Manistee's Lil' Big Shots Talent Show
|
Saturday, July 3rd - 1-3 PM Lions Pavilion at 1st Street Beach Hosted by CBS Seal Team Star, Toni Trucks, straight from Hollywood Sponsored by the Blue Tigers |
All Talents ages 4-16 Welcome. Call 313-478-5347 or email manisteelilbigshots@gmail. com for Registration Form
Monthly Meeting
|
Annual Summer Picnic
July 15th, 6 pm -Onekama Village Park Brats Provided - Bring Dish to Pass Special Guest: State Representative Rachel Hood from the 76th District speaking on her perspective from a blue seat in a red region |
|
Our Pres and Veep!
Membership
Donations
All donations are used for support of local campaign activities only. Click the Donate button to the right.
Comments from the Chair
The Rural Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party has been working with several nationwide leaders who are helping us focus on how to bring our mostly rural communities together to identify and prioritize opportunities to improve the quality of life for everyone. This community-building approach is focused on these four “C’s”: Compassion, Cooperation, Compromise, and Collaboration. This article will share some of those concepts and is intended to help the readers understand where your neighbors in the Manistee County Democratic Party are focusing our efforts today and into the future.
Throughout our history, American citizens have celebrated the freedom to live as rugged individualists who may not have desired or required collaboration or cooperation with others. When the early pioneers felt they had too many neighbors, they were able to pick up and move, thereby expanding the borders of the vast American frontier. Even today, as we approach a nation of almost 400 million inhabitants, we can still find an island of solitude and, if we desire, attempt to insulate ourselves from the hustle and bustle of civilization. All too often this present-day version of rugged individualism breeds contempt for others who may not be as fortunate, capable, or privileged. This attitude is what we must overcome when we talk about compassion and when we are trying to work for the greater good of the community we live in today. To build an effective community, we all need to work on becoming less self-centered and on becoming more compassionate. Cooperation illustrates the concept that no one of us is as smart as all of us when it comes to solving a problem or taking on a challenge. When we cooperate with other stakeholders in our community, we can learn and see things from a different perspective. That alternate viewpoint is important in providing the chance to enhance the solution, and it should be appreciated. We recognize that the current political environment of deep divisiveness creates a very real barrier to cooperation because there is a hesitancy to “cross over the aisle”, to meet and to listen to those who may not agree with our interpretation of the current direction our society is headed. The first step in cooperation is to reduce the personal tension by avoiding the simplistic name calling and labeling that abound on social media and the 24-hour news channels. Progress can start with a face-to-face meeting over a cup of coffee in a local restaurant. We should not be afraid to meet and actively listen to someone who may disagree with us. We should welcome the opportunity to learn their personal thoughts and reasoning on an issue. When we meet, we should strive for listening to understand, and not just for listening to reply in a debating format. Ask some open-ended clarification questions to determine the root cause of their personal position before you make any attempt to impose your thoughts or ideas on them in response. During my 40-year professional industrial sales career, I have found this technique most effective in enabling clients to develop trust in our relationship and in allowing me to help them solve problems and establish a long-term business relationship. The same can be said for our common desire to build a stronger community here in Manistee County! (Continued in column to right) |
Officers for Local Executive BoardAt the county Democratic party convention on Saturday, a new slate of county officers and executive ommittee was chosen. Lets welcome them and work support our democratic values.
Mandatory Members of the Manistee County Committee
Slate of Remaining Members of the Manistee County Committee
2021
It’s going to be a great year!!
The first step in cooperation is to reduce the personal tension by avoiding the simplistic name calling and labeling that abound on social media and the 24-hour news channels. Progress can start with a face-to-face meeting over a cup of coffee in a local restaurant. We should not be afraid to meet and actively listen to someone who may disagree with us. We should welcome the opportunity to learn their personal thoughts and reasoning on an issue. When we meet, we should strive for listening to understand, and not just for listening to reply in a debating format. Ask some open-ended clarification questions to determine the root cause of their personal position before you make any attempt to impose your thoughts or ideas on them in response. During my 40-year professional industrial sales career, I have found this technique most effective in enabling clients to develop trust in our relationship and in allowing me to help them solve problems and establish a long-term business relationship. The same can be said for our common desire to build a stronger community here in Manistee County! For more than 50 years in the first half of the 19th Century, Henry Clay of Kentucky served in various federal government leadership positions. He was known as “The Great Compromiser” for his skills in bringing together opposing parties over political and diplomatic issues. He was adept at finding ways to craft solutions that could be viewed as win/win scenarios. He knew that if one faction were declared the ultimate winner then the opposing party would have to bear the undesirable “loser” label. Clay and many of his contemporaries knew that win/lose outcomes seldom provided a viable long-term solution. It is disappointing that our current political situation has made compromise a sign of weakness and that winning at all costs is to be celebrated. The best outcomes are those where both parties win some and lose some, but in the end can see benefits all around! Compromise by our government officials should be recognized and celebrated. Cooperation will identify common issues of concern or opportunities for improvement that we can work on together. Through effective Compromise, we can identify mutually agreed-upon outcomes. We then build on that important foundation to achieve the goals through Collaboration. Working together, we can accomplish much more and achieve the common goals more effectively and efficiently. Collaboration then requires us to hold each other accountable for doing what we said we would do. When one of us runs into an unexpected issue, we should be willing to pitch in together to determine how to overcome the obstacle standing in our way to getting that win/win scenario we mutually agreed was the desired outcome. One current opportunity for collaboration is to support those elected to represent us in Washington, Lansing, the County Courthouse, the City Hall, or the Township Hall even if they are not from our desired political party. Agreeing that the winner of every election is the candidate who receives the most votes is the first step. Holding that elected official accountable to serving those who elected them is also a means of support. We need to support them by regularly providing feedback to remind them to make decisions based on what is ethical and what is best for their constituents and not what their political party leaders may want from them. It has often been said that the longest journey begins with the first step. Manistee County Democrats will be taking those initial steps over the next few weeks as we establish “pop-up offices” in outdoor public areas of Manistee County communities. We invite our neighbors to pull up a chair and visit with us over a glass of lemonade. We want to listen and learn more about your concerns and ideas on how to make Manistee County a better place to live and thrive now and well into the future. |
How to Run for Local Office Guide
So, you’re considering a run for local office? That’s so exciting. Local officials have the power to transform their communities for the better. In this guide, we’ll go over the basics that you need to know in order to field a successful campaign. When you’re ready to dive deeper on a topic, we’ve linked to resources that can give you a more robust understanding. We’ve also created a Campaign HQ page that has upto-date resources. We’re here for you. Let’s get started!