Page May Meeting Recap 2 June Meeting Preview 3 La Mesa Juneteenth 4 Winning the Next Election 5 Membership 6 Candidates: Get Ready to Run 7 Stephen Houlahan 8 International Children 9 Upcoming events 10 Links 11 Officers and Board 12
June 7 7 PM MEETING La Mesa Community Center 4975 Memorial Drive (social time begins at 6:30)
The progressive VOICE voice
The Progressive Voice is the monthly newsletter of the La Mesa - Foothills Democratic Club, serving the communities of La Mesa, Mt. Helix, San Carlos, Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, and the SDSU and other East County areas since 1984.
JUNE 2024
La Mesa City Council Meetings Tuesday, June 11, 6:00PM Tuesday, June 25, 6:00PM Link for live stream available at: cityoflamesa.us/247/City-Council
La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club General Monthly Meeting Minutes May 1, 2024 Location: La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942 Meeting called to order by Chris Pearson at 7:00 PM. Merrill Perry asked members and guests to review the material on each table. Sand Mine Community Concerns StopCottonwoodSandMine.org postcard Informational sheet on Things we must do Politically Michelle Krug-Region Director. Need volunteers for the California Democratic Party Executive Board meeting at Sheraton San Diego, May 17th to May 19, 2024. Please go to https://cadem.org/executive-board/ Andrea Beth Damsky-Vice-Chair East Area Caucus and elected director of Helix Water District The Budget was passed-The million dollar surplus was passed on to the customers in the form of a 1% reduction. The original increase to customers was 3.9% but it will be a 2.9% increase. Jackson Rodelander Campaign Coordinator for Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. Memorial Day Parade in Kensington May 27, 2024. Please contact Jackson to volunteer jackson@sarajacobsforca.com Bonnie Prince-Political Activist. Steven Houlahan is running for California 48th District against Darrell Issa and needs volunteers and support. Steven is having a victory and park cleanup in West Hills Park in Santee on June 7th. It is a picnic and music by the Resizters Band from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM https://electhoulahan.com/ Mirian Plotkin-Member invites the members to the following: https://www.firstuusandiego.org/uploads/1/2/7/6/127676152/holly-flyer.jpeg Chris Pearson-Youtube interview Howard Stern and President Joe Biden https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxL1_K-bq2I This was a virtual meeting for guest speakers. Brenda Miller introduced Dr. Akilah Weber Assembymember District 79. This year we are in a significant budget crisis with a budget deficit. Dr. Weber is the chair of Health Budget. Because of this deficit it is unlikely that the State of California will be able to fund any District requests this year. Dr. Weber has introduced over 20 bills this year. A few of the bills are AB 1895. Labor, delivery and maternity ward closures. Since 2012 40 units have closed and 27 have closed within the last 3 years. AB 2671 deals with lead in daycare drinking waters. This bill would require a filter in the drinking water of daycares. AB 3059 a bill that is joined with UCSD, insurance companies will insure that human milk donors are covered for premature infants if the mother is unable to provide for their infant. AB 3139 this bill deals with domestic violence and privacy, if an individual is a victim of domestic violence the person who assaulted you would not be able to track the movement of your vehicle. AB 2180 deals with the cost of some of our medical and medication for individuals with chronic illness. Events that Dr. Weber is hosting Elder Abuse Prevention and Senior Scam on May 31st. June 20th students who have a perfect attendance at school will be honored at SeaWorld. July 20th a free backpack give-away in La Mesa. Questions for Dr. Weber-the closure of a hospital in El Cajon. AT&T will discontinue land phone lines in area code 92021. For more information please go to Dr. Weber’s website. Dr. Weber has a district now in La Mesa. https://a79.asmdc.org/ The second speaker is RL Miller-DNC member and runs the Climate Hawk organization. RL has studied the Inflation Reduction Act. RL will explain what is in the bill. This bill is the most important piece of legislation that President Biden has passed and this bill may end up as the most transformational since FDR This bill will bring back manufacturing jobs back to the US. Tax credits are going to build factories in mostly red states. Electric autos, auto parts, solar panels, wind tunnels, etc. These will be good jobs. Tax exempt organizations, city, county, Native American Tribe, etc the government will reimburse between 30% to 70% if you qualify for a clean energy project. The IRS is running the reimbursement. For individual tax credit for many clean energy projects from electric vehicles, used electric vehicles, solar panels, new water heaters etc.. These tax breaks or credit will go to you if you're a household earning less than $250,00. If you want to research what this bill has done for San Diego County go to https://www.whitehouse.gov/invest/?utm_source=www.invest.gov For more information on household tax credits https://www.whitehouse.gov/cleanenergy/ For information on Direct Pay https://www.progressivecaucuscenter.org/direct-pay RL Miller describes Project 2025. Is a blueprint to undo any thing that is good for the country. They would repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, pull the US out of the Paris Agreement and to attack basic climate science. They want to oust career bureaucrats who are qualified and neutral and replace them with Trump appointees who deny climate change. For more information on RL Miller organization go to www.climatehawksvote.com Or to contact RL Miller go to rlm@climatehawksvote.com The next speaker was Trinity Dubrow. She spoke about Project 2025. The section on the Environment