Progressive Democrat Issue 155

This week I was reminded of why 2006 was so important for progressives. Our disappointment in a continued Iraq quagmire and lack of impeachment should be tempered by pride in what was accomplished by the 2006 election. This comes from the League of Conservation Voters:

"Our 2006 campaigns also helped defeat 9 out of 13 of LCV's 'Dirty Dozen' members who had a combined average lifetime score of just 8 percent, while the new members who defeated them have a combined average score of 88 percent," Karpinski said.

The "Dirty Dozen" program targets members of Congress, regardless of party affiliation, who consistently vote against the environment and are running in races where LCV has a serious chance of affecting the outcome. LCV's success in 2006 brought these changes:

* Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), who scored 90 percent in 2007, replaced Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA), whose lifetime score was 7 percent.

* Sen. John Tester (D-MT), who scored 80 percent, replaced Sen. Conrad Burns, (R-MT), whose lifetime score was 5 percent * Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ), who scored 100 percent, replaced Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), whose lifetime score was 7 percent.

* Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), who scored 100 percent, defeated Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL), whose lifetime score was 15 percent.

* Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), who scored 73 percent, replaced Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO), whose lifetime score was 15 percent.

* Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC), who scored 75 percent, replaced Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC), whose lifetime score was 5 percent.

* Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), who scored 100 percent, replaced Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), whose lifetime score was 10 percent.

* Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), who scored 87 percent, replaced Sen. George Allen (R-VA), whose lifetime score was 1 percent.

Some of these Democrats may be too conservative for our tastes. Bill Nelson of Florida, for example. But they all are considerable improvements over what we had before. And keep in mind this is just a sampling based on races LCV specifically targeted. There are more that LCV did not target that were big improvements. Dave Loebsack in Iowa and John Yarmouth in Kentucky. Even Ellsworth in Indiana, one of the most conservative of Democrats, is better than the Republican he replaced given the heavily conservative district he represents.

This is progress. But progress is never easy or to be taken for granted. We need to follow up these victories in 2008. There are four goals in 2008.

1. Win the Senate. The 50/50 split in the Senate is one of the main obstacles to getting things done. We have several great opportunities to win Senate seats, particularly in Oregon, New Hampshire and Minnesota. Even in Texas we have a shot.

2. More Democrats in the House: the same kind of incremental improvements that LCV is describing can continue. We have lots of House pick up opportunities. Here are my top picks.

3. BETTER Democrats. Yep. Progress also means fighting WITHIN the party for better, more progressive Democrats. Here I have a list of primaries that are critical for progressives to win. We also have to defend those freshmen Democrats who are particularly progressive and who are being targeted by Republicans. Here is my list of Freshmen Allstars who are being targeted and who have been particularly good about keeping their promises to voters.

4. Winning the White House. I put this last because, although it gets the most attention, it may not be the most important. Okay, maybe it IS the most important. But WHOEVER is President, we need the Senate to be more Democratic and the House to be more Progressive. But winning the White House remains critical and if we win, we will be making history. Either Obama or Hillary as President would represent progress in a BIG way.

Help out with any of these you feel is most important.

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

THE BUSHS ENDORSE McCAIN: America Unimpressed

REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION IN ALASKA: The VECO Scandal

ACCUSATIONS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD IN NYC: It's the machines

NY STATE FOCUS: Peace Vigils, Groups and Events

NEW JERSEY FOCUS: Blue Jersey Radio, Peace Rallies, Groups and Events

TEXAS FOCUS: Alternative Energy, Rick Noriega for Senate, Groups and Events

ALASKA FOCUS: Groups and Events

VIRGINIA FOCUS: Impeachment, Groups and Events

FLORIDA FOCUS: Christine Jennings, Groups and Events

ARIZONA FOCUS: Progressive Canidates, Groups and Events

ILLINOIS FOCUS: Special Congressional Election: IL-14

ILLINOIS FOCUS: Groups and Events

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS: Peace Vigils, Groups and Events

WISCONSIN FOCUS: Progressive Candidates, Groups and Events

IOWA FOCUS: Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

The Bushs Endorse John McCain: America Unimpressed

The Big Bush, Little Gerogie Bush, and Jeb Bush have all given John McCain their approval. Could there be a worse endorsement?



