Democrats Abroad Australia Victoria Chapter

Planning the Future: Minutes

Kingston Hotel, Richmond
Saturday, December 10, 2016
The aim of the meeting was to draw up plans on what we can do and how we can
function in the surreal world created by Trumps election. What follows are
suggestions from the 13 people who attended the meeting.
Group 1: Barbara Talisman , Oliver Squires, Thomas Lopez
Get Out the Vote Timeline
Reach out to more Americans
Give money to Democrat candidates
E Newsletter to members
AGM (attend)
Set goals re: data on members, participation
Liaise with Labor Party and other like-minded parties
Cause for Action
AGM event in Melbourne
Build momentum, keep informed and engaged
Group 2: Terry Huddy and Melissa Goffin
What is the Democratic Party?: promote campaign step by step
Suit Up promote Pantsuit Nation in AUS
Use Twitter aggressively
Avoid Fake News Sites
Follow Local Elections in US closely: what are their initiatives? whos
running (individuals)? whats their agenda?
Implement a Social Media Plan to
promote membership, inclusion, participation
monthly / weekly newsletter
regular posts to promote events
Promote Million Women March
advertise through Mothers Groups
contact Emilys List
organization, planning, permits, signs
have a meeting after Christmas to get started
Campaign against FACTA
Regular Trump check OR 100 Days Reports
Group 3: Michael Ramos, Tafline Ramos and Sandeep Varma (minutes by Tafline)
Protests: discourage these for certain permanent Australia visa holders (limits
ability to participate directly)
Build a community
regularly organize encourage members to attend events (tie events in with
American events/dates, e.g. 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Film Festival

Attendance, American Writers Festival, speeches and events attendance,

Trivia Nights, tape episodes of shows and watch together, organize picnics to
coincide with US holidays)
build a community of like-minded people
advertise events in advance and include a range of times/days
organize week night events and weekend children friendly events
spread events around various locations: N, S, E, W of City
have in-person meetings to build an American community (election watches
always attract large groups of people; what about non-election events?)
set up Trump Check / Keep Them Honest groups
organize talks on topical news, events
write, publish, promote our community through letter writing campaigns
organize guest speakers once or twice a year; incl. American and AUS
academics and specialists; ie can Joe Siracusa from RMIT be approached to
speak in early 2017?
put together a list of Representatives and Senators for members to contact and
encourage the membership to write to their reps often
organize get-togethers to stimulate interest, raise awareness, and improve our
numbers
have theme based activities that to coincide with US holidays
bring other US Abroad groups together (e.g. American Womens Auxiliary,
American-Australian Chamber of Commerce)
highlight what issues affect American Democrats living in AUS
send quarterly newsletters to inform and update members in non-election
periods and monthly updates during newsworthy periods. These can include
members stories about whats happening in US politics, top news items, how
US citizens can help the Democratic party find its soul again
Ensure DA/DAA voices are heard in the US
lobby Congress, esp. your reps and Senators
post ex-pat news on relevant websites on a variety of topics. For e.g., the
benefits of living in AUS, ie healthcare, no guns/gun control issues
write to your members of Congress re FATCA in general and American
citizens abroad being taxed in 2 countries [taxation without representation]
campaign blast when new Congress assumes
organize First 100 / 200 / 300 Days meetings and assess Congress
target specific issues/topics to ensure we gain attention and focus on that one
thing until its done. Thats how Congress works. If we raise a 2nd issue with
Congress theyll forget our first issue/idea
***ask Congress to raise our issues so theyre recorded in the Congressional
Record
What we can do here in the next couple of months
boycott goods and services owned by Trump and his minions. Make the
boycott public (e.g. publicly refuse to buy fuel from Exxon)
***organize a Goodbye Obamas party in place of Inauguration Event. Use
the event as a means of signing up people to join and work on activities and to
see what weve organized for the year ahead
have a family picnic after the March

Organizing involves 2 streams: the first should focus on EVENTS so we can

maintain our community; the second should focus on POLITICAL
ACTIVITIES for people who want to get active in that area
promote the above at all social events