Democratic Party
Sierra County
Democratic Party
P. O. Box 422
Sierra City, CA 96125
530.862.1379
sierrademocrats@att.net
Chair
Cindy Ellsmore
Vice Chair
Lynn McKechnie
Secretary
Linda Frost
Treasurer
Don McKechnie
Welcome to the Sierra County Democratic Party!
"Don't compare us to the Almighty, compare us to the alternative."
Vice President Joe Biden
∞
RURAL DEMOCRATS VOTE!
Barak Obama, President
Diane Feinstein, Senate
Jim Reed, House of Representatives
Julie Griffith-Flatter, State Senate
Robert Meacher, State Assembly
YES on Proposition 28, Fix Legislative Term Limits
YES on Proposition 29, California Cancer Research Act
For more information about the candidates and issues, please click on the names to go to websites.
WHY I VOTE!
By Trish Taylor, Plumas County Democrat and Quincy Occupier
People say to me, “Trish, I won’t vote. I won’t get involved in politics. I can’t stand politicians.”
I can’t blame them for feeling that way. I used to teach U.S. Government to high school students. The class was not called U.S. Politics. It was called “Gov,” and we studied U.S. democracy.
But, it’s politics that fills our news and conversations. And politics is mean and dirty, full of big egos and deceptive language. It can be truly ugly to watch. Why would anyone participate? Why vote?
So, I must caution you. Voting is not a political action. Voting is a democratic action.
Democracy is government by the people, directly or through representatives, with equality of rights, opportunity and treatment of people. That is what my Webster’s Dictionary says.
Politics, on the other hand, is defined with these words: methods, tactics, factional scheming, seeking gain.
Read the rest ...
The Republicans have been trying to tell us they are the party of family values. I am not so sure. Maybe so, if they believe hungry children, mothers without prenatal care; women without adequate cancer screenings; elderly without homes, healtcare or food are family values. That is exactly what the Ryan Budget endorsed by Mitt Romney will give us. By the way, 31 Republican senators voted to oppose the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act. That's family values for ya!
These are the same folks who want to close rural post offices so they can continue to reduce raxes on the very wealthy. But here is the good news. Paul Ryan's budget will increase defense spending because the fact that we already spend more than the rest of the world combined is not enough. It must be auful to be fearful all the time!
Don McKechnie, Sierraville
Supervisor and Judge Candidates Forum
Thursday, May 3 at 7 p.m.
Yuba Theatre, Downieville
Who will best guide our county in the future?
Bring your questions, meet the candidates
and form your opinion.
Sponsored by the Sierra County Democratic Party to promote civic education and participation.
Co-sponsored by the Sierra County Arts Council, a state and local partner of the California Arts Council.
Fifteen Differences Between Democrats And Republicans
January 8, 2012
By Jeff
I’ve noticed over the years, there are some fundamental differences in the way Republican and Democratic politicians think. Here are just 15 examples.
Republicans fear that the government has too much control over corporations. Democrats fear that corporations have too much control over our government.
Democrats believe it benefits all of us to help the weakest and the poorest among us. Republicans believe it benefits all of us to help the wealthiest and most powerful among us.
Republicans believe large corporations will always do what is best for the American people if the government stays out of the way. Democrats believe large corporations would disembowel you and sell your organs to the highest bidder if the government didn’t stop them.
Democrats believe everyone is entitled to health care regardless of their ability to pay. Republicans believe everyone is entitled to jack squat if they can’t pay for health care.
Democrats believe too much of our money goes to crooked corporate executives who take government subsidies and pay themselves $80 million salaries. Republicans believe too much of our money goes to teachers who make $30,000 a year.
Democrats believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of patriotism. Republicans believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of communism.
Democrats believe that we need to set high standards for clean air and drinking water. Republicans believe that standards for clean air and water are burdensome over-regulation.
Democrats believe the President and Congress need to work together to create jobs during a weak economy. Republicans believe that Congress should do nothing to create jobs and then blame the President.
Democrats believe that corporate polluters should be made to pay for the cleanup of their pollution. Republicans believe that making corporations clean up their pollution is burdensome over-regulation.
Democrats believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making people healthy. Republicans believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making a healthy profit.
Democrats believe Congress should be of the people, by the people and for the people. Republicans believe corporations are the people.
Democrats believe that corporations have too much influence over Congress due to their lobbyists and huge campaign contributions. Republicans believe the middle class has too much influence over Congress due to their voting and paying taxes.
Democrats believe we need to protect victims of corporate negligence by allowing Americans to file lawsuits against corporations. Republicans believe we need to protect large corporations from lawsuits by Americans who’ve been victimized by them.
Democrats believe that the rich should be taxed more than the poor and middle class. Republicans believe that the rich should be allowed to keep all their wealth, except for the millions in campaign contributions they give to politicians.
