Heather Cox Richardson Recap of Build Back Better

December 20, 2021 Heather Cox Richardson Dec 21 On Fox News Sunday yesterday, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he could not support the Build Back Better infrastructure bill, a measure that is central to President Joe Biden’s vision for America.

Mission for Arizona Job Openings

 Mission for Arizona, the State Democratic organization that helped to elect Mark Kelly, is ramping up for the 2022 election.  They are currently hiring field organizers across the state. 

If you are interested:  https://boards.greenhouse.io/m4az?fbclid=IwAR0-aaRw_S4nKZwrGenGgEPfTLZXaLnKwGo5aBgtxvH1FeuWrqofjqaXHUw

Become a Donor Club Member

 

The purpose of our November Fundraiser was to raise funds so that we may open our Headquarters in Payson.  WE HAVE MET OUR GOAL!  We have enough money to open an office for about 8-10 months, and we are now atcively looking for our new home. 

HOWEVER, if this is to be a YEAR ROUND OFFICE, we still need your help!  We are still quite short of our goal of $1,200 in monthly donations.  We won't be able to keep an office open if there are not enough of you stepping up to help sustain it. Please, won't you act now, and sign up as a sustaining monthly donor? 

Please join our Donor Club.  Your monthly donation will help Gila County Dems elect Democrats up and down the ticket. 

Join here:  https://secure.actblue.com/donate/giladems-donorclub

Gila Dems Fundraiser Success!

 We had our first Fundraiser on Friday, Nov. 12, at the Payson Golf Club. Thank you to all who supported this event:  the donors of the wonderful items for our Silent Auction, Lisa Tan for sharing her incredible talent on piano, the Payson Golf Club  for providing the venue, staff, and delicious appetizers, Connie Cockrell for flawlessly  organizing it, and all of the Volunteers who helped put it together.  And, of course, those of you who attended and purchased all of our auction items!  You all were amazing!

Democrats Care: Help Welcome Afghan Refugee Families to AZ

Join the Gila County Democratic Party and the Democrats of Rim Country to welcome Afghan Refugees to Arizona!

There are 1500 Afghan families resettling in Arizona, and they are in need of help with housing, clothing, etc. 

We are raising funds from now through December to donate to the International Rescue Committee - Phoenix to assist newly arrived Afghan refugees as they settle in America.

Please donate, and help us show the families  that Democrats Care.  We actually live our values. 

We will be collecting donations through December 31.  When completed, we will invite aa member of  the International Rescue Committee  to come to Payson for a photo op and receipt of our check. 

You may make your donation via ActBlue at:  https://secure.actblue.com/donate/giladems-afghan

Thank you for your support!!

TED Talk: How to Have Better Political Conversations

 TED Talk 

Robb Willer:  How to Have Better  Political Conversations 

FEDERAL AZ ACTION ALERT – Oct. 23, 2021

 FEDERAL & AZ ACTION ALERT – Oct. 23, 2021

Produced by Democrats of the Red Rocks and Coconino

County Democratic Party

THIS WEEK’S ALERTS: Arizona Redistricting – Time to Step Up; Filibuster Reform after

defeat of Voting Rights bill; ALL IN ON SINEMA: Aggressive Messaging for Sen. Sinema to

stop sabotaging President Biden’s agenda.

IRC Update, Sharon E 10-10-21

  The Commission is meeting Monday through Thursday this week, and their meetings are intense.  They had an aspirational goal to have draft maps by the end of tomorrow, but they might have to extend that deadline. 

Raquel Teran: Important Redistricting Briefing Sunday

 

Raquel Terán , ADP Chair.

Raquel Terán info@azdem.org via mail106.atl261.mcdlv.net	Tue, Oct 19, 7:46 PM (3 days ago)
to me

County This is an important one. The Arizona Independent Redistricting Committee is in the final stages of determining what our legislative and congressional maps will look like for the next decade.

Mission for Arizona Update

 

Lorenza and I wanted to send a quick update about Mission for Arizona. Below, we have included details about key statewide dates with Mission for Arizona in October, the paid fellowship opportunities for high school and college students, along with details about ballot qualification signature collection for Senator Kelly.  Mission for Arizona Virtual Volunteer Kick-Offs in English & Spanish

Ice Cream Social - Precincts Payson #2 and #7 - 10-02-21

 Our last Ice cream Social of the season was held on Saturday, 10/2 at Green Valley Park.  Beautiful day, and it was great meeting Democrats and enjoying some good conversation.  And ice cream, of course. 

