The Shadow of Anne Frank over the 2016 Election - Part 2 of 2

By Faith Chatham - Dec. 1, 2016

In my journey to discover if the Frank family truly sought political asylum in the United States, I discovered that the NY Times, Time Magazine and Reuters covered the story when documents were uncovered in 2007. Her father, Otto Frank appealed to his college friend Nathan Straus, Jr. for a $5000 bond and affadivits to help get his family into the United States. Straus was the head of the federal Housing Authority, a personal friend of Eleanor Roosevelt's and his father was a co-owner of Macy's Department Store.

In their 2007 story when the documents were uncovered the New York Times story said:

 “Page by page, the papers illustrate the tortuous process for gaining entry to the United States in those days. Even with powerful connections and money, European Jews could not overcome the State Department's restrictions against refugees, said two Holocaust scholars who examined the documents.”

The New York Times Reported:

By June 1941, no one with close relatives still in Germany was allowed into the United States because of suspicions that the Nazis could use them to blackmail refugees into clandestine cooperation. That development ended the possibility of getting the Frank girls out through a children's rescue agency.

Because of the uncertainty, Otto Frank decided to try for a single visa for himself. It was granted and forwarded to him on Dec. 1. No one knows if it arrived. Ten days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States and Havana canceled the visa.

In a 2007 Time Magazine article it was reported that:

Straus and Frank's brother-in-law, Julius Hollander, regularly corresponded with two private Jewish agencies, the National Refugee Service in New York and the Boston Committee for Refugees. Straus also contacted the State Department on Frank's behalf. Hollander and his brother arranged affidavits from their employers, Jacob Hiatt of E.F. Dodge Paper Box Co. and Harry Levine of the New England Novelty Co., both of Leominster, Mass.

On 4 September 2015, Anne Frank's step-sister, Eva Schloss,, drew direct parallels between the Syrian refugee crisis and the Jewish refugee crisis of World War II:

"You must not be selfish and you must share whatever you have and help in a desperate situation. They need help from you.

"These people have had the courage to do a very difficult thing- to take your family and your whole life to another country requires bravery and strength. This is history repeating itself.

"These Syrians are valuable, educated people. These are doctors and nurses who are only too willing to help our society and they will become leaders in the community if you let them."

Anne’s mother, Edith, wrote to a friend in 1939:

 "I believe that all Germany's Jews are looking around the world, but can find nowhere to go."

In closing, I am acutely aware of how important it is for us to be discerning, to distinguish fact from fiction, to not allow fear to overrule compassion and to not allow compassion to unduly endanger us. 

There must be a balance so that policies do not label victims as criminals and  are not so overly restrictive that their enforcement means certain death for the innocent and vulnerable. 

American policy rejected admission of the Frank children to safety in the United States, leading to their deaths in a German death camp, citing the possibility that some relative of a refugee remaining in Europe might be used as a spy for the Nazi’s.  As a child, she wrote a diary which has captivated generations. If the Frank family's petitions for political asylum in the United States had been approved, it is probably that they would have joined their relatives in Boston. Today she might have been a 70+ year old New England author with an even richer body of work instead of being a child who perished in a Nazi death camp.

Fear is a paralyzing force. It sometimes comes from being touched by evil. Other times it prompts us to be overreaching in our denial of refuge and kindness,

When political leaders play on our fear or prejudice to gain power, inciting people to greater selfishness and hatred, as we have witnessed this year in the 2016 Presidential Election, it takes on a life force of its own. We have to be careful if we are to remain alive and we must be wary not to allow fear to rob us of active compassion if we are to remain human.

Thankful

By Faith Chatham - Thanksgiving Day 2016
I am thankful today for people who are kind.

I am thankful for people who understand that no one exists merely to "serve them"
or for their personal gratification.
We may serve and we may gratify, but that is not the reason any of us exist.

I am thankful for those who are clear enough in their own minds and hearts
and consistent enough externally
that I do not have to expend excessive amounts of energy
trying to understand where they are coming from
or what hidden agenda may detour others (me) who are proceeding along some of the same paths
of their journey(s).

I am thankful for no longer being so young
that I am still trying to prop myself up by accomplishments, externals, or other things.

I am thankful that I am part of a network of people of various ages,
and that so many of us with grey hair are still on the road of investigation and awe.

I am thankful that there are experiences, encounters, successes and failures,
overcoming and coasting in the "afterglow" behind me
that give both stability and wisdom and expectation to the present and future.

I am thankful that neither God nor that basic Franciscan formation
or the joy of work has ever failed me.
Sometimes the people or institutions or organizations associated with those have come up short,
but they were merely attachments to the whole,
and despite the illusions which seem to indicate otherwise, never really "in charge."

I am thankful for light and color and sound and touch and taste.
They create mosiacs which can be entertaining, communicative, comforting or poignant or energizing.

I am thankful that sunsets and sunrises are still new every morning,
that all of us require grace and forebearance and compassion,
that laughter is common and humility not rare among those in “my circle.”

I am thankful that so very many people in my world understand that we are each a part of each other
but none of us are here totally for anyone else’s domination, command or control.

I am blessed by many,
encouraged by some,
and esteemed by a few.
For me this is balance.

I am at times “in awe” of some of you.
Occasionally I am even a bit in “awe” of what comes through me,
especially when in concert with you.

I am thankful for the ability to pick and choose what I work on,
who I work with,
and where I work
and what I work for!

I am thankful that enough people know me
that I do not have to be perpetually presenting myself or “selling myself”
to become involved in projects and causes which matter to me
and where the gifts, abilities and contacts which revolve around me
can easily be part of the mix which makes things better.
I am thankful for the ride we have been on together.

I am in awe of our “Hillary journey” because
I know we are drawn together by shared values,
determination to make the world a better place,
where truth is not shifting political sands but reality based on facts
and substantiated by data and track records.

I am thankful for leadership and comradery.
I am thankful for kindness and for your commitment to kindness.
I am thankful that “kindness” does not morph into silence
or suffering fools to placate
rather than to transform and protect those deserving our support.

I am thankful that we are still growing together as we mourn and
we are working despite the darkness
and endeavoring to keep the wolves at bay
while we are attempting to raise the "window shade" to another, hopefully, better day.

I am thankful for a few of the people who “broke my heart” in previous eras,
because today it is stronger and wiser
and they mattered enormously while we were enmeshed in the same adventure.

I am thankful that despite how sad I am, have been, or can be,
or how long a list I have of things and people that inspire (merit) thanksgiving from me,
I continue to think of others which haven’t been listed yet.

I am thankful for the discernment and ability to include or exclude people, things, causes, experiences
from my plate, wall, circle, portfolio at times and sometimes forever.

I am thankful for knowing others who are discerning in their associations.

I am thankful that I am at last old enough and wise enough to realize
that none of us have to attempt being all things to all people
or allowing all people to take anything they want
any time they wish from us
any way they desire.

I am thankful that despite the deterioration of my body by age,
there are things I still need to learn,
experiences I still need to taste,
and people I still need to meet and be pressed close to for a while.

There is a line in a Phillips, Craig and Dean song that sums up my philosophy of life:
I am thankful that “God’s grace come up fresh every morning.”

Hillary Brings Us Together

This is a 15 min audio op ed paying tribute to the determined people who have been in the trenches volunteering this year. It is a recording of the op ed posted Monday titled: Despite this Bloodbath of an Election, We're Not As Divided as They Make Us Out to Be.

Despite this bloodbath of an election, we're not all that divided after all

By Faith Chatham - Nov. 7, 2016


Donald Trump is obnoxious, but I didn't go vote against him. I went and voted for the person who is the most qualified, most ethical, most compassionate, who will do the best job. I voted for Hillary because I know her. I know what she cares about. I know what she fight for. I know what she gets done. I know what we need and I voted for her because I know she knows what we need.

I get it that many in the media aren't that cozy with her. I suspect because she has learned to keep many of them at arm’s length, many of them mistakenly assume that everyone else in America is cool to her. They assume that those who support her are choosing the lesser of two evils. I think they are wrong. I don't see evidence to substantiate that.

The pundits talk about how divided the nation is. Hillary's race for President has drawn us together. We’ve come together in GOTV efforts and in Social Media Collaboration. My Facebook network alone has grown to 4,315 “friends”. However, every day for months I've seen 30 to 100 "friend requests" and most of them come from people having from 100+ to 300+ mutual friends. That says there is a lot of agreement among lots of folks about what kind of world we want, who we respect, and what values matter.

I don’t think my social network has grown from a couple of thousand to over four thousand in a year because of my good looks or winning personality. It has grown because folks know that I am a staunch Hillary Clinton for President Supporter. It has grown because folks know that I work to get decent, smart deserving Democrats elected to Congressional seats in Texas. It has grown because other folks share some of my dreams, frustrations, and determination to make this a better place without destroying what we hold dear. It has grown because we have much more work to do. It has grown because we are not nearly as divided or apathetic as we made out to be.

I suspect that everyone reading this has also gained “new contacts” on social media because of your support of Hillary Clinton. I have heard several say they support her as the lesser of two evils. However, most of the folks I know support her because of who she is, the work she’s done, the preparation she always brings to the table when something important is being considered. We may not be the “rah, rah, jump up and down and scream crowd” that photographs great at rallies.” Frequently one of more of us has to have a chair to sit part of the time when we participate In “Visibility events”, but that doesn’t diminish how enthusiastic we are about her. Yes, we are TIRED of this election. Many of us are worn out, but that is not the same thing as being unenthusiastic about Hillary.

I've always known a few folks who volunteered or were on staff with national campaigns. This year I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS who have left their homes and jobs and gone “on their own dime” to volunteer for Hillary. These are not affluent folks. One is a retired school teacher. She's been to Iowa, NY, and CA and now she is in Ohio. I'm still paying off my credit card bill from National Convention in Philadelphia. That was no "cheap trip" and she was there too. She's dipped into her retirement and savings to get Hillary elected because she BELIEVES IN HER THAT MUCH. I have another friend who is a self-employed single woman whose business makes no income when she is out of town. She's been on the campaign trail as much as she's been in her office this year. That is because she knows Hillary and believes in her. I know several women who have maxed out as donors for Hillary whose major income is our Social Security checks. Pundits say Baby Boomers are cool toward Hillary. Not all of us, not by a “long shot.”

HILLARY DRAWS FOLKS TOGETHER FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS
I've seen a JP friend and an attorney friend travel to Swing States to volunteer. On my Social Security income, I've done what I can here in Texas. We are not alone. There are lots of others with us. We may not be the "rah rah crowd" but we are persistent. We are determined. We didn't wait for a national campaign staffer to come organize us. We organized each other. We didn't wait for the campaign to ship yard signs, stickers and posters for us to use for GOTV efforts. We scrounged around and got what we could, ordered what we needed, pooled resources and saw that other folks had what they needed for rallies, house meetings, visibility events, etc. We went to Club Meetings, Democratic Party Meetings, Volunteer Fire Department Meetings, Rallies, House Party’s, Back yard Meet and Greets, Convention, parades. No one was paid to organize us. We cared enough to see the bases were covered no matter what!

A lot of us work for her differently than we did for other candidates when we were younger. I hope we are working smarter. We do what we can, when we can, however we can. Understanding how critical it is this year, propels us to push persistently and to cover bases without waiting for official staff to be deployed to our state or neighborhood by “the campaign”. We haven’t waited for the campaign to buy us signs or stickers or banners. If they are available, we use and share them. If not, we create and find money somehow to pay for them. We’ve done this before. We know what it is like to come up short on Election Day and we are determined not to experience that again this year. We didn’t wait around for the campaign to release advertising with our Vote For Hillary Democratic Message. We wrote our own and distributed it on social media, in posters, postcards and flyers. We incorporated what they supplied when we got it if we liked it. We talked. We phoned. Those who could walk, walked. Others of us rode shopping carts through big box stores giving out campaign buttons which were icebreakers allowing us to get in a 30 second or one minute elevator speech.

I think the media has missed the real story this year. The real story is about the school teachers I had lunch with Saturday. They taught all week and showed up at the polls to volunteer for Hillary Saturday and Sunday at early voting sites.

It’s about those Texans who live far away from the nearest Clinton Field Office, and who didn’t have a staffer around to organize rallies or phone banks in their neighborhoods. They didn’t let that stop them. They did it themselves. In Marshall, Texas there is no Clinton HQ but they have met every Monday night all year and held phone banks. They organized rallies on the Court House Square and they made sure that notices got into the paper. In Longview, the women came together and opened a Headquarters. They invited Dallas Sheriff Lupe Valdez to come speak and held a rally. Another group organized a rally at the Gregg County Court House which inspired groups in neighboring counties to organize their own rallies. In Smith County, and in other communities, the churches chose a Sunday and arranged buses and car pools to transport their members to Early Voting after Church. They called it “Souls to the Polls.” Throughout East Texas, men in pickup trucks circled early voting places with big signs in the back of their pickup trucks. On one side was “Vote for Hillary Clinton /Tim Kaine”. On the other was “Vote for Shirley McKellar for Congress”. This is the real story. These folks weren’t paid. They were determined and enthusiastic for Hillary. They are doing what they can to get a better person elected to Congress!

I’ve seen and heard of neighbors walking other neighbors through the process of registering to vote and helping first-time voters get familiar with the process before they vote for the first time. Instead of going to vote alone, lots of folks made an event of it and invited friends to go vote and have lunch together afterward. Voter Registration Teams have registered High School and College Students, shoppers at box stores, and newcomers in the neighborhood to vote. We’ve seen a record turn out for Early Voting nation-wide this year, and I don’t think the surge is the same ole same ole Republican voter.

Tuesday night, the TV pundits will continue saying that ’Hillary was elected by people who really didn't want to vote for her.” They'll be wrong. She is being elected by people who know that she is the best person for the job. Every person who pulls the lever for her is voting for her. Don't be misled by pundits who are still miffed because she didn't entrust her message to them so that they could filter what she said. Instead this time she went direct to the people using social media more than large media events controlled by TV and Newspaper chains. She is a smart woman. She has learned more than a thing or two in the years she's been in the public's eye.

I have too. I don't swallow everything others tell me. I look around. If what I see doesn't mesh with what I hear, I question what I hear. I'm seeing people who are thrilled that Hillary Clinton decided to run for President. I am seeing people who are thrilled that they got to vote for her for President. I'm seeing people who care enough not to stop working, who care enough to give sacrificially, who don't stop even when tired, and who check out the facts and share them.

This is truly a different kind of election cycle. Yes it has contained the Trump side show. But I think the real story is with the Clinton folks. It's about folks who truly care and who don't wait for others to do what is necessary to get her into the Oval Office. For everything done by her campaign, there will be thousands of other things done by volunteers all over this nation. They aren't expecting anything in return. They aren't in line for staff positions or contracts. We are working our hearts out because we have seen her work her heart out.

Yes, she learned that money is necessary in politics. When she left the State Department she went on the speaking circuit and earned as much as they'd pay. She had millions of dollars of campaign debt in '08 when she suspended her first presidential campaign. She was smart to create a cushion this time. She was smart to find something which was LEGAL which could generate substantial income during the short time between when she left the State Department and when she’d have to file for a place on the ballot to run for President. Why is it that the same folks who think Trump is OK because he appears to be a tycoon criticize her for earning speakers fees when she was no longer in public office! The warped standard applied to her inspires us to work harder, to stand stronger, to be relieved each time we see the projections of the number of electoral votes she'll probably get tomorrow.

FLASH: If you don't like her, speak for yourself. If you aren't enthusiastic, own your own feelings. Don't project them onto the rest of the world. Most of us are too busy working to have room to carry around your emotional baggage. We have our own and ours probably doesn't match yours. However, we aren't alone. This year my social media network has grown by over 3000 new friends and they came because of Hillary. We are a bigger, more connected network. We are drawn together by shared values. We are not nearly as divided a nation as FOX NEWS, CBS and CNN keeps saying that we are.

I'm looking forward to what we continue doing together after Tuesday. Tuesday night's election returns is only a starting point.

Yes, I know a some people are motivated to vote because they despise Donald Trump. I know many more who are voting for Hillary Clinton because we really want her in the Oval Office. Some are glad that a women will finally win. More of us are excited that HILLARY CLINTON will finally be the woman who will win!

I know there is a lot of discontent in our nation. There are things I don’t like which are going on in this nation. There always has been and always will be. But that is not why I am enthusiastically, without reservation, supporting Hillary Clinton for President. I support her because there are things I love and cherish here in American and I respect her to pull us together to improve what needs improving without destroying what is precious and necessary. The growth in most of our friends list alone is evidence that she inspires people to come together. I suspect when you look at the growth in your “friends list”, many of your new additions are folks who are there because you both support Hillary for President. When that many people come together because of one woman, there has to be a lot more consensus than most of the media acknowledges. We aren’t nearly as divided here in American as the pundits make us out to be!

Faith's Venting

By Faith Chatham Nov. 6, 2016
I am disgusted with cloaking public policy in religiousity. Neither the so called "pro life anti abortion" camp nor the "pro choice" camp are black and white positions. Making abortion illegal does not prevent abortions. It is probably more of a position in favor of returning to the world of 'coat hanger abortions" than it is an abortion prevention reality. Only a very small percentage of those who support "a woman's right to choose" are actually "pro abortion."

Very few of those who call themselves "pro life" actually support public policies which help children after they are born, so they are not, in my opinion, truly "pro life."

Hearing folks who consider themselves "Christian" call women who have spent their lives fighting for Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and for better education for children, and fighting childhood poverty as "babv killers" is distasteful and inappropriate in society, let alone in "Christian circles."

In Tyler last month I encountered a volunteer in a Roman Catholic booth at the Smith County Fair who claimed that "Hillary Clinton had killed thousands of children!" I'm very Catholic in my religious expression. I was an Anglican Franciscan Oblate Sister for 15 years. I was appalled with this encounter in Tyler. What children has Hillary Clinton killed? How many has she saved? I suspect she is responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in various ways. Such a bigoted and unsupportable statement coming from a volunteer who thinks she is representing Christ troubled me.

In the 105 Texas House Race in Grand Prairie/Irving, Rodney Anderson's canvassers are calling Terry Meza a "baby killer" because Meza, like many women in American, favors funding Planned Parenthood. Family planning and screening services by Planned Parenthood have contributed to the health of hundreds of thousands of women. The best way to prevent abortions is informed fact-based access to birth control. Terry Meza is my friend. I know that she still mourns the loss of the daughter she miscarried almost 30 years ago. Baby Killer? Absolutely not. Those who are spreading these inflammatory claims on the campaign trail think that they are being "Christian". I think they are practicing misguided cruelty.

In 2014 we witnessed Wendy Davis being dubbed "Abortion Barbie." Wendy has a tubal pregnancy which cost her a child she dearly wanted. Another child had a serious neurological deformity. Wendy deserved to be able to keep both losses private. Eventually she shared them because the name calling escalated to such proportions that it negatively impacted her children. Many of those who hurled the accusations at Senator Davis thought they were expressing their religion. I think it distorts religion rather than expresses it.

When a legislator votes against food stamps, education, health care or job training and claims to be "pro life" for voting against funding for Planned Parenthood, I do not see them as truly being "pro life."

Religious supported hospitals which have policies which require saving the unborn even when it costs the life of the mother are not "pro life." Difficult choices are usually not "one size fits all." They should not be dictated by politicians. They should not be imposed in top down policies which override the decisions of physicians and their patients.

My mother had a very difficult pregnancy with me. Many doubted that she would safely carry me full term. Speculation was that the baby would be greatly deformed because of her participation in a medical trial before they knew she was pregnant. More than one physician considered terminating her pregnancy. My parents were not given the facts and allowed to make a decision. I think they should have been. Obviously, I am thankful that I am here, but i do not think that saving the unborn baby's life should have outweighed saving the life of a 30 year old mother of three small children.

This is nothing new on the campaign trail. When Dick Army was running against Congressman Tommy Vandergriff in the 1980s Army's campaign released a coloring book calling Vandergriff a baby killer for his pro choice position. Vandergriff was a Sunday School teacher at First Methodist Church in Arlington, and the accusation cut deeply and was unfair. Army won the election and rose to Speaker of the House, but those of us who knew Tommy Vandergriff remembered that coloring book and Army never gained our respect.

Is saving one life more "pro life" than saving another? I don't see a black or while clear line here. Grey's count too and hurling names at people is not compassionate or constructive.

Prospects for Democrats Regaining Congressional Seats in Texas

By Faith Chatham - CFO Texas Federal Blue Seed PAC - May 13, 2016

LINK to donate: bit.ly/5forTX
Democratic Nominees are running in 29 of Texas' 36 U.S. House Districts this year.A state where less than 8% of the Federal Delegation women but is over 51% of the population is female, Texas voters have the opportunity to add five more women to their Congressional delegation.

THE WOMEN

The Texas female Democratic Nominees who are challenging GOP incumbents for seats in Congress include:

Shirley McKellar PhD.
Dr McKellar is a retired officer in the US Army Nurse Corp A nurse clinician, McKellar led in the implementation of women's health services for the US Military in the European Theatre. Shirley is challenging GOP incumbent Louie Gohmert for the 1st Congressional Seat.

Tawana Cadien, RN. Tawana is also a nurse clinician nursing administrator. She is one of the first graduates of the Thurgood Marshall School of Public Affairs to earn a Masters of Public Administration. Tawana is challenging GOP incumbent Mike McCaul for the10th District seat.

Jan McDowell, CPA. Jan is a community activist who understands the dollar and cents value of clean air and water. We need someone in Congress who can read a balance sheet and has understands the difference between short term cuts which cost more in the long run. Jan is challenging GOP incumbent Kenny Marchant for the 24th District Congressional seat.

Ruby Woolridge is challenging GOP incumbent Joe Barton for the 6th Congressional District Seat. Ruby is an ordained (Methodist) Minister who is currently serving at the Potter's House and is a public school teacher. She is a strong advocate for veterans. Her son Troy was injured on active duty in the middle east when he was in his twenties. He died of his injuries last year after years of rehab and disability. Ruby was his caretaker.

Kathi Thomas is a business owner and former county chair. She is challenging GOP incumbent Roger Williams for the 25th District Congressional seat.

Democratic Incumbents Congresswomen Shelia Jackson Lee (District 18) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (District 30) are running for re-election in "safe Democratic majority districts."

To donate directly with one click to the campaigns of these women congressional challengers and Hillary Clinton and the federal pac which supports progressive candidates running for Federal offices on the ballot in Texas go to: www.bit.ly/5forTX. You can also choose to give more or nothing to some and less to others. You are given the option of making a one time donation or splitting you gift into monthly installments

Link to Donate: www.bit.ly/5forTX…

THE LANDSCAPE

Texas is frequently dubbed a “red state” but demographically, it is much more blue than is reflected in the election results. A combination of apathy, savvy marketing/outreach by deep-pocketed special interests, and gerrymandering with an abandonment of the fight by most progressive donors has enabled some of the most obnoxious Texas politicians to win and retain seats in the state and federal government. Being under indictment for fraud, bribery or political corruption seems to be a plus for many of the State’s GOP incumbents. Yet there is a bright ray shining through the darkness in the Lone Star State.

Democrats turn out in higher numbers during presidential election years. All of the 11 current Democratic US House members except Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson were initially elected in Presidential election year. Texas has 11 districts that are majority Democratic and one truly swing district (23). Most of the other districts have had no serious resources devoted by progressives in Congressional challenger races for many election cycles. In 2014 on average apx. 2 ½ cents per voter was all the funding received by non-incumbent Democratic nominees who were challenging GOP/TeaParty incumbents for Congressional seats in the primary and general election combined. For 2 ½ cents it is impossible to even effectively communicate with those who already know they want to vote for you, let alone convince others that you are the best candidate. Most GOP incumbents in Texas have gotten a free walk to re-election for decades. They amass large war chests and use them to help fund down-ticket candidates. The outcome of most election in Texas have little to do with “merit” or “integrity” and more to do with non engagement from the left and business “as usual” from the right.

Democratic "normal GOTV efforts" in Texas
Examination of voter rolls shows that as Democrats stop running in contested Democratic primaries for state and local offices, Democratic voters stopped voting,. Most did not become Republicans. As spending and outreach ceased by progressives, apathy won and more and more Texans appeared on the rolls as folks who used to vote but do not any more, In presidential election years more will show up than in other election years. The state Democratic Party has a long history of focusing more attention on internal party affairs than on prioritizing winning General Elections. However, there are some encouraging developments this year.

2016 is a year of opportunity for reclaiming seats from GOP incumbents in Texas. It will require funding. In 2015 Republican candidates for Congress in Texas received $4 to every $1 donated to Democratic Congressional Candidates, During the FEC financial report ending March 31, 2016 the gap had narrowed. Republican received $2.82 dollars for every dollar donated to Democratic candidates. The gap is still deplorable, but the trend is headed in the right direction. The quality of the Democratic Nominees is substantial. Their challenges can be addressed by generosity from donors — large and small. Outside money will not come gushing in to Texas Congressional races. However, Texans have the resource to fund these races. Small donors and deeper pocketed donors uniting with the unique synergy of the 2016 Presidential race and the impact of both of the top of the ticket candidates on the electorate can realistically turn additional districts blue.

Source: FEC.gov

Factors for Optimism
1. A push on increasing Democratic turnout for by mail ballots paid off in the 2016 Democratic Primary. Significant increases in Democratic voters by mail occurred in the counties which invested in the BY MAIL campaign. Historically, Republicans have had by mail margins high enough to claim numerous seats in Texas. This improvement removes the GOP/Tea Party’s advantage in several of Texas’ largest counties.

2. Texas State Law was changed allowing the State Party to hold primaries in counties without Democratic County Chairs. Glen Maxey worked tirelessly to get legislation passed which allowed every registered voter in Texas to vote in a Democratic primary this year even if there were no county chair in their county. Once the law was passed, Glen faced the monumental task of getting the paperwork filed and to recruiting workers and polling places in counties without a chair, Although the actual number of voters involved is rather small, the change is enormous. At the last SDEC meeting several new county chairs were sworn in who stepped up and volunteered to serve from counties where they previously had been unable to vote in a Democratic Primary. It is a constructive beginning. For decades Democrats have ignored most of the rural counties. Cumulatively, rural voters determine the outcome of many elections. To overcome the GOP incumbent advantage, reaching out and increasing Democratic turnout in rural counties is essential.

3. Demographic shift in population, age and income impacts the state. Texas’ white majority is dwindling. The Republican base is aging and dying off faster than the Democratic base in Texas. The percentage of Latino and Black Texans is increasing. Both Democratic and Republican parties try to enlist Hispanic voters. Republicans have skillfully used social issues to depress Hispanic voter turnout. In the 2014 Governor’s race many Hispanics were conflicted between their religious beliefs regarding abortion and the Republican hardline anti-immigrant posturing. A percentage of them simply stayed home. In 2016 Republican rhetoric repels and motivates many who stayed home to get involved. Blacks and Texans of Hispanic lineage are among Hillary Clinton’s most enthusiastic supporters. With Donald Trump at the top of the Republican ticket, it will be much easier to engage Tejano, Hispanic, Muslim and Black voters in Texas.

4. Hillary at the top of the Democratic ticket will draw more minority voters that Sanders. During the primary in Texas, despite the large number of older white women which remain a strong part of Clinton’s base, larger numbers of Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians turned out as delegates for Clinton at senatorial conventions than for Sanders. In the Tarrant (largest part) of Senate District 9, in the Clinton delegation:

60% minority; 40% whlte

60% female; 40% male

11% under age 36

14% LGBT

in the Sanders Tarrant Senate District 9:’

74% white; 26% minority

59% male; 41% female

24% under age 36

18% LGBT

This is a snapshot of 3/4th of one urban Senate District (Tarrant 9). (Dallas Senate 9 did not break down their delegates demographically.)

Hillary attracts more minorities and women than Sanders. Hillary attracts young voters but Sanders attracts twice the number of younger voters. Hillary’s following among women is 1/3 larger than Sanders. Sander’s following among men is 1/3 larger than Clinton’s. Both resonate with LGBT voters. Hillary has fewer problems with minority voters than Sanders (74% for Clinton and only 26% for Sanders.)

With Clinton at the top of the ticket, the large minority population of Texas should place more races in play in the state if the “coat tail effect” carries over to down-ticket (especially Congressional) races. The party is working to enlist younger and minority voters into the Party. Older female voters remain the most loyal dependable voting block of Democratic voters. The majority of this “most loyal” voter demographic group are Clinton supporters. This is a good sign for down ticket candidates, especially for older, educated, highly qualified candidates who are challenging GOP incumbents.

Despite the spin that “Sanders is defining the issues”, there is solid evidence that Clinton delegates have more education than the majority of Sanders or Trump voters. Clinton supporters value “problem-solving” and pragmatic incrementalism. They trust her experience, the through vetting given her, and appreciate her ability to get policies and programs implemented. Many of Clinton’s supporters do not think that Bernie has changed Hillary’s positions substantially. They see her as a progressive political leader who has always worked to increase minority voter participation, fought for accessible affordable health care, denounced discrimination by championing the rights of women, minorities, LGBT and handicapped individuals throughout the world.

National Pattern

In the Primaries and Caucuses held thus far this year, more Republicans turned out in their primaries than Democrats in theirs in states where Sanders had more votes than Hillary. In the states which Clinton carried, she got more votes than the leading Republican and more Democrats turned out to vote than Republicans overall. This is a very good sign because she has carried more states than Sanders and she has carried larger states than Sanders. It is unlikely that she will carry Texas in the General Election. Having Cruz off of the ticket is beneficial. If she selects a young, Latino favorite son from Texas as her running mate, that may bring Texas into play. A Clinton/Castro ticket may not turn the state blue enough to garner the electoral votes from the Lone Star State, but the activity may be a shot-in-the-arm for some Congressional races and help Democrats gain a few additional seats in Congress in Districts the national pacs are not targetings as Red to Blue.

THE MEN

Texas has also nominated several strong, highly qualified Democratic men for Congress this year. In addition to the 8 Democratic Congressmen who are running for re-election, there are men running in 12 of Texas’ Congressional Districts. One district is a truly Democratic majority district (15). Congressman Hinojosa is retiring so that is an “open” seat in a majority Democratic District. Vicente Gongalez and Juan "Sonny" Palacios are in a run-off for the Democratic Nomination for US-TX 15 Congressional District on May 24th.

Former Democratic Congressman Pete Gallego is challenging far right-wing Tea Party incumbent Wm. Hurd for the seat in Texas’ only truly swing district.

The 23rd Congressional District has more land mass than any district in Texas. The land mass of 9 states will fit into this incredible Congressional District which runs from the outskirts of San Antonio to the outskirts of the City of El Paso. It includes National Parks and most of the Texas/Mexico border. Gallego has continued as a private citizen to work to further the interests of the people of the district.

Hurd has focused only on divisive religious positions and has ignored the economic and environmental needs of the District. Gallego, as a private citizen, is credited with bringing passenger air service back to a poorly served part of the district. Despite Gallego’s deplorable vote on the Three State Nuclear Waste pact while he was an incumbent, Gallego is much more of a champion for the District's National Park (Big Bend) than incumbent Hurd. Gallego has proven to be much more responsive to the needs of the people of the district than incumbent Hurd. This race is targeted by the DCCC as a Red to Blue District and will probably be the only non-incumbent challenger Congressional race in Texas to receive funding from the DCCC and the Democratic Majority PACs.

