Progressive Democrat Issue 98: THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS

So here, after around 2 years of putting it out, I am reassessing this newsletter. I need help from you to help me optimize my efforts. So please email me (mole333_at_gmail_dot_com) to tell me what you think. I will base my changes on who responds to these questions. Even if I know I have readers somewhere, if I don't get input from them I will assume they are largely inactive for now. So please respond!

1. What geographic region do you live in?

2. How do you access this newsletter (from my emails? on your own? from another blog (which one?)>)

3. What issues most concern you?

4. What parts of this newsletter do you find most interesting? Useful? What parts never interest you?

5. How often do you read this newsletter?

6. What is your main reason for reading this newsletter?

And now, for this week's newsletter.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

HOLIDAY SHOPPING THE LIBERAL WAY

THE WORST REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION: Sacrificing Lives for profits

THE MEDIA AND THE ENVIRONMENT

WHO OWNS THE MEDIA: A special guide

CLEAN ENERGY FOR NEVADA AND CALIFORNIA

NEW YORK CITY FOCUS

A PROGRESSIVE PLAN FOR LOS ANGELES

BLUE TIGER DEMOCRATS IN MICHIGAN: reaching every neighborhood

Progressive Democrat Issue 98: HOLIDAY SHOPPING FOR LIBERALS

Tis the season to consume...so here are some suggestions for places to buy your gifts that can combine quality products with social consciousness. I should also note that most of these places cut costs by relying on word of mouth. So please, spead the word!

Alonovo.com:

Founded by a reader in California, Alonovo.com lets you shop based on your ideals. You personalize your shopping. Their mission statement:

When you are about to purchase a TV, shoes, socks or an IPOD you can not only consider the price and the quality of the product, but can easily see what kind of behavior we are "buying into".

Our alonovo.com mission is to connect the concept of corporate behavior directly to the profit motive. When a corporation is evolving to balance people, planet and profit -everyone wins.

We are working to inform society in a very simple, visually appealing manner with regard to corporate behavior at their point of online purchase. And the reason is every time we make a purchase we are transferring power to a business. Is this power going to support ...

* Fair Labor or Sweatshops?
* Emission Reduction or Pollution?
* Recycling or Toxic Waste?
* Resource Conservation or Plunder the Earth?
* Political Neutrality or Undermine Democracy?
* Partner with Local Community or Destroy the Local Community Economy?

So by offering products from one of the leaders in the online shopping world (Amazon.com), trusted data from independent well-respected sources like KLD Research & Analytics, Inc., Social Accountability International and others, we provide a free experience that will gradually connect how a company behaves with their profit. And this is the importance of a large and growing alonovo.com community. If we are just a small group of people, we won't have much of an impact. However if you tell everyone you know about this service (and they tell everyone they know, and so on) we can be a large force that can make a tremendous impact in terms of how corporations conduct themselves.

When you purchase using alonovo.com, you are doing your part to send a clear message to businesses—we want blue skies, clean water, a fair and growing economy, intelligent use of our natural resources, safe and humane workplaces and sensible partnerships with local communities.

Beyond helping to shape social, environmental and political practices of businesses, you are also directly helping non-profit organizations that need funding for their critical work. We, the alonovo.com community contribute between 20% and 40% of our revenue (based upon your purchases through alonovo.com) to your cause of choice.

CLICK HERE to start shopping at Alonovo.com


NO SWEAT APPAREL:

All union made clothing, shoes and such from around the world. Rosie the Riviter t-shirts, kids clothes, footwear, you name it. Their mission statement:

produced by independent trade union members in the US, Canada, and the developing world. We believe that the only viable response to globalization is a global labor movement.

No Sweat defines the market for goods that support independent trade unions - the only historically proven solution to sweatshops. We market direct to consumers, relying primarily on internet sales for distribution. We provide a competitive product to you and a living wage to our workers.

To browse their store, click here:




SERRV:

A leader in fair trade...and very good products. We have often bought their products and always like them.

Their mission statement:

SERRV International, a nonprofit alternative trade and development organization. Our mission is to promote the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by marketing their products in a just and direct manner.

Our goal is to alleviate poverty and empower low-income people through trade, training and other forms of capacity building as they work to improve their lives. SERRV has worked to assist artisans and farmers for more than 55 years through the following:

* Marketing their handcrafts and food products in a just and direct manner.
* Educating consumers in the United States about economic justice and other cultures.
* Providing development assistance to low-income craftspeople through their community-based organizations.

