President Barack Obama

Organizing for America (OFA) has officially landed in Nevada. Organizing for America is dedicated to forwarding President Obama’s agenda through grassroots action, and to creating a progressive, grassroots movement in the State of Nevada.

In order to best serve Nevada, OFA will visit cities throughout the state to re-engage and mobilize the grassroots movement in support of President Obama.

For Organizing for America to succeed, we need to hear from you – your effort and commitment are the backbone of this movement, and your input will help guide our action in Nevada. [Read more →]

Want to do something useful? Want to help out fellow Democrats rather than sit there and watch TV. Heather Brown of the Young Democrats of Nevada sent the following:

YDNV Members,
This is a big week, and we have another opportunity to make a big impact!! Today the members of the Liberty University College Democrats met with Chancellor Falwell. Currently the administration is standing behind their decision from last week to suspend the college democrats from their campus for their affiliation with CDA and the DNC. We are working closely to assist our fellow Democrats through negotiations with administrators. We are asking that you help the College Democrats at Liberty University by sending the following e-mail to Chancellor Falwell. Together we can send a message that democrats come in every shape, size, color, and religion. [Read more →]

Paul Reeves, Democratic Candidate for Nevada's Congressional District #2

Cindy Trigg, Democratic Candidate for Nevada's Congressional District #2

Cindy Trigg and Paul Reeves, two Democrats competing for the nomination of the Democratic Party to run against Republican Dean Heller for his seat in the United States House of Representatives, will jointly appear at a campaign event in Pahrump, Nye County on August 3, 2009.

Trigg, is a resident of Washoe Douglas County. Reeves is a resident of Nye County.

The event will be the first occasion for the two candidates to meet each other in Nevada. The event is being sponsored by The Nye County Pahrump Chapter Democracy for America Meetup.

The public will be invited to attend and hear the campaign positions of the candidates with a question and answer segment after their speeches.

More will follow as it develops.

I am really impressed with Twitter and its potential uses. I’ve been using Twitter now for almost a month. There is still a lot about it and how to use it that I am still learning. Checking Tweets this afternoon I noted one that promised to teach me something about it. A Twitter for Newbies or Twitter for Dummies. Exactly what I needed. Simple, to the point, about as basic as you can get. So I went there to see what I could learn.

It was a blog, not unlike this, but it is a blog that teaches you things, rather than a rambling political blog like this one I write. The name of the blog is The Tech Advisors-Tech Tips, and Advice. [Read more →]

The Clark County Democratic Black Caucus is holding a meeting May 18, 2009 in Las Vegas. [Facebook]

You are invited to join members of the Clark County community to discuss the grassroots support of a City and County Diversity Plan empowering minority, women owned, and local small businesses. For years many in the community have been discussing the lack of diversity participation within our State. Therefore, a grassroots movement has begun. Community organizations, businesses, associations, and citizens are coming together to preview an award winning diversity “model” that includes the full participation of all citizens, creates jobs, training, mentoring/protege programs, small business development and reinvestment, while empowering community programs that provide much needed services. We want your input and suggestions to make this plan the best that it can be.

A note to our African-American brothers and sisters here in Nye County. You are welcome to join the Pahrump Valley Democratic Party Meetup. Look it over. It is a progressive group.

President Barack Obama

I just received an email from President Obama. No, he and I don’t email each other like we were bosom buddies. I’m on his email list with a few million others.

Anyway he’s letting us know about some good health care reform information. He wrote,

The Vice President and I just met with leaders from the House of Representatives and received their commitment to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by July 31.

We also have an unprecedented commitment from health care industry leaders, many of whom opposed health reform in the past. Monday, I met with some of these health care stakeholders, and they pledged to do their part to reduce the health care spending growth rate, saving more than two trillion dollars over the next ten years — around $2,500 for each American family. Then on Tuesday, leaders from some of America’s top companies came to the White House to showcase innovative ways to reduce health care costs by improving the health of their workers.

He added that the Senate and the House are beginning their debate which will determine the health of the economy and our families.

This process should be transparent and inclusive and its product must drive down costs, assure quality and affordable health care for everyone, and guarantee all of us a choice of doctors and plans.

It involves you and me. He wants us all to become informed and involved. How do you do that? Easy. Get on his email list and he’ll keep you up to date. Just go here.

We spend more on health care than any country, but families continue to struggle with skyrocketing premiums and nearly 46 million are without insurance entirely. It is a priority for the American people and a pillar of the new foundation we are seeking to build for our economy.

There is a lot of opposition to President Obama over reforming health care. I remember him telling us here in Pahrump that he won’t be able to achieve these reforms unless we back him up. So, don’t let him or yourself down.

Cindy Trigg announces her campaign for election in District #2. Following is her initial campaign speech in Reno, Nevada. She is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination to run as the Democratic candidate to oppose the current incumbent, Republican Dean Heller.

Paul Reeves, resident of Pahrump, Nye County, Nevada is also seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination.

I am unaware of anyone else expecting to run on the Democratic side, though it is early and District #2 is one large district.

Laurayne Murray will be moderating our Meetup this month and will include some very important information for all of us on Precinct work and the role of the Precinct Captain. It is one of the most important aspects of building a Democratic Party here in Pahrump and Nye County.

Precinct Captains and their team are the local face of democratic grassroots action. It is the one on one, person to person, face to face community building. Precinct captains and precinct volunteers talk neighbor to neighbor discussing issues together.

