Post Holiday Party, Sunday, January 13
The Yardley/Lower Makefield Democrats are hosting a Post Holiday Party at 2:00PM on Sunday, January 13 at the Lower Makefield Township Building, 1100 Edgewood Road. All our supporters in Assembly District 31 are invited to participate in:
• Celebrating the Inauguration of President Obama for a second term in office,
• Celebrating the victories of D31 State Rep Santarsiero and the rest of the successful Democrats on the ballot last November,
• Recognizing people whose hard work and support made these victories possible,
• Learning about new strategies for sustaining the momentum from these victories into the local elections in 2013 and beyond,
• Learning about candidates and offices up for election in 2013 and
• Electing officers for the Lower Makefield Democratic Party for 2013
While we all recognize the importance of electing responsible National Leaders, very often little attention is paid to the vital importance of our local leaders. State and local policies have a much more direct and immediate impact on our lives – from Town Supervisors and Council members, Tax Collectors and Auditors, to School Board Directors. It is at the local level that the leaders of tomorrow get the experience and knowledge required for higher office. Therefore, it is vitally important that we identify civic-minded individuals who can provide this crucial public service. It is also vitally important that we as voters and concerned citizens stay involved, giving our candidates our support with the same level of earnestness and enthusiasm which we have given to campaigns at the Federal and State level.
The Lower Makefield Democratic Party is committed to sustaining the momentum from the 2012 campaign and reaching out to all the volunteers and supporters who were so important to the local efforts in the Obama, Santarsiero and Boockvar campaigns. Your energy and enthusiasm are still needed! We hope to convince you that for our Party to be successful in the future, we need to organize and build on what we have achieved in 2012.
Finally, if you are interested in taking an active role in local governance, this will be a great opportunity. Our Bucks County Democratic Chair, John Cordisco, will be joining us and he will talk about the exciting opportunities available. John will meet with all who are interested in finding out about what is involved in running for office and how the County Democratic Party will support our local races in 2013.
Please join us on the 13th!
Joe Sundeen
Chair – Lower Makefield Democratic Party
215-493-2647
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Date: Sunday, January 13
Location: Lower Makefield Township Building
1100 Edgewood Rd., Yardley 19067
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Book Discussion Group, Thursday, January 10
The next meeting of the Democratic Book Discussion group will be on Thursday, January 10 at the home of Paul Roden. We will be discussing It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism by Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein. As usual, having read the current book is a plus, but is not required for participating in what is always a lively discussion.
Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Date: Thursday, January 10
Location: Home of Paul Roden
307 Daleview Dr., Yardley
RSVP: Paul Roden at paul.roden@comcast.net
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Reception with Former Gov. Ed Rendell
Sunday, October 28
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Home of Sue and Todd Herman, 1977 Boxwood Dr, Newtown, PA
Please join us and the Honorable Ed Rendell for a reception in support of Steve Santarsiero. Suggested Donation is $45 per person. Sponsorships Available.
Pay at the door or donate online.
Please RSVP to info@stevesantarsiero or call 215-321-3315
Click here for more details.
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Support Steve Santarsiero
Thursday, October 11
Crossing Vineyards and Winery
Please join us for a night of food, fun, and friends in support of PA State Representative Steve Santarsiero. Get together with fellow democrats as you enjoy dinner, wine, and music. Suggested donation – $55. Time: 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Date: Thursday, October 11
Location: Crossing Vineyards and Winery
1853 Wrightstown Rd.
Washington Crossing, PA 18977
RSVP: Alex Nye at 215-321-3315 or info@stevesantarsiero.com
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Book Discussion Group – Thursday, October 4
The next book discussion will be at the home of Carol and Joe Sundeen on Thursday, September, at 7:00 p.m. Join us as we discuss The Little Blue Book by George Lakoff and Elizabeth Wehling. Dissecting the ways that extreme conservative positions have permeated political discourse, Lakoff and Wehling show how to fight back on moral grounds and in concrete terms. Revelatory, passionate, and deeply practical, The Little Blue Book will forever alter the way Democrats and progressives think and talk about politics. All are welcome, whether or not you have read the book.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Date: Thursday, October 4
Place: Joe and Carol Sundeen
1108 Pratt Drive
RSVP: Jeesbay@aol.com
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Sunday, September 30
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
A Sunday Brunch
To Support the Re-election of State Representative Steve Santarsiero!
Jerry & Connie Gruen
10 Twin Circle Ct Yardley, PA 19067
$25 per person
RSVP: Connie Gruen (215) 736-0477 or cmgruen@verizon.net
Please make checks payable to:
Steve Santarsiero for State Representative
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Harvest Day – Saturday, September 22nd
The Lower Makefield/Yardley Democrats will have a tent and table at Harvest Days in Yardley . We will be distributing Democratic Club information, campaign lit and signs for Steve Santarsiero and Kathy Boockvaar, voter registration forms, Absentee Ballots and lots of balloons and candy. We need volunteers to help at the tent throughout the day. This is a great opportunity to chat with fellow dems and get our message out to the public. Make sure you stop by the tent even if you are not volunteering!
If you can help out on Harvest Day, contact Karen Vander Laan at kfvl@comcast.net
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Date: Saturday, September 22nd
Place: Canal Street, Yardley
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General Meeting, Healthcare Speaker- Sunday, September 23rd
The stakes are very high in the upcoming the November election. We need to focus our commitment and energy into reelecting Steve Santarsiero for PA State Representative and Barack Obama for President, and to defeat Mike Fitzpatrick by electing Kathy Boockvaar to US Congress. Find out how you can make a difference – canvassing, writing letters, Get out the Vote (GOTV) and phone banking. We will also begin signing up volunteers for election day.
We will have a special guest at this meeting. George Faulkner, a retired HR Benefits Rep, will discuss topics including the Affordable Care Act, the Medicare Reforms of the Ryan Budget and Medicare. George has organized a series of forums on the economy, healthcare and other Presidential Election Campaign issues. He has also worked with the Obama Focus Groups on Healthcare on saving Medicare and Social Security and with the Coalition for Peace Action on the Ryan Budget.
Time: 2:00 pm
Date: Sunday, September 23rd
Location: Lower Makefield Township Bldg
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Presidential Pasta & Politics
Friday, September 7
3 reasons to join us: An evening of fun, food, and good old democratic excitement!
The Lower Makefield/Yardley Democratic Club is having a Pasta & Politics dinner to kick off the November elections.
This is a presidential election year and it’s more important than ever to get involved, kick up the energy level a few notches and fight to defeat the Republicans.
While you are enjoying the many delicious pasta dishes, salads and desserts, you can meet and mingle with fellow Democrats, politicians, and candidates.
Special Invited Guests:
Steve Santarsiero - PA State Representative
Diane Marseglia - County Commissioner
Kathy Boockvar - U.S. Congressional Candidate
Joe Hunter - Yardley Borough Council President
Family and friends are welcome! $10 per person, $20 per family
BYOB
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Date: Friday, September 7th
Place: Masonic Lodge
Heacock and Edgewood Roads, Yardley
RSVP: August 30
Contact Karen Vander Laan at 215-295-3669 or kfvl@comcast.net
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Please join Joe Hunter in welcoming Kathy Boockvar
Friday, August 31st, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Please join Joe Hunter in welcoming Kathy Boockvar, the Democratic Nominee for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 8th District, for Kathy’s ongoing Tour of Towns.
62 Letchworth Ave., Yardley, PA 19067
Kathy Boockvar is an accomplished attorney and small business owner who has been identified as a top national candidate on the Democratic Red to Blue list. Considered one of the best chances for a Democratic pickup nationwide, the Washington Post called Kathy’s opponent one of the “most vulnerable Congressmen in America.”
Kathy is continuing her Tour of Towns, visiting municipalities across the district and holding open discussions with Bucks and Montgomery residents about the most important issues facing our state and country today. All are welcome to attend, participate in the dialogue, and ask questions.
Kindly RSVP to Joe at jehunter098@yahoo.com
Or by calling (215) 839-9383
Contributions are welcome but not required. Please make checks payable to “Boockvar for Congress.”
Contributions are not tax deductible, for federal income tax purposes. Federal law requires us to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle. Contributions by corporations and foreign nationals are prohibited.
