More than 250 Solivita Residents stopped by during our Candidate Rally on July 14 in Freedom Park.

Highlighting the event were guests former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Congressman Darren Soro (D-FL).

The President’s Letter:

Martha Cusimano needs your help. She has stepped forward to train voter registrars in Poinciana, especially in Solivita. However, there is a the problem of a Power Point training presentation to assist in performing this task, but its whereabouts are currently unknown. We are appealing to the Polk County DEC, Polk County Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards, and current, past members, and officers of this club to help us locate the training material. Martha also needs volunteers to successfully complete the project, and we ask that you please help. Martha’s email address is marthacus@aol.com.

It saddens me to say that one of our members, Pat Hill who is also the wife of our club Vice President Ron Hill, broke both of her wrists as a result of a fall while playing Pickle Ball. The challenge for the two of them is that Ron has never had the role of caregiver before the injury. We can only imagine the challenges that the two of them are experiencing. Their contact information appears below; please join us in wishing Pat well and a speedy recovery.

Pat and Ronald Hill
454 Villa Park Rd
Kissimmee, FL 34759
Ronhill454@gmail.com

Please mark Saturday July 14, 2018 on your calendar for our Voter Registration Rally. It has been proposed that our club invite CDD members, all of the Polk Co. Democratic clubs, and caucuses. The CDD members will not speak, but will be recognized from the stage. The event is currently in the planning stages, and all indications are that it will be from 11 AM to 2 PM and in lieu of our monthly members meeting. Food will be free with an option to donate to the Solivita Democratic Club.

Don’t forget that our next regularly scheduled Solivita Democratic Club meeting is Wednesday April 11, 2018 at 7 PM in the Ballroom. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Our topic and theme of the meeting is “How to Bridge Today’s Great Social Divide”.

Regards,
Stanley P. Dillard, Sr. President
Solivita Democratic Club
863-427- 4480

Seniors Against Assault Weapon Violence has arranged for bus/coach transportation to the March for Our Lives event in Orlando. The event is Saturday, March 24, at Lake Eola in Orlando. The rally will be from 12 Noon to 3 PM. We will leave at 10 AM from Freedom Park parking lot in Solivita, and people will gather by 9:45 AM to be ready to board at 10. We will leave the rally at 2:45 to be picked up by the bus at 3 PM, which should get us back to Solivita by 4 PM.

The cost of the 54 passenger bus is $375. Until we know how many people are going, we will not know the exact cost. At present we have 15 definite people signed up and at least 10 maybes. We expect to get more people signing up, and optimistically hope for 50. However, due to not knowing if we will get that many we are asking people to give Shelli a $20 check to hold their places on the bus. These checks will not be cashed unless the cost does turn out to be $20. It will likely be less, in which case we will be able to advise people prior to the trip what the exact cost is. The only other cost will be the gratuity for the driver. That is usually done by passing a large envelope, which we will provide, and people can add what they think is appropriate.

The bus is equipped with a bathroom, and wifi. I think it also has electric outlets for charging phones.

We will need the phone numbers of those people who are going, so that when we get ready to depart from Orlando we can call anyone who is not on the bus to make sure no one is left behind. We will also give out our phone numbers so people can reach us in case of any problem that day.

Hope you can join us.
Shelli Greenfield
973-207-1664

Dorothy Schwartz
732-207-3358

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2018

TALLAHASSEE – In an effort to give Florida voters a chance to decide for themselves whether civilians should possess weapons of war, former Senate Democratic Leader Chris Smith today filed an amendment with the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) which, if the voters agree, would ban assault weapons in The Sunshine State.

“Since the 2016 horrific shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, and especially after the Valentine’s Day tragedy at Stoneman Douglas High School, Floridians have signaled their support for an assault weapons ban,” said Smith, who is currently a member of the 2017-2018 CRC and may directly submit an amendment proposal. “Since the Legislature did not act, I wanted to give the people the power to decide for themselves.”

The CRC is a 37-member organization established every 20 years, tasked with reviewing the state constitution and recommending any needed changes. Members are appointed by the Governor, Attorney General, the Supreme Court Chief Justice, Senate President and House Speaker.

