Progressive Democrat Issue 100: THOUGHTS

This week brought us one more House seat gain in an upset win for Ciro Rodriguez in the TX-23 race. This was not seen as a likely pick up, partly because Ciro was not the best campaigner. But last minute things clearly started looking up. Despite Ciro's seeming behind in polls, the DCCC poured in a huge amount of last-minute cash...and Ciro won quite solidly in the end. Ciro didn't just squeak by...he got 54% of the vote. Don't know what the DCCC saw that others weren't, but it is another indication that Dems are getting their acts together on all levels.

This week also saw the illness of Tim Johnson, one of our Senators. He seems to be recovering well, thankfully.

Been getting some more input regarding the format of the newsletter. Of course it has been contradictory input...so I will see what evolves naturally. Some want a much shorter newsletter, others like it just the way it is. Some want more humor, some don't see that as being necessary. So, I guess, I will mostly just keep doing what I feel like doing and hope it suits most people's needs!

Traffic is about 40 hits per day, down from the election but up generally. NY remains my top readership location. California, a state I never really recruited in, is almost always second. After that Virginia combined with DC, followed by midwestern states. And, another unexpected, Texas shows up in the top readership list from time to time. If that keeps up, I may just have to focus more on Texas! NJ lags behind that.

Let me remind you to try and take note of the ads from time to time and check out any that are of interest/use to you. I also welcome any further input as well as guest articles and will post events/groups you alert me to...with one caveat. Since I can keep track of my readers easier if they subscribe, guest articles and publicizing of events/groups on request will only apply if you are a subscriber. So please email me if you want to subscribe. Then let me know what events and groups are in your area and I'll get the word out!

Here is this week's newsletter. Enjoy!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

NANCY PELOSI'S 100 HOUR PLAN FOR CONGRESS

ELMO PANICS WHITE HOUSE: Did Bert Put Him up to It?

DEMOCRATIC CORRUPTION IN LOUISIANA

MICHIGAN: Democratic Party Internships

RENEW IOWA: Energy and Agriculture in the Heartland

PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN THE MIDWEST

REFORM IN THE AIR IN NY STATE

BROOKLYN, NY: Abuse of Eminent Domain for a Very Ill-Conceived Development Plan

NYC GROUPS AND EVENTS

BECOMING A DELEGATE IN CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA GROUPS AND EVENTS

VIRGINIA/DC AREA GROUPS AND EVENTS

NEW JERSEY GROUPS AND EVENTS

Progressive Democrat Issue 100: PELOSI'S FIRST HUNDRED HOURS

I consider this very appropriate for my 100th issue. Here is an outline of Pelosi's plan for the first 100 hours of the new Congress. She will need out help in accomplishing it all so quickly. From the Washington Post (from October...BEFORE the election):

Day One: Put new rules in place to "break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

Day Two: Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Time remaining until 100 hours: Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients.

Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds _ "I hope with a veto-proof majority," she added in an Associated Press interview Thursday.

All the days after that: "Pay as you go," meaning no increasing the deficit, whether the issue is middle class tax relief, health care or some other priority.

To do that, she said, Bush-era tax cuts would have to be rolled back for those above "a certain level." She mentioned annual incomes of $250,000 or $300,000 a year and higher, and said tax rates for those individuals might revert to those of the Clinton era. Details will have to be worked out, she emphasized.

"We believe in the marketplace," Pelosi said of Democrats, then drew a contrast with Republicans. "They have only rewarded wealth, not work."

"We must share the benefits of our wealth" beyond the privileged few, she added.

Sounds good to me.

Pelosi outlined this on October 6th, before the election. It is not only our job to praise this plan in the media and pressure Republicans to go along with it, but also to hold Pelosi and the incoming Democrats to this plan. Write your letters to the media and to your Congress cirtters now!


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: TOYS CAUSE PANIC AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Remember last issue I reported how there was a right wing Christian fanatic who committed a terrorist attack in Davenport, Iowa with hardly anyone noticing? Well, keep that in mind while reading about this example of extreme paranoia at the White House.

Saw this one on Daily Kos awhile back (someone's eyewitness account of strange happenings on the White House lawn). It seems that a terrorist was stopped on the White House Lawn. Here is a file photo of the culprit:




It is amazing how paranoid and strange the Presidency has become during Bush's tenure. I can't help but think that it would have been handled a little less dramatically by earlier administrations. This is nothing if not surreal:

I'm looking out my window next door to the White House. The police have shut down several square blocks around the White House from car and pedestrian traffic. There's a bomb squad parked out front. The issue appears to be a few suspicious objects that have been thrown over the fence at the Old Executive Office building.

These objects include a grocery bag, a stuffed dog, and what appears to be either Elmo or a red Teletubby. So I'm not too worried (now, if it was a purple Teletubby, that would be a different story).

I'll update the diary if anything actually happens.

UPDATE: The cool robot is gone and has left awesome treadmarks all over the Old Executive Office building lawn. 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue have been reopened to traffic. Elmo has apparently been determined to be grating and annoying, but not technically a terrorist threat.

For the record, my son loves his talking Elmo...anything that helps keep a baby happy is a wonderful thing to tired parents.

And confirmation from a newspaper:

Streets around the White House were closed Tuesday morning after a woman threw a package into the courtyard of the adjacent Old Executive Office Building.

The woman was taken into custody without incident and was being questioned by the Secret Service, said Darrin Blackford, a spokesman for the service. The package was being investigated but no immediate details were available.

The president was in the White House at the time of the incident.

Our President is panicked by toys. Kind of explains a lot, no? Perhaps Elmo was corrupted by one of his old friends, long ago linked to al-Qaeda:




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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: DEMOCRATIC CORRUPTION IN LOUISIANA

I have railed over and over again about how disgusting Republican corruption is. And I still maintain that Republican corruption is far wider spread and far worse than Democratic corruption, and has worse consequences such as the death toll in New Orleans after Katrina because Bush appointed an incompetent crony, "good job Brownie," a failed race horse inspector, as head of FEMA. Or in the case of 3000 dead American soldiers in Iraq for a war that basically does no good to anyone except the war profiteers, Exxon/Mobil, Bechtel and Dick Cheney's favorite company, Halliburton. In fact, from what I can tell, the level of corruption we see today under Bush and the Republicans rivals that of the Harding administration, an administration KNOWN for it's corruption.

