April 2015

NEWSLETTER

socdc.org
Facebok.com/socdc

SOCDC General Meeting

Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Dinner at 6 p.m., meeting at 7 p.m.

Guest Speaker Kirsten Vital, Superintendent

Capistrano Unified School District

Kirsten M. Vital
Capistrano Unified School
District Superintendent

Superintendent Kirsten Vital has worked on numerous issues of importance to the district since her hiring in June 2014. Currently, she is
preparing to introduce the new Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing this spring. She is also working to enhance the
South Coast Regional Occupation Program (ROP),and to institute a
Road to Recovery program to protect the future needs of students,
schools, and staffs in times of uncertain funding. This is a golden opportunity to learn more about our high achieving school district. Dont
miss it! And come equipped with any questions about our district that
keep you up at night.
A catered dinner is available for $17 starting at 6 p.m. Required
reservations can be made at willa@cox.net or call 949-370-0401.

Congratulations to our new SOCDC Board

Officers elected at the February general meeting:
Chair:
Vice-Chair:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
External Communications:
Newsletter:

Mike Getto
Anita Narayana
Willa Porter
Lois Rothschild
Valerie Burchfield Rhodes
Noreen Kukkonen and Lois Rothschild

Kudos to our outgoing chair, Dr. Shelly Blair. In the midst of a busy life,
she found time to move us forward in many ways and secured for SOCDC
a new and much improved meeting place. Thank you, Shelly!

Mike Getto
SOCDC chair

Progressives of South Orange County is offering a

SOAP BOX
Open Mic Night
Wed., April 8, 5:30 p.m.
Agostinos Ristorante Italiano
34700 Coast Highway, Capistrano Beach
Does anyone want to make an announcement, share some ideas, or pontificate for up to 5 minutes? Bring it on! Warning: we will have a moderator with a long hook. If you have an idea and want
to speak, please send your name and a one sentence topic along with your RSVP to
SCNJ66@yahoo.com.

SOCDC MEMBERSHIP VOTES TO SUPPORT SENATE BILL 128, AID TO DYING

The SOCDC membership in attendance at the general meeting February 19 voted in favor of supporting a right-to-die option, Senate Bill 128. Joe Barnes
from Compassion and Choices, an organization
supporting the End of Life Option Act, spoke to Democrats and explained that the legislation is modeled after the 1997 Oregon law, allowing mentally
competent and terminally ill patients the option to receive a prescription to hasten death.
According to the law, medication would have to be self-administered after a written request and confirmation from two physicians that the patient has six months or less to live. Two oral requests would be
required to affirm that the patient is mentally stable and could make the decision without undue influence.
One-third to one-half dont use it anyway, Barnes said. Just having the option available gives people
peace of mind.
Questions arose about safeguards for doctors, pharmacists and health care providers, but Barnes said
that the parties involved would be immune from civil or criminal liability. There were also questions about
possible disputes between life insurance and health insurance companies, beneficiaries and the possibility of undue influence. Doctors willing to participate in the patients decision to end his or her life would
have to discuss other options such as comfort and hospice care and pain control. Barnes, a field representative for Compassion and Choices, explained that a patient can rescind the request at any time.
Sponsors of the bill are State Senators Lois Wolk, D-Davis, and Bill Monning, D-Carmel. Some religious
groups are expected to have strong objections, but in a brief discussion about the difference between
the terms aid in dying and assisted suicide, Barnes suggested that if a person is dying anyway that
its not suicide, and he also said some individuals within the Roman Catholic Church support aid in dying, and that other clergy are also supportive.
There is no information readily available as to what the cocktail contains, or if there is more than one.
Supporters of Senate Bill 128 are aware there will have to be strong efforts to overcome the lobbying
effort of churches.
If you are supportive of Senate Bill 128, Barnes asked that SOCDC members write to their state senators, but especially members of the Health and Judiciary committees. For more information, contact
Compassion and Choices at 3701 Sacramento Street, Suite 439, San Francisco, CA 94118, or call 800247-7421.

South Orange County Democratic Club

Board Meeting April 1, 2015

Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own

beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.
President John F. Kennedy

Laguna Niguel Locks Horns with County over Use of Land

The future of 22 acres of land adjacent to the Laguna Niguel City Hall remains a source of wrangling
between Laguna Niguel and Orange County. The county sought to rezone the site for a project of
mixed retail and cultural spaces with more than 200 residential units. The city council, which controls
zoning changes, denied the application at its Feb. 17 meeting. The majority of council members prefers a plan that includes a performing arts center rather than housing at the site. At the meeting, the
council directed city staff to meet with county officials and the developer to find a compromise closer to
the citys vision. The county claims its current proposal reflects significant compromise already and
desires to go forward. For further information, see http://www.ocregister.com/articles/county-652381center-city.html

Support sought for classifying Dyslexia a Specific Learning Disability

Retired teacher Judy Reisling and parent Haya Sakadjian, who home-schools her son, asked Democrats to support Assembly Bill 1369 which would ensure all students are tested for dyslexia or other reading and writing dysfunctions. The bill defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability, a classification
that includes dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory and visual processing disabilities and related disorders.

Senator McCain objects to Nuclear

Framework Agreement with Iran
WASHINGTON Shortly after world powers successfully negotiated a nuclear-framework agreement with Iran, Sen. John
McCain warned that a lasting peace with the Middle Eastern
nation could greatly limit our ability to bomb it.

President Obama is hailing this framework as something that could enhance the prospects for peace in
the Middle East, McCain told reporters at the United States Senate. For those of us who have looked
forward to bombing Iran for some time now, that would be a doomsday scenario.
The Iranians know well and good that if they abandon their nuclear program exactly the way weve
asked them to, we can kiss bombing them goodbye, he said, shaking his head ruefully. Its a damn
shame. As for President Obama, McCain added, Sometimes I think the President cares more about
making the Iranians happy than about making the people who want to bomb the Iranians happy.
With the deadline for finalizing a nuclear treaty with Iran set for June 30th, McCain said that there was
still a chance that talks could break down and allow the United States to bomb it, but added, Im not
getting my hopes up...If we all wake up on July 1st and were at peace with Iran, dont say I didnt warn
you, he said. April Fool! Humor from Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, April 2, 2015