On Monday, December 7th, the 33rd hosted the Kit Dexter Dinner and Fundraiser. The event is held each year to celebrate our hard work as Democrats and award one 33rd member who has merited special honor for their dedication to the district over the years with the Kit Dexter Award.

This year’s honoree is James Fossos. Jim is a current commissioner of the Board of Fire Commissioners of South King Fire and Rescue. He started his career in firefighting back in 1970 with the Seattle Fire Department. Before becoming a Seattle Firefighter, Jim served proudly as a US Marine in the Vietnam War. He has an Associate Degree from Seattle Community College in Fire Command & Administration and Supervisory and Management. Jim also currently serves as Board Secretary with the Board of Directors of the Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union.

Dinner was provided both by Galliano’s Catering and by 33rd member Steve Juneau (thanks, Steve, so much for the home-made lasagna!). Members donated desserts for the dessert auction, and included some very tasty home-made concoctions.

The evening’s turnout was lighter than expected, but we enjoyed each other’s company on this frigid night and had a great time. Guests included State Representatives Dave Upthegrove and Tina Orwall, Normandy Park Mayor Shawn McEvoy, and Mayor Pro Tem Dan Sherman.

Florence McMullin held a wonderful live auction, assisted ably by Dave Upthegrove. Thanks to everyone who participated in both setting up and bidding at the auction.

The Kit Dexter Dinner would not have happened were it not for the wonderful work of the committee. Paula Joneli, Omaha Sternberg, Florence McMullin, and Carol Anne Maiers worked very hard to put everything together. Additionally, thanks go to Cheryl Birdsong-Juneau, Steve Juneau, Bob Loeliger, and Rod Brewster for helping set up that night and preparation before hand. And thank you to everyone who attended!

Have a wonderful holiday, and we’ll see you in the new year!

The 33rd Democrats invite you to the

Kit Dexter Annual Dinner and Fundraiser

Join Us to celebrate a year of success in Democracy!

Includes guests State Senator Karen Keiser, State Representative Tina Orwall, State Representative Dave Upthegrove, and surprise Kit Dexter Honoree.

Monday, December 7th

Normandy Park Congregational Church | 19247 First Avenue South | Normandy Park

Dinner: 7:00 PM | Auction: 8:00 PM

The auction will include improvisational auctioneering by members of the audience. A dessert auction will also be held. Become the highest bidding table to get your choice of the delectable desserts provided by our volunteers!

Tickets

Individual: $25 | Living Lightly: $15 | Children: $10

To purchase tickets in advance, go to http://www.33rddistrictdemocrats.org/kitdexterdinner/.

For more information, contact Paula at 206-878-2171 or pjoneli@comcast.net

ETA: Due to Congressman Adam Smiths’ health, Rob Holland has had to cancel his fundraiser scheduled for today.

On October 19th, we will have a special meeting. The first open house Meet and Greet of your state and county representatives for the 33rd Legislative District! This will be open to all residents of the 33rd district, and include a short welcome speech by each representative as well as lots of information and chances to chat with your rep. Don’t miss this opportunity, and bring your friends and neighbors from the district.

MEET AND GREET YOUR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 33RD LD

When: October 19th, 6:45 pm to 9:00 pm
Where: Normandy Park Congregational Church, 19247 1st Avenue South, Normandy Park

ATTENDING
State Senator Karen Kaiser
State Representative Dave Upthegrove
State Representative Tina Orwall
King County Councilmember Julia Patterson
King County Councilmember Dow Constantine

Light refreshments will be served.

Do not miss this opportunity for a one-on-one conversation with your representatives in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Please, bring your friends and relatives. For further information contact Florence McMullin, (206) 878-9111.

The 33rd dems turned out in force to show their support for the Public Option at Congressman Adam Smith’s town hall meeting in Lakewood yesterday, with more than 20 members at least. Congressman Smith had moved the meeting to Harry Lang Stadium to accommodate the nearly 2500 people his office estimated showed up.

For the most part, the crowd participating behaved in a mature, adult fashion, with only a little heckling and shouting here and there. Congressman Smith did an admirable job of maintaining control, allowing the crowd time to cheer and boo as they wished. Only a couple of times did events threaten to get out of control, as when some idiot chose to walk along the lower part of the stadium seats with a sign of President Obama dressed with a Hitler mustache. And though we in the 33rd don’t condone violence against another as they exercise their right to free speech, there were those who could not allow such insults to pass without response. The man’s sign was taken away from him, crumpled, and thrown on the ground, and a couple of members said they saw that he was knocked down briefly in the process. He wasn’t hurt, because he walked away.

It seemed that the vast majority of the people present were in favor of a public option of some kind. The minority who were opposed were vocal, though, and for some reason, they were chosen out of the crowd more often to speak. Congressman Smith had two members of his staff wandering the crowd with microphones and picking out people to ask questions. Seeing as how at least half of the crowd carried signs of some sort (most in favor of the public option), we don’t imagine it would have been hard to determine who was on what side. No 33rd members were called upon to ask a question, though several had their hands up for over an hour.

