FUNDRAISER FOR SUSAN FULDAUER - House District 88
(opponent - Brian Bosma)
Date: Thursday, May 25, 2006
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Place: The home of Deborah Langerman and Ed Ramthun, 810 Fleetwood Dr., Indianapolis
RSVP 465-9527 or dlangerman@sbcglobal.net
Info about the May General Membership meeting of the IDC:
*Time: 7:30pm
*Location: Julia Carson Government Center, Indianapolis
*Guest Speaker: Dennis Ryerson, VP and Editor of the Indianapolis Star
*Topic: The role of the print media
This should be a very interesting night. If you have any interest in the role of media in today’s society and politics this will be a night that should appeal to you.
The IDC’s summer picnic will be happening again. Time, date and more information to follow. But it will be happening again at Benjamin Harrison State Park. After some complaints about the entrance fees at the park, this year if you have a parking receipt ($4 parking) you will have that amount taken off the cost of attending the picnic ($5). Only those with parking receipts will ge tthe discount.
Stay tuned for more details comign soon about the picnic!
The April General Membership Meeting of the Indian Democratic Club was opened on 4/25/06 by IDC President Ken Kern at 7:3pm at the Julia Carson Government Center in Indianapolis Indiana. Sponsors for the meeting were the slated Marion County Circuit Court Judge Candidates.
Both the treasurer’s report and the secretary’s report were handed out and accepted as written.
Guest speakers:
(Note: this meeting took place before the primaries. Since then, Katherine Carr has won the primary)
Tonight’s guests were candidates for Congress in the 5th District of Indiana: Mike Brown, Tom Williams, Katherine Carr and a representative of Michael Clements (Tom Hipple).
Mike Brown:From North Manchester at the north end of the district. Moved to North Manchester 33 years ago. Masters in Economics and History. Was the president of the Young Democrats when he was in college. Started off with a small business that grew into a fine jewelry business. Has worked as the President of the Main St. Organization in his hometown working on Downtown restoration.
platform/Ideas:
-Anti-special interests & lobbyists. It is a corrupting influence.
-Confronted Rep. Burton at a town hall about lobbying and corporate money influencing him. Asked him to set aside special interest money in his campaign. Unsurprisingly, Rep. Burton refused.
-National Security: Increase port & border security, accept the Arab Nations’ previous offer to handle security in Iraq.
-Financial Security is as important as National Security. Repeal Bush’s tax cuts, stop pork and earmarks in Congress. Social Security - remove the $90k cap on social security taxable income. Also redo the capital gains and investment taxes
-Extend Medicare to everyone as a first step to health care.
-Increase the minimum wage.
-Focus on environmental security and global warming.
Tom Hipple representing Michael Clements: Michael is 27 from Huntington. Son and Grandson of Democratic Party Officials. His campaign is about the responsibility to represent the positive side of the American Experience. The GOP vision is about the opposition to things passed and achieved 30 to 50 years ago.
He was slated in Marion County and by the 5th District Democrats, as well as the 5th District UAW. Urges voters to support the slate.
Tom Williams: A lawyer in Greenfield and Retired Army Intelligence Officer. Father of 3 and raising his granddaughter. Mr. Williams has been involved for many years in Democratic politics, his grandfather was a former Indiana Attorney General and his great-grandfather was in Congress. Comes from the populist tradition of the Democratic Party.
“Running because I am pissed off that Bush is our President” Would ask Bush: Where is the Iraq oil money that was to pay for the war? Wasn’t the war supposed to be much shorter and cheaper?
Wants to return troops home now, pledges to vote that way. If the people of Iraq don’t want us there, no amount of technology can stop them from fighting us. Also pledges to vote for no more money spent on the Iraq war because of our growing debt. Every American currently has $28,000 in debt. How many American schools, roads, etc could have been built for that money?
Katherine Carr: Running vs. Burton is like running against Bush/Cheney.
Iraq/Budget: Most attendees have heard her speak on this already. In support of term limits.
It used to be most of our debt was to ourselves. Now, a large majority of our debt is owed to foreign nations. If they were to ‘foreclose’ on that debt, our economy would be in serious trouble.
Q&A:
If you were facing the Patriot Act & Iraq war votes in the face of public opposition, how would you have voted?
K.C: Hopes she would have seen past the lies, but so much was done to mislead us it is hard to say now.
T.W.: Civil liberties are very important and we must support them no matter what
M.B.: Was against the war from the beginning. Unsure if he would have been deceived a a Congressman, but would like to think he wouldn’t have been
Tom for M.C.:He would have done like Congresswoman Carson and voted against it despite the pressure.
Network Neutrality(?):
M.B.: favors supporting Net Neutrality as law.
K.C.: favors supporting Net Neutrality as law.
T.W.: Thinks Net Neutrality is important. No advantage should be given to one person/corporation over others. The Internet has brought people together and it shouldn’t be made out as a prize to big business.
Tom for M.C.: Can’t speak for Michael on this.
Re: Adding government/public employees to National Labor Relations Act:
K.C.: As long as it doesn’t endanger life and vital public services, then yes supports it.
T.W.: Needs to learn more about labor issues before answering this.
M.B.: Also supports it as long as i doesn’t endanger public safety services
Opinion on allowing businesses to dump pensions:
K.C.: Executive/manager salaries should be cut before dumping pensions
T.W.: Opposes businesses dumping pensions. Too many people rely on them
M.B.: Unfortunately, most of the damage of allowing this has already been done via bad bills in Congress
Tom for M.C.: It’s wrong, not just for individuals but for the economic health of our country.
What would your preferred committee assignment be if you won in November:
Tom for M.C.:Ways & Means
M.B. Foreign Affairs
T.W. Intelligence
K.C. Ways & Means
What should we do in Iraq now?
K.C.: Set a deadline and start backing out to meet that deadline. A goal is needed to push Iraqis to do more.
M.B.: Take up the Arab League’s offer to handle security. Get out ASAP.
Tom for M.C.: A timed withdrawal.
How to beat Burton:
Tom for M.C.: Tell the truth about him?
M.B.: It will be tough due to his money, but by not being like him (in terms of taking money from lobbyists). Be a different type of candidate.
T.W.: Burton doesn’t represent the views of the district. Represent and support those views.
K.C.: Tell the truth. Be pro worker.
Guests & Elected Officials:
Larry Ryan (Southside Democrat Club)
Steve Nicewanger (Warren Twp Dem Club)
Mary Ray (Hamilton County Dem Women Club)
Leona Glazebrooks for State Rep 87
Russel Brown for State Senate 31
Greg Bowes for Marion County Assessor
5 of the 9 slated candidates for Marion county Superior Court Judge
Erin Rosenberg for Julia Carson for Congress campaign.
Other Notes:
The Hamilton County Democratic Women’s Club Cookbook is available. $15, hardcover. It’s a fundraiser for the club. Call 317-844-9447 for information.
This is just a quick post to apologize for not getting the April meeting minutes up yet. With the primaries last week and all things got pretty busy and it slipped my mind. After the board meeting tonight, they’ll get typed up and posted.
Just a quick congratulations to all of the candidates that prevailed yesterday in the primary election. Now it’s time to unite behind our chosen candidates and move on to the general election in November.
You can see all of the election results across the state on in.gov here: