Precinct Chair Training
Saturday, February 9, 2008
9 a.m. to 12 Noon
Location: Bell County Extension Office, 1605 N. Main Street in Belton
Training by Janice Ward, Former Bell County Chair
Topics: What is a Precinct Chair?, How to Hold a Precinct Convention, Top Twelve Voter Contact Activities, How to Find More Democrats, & Getting Help.
*Precinct Chairs from surrounding counties are welcome*
Info: Arthur Resa, Chair
Bell County Democratic Party
254-541-7456 or resatejano@aol.com
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
BCD Valentine Dinner
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
VALENTINE DINNER
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Central Texas Homebuilders Association Building
445 E. Central Texas Expressway
Harker Heights
Guest Speaker:
Judge Susan Criss
Candidate for Texas Supreme Court, Place 8
Meet our CANDIDATES
Brian Ruiz for U.S. Congress, District 31
Dale Henry for Texas Railroad Commissioner
Sam Murphey for State Rep., District 55
Phillip Anelli for Bell County Commissioner, Precinct 1
Gil Hollie for Bell County Commissioner, Precinct 3
Raffles and Silent Auction
$20.00 donation per person
Social Time 6:30 PM
Dinner 7:00 PM
Chicken OR Ham, Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad, Rolls,
Dessert, Tea and Coffee
RSVP by February 12th with your choice of meat
Call: 254-698-1880
or e-mail: KennethA@prodigy.net
Political Ad. paid for by the Bell County Democratic Party, Kenneth Allen, Treasurer
PO Box 1444, Belton , TX 76513
Not endorsed by any candidate
VALENTINE DINNER
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Central Texas Homebuilders Association Building
445 E. Central Texas Expressway
Harker Heights
Guest Speaker:
Judge Susan Criss
Candidate for Texas Supreme Court, Place 8
Meet our CANDIDATES
Brian Ruiz for U.S. Congress, District 31
Dale Henry for Texas Railroad Commissioner
Sam Murphey for State Rep., District 55
Phillip Anelli for Bell County Commissioner, Precinct 1
Gil Hollie for Bell County Commissioner, Precinct 3
Raffles and Silent Auction
$20.00 donation per person
Social Time 6:30 PM
Dinner 7:00 PM
Chicken OR Ham, Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad, Rolls,
Dessert, Tea and Coffee
RSVP by February 12th with your choice of meat
Call: 254-698-1880
or e-mail: KennethA@prodigy.net
Political Ad. paid for by the Bell County Democratic Party, Kenneth Allen, Treasurer
PO Box 1444, Belton , TX 76513
Not endorsed by any candidate
Friday, February 01, 2008
Make history...pick up your signs.
The BCTDW has free signs available to all Democrats! This sign strategy works in conjunction with other planned projects in our GOTV 2008 Program. BCTDW's objective is to increase voter participation and energize our base.The sign message is simple yet endorses both candidates.
Available are: 50--4'X4' road signs for high traffic locations and 500--18"X24" yard signs which read:
Make history...V O T E!
Contact Nancy @ 780-9047, 722-5911 or stop by either Democratic Headquarters in Temple or Killeen to pick up signs. We'd like to have as many signs out as possible before early voting begins. Please keep them up through the Nov. 4th election. Help turn Bell County blue!
KILLEEN 304 N 2nd St.
TEMPLE 315 N Main St.
Mon & Wed 11:00-5:30
Tues & Thurs 9:00-3:00
Sat. 11:00-3:00
742-7615
501-3923
Available are: 50--4'X4' road signs for high traffic locations and 500--18"X24" yard signs which read:
Make history...V O T E!
Contact Nancy @ 780-9047, 722-5911 or stop by either Democratic Headquarters in Temple or Killeen to pick up signs. We'd like to have as many signs out as possible before early voting begins. Please keep them up through the Nov. 4th election. Help turn Bell County blue!
KILLEEN 304 N 2nd St.
TEMPLE 315 N Main St.
Mon & Wed 11:00-5:30
Tues & Thurs 9:00-3:00
Sat. 11:00-3:00
742-7615
501-3923
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Formal opening of the BCD Killeen office.
The Bell County Democratic Partyinvites you to the opening
of the
Killeen Democratic Office
304 N. 2nd
Saturday, January 26th
12:00 noon – 2:00 p. m.
