As the 2010 Texas Democratic State Convention came to a close yesterday in Corpus Christi, I was overwhelmed by a few distinct observations. Our Party is back, and so too is the belief in our ability to win in 2010.

We Believe!
No one assembled this past week felt that we were a Party in the minority and incapable of winning in November. It was clear that the Democratic Party is both poised to make a major breakthrough this year, and expected to be fully back in power by 2014. We reinforced our confidence in the Party leadership and platform, and are confident in our ability to mobilize Democratic support statewide.

Our Candidates are Better!
One of the reasons we believe is because of the quality and competency of our slate of candidates. Bill White is the real deal! He represents a dramatic shift in leadership style and policy proficiency from the current governor. It won’t take Texas voters long to realize that. Equally impressive are all the candidates on our statewide ballot. Linda Chavez-Thompson, Barbara Ann Radnofsky, Hector Uribe, Hank Gilbert, Jeff Weems and our judicial candidates all have dynamic personalities and skills sets suitable for the positions they are seeking. This is a slate you are going to be proud to support. Find out more about them here http://www.txdemocrats.org/people/candidates/.

Fort Bend Delegates Welcome Leadership Opportunities
Finally, I can’t express how impressed I am that so many Democrats from Fort Bend were elected to leadership positions within the Party. We are fortunate to have such an array of talented Democrats living in Fort Bend County, and their talents were definitely recognized by the party faithful. Congratulations to the following Fort Bend delegates:
SD 17
Harrison Gregg, Jr., Chair; Skip Belt, Rules Committee; Charles Meisgeier, Platform Committee; and Steve Brown, County Chair Executive Committee
SD 18
Don Bankston, State Democratic Executive Committeeman; Don Payne, Platform Committee; and Fredericka Allen, Nominations Committee
Asian American Democrats
Farhan Shamsi, Treasurer

We Need You to Believe, Too!
We need your help to make these beliefs reality. Please take a moment to sign-up for the Fort Bend Democratic Voice newsletter to stay informed of Party activities and volunteer opportunities (www.fbcdp.org). We also need more precinct chairs and block captains. If interested, please contact Cynthia Ginyard (ginyard@sbcglobal.net).

Finally, click here (http://democraticpartyoffortbend.com/donate-2/) to make a donation of $5 or more to our local democratic efforts. Every dollar you give will go towards beating Republicans in November!

By
Steve Brown
Chairman, Fort Bend County Democratic Party

Over the weekend, Republican delegates converged on Dallas to set their agenda and define their priorities for the next two years. They adjourned having identified a litany of policies and beliefs that further distanced them from the ideals of the Democratic Party, and perhaps most Texans. Indeed, the gulf is widening between Republican beliefs and the true needs for Texas.

Besides the familiar anti-abortion, stem cell and gay marriage sentiment we’ve become accustomed to, the newly ratified Republican platform contains pretty harsh language that can easily be interpreted as being unfriendly toward Hispanics. Specifically, their platform calls for making “American” English the official language of Texas, urging the Legislature to pass voter ID, taking a tough stance against illegal immigration and ending birthright citizenship. This is a pretty oppressive stance towards a community of people who not only will soon be in the majority but also have the potential to offer much to this state in terms of talent and resources.

The Texas State Data Center projects that Hispanics will make up the majority of Texas’ population by 2020. Additionally, their numbers are likely to dramatically increase by 2040 as a result of an aging Anglo population. Despite that, Hispanics are the most impoverished and least educated community in our state. At the turn of the century, over 1.6 million Hispanics in Texas were poor, and half didn’t have a high school diploma. The latter figure is understandable considering how young the Hispanic population is. Nevertheless, these figures can be outright tragic if we intend on amassing a competitive workforce, and be the future home of emerging economies and industries.

This isn’t new data. We’ve known for years that our state’s demographics have changed substantially. Instead of focusing on issues that might better allocate resources to ensure that all Texans have the opportunity to make a contribution to our state, Republicans have instead insisted on thumbing their collective noses at Hispanics. They prefer to pursue legislation to weaken Hispanics influence as opposed to recognizing that they are a significant partner in our state’s future.

Democrats must seize this opportunity to frame the immigration debate in terms that stress true family values, tolerance, fairness and a path to citizenship. We must recognize that any laws that separate families or engage in racial profiling are unacceptable, and we must engage all immigrant populations in this debate. We must also make this debate more robust by focusing on long-term policy solutions that address the education, income and housing disparities that exist between Anglos and minority communities.

