Democrats of South Dade Club is honored by Florida Democratic Party

A moment of pride for the vigorous club we all admire: the Democrats of South Dade Club won a new award given by the Florida Democratic Party at the Orlando state conference on Saturday. The DSDC  was awarded the Certificate of Outstanding Meritorious Achievement for Large County Democratic Clubs. First time it has been given, and very suitable that it went to the DSDC.

You don't have to live in South Dade to be a member. Check out their website www.dsdcfl.org for meeting information. Just happens to be a special meeting this week, at Books and Books in Coral Gables, 8 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 14, to hear author David Swanson read from his new book, "Daybreak: Undoing of the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union."

Here's a history of the club sent in to support its candidacy for the award.

Democrats Of South Dade Club (DSDC) is nearing its 10^th year as an active political entity in Miami-Dade.  The organization was established on January 20, 2001, the day of George W. Bush’s inauguration as President. Throughout our existence we have been lauded as a “model political club,” a compliment heard frequently from political activists and Dem office holders who have visited our campaign operations and participated in our club meetings. 

With a roster of more than 150 members and several hundred South Dade campaign volunteers, DSDC has been able to mount effective campaign organizations for the local Democratic Party and create a number of worthwhile projects since our inception. For example, the operation of last year’s self-sufficient, all-volunteer presidential campaign was a massive undertaking and resulted in unprecedented campaign activity within our large, urban county. After DSDC opened its Coordinated Campaign Office July 2, 2008 in Pinecrest, it led the effort to open other campaign offices throughout the county. By campaign’s end there were 23 field and administrative offices in Miami-Dade, many of these supported with monies and material from Democrats Of South Dade Club.

The DSDC spearheaded a campaign of more than 1,000 volunteers who walked 14 South Dade precincts, worked the early voting locations and provided a huge Election Day effort that saw our Pinecrest volunteers fully staff 28 voting sites The office also supported the entire Democratic ticket in Miami-Dade, aiding the efforts of congressional candidates Joe Garcia, Raoul Martinez and Annette Taddeo, Harvey Ruvin, Luis Garcia, Frank Morra and Michael Calderin.  During this campaign cycle, Dems of South Dade also spearheaded a number of highly visible events across Miami-Dade, including successful projects at the University of Miami, Jungle Island (with Alex Sink) and at the homes of a number of activists. The campaign helped deliver a 140,000 vote plurality in Miami-Dade for Sen. Obama, paved the way for his victory in Florida and eventual election as president. On Inauguration Day DSDC sponsored a community wide luncheon in South Miami where 120 people viewed the inauguration, celebrated with friends and toasted our new president.

DSDC has stayed active in a number of fronts throughout 2009, backing the campaign of Democrats in municipal races, continuing our highly successful voter registration drives, teaming with Fair Districts Florida (FDF) in securing petitions and raising funds and joining Organizing for America (OFA) in a number of visible local events. Our campaign efforts centered on local, non-partisan contests where an identified Democrat was being opposed by a registered Republican. Our activity included support for council candidate Bob Ross in Pinecrest, Commissioner Maria Anderson in Coral Gables and candidate Lew Sellars in South Miami.  All three candidates won their races.

Our voter registration drives now include activity at all three Miami-Dade immigration field office locations: Kendall, Miami and Hialeah. DSDC makes regular visits to the naturalization ceremonies throughout the county and has been actively engaged in signing up new citizens as voters for a number of years. Throughout ’08 and ‘09, our proportion of new Democrats to new Republicans was frequently 3-1 and 4-1. During the height of the  presidential campaign cycle we were registering Ds over Rs as much as 14-1. 

Fair Districts Florida has been one of the club’s ongoing projects this year and in the past. We have financially assisted FDF, purchased and staffed a booth at the Gay Pride Event on Miami Beach and walked door-to door to acquire petitions.

DSDC’s recent alliance with OFA has seen us participate in a number of public events in support of President Obama’a agenda. Members have lobbied at the office of  Sen. Bill Nelson, joined Health Care rallies throughout the county and joined other activists in downtown Miami at the Health Care vigil. 

Democrats Of South Dade has been a consistent supporter of our local Democratic Executive Committee (DEC) and the activities of the Florida Democratic Party (FDP).  32 DSDC members are also members of the local DEC.  At the most recent Florida Party Conference in Orlando, 14 of our members were in attendance.  Four DSDC members also participated in the FDP/DCCA Miami Lakes conference held recently.

Our club has been blessed by a continuity of veteran leadership that has guided the organization through its first decade of existence. DSDC has also reached out to its membership and encouraged active Dems to seek election to our board of directors.  At the club election this spring, four new members were elected to our board.  We are  confident this new leadership will be able to carry on with the work of the club, the  Democratic Party and the Democratic community.

Local plans rising for June 27 day of national action on health reform

Miami Beach Democratic Club members discussing plans for action on June 27 to support health reform legislation.

