Progressive Democrat Issue 65: THOUGHTS

I skipped last week's newsletter. Mea Culpa! Simply put, my heart wasn't into it and I needed a break. But I'm back!

In this issue I want to add a few more thoughts on the Danish Cartoon controversy. But I want to make it clear that nothing I say should be taken as a blanket condemnation of any one religion or nation or people. I think I make that clear in everything I say, but this is an issue that is highly controversial to many. My intention is to look at the issue carefully and recognize the pros and cons on both sides. As you will see below, I am open to any and all comments from readers on this issue. It is not a simple issue and it deserves to be thrashed out.

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: MORE THOUGHTS ON THE DANISH CARTOONS

Last issue I discussed my views on the Danish cartoons and the reaction throughout the world. I got two interesting comments from readers. There has also been a great deal of comment in the media as well. Here is a sampling of some of these comments with my reactions.

First off, there has been a great deal of hypocrisy in Muslim nations over the Danish cartoons. From BBC:

Contradiction in Arab cartoon views

Blatantly anti-Semitic literature is on sale in Cairo, just like many other Arab capitals. The BBC News website's Martin Patience reports on the apparent inconsistency in the Egyptian reaction to the Danish cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad...

…kiosks openly stock the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a notorious anti-Semitic text that purports to be an account of Jewish plans to rule the world, but was actually written by Tsarist secret police in 1905.

This hypocrisy by many Muslims is also the focus of the comments from a reader in Brooklyn:

My reaction to the cartoons:

1. Arab countries vilify Jews not only in cartoons, but in textbooks, teaching Jew-hatred to children from their earliest schooling.

2. They immediately blamed Israel and burned USA flags when neither country had anything to do with them.

3. Freedom of speech is paramount in democracies, but these Muslim fanatics are so intolerant of any kind of dissent that they kill their own countrymen and Muslims in other countries who are more moderate or want peace.

I say to hell with all intolerant religious fanatics -- Muslim, Christian and Jewish. All fanatics are equally repressive and intolerant. BUT THE PROTESTING MUSLIMS ARE THE BIGGEST HYPOCRITES BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DO IN DEPICTING JEWS. THEY CAN DISH IT OUT, BUT THEY CAN'T TAKE IT. As for the Bush reaction, he is an abysmal embarrassment in all he says and does, but we no longer have a media that distinguishes between lies and truth. We have newspeak and doublethink straight out of 1984 -- and our constitution is going straight down the memory hole in view of the total neglect and ignorance of the American people.

I will also point out that the Muslim anti-Jewish reaction to the cartoons, exemplified in their call for cartoons making fun of the Holocaust, ignores the fact that almost overwhelmingly, Jewish groups from around the world have come out in support of the Muslim outrage against the cartoons. Jewish groups have condemned the cartoons yet the Muslims still blame the Jews.

Interestingly, the Jewish response to the Iranian caricatures of the Holocaust is to start a JEWISH competition of cartoons caricaturing the Holocaust:

To counter the Shoah caricatures competition proposed by Iran, two Israeli artists Eyal Zusman and Amitai Sandy decided to organize a competition of antisemitic pictures only for Jewish participants. (Guysen.Israël.News)

"We will show to the Iranians that nobody can win against Jews in this field.'' reported on the site boomka.org where they present their project.

Hmmm...interesting approach. Well, it sure beats rioting!

I have focused on the Muslim hypocrisy. But the hypocrisy may go both ways. It seems that the Danish paper was also hypocritical. They published these cartoons of Muhammed in the name of freedom of expression, but the apparently have in the past refused to publish cartoons that might have been offensive to Christians. Again from BBC:

More than two years previously, in April 2003, a Danish cartoonist Christoffer Zieler offered some cartoons of Jesus Christ to Jyllands-Posten, Denmark's largest daily paper and generally seen as right-wing.

One of the paper's editors told Zieler: "I don't think Jyllands-Posten's readers will enjoy the drawings. As a matter of fact, I think that they will provoke an outcry. Therefore, I will not use them."

Now I think the Muslim rioters are way out of line and have mostly supported the freedom of expression of the Danish paper. But, now it looks like Jyllands-Posten is just as hypocritical as the Muslim rioters!

Now let me give Ann Coulter's wonderful opinion, representative of the view of many right-wingers in America. From Media Matters:

Coulter: Islam is "a car-burning cult"

In a Wednesday column commenting on the recent violence linked to cartoons in European newspapers that satirized the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter suggested that Islam is "a car-burning cult," and wrote that Muslims have "a predilection for violence."

And this is from the woman who has advocated a.) bombing the NY Times building, b.) using baseball bats on Americans she disagrees with, and c.) assassinating a Supreme Court justice. Talk about hypocrisy! It seems to me that Ann Coulter has a predilection for violence! As does Bush. When we invade another nation based on lies, we shouldn't be surprised that there will be a lot of anger against us.

Amid all this hypocrisy no one is coming off very good. But a reader from Tennessee had an interesting take on the rioters. Freedom of expression and hypocrisy aside, what really makes someone so angry that they riot? She looks at the economic environment that surrounds the controversy.