Republicans have done us a favor. I challenge all Democrats to step to the plate and change the tone of this debate. Our very future might depend on it.

Steve Brown is the Chairman of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party.

FORT BEND COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CHAIR: CONSERVATIVE SBOE…OUT OF LINE AND OUT OF TOUCH

Fort Bend County Democratic Chair Steve Brown issued the following statement regarding the adoption of new high school curriculum by the State Board of Education:
As I was attending my son’s kindergarten awards ceremony this morning, conservatives on Texas’ State Board of Education were rewriting the history that he will one day study.
“Their attempt to water down the contributions made by minorities and elevate the profile of conservatives does a severe disservice to Texas’ diverse school children expecting a holistic view of national and world history.
“Our students aren’t robots, and they should be granted every opportunity to explore history from every point of view. That includes those points of view that may not fit neatly into their particular political prism.
“Let’s hope the Legislature is wise enough not to buy any textbooks reflecting this Board’s flawed revisionist history.”

###

Monday, May 17, 2010 @ 7:00pm
George Memorial Library
(1001 Golfview Drive, Richmond, TX)

AGENDA

I. Swearing in Remaining Precinct Chairs for the 2010-2012 term

II. Electing New Precinct Chairs to fill vacancies

III. Electing Secretary and Treasurer

IV. Chairman’s Report –

“A Blue Fort Bend in 2010”
Fort Bend County Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign

V. Appointing Members of Standing Committees
a. Fundraising
b. Outreach & Communications
c. Precinct Chair Matters
d. Rules
e. Strategic Planning
f. Other Appointments (Political Director, Grassroots Advocacy and Trainings/Skills Development)

VI. Conducting Other Business That May Come Before the Committee

As we draw closer to the beginning of my term as Chairman of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party, I am extremely excited about our opportunity to write a new chapter in Fort Bend politics. From what I’ve seen and heard from Democrats countywide, it appears as though you are as well!

You and I both want an active and fully engaged party structure. A party that can support and grow local Democratic clubs of all stripes and flavors. A party that facilitates precinct level activism and provides leadership to our precinct chairs. A party with resources to promote our countywide slate of candidates, and can execute the goals and objectives of a coordinated campaign.

None of this is possible, however, if we can’t come together as Democrats to bury old divisions, past personal history and/or perceived transgressions. Part of my job as Chair will be to help heal the scars of internal wounds and unify this Party behind the notion that together we can elect candidates who will advocate core Democratic principles in local, state, and federal government. Together, we can change the face of Fort Bend elected leadership so that it reflects the diversity of our growing county. Together, we will turn Fort Bend Blue.

I think we’re primed to make great strides this election cycle, and I’m ready to work with you to achieve our goals.

Sincerely,
Stephen Brown

UPCOMING EVENTS
Swearing In and Reception
Join me and our precinct chairs this Thursday, May 6 for our Swearing in Ceremony (see attached). The Swearing In will begin at 6:30pm at the County Courthouse in Richmond, TX (401 Jackson, 2nd Floor), and will be followed by a reception at Yucatan Mexican Grill (100 Liberty Street).

Fredericka Allen Fundraiser
Join Democratic Nominee for the 240th District Court, Fredericka Allen, at Massa’s Seafood Grill (1331 Lamar) on Friday, May 7 from 4:00pm-7:00pm.

Fort Bend County Democratic Party Meeting
The Fort Bend County Democratic Party’s first meeting will be held on Monday, May 17 at the County Courthouse in Richmond. Precinct Chairs not sworn in on May 6 will be sworn in at this meeting. A complete agenda will be sent out a week prior to the meeting.

CLUBS & TASK FORCES
Organizational meetings for the following groups have begun, and will continue through the end of this month. Please let me know if you would like more information on their goals and meeting dates.