Democrats believe that too much money in politics produces corruption and destroys the American way of life. Republicans believe that money and corruption in politics are the American way of life.
These are just my observations from a lifetime of watching Democratic and Republican politicians. I’m sure some Republican will come up with their own clever list. ≡ Jeff at Addictinginfo.org
Robert Reich , the chairman of the board of Common Cause and former Secretary of Labor, is fond of saying that the Citizens United decision created a perfect storm of money, politics and secrecy that threatens our very democracy.
He's right about the problem -- and in a new video, he makes the case for how "we, the people" should respond: by demanding a constitutional amendment.
Watch now and take action at Amend2012.org!
Sign the Petition
102 Things NOT To Do If You Hate Taxes
– May 18, 2011So, you’re a Republican that hates taxes? Well, since you do not like taxes or government, please kindly do the following.
1. Do not use Medicare.
2. Do not use Social Security
3. Do not become a member of the US military, who are paid with tax dollars.
4. Do not ask the National Guard to help you after a disaster.
5. Do not call 911 when you get hurt.
6. Do not call the police to stop intruders in your home.
7. Do not summon the fire department to save your burning home.
8. Do not drive on any paved road, highway, and interstate or drive on any bridge.
9. Do not use public restrooms.
10. Do not send your kids to public schools.
For 11 through 102, please click HERE on the public internet, developed by the military using your tax dollars.
The fact is, we pay for the lifestyle we expect. Without taxes, our lifestyles would be totally different and much harder. America would be a third world country. The less we pay, the less we get in return. Americans pay less taxes today since 1958 and is ranked 32nd out of 34 of the top tax paying countries. Chile and Mexico are 33rd and 34th. The Republicans are lying when they say that we pay the highest taxes in the world and are only attacking taxes to reward corporations and the wealthy and to weaken our infrastructure and way of life. So next time you object to paying taxes or fight to abolish taxes for corporations and the wealthy, keep this quote in mind…
“I like to pay taxes. With them, I buy civilization.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Rachel Maddow and Mehgan McCain Discuss Gun Laws
"It was never intended as a retirement program. It was set up in ‘37 and ‘38 to take care of people who were in distress -- ditch diggers, wage earners -- it was to give them 43 percent of the replacement rate of their wages. The [life expectancy] was 63. That’s why they set retirement age at 65” for Social Security, Alan Simpson
Uhm no. This life expectancy misinformation is so widespread, I don't know if we'll ever be able to set it stright. But I might have expected that one of President Obama's Deficit commission appointees -- the co-chairman no less -- would not be among those who believe it. (Normally I would suggest that he was just a liar, but from this account it's pretty clear to me that he really doesn't understand it.)
This is a very important point and one that everyone needs to understand if they hope to beat back the social security assault:
HuffPost suggested to Simpson during a telephone interview that his claim about life expectancy was misleading because his data include people who died in childhood of diseases that are now largely preventable. Incorporating such early deaths skews the average life expectancy number downward, making it appear as if people live dramatically longer today than they did half a century ago. According to the Social Security Administration's actuaries, women who lived to 65 in 1940 had a life expectancy of 79.7 years and men were expected to live 77.7 years.
"If that is the case -- and I don’t think it is -- then that means they put in peanuts," said Simpson.
Simpson speculated that the data presented to him by HuffPost had been furnished by "the Catfood Commission people" -- a reference to progressive critics of the deficit commission who gave president's panel that label.
Told that the data came directly from the Social Security Administration, Simpson continued to insist it was inaccurate, while misstating the nature of a statistical average: "If you’re telling me that a guy who got to be 65 in 1940 -- that all of them lived to be 77 -- that is just not correct. Just because a guy gets to be 65, he’s gonna live to be 77? Hell, that’s my genre. That’s not true," said Simpson, who will turn 80 in September.
This is the frustration with this argument. People just can't seem to wrap their minds around this.
Read the rest ...
Top 5 Social Security Myths
Myth: Social Security is going broke.
Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.3 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever.1 After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits--and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers retirement decades ago.2 Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.
Myth: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.
Reality: This is a red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than did 70 years ago.3 What's more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly--since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half.4 But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit cut.
Myth: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.
Reality: Social Security doesn't need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here's a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share. If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come.5 Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income.6 But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.
Myth: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs
Reality: Not even close to true. The Social Security Trust Fund isn't full of IOUs, it's full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.7 The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market--which would have been disastrous--but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.
Myth: Social Security adds to the deficit
Reality: It's not just wrong -- it's impossible! By law, Social Security funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can't add one penny to the deficit.1
See sources here:
Top 5 Social Security Myths
 California Democratic Council FPPC# 743865/FEC# C00229997 Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. |