I am an economic determinist. I cannot look at politics or sociology without considering what the actors have in their bank accounts, piggy banks, or back pockets. My first reaction to the rioting was how similar it was to the race riots in the US in the 60s, starting with Watts. Angry people, with little to use, were not reluctant to loose it. It's easier to lash out at stuff than to hurt people when power is running against you. The people rioting now are not the ones who have shops, I believe. And it's almost certain that they are not analyzing every stroke of the cartoonists' pen. Somehow it became popular to believe that "the infidel" is making fun of their religion. (We don't get really upset when fanatics call us infidels, regardless of what our religious beliefs. Oh, no! We are a nation of laws and not of men!)

People will believe in the faith they were taught as children. They will not necessarily live up to the highest standards of that faith. However, they are more likely to talk about it than to discuss how they are shafted in the workplace, the marketplace and the town square.

I would add that those who are exploiting the anger of the rioters in the Muslim world are also rich and are using that anger to turn attention away from their own exploitation of poor Muslims. The rioters probably are, by and large, hurt by both the West and their own governments. The cartoons, carefully exploited by their own governments, has become the trigger for an outpouring of anger that probably stems from far more fundamental causes--poverty and disempowerment. Although this does not negate the other issues, it also is a very important part of the dynamic that is being ignored by all but a few "economic determinists" out there.

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: Media Activism

I want to continue focusing on fighting the worst of the Right Wing fanatics in the mainstreet media. But first I want to once again point out to people that if we don't make a fuss, complain and boycott, we lose. Let me emphasize that right wing activists complain all the time and threaten boycotts. AND companies like Verizon, for example, listen to them and pull ads based on these complaints. It is time for us to shout louder and to be heard.

Let me also point out some cases of threatened boycotts and consumer pressure working. The following companies have changed their purchasing or agricultural practices in response to the Union of Concerned Scientists pressure to stop the misuse of antibiotics in animal feed:

McDonald's and Chipotle
TGI Friday's
Tyson’s
Gold Kist
Purdue
Foster Farms

(NOTE: the Union of Concerned Scientists is now Pilgrim's Pride to get them to follow the above listed chicken producers in eliminating unneccessary antibiotics in chickenfeed).

Verizon has at least twice pulled ads due to complaints from right wing organizations like American Family Association and the Society for the Prevention of Misandry in the Media (I kid you not!!!). If Verizon will pull and ad because of a group called "the Society for the Prevention of Misandry in the Media," then don't ANYONE tell me that boycotts and threatened boycotts don't work. They don't work if we don't DO them.

There are a couple of existing efforts I want to highlight. Some are targeting Chris Matthews for his comparing Americans who are concerned about the war in Iraq to Osama bin Laden. And then there's an effort I have pushed before targeting Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly for their advocacy of violence and terrorism.

In honor of Verizon's willingness to pull ads due to complaints from the Society for the Prevention of Misandry in the Media, I hereby ask you to target them in particular. Tell them that you will boycott them as long as they advertise on MSNBC while MSNBC allows Ann Coulter to advocate terrorism and Chris Matthews to accuse people who oppose Bush of being terrorists. Honestly, if Verizon is willing to listen to the Society for the Prevention of Misandry in the Media, they sure as hell had better be willing to listen to us. Boycott Verizon for their sponsorship of MSNBC's hate-mongering.

Verizon's contact info:

Verizon
Tell Verizon you'll go to Sprint, T-Mobile, or Cingular if they don't do the right thing.

Ivan Seidenberg, Chmn & CEO, Verizon Corp. Branding
212-395-2121
ivan.g.seidenberg@verizon.com

Robert Engalls Jr, Pres. Retail Mtkg.
bob.ingalls@verizon.com

Robert Varetonni, ED External Comm.
robert.a.varettoni@verizon.com

Eric Rabe, VP External Comm.
eric.rabe@verizon.com

Judy Verses, Sr. VP Natl. Mktg.
703-390-7017
judy.verses@verizon.com

Jerri DeVard, Sr. VP Mktg.
jerri.devard@verizon.com

John Bonomo, PR
212-395-7756
john.j.bonomo@verizon.com

Sharon Cohen-Hagar, PR
972-718-6205
sharon.cohen-hagar@verizon.com


I also contacted Bayer and found them sympathetic. They still give a vague answer, but I got the feeling that their representatives do not like the image of Chris Matthews, Bill O'Reilly and Ann Coulter. I think some friendly pressure from us could get them putting some serious pressure on MSNBC and Fox. Be gentler with Bayer, but do write them because I think they may go our way:

Bayer Aspirin
Heiner Springer, Head of Communications
heiner.springer.hs@bayer-ag.de

Michael Schade, Head of Media Relations
michael.schade.ms@bayer-ag.de

Gerard Smith, VP Mktg
973-254-4843
gerard.smith.b@bayer.com

Jay Kolpon, VP Mktg.
973-254-4797
jay.kolpon.b@bayer.com


And for extra credit, in honor of the impending tax season, you might want to send the same message to another MSNBC sponsor, Turbo Tax. Tell Intuit/Turbo Tax that you will do your own taxes without their help this year if they continue to advertise on MSNBC:

Intuit/TurboTax
Bill Campbell, Chmn. of the Board
Bill_Campbell@intuit.com

Scott Cook, Co-Founder & Exec. Committee Chairman
650-944-6000
scott_cook@intuit.com

Steve Bennett, Pres.
tel. 650-944-6000
fax 650-944-5295

Scott Gulbransen, Comm.
858-525-7594
scott_gulbransen@intuit.com

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: HUNTING WITH DICK CHENEY

The media is finally tiring of covering Dick Cheney's shooting of a man on a "hunting" trip. But there are more issues to the story than JUST the fact that Dick Cheney, while shooting nearly helpless birds on a ranch and calling it hunting actually shot a human being. Dick Cheney's hunting trips are a part of the Republican culture of corruption and the shooting incident shouldn't overshadow the depth of that corruption.