The goal of precinct work is to encourage democrats to vote in order to improve Democratic election turnout; to get-out-the-vote with voter registration by convincing likely Democratic voters to register, and to inspire voters to re-register Democratic. Also, to highlight Democratic values and issues and to promote Democratic candidates and Democratic Party platform issues.

And ultimately, to win elections for Democratic candidates!

What: Pahrump Valley Democratic Party Meetup

When: Monday, June 1, 2009

Where: Rubalcaba’s Taco Shop, 270 Dahlia Street, Pahrump

Please RSVP on the Meetup website.

Last evening there was consideration discussion at the Nye County Central Committee meeting concerning recruitment and training of Democratic candidates to run and win elections.

It is one thing to file and run for an elective office, local, state or national. It is another thing to know how to run a campaign and win it. It is a learned skill. So, is their a school or something where a potential candidate can learn how to run a campaign?

Margery Behrens mentioned one at the meeting. I have previously been aware of emergeNV in Las Vegas which trains female candidates.

Margery cited Democracy for America. So I went there to see what it is.

The DFA Campaign Academy mission is to focus, network, and train grassroots activists in the skills and strategies to take back our country, manage successful campaigns or run for office themselves.

Our Campaign Academy weekends are 16 hours of interactive workshops that bring hundreds of local activists, campaign staff and candidates together for 2 days of intensive campaign training. Experienced campaign professionals lead sessions in voter contact, fundraising, communications, on-line organizing and much more to empower progressive activists with the skills to win in November and beyond.  Attendees also meet with dozens of local progressive candidates and learn about exciting job and volunteer opportunities in their area.  And of course, everyone receives their own copy of DFA’s 180-page Campaign Training Manual.

Year after year, the DFA Campaign Academy is building a grassroots infrastructure of skilled progressive activists in all 50 states.

The two pictures above show the training program in session. Democracy for America has testimonials of former students you can read and learn their assessment of the training they received.

DFA Campaign Trainings are designed to give you a comprehensive skills training on how to plan and run a winning grassroots campaign.  Basics such as Field Strategy, Fundraising & Communications are covered extensively, but that’s not all.  The uniquely grassroots focus of the DFA Training Academy is reflecting in our curriculum development and selection. Each Training weekend is unique and crafted with input from local grassroots leaders. 

You tell us. We find the experts. They come to you.

You can see their curriculum. It covers Field and Voter Contact, Fundraising, Communications, Organization Building, Online Organizing, News Media and Issue Advocacy & Citizen Lobbying.

Here is a 10 minute video that will acquaint you with the training.

There is a 10 minute video on YouTube you can watch as well. There is 11 hours of video of the training here you can watch also.

I didn’t find any page outlining the cost of the training.

Margery Kay Behrens is a very active Nye County Democrat. I don’t know when she finds time to sleep, she’s everywhere, particularly on Facebook. And she is a fountain of good information and advice and suggestions for Nye County Democrats and how to keep up with all that is going on. She just put out the following in an e-mail:

Here is a list of good places to join for news, events and to get active or just to let everyone know how you’re doing … click each link and join then subscribe to updates to keep current for all political news and events …

This is a group that all democrats ought to belong to … here you can leave messages for Nevada congresspersons, senators and politicians from our great state in general as well as viewing upcoming democratic events and getting notifications for events … click the link and join
Nevada State Democratic Party ~ http://www.nvdems.com/

This is a nationwide group of activist training based on Paul Wellstone’s concept of what activism is and how to organize locally … they offer free training, political job resources as well as real time interaction with instructors and is endorsed by Howard Dean … click the link and join … then find Paul Reeves for Congress and sign up as a supporter
Democracy for America ~ http://democracyforamerica.com/

This is the place to join to become a part of online petitions … for instance they started the "Impeach Jay Bybee" petition to remove Jay Bybee the author and authorizer of several torture memos whom Bush gave a lifetime position to on the 9th Circuit Court as a perk … click, join, let the people on the Hill know how you really feel

Netroots Nation ~ http://www.netrootsnation.org/
I think we’ve all heard of MoveOn.Org, this is the place to really get involved. Move On has more nationwide members than just about any other political organization in America on the net … click the link and get involved
Move On ~ http://www.moveon.org/
This is the place for all of us to stay connected … I’m sure you’ve heard of the underground political movements or wondered how there was an event that happened and you weren’t informed … this is the place where it all happens … I will be happy to make friends suggestions for you if you choose to send me a friend invitation … look up Margery Behrens and send a friend request and I’ll hook you up with Howard Dean, Harry Reid, and even Tom Daschle … they talk to me … they should talk to you too … groups to look for on face book if you want to get involved in local activism … Organizing for America National Chapter and Organizing for America Nevada Chapter … click the link and create a profile then send me an invite
Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/
Twitter is a very interesting site because you can sign into Twitter once a day and post a short update and anyone who is following you (friends, family, politicians) will know exactly what you’re up to … it’s a great place for news announcements too … the entire world knows about our swine flu epidemic because of Twitter … sign up and if you follow me I’ll follow you too … on Twitter I’m TurboKitty
Twitter ~ http://twitter.com/
See you online
Margery aka TurboKitty@twitter.com

It is such things as Margery has shown us in her e-mail that I was thinking of last nite when I brought up forming a communications committee at the Nye Central Committee meeting. If all Nye County Democrats engaged in such web sites they’d soon become personally acquainted with each and a cohesive political force in Nye County.

I’ll write more about ways I think the new Central Committee can improve membership and interest in helping the Central Committee in reaching the necessary goals in Nye County to become a political force to be reckoned with.