Message from DA Spain Chair

I’m writing to you this month from the great state of Ohio. My husband and I are here to celebrate our granddaughter’s second birthday. Don’t worry, Harriet’s being raised right: she received a “Future President” onesie soon after she was born, and she wore it to a couple of DA Spain Zoom meetings as a newborn. 

I do wonder what the future holds for Harriet and other girls in the USA, though. It’s a good time to do this. March is Women’s History Month, and we celebrate the often-forgotten accomplishments of women in our nation. At the same time, though, women’s rights are under attack in unprecedented ways. One example makes the point: my two daughters have less ability to receive reproductive health care than I did. 

DA Spain is doing its bit to ensure that all American women - including Harriet - enjoy equal rights under the law. Are you interested in joining this work? If so, consider joining the DA Spain Women’s Caucus. The Caucus is participating in several events to mark Women’s History Month and to advance the cause of American women. Please read on in this newsletter for more details.

As Harriet would say when she’s ready to get in the car: “Let’s go!”

Kathy Tullos (Chair)

Description of roles and duties

Executive Committee Elections for the 2023-2025 term

Chair:
The Chair shall be the chief executive officer of the organization, shall call and preside at all meetings of members and of the Executive Committee, and shall have responsibility for all activities approved by the organization. The Chair shall sit ex-officio on all committees of the organization with full voting privileges.
 
Vice-Chair:
In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall call and preside at meetings of members and of the Executive Committee. The Vice-Chair shall have such other duties as the Chair shall define. In the case of a vacancy in the office of the DAS Chair, the Vice-Chair shall become DAS Chair until the next Annual General Meeting at which officer elections are held.
 
Secretary:
The Secretary shall maintain a current list of members of the organization containing such information as the DPCA may from time to time require (i.e. the name, mail and e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers and U.S. voting district/State, etc.*), minutes of all meetings, and all files and administrative records of the organization. Minutes of meetings shall be available for inspection by members who have not had their privileges restricted. The Secretary shall have such other duties as the Chair shall define.
 
Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall manage the finances of the organization, maintain its financial reports to members and make and maintain such financial reports as may be required by law (including without limitation the laws and regulations of the United States and the several States applicable to political parties and contributions to them). All such records shall be open for inspection by members in good standing. The Treasurer shall have such other duties as the Chair shall define.
 
Counsel:
The Counsel shall be available for consultation by the Executive Committee on interpretive and procedural questions relating to DAS and its activities. The Counsel shall consult with the Democrats Abroad International Counsel from time to time.

DPCA Representatives:

These shall be DA Spain country committee officers. They are elected to represent DA Spain at International meetings and vote as allowed by the DPCA Charter. The number of DPCA Voting Representative(s) are assigned to country committees of the DPCA in accordance with DPCA’s Charter procedure.
 
Note: All of the above officers will be member of the Democrats Abroad Spain Executive Committee.

Prepared by the Election Committee
[email protected]

On March 5 2023 U.S. citizens from around the globe were joined via Zoom by Anne DePrince, the author of Every 90 Seconds: Our Common Cause Ending Violence Against Women.  The event precedes and celebrates International Women’s Day on the 8th.

This event included remarks from the author and questions from participants.  In her book, DePrince provides perspective on the overwhelming scope of violence, its frequency, its pervasiveness and its many devastating forms.  She also examines the impact it has on every aspect of society and the ways societal attitudes and conditions can exacerbate the crimes and the damage that results. In her comments to Democrats Abroad, DePrince will focus, in particular, on the needs for action and the ways each of us can contribute to making change.

From Awareness to Action follows a continuing series of conversations on related subjects sponsored by the Democrats Abroad Violence Against Women Action Team as part of an on-going research, education and action project.. These have ranged from Gender-based violence and the military justice system (with Nancy Parrish & Col. Don Christensen from Protect Our Defenders) , the correlations between the status and safety of women and the security of countries and the world  (with Dr. Valerie Hudson, author of The First Political Order)  and the challenges in finding support for U.S. victims of violence when they are abroad (with Paula Lucas from Pathways to Safety International).  

