Embracing our diversity

FIGHTING FOR A FOREVER FREE STATE

Issue #13

The county’s delegation to Washington Days 2024 in Topeka included three candidates and the state’s largest contingent of Young Democrats!

Mon, Jan 29

Embracing our diversity

By Emily Walters

As we move forward, it's essential to recognize that our strength lies in our diversity, including the wide range of opinions and personalities within our ranks. Resilient organizations, like ours, are those that can tolerate — and even thrive amid — differences of opinion and personality conflicts. It is through our diverse perspectives that we find innovative solutions and build a more inclusive party. Let's continue to respect and listen to one another, embracing our differences as assets that propel us toward our common goals.

I am particularly proud of how we, in Crawford County, have a remarkable ability to come together, even when we disagree. This unity in diversity exemplifies the best of who we are. Reflecting on my recent attendance at Washington Days, I was reminded of the critical importance of not allowing interpersonal conflicts to damage our organization. As we navigate our shared mission, it's vital that we focus on our collective goals and not let temporary disagreements overshadow our long-term objectives. We are united in purpose, and together, we can overcome any challenge.

Pittsburg High School Dems with Gov. Laura Kelly and sponsor, Dr. Nichole Foster. The newly reformed PHS Dems Club is led by Vivian Blakemore, president, and Hadrian Zurek, vice president.

Dr. Emily Walters received the Outstanding Party Chair award from Lt. Gov. David Toland, and Kansas Democratic Party Chair Jeanna Repass.

Lynn Grant gets some time with the Governor.

Our next regular meeting will be Sunday, April 21 at 1 pm at 217A N. Broadway.

It's an opportunity for us to come together, discuss our strategies, and plan our activities for the coming months. Your participation is vital to our collective success.

Please let Emily know if you have any items you'd like to see added to the agenda at emily@crawfordcountyksdems.org

We are hoping to see everyone there!

Campaign update

By Melesia “Lissa” Rhodes

Here is a short update of my campaign. As most of you know, I am running for House District 2. I support medicaid expansion, women’s reproductive rights, approval for medical marijuana, and rural economic development. So what have I been doing?

I have been introducing myself by attending city council meetings and listening to their “thorns and roses”. When I met with Erie, I found that they were having issues with their city owned market. I’ve been involved with rural economic development for several years, focusing on rural grocery stores, and this allowed me to network with many groups and people. I was able to contact Secretar Toland and Trisha Purdon, director of the Office of Rural Prosperity. They were able to meet with Erie’s city clerk and find some streams of funding to put the Erie Market on a better path.

I met with the Galesburg City Council and that led to meeting with their fire chief. We now have a plan to seek a community development block grant (CDBG) for a new fire station and will explore funding for a new fire truck. They are also exploring expanding their fire district and possibly joining with their township and creating a fire district.

On March 22 I attended the public hearing with the Crawford County Commission concerning county zoning. Shasta Power is planning to place a large solar farm in Crawford County. This will be a $500 million investment in the county. This will provide 200 good paying jobs over two years during construction. Crawford County, USD 246 and USD 249 will benefit from this endeavor. I am supportive of Shasta Power and the benefit Crawford County will receive.

On March 27 I spoke at the Crawford County Leadership meeting in Girard. City and county leadership members attend these luncheons. I spoke on U.S. Department of Agriculture CBDG funding and the importance of strategic planning needed for a community’s successful growth. I am a USDA grant administer and this allows me to know when the USDA is seeking stakeholders for specific programs.

I haven’t even touched on Washington Day’s which would be an article on its own. I am so grateful that Emily and Jordan gave me the opportunity to attend.

I will continue to meet with city councils and county commissions across District 2 so that I can build relationships with them. I firmly believe that relationship building is how we win elections. I will continue to show that through communication, collaboration, and compassion we can build a better Kansas for all of us. If you would like to schedule a Meet ‘n Greet or a Lunch and Listen, give me a call or text 620-249-8617.