Democrats aren't sacrificing American lives for profit the way Republicans do. But that doesn't mean we are completely innocent of corruption. Anyone who has read my pieces on Brooklyn politics knows I also fight against Democratic corruption. But Democratic Congressman William Jefferson (LA-2) is one of those very rare cases where a Democrat reaches a Republican-scale of corruption.

And the voters in LA-2 have just re-elected him despite his being caught red handed taking bribes. He had a freezer FULL of bribe money and is very likely going to end up in jail. But the voters re-elected him.

Jefferson won re-election with 57% of the vote.

From WWLTV.com:

Although voters apparently are giving him the presumption of innocence he asked for, his victory may further cloud the perception of New Orleans as a place that tolerates political corruption. Since Katrina, the city's boosters have made changing that image a top priority as New Orleans tries to win more help in its recovery.

City Councilman Oliver Thomas said Jefferson's victory will make the recovery from Katrina much more difficult. "People are watching this election all around the country and I can only imagine what they are thinking. It will be very difficult to go back to them and ask them to trust us with the money we need here."

Susan Howell, a University of New Orleans political analyst, said the federal probe will hamper Jefferson and Louisiana's national image. "He's going to go back into Congress and essentially be ineffective. I think it will be terrible for this state's image, and it was already not very good."

Bob Moffet, president of the Alliance for Good Government, a citizens group that endorsed Carter, was more direct. "This is almost like putting a stake through the heart. Who would want to come here and do anything? "You might as well pardon Edwin Edwards and let him and let him run for office."

Corruption was a prime issue in the defeat of Republicans across the nation in 2006. Democrats need to take that lesson to heart. We cannot afford to tolerate corruption among our ranks. I for one, condemn the actions of William Jefferson even though he is a fellow Democrat. I supported his opponent (also a Democrat) Karen Carter. Sadly, corruption seems to have won the day. Why doesn't Congressman Jefferson just go all the way and switch parties. He will be far more at home among Republicans Tom DeLay (indicted), Jack Abramoff (in jail), Bob Ney (plead guilty) and Randy Cunningham (in jail).


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY INTERNSHIPS

In issue 98 I focused on the Michigan Democratic Party as the first in the nation to adopt the "Blue Tiger Democrat" philosophy, which takes Dean's 50-state strategy one step further: getting down to the neighborhood level. The Blue Tiger Democrats focus on civic engagement, campaign finance reform and greater accountability and transparency in government in an effort to restore a bond between Democratic politicians and voters. I should note that this connects well with my personal view on the ideal candidate, what I call a "community candidate," so I am all for adoption of this philosophy and I applaud the Michigan Democratic Party for leading the way.

To help the Michigan Democratic Party to build up its infrastructure in order to carry out its ambitious plans, I am taking the time to advertise their internship program:

An Internship with the Michigan Democratic Party offers:

* Excellent entry-level experience in politics.
* Valuable contacts with elected officials, candidates and Party activists.
* Sources for references

Interns work in the following areas:

* POLITICAL ORGANIZING - working with local Party organizations, elected officials, candidates and constituencies of the Party to elect Democrats; training of Party members; voter registration and education; issues conferences, and many other activities.
* COMMUNICATIONS - working to get the Democratic message out to members and to the public through radio, TV, print media, phone, fax, computer networks and other means, as well as doing issue research.
* FUNDRAISING - working to raise money for the Party by events, direct mail, telemarketing, membership, large donor programs, and other means.

Qualifications:
A commitment to the goals and ideas of the Democratic Party is a prerequisite. Must be organized, responsible, have good oral and written communication skills, and be able to work with others in a political environment. Computer literacy required.

Hours are flexible and can be tailored to the student's schedule. All work is voluntary and transportation is not provided to the work site, which is the Hart-Kennedy House in downtown Lansing. By arrangement with a school, academic credit may be available.

To apply, please email your resume to:

Ann Glaspie
Michigan Democratic Party
606 Townsend
Lansing, MI 48933
517.371.5410
email: glaspiea@dnc.org

I strongly urge my Michigan readers to work with your local party, either as an intern (above) or as a volunteer. You can be a part of the reshaping of the Democratic Party, which started with Howard Dean and is not continuing through the Blue Tiger Democrat approach.


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: RENEW IOWA: Energy policy in Iowa

Energy Independence and Local Energy Production mean local, American jobs as well as clean air. That is a theme you will hear from me often. Iowa is one of the places where farming and alternative energy come together. One organization that focuses on this union of farming and local, alternative energy is the Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew). From their website:

Since 1992, I-RENEW has sponsored hands-on workshops to install solar and wind systems, powered the State Fair, schools and events with the Solar Traveler, our mobile renewable energy demonstration unit, and hosted the annual I-Renew Energy Expo, the areas largest event dedicated to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In addition to educational activities, I-Renew partners with other non-profit groups to support new policies encouraging renewable energy development. I-Renew also works with policy makers, government agencies and individuals to implement renewable energy programs. I-Renew members have played a major role in making Iowa a national leader in renewable energy.

I-Renew depends on its members to support its educational programs. Members receive discounts to I-Renew workshops, a membership gift, a copy of the Iowa Sustainable Energy Sourcebook and a subscription to I-Renew's quarterly newsletter, Energy Matters, which features the latest news in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

I-Renew has workshops for people who want to start their own renewable energy projects, has legislative updates and helps to advocate for renewable energy programs that benefit Iowa and all Americans. Please visit their website and check them out. Join up if it suits you.


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: MIDWEST PROGRESSIVE GROUPS (IA, IN, WI, MI)

I apologize for lumping such diverse states together under "Midwest," but to date I don't have enough readers in any one Midwestern state to give any of them their own attention the way I do with Virginia, NYC and California. Get me more readers in YOUR state and I will happily put more effort into writing about that state. Until then, these are the four Midwestern region states that I get some readership from regularly.