Hispanic Voter Outreach & Engagement
Chair, Veronica Torres

Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual & Transgender Caucus
Chair, Fiona Dawson

Fort Bend Young Democrats
Chair, Chelsie Wilson
Vice Chair, Ali Hassan

Sugar Land Democrats
Co-chair, Deron Patterson
Co-chair, S. Qaisar Imam

Fundraising
Co-chair, Matt Probus
Co-chair, S. Qaisar Imam

Stephen Brown, Chairman-elect
Fort Bend County Democratic Party
www.voteforstevebrown.com

Donald and Susan Bankston
Billy J. Briscoe
Felix Chevalier
The Honorable Ruben Davis
Fiona Dawson
Brandon Dudley
Ed Hamb
Laurence A. Humphries
Ramon Manning
Derrick M. Mitchell
The Honorable Richard Morrison
Pat Olney
Adrian Patterson
The Honorable Grady Prestage
The Honorable Ronald Reynolds
Farhan Shamsi
LaRence Snowden
Mini Timmaraju
Veronica Torres

For the May 6, 2010 Swearing in of

Stephen Brown
As Fort Bend County’s Democratic Chairman
And
Democratic Precinct Chairs

Swearing in Ceremony will begin at 6:30pm
At the 240th District Court, 2nd Floor
401 Jackson Street
Fort Bend County Courthouse
Richmond, Texas

Followed by a reception from 7:30pm – 9:30pm at
Yucatan Mexican Grill
100 Liberty Street
Richmond, TX 77469
Please RSVP to brown_s75@yahoo.com

Political advertisement paid for by the Steve Brown for Democratic Chair Fort Bend County Campaign, Monique Mathis Brown, Treasurer

GOP PLAYBOOK – Obstruct, Malign, and Manipulate.

The GOP strategy is pretty straight forward. It is viscerally negative to any Democratic idea or initiative. It starts and ends with a general conclusion and is void of any analysis. If any rationale is given (which is rare) it is usually another general conclusion which obstructs any debate. The strategy is premised on the GOP’s ability to manipulate public opinion rather than to educate or persuade through thoughtful debate. Talking points are calculated to evoke an emotional reaction and not to illuminate the issue. Poll questions are slanted to reveal the answer desired by the party taking the poll. Opponents are vilified and shouted down. Fund raisers are based on fear and distrust. So what is new? Hasn’t this been the norm forever? Perhaps so, but I can remember there was once a civility that was based on respect of persons of principle that has eroded away. The change was most pronounced during the leadership of Newt Gingrich and continued under Dick Army and Tom Delay. The norm changed from one of respect and cooperation to open hostility and disrespect, both personally and ideologically. The current leadership of the GOP has continued this trend that leads to extreme partisanship and gridlock and challenges our democratic system. The trend will continue for the GOP because their strategists and their media allies see this as a successful strategy that will increase their influence, power, and economics for themselves and their constituents.

How can the Democratic Party and independents counter this manipulation of public opinion, and do so for the good of the country as a whole and not just for the good of a narrow constituency? The solution is pretty simple, but how to get there is a challenge. The Solution is for good Democrats to win more elections and an informed electorate (as opposed to a manipulated electorate) to participate in the debate of public issues. How do we get there?

FIRST, as Democrats we must know who we are. We must publically reject the GOP strategy that the end justifies the means and that the electorate is dense and can and should be manipulated by messages that are deceptive, false and duplicitous. We should shine a light on the GOP propaganda and slogans and show the electorate how there is a calculated intent to manipulate and preclude any debate rather to educate and persuade. We should find our voice and challenge these assertions, slogans or code words both at the top and down to the obnoxious neighbor. We must be true to our values of honesty and respect and justice for all. Our approach to issues should be intelligent and pragmatic to achieve the greatest good. We should oppose all efforts to limit debate, twist the facts or engages in misinformation to deceive the public. Our response and our proposals must be robust, clear and courageous. We must build pride in our party affiliation and in the electorate who we trust to make the right decision. In a nutshell we must deserve to win.

SECOND, we must be realistic. We will not be able to persuade everyone to vote Democratic. There has always been a large group of people whose self interest trumps all and whose ideology and hardened core beliefs have been formed to justify their indifference and even hostility to others not in their community or class. These people are not likely to be changed by any reasoned debate. The only time they change is when they implode due to some epiphany or realization of their party’s or politician’s hypocrisies. Fortunately, these people are not the majority of our citizens. They only have power because of Democrats that are apathetic and do not vote. The change that we seek will come from this larger majority that want to be told the truth, and want to be listened to, and want to be given the opportunity to vote for good representatives and not have to choose between bad and worse.

