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Democratic Club News

•  Please join us for our December 3rd luncheon at the Sarasota Yacht Club, 1000 John Ringling BLVD., Sarasota.  Our speaker will be Jay Rixse.  Following a career in the U.S. Navy, Jay was a senior official in both the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense (DoD). His topic is  The Role of Intelligence Today: Has it Changed?  Jay has served on the National Security Council Staff, as the Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO. At the CIA he served in several positions including: NSC & Presidential Briefing Coordinator for the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI); responsible for current intelligence - including the President’s Daily Brief; and as Executive Secretary of the CIA.  Registration for the December 3rd luncheon is 11:30 a.m.  Jay will speak at 11:45 a.m., Lunch and Club updates will be at 12:30 p.m., there will be a Q&A session at 1:00 p.m., and adjournment at 2:00 p.m. Please sign up for the December 3rd luncheon HERE.     

        You will find more details about all of our luncheon programs from November 2019 through March 2020 HERE.

•  Our friend June Leder Ansorge, age 94, died Thursday August 22 on Longboat Key, FL.  In her New York Times obituary it states  - "She lived life on her terms and was lucky in life and in death.  June was a ceramic artist/teacher for more than half her life.  She also loved cooking, politics, and the view from her condo. June is survived by her brother George, son Andrew (wife Laura), daughter Sally Mulvey and granddaughter Alexandra.  In her memory, contributions to the Democrat of your choice would be appreciated."  June was an active member of the Longboat Key Democratic Club, attended most of our luncheons and was a delight to talk with.  We will miss her greatly.      

• Norma Schatz has released her November letter to Plymouth Harbor residents and others who care.  So many things going on it’s hard to keep track  - or respond to in some timely way.   No action yet in the Senate on gun safety legislation. A new bill was introduced in the Senate in June: S.1831 The 3D Printed Gun Safety Act of 2019 “…to prohibit the distribution of 3D printer plans for the printing of firearms…”  There has been a proliferation of online instructions on how to make these guns.  These weapons are nearly impossible to track, are undetectable, untraceable and unlicensed.  The bill has been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary where, because it is sponsored by Democrats and has something to do with gun safety, will probably be ignored. The Senate has not taken up the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.  See Norma's complete November letter HERE.

• How to Vote in Florida even if You are a Snowbird - Did you know that you can register to vote in Florida even if you do not spend six months and a day here?  The so-called 183-day rule is one used by many states for taxation purposes -- but has nothing to do with voter registration.  Looking ahead to the critical election of 2020, your vote is likely to be much more important in Florida than in a so-called “blue” state:  Whoever wins Florida is likely to win the presidency. If you own or rent property in Florida, you can register to vote here.  According to Florida law, what matters is where a person intends to make his or her permanent residence for purposes of voter registration.  You can be both a legal voting resident of Florida and a taxpaying resident of another state. (You must give up your right to vote in your alternate state.) This is a good time to make a switch, well in advance of next year’s election.  HERE is more information on how to register to vote in Florida as a snowbird. 

•  Over 200 guests were present at our April 1 special luncheon to hear Jill Wine-Banks talk about the corruption in the Trump Administration, the Mueller Report, or what our speaker calls "Trumpgate."  President Ken Marsh kicked off the luncheon by mentioning that Jill Wine-Banks would conclude this year's annual speaker series titled "Threats to our Democracy."  See a summary of Jill Wine-Banks remarks HERE.

•  At our March 12 luncheon, Mike Himowitz, was introduced by Board Member Lucie Lapovsky. Mike spoke to us on the evolution of newspapers over the past few decades and the current threats to freedom of the press.  Mike spent 34 years at the Baltimore Sun papers as state news editor, Washington correspondent, Baltimore County Bureau Chief, Science, Medical and Technology editor and other positions. Mike spoke to us on the topic of Roosevelt, Trump, Craigslist and the Media in Peril. Read a summary of Mike's presentation HERE.

• The Florida Democratic Party’s Organizing Corps 2020 is an effort to build the talent and infrastructure needed to win in 2020. Together we’re investing in the next generation of local and diverse staff for the 2020 general election and beyond.  The DNC, the Florida Democratic Party and 6 other state Democratic parties, in partnership with 270 Strategies and The Collective PAC, have launched Organizing Corps 2020 —a new program, starting in 2019, focused on recruiting, paying, and training young people, especially people of color, to work on the 2020 presidential cycle!  See Details HERE. 

A Message from the President – Ken Marsh

For decades the Longboat Key Democratic Club has provided means for local residents to support Democratic candidates, to hear from knowledgeable and stimulating speakers, to link to other Democratic Party efforts, and to impact government decisions based on our values. And now, for the 2019-20 program year, we are setting our sights on being more effective than ever before!

We are located on Longboat Key, a barrier island whose 3,000 registered Democrats vote at either Sarasota County precinct 201 or Manatee County precinct 309. Our island is situated between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and is 12 miles long and 1/2 mile wide.  Most of our voters are seasonal but still very involved in local election issues year-round.  Our precincts typically have the highest percentage of voter turnout in the county.

Our Club meets for lunch and discussion on the first Tuesday of the month, from November - April. Our luncheons are held at the Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota.  Our guest speakers give presentations that are stimulating, relevant, and humorous. The presenters include members of Congress, local and state officials, candidates, political pundits, journalists, and entertainers. Our new luncheon format has Registration at 11:30, the Speaker at 11:45, Lunch and Club updates at 12:30, and adjournment at 2:00 after an extended Q&A with the Speaker.

Increasingly, we host luncheons, receptions, and Meet & Greet events from May through October. We also coordinate our activities with the captains for both precincts. And our members work hard to keep voters informed, educated and involved, even in off-years. Most Longboat Key residents are already registered to vote so our volunteers register voters elsewhere in both counties. For years we have strongly supported Democratic Party efforts in the Newtown neighborhood in north Sarasota.

The Longboat Key Democratic Club is proud to share information about the club and about your opportunities to get involved.  We encourage you to join us in our quest to support Democratic nominees at the local, state and national levels. Together, through excellent voter turnout and our support of Democratic candidates, we can make a significant, positive difference in the future of our country.

Contact any Board Member to discuss how you can participate in the camaraderie and activism of the Longboat Key Democratic Club.

Ken Marsh
President