In This Issue

• Upcoming Meetings
• Chair's Corner: "It's hard work and I'm doing my best"
• 9/11 - The 2005 Edition?
• All Politics Is Local (Part 2)

Upcoming Meetings

The Berkley Democratic Club (BDC) meeting schedule for the remainder of 2005 is:

• Thursday, September 22, 2005, at 7:30pm
• Thursday, October 20, 2005, at 7:30pm - New Date

Each meeting is held at Anderson Middle School, 3205 Catalpa, Berkley, Michigan, in the Media Center. All are welcome to attend our open meetings!

- Steve Baker

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Chair's Corner

"It's hard work and I'm doing my best" - G.W. Bush

We are a nation obsessed with measuring things. Our daily discourse seems to be guided by the Thorndike dictum that if it can't be measured then it doesn't exist. Remember when corporate profits were noted on an annual balance sheet? Well today, quarterly reports have given way to the monthly numbers. Oil companies, for instance, currently generate $7 billion in profits per month. It is worth observing that most are U.S. owned. But our focus on short-term findings obscures long-term results. The Iraq debacle is a complete disaster from beginning to end, despite the occasional positive spin given to some event. The tragedy of this situation is a stark reminder that "yee-ha!" is not a foreign policy.

On the home front, the American Community Survey data is just out (www.census.gov) and it tells a troubling tale. Detroit has the highest poverty rate in the nation. Moreover, for the 4th consecutive year the National Poverty Rate has increased. Last year 1.1 million Americans joined the poverty roles, bringing this total to 37 million. The income of the top 20% of Americans increased while the income of the bottom 60% declined. Women, too, lost ground. When compared to men, women's income declined for the second year in a row. The numbers of Americans uninsured increased by more than ¾ million to a total of 45,800,000. The hardest hit subgroup was Hispanics of whom 32.7% are uninsured. 11.2% of all children in the country have no health insurance.

"Knowledge is power," but knowledge of how things are today is more important than how things were before. George W.'s approval rating has now fallen to Richard Nixon's level. The liberal media is responsible for all this negative talk?!

Bush tells us, "it is hard work." What is hard is to find "family values" in the Community Survey report card. It is time for us to just pose the single question: "Are you still proud of the President?" Maybe it's time for five more weeks of vacation in Crawford; it is the liberal crowd that is causing our national and international problems anyway!

- Phil O'Dwyer, Chair

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9/11 - The 2005 Edition?

What do the 80's pop star Vanilla Ice, comedian Pauly Shore, and President Bush have in common? They are all "one-hit wonders." They found themselves with unique opportunities in time to impact our culture (and the world). Vanilla Ice had a hit song. Pauly Shore had a popular show on cable's MTV. And George Bush had soaring popularity numbers (over 80%) immediately after the tragedies of 9/11.

But fame is fleeting. The spotlight moves to the next big thing - the next hit song, the next goofy celebrity, the next national time of need. What is a "one-hit wonder" to do? Most repackage their former popularity and attempt to remind the public how much they were loved the first time around.

9/11 was a significant emotional event for not only the United States, but also the world. We all remember where we were. We all still feel the pain, the angst, the anger, and the resolve. Don't you worry, Mr. President; we will not forget.

We did not need to be threatened with the fear of another 9/11 should John Kerry be elected last November. We did not need to be reminded of 9/11 during your June press conference from Ft. Bragg. We do not deserve insulting 9/11 analogies as you fumble your way through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (resulting in your woeful 38% popularity).

Katrina was a horrible force majeure beyond our worst nightmare. But by foolishly redirecting federal funds from levee repairs (not to mention our brave troops) to an illegal war in Iraq, our Homeland Security failed and we have nobody to blame?! What does W. do? Fire up the marketing machine!

To be fair, George W. probably doesn't know what he will say until he reads his next canned speech. So to those in the undisclosed locations who actually do run the country, please focus on the events and actions of today and the promise of tomorrow, rather than the emotions of yesterday.

9/11. The unforgivable acts of terror and fear as well as the unforgettable acts of compassion and courage will never be forgotten. We have healthy ways to honor this significant date and its implications for our society. What we will not tolerate is blatant emotional manipulation in a feeble attempt to obscure this administration's incompetence.

- Steve Baker

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All Politics Is Local (Part 2)

Phil O'Dwyer recently reminded us of Tip O'Neill's expression, "all politics is local" (The Berkley Democrat, Chair's Corner, April 16, 2005). While I have heard this expression many times and in many ways, more recently I have begun to further understand its implications.

Cindy Sheehan, a mother who lost her son in Bush's War and subsequently camped outside Bush's Ranch during his five-week vacation, is in the metro Detroit area as I write this. As part of the "Bring Them Home Now Tour," she brings national headlines to our very back yard.

I was saddened to read Eric Czarnik's rabid attack of Cindy's character and motivations in his letter printed in the September 1, 2005, issue of our local Mirror newspaper. Yet in the subsequent edition, I was relieved to read the rational letters from other locals in rebut to his wild diatribe. This is a clear example of how all politics is local. A national event is passionately debated here at home.

Our city faces many important issues; most are not the subject of national debate. The bricks on 12 Mile. The vacant storefronts. The financial situation. The spray-painted graffiti. Despite these challenges to our beautiful city, Berkley is a wonderful place to live and work - and if we share our focus on local as well as national and international issues, we maximize our opportunities to keep Berkley a safe and welcoming community.

Marilyn Stephan is a candidate for Mayor of Berkley. She currently serves with distinction on our Berkley City Council, and among other things, she is Vice-Chair of our Berkley Democratic Club. As Mayor, Marilyn will leverage her long-standing credibility throughout the city, her excellent leadership experience, and her continuity to maintain and strengthen Berkley's growth.

Phil O'Dwyer is a candidate for Berkley City Council. Among other things, he is active in the Berkley Citizens Committee, the Berkley Public Safety Committee, a founding member of the BYSA, a coach for Berkley Hoops and Berkley Soccer, and is Chair of our Berkley Democratic Club. Phil will bring to the Council his creativity and his proven financial management skills.

This election year is very important. Your vote paves the way for upcoming election cycles like 2006 (including critical mid-term Congressional elections) and for 2008 as well. The emotional election of 2004 remains fresh in our minds. Yet much work remains to be done.

This fall we are fortunate to have another occasion to speak our minds and shape our community. Elections are a key opportunity to ensure our voice is heard. By electing Marilyn and Phil, our city and its leadership will remain strong and Berkley will continue to grow for years to come.

Please be sure to vote Tuesday, November 8, 2005, in support of progressive values, and in support of Berkley.

- Steve Baker

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