Protection Agency. Project 2025 proposes to eliminate or reduce programs or initiatives that they deem inefficient. Rollback regulations and move the responsibilities to the State instead of the Federal Government, streamline the EPA. The Project would stop any grant funding for any environment groups or organizations. Reduce the number of employees in the EPA department and remove the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. Any programs on climate or the environment that California has no other states would be able to adopt these programs for their state. Discussion for the members: How would some of the ways if the nation elects Trump and the Project 2025 is implemented how would these proposed ideas impact the Nation, State and County of San Diego. Please go to https://www.project2025.org/playbook/ for more information. Lauren Cazares, the endorsed LMFDC candidate for La Mesa City Council, announced 2 events. June 1 at Jackson Park from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and June 2, 2024 an event at Tina Rynberg’s home from 2PM to 4PM. laurencazares.com Meeting adjourned by 8:34PM To view the entire meeting please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCk-z4H4ZoE
May Meeting Recap by Rosamond Trujillio Blevins
Spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, aims to prepare for a conservative administration starting in 2025 through a comprehensive strategy focused on policy, personnel, training, and a 180-day action plan. 1. **Policy Agenda**: The project builds on the Heritage Foundation’s "Mandate for Leadership," a detailed policy guide with specific proposals for every major government issue. This guide is designed to provide a blueprint for restructuring federal agencies and implementing conservative policies across various sectors such as the Department of Justice, Department of Education, and Department of Homeland Security . 2. **Personnel Database**: Recognizing the importance of having the right people in place, Project 2025 plans to create a comprehensive database of vetted conservative individuals to serve in the next administration. This effort is aimed at ensuring that skilled and ideologically aligned personnel are ready to implement the proposed policies effectively from day one . 3. **Training**: The Presidential Administration Academy will offer workshops, seminars, and mentorship programs led by experts with previous government experience. This training is intended to prepare these individuals to manage the federal bureaucracy efficiently and align with the conservative agenda [oai_citation:4,Project 2025 | Presidential Transition Project](https://www.project2025.org/) [oai_citation:5,About Project 2025 | Project 2025](https://www.project2025.org/about/about-project-2025/). 4. **180-Day Playbook**: This playbook will outline the specific actions to be taken within the first 180 days of the new administration. It includes concrete transition plans for each federal agency to ensure swift implementation of conservative policies and reforms [oai_citation:6,Playbook | Project 2025](https://www.project2025.org/playbook/). Project 2025 also emphasizes coalition-building within the conservative movement, aiming to unify various conservative organizations behind these initiatives to maximize their impact once the next administration takes office [oai_citation:7,About Project 2025 | Project 2025](https://www.project2025.org/about/about-project-2025/) [oai_citation:8,Policy | Project 2025](https://www.project2025.org/policy/).
June Meeting Preview: Project 2025
About La Mesa Juneteenth
La Mesa Juneteenth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity founded in2022. It is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable community in La Mesa, where education is valued, diversity is celebrated, and positive change is achieved. Through vibrant events, educational initiatives, and collaborative efforts, La Mesa Juneteenth strives to empower individuals, bridge societal gaps, and promote social progress. Its vision is to create a compassionate society that embraces unity, dialogue, and diversity, while providing equal opportunities for education and growth to all community members. MISSION STATEMENT The mission of La Mesa Juneteenth is to empower and uplift the community through inclusive celebrations, educational initiatives, and collaborative efforts. Guided by the principles of unity, diversity, and social justice, the organization is dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. La Mesa Juneteenth is committed to providing educational opportunities that promote historical understanding, cultural appreciation, and social awareness. Through these efforts, the organization aims to inspire positive change, cultivate empathy, and foster a sense of unity among community members. VISION STATEMENT La Mesa Juneteenth envisions an inclusive and harmonious community in La Mesa, where education is valued and accessible to all. Through vibrant events, educational programs, and community partnerships, the organization strives to promote lifelong learning, cultural appreciation, and social progress. La Mesa Juneteenth aspires to bridge societal gaps, empower individuals, and foster a compassionate society that celebrates diversity, encourages dialogue, and achieves lasting positive change. Juneteenth aspires to bridge societal gaps, empower individuals, and foster a compassionate society that celebrates diversity, encourages dialogue, and achieves lasting positive change. The La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club will have a a table and display at the event. Please join us and for more information please text Merrill Perry at 619-820-2199 or Brenda Miller at 858-335-3148
Candidate speeches and picnic
Winning the Next Election by Merrill Perry
