Last night I outlined my plan for moving our Democratic Party forward in Harris County.  At a meeting of the County Executive Committee, I outlined my vision and plan for building a strong party, one that will serve the needs of the third largest county in the United States and help us elect Democrats up and down the ballot.

My vision is based on a set of principles that, if followed, will give us a stronger footing and make us ready to take on Republicans this November, and beyond.

Principle 1:   Creating a Strong and Diverse Harris County Democratic Party

We will fully realize our true strength as a party when we bring all the communities of Harris County together.  With this in mind, we will work diligently toward the goal of having all communities represented in party and committee leadership.

Along with party representation, we will focus on recruiting candidates of all communities to run for elected office.  Bringing together the diversity of Harris County will enable our party to make sure the voices and opinions of everyone are heard.

Principle 2:   Organizing Does Not End on Election Day

Organizing is an activity that should be done throughout the year, and not simply days leading up to an election.  Organizing is key to winning elections and should be the primary goal of the HCDP.  Moving forward, we will ensure that we are taking steps to continuously organize like-minded individuals.

Principle 3:   Strong Precinct Chairs Make an Effective Party

Our power as a party comes from the grassroots.  In order to have a strong and effective party we must increase our capacity at the precinct level.  This means we need to reduce the number of vacant precinct chair positions, so we can increase our reach throughout Harris County.

As an organization that is dependent on people’s ability to work hard, it is up to us to identify and cultivate leaders.  The party will take the steps necessary to identify and cultivate a diverse group of leaders, so we can ensure the progress we make today has someone to carry it into the future.

Principle 4:   Financial Health Promotes Organizational Capacity

In order to successfully accomplish the goals of the party, we must be on sound financial footing.  To fully reach our potential we must work to increase our revenue and aim higher than mere financial security.  To achieve this goal: our efforts will be directed toward raising enough resources so we can carry out programs needed to win on Election Day.

We must begin this process by asking if we are leading by example.  Precinct chairs, elected officials and party activists should step-up and become Sustaining Members.  The party will undertake necessary efforts to increase Sustaining Members.  These funds are vital to the day-to-day operation of the party and can be used to greatly increase our capacity and efficiency.

Principle 5:  Message Development, Delivery & Discipline Advance Party Priorities

Message development, delivery and discipline are easier said than done.  Message development takes quantitative and qualitative research; delivery takes a strong communications infrastructure, utilizing new and traditional media; discipline takes training, practice, and patience.

Our party will build a communication infrastructure and invest time and resources into sound message development and utilization.  To let opportunities pass us by because we are not using social media strategically is unacceptable.  Rather, we will work to increase our capacity in social media, and push to garner earned media at every opportunity.  Focusing staff resources on ensuring our agility and effectiveness in utilizing all communications platforms will accomplish this.

When we all work together we can accomplish great things.  This framework for a stronger HCDP is the first step for moving our party forward.  We can only be as successful as the work we all put into building our party.  Today, I ask you to step-up and help us lead the HCDP into the future.

Will you join those who sustain the Party by donating $10 today?

Sign up here to Volunteer for the Party.

Do you know of know of any students or recent graduates that would like to Intern for the Party?

Respectfully,

Lane Lewis

County Chair

Harris County Democratic Party

20 January 2012

SCOTUS Send Maps Back To San Antonio

“The Harris County Democratic Party continues to hold that the State maps ignore the realities of voter demographics,” said County Chair Lane Lewis.

“Every court that has looked at the Republican gerrymandered maps has smelled something fishy.  The Supreme Court today did not dismiss the Court drawn maps that returned fair play to the voters, they simply said that they wanted the San Antonio court to be more clear as to how they arrived at their conclusions. We are confident the San Antonio court will accomplish this.”

“Meanwhile,” said Lewis, “HCDP continues to focus on building a strong grassroots and advocacy organization that works toward making better lives for all folk in Harris County.”

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Hello, liberals!

