The Brownie Mary Democratic Club is the first marijuana interest group ever to be officially chartered by a major political party. With six clubs chartered by their local county Democratic Central Committees in Alameda, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino and San Francisco Counties, the club has become a major presence within the California’s Democratic Party.
First chartered in 2012, the BMDC has compiled a stellar list of accomplishments. The club sponsored a marijuana legalization plank that was adopted into the California Democratic Party platform and has received observer status on Lt. Governor Newsom’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Marijuana Regulation and Taxation. Intimately involved in Democratic Party politics, the BMDC has formed coalitions with outside groups, organizations, and businesses and had the most popular Exhibit Booth at the 2014 California Democratic Convention, meeting and interacting with literally thousands of Democratic delegates, activists and officeholders.
At election time, democratic candidates from the Governor’s office on down come to the State Party for help in supporting their candidacy and most importantly getting out the vote. We raise funds and provide volunteers to elect Democratic candidates and support the Democratic Party. In so doing we develop a direct line to the Party that governs California - the largest state political party in the nation
There are seven million seven hundred thousand registered Democrats in California and as a chartered organization we speak to them directly through the Democratic Party. No matter your position on Proposition 19, it probably would have passed if the Democratic Party came out as strongly for its passage as it just did for Proposition 47, the drug law reform initiative, which won with 58% of the vote despite being strongly opposed by law enforcement.
We are working within the Democratic Party to represent the interests of the marijuana consumer and the marijuana industry. To do that work, we need financing to develop a professional organization and to pay expenses to send representatives to Sacramento, Democratic political conferences and appearances before legislative committees, commissions and boards.
One of the most important ways to reach elected officials and increase the club’s presence in the Democratic Party is through the state party conventions. To that end the Brownie Mary Democratic has had exhibit booths at the last two California state Democratic Conventions and we are planning on having one at the 2015 Convention at the Anaheim Convention Center May 15-17.
In 2014 we were able to raise the funds to enable the BMDC to be a member of the esteemed First Ring in the Chairman’s Circle. This coveted position provides us with an unequaled opportunity to reach the 3,000 delegates and hundreds of elected officials that will be coming to the convention. Here is what being a member of the First Ring of the Chairman’s Circle provides:
- Exhibit Hall Booth along with many other organizations affiliated and businesses aligned with the Democratic Party.|
- Virtual banner with the BMDC logo and message presented in the Convention Hall and other meeting rooms.
- Inclusion in each delegate’s convention bag an informational brochure about the BMDC, the issues surrounding medical and recreational marijuana and a promotion item to be determined.
Obtaining this level of accessibility to educate and influence is not cheap but it is not costly either. The cost for the First Ring in the Chairman’s Circle is $2,500. Additional costs for materials to hand out, banners and other expenses are estimated to run from around $1,500 to $2,000 so our goal is $420 times 10 or $4200. If an extra $1,500 can be raised, a double booth can be obtained giving us considerably more exposure and allowing for display of many of the items in our cannabis museum, which will further educate and entertain delegates and elected officials.
In the same way that gun owners and manufacturers support the NRA, environmentalist support Greenpeace and businesses support the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, marijuana businesses and consumers need to support the BMDC so that we can be effective in protecting your rights and advancing the cause of marijuana law reform. This is Politics 101. If we are to participate in the big time, we need financial support do it. We don’t need a lot, but we do need at least $4,200 and urge you to become a sponsor and take advantage of one of the levels of BMDC sponsorship.
Grassroots Sponsor - $50 – Listing in BMDC brochure distributed to 3,000 convention delegates, party officials and elected officeholders.
Grassroots Sponsor - $100 – Listing in BMDC brochure, name listed on sponsor placard at exhibit booth and signed BMDC sponsorship certificate suitable for display.
Acapulco Gold Star Sponsor - $250 – All of the above plus a Brownie Mary Democratic Club tee shirt and a signed hardbound copy of Cannabinomics by Dr. Chris Fitchner.
Marijuana Celebrity Sponsor - $500 – All of the above plus two Honored Guest Passes that allow access to all events at the 2015 California Democratic Convention including being on the delegate convention floor where you can join BMDCs from all over the state.
Marijuana Icon Sponsor - $1,000 – All of the above plus distribution of information to delegates and elected officials about your business or services at the BMDC exhibit table.
Whether you donate $2000 or $2, every donation will help us reach our goal. With the problems medical marijuana patients are having in California accessing medicinal marijuana yet the prospect of marijuana legalization seemingly just around the corner, having the ability to directly work with the core activists of California’s Democratic Party and the ability to directly interact with Democratic elected officials is an opportunity that is essential for our movement’s success.
Everyone’s help is critical so please make a donation now. There are FOUR ways a donation can be made.
- Donate through our GoFundMe Campaign - gofundme.com/rcu8d54
- Go to the BMDC website at www.browniemaryclub.org and click on “Donate” on the blue bar near the top of the page and donate by credit card.
- Send a check made out to Brownie Mary Democratic Club of Riverside County or BMDC of Riverside Co. and mail it to: BMDC, PO Box 739, Palm Springs CA 92263. When sending in the check please include a separate paper with your name, address, occupation and employer. If you have no employer write in self-employed, unemployed, retired or whatever describes your current situation. This information is required under federal law as all donations to the Brownie Mary Club are political and cannot be used as a tax credit or deduction.
- Contact me directly to discuss your donation by sending an email to [email protected] or calling me at 760-799-2055.
Thank you for your support,
Lanny Swerdlow, RN
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