SERRV International was one of the first alternative trade organizations in the world and was a founding member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT).

We offer our artisan and farmer partners up to 50% advance payment on orders. This advance helps them to purchase raw materials and have a more regular income so they can avoid high interest rates from borrowing locally.

CLICK HERE to shop at SERRV.

There are many other good places to shop, but these are good places to begin. Enjoy your good old American consumerism while also feeling like a good liberal.

Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 98: THE WORST REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION

Generally I highlight Republican Corruption one individual politician at a time, allowing the sheer number of individually corrupt Republican politicians send the message that the Party itself is corrupt. But there is an even more systematic corruption in the Republican Party where cronies and corporations with close links to the Bush administration get such favoritism that the nation gets sacrificed for greed. I have touched on this when I discuss the Halliburton link, and when I discussed the dire consequences of the Bush administration's cronyism when discussing the aftermath of Katrina.

There is a Daily Kos article that goes into considerable detail regarding the systemic corruption that has infested today's Republican Party and which fully justifies my frequent use of the term "Halliburton Republican" when referring to today's Republican Party. Even as Bush is asking for a record amount of money to conduct his war based on lies and without an exit strategy, we have to remember (and publicize) the almost complete lack of accountability of the Bush Administration and it's corporate cronies.



The key points are from the government's General Accounting Office:

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the President announced a Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), requiring the collective instruments of the entire federal government to counter the threat of terrorism. Ongoing military and diplomatic operations overseas, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, constitute a key part of GWOT...

Since 2001, Congress has appropriated about $430 billion to DOD and other government agencies for military and diplomatic efforts in support of GWOT. This funding has been provided through regular appropriations as well as supplemental appropriations, which are provided outside of the normal budget process. Since September 2001, DOD has received about $386 billion for GWOT military operations. In addition, agencies including the Department of State, DOD, and the Agency for International Development have received since 2001 about $44 billion to fund reconstruction and stabilization programs in Iraq ($34.5 billion) and Afghanistan ($9 billion) and an additional $400 million to be used in both Iraq and Afghanistan..."

This is what it is costing us in dollars. Let's also remember the blood that has been shed. And let's also remember that Bush has, in essence, declared this war the "Forever War." But where has all this money gone? Even the General Accounting Office seems usure of that:

Since 2001, U.S. government agencies have reported significant costs associated with GWOT, but GAO has concerns with the reliability of DOD's reported cost data. Through April 2006, DOD has reported about $273 billion in incremental costs for GWOT-related operations overseas--costs that would not otherwise have been incurred...GAO's prior work found numerous problems with DOD's processes for recording and reporting GWOT costs, including long-standing deficiencies in DOD's financial management systems and business processes, the use of estimates instead of actual cost data, and the lack of adequate supporting documentation. As a result, neither DOD nor the Congress reliably know how much the war is costing and how appropriated funds are being used or have historical data useful in considering future funding needs.

We are pouring money down this pit and losing the lives of our soldiers for what? We already know that some companies, like Halliburton, have over-charged the government for services poorly rendered.We already know that other companies involved, like Exxon/Mobil, make record profits even while consumers are over-charged and workers underpaid. And, of course, Robert Greenwald's film "Iraq for Sale" outlines the whole Repubican war profiteering scam. The basic message is we are being asked to foot the bill despite seeing no adequate accounting and no positive results. It is another example of the way Republicans have forgotten Eisenhaur's message about the dangers of a military-industrial complex and how, since at least Reagan, we have seen complete fiscal irresponsibility under Republican administrations, leading to record deficits with poor accounting.

I call on the Democrats to demand, before a single penny more is allocated to Bush's wars, a.) accountability in and auditing of the war and the "rebuilding" of Iraq and Afghanistan; b.) restoration of veteran's benefits; c.) an increase in combat pay for our soldiers; and d.) a genuine exit strategy outlining the specifics of under what conditions Bush would agree to a withdrawal. Not one penny more should go down the maw of this insatiable beast that is Bush's military-industrial-evangelical complex. Write Congress and the media telling them what you think.

Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 98: MEDIA/ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

This is from Free Press net and dovetails with the above global warming article:

Fake News Flash: Global Warming Is a Myth!

At least that's what residents of hurricane-ravaged Mississippi were told when a local newscaster aired a fake news segment earlier this year. One problem: Viewers weren't told that the segment was bought and paid for by ExxonMobil lobbyists.

The problem doesn't end in Mississippi. Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy today released a second groundbreaking report that exposes more corporations placing propaganda as news on television stations across the country -- including stations reaching people in New York.

This deception is illegal under federal rules and must be stopped.

Tell the FCC to Crack Down on Fake News

All told, this investigation has snared more than 100 local stations slipping corporate-sponsored "video news releases" -- promotional segments designed to look like objective news reports -- into their regular news programming.

The evidence suggests that this abuse is more widespread, involving stations in every state (For more visit our Fake News Map). The advertisements, flogging everything from arguments against global warming to porn-free search engines, are passed off to you, their viewers, as legitimate news reports.

In April 2006, after we first exposed this practice, broadcasters pledged that they would come clean and stop infiltrating the airwaves with fake news. In August, the FCC launched an inquiry into all 77 stations that were cited in the first investigation. But the FCC investigation has gone nowhere.

Today's follow-up report captures an additional 46 stations airing corporate propaganda -- showing that these abuses continue unabated, despite the ongoing FCC inquiry. It's time the FCC stepped up its efforts. We need to send 100,000 letters to the FCC so they can't ignore us:

Tell the FCC to Stop Fake News Today

Free Press and CMD have delivered extensive evidence of this local TV abuse to the FCC. But these two investigations -- documenting less than 1 percent of fake news being offered to newsrooms -- exposed only the tip of the iceberg. It's likely that fake news reports have been aired on hundreds more local newscasts.

We need your help to send a strong message to the FCC: Crack down on local news stations that abuse the public trust by airing fake news.

Onward,

Timothy Karr
Campaign Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net

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Progressive Democrat Issue 98: MEDIA OWNERSHIP

Now that the elections are past, I want to return to some basic issues. One of the number one issues facing progressives today is the fact that a huge chunk of the media is owned by right wingers who are actively pushing their own propoganda as truth. One of my more leftist readers clued me in to a website from Columbia University that keeps track of who owns what media (she probably thought I ignored her email...but I was just waiting for the right time!).

The Columbia Journalism Review is pubilshed by the Columbia University School of Journalism (who, by the way, took note of the coverage of MoveOn.org's Brooklyn phone bank and contacted me to hook them up with the MoveOn.org organizers so they could do a story on it...people are noticing!). They have some good articles from what I can tell, well worth reading. But, they also have an excellent set of online tools for journalists and other writers. Among those tools is a list of who owns what media. Did you know that the NJ Star-Ledger, the Staten Island Advance, The New Yorker and GQ are all owned by Advance Publications? The site lists parent companies and for each parent company you can find what they own and contact information. The list is searchable so if you enter the name of a newspaper or a TV or radio's call letters you can find who owns them. Very useful if you are pissed over a show and want to contact the parent company. Also useful if you want to track what right wing nut owns what and who is in whose pocket. I pass this useful tip on to you and hope you find it useful.

Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 98: CLEAN, LOCAL ENERGY FOR NEVADA

Came across this through an ad on Culture Kitchen.

In Nevada there is a plan to meet future energy needs by biulding a coal-burning power plant and bringing in coal from other parts of the nation. This is using old technology when new, cleaner technology would allow development of local energy resources.

About the Sempra coal-powered Plant:

Sempra’s 2 billion dollar plant will emit more than 50 dangerous pollutants into Nevada’s pristine air and use over 14 million gallons of precious desert ground water each day in order to provide power to Southern California. Now I have nothing against more energy for So. California, but let's do it sanely and cleanly! The only reason this coal-buriung plant is being built in Nevada is because California doesn't allow this kind of plant to be built! This is a case of exporting pollution-producing industries.

With the Sempra coal plant, hundreds of pounds of mercury, arsenic and other nasty chemicals will be released annually by the Sempra plant. Returning as rain and snow, these chemicals will contaminate water and soil. The plant will consume 14.2 millions of gallons of scarce desert ground water every day—over 5 billion gallons a year—diverting water from plants and drinking holes relied upon by deer, elk and wild horses.

