Volunteers Still Needed for the Houghton County Fair

AUG 24 thru 27: Houghton County Fair 

We are still looking for volunteers to staff our Houghton Dems booth at the County Fair this Thursday, August 24 through Sunday, Aug 27. Booth hours will be 5 PM too 10 PM Thursday, 11 AM to 10 PM on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday from 11:30 AM to 5 PM. Volunteers will need to cover at least a two hour shift.

Volunteers will receive a pass for free entry into the fairgrounds.

If you’d like to volunteer please email Horst Schmidt at [email protected] to coordinate your shift and get your pass.

Chair William Keith reports that we had a good day at Pasty Fest, where we had a table alongside other community groups and businesses. There was a lot of engagement with the pasty lovers attending the fest, and quite a few folks signing up for our mailing list. (If one of those folks was you then welcome to our weekly newsletter!).

Our table also featured a survey board, an idea we’ve borrowed from one of our fellow County Party groups in Michigan. Check out the survey results in the photo below.

On Sunday CNN highlighted a new set of campaign ads from President Biden, part of a $25 million dollar ad blitz the President will run ahead of the first Republican primary debate. The ads are set to run in seven key states including Michigan, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The first ad is already available on YouTube and focuses on the President’s economic achievements. One line from the ad alludes to the Republican candidates who are about to debate: “There are some who say America is failing. Not Joe Biden - he believes our best days are ahead because he believes in the American people.”

We like to focus on the good work of Democrats in this newsletter, but it was hard to escape the blizzard of media last week around the former President’s fourth indictment - this time at the state level in Georgia in a RICO case involving 18 others. The Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations case put together by Georgia’s Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis brings the number of felony charges against “the former guy” to 91. That’s a sad number, but given what he did a satisfying one. Consider that “0” is the number of felony charges brought against all 44 of his predecessors in the Presidency combined.

We won’t dwell any more on this other than to note that a notion gaining strength over the last week or so - and supported by legal authorities that include conservative law professors active in the Federalist Society - bears watching.

It’s the notion that the Constitution bars Trump from ever holding office again because of his insurrectionist actions after the 2020 election. You can learn more about what the legal scholars are saying in this piece from The Washington Post.

 The success of our county party relies on the participation of people just like you. Join the HCDP today and help us put Democrats on the ballot who’ll make a difference.

“We are Democrats because we believe that good government must rely upon and strengthen the bonds that make us a society: recognizing the richness of our diverse heritage, preserving what we have been given, and leaving to posterity a legacy greater than that which we received.” - HCDP Platform Preamble

The Meme of the Week was posted on Facebook by the Allegan County Democrats, who shared a post from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. The meme uses a picture of Sponge Bob Square Pants to celebrate the one year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act on August 16th. Like Sponge Bob in this shot, and like President Biden in his first term, the Inflation Reduction Act has been getting the job done!

The Inflation Reduction Act is the single largest climate investment in U.S. history and will be instrumental in Michigan and across the country. Today marks one year since its passage, and we've already seen 170,000 new clean energy jobs created.

Happy Birthday IRA. Thanks for doing the most for climate action. 🎂 

If you’re on Facebook click through on the image above and show the Allegan County Dems some ❤️!

The legislature was in session last week, and the Governor was traveling in the UP.

• The Governor was in Marquette and Negaunee last Wednesday as part of her Make It in Michigan tour of the state. On Thursday she hosted a luncheon at the UP State Fair. More: Daily Mining Gazette

• The Inflation Reduction Act had it’s first “birthday” last Wednesday, and lawmakers in Lansing took time to celebrate and reflect on the impact of the federal law. Meanwhile, Sen. Stabenow and Rep. Slotkin joined other state Democratic leaders, including Lt. Governor Gilchrist, in a Zoom call highlighting the climate change impacts and the lowered medical costs resulting from the Act. More: CBS Detroit and Michigan Advance

• After another strong jobs report was issued on Thursday the Governor praised Michigan’s economy. “Michigan’s strong economic momentum continues,” she said in a statement, “Our unemployment rate remains at its lowest level in 23 years, our labor force participation rate increased yet again, and the economy added 63,000 jobs year over year.” See the Governor’s full statement here.

• A new set of ads celebrating Michigan’s inclusion and strong reproductive rights is targeting conservative states. “Discover the benefits of living in a state that protects your rights” reads one ad. The ads are from the Michigan Economic Development Agency (MEDC), a public/private partnership agency. Florida, Texas, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Tennessee are targeted by the ad campaign. More: MLive

• WHAT: Annual Potluck Picnic

• WHEN: September 3rd (Labor Day Eve)

• WHERE: Hancock Beach Pavilion (NOT Kestner Park this year). The Pavilion is in the Hancock Beach Recreation Area, along the Canal at 200 Jasberg Street in Hancock. Google Map the location here.

HCDP Monthly Meetings: First Wednesday of each month at 7 PM, in the conference room at the Houghton Super 8 and by Zoom.

NEXT MEETING: SEPTEMBER 6TH

Wed 8/23

• 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.

Sat 8/26

• Saturday is the 103rd anniversary of the certification of the Nineteenth Amendment on August 26, 1920. Certification meant that the amendment was formally recognized as an addition to our Constitution.

  The amendment was the end result of some 40 years of campaigning by the women’s suffrage movement and gained women the right to vote across the country. The amendment passed both houses of Congress in 1919. Michigan was the third state to ratify the amendment on June 10, 1919.

  Finally on August 18th, 1920 Tennessee, the 36th and last necessary state ratified the amendment, making it effective.

  Roughly six months before the amendment was certified two leading groups, the American Woman Suffrage Association and the National Council of Women Voters merged to become today’s League of Women Voters.

Is there a community commemoration or event we should recognize that's of particular importance to you? Just send an email to [email protected].