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Lauren Hakulinen rsvped for PUT YOUR $ WHERE YOUR ♥ IS – EMEA Friendly “Don’t Look Up” Screening 2023-03-23 02:15:36 -0400
PUT YOUR $ WHERE YOUR ♥ IS – EMEA Friendly “Don’t Look Up” Screening
Join us as we watch this award-winning satire in which two astronomers aim to inform the world about a comet coming to destroy Earth. This film’s portrayal of the public’s reaction sparks lively discussion about where are heading when it comes to the climate crisis. We look forward to seeing you at this important film and discussion!
When you RSVP you will receive an email with the link to join on Zoom.
WHEN
April 01, 2023 at 8:00pm – 10:30pm Berlin Time
WHERE
Online via Zoom (RSVP for details)
WHENApril 01, 2023 at 2:00pm5 rsvps rsvpWHERE
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Lauren Hakulinen published The Tax and Financial Issues of American Abroad in News 2022-12-07 17:35:48 -0500
The Tax and Financial Issues of American Abroad
A new report has been published by the Democrats Abroad Taxation Task Force (TTF) entitled "The Tax and Financial Issues of American Abroad -- Once Uncomfortable, Now Suffocating".
A tax survey of Americans Abroad was opened for responses by the TTF in April 2022. The survey was designed to collect up-to-date information on how Americans living outside the U.S. experience U.S. taxation and financial access in their countries of residence.
The task force analyzed the responses and presented its findings in the full report which you can download on their website.
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Lauren Hakulinen published Why Fraud is so Wide Spread? A bit of history… in Fraud Corner 2022-12-01 04:28:33 -0500
Why Fraud is so Wide Spread? A bit of history…
March 23, 2017 was the 5th Anniversary that the Senate voted 50-48, along party lines, on Jeff Flake's bill to serve Republicans' corporate masters over American citizens — to repeal rules to protect citizens' private online data from being available to internet providers.
Flake's bill prevented the FCC's privacy rules from go into effect. We should remember this, and that at the end of his tenure, actually seemed like a "good guy", compared to the extremists in his party.
We missed this anniversary in last month’s newsletter, but the next time you get angry at some breach of your privacy via social media, thank Jeff Flake, the Republican Party, and their corporate “constituents”. THIS is Republican governance. Read more…
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Bridging the Distance for Democracy
In our November 18 "Bridging the Distance for Democracy - Working Collaboratively with Seniors Voices" we discussed how the GSC works closely with US Senior Councils, and how to broaden this collaboration with other State Committees and Senior Councils in the future.
Speakers include Steve Regenstreif, Chair, DNC Seniors Council, Jon “Bowzer” Bauman, Vice Chair DNC Seniors Council and lead singer of Sha Na Na, and Laurie Plotnick, President, Democratic Party Senior Caucus and President of the Florida Democratic Seniors Organizing Council.A full list of speakers can be found at: https://bit.ly/3WU7kyS.
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GSC November 2022 Newsletter
EDITION 9 NOVEMBER 2022 
CONTENTS
- WE ARE GROWING
- VOTING NEWS
- MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
- STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
- CHAIR'S CORNER
- EVENTS
- STATE TEAMS ARE WORKING
- IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS
- THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
- FINAL THOUGHTS
- Suggestion Box
We are growing!
We proudly announce that the Global Seniors Caucus is growing by leaps and bounds — we now have over 1,600 members. Thank you for being with us — and giving Seniors a voice!
Connect with us 
GOTV - Final Push
With only one week to go, we can still educate people about how to get their ballots home. Even if you have tapped out donating to your favorite candidates, you can still have a big impact.
Phone bankers are needed to call DEMOCRATS living abroad. You will receive training, and a script to use. This is a wonderful experience. Please get in touch with the GOTV team today. Thank you!!!
Call to Action - Write/Call your Rep!
We implore you to contact your representative to Sign the Discharge Petition which would allow a VOTE on HR.82. We have 22 signatures so far — we need 196 more. Read about it in the Medicare section below. Scripts are available on our website.
Call to Action - Letters to Editors
The National Democratic Seniors Council has prepared a Fact Sheet on how the Republicans threaten both Social Security and Medicare. It contains 5 warnings of what will happen if the Republicans take control of the Congress.
Included in this package are sample letters to the editor on Medicare and prescription drugs, as well as additional letters to the editor on the future of Social Security and Medicare. We urge you to send letters to the editor to your local newspapers as well as distributing the Fact Sheet widely in your social media and other communities.
We hope you will actively participate in this project!
Who has plans for 8 November?
Are you ready to pop the popcorn and wait for the election results to roll in? I will be on pins and needles as we are seeing polling numbers fluctuate in major swing state races. It is far too close for comfort. The big question is — will the Jan 6 Commission have the impact on this election that we are all hoping for?
Ballot Day Rally!
In case you missed DA's star-studded event with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick and other very special guests Nancy Pelosi and Politics Girl Podcaster Leigh McGowan, with Mandela Barnes, Alex Padilla, John Fetterman, and Kirsten Gillibrand, you can listen to it here.
— Lauren Hakulinen, Editor
VOTING NEWS
Saudi oil prices continue to climb driving nervous investors to once again react to pollsters, and the stock market is doing what it usually does heading into an election — behaving erratically due to volatile speculation and trading.
They think they can take over our country! Let’s show them that we are made of something more substantial.
Democrats' leads are narrowing in a few states. Here is the latest polling data for Senate races from 270 to Win, and here is polling data from 538 for the House.
MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY NEWS
We are in a historic position right now with unprecedented support for the repeal of the unfair WEP. We have never seen a WEP bill reach the House floor before.
As reported last month, the House Ways & Means Committee met for a mark-up session on Tuesday, September 20th to discuss bills regarding WEP. Among them were HR.82, the "Social Security Fairness Act" which would fully repeal the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). You can watch that session on YouTube and read the transcript.
Although HR.82 is stuck in Ways & Means, we learned late last month that HR.82 has taken an interesting turn. On Sept. 30, HR.82 author Rodney Davis (IL) filed a Discharge Petition to bring the bill to the House floor.
This is an unusual legislative move which will allow the bill to come to the House floor for a vote without the approval of the Speaker of the House.
The Speaker and House Leadership have expressed no willingness to schedule HR.82 for a vote, which is the reason Representative Davis felt obliged to take this action. The petition must receive 218 signatures of House members in order to succeed.
NEW Call to Action!
Keep Writing — it’s working! We have a new campaign for ridding seniors of the unintended consequences of WEP.
- Write and call your Members of Congress to ask them to allow a House VOTE on HR.82.
- We have 22 signatures so far, and have limited time to get the 218 signatures. The Discharge Petition can only be signed by Representatives in person on the House floor when the House is in session. The next sessions will be November 14 — 18, 28 & 29, and December 1 — 6.
We implore you to contact your representative to Sign the Discharge Petition today. You can get updates on WEP repeal efforts on this Facebook page. We will also continue keep an eye on this, and have more updates in our upcoming newsletters.
Our New Medicare page
Our new Medicare page
We have revised our Medicare page to make it easier for you to find vital information related to your Medicare . Take a look and let us know if you feel anything else is needed.
Medicare Rights Center Helpline
Are you or a loved one receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to? If you or someone you know is struggling, counseling expertise is available. Try the helpline now.
STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
The Social Security COLA Increase Will Ease the Sting of InflationAbout 70 million Americans collecting Social Security will receive an 8.7 percent bump in their benefits next year, the largest raise since 1981, the Social Security Administration said on Thursday. This will provide some measure of relief to retirees struggling with soaring prices on everyday necessities, from groceries to housing.
Prices have remained stubbornly high over the past year, even as federal policymakers have taken aggressive measures to rein them in. Social Security is designed to keep pace with inflation through its cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, which is calculated annually. Starting in January, the increase will lift the typical monthly retiree benefit by $140 to $1,827. That follows a 5.9 percent increase for 2022, a four-decade high at the time. Read more …
The Vast Majority of Americans have had Covid Vaccinations
Nearly half of Oklahoma’s overall population has declined the COVID-19 vaccine. Yet more than 90 percent of seniors in the state have completed at least one round of inoculations, and almost two-thirds have received at least one booster. Both figures fall close to national averages.
The same pattern plays out in other Republican-majority states. Public health data suggests red-state resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine is largely the province of the young. Seniors in the reddest states are inoculated and boosted at nearly the same rate as older Americans overall. The trend holds in Wyoming, West Virginia, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Idaho, all states where large majorities of voters cast ballots for former President Trump in 2020. Read more …
Do Disabilities Impact Older People’s Moves to other Locations
Older adults aged 65 and older move to a different residence far less frequently than younger adults and when they do move, they’re more likely to stay close to their communities.
Most move within their counties, either to downsize or because they need housing (e.g., one-story or assisted living facilities) to accommodate changes in their health and disability status.
A new U.S. Census Bureau report uses data from the Census Bureau’s 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) to show the number and characteristics of older U.S. adults who moved and how far they moved. The ACS collects data on where people currently live and where they lived in the prior year, and on their disability status. Read more …
CHAIR'S CORNER
By Betsy EttorreWe have been hoping that all our work in DA before the midterms will reap benefits for our party. Supporting State Teams, going to campaign events, asking questions of candidates, answering DA emails, helping with phone banking — all these actions by DA Seniors and DA members should help us to be successful in this race. What has caught my eye in all this work has been the sheer realization that this election is so important to democracy in the United States. All the lying, election denying, and just general rude and injurious behavior has had its toll on the American public. Now, democracy in the US needs the Democratic party. Let us keep working on this aim until election day and beyond.
EVENTS
Friday, 28 October: Casual SocialEveryone is very welcome to join the Seniors and Disability Caucus monthly chats via Zoom from 9am to 12 noon Eastern Time (US & Canada). RSVP to get your local time and add to your calendar.
Friday, 18 November — Bridging the Distance for Democracy
Join us as we speak with Seniors council members of various organizations to discuss how we can work more collaboratively to understand and advance issues such as Windfall Elimination Provision, Medicare Part B, Medicare Portability, tax reform and more.
The guest speakers will be from the states and from Democrats Abroad, including Steve Regenstreif, Chair, DNC Seniors Council; Jon “Bowzer” Bauman, Vice Chair DNC Seniors Council, President of Social Security Works PAC, and a member of the band Sha Na Na; Laurie Plotnick, President, Democratic Party Senior Caucus and President of the Florida Democratic Seniors Organizing Council; Betsy Ettorre, Karen Lee and Gina Schwarz from the Global Senior Caucus and Annie Graul, a DA member from Barcelona Spain, who pitched in recently to help with the Wisconsin Democratic Party Senior Council.
RSVP to get your Zoom link, local time, and to add to your calendar.
Meet the Candidate Events
Our State Teams are putting together very interesting events this month right up to 8 November. Check this Events page for one near you!
November 11 at 11am - Remembrance Day
On the 11th Day of the 11th Month at the 11th Hour in 1918, after four years of brutal combat, the guns fell silent. Join our fellow Europeans as they celebrate the end of World War I.
STATE TEAMS — ARE WORKING!
Our State Teams are going from strength to strength as they continue to host the Candidate Events mentioned above with some of the most famous names in Washington DC as well as rising stars. Each event is unique and interesting, and brings are new awareness to the world of what Democrats Abroad can do!
➔ Join the State Team Slack group to get the meeting links, or email us
➔ Join your Voting State group on Facebook
IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS...
Volunteers are the backbone of our organization.The Global Senior Caucus is looking for aa "Tweeter" - someone who loves to post on Twitter. We are also in need of an Events Coordinator and two other Steering Committee members. Visit our website for details on our volunteer opportunities.
The Global Black Caucus is searching to fill more positions. Get in touch here.
The Global Communications Team is also looking for volunteers as they ramp up for the midterms! Do you have a communications background and are interested in helping? If so, please fill out the Global Communications Team Interest Form.
THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
November 1, 1800President John Adams and his family move into the White House at1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, becoming the first president to live there.
November 18, 1872
Susan B. Anthony is arrested for leading a group of women to register and then vote at a Rochester, NY, polling site.
You can read more interesting dates in history here for November.
Final Thoughts
A museum has removed a likeness of Trump because people kept punching it.
Read more
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GSC 2022 August Newsletter
EDITION 6 August 2022 CONTENTS
It’s Vacation Time!
We are taking a break this summer so we can return in September at FULL STEAM. But before we go, we have some good news to share ….
Connect with us
MEDICARE
Our WEP committee teamed up with a group in the U.S. which has been working to get HR.82 - Social Security Fairness Act of 2021 passed. The team called members of Congress, urging them to sign on as co-sponsors on HR.82 — and it worked! HR.82 now has 292 co-sponsors, and on July 15th, a motion to place the bill on the Consensus Calendar was filed. We will continue to update you on next steps.
Announcing our new Medicare FAQs page!
Special thanks go out to Diane Daniel and Toni Kamins for researching and writing our new FAQs page for our Seniors Caucus website, and to the WEP committee for their hard work on this issue. Take a look and let us know if you have any questions.
COFFEE TIME!
Our monthly coffee chats will continue through the summer via Zoom on the following dates: 29 July and 26 Augustfrom 9am - 12pm Eastern Time (US & Canada). RSVP to get your local time and add to your calendar.
VACATION MUSIC!
Here are a few tunes to get you in the summertime vacation mood. Stay cool, and have a great summer!
Joni Mitchell sings Summertime at Woodstock 1998 - with Brian Blade on drums, Greg Liesz on guitar, Larry Klein on bass, and Mark Isham on trumpet.
Hear Maayan Smith, son of Seniors Caucus member
Dan Smith playing sax on his own composition
Flight Dream
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GSC 2022 July Newsletter
EDITION 5 JULY 2022 CONTENTS
- 4th of JULY
- GUNS, GUNS, GUNS, GUNS, GUNS
- OIL, OIL, OIL, OIL…
- VOTING NEWS
- TAXES
- HEALTH
- MEDICARE, SOCIAL SECURITY & AGING
- NEWS AND STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
- EVENTS
- CHAIRS’ CORNER
- FRAUD CORNER
- STATE TEAMS — JOIN NOW
- IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS…
- THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
- Final Thoughts
- Suggestion Box
4th of JULY
As we prepare our BBQs and salads for our 4th of July picnics, our thoughts are with New Yorkers as they head to the subway not knowing if other passengers intend to harm them now that state open carry laws intended to protect our citizens were wiped away.
Our hearts are with the millions of women who will be adversely affected by the “Supreme” Court’s latest partisan fiasco, the demolition of Roe v. Wade. We will take to heart the statement by Democrat’s Abroad to “show up to the polls this November”!
Our thoughts also turn to Founding Father and author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson.
As much as he did to create a better union, controversy follows his legacy. Eric Jackson shares his thoughts about the man and statesman.
Connect with us
Read more
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Taxation Task Force Signup
Click below to receive periodic updates from the Taxation Task Force on our tax advocacy work. We will message you when there are important updates and developments to report.
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Lauren Hakulinen published Thomas Jefferson, the original Democrat, and Fourth of July in At Home and Abroad 2022-06-22 07:16:49 -0400
Thomas Jefferson, the original Democrat, and Fourth of July
Juneteenth is the anniversary of that June 19th, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, when – after an intentional delay to get one more cotton harvest in under slavery — the US Army assembled local black folks and told them that they were no longer slaves. It’s rightfully a liberation day to celebrate, but it also has an aspect of betrayal to it.
History gets like that, with contradictions and "other sides,” and to this day it gives those with no education or sense of history and people with hostile intentions their opportunities to deny and denigrate people and laws that should be held. Perhaps no other day is more symbolic than the Fourth of July. Perhaps there are no greater angles of attack than the sad legacies of conquest and often enough genocide against North America’s original nations and the legacy of African slavery.
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2022 May/June Newsletter
EDITION 4 MAY/JUNE 2022 
CONTENTS
- MOTHERS DAY
- NEWS & INFO
- TAX NEWS
- VOTING NEWS
- HEALTH
- MEDICARE & AGING
- NEWS AND STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
- THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
- UPCOMING EVENTS
- CHAIR’S CORNER
- FRAUD CORNER
- TECH CORNER
- STATE TEAM NEWS
- DA IS GETTING A NEW WEBSITE!
- IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS...
- QUOTES
- SUGGESTION BOX
MOTHERS DAY
is celebrated around the world, but on different days. The volume of flowers sent on Mother’s Day is only eclipsed by Christmas/Hanukkah. This year we can also remember our mothers by donating our time and money to food banks. In June we are also celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Father’s Day. Find the date your country of residence celebrates, and did you know — Father’s Day began in West Virginia. .
NEWS & INFO
The shockwaves of the possibility of losing Roe v Wade outweighed the news of Ukraine this week. In case you missed reading Alito’s draft, you can find it here. We’ve included stories from women, men, nurses, and more in our Health section.
Women Consistently Earn Less Than Men
Women are over-represented in lower paying jobs and, as they age, the pay gap widens even more. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) shows the pay and age dynamic of women and men. Here, we looked at workers ages 35-44.
TAX NEWS
Americans living overseas have an automatic 60 day filing deadline for taxes, until 15 June. However, if you file a tax extension (use form 4868), that date moves to 15 October – a full 6 month extension. Questions? This page is a quick guide that will help you find many answers. Also, the IRS has a dedicated page for International Taxpayers.
VOTING NEWS
Upcoming Democratic Primary Elections
Results are rolling in on many Democratic primary elections, and more are quickly approaching. This is your chance to decide which Democrat will go up against the Republican in the November general election.
May 24: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Texas (runoff)
June 7: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota
June 14: Maine, Nevada,North Dakota, South Carolina
June 21: Virginia, Washingtonians (DC)
June 28: Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah
Request your ballot early AND return it early!
- State not listed? Find your deadlines here: www.votefromabroad.org/states/
- Need a ballot? Get it here: www.votefromabroad.org
- Need help voting? Respond to this email or write to [email protected]
HEALTH
How aging affects focus
Just as you may not run as fast or jump as high as you did as a teenager, your brain’s cognitive power—that is, your ability to learn, remember, and solve problems—slows down with age. You may find it harder to summon once familiar facts or divide your attention among two or more activities or sources of information. These changes affect your ability to focus, so you may find yourself getting more easily distracted than you were when you were younger. Hearing loss that often accompanies aging… Read more …
This month women and men are facing an unprecedented attack on our civil rights. We’ve gathered a few stories about women, men, children and families facing the end of Roe v Wade protections.
I’m an abortion Nurse. These Stories Might Shock You, But They’re All Too Real
I am witness to my patients’ stories. “She was a princess,” she whispers as she wakens from her medicated sleep. A foreign prince is the father and he refuses to marry her. So she chooses her life over the princess’s because, in her culture, having a baby out of wedlock is punishable by death. She is an engineer and was given 24 hours off work. With the new abortion law in her state, nearby clinics rejected her. So, she drives…. Read more …
My 11-Year-Old Patient Was Pregnant. Here's What I Want You To Know About Being ‘Pro-Life'
Our medical assistant came to me, panicked, and handed me a positive test. ... 'Run it again,' I sputtered — to buy some time and gather my wits and hope by some miracle it would produce a different result. Read more …
My Great-Grandpa Killed My Great-Grandma Giving Her An Abortion On Their Kitchen Table
"Come say goodbye to your mother," he told my grandmother as he brought her and her siblings into the kitchen, where their mother lay dying. Read more …
Ruth Barnett, Portland’s foremost abortionist before Roe v. Wade, endured arrests, lived high life
Ruth Barnett was in her mid-70s and dying from cancer when she landed in prison. And none of her powerful friends were willing to speak up on her behalf. “Where are those thousands of people you helped over the years?” her lawyer asked her, in frustration, as her sentencing loomed. “Where are all the people with influence and money and position?” Barnett’s response: “I haven’t been able to find them.” Read more …
MEDICARE & AGING
New senior-focused ads from Democrats hit Scott’s plans for Medicare, Social Security
Democrats are launching an ad campaign targeting seniors to highlight Republican Sen. Rick Scott's push to have Congress to reauthorize legislation every five years. The proposal in the 11-point plan from Scott, a Florida Republican and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is the focus of… Read more …
Joe Biden is Quietly Pursuing the Creeping Privatization of Medicare
Last November 30, a collection of physicians and activists were in Washington, DC, its federal buildings still largely closed for business thanks to the pandemic and fear of another Trumpist uprising. They were there to protest what they warned was an attempt to end Medicare as we know it. Read more …
Discussion Paper on Aging & Disability
This Discussion Paper has been prepared as a contribution to a joint initiative on aging and disability undertaken by the National Council on Ageing and Older People and the National Disability Authority. Read more …
Attitudes about Aging: A Global Perspective
In a Rapidly Graying World, Japanese Are Worried, Americans Aren’t. At a time when the global population of people ages 65 and older is expected to triple to 1.5 billion by mid-century, public opinion on whether the growing number of older people is a problem varies dramatically around the world, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Read more …
NEWS AND STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
Elderly Widower Finds A Fishing Partner After Posting A Tearjerking Classified Ad
Life is not easy when you get old. In fact, many older adults face so much pain and loss as they outlive their loved ones, one by one. Then there are the many health ailments that accompany old age. One widower already faced his share of troubles after losing his wife and fishing partner, but he refused to give in to the gloom and loneliness. Instead, he turned to the internet to find a new fishing partner. Read more …
Woman Follows Little Boy Who Takes Leftovers from Her Restaurant Every Day
One night while at her restaurant until near closing time, a little boy came in to speak with the chef. From the start of the conversation, it was obvious that the boy and chef already knew each other. As soon as the chef saw the boy, he immediately knew what he was in the restaurant for. Read more …
Scientists Discover Children’s Cells Living in Mothers’ Brains
The link between a mother and child is profound, and new research suggests a physical connection even deeper than anyone thought. The profound psychological and physical bonds shared by the mother and her child begin during gestation when the mother is everything for the developing fetus, supplying warmth and sustenance, while her heartbeat provides a soothing constant rhythm. Read more …
THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
23 May 1810: Journalist Margaret Fuller was born in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts. She became the first American woman to serve as a foreign correspondent, reporting for the New York Tribune.
23 May 1846: The first American female attorney Arabella Mansfield was born near Burlington, Iowa. She was instrumental in the founding of the Iowa Suffrage Society in 1870.
28 May 1961: Amnesty International was formed.
3 June 1972: Sally Jan Priesand was ordained a rabbi thus becoming the first woman rabbi in the U.S.
5 June: An economic anomaly - both Adam Smith (1723) and Maynard Keynes (1883) were born on this day.
6 June 1872: Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting in a Presidential election
Many more historical events are listed here for May and here for June.
UPCOMING EVENTSFrom book clubs and cocktail hour trivia nights, to what’s coming up in the primaries in 2022, there is something for everyone at Democrats Abroad.
27 May: Coffee Time!: The Seniors Global Caucus (that’s us!) is inviting you to coffee! We plan to meet each month to discuss whatever is on our minds. Please join us - RSVP here.
29 May: GOTV Voter Assistance training. See local times online and RSVP here.
28 June Heavyweight speakers will be answering our questions about Washington DC online. RVSP for Demystifying the DNC.
CHAIR’S CORNER
In May and June, we celebrate two holidays – Mother’s Day in May and Father Day in June. Sadly, the war in Ukraine is continuing and we cannot celebrate world peace. This is an appropriate segue into the origins of Mother’s Day from Heather Cox Richardson, the well-known American historian. She tells us “As the reality of women’s lives is being erased” (i.e., by the potential elimination of Roe vs Wade) “in favour of an image of women as mothers”, she wanted to point out why Mother’s Day began in 1908.
At that time, Anna Jarvis decided to honor her mother. Richardson tells us “Mothers’ Day” actually “started in the 1870s, when the sheer enormity of the death caused by the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War convinced American women that women must take control of politics from the men who had permitted such carnage. Mothers’ Day was not designed to encourage people to be nice to their mothers. It was part of women’s effort to gain power to change modern society.” She noted, “Men were trampled into blood-soaked mud, piled like cordwood in ditches, or transformed into emaciated corpses after dysentery drained their lives away…. The women who had watched their men march off to war were haunted by its results. They lost fathers, husbands, sons. The men who did come home were scarred in body and mind.”
When First Lady Jill Biden celebrated Mother’s Day with an unannounced visit to western Ukraine, she was continuing this noble pursuit of gaining power though peace. She visited Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska at a school currently being used to house internally displaced Ukrainians. On her Facebook page, Biden posted: “On this Mother’s Day, my heart is with you, First Lady Olena Zelenska, and all of the brave and resilient mothers of Ukraine.”
Father's Day was inaugurated in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day. Again, war was a feature of this day. Father’s Day was founded in Spokane, Washington at the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there. After hearing a sermon about Jarvis's Mother's Day she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them.
