Our worldwide election results will determine our Presidential nominee and the election of 17 delegates who will attend the Democratic National Convention. One hundred forty seven (147) candidates are contesting for the 17 elected positions to go to the Convention which will be held next September 3-7 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

GLOBAL PRIMARY LOCATION IN NORWAY:

The Date: May 2nd, 2012
The Time: 5:00pm to 8:00pm
The Place: Café Fedora (Frognerveien 22, walk down Gabels gate)

GLOBAL PRIMARY ABSENTEE VOTING

Members who cannot vote at a Voting Center may vote absentee by requesting a ballot now or by April 30 at vote2012@democratsabroad.org. Drop us a note today and say “send me an absentee ballot.” You can return your ballot by email, mail or fax.

REGULATIONS FOR VOTING IN GLOBAL PRIMARY

American citizens living overseas who want to vote in the Democratic Global Primary must be members of Democrats Abroad, or join by April 30th at www.democratsabroad.org. Once registered a new member must request a ballot at vote2012@democratsabroad.org. If voting in person at a voting center, a new member can join before voting. Bring a passport as proof of citizenship.

At times like these we need insights on what lies behind the headlines – and what President Obama and the Democrats need to do in order to move the county in the right direction!

Ambassador Barry White, US Ambassador to Norway, will now be joining us on the program! He has extensive experience in campaign politics and knows what goes on behind the scenes. And while, as US Ambassador, he obviously can’t take a partisan stand, he can tell us what it will take to win! And he’ll also be taking your questions from the floor.

This is an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.

Remember – it’s FREE – BUT YOU HAVE TO REGISTER. Register here to make it happen!

NOTE THE NEW TIME: The event starts at 1700 to accommodate the addition of Ambassador White on the program!

• Ambassador Barry White, US Ambassador to Norway, will open the evening with a speech on getting out the vote and what it will take to win this year’s election.  The Ambassador will also be able to field questions from the audience!
• Matthew Barzun, National Finance Chair for the Barack Obama presidential campaign and former US Ambassador to Sweden, will share his views on the campaign with us via Skype, touching on how large a role campaign finances will play in the coming election.
• Alice Germond, Secretary of the Democratic National Committee and important player in the Democratic Party for the past 45 years, will join us via Skype to provide insight into if there have been lessons learned from President Obama’s first term that may influence his second term.
• Peter Gitmark, Conservative Member of the Storting since 2005 and Chairman of Friends of America, will tell us about
  the impact of President Obama’s first term on the relationship between Norway and the United States.

You are welcome to stay for a cup of coffee and light snacks after the presentations as we mingle and continue the discussion.

Here are the event details:

The Date:             Monday, April 16th
The Place:           Fritt Ord, Uranienborgveien 2, 0258 Oslo.
The Time:           5:00 pm to 7:30 pm followed by mingling until 8:30 pm. Doors open at 4:30 pm.
The Cost:             Attendance at the event is free but registration is necessary as space is limited.

Please  register here!   Contact secretary@democratsabroad.no if  you have questions.

Donations in support of Democrats Abroad Norway’s activities to help re-electPresident Obama are welcome! Please make contributions directly to the Democrats Abroad Norway account number: 1203.47.85765

Democrats Abroad Norway (DAN) is putting together an event for our members and friends to help us better understand the real issues in the campaign. Prominent Democrats will provide political insight and answer our questions directly from the United Sates.

More details about the event will be available shortly. Until then, please save the evening of April 16th to join us at:

Fritt-Ord
Uranienborgveien 2
0258 Oslo

TOP EARNERS DOUBLED SHARE OF NATION’S INCOME

In this election, we have to understand the role of the Tea Party and how they are polarizing the American Political process – making it difficult for the liberal voice to be heard. Occupy Wall Street is a real populist movement — there’s a reason for the “We’re the 99%” slogan.

According to a Congressional Budget Office Study released yesterday, top 1% of the population have doubled their share of the Nation’s income, while the income of the rest of us has increased slightly or stagnated.

POSTEL CAN HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT’S HAPPENING

That’s why you need to be there at Litteraturhuset. Keynote speaker, Dr. Charles Postel is an Award-winning author and Expert on Populism (from San Francisco State University) and will talk on “A CRISIS OF INEQUALITY – THE POPULIST RESPONSE”. Postel has done extensive research on the origins of the “Tea Party” movement and has interesting reflections on the Occupy Wall Street Movement. His history of the original Populist movement of the 1890s, The Populist Vision (2007), has won two of the most prestigious awards in the historical profession.

HEAR THE DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE

Ken Sherman, the International Head of Democrats Abroad, will be joining us via video link to talk on “THE 2012 RACE: WILL IT BE AN ELECTION OF FEAR OR HOPE. Ken has been heavily involved in Democrats Abroad since 2004 and served as a delegate for candidate Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He has helped to establish eight non-profit organizations in Western New York, and served as a community organizer for peace and justice, housing, human service and environment. He earlier led Democrats Abroad Canada.

UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT MOOD

TOVE BJØRGAAS will be joining us as moderator. Tove has just released her observations on the situation in the US moving toward the 2012 Elections, FORANDRING OR FRYKT: BARACK OBAMAS USA. She lives in Washington DC and served as NRK’s Washington correspondent from 2006 to until last year. She has a degree from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Add to this, the observations of WSJ’s John Fund on the Republican line-up, and Newt Gingrich (like hime or not) someone who can give background on the Republican primaries. And finally a mini-debate between Republicans Abroad and Democrats Abroad. Be prepared for an exciting evening!

Join us at Litteraturhuset on October 31, 1830-2100. Register for the event by sending an e-mail with your name and account number to RSVP@Democratsabroad.no . Then, follow up immediately with a payment to account number 8200.01.03345. Ticket sales cover the cost of the event.

• Register for the event by sending an e-mail with your name and account number to RSVP@Democratsabroad.no
• Then, follow up immediately with a payment to account number 8200.01.03345. (Remember that your registration is not official until payment is received! And we are accepting reservations on a first-come-first serve basis only.)

Joining us in person is an expert on Populism who can help us to understand “Occupy Wall Street” and the “Tea Party”. And NRK’s Tove Bjørgaas whose new book in Norwegian, “Change and Fear: Barack Obama’s USA”, looks at the challenges the President faces and analyzes the roots of resistance. Another Democratic voice will join us via video link. There will also be a debate with the Republicans.

• Monday, October 31 from 1830-2100. At Litteraturhuset – Wergelandsveien 29, 0167 Oslo.

IMPORTANT! Don’t miss this in-depth analysis of the US Election Process – with input you don’t often hear in Norway!

Who will be there:

Dr. Charles Postel – the award-winning author history professor from San Francisco State University who is an expert on populism — will be here to talk about the U.S. election process and the role of ‘Tea Party’. Postel has written The Populist Vision (2007), a riveting history of one of the most pervasive political movements in American politics – and asks whether the Tea Party is actually a populist movement. The book has won both the Frederick Jackson Turner and Bancroft awards, two of the most prestigious in the history profession.

John Fund, from the Wall Street Journal – American political journalist and conservative columnist, will also be here for the debate. He wrote the weekly “On the Trail” column for OpinionJournal.com and is the author of “Stealing Elections: How Voter Fraud Threatens Our Democracy” (2004). Fund is well qualified to add insights on the full range of candidates for the Republican nomination process.

Joining us via video link:

Newt Gingrich, Current Republican Presidential candidate and Former Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives — Gingrich represented the public face of the Republican opposition to President Bill Clinton – and can draw parallels between the situation then and now.

A Democratic National Committee spokesperson will also join us via video link to give the Democratic and Administration perspective on a period of extreme political polarization and challenge – the economy, defense, environment, and more — for both the US and the rest of the world.

WHEN: October 31, 2011 from 18:30 to 21:00

WHERE: Litteraturhuset, Wergelandsveien 29, 0167 Oslo, Norway

COST: NOK 250 per ticket (Just to cover costs for the event)

IMPORTANT!

• Register for the event by sending an e-mail with your name and account number to RSVP@Democratsabroad.no .
• Then, follow up immediately with a payment to account number 8200.01.03345. (Remember that your registration is not official until payment is received! And we are accepting reservations on a first-come-first serve basis only.)

Don’t miss this in-depth analysis of the 2012 US Election process!

This informal meet-and-greet opportunity will be held on Wednesday, September 28 from 1200-1300 at Café Fedora (Frognerveien 22 in Oslo). The restaurant — run by two Americans and specializing in American foods and desserts, has the capacity to hold up to 85 people. So coming well in advance of this special event is recommended.

Attendance at the event is free but registration is necessary.  Please register for the event here!  Guests can purchase luncheon or refreshments as desired.

THE CONSCIENCE OF CONGRESS

The Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi has called Rep. Lewis “the conscience of the U.S. Congress.” And Roll Call magazine has said, “John Lewis…is a genuine American hero and moral leader who commands widespread respect in the chamber.”

Rep. Lewis was elected to Congress in November 1986 and has served as U.S. Representative of Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District since then. That District includes the entire city of Atlanta, Georgia and parts of Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties. He is Senior Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic Party in leadership in the House, a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, a member of its Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Oversight.

While still a young man, John Lewis became a nationally recognized leader. By 1963, he was dubbed one of the Big Six leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. (The others were Whitney Young, A. Phillip Randolph, Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer and Roy Wilkins). At the age of 23, he was an architect of and a keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington in August 1963.

So come join us and meet this inspiring American.

July 23, 2011

The President called Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg this afternoon to express personally and on behalf of the American people his deepest condolences for the dozens of innocent Norwegians killed and injured in yesterday’s senseless attacks in Oslo and Utoya Island.  The President offered any assistance the United States could provide to the Norwegian government in dealing with this horrible tragedy. In this incredibly difficult time, the President reaffirmed the deep and longstanding friendship between the United States and Norway.

Place: Horgan’s – Hegdehaugsveien 24, Oslo

For another opportunity to meet fellow Americans – join us at Horgan’s Pub just north of the Royal Palace.

This is an apolitical event for the non-political, as well as practicing Democrats and Republicans.

Horgan’s is the first American Bar & Restaurant in Norway. Still kicking after 19 years, Horgan’s provides new guest and regulars with great service, excellent food and premium beverages.

We welcome you to a new gathering where we can meet to socialize and strengthen the American community here in Norway.