Message from DA Spain Chair

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

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

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

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

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

Kathy Tullos (Chair)

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

Message from DA Spain Chair

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

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

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

Kathy Tullos (Chair, DA Spain) 

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

Message from DA Spain Chair

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kathy Tullos (Chair) 

Message from DA Spain Chair

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kathy Tullos (Chair) 

Message from DA Spain Chair

Every once in a while, the fancy strikes me to mess with the algorithms that the digital world relies on. So I spent a few happy minutes yesterday asking completely random questions to our Google Assistant (the Google equivalent of Amazon’s Alexa). Included in my volley were the following:

• What’s the tallest underwater mountain? (Mauna Kea)
• How old was Elizabeth Taylor when she died? (79)
• How many people live in Indonesia? (Approximately 273,000,000, as of 2020)
• When was the trombone invented? (The 15th century)
• How many moons does Saturn have? (82, but not all of them are named yet)
• What country consumes the most macadamia nuts? (The USA)
• Where was Charles de Gaulle born? (Lille, France)
• How many Perry Mason books were not made into TV shows or movies? (Two)
• Would you like a piece of pizza? (No answer)

Unless you haven’t had lunch yet, none of these questions is likely to be important to you right now. . But here are two others that absolutely are: “Have you requested your ballot to vote in the 2022 midterm elections?” And “Have you encouraged all the Americans abroad you know to vote?

Voting from Spain has never been easier.

• You can get accurate, state-specific information about how to request and return your ballot at votefromabroad.org. That website also answers common questions, such as voting deadlines in each state and what a state means when it asks if you intend to return there.

• For detailed information on Voting from Spain, see this page. 

• Directions on returning your ballot, including how to use the US Embassy or Consulate’s diplomatic pouch service, is also available on this page.
• If you want to use DHL to return your ballot, send an email to [email protected] and we will share the ballot return discount code from that courier service.

So please vote, and tell your fellow citizens to vote. And then reward yourself with some macadamia nuts or pizza. It’s the American thing to do.

Kathy Tullos (Chair) 

P.S.  If you really want to treat yourself, click here to see the video of a recent virtual visit to DA by Politics Girl podcaster Leigh McGowan. The video is engaging, informative, and energizing. For more details, read the details in the report below from our Barcelona chapter! 

Message from DA Spain Chair

A lovely Democrats Abroad member told me that reading last month’s column was like getting a hug. Getting that feedback made me really happy, but I’m giving you fair warning about this one: it’s going to be more of a shove. 

It’s a shove because we’ve been reminded of the work immediately ahead of us. We’ve just had a visit from Ken Martin and Jarryd Rauch of the DNC, and our own Candice Kerastan, Chair of DA Global (keep reading for more about that). Chapters in Madrid, Alicante, and Barcelona organized terrific events for our visitors. Here’s a shoutout to Samuel, Revé, Maggie, Daniel, Tammy, Chris, Annie, and all the other people involved in organizing those events whom I’ve failed to name.

At each of our stops, Ken reminded us that we Democrats have a great story to tell. The Biden administration has brought us the first female Black justice of the Supreme Court, Covid relief, infrastructure investments, measures to check spiraling prescription drug costs, unprecedented funding for measures to combat climate change, and more. And it’s done this without the daily White House drama that roiled the nation for the previous four years. So Ken is right: we have a great narrative.

Now we have to tell that story. Fewer than 80 days remain until the midterm election, and we need to turn out in record numbers to hold our majorities in Congress. And, as Ken also said, we must stop agonizing and start organizing. For us in DA Spain, here’s how:

• VoteFromAbroad.org:  Tell the US citizens you know to go to votefromabroad.org (VFA) to get up-to-date information about registering to vote and requesting and returning ballots. To be even more effective helping others, sign up for a voter assistance training class here. 
• Check out GOTV efforts in your area:  If you’re in or near Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, or Seville, contact your local DA group and see what Get Out The Vote efforts are happening in your area. We’re putting up stickers with QR codes to direct people to VFA. We’re setting up tables to give US citizens information about voting. We’re getting together to phone voters around the world, especially those who are from battleground states. Get involved in what’s going on in your area. Email [email protected] or contact your local chapter.
• Volunteer from home:  If you prefer to work at home, phone bank from your computer. It costs you nothing and is an easy-to-learn process. Email [email protected] for more information.
• Wear DA Paraphernalia:  When you take a walk or run errands, wear a Democrats Abroad or Vote From Abroad t-shirt. You’ll be amazed how many folks will ask you about it! If you don’t have a t-shirt, send us an email or contact your local chapter to see what’s available.
• Return your ballot ASAP!:  Returning your ballot can be a challenge. Click here for details on How to Vote from Spain.
• Donate!  All of these efforts take money. Ten dollars fund multiple phone bank calls. Fifty dollars buy a banner for a DA table at a public event. Two hundred dollars buy enough stickers for an entire chapter this election cycle. Click here to donate to DA Spain. 

So let’s get going, friends! We’ve got a story to tell and voters to turn out. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do.

Kathy Tullos (Chair) 

Message from DA Spain Chair

I’ve been struggling with this column for days, without having any idea of where to start. Do we talk about the terrible recent Supreme Court rulings? The eye-popping revelations of the January 6th investigation? The devastating war grinding on in Ukraine? People being shot for the color of their skin or for the simple act of celebrating our nation's independence? Crippling heat and wildfires across the nation and around the world? As the incomparable Amanda Gorman puts it in her “Hymn for the Hurting”

Everything hurts,
Our hearts shadowed and strange,
Minds made muddied and mute.
We carry tragedy, terrifying and true.

That’s a lot to tackle. What can you do? Register to vote, request your ballot, return your ballot, and tell every American you know to do the same. The midterm elections are critical. If we want to know what happened during the January 6th coup attempt, or to protect marriage equality and access to contraception, or to fight the climate change that threatens the entire planet, WE HAVE TO VOTE. 

We can do this! And again Gorman leads us with her wise words:

Maybe everything hurts,
Our hearts shadowed & strange.
But only when everything hurts
May everything change.

So if you’d like to get more involved, please consider attending a virtual meeting of the Democrats Abroad Spain Executive Committee. For a meeting invite, please send an email to [email protected]. The next meeting is scheduled for August 12 at 19:30 CET. Or find out if there’s a local DA group near you. If there’s not, start one! 

And vote. Please vote. 

Kathy Tullos (Chair)