Refreshments will be served.
2008 volunteers needed!
2008 volunteers needed!
Publish your democratic thoughts!
More articles are needed for the Belton Journal!! Bell County Dems are looking for a fresh face (and perspective) each week. Please attach your article, author bio, and picture of the author and email to Petra Strassberg at petrakirsten1@sbcglobal.net.
Meet Gil Hollie
You are cordially invited to meet Gil Hollie, candidate
for Bell County Commissioner, Precinct 3!!!
When: Friday, January 25, 2008
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Come & Go)
Where: Wayman Chapel A.M.E. Church
407 E. Ave D, Temple , TX
There is no charge to attend, but contributions to Gil Hollie’s campaign will be accepted.
Gil’s philosophy is if they get to know and trust that person, they will vote because nothing comes to a sleeper but a dream.
for Bell County Commissioner, Precinct 3!!!
When: Friday, January 25, 2008
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Come & Go)
Where: Wayman Chapel A.M.E. Church
407 E. Ave D, Temple , TX
There is no charge to attend, but contributions to Gil Hollie’s campaign will be accepted.
Gil’s philosophy is if they get to know and trust that person, they will vote because nothing comes to a sleeper but a dream.
Paid for Gil Hollie, candidate for Bell County Commissioner, Precinct 3.
Map: http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Voter I.D.s
January 9, 2008
Editorial
The Court and Voter IDs
From the early indications, Americans are feeling enthusiastic about their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. The Supreme Court should encourage, not frustrate, that enthusiasm when it hears a challenge today to a harsh voter identification law adopted by Indiana. The law aims to be an anti-fraud measure, but its main impact will be to disenfranchise large numbers of registered voters. The court should not let it stand.
The idea of asking voters for ID may not sound unreasonable, but the devil is in the exclusionary details. Before the 2005 law, Indiana voters simply had to sign in at the polls and their signatures were compared to the ones on file. Now voters must present a current government-issued photo ID, generally a drivers license.
The impact of that requirement falls unequally. Poor people, racial minorities and the elderly are especially unlikely to have drivers licenses or other forms of ID required under the law. A study in Georgia, which enacted its own voter ID law, found that black voters were more than 83 percent more likely than whites not to have drivers licenses or state-issued ID. Hispanics were nearly twice as likely not to have them.
Another problem is that such laws are often applied in a discriminatory way. A study in New Mexico found that Hispanic voters were significantly more likely than non-Hispanics to be asked to show the legally required ID.
In-person voter fraud is extremely rare, and there is no evidence of it occurring in Indiana. It says a lot about the Legislatures motives that it did not apply the new ID rules to the kind of voting where there has been documented fraud: absentee voting. It is also not a coincidence that the people likely to be disenfranchised are from groups that vote disproportionately Democratic. Voter ID laws have been pushed across the country by Republicans. Despite the anti-fraud talk, the inescapable conclusion is that the laws are an attempt to shave a few percentage points off of a Democratic turnout.
This should not be a difficult case to decide. The court has ruled that the right to vote is so important that the Constitution requires that restrictions on it be given a strict review. The question the court must ask is whether the exclusions are necessary to promote a compelling state interest. Given that in-person voter fraud appears nonexistent in Indiana, there is no compelling interest here.
Even if there were a genuine concern, there are plenty of less-restrictive alternatives, as the courts put it, to keep the process both clean and fair: requiring signatures, allowing poll watchers to challenge voters and imposing severe criminal penalties for anyone who tries to vote fraudulently.
Unfortunately, the court may be inclined to view this case through a political prism. If that happens, it may break down along the same 5-4 fault line that it did in Bush v. Gore. That would be terrible for both the court and the nation. The justices can strike a blow for their own reputation and for democracy by standing up for an obvious principle: that the right to vote cannot be taken away to serve the electoral purposes of a political party.
Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company
Editorial
The Court and Voter IDs
From the early indications, Americans are feeling enthusiastic about their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. The Supreme Court should encourage, not frustrate, that enthusiasm when it hears a challenge today to a harsh voter identification law adopted by Indiana. The law aims to be an anti-fraud measure, but its main impact will be to disenfranchise large numbers of registered voters. The court should not let it stand.
The idea of asking voters for ID may not sound unreasonable, but the devil is in the exclusionary details. Before the 2005 law, Indiana voters simply had to sign in at the polls and their signatures were compared to the ones on file. Now voters must present a current government-issued photo ID, generally a drivers license.
