01. June 2023 · Comments Off on Ag and Rural Caucus – June 2023 Events · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Recent Events

ARC June Events

Our Better Practices conversation is already this Thursday. (The first Thursday always sneaks up.) This month is a little different. We will share what we know about the Rural Committee of the State Central Committee. The mission of the Rural Committee does not compete with the Ag and Rural Caucus but it is helpful that we know the direction of the State Party and the Rural Committee..

The series title is Better Practices, not Best Practices. We each have our own experience with what works well. Join us to learn from your colleagues and to share your own experience.

Don

June Schedule

6:30 pm Thursday 1 June
 Better Practices roundtable

Rural Committee: Work Plan
Steve Verhey and You

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

6:30 pm Thursday 15 June
Policy Series

The Farm Bill: What is it, actually
Andy Juris, President, Washington Association of Wheat Growers

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Better Practices

Rural Committee: 
Steve Verhey and You
6:30 pm Thursday 1 June

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

Join us this Thursday evening to learn about the Rural Committee of the State Party.

Not the Ag and Rural Caucus, which is us, but the Rural Committee created by the State Party Chair.

Years ago, there was an Eastern Washington Committee. By custom, the State Vice-Chair chaired the committee. Valerie Rongey chaired the committee when I first attended the state meetings. As CD-5 representative to the state board, I stepped in for Valerie from time to time. It was very much an eastern Washington gathering. Recognizing that rural Washington was more than just LPO’s east of the mountains, the Eastern Washington Committee was re-constituted as the Rural Committee and co-chaired by Ron Wright from Wahkiakum County and Nancy Monacelli from Walla Walla. After a short existence the committee was again re-imagined. The last cycle and currently the committee has been chaired by Danielle Garbe Reser and Bennett Massey Helber, from CD-5 and CD-2, respectively.

Danielle and Bennett are both otherwise engaged Thursday evening and so cannot join us. Steve Verhey, who is on the committee, has graciously stepped up. He participated in the last central committee meeting and can share his impressions of the Rural Committee’s work plan.

Several of you also are members of the Rural Committee and can help Steve. Please consider yourselves part of the team.

The Farm Bill: What is actually?

6:30 pm Thursday 15 June

Andy Juris, President, Washington Association of Wheat Growers

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

You have all heard about “The Farm Bill”.  Some of you know that it is hot right now. It is renewed every five years and this is the year.

You may also vaguely know that “The Farm Bill” is more about food stamps than crop insurance. For this you can thank Tom Foley, D-Wash CD5, and Bob Dole, R-Kansas, a generation ago. Foley and Dole lead the ag committees in the house and senate, and realized that farmers needed strong urban support for a farm bill to pass. They bought this support by rolling food stamps and food policy into the farm bill. You sometimes will hear farmers complaining that the farm bill seems to be more for the city folk than farmers and that we should have a clean farm bill. The linkage, though, of ag interests and urban food policy is what keeps farmers in business.

Times change and agriculture is again in the cross-hairs of conflicting interests. A question for us is whether the farm bill can be a useful instrument for financial security for farmers and also deal with a changing climate and suspicion of farm practices on the ground. Do we still have family farms? Are our soils being depleted by commercial ag practices? Can farmers save the world? Are farmers CO2 and CH4 villains? Or do we enjoy a residual of nostalgia and good will?

We will take up some of these issues with Andy. Andy helped us on our Solar Siting in Klickitat County session two years ago and has agreed to help us understand what is at stake with the Farm Bill.

Don
29 May 2023


Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2023.

Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2023. 


Copyright © 2022 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved.
Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is:
Ag and Rural Caucus
2921 Mud Creek Rd
Waitsburg, WA 99361
26. May 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up May 26, 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Good morning fellow Democrats,

This will be the last newsletter you get from me for a few weeks, as I’m off for a much-needed vacation with filing week and the special session behind us. But before I take off this morning, and before all of you enjoy a sunny holiday weekend, I want to recap all we’ve accomplished together in the four months I’ve been Chair.

We closed out filing with thousands of amazing candidates standing up to run for office and make a difference in their communities! We’ll be highlighting some of the closest and most consequential local races throughout the rest of the year, but as a topline takeaway I couldn’t be more excited to have our dedicated staff working to support so many first-time and diverse community leaders vying for the opportunity to serve their neighbors.

