Letter from the Chair

Greetings Democrats!

With the advent of a new Democratic era in American politics, we begin to approach our work as a party with a new focus, new goals, and a new orientation. In no way is our work done with Democrats as president, in the majority in both houses of Congress, as Wisconsin's governor, and in the majority of both houses of the state legislature. Our work is never indeed done.

We must mobilize and organize to take advantage of this historic opportunity to re-orient our nation and our state, even amidst multiple crises. In times of challenge we can find new avenues of possibility to advance our goals and new pathways of action.

Governance from Democrats does not begin and end with the people we have helped elect to office. The work of the citizen and of Democrats must orient toward building support around the policy agenda on which our party has been entrusted to govern. The challenges of matters like fixing a broken economy, reforming health care, and securing the future of our nation and our state must be taken up by Democrats as citizens, as activists, and as organizers.

As a party, we have worked with great success to elect our party to office. In addition to helping these Democrats advance a constructive, positive, affirmative agenda, we must organize to build our party further. More Americans identify as Democrats now than at any time in contemporary political history, dating back decades. More people have faith in our party to govern for the common good and the public interest than in ages. At no time in recent memory have we had such an opportunity to build our party for future success.

This moment calls us to greater activity and involvement. We can build a party organization that can activate and mobilize the citizenry in the democratic political process to advance the vision for a good society that has put Democrats in the place to govern with a strong majority. So while we have achieved tremendous success in the past two years, the time is now to capitalize further.

We turn now to organizing further for even greater success and successes in different ways. With that in mind, let me take this opportunity to invite you to attend the 2009 Convention of the Democratic Party of the 2nd Congressional District. At our convention, we will celebrate our victories and take the next steps for this further organizing around our shared goals and vision. Never has there been a more important time to be active and involved in the democratic process and in our Democratic Party. So come and join us for a convention and for the work laid out in front of us as a party. Our convention will be on April 18th in Portage, with speakers like Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, and recently elected Representative Fred Clark. In addition, we will conduct the party business that underpins our work as a party, from electing new leaders to adopting resolutions that state our party's vision and priorities.

Now is our time to further or work as a party, on behalf of Democrats and on behalf of the health, welfare, and security of our nation and of our state. Democrats are called now to be a part of building a better future in our democratic political process. We invite you to join us in responding to this call with your own activation and involvement.

Peter Rickman
Chairman, Democratic Party of the 2nd Congressional District