UPCOMING EVENTS
DATE & TIME | EVENT & LOCATION |
|---|---|
Anytime | Know What You Sign - View the Online Training on Ballot Petitions from the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country |
All Thru the Month of December | Donate to this month’s charity - Copper Country Housing Assistance (and let us know you did here.) |
January 7 @ 6 PM | HCDP Potluck and Monthly Meeting. RSVP here. |
January 14 @ 6 PM | Letter to the Editor Workshop by Voters Not Politicians |
January 18 @ 7 PM | KATO hosts “Introduction to Cryptomining and AI Data Centers, A Briefing”. RSVP here. |
January 18 @ 7 PM | Secretary of State Candidates Virtual Forum. RSVP here. |
Events featured in our newsletter can also be found on the Events Calendar on the main page of our website.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
With a challenging year behind us, a new year brings renewed hope and a renewed sense of purpose. Happy New Year and cheers to the promise that together we can win a brighter future for all of us!
THERE’S STILL TIME TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST HOMELESSNESS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
SOME AMONG US DON’T HAVE A HOME TO GO TO THIS HOLIDAY.
THAT’S WHY THE HOUGHTON COUNTY DEMS HAVE JOINED WITH OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS.
The Houghton County Democrats have joined with other local organizations to raise $30,000 by the end of December 2025 for the Hancock Salvation Army’s “Housing Assistance” fund, and it’s not to late for you to help.
Proceeds will be used by the Salvation Army for direct assistance to prevent homelessness of individuals and families in the six western counties of the Upper Peninsula, including Houghton and Baraga Counties. The Homeless Assistance Fund is separate from monies raised by the Salvation Army through its annual Red Kettle drive.
THIS HOUSING ASSISTANCE FUND WILL DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE HANCOCK SALVATION ARMY CHAPTER IN PROVIDING SERVICE TO LOCAL FOLKS STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING NEEDS.
Every day, local families struggle to make ends meet, whether it is for food, medical care, or housing. To be eligible for housing assistance, individuals or families must have a qualified housing need, they must establish housing sustainability through a source of regular income, and the assistance provided must resolve the crisis at hand. The $30,000 Homeless Assistance Fund is expected to provide housing assistance for up to 50 individuals or families throughout 2026.
Click the button below to donate, and don’t forget to type in “Housing Assistance” in the comment portion of the donation form.
After you’ve donated to the fund, please also click here to anonymously record your donation. We do this to measure our impact, understand what else may need to be done, and take additional action if required.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!
MONTHLY MEETING JANUARY 7TH
Join us for our monthly meeting at 7 PM at the Super 8 in Houghton.
Potluck starts at 6 PM. Bring a dish to share if you can, or just stop in and enjoy some quality time with your fellow Dems before we settle down to business at 7.
Remote attendance is available by Zoom. Consult your HCDP newsletter for Zoom link information.
Membership in the Houghton County Democratic Party is encouraged, but not required, to attend meetings. We welcome all Houghton County residents who support progressive Democratic government to attend our meetings and events and also to become involved.