THIRD, we must have good leadership that is hardworking, intelligent, and responsive and yes humble enough to seek the advice and support of others. Plans and objectives for the near and long term should be developed and put in place to achieve our objective. We need to be the party that debates issues and who seeks solutions to public problems. We also need to put this in a framework of fiscal responsibility. We also need to be recognized as a party that supports the best candidates.

FINALLY, we as a party must be willing to sacrifice for the good of the party and our people. Our efforts will be magnified if we backup our words and thoughts with our funds and contributions and actions. Everything must come together for anything good to happen. First we must deserve to win. We must be true to our ideals; we must be a champion and trustworthy to the public. We must have good candidates. We must have good leadership. And we must be willing to sacrifice our time and money for the benefit of our larger community and country.

I hope this article will encourage others to speak out and share their ideas and plans of how we can achieve the people’s agenda. The first step is communication, taking a stand, and then collectively acting on our beliefs.

Please find attached a “State of the Party” presentation that I’ll be giving to Democrats throughout Fort Bend County. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

FORT BEND COUNTY CHAIR APPLAUDS THE PASSAGE OF LANDMARK HEALTH REFORM PACKAGE

Incoming Fort Bend Democratic County Chair Steve Brown issued the following statement regarding this weekend’s historic passage of Health Reform bills in the US House:

“It’s been a long time coming. We have finally passed measures to curb the effects of skyrocketing health care costs while extending coverage to countless uninsured and underinsured Texans.

“I would especially like to thank US Rep. Al Green for his support of these measures, as he was the only Congressional Member of the Fort Bend County delegation to vote affirmatively.

“I find it unconscionable that in a state with so many uninsured and underinsured – with so many children and hard working families living without coverage – that any member of our delegation would vote against improving the quality of life of a fellow Texan.”

According to the Congressional Budget Office, close to 4.4 million Texans will gain affordable coverage by 2019. This health reform package also makes substantial improvements to Medicare as well as provides greater flexibility to small businesses.

###

I would once again like to thank you for your support! I’m particularly excited about the future of the Democratic Party in Fort Bend County, and I hope that you are as well. Democrats are poised for a major breakthrough here – and its well over due!

Through increased and open communication, an organizational re-structuring and a commitment to achieve the goals that we set, we will undoubtedly be the majority party sooner rather than later. Over the next couple of weeks, before I’m sworn in this May, I’ll routinely send out Transition Updates to keep you informed of the activities that are taking place. These updates will also provide you an opportunity to get involved.

Task Force Chairs
I’m pleased to announce the naming of Democrats who have agreed to serve in critical transition roles. Each Task Force has been charged with identifying specific impediments to growth, making recommendations on sustaining permanent structures for each activity below, and setting short/long term goals.

Join me in thanking each of them for their efforts, and please let me know if you are interested in participating on any of these Task Forces.

Year-Round Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts
Chair, Constable Ruben Davis

Hispanic Voter Outreach & Engagement
Chair, Veronica Torres (Two-time Fort Bend County District Clerk candidate)

Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual & Transgender Caucus
Chair, Fiona Dawson (National Board of Governors, Human Rights Campaign)

Young Democrats
Chair, Chelsie Wilson (Obama National Delegate)
Vice Chair, Ali Hassan

Neighborhood Club Coordination
Chair, Cynthia Bennett (President, Sienna Democrats)

Fundraising
Co-chair, Matt Probus
Co-chair, S. Qaisar Imam

Listening Tours
Later this month, I will begin participating in a series of “listening tours” throughout Fort Bend county. The purpose of these gatherings is to hear directly from Fort Bend Democrats on the issues that concern you most. The first will be at the Fort Bend Democrats Club regular meeting on March 27 from 10:00 am until noon at the First Colony Library, 2121 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land. I hope that we can share ideas, concerns and strategies aimed at moving our party forward. Please stay tuned for more “Listening Tour” dates and locations.

Senate District Executive Committee (SDEC) Conventions
SDEC conventions will be held this Saturday, March 20 at the locations below. I look forward to seeing you there!
Senatorial District 13 will meet at Judge Joel Clouser’s Courtroom, 303 Texas Parkway, Room 107. The co-chairs are Evelyn Barnett and Rodney Griffin.
Senatorial District 17 will meet at the Sugar Land Library, 505 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, Harrison Gregg, Jr, Chair
Senatorial District 18 will meet at the George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview, Richmond, Chaired by Don Bankston

Fort Bend County Democratic Party Chair-elect
Steve Brown