In This Issue

• Bulletin Board
• Chair's Corner: The Price of Success
• U.S. Senate Candidates Need Support
• Campaign Finance Reform: The Law of the Land

Bulletin Board

Berkley Democratic Club Meetings
April 25, 2002 (4th Thursday)
Tentative speaker - Senator Gary Peters

May 16, 2002 (3rd Thursday)
Topic to be determined

The Berkley Tree Board
April 18, 2002
Robert Cool - Speaker
Topic: Tree pruning techniques and tree disease identification and control. The meeting will be held in the Berkley Public Library at 7:00pm.

FYI
At the March General Meeting, the body voted to raise the dues for 2003-2004 to $8.00 for a single membership and $12.00 for a family.

All club meetings will be held at Anderson Middle School in the Media Center beginning at 8:00pm.

- Ralph Conklin

Back to the Contents

Chair's Corner

The Price of Success

The Democratic Party has had a profound impact on the evolution and development of many of the policies that shape our nation. Civil Rights, Medicare, Medicaid, women's rights, safety issues in the work place, education, the environment... the list goes on.

As each issue was fought many of our people remained loyal to the party that served their best interest. They could see that the Democratic perspective and its values were consistent with their hopes and dreams. But times are changing. Students of political science are now being taught that party power is in serious decline.

Indeed, the political party is just another interest group that candidates for office must "keep on their hands." Elections are now won by forging coalitions of various interest groups that sometimes may not be compatible campaigners. It is the personal following that wins elections.

These are troubling trends and they are dramatically displayed in the recent study of voting patterns among union members. Fully one-third of union members vote republican. Are their best interests now served by the Republican party? Has our party failed to represent their interests? Are we victims of our own success?

It seems a bit like the homeowner whose roof was leaking. He hired a roofer and was pleased with the new roof and felt confident that "It should be good for another 20 years." Once the job is done there is no further need to think about the roofer. This maybe shortsighted: storms come, ice damage occurs, and an occasional raccoon can create havoc.

So it is in politics the achievements of the past may be undone by others. Human nature may be a formidable foe in politics as it is in life. Innate human drives un-tempered by concern for others lead people to think in self-serving ways.

It sometimes seems that the efforts of the Democratic Party to ensure good wages has propelled many to now embrace conservative politics. It will take a couple of years for the public to realize the many freedoms they have lost due to the current administration. Educators will soon note that all the positive talk about reading and results obscures strategic budget cuts in education. Voting Democratic still matters.

It is our task to remind the community that there is a difference between the parties and we must remind ourselves that preserving party power is important in order to retain a consistent vision. We must continue to articulate reasons that voting for Democrats is good for them and for the country.

- Phil O'Dwyer, Chair

Back to the Contents

U.S. Senate Candidates Need Support

The recent census has dampened the quest to gain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Under re-apportionment, many House seats have been shifted to Southern and Western states. In states like ours, where the Republican Party controls the three divisions of government, Gerrymandering has made districts where two Democratic incumbents are forced to compete for one seat. Of course, Democrats are doing same thing in states where they control the state body.

This situation increased the importance of all U.S. Senate races. Democrats must retain the seats that they now control and be elected to seats in states where a Republican senator is retiring. In our state, Carl Levin should win. He has a large war chest that will aid him reaching this objective. The key races are to re-elect Max Cleland in Georgia, Mary Landrieu in Louisiana, Jean Carnahan of Missouri, Tim Johnson in South Dakota, and Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Electing Governor Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire and College of Charleston President Alex Sanders in South Carolina will strengthen the Democratic majority.

If you are a person who gives financial support to Democratic candidates, add these individuals to your donation list. Call the Oakland Democratic Party for mailing address of these candidates or send your contribution to:

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
P.O. 1849
Merrifield, VA 22166-9779

Remember that money - and lots of it - helps win elections.

- Ralph Conklin

Back to the Contents

Campaign Finance Reform: The Law of the Land

We first heard of this issue when Sen. John McCain used it as the basis of his campaign to be the Republican nominee for U.S. President. He continued to push for this reform even after failing to receive his party's nomination. By-partisan bills were introduced in both chambers and the reform bill languished in committee. The Republican leaders of the House and Senate refused to place the finance reform bill on the docket.

Then along came the Enron collapse. The press attempted to discover why this energy company failed. During their investigation, the newspapers were able to compile a list of elected officials and political parties who had received vast sums of money from the company. The politicians were individuals who Chaired or were members of Congressional Committees that oversaw all aspects of Enron's business.

The public considered these contributions an attempt to influence the deliberations of Congress and some individuals called the payments outright bribes. Under this heat, the bills were released from committee and Congress finally acted and approved the legislation.

President Bush took time off from fighting terrorists and signed the legislation without the usual public fanfare. Bill sponsors were not praised for their tenancy and signing pens were not distributed. Instead Bush flew south to help raise millions for GOP congressional candidates.

Within hours of the signing two lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Courthouse a few blocks from the White House. Both suits alleged the legislation violates the constitutional guarantee of free speech. The NRA filed the first suit and Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, filed the second. Both lawsuits challenge the restriction on late-campaign television advertising that does not directly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate.

Stay tuned for final results.

- Ralph Conklin

Back to the Contents

We welcome your Comments and Feedback