HELP WANTED! Are you interested in becoming involved in the political process by helping to elect more democrats and earning some money too? This is the job for you! The Sedgwick County Democratic Party is now accepting applications for canvassers for the 2010 election season. Qualified applicants will possess basic knowledge and communications skills to include reading and writing, have a clean and professional appearance and be physically capable of walking for extended periods of time in all weather. Applicants must be registered democrats within the state of Kansas and be 18 years of age or older. Employment will conclude after Election Day in November. Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to fill an application and submit in person to the Sedgwick County Democratic Headquarters at 1064 N Waco in Wichita between the hours of 10:00 and 4:30, Monday-Friday. Call 785-220-2355 with questions or email kari@rollcallconsulting.com.

Application for Employment-PDF

What’s in it for YOU?

A panel discussion of the Affordable Care Act.

The new Health Care Legislation is complex. How does it affect you, your family and your medical care?

When: Saturday, May 22, 2010 2pm-4pm

Where: Rhatighan Student Center (formerly the CAC)  Room 203 on the WSU Campus

Who: YOU  and the experts:

• Dr. Richard Skibba, M.D., Retired, Board Certified Gastroenterologist & Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
• Monica Flask, Director of Project Access, Central Plains Regional Health Care Foundation
• David Wilson, President of Kansas AARP
• Bev White, President & CEO the Center for Health & Wellness

Admission is FREE

Sponsored by

The Sedgwick County Democratic Party

and the WSU College Democrats

Call 262-7534

Click here for a map.

The Sedgwick County Democratic Party will interview candidates for Field Director on May 18.  This job involves recruiting and managing volunteers, administering an established program to turn out voters, fundraising and budget management, data entry and management, and working with candidates.  Experience is preferred, computer skills are mandatory.   Contract terms are negotiable, but services will conclude within a few days after Election Day in November.  Ideal candidate is an experienced political organizer familiar with executing field plans, is a multi-tasker, and who can work as early or as late as is necessary.  Submit resume and letters of recommendation to Lyndsay Stauble at P.O. Box 1736, Wichita 67201 or by email to lstauble@sedgwickcountydemocrats.com.  Inquiries can be made to Lyndsay at 262-7534.

I want to thank you.

I the last two weeks, so many of you have called, written, emailed, contributed and volunteered in support of the work we strive to do here in Sedgwick County.

When our office was vandalized, I stood in my office looking at the broken glass and the mess that had been created and in that moment, I knew I wasn’t alone. I knew then and am reminded every day that I can count on you.

Brick, or no brick, we’re here because of your support.

Thank you.

Best,

Lyndsay Stauble
Executive Director

Two weekends ago, a brick crashed through a window at Sedgwick County Democratic Party headquarters. Written on the brick were several hateful phrases. In the days since, we have received an outpouring of support through phone calls, letters and people just stopping by to show their solidarity.

Common sense tells us that the vandalism and threats of violence witnessed across our nation serve to strengthen the very people intended to be intimidated. These acts of violence and hate speech dehumanize and devalue the very people intended to be emboldened. Common sense has been in short supply.

Some have said that we shouldn’t have been surprised when our window was shattered. I fiercely disagree. Not only were we surprised, but every Wichitan should be outraged.

We live in an amazing country — one that affords us the right to speak on any issue in evocative ways. We can assemble and protest and petition our government for change. We can and do vote the party in power out of office. But when political debate ceases to be civilized and lawful, where does that leave us as a nation?

We know that words have meaning — that words matter. And words, when used to incite hatred and violence, can be dangerous. Sadly, we in Wichita have had to learn this harsh lesson too often.

I call on Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, R-Kan., as well as Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, to denounce these terrible events, which are happening in their home state, and to their constituents. It’s time to speak up, and make a stand for law and order.

KELLY W. JOHNSTON

Chairman

Sedgwick County Democratic Party

Wichita

Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/03/30/1247256/take-stand-for-law-and-order.html#ixzz0jhR8VlYa

We’re making headlines.