*ABOUT DEMOCRATS ABROAD* Democrats Abroad is the official arm of the Democratic Party for the millions of Americans living outside the United States. We strive to provide Americans abroad a Democratic voice in our government and elect Democratic candidates by mobilizing the overseas vote.

Democrats Abroad has 44 country committees throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. These country committees keep Americans abroad informed of their rights and help them participate in the U.S. political process. Our members live in more than 190 countries around the globe and vote in every state and Congressional district in the U.S.

Democrats Abroad are recognized as a "state" party by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and are represented on the DNC by eight voting members, as well as at the quadrennial Democratic National Convention.

Our online voter registration tool - http://www.votefromabroad.org - makes it easy to request a ballot and vote absentee from any place on the planet.

*JOIN DEMOCRATS ABROAD* Want to make your voice heard? If you haven't yet, join Democrats Abroad! Then sign up to volunteer and phone bank to help Americans abroad exercise their right to vote this year! Visit https://www.democratsabroad.org to join for free today.

Questions or ideas? We'd love to hear from you. We're all stronger together.

#VoteFromAbroad #DemocratsAbroad #VoteFromAbroad.org #Democrats #Elections #JoeBiden #2023Elections #Politics

Letter from the Editors

Every March 1st we become as aware as ever that our work for Women’s Rights is not over.  Women’s History Month is there to celebrate, commemorate, and honor all the women and girls who have trail-blazed for equal opportunity and rights, and the Global Women’s Caucus is very excited. We have an extensive Women’s History Month “living library,” which includes background information, historical facts, biographies, links to online events and exhibits, suggestions for books and films, graphic templates, and social media content. Test your Women’s History knowledge with our online WHM trivia quiz! We will be updating these materials throughout the month.

This year, we join the National Women’s History Alliance with their theme of “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”. After the overturning of Roe v Wade last June, we believe it to be crucial to remember the women that have written our history. This month, we want to showcase 31 women who have shaped feminism. Stay tuned and watch our social media accounts.

The GWC is growing, and we need your help. Join our team for this very important year. Consider volunteering with us, help friends and family register to vote, or donate! Make sure you’re registered to vote in 2023 here!

We hope you enjoy this edition, and we look forward to seeing you at our events!

Jo Meszaros and Shannon Parry, Communications Co-directors, Global Women’s Caucus

 Join us

The Spain Women's Caucus is hosting our second informal one hour chat that we are calling  ‘Let’s Talk!’ to close out the month of March, Women’s History Month. 

The focus will be on sharing who our personal female heroes are, be they historical, current, famous or not. As well we can talk about what is on our minds, for example the ERA, abortion rights, and being a foreign female living in Spain.  It will be a very informal gathering with a flexible agenda. 

The suggested topics are:

• Who is your female hero? (How do we define the word ‘hero’?) 
• What is going on in the USA!?! (ERA, abortion rights, the current Supreme Court etc. etc. (The list is too long!) 
• What is it like to be a foreign woman living in Spain? 
• What is on your mind?

Message from DA Spain Chair

February is the month for Valentine’s Day, of course, and it’s a big deal around our house. My husband and I had our first date on February 14, 1985.

Full disclosure: this fact is not something to be proud of. We scheduled our date for that night because neither of us had plans. In fact, we didn’t realize that it was Valentine’s Day until we got to the restaurant we’d selected and found happy couples with red roses and chocolate boxes in the waiting area. FYI, we ended up at Chili’s that night. 

But that’s us many years ago, not America now. Our country has gotten its own Valentine early. Want to know what the Biden administration has done for the USA? Here’s a quick summary: 

• Two strongest years of job growth in history
• Manufacturing rebounded at the fastest rate in nearly 40 years
• Two strongest years of small business applications in history
• Lowest unemployment rate in more than 50 years
• Near record low Black and Hispanic unemployment
• Record decrease in deficit
• Fastest gas price decline in eight years
• Annual inflation down for six months

I think that’s a pretty spectacular list. And it has fewer thorns than roses and fewer calories than chocolate. It’s definitely something to be proud of! 

