Greetings Staunton Democrats and Happy Halloween ! My scary Halloween costume this year is Ben Cline ! Enclosed are more news, opportunities, future and past event details, and pleadings for volunteers and funds and whatever else we think of. We hope you will look forward to this post every Monday and use it to keep fighting for our democratic values and dedication to all members of our communities. If you wish to submit information to be published by the SDC then please email the information to publicity@staunton-democrats.care . We can publish to the blog weekly, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) more frequently. Please send all comments and feedback to publicity@staunton-democrats.care . And now for the show ! This week: Opportunities and calls for action ! The SDC Candidate Forum for the Win ! VOTE ! Our Democracy at Stake ! Events SDC Coffee The SDC blog - NEW Posts ! What is a living wage for Staunton ? News from our friends Ben Cline (Sigh!) Jennifer Lewi
Greetings Staunton Democrats and Happy Halloween !
My scary Halloween costume this year is Ben Cline !
Enclosed are more news, opportunities, future and past event details, and pleadings for volunteers and funds and whatever else we think of. We hope you will look forward to this post every Monday and use it to keep fighting for our democratic values and dedication to all members of our communities.
If you wish to submit information to be published by the SDC then please email the information to publicity@staunton-democrats.care . We can publish to the blog weekly, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) more frequently. Please send all comments and feedback to publicity@staunton-democrats.care .
And now for the show !
This week:
Opportunities and calls for action !
The SDC Candidate Forum for the Win !
VOTE !
Our Democracy at Stake !
Events
SDC Coffee
The SDC blog - NEW Posts !
What is a living wage for Staunton ?
News from our friends
Ben Cline (Sigh!)
Jennifer Lewis (YAY !)
Staunton City Council and School Board races
Opportunities and Calls for Action !
ANYTHING That You Can Do Is Helpful !
Join an SDC Committee (SDC membership is required)
The Jennifer Lewis for Congress campaign needs volunteers to help. Get in touch with Peri Price at peri@friendsofjenniferlewis.
The SDC Candidate Forum for the Win !
The SDC sponsored non-partisan Candidate Forum was an incredible success on September 13, 2022 ! We learned a lot about the candidate positions and I, for one, am a better informed citizen as a result.
The SDC Candidate Forum video is located here.
VOTE !
Since the 15th, 19th, 24th and 26th Amendments to the Constitution guarantee a right to VOTE, I think we ought to exercise that right !
Early Voting started September 23, 2022 and continues through November 5, 2022.
Early Voting Hours: 9-5, M-F located in the Staunton City Hall Lobby at 116 W. Beverley St
OPEN Saturday from 9-5 for Early Voting on October 29, 2022 and November 5, 2022
- Track your mail-in ballot - go to the bottom of the linked page and fill out the Ballot Scout information.
After you enjoy yourself at the SDC Coffee, you can wander down to City Hall and VOTE EARLY !
Send your selfies after you vote with your “I Voted” sticker visible to: publicity@staunton-democrats.care and we may post them in this newsletter and blog !
More voters !
Our Democracy at Stake !
The best thing that you can do is vote and tell everyone you know to vote (as long as they vote for Jennifer Lewis !)
Events !
Election Day ! November 8. You know what to do.
Volunteer as a poll greeter for Jenifer Lewis - Sign up here !
SDC Coffee at Serendipity – NEW DAY ! Serendipity has changed their hours so we have changed the date and time of the SDC Coffee to:
The first and third Thursdays from 9-11 AM. The next SDC Coffee is on Thursday November 3.
What could be better than sitting at a local coffee shop with a great cup of their fresh brew (supplied by the SDC) and talking to compatriots about the news of the day.
I have been attending the SDC Coffee at Serendipity Java Bar and Eatery since I joined the SDC in May 2022 and have met wonderful people and learned much in the subsequent discussions.
This happens on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 9-11 AM.
Donations are welcome to help pay for the coffee or you can order something else for yourself (including food).
Serendipity is located at https://bit.ly/3Pru44b .
After you enjoy yourself at the SDC Coffee, you can wander down to City Hall and VOTE EARLY !
From Staunton Visioning - Election Day is a month away. On that day, about half of Staunton's Voters will likely vote. You can help by taking a shift as a poll greater at the Ward of your choice! Click the link below to sign up-bring a friend. We will provide all the supplies you need including literature for the local candidates etc (working on a canopy, table and chairs at each location). Thank you in advance for taking the time to help move Staunton forward.