All of that work takes substantial resources, and I want to say thank you to each and every one of you who have helped make our support of all these local candidates possible. As of the end of April, we’re leading our Republican counterparts by several hundred thousand dollars in fundraising – a testament to the strength of this team and the movement we’re building together. If you want to become one of our most reliable supporters by making a recurring monthly contribution, you can find links to do so at the bottom of this email.

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

While you may not have heard about it yet, there was a law passed this past legislative session that is about to revolutionize how campaigns are run in Washington state. Our state will be the first to require the disclosure of the use of AI in creating political ads, continuing our tradition of leading the country in making sure voters understand what they’re seeing and who is paying to influence our elections. Since the GOP has already proven they’re willing to use AI to generate misleading images in their response to President Biden’s re-election announcement, it couldn’t be more important for our state to lead on this frontier of fighting misinformation.

A MOMENT OF HOPE

While you may not have heard about it yet, there was a law passed this past legislative session that is about to revolutionize how campaigns are run in Washington state. Our state will be the first to require the disclosure of the use of AI in creating political ads, continuing our tradition of leading the country in making sure voters understand what they’re seeing and who is paying to influence our elections. Since the GOP has already proven they’re willing to use AI to generate misleading images in their response to President Biden’s re-election announcement, it couldn’t be more important for our state to lead on this frontier of fighting misinformation.

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Cantwell, Murray Reintroduce Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act 

Senator Cantwell and Senator Murray reintroduced the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act to combat what the FBI has called the “primary threat” of violence against civilians in America: white supremacy. We’ve seen nine incidents of domestic terrorism in Washington state since 2010, and this new legislation would form a taskforce to counter white supremacists’ attempts to infiltrate our law enforcement and armed services, and would bring more federal resources and coordination to our local efforts to prevent hate-fueled violence.

House progressives warn they won’t support “bad deal” on debt ceiling 

Rep. Jayapal is leading the Congressional Progressive Caucus in urging the Biden administration to refuse a “compromise” with Republicans that would undermine essential social support programs like food stamps and Medicare. Check out the article for the latest on the GOP’s brinksmanship over the debt ceiling.

With growing abortion restrictions, Democrats push for over-the-counter birth control 

This week, Senator Patty Murray introduced new legislation that would guarantee access to over-the-counter birth control. Senator Murray has been a champion for reproductive rights since her first day in Congress, and continues to find new and innovative ways to ensure that everyone – not just people with health insurance – can exercise the fundamental freedom of autonomy over their own body.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States
19. May 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up May 19, 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Good morning fellow Democrats,

This week is one of my favorite times of the political calendar: filing week! We have hundreds of local offices across the state where you – yes, YOU – can make a difference in your community by filing to run. If you’re thinking that you don’t have the money, or time, to run for office – think again! Many local offices are part-time positions, and it’s very likely that there’s something open in your community where no one has even filed for the job yet.

These local races may not cost much to run or require a full-time commitment if you’re elected, but they’re critically important roles. Look no further than how the far-right has weaponized school boards in Florida and other red states to ban books featuring LGBTQ+ characters for an example of why it matters to have principled community leaders in these positions. 

So, how do you file for office? It’s much easier than you might think! First, check this link from the Secretary of State’s office to see what positions are up for election this year in your community. Then, click here to find out if anyone has filed for that position already. If you spot a vacant position that matches your skills or interests, you can file online using this form from the SOS’s official website. Many positions don’t even require a filing fee!

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

Yesterday, President Biden announced that the federal government will bring additional resources to bear on the homelessness crisis in Seattle – a much-needed infusion of federal money and staff to help bring people inside to safe shelter. The President’s initiative, ALL INside, aims to reduce our country’s unhoused population by 25% in the next two years. This is huge news, as many housing and homelessness experts tie the rise in unhoused people to the defunding of public housing and the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Reagan’s administration, and President Biden’s move to re-engage on this issue marks a dramatic shift from past Republican occupants of the White House.

A MOMENT OF HOPE

This week, I’m reminding myself that even when our movement fails to carry the day, we grow stronger by fighting for our values. In South Carolina, where more than a dozen Republican state legislators co-sponsored a bill that would make getting an abortion punishable by the death penalty earlier this year, Republicans passed a bill to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. 

