Help St. Joseph County Indiana Democrats With Act Blue

Written by: Dustin Blythe on May 21, 2008 8:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Indiana, Indiana Progressives, Training Academy Alumni, Class of 2007

We recently had quite a bit of presidential activity here with both the Clinton and Obama campaigns in town for about six weeks.  Each group had occasion to use our county headquarters and each commented on how lucky we are to have a permanent headquarters located in the heart of downtown South Bend.  I realize how fortunate we are.  Just here in Indiana I know of many communities that do not have the funds to have a permanent headquarters.  When election time runs around the Democratic Party rents space on a short term basis then has to turn around and move out after election day. 

However, keeping a headquarters up and running is not easy.  It takes time, dedication and money.  The first two we have plenty of; we need help with the third.  That is why I have set up an Act Blue page for donations to the St. Joseph County Democratic Party:

http://www.actblue.com/page/stjoeindianademocrats

 

Read more

DFA Training: Highly recommended

Written by: Dustin Blythe on May 14, 2007 11:54 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Michiana for Democracy

This past weekend I attended the DFA training session in Bloomington Indiana along with three other members of the Michiana chapter of Democracy for America.  If you have not yet attended a DFA training session near you, I recommend that you do.  Whether you are interested in running a political campaign, running for office yourself, running a issue advocacy campaign or just volunteering for your local party the skills and knowledge you pick up at a training seminar will make you more effective and better prepared.  I have worked on two Congressional campaigns and I learned new and better ways to do things while I was at DFA training. 

 

Please check into attending a training session near you.  The Democratic Party needs more trained volunteers and workers! 

DFA Training: Highly recommended!

Written by: Dustin Blythe on May 13, 2007 11:29 PM EDT

I just got back from my weekend attending DFA training in Bloomington, Indiana.  If anyone reading this has not yet attended a DFA training session, please consider doing so.  This is a two day course that really shows you what to do and how to do it if you are considering anything political in your future, from running a Congressional campaign to running an issue advocacy campaign.  The instructors were fun and knowledgeable, we got a great textbook and got to spend the weekend with a bunch of fellow Deaniacs, DFA members, progressives, liberals and activists. 

 Check out Democracy For America to find a training session near you.

The American Dream: why I'm sticking with Edwards

Written by: Dustin Blythe on May 9, 2007 11:39 PM EDT

Cleaning up in New Orleans after Katrina.

The $400 haircut.  The hedge fund job.  The lavish home in North Carolina.  Every time one of these revelations hits the papers I find myself playing defense with my friends, defending my support for John Edwards.  The first thing I tell them is "don't get distracted by the shiny object", meaning keep your eye on the big picture.  I stand by John Edwards because although he has done very well in life and may, in reality, be on a par with Mitt Romney in terms of personal wealth, he is still talking about a country where everyone has the same chances he has had.  The American Dream: to start with next to nothing and make it big, with or without a lottery ticket.

Meanwhile in status symbol land... "Everyone has access to health care, that is what emergency rooms are for." Actual quote by my former Congressman, a Republican worth $50 million.

Fence of a gated community. What are these people afraid of?

How many of you reading this know of people in your area who one would consider "well off" that are talking about eliminating poverty or empowering the middle class?  I am not talking about writing a check twice a year.  How many of them are running for public office and subjecting themselves and their lives to public scrutiny?  

Read more

Michiana DFA Statement on Presidential Veto (5/2/07)

Written by: Dustin Blythe on May 2, 2007 11:40 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Michiana for Democracy

The Michiana chapter of Democracy for America deplores the action taken by President Bush toward the Iraq funding bill.  Not only does his veto reflect a denial of the people's will, communicated through their elected representatives, it reflects a denial of military reality and a lack of leadership from the Commander in Chief.  Various experts have shown that any meaningful effort to quell the violence in Iraq would take either a surge of at least 200,000 additional troops or a timely, measured withdrawal to pressure the Iraqi government to take charge of their own affairs.  The President and his advisors continue to attempt to prosecute what they have called "the greatest struggle of our time" with too few troops while ignoring that the ultimate solution to the problems in Iraq lies with the Iraqi people and their elected officials, not at the end of an American bayonet.

The next step is up to members of the House and Senate.  We urge all members of Congress to come together for a new Iraq strategy: pull our troops out of this civil war, give our valiant men and women the support they need at home and abroad, refocus on keeping America safe and engage the world community to help support the Iraqi government in it's struggle toward true independence.  Override the President's veto and show REAL support for our troops: an end to stop loss orders, repeated deployments and an incoherent "strategy".

One last push: countywide blitz

Written by: Dustin Blythe on Oct 23, 2006 6:39 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Michiana for Democracy

This upcoming Saturday and Sunday, October 28th and 29th, the Joe Donnelly campaign is sponsoring a final door to door effort before the Get Out The Vote operation (November 4th-7th). Volunteers will be leaving from Democratic Headquarters in South Bend to walk vital precincts in South Bend and Mishawaka. This is our best way to counter the numerous attack ads from Chocola and to present a true picture of the real Joe Donnelly. Can you give a few hours to bring a change to Washington, change Indiana from "Red" state to a "Blue" state and help Democratic candidates throughout the ticket?

For more information, please call 574-233-1601

Final volunteer meeting and GOTV

Written by: Dustin Blythe on Oct 23, 2006 1:36 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Michiana for Democracy

Well it has been two long years and we are almost there. We are 15 days away from one of the biggest elections this state has seen in years. There are three major congressional races in Indiana that, if won, will turn Indiana from a "red" state to a "blue" state practically overnight and the race in the 2nd district is one of them. That means increased prestige on the national political map and increased attention for the 2008 presidential election.