First, good news from the White House: President Obama spoke strongly in support of the public option when he met with Democratic senators. This is from a New York Times story today.

It’s good news because I (and not only I) had started to doubt whether Obama felt strong enough to push for the public option against all the lobbying for little fixes to the status quo.

UPDATE: Now on Wednesday I have the letter the president sent to Sens. Kennedy and Baucus about his reform ideas. The link is from WhiteHouse.gov. Read it and tell me if you think the public option is much of a competitor to private insurance. Seems rather modest to me. We'll see. Health insurance exchange ...

Down here on the local level, we’re starting to organize to help pass a good health reform bill this year. Two days of action already this week, and more to come. On Monday we had the Miami-Dade Democratic Party forum on health care (the link is to the story following here), and Tuesday evening the Miami Beach Democratic Club sketched out a plan for action on June 27 – the national day of action summoned by the White House (in the form of Organizing for America).

The Beach Dems Club had a good turnout for its kickoff meeting, the first in the county. Tentative plans call for setting up information tables/health fair activities at public parks on that day, which is the last Saturday in June. Keep an eye on my.barackobama.com for developments.

Tonight, Wednesday night, there’s another kickoff meeting, 7 pm at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE 2^nd Ave in Miami, and there’s more scheduled. As I say, keep checking my.barackobama.com to find what you need.

You do want to make a difference, right?

Back to the White House. In that NY Times story we learn that Obama wants legislation to emerge this summer and to be through conference in time to be signed in the fall. Now is the time to be fired up.

Help Jim Martin win Georgia Senate seate

In a minute I'm running over to work a phone bank for Jim Martin's last-days campaign against Saxy Chambliss in Georgia. This is organized by the victorious North Beach activists who worked for Obama, and then partied, and then worked for Obama lots more. And now we're working for that U.S. Senate seat occupied by Chambliss.

UPDATE: Another phone bank operation had to be canceled for technical reasons. Sorry for any inconvenience. My friends in the Democrats of South Dade Club, admirably ambitious, had scheduled phone operations for Monday and Tuesday but had to cancel.

Still want to call? Help awaits you at http://my.barackobama.com where the dear old phonebanking tool you know from the Obama campaign now is devoted to the Jim Martin campaign in Georgia. Do it.

Want to give money? I did the other day at this ActBlue page, which now is claiming over $600,000 raised for Jim Martin. Way to go!

Democratic clubs operating powerhouse office in South Dade

Gregory Almeida is among many volunteers helping at the South Dade office.

Report from Guest Bloggers:

Those activist Democrats in South Dade are at it again. Led by the powerful Democrats of South Dade Club, a bustling Coordinated Campaign Office opened at 9507 S. Dixie Highway in Dadeland Plaza last month and is serving all the Democratic candidates.

When you volunteer or visit the campaign office, you’ll see that it’s quite large and has a contemporary feel. “This is a highly functional office,” was the description given by Bob Goldstein, DSDC president. “We’ve got more than 2000 feet and private office areas for our volunteers.”

The South Dade Democrats are supported in this effort by a number of other Democratic clubs, including Democratic Power, Coral Gables Area Democratic Club, Ron Brown South Dade Caucus, Democracy for America-Miami and the Latin American Democratic Council. A number of Obama Campaign volunteers are also working daily at the office.

DSDC can call on a wealth of campaign experience in its part of Miami-Dade. Members and volunteers operated successful campaigns in past election cycles, and all of them were self-sufficient enterprises. “Our 2004 effort for Kerry was our best campaign yet,” Goldstein said. “We had over 2,000 volunteers working that year. We might be able to do better this year. Enthusiasm is running high.”

The storefront office offers the convenience of a central location right on US 1, which is commonly known as South Dixie Highway. The Metrorail line ends at the Datran Center, which is right across the street from the office. Volunteers also have ample parking on the roof and a wide choice of restaurants in the shopping complex.

Campaign activities include a phone bank operation, which is operated off-premises in the Kendall area, canvassing efforts led by the Obama volunteers, voter registration and a series of highway honk-and-wave demonstrations. The office also acts as a staging area for many Democratic field operations, and several of the Democratic clubs and caucuses hold their meetings there.

Democrats interested in helping what is shaping up as a historical campaign should call the Coordinated Campaign Office at 305-667-4929. The office operates from 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday, and from Noon to 4 PM on weekends. Office hours will be expanded after the Democratic convention in Denver.

Good local report on canvass in Miami-Dade

Here's some local news recognition of our campaigning for the statewide canvass, as reported in the SunPost. More walking the streets and phoning will get us attention and votes in November.

Thanks to William Pena Wells, president of the Three Villages Democratic Club, for bringing it to my attention. As he said,

I want to share the SunPost story with everyone, especially all those who worked so hard to make the event a success and thank you all... Without each and every one of you, nothing would have happened.

Liberty City Democrats have Obama's back

Outside the Inter-Continental Hotel where Barack Obama was speaking to the U.S. Conference of Mayors.





