Dear Senior Caucus Members and Supporters – It’s a busy time for the California Democratic Party and we have a lot of work to do. September 14 has been announced as the scheduled date for the recall election of Governor Newsom. We must ALL encourage our friends and neighbors to do the same. Just vote “NO!” The first and most important part of the recall ballot is the question, “Shall Governor Newsom be recalled?”  Vote NO.  That’s it. Just be sure to return your ballot as quickly as you can. This necessary action for all of us prompted the following from the Senior Caucus’ Southern California Vice Chair, Dr. Bill Honigman. CA Seniors Appreciate Leadership of Governor Newsom on COVID and More We at the Senior Caucus of the California Democratic Party know that the attempt to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is a sham. It’s not just because our Republican counterparts have absolutely no policy agenda, no scruples, and therefore no legitimate reason to put the voters of California through the expense and laborious process of it all. It’s also because our governor, Gavin Newsom, has shown outstanding leadership during a monumentally trying time in our state’s history, and deserves commendation not contempt. COVID-19 hit us hard in California, especially in our communities of color, and Gavin Newsom acted quickly and decisively to promote public safety, to assure all parts of the state were being held to standards that reflected not only the urgency demanded by the prevalence and severity of the disease, but also by health equity standards. Under his leadership, the state Department of Health, through its Blueprint Tier Framework for the pandemic directed attention and resources to communities in need, that clearly would have suffered that much more without it. As a result, we are now recognized as one of the highest percentage-COVID-vaccinated states in the US, and that’s despite our incredibly challenging physical and many cultural barriers that needed to be overcome to accomplish that degree of health security. Leadership from Governor Newsom resulted in leaders at the local level having the direction and support that they needed, from “super-pods” to community colleges to door-to-door mobile campaigns, to finally get those shots into arms. And we’re all feeling the collective sigh of relief knowing that the virus and its newer and more virulent variants are being contained as a result, especially those of us at greater risk for the disease. So, we at the CDP Senior Caucus will work hard to stop this sham of a recall, not only to recognize Governor Newsom and his already exceptional leadership, but to support him in those things he has yet to accomplish in our great state, like Universal Healthcare where ALL of the people get ALL of the care, debt-free college and university education, 100% renewable clean energy for the entire state, housing for all residents, and preserving our right to free, fair, clean and transparent elections. Governor Gavin Newsom has done much worthy of our support, and will do even more, but first he needs us Californians to keep him on the job. Respectfully, Dr. Bill Honigman, M.D. CDP Senior Caucus Vice Chair Southern CA Thank you Dr. Bill for putting into words why it’s so important that we all Vote NO to recalling Governor Newsom. *   *   *   *   *   * In another important matter, while the CDP can’t be actively involved in the Redistricting Commission, other than appointing 5 Democratic members, it is imperative that we communicate (in writing, in person, or by phone) to let the members know what we want our districts to look like and why. Our Senior Caucus’ Northern Vice Chair, Val Muchowski, shared the following to indicate how important our communications with them are: Redistricting   Redistricting is the once-a-decade process of redrawing the political boundaries for elective offices after the U.S. Census. For the years 2011 to 2021, the redistricting of California’s Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly and Board of Equalization districts was completed by the voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission.   Why is this important? Redistricting will change the boundaries of your Congressional, State Senate and Assembly Districts. Your Congressmember, State Senator and Assemblymember may all change.   How do we influence these decisions? The California Citizens Redistricting Commission has set up a website where you can participate. https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/.   On June 10th, 2021, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission launched the first in a series of Communities of Interest (COI) virtual hearings to capture community specific data that will help Commissioners to respect community boundaries to the best of their abilities when drawing district lines, as is mandated by California’s line drawing criteria.   During these meetings you will be asked to describe your community. Begin by letting them know your county or city. Mention the street names and significant locations in your neighborhood to help them identify the parameters of your community. Tell them about your community’s shared interests. What brings you together? What is important to your community? Are there nearby areas you want to be in a district with or are there areas you don’t want to share a district with? Explain to them why or why not. Has your community come together to advocate for important services, better schools, roads, or health centers in your neighborhood? Tell them. Registration is not required to participate in these public input meetings. The call-in number for public input days is (877) 853-5247.   Encourage all Californians to get involved in the redistricting process by providing input at https://DrawMyCACommunity.org.   Val Muchowski CDP Senior Caucus Vice Chair Southern CA Thank you Val! *   *   *   *   *   * Next week, we will be hosting a special screening of Power to Heal, a one hour documentary with a look at the history of inequalities in medical care in America. The program explains how policy implementation forced desegregation in hospitals. One of the producers of the film will answer questions afterward. Saturday, July 17, at 11am. You must register in advance for this screening at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvfu-rqT8jGNIiX8UXLQC4iRb4tnV_VjET After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.   Finally, please remember to practice caution – even though most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, there is still some risk for all of us, particularly older adults. Ruth Carter Chair, CDP Senior Caucus SAVE THE DATES CDP Virtual EBoard  August 25-29, 2021 More info to follow Senior Caucus Officers Ruth Carter, Chair Val Muchowski, Vice Chair North Dr. Bill Honigman – Vice Chair South Dottie Smith – Vice Chair Central Howard Egerman, Secretary Angelica Moyes, Treasurer Darcy Harris, Communications Like us on Facebook Instagram @cdpseniors Twitter @CDPSeniorCaucus        Copyright ©2021 All rights reserved.

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