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THE REPORT OF THE CHAIR

by Chairperson Mary Artuso

The enthusiasm among Democrats this year is historic.  What I (and you) hope is that after the general election in November we will have selected strong supporters of public education and of the issues that will bring us a better life in the future. 

The most important concern is the Supreme Court.  It concerns our free speech, religious liberty, reproductive rights, equality for all, voting rights -- every essential right that's a part of the American way. That's what's at stake with the Supreme Court on the ballot this November.  That is why we know that even though NEA supports individuals and not party labels we must elect a Democratic president in this election.  Our future and the future of our American way of life rest on nine members of the Supreme Court.  We must elect Barack Obama!

We can not stop with the office of president.  It is also important that we support Senate challengers who will help us reach that critical 60-vote majority in the Senate.  That means winning seats back in “blue” states while taking the fight to “red” states where Democrats haven’t always won in the past.

Actually the election this November may be the most important in our nation's history.  We have the opportunity to expand our majorities in both Houses of Congress and elect a president who will support the agenda of the American people.

To quote Howard Dean:  YOU HAVE THE POWER 

FEATURED SPEAKERS

July 2, 2008

Speaking of Howard Dean---We have been working with Governor Dean’s staff for four years.  Finally this year we were able to work out a plan which will enable him to visit with all of you.  It took much work on our part and a special consideration by President Reg Weaver.    The only day Governor Dean could visit with us is on July 2^nd.  He must fly from D.C. in early afternoon, so that means that we have to schedule a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, July 2.  He also requested that we move our starting time from 8:30 AM to 8:00 AM so he could spend an entire hour with us.

That means that registration for the breakfast will begin at 7:30 A.M.  Don’t bother coming earlier because the room will not be open.  At 7:30 A.M., Anne and David Loeffler will begin giving out meal tickets for the breakfast.  As usual, it is free to our members, but you must have your membership pin and ribbon.  You will be able to join when you register at the breakfast.  The first 200 members who arrive will be served breakfast.  If you are not in those 200 you are still welcome to listen to Governor Dean.  The meal costs over $30 and we can’t judge how many members will be able to make this breakfast.  We must pay for what we order so we have scheduled 200 breakfasts.

There will be a fruit cup, orange juice, and one breakfast pastry per person at your table when you enter.  Coffee will be served also.  All serving will stop when Governor Dean begins speaking.  After he finishes, the hot plated breakfast will be served.

We are very fortunate to be able to schedule Governor Dean.  We need to show him how respectful our members are.  This event will be closed to the press.  Governor Dean’s biography is included in this newsletter.

July 3, 2008

After that very exciting meeting, on Thursday, July 3rd we will be treated to a very informative meeting.  I met Eric Hauser at another convention and was so impressed that I made arrangements for him to speak to us for our July 3^rd meeting.  Eric Hauser has a distinguished 25-year career in communications.  He will conduct a training that covers the basics of political communications:  what is newsworthy, how to deal with reporters, how to get noticed, press and issue research, and related topics.  He will also offer real-life examples of how to make communications work with examples about education policy.  Eric has worked for several education groups, including the NEA.  You can read his biography in this newsletter.  There will be a short business meeting following Eric’s presentation.

CAUCUS ELECTION

July 1, 2006

Our first meeting usually has small attendance due to afternoon state caucus meetings.  Don’t worry if you cannot attend the July 1^st meeting.  The only members who must attend will be anyone who wants to run for a NEA Democratic Caucus office.  Again, I want to emphasize ALL CANDIDATES MUST BE PRESENT at the 4:00 P.M. meeting on July 1^st.  I know that attending this meeting may be a hardship for our candidates, but it is necessary.  The reason why we enforce this rule is so we can plan for any necessary election for our following meetings.  In recent years we have not had a contested election, but if two or more members declare their candidacy for the same office at the July 1^st meeting we will need to schedule time for speeches and an election.  If only one member applies for a position no election will be held and the candidates will be declared the winners.  Our meeting times are limited to just a few days at the RA so we must take advantage of each scheduled meeting, and we must know by the end of the first meeting if we need to schedule an election

This year we will be electing two officers.  They will serve for two-year terms.  Last year we elected a treasurer and our vice chair.  This year we will elect a chair and a secretary who also is responsible for our membership information for the listserv.  You can review the responsibilities of each officer in the RULES OF OPERATION included in this newsletter.