Remember that Dick Cheney, when faced with a Supreme Court case involving his handling of the administration's energy task force, went hunting with Justice Scalia...a clear conflict of interest! "Duck Hunting with Cheney" became synonymous for conflict of interest.

The recent incident is part of further corruption while "hunting" that Cheney engages in. Thanks to a reader in Tennessee for fowarding me this. This came from Cleanup Washington.org:

Cheney and company were hunting at the Armstrong Ranch in Texas, which was owned by Tobin Armstrong – a member of the Bush “Pioneers,” the elite fundraisers who raised at least $100,000 for one of the Bush-Cheney presidential campaigns – until he died in 2005. But here’s where it gets interesting: His daughter, Katharine, now the owner of the ranch, is also a Bush Pioneer, and became a federally registered lobbyist, without moving to Washington, after Bush became president. As a lobbyist, she is well-positioned to exploit her deep ties to Bush, having received several state government appointments while he was governor and an invitation for a White House sleepover once he became president.

Since she became a lobbyist in 2004, she has registered for only four clients: her ranch, the mega-law firm of Baker Botts, and two of its clients. Why would such a legal heavyweight as Baker Botts need an outside lobbyist with no experience? The answer lies in her Baker Botts lobbying disclosure forms, which state that she lobbied only the White House and not Congress or any regulatory agency. Her activities consisted of “communicating with the White House on behalf of various Baker Botts clients regarding South Korean policy,” the forms say. But Baker Botts’ only obviously South Korean lobbying client, Hyundai, had terminated its lobbying contract months before Armstrong filed her registration. This apparently means that Baker Botts was providing lobbying services for at least one of its clients through the Armstrong subcontract without filing disclosures for those services.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that we will find out who exactly Armstrong was shilling for on “South Korean policy.” The House and Senate offices that handle lobbying disclosure forms are notoriously lax on enforcement, and Baker Botts is unlikely to face any action for failing to register on behalf of the mystery South Korean client. However, this Google cache page does point to a press release (no longer available directly) on a South Korean “reception” in Seoul attended by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and put on by Baker Botts, Hyundai and a “U.S.-Asia Network” group that the two sponsor. The Network also happens to be co-chaired by Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.). Sounds like business as usual in Washington, but some of the current lobbying reform proposals could prevent the kind of secrecy in this story by creating an independent body that would audit lobbying disclosures and take action against those that do not follow the law. (See Public Citizen’s profile of Armstrong on our www.WhiteHouseForSale.org project.)

In essence, this is another case of the close, crony relationship between the Bush administration and lobbyists. Crony corruption marches on in Bush America!

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: NYC FOCUS

I have been very critical of Mayor Bloomberg's claims of having a wonderful education policy. I have criticized his ignoring the needs of current students while waiting for his lawsuits against the state to bear fruit. That was one reason I liked any of the Democrats over Bloomberg in the mayor's race: they had ideas for increasing education funding right now without depending on the state level lawsuits. I have criticized Bloomberg's middle school application process, a process my wife, step-daughter and I currently have to endure. And I have discussed the criticisms from Americans for Democratic Action of Bloomberg's education policies.

My main problem with Bloomberg on education is that he presents himself as smugly proud of his record on education. Well, even if his education program was brilliant, there is NOTHING to be proud of yet. The Park Slope Courier (Feb. 20th 2006 issue) reports numbers from the Department of Education that are absolutely damning for the city's schools. The DOE reports that the high school graduation rate for the state is 64% (or 71% if you include students who take 5 years to graduate). That alone is too low and is described as "unacceptable" by State Education Commissioner Richard Mills. But this blows the graduation rate for NYC away.

The high school graduation rate for NYC is 53.2%, if you include students who graduate after taking summer classes. THIS IS ABYSSMAL! How can Bloomberg even hint at being proud of his education record while we have numbers like this? At least the State Education Commissioner, who has as much a stake in seeing good numbers, has the decency to be horrified by the state of education in the state. Bloomberg, during his campaign, did nothing but glow smugly about his education record.

Bloomberg's approach to education is not much different than Bush's "No Child Left Behind." Both Bush and Bloomberg want more and more testing without actually properly funding all schools. Bloomberg also introduces competition, making schools compete for students from Middle School on and making students as young as 10 years old compete against each other to get into the few good schools. This is NOT a solution. All it does is create a further divide in our schools where we have good schools get better and bad schools get worse. Funding in the worse schools is so bad that students actually have to bring their own toilet paper to school.