Rim Country Women's March for Reproductive Rights 10-02-21

 Gila County Democrats, the Democrats of Rim Country Women's Caucus, and other interested parties held a Women's March in Payson, AZ on Oct 2, 2021.  This was part of a nationwide demonstration against the new anti-women  laws in Texas,

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Oct 2, 2021

 FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Oct 2, 2021

Produced by Democrats of the Red Rocks and Coconino

County Democratic Party

THIS WEEK’S ALERTS: Aggressive Message for Sen Sinema objecting to her working

against President Biden’s agenda; Pull out the stops on the social and climate provisions in

the Reconciliation Bill; Push the compromise Freedom to Vote Act finally supported by Sen.

ADP Hall of Fame Fundraiser with Jon Ossof - and Gila County's nominee, Carol Waymire

 Support Gila County's nomination for Hall of Fame:  Carol Waymire.

The 2021 Virtual Hall of Fame

In support of the

Arizona Democratic Party

With an introduction by

Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff

 

Saturday, October 2nd, 2021

3:00pm AZT (6:00pm EST)

ADP Votes to Giving Notice of Possible Vote of NO Confidence in Sen. Sinema

ADP Resolution – Concerning Senator Kyrsten Sinema 

Reaffirm Our Support For Ending The Filibuster and Giving Notice of Possible Vote of NO Confidence

 Whereas, we all are facing a critical crossroads and nothing less than our Democracy is at stake, and as all indicators show Democrats could lose both the House and Senate in 2022 if we do not "deliver the goods" by passing voting rights, healthcare, Medicare expansion, two year free college funding, immigration reform

Ice Cream Social - 9-25-21

 As part of our Meet Your Neighbor program, Democrats from precincts Payson #2, Payson #4, Payson #5, P/S East, P/S West, and Whispeering Pines came together for an Ice Cream Social in Rumsey Park.  The focus was on Democrats meeting Democrats, and an introduction to  Gila County Democratic Party and DRC. Wilma provided banadna splits  - Yum!

AZ IRC Newsletter 9-24-21

 AZ Independent Redistricting Commission Newsletter 9-24-21

Grid Map Listening Session Starts Sept. 21, 2021

Members of the Public are Encouraged to Become Informed and Engaged

Grid Map listening sessions are underway. The IRC has

already completed 2 sessions at 6 different locations: Mesa,

ALERT: FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 24, 2021

 FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 24, 2021

Produced by Democrats of the Red Rocks and Coconino County Democratic Party

THIS WEEK’S ALERTS: Push the compromise Freedom to Vote Act finally supported by Sen.

Manchin, and the Native American Voting Rights Act; pull out the stops on the social and

climate provisions in the Reconciliation Bill; use the need to raise the federal debt ceiling as

another reason to pressure Senator Sinema to support elimination of the filibuster

CNN: Final report from partisan Arizona review confirms Biden defeated Trump in Maricopa County last November

By Eric Bradner and Anna-Maja Rappard, CNN

Updated 7:39 PM ET, Fri September 24, 2021 

(CNN)The final report produced by Cyber Ninjas, the company hired by Arizona Senate Republicans to conduct a months-long, partisan review of the 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County in the 2020 election, shows that the results of reviewers' hand recount are nearly identical to the county's tally.

ADP Environmental Council - Candidate Interviews - 09-19-21

 ADP Environmental Council – Zoom meeting September 19, 2021

Co-hosted by Rebecca Hinton and Nick Arnold featuring interviews with the three Democratic

candidates for Arizona Attorney General: Kris Mayes, Robert McWhirter and Diego Rodriguez.

ACTION: World Climate March - Payson, Fri 9-24-21

 

Join us Friday, September 24, 2021 in PAYSON! 

Climate March - Payson
Fri Sep 24, 2021
09:30 - 10:00
Sidewalk Highway 87 @ Hwy 260
Payson, AZ

COME JOIN US!

