November 8, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Cool desert nights and progressive, Support-the-Troops/Stop-the-Insanity Democrats.  Milling crowds of locals, visitors, and prospective voters.  Village Fest was knee-deep in conferees from the United States Conference on AIDS 2007 (USCA) as well as attendees at Leather Pride Weekend.  I was approached assertively by two military people who angrily questioned my ‘Support the Troops/End the War’ position.  The male trooper expressed his concerns about stopping terrorism in Iraq and early withdrawal of troops meaning making insignificant the loss of thousands of U.S. military lives in Iraq.  I tried to educate both about the nature of the Occupation of Iraq and its present Civil War.  In addition, I was able to point out that the assault on Iraq was initially about avenging Sadaam Hussein’s alleged assassination plot agains George H.W. Bush and about securing a vast oil supply in the Middle East.  Also, the pointless loss of U.S. soldier’s lives lies at the feet of the warmongers in the Bush Administration (e.g., Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Gates, Pace, etc.).  We need to communicate with our troops and educate them that they are pawns in the service of a vengeful, cruel, incompetent despot.  And I do not mean S. Hussein.

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Zander, President of the Club and Bob Silverman, Treasurer.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor Jackson, and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Progressive Democrats were rejoicing in the resounding victories in Tuesday’s elections across the Coachella Valley.  More specifically, we discussed the win of Steve Pougnet for Mayor of Palm Springs, Rick Hutcheson for Palm Springs City Council, Karl Baker for Desert Hot Springs City Council, Craig Ewing for Desert Water Agency, and No on C.  Democrats were also excited about the prospect of John Williams winning the second Palm Springs City Council seat following the counting of the additional Vote By Mail ballots and a possible recount of the overall votes.

Vic Gainer, of the recently defunct Vic Gainer for Palm Springs City Council campaign slunked past the tabling without a word, probably embarrassed that we had discovered that he registered as a member of the American Independent Party after none of the Democratic Clubs endorsed his candidacy.

More exciting details below the flip…

Paul Clay, declared Candidate for the CA-45 Congressional District, raised awareness about his candidacy.  Amalia Deaztlan, Campaign Director for Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District also spent time with the Democratics discussing the recent election victories and Perez’ prospects in the 80th.

Tracy Turner, Vets for Peace, helped stoke the fires of intelligent discussion and activism.  He discussed their plans to march in the Palm Springs Veteran’s Day Parade, Sunday, November 11, 2007.  More on anti-occupation efforts as information becomes available.

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, Captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter.  I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, signed up volunteers for the John Edwards for President Campaign, and solicited voters to register to vote.  We discussed Edward’s surprisingly strong standing in the Iowa caucus polls and his strength in the recent candidate debates.

Wayne and the boyz staffed the Sen. Hillary Clinton table.  Dave and his wife and Dave Huntzinger spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob Morris of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.

We also registered 8 voters last night, including two changes of party affiliation from the Dark Side.  Moderate and progressive Republicans have long had enough of the incompetence, ineptitude, and callous disregard for the truth of the Bush Administration.  Now they are voting with their feet by moving quickly to the Democratic Party!

Zander and his friends, Tim, Renee, and Caesar, Silverman, Morris, Turner (Vets for Peace), Clay and yours truly attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Then, Zander, Tim, Renee, Caesar, Turner, and yours truly slipped over to Hunter’s Video Bar to trip the progressive light fantastic, celebrating yet another day in turning the Coachella Valley blue!

November 1, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Hot desert nights and progressive, Support-the-Troops/Stop-the-Insanity Democrats.  Milling crowds of locals, visitors, and voters.  I was able to discuss my letter-to-the-editor in today’s Desert Sun with the other progressive Democrats at Village Fest.  The theme of my letter was the incompetence of Bush and Mary Bono R-45 and the expecancy that their promises re helping the victims of the Southern California wild fires are probably empty given nature of the promises made to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Years following Hurricane Katrina, and New Orleans, a great American city, and the Gulf Coast remain devastated.

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Zander, President of the Club, Bob Silverman, Treasurer, Bill Gonzalez, and Randy.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor, and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Hopefully, we will see visits from Greg Pettis, Steve Pougnet Mayor-elect of Palm Springs, John Williams, City Councilman-elect of Palm Springs, and Rick Hutcheson, City Councilman-elect of Palm Springs at the next Village Fest.  Remember, Tuesday is Election Day.  You must vote on Tuesday or have your Vote-by-Mail postmarked by then to make a difference in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley!
More exciting details below the flip…

Craig Ewing, Candidate for the Palm Springs Water Board spent hours meeting and greeting the voters of the Palm Springs area.  Crowds met him with unanticipated enthusiasm.  Paul Clay, declared Candidate for the CA-45 Congressional District, raise awareness about his candidacy.  I discussed with him the unsubstantiated rumor that Mary Bono may wait until the last minute to announce that she will not run for re-election and will anoint Bonnie Garcia as her replacement.  The thought of Bonnie Garcia (“I wouldn’t throw Arnold out of bed”) as a Congresswoman in the District brought peals of derisive laughter from the surrounding voters.