I am not against testing. Even when it produces a certain amount of "teaching to the test," something my stepdaughter has complained about. If teaching to the test genuinely brings most students up to at least a minimum standard, then all is good. But what happens is that many students who don't make the grade are pressured to drop out in high school. So some of the High Schools with the worst graduation rates also have high dropout rates.

Let's be clear here. For every student who does not graduate high school, either through failing or dropout, represents a failure on our part. ALL of us fail here. Our society in NYC is not educating our children adequately and the changes made by Bloomberg, whether good in and of themselves, are not solving that problem. Until our society is properly educating the vast majority of our children, there is NOTHING for Bloomberg to be proud of and his smugness is nothing but an insult to those students who are poorly served by our education system.

Bloomberg's ideas for improving education are, at best, a mere beginning. Testing is fine. But you have to act upon the results of those tests, putting considerably more funding into the worst schools, hiring many more teachers and cutting dropout rates. This is not being adequately done. As a first step, Bloomberg's plans are worth something, though I think the "competition" aspect misses the point that ALL schools should be good. But as the end all and be all of an education policy it is completely inadequate. And completely inadequate is what our education system is for many students. All teachers I have known in NYC are enthusiastic and dedicated, moreso than I remember from other cities. But they don't have the moral and financial support from either the state or the city that they need. That has to change.

Mr. Bloomberg, you need to admit that your education policy is not adequate. That would be the first step to developing a REAL education policy that will serve all our children better. Contact the Daily News and Newsday and your favorite local paper to demand that Bloomberg stop being so smug about our schools and start DOING something to make things better for our students right now.

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: BROOKLYN FOCUS

In the past I have touched on the sad corruption in my own Brooklyn Democratic Party. It always depresses me when I write about how lousy my own party is in my own city. I want a strong, honest party I can be proud of, not the weak, corrupt mess that we have that delivers one of the nation's lowest voter turnouts. What is even more telling is that the HIGHEST turnout assembly districts tend to be the one that are covered by the reform clubs, not the districts controlled by the machine. So I was thrilled when the Democratic District Attorney in Brooklyn took down Clarence Norman, the corrupt Democratic Party boss in Brooklyn convicted on corruption charges. I have held this up as an example of how the Democratic Party differs from the Republican Party which does nothing about its most corrupt members.

The well-deserved downfall of Clarance Norman is progress. But the new head of the Brooklyn Democrats is Vito Lopez, who was a close ally of the now convicted Clarence Norman. Meet the new boss? Same as the old boss? According to Vito Lopez and his allies, Vito is untainted by corruption and will be a reformer. They are telling us that they will be different from Clarence Norman's corrupt machine. But, sad to say, this is not proving to be true. Vito Lopez is nothing more than a more organized version of Clarence Norman's corruption.

Vito Lopez was an integral part of Clarence Norman’s corrupt machine, and together they did their best to ruin the career of reform-minded judge Margarita Lopez Torrez after Lopez Torres refused to appoint cronies of Vito Lopez.

From New York Civic:

Ironically, it was the actions of ex-Assemblyman and Brooklyn Democratic leader Clarence Norman, until his felony conviction in fall 2005, and Assemblyman Vito Lopez, his successor, that began the chain of circumstances that led to this decision. When Margarita Lopez-Torres was elected to a county-wide Civil Court in Brooklyn in 1993 on the recommendation of Vito Lopez, she rejected every job applicant sent to her by the county organization, including Mr. Lopez' daughter who sought employment as a law secretary. The payback for this defiance was the county's refusal to designate her for re-election when her term expired in 2003. She ran anyway, winning re-nomination in a sharply contested Democratic primary. The next year, she sought the county designation for Supreme Court Justice, which was decided by a judicial convention, not a primary. Predictably, the county organization turned her down although she was among the longest serving judges on the civil court.

In the spring of 2005 the position of Surrogate suddenly became vacant when Justice Michael Feinberg was removed for corruption by the Court of Appeals, upholding the recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Conduct. You can find details of l'affaire Feinberg on our website; just google his name. The vacancy thus created came in time to be filled by a primary. Three candidates competed, and Judge Torres won by an extremely narrow margin, some 200 votes.

And from the Daily News:

Brooklyn's ex-boss, convicted felon Clarence Norman, and its new Dem boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, did their best to knock Lopez Torres out of a Civil Court position and to block her from a more powerful Supreme Court seat. To her credit, Lopez Torres kept running for Supreme Court and became the public face of reform…

There's a good chance the state's party bosses will use Albany to recapture control of the judge-making machinery. (Four out of five of the city's Democratic county bosses, after all, are members of the Assembly.)

That means reform-minded political clubs and ambitious but honest lawyers need to hit the streets and start campaigning for Supreme Court - this year, while the historic window of opportunity is still open.

Vito Lopez was an INTEGRAL PART of the judicial corruption of the Clarence Norman machine. And he was nasty and aggressive in his attempts at revenge agains Lopez Torres.

