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Join Us for a Town Hall Celebrating our Frontline Heroes! |
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Last year, when we faced an unprecedented health crisis in our country, people were encouraged to stay home and to work from home. But, what about those folks who didn't have the option to be able to work from home? What about the folks who put their lives on the line to ensure people could still receive their medication in the mail? Who ensured we could still buy groceries? Who ensured our children could still get educated? Who ensured that our most vulnerable and those who got sick could recover?
In this edition of Colorado Conversations, we focus on the frontline heroes who kept our country going during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we check-in with elected officials to see how they're working to ensure frontline heroes have the support, and get the support, they so desperately need!
Click here or the button below to sign up and join us for this virtual town hall on Thursday, September 2 (next Thursday) at 6:00PM MT! |
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Welcome Our New Vice Chairs of Rural Outreach! |
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We're so pleased to welcome our newest members of our CDP state officer team -- our Vice Chairs of Rural Outreach, Jill Duvall of Elbert County (left) and Pam Espinoza of Las Animas County (right)! Over the weekend, we held our State Central Committee meeting, and the committee voted overwhelmingly 'Yes' to add both Jill and Pam to the officers team!
Get to know them below:
Jill: Currently serving as Co-Chair of the Elbert County Democrats, after serving two prior terms as Chair, I have devoted time and energy compelling our county officials to be more accountable to citizens, from budget issues to elections to exposing corruption in our local government. Another particular area of interest for me has been assisting citizens with water adjudication, a paramount concern in a county experiencing high density growth with no renewable water and very inadequate infrastructure. (Click here to read Jill's full bio!)
Pam: I am 1st VC of the Las Animas County Dems. I am a life-long resident of Trinidad, Colorado, where I still make my home. I am the Title V Director at Trinidad St. College and very interested in furthering the issues of rural Democrats. My biggest concern is keeping rural Dems a vibrant voice in rural communities where that voice is being drowned out by the lies of trumpers. I am passionate about rural issues and our rural communities. I am passionate about being a Colorado Democrat! (Click here to read Pam's full bio!) |
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The American Rescue Plan How is it helping folks? |
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Just one child tax credit payment reduced financial anxiety for 56% of families CNBC
In August, millions of American families received the second of six advance child tax credit payments — hundreds of dollars per month for those with eligible kids.
Just one payment has already helped, data shows.
For 56% of families, receiving just the first monthly child tax credit payment in July reduced financial anxiety, according to a recent survey from ParentsTogether Action, a national parenting organization. More than half of those surveyed said the payment was a “huge deal,” and another 40% said it was “helpful” to their family budget. ... The American Rescue Plan earlier this year expanded the existing child tax credit, adding advance monthly payments and increasing the benefit to $3,000 from $2,000 with a $600 bonus for kids under the age of 6 for the 2021 tax year.
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Remember -- Colorado Republicans like Lauren Boebert, Ken Buck, and Doug Lamborn all voted 'No' to helping Colorado families.
Meanwhile, all of Colorado's Democratic members of the Congressional delegation voted 'Yes'!
But how else does the American Rescue Plan specifically help Coloradans, you ask? Click the link to find out! |
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Local Candidates Corner! |
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Like the late, great Democratic speaker of the house Tip O'Neill famously said, "All Politics is Local". We couldn't agree more -- down ballot races are often where the most local and impactful offices are elected, and we want *you* to be aware of which Democrats are running for your local races! To help us help elect Democrats to every local seat possible, click here to get your very own Vote Local swag!
All proceeds go towards our efforts to elect Democrats up AND down the ticket!
Meet Candidates Running this November! |
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Democrats Running for Pueblo Board of Waterworks! |
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Dr. Thomas Autobee is a Democrat who is a current member (and the President!) of the Pueblo Board of Waterworks and he's running for re-election!
“I feel I have done what I was elected to do, and that is to ensure a reliable source of quality water while ensuring future water rights for our city,” Autobee, 69, said during his announcement speech.
