Behind closed doors with a group of his wealthy donors, Mitt Romney disdainfully insults and writes off half of the country. As a candidate for President of the United States, Mitt Romney shockingly declared to a group of wealthy donors that nearly half of the American people – 47 percent – view themselves as “victims,” entitled to handouts, and unwilling to take “personal responsibility” for their lives. It’s hard to be president of all the people when you write off half of them. Please see Mother Jones’ exclusive video of Mitt Romney’s behind closed door remarks. But here are the facts on the Americans Romney dismisses – an overwhelmingly majority of whom are seniors, working families, students or people with disabilities.Read More »ROMNEY INSULTS, WRITES OFF HALF THE COUNTRY
Convention days were filed with caucus and other Democratic group meetings, including a meeting of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute on Sept. 6, 2012. We are happy to feature a guest column by Susan Dosier, a communications specialist who attended the meeting.
The Democratic Party and A Host of Voter Groups Needs Volunteers To Help Fight Against Attacks On Voter Rights
Donna Brazile kicks off Voting Rights Panel (photo credit – Steve Bunn)
A line-up of political rock stars, including actress America Ferrera, Donna Brazile, Congressman Steny Hoyer, Georgia Representative John Lewis, MSNBC talk show host Melissa Harris Perry, and others gathered to focus on what many at the Convention still find incredulous: the narrowing of criteria that allow Americans to vote.
At issue: 25 percent of Americans don’t have a government-issued ID. (Several new laws require as multiple forms of identification in order for someone to register to vote.) For example, in Texas, you can register to vote with an National Rifle Association permit, but the state will not accept a photo ID from a community college.
Melissa Harris Perry moderated a panel with leaders who are working in each of their constituent groups (African Americans, organized labor, youth, Latinos, and more) to help the audience understand what’s happening, what’s being done, and how they can help. Many of the restrictive voting laws passed target African-Americans, Hispanics, young voters, seniors, and people with disabilities.
“I’ve never seen anything like this!” Donna Brazile told the group. The same sentiment was heard from many in the room.
The Democratic Party State Central Committee met in Fredericksburg yesterday and chose a primary to nominate our state-wide candidates for 2013, opposed the Constitutional Amendment… Read More »DPVA Central Committee Meeting 9/2012
DPVA Chair Brian Moran, Secretary Steve Bunn, Vice Chair Gaylene Kanoyton
The Democratic Party of Virginia held a very substantive Steering Committee meeting last night, focused primarily on the tasks necessary over the next 53 days to elect Barack Obama, Tim Kaine, and our Congressional candidates. The Committee also voted to recommend to the full Central Committee that the Party chose its 2013 nominees for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Atty. General by primary, and oppose this fall’s constitutional amendment regarding eminent domain. The full Central Committee meeting this morning. Some highlights of last night’s meeting.Read More »DPVA Steering Committee Meets – 53 Days to Election
Here are the reports of the 2012 Democratic National Convention Credentials and Rules Committees, and the final Platform (with the floor amendments). When those amendments… Read More »#DNC2012 Credentials, Rules, Platform Reports
Darn. Although a severe storm would pose a real problem and at least we know where we are going. DNCC Announces Thursday’s Convention Proceedings Will… Read More »#DNC2012 – Moving Indoors for Thursday
Thanks to Matt at DemConWatch, here is the proposed platform and the Tuesday schedule. There will be pre-convention caucus meetings in the morning and afternoon, (and a lunch or reception or two), but the session starts at 5 pm. The first major business is adoption of Credentials, Rules, and Platform reports. Then there will be a Jimmy Carter video and speeches. Starting at 10 pm, the convention will hear from Md. Gov. Martin O’Malley, Keynoter San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, and First Lady Michelle Obama. The Convention adjourns at 11, to be followed by a party or two. Full schedule below
We have posted many stories on the 2012 GOP voter suppression efforts – in response, the Democratic Party needs to have a four part strategy… Read More »Protect and Promote the Vote 2012
A recent “analysis of 2,068 alleged election-fraud cases since 2000 shows that while fraud has occurred, the rate is infinitesimal, and in-person voter impersonation on Election Day, which prompted 37 state legislatures to enact or consider tough voter ID laws, is virtually non-existent.” The Study’s authors began “data-gathering effort in January 2012 by reviewing the more than 300 cases of alleged voter fraud collected by the Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA). For years, the RNLA has been urging strict voter-identification laws on the grounds of massive amounts of voter fraud, and in 2011 the organization released a survey of voter fraud cases in America. However, the News21 analysis showed that the RNLA cases, now totaling about 375 cases, consisted mainly of newspaper articles about a range of election issues, with little supporting evidence of actual in-person voter fraud.” In contrast to the few and far between fraud cases, new voter ID requirements could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters. “According to Pennsylvania’s Department of State and the Department of Transportation, as many as 758,000 people, about 9 percent of the state’s 8.2 million registered voters currently don’t have the identification that now will be required at the polling place.” Read the article here.Read More »New Study: Little Voter Fraud, Great Disenfranchisement
Reposting a message from Isaac Sarver, President of the Virginia Young Democrats, from earlier this summer: On June 8th, 1932, Young Democratsand leaders of the… Read More »Celebrate 80 Years of the VYDs
Recently I was fortunate enough to meet with the leadership of the Italian American Democratic Leadership Council, and members of the Italian Parliament representing the… Read More »Italian Democrats
Last week, the Virignia State Board of Elections rejected a challenge brought by the Romney campaign to the Voter Participation Center’s campaign to register new voters. Here is the Statement from Page Gardner, President and Founder of the Voter Participation Center August 6, 2012:Read More »VA SBE Rejects Romney Voter Challenge
Mitch Stewart of OFA sent out an email this afternoon re signing up to obtain credentials for the Thursday night stadium nomination of President Obama. … Read More »Convention Credentials through OFA
Donna Brazile, the DNC Vice Chair for Voter Registration and Participation recently gave an inspiring talk at a Voter Protection Litigation Update sponsored by the DNC… Read More »Voter Protection Litigation Update
As the DNCC announces the speaking schedule for convention we will try to keep you informed. At this point we know the following: The First… Read More »#DNC2012 Speaker Updates
The 2012 Democratic National Convention’s first ever mobile app offers yet another opportunity for Americans to engage and participate in this convention. In this app,… Read More »Get the Democratic National Convention App
