Federal law states that Americans living overseas MUST request an absentee ballot for every election calendar year they want to vote. Using Vote From Abroad ensures that you are on the federal list of overseas voters and cannot be purged by a local election official or state law. Use votefromabroad.org and be certain that your vote is locked in. 

What could be a better way to spend an evening than with other DAA members working to flip the House? It’s easy, fun, and the most effective way to get our members to the polls. Join us at one of our get togethers in September. The midterm clock is ticking...

In the 2014 Midterms only 4% of Americans living abroad voted. We must do better! The upcoming midterm election is probably one of the most important in our lifetime. Help us save democracy one call to a voter at a time!

Bring your laptop, charger, and earbuds/headphones with microphone. We'll supply the pizza and beer.

You've never phone-banked before? No problem! We have a training session for newbies from 6-6:30pm. We'll walk you through it, you'll be comfortable in no time. We're calling our members and they LOVE hearing from us!

SolSun Civics Special

WHEN: Tuesday, September 4, 6:00pm

Don’t Wait,It’s Late!

WHEN: Thursday, September 13, 5:30pm

46 Days to the Midterms

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 20, 6:30pm

WHERE: The phonebanking parties will be held in private homes, please rsvp below to get the exact address.

You’re fed up with the current administration and want to start calling immediately to vote them out? You can’t attend one of our phonebanking parties? You can still save our democracy by getting out the vote! Go toPhonebank to get started. And feel free to emailif you have any questions or need assistance.

Timothy Snyder will be opening the 3rd Vienna Humanities Festival from September 27-30, 2018. Find out more about the program on the IWM website. He has also recently published a new book.

The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America by Timothy Snyder

With the end of the Cold War, the victory of liberal democracy seemed final.

"The midterm elections in November are the last remaining obstacle to President Trump's consolidation of power.[...] Republican turnout has exceeded or equalled Democratic turnout in every midterm since 1978, no matter which party held the Presidency, with an average margin of three per cent - more than enough to decide control of Congress in a closely divided election." (George Packer in The New Yorker)

The midterm elections are fast approaching and the deadline for requesting your absentee ballot is in the next few weeks. We need to make several hundred phone calls - preferably by Sept. 1st! - to get our members registered to vote in 2018.

This year, we have a new phonebanking system that is extremely easy to use - all you need is your laptop (I will provide the internet connection) and a headset if you have one, and I will show you the rest! Together let's see if we can reach more Dems in an hour than our friends in Vienna can! ;)

Feel free to tell your friends - we can expand to more dates and locations if necessary! I will provide refreshments but you will be kicked out promptly at 6:00 pm so my kids can sleep :)

BE THE WAVE - BE A VOTER!

Monday, August 27, 2018 at 03:30 PM

The listed address is only for orientation. This phonebanking party is in a private home, please rsvp below to get the exact address.

You can also visit us on facebook.

We're calling our members and building the wave! Six DAA members got together on a hot summer evening, signed-in to call hub, and started dialing. Experienced phone-banker, Karin, said, "This is so much easier than the old system!" We reached a lot of DA Austria members and reminded them to got to votefromabroad.org to register and request their ballot. Don't wait for our call – do it today!

Join us at an upcoming phone-banking party or start calling immediately here. 

Midwest Midterm Progressive Bikeathon

DA Austria Counsel, Bruce Murray, is planning to bike all the way from Madison, WI starting on 15 September and finishing in Braddock, PA on 6 November.

Along the way, he wants to learn what is on the minds of Midwesterners, get out the vote, volunteer for progressive candidates, and have fun! After each week of what he calls “cycling for sanity,” he will hold a rally in Chicago, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, to encourage all of us to join together in ensuring that we “switch gears” with the Midterm Elections to get our country back on track!

Curious?

The Bikeathon Site provides a wealth of information. Its Course/Schedule page offers entertaining course, calendar, and mileage information.  The Podcasts  and Playlist pages offer great audio and an invitation to add your favovorite biker song! if you have questions, use the Contact page. AND go to the Participation page to sign up to cycle, celebrate, volunteer and/or pledge to vote!  I just did. How about you? 

Trump– Between Europe & China

DA Austria was invited to take part in a Falter Radio podcast to discuss how Trump has changed the U.S and how he's attacked Europe and China. Taking part in the discussion were Martin Staudinger (Profil), China expert Daniel Fuchs (Chengdu-London), Jennifer Rakow-Stepper (Democrats Abroad Austria, Chair), and host Raimund Löw (ORF, Falter). 

IN THIS ISSUE:

Events

• Experienced Dems Meet-Up
• Flipping the House - Phone-banking parties in August & September
• Amsterdam Pride Fundraiser on August 4
• Young Dems August Pub Night

Midterm Elections

• Election Calendar: Register, Request, Return!

Issues & Actions

• Postcard Outreach Action
• Enough! Vote Them Out
• Final Deliberation on the Unity Reform Commission (URC) Proposals

Reviews

• Solidarity Sundays Vienna Targets Gun Violence
• An Event-full June

Save these Phonebanking Dates!

• Summer Voter Shout-Out on Wednesday, August 22
  
• SolSun Civics Special on Tuesday, September 4
• Dems Dialing for Voters on Thursday, September 20
  
• Don’t Wait, It’s Late! on Monday, September 26
  

WE’RE RECHARGING OUR BATTERIES AND TAKING A SUMMER BREAK.

WE'LL SEE YOU AT OUR FALL EVENTS BEGINNING ON AUGUST 22. ENJOY THE SUMMER!

EVENTS:

Experienced Dems Meet-Up

Come one, come all to the July meet-up of Experienced Democrats. Take the time to discuss the latest news from the USA, positive and negative, with like-minded people of a certain age.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 17

WHERE: Cafe Museum, Operngasse 7 1010 Wien

RSVP: Experienced Dems

FLIPPING THE HOUSE - 

PHONE-BANKING PARTIES IN AUGUST & SEPTEMBER

What could be a better way to spend an evening than with other DAA members working to flip the House? It’s easy, fun, and the most effective way to get our members to the polls. Join us at one of our get togethers from the end of August through September. The midterm clock is ticking...

In the 2014 Midterms only 4% of Americans living abroad voted. We must do better! The upcoming midterm election is probably one of the most important in our lifetime. Help us save democracy one call to a voter at a time!

Bring your laptop, charger, and earbuds/headphones with microphone. We'll supply the pizza and beer.

You've never phone-banked before? No problem! We have a training session for newbies from 6-6:30pm. We'll walk you through it, you'll be comfortable in no time. We're calling our members and they LOVE hearing from us!

You’re fed up with the current administration and want to start calling immediately to vote them out? You can’t attend one of our phonebanking parties? You can still save our democracy by getting out the vote! Go to the handy Phonebanking Introduction to get started. And feel free to email if you have any questions or need assistance.

WHEN: Always from 6pm - 9pm on the following days: Summer Voter Shout-Out on Wednesday, August 22; SolSun Civics Special on Tuesday, September 4; Dems Dialing for Voters on Thursday, September 20; Don’t Wait,It’s Late! on Monday, September 26

WHERE: The phonebanking parties will be held in private homes, please rsvp below to get the exact address.

CONTACT: Jennifer Rakow-Stepper · [email protected] or Tanya Lolonis · [email protected]

JOIN DEMOCRATS ABROAD FOR A UNIQUE FRONT-ROW VIEW OF AMSTERDAM’S WORLD FAMOUS GAY PRIDE CANAL PARADE!

If you’ve never experienced Amsterdam Gay Pride, thousands line the streets along the canals jostling for a glimpse of the parade as it sails past. But we’ll have our very own boat moored at a prime location along the route!

We guarantee you the best view in town — complete with unlimited beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks and our own sound system to get the party started. You’re welcome aboard from 12:30, with the first floats arriving around 14:00. The last one closes the parade around 17:30. A limited number of VIP ticketsare also available, which include a 90 minute boat tour of the city with refreshments early the evening before (Aug 3). Click here for more information.

Visiting from out of town? Homestays are possible on a first come, first served basis. You’re welcome to contact Democrats Abroad Netherlands Chair Kendra Borgen at [email protected].

WHEN: August 4, 2018

WHERE: Amsterdam, Netherlands

CONTACT: Kendra Borgen · [email protected]

RSVP: Amsterdam Gay Pride Fundraiser

YOUNG DEMS PUB NIGHT

Join us at our summer meet-up. We hope to see a lot of you and you’re welcome to bring friends! Please look for updated information on our facebook page.

WHEN & Where: TBA, August 2018

CONTACT: Ashley Arreola · [email protected]

ISSUES & ACTIONS:

Postcard Outreach Action

Are you a swing state voter? Do you not receive our emails or calls? If so, you’ve most likely heard from us over the past few months. DA activists have been busy writing members like you a postcard to remind you to register, request, and return your ballot for the midterm election. Drop us a line. We’d love to hear that our work paid off!

MIDTERM ELECTIONS: ELECTION CALENDAR – REGISTER, REQUEST, RETURN!

Lots of primaries are coming up and many of them have summer deadlines! Check below for important registration dates. But why wait? Register to vote today at Vote from Abroad and you’ll have registered and requested your ballot for all 2018 elections in one easy step. Midterm elections are Federal elections and you can vote in them. Don’t be a victim of voter purges. By law, overseas voters MUST register every calendar year!

Do you vote in one of these States?Alabama (run-off), Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia (Primary run-off), Guam, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina (Federal run-off), Oklahoma (run-off), Rhode Island, Tennessee Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Then READ MORE for your State’s upcoming deadlines and mark your calendar today!

DNC RULES AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE (RBC) – FINAL DELIBERATION ON THE UNITY REFORM COMMISSION (URC) PROPOSALS

The DA Progressive Caucus(ProDA) hosted a vibrant online cafe on June 17th, focusing on the final phase of RBC work with reforms the URC proposed in the aftermath of the 2016 primaries. The RBC must vote on its version of the reforms by the end of June. The DNC is scheduled to vote on them in August. The main proposals foresee changes in primary/caucus models; party outreach, diversity, and transparency; and superdelegate influence. Special ProDA cafe guest Selina Vickers (West Virginia), who has provided excellent live stream coverage and commentary on the URC/RBC reform work for well over a year, summarized the process and offered scenarios for the upcoming final voting. Here is a condensed scenario version:

1. Accept Unity Reform Commission changes
   
2. Keep automatic delegates in the convention, but not allow them to take part in the initial vote,
3. Vote down the Unity Reform Commission recommendations in their entirety, in other words, vote for the status quo,
4. Add delegates from the community to the states using a 25% proportionality formula.

Selina is hopeful that the Party will become more inclusive, diverse, and transparent, as we strive for greater strength and unity on the road to the midterms and beyond.

UPDATE: On June 27th, the RBC endorsed what it refers to as the third way plus for “superdelegate” voting at presidential nominating conventions. It is intended to curb the influence of superdelegates by conditionally removing the unpledged delegates from first ballot at the convention.

The conditions of those contingencies for superdelegate participation fall into three categories.

1. If a candidate wins 50 percent of the pledgeddelegates plus one during or by the end of primary season, then the superdelegates are barred from the first ballot.
2. If a candidate wins 50 percent of all of the delegates (including superdelegates) plus one, then the superdelegate opt-in is triggered and that faction of delegates can participate in the first (and only) round of voting.
3. If no candidate wins a majority of either pledged or all delegates during or by the end of primary season, then superdelegates are barred from the first round and allowed in to vote in the second round to break the stalemate.

Importantly, the first contingency allows a candidate to win without superdelegates, while the second deprives superdelegates through a supermajority requirement the ability to overturn the pledged delegate majority scenario in the first contingency. Here is a source of more information.

– Bruce Murray, DA Austria Counsel

REVIEWS:

SOLIDARITY SUNDAYS VIENNA TARGETS GUN VIOLENCE

On June 24th, Solidarity Sundays took a deep dive into what the data tells us about gun violence in America, and how effective policy needs to address different causes.

We learned how to make sense of the NRA‘s resistance to public safety concerns, and how early signs are showing some movement in the direction of common-sense gun laws. While the NRA remains largely unassailable at the federal level, activists are making meaningful gains in state houses across the country.

Test how well you know America‘s gun culture by taking the „Make My Day Gun Quiz“, (insert link to SS FB page). Solidarity Sundays attendees found some answers more surprising than expected.

