Death of a Giant
Civil Rights Icon and Congressman John Lewis Passes Away at 80
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We were saddened to hear of the passing of Congressman John Lewis of Georgia on Saturday. A living legend, and a giant of the civil rights movement, Congressman Lewis was the best of all of us. We released the following statement from party chair Morgan Carroll:
“From his beginning as a student activist in Nashville to his end as a civil rights titan in the halls of Congress, Rep. John Lewis embodied the best of us in his long, monumental life. For me, and for countless Democrats who pursued a life of public service and activism, John Lewis was our hero, and our party owes him a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. John Lewis was the inspiration for generations after his to take up the fight for civil liberties, voting rights, and justice in our imperfect union. Though our country has lost a giant, I know the Congressman would want us to continue his fight..
“We will grieve, we will mourn for his family and loved ones, and we will go to work to continue his fight for a more perfect and just union. A union where Black lives matter, where voting rights aren’t infringed, where every American, no matter the color of their skin, can walk down the street without fearing for their lives. We will continue to honor John Lewis’ beliefs that ‘freedom is not a state; it is an act’, to ‘not get lost in a sea of despair’, and of course, to ‘never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble.”
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We are so proud to announce that our magnificent volunteer coordinator Karin Asensio officially became a naturalized American citizen on Friday! A mom of three in red Douglas County, Karin's a tough organizer who's not afraid to stand up to Republicans like Pat Neville and Kevin Van Winkle, and she is so excited to cast her first vote as a citizen in this November's election to kick out Cory Gardner and Donald Trump!
Congratulations Karin! We're so proud of you!
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Protecting the State House in 2020!
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In 2018, we expand the Democratic majority in the Colorado House to 41 members, with a historical number of women in the legislature! Now in 2020, it's up to us to protect that majority!
In 2019 and 2020, with Democratic majorities in the Colorado House and Senate, we were able to pass:
- Making Healthcare More Affordable.
- Combating Climate Change.
- LGBTQ Equality.
- Commonsense Gun Safety Reform.
- Getting Dark Money Out Of Politics.
- Expanding Access to Broadband Internet for Rural Colorado.
- Criminal Justice Reform.
- Expanding Affordable Housing Access.
- "Know Before You Owe" Reforms on Higher Education Loans.
- Full Day Kindergarten.
- Repealing the Death Penalty.
- AND SO MUCH MORE.
Meet the candidates below, and visit https://www.coloradohousemajority.com/ if you want to see how you can get involved in making sure we hold the Colorado House!
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On Sunday, members of our State Central Committee voted and ultimately decided for the Colorado Democratic Party to officially take stances on the following three ballots measures that will be on the ballot this November:
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- Initiative #120 -- Prohibition on Late-Term Abortions (OPPOSE)
- We are a pro-choice party. The facts that would lend someone to make this decision at the later stage are truly difficult. Coloradans should have the ability to decide what to do with their own lives and bodies. Medical decisions need to remain private matters between the patient and their medical provider.
- Initiative #76 -- Citizenship Qualification of Electors (OPPOSE)
- This measure removes the word “EVERY” citizen has the right to vote and replaces it with ONLY a citizen has a right to vote. This is deceptive and dangerous. While it is true that only US citizens may vote now, this removes the constitutional language guaranteeing the right to every citizen and by inserting “only” in the the law, it opens the door to allowing significant hurdles to voting for everyone (e.g. ID laws, background checks, duplicate name errors on every voter in order to prove their citizenship.) In practice this will disproportionately profile voters of color.
- Initiative (# Not Yet Assigned) -- Support the National Popular Vote (SUPPORT)
- As Democrats we believe in one person, one vote and that every vote should count. Twice in our lifetimes, the presidential candidate who won the popular vote did not win the electorate college (Gore v. Bush & Clinton v. Trump).
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This Week In Making a Difference
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Colorado Democrats are run by PEOPLE POWER, and the only way we're going to defeat Cory Gardner and Donald Trump is by working together! EVERYONE has a talent -- whether it's writing, programming, designing, speaking 2nd or 3rd language, or managing data, we need all Coloradans of all talents who want to elect Democrats to get in the game!