Why does this give me hope? Because it took literally all week for them to pass this unpopular and unjust policy after Democratic women in the legislature filed more than a thousand amendments to bog down the process. Despite ultimately being unsuccessful in stopping the policy, these courageous women made damn sure their constituents and the entire nation paid attention to this latest assault on pregnant people’s fundamental freedom to control their own bodies. That’s the kind of unrelenting advocacy Democrats bring to the table, and why I’m drawing hope from their example this week.

Also, if you have family or friends in South Carolina who will be affected by this ban, remind them that our Washington Democrats have passed a law that would protect them from prosecution if they come here to get the essential reproductive care they need.

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Railway Safety Act will help protect communities | The Seattle Times

Senator Cantwell is leading a coalition as Chair of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to bring much-needed safety regulations to the rail industry. The recent derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio grabbed headlines, but train derailments have become more common than the public realizes in recent years after the Trump administration deregulated the industry. 

Pramila Jayapal introduces Medicare for All Act of 2023 | Twitter
This week, Rep. Jayapal joined Senator Sanders in introducing the Medicare for All Act of 2023 to provide universal health care to every American as a fundamental right. Check out the link above to watch her comments at the press conference they held to build momentum for the law!

Gluesenkamp Perez Introduces Rural Broadband Bill | The Daily Chronicle
Another critically important bill from Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez this week would create more competition and improve broadband access in rural areas. As she told attendees at a recent town hall, broadband access is essential for access to education, telehealth, and so much more in our digital age. We’re proud to have Marie representing Southwest Washington in Congress and are working around the clock to keep her in office!

State Party Updates

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States
18. May 2023 · Comments Off on Ag and Rural Caucus – May 2023 Policy Series · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Recent Events

ARC Policy Series

Bitcoin Mining – Server Farms; How are we to choose?
6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Policy Series

Ben Richards, Protect Pend Oreille
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Case studies instruct by burying important lessons in messy everyday details. That is the idea at least. Thursday we will take up a case study in Pend Oreille County. No spoiler alert here about the important lesson but instead a shift of focus to those messy details. It is those messy details that show the intersection of multiple policy dimensions.

Policy dimensions in the Pend Oreille case include the good and bad of regional economic development, the qualities necessary for good local governance, green electricity and the power grid, something about the economics of manufacturing in rural Washington, and bitcoins.

Bitcoins? Bitcoin mining may be both a messy detail and the important lesson in this case study. Whatever the details of the Pend Oreille case, bitcoin mining has significant consequences for local resource management. It is also very big business.  But the server farms that make up “the cloud” also are resource hungry and are very big business. What is the difference for local resource management? Can we embrace server farms and spurn bitcoin mining?

Join our conversation Thursday.

Don
15 May 2023

Economic Development or Shell Game?

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Policy Series

Ben Richards, Protect Pend Oreille
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Has a bitcoin mining project in Pend Oreille County disguised as a resurrection of a paper mill revealed any special shortcomings in Pend Oreille county government…self-delusion, incompetence, gullibility, desperation, wishful thinking, greed? Or are the lessons from Pend Oreille a morality tale for all rural counties? Probably we all need to pay attention.

Rural counties, especially in central and eastern Washington, are thought to be easy marks for shysters as well as legitimate venture capitalists. We have cheap real estate and a lot of it, we have cheap power and green power at that, we are anxious to please and are easily flattered, we need jobs and incomes, and our local governments are understaffed and occasionally naïve.

Sometimes this caricature underestimates us. We have local power companies, for goodness’ sake, who build hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River, downstream of Grand Coulee. And, don’t mistake, we have intellectual resources.

Ben Richards is one of those intellectual resources in Pend Oreille county. (Check out Protect Pend Oreille.) Ben has done a masterful job of deconstructing a shell game involving a bitcoin entrepreneur from mainland China, a decommissioned paper mill, the public utility district, the economic development council, and county commissioners.

And count Robert Schutte among the really sharp people who may be your neighbor fixing his fence. Bob is ARC Vice-Chair – East living in rural Pend Oreille county after a career in commercial banking. He knows business plans and sound management. He knows planning.