There are alternatives:

I have been saying now for awhile that the time is NOW to develop clean, local energy sources that will mitigate global warming. And the Democratic Party is pushing that way. So why mess around with dirty coal in a place that doesn't even have any coal resources? Get clean, America!

Economic studies by the California Energy Commission and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have documented several thousand megawatts ofeconomically viable renewable energy in northwest Nevada. The development of these clean energy sources would provide hundreds of long-term jobs and millions of dollars in local tax revenue.

However, construction of the Sempra coal plant will block the development of these renewable resources by taking up all the unused transmission capacity on the existing transmission lines. For every megawatt of power the Sempra coal plant would generate and ship out of state via the existing main power line that runs through Gerlach, one megawatt less of clean Nevada geothermal and wind power could be developed and shipped on the same line. This is because the transmission line's capacity is limited and can now handle just another 1,000-2,000 megawatts of power, or the size of the coal plant.

Building new lines to transport renewable energy to western markets would be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, by reserving the Gerlach line, known as the Pacific Direct Current Intertie, for geothermal and wind resources, Nevada can develop clean, indigenous Nevada resources for the benefit of the state and export most of the power to markets that are desperately seeking renewable power. Many private utilities, such as those in California, are required to derive 20% of their power from renewable sources by 2017. Nevada can either use its renewable assets for the benefit of its citizens or let Sempra despoil our air and water to enhance the profits of Sempra's stockholders.

Nevada HAS geothermal resources (not all places do!) and wind resources. These are clean and relatively cheap compared with clean coal plants (though more expensive than dirty coal plants). Coal would have be transported from afar and even clean coal puts out pollution and carbon dioxide.

Help Nevada develop local, clean energy resources. Visit the Nevada Clean Energy Coalitoin.

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Progressive Democrat Issue 98: NYC FOCUS

Here are some issues and events coming up around town:

Voting Machines: City Council to Vote on Res. 131 Wed. Dec. 6, Call Your Councilmember

Resolution 131, which is currently pending before the New York City Council, would call for Paper Ballots/Optical Scanners, aka "PB/OS" as our new voting technology, as opposed to electronic touchscreen machines. This is important especially given the recent development where the National Institute of Standards and Technology seems poised to call for decertification of the electronic voting (DRE) machines. Resolution 131 will very likely be voted out of committee on Wednesday, December 6. Please call your city councilmember today, even if you have called before, to encourage him or her to support Resolution 131 for PB/OS.

To find out who is your city councilmember and their contact information, CLICK HERE.

To see the list of councilmembers that have still not signed on to Resolution 131, CLICK HERE.


DEMOCRACY FOR NYC CITYWIDE MEETING:

Greg Palast Joins DFNYC at R Bar, Wed. Dec. 6, 7pm
- all Linkups to be consolidated into one Linkup in the Bowery

For December's Linkup, we will consolidate all the venues to one big venue and author Greg Palast will join us to discuss voting machines, class warfare in elections, and how we can help solve the problem of voting machine manipulation and strengthen the Democratic momentum going forward. We have previously consolidated Linkups/Meetups into one big venue during the Republican Convention in New York City in September of 2004, and after the November 2004 general election, and we look forward to gathering together next Wednesday.

At the big Linkup, we will relaunch our new improved DFNYC website, hear from Greg Palast, and discuss the recent elections and the future of Democracy for NYC.

Where: Pioneer Bar, 218 Bowery, between Prince & Spring. Just 1½ blocks south of Houston.

When: Wednesday, December 6th, 7pm

Subways: Subway: 6 to Spring, R/W to Prince , or F/V to 2nd Ave.

Greg Palast Bio: Greg Palast is the award winning investigative reporter for news outlets that include BBC News Night, Harpers, the Guardian, and Democracy Now. He is the author of the New York Times best seller 'The Best Democracy Money Can Buy' and the recent NYT best seller, 'Armed Madhouse.' Palast broke the story of the voter disenfranchisement and caging lists of the 2000 election in Florida, and continues today to be the investigative leader in vote manipulation, and class warfare.


Impeachment Forum at Ethical Culture, Sat. Dec. 9th & Impeachment Petitioning

Several groups, including Impeach for Change, After Downing Street, Progressive Democrats of America are hosting an impeachment forum at the Ethical Culture Society on the Upper West Side on Saturday, December 9th. This is just one of many impeachment events around the country next weekend. Although Democrats may disagree as to whether a move toward impeaching Bush would be a good strategy from a tactical standpoint, it is clear that we all want the Bush Administration to be held accountable for the incredible human rights abuses he has caused both at home and abroad in the name of "national security."

Where: New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street at Central Park West

When: Saturday, December 9th, 1pm

Speakers: Elizabeth Holtzman, Bob Fertig, Cindy Sheehan

Promoted by: Impeach for Change, After Downing Street, Progressive Democrats of America

More about the speakers:

Cindy Sheehan, whose son died serving in Iraq, brought national attention on Bush's failures in the war by camping outside his ranch in Crawford, Texas and inspiring candlelight vigils around the country. Bob Fertig is the organizing force behind Impeach For Change.

Elizabeth Holtzman served on the Judiciary Committee that investigated Richard Nixon during Watergate. She knows how impeachment works, she knows the Constitution, and she's a fantastic speaker. In Holtzman's clearly written, no-nonsense book "The Impeachment of George W. Bush," the former Brooklyn prosecutor documents Bush's lies about wiretaps/FISA, torture/Geneva, Katrina and of course, Iraq. Holtzman is to the point: Bush's well-documented lies and repeated failures to fulfill his Constitutional responsibilities to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" have led to disastrous consequences and, if unchecked, will create a horrendous precedent for the future. Bush must be held accountable. He must be impeached if we are to live under a lawful government.

Sunday, Dec. 10 - Collect Signatures in Support of Impeachment

Dave Robinson, who many of you may know from grassroots volunteering for Dean and the AnySoldier drives, is organizing volunteers to gather signatures that will be delivered directly to members of Congress calling for impeachment. To volunteer an hour or two in NYC gathering signatures or for additional information, please contact Dave at daverobinsonworks@yahoo.com or 917-446-6686.

Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 98: LOS ANGELES FOCUS

I have noticed that next to NY, California is where the most readers come from. So, I am starting to be on the lookout for more CA-specific stuff. This caught my eye not only for Los Angeles, but also for any city. This is from the Progressive Los Angeles Network (PLAN).

The Progressive Los Angeles Network (PLAN) was formally launched in December 1999. PLAN was founded and built on the success of the 1998 Progressive L.A. Conference which was co-sponsored by a number of local and national institutions and organizations including Occidental College, The Nation Institute, Liberty Hill Foundation, LA Weekly and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. The Progressive LA Conference was an overwhelming success and gave participants a sense that the growth of a wide variety of progressive social movements had reached an important threshold. As a result, attendees and others within the progressive movement in Los Angeles expressed a desire to participate in further discussion about how to develop a common agenda that is community based, inclusive and brings together the wealth of experience and knowledge of organizers, activists, and researchers.

In 1999, the organizers of the 1998 Conference consulted dozens of grassroots, community, labor, and environmental leaders about how to capitalize on the conference's momentum. Participants decided to develop a community-driven network that could develop a public policy agenda and action plan for Los Angeles, using the resources and knowledge of public policy experts and the experience and leadership of influential activists and organizers in Los Angeles. PLAN is this network.

Plan has devised a 21-point plan for Los Angeles going into the future. This plan is well worth looking over not only for people living in Los Angeles, but for people around the nation who are looking to improve their city. I urge you to look it over and to lobby your city council reps. to consider some of its measures.

Sadly PLAN's website seems to be largely inactive at the moment, but you can contact them to see what they are doing and how you can help:

email: plan@oxy.edu

Get involved in your community! If you don't I guarantee the big money interests will.

Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 98: MIDWEST FOCUS: Michigan Blue Tiger Democrats

There is a new movement afoot to bring the Democratic message not just to every state, but to every neighborhood. Named the "Blue Tiger Democrats," this movement has already caught on in Michigan. From the Michigan Democratic Party:

Michigan Becomes First State to Adopt Blue Tiger Democrats

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer announces that his state will become the first in the nation to adopt the Blue Tiger Democrats program as a part of its permanent mission starting in 2007

Jackson Hole, Wyo. — Determining that the Democratic Party must embrace civic engagement in order to further restore credibility and respect among citizens, Mark Brewer, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party and Vice-Chair of the Democratic National Committee, announced today that Michigan will become the first state in the nation to adopt the principles of the Blue Tiger Democrats organization and make it a permanent part of their state organizational structure.

