July 2015 Events for the Gregg County Dems: Join Us!

GREGG COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY

PO BOX 1011, Longview TX 75606 903 295-4040

greggcountydemocrats.com

CALENDAR

July 2015

7/1 NET Vets* 11:30AM-1PM Gregg Co. Resource Ctr on Pine Tree Rd

7/4 THE July 4TH Celebration 10AM-10PM Longview Exhibit Bldg. (We will be there)

7/14 CEC* mtg 6PM-7PM DTMP on Cotton Street

7/14 NAACP Gala 7PM-10PM Summit Club on Judson Rd (tickets available) 

7/21 OFA 6:30PM-7:30PM DTMP on Cotton St

NET Vets Northeast Texas Veterans Coalition

DTMP Downtown Meeting Place. 315 Cotton Street

OFA Organizing for Action (President Obama issue advocacy group)

If you have any questions or additions, contact Jim Cogar, Chair of the Gregg County Democrats

903-295-4040 or jlcogar3@aol.com

Hope to see many of you there!

Come Join the Party: March Brings Events to Enjoy!

GREGG COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY

PO BOX 1011, Longview TX 75606 903 295-4040

greggcountydemocrats.com

CALENDAR FOR MARCH 2015

Hello all and welcome to March! I guess that means that Spring is not too far off, so why is there so much white stuff hanging around and why is the grass green all around it?

We have some elections coming up and sadly not all positions available are being contested. Make sure you get out and vote!! It is important to remember that who we elect to our local boards makes as much impact to our daily lives as any individual we send to Austin or DC.

Hope to see you all sometime this month and keep those letters, comments, and likes coming in.

Jim Cogar, Chair of the Gregg County Democrats
jlcogar3@aol.com

Mar 2 Unity and Diversity Committee: Noon at the Longview Public Library

Mar 3 Longview Metro Chamber 5:30 Pm at Eddie Towles on Gilmer Rd

Mar 9 SIGNS Committee meets Noon at Tammy Cromer-Campbell's studio on Center St.

Mar 10 GCDP Executive Committee meets 6 PM at the Downtown Meeting Place on Cotton St. (DTMP)

Mar 11 PFLAG meets 7 PM at Woodland Christian Ch on FM 1844

Mar 17 OFA meets 6 PM at DTMP on Cotton St.

Mar 19 NAACP Meets 6:30 PM at DTMP on Cotton St.

Mar 20 NAACP Game Night 7 PM at Broughton Recreation Ctr, MLK Blvd

Mar 23 SIGNS Committee meets Noon at TCC Studio on Center St

Mar 24 Mayoral Debate by "We the People" 7 PM  location TBD

Mar 28 ET 2nd Annual Colors for Courage Broughton Park Recreation Center

(this is a fun/walk and Rally benefitting ET Lupus autoimmune and invisible diseases organizations.)

Mar 30 Mayoral Debate hosted by the LNJ and Chamber of Commerce  7 PM location TBD

Lots of fun and informative activities, join us whenever you are able.

A Letter from James Cogar: Updates for the Gregg County Dems

GREGG COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY
PO BOX 1011, Longview TX 75606 903 295-4040

greggcountydemocrats.com

Hello all, welcome to February and don't be too down, it will warm up soon. And that leads me into my first topic for the day, the environment.

For those of you who are or are not scientists but share my concern about the future, I would let you know that here in Longview, we have a group who are working on that subject with respect to the climate. That would be the SIGNS Committee who meet twice a month, at noon on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. We can always use more members who are interested in the issues of environmental justice, alternate and sustainable energy sources, clean air and water, etc. If you are such an individual, please join us at Tammy Cromer-Campbell's studio on Center St and lend a hand. Also I would direct you to insideclimatenews.org which has many stories about what is happening in the world of energy, climate change, activist activity, and has won a Pulitzer Prize for reporting. This is not some "tree hugger" site, but one that is filled with good information. Check it out.

Next, my usual plea for you to join me and the GCDP. We still need precinct chairs, committee members for the fund raising, outreach, and planning committees so there is always something that will interest you I am sure.

A couple of announcements of upcoming events that I want to mention.

First the play "FootSwitch" will be performed on February 14th at the Longview Community Center, with both matinee and evening performances. This play deals with the 1919 Longview race riots that was sparked by the love affair between a black man and a white woman. It is based on true events so if you are interested in Longview/East Texas history, race relations, or just good theatre, hope to see you there. Tickets are available at Divine Catering, La'Chelles, and Longview Fitness at very reasonable prices.

Second, the NAACP candidates' forum date has been set for April 16th at Broughton. We have two candidates for mayor, so far, as well as races for three city council seats. This is a great opportunity to hear from the candidates before the election in May.

Finally, thanks to all who were able to turn out for the Community Unity rally on Friday evening at the Heritage Plaza. So much sadness recently that a show of unity was a welcome change.

And one last thing, does anyone else but me wonder why nothing is ever reported in the LNJ about the source or location of the firearm that was used when a murder occurs?

Where to Vote on Tuesday, November 4, and Why—So Much Is at Stake

Where to Vote on Tuesday, November 4, and Why—So Much Is at Stake

The polls will be open all across Texas on Tuesday, November 4, from 7 am to 7 pm.  If you have not voted yet, this is your chance. If your family and friends have yet to vote, this is your chance to nudge them to the polls.

You can find out where to go vote here:  http://votetexas.gov/voting/where/.  At this site you can use the Online Voter Central link to identify your polling place (or places, if you are in a county like Travis, where you can vote at any polling site regardless of where you reside). Another source of information is here:  www.mytexasvotes.com.  Don’t forget to take along one of the acceptable forms of photo ID, such as a Texas driver’s license. For the whole list of acceptable IDs, see http://votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id.  

For the story of what is stake in this election and which candidates in key contested races are the true friends of Texas schoolchildren, public education, and educators, visit our Election 2014 Web site:http://www.texasaft.org/election-2014/.

For information on which candidates have earned the support of the Texas AFL-CIO as friends of working Texans, go here: http://www.texasaflcio.org/index.cfm?action=article&articleID=d3afc349-d0c7-44e2-ab65-b60af8c43f9a.

And for the lowdown on State Board of Education races, our friends at the Texas Freedom Network, a watchdog on the SBOE, have compiled key information here:http://www.tfn.org/site/PageNavigator/issues_sboe_elections.html.

The stakes really are huge, in races from top to bottom of the ballot. 

If Wendy Davis is elected governor and Leticia Van de Putte wins the lieutenant governor’s office, we will have on our side two staunch supporters of increased school funding, supporters of equal pay for women, leaders who will use federal funds to expand health coverage to 1.2 million uninsured Texans, and backers of an increase in the minimum wage. They both consider expanded educational opportunity, from full-day pre-K through affordable higher education, to be the best investment the state could make in its economic future. Their opponents, Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick, are on the opposite side of every one of these issues. With the latter pair in the state’s top two offices, we could expect a continuing push to underfund our public schools, misuse test scores to declare them a failure, and hand them over to private operators.

You have the power through your vote to make a positive change in the future of our state and your community. You have the power to help reclaim the promise of public education for Texas schoolchildren and their families by electing leaders who are interested in solving problems, not scoring political points. Don’t give your power away by failing to vote!

Leticia Van de Putte in Longview

Gregg County Democrats are pleased to welcome State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor, to Longview on Wednesday October 29, 2014 at 11:00 AM.

Let's give Leticia a big Gregg County welcome, and help her move towards victory on November 4. She is a great candidate and will be a great leader for the Texas State Senate.

Voting is Underway - Jump in and Join Us

The 2014 election is already underway.

This week, hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots are hitting mailboxes.

If you received one, make sure to turn it in right away. You’ll be able to vote in the comfort of your own home for Wendy Davis, Leticia Van de Putte, and the rest of our fantastic ticket.

If you’d like to vote by mail, we’ve created an online system to request a ballot. Request a ballot today if you’d like to vote by mail.

Here are some of the reasons you may be eligible to vote by mail:

• You are 65 years of age or older;
• You are disabled; or
• You will be out of your registered county on Election Day and during the early voting period. For example, you are a college student away at school. 

Sounds like you or someone you know? Then turn in your application for a mail-in ballot today (deadline is October 24):

http://act.txdemocrats.org/VoteByMail

Have a question? Email votebymail@txdemocrats.org or call toll free 1-855-336-1339 for assistance from Texas Democratic Party staff.

Happy voting!

A Texas Story: Wendy Davis for Governor of Texas

WHY WINDY?  

A TEXAS STORY

Like any true Texan, Wendy Davis has taken on her share of tough fights.

Raised by a single mother, Wendy began working after school at age 14 to help support her mom and three siblings. By 19, she was on her way to becoming a single mother, working two jobs just to make ends meet.

Knowing that education was the only path to creating a better life for her young daughter, Wendy enrolled at Tarrant County Community College. After two years, she transferred to Texas Christian University. With the help of academic scholarships, student loans, and state and federal grants, Wendy became the first person in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, graduated first in her class, and went on to Harvard Law School.

LISTEN to Wendy Davis and her daughter tell why she's running for your vote.

COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE

After graduating with honors from Harvard Law, Wendy helped grow a successful business in Fort Worth and served nine years on the Fort Worth City Council, where she was recognized as a leader on economic development issues. As chair of the City’s Economic Development Committee, Wendy helped create numerous public-private partnerships and successfully helped bring thousands of new jobs to Tarrant County.

Wendy was elected to the Texas Senate in 2008, defeating a longtime incumbent in a race widely considered one of the biggest upsets in Texas politics in recent years.

A RECORD OF STRENGTH

In 2011, Senator Davis stood up and filibustered a budget that slashed over $5 billion from our public schools. And Wendy’s leadership in the legislature was instrumental in getting a majority of that funding restored to the budget in 2013.

Wendy believes our children deserve access to a world-class education. She believes that improving Texas education can create jobs and keep Texas on top. She continues to work on improving public schools by reducing the number of standardized tests given to students and negotiating the first cost-of-living increase for retired teachers in more than a decade.

Wendy Davis has also pushed for and supported policies that would create jobs for our service men and women upon their re-entry into civilian life and make sure that veterans, service members, and their families are provided every opportunity for a quality education.

Wendy has helped pass important accountability measures to ensure taxpayer dollars meant to help Texas businesses are spent in the manner in which they were intended — to create jobs and boost economic development efforts across the state of Texas.

A VISION FOR TEXAS

Wendy is running for Governor because she loves Texas — not just for how good it is, but for how great it can be. The opportunities that Texas made available to Wendy — quality public education, a strong community college system, college loan and grant programs for deserving students — are what made the difference in her life. Wendy knows that every Texan deserves those same opportunities to do better. She’ll fight every day to ensure that Texas remains a state where hard work and determination are rewarded and everybody has the chance to succeed.

JOIN THE TEAM - ELECT WINDY DAVIS

#TeamWindy 

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