What Kind of Country Do We Want to Live In?

What Kind of Country Do We Want to Live In?

HARRIS & WALZ WOW CROWDS IN FIGHT FOR FREEDOM…

Joyful Warriors Embraced by the People

The momentum gathering for Kamala Harris and her VP pick Governor Tim Walz continues to grow. Thousands of people lined up for hours to see the pair last week in rallies in Philadelphia, Eau Claire WI, Detroit, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The day after their Detroit rally they spoke to UAW Local 900 in Wayne, MI.

Last week, in his introductory address as the VP candidate Tim Walz thanked Kamala Harris for bringing the joy back to the presidential race. The crowd erupted into cheers. Harris herself later embraced the term “joyful warriors” for herself and her running mate.

The contrast with the Republican ticket could not be starker - in style and more importantly in substance.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are confident, energetic, joyful warriors fighting on behalf of freedom and democracy. Donald Trump and JD Vance are ill-tempered scolds on a vendetta seeking personal retribution as they look to take more of your freedoms away.

Vice President Harris has talked about that contrast so well over the last couple of weeks!!! Her remarks from her rally speeches are summarized below:

Ours is a people-powered campaign. It’s a fight for the future, and for freedom. The sacred freedom to vote. The freedom to live free of the terror of gun violence. The freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body, and not have the government telling her what to do.

The Trump Vance campaign wants to take us back. Their extreme Project 2025 agenda will weaken the middle class. They intend to cut Social Security and Medicare. They want to give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations, and make working families foot the bill. They intend to end the Affordable Care Act. And they will ban abortion nationwide.

So, in this election, we each face a question: What kind of country do we want to live in?

Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law - or a country of chaos, fear, and hate? And here’s the beauty of this moment: We each have the power to answer that question. The power is with the people. We each have the power to answer that question.

And so, between now and the election, we have work to do. But we’re not afraid of hard work. We like hard work, don’t we? Hard work is good work! And if we do the work we will win this election. We have doors to knock on, we have phone calls to make, we have voters to register, and we have an election to win.

So, today I ask you: Are you ready to get to work?

Do we believe in freedom? Do we believe in opportunity? Do we believe in the promise of America? And are we ready to fight for it?

And when we fight - WE WIN!

You can see VP Harris deliver her speech in full by clicking on any of the links to the rally cities at the start of this article.

HOW YOU CAN DO THE GOOD WORK TO SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL TICKET:

• VOLUNTEER: Fill out the Harris for President Volunteer Form.

• DONATE: Visit the Harris for President Donation Page.

County Convention Held This Past Saturday

Highlights from the County Convention this past Saturday:

• County Chair William Keith was elected to our slot for a male alternate to the Resolutions Committee.

• Two resolutions were approved -

  • The first gave our County Party’s endorsement to HB 4893 (MiCare, a state single-payer health insurance system).

  • The second resolution was regarding Line 5, and was authored by the Alcona County Dems.

• We also made a motion to send an official endorsement to Callie Barr. This motion will be voted on at the September meeting.

The Michigan Democratic Party State Nominating Convention takes place August 24th. The purposes of the MDP’s 2024 Nominating Convention shall be to select Presidential Electors and formally nominate Democratic candidates to the November General Election in the following contests: State Supreme Court, Board of Education, and University Boards including: Michigan State University Board of Trustees, University of Michigan Board of Regents, and Wayne State University Board of Governors. For more information on the State Nominating Convention, please refer to the MDP’s Call to Convention.

State and Local Candidates

With the August Primary now behind us the state of races up and down the ballot have come into focus.

Among the Democrats we’ll be supporting this fall are:

Elissa Slotkin, US Representative running to replace Sen. Debbie Stabenow as she retires. She faces Republican Mike Rogers.

Callie Barr, facing off against incumbent and election denier Jack Bergman in the Michigan US House District 1 race.

Kim Corcoran, facing off against Greg Markkanen in the State House District 110 race.

There are several Democrats in local races this year as well, some running unopposed. At the County level candidates include incumbents Jennifer Kelly for County Clerk and Lisa Mattila for County Treasurer as well as newcomer Casey VerBerkmoes for County Commissioner, 2nd District. There are several Democrats in local City and Township races as well.

Look for our candidate slate and a candidate bio page on our website - coming soon. And join us this fall as we knock on doors and get out the vote for these folks!

HOW YOU CAN DO THE GOOD WORK TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF LOCAL CANDIDATES:

• VOLUNTEER: Fill out the Houghton County Dems Volunteer Form.

• DONATE: Visit the Houghton County Dems Donation Page.

Pasty Fest This Saturday

We’ll have a booth again this year at Pasty Fest in Calumet. Pasty Fest activities run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday evening’s events include a free Celtic music performance by the Knockabouts at the Calumet Theatre and a Poetry Slam at Eva’s Hideaway. Sunday is the Pasty Fest Disc Golf Tournament at Calumet Lions Park. But the Fest itself takes place this Saturday and that’s when we’ll have our booth set up.

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!”

If you’d like to volunteer for Pasty Fest let us know. Just leave a message at (906) 523-1233 or email Barb Turuc at [email protected]

Keweenaw County Democratic Campaign & Kickoff This Sunday

An Organizing Event for Democrats in Keweenaw County

Come join 110 State House candidate, Kim Corcoran, and other Democrats for a Campaign 2024 kickoff and Democratic Party organizing event, Sunday, August 18, 2024, at 4:00 PM, at the Houghton Township Park Community Center, Eagle River, Michigan.

Meet Kim and share with her your hopes and concerns for Michigan state government and learn about her plans to win the 110th state house seat on November 5th, and how you can help.

There will also be Democrats from the Houghton County Democratic Party and from the MDP Rural Caucus to discuss standing up a Democratic Party in Keweenaw County.

Keweenaw County is one of only four Michigan counties out of 83 without a chartered Democratic County Party. County parties serve many functions, with their most important function recruiting and electing Democrats to county and local office. Come learn more about what is involved in having a local party.

Refreshments will be provided.

What: Keweenaw County Democratic Campaign Kickoff

Who: Kim Corcoran, candidate for 110th State House District; William Keith, chair Houghton County Democratic Party; and Brian Hoduski, Region One Vice-Chair MDP Rural Caucus

When: Sunday, August 18, 2024, 4:00 PM

Where: Houghton Township Square Park Community Center, Eagle River, Michigan (see: https://www.houghtontownshipparks.com/)

Coming Events - Mark Your Calendars (and Volunteer!)

Our Summer event season is winding down but we still have a few 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 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: September 4th

Governmental & Community Meetings

TUES AUG 13

This month's regular meeting of the Houghton County Board of Commissioners is this afternoon at 4 PM in the Conference Room on the fifth floor of the Houghton County Courthouse. Find more information on the Board's webpage (find the Microsoft Teams virtual meeting info in the Agenda).

The Calumet Village Council meets in a Working Session tonight at 6 PM in the Village Council Chambers. Further information can be found on the Village website.

WED AUG 14

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