October 2019 Newsletter
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Super Tuesday Primary States in orange | Democrats Abroad is one of 12 "States" holding a Primary or Caucus on Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020. DemsAbroad has just launched our petitions platform for Democratic presidential candidates who want to add their name to our primary ballot next year. Each candidate needs to collect 300 signatures from Democrats Abroad members by January 6th, 2020 in order to be included on our Global Presidential Primary ballot. So far sixteen candidates have signed up, and we are now sharing the petitions far and wide. Click here for more details on how to sign candidate petitions. |
"In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth
sounds like a pistol shot." - Czeslaw Milosz
Have Your Say in the DemsAbroad 2020 Platform
Ken Sherman, Tom Perez, | One of the DemsAbroad Platform Committee's first tasks this year will be to help kick off DA's Kitchen Table Talks, a joint effort of the Global Executive Committee, the Resolutions Committee and the Platform Committee. Kitchen Table Talks are a great way for members to help inform and shape the 2020 Democrats Abroad Platform, and they run from October through December, 2019. |
Citizenship Denial to Children of Military Abroad
Julia Bryan, DA Global Chair | The children of some U.S. military members and government employees who are born abroad will no longer automatically be considered citizens of the United States, the Trump administration announced on Aug. 28th. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy explaining the agency will not count those children as "residing in the United States" to get automatic citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Military members and government employees who are citizens stationed abroad with their families can apply for their children's citizenship, according to the policy. The change will take effect Oct. 29, USCIS said, and applications submitted before then will be subject to the automatic policy. Click here to read the statement from Julia Bryan, the Global Chair of Democrats Abroad. |
"You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: It wasn't that long ago that we were swept
away by the Macarena." - Jon Stewart
Push for ERA: Virginia Voters Could Take it Over the Top
Count them: 4,764 postcards signed and sent by Democrats Abroad to Virginia voters in a push to (finally) ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. With all positions in the Virginia House and Senate up for election on November 5, it’s an opportunity to flip two Republican-held seats. Virginia House chair Kirk Cox, in fact, has made it his business to block passage of the ERA for the past several years. “It would be a pleasure for us to help kick him out,” says Shari Temple, DA Global IT Team chair, who worked with VAratifyERA to spearhead DA’s postcard-writing campaign in September. With 58 Dems Abroad volunteers and teams working around the globe, more than 2,700 cards were posted to Cox’s district, another 2,000-plus sent to Republican Chris Jones’ district. |
The U.S. Remains in the Universal Postal Union
In mid-September DemsAbroad Canada encouraged Americans to contact their Representatives and Senators to voice their concern for the potential of the U.S. to withdraw from the Universal Postal Union. We are pleased that the member countries were able to reach an agreement. We thank every American who contacted their Representatives and Senators on this important issue! While the risk of the U.S. withdrawing from the UPU has passed, the work by DemsAbroad to ensure access to the ballot box by Americans living abroad continues. Click here for the full statement from Democrats Abroad on the Universal Postal Union |
“Waiting for Donald Trump to be a good president is like leaving the landing lights on for Amelia Earhart.”
– Garry South, Democratic Strategist
Chapter Debate Watch Parties
Toronto Debate Watch Party | The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary season officially kicked off for Americans on June 26th & 27th with the first round of candidate debates. Chapters across Canada have been hosting local Debate Watch parties, providing an environment for Americans and some interested Canadians to come together to watch the depth of our candidate field for 2020. Come out for the next debate watch in your area on October 15th! Check out your chapter Events page here for their next debate watch |
Are You at Risk for Having Your Passport Rescinded?
Tax Filing & Estate Planning Webinars
We understand that the Federal Passport Revocation Policy that was enacted as part of the 2015 FAST Act has come into effect. The IRS is providing the State Department with the names of persons with outstanding and unresolved federal tax debts of $52,000 or more. Those being subjected to this provision should have been provided with notice and opportunities to cure under the policy's implementation rules. Click here to read about our latest expat tax advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill. DemsAbroad Canada will be presenting webinars on tax filing requirements with the IRS as an American living in Canada, plus Estate Planning. Watch your Inbox for webinar announcements in October & November. |
"Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds,
then they will just have to sit on their blisters." - Abraham Lincoln
Chapter Spotlight: Vancouver Brings Them In
Vancouver Chapter members at the Lights for Liberty Rally | Close to 80,000 Americans live in Vancouver, and Susan Brennan, chair for DA’s Vancouver Chapter Chair and Membership Secretary for DA Canada, is determined to reach every one of them. “We Americans do seem to find each other,” she says with a laugh. “I think we’re more assertive, especially Americans who leave the U.S. and live elsewhere. Maybe it’s a pioneering spirit.” The Vancouver chapter got its formal start in 2008 when DA held its global meeting in the city. Early leadership crafted by-laws and a constitution, a structure that now supports almost 3,700 members, the second largest chapter after Toronto. The growth was slow and steady, before a sharp uptick in 2016. “In 2012 we had 30 people vote in our Global Presidential Primary,” says Brennan, adding this was the year she got actively involved. “In 2016, that number jumped to 125.” The 2018 mid-terms brought in 100 people to watch the returns, many of whom have now become members and active volunteers. Click here to read the full story on how the Vancouver Chapter is working towards 2020 |
Volunteer Spotlight: Victoria DA Member Finds His Voice on CallHub
Michael Stevenson | As an audiologist, Michael Stevenson is used to listening to people. Since moving to Victoria from Washington in 2007 and joining DA’s Victoria chapter, he’s had ample opportunity to put his listening skills to use. “I was drawn to phone banking because of the time flexibility in making calls and the efficiency of working from home,” says Stevenson, who is consistently the Canadian top caller for CallHub. “I’ve enjoyed being able to call in the morning, afternoon or evening, depending what works for my schedule.” He admitted feeling uncertain at first about how well the program worked, “but those fears were quickly allayed. Training was provided and resources were available when needed. CallHub provides basic contact information, history of calls and ease in updating contact information or requesting follow-up services.” Click here to read more on Michael’s experience as a CallHub volunteer. |
Congratulations to the Winners of the Raffle to see Michelle Obama + 3 Other Prizes
An Evening with Michelle Obama | Through the generous support of our members, DA Canada was able to operate a call center in 2018 which contacted 20,000 Americans living abroad to assist with registering for their ballot or sending their ballot in. Voting by Americans overseas increased by 300% and delivered the numerical difference of victory in several races! Our goal for 2020 is to double the efforts and we're very grateful to those members who participated in our recent raffle for 2 tickets to see Michelle Obama in Hamilton, ON plus 3 other great prizes. This is a starting point to us achieving our 2020 goals. Congratulations to the following prize winners: Elizabeth Greene - London, ON Michele Marques - Aurora, ON Elaine La Chappelle - Burlington, ON Wendy Burton - Oakville, ON Thank you again to the individuals who generously donated the prizes and to those who generously donated to our Get Out the Vote efforts for 2020! If you'd like to make a donation to DemsAbroad Canada please click here. |
We can’t win in 2020 without you. It takes a village to do all the things we need to do. We have many opportunities for volunteers available: - Phone banking Please send an email to DemsAbroad Canada Volunteer Manager Jamey Shick and indicate which area you'd like more information on. |
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