we tried desperately so hard to win, we also won some significant victories.
Here are some of them:
In Wisconsin, turnout was up by 1.3%. They re-elected Tammy Baldwin, and flipped 14 seats in the statehouse -- four in the Senate and 10 in the Assembly, breaking the supermajority in the state.
In North Carolina, Democrats won Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General. (self-described Black Nazi Mark Robinson, lost to Democrat Josh Stein in the Governor's race by 15 points. More people in North Carolina voted for Stein than for Trump.)
In Pennsylvania, Democrats retained their majority in the statehouse.
In Michigan, voters flipped a State Supreme Court seat to expand the Democratic majority to 5-2.
In Arizona, election denier Kari Lake lost her bid for the U.S. Senate to Congressman Ruben Gallego.
Democrats won U.S. Senate races in 4 out of 5 battleground states.
Two new female, African-American U.S. Senators will be going to Washington! In Delaware, Lisa Blunt Rochester won her race, and in Maryland, Angela Alsobrooks was the winner!
Seven out of 10 states passed measures adding abortion rights to their state constitutions. In Maryland, just over 74 percent of voters approved the measure to amend the state constitution to enshrine reproductive freedom.
LGBTQ candidates won in 40 states: 12 in Congress, 37 in state legislatures, 12 seats on courts. And Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride will be the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress!
| |
|
BIG CHANGE IN 2025 FOR OUR DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S CLUB!
The DWC Board of Directors, in conjunction with incoming Co-Presidents Carol Pauley and Kathy Hardy, with purpose and directive to focus on outreach, new members, our county, our community, and our Democratic goals are pleased to announce:
All 2025 Meetings of the Democratic Women's Club of Worcester County will be held at the Berlin Library on the FOURTH Monday of the Month!
January 27, February 24, March 24, April 28, May (TBD), September 22, October 27, and November 24. (Luncheons will still be scheduled in June and December - no general meetings planned for July-August at this time)
The New Berlin Library facility (upstairs) is a great location with meeting space, an elevator, plenty of parking, and the best AV and technology available. Thank you to the Library staff there for all their help.
The DWC Bylaws state: Article V: Membership Meeting
- The club shall hold a general membership meeting, usually on the third Monday of the month unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, no less than eight times a year.
- All members will be notified in advance of membership meeting.
On October 9, 2024, the DWC Board voted unanimously to change the general membership meeting to the 4th Monday of the month and to the Berlin Library location. One of the reasons is to make this truly a Worcester County Democratic Women's Club -- not so centered on the Ocean Pines area. We hope existing and new members will embrace this new schedule and location, beginning with the January 27, 2025 meeting.
| |
DEMOCRATS NEED TO CONFIRM JUDGES NOW!
by Cherie McNett
There is no time for complacency. We can act now to uphold the rule of law and safeguard our citizens and country.
On November 12, the current Democratic-led Senate initiated a push to advance 31 additional judicial nominations put forward by President Biden through the confirmation process.
Please get in touch with Senators Cardin and Van Hollen to urge their support for these nominees before the transfer of power takes place in 2025.
Here is the information you need to make these important calls:
Senator Chris Van Hollen: Cambridge office: 410-221-2074
DC office: 202-224-4654
Senator Ben Cardin: DC office: 202-224-4524
Act today to help push through as many of President Biden's judicial nominees as possible!
| | | |
 | |
ACTION ALERT! PUBLISH THE ERA NOW!
by Susan Buyer
We are all devastated about the election results, but now is the time to "seize the day." We know what we're up against. We have a President-elect who blocked publication of the Equal Rights Amendment in 2020, a Vice President-elect who voted to kill it just last year, and members of Congress poised to do the same. But we cannot quit. We know that the anti-equality movement and the incoming anti-ERA administration will keep chipping away at hard-fought rights, so we must do everything we can to act now.
President Biden has two more months in office. He can use that time to take executive action to provide some protection for the American people in the next four years.
If you're angry, sad, or numb, channel that into action. Let's ask the President to direct the Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan, to publish the ERA to the Constitution immediately. Let's also ask our Senators to advocate for this.
You can use this suggested text:
We appreciate the support the President has shown for the Equal Rights Amendment and sex equality throughout his career. It would only be fitting, then, to add the ERA to the U.S. Constitution under a Biden Administration as the next part of his legacy. One hundred years is too long to wait for equality for more than half the population of the
United States. The President has two months to take executive action to provide some protection for the American people in the next four years. We request the President to direct the U.S. Archivist to publish the ERA to the Constitution immediately.
Phone and email contacts:
The White House 202-456-1111
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/share
Senator Ben Cardin 202-224-4524
https://www.cardin.senate.gov/email-ben/
Senator VanHollen 202-224-4654
https://www.vanhollen.senate/gov/contact/email
You can also sign the letter on the ERA Coalition website to advocate for immediate action on the ERA.
https://www.eracoalition.org/take-action/white-house-direct-the-archivist-to-publish-the-era/
| |
|
More Dems are Finding Us!
Membership chair Joan Esworthy reports that we have had over 32 new members join and some long-time inactive members re-join so far in 2024.
We have met potential members at our happy hours, clothing drives, postcard parties, at outreach events, and at the pools this summer. We keep hearing, "I didn't know there were Democrats here!"
Currently, our membership is nearly 200!
Welcome new members and thank you, long-time members for your enthusiasm, participation and dedication!
Dues for 2025 are being collected now! Still $15. Bring your checkbook to the November 18 meeting or send your membership check by mail to Democratic Women's Club of Worcester County, P.O. Box 1242, Ocean Pines, Md. 21811
| |
The DWC newsletter is normally published the week prior to the regular monthly DWC meeting. Please submit articles, photos and other items by the 12th of the month to Gail Jankowski, janfam83@gmail.com or Sue Challis, suechallis68@gmail.com
| | | | |