Getting any progress on gun control means getting good politicians into office. With that in mind, the band turned to getting DA members in Austria registered to vote. In all, over 150 postcards were handwritten reminding voters to register and request ballots at VoteFromAbroad.org. The postcard project is part of Solidarity Sundays Vienna’s ongoing focus on getting out the 2018 vote in Austria, which has included phonebanking and registering Americans at various public locales. When David Byrne asked DAA to set up and register voters at his concert in the Museumsquartier, SolSunners were tapped to help DAA woman the tables. Got a suggestion where we might meet a lot of Americans? Send us a message: solsunvienna.

– Tanya Lolonis, Solidarity Sundays Co-Coordinator

AN EVENT-FULL JUNE

It was great to see so many of you at one or more of the whopping eight different events that happened in June! We’ll be recharging our batteries over the summer and gearing up for a big push to get all our members to vote in the midterm election in November. But before we head off for distant ports, here’s a quick recap of June’s events.

We began the month under LGBT Caucus leader Juan Cerda’s guidance and participated in the annual Regenbogenparade. At March in Pride DA members and friends showed our support and solidarity with our LGBTQ friends and family. The following Monday, a group of seven members gathered at Tanya’s place for pizza and beer and phone banked lots of our members to remind them they have to re-register every year. On the last Sunday of June, Solidarity Sundays discussed gun violence in America (see article above) and reached out to members to affect change at the ballot box.

David Byrne has also been encouraging Americans to vote and has invited Vote From Abroad to set up a stand at his concerts on his current European tour. We were in the Museums Quartier’s Halle E on the 26th and registered a bunch of grateful Americans – Burning Down the House!

Finally, on the 30th DA Austria joined more than 700 Families Belong Together marches worldwide to demand the end of Trump’s Zero Tolerance policy and the reunification of the families. It was a somber demonstration as a variety of members read the tragic stories of parents and children who had been torn apart at the border. Danny Chicago and Raina Saul-Ganev provided wonderful music and songs and some of the of the more than 30 members who attended left chalk-written messages in front of the US Consulate. 

And if that wasn’t enough, Black Caucus Book Club, Young Dems, and Experienced Dems all had their regular monthly meet-ups! As you can see, DA Austria is rev’d up and busy. Enjoy the summer break and I hope to see you soon at an upcoming event!

– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, DA Austria Chair

In this issue:

Events

• Phonebanking Party
• March with Pride
• Experienced Dems
• SolSun Battleground America: Looking at the Policy of Guns
• Global Black Caucus Book Club
• Young Dems June Pub Night

Save the Dates!

Issues & Actions

• Election Calendar: Register, Request, Return!
• Midwest Midterm Progressive Bikeathon

Reviews

• Graz Voter Registration Pub Night
• Shining a Light on Dark Money
• Why I Am No Longer Talking [With White People] About Race

Events:

Phonebanking Party

Join DAA members and friends as we celebrate another day at the polls. Between 6 and 9pm on Tuesday, June 5th we're calling members from States who have primaries coming up and reminding them to Register, Request, and Return their ballots.

What better way to build the Blue Wave than with pizza and wine and other wave makers! Bring your laptop, charger, and earbuds/headphones with microphone. We'll supply the rest.

You've never phone-banked before? No problem! We have a training session for newbies from 6-6:30pm. We'll walk you through it, you'll be comfortable in no time. We're calling our members and they LOVE hearing from us!

WHEN:Tuesday, June 5th at 6pm - 9pm
WHERE:The listed addressis only for orientation. This phonebanking party is in a private home, please rsvp below to get the exact address.
CONTACT:Tanya Lolonis · [email protected]
RSVP: Phonebanking Party

March with Pride

Join Democrats Abroad Austria as we march and dance at this year’s Vienna Pride Parade. This year's Pride Parade theme is "Love, Respect, and Solidarity."

Agenda layout:

2pm: We will start forming our contingent. We’ll know our pride parade contingent number closer to the parade date and will keep you posted. We’ll probably start marching somewhere between the hours of 3pm - 4pm, so please remember to eat something beforehand, bring water and suntan lotion, and wear comfortable shoes.

We urge participants to bring signs—the more colorful and creative the better:)

Participants may simply join the group at the beginning of the parade route, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged. For any questions please email Juan. Our parade group is open to all. Visit us on Facebook

WHEN: June 16, 2018 at 2pm - 6pm

WHERE: TBD front of University of Vienna, Universitätsring 1, Vienna 1010

Google map and directions

CONTACT: Juan Cerda · [email protected]· +43 676 921 7865

RSVP: March with Pride

Experienced Democrats Meet-Up

This is the 6th monthly meeting of the Experienced Democrats. All are welcome to join us! Visit us on Facebook

WHEN: Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at 6pm

WHERE: Café Museum, Operngasse 7, 1010 Vienna

CONTACT: John Cahill: [email protected] +436766952766

RSVP: Experienced Democrats

Global Black Caucus Book Club II

Join us as we conclude our journey through "Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race" by British author Reni Eddo-Lodge. We will discuss the last four chapters (Fear of a Black Planet, The Feminism Question, Race and Class and There’s no Justice, There’s Just Us). So read up and come ready with comments, questions and reflections.

Please remember to bring a donation, as we will begin fundraising for the Innocence Project, an organization devoted to exonerating the wrongly convicted and working towards criminal justice reform https://www.innocenceproject.org/. We look forward to reading and discovering with you! Power to the readers!

WHEN: June 20, 2018 at 7pm - 10pm

WHERE: Phil, Gumpendorfer Straße 10-12, 1060 Vienna

Google map and directions

CONTACT:Faith Herbold· [email protected]· 0660 277 6485

RSVP: GBC Book Club

Solidarity Sunday #16

Battleground America: Looking at the Policy of Guns.

Join the hardy band of Solidarity Sundays activists on June 24th when we will start with the three hundred million privately owned firearms in the United States and ask: How did we get here? Is there a real chance for change? What will it take to make changes happen?


We’ll continue writing postcards reminding DA members to register, request ballots for November, and vote. Coffee, tea and snacks will be on hand to fortify the good people working to build the Blue Wave.

WHEN: June 24, 2018 at 4pm - 6pm

WHERE: Amerlinghaus, Stiftgasse 8,1070 Vienna

Google map and directions

CONTACT: Tanya Lolonis · [email protected]

RSVP: SolSun #16

Young Dems Pub Night

Dear fellow Democrats, We cordially invite you to a fun get together at our June Pub Night at Peter Pane's! We hope to see a lot of you and you’re welcome to bring friends! Please rsvpto let us know how many people to expect. See you soon!

WHEN June 29, 2018 at 7pm - 10pm

WHERE Peter Pane, Mariahilfer Str 127, Vienna 1060

Google map and directions

CONTACT David Heckenberg · [email protected]· +43 664 378 2040

RSVP: Young Dems Pub Night

Save the Dates!

• 4th of July party – TBA
• September welcome back wine and art in the Welt Museum – TBA

Issues & Actions:

Midterm Elections: Election Calendar 

– Register, Request, Return!

Lots of primaries are coming up over the next few months and many of them have June deadlines! Check below for your state’s upcoming deadlines and mark your calendar today. But why wait? Register to vote today at Vote from Abroad. Remember, by law, overseas voters MUST register every calendar year!

Tuesday, June 5:

Alabama, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota

READ MORE

Tuesday, June 12:

Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia

Tuesday, June 19:

District of Columbia, Arkansas Runoff

READ MORE

Tuesday, June 26:

Colorado, Maryland, New York Federal Primary, Oklahoma, Utah, South Carolina Runoff

READ MORE

Tuesday July 17:

Alabama Runoff, North Carolina Fed. Runoff

Tuesday, July 24:

Georgia Runoff

Saturday, August 4:

Virgin Islands

READ MORE

Midwest Midterm Progressive Bikeathon

As you may have heard, DAA Counsel Bruce Murray is planning to bike from Madison, WI (15 September) to Braddock, PA (6 November). Along the way, he wants to learn what is on the minds of Midwesterners, get out the vote, volunteer for progressive candidates, and have fun! After each week of what he calls “cycling for sanity,” he will hold rallies (Chicago, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh), encouraging all of us to join together in ensuring that we “switch gears” with the Midterm Elections to get our country back on track!

Curious?

The Bikeathon Facebook Pageprovides a wealth of information. Click on its interactive map to see the course, calendar, and mileage. Click on the Bikeathon PODCASTand THEME SONGfor some excellent audio! Scroll down to the Bikeathon Playlist post and add your favorite biker song! Also, feel free to contact Bruce ([email protected]) if you have questions, feel the urge to volunteer, and/or want to cycle for sanity!

Reviews:

Graz Voter Registration Pub Night

Over a dozen Americans in Graz - and a few Austrian partners - defied the pouring rain to make it to Culture Exchange and request their ballots! I carried my printer in my stroller; parenting small children is no excuse not to participate in our democracy! Once their absentee ballot requests were printed, our members relaxed with mojitos, burgers and breakfast burritos and wrote postcards to Americans in battleground states while chatting about all things political and personal. We had a fabulous evening and are looking forward to bimonthly meetings in the future!

–Caitlin Ahern, Member-at-Large, Database Manager

SolSun #14 – Grassroots Organizing in the Time of Trump

Solidarity Sundays Vienna took a deep dive into grassroots organizing and activism on Sunday, March 29th. We remembered some key individuals (Harvey Milk, Martin Luther King Jr., Betty Friedan) and grassroots movements (civil rights movement, peace protests, the feminist movement, LGBTQ rights) from the past that spawned major social change. We touched on a few classic grassroots success stories (Love Canal, ActUp, and the Arab Spring).

We took a close look at key current grassroots movements in the states (Indivisible, gun safety legislation, environmental protection) as well as major organizations (Code Pink, She Should Run, MoveOn, Black Lives Matter). In discussion we considered issues that most inspire us personally.

– Tanya Lolonis, Solidarity Sundays Co-Coordinator

Global Black Caucus Book Club Meeting

A small group of DA Austria members attended the newly formed Global Black Caucus’ first official book club on May 29that the local Starbucks. Yes, you read that right, Starbucks. The date and location were specifically chosen to highlight the recent events following the arrest of two black men simply because they were waiting for a friend while black. 8,000 Starbucks US locations were shut down for an afternoon of racial bias training, which cost the company over 12 million in lost sales (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/business/starbucks-arrests-racial-bias.html). But is this enough to combat structural racism and implicit bias?

This question lingered in the minds of the group as they delved into the personal experiences and conceptual thoughts of author Reni Eddo-Lodge in her book entitled Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race (Bloomsbury Circus, 2017). The group discussed their first impressions about such a controversial book (in both title and content) and how those impressions were shaped by their life experiences surrounding race, culture and politics.

This was not a forum for white members to engage in self flagellation when it comes to white guilt or privilege, but rather to engage in an open and straightforward dialogue about how they view these concepts in light of their own experiences, as well as viewing them through the lens of the author and people of color. The attendance of a French born Algerian expat also added another layer of depth as she recounted her experiences being a woman of color in Europe. Overall, it was night full of revelations, laughter and learning. The group also discussed possible selections for the next book and sponsoring non-profit organizations like the Innocence Project and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI).

The discussion continues in part II of Reni Eddo-Lodges’ book and will be discussed on June 20th, 2018 at 7pm at Phil. We hope to see you there! Power to the readers!