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Grange Fair
Saturday, August 18th
The Bucks County Democratic Committee will have a booth at the Wrightstown Grange Fair in August. The Yardley/LMT Dems will be staffing the booth on Saturday, August 18th, from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. We need volunteers from District 31 to greet potential voters and hand out literature, sign up new voters, pass out candy and balloons, and all that fun stuff. Please consider helping out with this voter outreach, which will support Kathy Boockvar, President Obama, and the rest of our ticket.
If you would like to volunteer, contact Joe Sundeen at Jeesbay@aol.com
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Date: Saturday, August 18th
Place: Wrightstown Grange Fair
RSVP: Joe Sundeen at Jeesbay@aol.com
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Pool Party
Sunday, July 29
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Relax by the pool with good friends for a midsummer get-together before campaigning heats up in September. Come to a pool party at the home of Mark Moffa, 1531 Derbyshire Rd, Yardley, on Sunday, July 15, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Bring the kids, your bathing suit and a towel (no dogs please). Grilled eats and drinks provided. Appetizers, salads, and desserts welcome. RSVP (with the numbers of adults and kids attending) to Mark Moffa at markmoffa@comcast.net or Karen Vander Laan at kfvl@comcast.net by Friday, July 27th.
Time: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Date: Sunday, July 15th
Place: The home of Mark Moffa
1531 Derbyshire Rd
Yardley, PA 19067
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‘The Price of Inequality’
Thursday, July 26
7 p.m.
The next book discussion will be at the home of Karen Vander Laan and Jim Driscoll, 724 Chestnut Lane, Yardley, on Thursday, July 26th, at 7:00 p.m. America has the highest level of inequality of any of the advanced countries – and its gap with the rest has been widening. Why? Is it a good thing? Is it the market functioning smoothly or is someone taking advantage of their power? Above all: Is society better or worse off? Join us as we discuss the new book The Price of Inequality by Nobel Laureate (Economics) Joseph Stiglitz. All are welcome, whether or not you have read the book.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Date: Thursday, July 26th
Place: Home of Karen Vander Laan and Jim Driscoll
724 Chestnut Ln., Yardley
RSVP: kfvl@comcast.net
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‘Nuns on the Bus’
Friday, June 29
3 p.m.
Meet the “Nuns On The Bus” as they tour for Faith, Family, and Fairness and stop at 3 p.m. at Congressman Fitzpatrick’s office at 1717 Langhorne Newtown Rd Suite 400, Langhorne, PA 19047 (Summit Square Shopping Center) to protest the Ryan Budget.
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Book Discussion Group
Thursday, June 21st
The next book discussion group will be on Charles Murray’s new book “Coming Apart: The State of White America 1960-2010″. Drawing on five decades of statistics and research, Coming Apart demonstrates that a new upper class and a new lower class have diverged so far in core behaviors and values that they barely recognize their underlying American kinship—divergence that has nothing to do with income inequality and that has grown during good economic times and bad.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Date: Thursday, June 21st
Place: Home of Gail Coplein and Graham Tebb
424 Ramsey Rd., Yardley
RSVP: gecrnjd@hotmail.com
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A Pennsbury Education: Who Wants It? Who Pays? Who Cares?
Monday, June 18th
School’s out, but education issues don’t take a vacation! You are invited to participate in
A Public Education Forum
Join us for a panel discussion of the issues related to our local education system. Learn and ask questions regarding the state education funding cuts, the fiscal situation in Pennsbury School District, and the ways in which we can increase the quality of our children’s education.
Come to learn and to participate. All ages and views are welcome.
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Date: Monday, June 18th
Place: Lower Makefield Township Building,
1100 Edgewood Road, Yardley PA 19067
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Seminar on the Conflict in Syria and the Middle East
Sunday, May 20
A seminar and discussion concerning the ongoing situation in Syria and the Middle East will be presented by Mr. Andrew Spath, a Doctoral Candidate in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers University. Mr Spath has extensive knowledge of the background of this area and will provide an expert analysis of the difficulties faced by the variety of religious and ethnic groups in the area. This subject will become a major source of contention in the Fall elections in the USA, and we need to inform ourselves as we interact with voters during the election campaign. A short business meeting will be held immediately following the seminar.