So, what are you waiting for? Click here or the button below to sign up for our Talent Bank, and let us know how you can contribute to a blue wave in 2020!
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2020 Win Stops -- Virtual Edition!
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Even President Obama and Vice President Biden are doing online events! Join us for ours!
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Even in the era of COVID-19 and social distancing, Team CDP is connecting with Democrats all across the state to ensure that we launch a blue tsunami in 2020!
So far, the Colorado Democratic Party has held the following Virtual Win Stops:
Large Red (June 2, 2020)
Medium Blue (June 4, 2020)
Large Blue (June 7, 2020)
Medium Red (June 27, 2020)
Large Purple (July 7, 2020)
Medium Purple (July 11, 2020)
Join us for the next in our series of virtual win stops to learn how you can be a part of electing Democrats in your county this November!
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Saturday, August 1 at 11:00AM
Small Red (Logan, Montezuma, Morgan, Park, and Teller)!
Click here to register!
Saturday, August 8 at 11:00AM
Very Small Blue (Costilla, Lake, Saguache, San Miguel)!
Click here to register!
Saturday, August 22 at 10:30AM
Very Small Red (Archuleta, Baca, Crowley, Cheyenne, Custer, Dolores, Hinsdale, Mineral, Moffat, Kiowa, Jackson, Lincoln, Kit Carson, Rio Blanco, Prowers, Sedgwick, Washington)!
Click here to register!
Tuesday, August 25
Small Purple (Routt, Chaffee, Gunnison, Otero, Grand)!
Link to Come!
Saturday, August 29 at 6:00PM
Very Small Purple (Alamosa, Bent, Clear Creek, Conejos, Huerfano, Rio Grande, Ouray, San Juan )!
Click here to register!
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Work for the 2020 Wave Webinars
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SAVE THE DATE for our upcoming "Work for the Wave" webinars!
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Monday, August 3, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST
The Art and Science of Persuasion (Hosted by Morgan Carroll)
How do we cut through the noise and convince voters to vote Democratic not just in 2020, but beyond? In this webinar, we'll review a body of data on what actually works and what doesn't work to change people's minds. Click here to register!
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Monday, August 10, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST
Conflict Prevention and Resolution (Hosted by Linda Newell and Mary Zinn)
What will it take to win in November? What’s in our way? Miscommunications, infighting, and misunderstandings can be exhausting, sucking up our time and energy. Yet, there is a great deal we can do to lighten our load TODAY!
Former Senator Linda Newell and Mary Zinn will offer practical communication and conflict tools from their first-hand political organizing experience and professional practices. Learn how to improve communications with fellow Dem peers and volunteers to maximize each person’s time and talent. Like it or not, we need people to win elections. We can’t do this without each other. Create the biggest possible advantage to cross the finish line together with the Blue results we want!
Long-time partners in conflict resolution, Mary and Linda’s practical programs have received enthusiastic endorsements from diverse audiences. Click here to sign up!
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Former state Senator Linda Newell and Mary Zinn.
Click here to read their bios!
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Monday, September 14, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST
VAN 101 (Hosted by Bruce Norikane)
The Voter Activation Network (VAN) is one of the Democratic Party's most critical tools to victory and success at every level of campaigning! Whether you're new to VAN, or if you could use a refresher on the basics, check out this training by technology director Bruce Norikane! Click here to sign up!
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Monday, September 28, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST
GOTV and GOTV Messaging (Hosted by Morgan Carroll and Halisi Vinson)
How do we make sure that that we turn out the vote? How do we convince our voters to turn in their ballots, and make sure that they don't leave their ballots on their kitchen counter until it's too late? We go over strategies in this webinar! Click here to sign up!
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HD9 -- Virtual Margarita Mixer
Saturday, July 25, 2020 @ 6:00PM
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JOIN US! OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL for the Mixer is $3500! YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT will boost our treasury to help reach over 11,000 Democrats in House District 9 – by phone, by text, by mail, and at their door… if conditions permit.