Workers, tools, leadership and politics

By Jim Orwig

Currently on Facebook, as I scroll through various algorithm-generated offerings, there appears the face of a 30ish male wearing a hardhat and glancing from side to side in disbelief as he supposedly views shocking scenes from constructions sites. Workers crash heavy equipment, shatter large pieces of glass, lose control of power tools, endanger fellow workers or themselves on ladders and scaffolds, dodge collapsing buildings, ceilings, and floors.

As a former remodeling contractor, I have an unhealthy fascination with these scenes, as I know how quickly injuries can happen when a worker is distracted or unaware of what another worker is doing. Personally, etched in my long-term memory, I have the vision of the finger of a friend and co-worker of mine indicating the spot I should strike with my 8-pound sledgehammer, as I was swinging the sledgehammer to strike the spot where his finger rested. It is difficult to process the information required to stop the work of gravity within a fraction of a second. Sledgehammer and finger met. Sledgehammer won and fingertip was smashed. This was one of the first jobs I worked on as a contractor and it served to condition me to be much more careful around the materials and tools of construction.

On a well-run construction job, someone needs to have a vision of what the finished product will look like, schedule the timing of work, the timing of when materials will be available, what workers will do what jobs, who will do cleanup, who will monitor quality, how will mistakes be rectified, changes made and so on. Finishing the work, getting paid, and moving on to the next project is the goal from start to finish. Hopefully no one gets hurt in the process, and the more experienced that the workers are, the less likely there will be injuries.

I believe there is a similarity of what I just described to political parties. Our political parties are composed of people of all ages who choose to be involved and want their voices to be heard and to be engaged in politics in a way that makes a difference. We need the energy, enthusiasm, idealism, and vision of not only the young, but of those who have been part of the work of building a better, more just, and inclusive world for decades. The use of tools that increase participation goes hand-in-and with the long-term relationships and experiences that have been successful in winning elections.

I believe it is a mistake to be like the guy who is watching mayhem and sighing. We need everyone who calls themselves a Democrat to be there for meetings, to volunteer for fundraising events, to contribute what they can financially, and to speak up if they have ideas that may be effective, perceive something is missing, ineffective, or potentially causing harm. We have great candidates who are committing time, resources, and energy to meet the needs of our community. Our goal is their election to office, and our job is to do the work that will make that possible. There is work for everyone, and our County Chairperson, Emily Walters, is a leader who is challenging us to build a stronger Democratic presence in Crawford County and a better life for all Kansans. Let’s go!

Outreach and connection

By Hrriet Bachner

The Crawford County Democrats’ Outreach Committee (Jackson Bertoncino, Lynn Grant, Janice Arthur, Ruth Miller and Harriet Bachner) have explored various ways to reach out and serve our communities in Crawford County.

For example, pies for Pi Day, (3.14) on March 14, was a successful event this past month held at our headquarters. The Liberal Ladies and other CCDems donated homemade and bakery-made pies. It was difficult to keep track of the number of pies donated because as pies were sold more pies continued to arrive. Every pie was sold either as a whole pie or as pie slices. Along with enjoying a slice of pie folks had an opportunity to meet, chat, and admire the variety of fruit, custard, pecan, sweet potato, and pumpkin pies. We can make this an annual March 14 event with the delicious pies from our folks.

Now that we enjoy the pleasant spring weather, the Outreach Committee is also planning ways the CCD will participate in outdoor community events.

April 15, 4 to 6 pm at Memorial Auditorium – Salad and dessert dinner and fundraiser.
Please let Harriet Bachner (harrietanne7@gmail.com) or Lynn Grant (lynng7841@gmail.com) know what kind of salad or dessert that you can bring to the April 15 event. Deliver the salads and desserts to Memorial Auditorium at 3:30 so that we set up for the dinner. The price is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. To go boxes are available for a meal.

April 20, 11 am to 3 pm – CCDems will have a table for Earth Day commemoration and need volunteers to help.
April 26, 5 pm – Art Walk – CCDems will have a table with supplies to make painted rocks and need volunteers to help. Contact jacksonbertoncino@gmail.com if you can help at either of these events.