So, when we think of these days, let’s remember also that in today’s world we have all sorts of mothers and fathers. These mothers and fathers are not only in heterosexual relationships but also represent lesbian, gay and transgender families. They may also be part of immigrant, minority and oppressed groups. Let’s celebrate this diversity as we also remember our own parents.
Finally, I would like to celebrate with you the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson as an Associate Justice for the Supreme Court. It was a difficult confirmation. I felt horrified and sometimes physically sick by how this dear judge was treated by some Senators in the Judiciary Committee. It felt to me as if their words were shaped by racism and misogyny. Nevertheless, this well-qualified and intelligent woman was confirmed. I am currently reading the biography of Constance Baker Motley, another judge who was an inspiration for Justice Jackson. Both are inspirational women and patriotic Americans.
FRAUD CORNER
Former FBI & CIA Director William Webster warns about Elder Fraud
WHAT? She promised him a good time with a Nigerian princess, and nobody would ever know? Or something? USUALLY scam artists are craftier than that. The smarter ones do some homework and have an idea of the emotional or identity buttons they might push. See more …
Charities and non-profit organizations
As we look forward to outcomes from the myriad of lawsuits against the former President, in this article we look back over the past 4 years to remind us of some of the lawsuits concerning Donald Trump, now settled, against charities and non-profit organizations.
At IOP Disinformation Conference, Obama Warns of “Anger, Resentment, Conflict, Division” Monetized Online
Some countries put up with being used as platforms for international online swindles, so long as they are not aimed at their own citizens. The journalist who covers such stuff in those countries, when looking up the fraud artists online, finds a plethora of bogus promotional stuff, made to look like it's from other sources. Search engines are gamed so that disinformation about the scam is the first several pages of anything that comes up. This criminal modus operandi was common enough before being introduced into politics. Now it has a life in the political discourse of the United States and a number of other countries.
Former President Barack Obama joined Nobel and Pulitzer laureates and other top journalists at a University of Chicago conference last month on Disinformation and the Erosion of Democracy. The discussion needs to continue far and wide, and get deeper. Those of us who were taught how the Nazis adapted the late 19th century Wall Street "big lie" ad campaigns — typically about patent medicines at the time — and applied them to German racist politics in 1930s media should update our knowledge about how this sort of thing is done today. With the former president, Filipina Nobel laureate journalist Maria Ressa and Pulitzer prize winner Anne Applebaum we get the lay of the cyber-landscape on which we must fight this year's campaign.
Thanks to Eric Jackson for these contributions.
TECH CORNER
Have a library card? You can read, listen and stream movies online at Hoopla.
STATE TEAMS NEWS
State Teams were launched in September 2021. This initiative is designed to enhance DA’s voter assistance, voter mobilization and advocacy by
➔ Building partnerships with State and County Democratic Parties as well as grassroots advocacy groups
➔ Providing connection and a sense of purpose in staying engaged with domestic politics (“skin in the game”)
➔ Engaging and educating new members
➔ Enhancing internal communication with newsletters and voter/election alerts
➔ Join the State Team Slack group to get the meeting links, or email us
➔ Join your Voting State group on Facebook
DA IS GETTING A NEW WEBSITE!
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IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS...
We are still looking for volunteers for the Global Senior Caucus Steering Committee. What does a member of the Steering Committee involve?
- Good communication skills in meetings and enjoying the company of others.
- Steering Committee Meetings are via WebEx once a month (the 1st Wednesday of the month) for 60-90 minutes at 8 am Eastern Time.
- Taking on a specific role on the Steering Committee and helping the Caucus to organize around your role.
Please click here to find out more and to contact us.
The Global Communications Team is also looking for volunteers as they ramp up for the midterms! Do you have a communications background and are interested in helping? If so, please fill out the Global Communications Team Interest Form. Thanks!
QUOTES
If it was about babies, we’d have free lactation consultants, free diapers, free formula.
If it was about babies, we’d have free and excellent childcare from newborns on, paid maternity AND paternity leave.
If it was about babies, we’d have universal preschool and pre-k and guaranteed after school placements.
If it was about babies, IVF and adoption wouldn’t just be for folks with thousands and thousands of dollars to spend on expanding their families.