NEWS BRIEFS
GOING OVER THE OBAMACARE CLIFF: ACA marketplace enrollees are set to see their health insurance costs spike. But when premium tax credits expire, profound systemic shocks will be felt well beyond individual customers. MORE: The New Republic
UNDERSTAFFING AT THE VA ABOUT TO GET WORSE?: Up to 37,000 positions may be dropped, as the Trump administration looks to be transforming the VA into a facilitator for outsourcing. MORE: The American Prospect
LOOKING BACK: DEMOCRATS RISE AS AFFORDABILITY DROVE THE 2025 ELECTIONS: When many voters stepped into the booth this year they were thinking about the credit card bill due at month’s end — and who they’d have to short to pay it. MORE: Forbes
LOOKING FORWARD: OPPORTUNITY FOR DEMS IN RURAL AMERICA: Donald Trump's unpopular tariff and health care decisions have created an opportunity for the Democratic Party to court longtime Trump supporters in rural America. MORE: Politico
LABOR UNIONS TO FIGHT TRUMP’S “BILLIONAIRES FIRST” AGENDA IN 2026 Trump has staged a year of “unrelenting attacks on working people,” according to the head of the largest federation of the labor unions in the US. Now they’re preparing to fight back. MORE: The Guardian
DATA CENTER ISSUES PROBED BY US SENATE: Senators launched a probe last Tuesday demanding that tech companies explain exactly how they plan to prevent data center projects from increasing electricity bills in communities where prices are already skyrocketing. [See the item further down in this newsletter on the first briefing on the issues around data centers by KATO and the newly formed Northern Michigan Alliance for Responsible Development.] MORE: Ars Technica
MAGA CIVIL WAR: Dozens of feuds, internecine spats, and petty beefs are tearing at the MAGA coalition from top-to-bottom. MORE: Mother Jones (warning for strong language)
CONCERNS AROUND ENDORSEMENT CONVENTIONS RAISED TO MI SECRETARY OF STATE: Election lawyers from both sides of the political spectrum said Monday that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson correctly declined to issue a declarative ruling on whether the major party’s endorsement conventions were constitutional. MORE: Michigan Advance
Mark your calendars for this fundraiser by the Kelli van Ginhoven campaign. January 17th from 2 to 4 PM at Fifth & Elm in Hancock.
TWO EVENTS ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 18TH
INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOMINING AND AI DATA CENTERS, A BRIEFING
From the organizers:
Join KATO and the Northern Michigan Alliance for Responsible Development for a hybrid community educational briefing designed to inform and empower residents of Northern Michigan's First Congressional District.
This event will also be anchored in physical locations in Sault Ste. Marie, Hancock, and Marquette. [Hancock details: hosted by KATO on January 18 at 7 PM at the Orpheum Theatre, 426 Quincy Street] The Zoom link for virtual attendees will be the same across the entire first congressional district!
This event will provide information on the impacts of data centers and cryptocurrency mining facility development in our region and the state. Participants will leave with knowledge about cryptomining and data centers and action steps to further protections for our region. Whether you attend in person or via Zoom, we're excited to have you join us!
DEM CANDIDATE FORUM: MI SECRETARY OF STATE
Join Democratic candidates for Secretary of State for a virtual forum, where they’ll have an opportunity to present on their platforms and positions. At the time this Forum was announced candidates Barb Byrum, Agogho Edvebie, and Adam Hollier were all expected to appear.
The Forum will be moderated by Rena Basch, the Director of Elections for Washtenaw County and a member of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus.
The forum will take place over Zoom on January 18th, starting at 7 PM. RSVP using the button below.
MONTHLY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WORKSHOP
From the organizers:
Put your writing skills to work to make transformational change in Michigan!
Voters Not Politicians volunteers meet monthly to share tips and strategies for writing compelling Letters to the Editors, Op-Eds, and Blog posts about policies affecting Michigan's democracy. Join us to share your voice with fellow pro-democracy activists and with your wider community.
Each volunteer-led meeting will include training on how to write Letters to the Editor, tips shared from volunteers from different regions, and a policy discussion on current VNP policy priorities. We will also sharing helpful curated talking points on each policy topic.
THIS IS AN ONLINE EVENT.
Governmental & Community Meetings
THUR JAN 1
The South Range Village Council is scheduled to meet Thursday at 6 PM in the South Range Community Building. For more information contact the Village at [email protected] or (906) 482-8833
A FULL LISTING OF ALL LOCAL CITY, VILLAGE AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS, WITH CONTACT INFORMATION, AND (WHERE AVAILABLE) TIMING OF LOCAL COUNCIL MEETINGS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
SUBMIT A RESOLUTION
This newsletter is paid for with regulated funds by the Houghton County Democratic Party, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.
Contact us by email at [email protected] or by text or voicemail at 906-523-1233