02-27-18

South Euclid Democratic Club 

Co-host: Lyndhurst and Richmond Heights 

South Euclid Community Center

February 27, 2018

Welcome

Hello to Members/Guests/Candidates

Hello to neighbors

Judge Micheal Shaughnessy, court of common pleas 

Ruth Gray, ward one council woman

Madelon Watts, precinct person

Andrea Nelson Moore, Assistant Director of Law in the Cuyahoga County 

Judge Alison Floyd, Cuyahoga Juvenile court

Marty Gelfand, council man at large

? city leader for Richmond Heights

Deborah Turner, court of common pleas

Sara Continenza, Ward three council woman

Angie Woodson, precinct person

Pledge of Allegiance

Reading of Minutes from Last Meeting: 1-30-18

Future collaboration with Richmond and Lyndhurst

Election days come and go. But the struggle of the people to create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1 percent – a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice – that struggle continues. It will continue until we get the right people in office.

Identify those candidates that represent our interests, our needs and our desires. 

If the NRA can control our elected officials, how are they representing us and our needs? Protecting our children.

-City Council introduction to endorse SB260, assault weapons ban

Safety committee meeting, March 12, 630-8, city hall

Open to city discussion

We have the ability to put a stop to it. With our vote. Our commitment, thru hard work and perseverance. 

Collective voice=collective strength

Check officials to stay true to campaign promises

Bring together surrounding city’s to effect change

Candidates:

Deborah Turner: Judge common pleas, variety of experiences to rely on during court, had law practice, educator, has experiences in relating to special needs people. Will embrace existing programs and enact necessary change after evaluation. 

Gregory Moore: 2B precinct committee person. Bailiff in juvenile court, marine corps vet, involved in NAACP, school principal at an alt school. 2010 resident. 

Sara Continenza : 3B precinct committee person. Community activist, very informed with the neighborhood, city council member, would like to bring back the arts and community togetherness.  Developed the NextDoor Bexley site, 2011 resident. Create a community of wellness. 

Madelon Watts: 1C precinct committee person, would like to be involved in getting more people to turn out to vote and registered. 

Laura Smith: 4B precinct committee person, get to know extended neighbors, get them active in the community and turn out to vote, 2008 resident.

Angela Woodson: 4A precinct committee person, longtime Dem, lived here for 20 years. Recruited by neighbors and concerned with the turnout in 2016 and would like to increase SE turnt in 2018.

Marty Gelfand: 4A precinct committee person, current 4A precinct committee person. City leader, regular dem meetings and pushing a blue agenda and getting people registered. Neighborhood organizer. Grassroots, neighbor to neighbor movement. 2003 resident

Retanio Rucker: Court of Common pleas. experienced trial attorney of 30ys. Magistrate of 11. Running  to bring his experience and to bring diversity to the bench. 5/46 judges are of color and only one African-American male. Diversity is important to help make a fair and unbiased courtroom. Trained to do the job. 

Ruth Gray: 1A precinct committee person, passionate for our community and for being a democrat. Having a voice at the table starts at the precinct level. Critical position to help voters know what is on the ballot. 

Modestino Romeo, 2D precinct committee person, retired council man, everything starts at the precinct level and migrates up. Need to get constituents involved in politics and the community. DC politicians don’t seem to be representing us anymore. Work hard to elect those that will help us grow the democratic party, South Euclid and Ohio

Sunny Simon: 1B precinct committee person, current county council rep. When we vote we win, on a blue wave that will move from the bottom up. Work to get out the vote. 

April Scott: Precinct committee person in Richmond Heights, first time running for office. It’s time for a change, time to get people in office that believe in what we believe in. 

Kucinich and Samples introduction by Marty Gelfand

-David Montgomery: Washington Post

-? Samples, Husband of Tara Samples

-Elizabeth Kucinich, Wife of Dennis Kucinich

-Tara Samples, Akron city Council woman, Candidate for Ohio Lt Governor

-Dennis Kucinich, former Mayor of Cleveland and U.S. representative for Ohio 10, Candidate for Ohio Governor

Dennis Kucinich

-Thanks Marty Gelfand for his support and previous work

-Congressional office was about service to the people

-possible that half of the democratic vote in the primary will come out of the Cleveland media market.

-Not running for Gov for self but running for the people. 

-decided to get in the state because he feels the state is ready for a dramatic change,              

 government the people can call their own, #PowerToWeThePeople. 

-power should flow from the bottom up. 

-State create a system that would make healthcare affordable and accessible, not controlled by insurance company

-Protecting public education, stop the privatization of the school system, HS grads should have a shot at 2yr free college

-State government has become "taking the money and giving it to the few at the expense of the many.”

-Returning Government to the people, making it accessible and giving people a chance to be heard, protecting our waters from fracking and pollution

-Stop offloading the cost of pollution on to future generations

-Conserve our natural resources, protect the land, the air, and the water.

-After Parkland the issue of assault weapons become a priority to explore

-Cleveland had assault weapon ban 1991-2010, NRA went to Dem attorney general and got him to overturn the law in the Ohio supreme court. Same attorney went to the Supreme Court, NRA vs Chicago, pursued a decision that tied the hands of local communities across the country on sensible control on guns. 