In this, the most important election of our lifetime. WE MUST DUMP TRUMP and TAKE BACK THE U.S. SENATE, EXPAND OUR MAJORITY IN THE U.S. HOUSE and BOOST OUR MAJORITIES AT THE STATE CAPITOL! Your enthusiastic support will help ensure that HD9 has the resources to do all we can to help ELECT DEMOCRATS on November 3!
We’re planning:
- A great line-up of guest speakers - Including Our District Representatives AND Special Guests
- A Special Presentation to Former Senator Lois Court
Entertainment featuring:
- Craig Abramson, a comedian, and musician. His clean style of comedy is drawn from his experience as a husband and father - with a day job in tech, which has taken him around the world - and has allowed him to perform stand-up comedy on 3 continents.
- Mariachi Los Correcaminos de MSU Denver. Dr. Lorenzo Trujillo, affiliate professor of music and director of the group, began playing mariachi music as a teenager. His accomplishments as a folk violinist, guitarist, and vocalist, musician, ethnic dancer, folklorist, arts administrator, and culture bearer extend for over five decades. He is an attorney, a former professor and former dean of the University of Colorado Law School.
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Cardboard Cory -- The Movie!
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Join this Watch & Work & Win party featuring the World Premiere of IFRR's Cardboard Cory mini-documentary. Celebrate our inspiring leaders and past victories.
Then Get to Work on the election of our lifetimes. 15-minute documentary, guest speakers, and on-the-spot opportunities for virtual voter contact. Be there. All Colorado groups asked to co-host.
SPECIAL GUEST: Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible
Register here: https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcsdumppj0tHNWBLM7ZvI9H89bcTZhKd1AR
Co-host form here: https://forms.gle/DhmusXq1dwcaxaWGA
LEARN MORE: https://www.facebook.com/events/980355475711946/
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DOWN BALLOT DAY! Save the Date: Saturday, August 15
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Let's FLIP ALL THE SEATS in 2020!
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Here at the CDP, we don't take a single seat for granted. That's why next month, we're going to do a grassroots virtual event focused on down ballot races -- DOWN BALLOT DAY! Save the date (Saturday, August 15, 2020) and hear candidates on the following races:
- CU Board of Regents (10 AM)
- State Board of Education (12 PM)
- District Attorneys (2 PM)
- Colorado Legislature (4 PM)
We'll also be holding a Down Ballot Day 2 on September 25 to focus on county level seats and more, so be sure to save the date!
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Colorado Democratic Ed. Initiative
COV-Ed Summit, August 8
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Join the Colorado Democratic Education Initiative for their special COV-Ed Summit on Saturday, August 8, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
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Objective: To educate Democrats about perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on our schools and education policies in a way that ensures public education in Colorado thrives, and to introduce Democratic candidates.
Featuring:
- Introductory remarks from Governor Polis
- Panel with perspectives of teachers, parents, and school leaders
- Participant question-and-answer session
- Comments from candidates for State Board of Education, CU Board of Regents, and State Legislature
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HELP WANTED:
New Positions to Apply For!
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We're staffing up in preparation for the 2020 General Election! Colorado is a battleground state, and we're looking for scrappy, driven, politically savvy organizers to join our team!
Job Descriptions:
Click here to read more about or share our open jobs!
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Local Candidates of the Week
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Candidate: Leslie Robinson
https://www.garcodems.org
Office Running for: Garfield County Commissioner (D3)
Why this matters: Garfield County has long been a Republican stronghold, but it's steadily turning bluer! By electing Leslie to Garfield County's 3-member county commissioner board (that's currently run by Republicans), real progressive change can happen at the most local level!
Connect with Leslie on Facebook!
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Candidate: Gordon McLaughlin
https://www.mclaughlinforda.com/
Office Running for: District Attorney (Judicial District 8)
Why this matters: As we have seen with cases all across the country, having a good district attorney can make all the difference on criminal justice reform. A Republican currently holds this seat, but if we can elect a Democrat like Gordon McLaughlin who is running on a platform of change and reform, we can positive change for Larimer and Jackson counties!
