Tricounty DFA Meetup Report: Carter Endorsed, GOTV, Electronic Voting and more...
It's been an exciting week! In this update:

1. Glens Falls Meetup Report: Dave Carter Endorsement
2. GOTV activities: Tabling, Canvasssing, Phone Banking and the Wing
3. Bought Sold: Electronic Voting In NY video and actions
4. Merrick Press Conference Friday
5. Olbermann Channels Murrow Again
6. Dean On Scandals
7. Gillibrand and Hoyer At Skidmore
8. Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon
9. Friday Film Fest
10. On The Lighter Side: Hide the Perv...


1. Glens Falls Meetup Report: Dave Carter Endorsement

We had an exceptional Glens Fallls Meetup last Wednesday at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe. The first order of business was a presentation and Q& A with Hudson Falls Mayor David Carter (you may have seen Bonnie Neumann's report in today's Post-Star), who is running for the 112th Assembly District seat.

According to Carter, he was inspired to run against incumbent Republican Assemblyman Roy McDonald when he discovered as Mayor how unresponsive McDonald was to the needs of local governments and communities. "I went to meet him," Carter said, "and the first thing he told me was not to expect a handout." I think we'd all agree with Dave when he says, "What is happening in this country today, especially in Washington County, is that the middle class and the working class is being replaced by the struggling class."

After a warm reception, we voted unanimously to endorse David Carter.

Dave needs volunteers and help in his campaign: if you want to volunteer or help go to his new DFA-Link page at: http://www.dfalink.com/campaign.php?id=1979

We also spent a good deal of time talking about what we can do to support candidates this fall.

2. GOTV activities: Tabling, Canvasssing, Phone Banking and the Wing

We also discussed Get Out The Vote activities between now and November.

*We will again be tabling during the Farmer's Market on South Street in downtown Glens Falls this Saturday, October 7th from at least 9am (and probably 8am) until about 11am. Come out and show support for all our candidates and bring a friend. We also expect to be doing voter registration at the Market, so we do need helpers!

For more info and to RSVP go to: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=11212

*Afterwards we've been canvassing door to door in Glens Falls. Like last week, we will be organizing this week's canvass during Saturday's tabling. Come and check before 11am at the Farmer's Market -- We need as many people as we can get! You can take these home with you and bring them back later.

*There is also a need for people to do phone banking. That's like canvassing, only you do it sitting in the office. Offices have been opened first in Saratoga Springs, the Hudson Falls and now Glens Falls. There are phones in each that need staffing. If you have a few hours to spare each week, let us or Patrick Layden know at (518) 796-0109, we got quite a few volunteers at the meeting, but need more.

*Have you seen the Gillibrand Wing? It's a pickup with a Gillibrand sign "flying" from the tailgate. Doug Auer at daauer@aol.com is looking for locations on main roads with heavy traffic. The idea is to move it from place to place regularly. Please contact him right away if you have one.

*There are also some events in the works: More details later.

3. Bought Sold: Electronic Voting In NY video and actions

After GOTV, we had a terrific presentation and video by Bob Millman, creator of Bought and Sold: Electronic Voting in New York. I've seldom seen a more rapt audience-- it's a remarkable presentation of the folly and dangers of electronic voting machines, and also very much the radical waste of tax dollars they will entail. For instance: we are told that optical scanned ballots are too expensive at $.30 each, but an electronic voting machine has to be reprogrammed for each election at an average cost of $2 per voter. This is a boondogle of boondogles, as well as a threat to our democracy.

A number of our members are now contacting members of the Warren and Washington County Boards of Supervisors. We are going to try and screen Bought and Sold for them and other supervisors. If you know any members of these boards, and think you can get them to watch it, please contact us or Bob Millman at r.millman@att.net

If you want a copy of your own, they are $15. Again, contact bob at r.millman@att.net and he will send you one.

Many thanks again to Bob for coming up from Scotia! We will continue to pursue this issue in the near future.

4. Merrick Press Conference Friday

State Senate Candidate Tim Merrick will be holding his final Press Conference unveiling his positions on the environment and the APA on Friday, October 6th at Noon. The location is the new Democratic Headquarters in the Rogers Building on Bay and Maple Streets in downtown Glens Falls, across the street from the Crandall Library.