– Faith Herbold, Global Black Caucus Coordinator

In this Issue:

Events

• Experienced Democrats
  
• Young Dems Pub Night
  
• Graz Voter Registration Pub Night
  
• Solidarity Sundays #15

Issues & Actions

• Election Calendar
  
• Tiny Action: Power the Blue Wave
  

Reviews

• Solidarity Sundays Vienna #14
• DAATalks: Trump, Russia, and Purpose of Foreign Policy

Members Corner

• From Able Amateurs To Global Presence – A History of American Diplomacy

Events:

EXPERIENCED DEMOCRATS MEET-UP

This is the monthly meeting of the Experienced Democrats of Democrats Abroad Austria. Join us for conversation – political and otherwise! Find the event on Facebook

WHEN: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 6pm

WHERE: Café Museum, Operngasse 7, 1010 Vienna

CONTACT: John Cahill: [email protected] +436766952766

RSVP: Experienced Democrats

YOUNG DEMS PUB NIGHT

This month we'll be headed outside to the Prater Hauptallee at the new grill restaurant DIE ALLEE for our monthly pub night. Voter registration will also be possible. Our reservation is at 7PM for 10 people, so please RSVP. Contact Ashley Arreola if you have trouble finding us +436503749481. Find the event on Facebook.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 7pm

WHERE: Die Allee, Hauptallee 124, 1020 Vienna

CONTACT: Ashley Arreola: [email protected] +436503749481

RSVP: Young Dems Pub Night

GRAZ VOTER REGISTRATION PUB NIGHT

We invite everyone in the Graz area to come join us for a drink or dinner at Culture Exchange, a restaurant/cafe & bike shop, with a bike rental, library, workshops, gallery, music events, English-language movie nights, quiz nights & more. Enjoy some delicious wraps, veggie burgers, cocktails or a beer. We'll help you fill out and mail your ballot request form for the 2018 midterms! Printer, envelopes and stamps will be provided for a 1 EUR donation. We'll also share some ideas for Getting Out the Vote! Bring your friends and spread the word! Find us on Facebook

WHEN: Friday, May 18, 2018 at 5pm-9pm

WHERE: Culture Exchange Graz, Grazbachgasse 47, 8010 Graz

CONTACT: Caitlin Ahern [email protected]

RSVP: Graz Voter Registration Pub Night

SOL SUN #15– SHINING LIGHT ON DARK MONEY

Join us as we shine a light on dark money in US politics. What is Dark Money? How does it distort our democracy? What remedies do we have?

Then we'll brainstorm on ways to raise for the Democratic Blue Wave and design a fundraiser of our own. Find us on Facebook

WHEN: May 27, 2018 at 4pm-6pm

WHERE:  Amerlinghaus,Stiftgasse 8, 1070 Vienna

CONTACT: Juan Cerda · [email protected] · +436769217865

RSVP: SolSun#15

Issues & Actions:

Election Calendar – Register, Request, Return!

Lots of primaries are coming up over the next few months and many of them have May deadlines! Check below for your state’s upcoming deadlines and mark your calendar today. READ MORE for full details.

Tuesday, June 5:

• Alabama, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota
  

Tuesday, June 12:

• Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia
  

Tuesday, June 19:

• District of Columbia
  

Tuesday, June 19:

• Arkansas Runoff
  

Tuesday, June 26:

• Colorado, Maryland, New York Federal Primary, Oklahoma, Utah
  

Tiny Action: Power the Blue Wave

A lot of people ask us if they can vote this year, and if voting in 2018 is worth it.

Yes. And yes.

Midterm elections are federal elections, which means that anyone who can vote in a presidential election year can also vote for Senate and House races in the midterms.

And WOW is this year’s election important. If Democrats take back Congress - and we can - we will change Washington. Which is why our single most important task this year is getting all Democrats abroad to vote. This is not a task for October. This is an action for NOW.

This week's Tiny Action: Sign up to be a phone bank volunteer, and start making those calls!

88% of members we called in 2016 submitted a ballot, but less than 2 in 10 of you signed up to phonebank when we asked in February. So we’re asking again.

Phone banking is easy, flexible, free (with an internet connection and laptop) and rewarding. Phone bankers in the U.S. are shocked to hear how often our members THANK us for calling them about voting!

New to phone banking?

1. Log in to democratsabroad.org and sign up to help with phone banking.
2. Review important info for first-time phone bankers.
3. You will receive an email from CallHub - the system we use to call Americans abroad - to activate your account.
4. Log in to CallHub and get started!

Returning phone banker?

1. Review the refresher materials and info on current campaigns here: https://www.democratsabroad.org/phonebanking
2. Go to https://callhub.io to enter your username and password.
3. - Your username is probably country code and name. Ex: CA-Heidi-Burch
4. - Forgot your password? Click Forgot to receive CallHub instructions to set up a new one.
5. Start making those calls!

Overseas votes HAVE decided close elections in the past, and we’ll do it again - but not without your help.

Read more and take a moment to explore the wealth of information and actions that are regularly updated at Democrats Abroad.

Reviews:

SolSun #14 – Grassroots Organizing in the Time of Trump

Solidarity Sundays Vienna took a deep dive into grassroots organizing and activism on Sunday, March 29th. We remembered some key individuals (Harvey Milk, Martin Luther King Jr., Betty Friedan) and grassroots movements (civil rights movement, peace protests, the feminist movement, LGBTQ rights) from the past that spawned major social change. We touched on a few classic grassroots success stories (Love Canal, ActUp, and the Arab Spring).

We took a close look at key current grassroots movements in the states (Indivisible, gun safety legislation, environmental protection) as well as major organizations (Code Pink, She Should Run, MoveOn, Black Lives Matter). In discussion we considered issues that most inspire us personally.

– Tanya Lolonis, Solidarity Sundays Co-Coordinator

DAATalks: Trump, Russia, and Purpose of Foreign Policy

Prior to a dynamic discussion at the Republikanischer Club on May 2nd, Dana Allin, Senior Fellow at London think tank IISS*, challenged DAA members to jettison conventional approaches to Donald Trump’s foreign policy. Americans need a better understanding of the purpose of foreign policy. Specifically, Allin made a full-throated case for restoring an ideological component to foreign policy.

Post-war American foreign policy was animated by the pursuit of American interest and values. Richard Nixon pursued détente with the Soviet Union and opening to China to change the world order and improve America’s position within it. For all the defects in George W. Bush’s response to 9/11, he grasped that his policies would inspire anti-Muslim backlash, and took steps to prevent this. Uniquely for an American president, Trump’s foreign policy is unmoored from any concept of American interest.

How might liberals articulate the purpose of American foreign policy after Trump?

Dana Allin offered two proposals. First, America needs to acknowledge that Russia’s aggression is rooted in NATO and EU expansion. George Kennan, architect of soviet containment policy, warned that no nation can sit passively while a rival studs its borders with military bases and allies. Allin’s proposal: recognize Russia’s geopolitical interests and find ways to cooperate so America can move on to other pressing international challenges like China, terrorism, and the technical revolution.

Second, current debate – is America in a new Cold War with Russia, or is America’s enemy really China? – misses an important point. Trump's and Putin’s nativism and nationalism demand a response based on liberal principles. Allin returned to the 20th-century to explain his reasoning.

Policymakers after 1945 linked affluence created by liberal economic and trade policy with the moral vision of shared prosperity (the New Deal). This approach united Americans at home and built alliances abroad. A return to uniting geopolitical goals with liberal values – civil and economic equality, democracy, internationalism – can shore up support for foreign policy both at home and among allies.

Animated discussion followed Dana Allin’s presentation. Topics ranged from North Korea, China, European social democracy, and the rise of illiberalism, to the history of America’s liberal tradition. Appropriately, no wine remained at the end of the evening.

– Tanya Lolonis, Solidarity Sundays Co-Coordinator

* International Institute for Strategic Studies is one of the world’s leading research institutes for international affairs. Dr. Allin is the author or co-author of 7 books on international topics, and is currently working on a history of American liberal thought.

Member's Corner:

From Able Amateurs To Global Presence – A History of American Diplomacy

The Austro-American Society and the U.S. Embassy in Vienna invites you to a talk by Stephen A. Hubler, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Vienna

WHEN: Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 7pm

WHERE: Clubrooms of the Austro-American Society, Stallburggasse 2, 1010 Vienna

CONTACT: Austro-American Society  [email protected]

RSVP: Please RSVP by E-mail: [email protected] “We are registering the following persons to the talk on “From Amateur Diplomats to Global Presence” on Wednesday, May 24th 2018: Participants: (Address, telephone, full name)”

IN THIS ISSUE:

Events

• Experienced Democrats
  
• Pub Night & Voter Registration
  
• Solidarity Sundays #14
  
• DAATalks Speaker Series
  

Issues & Actions

• Election Calendar
  
• #Tiny Actions
  

Reviews

• DAA's Annual General Meeting
  
• March For Our Lives – Vienna
  
• Solidarity Sundays Vienna #13
  

Members Corner

• Pod Love
  
• American International Baseball Club
  

EVENTS:

EXPERIENCED DEMOCRATS MEET-UP

This is the 4th meeting of the Experienced Democrats! Join us to make it the best yet!

WHEN: Tuesday, April 17 2018 at 6pm

WHERE: Café Museum, Operngasse 7, 1010 Vienna

CONTACT: John Cahill: [email protected] +436766952766

RSVP: Experienced Democrats

PUB NIGHT AND VOTER REGISTRATION 

Every year, Americans abroad miss the chance to vote. The reason? They didn't realize they were no longer registered.

Join Democrats Abroad's Youth caucus at our monthly Pub Night and register to vote over a beer and good conversation. We're looking forward to seeing some new faces and our familiar friends. All Ages Welcome!

WHEN: Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 7pm - 11pm

WHERE: Pickwick's Marc-Aurel-Straße 10-12, Vienna

CONTACT: David Heckenberg [email protected] +43 664 3782040

RSVP: Pub Night & Voter Registration

SOLSUN #14 LOOKS AT POPULAR MOBILIZATION IN THE TIME OF TRUMP

Join Solidarity Sunners on April 29th for a look at the new groups channelling civic participation – registering voters, knocking on doors, attending legislator town halls, visiting offices of members of Congress, and organizing marches and demonstrations. Who are they? What effect are they having?

Attendees will write postcards to Americans in Austria telling them how easy it is to register to vote* – and how critical, too. In an era where races are decided by razor-thin margins, handfuls of ballots are sometimes tipping the result. Please stop in and join in this easy but important enterprise – we’ll have pens and postcards, coffee and snacks.

WHEN: April 29, 2018 at 4pm - 6pm

WHERE: Amerlinghaus, Stiftgasse 8, Vienna 1070

CONTACT: Juan Cerda · [email protected] · +436769217865

RSVP: SolSun#14

Find us on Facebook: solidarity sundays #14

*Not registered to vote yet? Go to www.VoteFromAbroad.org and see how quick and easy it is to participate in the democratic process.

DAATALKS WITH DANA ALLIN – TRUMP, RUSSIA AND THE PURPOSES OF US FOREIGN POLICY

On Wednesday May 2, the DAATalks speaker series is honored to welcome Dr. Dana Allin, Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy and Transatlantic Affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Editor of Survival, an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University SAIS-Europe in Bologna, Italy.

Dr. Allin has an expertise in US foreign policy and domestic politics, European politics and foreign policies, and transatlantic relations. He comments and writes widely on the strategic challenges and historical, political and social roots of US foreign policy, and also covers a considerable range of European topics, including the Balkans conflicts and the Cold War.

Dr. Allin is the author or co-author of seven books including, most recently, Our Separate Ways: The Struggle for the Future of the U.S.-Israel Alliance (PublicAffairs, 2016). His articles and book chapters have appeared in, amongst others, Foreign Affairs, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The International Herald Tribune, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and Politico.

Click here for more information about Dr. Dana Allin and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Join us beforehand for a glass of wine and conversation. We'll be opening the doors at 6:30pm.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 7pm

WHERE: Republikanischer Club, Rockhgasse 1, Vienna 1010 (Entrance is at Restaurant Hebenstreit)

CONTACT: Jennifer Rakow-Stepper · [email protected]

RSVP: DAATalks

ISSUES & ACTIONS

ELECTION CALENDAR: REGISTER, REQUEST, RETURN!

Lots of primaries are coming up over the next few months and many of them have April deadlines! Check below for your state’s upcoming deadlines and mark your calendar today.

Tuesday May 8: Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia

Tuesday May 15 : Idaho, Nebraska, Oregon, Pennsylvania

Tuesday May 22: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky

READ MORE

Tuesday, May 22: Texas Runoff

• Register: Received by Mon, Apr 23, 2018

• Request ballot: Received by Fri, May 11, 2018

• Return: Received by Tue, May 29, 2018

Tuesday July 24: Georgia Runoff

• Register: Received by Mon, Apr 23, 2018 (Email or Fax)
  Postmarked by Mon, Apr 23, 2018 (Mail)

• Request ballot: Received by Fri, Jul 20, 2018

• Return: Received by Fri, Jul 27, 2018 

  
  

#TINYACTIONS

As always, our aim is to turn tiny actions into big results.

For the past year Democrats Abroad has been posting weekly, tiny actions in order to motivate our members to help create large affects. Each action highlights a current issue to be aware of. They’re easily accessible either through the DA website or you can subscribe to the weekly post.