RSVP:  Here  

The goal of the Great March for Climate Action

IRC Grid Maps and Notes of Meeting 09-14-21

 IRC Meeting Notes 09-14-21 and Grid Maps, courtesy of Sharon Edgar, Coconino County Dems.

The IRC adopted grid maps on Tuesday.  (Scroll down to see the congressional and legislative grid maps.) There will be public hearings on the grid maps.

AZ Independent Redistricting Commission Newsletter

 

ACTION: FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 17, 2021

 FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 17, 2021

Produced by Democrats of the Red Rocks and Coconino County Democratic Part

Important Note: SIGN THE PETITIONS - ONE WEEK LEFT! While the struggle for voting rights at

AZ Redistricting: A note from Chairwoman Terán

 

Good morning, Arizona Democratic Party PCs. Yesterday the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission approved the "grid maps," the first step in drawing our new Congressional and Legislative maps. These maps represent only a starting point in the mapping process, and we expect them to change dramatically before the new maps are finalized in the winter.

AZ IRC Mapping Tool Training Video

 The AZ Independent Redistricting Committee has posted a video covering a training session to show the public how to use their cumbersome mapping tool.  The first map has been released, and the tool is required to view and respond to it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zODQaCBvit8

Media Bias Chart

Ad Fontes Media

Media Bias Chart 8.0 is here! For the first time, we have web, TV, and podcast sources all appearing on the same chart.

Looking for a source? We have over 1,000 of them rated, and you can find them on the Interactive MBC at:

https://www.adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/

A few things to remember about the Media Bias Chart in general:

1) There are more sources on the Interactive version! Go look there!

“2) Middle” doesn’t mean best. It just means middle. More on that concept at

https://www.adfontesmedia.com/intro-to-the-media-bias-chart/

3) To arrive at these ratings, we have teams of trained analysts that are balanced with right, left, and center political views. They apply a content analysis methodology to rate numerous factors of reliability and bias. See our methodology and white paper here.

https://www.adfontesmedia.com/how-ad-fontes-ranks-news.../

4) No one agrees with all the placements on the Media Bias Chart because it doesn’t reflect any one person’s opinion and personal sample. It reflects the composite judgment of multiple diverse, trained analysts over a 20,000-article and episode sample.

IRC Fair and Competitive Maps Update 9-11-21

 

Fair and Competitive Maps Update Saturday, September 11th 2021

IRC Meeting Update: The IRC did not meet this week. The Commission is scheduled to meet next on Monday, September 13th for a public training on the map submission tool. [9/13 - Mapping Tool Training]

ACTION: FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 10, 2021

 FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 10, 2021

Produced by Democrats of the Red Rocks and Coconino

County Democratic Party

Independent Redistricting Commission Newsletter 9-10-21

The Path Out of the Pandemic: President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan

 The Path Out of the Pandemic: President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan

• Yesterday, President Biden delivered remarks outlining his COVID action plan to build on our progress, stop the spread of Delta, and increase vaccinations. The plan reflects the Administration’s whole-of-government approach and unwavering commitment to defeat the virus at home and abroad.

Action: Petition Demand IRC Provide More Hearings in Communities of Color

This summer, there were NO public hearings held on Arizona's Tribal Lands.  That must change.  Public Hearings Petition: Join All on the Line Arizona in demanding that the IRC host more public hearings in communities of color:

Action: Phonebank for Democrats in California: Stop the Recall

 

• Democrats in California are fighting against Trump allies and conspiracy theorists who are trying to recall Governor Gavin Newsom just one year before he is up for re-election. Do you have some time to help them reach voters? Sign up for a shift through Mobilize! [DIALER Phonebank to Stop the Recall] 

President Biden to Survey Hurricane Ida Damage Today

Today, President Biden is traveling to Manville, New Jersey and Queens, New York to survey storm damage from Hurricane Ida. As President Biden said last week, Hurricane Ida is another reminder that we need to be prepared for the next hurricane and superstorms

DNC Chair Responds to Supreme Court’s Attacks on Roe 9-2-21

 “For nearly five decades in the United States, access to safe, legal abortions has been upheld, as well as the privacy of a decision made between a person and their doctor. But today, thanks to a conservative Supreme Court that has dispensed with decades of precedent, that right has been virtually eliminated across Texas.

