As a lead-up to the vital upcoming American mid-term elections on November 2^nd, Democrats Abroad Norway is hosting American Political Analyst & Author Steven Hill’s visit to Oslo — and is also making voter registration help available for all U.S. citizens attending the talk.

The event begins with a reception, canapés and the chance to mingle with fellow Americans – followed by a talk by Steven Hill and an interview session with questions from the audience.

Where is the enlightened government and forward-thinking leadership of the 21st Century most visible?

In Europe — according to American political analyst Steven Hill in his new book Europe’s Promise: Why the European Way Is the Best Hope in an Insecure Age.

As a lead-up to the vital upcoming American mid-term elections on November 2^nd, Democrats Abroad Norway is hosting Hill’s visit and also making voter registration help available for all U.S. citizens attending the talk.

In Europe’s Promise, Hill chronicles and illuminates a European revolution that is proposing a bold, new vision at a crucial juncture in global affairs.

Steven Hill is the former director of the political reform program at the New America Foundation and co-founder of FairVote. He is a visionary American political analyst, activist and author of four books.

Steven Hill is on an 12-nation European speaking tour that includes Hungary, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece and Istanbul.

For a decade, Steven Hill traveled widely to understand the European Way (including two previous speaking tours for Democrats Abroad).

Hill arrives in Oslo on Friday, 24 September, and will be speaking at the Oslo Rica Hotel at 1800 – 2000. Democrats Abroad Norway will be facilitating a Q&A session following his presentation. Hill will also be available for interviews before or after the speaking event.

The All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet includes:

Meatballs, buffalo chicken wings/blue cheese dip,chilipølser. mini fish cakes, samosas among warm choices and ham, olives, marinated champignonger, Tzatziki, green pepperoni fylt med ost, dips, assorted breads among the choices.  Coffee or tea will be included with mini brownies…WOW!

Cost: 275 NOK, Students: 250 NOK

Register at www.DemocratsAbroad.no/Events

(Oslo, 19 August)  Those of you who have been following our website know that we in Democrats Abroad Norway had a voter registration drive this June 2010.

Now we’d like to congratulate the winner — Betty Haugen!  Betty won the Get Out the Vote 2010 Raffle –with a NOK 500 gift card as the prize. As with all the others entered in the raffle, she submitted the emails of five American friends living in Norway. This provides us a way to reach other Americans in Norway and assist them in registering to vote for the upcoming mid-term elections.

The winner was randomly drawn in July. The information gained will be handled confidentially and deleted on November 3, 2010 –right after the elections.

We send our thanks to Betty and everyone else who participated.

Democrats Abroad Norway is trying to reach as many Americans living in Norway as possible. No matter who you want to vote for in November, if you are an American living in Norway, we are happy to help you register so you vote.

YOUR CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

On November 2nd, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for election, as will 36 of the 100 seats in the Senate and 39 of the 50 state governorships. Many of these races will be close, and the campaign is already in full swing in the States.

Republicans are pushing hard to regain a majority in Congress. If achieved, there are threats to rescind important legislation like healthcare.

You have the right to vote, and your vote can make a difference. The absentee ballots from Americans abroad were the ones that decided the outcomes in 2006 in Virginia, in 2008 in Minnesota and in 2009 in New York.

So — ACT NOW! Register for an absentee ballot!

Each year the ACCN produces the ACCN Independence Day Celebration in Oslo on the weekend closest to the actual date. This year that means the event will take place on July 2-4. Democrats Abroad Norway is an active member of ACCN and the event.

CELEBRATING IN OSLO

On Friday a six hour event at the Grand Hotel will feature musical rhythms that will shake the soul (from 1600 to 2200).

On Saturday, an Arts and Entertainment Brunch at the Rica Victoria Hotel will feature Jazz and a Silent Auction (from 1300-1600).

And then on Sunday – the 4^th of July — the signature event will be “The American Celebration” (from noon to 1700) at Frogner Park in Oslo. As always there will be all the ingredients of a wonderful 4th of July celebration:

• Sports,
• Children’s games,
• Great American food,
• Arts and crafts,
• Beautiful setting in which to celebrate.

And last but not least, lots of good, old-fashioned American hospitality.

DEMOCRATS ABROAD NORWAY WILL BE THERE

Do you want information on voter registration? Are there any specific questions you have about being an American in Norway? Or do you just want the opportunity to meet other Democrats and the chance to become a member? Then the ACCN Independence Day Celebration is the place.

Democrats Abroad Norway will be manning a tent at the ACCN Independence Day Celebration at Frogner Park on Sunday from 1200 to 1700. Join us there and exchange views!

REGISTER FOR THE EVENTS

Click on the link for the ACCN site for more information about events that help connect Americans in Norway to other Americans! You can also use the link to register for the events you wish to take part in.

Share the names and emails of five (5) Americans living in Norway, and your name will be entered to win a kr. 500 gift card.  Send the names and email addresses to membership@democratsabroad.no.

The winner will be randomly drawn on July 1st.  Information will be handled confidentially and deleted on November 3, 2010.

Venue in Oslo to be announced – check www.democratsabroad.no for more information. If you need voter registration assistance, we will be there to help.

• Drammen – Baker Hansen by the train station
• Frogner – Kaffebrenneriet Løvenskioldsgate 2
• Majorstuen – United Bakeries Valkyriegata 9-11
• Røa – Baker Hansen Vækerøveien 207
• Sentrum – Kaffebrenneriet Universitetsgata 18
• Vinderen – United Bakeries Slemdalsveien 63B

For the more than 270 Oslo-based Americans, it was an evening of networking and renewing country ties. US Ambassador Barry White hosted this First Town Meeting which was designed to orient Americans living in Norway on Embassy activities and the diplomatic support it could provide.

The Embassy was represented by Cherrie Daniels (Head of Political and Economics Section), Colonel Don Keply (Defense Attaché), Eric Carlson (Regional Security Officer, US Department of State), Hester Kerlick (Vice Counsel), and Kelji Turner (discussing the new American Embassy). Rodger Deuerlein (Head of the US Embassy Consular section) served as MC for the event.

DUAL CITIZENSHIP. TAX CHALLENGES. NEW EMBASSY – AND MORE

In the more than an hour of presentations, Embassy personnel and a range of organizations supporting Americans in Norway informed Town Hall attendees on a wide range of issues. Everything from security in Norway and dual citizenship issues, to insurance for permanent residents and the increasing sophistication of the Norwegian view of American politics. And from financing aspects of education abroad and tax-related challenges to drivers license renewal and plans for the building of the new US Embassy.

The formal part of the meeting was followed by a stimulating Q&A session that lasted for nearly 40 minutes. For a more detailed summary of the Town meeting, read the Town_Hall_Meeting_Minutes_12/05/2010.

DEMOCRATS ABROAD WAS THERE

“The event was also an opportunity for those of us at Democrats Abroad to let people know about our activities to get out the vote,” said Lisa Cooper, Chairperson for Democrats Abroad in Norway (DAN) and one of the members of the panel of American organizations that supported the Embassy at the Town Meeting.

“We also talked about our other activities to help connect Americans here – and keep them up-to-date on political issues where they can have some impact,” she added.

Other organizations represented were Chrys Hellum, President of the American Coordinating Council of Norway (ACCN); Jason Turflinger, Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Norway (AmCham); Sarah Øverland, President of the American Womens’ Club (AWC); and Ken Burton, Chairperson for Republicans Abroad Norway (RAN).

The upcoming US mid-term elections have the potential of changing the game for the Obama Administration. A possible shift in control in congress could threaten the President’s agenda – so every vote counts.

With President Barack Obama half way through his first term in office, the US Mid-term Elections will be held on November 2. At that time 435 members of the House of Representatives will be up for election. In addition, one-third of the Senate — or 34 Senators — will be elected, and 37 State Governors will be on the ballots. A number of local issues will also be up for consideration in state elections.

If history repeats itself, the odds can favor Republican gains in the House and Senate. The party in power usually loses seats, but the mid-terms are also seen as a referendum of the sitting President and his party.

HOUSE: CONTINUED CONTROL?

Polls indicate that 164 House seats are solid Democrat and another 64 are leaning Democratic with some 30 seats too close to call. Democrats now hold 257 seats, 39 seats more than the minimum needed for control. If Republicans were to pick up the high side of the 20-to-50 seats that some polls now predict, that could mean a shift of control in the House of Representatives that would threaten the President’s agenda.

However, a recent New York Times/CBS poll indicates that Americans feel President Obama better understands their needs and problems and has made more of an effort to be bipartisan than Congressional Republicans. So that may help counter balance some of the normal drop for the party in power.

SENATE: A MORE UNSTABLE BALANCE?

In the Senate, the current balance is 57 Democrats, 41 Republican and 2 independents who caucus with the Democrats. Current polls indicate that of the 36 Senate seats that are up for election, 7 are solidly Democrat and four are leaning Democratic. On the Republican side 12 are solid and 8 are leaning Republican. Five of the 36 seats are up for grabs.

Any shift in power to the Republicans will make it even more difficult to bring desired legislation to the Senate floor.

WHAT ABOUT THE STATES?

Gubernatorial elections will also be held on November 2^nd –37 states and two territories will hold elections for governor. Currently 20 seats are held by Democrat incumbents and 19 are held by Republican incumbents. Polls indicate that 3 of the Democratic Governorships are safe, and 5 are leaning Democratic. Five of the Republican seats are safe and 9 are leaning Republican – with 15 governorships that are up for grabs. So a lot is at stake in the various state governments as well in the mid-term elections.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS !

A heavy Democratic turnout of those energized to vote for the first time in the 2008 elections, might turn the tide, making it easier for President Obama to carry out his agenda. This is what the Democratic National Committee is calling its 50-State Strategy.

The President and the Democratic Party are committed to keeping the nation safe and expanding opportunity for every American. That commitment is reflected in an agenda that emphasizes strong economic growth, an overhaul of regulations governing the financial industry, affordable health care for all American, and freeing ourselves from oil dependency through the investment in renewable, alternative energies. It also focuses on ending the war in Iraq while refocusing our efforts on dealing with the post-September 11 world; protecting the environment, and working for open, honest and accountable government.

Elections are often won on a narrow margin, so every vote counts, and organizing voter registration and voting from abroad can push the game-changing potential of the mid-term elections in the right direction.

Henrik Ibsens gate 48

Oslo, Norway

Message to U.S. citizens residing in the Oslo area.

The Embassy wishes to invite U.S. citizens to a meeting at the Bristol Hotel ((Kristian IV’s gate 7) on May 12, 2010 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

The Ambassador and Embassy officials will talk about topics we believe are of interest to U.S. citizens residing in Norway including U.S. – Norway relations, security and safety issues and consular services.  The American Chamber of Commerce, Democrats Abroad, Republicans Abroad and the American Women’s Club will also provide information about their organizations.

Please R.S.V.P. as soon as possible if you would like to attend. Space is limited. R.S.V.P. by sending an e-mail to osloamcit@state.gov with your full legal name. Please remember to bring your passport for ID purposes.  Due to security procedures at the Embassy, we recommend you arrive at least 15-20 minutes before the meeting starts.

We look forward to seeing you at our Town Hall Meeting.