Since 1901! The oldest continuously running democratic club in the nation.
New to the site? Check out the first post, Welcome...

Urgent! This action is today.

From the old KerryVols Yahoo group:

Moveon.org is sponsoring a national rally protesting the considered use of the ‘nuclear option’ in ending filibusters of judicial nominees.

The rally in Indianapolis will be on Wednesday the 27th of April at 5:00pm. The location will be on the steps of the Indiana Statehouse at 302 W. Washington Street. Further information is available at www.moveonpac.org. It appears that there are already 120 people registered for this protest.

Please try to make it if you can. The power of filibuster is a time honored way for a minority party to counter the “tyranny of the majority” and has been used by both parties for a very long time on many issues (including judges, even by Republicans).

Speaking of judges:

Number of Clinton’s judicial nominees that the Republican Senate blocked: 64
Number of Bush’s judicial nominees that the Democrats have blocked: 10. (of the ten that were denied, 7 are coming straight back and 2 will be “reviewed.”)
(Source)

Also be sure to call Senator Lugar’s office and express your support FOR the filibuster and AGAINST the GOP’s “nuclear option” (their term not ours). 317-226-5555 His office is taking a tally of callers and you can be sure the right is calling in force.

Thanks for your efforts on this.

The notes for the April 2005 meeting of the Indiana Democratic Club. The next meeting will be May 26th.

• AFSCME Council 62 sponsored tonight’s meeting. We need meeting sponsors. Contact Club President Ken Kern if you are interested.
• Introductions of all present: Special guests/elected officials:
  • Judge Tom Carrol, Marion County Superior Court
  • Judge Barbara Collins, Marion County Superior Court
  • Ken Zeller, President, Indiana AFL-CIO (This month’s guest speaker)
• If you want to be on the Marion County Democratic Party email list, contact Judge Barbara Collins at MCDPWeeklyList@ comcast.net
• There will be a May Day celebration @ the Slippery Noodle Inn, May 1st at 4pm. South Street & Meridian, Indianapolis, Indiana. There will a celebration to honor the founding of the IWW (The Wobblies)
• The Marion County Council voted against the human rights proposal that would “ban workplace discrimination against gay people.” 5 Democrats voted against this. The Indiana Democratic Club will be looking into a response to this vote. Stay tuned to the website, or come to the next club meeting to voice your opinion.
• Indianapolis Justice for Janitors had a good rally downtown and got to speak to some building owners to tell them about the issue of very low pay and poor benefits for Indianapolis Janitors. See recent media coverage here and here.
• IDC President Ken Kern will be going to New York in May to attend a conference about the International Criminal Court and will report next month on ways we can promote and support the ICC Rome Accord. The Club passed a resolution last year in support of the ICC Rome Accord and that urged its passing in the United States.
• Bill Clinton will be in Indianapolis to speak on June 8th at Beth-El Zedeck. See this post for more information.

This month’s guest speaker: Indiana AFL-CIO President Ken Zeller. Highlights from his talk with the club:
Read the rest of this entry »

(Note: this even is not sponsored by nor affiliated with the Indiana Democratic Club. We merely pass the information on to you)

On Wednesday, June 8 Former President Bill Clinton will speak at the Congregation Beth-El Zedeck (600 West 70th Street). Doors will open at 6. The title of his speech with be “Peace & Social Justice In the Post-9/11 World”

Check back soon for a scan of the form to send in for tickets (it will be up by midnight tomorrow at the latest, hopefully by 8am tomorrow morning). Tickets range from $50 per person for the lecture to $500 per person for patron tickets.

As there are only 300 seats in the congregation and it is not yet known if it will be moved to a larger location if interest is high it would be best to send in your payment ASAP if you are interested in going.

Come join the Indiana Democratic Club for its April meeting!

Tuesday, April 26 @ 7:30pm
Julia Carson Government Center
300 E. Fall Creek Parkway, 2nd Floor

This month’s speaker will be Indiana AFL-CIO Presidnet Ken Zeller.