April Hildner, of No on C, discussed the misrepresentation by the Yes on C people, the absence of committment to build a hotel by the developer, and the misinformation in the hands of the voters.

Tracy Turner, Vets for Peace, helped stoke the fires of intelligent discussion and activism.  More on anti-occupation efforts as information becomes available.

Richard Oberhaus, campaign manager for Greg Pettis, Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, helped the Democratic Clubs and local candidates.  Come to Palm Springs Pride 2008 this Sunday and see the local candidates in the Pride Parade!!

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter.  I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, and solicited voters to register to vote.  We discussed how poorly Obama did in the debate this week and how ill-conceived that nature of his attacks on Hillary were.  I am sure that the image of an African-American attacking a White woman is not the image that the Obama campaign wants to linger in the minds of Middle America.

Wayne and the boyz staffed the Sen. Hillary Clinton table.  Burt and Dave Huntzinger spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob Morris of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.  Morris expects an announcement from Gore during his Leno appearance.

We also registered 9 voters last night, including one change of party affiliation from the Dark Side.  Moderate and progressive Republicans have long had enough of the incompetence, ineptitude, and callous disregard for the truth of the Bush Administration.  Now they are voting with their feet by moving quickly to the Democratic Party!

Zander, Silverman, Morris, Oberhaus, Tracy Turner (Vets for Peace), Gonzalez, Randy and a worker from one of the San Diego Democratic Clubs attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Keep turning the Coachella Valley blue!

October 25, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Temperate desert nights and progressive, Support-the-Troops/End-the-War Democrats.  Large crowds of locals, visitors, voters and refugees from the Southern California fire storms surrounded the tables.  Many people from the mountain resorts, coastal cities, and San Diego County attended Village Fest.  One family donated funds for John Edwards’ campaign materials and the young daughter nabbed an Edwards button to wear!  German tourists from Laguna Beach sought refuge in Palm Springs from the smell of the smoke and the haze.  Our hearts and prayers go out to the families deeply affected by the Santa Anas.

Here is the flier that I distributed at Village Fest:

Question:  Who provides support and protection during National crises?

Answer:  The National Guard

Question:  Where is 50% of the California National Guard and its supplies?

Answer:  Iraq

Question:  Who is responsible?

Answer:  George W. Bush, the most incompetent President in U.S. history.

Question:  Who refuses to accept responsibility?

Answer:  George W. Bush (I guess in some respects, Bush is the answer.)

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Z, President and Bob S.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor, and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City and Candidate for CA 80th Assembly District, spent two fun hours at the Democratic Club tables in order to raise awareness about his plans for the campaign and the 80th AD.  His visit came close on the heels of his endorsement of former-Sen. John Edwards for President 2008.  April Hildner, of No on C, discussed the massive funding by the proponents of C for advertising.  We wonder where that money is from.

Hopefully, we will see visits from Pettis, Steve Pougnet Candidate for Mayor of Palm Springs, John Williams, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs, and Rick Hutcheson, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs.

More exciting details below the flip…

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter and Tiffany from the Coachella Valley John Edwards for President One Corps Chapter.  Tiffani and I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, and solicited voters to register to vote.

John Edwards’ pollster, Harrison Hickman, has prepared a polling memo which proves, once again, that John Edwards is the strongest and most electable candidate. You can view this memo by clicking here: http://johnedwards.c….

Back to Village Fest.  Joy L. and others staffed the Sen. Hillary Clinton table.  Ed spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table with David H.’s assistance.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob M., Amber Rose, and Amber Rose’s husband of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.

We also registered 10 voters last night, including one change of party affiliation from the Dark Side.  Later, George, Bob S., Bob M., Richard, and Randy attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Keep turning the Coachella Valley blue!

October 18, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Cool desert nights and progressive Democrats.  What more could a boy (or for that matter, a girl) want as a prelude to a fifteenth anniversary weekend in Pasadena for Heritage Weekend (actually, a non-anniversary weekend as, thanks to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, we cannot have a legal anniversary.)?  Large crowds of locals and visitors and voters surrounded the tables.  One highlight was the posse of Marines from 29 Palms who came by, especially the one who wanted one of my John Edwards’ bumper stickers that read “Support the Troops/End the War.”  (Is it wrong to flirt with War Heroes?  Isn’t that part of supporting the troops?).

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Z, President, Randy, Jim R, and Jim’s partner.  The Democrats of the Desert and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Steve Pougnet, Candidate for Mayor of Palm Springs, spent two fun hours at the Democratic Club tables in order to raise awareness about his plans regarding revitalization of the Palm Springs Downtown corridor, crime and safety, energy conservation, and community involvement.  His visit came close on the heels of the vote by Palm Springs City Council to endorse the Wessman development projects (Pougnet and Ginny Foat were in the minority in opposing this Chino Cone/hillside development).  Pougnet has been endorsed for Mayor of Palm Springs by both the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club and the Palm Springs Demoratic Club, the only local Democratic Clubs to make an endorsement for mayor, as well as The Desert Sun.  Pougnet has been active as City Councilman since 2003 and currently serves as Mayor Pro-Tem.  He is also serves on numerous boads and committees, including President of the Mizell Senior Center, chairman of the Coachella Valley Association of Government’s Energy Conservation subcommittee, board member of the Valley Action Group, and a member of the Palm Springs Unified School District Advisory Committee.  He was also co-chair of the Citizens Task Force for Mountain and Foothill Preservation and Planning.

Hopefully, we will see more visits from Pougnet, Greg Pettis, Candidate for CA 80th Assembly District, John Williams, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs, Rick Hutcheson, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs, and Bob Mahlowitz, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs.

More exciting details below the flip…

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter and Tiffany from the Coachella Valley John Edwards for President One Corps Chapter.  Tiffani and I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, and solicited voters to register to vote.  In just the past week alone, John Edwards received endorsements from dozens of local, state, and federal elected officials in Oklahoma, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Maine.  Senator Edwards has also recently been endorsed by more than 3 million union members from all across the country including more than 1 million SEIU members from the following 11 SEIU State Councils: Iowa, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, West Virginia, Ohio, Oregon, and Massachusetts. 

John Edwards also earned the endorsement last month of the Transport Workers Union of America (200,000 active and retired members), the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (520,000 active members), the United Steelworkers (1.2 million active members and retirees), and the United Mine Workers of America (105,000 active members and retirees).  The Iowa Postal Workers Union also endorsed Senator Edwards this past week as well.

John Edwards’ pollster, Harrison Hickman, has prepared a new polling memo which proves, once again, that John Edwards is the strongest and most electable candidate. You can view this memo by clicking here: http://johnedwards.c….

Back to Village Fest.  Wayne and the boys from the fab Sen. Hillary Clinton campaign had twinking lights and gave away free Hillary balloons to the young and to the young at heart.

Ed spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table with Richard and Kurt’s assistance.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob M. of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.

We also registered 16 voters last night, including two at the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Keep turning the Coachella Valley blue!

I had the opportunity to begin the UODL a tad early as I had to leave Village Fest to begin my un-anniversary celebration (remember, Gov. Schwarzenegger will not allow Marriage Equality in CA or as a result, anniversaries either).  Anyway, I hopped over to Hunter’s Video Bar, and who did I see?  None other than Udo Kier, former Andy Warhol star and actor in such movies as ‘Blade,’ ‘Halloween,’ and Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Grindhouse.’  Yes, after an internal debate and a call to my un-husband, I decided to be the typical stareffer and bought Udo a bottle of water and schmoozed.

You never know what will happen when you are active in your community and working to Take Back California and America.  See you next Thursday night?!?!?!

October 12, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.  (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).  The atmosphere was as crystal clear as the country’s need for a change.  Locals mixed with visitors and the tables were once again crowded with eager and expectant crowd.

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to Bob S, Treasurer, Randy, and Bill G.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor who was the voter registrar extraordinaire!  In addition, representatives of the Palm Springs Democrats were there as well.

John Williams, Candidate for Palm Springs City Council, made an exciting visit to the Democratic Club tables in order to raise awareness about his plan to create jobs and expand existing businesses, to keep Palm Springs safe, to manage growth, and to support our senior citizens.  He has been endorsed for Palm Springs City Council by both the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club and the Palm Springs Demoratic Club.  John has been active in the community and currently serves as President of Small Hotels of Palm Springs, is a member of the Police Advisory Board, is a boardmember of the Mizell Senior Center, is a current member and former chair of the Historic Site Preservation Board for the City of Palm Springs, is secretary for the Warm Sands Neighborhood Organization, is treasurer of the Desert Business Association, and is a boardmember and co-chair of the fundraising committee of the Desert Women for Equality.

George Zander, President of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, made a brief visit in order to schmooze and to raise the spirits of the crowds even further.  As usual, George was bedecked with buttons and stickers showing support for the candidacies of Steve Pougnet for Mayor of the City of Palm Springs, Williams for Palm Springs City Council, and Rick Hutcheson for Palm Springs City Council.

Paul Clay, declared Candidate for the 45th Congressional District also made a surprise visit with his wife.  Clay easily made connections with the politicians and volunteers who were surrounding the tables.

Hopefully, we will see more visits from Greg Pettis, Candidate for CA 80th Assembly District, Pougnet, Hutcheson, and Bob Mahlowitz, Candidate for Palm Springs City Council.