Newton Dems Official Blog

Newton Fundraiser for Paul Hodes, Feb 6th

Tim Snyder — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:42:21 +0000

Marianne Karmel & Murray Sackman, Ted Kurland & Ann Kurland, Bob Sherman & Kim Sawyer
and co-hosts
Rob Barber, Betsy Myers, Cheryl Cronin, Wm. Shaw McDermott, Ben Schwartz, Jarvis P. Kellogg, Jr., George & Kathy Ticknor, Dr. Kenneth & Janet Rosenfield, Roger Brown, Patti Stoll, Marcy Crary & Tim Hall, Judy & Jonathan Chiel, Herbert Gleason, Barry Bluestone & Mary Ellen Colten, and New England Women For Change

Invite you to join them in honoring Congressman Paul Hodes, candidate for US Senate in New Hampshire at a fundraiser at the the home of Marianne Karmel and Murray Sackman, 391 Highland St, West Newton on Saturday, February 6th from 5:00 to 7:30 pm.

Suggested Contributions
Friend $250 Supporter $500 *Sponsors $1,000 *Co-Hosts $2,400
*(Pre-reception & Photo with Congressman Hodes 5:00pm — 5:30pm)
[ Host Committee In Formation ]
RSVP REQUIRED
For more information or to RSVP, please contact: hodessenator61@gmail.com
or call Murray Sackman ☎ (617) 755-5100

Newton Kick-Off for Steve Grossman, Feb 7th

Tim Snyder — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:39:23 +0000

Newton Kick-Off
for
Steve Grossman
Candidate for
Massachusetts State Treasurer

Sunday, February 7th
11 am - 12:30 pm

The Windsor Club
1601 Beacon Street
Waban

This organizational meeting and reception will be a chance for Steve Grossman, former chair of the DNC and member of the Ward 7 Democratic Committee, to meet with his friends and supporters in Newton to plan for the caucus and beyond.

Please contact Francis Orlando at 617-872-5415 or email francis@stevegrossman.com to RSVP or if you have any questions.

Haiti Earthquake Relief

Shawn P. Fitzgibbons — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:56:36 +0000

If you're interested in supporting relief efforts in Haiti, please see below. Thanks to Ward 1 Chair Max Goldsmith for providing this information.

HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

To donate $10.00 to the American Red Cross from your cell phone text “HAITI” to 90999

DONATE ONLINE

Also, you can visit InterAction.org, a site which links to about 30 religious, anti-hunger and medical relief organizatiosn with specific Haiti missions.

DONATE BLOOD: Call 1-800-HELP-NOW for information on donor center locations and hours

We Need Martha in the Senate and Martha Needs You!

Tim Snyder — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:43:03 +0000

We Need Martha Coakley as the 60th Vote for Change in the Senate

And Martha Coakley needs you to help her get elected on Tuesday, January 19th!

Why? President Obama and the Senate cannot enact any of the Change Agenda (Health Care,
Finance Reform, Climate Change, Immigration, Job Growth, etc.) without a super majority of
60 votes. Currently Paul Kirk is one of those 60 and we need to hold on to that seat in the
Senate for the Democrats. Without Martha in the Senate, we lose any hope of making the
changes that we fought so hard for in the election of 2008. Let's not give up that hope.

How? Vote for Martha Coakley on January 19th or vote absentee right now if you will be out
of town that day. Monday, January 18th is a holiday so that the deadline for voting over the
counter at Newton City Hall will be noon, Friday, January 15th.

Work for Martha. Help Martha's campaign. You can volunteer on her website:

www.MarthaCoakley.com

or you can call her office - 617-681-0551

or you can help us make phone calls at the upcoming GOTV phonebanks in Newton:

Saturday, January 9, 1-4 pm 29 Crafts St, Suite 470

Sunday, January 10, 2-5 pm, 246 Walnut St, Suite 210

Saturday, January 16, 1-4 pm 29 Crafts St, Suite 470

Sunday, January 17, 2-5 pm, 246 Walnut St, Suite 210

Bring your cellphone and charger; there are a few landlines available too! Give an hour.
It's easy. You'll be calling other supporters to remind them to vote. FREE parking.

Volunteer on election day. Hold signs. Make phone calls. Knock on doors.
Contact the campaign HQ to sign up!

The NDCC NewTV Committee Needs You

Shawn P. Fitzgibbons — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:18:46 +0000

The New TV Committee is looking for interested members who would like to learn the “secrets” of video production. The Committee creates programs of interest to the voting public and need help with all aspects of the production process. For more information on NDCC NewTV programs, please click here.

You can become a member of New TV through the Democratic City Committee which has a number of membership openings. You can learn the skills needed for producing a local cable show including photography, lighting, editing, audio, studio productions and more. It's yet another way to communicate the work of Newton Democrats, and we hope you can help!

