Democracy for Utah - Democracy for America

Training videos from DFA and the DNC

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:27:41 -0600

If you missed last year's DFA Training Academy in Salt Lake City (or if you did attend but want a refresher), you can now view this training online. The videotape was made earlier this month in California, but it's the same course that was offered in Salt Lake City last year.

DFA also put its Night School courses online:

And the DNC has a video for its Neighborhood Leader program To sign up to be a Neighborhood Leader, contact caxford@utdemocrats.org.

Do you know someone who might benefit from these training videos? Please send 'em a link!

Dean's legacy in Iowa and New Hampshire

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:15:39 -0700

From diarist tea in the harbor at Daily Kos:

Governor Dean talked of a Great American Restoration. Maybe now we are going to finally get it, for the Obama-Edwards win is also, in every real way, Howard Dean's victory, for it is his vision of American democracy that has prevailed. The Governor realized the answer to our political dilemma was to change the dynamics of the "game" by getting discouraged voters who have dropped out to return to participating in the political process. This is the philosophical basic of the 50-State Program and the new precinct leader system, and the antithesis of the political culture of triangulation, which seeks to merely manipulate the cutting of a shrinking pie.

Dean saw we needed to turn citizens from passive spectators, for whom politics was something they received, back into participants and the joint masters of their own destiny. Bringing in tens of thousands of new people to the caucuses – over 100,000 – is precisely what Obama and Edwards did. From all the polling, there looks to be a record turnout in New Hampshire Tuesday as well. In this sense both Obama and Edwards are true successors to the Dean campaign.

DFA Night School: Precinct Organizing DVDs are available

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:27:45 -0700

If you missed DFA's most recent Night School sessions on precinct organizing (or want to share them with someone else), you can get the DVD for a $30 donation to Democracy for America. Other Night School DVDs — on fundraising, GOTV, media skills, and more — are available as well.

Kucinich tops DFA's presidential pulse poll; non-candidate Gore takes second

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:53:02 -0700

So the results of DFA's 2008 pulse poll are in, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich took first with 32% of the vote. The other top contenders were (write-in candidate) former VP Al Gore with 25%, former Sen. John Edwards with 16%, and Sen. Barack Obama with 14%. All other candidates (including Sen. Hillary Clinton) finished below 5%.

DFA set up the poll as an instant-runoff-style poll that allowed respondents to rank their top 3 candidates. If Gore is removed from the poll, Edwards gets the biggest boost and moves up to 23% of the vote, but he still trails Kucinich by 13 points.

DFA Training Weekend has attendees from St. George, Cedar City, Whiterocks, and Howell, Utah

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:25:07 -0600

The map at right shows the locations of everyone who's attending the DFA Training next weekend. We've got attendees from as far away as St. George, Cedar City, Whiterocks (near Vernal), and Howell (up by Idaho).

Plus, our RSVP count (currently at 73) has exceeded that of the New Hampshire, Nevada, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Indiana trainings. Everything is coming along nicely, and it looks like this event will be a big success!

DFA Training Weekend in Utah beats Indiana's and Tennessee's RSVPs

Thu, 24 May 2007 15:22:01 -0600

We're at 61 RSVPs for the DFA Training Weekend on June 16-17. That beats both Indiana with 60 and Tennessee with 58! And we still have three weeks to go!

DFA Training Weekend agenda is now available, plus trainer bios

Wed, 09 May 2007 10:58:50 -0600

The training agenda for the DFA Training Weekend on June 16-17 is now available in PDF format (UT_Agenda_2007.pdf). Sunday's breakout sessions include Campaign Advertising, Working with News Outlets, Running a Canvass, Developing a Phone Program, Volunteer Management and Leadership Development, Precinct Organizing, and Working with a Voter File.

We've got some great trainers coming including Arshad Hasan, DFA's Training Coordinator, and Tom Hughes, DFA's Executive Director.

Tom Hughes

Executive Director, Democracy for America. Active in Democratic politics since 1988, Tom has worked on most divisions of a modern campaign, including management, field work, fundraising, communications, political outreach, scheduling, and advance. Executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party in 1998, Tom helped elect a state house and senate that went on to pass historic Civil Unions legislation. In 2003–2004, Tom directed the Dean for America field operation in New Hampshire. He has been with Democracy for America since April 2004.