AZ Redistricting Fair and Competitive Maps Update 9-4-21

 

IRC Meeting Update: This week the IRC announced that they plan to host five additional public hearings, to be scheduled in late September and early October.

Dems accuse AG Brnovich of putting tax dollars at risk over political moves

 “It’s unconscionable, unconscionable that he would subject Maricopa County, losing $700 million and hurting more than 4 million residents of Maricopa County,” said Gallardo. “The election is over. And to threaten emergency response, vital services, public safety as part of playing politics is very dangerous,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. [Read full article here]

Ending Our 20-Year Military Presence in Afghanistan

• President Biden has made clear to the American people that the war in Afghanistan is now over. He is the fourth president who faced the question of whether and when to end this war, and he honored his commitment to end it.  
   
• While some say we should continue a so-called low grade effort in Afghanistan at low risk to our service members and at a low cost, the president believes there is nothing low grade, low risk, or low cost about any war.

August Jobs Report

 

• Despite the ongoing impact of the Delta variant on the economy, the August jobs report shows economic recovery that is durable and strong.

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 3, 2021

 

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 3, 2021

Produced by The Coconino County Democratic Party

& Democrats of the Red Rocks

Important Note: While the struggle for voting rights at the federal level is critical, there is something you can do right now here in Arizona:  Sign the petitions to reverse the voter suppression legislation

Arizona activists, Democrats push for climate action, Biden spending bill

• Climate Action Campaign hosted state Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai, D-Window Rock, and others to push for the climate change agenda contained in Biden’s package of proposed spending. “The indigenous tribes have memories of places here in Arizona,

Ending Our 20-Year Military Presence in Afghanistan

• Yesterday, President Biden spoke directly to the American people and made clear that the war in Afghanistan is now over. He is the fourth president who faced the question of whether and when to end this war, and yesterday he honored his commitment to end it.  

DNC on the Supreme Court Allowing Texas’ SB8 to go Into Effect

• Today, despite a plea to the Supreme Court, an extreme Texas law that would outlaw abortions as early as six weeks — before most people know they are pregnant — went into effect, virtually dismantling Roe v. Wade in the state of Texas. 

Protecting the Right to Vote for All Americans

• The right to vote is the foundation of democracy. And free and fair elections that reflect the will of the American people must be protected and defended.

• But as many Americans, especially people of color, face significant obstacles to the right

AZ Redistricting Update: Aug 28th

 

IRC Meeting Update: This week the IRC's legal counsel, which consists of teams from two law firms, announced that each firm has hired a U.S. Voting Rights Act (VRA) consultant. The maps' compliance with the VRA is required

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 27, 2021

 

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 27, 2021

Produced by The Coconino County Democratic Party

& Democrats of the Red Rocks

This week Afghanistan for Pres. Biden, Infrastructure linkage in the House for O’Halleran, and John Lewis Voting Rights Act carve out to the filibuster rule for Sinema.

AZ Redistricting Update Aug 21, 2021

 

IRC Meeting Update: During this week's meeting, the IRC discussed the schedule for the Commissioners and members of the public to receive training on the ESRI mapping tool. The public training has yet to be scheduled; stay tuned.

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 20, 2021

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 20, 2021

Produced by The Coconino County Democratic Party

& Democrats of the Red Rocks

This week: S1 and John Lewis Act and modified filibuster; passing bipartisan bill with $3.5 billion social and climate/environment infrastructure;  Modify the War Powers Act 

ADP Environmental Council – Zoom meeting August 15, 2021

 ADP Environmental Council – Zoom meeting August 15, 2021

Co-hosted by Rebecca Hinton and Nick Arnold with guests Missa Foy-Jentoft (Navaho County Democrats

Chair) and Priscilla Weaver Tiisnazbas (Apache County Democrats Chair).