In addition to the cronyism that got Margarita Lopez Torrez in trouble with Vito Lopez, Vito has favored his girlfriend with a lucrative development deal in 2004 and gave his girlfriend’s brother a judicial position. From Lambda Independent Democrats:

The lengthy lead story in the Real Estate section [of the NY Times] credited Lopez with sparking a massive rebuilding effort in Bushwick, way back when he was a graduate student in 1971, and then carrying it through. The story also mentioned that Angela Battaglia's agency is the developer for a $20 million component of the rebuilding effort. It even pictured Lopez and Battaglia standing together in front of new housing construction. But the story omitted that Battaglia is Lopez's girlfriend. Does that connection at least deserve mention? Might the article have explained why there was or wasn't a conflict of interest present? Was it a coincidence that Lopez's girlfriend's outfit was put in charge of the $20 million deal? Inquiring minds would like to know. It may well be that everything was done on the up-and-up. But given Lopez's tendency to do favors for his friends-for example, he helped make his girlfriend's brother Jack Battaglia a Civil Court judge-the Times should have explored the question.

And despite claims from Vito Lopez and his followers that the new boss is different from the old, now convicted, boss, so far Vito Lopez has been right there in the middle of the judicial corruption of the Norman machine.

From the Daily News:

Livin' la Vito Lopez

Declaring that he saw no evil and heard no evil, former Brooklyn Democratic boss Clarence Norman says he can speak no evil about corruption among the borough's judges. He'll not be talking to District Attorney Charles Hynes anytime soon, so hopes for quick disinfection have faded for the moment.

Just as dispiriting, party regulars chose as the convicted Norman's successor Assemblyman Vito Lopez, an old-time ward heeler from Bushwick who has never shown a zeal for reform until, gee whiz, now. He vows the party will consult a panel of learned men and women, such as Brooklyn Law School's dean, about picking quality judges.

We've seen this movie before, and the ending stinks. Two years ago, Norman and party district leaders, Lopez included, pledged they would never support a candidate for a judgeship who had not been approved by an independent screening commission. This year, for the first time, the panel reviewed Civil Court candidates.

And guess what? The party shoehorned two lawyers onto the bench without any screening. Kenny Sherman, son of district leader Roberta Sherman, will get a 10-year Civil Court term without so much as a primary. And Canarsie Assemblyman Frank Seddio was awarded an uncontested ballot line for Surrogate's Court. So much for quality control. So much for keeping your word.

And Vito Lopez has his own legal problems. From the November, 25, 2005 NY Post via Judicial Accountability:

Instead, say the activists, Lopez for years has shacked up in a Queens condo owned by his girlfriend, Planning Commissioner Angela Battaglia, who also happens to be executive director of a housing nonprofit Lopez founded.

A spokesman confirmed that the district attorney had received the complaint, dated Oct. 24, but declined to say if an investigation has begun.

Falsifying a voter-registration address is a felony…

Property records show that the address where Lopez is registered to vote, 64 Conselyea St. in Williamsburg, is owned by a woman named Tillie Tarantino.

Tarantino is executive director of the Swinging 60s Senior Center in Greenpoint, which is funded by a Lopez-backed nonprofit…

Vito Lopez seems embroiled in corruption and cronyism on a level similar to the kind I rail at the Bush Administration and Republicans for. Considering Vito Lopez a reformer is similar to the Republicans declaring Tom DeLay’s replacement, John Boehner (R-Ohio), a reformer. It just isn’t true! I don’t believe apologists for Republican corruption and I refuse to believe apologists for Democratic corruption either. The Brooklyn Democrats are in desperate need of reform and Vito Lopez is NOT the person to do it except through future indictments for his own corruption.

I remain embarassed by my local Democratic Party. How can we fix this? Get active in reform clubs and in Democracy for NYC and New Democratic Majority. Please see the events and groups section below for more info. Also, I will be helping to start a New Democratic Majority group in Brooklyn. First meeting will be late March! Stay tuned for more info!

Progressive Democrat Issue 65 BROOKLYN/QUEENS GROUPS AND EVENTS

ALL NYC:

URGENT: PBOS Supporters Needed at City Hall
This could be the MOST IMPORTANT ACTION YOU CAN DO ALL YEAR

Mon, 02/27/2006 - 10:00am
Support our speakers for PBOS (Paper Ballots, Optical Scanners)
and against electronic voting!

Monday, Feb 27, 2006
10 AM to 1 PM
City Hall
Council Chambers, 2nd floor

Committee on Governmental Operations
Chairperson Simcha Felder
Hearing on Compliance with HAVA (the Help America Vote Act)

Teresa Hommel is coordinating for PBOS, and will be on the right hand side (as you come in the door) in the front.

Let's fill the balcony one more time! Please attend!

N or R train to City Hall
4 or 5 or 6 train to Brooklyn Bridge
1-2-3 to Park Place

Members of the Gov Ops Committee:
Joseph Addabbo Jr., Inez Dickens, Erik Martin Dilan, Domenic Recchia, Larry Seabrook, Peter Vallone Jr.

Lobby for Quality Education
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 6:00am

Parents and others concerned about public school education may want to join PTAs, Education Advocacy Groups, the United Federation of Teachers and others lobbying our elected legislators in Albany, NY on Tuesday, March 14, 2006.

Free buses will leave from all five boroughs early in the morning for this all-day effort.

The United Parents Associations has voted to join the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council, Class Size Matters classsizematters.org, the Alliance for Quality Education aqeny.org, Presidents Councils from Districts 1, 2, 3, 30 and HS Region 6. (Presidents' councils are the organization of PTA presidents in a NYC school district) and other groups, in the first ever independent (not sponsored by NYC) Lobby Day.

