PPDC Hosts Virtual House Party

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

The Pacific Palisades Democratic Club hosted its first-ever virtual public event on the evening of Tuesday, May 19.

Members and non-members alike were invited to attend the virtual House Party, which featured speakers Councilmember Mike Bonin, Chair of the LA County Democratic Party Mark Gonzalez and Chair of the Westside Democratic HQ Jane Wishon.

“A crisis reveals character … a crisis also reveals flaws,” Bonin said before diving into a number of topics and taking questions from attendees.

Bonin explained how Angelenos have become immune to LA’s fundamental flaws, including the issue of homelessness, the housing crisis and income inequality. But the “tidal wave of economic and social trauma” created by the pandemic has demanded that things be done differently, and he has been actively pushing new ideas at City Hall to address them.

Bonin also talked in-depth about a proposed budget Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled roughly a month ago and described it as “inevitably … a work of fiction.”

“This budget anticipates that everything goes back to normal July 1 …  that ain’t gonna happen,” Bonin said.

The budget proposal suggests cutting employee hours by 10% and boosting the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget.

“I don’t know that any of my colleagues have ever gotten more than a handful of people suggesting we should spend less on LAPD and just having the conversation, putting it on the table, is going to be challenging,” Bonin said. “If we grow that, we are going to be cutting other things and that is a conversation the entire city has to be having.”

Bonin added that the budget will be assessed and the budget committee will continue amending and rewriting it throughout the year.

Gonzalez used his time during the virtual meeting to discuss updates about the election year.

“Everyone is adjusting to this new reality, including campaigns and how we fundraise,” Gonzalez said. “I know fundraising is going to be very hard for all of us, we’ll find creative ways to do that, I’ll raffle off a Lysol can if I have to.”

PPDC Vice President of Communications Adam Wolman said this was the first event of many to come.

“Going forward, there will be all kinds of virtual events designed to keep people informed about the latest get-out-the-vote strategies and get them signed up to participate,” Wolman said to the Palisadian-Post. “Getting as many volunteers participating as possible is the key to turning out voters in November.”

Wolman said House Parties are powerful in getting people motivated and informed, discussing ways to get involved.

“This new virtual environment is opening opportunities to work collaboratively in a meaningful and important way with other like-minded progressives across the country,” said Jane Wishon, chair of the Westside Democratic HQ, to the Post.

PPDC is gearing up for its next event, a virtual fundraiser for Joe Biden on Saturday, July 4.

The club is on the host committee for the “Making Waves for Democracy” fundraiser, with a current lineup featuring U.S. Representative Karen Bass, Mayor Garcetti, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, Michelle Kwan and more.