Patriotism right down to my ribs…

Dear Fellow Democrat,

Growing up, I could hardly wait for Independence Day - it meant a trip to the country and Uncle Shorty’s farm - mouth-watering, finger-lickin’, authentic Kansas City barbeque ribs and running around the big farm house, sparklers in-hand, singing “It’s A Grand Old Flag”. Just as it was getting dark, Uncle Shorty would shout out “ice cold watermelon, gitcher ice cold watermelon!” My cousins and I would come running to eat our watermelon and watch the fireworks display at the drive-in picture theater a few miles down the road.

Those memories will always make Independence Day one of my favorite holidays.

As we approach this 4th of July - I can’t help but think of how proud I am to be an American and how proud I am to be a Democrat this year - more so than ever before. And what a privilege it is for me to be a member of this Party in the birthplace of our Nation.

Making history means making memories. Our Party has certainly been doing our share of that. From January to June, from sea to shining sea, across amber waves of grain, Americans engaged in the democratic process, registered and voted in record-setting numbers in OUR Democratic primaries. In the Keystone State alone, we now have over a million more Democrats than Republicans. The same thing is going to happen in November and the Democratic Party will continue to make history. As a Democrat, an American and a proud Pennsylvanian, I just don’t know how it gets any better.

Uncle Shorty must have taken his rib recipe with him to heaven, but I’ve been trying to perfect a new one for years. Friends I have shared this with tell me it’s terrific. Although, for me, no ribs will ever taste the same as Uncle Shorty’s. And since I really did grow up in Kansas City, we can call them authentic KC BBQ Ribs.

Let me know how they turn out for you. And if you like my rib recipe, why don’t you tell me so by clicking on this link and contributing $7.04. Heck, for that matter, just lie to me about the ribs and contribute $7.04 to the Pennsylvania Democratic Party anyway.

Happy 4th of July fellow Democrats! I look forward to making history and memories with you this year.

Best,

Mary Isenhour, Executive Director

Mary’s Authentic KC BBQ Ribs
¼ c of dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon salt
3 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper
5-6 lbs ribs (IPrefer country pork ribs)
Wood chip - I like hickory
BBQ sauce (see below)

The evening before, mix together all dry ingredients. Rub generously over the ribs and place in pan, cover with foil and place in refrigerator.

On the morning of the 4th of July, remove ribs from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Soak wood chips in water.

Bring grill to a temperature on low fire - 200 to 250 degrees. Place wood chips in foil pan and place on grill. Place ribs on grill and cook for approximately 5 hours. During the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, slather ribs with your favorite barbeque sauce or use the recipe below.

If I can’t get home to Kansas City to purchase one of my favorite KC BBQ sauces, I’ll whip this recipe up for my ribs.

Mary’s Authentic KC BBQ Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 white onion diced
½ cup ketchup
2 cans of diced tomatoes - chili or Mexican style such as Rotel
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup of dark molasses
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (more if you want a real kick)
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire

Melt the butter with the olive oil over a medium heat. Sautee the garlic and onion until just soft.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Let cool and transfer to food processor to puree.

Fink wins O’Connor Award

Rodney Fink holds up the Vincent W. O’Connor Public Service Award that he received from the borough last Thursday.

Like any concerned resident, C. Rodney Fink cares deeply about his community.And when he attended the Elizabethtown Borough Council meeting last Thursday night, he was prepared to discuss an important land issue close to his heart. However, he didn’t know what he was getting himself into when he was confronted by council members.

“Jake Olweiler said (the borough) had a hearing about a land next to our property. He asked Northwest EMS to come,” Fink said. “I didn’t think a thing until I saw my wife and daughter, then I was worried. I thought something was wrong.”