Reserve a seat on the bus by emailing your name, school, district; region; borough; & phone number to cpac.lobbyday-at-yahoo.com (replace -at- with @). Also please copy Class Size Matters at leonie-at-att.net (replace -at- with @). Flyers as well as position papers will be available soon, on issues ranging from high-stakes testing, charter schools, and governance reform, to CFE and accountability, and class size!
Those interested who cannot attend can participate by lobbying their Assembly members and State Senators in their district offices.

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.


And see their worldwide calendar for Bike Workshops and other locations.


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:

COMING SOON: Starting in March I will be joining Marjorie’s Ozzie’s Group and New Democratic Majority in starting a new Brooklyn Progressive Group. Primarily this will be a Brooklyn branch of New Democratic Majority, but may also represent a coalition of progressive groups working together. More on that later, but if you are interested, email me and I can make sure you get the info once we have more details.

Democracy for America Meetings: CLICK HERE!

Park Slope/Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Heights Coffee Lounge, 335 Flatbush Ave (btwn. Park Place and Prospect), with host Jon Stone

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

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

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!

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

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.

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: MANHATTAN GROUPS AND EVENTS

Special Election to fill vacant State Legislature Seats
Tue, 02/28/2006 - 9:00pm

On Tuesday, February 28, 2006, New York State will hold a special election to fill vacant seats in the state legislature.

In New York City, these vacant seats include:
- the 67th Assembly District in Manhattan, Upper West Side (previously held by Scott Stringer).
- the 74th Assembly District on the east side of Manhattan, below midtown, above the Lower East Side (previously held by Steve Sanders)

These are as important as a regular election. Please vote!

URGENT: PBOS Supporters Needed at City Hall
This could be the MOST IMPORTANT ACTION YOU CAN DO ALL YEAR

Mon, 02/27/2006 - 10:00am
Support our speakers for PBOS (Paper Ballots, Optical Scanners)
and against electronic voting!

Monday, Feb 27, 2006
10 AM to 1 PM
City Hall
Council Chambers, 2nd floor

Committee on Governmental Operations
Chairperson Simcha Felder
Hearing on Compliance with HAVA (the Help America Vote Act)

Teresa Hommel is coordinating for PBOS, and will be on the right hand side (as you come in the door) in the front.

Let's fill the balcony one more time! Please attend!

N or R train to City Hall
4 or 5 or 6 train to Brooklyn Bridge
1-2-3 to Park Place

Members of the Gov Ops Committee:
Joseph Addabbo Jr., Inez Dickens, Erik Martin Dilan, Domenic Recchia, Larry Seabrook, Peter Vallone Jr.

Lobby for Quality Education
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 6:00am

Parents and others concerned about public school education may want to join PTAs, Education Advocacy Groups, the United Federation of Teachers and others lobbying our elected legislators in Albany, NY on Tuesday, March 14, 2006.

Free buses will leave from all five boroughs early in the morning for this all-day effort.

The United Parents Associations has voted to join the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council, Class Size Matters classsizematters.org, the Alliance for Quality Education aqeny.org, Presidents Councils from Districts 1, 2, 3, 30 and HS Region 6. (Presidents' councils are the organization of PTA presidents in a NYC school district) and other groups, in the first ever independent (not sponsored by NYC) Lobby Day.

Reserve a seat on the bus by emailing your name, school, district; region; borough; & phone number to cpac.lobbyday-at-yahoo.com (replace -at- with @). Also please copy Class Size Matters at leonie-at-att.net (replace -at- with @). Flyers as well as position papers will be available soon, on issues ranging from high-stakes testing, charter schools, and governance reform, to CFE and accountability, and class size!
Those interested who cannot attend can participate by lobbying their Assembly members and State Senators in their district offices.

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.

And see their worldwide calendar for Bike Workshops and other locations.

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.

New Democratic Majority General Meeting:

Please join us for the March General Meeting, to be held on March 13th at the City Center located at 130 West 56th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues at 7:30 PM. We will be in Studio 3.

Our guest will be Drew Warshaw, Policy Associate in the Spitzer campaign. In November, the attorney general came out in favor of a nonpartisan commission to draw district lines, instead of continuing our present practice of allowing the State Senate and the Assembly to draw their own district lines.

NDM Fundraiser with David Sirota - May 11th, 2006
Please join us for a fundraiser with Progressive author and activist David Sirota on May 11th.

David will be joining us to talk about his new book, "Hostile Takeover - How Big Money and Corruption conqured Our Government - and how we can take it back".

To learn more about David, please check out his web site.


Democracy for America Meetings: CLICK HERE!