IOWA GROUPS:

January 9th EVENT: 10 am - 4 pm, First Floor Rotunda of the State Capitol in Des Moines: Join Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at the State Capitol for CCI's Rally and Lobby Day and help Reclaim Democracy! Be there to tell legislators and other state leaders that we want action on local control, clean air and water, Voter-Owned Clean Elections and home owner protections. For more info, go here.


First I naturally will highlight Iowa's local Democracy for America group, Blog for Iowa. Joining this blog will help you connect with fellow progressives in Iowa and help establish a progressive infrastructure in Iowa.


Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement: ICCI has helped ordinary Iowans get to work on a variety of social, economic and environmental justice issues they care deeply about. Whether the issue is factory farms, housing or improving neighborhoods, ICCI is there organizing people to make a difference. Find out what you can do for Iowa here. For a calendar of events, go here. This organization is all about COMMUNITY.


Drinking Liberally in Iowa: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are four Iowa Drinking Liberally groups (see below). If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Iowa groups:

Davenport:
* Meets second and fourth Friday of each month, 6:00 pm onward
* Pat McQuire's Bar & Grill, 3333 N Harrison St (Set back form Harrison - Next door to the Citgo on the corner of 32nd and Harrison)
* We will also drink liberally in the AM on the 1st Saturday at 9:30am at Mojo's (corner of Main and 2nd St - downtown Davenport)
* Hosted by Alta Price and Caroline Vernon, quadcities (at) drinkingliberally.org

Ames:
* Every Friday, 5:00 pm onward
* Legends American Grill, 200 Stanton Ave, 7th Floor (in Campustown) (map)
* The group will meet in the large accessible party room left of the elevators unless it is booked by a larger group. We will then be in the Sky Box. Ask a waiter for our location.
* Hosted by Jan Bauer and Brent Wynja, ames (at) drinkingliberally.org

Des Moines:
* Every Thursday, 8:00 p.m. onward
* The Lift, 222 4th St (between Court Ave and Walnut) (map)
* Hosted by Amanda Mittlestadt, Tricia Kell, Dan Chibnall, Cassie Samspon and Matt Jesson, desmoines (at) drinkingliberally.org

Iowa City:
* Every Thursday, 8:00 pm onward
* The Mill Restaurant, 120 E Burlington St (map)
* Hosted by Nicholas Bergin, iowacity (at) drinkingliberally.org


WISCONSIN GROUPS:

First I naturally will highlight Winsconsin's local Democracy for America group, Democracy for Wisconsin. Democracy for Wisconsin grew from the seeds planted by Howard Dean's presidential campaign. We believe that strong values and grassroots participation are the key to successfully promoting progressive policies and rebuilding the Democratic Party. Please help us take our country back! Local chapters are listed on their website.


WISCONSIN FAIR TRADE COALITION: The Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition is a statewide collaboration of labor, environmental, consumer, family farm and interfaith groups founded in 1994 during the fight over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). They are united in a common belief that international trade and investment are not ends unto themselves, but instead must be viewed as a means for achieving other societal goals including economic justice, human rights, healthy communities and a sound environment. The economy exists to help people, not the other way around.

WFTC is the leading state advocacy vehicle to fight for trade policy that is not tilted in favor of multinational corporations and against the interests of Wisconsin ’s -- and the world's -- working people. If you want to join the coalition, sign up for the newsletter or find out more, contact them at 608.237.1659; Fax 608.442.1439;
Postal Address: 3129 Hermina Street , Madison WI 53714.


Drinking Liberally in Wisconsin: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are surprisingly few Wisconsin drinking liberally groups! There are currently only two Wisconsin Drinking Liberally groups (see below). If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Wisconsin groups:

Madison, Wisconsin
* First and third Tuesday of each month (next meeting October 3), 7:00 pm onward
* Genna's, 105 W Main St
* Hosted by Brian Cadwell, madison (at) drinkingliberally.org

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month (next meeting October 11), 7:00 pm onward
* Club Garibaldi, 2501 S Superior St
* Hosted by Stacie Rosenzweig, Scott Feldstein and Jason Haas, milwaukee (at) drinkingliberally.org


INDIANA GROUPS:

First, I will highlight the very, VERY important Indiana Progressives PAC. Indiana Progressives believe to win nationally we must first win locally. Their message is positive, practical and progressive! And hopefully will be popular as well! Be a part of Indiana Progressives by registering with their site today. This is exactly the kind of organization we need in Indiana to deliver a populist progressive message right to the voters.


Evolution Education Institute (EEI) is a national professional development program that had it's origins in the Michigan Scientific Evolution Education Initiative (MSEEI). The MSEEI was administered by the Michigan Science Teacher's Association and was funded by an Eisenhower Higher Education Competitive Grant through the Michigan Department of Education (MDOE) from 1999-2002. The mission of the MSEEI was to provide Michigan teachers and pre-service teacher education students with the necessary content, pedagogy and support system to effectively teach scientific evolution. The Evolution Education Institute expands upon the MSEEI model and brings it to a national audience. he mission of the Evolution Education Institute (EEI) is to promote the understanding of evolution and natural selection theory within the educational community and society at-large and to advocate for its inclusion in science curricula in a manner commensurate with its importance to modern scientific thought. This issue is particularly important to me (I'm a biologist myself!). So please, help out EEI.