Under Smith’s proposal the sale or transfer of assault weapons would be prohibited. The legislature may enact legislation within the amendment’s framework to provide exceptions to the prohibition on the transfer of assault weapons legally possessed prior to the effective date of the ban.

In his amendment, an “assault weapon” is defined as a semiautomatic rifle that is able to accept a detachable magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that is capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition, or that has a fixed magazine capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition.

The amendment, which will now undergo vetting by the CRC committee process, must garner 22 votes by the full CRC membership in order to appear on the November 2018 ballot.

If successful, and if 60 percent of Florida’s voters then sign off on the Smith amendment, the assault weapons ban would become part of Florida’s state constitution.”

President’s Message

There is so much information to share with you that I ask that you please forgive me for its length. Karen Weizal, of the Polk Democratic Executive committee, asked that I share with you details of an event as part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s “March for Our Lives Events” campaign at 1 Highlander Way; Lake Wales, FL on Saturday, March 24 at 6 PM. RSVP here to join her by clicking the following link: http://act.everytown.org/event/march-our-lives-events_attend/9766/?source=taf&referring_akid=.6455839.zP7wB6

Our Blue Wave Dance is March 14th in the Ballroom; doors open at 6:30 PM. Music by DJ, Irwin Zalko. Please bring a snack for your table; Cash bar. Tickets $10 per person. DO NOT respond directly to this email to order tickets. Email or call Kate Kohout at katekohout@yahoo.com or (863)-496-0481. Include your name, number of tickets and your phone number.

In his opening statement in a recent email blast, Ryan Torrens (candidate for Florida Attorney Genera) said last week said that “I am ashamed of my party”. We had the pleasure of having him address our club last month, and those in attendance found him to be a compelling and passionate speaker. I feel that he is one of the best candidates that Florida Democrats have had in a long time. His opponent is being backed by the Koch brothers, and has amassed a multi-million dollar war chest.

To quote Mr. Torrens, “I believe that one of the reasons the Democratic Party keeps losing in Florida is because my party has lost touch with working people in our state. My party used to be known as the party who fought for the underprivileged, the forgotten, and those struggling to get ahead. It was my party who fought for everyone to have fair chance to achieve their dreams. It was my party who fought for the laid off factory worker and the single mom, living paycheck to paycheck.” He said that Democratic members of the Florida Legislature voted in favor of payday lenders, and Democratic members of the U.S. Senate voted to relax the rules for big banks instead of fighting for the people who sent them there. And most ironic of all, they did this during National Consumer Protection Week. This is exactly why so many voters have called out Democrats with their talk of fighting for the working man. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words.

Mr. Torrens further stated that “we need to return to the party of LBJ, who fought for health insurance for the elderly and the poor. We need to return to the party of FDR, who fought for the workers who were relegated to a life of poverty and humiliation due to the ravages of the Great Depression. Only when we do this will the voters place their trust in the Democratic Party once again.
‘ It’s time to go back to basics. It’s time to actually fight for what our party claims to believe in. It’s really easy to show up at a fancy party, cocktail in hand, and talk about how progressively-minded you are. When the fight is on, like it was yesterday, our people expect us to to fight for them. Our party let the people down yesterday. What a shame.

‘We’re doing things differently in this campaign. I’m campaigning as the people’s lawyer. It’s who I am and it’s what I do. Fighting for all Florida consumers isn’t Democratic or Republican and it isn’t liberal or conservative. It’s just the right thing to do. We’re going to win this election, but only with your support. I don’t care what your party is. If you believe it’s time to put the AG’s office back on the side of the consumers, join our team today.” Mr. Torrens recognizes that the wind is at our backs, and it’s time to take advantage of that momentum.

Lastly ,Marilyn Shapiro of our club shared with us one of her writings “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”:
According to the Bipartisanship Policy Center, our country’s history of working across the aisle can be traced back to as early as 1787. Our founding fathers, struggling with congressional representation regarding the populations of the colonies, reached what later was know as the Great Compromise. It was decided that our new government would exist with a proportional House of Representatives and a Senate with equal representation. Once adopted, both sides felt vindicated.