Upper West Side, Cosi (downstairs) 2160 Broadway @76th Street, with guest TBD, host Merle McEldowney

Upper East Side, Manhattan Lounge, 1720 2nd Ave. (btwn. 89th & 90th), with guest TBD, with hosts Lewis Cohen and David Kogelman

West Village, Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St. (near 7th Ave.), with guest TBD, with host Dana Northcraft

East Village, Raven, 194 Avenue A (@ 12th St.), with guest TBD, with host Josh Skaller


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 Manhattan groups:

Upper East Side Last Tuesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward, Doc Watson's, 1490 2nd Avenue (at 77th). In the backyard, weather permitting. Hosted by Matthew Bachiochi, ues (at) drinkingliberally.org

In Manhattan: Thursday, 7:30 pm onward, Rudy's, 627 9th Avenue (between 44th & 45th Streets). Hosted by Justin Krebs and Matthew O'Neill, nyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Bar Hopping Manhattan: Second Tuesday of each month, 6:00-9:00 pm
A monthly Democratic drinking club at different gay bars around Manhattan. Join the mailing list to receive updates of future venues. Hosted by Dirk McCall, outnyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

East Village: Last Wednesday of each month, 8:00 pm onward, Grassroots Tavern, 20 Saint Mark's Place (between 2nd and 3rd). Hosted by Quinn Raymond, Elena Morin and Abby Cook-Mack, eastvillage (at) drinkingliberally.org

For those who prefer running to drinking, you can join RUNNING FOR CHANGE: Building a progressive America through organized runs and other grassroots activities.

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

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: NEW JERSEY GROUPS AND EVENTS

Democracy for America Meetups: DFA is one of the best hopes we have of retaking America. I strongly urge you to get involved with your local group. New Jersey for Democracy Meetups take place on the first Wednesday of every month @ 7pm. There are many meetups around the state: North, Central and South Jersey.

Common Cause: Common Cause is a major force in Progressive Politics. It was founded in 1970 (by a Republican, mind you!) to counter the influence of special interests in Washington. Today they work on many of the same issues I am trying to highlight. Check out the NJ Common Cause website.

Here is how you can find your local Dem clubs. Go to HERE and click on your county.

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. Find your local drinking liberally group or start your own with a few buddies:

New Brunswick, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month, 7:00 PM @ Doll's Place, 101 Paterson St. New Brunswick, NJ

Hoboken, New Jersey, Second Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward, Mulligan's, 159 1st Street (between Bloomfield and Garden), Hosted by David Alpert and Ali Savino, hoboken (at) drinkingliberally.org

Princeton, Every Thursday, 7:00 pm, Annex Restaurant at 128 Nassau St., Princeton. princeton@drinkingliberally.org

RUNNING FOR CHANGE: For those who prefer running to biking, you can join RUNNING FOR CHANGE: Building a progressive America through organized runs and other grassroots activities.

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: VIRGINIA GROUPS AND EVENTS

Tuesday, March 14th, 6:30-9:00pm. Peace-Making: Bridging the faith-secular divide – presented by VGC Faith Outreach. Capitol City Brewing, 2700 S. Quincy St (at the corner of 28th).

Tuesday, April 11th, , 6:30-9:00pm. April with VGC - Smart Growth, Transportation, and the Hidden Tax on Every Virginian. At Capitol City Brewing, 2700 S. Quincy St (at the corner of 28th). Contact - info@vagrassroots.org

Tuesday, May 9th, , 6:30-9:00pm. The VGC May Meetup Program --A Living Wage in Virginia - An Issue of Economic Justice. At Capitol City Brewing, 2700 S. Quincy St (at the corner of 28th). Contact - info@vagrassroots.org

Monday, May 15th, 7:00-9:00pm, A Forum on Iraq with the Democratic candidates seeking the nomination to run against Tom Davis in the 11th Congressional District. So far, the two candidates vying for the nomination are Andrew Hurst and Ken Longmyer. It’s a great chance to come meet them and share your views on the war. The forum will be at the Mason District Government Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003 from 7-9 PM on May 15.

Democracy for America: One of the best ways to get active! FIND YOUR LOCAL DFA MEETUP AND GET INVOLVED!

The Democratic Party: Here are links to some of your local Dem clubs. This is another very important way to be active.

Albemarle County Democratic Committee, Albemarle County, VA

Arlington County Democrats, Arlington VA. Contact Name: Elizabeth Weitzman mewsician1@msn.com (703) 528-8588

Arlington Young Democrats, Arlington VA. Contact Name: Jaime Mulligan publicity@arlingtonyoungdems.org 571-334-7626

Democratic Party of Fluvanna County, Virginia, Bremo Bluff, Virginia VA

Hanover Democrats, Ashland VA

Loudoun County Democratic Committee, Leesburg, VA. Contact Name: Steve Deak chairman@lcdems.com

Norfolk Democratic Party Meetup, Norfolk VA. Contact Name: Alma D. Kesling akesling@yahoo.com 757 333-8694

Rappahannock County Democrats, Rappahannock VA.

Stafford County Democrats, Fredericksburg VA:

Virginia Beach Democrats, VA

Virginia Young Democrats, Richmond, VA. Contact Name: Justin Wilson justin@justin.net


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. Find your local drinking liberally group or start your own with a few buddies. Currently there are only two Drinking Liberally groups in all of VA (see below). But it is easy to start your own!