If you are running for an office you are making the commitment that you will serve for two years and not just one.  Please do not submit your name if you are not able to fulfill the responsibilities of the office.  The success of the Caucus is built on the backs of officers who are willing to make the Democratic Caucus their #1 commitment at the RA.  It means being at every scheduled meeting and working at the booth. 

If an election is needed Bob Smith, the editor of our newsletter, has volunteered to head an election committee.  The results of the July 1^st meeting will be announced at our breakfast meeting on July 2.

STATE CONTACTS

Our booth #455 will be open from 9:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. when our membership meeting begins on July 1^st.  All state contacts should try to pick up your packets on this day because our breakfast is the very next day at 8:00 A.M.  Please make sure in your afternoon state meetings on July 1^st that you get the forms to everyone in your state who wants to attend the breakfast.  If you attend the breakfast you will probably miss your morning state meeting on July 2^nd.  Please explain to any state official that our breakfast has been authorized by President Weaver and ask permission to be absent from your state meeting.  It probably would be best to make these arrangements ahead of time.

In conclusion, I want to welcome you to the 2008 NEA Representative Assembly.  I hope we are looking forward to an exciting convention and an exciting political fall.  The momentum is swinging our way!  Let’s chase this donkey all the way to the White House!

We meet at a time where we find ourselves at a crossroads in American history. It’s a time where you can go into any town hall or veterans’ hall or coffee shop or street corner and you’ll hear people express the same anxiety about the future. You’ll hear them convey the same uncertainty about the direction that we’re headed as a country. Whether it’s the war or Katrina or health care or outsourcing, you’ll hear people say that, now, surely we’ve come to a moment where things have to change. And there are Americans who still believe in an America where anything’s possible; they’re just not sure that their leaders still do. They still believe in dreaming big dreams but they suspect maybe that their leaders have forgotten how. 

I remember when I first ran for the state senate – this was my very first race – back in Chicago … people would say, you seem like a nice young man. They would look over my literature. They would say, you have a fancy law degree, you teach at a fine law school, you’ve done fine work, you’ve got a beautiful family – why would you want to go into something dirty and nasty like politics? Why would you want to go into politics?

And the question is understandable and it bears on today because even those of us who are involved, even those of us who are active in the political process and in civic life, there are times where all of us feel discouraged sometimes, where we get cynical about the prospects for politics because it seems as if sometimes that politics is treated as a business and not a mission, and that power is always trumping principle, and that we have leaders that are sometimes long on rhetoric but short on substance, and so we get discouraged. And every two years or fours years maybe we do our bit and we knock on doors or pass our literature, or we go into the polling place and hold our noses and vote for the lesser of two evils, but we don’t feel in our gut sometimes that politics and government is going to improve our lives. At most we hope it does us no harm.

And I am not immune to those feelings. But, you know, when I get in that funk, I think about a person I met the day before I was elected to the United States Senate …[M]y staff comes up to me and says, senator, before you go up, there’s this woman who wants to meet you. And she’s driven a long way and she’s a big supporter and she just wants to take a picture with you and shake your hand. And I say, well, that’s not a problem. And so I go offstage to a back room and I meet this woman. She explains that she has supported me since I announced for my race. She shakes my hand, we take a picture, she tells me that’s she’s proud of me. And she had already cast her ballot at that point absentee, and she was really appreciative of the work that I was doing and wished me Godspeed.

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