ldcclub Club Meetings

Thursday, November 8 Meeting to Focus on 2012 Election: First Impressions

The 2012 Election: First Impressions will be the subject of the Lamorinda Democratic Club's meeting on Thursday, November 8. The featured speaker will be Ethan Rarick, director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service at the Institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

Rarick, one of the state's leading political analysts, will offer his thoughts and perspectives about the 2012 election results and what they mean for the state and our nation.

The club's meeting will be held at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, in Lafayette. The club's social hour will begin at 7:00 p.m., with a business meeting beginning between 7:15-7:30 p.m. depending on the length of our agenda. There is a $5 charge at the door to help the club cover meeting expenses.

Rarick, a former political journalist, he is the author of California Rising: The Life and Times of Pat Brown and Desperate Passage: The Donner Party’s Perilous Journey West, and the editor of California Votes: The 2006 Governor’s Race, and California Votes: The 2010 Governor’s Race. He is now editing the forthcoming third edition of Governing California: Politics, Government, and Public Policy in the Golden State.

He studies California politics, policy, and history, and has written about these subjects for many publications, including The Los Angeles Times and California History. As a journalist, Rarick also covered politics and other topics for the Contra Costa Times.

ldcclub Events

Election Night Victory Party in Walnut Creek

The Central Contra Costa United Democratic Campaign is hosting a celebration on election night, November 6, from 6-11 p.m. at the Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery, and Restaurant, 1410 Locust Street, Walnut Creek.

Come early, have dinner, and stay until the last Democrat is elected. Multiple screens will display the election results from several national and local channels.

The no-host bar will serve beverages and appetizers all night. Ron Lorentz and his group will provide music on the patio. You will get to see and meet all of our Democratic candidates from federal to local offices as they drop in.

For more information, please visit the Central Contra Costa Democratic Campaign Headquarters, 1372 North Main Street, Walnut Creek or call 925-451-7503. Click here to download an event flyer.

ldcclub Event Recap, Events

LDC's 2012 General Election Endorsements

Following the club's endorsement process, the Lamorinda Democratic Club's membership has voted on the following endorsements for the 2012 general election:

  • Prop 30 Temporary Taxes to Fund Education & Public Safety: Yes
  • Prop 31 Budget Reforms: No
  • Prop 32 Limits Union Political Contributions: No
  • Prop 33 Auto Insurance Price Based on Driver History: No
  • Prop 34 Eliminates the Death Penalty: Yes
  • Prop 35 Human Trafficking: Yes
  • Prop 36 Modifies Three Strikes Law: Yes
  • Prop 37 Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods: Yes
  • Prop 39 Adjust Taxes for Multi-State Corporations to Fund Clean Energy Programs: Yes
  • Prop 40 Referendum on State Senate District Boundaries: Yes
  • Measure A, Contra Costa Community College District $11/year parcel tax: Yes
  • Measure C, Martinez Unified School District parcel tax renewal: Yes
  • Measure K, Town of Moraga 1-cent sales tax for road maintenance: Yes
  • Measure L, City of Orinda 1/2-cent sales tax for road maintenance: Yes
  • Measure Q, Contra Costa Fire District $75/year parcel tax: Yes
  • 11th Congressional District: George Miller
  • 7th Senatorial District: Mark DeSaulnier
  • 16th Asembly District: Joan Buchanan
  • Moraga Town Council: Karen Mendonca
  • Orinda City Council: Victoria Smith
  • Pleasant Hill City Council: David Durant
  • Lafayette School Board: Quinlan Tom
  • Mt. Diablo School Board: Brian Lawrence
  • Contra Costa Community College District 2: Vicki Gordon
ldcclub Club Meetings, Monthly Meeting Notices

Lamorinda Democratic Club To Discuss The Countdown to Election Day: Hear from Local Candidates and Measures on October 11

Countdown to Election Day: Hear from Local Candidates and Measures

The Lamorinda Democratic Club's Thursday, October 11, meeting will feature presentations from local candidates up for endorsement by the club, local measures appearing on ballots in our area, and key propositions on the statewide November 6 ballot. Join us to help kickoff the final weeks of the 2012 campaign!

The club's meeting will be held at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, in Lafayette. The club's social hour will begin at 7:00 p.m., with a business meeting beginning between 7:15-7:30 p.m. depending on the length of our agenda. There is a $5 charge at the door to help the club cover meeting expenses.

The club's members will vote on the board's recommendations for endorsement positions on the following statewide propositions:

  • Proposition 37 (Support): Labeling of genetically engineered foods
  • Proposition 39 (Support): Adjusts taxes for multi-state corporations to fund clean energy programs
  • Proposition 40 (Support): Referendum on State Senate district boundaries

The club will hear presentations about the following local measures appearing on ballots in our region and have the opportunity to vote on whether the club should endorse the measure.  

  • Measure A: Contra Costa Community College District $11/year parcel tax
  • Measure C: Martinez Unified School District parcel tax renewal
  • Measure K: Town of Moraga 1-cent sales tax for road maintenance
  • Measure L: City of Orinda 1/2-cent sales tax for road maintenance
  • Measure Q: Contra Costa Fire District $75/year parcel tax

We will then turn to local campaigns to hear from the candidates about whom the club's board recommends endorsement. Per the club's endorsement guidelines posted on our web site since February, candidates must submit a questionnaire in order to be considered for endorsement. The Issues Committee and Club Board recommend endorsement of the following six candidates:

  • Moraga Town Council: Karen Mendonca
  • Mt Diablo School District: Sherry Whitmarsh  
  • Lafayette School District: Quinlan Tom and Donald Wolff
  • Orinda City Council: Victoria Smith
  • Pleasant Hill City Council: David Durant

We will wrap up with a closing presentations about the two key statewide measures for the California Democratic Party: supporting Proposition 30 (Governor Brown's temporary tax measure fro the state budget and schools) and opposing Proposition 32 (the corporate deception measure).

Each of these presentations will provide you opportunities to learn what you can do to help make sure we earn important victories locally as we work starting with President Obama to ensure a blue wave in California on November 6!

ldcclub Events

The Healthcare Movie at the Central Contra Costa UDC Pizza and Movie Night Sept. 26

Join your friends and fellow Democrats at a Pizza and Movie Night at the Central Contra Costa County United Democratic Campaign Headquarters on Wednesday, September 26 from 7-9 p.m.

The movie will be the Healthcare Movie featuring Keifer Sutherland. Pizza will be served from 7-7:30, the movie from 7:30-8:30, and then a discussion led by Pat Snyder and Gerri Field from 8:30-9.

The Central Contra Costa United Democratic Campaign Headquarters is located at 1372 North Maine Street, Suite 100, in Walnut Creek (between Mechanics Bank and Mel's Diner).

Click here to download an event flyer.