Autobee, a dentist whose family first settled in the Pueblo area in 1848, was first appointed to the board in 2005. He was elected to finish that term, and then won re-election in 2009 and 2015. He currently serves as the president of the board. |
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Democrats Running for School Board in Park County! |
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Graham Fowler is a Democrat who is a current member of the Park County School District RE-2 and he's running for re-election! Be sure to check out his candidacy and see if you can help him out! |
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Opportunities with Colorado Dems! |
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THIS WEEKEND: Join us for the Final Full Candidate Boot Camp of 2021! |
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We are excited to welcome you to the Colorado Democratic Party's Candidate & Campaign Staff Bootcamp! We hope this training provides you with useful information and tools that will benefit your campaign, no matter what office you are seeking, and provide you with the opportunity to practice some of the skills we will be teaching.
Our knowledgeable staff has decades of combined campaign experience and experience in political work from every angle, and we look forward to sharing our knowledge with you over our two-day training session! Feel free to attend one day, both days, or just select training modules you feel will benefit you.
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SAVE THE DATE: Grassroots Reunion + Fundraiser on Thursday, Sept. 9 |
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We are excited to announce that we will be back together in person for a grassroots reunion and fundraiser on Thursday, September 9th at ReelWorks (formerly EXDO) in Denver!
This event will be a great way to see people from across the state that you have not seen in a while. Click here to RSVP!
We ask that only those who have been vaccinated attend, in accordance with the most recent CDC guidelines. The event will be indoors and outdoors, so come join us for some food, drink and lots of fun! |
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County Parties and Initiatives! |
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Join us on Saturday, August 28th when we will rock the Montrose County Event Center with great food and beverages, amazing speakers, CD3 candidates, a fun band, and, oh yes, one amazing, incredible silent auction.
The keynote speaker is Morgan Carroll, and her message of the night will be “Colorado Dems Deliver”. She will discuss new state and federal bills that matter, how Colorado is flipping red seats blue, the game plan to re-elect Bennet, Polis, Weiser, Griswold and Young.
RSVP: https://montrosedemocrats.org/bbq/ |
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Join the Arapahoe Dems for their Annual Funfraiser! (Tuesday, September 14) |
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Join the Arapahoe County Democratic Party for the Pat Schroeder Event, their largest fundraiser of the year! Click here or the graphic to buy your tickets! |
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Join the JeffCo Democratic Latino Initiative for their 7th Annual Legacy Celebration Brunch! (Saturday, September 18) |
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WHAT: Progressive Democrats Initiative 4th Thursday Monthly Meeting - August 26, 6pm
Our Initiative Welcomes the Pueblo County Chapter with a meeting about Community Organizing, Housing and Evictions - Guests Sol Sandoval and Javier Mabrey.
Sol Sandoval is a Congressional Candidate and experienced Progressive Community Organizer, a Chicana Indigenous woman and a dedicated community organizer/leader fighting for working people.
Denver State House Candidate Javier Mabrey, a Denver Progressive, will focus on poverty, affordable Housing and Evictions - issues critical not only to Pueblo but the entire state.
Register in advance at the ZOOM link provided.
Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uc-isrDsiGNdG7cKJ4UcqRjoc4anmtKmh
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
*Please note that the Colorado Democratic Party and all of its initiatives are neutral in primaries. Here is the full list of Democrats running in CD3:
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#DemsDeliver |
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Colorado is prepared to welcome Afghan refugees, Polis tells Biden in a letter Colorado Politics
Colorado is ready to take in Afghan refugees and those granted visas for their work with the U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan, Gov. Jared Polis told President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
In a letter to Biden, Polis urged the president “to act quickly to evacuate and resettle eligible Afghans as there are lives at stake.” He singled out bureaucratic delays as particularly unacceptable.
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The New Civilian Climate Corps Might Just Save Us All Backpacker
President Biden first proposed what would become the Civilian Climate Corps in an executive order on his first day on the job, earmarking $10 billion for the proposed program in his American Jobs Plan. Since then, lawmakers have been ironing out the details. Key sponsors for the Civilian Climate Corps are Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden and Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse, both of whom serve districts that regularly suffer severe wildfires.
