Meet & Greet with Dr. Bob Lorinser

Michigan’s Primary is August 6, 2024

Meet & Greet with Dr. Bob Lorinser

YOU’RE INVITED…

Please join the Houghton County Democrats in welcoming 1st Congressional District Candidate Dr. Bob Lorinser for a Meet and Greet this Saturday at 10 AM at the Houghton Super 8.

Dr. Bob will speak on Project 2025, followed by Q & A.

GET TO KNOW DR. BOB LORINSER

Bob Lorinser has been a diplomat, and a family doctor, and is running to defeat Jack Bergman for US Congress in Michigan’s 1st District. With three advanced degrees, a decade of service in the US State Department, and service as the medical director of the Marquette County Health Department, Dr. Bob Lorinser brings a wealth of experience to his campaign.

In his own words:

"In college, I was exposed to a broader community and learned more about how the government can help improve the lives of individuals and communities. I was inspired to pursue a career in medicine after seeing the impact that my best friend's father, a family physician, had on his patients' lives.

I remember his stories of helping people, how doctors heal, solve problems, complete puzzles, and fix broken things - and I knew I wanted to spend my life doing the same.

After completing my medical education, I had the honor of serving the Navajo Nation and Marquette County as a family physician. Later, I expanded my service to the entire Upper Peninsula as Medicaid Medical Director, working tirelessly to ensure all individuals had access to quality healthcare.

But I wanted to help more. So, in addition to my work as a physician, I also had the opportunity to serve as a national educator, traveling the country to help tens of thousands of family physicians improve their practice of medicine.

Every time I progressed in medicine, I was driven by a core goal, to help as many people as possible. So, after 15 years in the UP, my focus transitioned to serving my Nation as a Diplomat overseas for a decade. I retired only to return to the Upper Peninsula as Public Health Medical Director for Marquette County. I got to the helm at the height of the pandemic, a role best suited for me to extend my service to a community in need.

Today, with the same drive to help and heal and with the grit and tenacity that pushed me my whole life, I am running for Congress to continue my life's work of serving others."

Learn more at VoteDrBob.com.

WHEN & WHERE: This Saturday, July 27th at 10 AM. Meet in the Conference Room at the Houghton Super 8, 1200 E Lakeshore Dr, Houghton, MI 49931

RSVP: This event is open to all. No RSVP required.

President Biden Exits Race, Endorses VP Harris

Sunday’s announcement - whether you were a strong supporter of Joe Biden’s re-election or one who thought he should step aside after his debate performance three weeks ago - still managed to surprise many Democrats. The announcement came through a social media post, not a speech or even a pre-taped video. This is likely due to the President’s current bout with COVID. In his announcement the President said that he would speak to the nation later in the week.

Tributes to the President and the transformational accomplishments of his administration came quickly Sunday. Former President Obama’s comments reflected those of many others - “Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me,” he said, and “today, we’ve … been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order”.

We join our fellow Democrats in praising Joe Biden for his half a century of service to our nation, his strong leadership that took us beyond the pandemic to one of the best economies the country has seen in decades, and for his selflessness in stepping away from the most powerful seat in the world at this time.

President Biden endorsed Vice President Harris shortly after his initial announcement, and within hours she declared, “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.” Democrats across the country immediately rallied to the Vice President.

ActBlue donations to the Harris campaign soon reached an enthusiastic pace of $7.5 million per hour, and within 24 hours had topped $81 million. “The historic outpouring of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections," said Harris for President spokesperson Kevin Munoz. "Already, we are seeing a broad and diverse coalition come together to support our critical work of talking to the voters that will decide this election."

Meanwhile, in a show of unity, other Democrats whose names had been tossed around in the last few weeks as possible competitors - Gov. Newsom of CA, our own Gov. Whitmer, Gov. Shapiro of PA, Sen. Kelly of AZ, Transportation Sec. Buttigieg - quickly endorsed the VP. While there is still a convention and a nominating process to go through, the momentum seems clear.

With his action on Sunday President Biden fulfilled one more of his 2020 campaign promises - that he would provide a bridge to the next generation of Democratic leadership - just perhaps a little sooner than he hoped.

PROJECT 2025: “Gen Z’s Guide to Project 2025”

In last week’s newsletter we highlighted online resources to help you gain a better understanding of Project 2025, the Republican right-wing plan that is a serious threat to our country. Newsweek says that “critics have described Project 2025 as ‘a significant move to an authoritarian government’ and likely to ‘destroy American democracy.’"

This week we want to share another resource, this time one that speaks directly to younger folks about the Republican plan.

The grassroots group Voters for Tomorrow, founded in 2019 by then 17-year-old Santiago Meyer, has put together Gen Z’s Guide to Project 2025, saying that “This isn’t the future Gen Z asked for… Gen Z knows what kind of a future we want to build… Republicans are ready to tear that future down. Project 2025 is their plan to do that.”

Find Gen Z’s Guide to Project 2025 here. And please, SHARE THIS WITH THE YOUNG VOTERS IN YOUR LIFE!

Small Crew Makes Quick Work of Second Highway Clean Up

It took just four volunteers to make quick work of our second highway clean up of the summer last Wednesday. Despite the small crew, we found our stretch of road remarkably clean, and were able to finish the clean up from Goat Hill Road to Dollar Bay in under an hour! Four - yes only four - bags of trash were collected.

Thanks to the volunteers who showed up. There will be one more opportunity yet this summer for you to help us make quick work cleaning our adopted highway. Look for details on the date and time in a later newsletter.

Bagels & Coffee at Slotkin / Harper Debate Listening Forum this Friday

Join the Houghton County Democrats and the Keweenaw People’s Movement this Friday at 10 AM as we listen in to the Slotkin / Harper debate. The debate is presented by WHPR TV Detroit and will we will listen in to a live stream of the broadcast.

Lawyer, union organizer and actor Hill Harper and US Representative Elissa Slotkin are Democratic Senate candidates running in the August 6th primary. The two candidates are vying for the seat now held by Senator Debbie Stabenow, who is retiring at the end of this term.

WHEN & WHERE: This Friday morning, July 26th at 10 AM. Meet at the Houghton County Dems office at 323 Quincy Street in Hancock

RSVP: This event is open to all. No RSVP required.

Coming Events - Mark Your Calendars (and Volunteer!)

We still have summer activities and events coming up and we’d love to have you join us! Below is the list of our remaining annual summer activities. Mark your calendars and volunteer:

• August 10 - HOUGHTON COUNTY DEMS CONVENTION: Pursuant to the Michigan Democratic Party’s Call to Convention on Saturday, August 24th, all County and District Conventions across Michigan shall occur on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Our County Convention will convene at the hour designated in our local Call to Convention, which will be issued no later than July 26th. The purpose of our County Convention will be to elect Members and Alternates to the State Convention Committees and to consider resolutions to be forwarded to the State Party. NOTE: Delegates with eligibility to vote at the County Convention shall be the members of the MDP residing in Houghton County whose membership was renewed at least thirty (30) days prior to the County Convention held on August 10, 2024 - which is July 11, 2024. (Precinct Delegates, Democratic elected officials and Democratic nominees to partisan offices residing in Houghton County may become members that day when they register at the County Convention.)

• August 16 and 17 - PASTY FEST: We’ll have a booth again this year at Pasty Fest in Calumet. Come join us as we talk to folks, hand out literature, and soak in the celebration of what the Fest producers call “the magical product of Cornish cookery, the pasty!”

• August 22 thru 25 - HOUGHTON COUNTY FAIR: We staff a table every year to engage with the public and distribute literature. We’ll have our button maker and materials ready for the kids to create their own button designs, while we chat with the adults.

• Labor Day Weekend - LABOR DAY PICNIC: Each year we gather over Labor Day Weekend to picnic and connect as we get ready for the fall campaign season.

If you’d like to volunteer for any of these activities let us know. Just leave a message at (906) 523-1233 or email us at [email protected]

Our Next Monthly Meeting

HCDP Monthly Meetings: Unless otherwise communicated our monthly meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month. Potluck at 6 PM, Meeting at 7 PM. In the conference room at the Houghton Super 8, and by Zoom (starting at 7 PM).

NEXT MEETING: August 7th

Governmental & Community Meetings

WED JULY 24

The Houghton City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Meeting Agenda can be found in the Searchable Document Center of the Council's website.

Governmental meetings are scheduled throughout the month by bodies from the County Commission to City, Village and Township boards, committees and commissions; as well as local School Boards and the Copper Country Intermediate School District.

Check by phone or on the particular governmental website for meeting notices in your community. Your participation in local government meetings lets your elected and appointed officials know you are interested in their work, and can provide you with the opportunity to speak about your concerns during public comment periods