At their best, and despite their differences, presidents and parties have work together to use compromise for the common good of our country. Lincoln created his “team of rivals” because he believed that he had no right to deprive the country of its strongest minds simply because they sometimes disagreed with him. In the last sixty years, the Civil Rights Act (1964); putting man on the moon (1977); the Endangered Species Act (1973); the American’s with Disabilities Act (1990); welfare reform (1996), and No Child Left Behind (2001) all were put into effect because of compromise.
In the current political climate, compromise appears to be all but impossible. Lines have been drawn in the sand, pitting the Republican majority against the Democratic minority with unprecedented rancor. Nuclear options, closed door sessions, and a proliferation of what is regarded as “fake,” exaggerated, and even inflammatory news have torn our country apart in ways that many of us — from gifted historians to concerned citizen—cannot remember.

The battle has spilled over to our personal lives, dividing family and friends. The situation has become so flammable that recommendations on how to get along with family and friends with differing political views have become hot topics on everything from television to newspaper articles to Miss Manners. How do we deal with its aftermath when where one stands—whether to the left, to the right, or in the middle—when politics become personal?
I myself had become caught up in the “us versus them” mentality. In the months before the election, I had spent hours watching television, listening to podcasts, and reading articles—usually with left leaning perspectives. Sharing all this news became my first priority, either through social media or animated, face to face conversations.

And it hurt me. I had cut off contact with a relative after a Facebook fight about the election last fall, reconciling only after four months of protracted tension. One of my new neighbors, knowing how I felt about the November 8 outcome, had purposely avoided me with little more than a smile and hello. Friends invited me to their get-togethers but suggested I leave my politics at the door. As a result, I decided that I could still do what I need to do—stay informed, call my legislators, volunteer to work during the next election cycle. However, as Miss Manners suggested in her June 25, 2017, column, I was no longer going discuss politics in social situations without mutual consent to do so.

While organizing a small dinner party, I realized how difficult the situation had become. One of the guests, whose leanings were unreservedly to the left, called to see if I was inviting a couple known for their strong Republican views. When I asked him the reason for his request, he told me that he recently had had a heated exchange with the couple regarding politics. He and his wife would feel uncomfortable attending if they were going to be there.

Even though the “Republicans” were not on the guest list for that evening, his request troubled me. Since the elections, I had heard similar comments from other friends who had questioned my continued friendship with any of “those people” who didn’t vote the way they had. I also observed many friends drawing lines in the sand. I came to the realization that enough was enough.

I didn’t have a good response for my dinner guests during that phone call, but I do now. When the issue comes up, I tell people, “I will be friends with whom I want. Politics will NOT be a decision in my friendship.”

In Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked, Chris Matthews, the former Chief of Staff for House Speaker Tip O’Neill and MSNBC journalist, reported that the political battles between the House Speaker and President Ronald Reagan were “legendary,” but they respected and even liked one another. Reagan often had both Republicans and Democrats—including O’Neill—over for cocktails. “After six,” O’Neill would insist, “we are all friends.”
The only difference with me, the avowed liberal Democrat, and Tip O’Neill is that I won’t limit my friendships to after six o’clock. As Thomas Jefferson so wisely said over two hundred years ago, “I never considered a difference in opinion on politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause enough in withdrawing from a friend.”

So I will continue to have friends for dinner, no matter our political affiliations. We will break bread. We will drink wine. We will laugh and enjoy each other’s company. And maybe, just maybe, once in a while we will “reach across the aisle.” We will discuss politics, learn what divides and unites us, and, if necessary, agree to disagree. I only wish the same for our president and the members of our United States Senate and House of Representatives.

Stanley P. Dillard, Sr. President
Solivita Democratic Club
863-427- 4480

The Solivita Democratic Club invites you to join us as we welcome Congressman Darren Soto on Thursday, March 29th, 6:30 pm in the PALMS Club Room; doors open at 6 pm.

Hear first- hand how things are going in Congress. Now is the time to have your questions addressed on the actions of ICE, the status of Medicare, Social Security and our Economy.

Join Us.

Watch our Website for updates.

Our first meeting of 2018 began by adding six new members to our growing club roster!

For the first time, our Solivita Democratic Club meeting and the Club Expo took place on the same night, and at the same time. Our meeting was relocated to Mosaics, and our exhibit table for the Expo was located at the entrance of the restaurant. The smell of food enticed people to drift into our meeting space, and we attracted a wider than usual public audience.

