03-27-18

South Euclid Democratic Club

3-27-18

South Euclid Community Center

Welcome

Pledge of Allegiance 

Introduction of Guests and Elected Officials

-Turn to neighbor and say hello!

-Elected Officials:

-Mayor Welo

-Nina Turner

-Council woman Ruth Gray

-Lt Go Candidate Tara Samples

-Senator Yuko

-Council man Marty Gelfand

Guest speakers:

-State Senator Yuko: gave brief update. The congressional redistricting issue one was inspired by the League of Women Voters. The Senate President and Senator Yuko met to get issue one written. After the Parkland shooting Senator Yuko reached out again to the Senate President about school safety and are trying to put together a committee on school safety.

-Tara Samples: Lt Gov Candidate. The Kucinich campaign is in a dead heat with Cordray. Yard signs are available and can be ordered from the Kucinich website. the Kucinich and Samples campaign live by the saying “Do what you say and say what you mean.” Both candidates know what it is to struggle and can identify with the people of Ohio. The campaign has been endorsed by Todd Portune, Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. Every community will be represented. The Kucinich campaign has volunteer opportunities. Go to website to volunteer. The Kucinich campaign is a grassroots campaign with no corporate donations. Kucinich has an F rating from the NRA. 

-John J Gallagher: candidate for common pleas court. Born and raised in Parma Ohio. Worked briefly in private practice and have spent the last 32 years in the prosecutors office. Has the experience and background to serve well.

-William McGinty representative: candidate for common pleas court. 

-Andy Santoli: Text in to Avery, Candidate for court of common pleas

-Precinct Committee persons:

Marty Gelfand:1A

Moore: 2D

Laura Smith: 4B

Ruth Gray: 1A

Georgina Welo: 2C

Curtice Orr: 3C

March for Science Cleveland: Jurgen Bosch, pHd

The March was to assemble a group of people that were enthusiastic about science and wanted to communicate with the general public about why they needed their support. Scientists are spending your money to understand the world. Promoting science and bringing to the general public.

The march will take place on April 15 at Public Square. 

This is non-partisan. There is no politics behind science. 

The scientific method can not be biased. 

Main thing the March wanted to do was to celebrate science and bring it closer to the younger people who will be voting in the next 10 years. Emphasize the importance of science. 

Facts are facts. People on the Fiji islands started purchasing land higher up in land to take into account for climate change and rising sea levels. 

Scientists get money from the government or private foundations and they try to find new discoveries that will make an impact on health or technology down the road. Most people think in short time periods. Scientists however, think in terms of many years. Phones and transplants took many years and many small discoveries to culminate in what we have now.

In a survey of people involved in the March for Science 9/10 reasons for marching were non-political (see handout). There were 600 Marches world wide. 

One of the reasons for marching was the proposed budget. It was proposed last year to cut funding for the NIH and research and increase military. The budget at that time was already small for science. The new budget this year does increase Government funding for science, which may have been a direct result of the March. 

There are about 21mi

llion people in the U.S. that are either scientist or science educators. Everyone is effected by science.

On a global scale the U.S. does put a lot of $ into science but it is not a large percentage of GDP. Other countries are ahead of us in science funding. 

You can get involved as a volunteer with the March or come march and take part in the festivities. 

There is also an NGO, Cleveland STEM. It goes to districts in Ohio that have little scene and brings STEM to them. 

There is also a 5K and 10K fundraiser and STEM festival. 

League of Women Voters on Issue One: Carol Gay

Issue one would be a gerrymandering fix.

It is bipartisan

Why is it now such a problem? Computers! They can get down to the nitty gritty and divide areas by household. Next time around it could be worse than “the snake on the lake.”

Control of drawing the map can have a 30%impact on voting.

Issue One:

Prevent uncontrolled gerrymandering.

It is Bipartisan

The map has to have a 3/5 majority in the Ohio Senate.

It minimizes community splits.

Requires two public hearings before passage.

Members of the public could submit their own maps.

It will be on the May 8th primary ballot. 

It has had support from major newspapers.

If you would like to get involved contact LWV:

Circulate flyers

Go to early voting and election day to hand out flyers

Phone Banking

Health and Human services levy: Sunny Simon

Science is not red or blue but R have made it a political issue. China and India is getting ahead of us in science and engineering. The county is fortunate to have 8 democrats. Sunny sponsored legislation to form a sustainability department. Currently looking at a mitigation plan for climate change. Climate change is a national security issue and we need to be ready to deal with this. Cape Town will be the first city to run out of water and there will be water wars. If Rs are in office they will start selling our lake waters. Which is now filled with plastic pollution. The great pacific garbage patch is now the size of France. This is a world health crisis. 

The health and human services levy can not be more important right now. We have an opiate crisis that is taking over all of our resources. That includes our medical examiner and the office. Issue 9 will be on the ballot in May. It is not new but is a renewal, 3.9mil. the money will be used to continue to provide services to seniors, children, and families that are in desperate need. 32 million goes to Metro, our community hospital. 

May 10 forum on the opiate fallout on children and women. Hosted by Sunny Simon and Denise Turner at the Euclid Library. 

Avery: We are going to try to reach out to other Democratic Gov candidates for our April meeting. 

Election of officers: The process demands that we have a quorum of members and a rep from the county party. This means we will have to postpone to April or May.

Mayor Welo: We should have elections before Candidate talks.

Marty Gelfand: Wait till after the May primary. 

Ruth Gray: Club not governed by ward rules. We should not have to wait to after the Primary. 

If interested in running for any office email secretraysedemocraticclub@gmail.com 

Memorial day parade and rock the block is coming up.

April 27 deadline to register for Memorial day parade. Need 15-20 people to march. 

Rock the Block June 23: registration due date April 14. Need volunteers to man the booth. 

Put up sign up for marching or Rock the Block on the website or email secretraysedemocraticclub@gmail.com . Denise has the banner. 

Committee for Reaching out to college students. Need more help. Mr Gelfand has volunteered to help with it. 

Moment of silence for any one ill or victim of tragedy, sexism/racism/oppression, the northern white rhino, bees/farm bill, Mueller, march for our lives, Bob Greenbaum. 

Adjourned