Kathy Tullos (Chair)

PS:  We hope you'll join us for the DAS Meet & Greet on February 28th at 7 PM.  RSVP here

Tired of getting your Spanish tax advice from strangers on Facebook?  Join Democrats Abroad Valencia on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 5 PM CET for an informative and educational seminar on the Spanish and U.S. tax responsibilities for Americans living in Spain. 

This seminar will be held at UPV and is available via Zoom. Link information available after RSVP.

Our guest speaker will be Andreu Bové, partner and head of the tax department for the Madrid-based accounting and tax firm Bové, Montero y Asociados. Sr. Bové graduated with a double degree in Law and Business Management, holds a Master’s degree in Taxation, and speaks six languages, including English. 

This event is a fundraiser to help DA Spain meet its goal for Get Out The Vote in 2024. We appreciate your participation and support.

Message from DA Spain Chair

It’s January, so I’ve made the same two resolutions I do every year — I will do something outside my comfort zone, and I’ll make a new friend. Make a coffee date with me some time, and I’ll tell you some funny stories about how these have turned out over the years. Generally, though, my experiences with my annual goals have been very positive.

If either or both of these appeal to you, then please think about becoming more active with Democrats Abroad Spain in 2023. We have elections for various positions coming up at the national and chapter levels. We also have short- and long-term volunteer opportunities for those who might want to dip a toe in the DAS waters. For example, we can always use help on the newsletter, social media, and phone banking – or a job that you’d like to do that’s not listed here. Whatever you choose to do, I predict a fun ride. You’ll pick up or sharpen some skills, go to new places, and meet new people.

It’s not always easy to start a new endeavor, but you won’t regret getting more involved with DA Spain. So if you’re interested, please just email [email protected]. And Happy New Year!

Kathy Tullos (Chair, DA Spain) 

P.S. All members of Democrats Abroad Spain are welcome to attend the monthly Executive Committee meetings! If you’d like to receive the Zoom link for these meetings, please email [email protected] to RSVP for the next meeting. These meetings are typically held at 19:30 on the second Thursday of the month.

Message from DA Spain Chair

It’s November, the month Americans dedicate to giving thanks. This year, among other things, I’m grateful that the midterms are over. 

What a mixed bag we’re left with! There was no red wave, but there wasn’t a blue one, either. We held the Senate but narrowly lost the House. In some states, Democrats made gains; in others, like my home state of Texas, terrific Democratic candidates lost to corrupt and inept Republicans. 

Scholars, strategists, and pundits are already busy dissecting the results. Everyone seems to have a different take on what happened and why. What startled me was how close so many of the races were. We may well be in for more cycles of narrow margins of victory — elections in which every vote will be decisive. 

For Georgia voters, that urgency begins NOW. Your state will hold its Senatorial runoff election on December 6th. Incumbent Democrat Ralphael Warnock faces Republican Herschel Walker in this crucial race, and deadlines are tight this time around. Please rush to get your ballot in the mail! If you need help voting, please go to www.democratsabroad.org/georgia for information and assistance. 

So the question for us is this: How can Democrats Abroad Spain use the next two years to help push those narrow wins fully and firmly into the blue column? One big part of our answer has to be to organize more Democratic voters here in Spain. We need to identify them before the election cycle heats up in 2024 and be ready to focus on helping these folks navigate the increasingly complex rules governing voting from abroad.

Our path is clear and our resolve is strong. And in this month dedicated to gratitude, I’m grateful for all of us Democrats Abroad. We’re working together for democracy and decency, and that’s great work to do with great people.

Kathy Tullos (Chair) 

Letter from the Editor

Dear Member,

The results of the ‘22 midterm elections are an attestation to the hard work, commitment, and persistence of our membership body. Because of you and your vote, we were able to block a ‘red wave’ and keep our majority in the Senate. This feat further demonstrates that the democratic party is most aligned with the will of the people, as our numbers endured redistricting and discriminatory voting restrictions. Our will has triumphed, and we will continue to work for equality and justice for those who are continually marginalized.

Democracy has prevailed, but it continues to stand on precarious ground. While we all take a moment to breathe, we must remain dedicated to the task at hand. The Global Women’s Caucus is mobilizing our members to vote in the Georgia runoff. WE NEED OUR GEORGIA MEMBERS to make sure to, once again, cast your vote for the future of our nation. We are counting on you!

