Another storm is coming, not for political reasons (well, there are always stormy conditions in the Trump era), but because the Upper Valley will once again experience strong winds and snow, Sunday a.m. through Monday p.m.

Should we need to cancel our Monday night film, Dark Money, we will send out an email to our list and post cancellation notices on our website, Facebook and Twitter.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, at 6:30 p.m. DARK MONEY. 
Doors open at 6 p.m. Finger foods only, no potluck.
Mascoma Valley Regional High School Community Auditorium. 
27 Royal Road, Canaan, NH 03741

In collaboration with Rights and Democracy and Open Democracy, The Upper Valley Dems and Mascoma Forward announce the screening of a must-see film— DARK MONEY.

The movie examines one of the greatest threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film follows an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in Republican primaries in Montana. Through this gripping story, DARK MONEY uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold.

The panel discussion afterwards will feature:
Olivia Zink – Open Democracy
Eric Benevides –  Wolf PAC
Jim Rubens – Take Our Republic Back

This poem should get you in the mood for our film, DARK MONEY.

Dark Money

Sung to the tune of “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”

Where has all the money gone, Long time passing,

Where has all the money gone, Long time ago,

Where has all the money gone, Picked up by campaigns in the dark,

When will we learn the truth? When will we learn the truth?

Where has our country gone, Long time passing,

Where has our country gone, Long time ago,

Where has our country gone, Gone to plutarchs in the dark,

When will we learn the truth? When will we learn the truth?

What have all the plutarchs done, Long time passing,

What have all the plutarchs done, Long time ago,

What have all the plutarchs done, Bought our freedoms every one,

When will we learn the truth? When will we learn the truth?

Where have all our freedoms gone, Long time passing,

Where have all our freedoms gone, Long time ago,

Where have all our freedoms gone, They’ve gone to graveyards every one,

When will we ever learn? When will we ever learn?

Where have all the graveyards gone, Long time passing,

Where have all the graveyards gone, Long time ago,

Where have all the graveyards gone, Gone to dog parks every one,

When will we ever learn? When will we ever learn?

Plagiarist, Bill Secord

Primary sightings—

The primary season in New Hampshire has arrived early. Politicians seeking voter support for their party’s nomination for the presidency of the United States have descended upon us across the state—mostly Democrats, but a whisper of Republicans like former Governor of Massachusetts William Weld. This space in the weekly emails from the UVDems will attempt to highlight the appearance of Democratic presidential hopefuls in the Upper Valley over the coming months.

One of the declared candidates who made a recent visit to the Upper Valley was Kirsten Gillibrand, who made several stops in Hanover and Lebanon. One of the venues was the home of Hanover State Representative Sharon Nordgren on Saturday evening, February 16, after the senator had spoken that afternoon to a large Dartmouth audience. Senator Gillibrand made a straight-talking presentation ranging from why she had felt it necessary to call for Senator Al Franken to resign to how a Medicare-for-All system of healthcare could be established for all Americans.

In Concord last week.
Here are a few outcomes from Senate and House debates:

In Close Vote, House Committee Backs Marijuana Legalization in N.H., www.nhpr.org

Senators Pass Bills To Protect Businesses, Children and Promote Passenger Rail, http://indepthnh.org/

House Panel Passes Bill To Facilitate New Secure Psychiatric Unit, http://indepthnh.org/