We have an exciting opportunity ahead of us. We are fortunate to have the leadership of some great elected Democrats. I have been lucky to count on many of these people for guidance and counsel throughout my years as a Democratic activist. What I have learned is that resiliency and diligent effort is required to succeed as Democrats in Texas.

Throughout my 20 years as an activist, Senate District chair, and Precinct chair, it has become quite clear what must happen to move our party forward. It is not a mystery. It is not a magic bullet. It is a concept. In order to be successful we must have: a unified effort from every Democrat in Harris County.

This unified effort includes everyone in this room and does not begin with anyone’s title or position. You see, I am not the party. The talking heads on MSNBC are not the party. President Obama is not the party. You are the party. Each and every one of you is the party. We together in this room are the party, not because we stand under a banner that says Democrat, but because we stand together under a tent of ideals.

A tent of ideals that say every American is entitled to a quality education. A tent of ideals that say every American is entitled to health care. A tent of ideals that say women should have control over their own bodies and that people should be able to organize for livable wages. A tent of ideals that say we will not allow conservatives to bully us out of our voice or our vote. And this all begins with each and every individual in this room. Every effort we make is because we know that our city, our state, and our country’s path forward is through these Democratic ideals.

In the last election cycle, I ran a program called 2415 in Senate District 15. Our goal, as our party’s goal should always be, was to increase involvement and Democratic turnout in the 2010 elections. Through a sophisticated field program of precinct chairs, team leaders, and volunteers, we started with a list of 13,000 people, and told voters why they should be voting for Democrats on Election Day. We called this list every single week for over a month until they voted, and we turned out 62% of these Obama surge voters for early vote.

It was accomplished because our Senate District team had a vote goal in mind, had a plan to achieve it, and held our team accountable for delivering.

Our success came from organizing our members. We organize…we vote. We vote…we win. Our strength lies in our numbers. Plain and simple.

Indeed… a Unified effort from every Democrat is the key to winning elections.

Here is the situation: President Obama won election in 2008 because people weren’t satisfied with George W. Bush. Since his election, President Obama has passed health care reform ensuring Americans are covered and won’t go bankrupt for getting ill; he prevented the country from slipping into an economic catastrophe not seen since the 1920s; he saved the American auto-industry. And if anyone thinks his foreign policy is too pandering, I suggest you follow the President’s own advice and ask Osama Bin Laden if he is too pandering. Why just this past week, the President brought our men and women in uniform home from Iraq.

Meanwhile, Republicans attack working families in our country. Republicans ensure the rich get richer while our poorest stay poor. And Congress has been endlessly consumed with scoring political points with the sole intention of preventing President Obama from getting reelected while they should be focused on helping to make better lives for all. This isn’t a what have you done for me lately…this is a what have you ever done for me?

Knowing this landscape as we do, and after having numerous conversations with many of you in this room, it is clear that what we need to do. I have a vision for our party. It begins with diversity. Democrats are the party of inclusion; to that end I will bring all communities together, ensuring everyone has a voice. We will make decisions around a table rather than from behind a desk.

We will focus on recruiting candidates from all groups in Houston. And when Election Day comes around, we are going to turn out each and every one of these vitally important constituencies, including our Latino brothers and sisters.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to create a culture of organizing unlike anything we have had before. My experience as a grassroots organizer has taught me that our power is our people. Plain and simple, we succeed together or fail alone. From civil rights in the 1960s to the labor battles of this year, we know that when we work together we can accomplish anything. That is the mentality we are going to instill in the Harris County Democratic Party.

We are at a pivotal moment. The working class is under assault and continues to work harder and harder while getting less and less. In my view, this is morally unacceptable and profoundly undemocratic. This is the reason I sought election as the Harris County Democratic Party chair. I have always believed in the inherent good of this organization. But more importantly, I believe in its core values, which are for me more than words. These values give rise to the power that direct the sail of our work and will ultimately determine whether we achieve our goals.

