Prince William Democratic Committee
Glendale Plaza Shopping Center
4326 dale Blvd. Suite 6, Woodbridge, VA 22193
www.pwcdems.com
Chair-Harry W. Wiggins – hwiggins01@yahoo.com

Dear Democrat:

My name is Harry W. Wiggins and it is an honor and privilege to serve as your Chair of the Prince William County Democratic Committee.  I want to share with you some plans for 2012 and 2013.

This year and next are critical junctures in our democracy.  This year we have several critical elections, the re-election of President Obama and Congressman Gerry Connolly and the election of Tim Kaine to the US Senate, as well as the election of strong Congressional candidates in the 1^st and 10th CDs.   A Republican takeover of the White House would be devastating to our country with the Republicans selling our democracy to the highest Wall Street bidder.

Feet on the street and strong candidates are our most valuable resources, we have a strong cadre of volunteers but must redouble our efforts in recruiting additional volunteers to support the President, our Congressman and Tim Kaine.  Losing any of those races would be catastrophic for our Party as well as our country.

We need to start organizing right now for November’s election.  Several of our members have stepped up to lead our standing and special committees, but we need strong, willing committee members to elect our candidates:

Finance Committee:  Co-Chaired by Elizabeth Nathanson and Paul Nichols

Political (Candidate Recruitment):  Co-Chaired by Earnie Porta and Carl Genthner

Outreach: Co-Chaired by Jane Touchet, we need a Co-chair from the west or mid county; Young Democrats, Co-Chaired by Michael Futrell and Justin Wilk

Communications:  Co-Chaired by Debbie Gaiser and Bill Stackhouse

Operations:  Co-Chaired by Zoe Vitter, we need a co-chair from the west or mid county

The operating/standing committees need to be filled out by volunteers from the Magisterial Committees.

Over the next several months we will be holding train the trainers sessions that will develop our skills in voter contact, new member development, GOTV, use of VAN, and canvassing.

We will also be developing a minority caucus to support minority candidates and voters.

I hope you will join us in this effort to elect Democrats in PWC.  We can lead the way!

Cordially,
Harry W. Wiggins
Chair, PWC Democratic Committee

Click here to open a PDF copy of Harry’s Letter of Introduction

As many of you know, Kevin English,  long time Democrat activist, friend to all who knew him,  and major supporter of Democrats locally and nationally passed away over this past weekend.   Services will be held at:

Montcastle Funeral Home, 4143 Dale Blvd, Dale City, VA 22193 from 2-4PM and 6-8PM Thursday, January 19, 2012

Funeral Services will be held at:

St. Francis of Assisi, 18825 Fuller Heights Road, Triangle, VA 22172 at 11AM on Friday, January 20, 2012

In Lieu of flowers the family has requested that Memorial Contributions be made to:

Project-Mend-A-House, 7987 Ashton Av. Suite 231, Manassas, VA 20109

The Annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner will be held at the Richmond Marriott on February 11, 2012. Please go to the DPVA web site: www.vademocrats.org for the schdule of events.

Sunday, January 8, 3 to 5 p.m. - DWLR Meeting at Tall Oaks Center, Lake Ridge. Read More→

Save the date – 10 January, 2012   6:00PM registration, Caucus starts at 7:30 PM

5 County Complex Court, Woodbridge 22192 Room 107

(Information from announced candidates is at the right edge of the 2nd blue menu titled “PWC Dems Election”)

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Call to Caucus

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE

The Prince William County Democratic Committee hereby announces that it will hold an assembled caucus beginning at 7:30 p.m. on January 10^th 2012 in room 107 of the Prince William County Government Center, Development Services Building (5 County Complex Court, Woodbridge, VA 22192) for the sole purpose of electing Officers to the Prince William County Democratic Committee.

Doors to the caucus will open at 6:00 p.m. for check-in. Any person attending the caucus, before participating in that caucus, shall sign a standardized Caucus Participation Form stating that he or she is a Democrat, does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in the ensuing general election, believes in the principles of the Democratic Party, and is a registered voter in such precinct or county or city. Caucus Participation Forms must be filled out at the caucus prior to participating in the caucus.

Per County Committee bylaws ONLY seated members and duly advanced alternates from each Magisterial District can vote in the caucus.

At 7:30 p.m. the doors to the caucus will be closed and no person may complete a form and participate in the caucus after that time with the exception of those persons in line at 7:30 p.m.

Those elected will take their offices immediately and the next regularly scheduled meeting will be on the 23^rd of February, 2012 at the Prince William County Government Center, Development Services Building, 5 County Complex Court, Woodbridge, VA 22193 at 7:30 p.m.