Interestingly enough, some of the attendees reminded everyone that most all of the concerns that were raised last night, and had been raised throughout the health care reform debate, had been brought up during the debate about Medicare. And yet Medicare was passed, and has been a successful government program (yes, for those out there that apparently don’t know that, it’s a GOVERNMENT PROGRAM).

Congressman Smith’s views on health care reform were varied. He declared that if the health care bill as it currently stands was brought to a vote, he would vote against it. He also stated that he felt that the bill as it stands held a great deal within it that did not work towards health care reform. He was against including end-of-life consultations within the bill. And he stated that he was in favor of a public option, but would not define in more detail what that actually meant for him. He also did not state whether if a bill came to the floor for a final vote that did not have a public option if he would vote against it.

Congressman Smith still needs to hear your opinions about health care reform. He needs to know what you want to see in this health care bill, and what you require of him in voting for it. We need him to know that if a final bill comes to the floor without a public option in it, he must vote against it. It is a make or break issue for the Democratic Party. Please call him and tell him that. He has said that he will listen.

Congressman Adam Smith
Tacoma Office: (253) 593-6600; 1 (888) SMITH09
Washington DC office: (202) 225-8901

These are the candidate parties around the Sound to celebrate Primary Night. Hope that you can attend some of them.

Rob Holland Primary Watch Party
When: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 7:00pm
Where: Copper Cart Caf?©;113 Bell Street, Seattle, WA
Suggested donation: $5.00 - $50.00
Notes: From the VIP section lay back and soak in the sweet taste of champagne as primary results play on the club’s 100 foot projection screen. The entire upper VIP section has been reserved and champagne service ordered - all for Rob’s guests. Groove to happy hour prices on food/drinks all night. Dress snappy.

Dow Constantine Primary Watch Party
When: Tuesday, August 18, 2009, 7 - 9 pm
Where: Kells, 1916 Post Alley, Seattle

Larry Phillips Primary Watch Party
When:Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Where: Spitfire Grill, 2219 Fourth Ave, Seattle

We’ll add to these as we receive more info.

AM1090 is holding their 4th Annual Town Hall Forum at the Showare Center in Kent on August 8th, in just under a week, and the 33rd Dems are sponsors! Entitled “Embracing Change: Moving Forward As The Majority”, the event will bring five popular nationally syndicated progressive talk radio hosts together on one stage to discuss the major political and public policy issues facing our country and what we as citizens can do to put our nation on a path toward progress and prosperity. This year?€™s lineup includes Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Bill Press, Mike Malloy, Ron Reagan and moderator David Postman.

First, AM1090 is offering members of the 33rd District a special discount to the event! To receive $5.00 off the price of advance purchased tickets to the event, you can purchase tickets online here, or call at 253.856.6999. In both cases, you must use a promo code…to get the promo code, you must be on one of our mailing lists; email us to find out more.

Second, you can also submit questions for the panel to help guide the discussion about healthcare reform, the economy, environmental issues, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more. To submit a question, click here.

Also, we are hosting a table at the event. When you arrive at 5 pm, you will see our table and you can come and meet the candidates that the 33rd has endorsed! If you have any burning questions, this is the time to ask them.

This is going to be a great event, so don’t miss out!

Ultra-conservatives, those “teabaggers”, are ramping up their opposition to universal and single-payer health care through shutting down legitimate debate with shout-downs. Their tactic is to show up in groups at town hall meetings and such, distribute around the room, and shout and make such a ruckus that good debate can’t occur. Debate is how we as a democratic nation make decisions. So you can see what kind of people they are.

The next series of meetings that will be occurring that they may show up at will be two events with US Congressman Adam Smith. Put on your Democratic hard hate, grab your universal health care debate talking points, and show them how Democrats make change!

Adam Smith’s Progressive Advisory Council
Wednesday, August 5th (that’s TODAY)
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Commencement Bay Coffee
2354 South Jefferson Avenue
Tacoma 98402
For more info or to RSVP: matt.perry@mail.house.gov or 253-593-6600

Adam Smith Town Hall Meeting
Tuesday, August 25th
7:00 - 8:30pm
Lakewood City Hall Chambers
6000 Main Street SW
Lakewood, WA.
Space is limited so please RSVP if you are able to attend by calling 253-593-6600 or (888) SMITH09.

For more information regarding Congressman Adam Smith’s events, see his homepage.

The Annual 33rd LD picnic is on, and you are invited! This year we’ll be picnicing together with our good friends from the 34th and 11th LDs at Crystal Springs in Tukwila. All you need to do is bring yourself and a healthy appetite for good food and great conversation.

Details

Where: Crystal Springs Park, Tukwila
When: August 9th, 12 noon

An important note: because of the picnic, there will be *NO GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN AUGUST*. This was incorrectly listed in the July DemoChat.

July 20th, our general meeting, is also an endorsement meeting. Please review the 2009 Elections page for more information on the endorsement process and which candidates have contacted us so far for endorsement. We hope to see you on Monday!