Mike Greer: Blowing in the Wind
County Democrats quiet about its $461,000 slush fund
The Continuing Saga of the Two Parties: Setting the Record Straight
I read Kevin’s column every week and usually try not to respond, but after multiple readers of The Triplicate urged me to do a more accurate version of the financial aspects of the two parties.
It is time to offer some much-needed clarification on his recent piece, “A Tale of Two Parties.”
First, let’s look at the real political landscape: Del Norte County has three major voter divisions, Republicans, Democrats, and No Party Preference, along with a smaller mix of other parties.
But when it comes to local financial self-sufficiency, Republicans stand virtually alone. We receive zero funding from our state party and a meager $500 a year from unions. The state Democrat party, on the other hand, receive millions of dollars from unions to fund their activities.
Del Norte Democrat Central Committee according to their official financial disclosures (Transparency USA), are sitting on a staggering $461,000 in cash on hand and brought in $66,221 in donations. To put that in perspective, Del Norte Republicans operate on just 8% of that total. So, Kevin, your party is, by far, the wealthy one here!
Perhaps local Democrats should share that immense wealth with our homeless community, since your party leadership has lost 23 billion dollars designed to help them.
Or, at the very least, serve steak instead of hot dogs at your “free” BBQ’s that your general members didn’t even pay for.
Personally, I wouldn’t feel good taking credit for hosting events funded entirely by other people’s money. In fact, I’d venture to guess that most rank-and-file local Democrats have no idea just how much money is sitting in their party’s bank account.
The real political elitists aren’t the hard-working Republicans of Del Norte County, who sweat for every single dollar donated by our grassroots supporters.
The true elitists are the local Democratic power brokers who use the party as a mechanism to shift money in and out behind the scenes.
Our Lincoln-Reagan Day (LRD) Dinner, at the Veterans Hall, did cost $100 for a ticket because of the quality of food, decorations and the atmosphere that was created.
The event brought together over 120 attendees from various political backgrounds, including local Democrats and other thoughtful citizens, who came to hear directly from state candidates.
Just like in years past, the dinner was open to anyone who bought a ticket, including the press, because we don’t pay for coverage. If the press doesn’t think we are important enough to buy a ticket, that’s okay.
We gathered to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of America, a milestone rarely, if ever, mentioned at Democratic rallies. Republicans actively celebrate the achievements, freedoms, and liberties of the American people, rather than advocating for socialist policies that undermine our nation.
Meanwhile, California’s ruling regulators continue to dictate every aspect of our daily lives. They talk endlessly about helping the poor and downtrodden, yet wrap relentless taxes, fees, and regulations around our necks to maintain control.
To the Democrats of Del Norte County, ask yourselves: Did you know your local party has nearly half a million dollars sitting in its account? Do you know how it has been spent over the last decade? It certainly hasn’t gone to support your local candidates.
Instead, the party treasury functions like a hidden slush fund, keeping members in the dark and hiding financial disclosures from the public— just as figures like Rogers, McGuire, Huffman, and Connelly have done for years.