Your Local Democratic Party
By Brad Swanson:
In light of Earth Day on April 22, it is hard for me to enter the mind of a Congress member whose voting score on the environment is barely above zero – especially when her colleagues in neighboring districts have records close to 100%.
You know who I am talking about. The League of Conservation Voters, a fact-based, responsible environmental watchdog, tallies lifetime voting records of our Northern Virginia Congress members as follows:
By Kenny Bledsoe:
Editor’s Note: Remembering the 19th anniversary of the Columbine mass murder on its 19th anniversary, April 20, 1999.
I was in 9th grade when two teenagers donned black trench coats, armed themselves to the teeth, and set about systematically murdering 12 of their classmates and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Colorado. Rumors swirled among the students the next day at my school in rural eastern North Carolina. We all knew of a few disaffected kids who might be disturbed enough to carry out something like that. I wrote and recorded a song about one of them later in the year. We all knew that if anyone wanted to recreate Columbine, there would be essentially no way to stop them from acquiring the guns they would need to do it.
Mine was a pretty hardscrabble school, so we found some solace in dark humor about our own toughness. Columbine couldn’t happen there; if anyone pulled out a gun, several other students would return fire. As a 15-year-old, I had already been threatened with gun violence. I ran afoul of a violent group at the school by way of a teenage love triangle. Members of the group communicated to me more than once that if I showed up in certain places, it would be a mortal risk. No one ever pointed a gun at me, but I never tested the threats. I knew in 1999, just as in 2018, there was every reason to believe that these kids had the guns to carry them out.
By Shyamali Hauth
How does an 18-year old immigrant woman whose parents are both college professors and steeped in a tradition of non-violence end up in the armed forces?
I was working three part-time jobs and struggling to pay rent and college costs. A friend mentioned that as a reservist, the Army paid part of her tuition. So I went to see the Air Force recruiter. I liked what he said, not just about the tuition assistance, but about what I would be doing. So I enlisted, thinking I would serve my four years and get out.
Little did I know the four would stretch to 10 years on active duty (enlisted and officer) and another 22 as an Air Force spouse. I got those college degrees — a BA and an MS – gave birth to four children, and served with a group of people from all over, of all races, working together because, like me, they loved their country.
By William Berkson
Republican “trickle down” policies have failed spectacularly. But their anti-government economic narrative retains a hold on the electorate. In 2016, despite the long Obama era economic recovery, 3% more voters thought Trump would handle the economy best.
What Americans want is inclusive economic growth, and without a rival narrative to achieve it, Democrats will continue to fail at the ballot box.
This counter narrative exists, founded on indisputable evidence: not less, but more government intervention, of the right kind, is critical to growing the economy.
HMDDC Precinct Operations launches a Voter ID Project starting April 22, 2018.
The Voter ID Project will attempt to identify unknown voters within Hunter Mill District. We will contact neighbors who are registered to vote, but it is unknown to us how they identify themselves. Do they consider themselves a Democrat, Republican or Independent and how are they likely to vote?
Join us in South Reston/Herndon for our first Voter ID Canvass where we will be walking Dogwood & McNair Precincts to listen and build relationships with neighborhood voters to lay the groundwork for our candidates to campaign more effectively and increase the turnout in our favor on Election Day in November.
South Reston/Herndon Voter ID Canvass
2429 Freetown Dr, Reston
April 22 at 12pm & 3pm
Contact: Joanne Collins, HMDDC Vice Chair of Precinct Operations
at collinsjoanne@yahoo.com or 585-703-1121 with any questions.
The next Hunter Mill Democrats Meeting will be held on
Wednesday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.
North County Governmental Center
1801 Cameron Glen Dr.
Reston, VA
Two prominent Virginia elected officials took turns Saturday night at a fund-raising event to celebrate recent Democratic victories and rally party members to take over the House and Virginia state legislature.
Speaking first, Va. Del. Elizabeth Guzman (D- 31) used her story as the first Hispanic female immigrant to win election to the state House of Delegates to claim that, “Anyone can achieve the American Dream here in Virginia.”
Following her at the podium, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) said the energy coming into the party from women fuels his optimism at taking over the House in November, and then using the new Democratic majority to hold President Trump accountable for his actions.
A few photos from last night’s successful fundraiser at Hunter’s Woods Community Center. More information to follow soon!
The enthusiasm of Democrats continues to amaze as we have reached capacity for our 43rd annual Lasagna Dinner fundraiser. If you still hope to get a ticket, you can complete this form to join the waitlist.
Of course, we can still use volunteers and food, so if you would like to help out, please register your interest using this link.
We’re excited to see the crowd on Saturday, April 7 at the Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Whether you’re attending or volunteering, thank you for everything you’re doing to keep Virginia blue!
There are a lot of reasons to move now to get your tickets to the 43rd annual Hunter Mill Democrats Lasagna Dinner, but perhaps the most pressing one is that tickets are limited by the size of the room and we’re running out fast. We wish we could fit everyone into the Reston Community Center on April 7, but alas, space is limited.
And don’t forget that if you wait until after March 14, the tickets that are left (if any) will be more expensive! Prices go up on March 15.
We will have special guests Rep. Gerry Connolly* and Del. Elizabeth Guzman, we will have a live auction with our incomparable auctioneer, Del. Ken Plum. and we will have plentiful pans of lasagna.
Get your tickets here, feel free to share this link with more information, and if you’re a denizen of the social media domain, share the Facebook event with your hordes of friends and followers.
*Gerry Connolly is appearing at this event as a special guest. Gerry Connolly is not soliciting funds or donations