Time: 3:30 pm (note later start time than usual)
Date: Sunday, May 20th
Place: Lower Makefield Township Building, 1100
Edgewood Road, Yardley, PA 19067
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Democratic Political Book Discussion Group
Thursday, May 10
We will be discussing the book “Being Right Is Not Enough: What Progressives Must Learn From Conservative Success”, by Paul Waldman (2006). This book was written before the 2006 elections, and while we progressives may have been encouraged by the success that year, we did not employ the successful strategies which could turn that success into a movement. This resulted in setbacks from 2009 to 2011, both locally and nationally. We need to figure out how to improve our strategy for the long haul, and this book helps.
Time: 7:00 pm
Date: Thursday, May 10th
Place: 307 Daleview Drive, Yardley, PA 19067
(home of Paul Roden and his wife Barbara)
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“Aging In Place: Adapting Our Homes For Safe, Comfortable and Independent Living”
Seminar – by local contractor Thomas G. Wells
Sunday, April 29
Local contractor Tom Wells is a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor and Certified Green Remodeler. He has many years of experience renovating homes in the Greater Yardley area. An increasingly important component of his work has been on improving accessibility so that residents can contemplate staying in their own homes with at-home care, instead of moving to an expensive and impersonal facility. It is a proven fact that life quality and expectancy for individuals who stay in their own homes is greatly improved, and that “Aging In Place” is what most people would prefer to do instead of moving to a nursing home or an assisted living facility.
Tom’s home remodeling has the benefit of being “green” and the energy efficient upgrades, which he can provide, save real money on operating costs. Whether you are contemplating “Aging In Place” for yourself or for an older relative, Tom’s presentation will open up possibilities, which deserve serious consideration regardless of your current circumstances. We as Democrats strive to think long term, and this is a way to plan for whatever the future may bring. A short business meeing will be held immediately follow the seminar.
Time: 2:00 pm
Date: Saturday – April 28
Location: Lower Makefield Township Bldg
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Steve Santarsiero Annual Fund Raiser
Saturday, April 28
Rose Bank Winery, Newtown
This annual event is a chance to greet other supporters of our State Representative Steve Santarsiero, have some good food and help Steve in his bid to serve a third term as our voice in an increasingly hostile environment in Harrisburg. Steve speaks out for us and in so doing has incurred the wrath of the Republican State Party, who is determined to do everything that money can buy to remove Steve’s voice from the State political scene. We must not let this happen, so please come out to support him.
For information, contact Steve’s campaign manager Alex Nye at 2 15-321-3315 or by email at alexn927@gmail.com
Time: 8:00-11:00 pm
Date: Saturday – April 28
Location: Rose Bank Winery, 258 Durham Road (Rt. 413)
Newtown, PA 18940
RSVP: Alex Nye at 2 15-321-3315 or by email at alexn927@gmail.com
The topic of discussion will be “Winner Take All Politics: How Washington Made the Rich Richer–and Turned Its Back on the Middle Class” by Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson. The ideas presented will be examined, and it is not necessary to have read the book beforehand. The discussion group will be held at the home of Paul Roden and Barbara Joseph. Light refreshments will be served.
The Morrisville Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) is sponsoring a forum on drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale with PA State Representative Steve Santarsiero D-31 and Deputy Director Tracy Carluccio of the Delaware River Keeper Network who present and answer your questions. The event is free and open to the public.
The effects of “Winner-Take-All Politics” on the Middle Class in the United States will be the main topic of our next Democratic meeting at the Lower Makefield Township Building on Sunday, March 11th, at 2PM. The subject will be introduced by viewing portions of the Bill Moyers program on this subject where he interviews the authors, Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson, who wrote the book “Winner-Take-All Politics”. In summary, the authors discuss the power of the top 0.1% in this country, starting in the mid 1970′s, to elect and support Presidents and members of Congress of both parties who either enact laws favoring the accumulation of wealth and power by a very few at the expense of the middle class, or ignore laws which are intended to curb that tendency.
The topic of discussion will be “Back To Work”, by former President Bill Clinton. The ideas presented will be examined, and it is not necessary to have read the book beforehand. We also will solicit ideas for other topical books which we might discuss in the future. Light refreshments will be served.
