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State Senator John Whitmire, dean of the Texas Senate, will be the featured speaker at this Tuesday’s Harris County Democratic Party Brown Bag Luncheon, Tuesday, December 9, 2008, at noon at the Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters, 1445 N. Loop W. Senator Whitmire will discuss the upcoming Texas legislative session and key issues expected to be addressed, as well as providing insights into how the Texas Senate operates. Senator Whitmire, who represents the 15th senatorial district of Texas, has been a member of the Texas Legislature since 1973, and is the longest serving state Senator, having been elected to that post in 1982. He is the Chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, and a member of the Senate Government Organization, Finance, and Administration Committees, and a member of the Legislative Budget Board. Join us December 9 at noon for this informative program.  CHRIS
BELL NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
With early voting beginning on Monday, December 8, and the election itself less than two weeks away, the Chris Bell campaign needs volunteers NOW. It is essential that all Democrats heed the call and help Chris win this vital runoff election. Join Team Bell this weekend to help turn out the vote. Every Bell campaign office in the district will be engaged in block walking and phone banking Saturday and Sunday. State Representative Ellen Cohen will join Chris and Alison Bell to block walk this Saturday, leaving from the main headquarters at 4019 S. Braeswood at 2:00 o’clock. There will also be block walks and telephone banking at the Westside headquarters located at 13316 Westheimer, Suite 100. To win this election, Chris must contact every single potential Democratic voter in the district to urge them to go out to vote. This is especially important – imperative – in a runoff. The campaign could also use water, snacks, paper, office and other office supplies, so stop by one of the campaign offices and drop off your donation. They also have a need for some short-term housing for volunteers (mainly students) coming to Houston from out-of-town to participate in the campaign. Please contact Lindsay Hagans at 713-667-8990 or lindsay@chrisbell.com if you have space which could accommodate an out-of-town volunteer activist through the December 16 election. Check out the campaign website at www.chrisbell.com. Or contact John Gorczynski at 713-667-8990 or stop by one of the campaign offices to staff a phone, pick up and deliver some yard signs, knock doors, or do whatever else it is that you can do to help Chris and the Democrats win this very important race. One day, one night, one weekend will help. No effort is too small and none is to great. Democrats, let’s win this thing!  MESSAGE
FROM THE CHAIRSTRAIGHT PARTY VOTING FOR JUDGES Shortly after the November 4 election, I received a letter from a sitting Republican judge urging reform of our method of selecting judges, and calling for an immediate end to straight party voting in the election of judges. My response was as follows: Dear Judge **********: Thank you for your letter of November 11, 2008. Concerning your call for changing the way we select judges, for years, I have been outspoken in my support for radically transforming the method we use for choosing judges. For me, that means adopting a system which does not depend on voter participation in counties (such as Harris) which have so many candidates running for so many positions that it is impossible to become fully (or even meaningfully) informed about all the judicial candidates on the ballot. There were 83 judicial candidates on the ballot in Harris County on November 4 (not even counting justices of the peace). I don’t think even the most dedicated and well-intentioned voter could possibly learn enough about each of them to be seriously discriminating in every race. That problem, it seems to me, is not diminished by a non-partisan election system. In fact, in my opinion, such an arrangement would be even worse for several reasons. First, non-partisan elections would be even more vulnerable to being impacted by irrational selection factors, such as name, than the current system. Partisan designation on the ballot at least provides some information (however imperfect) about a candidate’s values, ideals, and philosophy. Non-partisan elections don’t even provide that modicum of information to the voters, and are therefore even more vulnerable to arbitrariness and irrationality; absent those indicators on the ballot, too many voters are likely to choose candidates based on ballot position or name or something equally bordering on the superstitious. EID GREETINGS
Eid Greetings to our American Muslim friends who
will be celebrating Eid Al-Adha on Monday, December 8. This celebration
of the prophet Abraham's sacrifice occurs at the end of the annual
pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).  LOREN
JACKSON BECOMES FIRST DEMOCRAT ELECTED COUNTYWIDE TO BE SWORN IN TO
OFFICE SINCE1996 On Tuesday, November 18, Loren Jackson became the first Democrat in twelve years (and only the third in nearly sixteen years) to be sworn in as a countywide elected official in Harris County. Taking the oath of office to become District Clerk, Jackson became the first Democrat since Ray Hardy (who last served in office in 1990), to hold the position of District Clerk of Harris County. Jackson attended the United States Military Academy at West Point before graduating from Texas A & M University and then getting his law degree from South Texas College of Law. He has named highly-regarded Ken Olive, a longtime Harris County Democratic activist, to be his chief deputy. With the swearing in of Loren Jackson, Democrats have returned to positions of countywide elected leadership in Harris County for the first time in many, many years. Congratulations, Loren! HCDP RETURNS TO NORTH LOOP
WEST HEADQUARTERS
After more than two months operating from temporary headquarters as a result of damage to its main headquarters, the Harris County Democratic Party has returned to its permanent location at 1445 North Loop West (IH-610 @ Ella Blvd, just east of the IBEW Hall). While restorative construction work is still underway in other parts of the building, the HCDP headquarters are up and running and fully operational. The main telephone number (713-802-0085) has been transferred back to the 1445 North Loop West address and the terrific party volunteers have returned to staff the office. Kudos to everyone (especially HCDP Deputy Executive Director Martha Cottingham) who made the temporary location on Pinemont work so well during the two-month reconstruction period, which included the hectic election season. That said, we’re sure glad to be back home! CONGRATULATIONS DEMOCRATS Congratulations to the newly elected and re-elected Democratic office holders. Congressmember Al Green |
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STATE
SENATOR JOHN WHITMIRE TO SPEAK AT BROWN BAG LUNCH