Connect with Gordon on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
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Biden's Build Back Better Plan!
Careworkers Plank
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Joe Biden wants to give working families a break on child-care costs, plus paid time off and access to universal pre-K
From CNBC
For many U.S. families, child care is simply too expensive. Parents regularly pay over $11,000 a year to send their infant to a child-care center, about $10,000 for toddlers and over $9,000 for 4-year-olds, according to Child Care Aware of America’s 2019 report.
But former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wants to alleviate that burden. Biden is set to unveil a $775 billion policy plan on Tuesday that aims to make child care more affordable, while adding support for the early education industry as a whole.
“Even before the pandemic, millions of working families were faced with enormous personal and financial strains, trying to raise their kids,” Biden said in a speech Tuesday. “We can make high-quality child care affordable and accessible.”
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To help ease the burden for working parents, Biden’s plan calls for 12 weeks of paid family leave and access to free universal pre-kindergarten programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, two policy proposals that have been widely supported by Democrats. Biden’s plan also calls for expanded access to after-school, weekend and summer care for school-aged children.
Biden also plans to make it easier for families to afford care for young children through a cost-lowering proposal that gives families with kids ages 0 to 5 the option of a tax credit or subsidy. Families that opt for the tax credit can get up to $8,000 ($16,000 for two or more children) to help offset the cost of child care for those under the age of 13, according to senior campaign officials. The credit would cover up to 50% reimbursement of child care costs for families making less than $125,000 a year. Families making between $125,000 and $400,000 would receive a partial credit.
Parents who aren’t interested in a tax credit could opt for a subsidy. Biden’s plan, which is modeled off the Child Care for Working Families Act proposed by Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Va.), calls for child care assistance for families earning up to 150% of their state’s median income, no matter the type of care they choose. No family earning below that will have to pay more than 7% of their income, according to campaign senior officials.
Under Biden’s plan, parents would be able to go to a federal website and search for participating child-care centers in their area and apply to the program. Once approved, the state would notify families of the amount they are going to pay and reimburse child-care centers on the back end. “This would save families thousands of dollars and more importantly, give them peace of mind,” Biden says.
Nearly 3 out of 4 parents spend 10% or more of their household income on child care, according to Care.com’s annual Cost of Care Survey released in June. About 55% of families surveyed report spending at least $10,000 per year on child care.
Click here to read more!
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DeGette, Neguse Get It Done on
Public Lands and Wilderness!
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Rep. Diana DeGette with newly elected Reps. Joe Neguse and Jason Crow in late 2018.
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Neguse, DeGette tuck wilderness amendments into defense bill
From Colorado Politics
Two Democratic members of Congress from Colorado were able to get their long-sought wilderness wishes into the $740 billion defense spending bill that passed the House Tuesday.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette's bill to protect nearly 1.4 million acres of wilderness in Colorado, California and Washington passed the House Tuesday afternoon as part of a National Defense Authorization Act.
The bill passed 295-125, a veto-proof majority, which matters since the president has threatened to veto the bill that calls for renaming military bases named after Confederate generals.
U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse of Boulder County led an amendment to add the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, or the CORE Act, to set aside 400,000 acres of public land in Colorado to the National Defense Authorization Act.
DeGette's bill includes 660,000 acres in 36 areas across Colorado, including the Handies Peak, Dolores River Canyon and Little Bookcliffs. About two-thirds of the areas covered by the bill already are treated as wilderness because of their remote mid-elevation ecosystems that are critical habitats for plants and wildlife, as well as opportunities for limited outdoor recreation.
The wilderness designation would protect the land from future development, including logging, mining, drilling or road building.
DeGette introduced the legislation in January, and House initially passed the Colorado Wilderness Act on a 231-183 vote in February. Since then, the legislation has waited in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
DeGette was able to tuck the proposal into the National Defense Authorization Act as an amendment, at it ensures Colorado's High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site will be able to operations, a sticking point in DeGette's efforts to get the bill she's been working on for two decades into law.
