News

Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto is a chartered club of the Riverside County Democratic

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Kathy Bloom-Rudibaugh, President_______Hal Spangenberg, editor_________No 11__________________November 2008

Join us 5:30 p.m. for dinner Tuesday night, November 11 for our membership meeting at:

Meet at 5:30 for FREE Pizza, salad and beverages. The meeting begins at 6:15 Our program this month will be: Honoring all of the volunteers that made our headquarters a reality this year. Join us as we thank all of them for their hard work and dedication to the Democratic Party and the election of Barak Obama as our President.

Well, the big day is just around the corner. I have actually been having election dreams. These are not usually 'good' dreams , they usually make me uncomfortable enough to wake up. My mind is full of campaign rhetoric. This is augmented and magnified by the various pundits and talking heads. I wake up with things like "the Bradley Effect" and the "Reverse Bradley Effect" rolling around in my head. Every time I feel like I have solid ground for confidence it is shaken by some new accusation by the Republican campaign or some new poll, or some new theory.

I guess my worse fear is that the Obama supporters, nationwide will feel over confident, based upon the significant disparity in the polls, and not turn out to vote. I am particularly worried about the young voters, who by and large have not shown up in droves, as expected, for early voting. Will they think it isn't necessary? that one vote doesn't really matter?

There is a new t.v. commercial with several movie stars reminding people to vote saying that the 2000 election turned on 537 Floridian votes. I was able to do early voting at the mall in Hemet. That pleased me and actually relieved my mind for about 5 minutes. I figured that now that I had voted that the problem was resolved, I had done all that I could and that was just that. Like I said, that feeling of relief lasted about 5 minutes. It did not help with the insomnia that night. So maybe there is still more that I can do.

Last Saturday about 15 Democrat supporters walked precincts in Hemet. I guess I could walk precincts on Saturday, or maybe carry a sign against prop 8 on Sat. at 1:00pm on the corner of Sanderson and Florida. or make another phone call to the resistant relatives in Ohio. Hmmm! In any event I will be glad to have things back to normal, I am just hoping that it is a different normal than we've had the last eight years. Kathy______________________________________________

Meet our Members

Marvin Gephart has lived in Hemet for 2 ½ years and has been a member of Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto for 2 years Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Marvin was raised in Iowa where he lived for 40 years. A retired long haul truck driver he moved to Long Beach about 40 years ago. A Widower, Marvin is the father of 5 children and 11 grandchildren..

What sets Marvin apart from the rest of us is his military record. Marvin was a member of the 133rd infantry regiment, which had more combat days than any other unit during WW2. His combat duty started on Anzio Beachhead in Italy. Also had fighting on the Gothic line, where he was wounded. Marvin received Infantry combat awards, and a field commission to 2^nd lieutenant. He received the Purple Heart, One Silver Star and Two Bronze Stars.

Below is a partial description of the requirements for receiving a Silver Star medal or Bronze Star medal:

The Silver Star is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, is cited for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force…The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for award of the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction….

The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person, who while serving in any capacity in or with the military of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States…

We are proud to have a real World War 2 hero as one of our members.______________________

Nominating Committee

The nominating committee Chair, Scott Rudibaugh, made the following recommendations at the October meeting:

We will be voting on the slate of officers, and any nominations made from the floor, at the November meeting. Don’t forget to attend and vote for our slate of officers_______________

The Great Southern California Shake out

At 10 a.m. on November 13, join millions of Southern Californians in the Shakeout Drill, the largest earthquake preparedness activity in U.S. history.

The Great Southern California ShakeOut includes the ShakeOut Drill and other events organized to inspire Southern Californians to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.

Voter Registration

Democrats are making history this year. San Bernardino County has turned BLUE with more Democrats registered than Republicans.

I have been working on the voter registration project for about 4 years, and have never seen numbers like what we have seen in 2008..The total number of Democrats our clubs in the county have registered is over 3400. Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto, with the enormous help of the Scott Acton and Hemet Valley Obama support group, have registered more than750 DEMOCRATS since July 15^th. Obama support group members have worked with our club members at the college and the Hemet mall, as well as various street festivals in the Hemet area. This Group has worked at the college, at the Soboba casino, the Hemet mall, and in front of Stater Brothers stores. I’m sure I have missed a couple of locations, but Democrats were out this year to register Democrats. And both groups have registered a large number at the headquarters.. What a year for Democrats. Everyone is working together for a common cause. That cause is to replace Republicans with Democrats in every office that is up for election.

Sadly, few Democrats run for office in either Hemet or San Jacinto. The desire is there, but mostly the money isn’t. Maybe our club can start a political action fund next year, and help someone that wants to run, but doesn’t have the financial support to defeat the usual Republicans.

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Recognition

There are too many volunteers to try to mention in this newsletter, but those who made it come together at the headquarters, and voter registration are:

Carol Cripps, Ken Hampton , Marty Flores (Our office manager), Jim Gray, and Pete Josylin, Voter registration. And of course Scott Acton, the leader of the Hemet Valley Obama support group. By the way, headquarters will remain open all day on Election day, Tuesday, November 4^th. If you want to volunteer, or just say thanks to the volunteers, stop by. We are in need of poll watchers, and if you are interested contact either Marty or Ken at the headquarters 929-5008 or 652-3020 Ken will conduct Poll watcher training at 1 PM on election day.___________________________________

If you are on disability and Medi-Cal is paying your part of the part B premium, the following will apply to what you will receive. This letter was received Oct 30. No warning, no notice, just “here it is” I’m sure it is difficult for some to adjust to a 96 dollar cut in earnings.

“Due to a change in the California Budget, the California Department of Health Care Services will stop paying your Medicare Part B premiums starting in November if your Medi-Cal share of cost is $501 or more. The federal Social Security Administration will deduct your Medicare Part B
premiums from your Social Security check beginning with the check you receive in November if you have a share of cost of $501 or more. The monthly Medicare Part B premium is $96.40”____

Saturday November 08, 2008

1:00 pm

Yucaipa-Calimesa Democratic Club

The meeting will be held at Bob's Big Boy Restaurant, 540 Sandalwood Drive, Calimesa. Mark Shepherd, Staff Member, Office of Congressman Joe Baca, will present an analysis of the November 4 elections results for local, state and national offices. Lunch may be ordered. For more information, contact Ray Quinto, (909) 224-3451. Location is accessible to persons with disabilities.

We meet the second Tuesday of each month, generally a dinner meeting at a local restaurant. Watch local papers or visit our web site.

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Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto and mail to P.O. Box 7704 Hemet, CA 92545. or better yet, bring this form, your check and a friend to our next meeting.

I/we understand that membership requires being a registered Democrat, or becoming a citizen with intent to register as a Democrat, or if under 18, intending to register as a Democrat _______________________________________________

The Official Newsletter of

Kathy Bloom-Rudibaugh, President___Hal Spangenberg, editor_No 11______________November 2008

Meet our Members

Nominating Committee

The Great Southern California Shake out

Voter Registration

Recognition