As we endeavor to make our next steps our biggest, I ask you to join me in making the Harris County Democratic Party stronger than it has ever been.

The number one question I have been asked since I started campaigning for this job was, “Why do you want to be Chair?” Now, usually, it sounded more like, “Why in the world would you want to be Chair?” I always gave honest answers from the heart, but perhaps the most heartfelt answer came last week while I was at the HBAD Christmas party in southwest Houston. I had not expected to say anything and was just there to socialize, but at the end of the meeting they asked me to say a few words.

You know there is a good book out. It has been around for hundreds of years and has been translated in every language imaginable. If you haven’t read it, you might recognize it. It is black and about an inch thick. You may have seen it on the nightly news from time to time. In this book there are parables and stories with life lessons and one of these life lessons goes like this: if you give a man a fish, you feed him for the day. If you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.

Republicans do not want to give a man a fish and they don’t even want to teach a man a fish; I for one have had enough. What do they have that is so special? They have Sarah Palin. They have Rick Perry. They have Newt Gingrich. They have trickle-down economics. How’s that working for you?

Well what do we have? We’ve got Clinton. We’ve got Roosevelt, Social Security, Medicare. We even got Osama Bin Laden, but instead of putting him in office…we took him out. Republicans do not want to give a man a fish. Republicans do not want to teach a man to fish. In fact, they want to drain the whole pond and starting today we begin refilling that pond, together.

Thank you for this tremendous opportunity; I look forward to taking this journey with you.

The Harris County Democratic Party headquarters will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on December 19, to accept Applications for A Place on the 2012 Democratic Primary Ballot (including Precinct Chair applications).

It is likely that filings will be re-opened for a very short period of time, for some or possibly all positions on the ballot, after the courts rule on the boundary lines after the Supreme Court oral arguments on January 9, 2012.

Further details (including likely modifications to the primary election date and Senate District conventions) will be provided as soon as they become available.

The Harris County Democratic Party wishes our Jewish friends a holiday season bright with joy and rich with memories. Chag Sameach!

The Supreme Court’s action has raised many questions concerning the status of 2012 elections and the effect of the stay on those elections. The following is the best guidance the Harris County Democratic Party can give on such questions as of the present time.

First, the stay affects only the offices of U.S. Congressmember, Texas State Legislator, and Texas State Senator. On its face, it does not purport to affect, and does not affect, the primary election for (or anything else about) any other office. The implications of that circumstance are discussed and explained hereafter.

Second, the stay does not change the fact that existing district boundary lines remain in effect until the beginning of the legislative session in January 2013 (when current officeholders’ terms of office expire). Therefore, even though we do not know, for example, which precincts will make up any given senate district once January 2013 gets here, for the time being (that is, at least until new maps are approved by the court) senate districts continue to be composed of exactly the same precincts as they were composed of previously (that is, what they are composed of now). For example, precinct 572 is currently in senate district 7. Under both the new maps adopted by the Texas legislature and the court-ordered interim map, precinct 572 would have been (or would be) in senate district 17. Regardless of what happens hereafter in court, precinct 572 continues to be in senate district 7 for the time being, and that will continue to a part of senate district 17 until January, 2013, when the new Texas legislative session begins. This includes for purposes of the senate district conventions next March 24, 2012, and the state convention next June 8-9, 2012 (in Houston, by the way), though the Texas Democratic Party could give other guidance with regard to apportioning delegates to the state and national conventions, after the courts sort out the new lines. But since the new lines will not take effect until January 2013 regardless of when they are finalized, the Harris County Democratic Party and the senate districts within it continue to operate under existing senate district lines until then.

