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© 2013 The Sandwich Democratic Town Committee
Gov. Deval Patrick
Via former State Party Chair John Walsh, the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee has just learned that Governor Deval Patrick plans to visit our Coordinated Campaign Headquarters in Sandwich this coming Sunday, October 19th, at 11:30 am. Please help us to spread the word so that as many people as possible have an opportunity to attend and to hear the Governor as he campaigns for our Democratic candidates on the Cape.
In today’s Cape Cod Times the “My View” column is written by Sandwich Democratic Town Committee member Gary Linehan under the title: “Sandwich Town Clerk Should Resign.” Linehan was motivated to write the piece by the “vitriolic comments targeting Muslims” that Town Clerk Taylor White had posted on social media. And he felt compelled to stand up for the Muslim “business owners, doctors, professionals and laborers” who are citizens of Sandwich. “They have families and face the same joys and challenges that you and I do in raising a family.” The issue, Linehan argues, is non-partisan and has nothing to do with Party politics. Taking off on White’s assertion that “these people need to be taught a lesson” Linehan offers some lessons of his own for Town Clerk White to consider.
It’s an interesting column; give it a read if you have not already done so.
Governor’s Councillor Oliver Cipollini has written an extensive Comment responding to the Yarmouth Democratic Town Committee press release, published by the Free Press recently, announcing its endorsement of his opponent in the forthcoming primary. Please click on the original post and scroll down to the Comments section to read Mr. Cipollini’s response.
Bob Isadore, Chair of the Yarmouth Democratic Town Committee, has issued a press release announcing that the Committee has endorsed Walter Moniz over incumbent Democrat Oliver Cipollini in the race for Governor’s Council (District 1). The endorsement represents a break with long-held YDTC principles concerning not issuing endorsements in contested primaries. The press release reads:
In a break from strict committee guidelines, the Yarmouth Democratic Town Committee at it’s meeting on August 16, 2014 unanimously endorsed Walter Moniz for governors Council District one. This decision was made because of Mr. Moniz’s strong gun control and drug abuse prevention program positions as well as his steadfast support of the State Democratic Party platform. Also a major factor was that the incumbent, Oliver Cipollini, also a registered Democrat has not been in keeping with the State Democratic party platform. He also has consistently indicated he was against a woman’s right to choose, LGBT rights and unions rights to name a few. The committee therefor felt it was our obligation as a Democratic town committee to support the candidate that best supported the convictions of our party and the Democratic platform.
At the same meeting the committee also endorsed the following candidates who do not have a primary race. Senator Dan Wolf, State Representative Brian Mannel, Richard Barry candidate for Cape & Islands DA, and Mark Forest candidate for County Commissioner.
Secretary Galvin’s office has announced that as of today absentee ballots for the September 9 Primary election are available. Ballots may be obtained at local town Clerk offices. With so many contested offices on the docket for the Primary it is important that registered voters who may intend to be out of town, or physically unable to get to the polls, on Primary day pick up an absentee ballot and file it. Absentee ballots that are mailed in must arrive at the local election office before 8 PM on Primary Day. The availability of absentee ballots is particularly important for college students who will soon be headed to school for the Fall semester. Now, they can vote before they leave town for school. Need a reason to vote? Check out our rotating reasons to vote on many of our website pages.
Many party activists are familiar with Kate Donaghue’s Democratic Dispatch, which she distributes to a wide audience via Yahoo groups and subscription. Kate provides a lot of information on a regular basis related to Party events, campaign gatherings, etc. They always contain a tremendous amount of detail and useful information. As a service to Free Press readers we will post a copy of her dispatches as she publishes them. Simply click on the lick below to view (and save if you wish) a copy of the latest Dispatch.
Many party activists are familiar with Kate Donaghue’s Democratic Dispatch, which she distributes to a wide audience via Yahoo groups and subscription. Kate provides a lot of information on a regular basis related to Party events, campaign gatherings, etc. They always contain a tremendous amount of detail and useful information. As a service to Free Press readers we will post a copy of her dispatches as she publishes them. Simply click on the lick below to view (and save if you wish) a copy of the latest Dispatch.
The Democratic Dispatch for July 18 2014
Many party activists are familiar with Kate Donaghue’s Democratic Dispatch, which she distributes to a wide audience via Yahoo groups and subscription. Kate provides a lot of information on a regular basis related to Party events, campaign gatherings, etc. They always contain a tremendous amount of detail and useful information. As a service to Free Press readers we will post a copy of her dispatches as she publishes them. Simply click on the lick below to view (and save if you wish) a copy of the latest Dispatch.
The Democratic Dispatch for July 11 2014
[Editor’s note: Bill Fleming is a member of the SDTC and a 2014 Convention Delegate.]
It is time. It is time for us to consider taking the second step in a leadership transition. We took the first step eight years ago when we joined and built support for a relatively unknown, African-American gubernatorial candidate. Duval Patrick started far behind a number of more well-established and familiar names lined up to become our next governor. That decision by the Party and the electorate turned out to have been really good, both for us and for the Commonwealth. It was a clear choice to look to the future, and to transition to a new kind of political and policy leader.
Now, it is time for us to consider that second step toward the future. Do we continue to march forward with an eye to advancing a new generation of leadership or do we take a step back and return to the days of “anointing” the next in line from an older guard? It is a tough decision because we have an entire field of well-qualified candidates to be our next governor. But I have discovered in the last couple of months that we are blessed with one candidate whose support would reflect that we have our eyes on the future and on leadership for that future.
As with almost all of my fellow convention delegates at the time we were elected, we were intrigued by the field but undecided. Most of us, including me, felt pretty strongly that we wanted to see more than the two front runners – Coakley and Grossman – reach the primary stage. I still believe strongly that such an outcome from the upcomingconvention would be excellent. Let us hear from the candidates who are farther back in the polls. Let’s see how they do with “retail” politics.
Since the February caucus, however, I have had an opportunity to hear one of the candidates – Juliette Kayyem – in three entirely different settings. She is extraordinarily impressive. She reflects in her own life the steadily growing diversity of our society. The breadth and depth of her intellect, personality, and policy range is extraordinary. I have seen Kayyem field all kinds of questions, light and heavy, and without exception she has shown mastery of whatever the subject, expressed clear and well thought out opinions and policy positions, and listened carefully to what others had to say.
As hard as it may be to believe, I have yet to see her equivocate or obfuscate in order to avoid answering a difficult or controversial question. It is refreshing to say the least. Kayyem is not flawless; no one is. I am sure that the opposition, doubters, and cynics can find some policy position, idea, or initiative of hers to “disqualify” her from consideration. But I threw my litmus test out the window a long time ago. Litmus tests are for the right-wingers, not for Democrats.
So, it is time. It is time for the Undecideds to un-undecide. My vote will be for Kayyem because she has shown every indication of being that second step toward the future; of being a solid member of a new (or newer) generation of leaders. I urge my fellow delegates to once again turn their eyes to the future and to support her as well. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain from her being engaged in a well-contested primary. Whether she will end up deserving my/our vote(s) come Primary day remains to be seen. But in my view she definitely deserves a place on that ballot.
Sandwich held its regular annual municipal elections yesterday, May 8th, and all of the candidates supported by the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee won their races. Although it is certainly too early to know for sure but the results and many comments heard at polling places suggest that voters may be thinking it’s time for a change. One particular political faction has dominated town elected and appointed positions for something on the order of the last 12 years.
Yesterday, Patrick Ellis garnered the most votes among three candidates for two Selectmen positions (1556) while Frank Pannorfi who has served on the Board for several years was re-elected with 1230 votes, a little less than 200 votes clear of third-place candidate Peter Beauchemin, a relative newcomer to standing for office. Mr. Pannorfi had mounted a strong campaign including a lot of money spent on signs, a mass postcard appeal for support, and a last minute robo-call operation on election day. Patrick is a long standing member of the SDTC.
Meanwhile, with less than two weeks to go before the municipal elections SDTC member and Café Chew co-owner Bob King decided to mount a write-in campaign to challenge Joe Vaudo in his re-election bid to the Planning committee. The SDTC and other Democrats rallied to support him and to mount the write-in campaign. A combination of those efforts, the incumbent’s recent troubles with the law, and unhappiness over his and other committee members’ attempts to make unpopular changes to zoning regulations in historic areas of the town led to Bob winning that election by a 2:1 margin. Bob is also a long-standing member of the SDTC.
Fellow SDTC members, Jim Dever and David Darling were also successful in their bids for a three-year term on the School Committee and a one-year unexpired term on the Planning board, respectfully. All in all, it was a very good day for local Democrats. Next up — the race for State Representative which is beginning to get fired up and will involve the candidacy of Matt Terry to replace Republican Randy Hunt as the 5th Barnstable State Representative.
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