The Bush family have brought us two of the least popular Presidents in American history.

The Bush family helped arm Saddam Hussein before declaring him our enemy. They have brought us two Iraq wars, the most recent has turned into a quagmire sucking our soldiers and dollars down with no end in sight and no exit stratgy and no strategic purpose.

The Bush family helped arm al-Qaeda, then stupidly ignored warnings of an impending attack, allowing al-Qaeda to hit us hard. And they have failed to stop al-Qaeda even AFTER they attacked us.

The Bush family has brought us some of the worst economic times since the Great Depression, giving us no fewer than three rescessions with little recovery under their watch. Job growth under the Bush family has been rock bottom.

The Bush family represents nothing but failed domestic policy, failed foreign policy and deficits, deficits, deficits. About the only people who still like the Bush family are their good friends in Saudi Arabia: the Royal Saud family and their close allies, the bin Laden family.



The Bush family, Jebbie, Big George and Wee George, have all endorsed John McCain. They believe, it seems, that John McCain is the best choice to continue the failed Bush policies that have CONSISTENTLY brought us record deficits, failed foreign policy and recession after recession.

America is sick and tired of failed Bush policies. No more Bush quagmires. No more Bush recessions. Just say "No!" to John McCain, the choice of the Bush family.



WE ARE THE BUSH FAMILY...AND WE APPROVE OF JOHN McCAIN!

Republican Corruption in Alaska: VECO and Republican bedfellows

I have reported many times about how the Republican Parties in Ohio, Missouri and Kentucky were about the most corrupt political establishments in America. One that I have been missing is the Alaska Republican Party. I think it is time I turn northward to discuss what is going on in Alaska.

At the epicenter of Alaska corruption seems to be the Alaska oil services company Veco Corp. Veco, until its recent buyout, was an oil pipeline service and construction company. Perhaps Veco would like to be best known for the fact that it carried out a great deal of the clean up efforts after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. But this is not the only thing they were known for. They were known for illegal influence on Republican politicians.

In 2006 the FBI served some 20 search warrants on the offices of six Alaska state legislators: Sen. John Cowdery (R-Anchorage), Senate President Ben Stevens (R-Anchorage) (son of US Senator Ted Stevens), Rep. Vic Kohring (R-Wasilla), Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch (R-Juneau), Sen Don Olson (D-Nome), and Rep. Pete Kott (R-Eagle River). Also named in the search warrants were VECO officers Bill Allen, Rick Smith and Pete Leathard.

Then in 2007, Pete Kott, Vic Kohring and Bruce Weyhrauch were arrested and charged with bribery, extortion, fraud in connection with allegations of soliciting and receiving money and favors from VECO chief executive officer Bill Allen and chief lobbyist Rick Smith in return for their votes on an oil tax law favored by VECO.

Ben Stevens has not been indicted so far, but has been implicated in the scandal. But his father, US Senator Ted Stevens, is also under investigation by both the FBI and IRS in connection with the remodeling of Ted Stevens' home in Girdwood, Alaska. This remodeling was actually supervised by VECO, and invoices for the work were first sent to VECO before being sent to the Senator. The remodeling done by VECO wasn't just a minor job, but actually doubled the size of the house to 2471 square feet, now valued at about $441,000...which seems awfully cheap to a New Yorker like me. Maybe I should be buying a home in Alaska!

Who paid for what aspects of the remodeling, why VECO, an oil services firm, was involved in the first place, and what they got in return are all under investigation. In July, 2007, the FBI and the IRS raided Stevens' house. Interestingly, this occurred soon after VECO execs Bill Allen and Rick Smith plead guilty in U.S. District Court in May, 2007. Did they rat out Ted Stevens, leading to the search of his remodeled house?