The impact of that requirement falls unequally. Poor people, racial minorities and the elderly are especially unlikely to have drivers licenses or other forms of ID required under the law. A study in Georgia, which enacted its own voter ID law, found that black voters were more than 83 percent more likely than whites not to have drivers licenses or state-issued ID. Hispanics were nearly twice as likely not to have them.
Another problem is that such laws are often applied in a discriminatory way. A study in New Mexico found that Hispanic voters were significantly more likely than non-Hispanics to be asked to show the legally required ID.
In-person voter fraud is extremely rare, and there is no evidence of it occurring in Indiana. It says a lot about the Legislatures motives that it did not apply the new ID rules to the kind of voting where there has been documented fraud: absentee voting. It is also not a coincidence that the people likely to be disenfranchised are from groups that vote disproportionately Democratic. Voter ID laws have been pushed across the country by Republicans. Despite the anti-fraud talk, the inescapable conclusion is that the laws are an attempt to shave a few percentage points off of a Democratic turnout.
This should not be a difficult case to decide. The court has ruled that the right to vote is so important that the Constitution requires that restrictions on it be given a strict review. The question the court must ask is whether the exclusions are necessary to promote a compelling state interest. Given that in-person voter fraud appears nonexistent in Indiana, there is no compelling interest here.
Even if there were a genuine concern, there are plenty of less-restrictive alternatives, as the courts put it, to keep the process both clean and fair: requiring signatures, allowing poll watchers to challenge voters and imposing severe criminal penalties for anyone who tries to vote fraudulently.
Unfortunately, the court may be inclined to view this case through a political prism. If that happens, it may break down along the same 5-4 fault line that it did in Bush v. Gore. That would be terrible for both the court and the nation. The justices can strike a blow for their own reputation and for democracy by standing up for an obvious principle: that the right to vote cannot be taken away to serve the electoral purposes of a political party.
Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company
From Mr. Denton:
Asking voters for ID's other than their voter registration card is being used by Republicans to deny voters all over. In Texas I know of no law that requires anyone to show any other ID than a Voter Registration Card. If you are asked for one ask the person to show you the law that requires that and if he/she cannot then demand he call the Voter Registrar's office and have them read the law to you and the person demanding another ID. Immediately file a complaint against that person because he/she could have turned away qualified voters.
And according to Mary Beth Harrell:
You're absolutely correct - there is no law requiring photo i.d. for voters in Texas. I was at a meeting of the Salado Dems before xmas and someone had the same thing happen to them. What they're trying to do at the voting booth is illegal.
SEND letters to the editor of your local paper about the "fraud" being committed on our voters at the polls by partisan folks staffing the polls.
Sounds like a good topic for the Belton Journal column as we get closer to March 5 primaries.
SEND letters to the editor of your local paper about the "fraud" being committed on our voters at the polls by partisan folks staffing the polls.
Sounds like a good topic for the Belton Journal column as we get closer to March 5 primaries.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Party HQ now open
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Something to think about...(from BCTDW)
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Something ugly has happened in our country. Our national dialogue has taken on a tone that is unforgiving, intolerant, and malicious. Our airwaves, newspapers, and bookstores overflow with nastiness, meanness, judgement, and maliciousness. The loudest voices sound their views with self-righteous fervor and vindictiveness. When we disdain and demoralize each other, there is no hope for working together toward a better society.
Protestant theologian, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Democracy demands that little men should not take big ones too seriously; it dies when it is full of little men who think they are big themselves.” Linda Seger, Th.D. and author of Jesus Rode a Donkey suggests that perhaps it is time we denounce this rhetoric, for the sake of democracy.
We are a diverse people, a pluralistic society and as such, our nation requires tolerance, understanding, and accommodation. So, how then do we express our dissent and discuss our differences without being defensive or judgmental of others? And what values do we want in government, in our social and political landscape?
Most people don’t really care at all about the Left or the Right. Most people are tired of political rhetoric and of the endless divisiveness that this discourse generates. People are yearning for a whole different level of discourse. Most people want to see the human race get over its petty struggles, its nationalism and wars, its racism and demeaning of others. Freedom. Equality. Honesty. Justice. Mercy. Compassion. These are the values most of us espouse.