As Democrats there are many things that we can and must do to restore our politics and faith in our democratic way of governing. Democrats are different from Republicans in the ways we see our country, the world, and how we picture the future. We Democrats picture our country a much better place than it currently is. We envision our country as ever advancing, improving, caring, and giving. But I don’t think Republicans see things that way. My entire life I have seen Republicans as sucking our country dry. Business and money always come first. And that never seems to be enough for them. The two parties are at great odds. This election cycle I want the Democrats to win (everything), to politically crush the Republicans. Here are a few ways that can be done. 1. Soundly defeat the Republicans---VOTE. 2. Enshrine a woman’s right to control her body (law). 3. People cannot remain indifferent to public affairs. 4. Protect the separation of church and state…no more Sunday services where the preacher tells one how to vote. 5. Ban Campaign contributions from PACs and lobbyists. 6. End the Electoral College. 7. Remove the Federalist Society’s and the Heritage Foundation’s ability to impose their will on our judicial system and our laws. 8. Save our environment. As I said, these are only a few things. Let us get started! Merrill Perry Special Event Coordinator La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club
If you have not renewed your membership or if you want to join our club, please consider paying your dues now. Members of our club as every member are vitally important in reaching our progressive goals. We have collected 2024 dues in November and December 2023 and in January, February, March, April and May 2024. Thank you for your membership. Please join us for our June 5 2024 meeting. Avery Caldwell will be our honored guest speaker . DO NOT MISS THIS! Please bring your completed dues envelope and cash or check to the June 5, 2024 meeting or https://lamesafoothillsdemocraticclub.com/membership-form/ We are proud to say many members have worked in various ways to make a difference in our political landscape. Many members pass on to their family and friends the valuable insights and information received at our meetings As a group we march in parades, have booths at local events, attend fundraiser and work to collaborate with other clubs in an effort to increase Democratic visibility in East County You should take enormous pride in the fact that , as a result of all this hard work by our members, our club was awarded 2016 Club of the Year by the San Diego County Democratic Party Council of Clubs, an honor we shared with the Dan Deigo Democrats for Equality Please consider renewing your membership or join our club today at whatever level you can and continue to work towards a bright future with your friends at the La Mesa Foothills Democratic CLub Katie Sigeti Vice President, Membership
Membership by Katie Sigeti
To all who believe that it is easy to identify candidates for local and other offices in our East County turf, discard that belief, NOW! As one who has been trying to identify candidates for office for more than a decade in our East Area of the San Diego County Democratic Party (SDCDP), I can attest to the difficulty of this task. The sheer size of the area and the number of candidates to be identified is more difficult than anyone knows. Our area includes 31 zip codes, and turf from the eastern boundary of the City of San Diego to the Imperial County line, as well as the international border with Mexico to the Southwestern segment of Riverside County. (Some of the jurisdictions spill into the North Inland area of our SDCDP.) There are 350 offices, to be elected or appointed, in multiple jurisdictions. These include, two members of congress, one state senator, and two assembly members, as well as two county supervisors. There are four incorporated cities, wherein multiple city council members and mayors must be found. In addition, there are a number of special districts, such as 16 education districts, four fire districts, seven water districts, 14 planning districts, one community service district, and one healthcare district. Each jurisdiction has one to 14 members. Fortunately terms are staggered, so only half must be identified every two years. Where incumbent Democrats are serving, there may not necessarily be a need to find replacements. (When Richard Young and I created a spreadsheet of all jurisdictions, we found jurisdictions labeled, sponsorship districts, which have appointed members. We could not find a record of the appointing official. So, those districts are not part of our bi-annual search.) Since one person cannot recruit candidates alone, I and others involved rely on the suggestions of others to help find officials who will work for the common good. Four East Area Democratic clubs often identify candidates and help them campaign. Currently, Candidate Identification and Evaluation Committee co-chairs for our area have been elected by our East Area Caucus. They are Andrea McNew and Steven Jesionka. I still assist them, but I no longer work with little formal support. This is a welcome relief. Currently, we are still searching for candidates for the general election to be held on November 5, 2024. Nearly all of these candidates do not have primary elections, so for most candidates, this will be their single election. All candidates must learn how to mount a winning campaign, including fund-raising to pay for expenses incurred to reach voters. Learning how to run a winning campaign on a short term basis is daunting for newcomers to the process. Our party provides candidate training, YouTube and similar online services. If you would like to become a candidate or know someone who should run for an office, please let me know. My landline contact information is 619-741-6811. My email address is bjbprice@hotmail.com
Candidates: Get Ready to Run by Bonnie Price