Become a precinct committee person

We are looking for dedicated members to step forward and serve as precinct committee persons. This role is vital to our grassroots organizing efforts, allowing us to connect directly with voters in your neighborhood. As a committeeperson, you will play a key role in mobilizing Democratic voters, organizing local events, and representing our party at the precinct level. Being an elected precinct committee person makes you a voting member of the Crawford County Central Committee — the bedrock of the Democratic Party. If you are passionate about making a difference and want to take a more active role in shaping the direction of our party, please consider running for this important position. Your involvement can lead to real change in our community and beyond. Copies of the form are available in the office, or can be found online here: https://www.crawfordcountykansas.org/uploads/6/2/7/8/62784259/pd.pdf

You will need to have the form notarized; Sylvia Stapleton has volunteered her notary services for party business, and should be at our next meeting. She's amazing- please tell her thank you, if you see her!!

Volunteer Opportunities

Our party is only as strong as its volunteers. We're calling on you to consider signing up for a shift in our office. Whether it's answering phones, organizing materials, or helping with events, your time and talents are invaluable to our efforts. I promise you, your gifts are important. What you can offer, matters.

Together, we have the power to make a difference. Let's continue to work towards a future that reflects our values and vision. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to the Democratic cause.

“Liberal Ladies” this past month

By Susy Hammons

Liberal Ladies Who Lunch met on the 13thy and 27th, at noon, at Dem HQ..

On the 13th we helped make pies and helped staff Pi Day. Thank you, Dionne, for the great posters. I think they were colorful enough and tall enough to bring in street traffic.

Shirley Beer described her Kiwanis group and asked us to consider joining to help with their projects that benefit kids. I believe there is info at the HQ.

Harriet gave info about the push to pass Medicaid.

We passed out Women for Kansas postcards to send to elected officials saying we are women and we vote.

April 11, 6:30, Jess Piper will be at the Maple Uncommon in Columbus. Toni Spieth will keep us informed. Let's do some planning to car pool. Google her. She is informative and entertaining.

Ruth Miller told about her new improved hearing aids. If we don't pay attention to hearing loss and wear hearing aids we have a 43% chance of being diagnosed with dementia!!!

April 15 we will have a fundraiser of Salads and Desserts. Be thinking of what you might make.

On the 27th Laura Covert-Miller, PhD, described her Fitness Study for Ages 60+. She and her partner thought they would get 10 people and they currently have 50 with the average age being 73. They will continue evaluations through the summer. They test for functional fitness, balance, and cardiovascular endurance. Harriet Bachner, Jim Orwig, Kathy DeGrave and I have completed the assessments. Call Laura at 620/235-4670 to enroll.

Election buttons from Women for Kansas will be mailed to my house! Postage paid by a W4K member as a contribution. She works for the Post Office so I hope she gets a discount. We can give the buttons away or sell them.

We passed out phone lists of Voting Democrats to call to verify their phone numbers and to invite them to get involved. These were to be done by Saturday.

Our next meeting will be on April 10th, same time, same place.

Medicaid expansion update

“We are one of ten states in the country that hasn't adopted a Medicaid expansion program, all because of the supermajorities in our state Legislature. In a political play, we've missed out on millions of dollars in revenue and thousands of job opportunities for Kansans – all while hundreds of thousands of Kansans go uninsured.” — Gov. Laura Kelly, March 30, 2024

By Harriet Bachner

Even after hundreds of Kansans rallied at the Statehouse on March 6, joint hearings in the Kansas House and Senate on March 20 with over 400 proponents and only 12 opposing, and 450 written testimonies submitted to the House and 463 to the Senate, SB 355 and HB 2556 remain in committee, although still active, but failed to advance from committee. “Of the 17 members of the committee, only the five Democrats raised their hands in support. (Rep. Brenda) Landwehr didn't make the 12 Republicans raise their hands to show their opposition, despite an objection from a Democrat” (Jason Alatidd, Topeka Capital-Journal, March 22, 2024). See the news report on the legislative meeting and watch Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, Executive Director of Alliance for a Healthy Kansas April Holman, and political analyst Bob Beatty discuss the issues involved in expansion: What's next after Medicaid Expansion setback at statehouse? (ksnt.com). April Holman very clearly describes the needs addressed, in contrast to Dan Hawkins’ discussion.