For further information, please contact:  Bruce Roemmelt, Chair of the Prince William County Democratic Committee, chair@pwcdems.com

This is a

work in

progress,

so send

suggestions to

The Chair

The Prince William County Democratic Committee is working very hard to unseat Virgina’s chief Homophobe Bob Marshall (who has been the 13th District representative in our VA House of Delegates for way too long).  WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Please contribute $13 to help us in our fight to rid the Commonwealth of Bob Marshall and his vile smears on our brothers and sisters, and their families and friends.</b>

If you have a strong stomach the letter is here at our website www.PWCdems.com

We are working hard to change this county!  We proved it when our county went 56% for President Obama.  WE ARE THE NEW BATTLEGROUND!

With your help we only need 50% plus one vote to get rid of Bob Marshall.

His latest attack on our GLTB community and our Democratic Values was a letter demanding that the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond take down the Rainbow flag celebrating the diversity of that organization.

In a letter to the Bank Marshall continues to bend the truth and bend reality to his extreme right wing views.

You can make a difference…

With your contribution of $13 we can put boots on the ground and continue our fight against those who do not beleive in those precious words, “with liberty and justice for all.”
click here…
https://secure.actblue.com/page/stopthehaters

The maps are here from the VA House of Delegates and Senate.  Ugly districts that go everywhere and are designed to re-elect/protect incuumbents.  No Communities of interest, no obvious attemtps to keep jurisdictions together, and not very popular with the League of Women Voters or the Governor’s Commission on Redistricting.  But it is what it is and my guess is the maps will not change much, but what if…..

The LWV had a competition to see if schools in VA could do a better job or redistricting and here are the results.

Just for grins, scroll down and check out George Mason’s winning submission and compare it to the House of Delegates version.  WOW!

Districts that refelct communities
Districts that a compact
Districts that keep jurisdictions togther.

House Majority “Turns Its Back” on the Heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan by Eliminating Assistance Program

An amendment by Congressman Gerry Connolly to continue providing emergency mortgage assistance to service members, veterans, and gold star families failed on a party line vote today as the House of Representatives passed legislation to strip assistance to homeowners in distress.
 
Connolly’s amendment to H.R. 836, the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Termination Act, was offered in conjunction with Congressman Al Green (D-Texas) and would continue the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program for members of the Armed Forces, Veterans, and Gold Star Families.  The amendment was killed on the House floor by a vote of 182-238.
 
“The brave men and women of our armed forces fight and die to protect our families and our homes here in the United States,” Rep. Connolly said.  “How can we now tell them we’re not going to fight to protect theirs?”
 
Connolly reminded his House colleagues that no group of homeowners has been hit harder by the foreclosure crisis than members of our military and their families.  In military towns, the foreclosure rate is four times higher than the national average.  From 2007 to 2008, the rate of foreclosure in towns within ten miles of a military facility rose by 217 percent, compared with just 59 percent nationwide.  In Woodbridge, Virginia near Marine Corps Base Quantico the foreclosure rate increased 414 percent.
 
“Tragically the unemployment rate for the heroes who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan is fifteen percent higher than the national average, underscoring the hardships these veterans face when they return home,” Rep. Connolly said.  “How can we now turn our back on them and not do everything in our power to keep their families in their homes?”
 
H.R. 836 would rescind the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program, authorized and funded under Section 1496(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  The Emergency Mortgage Relief Program made $1 billion available to help homeowners who are delinquent through no fault of their own, often as a result of short-term unemployment or a medical condition.  The purpose is to provide assistance with mortgage payments until the homeowner can find a job or is otherwise able to continue mortgage payments.  Connolly’s amendment would alter the legislation to continue the program for service members, veterans, and Gold Star recipients.
 
“Once again, the Republican Majority has shown that they know the cost of everything but the value of nothing,” Connolly said.   “All of us in Congress have a sacred obligation to fight for those who fight for us.  I’m saddened by the fact that, today, this body was unwilling to fight.”
 
Connolly’s amendment comes on the heels of his earlier effort to support military families facing severe financial distress.  Earlier this year, he introduced legislation to give the Secretary of Defense flexibility to fix a loophole in a separate homeowners assistance program for military families. Currently, service members must have purchased their home before July 1, 2006 to qualify. But many military families who were hurt by the housing bubble and must relocate due to military orders do not fall within this narrow date range.   Connolly’s legislation would address this unfair exclusion.
 
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George Burke, Communications Director
Office of Congressman Gerald E. Connolly
202-225-1492 (office)
202-503-7756 (cell)
George.burke@mail.house.gov
http://connolly.house.gov
 
Click here to get email updates from Congressman Connolly