This week’s #TinyAction is all about checking your voting status to make certain you’re registered to vote. Every year Americans abroad miss the chance to vote. The reason? They didn't realize they were no longer registered.

Read more and take a moment to explore the wealth of information and actions that are regularly updated at Democrats Abroad.

READ MORE

REVIEWS

VIENNA – MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

On Saturday March 24, DAA and DAA’s Youth Caucus joined about 150 people at the Ballhausplatz to protest gun violence in the US and support the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The day’s event began earlier when a wonderful group of AIS students came to Amerlinghaus to make protest and slogan signs. It was fantastic to see their engagement and creativity. As they made signs for each of the students killed in Parkland, FL, it became personal for them, to see how old the kids were and what interests and talents they had.

We then moved on to the march’s starting point at the Ballhausplatz. We were lucky to have a beautiful sun-filled afternoon. As we approached the plaza, we saw a great crowd forming. People brought their own homemade signs and we had many to hand out as well, so soon the crowd was awash with signs proclaiming Protect Kids, Not Guns, No More Silence, End Gun Violence, Sensible Gun Laws Now, Arms are for Hugging, etc.

David Heckenberg opened the event with a great introduction and welcome. We learned some of the horrific statistics that surround American gun violence, but also learned that we were a part of larger movement to end it. DAA’s Vienna march was one of over 800 sibling marches happening that day around the world. The main march on Washington D.C. drew up to 800,000 people. Who could expect March For Our Lives D.C. and its sibling marches would be the largest of their kind in history? The power of youth exemplified!

Juan Cerda, Faith Hall-Herbold, and Becky Ellis reminded the marchers of the importance of voting in the 2018 midterm elections and that they were available to help anyone get registered that day.

As we made our way to Platz der Menschenrechte at MQ, we were enthusiastically led in chants by two young students. You could feel their excitement at being involved.

At MQ, we were thrilled to have several speakers including Vienna’s own Nadiv Molcho, filmmaker and actor, American comedian Okello Dunkley, Emma Lowe and Maddie Komons - both American students from AIS - and Sherri Spelic, author and educator at AIS. Their words and personal stories were inspiring, thought-provoking and moving. This issue will not go away and we will do whatever we can to bring safety back to our schools and our communities. Children should not fear going to school.

We then took a moment to honor and remember the Parkland students who were killed. As their names were read, our students fell to the ground, reminding us how fragile life is and how quickly it can be taken. Althea Papoulias sang a haunting and prayerful rendition of "Amazing Grace” over the lost.

Additional music was provided by Danny Chicago, performing his “Let's All Go to Washington and Take Our Country Back”. Together with Raina Saul-Ganev, they sang “We Shall Overcome” and closed the event with the group singing John Lennon’s "Imagine”.

– Raina Saul-Ganev, March For Our Lives Vienna Co-coordinator

DAA'S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

On Sunday, March 11th, 34 DAA members gathered for our Annual General Meeting (AGM). Though we did not hold elections this year, there was plenty to talk about as we summarized a busy year of activities, discussed the ways DAA is growing, and set goals. DAA Chair Jennifer Rakow-Stepper introduced the Executive Committee and then spoke about member engagement, including our DAATalks series of notable speakers, the many actions and social events of the past year, and our upcoming goals. These include increasing outreach to new voters, contacting 100% of our membership to register for the 2018 midterm elections, activating members in the provinces and increasing the number of sustaining donors. A report was given on the Unity Reform Commission, followed by the Treasurer’s and Auditor’s reports. Changes to the DAA bylaws were presented and put up for discussion. After much debate, the new bylaws were approved with 33 in favor (including proxy votes). These can be found here. We were grateful to have Katie Solon as a guest -- as a founding member of DA Austria and former Chair, and most recently former DA International Chair, Katie was able to clarify many of our questions regarding the Unity Reform Commission, the way DAA and the DPCA interact, and voter registration.

After the vote, the leadership team presented our Get Out the Vote effort and introduced our caucuses: Black Caucus, Progressive Caucus, LGBT Caucus, Solidarity Sundays, Young Democrats, and Experienced Democrats; we are still looking for a volunteer to lead the Women’s Caucus! At the end, the ExComm said goodbye and gave a huge thank-you to Ashley Arreola, who resigned as Member-at-Large. After the meeting members headed to Brickmaker’s for an early dinner. We thank all those who gathered that day, as well as all of our members who have so graciously donated time and money to keep DAA running! 

– Caitlin Ahern, DAA Member-at-Large and Database Manager

SOLIDARITY SUNDAYS VIENNA #13 LOOKED AT HISTORY – AND AT THOSE MAKING IT 

On the heels of the March for Our Lives and as Viennese began leaving town for the Easter holiday, a small band of Solidarity Sunday activists met to review their Get Out The Vote “My Way” efforts. The Invite-Friends-for-Brunch-and-Register-Them-Over-Mimosas initiative netted seven new registrations, hitting the host’s goal. The Phone Banking Party literally broke the bank – ending early when Democrats Abroad’s online call allotment was used up halfway through the event! A little more than half of the goal of 150 calls was reached. The allotment has since been replenished and another Phone Banking Party is being organized. Interested in joining? Contact [email protected] for details.

READ MORE

MEMBERS CORNER

RADIOLAB PRESENTS MORE PERFECT 

I have been a long time listener of Radiolab, an NPR podcast that focuses on the weird and wonderful in the world of science and technology. When Radiolab presented a political offshoot of their series, entitled More Perfect, I was keen to see if they could tackle complex political science topics in the same manner they presented scientific concepts (which I find to be beautifully edited interviews and soundbites accompanied by zingy and artsy musical tracks). I was not disappointed. The Supreme Court decisions are presented in such a cohesive, informative and logical manner that one cannot listen to this podcast passively, you must be fully engaged and ready from beginning to end! I would recommend this podcast to those with a deep interest in political science and law. This podcast series will inform, shock and worry you all at the same time. Some of my personal favorites are “The Heist” and “American Pendulum II.” I hope you enjoy this podcast- happy listening!

Podcast link: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/481105292/more-perfect

- Faith Herbold, Global Black Caucus Liaison

On Saturday, March 24, 2018, Democrats Abroad Austria’s Youth Caucus will join young people from around the world and hold a “sibling” march in solidarity with the brave students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and their March For Our Lives event in Washington D.C. The march, which will begin at 3pm at Ballhausplatz, will be one of over 800 events to take place globally. 

March for Our Lives will be the largest of its kind in history.

Although American students in Austria might live in a country with sane gun control laws, their American friends, relatives, and future college classmates and colleagues do not. The students of Parkland, Florida have begun a movement towards real change in gun control laws and we think it is vital to show our support. Join us in solidarity for common sense gun control in the US!

All nationalities are welcome to end this insanity. We want to especially invite and encourage young people to attend. We have reached out to international schools and religious communities in Vienna and expect broad participation in this non-partisan effort. 

Find updates here https://www.facebook.com/DemocratsAbroadAustria/ and here https://www.democratsabroad.org/at

Demonstration information:

Start: Ballhausplatz March 24, 2018. Meet at 15:00; March at 15:30.

Come early to make signs and posters: 12:30 at Amerlinghaus, Stiftgasse 8, 1070 Vienna

Guest speakers and musicians will include filmmaker Nadiv Molcho, comedian Okello Dunkley, American teachers and students.

Please RSVP to the following link. http://act.everytown.org/event/march-our-lives-events_attend/10160

In This Issue:

Events

• Experienced Democrats
• Young Dems
• SolSun #13

Issues & Actions

• AGM Announcement
• The Midterm Blue Wave Surges
• Unity Reform Commission Update
• Meet Faith Hall Herbold – DAA Chair, DA Black Caucus
• Election Calendar

Reviews

• EMEA Regional Meeting
• Voter Registration Pub Night
• Solidarity Sundays Vienna #12

Around Town

• American International Baseball Club
• Reading & Book-Presentation

EVENTS:

EXPERIENCED DEMOCRATS MEET-UP

The Inaugural Experienced Democrats Meet-Up was such a resounding success that we have decided to make it a regular event. We are looking forward to seeing even more of you experienced Democrats!

WHEN: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at 6pm

WHERE: Café Museum, Operngasse 7, 1010 Vienna

CONTACT: John Cahill: [email protected] +436766952766

RSVP: Experienced Democrats

YOUNG DEMS PUB NIGHT

Join us for our annual St Patty's Day pub crawl!

WHEN: March 17, 2018

WHERE: TBA

CONTACT: Jeffrey Velasquez ·  [email protected] 

RSVP: http://www.democratsabroad.org/at_events

SOLSUN #13: HISTORY OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY & "THIRD WAY"

So what is a Democrat? What's the Democratic party's platform? Come learn about the history of Democratic Party and an overview of rising stars in the Democratic Party to look out for.

We will also review our "Impact My Way” projects. So join us for some coffee and cookies.

WHEN: March 25, 2018 at 4pm - 6pm

WHERE: Amerlinghaus, Stiftgasse 8, Vienna 1070

CONTACT: Juan Cerda · [email protected] · +436769217865

RSVP: SolSun#13

SAVE THE DATE!

At May 26th's Solidarity Sunday, we'll be doing a group Phone-banking Sprint, complete with beer and pizza!

ELECTION CALENDAR REGISTER, REQUEST, RECEIVE, RETURN!

Texas – March 6 – State Primary

• Register by February 5
• Request ballot by February 23

Pennsylvania – March 13 – Special Election Congressional District 18

• Register by February 12
• Request ballot by March 12

Illinois – March 20 – Primary

• Register by February 18
• Request ballot by February 18

Arizona – March 20 – Special Election Congressional District 8

• Register by March 26
• Request ballot by April 13

ISSUES & ACTIONS:

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Please join fellow Democrat Abroad Austria members on Sunday, March 11, to recap 2017, vote on Bylaws amendments, and have a bit of food and fun.

2018 AGM Agenda:

• Welcome
  
• Chair's Report
  
• Treasurer's Report
  
• Auditor's Report
• Discussion & Vote on amendments to the DAA Bylaws
• GOTV Coordinator’s Report
• Meet our Caucuses – The Year in Review
• Brainstorming: Ideas for 2018 and Beyond
• Closing Remarks

We'll present brief reports on 2017, discuss plans for 2018, and conduct a vote on amendments to the DAA Bylaws. Along with our Caucus and grassroots leaders, we’ll show a presentation of 2017’s activities that illustrate how DA Austria continues to grow and strengthen almost 15 years after DAA's founding.

All DAA members are welcome. Any American over 18 (by the next federal election) and residing in Austria may also join at the meeting.

Your participation, activism, and donations have made Democrats Abroad Austria a strong and vital organization over the past fifteen years. In 2018, we’ll continue working to strengthen the voice and the vote of all our members. We’ve got an important midterm coming up in November and we are relying on your help to make it a blue wave!

Come for business and stay for pleasure

Refreshments will be served during the meeting and there will be a no-host dinner afterwards for everyone who would like to join. Please RSVP for the meeting and dinner below.

Save Time at Check-In and Register in Advance

RSVP: Please pre-register for the meeting by contacting database manager Caitlin Ahern by email or by calling 0650-312-5572. Include your name, Austrian address, phone number and US voting state in your email to her so that your record stays current. This will help us start the meeting on time and ensure that we have an accurate vote count. We encourage all members to pre-register, even if you're uncertain that you can make it, in order to minimise long waiting lines.

Click below for more information about the Agenda, copies of the current and proposed Bylaws, Voting and Proxies, and directions to the AGM.

We look forward to seeing you at our AGM!

– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, DA Austria, Chair

WHEN: Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 2pm - 5pm

WHERE: SPÖ Neubau, Lindengasse 64, Vienna 1070

DINNER: 5:30pm, Brickmakers, Zieglergasse 42, Vienna 1070

CONTACT: Ashley E. Arreola · [email protected] · +436503749481

RSVP: Annual General Meeting Post-AGM Dinner

READ MORE

THE MIDTERM BLUE WAVE SURGES

Since January 2017, the Democratic Party has been turning the tide! Here are some highlights from the running scorecard.

November:

• Philip Murphy and Ralph Northam win impressive Democratic victories in the governor races in New Jersey and Virginia.
  • https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/new-jersey-general-elections
  • https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/virginia-general-elections
• In Virginia, Democrats win 15 seats from Republican incumbents in the House of Delegates. If Democrat Shelly Simonds had received one more vote, the number of seats would have been 16, enough for a Democratic majority.
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/04/politics/virginia-house-drawing/index.html

December:

• Doug Jones wins the vacant U.S senate seat in Alabama, reducing the Republican majority to just one!