Contact Myra Tattenbaum at tattenbaum@verizon.net or Barbara John at barbaraj.massed1@rcn.com with any questions.

Fundraiser Jan 7 with Special Guest Martha Coakley

Tim Snyder — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:42:24 +0000

Join Special Guest:

Attorney General Martha Coakley

This Thursday Night,
January 7th 6-8pm

To Support
Representative Ruth B. Balser

Hosted by Alderman Vicki Danberg
& John Ficarelli

30 Chase Street, Newton Massachusetts

Suggested Contributions:
$100, $250, $500

To Contribute online go to www.ruthbalser.org

Contributions can be brought to the event or sent to PO Box 590102, Newton MA 02459.

For more information or to RSVP call: 617-418-4581 or email: ruth@ruthbalser.org

Democrats ONLY – Caucus February 20, 2010

Tim Snyder — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:58:46 +0000

Democrats ONLY – Caucus February 20, 2010

The Newton Democrats will hold their Ward Caucuses on Saturday, February 20, 2010 to select delegates to attend the Democratic State Convention on June 5^th in Worcester. This will be a nominating convention to choose the candidates who will appear on the ballot in the primary election in September. There are several constitutional offices that will be vigorously contested so the selection of delegates will be very competitive. The offices of Attorney General, Treasurer, and Auditor do not have elected incumbents running. The location for the caucuses has not yet been finalized.

Any Newton resident registered as a Democrat by December 31, 2009 can participate in the caucus for their ward by running as a delegate and voting to elect the slate of delegates from their ward. Stop by the Election Commission in City Hall to register if you aren’t already.

Join the party and join the political struggle at the grass roots level to select our leaders for the next four years here in Massachusetts.

Ward 6 Dems Thank George Mansfield and Ken Parker

Shawn P. Fitzgibbons — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:49:35 +0000

The Ward 6 Democratic Committee met at the Women's Club last Sunday. After doing a little business including filling the last of their open membership seats -- welcome new members Kate, Kelly, Karen, Sandra, Dick and Paul! -- we took some time to honor the tenure of serivce on the Board of Aldermen given to Newton by George Mansfield and Ken Parker.

Thanks to the many ward six residents, municipal elected officials and members of our state delegation who shared their thoughts and kind words about George and Ken. If you're curious, the text of a resolution passed by the Committee honoring both can be found here. Also, this week the Newton TAB did nice stories about George and Ken as well.

Our Thoughts Are With Our Soldiers

Shawn P. Fitzgibbons — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:27:01 +0000

Last night could certainly turn out to be a pivotal moment for Democrats in Newton and nationwide. President Obama followed through on his campaign promise and announced an escalation of the War in Afghanistan. Recalling September 11th , noting differences between this conflict and Vietnam and declaring an imminent threat of new attacks, he let us know that 30,000 more young American men and women will quickly be on their way to war.

If you didn’t watch his speech, it’s worth taking a moment (or, about 30 minutes) to do so.

An escalation of any war is certainly disheartening. Personally, I am very disappointed the President chose this course of action in Afghanistan. Great powers have marched their armies in and out of its mountains for decades. What have their guns accomplished?

In any case, now, amidst the holidays, young soldiers are preparing for battle in a difficult landscape. On the eve of this renewed battle, our thoughts are with the members of our armed forces and their families.

Tribute to Ted from Colorado

Tim Snyder — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:28:26 +0000

Subject: Remembering Ted
Please share your thoughts.: It was 1980 and I was a volunteer researcher working in the Columbia Law School Library doing research for speeches and literature development for Ted Kennedy's presidential campaign. I had completed the requested research and copied everything that I was asked to do and was bringing it back to begin working with one of the literature editors on the campaign. I had just set the copies on a desk and was going to sit down to organize it when Ted came in and made his way through the office talking to everyone. I was in the back desk near the office of the campaign coordinator and there was a chair next to my desk that was empty. When Ted got near I stood up and shook his hand and he asked if I minded if he sat down with me as he would love a break. I was taken back and surprised, Ted would want to sit down with me? I was honored and we sat down and he proceeded to ask me what I was working on with genuine interest. We sat together for about 15 minutes talking and in that time he told me that he saw a passion for leadership in my eyes and he hoped that one day I would also follow in his footsteps by becoming the leader that he knew he saw in me. Well, all these years later, I have come a leader in higher education and am working on completing my Ph.D. in Learning Systems in Higher Education and I will never forget those moments with Ted because he really did believe in and appreciate everyone who worked and volunteered to help him with his mission, right up to the end. Now, if more people in this world would aspire to inspire others in that way, no matter the flaws we all have, and we all appreciate others like that each day, then this world most certainly would be a better place. With much appreciation for a man who believed in others potential, I carry that spirit on. Bless you Ted, for all you did and all you helped others to do.
Truly,
Heidi Marie Magoon Connor, Colorado Springs, CO