Via the Indiana Young Democratis Yahoo Group:

Come see three great Democrats in two days!

IYD is pleased to announce that Chris Gallaway, president of Young Democrats of America will visit Bloomington one week from today, April 28th, to participate in the Ivy Tech State College Second Annual O’Bannon Institute for Community Service.

The Institute, named for the late Gov. Frank O’Bannon, begins next Thursday and includes a fundraising dinner for Ivy Tech’s Center for Civic Engagement. The keynote speaker at the fundraising dinner is former First Lady Judy O’Bannon. President Gallaway will serve as a panelist for Ivy Tech on Friday, April 29th. The panel is entitled “The Purple Haze: Encouraging Young Political Leadership in a Divided Nation”. The panel begins at 1 p.m. on Ivy Tech Bloomington’s campus, 200 Daniels Way (don’t worry, no relation), in Bloomington.

To cap off the O’Bannon Institute, former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh will be the keynote guest on Friday afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m. His time will be spent having a “conversation” with a local media personality, and you are invited to attend that as well.

The event is free and open to the public, and it should be a great day! Details will follow on what Chris will be doing after the Institute is over Friday evening — we’ll be in touch. For more information on the Institute, please see the news release from Ivy Tech below, or visit http://obannon.ivytech.edu.

There will be a rally for Public Education on Monday, April 25. Via the Indiana Working Families eActivist email list:

Stand UP For Public Education Rally
Teachers, Administrators, Parents, Students & Others who support public education to rally Monday April 25th at Statehouse

Earlier this month supporters of public education held a rally at the Indiana Statehouse to draw attention to the current funding legislation for public schools and how it will severly underfund our public education system. Hoping to gain the ear of the Governor and seek funding alternatives, the supporters of education where given an earful by Governor Daniels.

In response to those who rallied at the Statehouse on April 6, Gov. Mitch Daniels was quoted in the Indianapolis Star, “I think it’s really sad that folks come and demand more, more, more of the same, same, same.” In other words accoring to the BlackPressUSA, “Daniels told Indiana educators to drop dead.” This attitude by the Governor could mean tremendous scores of teachers being canned, increased class sizes and deteriorating, not improving, test scores and student achievement. With this threat lingering over our public education system the time has come for us to stand up and make our voice heard.

Please take time this Monday and attend the “Stand-UP For Education Rally!
ALL ATTENDEES TO THE EVENT ARE BEING ASKED TO WEAR GREEN AS A SIGN OF SOLIDARITY!

Rally Information:
Where: Indiana Statehouse, Indianapolis (West Side of the Building)
When: Monday, April 25th
Time: Starts promptly at 4:00 pm

To read the full article about Governor Daniels comments just follow this link.

Hey everyone. Sorry for the blog quietness last week. My job got incredibly busy. But I’m back with a vengeance. First up, this week’s MCDP Weekly List

MARION COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY WEEKLY LIST
April 25 - May 1, 2005
*********************************************************
The weekly e-mail list is a product of the Marion County Democratic Headquarters. If you have any questions about the events, or wish to be added to this list, call Gwen at 637-3366.

The deadline for additions to the weekly list is Friday, for the next week.
*********************************************************
Monday, April 25, 2005
12 noon, Barringer’s For Lunch, 2535 S. Meridian Street, Meet and chat with a number of Democrats!

Tuesday, April 26, 2005
7:30 pm, Indiana Democratic Club, Carson Government Center, 300 East Fall Creek Parkway.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Please join the Perry Township Democrat Club
Wednesday April 27, 2005, 7 P.M.
Communication Workers of America Local 4900
1130 E. Epler, Indianapolis
for an evening with Bob Voorhies, President, Central Indiana Labor Council, AFL-CIO

Please feel free to invite the general public to attend

Thursday, April 28, 2005
8:00 am, Marion County Democratic Party, Chairman’s Club, The Rathskeller, 401 E. Michigan Street, ($10.00 for breakfast), Dues $30.00 per month. Guest Speaker, Senator Vi Simpson, Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. RSVP to Jen Grawcock at 637-3366.

