Florida Rally in Washington DC on April 30th, 2008

The cost is FREE, and it includes transportation, meals and lodging in DC, but you must reserve your seat TODAY.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, the Florida Voter League, the Southern Leadership Coalition and other Democrat and civil rights organizations statewide have joined in coalition to rally in Washington DC on April 30th, 2008, in front of the DNC and ask them to Count Our Votes-Cuenten Nuestros Votos.

LULAC has obtained funding to pay for our transportation, meals and lodging in DC, and all we need is YOU, the citizen, the activist, who is tired of hearing "Florida's votes don't count"! I personally don't care if the Florida Legislature changed the primary date with or without the Democrat legislators' votes, I don't even care that political parties have the right to set their own primary rules. All I care about is that everyone's rights end where mine begin and I have not, nor will I ever give up the right to have my vote counted! As Dr. Eugene Poole, president of the Florida Voter League stated, this is a violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and we need to stand up and demand that our civil rights be respected. And especially so as Democrats. How can we demand that our votes be counted from the Republicans (remember 2000?!!) if the DNC won't even honor our primary votes?!!!

South Florida has been allocated 4 buses for the Rally with up to 55 seats on each bus - that's 220 of us. The buses will be filled on a first come, first served basis. The buses will leave early morning (between 6 am and 7 am) on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008, from central locations in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, arriving in Washington DC that evening. The Count Our Votes-Cuenten Nuestros Votos Rally will begin at 10 am on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008, until 2 pm. And the buses will leave Washington DC to return to Florida at 8 am, Thursday, April 30th, 2008.

The cost is FREE, and it includes transportation, meals and lodging in DC, but you must reserve your seat TODAY.

If intrested, please contact, Millie Herrera, President, Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, email: millie(at)flahispanicdems.org

5 days left to apply to be a Delegate to the DNCC

APPLY NOW

On May 17, 2008 the last 40 delegates from Florida to the Democratic National Convention in Denver will be elected, and 6 alternate Delegates. This delegate election is also where the Florida Democratic Party will try to meet its diversity goals developed by itself and the DNC.

Each State develops its own Diversity Goals, and Florida has set its up in such a way to help its delegation reflect its voter registration. The easiest math for this is that the party allows that 10% of democrats self identify as LGBT so 10% of our delegation will be LGBT. Also, our delegation has to be gendered balanced, 50/50 male and female. Because our super delegates have more men then women mixed in, we will be electing more women then men at this last round.

Here is a break down to take into consideration of the remaining diversity goals:

9 Hispanic delegates
1 Hispanic alternate
14 GLBT delegates
10 youth delegates
2 youth alternates
13 African Americans delegates
4 disabled delegates

We have met our goals on veterans, and these delegates can be elected pledged to Clinton or Obama, and one of the alternates elected to Edwards.

The gender break down is:

Senator Hillary Clinton
24 At-Large – 14F / 10M
3 At-Large Alternates – 1F / 2M

Senator John Edwards
1 At-Large Alternate – 1F

Senator Barack Obama
16 At-Large – 10F / 6M
2 At-Large Alternates – 1F / 1M

Read this over, and think of the people who you think should apply. The delegates are elected with a weighted vote, discussed earlier in this blog. Good luck, I hope you try, and I hope you get it... It is going to be a great convention!

www.demconvention.com
www.denverdnc2008.com
www.denverconvention2008.com (unofficial)

Floor Fight Script

Lawrence O'Donnell Jr., former West Wing writer-producer, wrote a possible script for what might go down at the DNCC in Denver this summer. I know most people wrote about this last week when the Huffington Post first posted it from the New York Magazine, but many of my friends hadn't seen it yet. Leon County DEC Vice Chair Monica O'Neal asked that I share this information with the local populace, so I am posting it here on the Tallahassee Leaders Forum.

We know that our blog is checked regularly, this will surely make the story increase in popularity. It is a little long, but well worth the read, and it has, what many of us would consider a happy ending!

Blog you way to the DNCC

Members of DemConvention State Blogger Corps to Have Assigned Seats with Respective Delegations on Floor of Convention Hall in Denver



DENVER - Demonstrating a commitment to unprecedented access for bloggers at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced that bloggers credentialed as part of the DemConvention State Blogger Corps will be seated with their respective delegations in the Pepsi Center during the historic four-day event. The move guarantees bloggers with a focus on state politics a unique vantage point to provide localized coverage of the Convention, to be held from August 25-28 in Denver.



"The Internet is the most significant tool for building democracy since the invention of the printing press," said Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean. "New local, national and global communities are being formed which demand two-way communication between people and their leaders and the DemConvention State Blogger Corps will be on the frontlines at the 2008 convention to help facilitate this critical dialogue."



In November, the DNCC announced its blogger credentialing process for 2008, including an expansion of the credentialed blogger pool from prior cycles and the addition of a state blogger credentialing program. Under the DemConvention State Blogger Corps, which is designed for those covering state and local politics, the DNCC is offering the opportunity for one blogger to be credentialed from each of the states and territories. The program, recognizing the growth of more localized blogs and in line with Governor Dean's 50-state strategy, has been open for applications since December.



"Time and again, we talk about our commitment to bring down the walls of the Pepsi Center and engage more people in the Convention experience using new technology and other creative means," said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. "Granting unprecedented access to our state bloggers shows we are serious about making this an inclusive, accessible event. When our nominee for President of the United States takes the stage, members of the DemConvention State Blogger Corps will witness this historic moment from the best seats in the house - and in turn, be able to offer their dedicated readers back home a first-hand account from the center of that state's action."



To qualify as a state blogger, the applicant's blog must have been in existence six months prior to requesting credentials and have at least 120 politically related blog posts. Bloggers must submit their daily audience and list their authority based on Technorati statistics. Bloggers may also provide examples of posts that make their blog stand out as an effective online organizing tool and/or agent of change.



In addition to the DemConvention State Blogger Corps, the DNCC will also credential a general blogger pool, to include local, state and national political bloggers, as well as niche and video bloggers from across the country.

Applications for blogger credentials will be accepted until April 15, 2008. Individuals selected for either the DemConvention State Blogger Corps or the general blogger pool will be notified in May.



Bloggers interested in applying can find additional information at:

http://www.demconvention.com/blogger-credentialing-process

How to be a delegate for the DNCC

What is the DNCC? The Democratic National Committee Convention. www.demconvention.com The website has a lot great information regarding volunteering, becoming staff, and how they advise you to become a delegate.

YDA is working to try to help Young Democrats become delegates to the DNCC too. You can sign up at: www.yda.org/delegateform

Yesterday, Alison Morano, interviewed Leonard Joseph, the Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party on her radio show with Kenneth Quinnel. The interview covers the delegate caucuses scheduled for March 1, and, most importantly, Leonard lent his expertise on the whole election process, Florida's role in the next year, and the goals of the Florida Democratic Party.

I encourage you to listen to the show, and make plans to participate in the Delegate Caucuses around the state on March 1.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fpc/2008/02/07/Prime-Trime