An additional issue needs to be addressed concerning the composition of senate district committees: Harris County Commissioners Court has recently drawn new lines for a few voting precincts, reducing the size of about 13 of them and creating 15 new precincts adjoining the ones which were reduced. These new line will not go into effect until approved by the Department of Justice, but approval of these changes is almost certain and therefore, these are the precinct lines which will be in effect for the 2012 primary election (and the December 15 filing deadline for precinct chairs). The HCDP has provided a list of those few affected precincts to the senate district chairs and vacancy committees, and interested parties should contact them or the HCDP (by e-mail at hcdp@hcdp.org) for a list of the modified precincts.

Concerning the dates for the primary and the senate district conventions, this is an issue which may result in changes in the future, but as things stand right now — December 11, 2011 — the primary election will continue to be conducted on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, the precinct caucuses will continue to be held on that same date, starting at 7:15 p.m. (or as soon as the last voter has voted, if someone is still in line at 7:00 p.m.), and the senate district conventions will still be held on Saturday, March 24, 2012. However, the offices of Member of Congress, State Senator, and Member of the Texas House of Representatives will not be on the ballot on March 6, 2012. The primary election for those offices will be held at a later date to be determined by the courts (most likely, May 22, 2012, the date currently scheduled for the runoff election for runoffs needed after the March 6 primary).

It is possible the courts (or even the state legislature if called into special session to do so) could order that the primary election for all offices be moved to the same date as the primary for congress, state senate, and state legislature, but for the time being, that is not the case. For right now, primaries for all judges (statewide, court of appeals, district, county, and justice of the peace), county administrative offices (sheriff, county attorney, district attorney, tax assessor/voter registrar, county commissioners, Harris County Department of Education, and constables), state-wide offices (United States Senate, Railroad Commissioner, State Board of Education), President of the United States, and local Harris County Democratic Party political offices (precinct chairs and county chair) will continue to be held on March 6, 2012, with runoffs, if necessary, to be held on May 22, 2012. The Supreme Court stay does not change or affect that schedule for those offices.

Filing deadlines have not been changed by the Supreme Court’s action, either. That means that Applications for a Place on the Ballot must be actually received by the chair or secretary of the Harris County Democratic Party no later than 6:00 p.m. on December 15, 2011 (or December 19, 2011, in the case of county commissioner precinct 4 or Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 1). This includes Applications for precinct chair positions. All applications (including precinct chair applications) must be notarized. (There will generally be notaries available at the Harris County Democratic Party headquarters, 1445 N.Loop W. Suite 110 — IH 610 @ Ella, just east of IBEW hall.) Technically, as things now stand, this actually includes Applications for congress, state senate, and state representatives, but the applicant cannot know what the lines are for those districts, so there is no way to confirm that the candidate satisfies the requisite residency requirements. However, since there is no residency requirement for members of congress — other than the requirement that the candidate be a resident of the state of Texas — this may not matter for congressional filings and, legally speaking, the December 15, 2011 filing deadline still applies and remains in effect for all these offices (including congress).

It is likely as a practical matter that the courts will ultimately establish a new filing period (at least deadline) for candidates for state senate, state legislature, and congress, but there is no was to guarantee what the courts will actually do in the future in this regard. However, it is much less likely that the courts will re-open or extend the filing periods for other offices on the 2012 primary ballot and the 2012 general election ballot; it is possible they will do so, but serious candidates for office, at least for those other offices, should file before the December 15 (or 19), 2011 deadline.

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case on January 9, 2012, and it is expected (but not guaranteed) that the Court will render a decision relatively shortly thereafter — perhaps within a week. It is also likely that the lower courts will have to enter further orders thereafter, setting new filing deadlines and primary dates (at least for congressional, state legislative, and state senatorial seats) and possibly drawing new maps for use in the 2012 elections. It is also possible that the Supreme Court itself could grant further interim orders clarifying these procedural issues even before the January 9 oral arguments, but prospective candidates and the general public should not count on it.

The Harris County Democratic Party will attempt to provide further answers to specific questions if sent via e-mail to hcdp@hcdp.org and to update members of the public with updates as new answers or information become available.