We are meeting in person for a Policy Circle 2:00 pm Thursday afternoon at the Sacheen Lake Fire Station 32, at 6131 Highway 211.

I urge those of you in Spokane County to come a few minutes up Highway 2, and those of you in Stevens County to come up the highway or over the pass on Highway 20  and join us.

Thursday evening at 6:30 pm we will do our Zoom Policy Briefing as usual.

Don
13 May 2023


Rural Economic Development: What could go wrong?

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May

Ben Richards, Protect Pend Oreille
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Policy Circle Rejuvenated – Alive again!

Pend Oreille County hosts Ag and Rural Caucus on the 18th. Robert Schutte (ARC Vice Chair – East) and I will do a Policy Circle in the afternoon where we invite local folks, Democrats and Republicans, to brief us on local issues. In our Policy Briefing (via Zoom) in the evening Ben Richards will join us to talk about economic development in rural counties. Ben will lay out a case study in Pend Oreille County that has gone very wrong, and Robert will summarize the lessons for rural counties generally.


Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2023.

Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2023. 


Copyright © 2022 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved.
Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is:
Ag and Rural Caucus
2921 Mud Creek Rd
Waitsburg, WA 99361
12. May 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up May 12, 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Good morning fellow Democrats,

What a couple of weeks we’ve had in Democratic politics here in Washington state! Gov. Inslee announced he’s not running for another term, Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz have announced their campaigns to succeed him as governor, state Senator Patty Kuderer announced her run for Insurance Commissioner, and state Senator Manka Dhingra has kicked off her campaign to succeed AG Ferguson as our state’s top lawyer. With all this change on the horizon, you might be wondering, “What does this mean for the Washington State Democrats?” 

Well, it’s simultaneously a huge deal that doesn’t change much about our day-to-day work. Our mission hasn’t changed: in partnership with Senator Maria Cantwell, we’ll build the same organizing powerhouse of the Coordinated Campaign that has led to double-digit wins for our statewide candidates for the last six years. After all, that’s what flipped two Congressional seats from red to blue, delivered an historic third term for Governor Inslee, and consolidated Democratic control of every statewide executive office for the first time in recent memory. Once the voters choose who will represent our party in the general election, we’ll stand ready to keep the governor’s seat in Democratic hands regardless of who advances past the primary.

But at the same time, competitive primaries for so many statewide offices present an incredible opportunity for our state party. While maintaining neutrality throughout the process, we’ll be able to bring in new Democrats to our fold and engage a whole new generation of voters excited by our wealth of inspiring candidates. And although we don’t make endorsements at the state level, each of our local party organizations will weigh in on these compelling races, so there’s never been a better time to get involved locally!

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

Last Friday marked a day of awareness for the ongoing crisis affecting Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women. To bring more resources and attention to the cases from our state, Senator Cantwell discussed with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland about how the federal government can aid in investigating and resolving those cases. For more, check out the Senator’s interview with KHQ.

A MOMENT OF HOPE

Earlier this week, I flew to DC for the White House’s celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month and drew such inspiration from the diverse leaders from across the country who showed up and showed out for the event. I kept thinking that if I could somehow go back in time and tell the version of myself who cut her teeth as a field organizer on President Obama’s 2008 campaign that the White House would even hold such an event – much less that I’d be an invited guest! – I’m not sure I would have believed it. Our party has come so far in respecting and valuing the diversity of our coalition in just the time that I’ve been working in politics. It’s hard to believe sometimes, but it’s a valuable reminder that change is possible within our lifetimes.

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Jay Inslee, Washington’s Departing Governor, Sees Greener Pastures Ahead | The New York Times 

Gov. Inslee’s leadership brought us incredible progress on so many issues and kept us safe during the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for making our state a beacon of hope in this divided country, and wish him the best of luck in his next pursuits after leaving the governor’s mansion.

WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson announces campaign for governor | The Seattle Times 

The race to succeed Gov. Inslee is off to a hot start, with AG Ferguson kicking it off last week. You can learn more about his campaign at his website here.

WA Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz announces run for governor, vying with AG Ferguson | The Seattle Times 

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz is also vying to succeed Gov. Inslee, and announced her campaign this week. You can learn more about Hilary’s campaign at her website here.