The SDC Blog
The SDC blog is coming along slowly but nicely. There are 6 sections.
Learning from our Readers - NEW POST ! - We are now publishing letters to the editor from our readers. Three letters just this week. Go read them to appreciate our fellow local Democrats.
Staunton Democrats Speak ! - this section is more issue specific and currently has articles like “Vote Like Your Pants Are On Fire !” and “Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, is my HERO !”
Ben Cline. Where’s the beef ? - this section is dedicated to the appalling and anemic performance of our current VA 6th District Congressional Representative. With your help we can retire this section on November 9, 2022. Snippets of his record will occur weekly in this Email with more discussion of the bills and vote on the SDC blog.
Thoughts from Yvonne Surette - Yvonne is a well known local columnist who always (to use a basketball reference) swishes her jumpshots.
Democratic achievements - Democrats are generally humble people and think more about the world as a whole rather than just themselves. Thus, we are generally very bad at tooting our own horn when we do something good. Talking points included.
Community Voices - In this section the Staunton Democrats hope to soon publish content from users and organizations from the Staunton area that have a unique perspective on life and where they fit into the American melting pot. There are many voices that are not often heard so we hope to help them ! This may include contributions from the LGBTQ community, from younger voters, those who are struggling to help others and those who are just struggling. We want to hear about your lived experience. Knowing and caring about our neighbors better is why we are Democrats.
New Section coming - a section called something like “Thoughts from the Chair” does not encourage you to be sedentary but gives us the insights of the SDC Chairperson.
Of course I am going to ask for volunteers and writers and any ideas and feedback you may have.
The SDC blog is at https://blog.sawdemocrats.care
What is a Living Wage for Staunton ?
MIT has a living wage calculator - you can check what a living wage should be in Staunton or other communities across the country. The link will take you to the data for Staunton.
News from our friends
From Cindy Connors at the Staunton Visioning Coalition Steering Committee:
Greetings all !
With just over two weeks until early voting begins, our candidates Alice, Brad, Michele, Fontella, Kristin and Stephanie need our active support. What can you do ? We have lots of great suggestions! Don't stop reading here...check them all out and choose the best ones for you.
Volunteer on Election Day:
The Staunton Visioning Coalition plans to have a table/information supporting our candidates at each voting location.
We need volunteer "Captains" to adopt each of the 5 polling locations to assist with volunteer recruitment, set up and clean up.
We need pairs of volunteers to work two hour shifts (with the exception of the first shift). 6-9am, 9-11am, 11am-1pm, 1-3pm, 3-5pm, 5-7pm
We need canopies and tables.
The locations are:
Ward 1 Third Presbyterian Church 1313 Barterbrook Rd
Ward 2 Christ United Methodist Church 1500 Churchville Ave
Ward 3 Gypsy Hill Park Gym 229 116th Regimental Rd
Ward 4 Seventh Day Adventist Church 1000 North Coalter St
Ward 5 Memorial Baptist Church 224 Taylor St
RSVP to stauntonvisioningcoalition@gmail.com if you are interested in Captaining a location (we have a captain for Ward 4). A sign-up sheet will be sent at a later date for the shifts, but we are happy to hear from you now if you are interested.
Educate yourselves on all the candidates:
There have been several articles in the Augusta Free Press (no need for a subscription), hopefully they will cover all the candidates soon.
Alice Woods: https://augustafreepress.com/woods-seeks-to-bring-unity-of-purpose-to-staunton-city-council/
Eric Curren: https://augustafreepress.com/why-would-anybody-want-to-run-for-staunton-city-council-erik-curren-gives-his-reasons/
Brad Arrowood: https://augustafreepress.com/talk-about-the-city-we-want-brad-arrowood-runs-for-staunton-city-council/
Michele Edwards https://augustafreepress.com/focus-on-good-governance-michele-edwards-is-running-for-staunton-city-council/
Yvonne Wilson https://augustafreepress.com/diversity-of-ideas-yvonne-wilson-is-running-for-staunton-city-council/
Communicate your support for our candidates
Door Knock - the number one way to help candidates earn more votes
Donate - help them pay for materials to connect with donors
Write your own letter to the editor - News Virginian is currently the only paper we are aware of doing LTEs - https://newsvirginian.com/site/forms/online_services/letter_editor/
Share your support on your social media pages - write your own post or share from their sites
Reach out directly to the campaigns and offer assistance:
Ben Cline (sigh!)
This section of the SDC Weekly Email has been voted the hands down favorite of our readers ! Not really but like a fender bender on the highway you cannot avert your eyes from Ben Cline’s appalling voting record !