Gerry Birnberg
Chair, Harris County Democratic Party
December 11, 2011

As early voting began in Harris County, we experienced the most overt and extensive effort to intimidate African American and Latino voters and keep them from voting we have seen here since the days of Jim Crow and before passage of the Voting Rights Act.

Folks reportedly paid by the Tea Party have swarmed minority early voting locations throughout Harris County, appointed as “poll watchers” by the local Republican Party and Republican candidates. Once inside, they try to disrupt voting and intimidate voters. They try to block access to polling places and hover over voters trying to vote, even positioning themselves to watch the minority voters while they are casting ballots. They try to talk to voters and election workers and are confrontational and hostile. THEIR GOAL IS SIMPLY TO DISCOURAGE AND INTIMIDATE MINORITY VOTERS AND KEEP THEM FROM VOTING!

Most of the conduct reported is clearly illegal. These people are not only enemies of democracy who don’t want people to vote, they are lawbreakers!

Here’s what the Texas Election Code provides:

“A watcher may not be present at the voting station when a voter is preparing the voter’s ballot or is being assisted by a person of the voter’s choice.” Texas Election Code section 33.057(b)

“While on duty, a watcher may not converse with a voter or communicate in any manner with a voter regarding the election.” Texas Election Code section 33.058(a)(2).

The only conversation which can occur between an election officer and a poll watcher is “to call attention to an irregularity or violation of law.” Texas Election Code section 33.058(a)(1).

They are breaking these laws for one reason only – to try to intimidate minority voters into not voting.

WE CANNOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS. WE FOUGHT TOO HARD FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE TO LET A BUNCH OF BIGOTS AND THUGS TAKE IT AWAY FROM US NOW.

The best way to fight this effort to take away people’s voting is to VOTE! Show them it won’t work! Show them nobody is going to disrupt or intimidate or harass us into not voting!

And take names. If you witness any of this illegal activity at the polls, try to get the name of the “poll watcher” who engaged in it and if they’re too afraid to give it to you, record a physical description. Then fill out an Election Incident Report Form or email headquarters (hcdp@hcdp.org) a complete description of what happened, and please include your name and telephone number so we can get in touch with you to ask more questions if we have to. If you don’t have access to email, call us at 713-802-0085, but our telephone lines are so busy right now, we’d really much prefer an email if you can do so.

It’s time to stand up to people who don’t want you to vote.

Gerry Birnberg

Chair, Harris County Democratic Party

There have been a few incidents at the polls where voters have tried to enter polling locations wearing tee-shirts or other clothing of a political nature (such as with a picture of the President on it).

While we are thrilled there is so much enthusiasm, you need to be aware that the Texas Election Code strictly prohibits any form of “electioneering” within 100 fee of an outside door of a building where voting is taking place. The courts and the Texas Secretary of State have long ruled that wearing any kind of campaign or political paraphernalia constitutes “electioneering” and is prohibited under the statute. In fact, it is a Class C misdemeanor.

If you are wearing a political tee shirt when you go to vote, please turn it inside out. If you are wearing a political hat or pins or stickers, they must be removed.

Especially because folks on the other side have such difficulty bringing their actions within the requirements of the law, it is imperative that Democrats demonstrate that we do believe in following the law – scrupulously. And if you see someone who is not following the law in this regard, report them to the election officials at that polling station and if they doesn’t take care of the problem immediately, report them at once to the Harris County Democratic Party.

Gerry Birnberg
Chair, Harris County Democratic Party

But Republicans – every single one of them – oppose that.

Once again Republicans showed their deep disdain for Latino families. So what else is new?

Do you realize that if it were up to Republicans, no one would even be allowed to speak Spanish in this country?

Think I’m kidding? Or exaggerating? Well, read the official Platform of the Texas Republican Party passed at their state convention just last July. This is a direct quote from that document: “We have room for but one language here and that is the English language.” Their platform goes on to demand, “One nation, one flag, one language.” And in case you didn’t get the point, the platform also calls for “adoption of American English as the official language of Texas.”