Drinking Liberally in Indiana: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are six Indiana Drinking Liberally groups (see below). I should note that means Indiana has more than some much larger states like Virginia. Makes Indiana sound like fun! If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Indiana groups:

Bloomington
* Every Tuesday, 7:00 pm onward
* Upland Brewery, 350 W 11th St (map)
* Hosted by Eric Foster and Chris Herlihy, bloomington (at) drinkingliberally.org

Indianapolis
* Every Thursday, 7:00-10:00 pm
* Spencer's Stadium Tavern, 802 S West St (SW corner of West & McCarty streets)
* map: http://tinyurl.com/ann6t
* Hosted by Jason Borneman, indianapolis (at) drinkingliberally.org

Noblesville
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Ram Brewery, 12750 Parkside Dr (near the corner of 126th St and Hwy 37)
* Hosted by Keith Clock and Molly Martin, noblesville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Lafayette
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Lafayette Brewing Company - UPSTAIRS, 622 Main St
* Hosted by Amy Clinton-Corbett, Mary Nauman, Curtis Parker, Jon Neal, Susan Schechter and Gavin Steiger, lafayette (at) drinkingliberally.org

New Albany:
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* "The Red Room" of Rich-O's Public House, 3312 Plaza Dr (Near the Kroger on Grant Line Rd; and next to Sportstime Pizza)
* Rich-Os is 21+ and "The Red Room" is in the smoking section, though we are able to meet in alternative areas of the Rich-O's/Sportstime Pizza complex to accomodate under-age attendants and those who are sensitive to cigarette smoke.
* We will now be meeting on THURSDAYS instead of Wednesdays to accomodate the academic work week.
* Hosted by Lacy Davis, newalbany (at) drinkingliberally.org

South Bend
* First and third Thursday of each month (next meeting October 5), 7:00 pm onward
* Oaken Bucket, 1212 S Ironwood Dr (map)
* Hosted by Chris Wilson, Thomas Winegar and Ben Runkle, southbend (at) drinkingliberally.org


MICHIGAN GROUPS:

First I naturally will highlight Michigan's local Democracy for America group, Democracy for Michigan. Joining this blog will help you connect with fellow progressives in Iowa and help establish a progressive infrastructure in Michigan.


Michigan Young Democrats: The next generation of Democrats in Michigan. For information on how to get involved at the local level, please contact Jody Weissler at jweissler@mi-democrats or (517) 371-5410. To get involved with the MYD Executive Board, please contact our President Isaac Robinson at williamisaacrobinson@yahoo.com.


Drinking Liberally in Michigan: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are three Michigan Drinking Liberally groups (see below). If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Michigan groups:

Ann Arbor, Michigan
* First and third Thursday of each month 8pm
* Leopold Bros., 523 S Main St
* Hosted by John Redmond and Jenay Karlson, annarbor (at) drinkingliberally.org

Detroit, Michigan
* Every Tuesday, 7:00 pm onward
* Honest? John's, 488 Selden St (at 2nd (lighted, secure parking))
* Hosted by Pete Coseo, detroit (at) drinkingliberally.org

Oakland County, Michigan
* Every other Thursday 7:00 pm onward
* Bo's Brewery & Bistro, 51 N Saginaw St, Pontiac (Corner of Huron and Saginaw inside the Woodward Loop)
* We need co-hosts in Oakland County south, east and west for our Road Trips, please contact me for details.
* Hosted by Ron Wasczenski, oaklandcounty (at) drinkingliberally.org


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: NY STATE FOCUS

The NY State Government in Albany has been called the most defective state government around. Albany has long been in need of reform. Many hope that Eliot Spitzer will, unlike Pataki, be a reform-minded governor who will clean up Albany. But he can't do it alone.

Well, we now have The Albany Project, which "seeks to return New York State Government to its rightful owners - the people". Several veterans of Daily Kos, including NYBri, who recently ran for State Senate, have started this blog project to bring transparency to the state capital. Inclded is a searchable State Senate pork database to reveal just what kind of projects our tax money is being wasted on.

Please visit their blog and get involved. Eliot Spitzer and newly elected reform minded State Senator Eric Adams need out help in cleaning up Albany.


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: BROOKLYN FOCUS: Atlantic Yards Development

Many of us have been keeping up on the Atlantic Yard's controversy. One of the main concerns has been the threatened use of Eminent Domain to take property from one private individyal and give it to another private individual. Even many supporters of Ratner's plan have expressed concern over this and some even have said they would not support Ratner if Eminent Domain was used.

Well, it has come to pass. Eviction notices invoking Eminent Domain have been issued by the Empire State Development Corporation. A lawsuit on behalf of those being evicted is, of course, pending.

Meanwhile, here is a statement from the lawyer for Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn regarding the problems with Ratner's plan for this project (issued before the eviction notices).

We are writing on behalf of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) to provide very brief comments on the FEIS for the Atlantic Yards project. On December 8, 2006 you are going to be asked by ESDC staff to adopt findings under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and the Urban Development Corporation Act (UDCA) to approve and begin the implementation the project. As set forth below, it is clear that the FEIS for the project is fatally flawed and does not provide the ESDC Board with sufficient basis upon which to make the legal findings that are required to approve the project. You should decline to move forward with the project and direct staff to undertake a Supplemental EIS to cure the myriad deficiencies in the current document.

As you are most probably aware, under SEQRA you are charged with considering the environmental impacts of ESDC actions and assuring that your final decision chooses from the available alternatives the one that avoids, minimizes or mitigates the adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with social, economic and other essential considerations. In the process of meeting that requirement, you must take a “hard look” at the relevant areas of concern and produce reasoned elaboration of the determination.

The FEIS fails to meet that standard. ESDC staff rushed to complete the FEIS which was accepted by the Board on November 15th. Thereafter, staff realized that in their rush to completion they omitted numerous comments and then rushed again to reissue the FEIS. However, that speed did not alleviate the overall sloppiness inherent in the FEIS. The FEIS is rife with errors and omissions. Most strikingly, although there were numerous substantive comments on the DEIS, in many cases the response to those comments is nothing more that a reiteration of the language in the DEIS. The failure to consider and respond to those comments is not only illegal, but insulting and demonstrates that the result of ESDC’s consideration of the project is a foregone conclusion.

Set forth below are selected examples of the errors in the FEIS. This is not an exhaustive list, nor are they the primary deficiencies. Given the extremely short time frame in which to review the FEIS, a thorough review is impossible. These examples are indicative of the problems inherent in the FEIS.