State Party Updates

We’re hiring!

In case you haven’t seen, we’re looking to add talent to our incredible state party staff! We’re accepting applications for Executive Director and Communications Director, so let anyone in your network who might be interested know that they are invited to apply before Monday’s deadline! 

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States
04. May 2023 · Comments Off on Ag and Rural Caucus – May 2023 Better Practices · Categories: Committee News, Recent Events

ARC Better Practices

I have subtitled tomorrow evening’s Better Practices conversation “Passion, Data, Plan, Organize.” We are often strong on the Passion part and sometimes slight the harder work. Not so with the North Central Democrats. Join us to hear how Chelan/Douglas, plus Okanogan, and Grant counties organize the confusing business of doing local politics.

The series title is Better Practices, not Best Practices. We each have our own experience with what works well. Join us to learn from your colleagues and to share your own experience.

Don
May Schedule

6:30 pm Thursday 4 May
 Better Practices roundtable


North Central Democrats
Karen Keleman
Rick Acosta
Alma Chacón
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Policy Series


Economic Planning in Rural Counties
Ben Richards
Robert Schutte
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Better Practices

North Central Democrats: Passion, Data, Plan, Organize
Karen Keleman
Rick Acosta
Alma Chacón
6:30 pm Thursday 4 May

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

Quiet competence. That is what the North Central Democrats are about. And perfect for communicating Better Practices. Karen Keleman and Bill Miller, now retired and succeeded by Rick Acosta, have long organized Douglas and Chelan counties carefully and with intent. Karen and Rick will describe their planning and execution next Thursday.

A special guest, Alma Chacón, I hope, will be able to join us. Alma partners with Karen and Rick and brings knowledge of organizing the Hispanic community in north central Washington. Alma will help us understand what is hope and what is real for Democrats mobilizing Hispanic voters.

Rural Economic Development: What could go wrong?

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May

Ben Richards
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Policy Circle Rejuvenated – Alive again!

Pend Oreille County hosts Ag and Rural Caucus on the 18th. Robert Schutte (ARC Vice Chair – East) and I will do a Policy Circle in the afternoon where we invite local folks, Democrats and Republicans, to brief us on local issues. In our Policy Briefing (via Zoom) in the evening Ben Richards will join us to talk about economic development in rural counties. Ben will lay out a case study in Pend Oreille County that has gone very wrong, and Robert will summarize the lessons for rural counties generally.


Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2023.

Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2023. 


Copyright © 2022 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved.
Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is:
Ag and Rural Caucus
2921 Mud Creek Rd
Waitsburg, WA 99361
04. May 2023 · Comments Off on Ag and Rural Caucus – May 2023 Schedule · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Recent Events
May Schedule
6:30 pm Thursday 4 May
 Better Practices roundtable


North Central Democrats
Karen Keleman
Rick Acosta
Alma Chacón
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Policy Series


Economic Planning in Rural Counties
Ben Richards
Robert Schutte
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09
Better Practices

North Central Democrats: Passion, Data, Plan, Organize
Karen Keleman
Rick Acosta
Alma Chacón
6:30 pm Thursday 4 May


https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

Quiet competence. That is what the North Central Democrats are about. And perfect for communicating Better Practices. Karen Keleman and Bill Miller, now retired and succeeded by Rick Acosta, have long organized Douglas and Chelan counties carefully and with intent. Karen and Rick will describe their planning and execution next Thursday.
A special guest, Alma Chacón, I hope, will be able to join us. Alma partners with Karen and Rick and brings knowledge of organizing the Hispanic community in north central Washington. Alma will help us understand what is hope and what is real for Democrats mobilizing Hispanic voters.
Rural Economic Development: What could go wrong?

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Ben Richards
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09
 
 
Policy Circle Rejuvenated – Alive again!
 
Pend Oreille County hosts Ag and Rural Caucus on the 18th. Robert Schutte (ARC Vice Chair – East) and I will do a Policy Circle in the afternoon where we invite local folks, Democrats and Republicans, to brief us on local issues. In our Policy Briefing (via Zoom) in the evening Ben Richards will join us to talk about economic development in rural counties. Ben will lay out a case study in Pend Oreille County that has gone very wrong, and Robert will summarize the lessons for rural counties generally.
Rural Economic Development: What could go wrong?