The Alliance for Healthy Kansas (AHK), a nonpartisan group, has worked on behalf of advancing this call for Medicaid expansion. AHK has found that 90 percent of Democrats, 74 percent of undeclared (independents) and 61 percent of Republicans support expansion, while 80 percent of Democrats and independents believe that lawmakers are out of touch with the needs of Kansans regarding health care disparities. Seventy percent of adults who are in the coverage gap (income too high to qualify for Medicaid and insufficient to afford health care through the Affordable Care Act) work two or three jobs that do not offer healthcare.

At a March 27 zoom meeting of the AHK, some suggestions were made regarding what actions we can take to continue to advance Medicaid expansion and keep in front of our legislators. These include: writing letters about the need for Medicaid expansion to local newspapers and to legislators; taking five minutes to reach out to at least five friends (5 for 5) about expansion; and checking out the new resources on the AHK’s website to stay informed about expansion: Alliance for a Healthy Kansas 2022 | KANCARE Expansion is good for Kansas (expandkancare.com)

More information can be found on this link: Governor Kelly's Bipartisan Medicaid Expansion Proposal Receives Hearing for the First Time in Four Years - Governor of the State of Kansas

Physicians gather in the Statehouse.

Rallying in the rotunda.

New assistant HQ manager

By Emily Walters, chairperson

We are pleased to announce that David Su has accepted an appointment as Assistant Headquarters Manager. David will be working under the guidance of current HQ Manager, Marcia Weeks, who is absolutely thrilled to bring him onboard.

David comes to us with a diverse skill set, including expertise in gardening, data management, and the maintenance of computer equipment. (And probably other stuff. Seriously, is there anything he can't do??) I will also be training him to take on duties related to VoteBuilder, which will be especially important as we start canvassing in earnest in May (also especially important to my sanity.)

We encourage all members to extend a warm welcome to David as he transitions into his new role. Please feel free to visit our headquarters to introduce yourself to David, if you’ve not met him before! Or if you’d like, you can reach out to him over email at davidsumail@gmail.com.

Your support and cooperation in making David feel at home in his new role are greatly appreciated. I’m so excited for him to get started!

Onward together.

PS: Stay tuned for more announcements about our May 4th Canvassing Kick-Off and our April 21st and our May 19th monthly meetings.

PPS: Tentatively, our May 19th meeting will be our Farlington Lake meeting! Er, I mean Crawford County State Lake meeting. More announcements on that are coming soon, too!

HQ status revue

Regular hours are now Monday-Friday, 10-4 and from 1-3 on Saturdays. at 217A N. Broadway in Pittsburg.

More volunteers are still needed for fill-in and regular shifts and to expand the hours.

Volunteers are also still needed to call, canvass, drive canvassers, repair, paint, write letters, share computer skills, participate in community outreach events, music, art, register voters, clean, provide food, put up signs, put election materials together and help in fundraising.

Volunteer forms are available at the front desk of the HQ if you can help in any way this year. Or leave a message on the HQ phone - 620-670-6867.

Book Club report

The Book Club met on March 20. Following a delicious potluck we discussed the book "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver.

Our next meeting information:

Date: Wednesday, April 17

Time: 6:30 pm

Place: Crawford County Democratic Headquarters.

This month we will be reading is “Trust” by Hernan Diaz.

“Buzzy and enthralling …A glorious novel about empires and erasures, husbands and wives, staggering fortunes and unspeakable misery…Fun as hell to read.” — Oprah Daily

Let us hear from you!

Article submissions are needed from Crawford County Democrats and friends about issues and topics we should all be thinking about. We want to publish your thoughts in this Revue, for distribution to county Democrats and others across the state.

Please email your thoughts or those of your caucuses and interest groups for publication in the county party’s newsletter to news@crawfordcountyksdems.org. Accompanying photographs or other ideas for illustrating your articles are also welcome. Feel free to ask questions by text or phone of newsletter crew Harriet at 620-704-8566 or Phil at 708-466-0659. Also please include your phone number with your message in case we have questions for you.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

By Crawford County Democratic Party

Dr. Emily Walters, Chair

CHANGING OPINIONS AND WINNING VOTES

Newsletter contacts: Harriet Bachner & Phil Burgert news@crawfordcountyksdems.org