The second most important (for Republicans) item on their education agenda (according to their Platform) is elimination of bilingual education after first grade (for children attending pre-K, which, by the way, they oppose), after the second grade for kids who go to kindergarten, and after the third year of school for everybody.

No bilingual education and no speaking Spanish (or any other language other than “American English,” whatever that means – I guess English speakers from England or Canada wouldn’t be welcome here either, because they probably use “English English” or Canadian English”). How much more hostile to Latino families can you get?

And that after deciding that Cesar Chavez shouldn’t be in the schoolbooks our students study.

Republicans also want to kick children younger than 26 off their parents’ health insurance policies and allow insurance companies to refuse to cover kids who have preexisting conditions. They want to eliminate all programs that deal with early childhood development. The Republican platform also calls for repeal of hate crimes laws and unashamedly advocates use of racial profiling.

And I haven’t even mentioned the “I” word yet – immigration, where Republicans want to increase deportations dramatically, amend the Constitution to eliminate making anyone born in this country a citizen of the United States, allow hospitals to refuse to provide care to undocumented individuals, and do away with “Adjustment of Status” in immigration cases (among other things), while vehemently opposing “any” path to citizenship for folks who entered the country without documentation or overstayed their visas.

How can anyone doubt the hostility Republicans continually and unabashedly display for Latino families? Or vote for people who associate themselves with those beliefs and “values”?

It’s simply beyond me.

Gerry Birnberg
Chair, Harris County Democratic Party
September 23, 2010

But I’m not sure yet that the best solution to those problems is to remove the office from accountability to the voters, especially when Democratic candidates appear to be on the verge of being elected to fill those offices and can clean up the problems themselves once elected. And I must admit that it is certainly suspicious that the county judge has come to the conclusion that the election duties should be shifted from elected officials to an appointed one just when Democrats seem poised to win those offices (Tax Assessor/Voter Registrar and County Clerk) for the first time in 20 years. Where was Judge Emmett on this issue before the candidates of the Republican establishment lost primary election contests for those positions?

Having said that, there may be some merit to the idea of a County Elections Administrator (at least, potentially enough to justify exploration and discussion). BUT it is absolutely imperative in my view that the position of Elections Administrator (if one is created for Harris County) not be filled until after the Tax Assessor-Collector/Voter Registrar, County Clerk, and County Judge (all of whom are members of the five person commission which selects the Elections Administrator) are elected in November and sworn into office next January. That way it is them – the officials just elected by the voters (likely three Democrats) – who will get to select the Elections Administrator, instead of lame duck office holders who will not be serving in those positions in the future (one of whom was just defeated at the polls). If the office of County Elections Administrator is to enjoy any kind of public trust and confidence – which is indispensable to its effectiveness and justification – it must not be viewed as a last ditch effort by departing officeholders to influence the conduct of elections in Harris County for years to come, and well after they have left office – especially if three Republicans who select the person are no longer public officials at the time office begins operations. And for sure two of the incumbents won’t be officeholders next January, as they have either been defeated for re-election already or are not seeking election in November.

Those are just my thoughts – not the official (or even unofficial) position of the Harris County Democratic Party. But I assure you I will personally vigorously oppose any effort to allow the current, outgoing Voter Registrar and County Clerk (who will not be accountable to the voters in the future for their selection, should they be permitted to vote on that person), and the county judge who is running for reelection, to hand pick some unelected and unaccountable-to-the-voters person to fill this position. At a minimum, it is imperative that the officials elected in November – not the ones who won’t be around any more – select this person.

The county judge, retiring county clerk, and defeated-at-the-polls county voter registrar shouldn’t be allowed to pull a Rod Blagojevich on this one, appointing someone not accountable to the voters to an important position just as they are heading out the door of public office.

Ed Emmett shouldn’t be allowed to pull a Rod Blagojevich on this one.

Gerry Birnberg
Chair, Harris County Democratic Party
May 25, 2010