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Ben Richards
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)


https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Policy Circle Rejuvenated – Alive again!

Pend Oreille County hosts Ag and Rural Caucus on the 18th. Robert Schutte (ARC Vice Chair – East) and I will do a Policy Circle in the afternoon where we invite local folks, Democrats and Republicans, to brief us on local issues. In our Policy Briefing (via Zoom) in the evening Ben Richards will join us to talk about economic development in rural counties. Ben will lay out a case study in Pend Oreille County that has gone very wrong, and Robert will summarize the lessons for rural counties generally.

Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2023.

Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2023. 


Copyright © 2023 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved.
Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is:
Ag and Rural Caucus
2921 Mud Creek Rd
Waitsburg, WA 99361
28. April 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up April 28, 2023 · Categories: Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Good morning fellow Democrats,

What a week this has been! The sun is out and our Party is building momentum and making big things happen at every level. President Biden announced his bid for re-election and our Washington Democrats in Olympia wrapped up the legislative session in a whirlwind of good news for our party.

I’ve gone into detail on our policy victories below, but let’s start by taking a moment to thank our legislators for all they accomplished this session. There’s no stronger reminder of why we fight hard every single day to protect and expand our powerful and diverse Democratic majorities and I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to get done for the people of Washington! 

We could never get this done without the efforts of Democrats everywhere in Washington State and I’m committed to working with each and every one of our local party organizations to make sure we’re not leaving a single vote on the table. That’s why I’m hitting the road again today to head down to southwest Washington to speak with the terrific Klickitat County Democrats and the SW Washington Equity Coalition this weekend!

We’re so much stronger when we all come together to support our candidates – and I can’t wait to connect with Democrats in every corner of the state in the weeks and months ahead! 

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

The legislative session is finally wrapped up, and we have so much to celebrate! Yesterday, Governor Inslee signed a suite of bills to protect access to abortion for every Washingtonian and anyone from a red state who travels here to get essential reproductive health care. 

Earlier this week, he signed the assault weapons ban into law and immediately outlawed new purchases of weapons of war that have no place on our streets. Plus, we passed a balanced budget that invests $3 billion in public schools, $1 billion in our behavioral health care system, and $400 million in the state’s Housing Trust Fund to jumpstart affordable housing projects across the state! 

A MOMENT OF HOPE

This weekend, I’m heading down to Vancouver to celebrate the graduation of a new cohort of aspiring community leaders from the Vancouver Community Leadership Institute and I couldn’t be more excited to meet these incredible graduates. Each of them have their own compelling story of transforming the hardship they’ve overcome into inspiration for improving the lives of their friends, families, and communities – a welcome reminder that for every election-denying conspiracy theorist making headlines on cable news, we have a dozen dedicated champions for social justice quietly working every day to make a difference. 

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

President Biden announced he’s running for re-election!

If you haven’t yet, I strongly encourage you to check out President Biden’s video announcing his campaign for re-election. It’s a compelling reminder of the stakes of this battle for the soul of our nation and how we must dedicate ourselves to giving him the chance to finish the job of protecting our democracy.

Bernie Sanders endorses Biden, rules out 2024 bid of his own | AP News 

With so much at stake, I’m thrilled to see our party united behind the President. Regardless of where you fall on the ideological spectrum within our diverse party, we all understand that keeping President Biden in office is the best path we have to building on the transformative investments in clean energy, American manufacturing, and a sustainable economy that Biden has delivered in his first term.

With assault weapons ban, Washington enters a new era of gun reform | Crosscut 

I’m going to keep these words from Gov. Inslee in mind for the rest of the election cycle, particularly when our work gets tough: “This has been a very long bending of the moral arc of the universe, but it does bend toward justice,” Inslee said. “The victory we are celebrating today, I think ought to be a victory for anyone involved in any long-term cause,” he added. “Keep your head up, keep your heart strong.”

Upcoming Events

May 5th Grassroots Reception: The evening before my first state committee meeting as Chair, we’re hosting a reception for all our Democratic volunteers to come and celebrate our return to in-person work together to elect Democrats across the state! We’ll be hearing from AG Bob Ferguson, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, Senator Rebecca Saldaña, and Latino Caucus Chair Rep. Lilian Ortiz-Self for what will be an inspiring and exciting event! 