We are strongly urging everyone to come to this last conference to show support for Tim and his platform of state government and property tax reform, among other issues. Again, Friday at Noon at Bay and Maple in downtown Glens Falls.

5. Olbermann Channels Murrow Again

MSNBC newscaster Keith Olbermann delivered another stunning rebuke to Bush and the right again tonight in a special commentary, and every line is precious, and extraordinary. He humbles the utterances of the rest of us.

"The President doesn't just hear what he wants. He hears things, that only he can hear.

"It defies belief that this President and his administration could continue to find new unexplored political gutters into which they could wallow."

Yet they do."

Listen to the whole thing. You must:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/05/olbermanns-special-comment-it-is-not-the-democrats-whose-inaction-in-the-face-of-the-enemy-you-fear/

6. Dean On Scandals

Governor Dean speaks out in the latest issue of U.S. News and World Report on the breaking scandals in Washington. Says Dean, "For those who have known what this group of Republicans is about, it's not a surprise that this should happen. They've put the interests of their party ahead of the interests of America and they've done it for six years... "

and, "I think that this is just a firestorm. I had airport mechanics talking to me about it on the road. I mean, when that starts to happen, you know this is an issue that matters a lot." For more: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/061005/5dean.htm

7. Gillibrand and Hoyer At Skidmore

Our Saratoga County Chair Larry Bulman sends this invitation!

"MONDAY OCTOBER 9th:

Congressman Steny Hoyer Democratic Whip (MD-5) & Kirsten Gillibrand, Democratic Congressional Candidate (NY-20)

Congressman Hoyer, the 2nd highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, and Kirsten Gillibrand, the Democratic Congressional Candidate running against Congressman John Sweeney in our Congressional district, will be holding a Take Back the House Rally at Skidmore to talk about why these midterm elections are so important.

Come listen and share your ideas!

Monday, October 9th at 12:45 in the Spa (Skidmore College, Case Center, 1st floor)

For information contact Eric Hyers 518-584-7532
* Due to campus parking, you may want to arrive early (12:30pm)*

8. Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon

The Washington County Democratic Women's Committee will hold their Fall Luncheon on Saturday October 14, 2006 at the Skene Manor in Whitehall, NY.

The luncheon will be from 12 noon until 2pm.

Special Guest Speaker will be Michelle Paige Patterson.

The cost is $25 per person. Please call Ellen Faber for reservations at 518-677-8345

For more info go to http://www.washingtoncountydemocrats.com

9. Friday Film Fest

The Rockhill Bakehouse Progressive Film Fest continues this Friday at 8pm with:

Oct 6 LAAL SALAAM (Red Salute) (2001) Docudrama (based on true incidents)
Hindi (EST) Director - Gaganvihari Borate 130 min.
Peasant and indigenous peoples’ rebellion have a history of several centuries in South Asia. The 20th and 21st centuries are also witness to insurgencies challenging the rule of landlords as well as the State. Across the central part of India from Maharashtra in the West to Bengal/Orissa in the East a significant struggle, little reported outside India in the mainstream media has been evolving over the past 3 decades. This docudrama, based on actual events, is a theatrical account of the lives of 6 characters that are engaged in an effort to mobilize the population
towards an alternative just society. The film sensitively portrays the hopes, contradictions, betrayals and emotional attachments of the people.

And on October 13th and 20th comes the DFA-National endorsed Iraq For Sale.

Oct 13 IRAQ FOR SALE (2006) Robert Greenwald 75 min.
Acclaimed director Robert Greenwald (Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, Outfoxed, and Uncovered) takes you inside the lives of soldiers, truck drivers, widows and children who have been changed forever as a result of profiteering in the reconstruction of Iraq. Iraq for Sale uncovers the connections between private corporations making a killing in Iraq and the decision makers who allow them to do so.

RSVP at: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=12132 to show your support.

10. On The Lighter Side: Hide the Perv...

Finally, on the lighter side, Drew sent this along from the Huffington Post-- "Hide The Perv" Guess who...? An early Halloween special: http://helphastert.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

Thanks Everyone!

Larry Dudley
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:51 AM