Brewer made the announcement Friday before the post-election meeting of the Association of State Democratic Chairs, of which he is the President, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

At the meeting, Brewer and Bill Samuels, founder of Blue Tiger Democrats (www.bluetigerdems.com), made a presentation to the state chairs reviewing the organization’s 2006 programs and plans to implement the next phase of civic engagement.

Frank Houston, who spearheaded the initial Blue Tiger Michigan pilot project, was named as the Civic Engagement Organizer (CEO) for the MDP’s Blue Tiger Democrats activities in Michigan.

Brewer also announced that he would form a Blue Tiger advisory board that includes Democratic state chairs, vice-chairs, executive directors and elected officials to provide input on Michigan’s new program. To start, Brewer named the following officials to the advisory board:

* Terry Lierman, Chairman, Maryland Democratic Party;
* David Waid, Chairman, Arizona Democratic Party; and
* David Paterson, New York State Senator and Lt. Governor-elect

“Despite the gains the Democratic Party made in the midterm elections, many people still do not believe either party cares much about them. Our goal is to regain respect for the Democratic Party and for the political process.” Brewer said. “The Michigan Democratic Party is committed to making civic engagement an integral part of our state organization. By giving Democrats things to do between elections and providing meaningful services we Democrats can show citizens that parties want to engage them more than just on election day.”

The Michigan Democratic Party and Blue Tiger Democrats perceive the lack of respect and credibility for politicians and political parties to be a paramount problem. Consider this:

From 2000 to 2004, there has been a 21% increase in the number of self-identified independents;

* Membership in state and local political organizations has been cut in half over the past forty years while financial contributions have increasingly replaced time commitment;
* 70% of all funds raised go to television advertisements that generally hurt the credibility of political parties; and
* $1.6 billion in 2004 campaign contributions went to political advertisements while nearly nothing went to local civic engagement.

Collectively these facts have led to a trend where citizens’ alienation from the political parties and elected officials is at a high water mark.

Samuels, founder of Blue Tiger, said, “We are excited that Michigan has agreed to be first in the nation to become a full-fledged Blue Tiger state. In addition to civic engagement helping to regain trust for the party in communities, we believe that community projects will provide young, idealistic people enormous opportunities to enter the world of public service. Mark Brewer recognizes that and is why he is such a visionary.”

“Blue Tiger’s approach of civic engagement, campaign finance reform and greater accountability and transparency in government can go a long way to helping address the respect gap between people and party. It’s time to put the self back in self-government.”

About the Michigan Democratic Party

The Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) is chaired by Mark Brewer. Active in the Party for 25 years, Brewer has an extensive record of successful grassroots activity. A 1973 graduate of Mount Clemens High School, Brewer obtained his A.B. with Honors from Harvard College in 1977 and his law degree from Stanford University Law School in 1981. After working for two years for federal and state courts, he joined Sachs, Waldman, O’Hare, Helveston, Hodges and Barnes, PC in 1983, becoming a shareholder in 1989. He resigned from the firm upon becoming Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party.

In 2006, MDP ran a Blue Tiger pilot project, designed to help low-income families to become more energy efficient and show them ways to lower the cost of their utility bills. The program reached over 28,000 people helped to save many working families over $1,000 each.

About Blue Tiger Democrats

Blue Tiger Democrats is a not-for-profit corporation whose goal is to energize Democrats and Progressives through the promotion of community based initiatives. Blue Tiger was founded in 2005 by Bill Samuels a longtime activist in Democratic and Progressive causes.

Besides from the program in Michigan, Blue Tiger is currently promoting activities such as: running veterans benefits drives to collect “wish list” items for local VA hospitals, holding briefings on emergency preparedness with certified experts and teaching senior citizens to use email, download digital photographs and surf the Internet for the best price on prescription drugs.

Blue Tiger believes that civic engagement must be a priority of local Democratic and Progressive organizations across the country. By performing civic engagement, local party organizations will regain respect in their communities and therefore be able to play a larger role in vetting and grooming new Democratic candidates and workers. Learn more at www.bluetigerdems.com

50-State strategy...contest every district...reach every neighnorhood. This approach is a formal application of what I dubbed the "Community Candidate" approach and I think it is excellent!

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