As of today:

• 37 Democratic candidates have won state legislative victories from Republican incumbents: https://races.dlcc.org/victories/

Wait a minute—Was that just one more vote needed for a House of Delegate majority in Virginia? I can imagine no more compelling rationale for our Midterm Marching Orders—it’s time to turn that blue surge into a tidal wave for the 2018 Midterm elections!

Win back the Senate! Take back the House! Strengthen our 50-state focus to flip red to blue across the country!

GET OUT THE VOTE!!!

– Bruce Murray, DA Austria Counsel, DA Progressive Caucus Member, Our Revolution Austria Group Leader

MEET FAITH HALL HERBOLD 

– DAA CHAIR OF THE BLACK CAUCUS

I am a California native and have been living in Vienna for almost four years. After completing my PhD in molecular biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, I conducted my postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco, where I developed an interest in science policy.

The 2016 election inspired me to join Democrats Abroad Austria. I hosted my first Solidarity Sunday event and spoke at the second Women's march on the topic of climate change. Since climate change disproportionately affects people of color, I see the opportunity to establish an Austrian chapter of the Global Black Caucus as a way to combine my passion for science with my passion for social justice. As an African American woman, I have always had an interest in black history, diversity, and issues facing black Americans.

In this role, I hope to join with the other members of the Global Black Caucus to increase black voter participation, to support other black Americans living abroad, and to be an integral force in the ever evolving national and international political landscape. (photo: Christine Fahrngruber)

– Faith Hall Herbold, DA Austria Black Caucus, Chair

UNITY REFORM COMMISSION UPDATE

As you know, the Unity Reform Commission (URC) emerged from the 2016 DNC National Convention in Philadelphia as a tool to unite and strengthen the party. Information about its mandate, members, and work can be found here: https://democrats.org/page/unity-reform-commission Its recommendations have been endorsed by Tom Perez and Keith Ellison. On 12 and 13 January 2018 the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee considered the URC recommendations in preparation for the DNC Winter Meeting in March. It did not vote on the recommendations. On 21 January, Democrats Abroad Toronto, in cooperation with the new Progressive Caucus of Democrats Abroad hosted an event with Larry Cohen, URC Vice Chair and Our Revolution Chair. You can view the event via recorded livestream here: https://www.facebook.com/prodacaucus/videos/1845052192194925/?fref=mentions

Larry’s down-to-earth, straightforward and passionate presentation of what is at stake as we progress toward the midterm elections seems quite compelling. I strongly urge all to take a look and listen!

– Bruce Murray, DA Austria Counsel, DA Progressive Caucus Member, Our Revolution Austria Group Leader

WANT TO GRAB'M BY THE MIDTERMS? 

HELP US GET OUT THE VOTE!

As few as 5% of eligible overseas voters vote in midterm elections. From now through November, Democrats Abroad Austria will be making it as easy as possible for fellow expats to cast their ballots. You can help!

• Registering voters We'll be registering voters at events throughout the city. Spend an hour or two at a registration table helping people fill out their registrations and ballot requests.
• Phonebanking Call registered Democrats Abroad members and remind them to register and request their ballot (and send it in!). Calls are made online through CallHub, at no cost to you. You can call from the comfort of your couch or join one of our Phonebanking Sprints, where we gather with pizza and drinks and call as many voters as we can together.

Contact Democrats Abroad Austria's GOTV Coordinator, Becky Ellis, at [email protected] to find out more, and join us at February's Solidarity Sunday to learn about other ways you can help GOTV by doing whatever you love to do most -- whether it's biking, baking or brunching!

For more information on phonebanking and online training materials, click here.

– Becky Ellis, DA Austria, GOTV Coordinator

STONE SOUP

Of the many inspirational moments at the EMEA Regional meeting in Madrid, my take home lesson was a conversation I had with Ann Hesse, the DA Germany, Stuttgart Chapter Chair. One evening we were discussing how to motivate people to become volunteers, when she turned to me and said, “It’s simple. I tell the members it’s a stone soup and each member has to bring one thing to the pot – carrot, parsnip, or turnip – once a year. My job is to stir the pot.”

Whatever a member’s talent, inspiration, or skill might be, she asks the members in her chapter to add one ingredient to the pot once, and only once, a year. If DAA had this from all our members, we would have a rich, delicious, multifaceted broth.

Dovetailing with Anne’s “Stone Soup” was a challenge set at Solidarity Sundays for people to “get out the vote my way.” Each of us is doing one action that is personal, feels right and adds our own bit to the brewing wave of 2018.

There is no action too large or too small. The soup is cooking. Come add your bit! #GOTVmyway

– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, DA Austria, Chair

REVIEWS:

VIENNA GOES TO MADRID – FOR THE DA REGIONAL MEETING

Austria’s Democrats Abroad leadership is delighted to report that the enthusiasm and determination to ensure a blue wave in November is widespread throughout DA. Chapters from the Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions are hard at work channeling Democratic frustration into votes from abroad. Members are opening their living rooms for DA meetings, fundraisers, and voter mobilization work. This is a group leaving no stone unturned.

Our Austrian country committee was talked about quite a bit, and leaders asked for advice how to create working groups like Solidarity Sundays Vienna in their countries. We shared our know-how, and received ideas and resources in return.

Governor Howard Dean’s keynote speech reflected the weekend’s cautious optimism. Cautious because California’s top-two primary is crowded with so many Democrats that the party is in real danger of advancing few or no Democratic candidates in the fall. A reminder that our enthusiasm can work against us in some corners.

– Tanya Lolonis, Solidarity Sundays Vienna, Co-Coordinator

READ MORE

VOTER REGISTRATION PUB NIGHT

We may look a bit fuzzy in the photograph, but we were clearly focussed on  our goal of registering voters! Young Dems had a fantastic turnout and a lot of fun at our first voter registration pub night of the season. More than ten people who hadn't yet registered went online, registered and requested their ballots, and printed out their forms. Look at those envelopes all ready to be posted! We also have a couple of new members... welcome Melissa and Christina!

SOLSUN #12– SOLIDARITY SUNDAYS TAKES AIM AT 4%

Four percent. That’s the portion of eligible American voters living abroad who voted in 2014. The reason most gave for not participating in the democratic process? They found registering and requesting a ballot too difficult. Turns out, registering is easy* -- it’s getting the message to ex-pats that poses the challenge.

Traditionally DAA telephones members to remind them to register, and sets up registration tables in places Americans cluster to reach non-members. The Solidarity Sundays crew is fully behind DAA’s Get Out The Vote effort – but with a twist. At the party commemorating their first political action last year in support of Planned Parenthood, Solidarity Sundays rolled out plans to Get Out The Vote their way. They crafted made-to-measure initiatives they’ll carry out individually.

What does that mean? Well, in one case it means approaching members with registration information in a cake club (she tested the idea out with the crew; they found it delicious).

–Tanya Lolonis, Juan Cerda, and Antje Lewis, Solidarity Sundays Coordinators

READ MORE

AROUND TOWN:

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL BASEBALL CLUB (AIBC)

Dear Parents - I would like to announce that registration is now open for the 2018 AIBC spring season! If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us on Facebook or at www.aibc-vienna.at

AIBC spring league 2018:

• Spring tournament 2018 scheduled from April to June every Saturday
• Tuesdays: friendly games
• Advanced level summer camps in August
• During winter season trainings, drills and play in a heated bubble.

WHEN: Saturdays from April-June. Opening day April 7, 2018 at 8am-11:30am

WHERE: Aspernallee 3, 1020 Vienna

A NEW DEVIL'S DICTIONARY

By author Nicholas T. Parsons

Politics, academe, business and journalism are constantly coming up with new forms of evasion, exaggeration, and disingenuousness. Accordingly this “lexicon for contrarians” seeks to provides Ariadne's thread through the maze of contemporary public discourse, and to probe the reality behind the innocent verbal facade. A disrespectful guide to the agenda that all too often lurks behind contemporary buzzwords, phrases or slogans. The book also features heroes and villains whose mots have enriched or impoverished our understanding over the years.

Nicholas T. Parsons is a writer based in Central Europe, about which he has written several guidebooks. Among his previous books are Worth the Detour: A History of the Guidebook; Vienna: A Cultural and Literary History, and The Xenophobe's Guide to the Austrians (writing as Louis James).

WHEN: March 9, 2018 at 7:30pm

WHERE: Shakespeare & Co Bookstore, Sterngasse 2, Vienna 1010

In This Issue:

Events

• Experienced Democrats
• Young Dems
• SolSun #12

Issues & Actions

• AGM Announcement
• Unity Reform Commission Update
• Black History Month
• Understanding Special Elections
• Election Calendar
• Help us Get Out the Vote!
• DA's global teams are growing and they need our help!
  

Reviews

• Women’s March Anniversary
• Solidarity Sundays Vienna #11

EVENTS:

EXPERIENCED DEMOCRATS MEET-UP

The Inaugural Experienced Democrats Meet-Up was such a resounding success that we have decided to make it a regular event. We are looking forward to seeing even more of you experienced Democrats!

• WHEN: Thursday, February 15, 2018 at 6:00 PM
  
• WHERE: Café Museum, Operngasse 7, 1010 Vienna
  
• CONTACT: John Cahill: [email protected] +436766952766
  
• RSVP: Experienced Democrats

VOTER REGISTRATION PUB NIGHT

The mid-terms are approaching, and we need to make sure that all of our American friends and family in Austria are registered to vote. In February we'll be killing two birds with one stone with a voter registration pub night at our favorite American hang out. We look forward to seeing you! :-)

• WHEN: February 22, 2018 at 7pm - 10pm
  
• WHERE: Beaver Brewing Company, Liechtensteinstraße 69, Vienna 1090
  
• CONTACT: Ashley E. Arreola · [email protected] · +436503749481
  
• RSVP: Voter Registration Pub Night

SOLSUN #12: MAKE AN IMPACT YOUR WAY

Join us to learn more about how you can make an impact your way in this year's midterm elections. We need your help to register other American's living abroad and to make sure they vote. Come and learn how easy it is to register to vote from abroad and discover the creative ways of getting other Americans to do the same.

We will be writing postcards to folks back home and in Austria reminding them to register to vote, phone-banking to other Democrats, and some of our members are even hosting brunches in their homes for their friends and making them sign up to register to vote on the spot.

We will also have a recap of the Democrats Abroad EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) Regional meeting on strategies and projects that are being done around the world that we can implement here in Austria.

Finally, we will also be celebrating our one year anniversary of Sunday Solidarity in Vienna, join us for cake and coffee!! 

• WHEN: February 25, 2018 at 4pm - 6pm
  
• WHERE: Amerlinghaus, Stiftgasse 8, Vienna 1070
  
• CONTACT: Juan Cerda · [email protected] · +436769217865
  
• RSVP: Voter Registration Pub Night

SAVE THE DATE!

At May 26th's Solidarity Sunday, we'll be doing a group Phone-banking Sprint, complete with beer and pizza.

ISSUES & ACTIONS:

Your participation, activism, and donations have made Democrats Abroad Austria a strong and vital organization over the past fifteen years. 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

You are cordially invited to the Democrats Abroad Austria 2018 Annual General Meeting.

We'll present brief reports on 2017, discuss plans for 2018, and conduct a vote on amendments to the DAA Bylaws. Along with our Caucus and grassroots leaders, we’ll show a presentation of 2017’s activities that illustrate how DA Austria continues to grow and strengthen almost 15 years after DAA's founding.

Refreshments will be served during the meeting and there will be a no-host dinner afterwards for everyone who would like to join. Please RSVP for the meeting here and the dinner here.

All Democrat Abroad Austria  members are welcome. Any American over 18 (by the next federal election) and residing in Austria may also join at the meeting.

Your participation, activism, and donations have made Democrats Abroad Austria a strong and vital organization over the past fifteen years. In 2018, we’ll continue working to strengthen the voice and the vote of all our members. We’ve got an important midterm coming up in November and we are relying on your help to make it a blue wave! Remember, Americans living overseas must request their ballot each calendar year. Do it here at Vote From Abroad.

I look forward to seeing you at our AGM!

– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, DA Austria, Chair

• When: Sunday, March 11, 2018 from 2:00-5:00 p.m.
  
