Dear Clarita,

Our Contest The Vote campaign has accomplished so much in a short time due to the efforts of supporters like you. Together, we brought the federal government to a grinding stop for 2 hours. While Dick Cheney and his crooked smile sat waiting for the inevitable outcome, millions of people around the world got our message:


"A country whose stated goal is to forcibly export democracy to the world doesn't guarantee it to its own people."

While we have done so much, there is much more to do. Tonight or tomorrow you have a special opportunity and I urge you to take advantage of it if you can.

Along with other local groups, Contest The Vote is sponsoring two evenings with Bev Harris in Southern California!

Our American Democracy is based upon the voting process. Accurate and verifiable elections no longer exist throughout our nation, as witnessed in San Diego, Ohio and Florida. Incompetent election officials and dishonest voting machine companies now control our electoral process.

TAKE ACTION! HELP IS ON THE WAY!

Bev Harris, The Godmother of Fair Voting, is coming to Southern California for two special nights! She exposes the theft of our democracy and suggests how to take it back. Her book and website www.blackboxvoting.org are loaded with specific steps each of us can take to restore our nation to a government of, by and for the people, not the corporations. Experience Bev Harris when she visits Southern California for evening lectures and weekend workshops, and prepare to stop those who would own our lives and our children's futures.

For full details, please choose the link below that's best for you:

Friday February 25 in Vista, CA

Saturday February 26 in San Diego, CA


Please invite all of your friends and family. This will be quite an education! Thank you

Rick Hall
www.ContestTheVote.org

Dear Clarita,




Tell me what you think about the plan for the future of our Party:

www.democrats.org/plan

The staff and I have been reading through thousands upon thousands of replies to my letter last week, and I wanted to report back to you on what people are saying about the plan for the future of our party:

www.democrats.org/plan

Two things struck me as I read what grassroots Democrats like you have to say.

One was the honesty I heard about your very practical concerns at the local level -- many wrote about starting a local party organization, or living in a heavily Republican area where it has been hard to get the resources to make a difference.

But we will meet those challenges -- because what stood out even more was the overwhelming energy and excitement at the grassroots of our party. So many Democrats can't wait to get started -- they want to grow our party from the ground up.

And that's exactly what we're going to do.

I've included below a few of the messages from people like you. Please take the time to read them, and to become part of this conversation yourself:

www.democrats.org/plan

I'm traveling this week and next week -- to exactly the kind of places where we need to start building. I'm just leaving upstate New York, where folks concerned about jobs and fiscal responsibility are learning that you can't trust Republicans with your money.

And I'm on my way to Kansas and Mississippi to talk to Democrats about how to take our agenda and values out into their communities.

But our party will only succeed if you work to build it in your community. Your commitment can make it happen.

Thank you.



Governor Howard Dean, M.D.
Chairman, Democratic National Committee

A few of the responses by grassroots Democrats to the plan for the future of our party:

"I especially support the effort to reach out to state and local Democrats. I'm a die-hard liberal in the heart of Bush country and I'd love to see more of a DNC presence here where we need it most!" -- Rachel (Texas)

"For people who want to get involved in a Democratic movement, but haven't really done any 'active' organizing or operations in the past, it can be kind of daunting about where to go first -- please provide a clear path." -- Daniel (Oregon)

"My county is starting to organize at the precinct level. If the DNC can help us with programs for those first meetings -- it would be great." -- Margaret (Missouri)

"I served my country as an enlisted man in the Air Force for 10 years. Now I will serve my country again standing up for the values that make this country strong." -- Garth (California)

"I fully support this plan and believe training tomorrow's leaders is the key to Democratic Party success. As a young American, I have plans to eventually run for office as a Democrat -- as your plan suggests, true party success will fill from the bottom up, not trickle from the top down." -- Bryan (Connecticut)

You can read the plan and offer your feedback at: www.democrats.org/plan

Dear Friends,

What better way to advance our Count Every Vote reform initiative than to show the power of democracy in action!

Last week I asked you to become a citizen co-sponsor of this vitally important reform legislation that Senator Barbara Boxer and I have made a top priority for 2005.

100,000 of you answered our call to action -- and the number is growing every day.

http://www.friendsofhillary.com/CountEveryVote

Today, we take the next step. This afternoon, I will step onto the Senate floor and formally introduce the Count Every Vote Act.

Providing paper receipts for electronic voting machines, creating uniform standards for provisional ballots, and guaranteeing adequate equipment to prevent long waiting lines are common-sense reforms. They will help strengthen our democracy and they are supported by the vast majority of Americans.

But here’s the reality. Many of the Republican leaders who make speeches about democracy abroad will resist this attempt to strengthen it here at home. They don’t want to face the issue of electoral reform, and they don’t want to vote on it - so they are going to try to ignore it.

That’s why I am committed to building grassroots momentum -- to insist on action for the Count Every Vote Act of 2005. We are going to show that the American people are determined to have fair, free and credible elections - our democracy demands no less!

100,000 citizen co-sponsors is a great start. But, it is only a start.

Will you continue to help me build support? Will you forward this email to your friends, and ask them to join us? The more citizen co-sponsors we have, the louder, and stronger, our voice will be!

Thank you,


Hillary Clinton

This is a special day for mommysbabygirl. This is a young TIG member with very beautiful dreams in her heart and a great love for others! You can send her a birthday card through TIGs express cards.

Dear Clarita,

I couldn't let the final days of my four years as Chairman of the Democratic Party go by without offering you one last message of thanks. I have been deeply moved by all the kind words I have heard in recent days about what we have achieved in strengthening our Party.

And I am always aware that the praise for the remarkable progress our Party has made is really aimed at people like you - those who have stood by the Democratic Party through thick and thin.

On Saturday when I turn the role of Party Chairman over to Howard Dean - and every day for the rest of my life - I will proudly count myself among the rank and file Democrats who are the heart of our Party.

Thanks so much for your passion, energy, commitment and support.

Sincerely,


Terry McAuliffe
Chairman