Direct from the Chair of Democrats Abroad Munich:
After over 6 years as the Munich Chapter Chair, I will be stepping down this month as my family and I prepare our move to Thailand. I am pleased to announce that Mary Beth Jowers has agreed to step in as acting Chair until the elections early next year.
Mary Beth has been managing chapter communications for the past year and is exceedingly talented. We are lucky to have her insight and skills as we enter a crucial period in voter engagement ahead of this decisive elections.
I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to the volunteers and friends here at DA who’s stories, ideas and action have inspired me throughout my time with the Munich chapter. Our Democrats Abroad Munich Initiative Team (affectionately termed DAMIT) have all become the social justice warriors that we all need during this administration.
Without their dedication to causes that matter to us all: democracy, decency, tolerance, fairness, we would not have had the platform to raise our voices. I am grateful for their commitment, their outrage and moreover their laughter. As the injurious policies came in, we took action together here in our home away from home.
This summer, I encourage you all to keep standing together, marching together, writing, kneeling and phonebanking together; and I hope to keep pace with you from Thailand. I wish Mary Beth and the rest of DAMIT my very best!
— Meghan Driscoll, Munich Chapter Chair
As always there is a lot going on here in the Munich Chapter. We would like to give a warm welcome to Lori Gleber who is our new AUGSBURG Precinct Captain. For all those in the Augsburg area, please be on the look out for events near you this summer! A big thank you to US tax consultant Natalie Pollinger for speaking with us last month. Ms. Pollinger will be moving to Augsburg this summer and will be available for assistance to those in the Munich and Augsburg areas.
Are you registered? Are you sure?
Americans living abroad do have to re-register every year. Just to go VoteFromAbroad.org. It just takes a few minutes. But then you’ll be all set for a year’s worth of primaries, special elections and the all-important mid-terms on November 6th when 33 senate seats, all 435 seats in the house of representatives, 14 Governorships and countless local offices will be UP FOR GRABS. Absentee ballots from abroad have already had a positive effect on primary results so far. Let’s keep it up!
The best place to get answers for your own questions on overseas voting is the Voter’s section of our website. DA has an entire team devoted to helping you secure your rights to vote. Their Calendar of upcoming primaries is especially important right now.
If you want new blood, new ideas and new faces in our party, you MUST participate in the primaries! If you don’t vote, you can’t complain later. Primaries are happening NOW, so find out what’s going on in your state!
Throughout the spring and summer, we will be making a chapter-wide effort to get out into the parks, the beer gardens, town squares and into the streets. We will go wherever we might find our fellow Americans and help them register for upcoming primaries and the all-important mid-term elections in the fall. This is why we need YOU to help us with the incredibly important task of reaching out to our American friends and neighbors!
Please take a look at what’s coming up this month and join us!
UPCOMING EVENTS
9 May – Monthly Chapter Meeting, “Phonebanking and Getting it Write”
19:00 EineWelt Haus, Schwanthalerstrasse 80
Come join us for our monthly meeting (and a bit of socializing afterwards). This month we will have two projects underway: phonebanking (so bring your laptops) and a short writing workshop to tell our story. We will send you 7 questions to answer ahead of time. Bring in your written answers and a picture of yourself. These stories can be used in local newspapers, blogs to encourage and motivate people to vote and become engaged.
The room listing is posted on the right hand side of the entrance as you walk in. We will be enjoying a beer downstairs afterwards.
29 May Get Out the Vote Phonebanking
19:00 – 22:00 DA member’s home near Partnachplatz
Did you know that 88% of members we called in 2016 submitted a ballot? This is a tremendous statistic!
Even if you are not fond of the phone, you can have fun making no-cost calls from your very own computer with DA’s state-of-the art CallHub system. We will be watching a short training video on phonebanking and working through any questions you might have about this cool and easy system. Please bring your laptop (not an iPad) in order to be able to use the system.
Phonebanking is especially great for those who are not able to come to in-person events or are really strapped for time but want to make a difference. The system works ‘round the world and ‘round the clock so even the night owls and early-birds can do their bit.
If you’d like to get started right away, you can sign up right here as a phonebanking volunteer!
Our single most important task as a chapter this year is helping to get all Democrats abroad to vote. This is not a task for October. This is an action for NOW. So make a few calls and help us to build a better world.
Please join us for this fun and very important event! RSVP to receive the location.
4 July, July 4th Biergarten Potluck, 18:00, Michaeligarten
If you are interested in helping organize our annual picnic and potluck, please contact us! We are looking for people to help set up and hold down tables at a local Biergarten. In case of rain we will be inside at Michaeligarten restaurant. Please RSVP to our website and follow on Facebook to stay up to date on any changes.
WHATS ON IN MUNICH
18 May Amerikahaus Screening & Author Talk: Mudbound
19:00 University of Television and Film Munich (HFF Munich), Bernd-Eichinger-Platz 1
Sign up for tickets at: amerikahaus.de
From Amerikahaus:
The movie “Mudbound” follows the story of two men – one white, one black – returning home from WWII to life in the Mississippi Delta. As their families struggle to share the land, they discover that what they hold in common is more true than what tears them apart.
In 2017, it was adapted into a critically acclaimed film that was acquired by Netflix after its debut at the Sundance Film Festival. The story is based on the much appraised book Mudbound by Hillary Jordan.
The movie has earned numerous accolades and honors, including four Academy Award nominations. Directed by Dee Rees, with a script co-written by her and Virgil Williams, it stars Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Jonathan Banks, and Rob Morgan. The Washington Post declared it “the best picture of the year.”
After the screening will be a conversation with Prof. Dr. Heike Paul (FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg) and Hillary Jordan, author of the book, followed by a Q&A with the audience.
U.S. Tax Seminar in Frankfurt & Munich: The impact of the 15.5% Repatriation and GILTI taxes on Americans living in Germany
Wednesday May 9, 2018 Time: 09:30 – 12:00Event begins and ends with 30 networking session
Place: Eden Hotel Wolff, Arnulfstrausse 4, MunichThe 2017 US tax reform created two new taxes: the Repatriation and GILTI taxes. Although intended for US multinationals like Google and Apple, these taxes have a severe impact on American citizens and Greencard holders who are professionals or business owners living in Germany. This seminar, intended for U.S. and German tax professionals and Americans living in Germany who have interests in German companies, will discuss the following:
U.S. Tax Aspects: The Repatriation and GILTI Taxes· The problem these taxes came to address· Understanding the new tax laws
Monte Silver is a U.S. tax attorney residing outside the U.S. Mr. Silver previously worked at the Estate & Gift Tax division of the I.R.S. and at the U.S. Tax Court. He specializes in providing advanced tax solutions to American expats. In addition to having published extensively on the impact of the Repatriation and GILTI taxes on Americans abroad, Mr. Silver has initiated a global tax advocacy effort to exempt expats from these taxes. https://www.democratsabroad.org/letter_campaign_repatriation_gilti_taxes
Munich event is free but advance registration is required. To register, send email to info@silvercolaw.com
CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS WHEREVER YOU ARE!
Democrats Abroad is an all-volunteer organization. There are many jobs, large and small that need to be done to help our chapter thrive, and many of them can be done remotely and don’t even take much time.
Here are just a few ideas of ways you might consider volunteering:
- Write articles for our website
- Be our phone banking coordinator
- Lead one of our caucuses or precincts
- Help distribute our brochures at places where Americans hang out.
- Hold a mini “activist meeting” in your own home or the neighbourhood pub.
If you would like to volunteer or would like more information, please contact Mary Beth at DAG-Munich@democratsabroad.org or update your DA profile at democratsabroad.org and be sure to check off “interested in volunteering” so that we can follow up.
Democratically yours,
Meghan Driscoll and Mary Beth Jowers
Munich Chapter Chair and the rest of DAMIT
http://www.democratsabroad.org/
DA Germany-Munich
http://www.democratsabroad.org/
Munich March For Our Lives – "Imagine"
After a 17 year old local student Samantha read out a selection of names of American students killed since Columbine, the assembled group joined in song. Tears.#MarchForOurLives #NeverAgain #Enough #MSDStrong
Posted by Munich NOW on Saturday, March 24, 2018
