The Democratic candidates vying for the nomination in March have raised more than $420,000 in the 4th quarter combined. Rep. Dold raised only $356,831 in the 4th quarter for his re-election campaign.

Many freshmen Republicans who were supported by Tea Party donations in 2010 have found their 2011 fundraising takes increasingly diminished compared to Democratic challengers. This trend was noted by USA Today, which described the fundraising drop as “buyers’ remorse” in an article ‟GOP freshmen see fundraising dwindle,” (11-25-11).

Democrats around the United States have been energized to actively campaign and raise funds for many Democratic challengers. President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign has also been buoyed by strong record-setting fundraising.

For more information about the Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats, please visit http://www.tenthdems.org/.

The Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats is a volunteer group with members from all parts of the 10th Congressional District. The 10th District contains portions of both Cook and Lake Counties stretching from Winnetka through Waukegan and from Lake Michigan west through Round Lake. The District includes all or part of the following townships: Avon, Benton, Deerfield, Grant, Libertyville, Moraine, Shields, Waukegan, West Deerfield, Vernon, Zion and parts of Fremont, Lake Villa, Maine, New Trier, Newport, Northfield, Warren, and Wheeling.

Democratic Candidates Show Strong Fundraising Compared to Incumbent Dold is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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State Representative Rita Mayfield Scholarship Announcement Greetings! Here is another Scholarship Opportunity! We wish you the best of luck! Eligibility Application Be A Sponsor Additional Minority Scholarship Links  (***Dispite our best efforts, a few of these links may be broken or outdated)  ) Ron Brown Scholarships http://www.RonBrown.org  2) FastWEB Scholarship Search http://www.fastweb.com/   3) United Negro College Fund Scholarships http://www.uncf.org/scholarships/uncfscholarship.asp   4) Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarships http://www.jackierobinson.org/   5) Intel Science Talent Search http://www.sciserv.org/sts   6) Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/ 7) FinAid: The Smart Students Guide to Financial Aid (scholarships) http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/ United Negro College Fund http://www.uncf.org/ 9) Gates Millennium Scholarships (Annual) http://www.gmsp.org/(hmrfvje1fdxdi0nwbrpmbd45)/default.aspx 10) McDonald’s Scholarships (Annual) http://www.mcdonaldsnymetro.com/ 11) Broke Scholars Scholarships http://scholarships.brokescholar.com/ 12) National Society of Black Engineers Scholarships http://www.nsbe.org/programs/ 13)  National Merit Scholarships http://www.nationalmerit.org/ 14)  College Board Scholarship Search http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp 15)  Black Excel Scholarship Gateways http://www.BlackExcel.org 16) FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) http://www.fafsa.ed.gov 17) LULAC – National Scholastic Achievement Awards http://mach25.collegenet.com/cgi-bin/M25/GetScholar?page=10177 18) Scholarship & Financial Aid Help http://www.blackexcel.org/fin-sch.htm 19) NAACP Scholarships http://www.naacp.org/departments/education/scholarship_index.html 20) Paralegal Scholaships http://www.paralegals.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=13 21) ScienceNet Scholarship Listing http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/undergrad/scholarships.html 22) Black Alliance for Educational Options Scholarships http://www.baeo.org/options/privatelyfinanced.jsp 23) Siemens Foundation Competition http://www.siemens-foundation.org/ 24) College Board Scholarship Search http://cbweb10p.collegeboard.org/fundfinder/html/fundfind01.html 25) International Students Scholarships & Aid Help http://www.iefa.org/ 26) Historically Black College & University Scholarships http://www.iesabroad.org/info/hbcu.htm 27) Guaranteed Scholarships http://www.guaranteed-scholarships.com/ 28) Hope Scholarships and Lifetime Learning Credits http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/PPI/HOPE/index.html 29)  Presidential Freedom Scholarships http://www.nationalservice.org/scholarships 30) Sports Scholarships and Internships http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html 31)  Student Video Scholarships http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html 32) Student Inventors Scholarships http://www.invent.org/collegiate/ 33) Decca Scholarships http://www.deca.org/scholarships/ 34) Black Student Fund http://www.blackstudentfund.org/programs/FinAid/financial_aid.htm 35) Scholarships Pathways http://scholarshipssite.blogspot.com/   36) Private Scholarships For Seniors http://www.phs.d211.org/stsvc/college/scholarships.asp 37) ScienceNet Scholarship Listing http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/undergrad/scholarships.html 38) Chela Education Financing “Gateway to Success Scholarship” http://www.loans4students.org 39) Princeton Review Scholaahips & Aid http://www.princetonreview.com/college/finance 40) American Legion Scholarships http://www.legion.org 41) Free Scholaaship Search http://www.srnexpress.com 42) 2005 Holocaust Remembrance Essay Contest http://www.holocaust.hklaw.com 43)  Horace Mann Scholarship Program http://www.horacemann.com/scholarship 44) Ayn Rand Institute http://www.aynrand.org/contests 45) The David and Dovetta Wilson Scholarship Fund http://www.wilsonfund.org 46) Congressional Hispanic Scholarships http://www.chciyouth.org 47) Nursing Scholarships http://www.blackexcel.org/nursing-scholarships.html 48)  College-Bound High School Seniors – Scholarships http://scholarships.fatomei.com/scholar13.html 49) AFROTC High School  Scholarships http://www.afrotc.com/ 50) Minority Scholarships http://www.free-4u.com/minority.htm   51) Scholarships for Minority Accounting Students http://www.aicpa.org/members/div/career/mini/smas.htm 52) The Elks National Foundation Scholarships http://www.elks.org/enf/scholars/ourscholarships.cfm 53) Art Deadlines and Scholarships http://www.xensei.com/users/adl/ 54) Journalism Grants http://www.mccormicktribune.org/journalism/grantslist.htm 55) African American Scholarships http://www.littleafrica.com/scholarship/ 56) Marine Corps Scholarships http://www.marine-scholars.org/ 57) Research for Women & Minorities Underrepresented in the Sciences http://www.research.att.com/academic/urp.html 58) Tylenol Scholarships http://scholarship.tylenol.com/ 59) Undergraduate Scholarships (Health) http://ugsp.info.nih.gov/InfoUGSP.htm 60) State Farm Insurance Hispanic Scholarships http://www.statefarm.com/foundati/hispanic.htm 61) National Scholarships at All Levels http://scholarships.fatomei.com/ 62)  Burger King Scholars (Annual Awards) http://www.bk.com/CompanyInfo/community/BKscholars/index.aspx 63) Ambassadorial Scholarships http://www.rotary.org/foundation/educational/amb_scho/ 64) Baptist Scholarships http://www.free-4u.com/baptist_scholarships.htm 65) Methodist Scholarships http://www.free-4u.com/methodist_scholarships.htm 66) Project Excellence Scholarships http://www.project-excellence.com 67) Discover Card Tribute Award Scholarships http://www.aasa.org/Discover.htm 68) United States National Peace Essay Contest http://www.usip.org/ed/npec/index.shtml 69) Gateway to 10 Free Scholarship Searches http://www.college-scholarships.com/free_scholarship_searches.htm 70) Accounting Scholarships http://www.aicpa.org/members/div/career/edu/jlcs.htm More FREE SCHOLARSHIPS  71)  Americorps http://www.cns.gov/72) Sports Scholarships and Internships http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html 73) 100 Minority Scholarship Gateways http://www.blackexcel.org/100minority.htm 74) Awards and Scholarships http://www-hl.syr.edu/cas-pages/ScholarshipsAvailable.htm 75) American Chemical Society Scholarships http://www.cnetweb.org/american_chemical_society_scholarships.htm 76) Sallie Mae Grants and Scholarships http://www.salliemae.com/parent_answer/decide/explore_alternatives/grants.html 77) Scholarships List and Search http://www.adventuresineducation.org/sbase/ 78)  Prudential Spirit of Community Award http://www.prudential.com/spirit   79) Hispanic Scholarship Fund http://www.hsf.net/ 80)  Federal Employee Education Fund http://www.feea.org/scholarships.shtml 81) Pacific Northwest Scholarship Guide Online http://fp2.adhost.com/collegeplan/scholarship/default.asp 82) College Net Scholarship Search http://mach25.collegenet.com/cgi-bin/M25/index 83) Scholarships For Hispanics http://www.scholarshipsforhispanics.org/ 84) National Federation of the Blind Scholarships http://www.nfb.org/services/schlprg02.htm 85) Actuary Scholarships for Minority Students http://www.beanactuary.org/minority/ 86) Astronaut Scholarship Foundation http://www.astronautscholarship.org/ 87) ELA Foundation Scholarships (disabled) http://www.ela.org/scholarships/scholarships.html 88) Indian Health Service Scholarships http://www.ihs.gov/JobsCareerDevelop/DHPS/SP/spTOC.asp 89) Minority Undergraduate Fellows Program http://www.naspa.org/resources/mufp/ 90) Third Wave Foundation Scholarships http://www.thirdwavefoundation.org/programs/scholarships.html 91) College Connection Scholarships http://www.collegescholarships.com/ 92) Super College Scholarships http://www.supercollege.com 93)  AXA Achievement Scholarship http://www.axa-achievement.com 94) Comprehensive Recourse List (All cultures) http://www.globalvision.org/educate/connected/sect4e.html 95) Scholarship Database (Alphabetical Listing) http://www.campuscareercenter.com/scholarships/scholarships.asp 96) Music Scholarships http://www.newenglandconservatory.edu/financeYourEducation/musicscholarships.html 97) Navy Scholarship Lists http://www.odu.edu/ao/hrnrotc/scholarship/scholarships.htm 98) National Assoc. of Black Journalists Scholarships (NABJ) http://www.nabj.org/programs/scholarships/index.html 99) Science and Engineering Student Scholarships http://www.bell-labs.com/fellowships/ 100) The Roothbert Fund Scholarships http://www.roothbertfund.org/scholarships.php   101) Gateway to 10 Free Scholarship Searches http://www.college-scholarships.com/free_scholarship_searches.htm 102) Federal Scholarships and Aid http://www.fedmoney.org/ 103) International Students Help and Scholarships http://www.iefa.org/ 104) NACME Scholarship Program http://www.nacme.org/scholarships/ 105) Black Excel Scholarship Gateway http://www.blackexcel.org/link4.htm 106) Peterson’s Aid and Scholarships Help http://www.petersons.com/finaid/ 107) Alpha Kappa Alpha Scholarships http://www.akaeaf.org/scholarships.htm 108) Coveted National Scholarships http://scholarships.fatomei.com/ 109) 25 Scholarship Gateways from Black Excel http://www.blackexcel.org/25scholarships.htm 110) Martin Luther King Scholarships http://www.sanantonio.gov/mlk/?res=1024&ver=true 111) Financial Aid Research Center http://www.theoldschool.org/ 112) Art and Writing Awards http://www.artandwriting.org 113) Wells Fargo Scholarships http://www.wellsfargo.com/collegesteps 114) Princeton Review Internships http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/search/internshipAdvSearch.asp 115) Chicana/Latina Foundation http://www.chicanalatina.org/scholarship.html 116) NCAA Scholarships and Internships http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html 117) Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute http://www.chci.org/ 118) Morris K. Udall Foundation Scholarships http://www.udall.gov/p_scholarship.asp 119)  A Better Chance Scholarships http://www.abetterchance.org/ReferralOrgs&Resources/res-coll_native_schol1.htm 120) Asian American Journalist Association http://www.aaja.org/ 121) American Assoc. of University Women http://www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/index.cfm 122) Scholarships by State http://www.schoolsintheusa.com/scholarships.cfm 123) State Agencies of Higher Education http://collegeapps.about.com/od/stateagencies/ 124) Engineering School Scholarships http://www.engineeringedu.com/scholars.html 125) Scholarship News http://www.free-4u.com/   126) Scholarships and Fellowships List (Graduate Level) http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3gradinf.htm 127) Orphan Foundation of America http://www.orphan.org/ 128) September 11th Scholarship Funds http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2001/ARScholarshipFundsDetailed110701.html 129) Discover Card Tribute Award Scholarships http://www.aasa.org/awards_and_scholarships/Discover/index.htm 130) American Fire Sprinkler Scholarship Contest http://www.afsascholarship.org/ 131) Mensa Scholarship Essay Scholarship http://merf.us.mensa.org/scholarships/zipfinder.php 132) Chess Scholarships http://www.successchess.com/WeibelChess/Scholarships.html 133) Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund (Activist) http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~alliance/academic/scholarships.html 134) Federal Student Aid Portal http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp 135) Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarships http://www.dar.org/natsociety/edout_scholar.cfm#general 136) Fridell Memorial Scholarship (Dale E.) http://www.straightforwardmedia.com/fridell/ 137) Alger Association Scholarships (Horatio) http://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships 138) Collegiate Inventors Competition http://www.invent.org/collegiate/ 139) Alphabetical Index to Scholarships and Aid http://www.window.state.tx.us/scholars/aid/faidalpha.html 140) National Security Scholarships Programs http://www.iie.org/programs/nsep/nsephome.htm 141) Institutes of Health Scholarship Programs http://www.iie.org/programs/nsep/nsephome.htm 142) Adventures in Education http://adventuresineducation.org/ 143) Union Plus Scholarship Database http://www.aflcio.org/familyfunresources/collegecosts/scholar.cfm 144) Verizon Scholarship Program http://foundation.verizon.com/06011.shtml 145) Michigan Community Scholarships (over 100) http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/privcomm.htm 146) College View’s Scholarship Search http://www.collegeview.com/financial_aid/schol_directory/ 147) College Xpress Scholarship Search http://apps.absolutelyscholarships.com/exec/scholarship 148) Scholarships on the Net (1500 Links) http://whatsonthe.net/scholarmks.htm 149) Scholarships, Prizes, and Honors (Cal based) http://students.berkeley.edu/fao/Scholarships/default.htm 150) Cola-Coca Art & Film Scholarships http://www.youthdevelopment.coca-cola.com/art_refreshing.html 151) Art School Scholarships http://www.straightforwardmedia.com/art/scholarship-guide.php 152) Bowling Scholarships http://www.bowlingmembership.com/PDF/smart_colleges.pdf 153) Red Cross Presidential Intern Program http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/PIP_Fact_Sheet.pdf 154) Congressional Black Caucus Scholarships http://www.cbcfinc.org/Leadership%20Education/Scholarships/index.html 155) Microsoft Scholarships http://www.microsoft.com/college/ss_overview.mspx 156) Scholarship of The Month http://www.collegescholarships.com/scholarships.html 157) Fellowship Database (Graduate) http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Student/GRFN/ 158) Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf http://www.agbell.org 159) APS Minorities Scholarship Program (Physics) http://www.aps.org/educ/com/index.html 160) The Minority/Disadvantaged Scholarship Program (architecture) http://www.archfoundation.org 161) Music For The Blind http://www.NFMC-music.org 162) War Memorial Fund http://www.usjaycees.org 163) Engineering Awards and Scholarships http://www.iee.org/EduCareers/Awards/UG/index.cfm 164) Undergraduate Awards for Women http://www.biochem.northwestern.edu/resfunds/undergrad.women.pdf 165) Civil Air Patrol Scholarships http://level2.cap.gov/index.cfm?nodeID=5589 166) Various College scholarships List http://www.parktudor.pvt.k12.in.us/scholarships2.htm 167) Typical Scholarship Opportunities http://www.esu3.org/districts/bellevue/curriculum/east/jsheridan/counseling/ScholarshipFiles/main_list.htm#st   Rita Mayfield State Representative Rita Mayfield 847-599-2800

State Representative Rita Mayfield Announces Another Scholorship Opportunity is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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TDU 223: Lake County Deputy Voter Registrar Training in Round Lake
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Location: Village School, 880 Nippersink Rd., Round Lake
Click here to RSVP

TDU 224: Lake County Deputy Voter Registrar Training in Waukegan
Date: Monday, January 23, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Location: Tenth Dems Community Connection, 118 N. Genesee, Waukegan
Click here to RSVP

TDU 225: Cook County Deputy Voter Registrar Training in Northbrook
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Location: Northbrook Public Library, Pollak Room, 1201 Cedar Ln., Northbrook
Click here to RSVP

There are certain requirements. You must be 18 years old and registered to vote in the county where the training is being held. In other words, if you live in Cook County you can only attend the session in Northbrook, and if you live in Lake County you need to attend the ones in Round Lake or Waukegan. Once you are trained to register voters in the county where you live, you can register voters anywhere in Illinois. We must also submit your name in advance. If you are interested, please use the sign-up links above, contact us at volunteers@tenthdems.org, or call us at 847-266-VOTE (8683).

Voting is our most basic right, and helping others to exercise that right is an important contribution to our community. We hope you can help.

Become a deputy voter registrar in 45 minutes is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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Applications for the 2012 District 60 General Assembly Scholarship opens January 9, 2012 and will be accepted through June 15, 2012 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at my constituent service office, 120 S. Genesee Street in Waukegan.

Qualified students, who live in the 60th Legislative district, are encouraged to apply. The General Assembly Scholarship ensures that talented students attend our state universities; and hopefully, continue to reside in Illinois to improve our workforce and increase economic development. The caliber of students we see each year is amazing and I look forward to hearing from all the talented students that reside in my district.

Applicants who wish to apply for the scholarship must do so in person at the Representative Mayfield’s district office and must have a copy of the applicant’s high school diploma or equivalent, a written authorization from your parent or legal guardian (under the age of 18 year olds); Financial disclosure (parent or legal guardian 2010 tax form 1040); One page cover letter (essay style) part one demonstrating financial need and part two academic achievements.

The selected candidates will be notified shortly after a committee meets and awards the chosen candidates. For more information, please contact my district office at (847) 599-2800

Sincerely,

State Representative

Rita Mayfield

District 60 General Assembly Scholarship is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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Join the Moraine Township Democrats for a laugh-filled performance of the Capitol Steps followed by a dessert party.  Click here for more information or to reserve your tickets!

A Saturday night show (tickets selling out!) is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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Tenth Dems interns at work

Highland Park, IL. – The Tenth Congressional District Democrats (“Tenth Dems”) is accepting applications for its Spring Semester Internship Program. Internships are available to high school juniors and seniors, college students, and graduate or law students with a desire to help the Democratic Party.

The internship offers candidates the opportunity to develop transferable skills to whatever career path they may choose to follow. Several former interns have gone on to internships in Washington, D.C., to college majors in political science or law, or to paid political and nonprofit staff positions locally and nationally.

Internship coordinator Max Boton, himself a former intern, describes his experience: “This internship provides a fun yet challenging environment to work, and it is a great way to meet key political figures from the 10th District and beyond.”

The election season for 2012 has just begun, so there are plenty of opportunities for interns to learn about campaigning and the issues affecting the 10th District. General assignment interns may do research, walk door-to-door with candidates, work in campaign offices, staff events and issue forums, and meet many political figures. Specialized assignments are also available in the areas of research, new media, IT management, and political outreach.

In the past, interns have assisted at Tenth Dems events featuring then state legislator, and now President, Barack Obama, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, former Presidential nominee George McGovern, Governor and Presidential candidate Howard Dean, and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, as well as numerous Illinois state and locally elected officials and candidates.

Spring interns are expected to commit eight hours per week during the school year. Computer skills are desirable. The organization is looking especially for applicants with web administration and/or data management skills.

Internships are unpaid educational volunteer positions. Course credit is available with cooperating high schools and colleges. Acceptance into the internship program is selective and contingent upon an interview. Applicants should submit a brief paragraph explaining why they want this internship, along with a resume of their educational background and activities. Neither need be formal.

The work that interns do is always welcomed and appreciated.  At the Tenth Dems Spring Fundraiser, keynote speaker, U.S. Senator Mark Begich of Alaska noted the presence of the 2011 summer interns. He acknowledged that the event was one of the most well organized functions he had ever attended and he called the turnout of interns at the event “exciting because the future rests not with us but for young people, especially those here.”

The Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats is a volunteer group with members from all parts of the 10th Congressional District. The 10th District contains portions of both Cook and Lake Counties stretching from Winnetka through Waukegan and from Lake Michigan west through Round Lake. The District includes all or part of the following townships: Avon, Benton, Deerfield, Grant, Libertyville, Moraine, Shields, Waukegan, West Deerfield, Vernon, Zion and parts of Fremont, Lake Villa, Maine, New Trier, Newport, Northfield, Warren, Wheeling

For more information on the intern program, or how to apply, email us at info@tenthdems.org or call 847-266-VOTE (8683).

Tenth Dems offering internships that make a difference is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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As you know, 2012 is an important election year.  Your contribution of $5 (or as much as you can give) helps build the infrastructure to elect Democrats to all levels of government.

Can you help us win in 2012?  Click here to contribute $5, $10, or whatever you can.

Here’s just some of what we accomplished in 2011 with your help:

• The year started with a bang when Tenth Dems proudly opened the doors of the Community Connection in Waukegan.  Our mission is to connect government with people, because Tenth Dems believes that politics should be about more than just elections.
• Working to engage young minds, Tenth Dems sponsored an inspiring Poetry Competition, followed a few weeks later by a standing-room-only Poetry Slam, for North Chicago and Waukegan public and private high school students.
• Realizing that Wisconsin had become Ground Zero in the Republican war against the middle class, Tenth Dems helped our beleaguered northern neighbor make a stand.  We delivered carloads of volunteers to march in Madison and to assist in the recall elections after Governor Scott Walker and State Senate Republicans stripped state workers of their collective bargaining rights.
• The Community Connection sponsors Job Interview Workshops to help ex-offenders make a success of life after prison.  Numerous attendees now have jobs and are contributing to society in a positive way.
• Volunteers canvassed and collected signatures for Democratic candidates. They’re currently working together to ensure President Obama and his delegates have enough signatures to be on the ballot.
• The Community Connection served as a cool refuge (and provided food) when July storms caused power outages during a heat wave and also partnered with Envision Scholars to help high school students transform their college dreams into reality.
• In June, Senator Mark Begich told a packed crowd at our Candidate Appreciation Membership Event how he became the first Democrat to win a Congressional seat in Alaska in nearly thirty years, and we welcomed and thanked those candidates who were willing to put themselves forward to run in local elections.
• For our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, we hosted Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota, cited by the New York Times as one of the 17 women most likely to become President.  We honored Terry Blaurock and Adrienne Kirschbaum with our Volunteer and Founder of the Year awards, respectively.  Retiring State Senator Susan Garrett received the coveted Mikva Leadership Award, presented by Hon. Abner Mikva, the last Democrat elected in the 10th Congressional District.
• New York Times best-selling author Jim Hightower and Washington Correspondant for The Nationmagazine and MSNBC contributor John Nichols spoke to huge crowds at Tenth Dems University events.

With your support, we can have more bright moments like these in 2012 and win in November.

Click here to give $5, $10, or as much as you can give.

Lauren Beth Gash and the rest of the Tenth Dems team

P.S. — Please follow Tenth Dems on Facebook and Twitter.

P.P.S. — Tenth Dems members will be allowed to vote in the Congressional straw poll at our second presidential year district-wide convention on March 4, 2012.  Entry is free.  Click here to purchase a membership today!

A Year of Progress is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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Looking for a last-minute gift idea for a hard-to-buy-for Democrat?  Click here to purchase a gift membership!

If you would like to purchase a gift membership, please let us know the name, address, and email address of the recipient. Tell us if you would like us to send the recipient a personal email confirmation of their gift, and we will send it the same day.

U.S. Senator Mark Begich joins a few of Tenth Dems' interns at our Spring 2011 Event

Now is the time to join or renew your Tenth Congressional District Democrats membership for 2012.

This month saw electoral victories against overreaching Republican agendas in Ohio, Mississippi and Maine.  Your support of Democratic candidates and issues helped fuel this momentum for change.  But 2012 presents its own unique challenges, and we need your help to meet them.  This election will determine which party sets the agenda for the next four years.  Will it be the party that passed the Affordable Health Care and Jobs for Main Street Acts, or the party that gave tax breaks to billionaires while taking rights away from workers?

From the presidency to your municipality, we must elect Democrats at all levels to preserve our basic freedoms and continue the change that we have fought for.  And we must do this while battling new voter laws designed to suppress turnout, and the unlimited corporate spending unleashed by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.

MEMBERSHIP DUES IN ACTION

Your membership dues help underwrite the work we do to support federal, state and local Democratic candidates throughout the 10th District.

Your 2012 Membership dues will continue to:

• Assist in helping to elect Democrats at all levels of government.
• Sponsor Tenth Dems University forums, films and panels exploring current and long-range topics such as the Citizens United decision, framing the issues, and sponsoring events with top-tier speakers such as John Nichols of The Nation magazine and Jim Hightower.
• Organize and staff phone banks, canvassing and election legal support. Sponsor venues to meet the candidates.
• Run advertisements, distribute literature and work to support Democrats with strategic consulting and media relations.
• Provide outreach through our Community Connection office in Waukegan and through events such as our High School Poetry contest, because Tenth Dems believes that politics should be about more than just elections.

Tenth Dems is a grassroots volunteer organization running on YOUR financial support. Every dollar you donate has significant impact. This means that each new membership or renewal is extremely important today and for the future.

Please click here to purchase a Tenth Dems membership. Whether it’s $35 or $5000, your help makes the difference in the 10^th.

Thank you,

The Tenth Dems Team

Looking for a last-minute gift idea for a hard-to-buy-for Democrat?  Click here to purchase a gift membership!

Membership in Action is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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Dold is front and center among House Republicans who are doing all they can to reverse the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. A front page article in the December 8, 2011 Bond Buyer reported on how one of the industry’s trade organizations, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), has spent $3.96 million in the first nine months of 2011 lobbying Congress for changes in Dodd-Frank. Among SIFMA’s $185,000 in campaign contributions was a check for $1,000 for Dold, who sits on the House Financial Services Committee.

Dold works cheap. For only $1,000 he serves as principal sponsor of H.R. 2827, a bill that seeks to weaken several provisions of Dodd-Frank intended to require many players in the financial industry to assume a fiduciary responsibility on behalf of their clients. In other words, under Dodd-Frank investment firms would be prohibited from knowingly selling hopelessly defective securities. As reported in books such as Michael Lewis’s The Big Short, during the run-up to the financial crash, investment firms concocted a number of securities – bonds backed by sub-prime mortgages, for instance – which they sold to clients and then turned around and took short positions, betting their own firm’s money that the bonds would drop in price

Not all of Wall Street supports SIFMA’s and Dold’s efforts to weaken Dodd-Frank. According to a July 17 article in The New York Times, the Council of Institutional Investors, a lobbying group that represents pension and employee benefit funds, endowments and foundations, said that the Dodd-Frank Act was “a clear win for investors.”

“Excessive risk by Wall Street fueled the market meltdown that wiped out millions of U.S. jobs and billions in retirement savings,” Ann Yerger, the council’s executive director, said in a statement. “The Dodd-Frank Act, if implemented as intended, will be a critical bulwark against such massive abuse of investors.”

Yerger represents that part of Wall Street that serves to help families save for their future. Dold represents the bunko artists of Wall Street who crowed about selling financial instruments they compared to barnyard excrement.

And on another front, in case anyone is confused about where Republicans stand, the same week that Bond Buyer article appeared, Mark Kirk voted with Senate Republicans to block President Obama’s nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Agency established to enforce Dodd-Frank, former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray.

Dold Pushes to Weaken Investor Protections is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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Thankfully, there are many federal officials—notably led by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin—who are willing to stand up for working Americans and say that it’s time to reverse the Court’s ruling. We can do that by passing a Constitutional Amendment.

If you agree, speak up. Sign our petition and remind Congress that America should be a government of the people, not of special interests.

“I support the constitutional amendment to give Congress and the states the authority to limit corporate and special interest money in our elections.”

Why should you click on the statement above and sign the petition?

Some corporations are willing to invest thousands of dollars to elect candidates who believe environmental protection is not important. Some are spending huge sums to help candidates who are willing to weaken banking regulations, scrap worker safety laws, and gut agencies that protect consumers. Some corporations want to boost their profits by getting tax breaks, and these corporations are willing to buy the help of candidates who want to fund those corporate tax breaks by cutting back on money for education, childhood development, and programs that help the poor and middle class. But while we don’t have the money to match the special interests, candidates are swayed by voters, as well as by donors.

“I support the constitutional amendment to give Congress and the states the authority to limit corporate and special interest money in our elections.”

Join with Tenth Dems to speak in one loud and strong voice and let our elected representatives know how we feel. We will submit this petition to Senator Durbin and other federal officials leading this charge.

Speak up! Don’t sit silently by and allow special interest money to be the only voice Congress hears. In America, people…not special interests…should always come first.

With your help, and your secure donation of $5, $10, $25 or whatever you can manage, we will return our elections to the people.

Take Congress off the Auction Block is a post from Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats

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