No one is happy that someone decided to throw a brick through the window of the Sedgwick County Democratic Party Headquarters, except maybe the people who perpetrated and encouraged it.

At first, we thought our office was just the object of a random act of bitter violence, but now we know that’s not the case. This attack was instigated, encouraged and directed by an ultra-right wing blogger and similar events occurred all over the country.

Aside from mentions on KAKE, KSN, KMUW, in the Wichita Eagle and on CNN, Rachel Maddow did an excellent segment on what happened here and across the country over the weekend.

While we’d much rather be making headlines for the good work we’re doing here in Sedgwick County, this incident brings the struggle ahead into sharp focus.

We’ve got a lot of work to do and great deal of animosity to overcome.

You’re likely to see more of us in the news in the next few days, but even after the excitement has died down, we’ll still be here working thanks to you.

The newest issue of the Democratic Voice is now available! Check it out online by clicking here.

Help us fill the piggy bank!

Did you know we have a piggy bank? It’s not a physical piggy bank, but it’s savings that we build on little by little with the monthly contributions of people just like you.

These tough economic times have made it difficult for us to do even the simple things like publishing and mailing the Democratic Voice.

A group of about 35 Democrats give up a week’s worth of coffee or a month’s subscription to Netflix and give that money to the Sedgwick County Democratic Party with an automatic monthly contribution.

A good cup of coffee or kicking back and watching a movie can be pretty satisfying, but wouldn’t victory on Election Day be even more satisfying?

Please consider giving $25, $10, or even $5 a month with an automatic monthly contribution to the Sedgwick County Democrats. You’ll be helping to elect good Democrats and reach out to voters across Sedgwick County through events and updates like the Democratic Voice.

Becoming a monthly donor is easy! Just give us a call at 262-7534, or email us at info@sedgwickcountydemocrats.com.

Thank You!

The crowd at 401 E. Douglas, Suite 200 swelled into hallways Saturday when 4th District Congressional candidate Raj Goyle opened his campaign headquarters in Wichita.  More than 150 supporters and activists turned out, eager to join the campaign.

Visit http://www.rajforkansas.com/ for more information and to get involved in this exciting race.

If you read the opinion section in the Wichita Eagle this morning, you might have thought it was “Democrat Day” with so many wonderful letters from local Democrats, including our own Chairman, Kelly Johnston. Click here to read what they had to say.

Of course, these letters are not always published in full. This was the case with Kelly’s letter so I wanted to send you the full version, because it was great.

Dear Editor:

Last Friday, Kansans for Life announced that they intend to defeat Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier when she comes up this November for a retention vote.  Kansans for Life plans to deliver “150,000 postcards before the election” [reported by the Eagle on Jan. 23, 2010] and perhaps “run radio ads opposing Beier or other justices”.  Kansans for Life is upset by two previous decisions of the Kansas Supreme Court, and the opinions in those decisions written by Justice Beier. Interestingly, Kansans for Life did not challenge Justice Beier’s work ethic or qualifications.

The other event was the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court last week that ruled that limitations on corporate contributions to political campaigns violated the free speech guarantees of the 1^st amendment.  While only federal campaign finance laws were challenged in that case, the 1^st amendment protects against free speech violations by all levels of government.  Therefore, it appears likely that Kansas laws which place limits on corporate political contributions are also unconstitutional.

So I ask, are there corporations in this state or country which might be willing to provide unlimited funds to try to defeat Justice Beier?  Since we elect district court judges in Sedgwick County and a few other counties, could our trial judges also be subject to future attack at the polls by those who have lost lawsuits? While we continue to follow two important criminal trials in Sedgwick County, I hope you agree that this is an imminent threat to the independence of our judges, and the rule of law.

Kelly W. Johnston, Chair

Sedgwick County Democratic Party