Bravo to Lottie Hines and her Liberty City Democratic Club! Here's one member with a pro-Obama sign in a throng of noisy dinosaurs -- the anti-Obama chanters from the fringe of the Cuban exiles.

The Liberty City Democrats weren't the only ones out on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami to support Obama, though you wouldn't know it if you watched the Channel 7 news at 7 p.m. Saturday. There the camera focused on the anti-Obama message (Fox: Fair and Balanced, in its own way) and at the end of the report, the reporter said some smallish number of pro-Obama people also were present. The way I saw it at about 3 p.m., the numbers were equal, and the pro-Obama side was growing.

Oh, well. Every demo can't be like the latest polls, such as Newsweek with Obama 15 percent ahead nationally. That's what I call a bounce.

This should be the moment to pour out solid coverage of Obama's speech, but alas, my blogger business card didn't get me in to the main event until a few of us lightly credentialed types had lodged a half-dozen appeals from a broiling spot on the sidewalk outside the hotel. Thus I had a good view of the demonstrators for quite a spell before by some miracle we were permitted in, and I found my pre-printed credential in the press office. Some kinda fouled-up coordination let the Miami Police do their wickedest as gatekeepers. Just following orders, with a smile.

So, as the last half of Obama's speech revealed, "Now is not the time for small plans."

• "Broadband for all." Why the heck is this country No. 15 in the world in access to good internet connection?
• "World-class transit systems." Why the heck is the fastest train in the world in Shanghai, rather than in the United States. I could say something about that, because that train is a mag-lev (magnetic levitation) design made in Germany, on which I took a test ride while stationed in Berlin in the early '90s. So this is now getting along to being a decades-old idea.
• There was sustained applause when Obama said his ambitious plans would be paid for at least partly by savings from "bringing this war in Iraq to a responsible close."

There will be more of this before the summer and fall are over. We should come out when we can to stand in the street as our candidate passes. It feels right. Plus, the other side will be there yelling lies. They might stop if shouted down often enough.

Club News: Cuban American club celebrates Obama

Here's a news release from this busy club. (And you can join them for breakfast at Versailles, 9 a.m. Saturday June 21.)

The Cuban-American Democratic Club of Miami-Dade County (CADCMDC) congratulates Senator Barak Obama upon obtaining the needed number of delegates as presumptive Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the Nation: The Party Convention in Denver shall nominate him and in November, we will celebrate his victory.

At the same time, we acknowledge the political merits and strengths of Senator Hillary Clinton in this long and historic electoral campaign.

In our organization we have shared militant efforts in support of both candidates. Beginning today, we will unite behind Senator Obama to make him the next President of the United States of America, while celebrating the end of one of the worst times in the history of the nation.

Victory of Democratic candidates to the Presidency, the U. S. Congress and State Legislatures shall dawn a new path of CHANGE on behalf of all of our citizenry.

The Miami Dade Cuban American Democratic Club is the only Cuban American organization that is officially certified by the Democratic Party of Florida.

Héctor Caraballo, President

Carl Muller

Arthur Costa

Rainer Selva

Fanny Olmo

Giancarlo Sopo

Club News: Introducing Liberty City Democrats

A first communication from the a-forming Liberty City Democratic Club says they are rising into action.

Soon to host a fundraiser at La Paloma Restaurant and Lounge located at 10999 Biscayne Blvd. in North Miami. Tickets are being sold for $75, including valet parking, four course meal and one free drink. This event will take place June 21 at 5:00 pm. The money raised from this event and future fundraising events will go towards hosting events, voters registration drive, community education efforts, club education (i.e.: seminars, workshops and trainings).

We will have speakers from the community and political arena and offer you an opportunity to help form a plan of action to help to improve the quality of life for our community residents.

Purchase a table and offer this opportunity to your clients, staff and/or constituents. For more information call Lottie Hines (786) 355-0348.

Lottie Hines is the club’s president.

Millie Herrera elected to lead Florida Democratic Hispanics

The new leader of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, Millie Herrera of Miami, aims to energize and expand Democratic Party activities for the approaching 2008 elections.

The Cuba-born Ms. Herrera was elected unanimously Saturday at a meeting in Orlando of delegates from Democratic Hispanic caucuses from Miami-Dade, Broward and Hillsborough counties.

“We will soon establish a Democratic caucus in Lee County, and plans are moving along for one in Osceola County,” she said.

Joe Garcia, chair of the Miami-Dade County Democrats, welcomed the election of the activist and Hispanic leader. “We are very proud of Millie Herrera and know it will help us build toward victory in 2008,” Garcia said.

She and other officers will be installed Oct. 27 at the Florida Democratic Party convention in Orlando, where U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-NJ, is the featured speaker both for the state party convention and the Hispanic caucus’ side session.

Other officers elected are Michael Suarez of Hillsborough County, first vice president; Andrew Torres of Broward County, second vice president; Arthur Costa of Miami-Dade, treasurer, and Cathy Bartolati of Hillsborough County, secretary.