Published by South County Democratic Club
3135 W. US HIGHWAY 12, NILES, MI 49120-8704
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee
Labor Donated in House - Copyrighted 2012
Jess Minks, Chair
jessscdc@gmail.com

Web Site: Contact David Donovan - ddd@southcountydems.com

September 2011 Newsletter - The Donkey Chronicle
October 2011 - The Donkey Chronicle
November 2011 - The Donkey Chronicle

January 2012 - The Donkey Chronicle

Mass Mailings (E-Mails)

E-Mail 1/25/2012

Posted 1/16/12

Thank you to everyone who attended our meeting this past Monday (1/16/2012).

Thank you Roy Freeman for speaking to our group and giving us your assessment of privatization and out-sourcing in our community schools. You provoked much thought and for that we are deeply appreciative.

Thank you Matthew Rosenhagen for giving us a power-point summary of the Occupy Movement - Southwest Michigan. You and your fellow "Occupiers" have changed the political landscape of this country: The Occupy Wall Street movement rekindled the spirit of political activism in this country that has been lacking since the 1960's and the Vietnam War. Also congratulations on all the great work your organization has done -- raising a truck load of food for those who go hungry in Benton Harbor and providing hundreds of winter coats to those without. Bravo Matt!

Thank you Bill Crandell for updating us on the Education Town Hall that will be held Saturday, January 28, 2012. (Details posted below.) For those who were not in attendance at our meeting, Bill has been working on these forums for at least two months and a better, more organized committee chair could not be found. Bill, our club is deeply appreciative of your good efforts on bringing to the forefront the dastardly cuts to our community schools that were made by the Republlican-controlled state legislature so more and more businessmen can drive new Lexus cars. Your tireless, capable energy; your devotion to the cause; and your grasp of the political realities speak volumes. We are fortunate to have you on our team.

Thank you Jack Arbanas for making your announcement of candidacy at our meeting. Your fiery speech drew those in attendance to their feet. Your assessment of current political realities was right on the money. Your display of courage by running and your commitment to give the best that you have inspired us. Your promise to correct the wrongs done by this current Republican-controlled legislature and to return balance to our broken political system resonated hope to all. Your vision of a better day for Michigan families sparked hope within us. And, your challenge to our membership to begin working now to undo the wrongs of this legislative session -- wrongs all passed in the name of greed, greed, greed -- hit the mark with everyone.

I am reminded of a quote I learned when young: "Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence.  Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear." You, my friend Jack, represent the best of the liberal persuasion. Speaking for all our members, thank you for your commitment and sacrifice as you enter this political race.

-- Jess

The Donkey Chronicle:

Our January (2012) Newsletter, the Donkey Chronicle, is attached. Articles include Synder's agenda for education for 2012, article about the attacks on teacher retirement, Jerry Furst's "A Different Perspective - Stop the War (on Education)" and an article about Radical Republican attacks on the Endangered Species Act. Also Jess writes of the need to begin our campaign for the November Election and an item from the internet about a blogger leaving the Republican Party and joining "team Obama."

Click Here to receive a PDF copy of our newsletter.

From Flint News - Posted 1/22/12

Michigan's upcoming presidential primary election differs slightly from past years (but there are changes that you may need to know about)

GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan — Attention, voters: Don’t let the upcoming Feb. 28 election throw you for a loop.

Michigan has a long history of switching its presidential primary procedures, and this year is no different.

Click Here

Posted 1/22/12

Measuring the Top 1% by Wealth, Not Income

— The wealthiest 1 percent took in about 16 percent of overall income — 8 percent of the money earned from salaries and wages, but 36 percent of the income earned from self-employment.

— They controlled nearly a third of the nation’s financial assets (investment holdings) and about 28 percent of nonfinancial assets (the value of property, cars, jewelry, etc.). These measures will be particularly interesting to revisit when the new, post-recession data arrives.

There's More - Click Here

Posted 1/19/12

Rick Snyder Protesters: 'We Don't Want Our Elected Officials To Be Unilaterally Dismissed

'As hundreds of marchers demonstrated outside the gates of Gov. Rick Snyder's private residence near Ann Arbor, loudly chanting in protest of Michigan's emergency manager law, the Rev. Charles E. Williams II had a quiet conversation with the governor's chief of staff.

Williams, pastor of the historic King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit, said he hopes the governor is listening and is willing to find a way to help cities in Michigan that are struggling financially — without, as he put it, ruining their democracy.

"We elect mayors, we elect city council members, and we would like them to be a part of the process … in terms of rebuilding these urban cities," Williams said.

"We don't want our elected officials to be unilaterally dismissed," he said. "And that's the message that we're sending here today. We ask that you would let the governor know."

More Here

Posted 1/17/2012

Blackout Strike: Lawmakers Drop Support of SOPA and PIPA

Wikipedia, Reddit and Boing Boing are among the popular websites that will be dark today to protest a pair of bills making their way through Congress. Hollywood studios say tougher rules are needed to protect their intellectual property from online piracy. But Silicon Valley companies say the bills would encourage censorship and harm innovation.

More Here