Assembly Democratic Fundraiser
Monday, November 12
5:30 to 7:30 P.M.
City Brewery Hospitality Center
La Crosse
Special Guests: Assembly Democratic Leader Jim Kreuser, Assistant Democratic Leader Jon Richards and Representatives Jen Shilling, Phil Garthwaite, Steve Hilgenberg, and Jeff Smith

LCDP General Party Meeting
Monday, November 19th
7:00 P.M.
Ho Chunk Nation 3 Rivers House
724 Main St.
La Crosse
(Executive Board Elections to take place)
Speaker: Terry Hicks, AFL-CIO

Dear Wisconsin Progressive,

As you may remember, I made a campaign pledge back in 1992 to hold a Listening Session in each of Wisconsin's 72 counties every year. Over the past 15 years, I've held over 1,050 such meetings and traveled the equivalent of almost six times around the world- all within the state of Wisconsin.

A few issues consistently come up at these and other meetings; the unwise war in Iraq, of course, as does our nation's continuing fight against international terrorism. Earlier this summer, I heard numerous concerns about the USDA's failure to ensure accurate dairy price reporting, and I am increasingly reminded that our nation must end our dangerous addiction to oil and begin advancing renewable sources of energy to break this addiction.

All of these issues are very important. But the single most common issue that people bring up, the issue that really gets people talking is health care.

Everywhere I go, I hear about the rising cost of health care and the double-digit increases that small business owners must pay every year to continue providing coverage to their employees. I hear about the sacrifices that Wisconsinites are forced to make each year to ensure that they and their family members are covered.

Improving access to health care-and making health care coverage available to all Americans-has been one of my long-time goals. I support an overhaul of our current health care system, and I have recently introduced a new bill with Senator Lindsay Graham (R- SC) which will move us toward health care for all Americans.

Our bipartisan bill -- the State-Based Reform Health Care Act -- offers an American-style approach to health care reform. Under our plan, the federal government would help states provide health insurance to all their residents, but leave it to those individual states to decide how to go about it.

This legislation starts us down the road of health care coverage for all Americans by giving funding and authority to a select number of pilot states to provide health care coverage for all of their citizens, and encourage a flexible approach that allows each state to come up with innovative ways of achieving universal coverage. Our plan makes fiscal sense-providing $40 billion in funding that would be entirely offset- and would stipulate that all citizens must be covered and that the coverage be at least as good as the health care that members of Congress receive.

It's time to break the logjam and I'm going to continue my efforts to give everyone affordable, quality health care.

With high hopes,

LCDP FUNDRAISER WITH SEN. HERB KOHL

Thanks to Vicki Burke, John Medinger, Sharon Hampson, Margaret Wood and Tim Padesky and Tara Johnson for sponsoring the LCDP Pizza Fundraiser with Herb Kohl on October 9 at Big Al's. It was a great financial success for the LCDP.

FALL DINNER

The following people deserve recognition for help in setup: Stan and Ceil Berg, Vicki Burke, Barb Clark, Jessie Dargiel and the College Dems, Jason Gillett, JD and Marcia Wine, Kris Troyanek, and Richelle Zimmerman.

Of course much thanks to Loren Kannenberg, Charlie Marx, Mike Parker, Shannon Glynn and Matt Ullsvik for working the entire day to produce a delicious meal.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

I hope you can join us at the Holiday Party at Big Al's on December 10. We are directing some of the proceeds to the College Democrats. As most of you know, the turnout in the student wards in La Crosse (the 5th and 6th for UW-L and the 11th for Viterbo) was heavy in both 2004 and 2006 and was overwhelmingly Democratic. It is important for us as a local party to invest in the College Dems in 2008, as their votes and volunteer support may well make the difference in races from the county level on up to President.

We are entering perhaps the most important Presidential year in decades. Not only does the Democratic Party have a chance to reclaim the White House and restore constitutional government and end our involvement in Iraq, but we have a great chance at the State level to increase the Democratic majority in the State Senate and to gain a majority in the Assembly.

I must emphasize that although we as Democrats hold a wide range of views, that is what makes our party special - there is no enforced conformity as in the GOP. Furthermore, we must remember to make that change from within the party.

Fabio Burgos
Chair
La Crosse County Democratic Party

We know one of these three men will be out of a job in January, 2009. Let's do our best to make sure that the other two get to join him in retirement.

The way to do this is to get involved. The LCDP needs volunteers now for party building and 2008 election preparation. We need a special effort in '08, particularly in the 94th Assembly District and in the 32nd State Senate District.

The membership committee will coordinate this effort. Please contact either:

Vicki Burke at 781-0737 or irelandv icki@aim.c om

Nathan Montgomery at 780-6654 or nmontg o20@aim. com

Hank Zumach at 457-2545 or zumach@m wt.net

The elections for the 2008 Executive Board will take place at the November 19, 2007, General Party Meeting, which will be held at the Ho Chunk Nation 3 Rivers House, 724 Main St. in La Crosse, and which will begin at 7:00 P.M. Only members whose 2007 dues are paid by November 1 will be eligible to vote.

The nominees are as follows:

For Chair: Fabio Burgos
For Vice-Chair: J.D. Wine
For Treasurer: Kris Troyanek
For Secretary: Richelle Zimmerman

For the five at large Executive Board Positions: Vicki Burke, Barb Clark, Bob Freedland, Mike Parker, Pablo Ruiz, Matt Ullsvik and Marcia Wine.

Please renew your memberships!! As a reminder, if you renew your membership after October 1, 2007, your membership is good through the critical election year of 2008. If you have not done so, you can find our 2007- 08 membership form at laxdems.com. (Left side of front page).

Our goal is to push party membership over 400 people. Please check our website at laxdems.com, which has a membership form or email laxde ms if you cannot come to our future party meetings.

Membership rates, effective October 1, 2006, as established by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, are as follows:

Students, Senior Citizens: $10.00
General: $25.00
Pairs (two memberships): $35.00
Activist (up to three): $45.00
Family(includes all family members: $75.00
Supporter: $120.00
Friend: $240.00
Patron: $600.00
Investor: $1200.00
Benefactor $2400.00
 

Half of the above membership dues go to the State party, with the exception of the Family membership, where $45.00 of $75.00 goes to the local party. Those who join at the higher levels of membership ($120.00 and above) should remember that only $50.00 of those memberships will stay with the local party.

If your intention is to become a new member or renew your membership with the Democratic Party and you want more of your contribution to go to the Local County Party, I encourage you to join at the single $25 or $75 Family membership level and make additional contributions to the county party directly.