As the GWC continues to grow, we need your help. We have open positions in Communications. Consider volunteering with us, help friends and family register to vote, or donate! Make sure you’re registered to vote here!

Lastly, this will be my farewell newsletter as your GWC Communications Co-Director and Newsletter Editor. It has been an honor to work alongside such incredible and outstanding women for the last two years. I have learned so much from this position, and although I may no longer be speaking to you all from here, you can be sure I will be marching alongside you no matter where we are. 

We hope you enjoy this edition, and we look forward to seeing you at our events!

Stayce Camparo, Communications Co-director, Global Women’s Caucus

 Join us

Message from DA Spain Chair

In last month’s Executive Committee meeting, we discussed the need for talking points. In other words, what’s my elevator pitch for Democratic candidates?

I’ve thought a lot about this question and done a bit of homework. Specifically, I raised this issue at the Global Communications meeting, reviewed some Democratic materials, and read a lot of news articles. And this is what I’ve concluded: what’s going to persuade voters is not necessarily a list. What’s going to persuade people is for each of you, acting as the person you are, to let someone know what matters most to you, and explain why and how voting Democrat will contribute to fixing a problem or achieving a goal.

So I’ve compiled the following list of potential points. What I’d suggest is for you to pick a couple that really resonate with you and create your pitch based on that point. Do not feel like you just have to parrot mine. And, when you’re ready, let’s make videos about our talking points! Just a minute of you talking to the camera or to a friend. And then send them to [email protected], so that we can edit and post them!

• Climate change: The United States is back in cooperation with the international community in addressing this issue, and the Democratic Congress has passed the largest investment of all time in measures to combat climate change.

• Student loan forgiveness: Student loan debt has crippled many Americans, making it impossible for them to raise families, buy homes, save for the future, and do what our country has always urged us to do to secure our futures and those of our loved ones. The new law doesn’t fix this problem, but it’s a start. And we have to start somewhere.

• Reproductive health care: Democrats can’t fix the reversal of the Roe decision, but we can take measures to make access to birth control and reproductive health care available. President Biden has signed an executive order on this issue, doing what he can with the power he has. Congress must remain in Democratic control to beat back Republican attempts to ban abortions nationwide and to place judges on the bench who use twisted logic to turn back the clock on citizens’ rights.

• Gun control: Gun violence has claimed thousands of lives and continues to do so. Under President Biden’s leadership, and thanks to the Democrats in Congress, we have the first major piece of gun control legislation in 30 years. It’s a start, not a solution. But Republicans aren’t going to vote for common sense gun control measures, such as more extensive background checks and longer waiting periods, that most Americans favor.

• Health care: Democrats have capped health care expenditures in the Inflation Reduction Act, especially for prescription drugs. They have also passed legislation that allowed millions to buy health insurance, allowing access to life- and money-saving preventive care and taking many treatments out of emergency rooms and putting them in doctors’ offices instead.

• Infrastructure investment: Democratic legislation has invested in American communities, providing for work on 65,000 miles of road and 1,500 bridges across the country. And this work translates into jobs and better, safer transportation for people and goods.

• Violence Against Women: After letting the Violence Against Women Act lapse for two years, Congress has reauthorized this law. It provides legal protection for victims of domestic violence and helps provide shelter for family violence victims. And FYI, the author of the original VAWA (in 1985) was Senator Joseph Biden.

• Economic growth: The deficit was reduced by $350 billion last year and is on track to decline $1.5 trillion this year. In 2021, the economy added 6.5 million jobs, the most ever. Last year, the USA had the strongest GDP growth since 1984. All of this happened without any tax increases for families making under $400,000 a year. As a result of explosive, post-pandemic growth, and in large part because of the embargo on Russian oil imports, inflation has increased, although its pace has slowed since the summer. Normally, a windfall profits tax on large corporations would help put the brakes on inflation, but that measure is unavailable because of Republican opposition.

• Diversity: The Democratic administration has put together the most diverse team in American history, including the first Black female vice president, the first Black female Supreme Court justice, and the most diverse Cabinet on record. Support for Pride has returned to the White House. And diversity initiatives at the federal level include provisions seeking to advance underserved and underrepresented persons such as workers providing care for loved ones, veterans and military families, as well as persons in rural areas.