My name is Stephen Houlahan and I am running for the United States House of Representatives in California’s 48 District. As a member of Congress I will protect women’s rights to reproductive choice, improve Medicare, ensure Social Security is funded, and protect our Democracy from MAGA authoritarianism. As a Registered Nurse for over 25 years, I understand the importance of a woman’s right to reproductive choice. Women’s Rights must be enshrined in the United States Constitution. I also know expensive insurance premiums for limited medical coverage and astronomically high medication costs are unacceptable. My health care expertise makes me uniquely qualified to address the shortfalls of our complex health care system. This election will be decided based on the Economy. President Biden inherited an economy on the brink of total collapse. Through Progressive Legislation including the CARES Act and The Build Back Better Act, the United States economy is the strongest in the world. I will use my formal business training to ensure good economic stewardship that benefits all Americans. As a former Santee City Council Member and Vice-Mayor, I have the experience to lead. I brought Term Limits, protected the General Plan from sprawl development, prioritized infrastructure and roads, redeveloped parks and trails, and put “Neighborhoods First”. I am a child of the United States Armed Forces who has lived my entire life in this community. My family has a long tradition of service in the United States Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. I only ask that you support me in my campaign to continue my family’s tradition of service by sending me to Congress. The 118th United States Congress has proven to be the least productive in over a century. The time has come to elect a Representative willing to put aside personal gain, represent all citizens equality, and uphold the United States Constitution. Come celebrate at our Primary Victory Picnic Sunday June 2nd at West Hills Park, 8790 Mast Blvd, Santee 92071, from 8:30 to 12:30 pm. Enjoy the sounds of the Resizters from 9:00 to 11:00 am. We will also be hosting the Allied Climbers of San Diego’s Graffiti Abatement/Community Clean-Up at the Santee Boulder Fields. Sincerely, Stephen Houlahan www.electhoulahan.com (619) 549-0322
Stephen Houlahan, US House Candidate
What is International Children's Month (ICM)? June is International Children's Month, celebrated annually. The mission behind ICM is for all the children on Earth to live in love, care, and respect. A new thematic platform is introduced each year to promote love, care, and respect for all children worldwide. Various activities and initiatives focus on children's well-being and rights this month. For 2024, the theme is Co-Creating the New Story, the Story of Enough. This year, many ugly things around the world have affected children. The pain and misery have been unabating. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNCF), formally known as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) the number of countries experiencing violent conflict with children has risen. More than 30 million children have been displaced as a result of disputes brought by nature or humans. These conflicts, by no choice of their own, have led children to be enslaved, trafficked, abused, and exploited from Afghanistan to Mali, South Sudan, Yemen, Ukraine, and Palestine. The United States (US) is not excluded from this enslavement, trafficked, abuse, and exploitation. The US has been on the radar for maltreatment of children. In 2021, an estimated 600,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect. According to the National Children's Alliance, the actual number of children abused was likely underreported due to the COVID-19 "stay at home" mandate. In the same year, an estimated 1820 children died from abuse and neglect. In 2023, a rise in forced labor and human trafficking increased due to cyber scam operations that thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic. The role of UNCF is to protect the rights of every child, especially the most disadvantaged. The UN General Assembly created UNCF on December 11, 1946, to protect the rights of every child globally. UNCF has expanded across more than 190 countries and territories. The organization provides emergency food and healthcare to children and mothers in counties devastated by World War II. The UNCF story for International Children's Month is co-creating the story that there is enough for all. "We are each powerful, especially when we lead with our hearts. On that note, how will you add your voice? Let us be mindful of how we speak to ourselves, then how we speak to family and friends, and then to our community and our world. What a gift! using each and every word as power...There will come a day when people of all races, colors, and creeds will put aside their differences. They will come together in love, joining hands in unification, to heal the Earth and all Her children." Brenda Miller, Ph. D, RN, CLNC, PHN (she, her, hers)
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International Children Co-Create the New Story 2024 by Brenda Miller
Upcoming Events
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The La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club represents the communities of San Carlos, Del Cerro, Santee, La Mesa, Mt. Helix, Allied Gardens, College Area, Casa de Oro, and other nearby communities. Monthly meetings of the La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club typically feature office holders, candidates for office, community leaders and subject matter experts.
Tina Rynberg President
About the Club...
Janet Castanos Trinity Dubrow
OFFICERS President: Tina Rynberg Vice President, Membership: Katie Sigeti Vice President, Political Action: Chris Pearson Vice President, Programming: Brenda Miller Secretary: Rosamond Blevins Treasurer: Gene Mullaly Assistant Treasurer: Rosamond Blevins Special Events Coordinator: Merrill Perry Past President: Linda Armacost
La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club Claude and Beverly Cassirer, Founders