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Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters
704 N. Thompson St. #195
Conroe, Texas 77301
936-703-5841
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May 1, 2024
Newsletter
Happy Mother's Day!
Mothers come in all forms - we celebrate them all!
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Please note: our newsletters contain a lot of links to make viewing the source easier - just click on images or linked text to explore
IN THIS ISSUE:
- National Women’s Health Week
- TDP Talking Points
- 2024 Election Year Dates and Deadlines
- May 4th Voting Information - sorta
- Join us to Make Swag for the State Convention - May 2-4
- Democratic Dames Dining for Democracy - May 16
- Final Friday - May 31
- State Convention - Everything you need to know! - June 6-
- Mission Critical Moment - Truth Matters
- The Role of Politics in the Age of AI - LoneStarLeft
- Bridge Issue - Public Education and Vouchers
- Joe and Kamala's Corner (click on an image to open)
- Tweets (click on an image to open)
- Texas Blue Store
- Democratic Party Calendar of Upcoming Events
- Other Groups and Community Events
This newsletter is published on or about the 1st and the 15th of every month.
Email content for consideration to communications@mcdptx.org
no later than 3 days before publication.
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National Women’s Health Week
May 12–18, 2024
Every May beginning on Mother’s Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) leads National Women’s Health Week (NWHW). This year, NWHW takes place May 12 – 18th. This observance aims to highlight women’s health issues and priorities and encourage women of all ages to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Join us in this uplifting journey as we dive into everything that makes women’s health so important.
Empowering Women, Cultivating Health:
Celebrating Voices, Wellness, and Resilience
This year’s theme is dedicated to empowering women to take charge of their health journeys and shining a light on health issues unique to women. We’re celebrating the strength and determination of women who have taken control of their health and fostering an environment where all women feel supported and empowered to speak up about their health needs and concerns. The NWHW 2024 messaging encourages women to engage in healthy practices, access preventive care, and share their health experiences to inspire others.
Each day of this observance week spotlights a different and timely women’s health topic and provides engaging resources to spread the 2024 #NWHW messages. Click Here to explore the daily topics and access our ready-to-use toolkit.
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The Texas Blue Action Network is now the largest and fastest growing volunteer relational network in the country, with more than 7500 volunteers and almost 1 million registered voters across Texas. Our mission is to expand the electorate and build long-term sustainable Democratic get-out-the-vote organizing infrastructure in Texas through a relational organizing model.
In this training you'll learn how easy it is to engage the non-voters in your mobile phone contacts. This isn't about "stranger outreach." You can make a HUGE difference just by talking to the people you already know!
We need to reach our goal of having 40,000 volunteers in the network. Why is that important?
- In 2020, the last Presidential election, Joe Biden only lost in Texas by ~600,000 votes.
- 5 MILLION Registered Voters didn't vote in 2020!
- In 2018, Ted Cruz only won by ~200,000 votes.
- 7 MILLION Registered Voters didn't vote in 2018!
You can help get more Democrats out to VOTE!
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The U.S. Supreme Court on April 22 declined to consider a case challenging Texas’ age-based restrictions on voting by mail. Under state law, most Texans must vote in person, unless they are at least 65 years old or can provide a valid reason why they must vote by mail, such as a disability or illness. Read More | |
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WARNING!
This flyer is only included here to educate you HOW NOT TO VOTE in the May 4th election
PLEASE DO NOT VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATES RECOMMENDED IN THIS FLYER!
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Final Friday Celebrates
Mother’s Day and Mother Earth!
May 31, 2024
This month, our Final Friday Speakers Program celebrates Mother’s Day and Mother Earth with a program presented by Teri MacArthur, the President of The Woodlands Green, a non-profit organization in The Woodlands whose mission is to build a sustainable community through education and action. Teri has a long history of environmental activism and is currently an Environmental Education Specialist at The Woodlands Township.
Her topic is designed to move us to action and renew our commitment to the little things we can each do in our own lives to help protect our Mother Earth.
Final Friday Speaker Program is held the last Friday of the month at Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters, 704 N. Thompson St, Suite 195, Conroe, Texas, 77301. You may also watch it on Zoom or on Facebook Live.
The link to watch virtually is highlighted in blue below.
Topic: Final Friday – Celebrating Mother’s Day and Mother Earth
Time: May 31, 2024, 6:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85874090628?pwd=RFNJVDRnM3N4aFJ1cFFBQlk1Smlpdz09
Meeting ID: 858 7409 0628
Passcode: 41243
+1 346 248 7799 US Houston
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MISSION CRITICAL MOMENT
"Whether you’re undecided, a progressive, a centrist or even a right leaning Democrat, every single word should resonate. In November democracy IS on the ballot and it sets the tone for political engagement over the next four years.
No American that supports freedom and American values should be saying ‘I’m not going to vote for Joe Biden because of Gaza’. To be clear, my opposition to US policy on support for Israel is well documented. However, this is NOT about the lesser of two evils as the media so often presents it, it’s about the resulting representative democratic process that emerges on Nov 6." Read More and Watch Short Interview
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Bridge Issues
Each month in 2024 we will focus on a different Bridge Issue
One of the best sources for understanding a party's position on any issue is their platform. To that end we are providing links here to the national and state parties' platforms. We suggest bookmarking these pages and referring to them throughout this election cycle to see where the parties stand. It's informative! (these links are to the most current platforms available online). (NOTE: we have added a link to Project 2025 which is essentially the Republican Party's plan for our country should they win in 2024.)