• Where: SPÖ Neubau, Lindengasse 64, 1070 Vienna
  
• RSVP: Please pre-register for the meeting by contacting database manager Caitlin Ahern by email or by calling 0650-312-5572. Include your name, Austrian address, phone number and US voting state in your email to her so that your record stays current. This will help us start the meeting on time and ensure that we have an accurate vote count. We encourage all members to pre-register, even if you're uncertain that you can make it, in order to minimise long waiting lines.

Click below for more information about the Agenda, copies of the current and Amended Bylaws, Voting and Proxies, and directions to the AGM.

READ MORE 

Democrats Abroad on the Unity Reform Commission ReporT

DA leaders have written a piece on the DA and the URC Report – 

"Democrats Abroad’s Executive Committee and its DNC Delegates have endorsed a series of proposals from the party’s Unity Reform Commission, in a report delivered to the DNC at the end of 2017.

The Unity Reform Commission (URC) was created at the 2016 Democratic National Convention to address concerns regarding the presidential primary process, and to ensure that this process is accessible, transparent and inclusive.

Dems Abroad leaders were able to support these recommendations in part because they so closely reflected what Democrats Abroad adopted in its 2016 Global Presidential Primary and Delegate Selection Plan.

Speaking to Democrats Abroad in Paris and Toronto, URC Vice Chair Larry Cohen has praised the organization’s high levels of openness, inclusion, and transparency in its 2016 global primary, pointing out that other state parties could learn much from their example."

Click on the following link to read it in it's entirety: https://www.democratsabroad.org/da_on_urc_report

FROM DA GLOBAL

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of blacks in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” started by the noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans.

It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in February, as well as in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in October.

This year, Black History Month is more important than ever. We have an overtly racist, sexist, homophobic government that wants to take America back to a time that never existed. Black history is American history, not a footnote.

READ MORE

UNDERSTANDING SPECIAL ELECTIONS . . .

Extract from Flippable

"Special elections happen when a lawmaker dies, resigns, or gets a new job in the government. They occur all year round, every year. With low levels of funding and low voter turnout, you might think these elections are no big deal—but they’re actually hugely important.

That’s because:

• Special elections are anyone’s game. Most voters don’t show up at the polls for them, so the normal rules don’t apply. The party that’s paying the most attention has the best chance of winning.
• There are dozens of special elections every year—and each one gives us an opportunity to flip or defend a seat. Since November 2016, Dems have won more than 30 special elections.
• By getting out the vote for these low-profile races, Dems can make quiet progress nationwide.

We don’t have to wait for the next election cycle to start making a difference."

. . . AND SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Extract from Tiny Actions

Q: Elections aren’t until November. Why request your ballot in January?

It’s really not too early!

• Sending in your ballot request now will allow you to vote in primaries
• Your Local Board of Elections will get busier as we get closer to elections. If things are delayed - or if something goes wrong - sending in your ballot request now will ensure there’s time to address any issues.
• Do it now so you don’t have to worry about it later!

READ MORE

ELECTION CALENDAR: REGISTER, REQUEST, RECEIVE, RETURN!

Arizona – February 27 – Special Primary Election Congressional District 8

• Register by January 29
• Request ballot by February 16

Texas – March 6 – State Primary

• Register by February 5
• Request ballot by February 23

Pennsylvania – March 13 – Special Election Congressional District 18

• Register by February 12
• Request ballot by March 12

Illinois – March 20 – Primary

• Register by February 18
• Request ballot by February 18

WANT DEMS TO GRAB CONTROL OF CONGRESS THIS NOVEMBER?

HELP US GET OUT THE VOTE!

As few as 5% of eligible overseas voters vote in midterm elections. From now through November, Democrats Abroad Austria will be making it as easy as possible for fellow expats to cast their ballots. You can help!

• Registering voters We'll be registering voters at events throughout the city. Spend an hour or two at a registration table helping people fill out their registrations and ballot requests.
• Phonebanking Call registered Democrats Abroad members and remind them to register and request their ballot (and send it in!). Calls are made online through CallHub, at no cost to you. You can call from the comfort of your couch or join one of our Phonebanking Sprints, where we gather with pizza and drinks and call as many voters as we can together.

Contact Democrats Abroad Austria's GOTV Coordinator, Becky Ellis, at [email protected] to find out more, and join us at February's Solidarity Sunday to learn about other ways you can help GOTV by doing whatever you love to do most -- whether it's biking, baking or brunching!

For more information on phonebanking and online training materials, click here.

– Becky Ellis, DA Austria, GOTV Coordinator

REVIEWS:

WOMEN’S MARCH ANNIVERSARY – MARCH TO THE BALLOT BOX!

It was a damp and dreary day, but even the miserable weather couldn’t dissuade more than 70 dedicated DAA members, friends, and onlookers from turning out for our “March to the Ballot Box” in Vienna on January 21.

The rally was part of a larger organization of marches, demonstrations, and events that took place over the weekend of Jan 20-21 under the headline “Power to the Polls.” Globally, more than 100 marches over 38 countries took place – not including those in the US where hundreds of thousands marched in LA, NYC, and cities between. Women’s March Global organized a live stream that broadcast women from Uganda to Buenos Aires and Wellington to Frankfurt rising up and speaking out. 

– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, DA Austria, Chair

READ MORE

SOLSUN #11– SOLIDARITY SUNDAYS GEARS UP 

FOR A WAVE ELECTION

We're back from holidays and focused on November's midterms — elections that can potentially turn the House blue. With more close elections than at any time in modern history, overseas votes are poised to make a critical difference. That’s the kind of role our activists like.

Sunday’s meet-up focused on registering more Americans in Austria than ever. DAA’s new Get Out The Vote coordinator, Becky Ellis, laid out goals and resources for the nine months ahead, and ran the Solidarity crew through the nuts and bolts of registering overseas voters.

–Tanya Lolonis, Juan Cerda, and Antje Lewis, Solidarity Sundays Coordinators

READ MORE

VOTING FROM ABROAD — BY THE NUMBERS

Becky Ellis, DAA’s new Get Out The Vote coordinator, prepared a quiz to test how much the Solidarity Sundays Vienna crew knows about the most important issue we deal with — voting from abroad. At the latest meet-up, we were a bit stumped. See your knowledge about overseas voting — answers below.

1. How many Americans are living abroad and eligible to vote in the November election?
2. If Americans living abroad formed their own state, how would it’s population rank?
3. What percent of eligible overseas citizens voted in the 2014 elections?
   
4. What percent of overseas voters who requested a ballot voted in 2014, the last Mid-Term election?
   
5. How often do you have to submit a new overseas voter registration?
   
6. What is the most common reason overseas voters give for not voting?
   
7. What is the second most common reason given for not voting?
   
8. Which five countries have the largest number of eligible citizen voters?
   
9. How many Senate seats are up for reelection in 2018?
   
10. How many of those seats are Democratic seats?
    
11. Which state has the earliest registration deadline for primary voters?
    

GET THE ANSWERS!

DA's global teams are growing and they need our help!

• Fundraising – The fundraising team is looking for volunteers who can help in outreach to current sponsors and potential donors as well as with program planning and execution. Contact: [email protected] for more information.
• IT - The IT team is looking for volunteers interested in diving deep into membership database work, helping with common IT help desk problems, and even helping out with javascript issues. Contact: [email protected] for more information.
• Volunteers – join the Global Volunteer team and help match our volunteers to the many opportunities available for them. Contact: [email protected] for more information.

Skill sets for all positions:

• Ability to use Excel OR Google Sheets (required)
  
• Ability to work independently with a remote/virtual team (required)
  
• Comfortable working online via a variety of communications channels – Slack, Skype, etc (required)
  
• Comfortable speaking on the phone (desired)
  

In this Issue –

Events

• March to the Ballot Box – 365 Days of Activism

• Post Rally Meet-up

• Experienced Democrats Meet-Up

• Sol Sun #11 – Take Action in 2018

Issues and Actions

• Women’s March One Year Anniversary – Rally

• DA Taxation Tax Force Year-end Update

• Overseas Voters Must Register Every Election Year

• January Registration Drive

• DAA Needs Your Help

• Join Us at Democrats Abroad Regional Meeting!

Members Corner

• Upcoming Events at the Republikanischer Club – Neues Österreich

A Note from DA Austria –

Democrats Abroad is thrilled that 2018 is finally here and we can get to work helping people to get registered, request their ballots, and create a blue wave in November.

The past year has shown us that despite dark times, not only does resistance work but that literally every vote matters. Therefore, over the next eight months we’ll be planning many get-out-the-vote, social, grassroots, and fundraising events – we hope to see you!

DAA is making a strong effort to include all the information you need to stay up to date in our monthly newsletter in order to avoid the flood of emails that occurs in an election year. By sending you fewer emails, we hope you will read those you receive. Also check out our website and Facebook page for the latest news.

Happy New Year! We look forward to working with you in 2018 to generate the biggest turnout ever of overseas voters for Democratic candidates in elections right across the country. Request your ballot today and start the year off well as we head towards winning back the Senate and House.

– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, DAA Chair

EVENTS

MARCH TO THE BALLOT BOX – 365 DAYS OF ACTIVISM Rally

Women’s March One Year Anniversary – Vienna

One year ago, women in Washington DC and around the world changed the face of 2017 and began the resistance movement that has successfully thwarted many of Trump’s and Congress’s plans.

A year later, from San Francisco to Washington and from Berlin to Vienna, thousands of people will hold marches and rallies. We’re organizing a rally (and a flashmob surprise) on January 21 (see event info above) to remind everyone to March to the Polls and commemorate 365 Days of Activism. Bring a poster. Bring your pussy hat. Bring your friends, family, and loved ones. Join us at the rally! Women's March Global will be doing a livestream of events around the world.

We'll be meeting up afterwards (location tba) to make plans for the midterm election and help folks register to vote. Please be sure to RSVP at democratsabroad.org/at_events.

Remember a year ago? Women in Washington DC and around the world changed the face of 2017. One year later, we'll be having a demonstration (and a flashmob surprise) to remind everyone to March to the Polls and commemorate 365 Days of Activism. Bring a poster; bring your pussy hat; bring your friends, family, and loved ones. 

Women's March Global will be doing a livestream of events around the world. Join us!

We'll be meeting up afterwards at Flannagan's. One year later #daresists  #marchtotheballotbox  

POST RALLY MEET-UP

After the Women's March Rally, Dem's of all ages in conjunction with the Youth Caucus will be taking it indoors to continue the conversation, register voters, and warm up with some food and refreshments. Everyone is welcome! Please RSVP here so we can reserve enough tables.

We'll meet up close to the rally location but the venue is still to be decided. We'll update as soon as it's fixed. 

EXPERIENCED DEMOCRATS MEET-UP

The inaugural meeting of the “Experienced Democrats” group of Democrats Abroad Austria will be held at Café Museum. Although we will be focusing on the interests of our more mature members, all Democrats of all ages are welcome. Questions or comments to John Cahill. Looking forward to seeing you! 

• WHEN: January 24, 2018 at 4pm - 6pm
  
• WHERE: Cafe Museum, Operngasse 7, Vienna 1010, Austria Google map and directions
  
• CONTACT: John Cahill · [email protected] · 06766952766
  
• RSVP: Experienced Democrats Meet-Up
  

SOLIDARITY SUNDAYS #11 – TAKE ACTION IN 2018

2018 is the year we take our country back. Are you ready to take action and get involved? Join us as we learn from a representative from Democrats Abroad Austria on how we can each do our part to turn the US blue this year. Plus join us for a glass of wine ;-) (or a cup of tea!) https://www.facebook.com/events 

•  WHEN: January 28, 2018 at 4pm - 6pm
  
• WHERE: Amerlinghaus, Stiftgasse 8, Vienna 1070, Austria Google map and directions
• CONTACT: Juan Cerda · [email protected] · +436769217865
  
• RSVP: Sol Sun #11
  

ISSUES AND ACTIONS:

DA TAXATION TAX FORCE YEAR-END UPDATE

Carmelan Polce and other members of DA’s Taxation Tax Force work tirelessly throughout the year on multiple campaigns and advocacy initiatives to bring our tax filing and financial account reporting problems to the attention of our elected representatives.