I believe that the Democratic Party’s current agenda: to end the war, provide for the poor, save the environment, protect civil liberties, fight for social justice, respect for the rights of minorities and groups that have faced discrimination or oppression in the past, end torture, respect human rights is consistent with the values of most Americans. We can come together and change and heal our world.
I pray for the well being of our country and all people on our planet. And I ask for God’s blessings not only for those who agree with me but also for those who don’t.
Something ugly has happened in our country. Our national dialogue has taken on a tone that is unforgiving, intolerant, and malicious. Our airwaves, newspapers, and bookstores overflow with nastiness, meanness, judgement, and maliciousness. The loudest voices sound their views with self-righteous fervor and vindictiveness. When we disdain and demoralize each other, there is no hope for working together toward a better society.
Protestant theologian, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Democracy demands that little men should not take big ones too seriously; it dies when it is full of little men who think they are big themselves.” Linda Seger, Th.D. and author of Jesus Rode a Donkey suggests that perhaps it is time we denounce this rhetoric, for the sake of democracy.
We are a diverse people, a pluralistic society and as such, our nation requires tolerance, understanding, and accommodation. So, how then do we express our dissent and discuss our differences without being defensive or judgmental of others? And what values do we want in government, in our social and political landscape?
Most people don’t really care at all about the Left or the Right. Most people are tired of political rhetoric and of the endless divisiveness that this discourse generates. People are yearning for a whole different level of discourse. Most people want to see the human race get over its petty struggles, its nationalism and wars, its racism and demeaning of others. Freedom. Equality. Honesty. Justice. Mercy. Compassion. These are the values most of us espouse.
I believe that the Democratic Party’s current agenda: to end the war, provide for the poor, save the environment, protect civil liberties, fight for social justice, respect for the rights of minorities and groups that have faced discrimination or oppression in the past, end torture, respect human rights is consistent with the values of most Americans. We can come together and change and heal our world.
I pray for the well being of our country and all people on our planet. And I ask for God’s blessings not only for those who agree with me but also for those who don’t.
Bell County Texas Democratic Women Luncheon
BELL COUNTY TEXAS DEMOCRATIC WOMEN
December 2007
Texas Democratic Women promotes the increased political activity and influence of Democratic Women in Texas politics and government. (from the TDW Mission Statement)
***************************************************
December Meeting
Bell County Texas Democratic Women and the Salado Democrats
Christmas Luncheon Buffet
$20 per ticket
Mill Creek Country Club
1610 Club Circle
Salado
254-947-5141
11:30am December 15, 2007
Guest speaker will be the Honorable Diane Henson
Deadline for tickets is December 12.
Contact Miriam Oliver (939-2546) or Aliceanne Wallace (939-8178) or Janice Ward (634-8830) or Laura Calhoun (771-2357) or Wilma Allen (698-1880) or Hulda Horton (947-8300).
Silent Auction table to raise funds for scholarships.
December 2007
Texas Democratic Women promotes the increased political activity and influence of Democratic Women in Texas politics and government. (from the TDW Mission Statement)
***************************************************
December Meeting
Bell County Texas Democratic Women and the Salado Democrats
Christmas Luncheon Buffet
$20 per ticket
Mill Creek Country Club
1610 Club Circle
Salado
254-947-5141
11:30am December 15, 2007
Guest speaker will be the Honorable Diane Henson
Deadline for tickets is December 12.
Contact Miriam Oliver (939-2546) or Aliceanne Wallace (939-8178) or Janice Ward (634-8830) or Laura Calhoun (771-2357) or Wilma Allen (698-1880) or Hulda Horton (947-8300).
Silent Auction table to raise funds for scholarships.
Bell County Poll
From BCD:
Are you disappointed that Bell County Democrats will be voting for their Presidential nominee after the primary race has possibly been decided?
Well, now here's your chance to make your voice heard. Go the BCDP website (http://democratsbellctytx.com) and vote for your favorite nominee. Forward this message to any Bell County Democrat.
Let's make some noise in Bell County!
Are you disappointed that Bell County Democrats will be voting for their Presidential nominee after the primary race has possibly been decided?
Well, now here's your chance to make your voice heard. Go the BCDP website (http://democratsbellctytx.com) and vote for your favorite nominee. Forward this message to any Bell County Democrat.
Let's make some noise in Bell County!
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