Northeastern Alliance 5th Annual Red, White and Blue Chicken BBQ on Sunday, June 29

It’s time for the 5th Annual Red, White, and Blue Chicken BBQ!  The Northeast Alliance (the Guy K. Bard, Garden Spot and Cocalico Democratic clubs and organizations) are hosting the BBQ fundraiser at the Ephrata Community Park on Sunday, June 29, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Come and stay for the great food or choose a delicious take-out chicken dinner.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children 10 and under and includes side dishes, desserts, sno-cones, and door prizes.  We will also be collecting underwear, socks and DVD’s for veterans at the Coatesville VA Medical Center.  Proceeds from the BBQ help to fund stands and floats in the New Holland, Ephrata and Denver fairs and parades. Help us beat last year’s record — over 180 BBQ’s sold!  Purchase tickets by contacting Bernadette Johnson at 717-354-7952 or berniejoh@comcast.net or Heather Schnader at 717-572-8520 or elancodemocrats@yahoo.com. Thank you in advance for your support!

Young Democrats’ Donkey Dance on Saturday, June 28, from 7 to 11:30 p.m. Please Come and Show Your Support!

Donkey Dance

At

The Underground

53 North Duke Street, Lancaster

Saturday June 28th 2008

7:00PM to 11:30PM

Admission $3.00

Bring two Friends & Register to win a $100 Dollar Gift Certificate to Sneaker Villa or Park City

For more information contact: Joe Morales, Jr. at 717-823-2422

GOTV - 2008!

Sponsored by the Young Democrats of Lancaster

Dear Fellow Democrat

Dear Fellow Democrat:

Governor Rendell was right. Everyone needed to cool off a bit after the primary came to an end. Democrats are passionate and caring people. When one candidate or another that we support loses, we take it to heart.

	Click here to take this week’s poll about the nation’s energy future.

But we’re also smart enough to realize that this election is about more than any one person. It’s about steering our nation back onto the right path and fixing the last eight destructive years of the Bush administration.

Now the Governor’s 10-day cooldown period is over. So it’s time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and work tirelessly for the Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama.

So what can you do to make a difference?

Start with a three-step process:

1. Click here to become a Neighborhood Leader.
2. Click here and contribute $10 to the Party on ActBlue.
3. Forward this e-mail to 5 of your friends and make sure they sign up and contribute as well.

As Democrats, we know how important it is for Sen. Obama to win in November. The alternative is nothing less than a third Bush term.

And if you’re wondering whether that’s an exaggeration, just look at McSame’s voting record. McCain, the so-called “maverick,” has voted with Bush and his failed policies a whopping 95 percent of the time.

That’s right. The “Straight Talk Express” is nothing more than the “Double-Talk Express” once you analyze the facts.

This is why we need to work collectively to elect Sen. Obama. Tuesday, November 4, is in exactly 20 weeks. It’s up to you and your fellow Democrats throughout Pennsylvania to be organizing, recruiting volunteers and making sure that our state remains Blue, as it has since 1992.

Only when our ships all sail in the same direction will we be able to make history. This will be the year that we  elect our nation’s first African-American President. And it will be the year we say no to four more years of ‘Dubya’ and the most corrupt and ineffective leadership that our nation ever seen.

As Hillary Clinton’s Pennsylvania State Director, I worked my heart and soul out for her. Now I’m ready to work my heart and soul out for Senator Obama…won’t you join me?

Now is the time for change!

Sincerely,
Mary Isenhour, Executive Director

Water project irks etown residents

An Elizabethtown Borough resident has complained that the borough is shouldering an unfair financial burden to ensure that West Donegal Township residents have water.

Why should borough residents pay for improvements needed only for West Donegal Township? Jeff Heisey, 188 N. Mount Joy St., asked borough council at its May 15 meeting.

At issue is a new, 1.6 million gallon-a-day water plant, which council approved for construction in March.

City eyed for central booking locale

Mount Joy Borough police Chief John O’Connell doesn’t want his cops sitting in the police station doing paperwork or baby-sitting prisoners.

He wants them on the street, protecting the public.

But if one of O’Connell’s officers makes an arrest that requires an arraignment in the middle of the night, that officer is stuck in the office, taking fingerprints and mug shots and filling out police affidavits. Then the officer has to drive the prisoner to the on-call district judge’s office and participate in the arraignment.

5 Ways to Choose a Running Mate

Time notes there “are a lot of ways to choose a Vice President, and each comes with risks.”

Here are five:

1. Play to Your Strength: “Perhaps the fastest way to send a message about who you are is to pick someone…who appears to be just like you.”
2. Look at the Map: “The map can help a nominee make a play for a state that is crucial in November, though that is never a sure bet.”
3. Shore Up Your Weak Side: McCain may choose someone younger, like Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, while Obama could choose someone more experienced, like U.S. Senator Joe Biden.
4. Hug Your Rival: “The other party is certain to dredge up every damaging sound bite…that your former rival hurled in your direction back in February. These worries are usually overcome.”
5. Hire Some Pizzazz: Possible pizzazz choices for McCain include Colin Powell, and Obama could choose Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano or Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Meanwhile, political strategists talk to Mark Halperin about how to increase your chances to be picked as a running mate.

Politics 101 tomorrow

As indicated in the reminder email that went out just minutes ago, the Lancaster County Democratic Committee will hold a session of Politics 101 this Saturday morning, June 14, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. at Democratic Headquarters, 53 N. Duke St. , Lancaster .  County Committee Chair Bruce Beardsley will be the presenter.

This is an introductory course on how to serve as a Democratic Committee person.  Topics to be covered include the responsibilities of being a committee person, what tools committee people use, and how to use voter data to increase voter turnout.  We urge that all committee people take this very important course.

You have received this special notice because our records indicate that you have not attended a session of Politics 101.  If you have, please respond to let us know when so we can update our records.  Otherwise, we strongly encourage you to attend Saturday’s session of Politics 101.

We appreciate all that you do for the Party.  Please keep up the good work.

We hope to see you on Saturday morning!

Time to unify

Dear Fellow Democrat

To anyone who missed the state committee meeting in Camp Hill last weekend - bad move!

Sure, we had another series of our top-shelf training seminars.  And sure we had the guys from our Web team interviewing attendees and finding out what they think the next five months will be like. And sure, we had a great BBQ dinner indoors, so that nobody melted.

Click here to see interviews with State Committee members, candidates and elected officials.

But you know what else we had? We had Ed Rendell and Bob Casey.

That’s right, the Governor and the Senator both stopped by this weekend to say hello to the Democratic troops and talk a little bit about the long primary season and the upcoming general election.

Click here to watch Governor Rendell’s speech to the State Committee.

As you know, unless you’ve been living in a cave, Governor Rendell and Senator Casey supported different candidates for President. But both came to State Committee to call for the Party to unify behind our candidate, Barack Obama.

Click here to watch Senator Casey’s call for unity at State Committee.

The Governor and the Senator are right on the money. It was a long, tough primary battle, but now we need to come together. While we may disagree as to which candidate is the most qualified, we can all agree that John McCain will be nothing but a Bush clone in office.

The Governor gave Clinton supporters ten days from the Primary until tomorrow, Saturday, June 14, to be upset. Then, it’s back to work electing Democrats up and down the ticket. And as Senator Casey said, whoever wins Pennsylvania will win the Presidency.

It just so happens that June 14 is Flag Day.  So on that tenth day, June 14, as you raise your American flag, help us raise some money by visiting PADems.com and contributing 10 dollars to the Party. Lets show Bush and McCain that they don’t own our flag or the rights on patriotism. Let’s show them it’s our country too, and we’re going to take it back by electing Barack Obama our next president.

Click here to invest 10 dollars in a Democratic win in Pennsylvania.

This is the most important election in the new century. So let’s all get out there and make sure it’s a win for our nation and the Democratic Party.

Thank you for all that you do every day.

Sincerely,
T.J. Rooney, Chairman

P.S. Want to contribute your 10 dollars the easy way? Sign up for a PA Dems MasterCard, and you’ll make a contribution every time you make a purchase. And the money doesn’t come out of your pocket!