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Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper urge evacuation of SIV applicants Fox21
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Senator John Hickenlooper joined colleagues in a bi-partisan effort to ask the Biden Administration to quickly implement changes to the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program in order to protect Afghans in light of the recent Taliban takeover.
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Vanity Fair
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who has been a leading voice calling for the passage of the For the People Act, said she and other Democratic secretaries of state have been “doing everything we can” to protect the vote and push federal officials to do the same.
“If they fail to act, we are the last line of defense,” said Griswold, who, like other election officials, has been targeted with death threats. “We take that incredibly seriously.”
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ICYMI: State treasurer sells transportation bonds Grand Junction Sentinel
The Colorado Treasurer’s Office completed the sale of transportation bonds Thursday that would raise more than $620 million to pay for road and bridge projects.
Called for under a bill approved by the Colorado Legislature in 2017, the bonds, actually known as certificates of participation, will go to the Colorado Transportation Commission to be used has part of its normal prioritization of road and bridge projects.
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Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser Asks For Climate Action Support From Congress CBS Denver
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is asking for climate action from senators representing the state in Congress.
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Coloradans Are Leading Efforts to Protect and Resettle Afghan Refugees 5280
Representative Jason Crow remembers spending long hours in safe houses with Afghan interpreters talking about each other’s families. He remembers the taste of the tea they always shared with him. He remembers the games of chess they played, which he almost always lost. But most importantly, the former Army Ranger remembers that without the help of those allies, he wouldn’t have made it out of Afghanistan alive.
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Ed Perlmutter Has Support for Marijuana Banking Bill, but Will It Get to the Floor? Westword
If anyone seemed poised to push marijuana legislation over the hill after the 2020 election, it was U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter. The Colorado congressman had been pushing his Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act since 2013 and was making progress within the U.S. House of Representatives.
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GOP Watch |
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The Denver Post
The Mesa County Commission will replace 41 pieces of election equipment that were compromised during an alleged security breach — the latest in a saga that includes a pillow salesman, County Clerk Tina Peters in hiding and QAnon. ... Peters has been traveling outside Mesa County since Aug. 10, when she flew to a conspiracy theory symposium in South Dakota hosted by Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow and an election conspiracist. He then arranged for her to stay in Texas but she moved last week after Lindell’s security team leaked details of her whereabouts, he told Vice News.
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Volunteer of the Week |
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Hi, I'm Barbara Niederhoff in Aurora, professional book indexer and 20-year Girl Scout volunteer. I began volunteering for Democrats in 2017, before I even got around to re-registering from "U," and I do everything from setting up chairs at events to handling data to running Zoom meetings. I'm the new party Chair in House District 40, and living proof that you CAN campaign successfully even with a combination of introversion and social anxiety.
Come meet me in person at Arapahoe County's Pat Schroeder event this Sept. 14: https://www.acdpdinner.org/ |
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Want to volunteer and help elect Democrats across Colorado? Click the button below to join our talent bank, and we'll get you plugged in! |
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Dems On the Road! |
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Party Chair Morgan Carroll was joined by 2nd Vice Chair Sandy Baca-Sandoval, Vice Chair of Communications Patricia Barela Rivera, and Vice Chair of Outreach Xochitl Gaytan to celebrate the Maestas decision in Alamosa County (1914), which is known as the first desegregation education case in the country! Former commissioner of insurance Marguerite Salazar was also on hand to celebrate the historical decision! Special thanks to Berna Hostetter, one of our regional field organizers, for putting together such a special event!
Executive Director Halisi Vinson and Communications Director David Pourshoushtari joined the Logan County Democrats for a Saturday potluck in Sterling to support the Logan County Dems, and to hear from CD4 Democratic candidate Ike McCorkle. |
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The Colorado Dems held their SCC meeting on Sunday in Aurora, holding a hybrid meeting that allowed SCC members to participate both in person and virtually! It was so good to see so many faces we haven't seen in-person in months! |
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The Funnies |
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Share the Dispatch |
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