“The purpose behind this amendment is simple,” the congresswoman from Denver said in a statement. “It’s to protect more of America’s public lands and to ensure some of our nation’s most elite military pilots have the opportunity to train for some of the harshest environments on the planet.”
The bill also includes 312,500 acres in northwest California, 287,500 acres in central California and 121,700 acres in Southern California. and 131,900 acres in Washington state.
Neguse's bill also has previously passed the House only to wither in the Senate, but the proposal has been around for a decade.
“The CORE Act was carefully-crafted by Coloradans over the last decade and they deserve to see this bill—which would conserve treasured public lands in our state and make major investments in our outdoor recreation economy—considered by the Senate. The CORE Act would create the first-of-its-kind National Historic Landscape at Camp Hale to honor the 10th Mountain Army Division and the legacy of Sandy Treat, a local WWII veteran, with an overlook named in his honor. As a result, the bill’s inclusion in the NDAA makes perfect sense, and I am proud to see its passage out of the House today.”
The bill includes 73,000 acres of new wilderness areas and nearly 80,000 acres in new recreation and conservation management areas, as well as the first National Historic Landscape to honor Colorado’s military legacy at Camp Hale in Summit and Eagle counties.
Click here to read more.
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Crow:
Add Vote By Mail to Next COVID-19 Relief Package
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U.S. Rep. Jason Crow wants vote-by-mail in the next relief package
From Colorado Politics
U.S. Rep. Jason Crow of Aurora is one of the House Democrats calling for veterans, like him, to rally around voting by mail.
"Vote by mail has long been trusted among military personnel serving abroad—millions of whom have voted by mail in the last few decades," he and the others in the coalition said in a letter to Senate leaders Mitch McConnell and Chuch Schumer. "Unfortunately, upon returning home, many servicemembers and veterans are denied access to absentee voting, particularly those living in states with restrictive laws over who can apply for and receive a mailed ballot.
"It shouldn’t be harder for military service members and veterans to vote on U.S. soil than to vote abroad."
The letter also was led by Reps. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Anthony Brown of Maryland. Sherill and Brown, like Crow, are veterans. Crow was an Army Ranger and combat leader who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Even if the proposal was to make it out of the Democratic-held House, it would face a difficult time in the Republican-led Senate, and it would have virtually no chance of getting the signature of President Trump, who has said mail voting disadvantages GOP candidates such as him.
Crow, Sherill and Brown said COVID-19 makes voting by mail more important to ensure veterans have access to voting by mail, just as they did when they were deployed.
"Nearly 50% of veterans are over the age of 65 and many younger veterans have pre-existing respiratory conditions resulting from overseas burn pits," the letter states. "Because of this, veterans are at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19 and may need to avoid in-person polling places when voting. Even veterans who already utilize vote-by-mail may experience challenges if states do not have the infrastructure to manage increased demand due to COVID-19.”
The letter also was endorsed by Reps. Mike Thompson and Gil Cisneros, both of California; Stanford Bishop of Georgia; Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Max Rose of New York; and Chrissy Houlahan and Conor Lamb, both of Pennsylvania.
Click here to read more.
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Help for Coloradans on Mortgage and Rental Payments is On the Way!
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Governor announces Colorado program to help with rent and mortgage payments
From Colorado Politics
Gov. Jared Polis on Friday afternoon announced a new state program to spend nearly $20 million in federal coronavirus relief money on housing assistance.
House Bill 1410 led the way to the Property Owner Preservation Program, which will help people with rent and mortgage payments, as well as other housing services. The program will be part of the state Department of Local Affairs.
“This has been an incredibly challenging time for many Coloradans,” Polis said in a statement. “I want to thank the legislators who worked on this bill and applaud them for their efforts. This fund will help Coloradans who have been financially impacted by the pandemic and need rent assistance.
"This pandemic is far from over, and we will continue working to do everything we can to help provide some relief to those who have been significantly impacted. We are all in this together and we will get through this together.”
DOLA executive director Rick Garcia said the new program will allow landlords to apply for assistance on behalf of tenants and help with housing stability.
The legislation was sponsored by fellow Democrats: Reps. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez of Denver and Tony Exum Sr. of Colorado Springs with Sens. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada and Julie Gonzales of Denver.