-This ticket represents diversity, inclusiveness, and the face of Ohio.

Tara Samples

-Mother of 5, Grandmother of 10.

-Teen mom, Always mentions in case there are people in the audience that needs to hear that and needs encouragement.

-Husband gives balance.

-Akron City council, 2013. Knocked 8000 doors with family.

-Not going to sit around and wait her turn, she is going to take her turn.

-Sometimes it’s ok to stand alone when it’s about the people

-When meeting with Mr Kucinich they discussed what they would like the government to look like and be a representation that the people could be proud of.

-Agree on 99.9% of everything with Mr Kucinich, differ on diet. Mr Kucinich is a Vegan and Ms Samples likes chicken.

-proud of aggressive stances they have taken on fracking, assault weapons, and criminal justice reform.

Questions

-Any opponents anti-assault weapons?

-Kucinich: No other ticket, Dem or Repub, that has come out for an assault weapon ban. We need the ability to ban weapons of war. 

-Cordray said he’s rethinking stance on assault weapons.

-Kucinich: You are either for an assault weapon ban or you are not. He can not bring himself to say he is for a ban because he is principally responsible for stopping assault weapons ban in this sate and for knocking down gun laws across the country.

-Kucinich: Carter, Ford, Reagan wrote letters to congress in favor of the ban. this should not be a partisan issue. The proposal to arm teachers is a nightmare.

-Samples: Arming a teacher is very concerning. Ward she represents is 97% African-American and sometimes things happen in school. If you want a teacher to carry a gun give them the same training as a police officer, give her a teachers salary and a police officer salary so she can buy some of the materials that we don’t pay for anymore. 

-Avery: Who is going to pay for the liability, court costs, training, etc.

-Many adults in Ohio work for less than $10/hour. Some work till midnight and have to report back to work at 5am. What will you do to increase minimum wage and promote worker safety?

-Kucinich: We want the next step increase to be $12.50 with the goal of $15. Not true that if you raise min wage jobs will be lost. It’s actually a way of priming the pump of the economy. People need to be paid a living wage. We support a not for profit healthcare system. Healthcare for all and a living wage. Why shouldn’t people share in a better life. Challenged bail out of banks, felt Government should have helped in saving peoples homes, instead. 

-Are you going to call out those candidates that are taking corporate/lobbyist money?

-Kucinich: “By their words and their deeds you shall know them.” Yes, they are challenging those that have disadvantaged their constituents by ingratiating themselves with lobbyist. Beginning with those that have thrown in with the NRA.

-Will you invoke some type of universal healthcare for Ohio citizens?

-Kucinich: Wanted a public option on the ACA. Wrote HR 676, in congress that provided for universal, not for profit healthcare. Americans spend about three trillion dollars on healthcare a year. one out of every 3 dollars goes for things other than medical (admin, stock options, corporate profit, exec salaries, marketing, etc). Kucinich/Samples are working on a system that will make healthcare affordable for all Ohioans, pool all the resources, make it accessible to all Ohioans, and save community hospitals. Advocate for personal responsibility for health and alternative/complementary medicine. 

-What is the biggest problem that we face as a county outside of assault weapons? What is the biggest problem we face as African-Americans outside of assault weapons?

-Kucinich: America’s biggest problem is that we are at war all over the world. About a trillion $ a year. Since 2001, we have spent $6 trillion on the wars. Of which, the Iraq war was based on a lie. We need to bring America home. The money needs to be spent at home. In 6/8 congresses gave speeches challenging the wars. The wars are destroying our societies. People have the same needs and desires the world over. The needs of our people are not served by the wars.

-Samples: Jobs, crime, and housing. There are no jobs, so then you have crime. You are going to do something to take care of your family. Which leads to young men and fathers going to jail. Then there is a housing issue. Jobs where an applicant won’t be judged on site. Some companies no longer allow HR to see names of applicants for fear of stereotyping. Need to create jobs within our communities. Make people want to come back and live in those communities.

-Education vision and current Republican plan?

-Kucinich: opposed to privatization of education and to for profit charter operations. Want to see public education fully funded. give money that is school boards decide if they want to set up their own charters. Leave it up to the local tax payers. Stand for power to we the people. State school board should be elected and not appointed. Academically distressed school districts can be taken over by Governor appointed commissions leading to privatization, usurping the local school board. Kucinich intends to send letter to common pleas court calling for the removal of academic distress commission. We have to save public education. it is the path for social mobility. 

-How can precinct committee people help in your campaign? 

-Kucinich: If we get a big turn out form the Greater Cleveland area, we will win. His politics was built by knocking doors and going block by block, city by city. Any one working at precinct letter and wants to canvas for Kucinich will be provided with literature and be supported in their efforts. We need to transform this democratic party. We need to make it relevant and take it away from the interest groups. This is done at a precinct level. 

-Job Training?

-Samples: There has to be not only training but an opportunity to get their GED. The GED needs to be free and accessible. Then go to free vocational schools or 2yr college.

-What will you do about home rule pre-emption?

-Kucinich: I was on city council, clerk of courts, mayor of city. Home rule is guaranteed by the constitution. A Government of the people means a government of the people at the local level. Let people make their own decisions in their communities. 

Questioning continued but Secretary had to leave.