Get your ticket here!

State Party Updates

We’re hiring!

In case you haven’t seen, we’re looking to add talent to our incredible state party staff! We’re accepting applications for Executive Director and Communications Director, so let anyone in your network who might be interested know that they are invited to apply! 

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States
14. April 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up April 14, 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Hello again fellow Democrats!

I’ve just returned from an exciting week of travel across Eastern and Central Washington, with every day this week jam-packed full of meetings and meet-and-greets with our dedicated local party volunteers. I was so grateful for the warm welcome from our LPOs in the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Pullman, and Yakima – thank you to all who came to share their passion for staying engaged in this work and contributed their ideas for how we can boost rural organizing!

For the many of you who I couldn’t meet, here’s the message I gave all our Eastern Washington volunteers: I’m in this for the long haul. We might not flip every seat in this cycle, or even the next one, but I have the utmost confidence that our person-to-person organizing work is already laying the foundation for the long-term gains we need to compete in every single legislative district.

Look no further than the 3rd Congressional District for an example of how that dedication pays dividends when you might least expect it. After four years of taking the fight to Jaime Herrera-Beutler, our volunteers in Southwest Washington were ready to capitalize on the GOP’s disarray when election denier Joe Kent bested JHB in the primary. Their organizing work pushed Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to victory, and helped Democrats come within a razor’s edge of keeping control of the House of Representatives.

Now, we’ve got to double down on that neighbor-to-neighbor organizing work to protect all the gains we’ve made in the last six years and I couldn’t be more excited to be in this work with all of you! 

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

HUGE news out of Olympia this week: the assault weapons ban passed the Senate and is now headed to Gov. Inslee’s desk for his signature! I know that the time it takes to make progress on these tough issues can be depressing, so I want to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come on gun violence prevention since 2016.

Back then, Washington ranked #1 in the country for NRA spending. That’s right, the gun lobby spent more money here than anywhere else in the nation. That year, Republicans in the Senate blocked the passage of a bill to allow concerned family members to get an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) to temporarily remove guns from the possession of someone who they believed could be a threat to themselves or others. 

Now, we’ve not only passed that law, but we’ve also mandated universal background checks, established training requirements and waiting periods for gun purchases, allowed victims of gun violence to hold firearm manufacturers accountable in court, and are on track to ban assault weapons altogether. 

None of that could have happened without the organizing work we have done in the last six years to elect champions of public safety to the state legislature, so take a moment this morning to reflect on the progress you made possible.

A MOMENT OF HOPE

In Tennessee, Democrats have shown that we will not let the GOP strangle our democracy. Both of the state representatives who were expelled from the Tennessee state legislature have regained their seats after their local governments re-appointed them to their seats after the GOP’s unprecedented move to remove them from office. If you need an extra dose of hope with your morning coffee, take a minute to watch this speech from Rep. Justin Jones to take strength from his resolve to keep fighting for common sense gun laws.

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Justin Pearson reinstated: Memphis sends expelled Black lawmaker back to Tennessee House days after GOP lawmakers ousted him – ABC7 Chicago 

Rep. Justin Jones spoke to his constituents after getting re-appointed to the Tennessee House by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. A reminder that local elections matter!

Amid post-Roe landscape, WA lawmakers pass abortion ‘shield law’ | The Seattle Times 

The Senate passed Rep. Drew Hansen’s Shield Law that protects people from other states seeking abortions or gender-affirming care from prosecution in their home state. As long as the Supreme Court continues to divide this country into red and blue states by rolling back personal freedoms like the right to an abortion, Washington Democrats will do our part to make sure anyone who seeks care here can do so safely.

Fed grant funding to help West Canal, Yakima River | Columbia Basin Herald 

While this might not have made front-page news, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this significant investment that Senator Cantwell secured to renovate the Columbia Basin Project’s West Canal. These kinds of investments in the necessary infrastructure for both farmers and our salmon populations are what Democrats deliver for our rural communities, and Senator Cantwell’s leadership made sure the communities I just returned from meeting with will get the millions of federal dollars they need to preserve our way of life. 

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States