Open Space

Many comments noted the dearth of open space, particularly publicly accessible open space and the fact that the space provided is less than the City goal of 2.5 acres per 1,000 residents and is less than is being provided in Battery Park City. The FEIS responds that the project provides 1.7 acres per 1,000 residents. (FEIS p. 24-169) However the math is wrong. Per the FEIS, there will be approximately 13,503 residents based on the assumption of 2.1 persons per unit. That results in a ratio of 0.59 acres per 1000 residents – far less than the 1.7 acres represented in the FEIS. This fundamental mathematical error is indicative of the carelessness of the FEIS and should put the Board on notice that there has not been sufficient analysis to warrant approval of the project.

Traffic and Police and Fire Response Times

The project’s impact on traffic has been a major concern, where a road network already at capacity will have to bear the burden of at least 20,000 additional vehicles. Besides ignoring the comments about how the DEIS understated traffic impacts and took too narrow a look, the FEIS also ignores the concerns expressed about response times for emergency vehicles. Faced with gridlock conditions, the FEIS simply states that emergency vehicles will not be hampered because police, fire and ambulance vehicles “are not bound by standard traffic controls” when responding to emergencies. (FEIS 24-143). Apparently when faced with gridlock, the traffic magically parts to make way for the vehicles without delay – a miracle of modern physics that has not been witnessed in other gridlock events.

Terrorism Threats and Security Issues

The FEIS takes the bizarre position that the threat of terrorism need not be considered in the planning of the project or in the FEIS.

To quote from the FEIS (p. 24-538), the only response to numerous serious public concerns regarding terrorism and security is as follows:

"Emergency scenarios such as a large-scale terrorist attack similar to the World Trade Center attack, a biological or chemical attack, or a bomb are not considered a reasonable worst-case scenario and are therefore outside the scope of the EIS."

There is no support for such a head in the sand approach to an obvious threat. Placing a 20,000-seat arena over a major transit hub, adjacent to a major traffic intersection, surrounded by glass-walled towers presents an obvious invitation to terrorists. Nevertheless, the FEIS claims no responsibility to consider that potential and to design accordingly to minimize the impacts such a threat poses or the costs incurred by related planning, insurance, and emergency issues. While ESDC staff may disregard the responsibility to consider the threat, we hope that the ESDC Board is not so narrow-minded.

Blight

A substantial number of detailed comments were submitted detailing the errors in the DEIS and the Blight Study, including a 191 page response from my client DDDB. In particular it was noted that there are no blighting conditions on blocks 1127, 1128 and 1129. Comments noted that any conditions in the area are a result of either neglect by MTA or vacancies created by FCR. Comments also noted that in the entire history of the Atlantic Terminal Urban Renewal Area (ATURA), despite numerous opportunities, the City of New York never claimed the project site–and in particular the blocks to be condemned–as blighted. All of those comments were completely ignored and the FEIS simply reiterates the statements made in the DEIS. While the FEIS makes the claim that the blocks south of Pacific Street are blighted, saying so does not make it true and the Board should not ratify a decision that is contradicted by hard facts.

The Blight Study characterizes the project site as crime-ridden, claiming that instances of crime in the project site are greater than surrounding precincts. As shown in my clients response the crime statistics are misrepresented and skewed to such an extent that the reality is crime is lower in the project site than surrounding areas. The FEIS completely ignored this critical point. Another hard fact the Board should be wary of ratifying.

Coney Island Alternative

DDDB’s comments noted that the DEIS misrepresented the feasibility of Coney Island as a location for the arena. The DEIS claimed there was no room for an arena. DDDB demonstrated that at least two locations were suitable. The FEIS tried to correct the error by acknowledging that there were suitable sites but then in only a few paragraphs argued why it was not preferable to the chosen site. There continues to be no sound argument as to why the arena needs be part of a mixed-use development. ESDC cannot ignore an obvious alternative in a DEIS and then pretend to consider it in the FEIS without subjecting it to a full alternative analysis subject to public review. ESDC has ignored the long-standing goal of the Brooklyn political leaders to bring a major league franchise to Coney Island, a desire that has continued to be expressed.

Violations of the UDC Act

DDDB and others noted that ESDC has violated Sec. 16 of the UDC Act by failing to hold the comment period open until October 18th, 30 days after the last public hearing on September 18th. The FEIS while acknowledging the legal obligation of Sec. 16, continues the absurd contention that the public hearing was on August 23rd and the September 18th event was a “community forum”. The fact remains that the “community forums” were completely indistinguishable from the public hearing. ESDC cannot try and hide behind a change in name to avoid its legal obligation. The minimum time frames in the applicable laws providing for public review are often insufficient to consider enormous projects. At the least ESDC must comply with the minimum legal requirements. Instead ESDC shortened the mandatory minimum comment period by nearly 3 weeks.

DDDB also noted that the project does not meet the legal definitions of a civic project or a land use improvement project. Those comments are not recognized or responded to in the FEIS. These are fundamental questions that go to the public need, purpose and authority of ESDC to undertake the action and override local land use controls. The lack of response is a striking admission that ESDC is operating beyond its authority.

The foregoing is just a small sampling of the omissions and tone of the FEIS which demonstrate that ESDC’s SEQRA compliance falls below the legal standard. There are numerous other issues. It is our hope that the ESDC Board, rather than acting as a lame duck administrative body determined to rush through an approval in its waning days, exercises the independent judgment with which it is entrusted and requires reconsideration of this ill-conceived document


Very truly yours,

Jeffrey S. Baker

As usual, I would add sewage issues to the list, something else that has been largely ignored but will affect a huge area of Brooklyn as well as the already over-polluted Gowanus canal.

I want to emphasize something that often gets forgotten: NO ONE is against development of this area. What people are against is the corrupt and sloppy process by which Ratner, a law school buddy of Pataki's, got handed almost anything he wanted without a proper bidding or review process. I also should point out that DDDB has been joined by a broad coalition of community groups and politicians, including Assembly members Millman, Brennan and Robinson. And now with Pataki on his way out, soon we may see a considerable reworking of Ratner's plan if not a complete fresh beginning to the process.


