Steering Committee Meeting Agenda

1. Call to order at 3:30pm - Sheril Smith, Chair
2. Verification of quorum - Linda Perez, Sgt at Arms
3. Minutes of November 12, 2005 - Sarah Gonzales, Secretary (5 minutes)

8:00 AM Registration and Social

Bay Area New Democrats will provide coffee and donuts.

9:00 AM Workshop.  Trainers include:

Melissa Taylor
Executive Director, Harris County Democratic Party
"A Happy New Year for Democrats"

What do volunteer deputy voter registrars do?

• A volunteer deputy registrar may accept applications for voter registration from residents of Harris County who are not already registered to vote.
• A volunteer deputy registrar may accept change forms from registered voters who wish to change information on their voter registration certificates.
• A volunteer deputy registrar may hand out applications for requesting replacements of missing voter registration certificates.
• A volunteer deputy registrar may assist persons in filling out forms.
• A volunteer deputy registrar may fill out the application or change form for anyone who requests assistance if the person cannot read or has a physical disability.

Who may serve as a volunteer deputy voter registrar?

Please join the PPC platform committee in planning how we can impact the writing of the state Texas Democratic party platform. This effort will include requesting appointments to the pre-platform advisory committee as well as defining methods that will further grassroots participation and provide transparency in the process.

The Harris County Democratic Party invites you to join us for a fascinating discussion between members of Bulgarian Parliament and leaders of the Harris County Democratic Party: Gerry Birnberg (Chair), Martha Cottingham (Primary Director), and Melissa Taylor (Executive Director).

Save the date and join the event committee.

• $2500 Host
• $1000 Patron
• $500 Sponsor
• $250 Friend
• $150 Guest

Monthly meeting; guests and candidates welcome.

Montrose Area Democrats meetings always feature a guest speaker and a lively exchange of ideas. The format is

6:30 – 7:00pm: Arrival, reception, Happy Hour, order food, chat
7:00 – 8:00pm: Core meeting time: issues, motions, news, projects & initiatives, courses of action, speaker presentation
8:00 – 8:30 pm: Q&A, community announcements, updates

Precinct 304 is in the Meyerland Area of Southwest Houston.

Radnofsky press conferences in Houston and Austin outline anti-corruption initiatives.

Democratic U.S. Radnofsky, with state and local Democratic officials and candidates, will hold two press conferences to announce her anti-corruption initiative.

Former foreign service diplomat and U.S. Army colonel Ann Wright said recently,"... dissent or criticism during wartime is many times considered by administration politicians as anti-patriotic or traitorous."  

Luncheon:  11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Minimum contribution: $250

Reception: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Minimum contribution: $50

Suggested Contribution Levels:

• $1000 Host

Our guest speaker, Murvin Auzene, will focus our attention on communicating with the other side by "Talking Back Without Fears or Tears." How can we effectively talk back to the right wingers and the religious zealots in our families, schools, on the job and other areas of our life?

Throw a House Party for the State of the Union Address

Does the thought of watching President Bush give the State of the Union address (scheduled for January 31) leave you feeling a bit depressed? We have the solution: Throw a house party to support UFPJ and your local peace and justice group. And have fun!

January 31st is not the State of the Union.  It's a State of Emergency!  Join us as we Drown Out Bush's Lies. 

Bring musical instruments, noisemakers, boomboxes, kazoos, our voices--whatever!  We will not let Bush chart out the next year without hearing from the ones who are affected most by his regimes actions--THE PEOPLE.  Our Demand: Bush Step Down! And Take Your Whole Program With You!

We will gather at 7:00 PM for a rally with music, speeches, and chants.

At 8:00 PM, when President Bush begins his State of the Union speech, we bring on the noise and drown out Bush's lies with kazoos, signs, noisemakers, and anti-war mantras. We will demand that Bush and his cronies be held accountable. Please join fellow progressive activists to protest the fascist, divisive, and unconstitutional acts of the Bush administration!

We'll have a variety of snacks and drinks, including a keg of Shiner Bock.

Directions to the Student Center:

1. Enter Rice University through Entrance 20, on the Right heading NE on Rice Blvd., on the Left heading SW on Rice Blvd. from Montrose/Sunset Blvd.

Sojourners is encouraging people throughout the US to organize or attend speech-watching parties and discussions:

Organizing or attending a State of our Values watch is an easy and fun way to build community, discuss President Bush's speech with fellow people of faith, and contribute our voices to the national dialogue about whether our values and priorities as a nation are being met. Imagine this: With your passion and energy, we will organize hundreds of State of our Values watches in churches and communities of faith across the country. Think of the media story: "People of faith react to the State of the Union: News at 11." It's time to raise our prophetic voices together!

US Congressional Candidate Forum to include David Murff, Jim Henley, Ted Ankrum and others.

In addition, Democracy for Houston  will hold its annual election of Executive Steering Committee members in a Special Meeting of the DFH membership following the Canidate Forum.

The Billie Carr Institute
Sponsored by the Harris County Democrats (HCD) and Harris County Young Democrats

Featured presentations and discussions

• Voter surveys: Bob Stein, Stephen Klineberg and Richard Murray confirmed
• Education and Environment panels
• Tom DeLay's challenger Nick Lampson, State Rep Scott Hochberg, Gubernatorial Candidate Bob Gammage & more

Targeted to activists, political club members and those newly involved in the political process, this workshop focuses on quality of life issues such as environment and education important to Democratic and independent voters in suburban and urban area campaigns.

The Texas Democratic Party ("TDP") Online Voter File is available to candidates and activists.  Access is subject to approval of the TDP and adherence to the terms of use set by the TDP.  All users must create a new account.  No users/passwords will be carried over from the last version.   Access will be granted on a first-come, first serve basis.

TDP hopes to provide passwords within 48 hours (not including weekends).  Go to http://www.votermanagement.com.  Click on Apply for an Account on the left navigation bar.   Download/read all agreements (Access Policy, License Agreement and Use Policy) before signing up for your new account.  Be sure to return the required sheets to the Texas Democratic Party.  Access will be denied if these forms are not returned to TDP.

The Texas Democratic Party ("TDP") Online Voter File is available to candidates and activists.  Access is subject to approval of the TDP and adherence to the terms of use set by the TDP.  All users must create a new account.  No users/passwords will be carried over from the last version.   Access will be granted on a first-come, first serve basis.