Because of their efforts and the outreach of DA Leaders and members, there isn’t a member of Congress on Capitol Hill who doesn’t know that there is a laundry list of ways in which the U.S. tax code discriminates against Americans abroad and that the Americans abroad community is determined to make them change that. Year in Review

See below for our further notes on:

• the end of the tax reform legislative process;
  
• the remarks published by Rep Dina Titus in the Congressional Record about the need for tax reform for Americans abroad;
  
• the FATCA Repeal lawsuit making application to be heard by the Supreme Court;
  
• the tax reform clean-up bill coming in the next few months; and
  
• the new Taxation Task Force strategic plan.
  

READ MORE

OVERSEAS VOTERS MUST REGISTER EVERY ELECTION YEAR

Time for voter registration has arrived! US citizens who will be abroad can request their 2018 ballots now at www.votefromabroad.org. One form gets you all your ballots for the year: primaries, special elections and the all-important November election where all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 U.S. senators are on the ballot. Think of the opportunity for a new congress!

DA recommends that you register and request your ballot even if you have a “friendly” voter registrar in the States. If you don’t re-register your vote could be void.

REGISTRATION DRIVE

We’ll be starting off 2018 with a January Registration Drive to make sure that every US citizen in Austria has registered to vote and requested their ballots for the 2018 midterms. We’ll have a registration table at the following January events: Post March meet-up on Jan 21 and Sol Sun #11 on Jan 28. Keep an eye out for other upcoming times and locations and make sure to bring your friends.

Indivisible is working hard to get Americans in the States to register. Send the following information to your friends and family back home.

READ MORE

DAA NEEDS YOUR HELP

There is a lot to do over the next few months and we need volunteers to help us get out the vote. Regardless if you can spare a few hours a week or an hour a month, we have something you could help out on. Ready and willing? Contact Jennifer at [email protected]

Current needed volunteer positions:

• Get-Out-the-Vote Coordinator (2hrs/week)
  
• Study Abroad Contact Coordinator (1hr/week)
  
• Phonebanking (flexible)
  
• Staff a Registration Table (2hrs/month)
• Research Position (to track when US Politicians or Notables are in Vienna) (2hrs/month)
• DAA Contact Person for Global Black Caucus (periodic global meetings)
  
• DAA Contact Person for Women’s Caucus (periodic global meetings)
  

JOIN US IN MADRID!

The EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) Region and Democrats Abroad Spain will host a meeting of leaders, volunteers, and members from all over DA’s largest region. We expect about 100 participants from countries all around the region and we will focus on strategies and projects to elect Democrats in 2018.

Members of Democrats Abroad from every region are welcome to join us. RSVP below to receive more information as it becomes available. Registration and program details will be available in the next 7-10 days but we encourage you to mark your calendar and make travel plans now.

The three-day program in the heart of Madrid will begin with a session from the Women’s Caucus on Friday afternoon, followed by an evening reception highlighting the best of Madrid’s culture and food. Saturday presentations, training sessions, and workshops will be followed by a Global Black Caucus Cocktail Reception and a “gala” dinner with a special guest speaker. Sunday training sessions and presentations will end around 1pm.

• WHEN: February 09, 2018 at 7pm - February 11, 2018
  
• WHERE: Hotel Santo Domingo, C/San Bernardo 1, Madrid 28013 Spain Google map and directions
  
• CONTACT: Will Bakker · [email protected]

MEMBERS’ CORNER

HAPPENING AROUND TOWN

The Republikanischer Club – Neues Österreich generously lets us use their clubrooms for our DAATalks lecture series. They have a number of interesting readings and events (in German) coming up in January and February.

READ MORE

Remember a year ago? Women in Washington DC and around the world changed the face of 2017. One year later, we'll be having a demonstration (and a flashmob surprise) to remind everyone to March to the Polls and commemorate 365 Days of Activism. Bring a poster; bring your pussy hat; bring your friends, family, and loved ones. 

We'll be meeting up afterwards at a location tba. Everyone is welcome! Please RSVP on our event page so we have an idea of numbers.

One year later #DAResists #marchtotheballotbox #powertothepolls #lookbackmarchforward

In this Issue–

Events

• Young Dems Christmas Punsch

Save the Date

• Meet-Up Wednesday, January 24th. Details TBA

Issues & Actions

• A Meet-Up for the Mature Crowd
• January Registration Drive
• Born Abroad Americans – No Guarantee to Vote

Reviews

• DAA Talks with Laura Rockwood & Nadja Schmidt
• Sol Sun #10
• DAA Talks with Tom Hicks

On the Social Side

• Thanksgiving
• Graz Member Xmas Meet Up

Events

Young Dems Christmas Punsch

Issues & Actions

A Meet-Up for the Mature Crowd

DAA Member John Cahill got an overwhelmingly positive response when he posted the following on Facebook in the DA Austria Group, “While I believe that the Young Democrats Meet-Ups are a splendid idea for keeping young people involved, I really miss the open meetings in which the more mature(?) members participated. So, I am asking: Are there others, aged 50 and older like me, who would welcome periodic informal meet-ups at which we could have a drink or two, share our concerns and vent our spleen about the state of American politics? Nothing formal, no agenda or minutes or other such annoyances.” The first Meet-Up will take place on Wednesday, January 24th. Details to be announced in the January newsletter, on Facebook, and on our website. Thanks for the great initiative John!

OVERSEAS VOTERS MUST REGISTER EVERY ELECTION YEAR

Watch this space! We’ll be starting off 2018 with a January Registration Drive to make sure that every US citizen in Austria has registered to vote for the 2018 midterms. Keep an eye out for times and locations and make sure to come and bring your friends.

Also, If you are interested in becoming DA Austria’s Get-Out-the-Vote Coordinator or are willing to help out for a couple of hours, contact Jennifer at [email protected]. DA Austria will be coordinating with the global GOTV Team to work on GOTV plans for 2018, pool resources, set up trainings and discuss the best ways to provide voting information to overseas voters, both DA and non-DA members. For more information on phonebanking and other GOTV efforts go to http://www.democratsabroad.org/gotv_phonebanking.

Born Abroad American and Can't Vote?

It’s true! Federal laws enfranchising military and overseas voters do not automatically extend voting rights to US citizens born overseas who have reached voting age without having resided in the US. The voting laws of too many states also lack provisions guaranteeing these Americans the right to vote. This oversight perpetrates a grave injustice on those who are otherwise recognized as citizens (including for federal tax purposes).

Do you know about the Uniform Law Commission’s Military and Overseas Voters Act?

In 2010 the Uniform Law Commission drafted the Military and Overseas Voters Act. The law simplifies the process of absentee voting for United States military and overseas civilians by making the process more uniform, convenient, secure, and efficient. The Act covers all military personnel and their dependents, as well as US citizens residing outside the United States who are unable to vote in person. This includes US citizens born overseas who have reached voting age without having the opportunity to reside in the United States. The Act applies to all state-wide and local elections, as well as to all federal elections, both including primary and general, as well as special run-off elections.

For more information about this model act, go to the Uniform Law Commission’s website,www.uniformlaws.org, and search for Military and Overseas Voters Act.

Democrats Abroad can help!

Democrats Abroad would like to support states that have not as yet enacted the ULC’s Military and Overseas Voters Act. Please contact us at MOVA for more information and to discuss an advocacy plan.

Reviews

DAA Talks with Laura Rockwood and Nadja Schmidt

U.S. Nuclear Policy under the Trump Administration

On November 16th at the Republikanischer Club, DA Austria were proud to host an event featuring Laura Rockwood, executive director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation (VCDNP), and Nadja Schmidt, executive director of ICAN Austria.

Ms. Rockwood, who retired in 2013 from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the Section Head for Non-Proliferation and Policy Making in the Office of Legal Affairs, was at the IAEA in 2005 when it won a Nobel Peace Prize for its “efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way”.

Speaking in her personal capacity, Ms. Rockwood presented an in-depth look at nuclear policy issues in the U.S. under the Trump administration. Ms. Rockwood discussed the benefits to international security of the Iran nuclear deal, disagreeing with the critical assessments of the White House. She also expressed concern about the recent nuclear weapons and missile tests performed by North Korea, and the posture of the Trump administration in relation to North Korea.

Ms. Schmidt’s organization, ICAN Austria, is an affiliate of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which was the recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, for “its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian 

consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons”. Ms. Schmidt discussed her organization, how the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty came about, and what steps remain to be taken, in particular by the United States. She pointed out the important role played by the Humanitarian Impacts of Nuclear Weapons conferences in changing the conversation about nuclear weapons, and allowing for the perspectives of the non-nuclear weapon states to be heard.

Solidarity Sundays Looked at the News and How to Fake It

On Sunday, November 26th, Marcy Fowler gave Solidarity Sunday attendees a deep look at misinformation and disinformation. She showed us how to spot it – and how to help people we know think critically about what they find online and on TV. Marcy’s top insights:

• There are different kinds of propaganda: White propaganda is somewhat accurate information but biased, incomplete or in a misleading context. Example: social media trolls playing up existing racial divisions to deepen those divisions.
• With Black propaganda, both the source and information are false. Example: Bill O’Reilly stating that Black Lives Matter is „Killing Americans“.
• Not all fake news is propaganda: misinformation is sloppiness, disinformation is deliberate.

We learned how to apply the classic Who, What, When, Where, and Why questions both to the source and to the content to unpack news items. Combating fake news takes time and effort, but the more we do so, the more we help our community and democracy.

Join our next Solidarity Sunday where we take aim at the November midterm elections and learn how each of us can help Get Out The Vote, and how to organize a group for change.

–Tanya Lolonis

DAA Talks with Tom Hicks

Democrats Abroad Austria was honored to host a discussion with U.S. Election Assistance Commissioner Thomas Hicks. Mr. Hicks briefly introduced his organization, the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the law that created the EAC, the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA). Under HAVA, overseas absentee ballots must be tabulated separately from domestic absentee ballots; it is the EAC that oversees the process of data collection from the states on the number of ballots sent, received, counted and rejected. Mr. Hicks discussed the implications of the January 6th, 2017 Department of Homeland Security decision to designate election systems as critical infrastructure (later reaffirmed by DHS Secretary Kelly, now White House Chief of Staff), and highlighted some of the EAC activities in standard setting and certification for U.S. voting machines.

Of particular interest to the DA Austria audience, Mr. Hicks discussed the activities of his organization in working to facilitate the right to vote for U.S. citizens abroad. DAA greatly appreciates the work of Mr. Hicks and the EAC, and it echos Democrats Abroad’s calls for Congress to enhance its support for the organization, including fully funding the EAC and HAVA and by filling all commissioner positions.
–Marcy Fowler, Treasurer

Sources:

“U.S. Election Systems as Critical Infrastructure”, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, https://www.eac.gov/assets/1/6/starting_point_us_election_systems_as_Critical_Infrastructure.pdf.

“Leave Behind Packs: Election Assistance Commission”, Democrats Abroad Spring 2017 Door Knock Campaign, 16-17 May 2017, https://wiki.democratsabroad.org/download/attachments/17072318/EAC%202017.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1494912138000&api=v2.

On the Social Side...

Members enjoying Thanksgiving with Juan Cerda (center left),  DAA LGBT Caucus, and Marcy Fowler (center right), DAA Treasurer.

Thanksgiving Dinner

On November 23, DA Austria members, family, and friends gathered for a sold out Thanksgiving dinner at Restaurant Sperl in Vienna’s 4th district. The room was packed with democrats of every age – from families, to Young Dems, to those of an older variety – who feasted on a traditional dinner and a splendid offering of homemade pies brought by volunteers. DAA was also pleased to welcome former International and DAA Chair Katie Solon, who came from Germany, and former EMEA Regional Chair Merrill Oates, who drove from Budapest to join us.

There were many new faces and it was wonderful to have the chance to talk with people about their interests and concerns. Despite the horrifying actions of our current President and Congress, DAA members found something to be thankful for.
– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, Chair

Graz Member Xmas Meet-Up

On Friday, December 1st we met with fellow Dems (and a few little Dems-to-be) on Franziskanerplatz in Graz for some Glühwein and Kinderpunsch. It was a beautiful evening and a great chance to catch up on the latest political scandals. Both international news, such as the in-court poising of war criminal Slobodan Praljakin at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia in the Hague, as well as national news, such the revelation about the Michael Flynn guilty plea, which happened as we were meeting, were hotly discussed news topics over the even hotter Glühwein. Of course, some 

fun had to be had as well with some chocolate pretzel sharing, which was especially appreciated by our little Dems-to-be.