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: NYC GROUPS AND EVENTS

Local involvement is really what wins elections. Please get involved. I have made friends, met many of my elected officials who now (sometimes!) actually listen to me, and have really felt like I am making a difference. From time to time I will also post events going on, but mostly this is a list of organizations in your area. If I have missed any, please let me know.

BROOKLYN GROUPS AND EVENTS:

Brooklyn Critical Mass:
Critical Mass is a monthly celebration of bicycles and other nonpolluting means of transportation, exercising our right to the road. Critical Mass is a movement, not an organization; no two riders participate for exactly the same reason. Brooklyn Critical Mass started rolling in 2004.

Brooklyn rides are the Second Friday of every month, 7:00 p.m., meeting at Grand Army Plaza. Come out and join Critical Mass in Brooklyn. Celebrate cycling, and assert your right to the road -- Brooklyn style!

For more events and bike workshops, check out their calendar.


Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) (mostly covers Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and Kensington). http://www.cbidems.org/ My wife, Joy, is now on the executive board of this club. This club is very grassroots and worked very hard for progressive candidates in the recent primary. They need more people if we want to strengthen the grassroots. If you are not yet a member, please come to the next meeting and join. Membership is cheap! Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every month at 7 PM at the Park Slope United Methodist Church, 6th Ave. & 8th Street in the basement (enter through the garden gate on 6th Ave).


Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND): I usually work with this club. They cover the 52nd Assembly district, covering Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill. Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every month at 7 PM (yes...same time as CBID above because they are sort of rival groups!) at their clubhouse 489 Court St. in Carroll Gardens.


New Democratic Majority in Brooklyn: Originally an outgrowth of the Dean campaign, NDM is one of the more active progressive organizations around. This is the Brooklyn branch of that organization and we are still building our membership. I will be a co-host of this meeting. We meet the 4th Thursday of every month at the 5th Ave. Ozzie’s in Park Slope, 249 5th Ave (intersection of 5th and Garfield) at 7 PM. You can contact me (mole333@gmail.com) for more info.


Democracy for America Meetings: Another outgrowth of the Dean Campaign, this is another excellent local progressive organization. Usually meets the first Wed. of every month at various locations. CLICK HERE to find your closest monthly meeting.

Park Slope/Brooklyn, Ozzie's, 249 5th Ave, with host Josh Skaller

Williamsburg/Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Boulevard Tavern, 579 Meeker Ave. (btwn. N. Henry and Monitor St.) There will be no official DFNYC Linkup host here this month, but Harold at Boulevard is a DFNYC member and encourages everyone to stop in. Harold will have DFNYC info about the upcoming elections.

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


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 other 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.


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


MANHATTAN GROUPS AND EVENTS:


NYC Critical Mass The last Friday of the month, every month, 7:00 p.m., starting at Union Square Park North. Come along for the ride! Critical Mass is a monthly celebration of bicycles and other nonpolluting means of transportation, exercising our right to the road. Critical Mass is a movement, not an organization; no two riders participate for exactly the same reason. New York City's first Critical Mass was in 1993.


Democracy for America Meetings: Another outgrowth of the Dean Campaign, this is another excellent local progressive organization. Usually meets the first Wed. of every month at various locations. CLICK HERE to find your closest monthly meeting.

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

Upper East Side, location TBD, with hosts Lewis Cohen & David Kogelman

West Village, Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St. (near 7th Ave.), with hosts Dana Northcraft & Judith Ren-Lay

East Village, Cinema Classics/Rafiffi, 332 East 11th Street (btwn. 1st & 2nd), with host Heather Woodfield


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


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


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QUEENS GROUPS AND EVENTS:

Democracy for America Meetings: Another outgrowth of the Dean Campaign, this is another excellent local progressive organization. Usually meets the first Wed. of every month at various locations. CLICK HERE to find your closest monthly meeting.

Sunnyside, Queens, The Grind, 39-24 Queens Blvd., with host Dan Jacoby

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: Last Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward. Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102. Hosted by Donald Graff, queens (at) drinkingliberally.org

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


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


STATEN ISLAND GROUPS AND EVENTS:

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO STATEN ISLAND DEMOCRACY FOR NYC CHAPTERS! You can start one by emailing linkup -at- dfnyc.org (replace -at- with @). These groups are great for keeping in touch and for candiates to introduce themselves and beg you for support.

Young Democrats of Staten Island: The future of the Democratic Party in Staten Island!

Staten Island African American Political Association: For more information, contact deb2badd –at- aol.com (replace –at- with @)

THERE ARE NO DRINKING LIBERALLY GROUPS IN STATEN ISLAND!!! You can start one by clicking here. It is a fun, social way to grow the grassroots and patronize a local watering hole as well.

For more Democratic Clubs in Staten Island, CLICK HERE.

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BRONX GROUPS AND EVENTS:

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO BRONX DEMOCRACY FOR NYC CHAPTERS! You can start one by emailing linkup -at- dfnyc.org (replace -at- with @). These groups are great for keeping in touch and for candiates to introduce themselves and beg you for support.


WEST BRONX 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. There is currently only one Bronx Drinking Liberally group:

West Bronx: First and third Friday of each month, 7:30 pm onward at An Beal Bocht, 445 W 238th St (between Waldo and Greystone). Hosted by Jamin Sewell and Scott Kennedy, westbronx (at) drinkingliberally.org


Find your closest Bronx Democratic Club by CLICKING HERE.


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: RUNNING FOR DELEGATE IN CALIFORNIA

Here is a great way to make the Democratic Party in California more progressive: be a delegate!

This comes from the California for Democracy Blog:

In January of 2005 something remarkable happened: people who were newly active in politics showed up in large numbers at Assembly District Committee meetings all over California... and elected each other to be delegates to the California Democratic Party.

As a result, for the past two years there have been literally hundreds of new progressive delegates working within the California Democratic Party... influencing the party platform... and the endorsement of candidates. Helping to create the newest - and largest - caucus within the state party: the Progressive Caucus.