Exum said House Democrats were committed to helping Coloradans affected by the virus make ends meet.
“We delivered," he said Friday. "This new support for homeowners and renters will go a long way towards helping Coloradans make their rent or mortgage and stay in their home. I’ve spoken to countless families in the Springs area and have heard first hand how badly this relief is needed. I’m excited to get the word out today and make sure that anyone who needs housing assistance knows they can visit the Division of Housing’s website to get started.”
Zenzinger added, "COVID-19 has affected every aspect of our lives – undermining not only our personal health but our economic wellbeing as well. Countless Coloradans are facing eviction or foreclosure if they don’t receive help, which is why I am proud to see this program launch and for families to get the relief that they so desperately need.”
Click here to learn more.
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Trump, Gardner, & GOP Watch
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GOP Senators Secretly Object to
Trump's Use of "Secret Police" in Portland
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GOP Senators Fear Trump Use of 'Secret Police' Is Unconstitutional: Merkley
From Newsweek
Republican senators have been expressing concerns over the Trump administration's decision to deploy federal law enforcement officers to Portland, with some fearing the deployment could be "unconstitutional," Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley has said.
Speaking with Newsweek on Tuesday, Merkley said he had spoken to "several Republican colleagues who are very opposed to the secret police strategy of the administration."
Among the concerns expressed by GOP senators, Merkley said, are fears that the deployment represents "a massive overreach of federal power" that is "potentially unconstitutional."
Pointing to recent incidents of protesters being forced into unmarked vans by federal officers, as well as one incident that saw a protester shot in the head with what was believed to be an impact munition, Merkley said Republicans are concerned that the Trump administration has been deploying a "potentially unconstitutional strategy of arrests that violate people's civil liberties."
Further, he said, GOP Senate members have expressed concerns that the deployment has pushed America further towards the "adoption of a dictator style" of law enforcement.
That is a fear that Merkley shares in, with the Oregon senator telling Newsweek he believes the deployment has seen the use of similar tactics typically deployed under dictatorships.
"When I consider how this developed, you've got [President Donald Trump,] who loves to talk about his affection for dictators around the world... [Kim Jong-un] of North Korea, [Vladimir Putin] of Russia, [Rodrigo Duterte] of the Philippines… They use these kinds of tactics of secret police sweeping people off the streets and he's brought it to America. President Trump has brought these fascist tactics to America and they have to end," Merkley said.
While Democrats have increasingly been describing federal law enforcement officers deployed to Portland in response to unrest in the wake of George Floyd's death as "secret police," Trump administration officials have pushed back against the descriptor, with Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf insisting on Tuesday that law enforcement personnel are simply "civilian police officers" combating "violent criminal activity."
Speaking during a press conference in Portland, Wolf also denied claims that federal officers were not properly identifying themselves, insisting that they have been wearing insignia showing they are police.
On Monday, Merkley introduced a new measure alongside fellow Democratic Congress members that would force federal officers to clearly identify themselves, while also reining in their law enforcement powers.
Formally titled the "Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America's Streets Act," Merkley said Democrats had unofficially dubbed the bill the 'No Secret Police in America Act.'"
Click here to read more.
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No Waver from Cory Gardner on Trump, Still?
"[Cory Gardner's] been with us 100%. There was no waver. He’s been with us. There was no waver with Cory and we appreciate that." - Donald Trump, Colorado Springs, March 5, 2020.
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A group of people protested outside a private home in Longmont where Sen. Cory Gardner was due to attend a private event on July 15, 2020, in Longmont.
(Photo Credit: Katie Farnan)
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The questions Sen. Cory Gardner has yet to address
From Colorado Newsline
With little over 100 days until the presidential election, and with COVID-19 keeping people distant, elected officials understandably are not hosting many public forums. Sen. Cory Gardner is no exception.
But, prior to COVID-19, Gardner had been maintaining such distance from his constituents that political groups organized a statewide bus tour to provide Coloradans with a platform to ask the senator their questions.