We are looking forward to planning more events in 2018. If you have ideas or requests for topics/events/venues feel free to contact Alma ([email protected]) or Caitlin ([email protected]).

All Graz/Styria members are encouraged to join the Democrats Abroad in Graz Facebook group [https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1674471572865600&ref=content_filter].

– Caitlin Ahern, Database Manager & Alma Stankovic

STOCKING STUFFER? SECRET SANTA GIFT?

An iconic xmas gift for 2017. Get one for all the women you know who joined in the Women's March and persist! Just €5 (not including shipping).

Contact Jennifer at [email protected] to place your order. Limited quantities available.

In this Issue:

Events

• Young Dems Martini Gansl
  
• DAATalks speaker series with Laura Rockwood
  
• DAA Thanksgiving Dinner
  
• Solidarity Sundays #10
  

Upcoming Events

• Young Dems Holiday Punsch on December 6^th
  

Issues & Actions

• Meet DAA Youth Caucus Coordinator
  
• 2018 Women First Calendar
  
• Update on Get Out The Vote Activities
  
• Taxation Task Force – Washington DC Visit
  
• DA DNC Officer on the Unity Reform Commission
  

Reviews

• DA Webinar Series
  
• Solidarity Sunday #9
  

Members’ Corner

• More Podcast Love
  
• IWM: Science Speed Talks

EVENTS

YOUNG DEMS ANNUAL MARTINIGANSL FEAST

Join us for our annual Martinigansl feast in the heart of Grinzing, where you can find Vienna's vineyards and heurigen restaurants.

The restaurant will need the exact count of people attending and ordering goose, so if you are vegetarian, please make sure you write it in the Facebook discussion, so I can inform them in advance. Hope you can join us!

Our reservation is for 10, so we'll need to update it if more people would like to come, so please RSVP via Facebook

DAATALKS: LAURA ROCKWOOD

U.S. Nuclear Policy under the Trump Administration: Strengthening or Hindering International Security?

Former legal counsel at the International Atomic Energy Agency and current Executive Director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation Laura Rockwood.

With the dramatic policy shift in the White House, many decades-long U.S. nuclear policies are being modified or even reversed. At this DAATalk, Laura Rockwood will discuss how the new U.S. policies on issues such as the Iran Nuclear Deal, North Korea nuclear tests, and the nuclear weapons ban can impact global security.

Additionally, Nadja Schmidt, chairwoman of the Austrian branch of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), will present on the recently signed Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty. ICAN, a global alliance of more than 460 organisations in over 100 countries, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 "for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons."

Join us beforehand for a glass of wine at 18:30. The talk will begin at 19:00.

WHEN: November 16, 2017 at 7pm - 9pm

RSVP: http://www.democratsabroad.org/at_events 

THANKSGIVING – A FEAST WITH ALL THE FIXINGS

On Thanksgiving day, Thursday, Nov. 23rd at 7PM, we invite our democratic friends and families to our annual Thanksgiving Dinner.

SOLSUN #10: UNFAKING THE NEWS ON BLACK LIVES MATTER

Black Lives Matter! But what do you *really* know about the movement? What you read is probably ... well ... not very *real*.
Join us as our *real-live* fellow Democrats Abroad members show us how to hunt down honest journalism, balanced news, and no less than the truth. Plus a glass of wine ;-) (or a cup of tea!)

Get all the voting and action info you need here:
http://www.democratsabroad.org/get_involved    https://www.votefromabroad.org/

WHEN: November 26, 2017 at 4pm - 6pm

ISSUES & ACTIONS

MEET DAA YOUTH CAUCUS COORDINATOR

My name is David Heckenberg and since May 2017 I have been responsible for the Youth Caucus of the Democrats Abroad Austria. Currently my goal is to extend the outreach of our organization and keep members of the Youth Caucus - members under 35 years old - connected by organizing monthly meetings and group activities. I feel honored and motivated to fill this position and hope to bring positive change for the future together with your help! Feel free to contact me at [email protected] for any questions or ideas you would like to share.

2018 Women First CALENDARS 

Democrats Abroad Women’s Caucus has produced a calendar as a fund raising project for Democrats Abroad. Profits will go to the Get Out The Vote campaign for the 2018 midterms.

The calendar has a good theme — WOMEN FIRST— and highlights 86 American women who were the FIRST to do various historic, wonderful things. Other features include: US calendar format, profiles of 12 featured women, all major US holidays, a unique holiday for each committee country, 2018 state election dates, and 2 pages of interesting “on this date” events. The calendar is printed on folded A3 paper with a photo on top and calendar on the bottom half.

Expect to learn a lot—and hey, with holidays coming up this would make a great Christmas/holiday gift for American daughters, nieces, sisters, friends and family.

DA Austria is taking orders to buy a box of 25 calendars that we will offer to our members at cost for an inexpensive Correction: pre-orders are €6,20 per calendar– a €9,28 savings on the first calendar not  €10 per calendar – a savings of €5.47 for the first calendar. Calendars will be available for pick-up, by arrangement, at Thanksgiving Dinner on Nov. 23. Solidarity Sunday on Nov 26, the Young Dems meet-up on Dec 6th, or can be mailed to you within Austria for an extra shipping cost.

Please complete this form to order your calendar(s). To make this offer, we need to have 25 calendars pre-ordered by Nov. 13th!

UPDATE ON GET OUT THE VOTE ACTIVITIES

The GOTV Team has been working to get out the vote for the Special Elections happening in Fall 2017 as well as preparing for the 2018 Elections. Here is an update and ways you can get involved. Go to the new GOTV page on the DA website for easily accessible voting information.

If you are interested in becoming DA Austria’s GOTV Coordinator contact Jennifer at mailto:[email protected]. The GOTV Coordinators will get in touch to schedule a group call to work on GOTV plans for 2018, pool resources, set up trainings and discuss the best ways to provide voting information to overseas voters, both DA and non-DA members. READ MORE

TAXATION TASK FORCE– WASHINGTON DC VISIT

The Taxation Task Force was on Capitol Hill the week of October 16 to talk to members of Congress about tax reform for Americans abroad. They had meetings in 10 offices - a mix of Republicans and Democrats, representatives and senators – talking about the findings of our research on the problems faced by Americans filing from abroad and our recommended reform: a switch from citizenship based taxation to residency based taxation. To read the full email with detailed information, READ MORE here.

DA DNC OFFICER ON THE UNITY REFORM COMMISSION

On Wednesday, October 18, in Las Vegas, many Democrats Abroad DNC members attended the fourth and next-to-last meeting of the Unity Reform Commission, a dynamic effort initiated by DNC Chair Tom Perez.

The Unity Commission is made up of members appointed by Secretary Clinton, Senator Sanders, and Tom Perez. The chair of the Unity Reform Commission is Jennifer O’Malley Dillon. Larry Cohen is the vice chair. 19 highly experienced and educated members of the party, from “the big tent” all across the spectrum of opinions, sit across from one another listening, agreeing, disagreeing and coming up with solutions for making the Democratic Party more democratic, transparent and effective. READ MORE

REVIEWS

DA WEBINAR SERIES

You’ve probably been receiving emails from Democrats Abroad (global) announcing webinars and training sessions that have been bringing important information and resources to our members. The topics have been varied: taxation, voting rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration, the climate, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and most recently, Stephanie Schirock from Emily’s List.

Many of our members have participated in a webinar and Marian Pink (Immigration Rights webinar) said, “I found the webinar helpful and certainly interesting. The graphics were really good and the structure of the whole package was excellent. … I would very definitely encourage other people to take the time to work through the program, it is very good.”

Next up, watch James Carville as he speaks about Democratic candidate for Senate Doug Jones and his upcoming election in Alabama, and briefs us on this year's elections. The call begins at 9am DC time on November 8, 2017. RSVP to join!

SOLIDARITY SUNDAYS #9

Solidarity Sunday with Democrats Abroad Austria -- this time focused on social systems and framing arguments. Antje Lewis drew from her experience as a social worker in Austria to give perspective on the US versus Austrian social systems and the premises on which they are based. There are advantages and disadvantages to every system, but comparing the full costs in terms of %GDP is revealing -- spending on social welfare (including health, unemployment and old age) accounts for 29.6% of GDP in Austria versus 30.2% in the US, the key difference being that 11.4% of the US figure is private while virtually all of the Austrian spending is via the state. Most jarring is the cost of health care: 14% of GDP in the US (of this 6% is private) versus 7% of GDP in Austria -- and guess which cheaper system has the better results in terms of actual health care.

Tanya Lolonis followed with a synopsis of Jonathan Haidt's book The Righteous Mind (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Righteous_Mind), describing the deep moral foundations which all humans use to inform or frame their political beliefs, and how we can become aware of these in order to better communicate with and understand our fellow citizens.

–Andreas Beckmann, DAA Member

MEMBERS’ CORNER

MORE PODCAST LOVE

In order to attempt to pull myself out of my Facebook-algorithm-driven bubble, I decided a few weeks ago I needed to put aside my standby Crooked Media podcasts and listen to something elsewhere on the political spectrum.

Googling “best political podcasts” landed me at an article, The 10 Best Political Podcasts To Help You Become A More Informed Citizen, that claimed to be “picking the best political podcasts from both sides of the aisle.” The suggested podcasts ranged from Glenn Beck to Bernie Sanders as well as others including The Federalist and Pod Save America. Despite the author’s claim that, “Whether you believe in the rhetoric of the hosts and guests or not, there’s value and information to be gleaned from each.” I would need to work myself up to Beck –The Federalist seemed a good place to start.

The Federalist Radio Hour: The first thing that struck me was that I often had no idea who the host was talking about. I’ve clearly been living in Europe too long to know who “The Rock” is or that he is considering running for president in 2020, but I was relieved to hear that the hosts, despite or because of Trump’s presidency, were also not convinced of his presidential qualifications.

In another episode, Emily Ekins, Research Fellow and Director of Polling at the Cato Institute, discussed the findings of a survey she recently did about contemporary views of free speech rights. Her consistent use of “Liberals” and “emotional” in the same sentence had me pulling out my ear buds, but I did pause when she brought up that, according to her polling, ‘60’s era Liberals have a much more tolerant view of the kinds of speech that should be banned than those of younger generations.

Another episode had me rapt as Josh Kraushaar and Ben Domensch analyzed the different factions of both parties – highlighting the benefit of stepping out of my comfort zone and getting a clearer view on what’s on the horizon.

– Jennifer Rakow-Stepper, DAA Chair

Have a podcast you’d like to share? We’d love to include it in our next newsletter. Write us at demsabroadaustria

IWM SCIENCE SPEED TALKS

IWM Pop-Up in Wien Strebersdorf. Join IWM Fellows at the Weingut Schilling for a special evening. Instead of sitting in one chair all evening, you'll have the chance to circulate among the speakers, hear about the latest developments in their field, and challenge them with your questions.

WHEN: Monday, 20 November 2017, 6:30pm - 9:00pm

WHERE: Weingut Schilling, 1210 Wien

Music: Ernst Molden & Walther Soyka 

In German and English!

In cooperation with Stadt Wien

Here are more photos from the Liberal Libations fundraiser, the Solidarity Sundays Medicare-for-All presentation and Call Hub training, and the Senator Warren watch party. If you missed these events last month, make sure to  read the October newsletter and see what's planned for October & November. We look forward to seeing you!

Liberal Libations on October 7th:

DAA members enjoying the libations and our hosts, Keith and Kate.

Long time members, Bill & Gloria ...

... and young members, Kira & Ali...

and Janet had the chance to meet and get to know one another.

Our guest speaker Martha with Lin & Ashley

And some liberal ladies discussing...politics?

Solidarity Sundays on September 24th:

Solidarity Sundays Vienna co-founder Tanya opened the event with a discussion of Medicare-for -All

Which led to discussion and multiple looks from Sol Sun co-founder Antje, Nathan, and Sol Sun co-founder Juan.

With some Improv, Juan led brave volunteers through the ropes of phone banking.

Josh made the first online call and Juan set his phone banking goal...

...and the rest of us as well.

After multiple calls, a Democrats Abroad voter picks up and Josh is ready to make sure that she has registered to vote and requested her ballot for the upcoming election.

Senator Warren Watch Party on September 17th:

Watching Senator Elizabeth Warren...

Democratic politics from a different perspective.