On Monday October 30th at 6pm the Joe Donnelly campaign will host the final volunteer meeting of the election season. Donnelly's staff will explain what is needed, where and when for the final push to election day. The meeting will take place at Democratic Headquarters, located in downtown South Bend at the corner of Lafayette and Jefferson.

One of the great needs to ensure a successful election day is a strong Get Out The Vote effort (GOTV). The Donnelly campaign is currently recruiting volunteers to fill phone banks located throughout South Bend and Mishawaka to contact as many Democratic voters as possible. There are various times and places available each day; please consider giving up to ten hours over the four day period to guarantee strong Democratic turnout.

For more details on these events, please call 574-233-1601

This election is about more than Joe Donnelly. It is about checking George Bush's power. It is about checking Mitch Daniels' power and it is about putting a stop to the Republican party's reckless and dangerous policies in the U.S. and Indiana. Can you give a few hours over fifteen days to do your part?

Indianapolis Star endorses Donnelly

Written by: Dustin Blythe on Oct 17, 2006 8:00 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Michiana for Democracy

2nd District
Supporters of Rep. Chris Chocola are crying foul that he's taking blame for the leasing of the Indiana Toll Road to a private entity, an unpopular move in the Northern Indiana district.
But challenger Joe Donnelly is right to argue that a congressperson should at least have spoken up informally about the momentous deal involving an interstate highway, even if the federal government was not directly involved.
Making his second consecutive run at the Republican two-term incumbent, Democrat Donnelly could benefit enough from the Toll Road controversy and another state issue, daylight-saving time, to close the narrow margin by which he lost in 2004. Dissatisfaction with the national GOP and with the Iraq war also is behind one of the nation's closest congressional races.
At the same time, Donnelly, a well-spoken Mishawaka businessman and former State Election Board member, brings many positives of his own to the table, including sound, moderate positions on extrication from Iraq, immigration control and taxation. While Chocola in his brief tenure has established himself as an advocate for small business and fiscal sense, Donnelly is the better choice between two worthy candidates.

*These comments were written by the Indianapolis Star editorial board and appeared in the October 15th edition of the Star, following interviews between Joe Donnelly, Chris Chocola and the editors.

Expanding our universe

Written by: Dustin Blythe on Aug 27, 2006 11:58 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Michiana for Democracy

Friends and members,

As election day quickly approaches (we are under 75 days out) more and more of our friends, neighbors and co-workers will be preparing themselves for the final push to November 7th. As you may know, most people do not make their decisions until the final weeks before an election. In this area, in this environment, the choices are clear to us, but must be made clear to everyone we know or care about. With that in mind, I am urging all DFA-LINK members to work to bring more people into our monthly meetings. We have a great core group of active members, but in the end, it is the number of undecided/independent voters that we can sway, and the action we take, that will make the difference. Our next meeting is September 6th.

Also, as Democratic Headquarters becomes more and more frenzied the closer we get to November, should we consider another venue for our meetings? Think of the pros and cons of potential meeting places and we will decide at our next meeting. One advantage of meeting at a more public place is exposure and the possibility of attracting new members who may stumble upon our merry band. We should consider whether a potential venue is conducive to a productive meeting, however. Some past meeting places have a lot of background noise that makes it difficult to speak and be heard clearly. Let's talk about this on September 6th, 7pm, Democratic HQ. See you then!

Dustin Blythe

Joe Donnelly: supported and attacked; all before June 1st

Written by: Dustin Blythe on Jun 5, 2006 6:21 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Michiana for Democracy

There is an old adage in politics: the earlier your opponent starts attacking, the more desperate they must be. I do not know much, but May 31st seems pretty early in the campaign season to issue an attack ad. Nevertheless, that is precisely what Chris Chocola did. The televison ad cited vague comments from the Kokomo Tribune and Elkhart Truth that claimed Joe Donnelly would immediately raise taxes upon election to Congress. This attack ad makes more sense when taken in context with the story on MSNBC's website earlier in May on Karl Rove's proposed strategy to combat low approval ratings for the Republican controlled Congress. Rove planned to appeal to the conservative base's greatest fears by portraying a Democratic controlled Congress as one consumed with investigations and impeachment proceedings, a rollback of the President's tax cuts and a hasty withdrawal from Iraq. As a matter of fact, Chocola reportedly stated on May 2nd (the night both he and Joe Donnelly won their primary races) that "Joe Donnelly would raise taxes and raise the white flag [in Iraq]). While it is some comfort to see that Chris Chocola continues to be a predictable rubberstamp of Bush and Rove, it also is a sad reminder that he is hopelessly out of touch and more reliant on direction from D.C. than ever.

On a more positive note, on May 31st former Rep. Tim Roemer came to Mishawaka to throw his support behind Joe Donnelly and aid his campaign with a fundraiser. Roemer was warmly received and roused the audience with a stunning indictment of the Bush administration's failures to this point, ending with a call for a change in Washington (specifically Indiana's 2nd district representative). As a member of the 9/11 commission, Roemer was uniquely qualified to comment on the continuing failure of the government to address the national security shortcomings pointed out in the 9/11 commission report. As Roemer said, to be this unprepared almost five years after 9/11 is unexcusable. Add to this the government's failure to respond adequately to the Katrina disaster and you have a picture of a government that cannot sufficiently protect it's citizens. The situation after Katrina was so bleak that Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world, offered $50,000 to the United States to aid in disaster relief. Is this what the United States has been reduced to? We can do better, and will, with more people like Joe Donnelly serving in Congress.