Missa and Priscilla described how the Democrats of the sovereign nations of Navaho and Apache

counties worked together in 2020 to get out the vote:

AZ Redistricting Update Aug 14, 2021

IRC Meeting Update: The IRC finished its first round of public hearings on Monday, August 9th. This week, the final hearing was held in the Mesa Convention Center.  To access previous hearing recordings, visit the IRC's website. [IRC Listening Tour] Additionally, the IRC's listening tour online community survey closed on Wednesday, August 11th at 5:00pm (MST). There were 910 online submissions which you can view on the IRC’s website. [IRC Submission Dashboard]

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 13, 2021

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 13, 2021

Produced by The Coconino County Democratic Party

& Democrats of the Red Rocks

This week: S1 and John Lewis Act and modified filibuster; passing bipartisan bill with $3.5 billion social and climate/environment infrastructure 

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 8, 2021

 FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 8, 2021

Produced by The Coconino County Democratic Party

& Democrats of the Red Rocks

This week: Senator Sinema and Rep. O’Halleran on the $3.5 billion social infrastructure; reform the War Powers Act returning essential war powers to Congress 

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 2, 2021

 FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – August 2, 2021

Produced by The Coconino County Democratic Party

& Democrats of the Red Rocks

(Source: Daily Kos)

SUPPORT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT!!

FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – July 23, 2021

 FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – July 23, 2021

Produced by The Coconino County Democratic Party

& Democrats of the Red Rocks

This week: Lobby Sinema on not caving in on bipartisan infrastructure bill;

ADP Environmental Council – Zoom meeting July 18, 2021

 ADP Environmental Council – Zoom meeting July 18, 2021

Hosted by Rebecca Hinton with guests Sandy Bahr and Sandra Kennedy

Sandy Bahr of the Sierra Club AZ chapter spoke about the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing.

The principles were established at a cross-cultural working group meeting in December, 1996 in Jemez,

NM and adopted by the Sierra Club in 2014. The principles are:

1. Be Inclusive.

2. Emphasis on Bottom-Up Organizing

3. Let People Speak for Themselves

4. Work Together in Solidarity and Mutuality

5. Build Just Relationships Among Ourselves

6. Commitment to Self-Transformation

To learn more, go to sierraclub.org/arizona/rincon/jemez-principles-for-democratic-organizing.

AZ Legislative Session Update as it impacts the environment:

- A harmful budget, including establishing unfettered ground water pumping.

- Weak water quality programs written by developers and mining interests (more harmful than

good) and excluding many of the state’s waters.

- Weak requirements for environment standards.

- Weak regulation for a Plastics to Fuel program, including more fossil fuel use.

- Protects concentrated animal feeding operations.

- An attack on clean energy was thwarted; the AZ Corporation Commission is considering it.

- Heritage Fund received $5M (not $10M); considered a plus/minus outcome.

- Voter purge of Permanent Election Voting List.

- Limits the early curing of ballot problems.

- Some other voter suppression measures failed.

Ballot Measures for 2022

- Narrows the content of measures and requires every internal subject to be in the title.

- An entire measure would be eliminated if one item is unconstitutional.

- Ballots will have a warning.

- Several ballot measures failed, including one limiting the right to protest (aimed at people of

color).

Sierra Club Report Card

The overall grade for this legislative session was an F. Individual legislators were also graded with

Democrats receiving an A or B and Republicans uniformly receiving an F. They included only those bills

that the Sierra Club spoke to the Legislature about. They sponsored some bills including a clean energy

rule [and I didn’t note the result on that bill].

Sandra Kennedy of the AZ Corporation Commission spoke about ACC activity:

- Citizens can communicate their concerns to the ACC.

- APS is to introduce a residential battery storage option with incentives.

- The Kennedy-O’Connor amendment provides for $2M/year rebates for rooftop solar the public,

schools and non-profits.

- A vehicle charging initiative in Tucson was approved.

- Penalties for defrauding the public were approved with funds to provide restitution.

- A participant question was about the long-slope transition to clean energy which lets utilities

keep coal and nuclear sources.

- Another was about community choice energy, to which she replied that a pilot program will

come first.

- Another was on the possibility that utilities make money based on performance incentives.

- Another was about EV recharging stations billing by time vs by kilowatt-hour.

- She asked that attendees sign her online re-election petition and after August 1 to contribute $5

to her Clean Elections Fund.

The August Zoom meeting will be on Sunday, Aug 15 with the Northeast AZ Democrats as guests.

Lauren Kuby announced that she will be running for the ACC in 2022.

Submitted by Karolyn Switzer