To quote the TPM Muckraker:

Here’s the straightforward arrangement: oil company decides to remodel senator's house, oil company finds contractor, contractor creates new first floor in senator's house, contractor sends invoices to oil company, oil company reviews bills, oil company faxes bills to senior senator, senior senator pulls cash from a special account set up specifically for the construction and pays contractor, senior senator never speaks to contractor. The arrangement looks fairly questionable on its face. And it looks even more questionable when you take Veco's track record into account. The person from Veco who hired Paone was Veco CEO Bill Allen. Allen happens to have just plead guilty this month to federal conspiracy and bribery charges for “giving things of value” to local lawmakers. In a court document accompanying his guilty plea, the Anchorage Daily News noticed a seemingly irrelevant description of what the company did not do while he was in charge: "Veco was not in the business of residential construction or remodeling." So far Stevens has refused to explain the arrangement. But it has piqued the FBI’s interest and investigators are looking into it.

Of the original 6 Alaska state lawmakers who had their legislative offices searched at the beginning of the whole scandal, only State Senator Don Olson (D-Nome) (the ONLY Democrat to have been investigated) has not been implicated in the scandal.

But the Republican VECO scandal doesn't stop there. In addition to one of its US Senators, Alaska's only Congressional Rep is ALSO implicated in the VECO scandal. Representative Don Young (R-AK) is under federal investigation for accepting bribes from VECO. Because of this, it seems Don Young must now spend much of his campaign money on legal feels. In 2007 alone, his legal fees reached $854,035. Note that Don Young's campaign could practically buy Ted Stevens's VECO remodelled house twice over with that money.

You can read more here, here and here.

So what's the bottom line for Alaska? Well, there is the embarrassment of being listed as one of the four most corrupt states in the country, along with Ohio, Kentucky and Missouri. But it also is spoiling the business climate in Alaska. At the end of 2007, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. decided not to bid for a contract working on a natural gas pipeline in Alaska, citing these scandals as one main reason. From Scripps News:

"As you are painfully aware the ongoing corruption investigations coupled with previous indictments, guilty pleas and convictions draw into question virtually every major Alaskan project participant and governmental levels from State to Federal," says the letter from MidAmerican CEO David Sokol. "Obviously your administration had no involvement in these previous shenanigans nor did we; however, you and we alone cannot develop the pipeline project through AGIA's expected process."

So Republican corruption is bad for business. And that is bad for Alaska and bad for America. Let's remember, Republican corruption is partly responsible for Democrats winning big in 2006 and 2007 in Ohio and Kentucky. Will Missouri and Alaska be the next states where Republican corruption is voted out of office? You can help out by donating here to turn Alaska blue.

Accusations of Electoral Fraud in NYC

Last week there was a diary at the top of the recommended list on Daily Kos citing voting problems in NYC with some accusations (in the commnets) that Hillary's people are disenfranchising black voters. A genuine red flag was raised when it was noticed that a heavily black election district in Harlem was recorded as having zero votes for Barack Obama. This is clearly unlikely and therefore genuinely raised people's concern. And it brings up several important issues regarding voting machines. But one thing this should NOT cause is accusations of fraud on the part of Clinton's campaign. From first hand experience, I can suggest that the problem was not an intentional undercount of Obama voters, but a maintenance problem with the voting machines used in NYC.

In NYC we use very old lever machines that record the votes using mechanical counters inside the machine. It is all mechanical with each vote for a candidate tuning a counter wheel inside by one digit. As long as these machines are properly set to zero before voting begins and the votes in the end are tallied in an open manner, and as long as the machines are not re-set before the vote is properly tallied, fraud can be avoided. Of course you can see how if an election board is corrupt there is room for fraud, but with bipartisan election boards and with a chance for any campaign or local political club to see the backs of the machines at the end of voting and record their own tally, the system seems pretty fair and open.