— Leila Cohan on Twitter
If the environment were a bank, it would have been saved by now. — Bernie Sanders
Catherine O’Hara on Aging in Hollywood: “We Should Embrace and Respect Age”
"I don’t want to get surgery and I don’t want to get needles, other than acupuncture needles," the 'Schitt's Creek' star said about whether she'd have any work done.
Merritt Heaton, Illinois Oldest Farmer Steals the Show on Johnny Carson
**click on the picture to open the video
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Chair's Corner
In May and June, we celebrate two holidays – Mother’s Day in May and Father Day in June. Sadly, the war in Ukraine is continuing and we cannot celebrate world peace. This is an appropriate segue into the origins of Mother’s Day from Heather Cox Richardson, the well-known American historian. She tells us “As the reality of women’s lives is being erased” (i.e., by the potential elimination of Roe vs Wade) “in favour of an image of women as mothers”, she wanted to point out why Mother’s Day began in 1908.
At that time, Anna Jarvis decided to honor her mother. Richardson tells us “Mothers’ Day” actually “started in the 1870s, when the sheer enormity of the death caused by the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War convinced American women that women must take control of politics from the men who had permitted such carnage. Mothers’ Day was not designed to encourage people to be nice to their mothers. It was part of women’s effort to gain power to change modern society.” She noted, “Men were trampled into blood-soaked mud, piled like cordwood in ditches, or transformed into emaciated corpses after dysentery drained their lives away…. The women who had watched their men march off to war were haunted by its results. They lost fathers, husbands, sons. The men who did come home were scarred in body and mind.”
When First Lady Jill Biden celebrated Mother’s Day with an unannounced visit to western Ukraine, she was continuing this noble pursuit of gaining power though peace. She visited Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska at a school currently being used to house internally displaced Ukrainians. On her Facebook page, Biden posted: “On this Mother’s Day, my heart is with you, First Lady Olena Zelenska, and all of the brave and resilient mothers of Ukraine.”
Father's Day was inaugurated in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day. Again, war was a feature of this day. Father’s Day was founded in Spokane, Washington at the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there. After hearing a sermon about Jarvis's Mother's Day she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them.
So, when we think of these days, let’s remember also that in today’s world we have all sorts of mothers and fathers. These mothers and fathers are not only in heterosexual relationships but also represent lesbian, gay and transgender families. They may also be part of immigrant, minority and oppressed groups. Let’s celebrate this diversity as we also remember our own parents.
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@LaurenHakulinen tweeted link to At IOP Disinformation Conference, Obama Warns of “Anger, Resentment, Conflict, Division” . 2022-05-23 09:37:14 -0400At IOP Disinformation Conference, Obama Warns of “Anger, Resentment, Conflict, Division” https://www.democratsabroad.org/laurenh/at_iop_disinformation_conference_obama_warns_of_anger_resentment_conflict_division?recruiter_id=105942
At IOP Disinformation Conference, Obama Warns of “Anger, Resentment, Conflict, Division”
Some countries put up with being used as platforms for international online swindles, so long as they are not aimed at their own citizens. The journalist who covers such stuff in those countries, when looking up the fraud artists online, finds a plethora of bogus promotional stuff, made to look like it's from other sources. Search engines are gamed so that disinformation about the scam is the first several pages of anything that comes up. This criminal modus operandi was common enough before being introduced into politics. Now it has a life in the political discourse of the United States and a number of other countries.
Former President Barack Obama joined Nobel and Pulitzer laureates and other top journalists at a University of Chicago conference last month on Disinformation and the Erosion of Democracy. The discussion needs to continue far and wide, and get deeper. Those of us who were taught how the Nazis adapted the late 19th century Wall Street "big lie" ad campaigns — typically about patent medicines at the time — and applied them to German racist politics in 1930s media should update our knowledge about how this sort of thing is done today. With the former president, Filipina Nobel laureate journalist Maria Ressa and Pulitzer prize winner Anne Applebaum we get the lay of the cyber-landscape on which we must fight this year's campaign.Thanks to Eric Jackson for these contributions.
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Lauren Hakulinen published Charities and non-profit organizations in Fraud Corner 2022-05-23 09:35:12 -0400
Charities and non-profit organizations
As we look forward to outcomes from the myriad of lawsuits against the former President, in this article we look back over the past 4 years to remind us of some of the lawsuits concerning Donald Trump, now settled, against charities and non-profit organizations.