For 2018, the plan for the Solivita Democratic Club is to be more assertive and visible. We anticipate having a consistent presence at the Farmers Market, complete with signage and our Democratic Donkey Mascot each week.

In addition, we plan to make available a written document which answers the question “Why Vote Democratic?” Also, our club will aggressively court young potential Democrats by sponsoring an essay contest around the very same question. The Solivita democratic Club will offer a prize of $350 to the Valencia College student winner (subject to the approval by the dean of the college). We feel that this is an excellent real life civics lesson and opportunity for young people to learn about our government and politics.

The club elected new board members to fill the expiring terms of Bea Motley, Ellis Moose, Celeste Williams. Please extend a warm welcome to Amy LaRue— Membership Chair, Mary Ellen Schneider—Secretary & Webmaster, Dorothy Swartz— Campaigns/Special Events, and current president Stan Dillard to fill the position of Reflections Writer.

Our featured speaker for February will be Ryan Torrens, candidate for Florida State Attorney General. We ask that everyone please turn out to hear Mr. Torrens, who will be traveling from Tampa to address our club members.

Regards,
Stanley P. Dillard, Sr.
President

Friday morning January 5th with wind out of the north and freezing temperatures, my wife Bernice I erected a tent to sell tickets for the February “The Big Apple Sound” show. The Farmers Market typically draws large numbers of residents and venders to the parking lot. When we finished setting up, we were the only vendors present aside from the farmers. We were eventually joined by CDD Amenity Committee, Veterans, the Republican Club who erected a table within a few feet of our exhibit. They were unaware that I am the current president of the Solivita Democratic Club; they were rather loud and vociferous about being republicans. They said that many of their new members are disaffected former Democrats, who have become disenchanted with the party; many of whom are from our club. Their current membership is 547 and growing. A substantial number are so called Dixiecrats (George Wallace-Alabama, Lester Maddox-Georgia). He said that their new members feel that they cannot identify with Democrats anymore, and that the party has gotten away from mainstream values. The club consistently has a presence at the market most weeks in both oppressing heat and freezing cold. This probably explains their growth. However, our club has plans to end their political monopoly of public in Solivita very soon. Patrick Coleman has been tasked to lead a team to develop materials that emphasize the theme “Why Vote Democratic”, which would be distributed at various venues including the Farmers Market. Len Guminski proposed going one step further by sponsoring an essay contest for students at Valencia College, to attract young people and potential voters to the Democratic party. The Board agreed on a prize of $350 for the winner. The contest would also be a real-life introduction to civics and our system of government
The republican representative boasted about being the party of conservative values that demonized Liberals, a label that many Democrats have run away from by calling themselves Progressives. We as a party have let the GOP define us. The following is a copy of a letter to the editor reprinted from the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled “Defining Liberal” which I have carried in my wallet for over 35 years:

“When did liberal become a four-letter word? A day doesn’t go by when one doesn’t hear ad hominin attacks by the right using the word liberal to describe its opponents as if it meant some sort of abomination of humanity. The dictionary definition is: ‘favoring progress or reform, as in politics or religion; not intolerant or prejudice; generous; lavish in giving; giving freely or in large quantity; ample: not literal or strict.’ How then can the right honestly justify the nefarious use of this word if they really do represent the truth as they claim to?” Joseph John Hrvnack- Stratford PA
Lastly, it’s time to elect new Board Members. The board is not s clique and is open to all members who wish to participate, and following positions will need to be filled for 2018 and 2019:

Membership Chair:
Responsible for all areas connected to Membership.
Develop ideas that will increase Membership
Maintain database that keeps track of Members’ names, addresses, phone numbers, email address, payment of dues, meeting attendance for members and guests, guest speaker and refreshments served
Develop ideas that enhance membership appreciation and camaraderie
Reflections Writer:
Position is under the direction of the Publicity Committee.
Responsible for development and submission of articles and pictures, placed in our Reflections magazine. Articles must be written and submitted on a timely basis advising of time and place of each meeting, as well as anything that may be of interest to our readers
.
Secretary & Webmaster:

Campaigns/Special Events:

Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday, January 10th in Mosaics.
.

Regards,
Stanley P. Dillard, Sr. President
Solivita Democratic Club