Saturday, April 30, 2005
8:30 am, CONCERNED CLERGY, Carson Government Center, 300 East Fall Creek Parkway.

********************************************************
Decatur Township
NEXT MEETING - MONDAY, MAY 9, 6 P.M.
BEAUTIFUL BUFFER PARK GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE.
3825 S. FOLTZ ST. (OPPOSITE FIRE STATION)
SPEAKER - AFL-CIO STATE PRESIDENT KEN ZELLER

Ken Zeller will provide an overview of past and future elections and offer an update of the Indiana General Assembly’s efforts that relate to the role of organized labor and its membership.

With the active cooperation of the Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, contact is being made with all union members - active and retired - in Decatur Twp. to encourage them to become involved in Central Indiana politics.

It is important for working families to elect labor-friendly candidates. During the current legislative session we have seen 5,000-plus state employees lose their collective bargaining rights, construction wage laws have been attacked and the new voter-ID requirement threatens to
disenfranchise many working class voters.

The Central Labor Council wants to build on the good relationships we currently have and strengthen its commitment to elect labor-friendly candidates. The 300-member Decatur Twp. Democrat Club supports these goals.

Our monthly meetings during this non-election year have drawn excellent attendance, the best of any Democrat organization in Marion Co. This past April 11, more than 40 members and guests were thrilled by the presence of 7th District Congresswoman Julia Carson and her words of
encouragement to Democrats who react with passion against misdirected “leadership” of Gov. Daniels and President Bush.

Please join us on Monday, May 9, as we continue to provide the wisdom of insight provided by our guest speakers. Labor leader Ken Zeller will “set the record straight” about the interests and goals of organized labor and its thousands of members in Decatur Twp.

As usual, we will provide a generous carry-in supper, starting at 5:45 p.m. to those attending, with the program to begin about 6:30 p.m. If you are not a member of the Decatur Twp. Democrat Club when you enter, we hope that you will be “one with us” before your departure. Membership is $3.

* Paul G. Fox, President

ARGOSY CASINO TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT. Don’t forget our June 11 bustrip to Argosy Casino, Lawrenceburg . The Decatur Twp. Democrat Club will sponsor a 1-day bus trip to the Argosy Riverboat Casino at Lawrenceburg, Ind., on Saturday, June 11. A charter will leave Southern Plaza Shopping Center, 4200 S. East St., at 9 a.m. and return at 6 p.m. Cost is $30 per person, and includes snacks and beverage enroute. Free admission plus a $5 buffet coupon given to each passenger. For reservation, contact: Paul G. Fox, 856-1692 or Pgfoxindy@aol.com. Deadline is June 1, 2005. First-come, first serve basis.

RSVP soon for your space, and that of a friend! Need a flyer? Ask and ye shall receive!
Paul G. Fox, President
Decatur Twp. Democrat Club

Lawrence Township Democrat Club Newsletter

Welcome to the Lawrence Township Democrat Club’s (LTDC) Newsletter. Our club meets the fourth Wednesday, at 7PM - 6501 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46226. Come and meet our new officers, eat, and join in our committee discussions. We welcome your ideas on best practices to grow our membership.

Our focus this year is to increase membership. We want “standing room only” at our meetings this year. So come and be a part of this new experience. We also invite you to join us at the City of Lawrence 4th of July Parade. LTDC will host their annual picnic, with games and prizes. Come and bring your family, and friends, your favorite picnic basket and enjoy the festivities with us. Make plans to be a part of our grand parade - contact us if you are interested.

LTDC is requesting non-members wanting to share information (public speaking) with the Club to be placed on the agenda prior to our monthly meeting by contacting Betty Robinson, president at
robinson.betty@sbcglobal.net You will receive a confirmation by email or phone call.