Texas Democratic Party Platform
Texas Republican Party Platform
National Democratic Platform
National Republican Platform
Project 2025
We do not believe the majority of Texans support the position of the majority party in Austin.
In May we will focus on PUBLIC EDUCATION IN TEXAS!
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Texas is NOT #1
In fact, in a recent U.S. News and World Report Ranking, Texas ranks 35th overall in the 2023 Best States rankings. Texas’ rankings in each category are:
- Crime & Corrections: #36
- Economy: #8
- Education: #35
- Fiscal Stability: #16
- Health Care: #32
- Infrastructure: #13
- Natural Environment: #40
- Opportunity: #47
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas
In other surveys, Texas ranks 41st in the country for per-student public education funding and trails the national average by over $4,000 per student. And not surprisingly, Texas delivers the 38th worst public education for the dollars it spends. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/public-school-rankings-by-state
The only bright side to this research is that the 2023 Charles Butt Foundation surveyed adult Texans for its fourth annual Texas Education poll and found that most respondents were supportive of public schools and approved of their performance overall. In the Butt survey, 89% of respondents supported increasing state funding to boost teacher salaries, which have not seen an increase since 2019.
This reporting by the Texas Tribune (https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/24/texas-public-education-poll/) highlights the fact that public schools and public school funding is actually a significant “bridge issue” on the political landscape in that there is a significant consensus among all voters, Republicans and Democrats alike, that a healthy public school system is directly related to a healthy community, sustained neighborhood home values, rising employment opportunities, and economic growth in both urban and rural areas.
For more information on how school vouchers are designed to divert public tax dollars out of public schools and into wealthy private schools check out the Texas Democratic Party’s communications tools at https://www.texasdemocrats.org/vouchers.
Our current governor has promised to make the voucher program a high priority again at the upcoming legislative session and we need to be prepared to find common ground with all our neighbors in finally defeating this program in all of its disguises.
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The Great Abbott Voucher Scam Returns - Get ready for it!
Last session the Voucher Scam failed to pass in the Texas House because, in a bipartisan resistance, Democrats and enough Republicans rejected the GOP's radical plan to siphon off our tax dollars from public schools to divert them into private schools.
However, as expected, Greg Abbott defeated, or forced into runoffs, in the primaries some key representatives who opposed the scam.
The Mothers for Democracy Institute is continuing the fight to stop the Voucher Scam. All we need to know is covered in the excellent podcast series they produced during the previous session.
From the Mothers for Democracy Institute:
Extra - The Primary Results Are In!
The Voucher Scam
As promised, we’re back with the results of the March primary.
Governor Abbott edged closer to the voucher majority that he seeks. But he doesn’t have it yet. Jaime Puente of Every Texan broke down the results for us. Is the fight over education vouchers effectively over in Texas? No. It’s not. There are six runoffs that we will keep our eyes on.
Another significant runoff is Speaker of the House, Dade Phelan’s, in east Texas. Despite his popularity among representatives in the Texas House, he is under pressure in his district.
We urge you to use your power! Vote in your district if you have a runoff. Call your representative and ask them about their position on public education. Talk to your friends about this crucial issue that is foundational to democracy. Keep listening!
We promise to keep you informed.
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JOE and KAMALA'S CORNER !
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Blue Texas Store
Visit headquarters or Facebook to shop and check out what's available. Thanks to Judy Trosvig for the creation of the Blue Texas Store and of many of the beautiful items available in it!
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Other Groups & Community Events | |
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Pizza and Politics
Thursday, May 2, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Monthly on the first Thursday
Location:
Lone Star College Montgomery, 3200 College Park Dr, Room G112, Conroe, TX 77384, USA
Description:The goal of the Pizza and Politics Club is to provide students and the community with a place to share and discuss political topics, issues, and events.
The Pizza and Politics Club will also serve as an arena for members and the community to gain new knowledge, raise awareness, and develop relationships that fosters healthy thinking, information sharing, and debate while striving to leave a positive impact through dialogue.
Contact: Michael Devoley (Advisor), Ernest Dupree (Advisor), and Kevin Fritze (Advisor)
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Attend a Wednesday Evening Meetup - Dinner with Friends
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Cafe Express Woodlands
3091 College Park Dr Ste 290
The Woodlands, TX 77384
Attend a Morning Coffee/Breakfast
Second Saturday of the month -
Saturday, May 11, 2023, at 8:30 am
The Whistle Stop Cafe
11133 Interstate 45 S · Conroe, TX
Hosted by Karen Cavanagh.
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Recurring Meetings in the Community
TUE MAY 7 – MOCO COMMISSIONERS COURT, 9:30am, 501 N. Thompson 77301
TUE MAY 14 – CONROE ISD BOARD, 6:00pm, 3205 W. Davis Street, Conroe 77304
TUE MAY 14 – LS GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION BOARD, 6:00pm, 655 Conroe Park N
THU MAY 16 – WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD, 6:00pm, 2801 Technology Forest Bl. 77381
TUE MAY 21 – MOCO COMMISSIONERS COURT, 9:30am, 501 N. Thompson 77301
WED MAY 22 – WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD, 6:00pm, 2801 Technology Forest Bl. 77381
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Chair: Ginger Blair
Deputy Chair: Kimberly Valdez
Secretary: Carmen McZeal
Treasurer: Michele Lightfield
Sergeant At Arms: Marc Meyer
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Paid for by the Montgomery County Texas Democratic Party, www.mcdptx.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. | | | | |
