Tricounty DFA Update: Meeting Report, Events and... Allen sings?
In this update:

1. Special Meeting Report on Neighbor Network
2. Washington County Democrats At The Fair
3. Dave Carter Event
4. Gillibrand Events at Joanne Yepsen's And In Greenwich
5. Tabling At The Farmer's Market
6. Sen. Allen Signs Songs of Treason
7. Friday Progressive Film Fest

1. Special Meeting Report on Neighbor Network

Autumn is approaching and we have to start thinking about what we can do to help the candidates we back get elected-- especially, how do we connect with voters to get them to actually go vote?

We heard an answer last week at a special meeting at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe. We heard a presentation from Matt Ehlinger and Jessica Nowlin of the New York State Democratic Committee on the Committee's great new initiative, the Neighborhood Network.

They described a plan to reach out to Democrats and likely Democratic voters by contacting our neighbors with a simple question; what's the most important issue to you? The goal is then to follow up later in the election season with a specific answer from our candidates. This approach-- basically listening first-- has been found to be far more effective than traditional, impersonal phone banking.

They are asking for our help with the Neighborhood Network; if anyone wants to get started right away, please let me know-- we are looking for ways to get going with the Network-- it is by far the best way to help all of our candidates and bring change to our area and the state! They are willing to come up to specifically help us get started. We'll be talking about this more at our next meeting, as well.

2. Washington County Democrats At The Fair

The Washington County Fair is on this week and the Washington County Democratic Committee has a booth! You will find them in the Fair's Commercial Building. Kirsten Gillibrand is scheduled to be in the WCDC's booth on Thursday from 2 until 4pm. The fairgrounds are located on Rt. 29 just east of Schuylerville going towards Greenwich. If you want to help, contact Lisa Manzi at lisa@lisamanzi.com or Sheila Comar at slcomar@adelphia.net

3. Dave Carter For Assembly Event

Also on the 24th, Hudson Falls Mayor David Carter, who is running for the Assembly seat in the 112th District, will be holding a desert reception at Something's Brewing in Greenwich on Thursday, August 24th from 6-8 PM, so you can do both the fair and get dessert and drinks later!

4. Gillibrand Event at Yepsen's
A group of local Democratic luminaries to large to list, but including Saratoga County Chair Larry and Vicki Bulman and GGFDFA's own Dick and Pat Dudley, Mayor Valerie Keehn and others invite you all to a special "after the races" fundraising reception for Kirsten Gillibrand sponsored by the New York League of Conservation Voters. The event hostess is Saratoga Springs Supervisor Joanne Yepsen. The event is to celebrate the NYLCV's endorsement of Kirsten's candidacy.

The event will be held at Joanne Yepsen's home on August 25th from 6-9pm. The address is 91 Fifth Avenue, only three blocks from the track.

Tickets are $100-$250-$500. Please RSVP to Ross Offinger at ross@gillibrand2006.com or 518-694-426.

Gillibrand In Greenwich

There will also be a gala gallery event at Gallery 668 in Greenwich on August 31st. An art auction will be held to benefit Democratic congressional candidate Kirsten Gillibrand's campaign. More than 30 artists have contributed works for the silent auction and reception at the gallery on the Cambridge-Battenkill Road in Greenwich.

Kirsten Gillibrand will speak and take questions at 8 p.m. Wine and snacks will be served. Suggested contribution is $30 per individual or $50 per couple.

Gallery 668 is located at 668 Cambridge-Battenville Road just south of the Battenville Bridge off Route 29. For directions, go to www.gallery668.com, or call 518-692-7139. In order help plan for food and drink please RSVP by phoning 518-677-5979.

5. Tabling At The Farmer's Market

We plan to be tabling again at the Farmer's Market in downtown Glens Falls from about 8am until 11am or so this Saturday. Dick got a fresh resupply of literature, including Spitzer material.

However, there is also a 20TrueBlue meeting some of us may have to attend (20TrueBlue is a leadership conference of townchairs, DFA people and other activists from across the 20th CD). It would be good to know how many people plan to attend the tabling Saturday so we can plan for all contingencies.

Again, it's important to have a team for an event like tabling! Come on down and join in and talk with everyone else. If you want to help, please contact us or RSVP at http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=10481

Also, the Gillibrand campaign is still organizing phone banking at 470 Glen Street in Glens Falls. Contact me for information or Patrick Layden at (518) 796-0109. Make sure you call Patrick before you go.

6. Sen. Allen Signs Songs of Treason

You may have heard about Sen. Allen, who made up his own, new racial slur this week. (We really needed another one of those, didn't we?) Now video has surfaced of Allen dressed as a Confederate general merrily singing Confederate songs of treason: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/8/19/235221/760 In the dKos pic he's on the right in the white hat with the three stars on his lapels. Click the pic to see the video.

There's a great dKos posting that my (and Dick's) late mother would've loved on how the Confederate cause was traitorous and how the Confederacy is still a factor in driving right wing politics. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/20/12175/6193

You see, as a very young child our mom was sometimes looked after by her elderly Uncle John, who was a disabled Civil War Union Army veteran. He told her stories and taught her old Civil War songs, like Tenting Tonight, which she sometimes spontaneously would whistle even late in life. She always regarded the Confederates as traitors (as did Uncle John.)

To her, and this is the point of all this, the Republican Party, of which she has always been a member, was still the the party of Lincoln. That a man like Allen, who isn't even from the South (he grew up in Southern California!), could be seriously considered for the Presidency of her and Old Abe's party would have confounded her to no end-- as it should all of us. It's a sad commentary on how far the Republican Party has fallen.

7. Friday Film Fest

On Friday, August 25th at 8pm, the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe continues its Friday Night Film Fest with Ralph Nader, Up Close. I'm sure we all can remember the many great things Nader once did.

"The first and only feature length documentary about the upbringing and life of Ralph Nader. Before becoming an independent presidential candidate, Nader was known as America’s leading consumer advocate and author. He was responsible for the passage of dozens of major environmental, consumer and safety reforms. The film blends archival footage and scenes of Nader and his staff at work in Washington with interviews with Nader, his mother and sister, friends such as author David Halberstam and critics such as Richard Viguerie. Narrated by Studs Terkel.
Director: Mark Litwak &Tiiu Lukk Running Time: 72 min."

Thanks Everyone! Let us know if you are interested in the Neighborhood Network!

Larry Dudley
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 10:56 PM