James Cargas qualifies as an environmental/developmental rock star. Cargas is one of our state’s leading pragmatic visionaries. An Oil and Attorney, James worked on Capitol Hill as an intern as an undergraduate and returned, after he graduated from the University of Michigan, during the Reagan administration while Jim Wright was Speaker of the House to serve as Press Secretary to a Michigan Democratic Congressman. He graduated from The American University’s Washington College of Law where he served as President of the Environmental Law Society and Article Editor of The American University Journal of International Law and Policy and The American University International Law Review) in 1992. During law school, he was law clerk to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Admitted to practice law in Texas, West Virginia, Washington D.C, and Michigan, he represented large interstate pipeline companies before leaving the private sector to join the Clinton administration on the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, promoting clean wind and solar energy, hybrid vehicles and sustainable resource development. He left to work on the Gore Presidential campaign and returned to serve under Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. He was hired in 2008 by former Houston Mayor Bill White as the City of Houston’s energy counsel, and continued as counsel to Mayor Parker. During his stint with the City of Houston, Cargas has negotiated energy contracts and helped the City of Houston become recognized as the governmental entity that has purchased the most sustainable energy in the nation, exceeding the purchases of the DOD and EPA. Cargas is married to a medical research scientist doctor and is especially cognizant of the roadblocks facing medical research in the USA. Cargas is the Democratic Nominee challenging GOP incumbent John Culberson for Texas' 7th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Bill Matta, PhD is challenging GOP incumbent Bill Flores for the 17th District US Congressional Seat. Matta is one of three Democratic Nominees in Texas who are retired military officers with doctoral degrees. A navigator in the USAF, Matta served with NATO in Bosnia, at the US Air Force Academy and at the Pentagon. A graduate of UT Austin, Matta has pursued a dual career track, blending his military service with teaching. Currently he is the chair of the Linguistics, Speech and Engilsh at McLennan County Community College.

Mark Gibson JD is a retired Colonel and Brigade Commander with the US Army. He earned is Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law, and his Master’s in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He earned his BBA in Management Information Systems from University of Houston, As a Senior IT Manager and small business owner, Mark Gibson, understands the challenges facing business owners. He fights for veterans and military families, is committed to fighting for equal rights for women, pledges to”push for absolute assurances of banning weapons from schools, synagogues or worship centers, shopping malls, stores, and our schools” and will fight for breaks for small businesses and term limits.

Gibson is challenging GOP incumbent Pete Olson for Texas' 22nd District Congressional seat.

Mike Cole, Democratic Nominee for Texas’ 14th US Congressional District
running for U.S Congress in Texas. Cole is challenging GOP incumbent Randy Weber for the 14th US Congressional Seat. An educator, Cole’s struggle with onset juvenile diabetes gives him insight into medical challenges which reach far beyond what is normal for a young man. He is skilled at engaging others in projects that enhance and improve people’s lives.

He is running an energetic campaign against Randy Weber which involves college students and senior citizens.

The 14th is a coastal district. Challenged by natural disasters and the aftermath of BP’s Horizon Blowout/Oil Spill, the district requires diligent service by a Representative who will balance the economical developmental needs with the environmental challenges facing people of the district.

Mike Cole, Tawana Cadien, James Cargas and Pete Gallego are the Democratic Nominees who are positioned to give better service to the people of the Texas Gulf Coast and US Mexican Border. You can help them directly with one click using this link:

http://bit.ly/4TXCoastDs

To split your donation between the four coastal candidates and the federal PAC which supports progressive challengers for federal office on the ballot in Texas use this link http://bit.ly/4TXCoastDs

It is not necessary for Texans to live under the skewed worldview of the Tea Party and the state's GOP incumbents. We do not have to continue subjecting this nation and the world to the stupidity that passes between many Texas so-called public officials. It will not be easy, but it is definitely "worth it!" The key is setting aside defeatist attitudes, stepping forward and doing what we can when we can and enlisting and welcoming others to do what they can.

HIllary Claims NY as Democratic Territory: Let's back her up by sending more strong Texas Women to Congress

(Data cited id from unofficial election returns with 50 pcts unreported).

Hillary only needs less than 500 delegates to clinch the Democratic Presidential Nomination. Polling indicates that she leads the two Republican front-runners by significant margins. April 26th will probably push her over the number of delegates required to seal her party's nomination.

We need to turn our attention toward ensuring that she has a Congress which will support rather than obstruct the important work that the American people need done by our government. In Texas, we have Democratic Nominees running in 29 of the Lone Star State's 36 US Congressional Districts. Currently less than 8% of the state's federal delegation are female. The two Democratic Congresswomen are in "safe" districts. There are five women challengers. This appeal allows donors to split their donation between Hillary and four of the women challenging Tea Party/GOP Congressional incumbents. With one click a donor can choose to split the donation evenly between the four Congressional challengers and Hillary or give more to one or more and less or nothing to others. Please share this link: bit.ly/hillplus3

Hillary is the most trusted candidate running for the U.S. Presidency in 2016. She deserves a working Congress which will get the job done for the American people. Let's help her shake things up. Sending these women to Congress will retire some of the biggest problem-creators in Congress: Louie Gohmert, Kenny Marchant, Mike McCaul and Joe Barton.