Charlottesville, Virginia Drinking Liberally: Every Tuesday, 7:30 pm, Mellow Mushroom, 1320 West Main Street, Hosted by Jared Jenkins, charlottesville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Richmond, Virginia Drinking Liberally: Every Thursday, 7:30 pm onward Commercial Taphouse, 111 N Robinson St. Hosted by Scott Goode, richmond (at) drinkingliberally.org


RUNNING FOR CHANGE: And if you want a healthier alternative to Drinking Liberally (or want to do some running after your drinking), you can RUN for progressive causes. Building a progressive America through organized runs and other grassroots activities. To find your local Running for Change events, CLICK HERE.

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: NATIONAL ACTION

This comes from a Daily Kos Diary:

When the proposed abortion ban in South Dakota was announced earlier in the week, individuals were being encouraged to call the Department of Tourism, other South Dakota state offices, the headquarters of some of the businesses located in South Dakora (like Citibank, Gateway computer, and Iams). The point is to announce that you will be boycotting visiting South Dakota, or boycotting purchasing from South Dakota businesses, until that state shows that it has a commitment to equal civil rights for women!

An article in today's Rapid City Journal shows that this approach is working, but that the numbers are very small:

Abortion-rights advocates threaten to boycott S.D.
By Dan Daly, Journal Staff Writer

RAPID CITY -- The South Dakota Legislature's passage of an abortion ban bill prompted an angry reaction from abortion-rights supporters who vowed to boycott the state's tourism industry.

The state Department of Tourism received a dozen e-mails and a number of angry phone calls Friday from abortion-rights supporters who say they will not vacation in South Dakota.

A Madison, Wis.,-based group has formally called for a boycott of South Dakota tourism. In a news release titled "Bypass South Dakota!", the Women's Medical Fund urged supporters to steer clear of South Dakota.

"All kinds of families visit Mount Rushmore every year. It's a favorite of Americans and foreign tourists. But we can do without Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, the Badlands and the Corn Palace," Anne Gaylor, director of the Fund, wrote. "We are encouraging all groups who care about women's rights to urge their members to bypass South Dakota."

Billie Jo Waara, head of the state office of tourism, said her office has been hearing from people throughout the country.

"They have commented on the fact that the state is a great destination for travel, but our current political situation doesn't match their agenda," Waara said…

If you wish to tell South Dakota what you think of their abortion ban, please contact the following:

Department of Tourism and State Development 711 East Wells Avenue Pierre, SD 57501-3369 (605) 773-3256, fax

Economic Development (605) 773-5032, phone www.sdgreatprofits.com
Tourism (605) 773-3301, phone www.TravelSD.com

South Dakota Arts Council 800 Governor's Drive Pierre, SD 57501-2294 (605) 773-3131, phone www.state.sd.us/deca/sdarts/

State Historical Society 900 Governor's Drive Pierre, SD 57501-2217 (605) 773-3458, phone www.sdhistory.org

This is the Right Wing’s definitive attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade. It is likely not to work, but the stronger our reaction the less likely another state will want to try anything this blatant again.

Progressive Democrat Issue 65: GETTING LOCAL AROUND THE NATION

This is how our coalition will be built: through out local action. Our success depends on you and your activism. There are many ways you can get active. Below I try to provide a good variety of options and urge you all to find a couple that suit you. These groups below are the way we can get our country back. If we don’t get involved we won’t win in 2006 and beyond. Joy and I are currently involved in a few groups plus our own organizing efforts bringing different groups together and we are finding it a good boost to our social life. We are meeting cool people and it makes us get out a couple of times a month more than we would otherwise.

Finding your local groups:

Democracy for America: Founded by Howard Dean, now run by his brother Jim Dean, this group is very effective at the local grass roots. Many think this is the future of the Democratic Party. I think this is partly true, though the neighborhood Dem party clubs will continue to be vital to our efforts as well. This is a group that you really should be active in either by joining a local meetup or starting one of your own.


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. Find your local drinking liberally group or start your own with a few buddies.


The Democratic Party: Now that Howard Dean is in the driver’s seat I am hoping the Democrats will become more effective on the local level. One of the main complaints against the DNC in the past couple of elections is that they didn’t help the local parties in most parts of the nation. If you go to the DNC website and find the “Get Local” pull down menu on the left, you can find your local Dem groups. I strongly urge you to get involved with your local Dem club since it is often these groups that actually do much of the footwork to win each district.

Critical Mass: Critical Mass is a bicyclist movement (NOT an organized group!) that holds weekly protests all over the world to protest pollution. Go here to find the closest Critical Mass action in your area (site covers ALL of North America).


Wellstone Action: Paul Wellstone started something in Minnesota and his death hasn’t stopped it. Wellstone’s family is continuing his work and expanding it throughout the nation. Wellstone Action trains activists and grassroots candidates and they did very well in the last election. I urge you to look into any nearby Wellstone Action events.


Common Cause: Common Cause is a major force in Progressive Politics. It was founded in 1970 (by a Republican, mind you!) to counter the influence of special interests in Washington. Today they work on many of the same issues I am trying to highlight. Look for your state’s Common Cause organization.

To find the League of Conservation Voters branch in your state, CLICK HERE. This is the group you should be involved with if the environment is your thing.

To find the NARAL branch in your state, CLICK HERE. This is the group you should be involved with if choice is your thing.

Finally I suggest Americans for Democratic Action. ADA is a progressive branch of the Democratic Party. Email: adaction@ix.netcom.com for info on local groups.