Newsletter 2-2017

Next Meeting
Thursday February 16th, 2017
At Seven Bar & Grill, 25 Shaw Ave. Clovis
Phone: (559) 322-1605
http://www.sevenclovis.com/
Members to convene at 6:00. Business at 6:15. Program
to follow immediately.
http://clovisdemocrats.info/

We are barely three weeks into the Trump administration and already the country is reeling as one assault after another comes out of the White House. Senator Diane Feinstein called this “shock and awe,” a reference to the initial invasion of Iraq. Naomi Klein brilliantly explained the role of such a governmental approaches in her book, The Shock Doctrine. She tells how ““free market” policies have come to dominate the world through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries. I highly recommend her book if you are not already familiar with it. It appears that the Trump administration plan is to overwhelm the country with so many “shocks” and hyped up fears of terrorist attacks, that rapid-fire corporate reengineering can occur while people are still reeling fromshock. So far, Americans have responded with protest, activism and resistance. The question is, can we sustain this or will we wear down? Our best hope is to stay engaged, not just online but in person. We need the support of the people around us, for camaraderie, and encouragement to be active in ways we may never have been before. Calling members of Congress, going to demonstrations, being a presence in our community, making donations to groups like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, and participating in local Democratic organizations are all options. This month we can be engaged by attending our meeting where the candidates for the Clovis City Council election will discuss their vision for the City of Clovis. We will also provide information about current actions and initiatives in our local area. Finally, membership dues for 2017 were due in January. If you have not yet paid your dues, please do so at the meeting or by sending payment to the club at P.O.
Box 792, Clovis, CA 93613. See you at the meeting!