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Woman's Democratic Club of Montgomery County, MD

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WDC Luncheon with Clarence Page

February 1, 2019 Marian Kisch
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The New Blue House of Representatives: A Time of Change

Clarence Page, Pulitzer Page winning journalist and syndicated columnist for the “Chicago Tribune”, wanted to become a journalist “so I could be where the action is, where things happen.” He has lots of material to work with these days.

Filling in for Congressman Jamie Raskin, who had to cancel in order to cast his vote on the latest bill to stop the government shutdown, Page spoke about this being a time of transition and great change.

“We’re seeing new battle lines, coalitions and agendas,” he said. Some of this is due to the new freshman class in the Democratically-held House of Representatives, which is young and diverse. It’s a battle of homogeneity versus diversity.

Page specifically named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (AOC), New York’s newly elected representative, for her outspoken remarks and tweets about Trump. “She draws fire and gives it back.” Social media has changed the landscape in politics and elections,” Page remarked. “It brings people in and uses data to target voters.”

The new “blue” freshman class is prioritizing the fight against corruption, according to Page. They’re pushing for new reforms and procedures. But he pointed out that there are some intergenerational battles within the Democratic party regarding issues such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare for all, male accountability, and college affordability.

ACA has become more popular with both parties, Page said, especially providing for preexisting conditions. But it’s also misunderstood by some. He recalled a meeting with a West Virginia woman who said, “I’m lucky to have ACA, not Obamacare.”

Page lamented that the media has a difficult role to play. It needs to cover Trump because there is interest in him and he is the president. “If we didn’t cover him there would be complaints too.”

In terms of potential candidates, Page says that “likeability is not essential for electability, but it helps.” Democrats need to balance diversity without alienating white male voters.

Regarding the shutdown, Page pointed out that both parties support border security, but the Democrats find the prospect of building a wall ineffective and immoral. He predicted that when a final decision is made, both parties will claim victory.

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← Montgomery County Should Try Ranked Choice Voting President's Message | February 2019 →

Recent

Featured
Events
Feb 3, 2019
2019 Women’s Legislative Briefing
Events
Feb 3, 2019

The 2019 Women’s Legislative Briefing drew a record-breaking 700 activists intent on “Igniting and Achieving Change.” The Montgomery County Commission for Women, along with a multitude of co-sponsors, including the Woman’s Democratic Club, has organized this nonpartisan, issue-oriented conference since 1980, when 200 women showed up.

Read More →
Events
Feb 3, 2019
Ranked Choice Voting
Feb 1, 2019
Montgomery County Should Try Ranked Choice Voting
Ranked Choice Voting
Feb 1, 2019

A large field of candidates should signal a healthy, vibrant democracy. But too often, crowded contests give way to vote-splitting, fears of wasted votes and ultimately, winners without majority support--a problem many Montgomery County voters experienced firsthand in the 2018 local elections, when 38 candidates, including 33 Democrats, vied for 4 at-large seats on the County Council.


Fortunately, a remedy for the many ailments of our winner-take-all system exists: ranked choice voting. It’s easy, effective, and proven to work, evidenced by its widespread use and success in cities nationwide, in Maine, at leading colleges and universities, and even The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar nominees and the Best Picture winner.

Read More →
Ranked Choice Voting
Feb 1, 2019
Guest Speaker
Feb 1, 2019
WDC Luncheon with Clarence Page
Guest Speaker
Feb 1, 2019

Clarence Page, Pulitzer Page winning journalist and syndicated columnist for the “Chicago Tribune”, wanted to become a journalist “so I could be where the action is, where things happen.”  He has lots of material to work with these days.

Filling in for Congressman Jamie Raskin, who had to cancel in order to cast his vote on the latest bill to stop the government shutdown, Page spoke about this being a time of transition and great change.

Read More →
Guest Speaker
Feb 1, 2019
President's Message
Feb 1, 2019
President's Message | February 2019
President's Message
Feb 1, 2019

Fran Rothstein, WDC President, February 2019 message to membership.

Read More →
President's Message
Feb 1, 2019
Happy Hour
Jan 13, 2019
January Happy Hour | Resolve to Stay Involved: #2020 Is Coming
Happy Hour
Jan 13, 2019

WDC’s 2019 Happy Hour Theme is , “Resolve to Stay Involved: #2020 Is Coming”. We began the New Year with live music and an enthusiastic crowd of members and guests ready to learn about Ranked Choice Voting.

Read More →
Happy Hour
Jan 13, 2019
President's Message
Nov 30, 2018
President's Message | December 2018
President's Message
Nov 30, 2018

What an exciting and hopeful time for Democrats!  By winning the US House of Representatives, we gained an effective lever of power for maintaining and strengthening our democracy.  As he so often does, Congressman Jamie Raskin put it best, in a recent interview with Lou Peck in Bethesda Beat:

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President's Message
Nov 30, 2018
Membership and Outreach
Nov 30, 2018
WDC Happy Hour To Honor Our Volunteers and Voters
Membership and Outreach
Nov 30, 2018

The WDC held its Nov 8th "Happy Hour To Honor Our Volunteers and Voters" at Denizens in Silver Spring.   We were excited to be joined by Marc Elrich, our newly elected Montgomery County Executive, and Debbie Spielberg, his current senior legislative aide and campaign chairwoman. Will Jawando and Gabe Albornoz, both newly elected county council at large members, attended as did Jennifer Hosey (D-17), who was recently re-elected to MCDCC. Susie Turnbull, candidate for lieutenant governor and long-time WDC member, showed up as well.

Read More →
Membership and Outreach
Nov 30, 2018
Guest Speaker
Nov 30, 2018
Fred Yang Analyzes the 2018 Mid-Terms: Reasons for Celebration – And Caution
Guest Speaker
Nov 30, 2018

In what has become a post-election tradition, WDC was privileged to host Fred Yang, a pre-eminent Democratic pollster, for an analysis of the mid-term election results at our luncheon on Friday, November 16 at the Bethesda Marriott at Pooks Hill. As he has done after the past two elections, Mr. Yang broke down the results of the mid-term elections for the sold-out crowd, and, with remarkable clarity, provided trenchant analysis of the mid-term voting data.  The upshot:  Democrats have much to celebrate in 2018, but the mid-term results are not necessarily a prelude to a Trump defeat in 2020.

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Guest Speaker
Nov 30, 2018
Advocacy Committee, Legislative Priorities, 2019 Testimony
Nov 29, 2018
WDC ADVOCACY | 2019 LETTER TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY STATE DELEGATION
Advocacy Committee, Legislative Priorities, 2019 Testimony
Nov 29, 2018

Written testimony concerning the Woman’s Democratic Club’s (WDC) most important legislative priorities for the 2019 legislative session submitted to the Montgomery County State Delegation.

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Advocacy Committee, Legislative Priorities, 2019 Testimony
Nov 29, 2018
Get Out the Vote
Oct 28, 2018
Interview with Marc Elrich for Montgomery County Executive
Get Out the Vote
Oct 28, 2018

Voters need facts to help them distinguish between candidates for elective office. County Executive Nominee, Democrat Marc Elrich, shares his views on his record, his plans for Montgomery County, and the reasons voters should choose him as our next County Executive.

Read More →
Get Out the Vote
Oct 28, 2018
 
 
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Keeping Members Better Informed, Better Connected, and More Politically Effective