• Rule of law: With armed insurrection, reported theft of nuclear documents critical to our country’s defense, and open contempt for the rule of law, Republicans have shown that the system of laws that we hold dear is nothing more than an impediment to their rush to authoritarian rule. Electing Democrats will help stop this dangerous movement away from democracy.

So focus on what resonates with you and share widely! And be proud that you’re a Democrat.

Kathy Tullos (Chair) 

Gimme five to keep democracy alive! 

Before you groan at the prospect of another fundraising pitch (I got zillions of emails over the past couple of months, too), please bear with me for a minute. One lesson we learned from the midterms is that slim margins will decide many key races. Therefore, we have to turn out every possible vote. That takes wide outreach, and outreach costs money.

Hence, gimme five. If DA Spain can raise $500 a month from sustaining donors, we will have roughly $10,000 by the 2024 election. We can use that money in the following ways:

• About half of the money would go to outreach, including online advertising and in-person gatherings. Online advertising before the 2020 and 2022 elections prompted many new members to join DA and vote from abroad. And in-person events could help us get a foothold in places where we know there are many US citizens, such as Málaga, Granada, and Cádiz, but we don’t currently have organized chapters or precincts.
• Depending on how organizing goes, we would earmark about $1,500 for resources for our chapters, precincts, and caucuses. Each group should have a kit with materials for tabling: a banner, flag, stickers, posters, and signs to distribute.  
• The balance of the money, about $3,500, can be used in a number of ways. We could give small grants for innovative projects in Spain. We can use it as seed money for other fundraisers, where there are printing costs or deposits involved. And – in my eyes, this is the most exciting prospect – we can solicit ideas for GOTV projects from all of you! 

So how do we achieve this goal? We need 100 people who are willing to give $5 (or more) per month, and we’re already off to a big head start. I'm proud to report that members of the DA Spain Executive Committee and members who attended the last EC meeting have pledged a total of $220 per month already. So we only need $280 more in monthly pledges to hit our target. This is doable, with your help.

People complain that there’s very little besides voting that we can do individually to affect elections and that Republicans seem to be better long-term planners than we are. Here’s your chance to prove them wrong. Click here to become a sustaining member today! And gimme five to keep democracy alive!

Greetings from the other side of November 8th. Aren’t we all breathing a sigh of relief? Besides keeping the Senate and the feared ‘Red Wave’ turning out to be only a red trickle, the results of the measures in the five states where abortion was on the ballot have given me a sense of hope. If we count the Kansas amendment in August, that’s six states that have put abortion or abortion-related legislation on the ballet since the fall of Roe v Wade, and all six have sided with keeping politicians and the state out of peoples’ personal and very private decisions. 

Here is detailed information as found in MS. magazine:

• In California, Proposition 1 passed, guaranteeing the constitutional right to reproductive freedom “in their most intimate decisions,” including the right to abortion and contraceptives.

• In Kentucky, Constitutional Amendment 2 failed. This confusingly worded amendment would have changed the state constitution to say there is no right to abortion, or any requirement to fund abortion. Voters didn’t fall for it.

• Michigan‘s Proposal 3 passed, which will create a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom, including decisions “about all matters relating to pregnancy,” including abortion and contraception.

• In Montana, voters rejected Legislative Referendum 131, which would have subjected healthcare providers who do not make every effort to save the life of an infant “born during an attempted abortion,” to civil penalties and up to 20 years of jail time.

• In Vermont, Proposal 5 passed, which creates a constitutional right to personal reproductive autonomy.

• In Kansas‘ primary elections in August, 59% of voters cast ballots against a proposed amendment explicitly stating that nothing in the state constitution creates a right to abortion or requires government funding for abortion, and that the legislature has the authority to restrict abortion.

So please join me in celebrating and working toward a future where the right of women to control their own lives and destinies is no longer a discussion because it is an accepted and unalienable right. 

Would you like to join the Women’s Caucus? We are always looking for volunteers. Get in touch by sending an email to [email protected].