A lot has happened since summer 2019, but Gardner’s appearances continue to be limited to closed-door meetings and fundraising parties. Even his virtual “town hall” calls robo-dial pre-selected people who then must have their questions screened in advance.
Therefore, Coloradans must use their own platforms to ask the questions that Gardner has yet to address. Here are a few of mine:
- For the six years he’s been in office, Senator Gardner has said he supports DREAMers. However, despite many opportunities to lead on the issue from his influential position in the Senate, the House-passed HR-6, The Dream and Promise Act, languishes. Meanwhile, the White House is announcing draconian policies and executive orders designed to discourage and vilify immigrants living in or planning to come to the United States. In his six-year tenure in the senate, what concrete actions has Gardner taken to affirm that he actually supports immigrants?
- The GOP has made clear through lawsuits, legislation and now a Supreme Court challenge by the Trump administration (one that will not be handed down until after the election) that they’ll continue efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Gardner has voted repeatedly to repeal the ACA without a replacement plan, even while the majority of Coloradans have said they want to save or improve the law. So, what exactly is Gardner’s plan for ensuring affordable health care access to Coloradans?
- In his 2014 campaign ads, Gardner touted his support for over-the-counter contraceptives and reversed his position on personhood, attempting to paint himself as a supporter of reproductive freedom. But upon securing his Senate seat, Gardner has voted in extremist judges to lifetime appointments, most notably Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh’s dissent in the Louisiana abortion clinic case this month opens the door to future challenges to abortion access. How should people facing reproductive choices track Gardner’s reversal of his reversal on reproductive freedom?
- Despite having won his election in 2014 by mail-in ballot, Gardner has opted not to challenge or censure Trump as he repeatedly lies about so-called voter fraud. HR-1, the For the People Act, was passed a year and a half ago and provides election protections that would address election integrity. Given the growing concerns over free and fair elections in the wake of 2016, why has Gardner not come out in support of HR-1?
- Essential workers across the country — among the hardest hit by COVID — are demanding better protections like hazard pay, paid time off, expanded health care coverage, and investment in public services. The HEROES Act, passed in the House and now languishing in Senate purgatory along with HR-1 and HR-6, would provide such protections. But Gardner’s previous “yes” vote for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 helped land the country in the unstable position we’re in today. Can Gardner explain how his dedication to prioritizing the needs of corporations over our nation’s workers is improving workers’ lives and financial security?
- Trump’s commutation of Roger Stone’s sentence, his willful negligence of COVID-19, which has led to a surging U.S. death rate, his racist demonization of immigrants, his silence on Russia offering bounties to the Taliban for killing U.S. soldiers, his efforts to influence the election by unlawfully coordinating with foreign powers, are only a tiny sampling of the proof that Trump is unfit for the presidency. But where, specifically, is the line that Trump must cross in order for Gardner to withdraw his endorsement?
With no way of reaching the senator, it’s clear that Coloradans will continue to be sidelined in service to Gardner’s greater loyalty. In February of this year, President Trump introduced Gardner at a rally in Colorado Springs by saying, “There was no waver. (Senator Gardner)’s been with us. There was no waver with Cory and we appreciate that.” My final question for Gardner, 100 days out from the election: Still?
Click here to read more.
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QAnon Superfan Boebert Opposes CORE Act, Protecting Public Lands
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Colorado Public Lands Protections Latch Onto The House’s Defense Budget Bill
From CPR
Two Colorado public lands bills previously passed by the U.S. House have hitched their trailers to the national defense budget bill in a bid to improve their chances in the Senate.
The CORE Act, led by Rep. Joe Neguse in the House and Sen. Michael Bennet in the Senate, was approved, 234 to 181. Rep. Diana DeGette’s wilderness bill passed as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, 234 to 179. Both passed largely along party lines.
The CORE Act, which passed the House in October but stalled in the Senate, would protect about 400,000 acres of land across the western half of the state. It was part of an amendment package with the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act, which was also previously approved by the chamber.
“Both of these bills are imperative,” Neguse told the chamber. “And this amendment would protect public lands and preserve our access to clean air and water across the state of Colorado and Arizona.”