Now it's time to do it again: the two year term for these delegates is up in January, and it's time to re-elect some of them... and add to their numbers!

Each assembly district (there are 80 in California) will elect 12 delegates. That's up to 960 delegates that we can help select.

These meetings (with a few possible exceptions) will be held on January 13th or 14th - depending upon which Assembly District you reside in. California for Democracy is encouraging its members to show up at their appropriate meetings... and run to be delegates - and/or vote for those who will.

Here are some steps to participate:

* If you don't already know it, determine the assembly district you're registered to vote in. Here's a tool to help do so... Enter your address in the form at the bottom of the page and it will list your elected officials, including your California State House (Assembly) member, indicating your District. (As distinguished from your Federal House member's district! Or your State Senate District!)

* Find the date and time of your district meeting on This Helpful Page. Some district meetings haven't been scheduled yet... so you may need to check back a bit later.

* To RUN to be a Delegate... The State Party will have a form available, both for download as well as to fill out online. The form will be up no later than Friday, December 8. The deadline to fill out the form and have it received by the Sacramento CDP office is 5PM on Tuesday, January 2, 2007. Per CDP By-Laws, you must file 12 days in advance, to be eligible to run for delegate position.

* To PARTICIPATE in the AD Election Meeting: Per CDP By-Laws, you must be a registered Democrat in the Assembly District by the time of the close of registration for the Nov 2006 election. The only exceptions are for persons who turned 18 or were naturalized as citizens after the close of registration - those persons can register on-site as Democrats and participate. A $5 registration fee will be collected from all voting participants, to help defray meeting costs. This registration fee will be waived for those participants who claim economic hardship.

We encourage you to work with other progressive organizations to turn out supporters at these events... and repeat - and build upon - the successful 2005 events.

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

Progressive Democrat Issue 100: CALIFORNIA GROUPS AND EVENTS

Next to New York, California has become where I have the most readers. So, I need to start focusing a little bit more on California to accomodate all of you! Of course California is pretty big, so mostly what I will do is list the resources you can use to find out what's going on in your area. If you know of a group, send me info!

California for Democracy: This is the California branch of Howard Dean's Democracy for America movement. There are local meetings all over the state (listed on the left hand side of the state website). I participate in my local group and this is one of the ways I get to meet lots of interesting politicians, all of whom are trying to get our support. If you only do one kind of political activism, it should be this! If you join, tell them I sent you...it can't hurt for them to know I'm helping them out! There are also events listed as well as blogs for discussion. This is the ultimate in progressive grassroots! If there isn't a group near you, start one by emailing: steering (at) californiafordemocracy.com


California Democratic Party: To find your local Democratic Party organization, GO HERE. For a Calendar of events GO HERE. To get active in the California Democratic Party by volunteering GO HERE.


DRINKING LIBERALLY: An informal, inclusive progressive social group. 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. This is one of the more fun ways to be involved as a liberal. There are MANY groups in California. If there isn't one in your area, get a few friends together and START ONE! Don't drink alcohol? Then start one in a coffee house, tea lounge or juice bar! The format is flexible. Here's a list of them as of Dec. 2006.


Hollywood
* Second Wednesday of each month 7:00-11:00 PM
* Molly Malone's Irish Pub, 575 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles 90036 (near corner of 6th avenue)
* Hosted by Vincent Jones, Cecilia Cabello, Christine Frogozo, Jim Kennedy and Joe Zefran, la (at) drinkingliberally.org

Pasadena
* Every Tuesday, 7:30-10:00 pm
* Madeleine's Wine Bistro, 1030 E Green St (between Wilson and Catalina)
* We try to meet on the patio when no other event is scheduled there. Otherwise, look for us in the wine bar.
* Hosted by Asa Hopkins, pasadena (at) drinkingliberally.org

Monterey
* First Thursday of each month 7:00 pm onward
* Peter B's Brewery, 2 Portola Plz
* Hosted by Annie Ho and Helen Davis, monterey (at) drinkingliberally.org

Orange County
* Every Thursday, 8:30 pm onward
* Memphis Bar, 201 N Broadway, Santa Ana (Artists Village)
* Hosted by Mike Lawson, orangecounty (at) drinkingliberally.org

Sacramento
* First Thursday of each month 7:00 pm onward
* Streets of London Pub, 1804 J St (Midtown)
* Hosted by Leslie Simmons, sacramento (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Diego
* Every other Tuesday 7:30 pm onward
* Nunu's Cocktail Lounge, 3537 5th Ave (Between Brookes and Ivy Ln)
* Hosted by Jesse Rubin and Jason Miller, sandiego (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Francisco
* Every Monday, 7:00-9:00 pm
* Doc's Clock, 2575 Mission St (between 21st and 22nd) (Look for our red, white and blue striped bottle!)
* Hosted by Susan Harrison, sf (at) drinkingliberally.org

Oakland
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month 6:00 - 8:00 PM
* Luka's Taproom & Lounge, 2221 Broadway
* Hosted by Cyril Allen and Philip Combs, oakland (at) drinkingliberally.org

Palo Alto
* Second Thursday of each month 7:00 pm onward
* Antonio's Nut House, 321 S California Ave (At the corner of Birch and California)
* Hosted by Tom Allen, Leilani Iwaishi and Esther Hardwick, paloalto (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Jose
* Every other Thursday 6:30 pm onward
* Trials Pub, 265 N 1st St
* We're usually in the wingbacks by the front door. The bartenders know who we are.
* Hosted by Andy Oliveria and Adam Gulkis, sanjose (at) drinkingliberally.org


Santa Barbara
* Every Wednesday, 8 pm - 10 pm
* Elsie's Bar, 117 W de la Guerra St (behind Paseo Nuveo Mall)
* Elsie's is 21+ and cash only
* Hosted by Daryl Chrisman and Bart Woolery, santabarbara (at) drinkingliberally.org

Stockton
* Third Friday of each month 7:00 pm onward
* Micheal's New York Pizza, 2300 W Alpine Ave #A
* Hosted by Teresa Frison, stockton (at) drinkingliberally.org



SOME REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: These are more specific to particular reagions

LOS ANGELES AREA:

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. To get involved, GO HERE.


