Democratic Party of Denver | Investing in the Future

House District Profile

House District 2

HD2 Democrats now meet the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. at the Friends Meetings House, 2280 S. Columbine, near DU. Join us early, at 8:30 for coffee, sweets and social time!

Click here to sign up for our HD2 Email Updates.

Live in the District? Click here to join our HD2 Facebook group!

State Representative:

Mark Ferrandino

State Representative

Email Address:

mark.ferrandino.house@state.co.us

Representative Ferrandino was elected by vacancy committee in 2007, and quickly earned successive leadership positions including Minority Leader in 2011. On November 8, 2012, he was nominated by his Democratic peers as Colorado Speaker of the House. Visit his website here, and keep up with Colo.

District Calendar


HD2/HD5 Baker Bonanza Yard Sale Fundraiser	Sat, 06/01/2013 - 7:30am - 4:00pm
House District 2 Meeting	Sat, 06/15/2013 - 8:30am - 10:30am
House District 2 Meeting	Sat, 07/20/2013 - 8:30am - 10:30am
House District 2 Meeting	Sat, 08/17/2013 - 8:30am - 10:30am
House District 2 Meeting	Sat, 09/21/2013 - 8:30am - 10:30am

The West Denver Democratic Coalition visits House District 2

Submitted by Andrea_Merida on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 8:58pm

Denver Democrats, organized as the West Denver Democratic Coalition, banded together to attack trash and graffiti in the Westwood neighborhood. The WDDC is formed from members of House Districts 1, 2 and 4.

Watch our slide show and get to know our members!

House District Updates / Blog Posts

HD2/HD5 Baker Bonanza Yard Sale Fundraiser

Saturday, June 1, 2013 - 7:30am - 4:00pm

Location:

217 West 2nd Avenue, Denver, CO 80223

TOWN HALL - AGUILAR

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Location:

Harvey Recreation Center 2120 S. Tennyson Way, Denver 80219

Join Senator Irene Aguilar

For A Town Hall Meeting On

The Senator's view of the

2013 Colorado Legislative Session

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Harvey Recreation Center

2120 S. Tennyson Way, Denver 80219

The 2013 Colorado Legislature session ends on May 8th and it has been a busy session. This year, the legislature has covered civil unions, in-state tuition for undocumented students, Medicaid expansion, increasing the renewable energy standards for our rural electric associations, marijuana, and most famously the issue of gun violence prevention. Come hear the accomplishments, misses and heartbreaks from Senator Aquilar herself.

HOUSE DISTRICT 2 - Day at the Capitol

Friday, April 26, 2013 - 8:00am - 12:30pm

Location:

Old Supreme Court Chambers from 8-9

We're excited to host an event at the Colorado State Capitol next Friday, April 26th, and we'd love to have you and your friends join us.

The House District 2 Day at the Capitol is hosted by the HD2 Democrats, but it's a non-partisan event open to everyone from any district and any affiliation. It should be an excellent chance to get an intimate glimpse of a day at the Capitol, with a chance to meet our legislators and see them in action on a busy day near the end of the session. Due to the incredibly busy schedule in the final weeks of the legislative session, we can't guarantee that last-minute schedule changes might not take away some of our legislators, but we know they'll try their best to stop by as their schedule permits.

We're going to start off with a light breakfast -- coffee, fruit, bagles, sweets, etc. -- outside the Old Supreme Court Chambers from 8-9. We'll be welcomed by the House District 2 Officers and Lou Irwin, Denver Dems Captain-at-Large for Public Policy, and we expect several legislators to drop by and talk to us briefly about their work this session, including our own representative, Speaker of the House Mark Ferrandino, Senator Irene Aguilar, who represents much of our district, and Representative Beth McCann, from House District 8 in Denver. We have invited another 10 or 12 legislators, and it promises to be an informative and informal briefing from our elected officials. Lou Irwin will also offer tours of the Capitol for those interested.

At 9:00, our group will head to the House and Senate chambers to observe the debate on the floor as a flurry of bills are expected to be up for discussion. Debate may continue into the afternoon, and there will be some committee hearings in the afternoon. If you'd like an update on bills to be heard in committee next week, please reply to this e-mail or contact Lou Irwin at lnirwin@gmail.com to be added to his Public Policy e-mail list.

One item we anticipate being heard Friday afternoon is Senator Aguilar's joint resolution, SJR13-021, which calls for the "creation of an interim committee to study ways to create a comprehensive health care system for all Coloradans." The Legislative Council Committee should be reviewing proposed interim committees that Friday, so those interested in Health Care Reform may take special interest in that hearing.

If you think you can make the House District 2 Day at the Capitol, please RSVP to owenperk@aol.com to help us get a rough count. If you can't RSVP, please join us anyway, but it would help to know you are coming. And please feel free to extend this invitation to any friends you think would be interested in attending.

We'll have more information at our monthly meeting this Saturday, April 20th at the Friends Meeting House, 2280 S. Columbine from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Come early for social time, coffee, and sweets at 8:30, and stay late for Voter Registration Training at 10:30 as we prepare to reegister high school students turning 18 in the following week.

Thanks for your interest, and we hope to see you soon,

The House District 2 Officers

Danielle Wilkerson, Captain HD2A (precincts 201-228) dwilker@gmail.com (202) 246-3729
Rita Simas, Co-Captain HD2A rsimas3@gmail.com (720) 296-5303
Barry Sarver, Finance Chair HD2A barrysarver99@hotmail.com (303) 777-9497

Owen Perkins, Captain HD2B (precincts 229-250) owenperk@aol.com (303) 722-1655
Eliot Lewis, Co-Captain HD2B erlewis@mindspring.com (720) 570-1570
Walker Knight, Finance Chair HD2B walkerlknight@gmail.com (303) 692-1922

Additional Contacts

• Democratic Party of Denver: 574 S. Broadway, Denver 80209 303-830-8242 www.denverdemocrats.net

• Colorado Democratic Party: 777 Santa Fe Drive, Denver 80204 303-623-4762 www.coloradodems.org

• HD2 Representative Mark Ferrandino: (303) 866-2911 (Office) • (720) 837-6320 (Cell) • mferrandino@yahoo.com •www.markferrandino.com

• SD31 (includes precincts 204-211) Senator Pat Steadman: www.patsteadman.com

• SD32 (includes precincts 212-250) Senator Irene Aguilar: ireneaguilar.md@gmail.com • www.aguilarfor32.com

Filibuster Reform Petition online!

Submitted by tom_parson on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 6:31pm

Here is a link to sign our online petition for filibuster reform - details below!

http://signon.org/sign/coloradans-for-filibuster?source=c.url&r_by=6299601

Two years ago, at the start of the last Congress, House District 2 Democrats organized to express support for reform of the Rules of the US Senate. With support of over 100 Democratic Party activists, we wrote to our Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, and other leaders of the Senate, our concern about dysfunctional government:

Chief among the rules that cause dysfunction and partisan gridlock are:

The 60 vote requirement to end Senate filibusters;
Secret, unlimited holds by a single Senator on proposed legislation
Secret, unlimited holds by a single Senator on consideration of Presidential appointments.

These are anti-democratic limitations on majority rule, which creates cynicism and continued inaction!

This issue is still before us. Continued partisan gridlock in the Senate will obscure the legislative aims of our party, and obstruct Presidential appointments which require Senate approval; continued procedural dysfunction will frustrate the majority will of the voters and the remarkable grassroots activism expressed in the 2012 election. Now is time for reform of the Senate Rules!

To express support for true democratic reform, we invite all activists to sign our online petition, which we will send to Senators Bennet and Udall and to leaders of the Senate. With your support, new Senate rules will renew the possibilities for effective government on the opening day of the new Congress in January 2013!

Tom Parson, Captain HD2A Democrat

typetom@aol.com 303-777-8951

SIGN THE PETITION TO OUR SENATORS:

http://signon.org/sign/coloradans-for-filibuster?source=c.url&r_by=6299601

Filibuster - history and general information

According to historians, the filibuster has we know it today and as portrayed by Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was never meant to be...it was a mistake.

"...the Constitution prescribed six instances in which Congress would require more than a majority vote: impeaching the president, expelling members, overriding a presidential veto of a bill or order, ratifying treaties and amending the Constitution...."*

Alexander Hamilton, in the Federal Papers #22 writes:

"...This is one of those refinements which, in practice, has an effect the reverse of what is expected from it in theory. The necessity of unanimity in public bodies, or of something approaching towards it, has been founded upon a supposition that it would contribute to security.But its real operation is to embarrass the administration, to destroy the energy of the government, and to substitute the pleasure, caprice, or artifices of an insignificant, turbulent, or corrupt junto, to the regular deliberations and decisions of a respectable majority..."

Number of filibusters

*Graph and quote from Washington Post

Filibuster: the use of irregular or obstructive tactics by a member of a legislative assembly to prevent the adoption of a measure generally favored or to force a decision against the will of the majority.

Cloture: a method of closing a debate and causing an immediate vote to be taken on the question.

House District 2 Holiday Potluck, 6 - 9 p.m.

Thursday, December 13, 2012 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Save for the date for the House District 2 Holiday Party from 6 - 9 p.m. at the home of Marci Leger-Lovato, 1928 S. Washington St.

Please RSVP to Marci at marci@leger-lovato.com or Owen at owenperk@aol.com and let us know if you'll be bringing a dish. Appetizers, main and side dishes, salads, deserts, and beverages are all welcome.

If you don't get a chance to RSVP, please come anyway.

See you then!

Food Updates

Tamales from La Casita -- Irene Aguilar
Side Dish -- Sarah Bradley
Homemade Greek Salad -- Alec Garnett and Emily Renwick
Mystery Dish -- Terri Gallmeien
Mystery Dish -- Linda Gillan
Mystery Dish -- Janet Hartmann
Wine -- Bob Kalish
Andrea King and Colin O'Connor
Mashed Butternut Squash with Garlic -- Walker Knight
A Lot of Cheese and a Big Pot of Something -- Marci Leger-Lovato
Mystery Dish -- Richard Martinez
Mystery Dish -- Ellis McFadden
Wine -- Anne McGihon
Crudites -- Denny McGihon
Bean Corn Avocado Salad -- John Parson
Desserts, Coffee, Cider -- Tom Parson
Grandma's Cheesecake -- Owen Perkins
Mystery Dish -- Merrie Reardon
Mystery Dish -- Chris Rork
Veggie Side Dish -- Vicki Rottman
Chinese Style Roast Pork -- Barry Sarver and Brenda Riske
Mystery Dish -- Alan Schlessman
Christmas Cookies -- Rita Schweitz
Enchilada Casserole -- Bev and Ed Shackelford
Mystery Dish -- Aaron Silverstein
Christmas Candy -- Rex Stephenson
Dessert -- Katy Strascina
Bread Pudding -- Elnora Wands
Casserole -- Michael Winn
Multi-layer Dip, Chips, and Beer -- Steve Zalmstra