Hamilton County Dems Meeting

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

We had our biennial "post mortem" meeting at Letter Carriers Hall tonight, and it was as upbeat as I had expected. Nobody was in the mood to mourn -- we celebrated our successes (Portune, Owens, Article 12 Repeal) and talked about our future. Were any other DU'ers there?

A few quick items for those who weren't:

The Democratic Forum is being reconstituted. They're having their next meeting on December 6th at 7:00 p.m. at the Ironworkers Hall on Madison Road in Oakley. In addition to a discussion of the issues (they haven't met in more than a year, but the panel discussions were always quite lively), the Forum is going to work toward Democratic outreach and providing funding for new candidates.

Funding for candidates was a theme that came up several times. O'Dell Owens remarked that the HCDP gave him $1,000 to run a countywide campaign -- which is something like getting a ten-cent tip.

For years, people like me have been saying that we need to aggressively fund-raise from county Democrats. Somebody apparently listened, because now there's a Fundraising Committee (for which I promptly volunteered). There's also going to be a committee to develop strategies for discussing social values, in addition to a committee to find ways for the Democratic Party to be more regional (i.e., to start making a dent in the Republican bastions of Butler, Warren, and Clermont Counties).

There's also going to be a campaign school -- and possibly additional training for precinct executives -- at some point in early 2005. Anybody interested in any of these committees should contact the party at [e-mail]

The core of the Kerry Campaign is also remaining active, forming the SW Ohio Progressive Coalition. Their work is going to augment much of the effort by the County Party and the Democratic Forum, but they are going to work to reach out to people and groups who might not be willing to "take the plunge" and identify themselves as Democrats. They also have a meeting on December 6th at 7:00 p.m. I didn't get the location, but you can e-mail them at [e-mail] -- a website will be coming soon.

By the by, Executive Director Adam Rosenberg is resigning as of the first of the new year and his replacement has not been named.

This was an exciting meeting. The spirit of the Kerry Campaign is still alive and well, and I expect great things in 2005 and 2006 if we can keep the fires burning!

[Toucano]

1. Great report

I'm not in Hamilton County, but it looks like good things are happening.

[Kukesa]

2. I'm jealous and wish we were this organized

in Montgomery County (Dayton). We can't get folks to the meetings and the ones who do attend one time never seem to return.

Maybe I'll move in with VolcanoJen . . .

[Philostopher]

3. We'd love to go ...

but it seems like everything meets on Monday nights, and we volunteer at the animal shelter on Monday nights. I've had the same problem with DFA -- I've had two night classes so far this year, and both have been the same night they meet here.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

4. P.M. with your neighborhood and I'll see if there's a Ward Club

They typically meet on Tues-Weds-Thurs nights. Once a month.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

5. Don't let me give you the wrong impression...

Typically our county-wide meetings have about 50-60 of the same people attending every time. What was exciting about this meeting was that there were so many people there -- I hope that they'll stay involved.

[trudyco]

6. Has anybody suggested canvassing suspicious precincts

to see if the votes match the official votes?

trudyco

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

7. I don't know that we had any

nt