ORANGE COUNTY AREA:

Orange County Peace Coalition: An organization that advocates the peaceful resolution of international conflicts and that this ideal become a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. To see a calendar of events, CLICK HERE. To get involved, CLICK HERE.


NORTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Grassrootswest was founded in 2004 as a way to unite Northbay Democrats, Greens, Independents, and even Republicans in getting George Bush out of office. After the stolen election of 2004 it became clear that there still was a need to bridge the divide between the various progressive organizations in the San Francisco North Bay. So their work of bypassing the corporate media, and building alliances of progressives continues to this day. Check them out.


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: VIRGINIA/DC AREA GROUPS AND EVENTS

Democracy for America: One of the best ways to get active! If you only do one thing that is political, join your local DFA group! FIND YOUR LOCAL DFA MEETUP AND GET INVOLVED! The statewide site seems to not be active, but it has MANY great links on the right hand side, including links to some local Virginia DFA groups. And for Washington, DC, your local DFA group can be found here.


Virginia Organizing Project:
The Virginia Organizing Project (VOP) is a statewide grassroots organization dedicated to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives. VOP especially encourages the participation of those who have traditionally had little or no voice in our society. By building relationships with individuals and groups throughout the state, VOP strives to get them to work together, democratically and non-violently, for change. Here's a calendar of events.


Virginia Young Democrats: The next generation of Democrats in Virginia! Their stated goals are:

# To support and elect Democratic candidates for public office
# To widen and increase the interest and knowledge of young people in government and the political process
# To train and develop young people for positions of leadership
# To increase the role of under-represented people in our Party, government, and society
# To serve those in need in our community

Join in or, if you are no longer young enough to be a "Young Democrat," give them a little support.


The Democratic Party: Here are links to some of your local Dem clubs. This is another very important way to be active. You can also find a calendar of events for Democratic Party activities in Virginia here.

Washington DC Democratic Party

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. If there isn't one near you, it is easy to start your own!

Alexandria, Virginia
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
* Shenandoah Brewing Company, 652 S Pickett St (Look for us upstairs)
* "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world" - Margaret Mead
* Hosted by David Swim and Quinn Jones, alexandria (at) drinkingliberally.org

Danville, Virginia
* Every other Wednesday, 7:00 pm onward
* The Purple Onion, 215 Main St
* Hosted by Meryl Ibis, danville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Charlottesville, Virginia
* Every Tuesday, 8:30 pm onward
* Biltmore Grill, 16 Elliewood Ave
* Hosted by Michael Snook, Justin Villegas, TJ Bateman and Bridget Moriarty, charlottesville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Norfolk, Virginia
* Third Thursday of each month 5:00-7:00 pm
* The New Belmont, 2117 Colonial Ave (upstairs at the bar)
* Hosted by Megan Feeley and Steve Earnhart, norfolk (at) drinkingliberally.org

Virginia Beach, Virginia
* Second Tuesday of each month 6:00 pm onward
* Jewish Mother, 3108 Pacific Ave
* Hosted by Chris Jaramillo and Eileen Levandoski, vabeach (at) drinkingliberally.org

And two Washington, DC groups:

Capitol Hill
* Every Wednesday, 7:00-9:00 pm
* The 18th Amendment, 613 Pennsylvania Ave SE (~2 Blocks NW of Eastern Market Metro Stop)
* Hosted by Micha Rieser, dcwed (at) drinkingliberally.org


Dupont Circle
* Every Thursday, 6:30-8:30 pm
* Timberlake's, 1726 Connecticut Ave NW
* Metro: Dupont Circle (red line)
* Hosted by Kim Davis and Keith Ivey, dcthu (at) drinkingliberally.org


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Progressive Democrat Issue 100: NEW JERSEY GROUPS AND EVENTS

Let me first highlight an upcoming event:

Barbara McMorrow's swearing in as Monmouth County Freeholder January 04, 2007
Hall of Records, Main Street
Freehold Borough, NJ 07728
For more info, contact Monmouth Democrats: 732-922-2700

Come Watch Barbara McMorrow get sworn in as Monmouth County's first Democratic Freeholder in over twenty years! That is an event worth showing up for! Wish I could be there.


Here is how you can find your local Dem clubs. Go to HERE and click on your county. You can also click on their Calendar to find out Democratic Party events throughout the state.


New Jersey for Democracy: Possibly even more important than finding your local Democratic club, I strongly urge you to find your closest Democracy for America group. This organization, started by Howard Dean, is the future of the progressive grassroots in America. If there isn't a group near you, start one. It is a great way to get started in the political process. Here in NYC we get to meet all sorts of politicians who want our endorsement.


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, Fourth Wednesday of each month, 8:00-10:00 pm, Mulligan's, 159 1st Street (between Bloomfield and Garden), Hosted by Leigh Wolinsky, David Alpert and Morgan Baden, hoboken (at) drinkingliberally.org

Princeton, Princeton, First Thursday Each Month 7:00 PM @ Sotto Ristorante and Lounge (formerly the Annex) 128 1/2 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ. princeton@drinkingliberally.org or http://princeton.drinkingliberally.org/

Montclair Every other Wednesday, 6:30 pm onward, Egan & Sons, 118 Walnut St. Hosted by Jon Hershberg, montclair (at) drinkingliberally.org

Morristown, Third Thursday of each month (next meeting April 20), 7:00 pm onward; The Famished Frog, 18 Washington St. Hosted by Jim Long, Tracy Kurland, Rob Gregory and Dave Cochran, morristown (at) drinkingliberally.org

Toms River, New Jersey
* First Tuesday of each month (next meeting October 3), 8:00 pm onward
* Joshua Huddy Brew Pub, 1250 Hooper Ave (across from Ocean County Mall) (map)
* Hosted by Robin Kinlin and Ian Valentine, tomsriver (at) drinkingliberally.org


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