More detailed information about Ben Cline’s voting record is located on our Staunton Democrats Speak ! Blog – Ben Cline has his own section called “Ben Cline. Where’s the beef ?”
Here is a compilation of what we know about Ben Cline so far based on his voting record - What does it tell you ?
One of our readers got this email from Ben Cline who notes (the main portions below):
Growing up here, the Shenandoah Valley shaped my values and gave me purpose—fighting to keep Virginia the best state to live in and raise a family. I'm running for reelection to continue to defend our liberties and conservative values from the radical left and elitist millionaires like Nancy Pelosi.
The people in power aren't working for us. We need checks and balances in Washington and we need a conservative fighter who will look out for you and your interests. I've led the fight against Pelosi's massive tax hikes, the Squad's Green New Deal scheme, and Joe Biden's bloated bureaucracy.
We need to act and we need to act quickly. Here's what we do—we choose to wake up every day and fight for our rights and for our prosperity, and that includes voting REPUBLICAN RED this November.
What he does not say …
What he does not offer is a plan. It is easy to criticize but much harder to work out an effective plan. By the way:
High Taxes - Republicans gave away over 2 trillion in tax benefits to the wealthy in 2017 that did not benefit the low and middle class.
Isn’t inflation the same thing as “skyrocketing costs” ? Does he mention that inflation is a world wide problem that is a result of many factors including the wild ride during the pandemic. What is the plan to reduce inflation all over the world Ben Cline ?
“Reckless spending” - really ? Where were the Republican complaints about reckless spending when you gave away the 2017 tax cuts to the wealthy in 2017 ? What he really means is that he wants to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
“Career Politicians” - he is running for a 3rd term.
“Rising crime” - did you know that the highest crime and murder capital in California is Bakersfiled ? And who is the Congressman from Bakersfield ? Cline’s boss in the House - Speaker McCarthy. The highest rates of crime in the US are primarily in Republican states.
“Defund the police” ? I seem to remember many Republicans shouting “Defund the FBI” after the lawful search of Mar-a-lago in August 2022. There has NEVER been a Democrat who has suggested defunded the police and Biden has publicly called for “FUNDING” the police.
Here is the reader’s response:
Dear Congressman Benjamin Cline,
Quote from you “Voting is one of the most important things you can do in life…..” I agree.
_______________________WHAT IS NOT WORKING FOR ME?_______________________
VOTING RIGHTS and DEMOCRACY are not protected when voter intimidation is active and permitted in the current election. Republicans did not support the latest Voter Protection Act. “Instead 19 stated enacted 34 laws restricting access to voting”. Quote from brennancenter.org
STANDARD OF CARE for women is not being met after the overturn of Roe vs Wade and passage of “trigger laws” in Republican led states. There is real confusion about what care is legal and when that care is legal. When women are respected and equal, they have control of their own body instead of local politicians. A precedent right has been taken away from me. Do you support even more restrictions on women such as a National ban on abortions? The answer is simple…Yes or No!
VIOLENCE INCREASES because of the “BIG LIE”, while you and other election officials have lacked the courage to speak out against this behavior. Jan 6, insurrection, continuous threats on poll workers, and most recently attack on Paul Pelosi with the attacker using an old chant from Capitol attack, “Where is Nancy?” are several examples of the increased violence.
(You did not vote for The American Rescue Plan, where money was appropriated to states to use as needed…their choice. If there was a bill in Congress to Defund the Police, please send me that information. I do know there was a bill for improving interactions between police and citizens. You voted No.)
SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE are on the chopping block for elimination. I do not support this future action. DO YOU? The answer is simple…Yes or No!
I also grew up in Shenandoah Valley and learned my values from home, church, school, and community. I want QUICK ACTION to SUPPORT our DEMOCRACY. My vote will reflect my values without threatening your personal values. I will cast my vote for candidates who “walk the walk” and who do not just “talk the talk”.
HOPING FOR A BETTER FUTURE IN VIRGINIA!
Remember to vote BLUE in Roevember !
Jennifer Lewis
The October 1 debate between Jennifer and Cline can be viewed on her facebook page.
More about Jennifer at:
Staunton City Council and School Board Races
The Staunton Newsleader has summary profiles of some of the Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro School Board candidates.
Thanks for reading !
If you have any suggestions or corrections then please email to publicity@staunton-democrats.care and put Feedback for Weekly Email 10/31/22 in the subject line.
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