The bill also designates Camp Hale, where the famed 10th Mountain Division trained, as a National Historic Landscape.
...
Tipton recently lost his primary election. The Republican candidate to replace him, Lauren Boebert, sent out a press release after the vote slamming the measures as a "land grab" and criticizing their addition to the NDAA in particular.
DeGette’s bill would protect more than 600,000 acres of land across the state as wilderness areas.
She reminded her colleagues opposed to including this type of amendment to a defense bill that public lands bills have been included in the NDAA for years. But ultimately, she said the big deciders are the people.
“You know there is one group of people that's the most important to decide about wilderness and that’s the public,” she said. “Two-thirds of the people on the Western Slope of Colorado want more wilderness. These areas are all wilderness study areas now, let’s keep them for future generations.”
Click here to read more.
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Meet Renée L. Reif -- a veteran and rockstar volunteer out of El Paso County. In addition to being a strong Democrat, she also serves as the director for women veterans outreach for the El Paso County Colorado Progressive Veterans organization! We caught up a bit to learn about her and why she does what she does:
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Humanist Activist and organizer, veteran, former army wife, and care giver for two adult sons with disabilities, Renée is speaking out and actively organizing in her community. Did you know that people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental illness make up a third of police killings? Add black or brown skin and the numbers increase. Mental health suffers due to racism in our community, and people of color suffer the worst. I will fiercely advocate for everyone and anyone or any race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender, whatever… born in America or anywhere.
Renée is now the democratic chair for her state house district, fervently reaching out to voters about important local issues, to include social and racial justice. In addition, since becoming the director for women veterans outreach for the El Paso County Colorado Progressive Veterans, she is actively reaching out to all female veterans to try to amplify their voices and fight for their needs.
A little research, you'll find that the history of the flag, the anthem AND the pledge are all questionable, and rooted in RACISM. I will boycott the pledge and the anthem-I will kneel for both, until such day as ALL of my American peers are SAFE and benefitting from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, NEITHER of which were written with people of color or WOMEN in mind.
Did you know? The 4th of July applied ONLY to WHITE MALES, not black males or females of ANY COLOR.
Continually challenging the status quo, Renée is speaking out every week regarding local political and social issues. She will no longer stand for or acknowledge the flag, the pledge or the national anthem, which do nothing to further the plight of or protect people of color or any demographic other than white Americans. These things-symbols, represent FREEDOMS or RIGHTS. It is the freedoms and rights that we are protecting, NOT objects or words that clearly do NOT represent ALL citizens.
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Do you want to intern or volunteer with the Colorado Dems? Reach out to our volunteer coordinator Karin Asensio at [email protected], and see how YOU CAN GET INVOLVED!
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Join the Elbow Bumpers Club!
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What's the Elbow Bumpers Club (formerly known as the High Fivers Club), you ask? It started with a simple idea: There are nearly 1.2 million registered Democrats in Colorado -- what if every single one of them gave just $5 a month to the Colorado Democratic Party (CDP)?
Answer: The CDP would be the best-funded state party in the country -- with zero dollars from corporate PACs and plenty for flipping red seats to blue!
Here's the reality -- the Colorado Dems are working in overdrive to keep the wheels of democracy moving forward, and now is a time when we could really use your help! If you haven't joined the High Fivers Club (temporarily known as the Elbow Bumpers Club now) -- please consider a few reasons to give!
- The CDP is the central base that helps recruit volunteers, train candidates, and assist county parties win elections. While the Democratic National Committee provides some limited funds, the reality is it is up to us to raise our own money so we can support Democratic candidates running for office in Colorado.
- We knock on doors and meet with voters to talk about voting Democratic even before we know who our nominees are! As part of the High Fivers Club, you can help us get supplies for volunteers so we can knock on 50,000 more doors before we know our nominee.
- Once we have our nominee, we'll use what we've learned about voters to help them jump-start their Get Out the Voter efforts and stay toe-to-toe with Donald Trump and the Republicans.
Click the gif below to join the Elbow Bumpers Club!
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Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Party of Colorado are not tax deductible
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