Thank You, The Executive Committee

Wayne Township Democratic club,
LBC Community Center, 709 South Lynhurst, Indianapolis, 46241. Located on Lynhurst, at the corner of Delmar and Lynhurst (between Rockville and Washington on Lynhurst). And here’s some additional information on our Club’s upcoming speakers for April & May (note location is subject to change).

MAY 10, 2005, Beth White, Public Access Counselor - she serves on the Mayor’s team. She’ll offer a legislative wrap-up on the current session. Her title is Public Access Counselor. She is the official liaison to citizen requests for city services, Public information & requests, General correspondence and the Mayor’s Action Center. Obviously, she is very busy — but she will find time to share with us at the May 10 meeting (hope you can join us, too!).

Traci Lipp, Secretary
United Wayne Township Democrat Club (UWTDC)
2721 Vinewood Drive, Speedway, IN 46224
(317) 502-1507
e-mail to: waynetownshipdemocrats@comcast.net

******************************************************
Tuesday, June 21, 2005 KEEP THE DATE OPEN!!
Marion County Democratic Party, VICTORY OPEN, TUESDAY, June 21, 2005
*******************************************************

The filibuster is a time honored tool used in the Senate to protect the minority party from the tyranny of the majority. The GOP now wants to eliminate the filibuster in the United States Senate when it comes to confirming judges based on what they call “excessive” blocking of Bush’s judicial appointees.

But the real facts tell a far different story:

Number of President Clinton’s judicial nominees that the Republican Senate blocked: 64
Number of Bush’s judicial nominees that the Democrats have blocked: 10
(of the ten that were denied, 7 are coming straight back and 2 will be “reviewed.”)

The Republicans should know as well as anyone that someday the makeup of the Senate will change and someday they will want the power to filibuster for themselves.

Senator Richard Lugar is seen as possibly one of the GOP swing votes on this issue. The Democrats have all 44 Senators firmly against this, the GOP’s so-called “nuclear option” as well as the Independent Jeffords of Vermont and two Republicans (McCain of AZ and Chafee of RI).

Contact Senator Lugar’s office TODAY and urge him not to support this short sighted and dangerous “nuclear option” that will eliminate one of the powers of the minority from keeping the majority from overstepping its bounds. Remind him of the numbers above that the GOP has historically blocked far more judges appointed by Democrats than the Democrats are currently blocking.

SENATOR LUGAR’S OFFICE LOCATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
306 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-1401
(202) 224-4814

INDIANAPOLIS
1180 Market Tower
10 West Market Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 226-5555
NORTHEAST
1300 South Harrison Street
Room 3158
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(260) 422-1505

NORTHWEST
175 West Lincolnway
Suite G-1
Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
ph: (219) 548-8035
SOUTHEAST
1201 East 10th Street
Room 103
Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130
(812) 288-3377

SOUTHWEST
101 NW Martin Luther King Boulevard
Room 122
Evansville, Indiana 47708
(812) 465-6313

Southside Democrat Club
1135 Shelby Street
317-622-6647

The Third Tuesday Luncheon
April 19, 2005 11:30am - 1:00pm

Sponsors:
Hon. Carl Drummer
USWALU 1999-Theresia Ryan

Menu:
Carl Drummer’s Soul Food, Salad, Desserts and Beverage. All you can eat for a suggested $4.00 donation.

Come and break bread with some good Democrats!

A note from the Editor:

I’m trying to think of ways to get exposure for the Indiana Democratic Club and the website more statewide than the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area focus it’s had lately. It will probably always have a lean towards IMA area issues, but since we are the Indiana Democratic Club I’d like to get at least a bit more statewide coverage.

I’m mulling the idea of contacting Indiana Democrat/liberal/annoyed by the state of the State bloggers or other online type activists and having them do occasional “guest blogging” on the website. I have a couple people in mind but if you are someone from around the state or know someone from around the state that is involved in online progressive activism, opinion, meetups, etc. contact me and let me know. Even better if you have a blog that way we can start getting some reciprocal linking of Indiana progressive blogs going (another of my long term goals for the site).