There's still time to register for the training if you haven't already.

Attend a Mayoral forum on March 26th!

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:04:18 -0600

This looks like something we should all atend, or at least some of us, as proposed at our meeting on Wednesday. This way we don't have to schedule our own forum.

Sheryl

Start: Mar 26 2007 - 5:00pmdescription:
The race for mayor is on. Join us at the College of Law to hear the mayoral candidates speak on some of the most pressing issues facing Salt Lake City. This forum is one of the first opportunities for the public to meet all of the candidates at one event. A reception will follow.

Res Publica

Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:19:09 -0700

Vouchers are the beginning of the end of quality public education in Utah. You cannot ask why a patient remains sick when they keep getting band aids for medicine.

Its time for full funding for public ed, and any legislator that votes it down- should feel our wrath.

Anyway, I have started a blog that deals with philosophical political issues and want to invite everyone to come and discuss. Tell your friends!

Should DFA get involved in the 2008 presidential primary?

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:05:10 -0700

Democracy for America wants to know:

America will elect a new President in 2008. While the election is more than 20 months away, the race has already begun.

Individually, Democracy for America members will choose their favorite candidates. But collectively, DFA has an opportunity to influence the presidential primary process and the candidates' positions. Imagine a nominee who shares your values with the power of Democracy for America on his or her side.

But before we jump into the presidential primaries as an organization, it's up to DFA members to decide whether we should. You steer DFA. Will you help make this decision?

Grade DFA on its work in 2006

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:05:50 -0700

Democracy for America wants you to fill out a report card on how they did in 2006, including their work on the following issues and actions:

Support for Ned Lamont
DFA Night School
New website
Push for paper ballots

Checking in with San Francisco for Democracy

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:13:53 -0600

It's always interesting to see what other DFA-affiliated groups are doing (SFist):

What's your group's mission, and how do you differentiate yourselves from other local political groups in San Francisco?

Will Easton (communications director): We want to take back citizens' ownership of our democracy by mobilizing grassroots participation in the political process. About half of eligible Americans do not vote — that's a huge problem. San Francisco is a little better — but we have a ton of room for improvement. [...]

What activities does your group sponsor?
Will Easton:

Lots of voter registration, at the Ferry Plaza and other sites around the city (especially as voter registration deadlines approach).

DeanCorps community service events at least once a month, usually more...two of our regular partners are the SF Food Bank and the Parks Department's Native Areas Program.
Monthly meetups on the first Wednesday of every month.
Other civic education programs and films, such as a "Good Jobs in the New Green Economy" forum at the Unitarian Church earlier this year, and a Mark Crispin Miller talk about election fraud at the Roxie.
A political endorsement process for our members to hear from the candidates directly and ask them questions about their positions.

Free GOTV stick-it notes from DFA

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 11:05:36 -0600

DFA is offering a free pad of 50 stick-it notes with various designs to remind you (and your friends) to get out and vote on November 7. See the three available designs at www.democracyforamerica.com.

If you're already registered with DFA-Link, just enter your e-mail address where it says "Get your free pad." Otherwise you'll need to sign up first.

And while you're at it, sign up for the Democracy for Utah DFA-Link group!

Political Action Committee members feedback. please

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 21:53:32 -0600

I would like to invite the members of the Political Action Committee to join with me for a few minutes after the Sept 6th D4U meetup. At that time I would like us to have an up or down vote on the criteria for endorsing candidates. At this time, I would suggest that we use the three point D4U focal points as passed during our last general meeting.

After we agree on criteria, I will present a list of candidates to endorse, and we will vote on them at the October general meeting. We will then post the endorsed candidates on our blog, as well as contact them regarding our endorsement.

Help Pete Ashdown and Chris Burridge get endorsed by DFA

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:06:54 -0600

Each year, Democracy for America endorses progressive candidates across the country as members of its "DFA-List". Two Democratic candidates in Utah have applied for DFA's endorsement: Pete Ashdown (U.S. Senate vs. Orrin Hatch) and Chris Burridge (U.S. House District 3 vs. Chris Cannon). Here's how you can help Chris and Pete get DFA's endorsement: