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Mole's Progressive Democrat

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Originally intended for New York City progressives, its readership is now national. For anyone who wants to be alerted by email whenever this newsletter is updated (usually weekly), please send your email address and let me know what state you live in (so I can keep track of my readership).

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Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States

I am a research biologist in NYC. Married with two kids living in Brooklyn.

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  • Saturday, November 05, 2005

    Progressive Democrat Issue 50: BROOKLYN/QUEENS GROUPS AND EVENTS

    ALL NYC:

    Link-up Host Doug Wythe Performs for the Benefit of DFNYC, Nov. 6 & Nov. 10

    Hosting the Riverdale DFNYC Linkup is just one of Doug Wythe's talents. He also sings! Do not miss "A Blue State of Mind," his upcoming performance which will benefit Democracy for NYC.

    When: Nov. 6 at 6:30pm and Nov. 10 at 7pm

    Where: The Encore, 266 West 47th

    Cost: $10 cover, 2 drink minimum

    Reservations Recommended: 212.221.3960

    See the great invite at this link: http://www.dfnyc.org/cms/node/87328

    Billionaires for Bloomberg Get Out the Dough (GOTD) Celebration!: Sun, 11/06/2005, 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. While typical candidates celebrate the weekend before the election with massive grassroots volunteer efforts, the Billionaires for Bloomberg will be celebrating with a massive greenbacks spending effort. To celebrate the billionaire mayor's spending $100 million of his own money stimulating mass media businesses, Number 1 Bloomberg Booster, "Mega Bloombucks" and the Billionaires for Bloomberg will be toasting the obscenity of spending so much money on a campaign.
    Join the Billionaires for Bloomberg at Suede Lounge www.suedelounge.com/ on 23rd Street between 6th and 7th avenues, New York City from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    Join Billionaire in Chief and Guest of Honor, George W. Bush and many of his billionaire cronies as we make plans to push out the poor and middle class with ticketing blitzes and luxury housing. Manhattan Island is for the rich! And there are so many of us, we need the rest of NYC too!
    Special Guest Speaker To Be Announced!
    Please RSVP to BillionairesForBloomberg-at-yahoo.com (replace -at- with @).
    Participating Groups:
    NYS Young Democrats
    NYS College Democrats
    Billionaires for Bloomberg
    DL21C

    Join Paper Ballot/Optical Scan Press Conference at City Hall: Mon, 11/07/2005 - 11:00am, One Day Before Last Election Using Lever Machines, Paper Ballot Advocates Say Touchscreen Machines Could Cost NYers Millions of Dollars and Voting Security

    Citing cost-effectiveness and voter confidence issues, city and state officials including US Congressman Jerrold Nadler, L.I. Assemblyman Fred Thiele (R, I, WF), NY State Senator Liz Krueger, as well as New York League of Women Voters’ Co-President Mary Lou Urban, will gather on the steps of City Hall next Monday, November 7, at 11 AM, to voice their support for the Paper Ballot/Optical Scan (PBOS) voting technology that advocates say beats the heavily lobbied computer voting machines (DREs) on every count, including acquisition and ongoing costs, longevity, reliability, ease of use, and confidence that the vote can’t be manipulated or lost, as has happened so often in elections dominated by computer technology.

    The press conference is being organized by the New York League of Women Voters and New Yorkers for Verified Voting, both of which advocate PBOS as the best voting technology for New York.

    New York State citizens, legislators, and technical experts are calling for paper ballots and optical scanners rather than DREs. Elections belong to the public, say these advocates, not to voting machine vendors looking to maximize profits. The vendors have even said they may not submit optical scanners for certification in New York. But without the option to purchase optical scanners, New York City would be forced to buy the unproven, expensive, and problem-prone DREs. Among other things, DREs require extensive tech support, as high as $1800 a day per tech person. Optical scanners, on the other hand, are easily managed by poll workers.

    Also attending will be Michael Godino, Treasurer of the American Council of the Blind of NY, who advocates PBOS as the foundation for use of a machine that allows non-English speakers or those with disabilities to vote privately and independently on paper ballots. This system has been publicly endorsed by Senator Krueger in her testimony to the NY City Council, which stated: "I strongly urge that the City of New York reject DRE systems… The City should use a PBOS system … [which] is more accurate, secure and re-countable than a DRE system, and … will cost the City significantly less money in both the short and the long term.”

    Contact: Susan Greenhalgh segreenhalgh-at-hotmail.com (replace -at- with @) or Stephanie Low stephlow-at-mindspring.com (replace -at- with @) for more information.


    Open Bar for Ferrer on Election Eve: Monday, November 7th, 2005, 7:00pm to 9:00pm, at Suede, 161 West 23rd Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues). Open Bar; $25 - $50 - $100; For more information or to RSVP, call. Andrea Leung at (646) 839-4918 or e-mail aleung@ferrer2005.com.

    Community Forum on Policing: Wednesday, November 9, 6:30 PM
    St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 521 West 126th Street (b/w Broadway & Amsterdam)
    Listen to political leaders, advocates and activists discuss the Charge or Release Bill, a City Council bill that would ensure that anyone arrested in New York City is brought before a judge within 24 hours. Hear testimonials from people who have been arrested and detained longer than 24 hours before seeing a judge. Then, ask our panel of lawyers and activists your questions about your rights if you're stopped by the police, if you're arrested, etc.


    CRITCAL MASS BICYCLE MOVEMENT! Critical Mass is a bicyclist movement (NOT an organized group!) that holds weekly protests all over the world to protest pollution. Rides are the last Friday of every month starting in Union Sq. Park North, 7PM! At a DFNYC meeting attended by Norm Seigel, Norm used Critical Mass as an example of the kind of activism that NYC needs most and the way Bloomberg is trying to squelch our rights and our voices. Critical Mass deserves our help. According to Bloomberg, my inclusion of this in my newsletter is probably illegal. Well, I refuse to let Bloomberg tell me what I can and cannot write in my Newsletter.

    http://www.times-up.org/cm.php


    And see their NYC calendar for Bike Workshops and other rides (including ones outside Manhattan). http://www.times-up.org/calendar/calendar.php


    There is more you can do to support Critical Mass. This comes from a reader in Manhattan:

    To help keep people involved in Critical Mass, people who might be sacred off because of renewed aggressiveness by the police, I have started a pledge drive that sponsors arrestees. This is a great way for people to stay involved in Critical Mass, stay on top of the issue, and use the NYPD and Bloomberg's tactics to work for us not against us. I am pledging $2 per arrestee, and the money will go to the Legal Aid Society. Pledges are made on the honor system. The more bicyclists the cops arrest the more money for defending civil rights is raised.


    BROOKLYN EVENTS:


    CONGRESSMAN OWENS’ MOTORCADE FOR FERRER: Congressman Owens wants to hold a Ferrer motorcade through portions of the 11th Congressional District (mostly the Black neighborhoods) on Saturday, November 5, starting at 12 noon. Participants should gather at 761 Washington Avenue at 11:30 am. What we need are cars with drivers (and Ferrer posters on them) and people to assist with literature distribution during the motorcade."

    Democracy for America Meetings: CLICK HERE!
    Wed., Nov. 2, 7pm

    Park Slope/Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NEW LOCATION! Heights Coffee Lounge, 335 Flatbush Ave (btwn. Park Place and Prospect), with hosts Merle McEldowney and Wole Parks

    Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Royal Oak, 594 Union Avenue (@ North 11th) with host Paul Nocera

    Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Wycoff-Bennette Homestead, 1669 East 22nd. St. (between Quentin & Kings Highway), with host Annette Mott


    Volunteer with DFA and the Ferrer Campaign –Weekends through Nov. 8

    Volunteer with the Ferrer campaign on the weekends. Find the office nearest you at: http://www.dfnyc.org/cms/node/87267 and get in touch with the contact person. You can help with phone banking, visibility blitzes and literature drops.

    If you are going to volunteer, please contact DFNYCer Martha Kenton at mkenton@dfnyc.org or 917-517-3299. She is keeping track of the DFNYC Ferrer volunteers. Remember to tell them that DFNYC sent you and show your grassroots pride.


    MARJORIE'S OZZIE’S MEETUP: Next meetup in November. 249 5th Ave at Garfield, Park Slope, best subway is R to Union, east one block, and down three blocks. I also recommend getting Marjorie’s very informative newsletter which you can get by contacting her at: johnkerry57@covad.net

    Independent Neighborhood Democrats: Contact me or Devin Cohen: devincohen@msn.com if you are interested. http://www.indbrooklyn.org/

    Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) (mostly covers Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and Kensington. http://www.cbidems.org/




    Lambda Independent Democrats (Brooklyn’s gay and lesbian organization) for meeting info contact LID@LIDBrooklyn.org.

    DRINKING LIBERALLY: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. Here are our local Brooklyn groups:

    Park Slope: First Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward, Commonwealth, 497 5th Ave (at 12th Street). Hosted by Emily Farris and Peter Wohlsen, parkslope (at) drinkingliberally.org

    Williamsburg: Every Tuesday, 8:00 pm onward the Levee, 212 Berry St. (corner of N. 3rd). Hosted by Elana Levin and Michael Freedman-Schnapp, williamsburg (at) drinkingliberally.org

    To find your nearest Brooklyn Democratic club, please CLICK HERE.

    QUEENS:

    Democracy for America Meetings: CLICK HERE!
    Wed., Nov. 2, 7pm

    Bayside, Queens, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics


    Volunteer with DFA and the Ferrer Campaign –Weekends through Nov. 8

    Volunteer with the Ferrer campaign on the weekends. Find the office nearest you at: http://www.dfnyc.org/cms/node/87267 and get in touch with the contact person. You can help with phone banking, visibility blitzes and literature drops.

    If you are going to volunteer, please contact DFNYCer Martha Kenton at mkenton@dfnyc.org or 917-517-3299. She is keeping track of the DFNYC Ferrer volunteers. Remember to tell them that DFNYC sent you and show your grassroots pride.


    Queens Jefferson Democratic Club: Our meetings are normally held the first Thursday of every month, @ 8:00 p.m. (the doors open @ 7:30 P.M.) except for July, August, and months in which a holiday falls on the First Thursday. Meetings are held at the Auburndale American Legion Hall, 198-09 33rd Ave Flushing, New York 11358 (just off Francis Lewis Blvd. near 33rd Avenue).

    Queens County Young Democrats: for information CLICK HERE.

    DRINKING LIBERALLY: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. Here are our local Queens groups:

    ASTORIA: Third Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward. Cassidy's, 34-16 Broadway (at 35th Street). Hosted by Bob Chamerda, astoria (at) drinkingliberally.org

    To find your nearest Queens Democratic club, please CLICK HERE.

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