But there is one problem. The machines are very old and because it has been assumed for some time that they will eventually be replaced, they are not properly maintained. The mechanical wheels that record each vote are kind of sticky, so they don't always fully move to the next digit. I have seen this personally comparing tallies at the end of a primary election in 2006. If a wheel gets stuck going from 9 to 10 (or 19 to 20, or 29 t0 30, etc.) of from 99 to 100, someone looking at the back of the machine might either see it as 10 or zero (or 10 or 20, or...you get the idea). So it can happen that a tally gets undercounted by 10 or 100 votes simply because of the fact the machines are poorly maintained.

I first noticed this when I was looking in the back of a machine to get a tally for a friend running for office. I saw my count for him was 10 votes higher than the unofficial tally written down by the poll worker. I called him over and politely disagreed with his count. He was very nice about it, looked at the machine, and agreed with me, and changed his final tally.

The same night at the same polling place I noticed two other discrepancies between tallies another friend made and the tally made by the poll workers. This was after the machines were being sealed and the unofficial poll worker tallies finalized. In one case the poll worker recorded zero votes for Hillary running for Senate in one election district, and my friend had written down 100 votes. Once again the wheel was stuck between digits and one person interpreted it as zero votes, the other as 100 votes. Given that the people doing this are all tired after a long day, errors are bound to happen.

In theory all these machines are sealed at the end of election night, hauled to a warehouse and then later an official count is done. Presumably this official count is done far more carefully, though I have never been a witness to this so I can't vouch for it. Presumably any campaign can question tallies if their counts don't match the unofficial or official counts from the election boards. I welcome information on the final, official counting system.

So let's get back to the undercount in Harlem. The initial red flag of a district in Harlem having no votes for Obama in the unofficial tally by the poll worker is almost certainly due to this kind of mechanical problem leading someone to record what should have been 100 votes as zero votes. In theory it SHOULD be corrected when the official count is done. It is almost certain that Hillary Clinton had NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. People jumping to that conclusion are being way to quick to judge.

It also brings up questions about voting machines in general. Every system will have flaws. Every system will be open to some kind of fraud or another. The key is to have a system where fraud and errors CAN be detected and corrected.

Our lever machine in NYC, if the system is sufficiently transparent and monitored, and the machines were properly maintained, is a good one. The counts can be recorded by many people, both official poll workers and individual campaigns, newspapers, etc. before the machines are sealed. They are sealed in front of all these people then stored in a warehouse. Official counts are then made. Assuming these are properly done and monitored, and each campaign has a chance to check for discrepancies with the counts they made on election night, all will be well. The main problem is lack of maintenance.

PB/OS machines clearly have problems. Many of the problems in Ohio in 2004 were on PB/OS machines. But in the case of PB/OS machines there is still a paper ballot that can be recounted. There is a check on the official tallies if an election board handles the situation properly. The problem in Ohio was a corrupt election board dominated by one party, the Republicans. This meant that even court orders to check the counts were ignored by an election board that was partisan. New York has bipartisan election boards, so in theory we can avoid the fraud that probably took place in Ohio in 2004. Partisan election boards are also a problem in Florida. In 2004 Jimmy Carter's organization that monitors elections around the world and is highly respected around the world refused to monitor Florida's elections because they did not meet the minimum requirement for a fair election. The reason they did not qualify as a fair election was because they have a partisan election board. For PB/OS machines to be acceptable you need bipartisan (or maybe even multipartisan?) election boards and transparency. Maintenance will also, of course, be an issue.

Then we come to the DRE machines. These are the most flawed and unacceptable. Even with a good election board, you cannot have a fair election because there a.) is no paper trail, and b.) there is no transparency. With DRE machines it is all recorded digitally...even the tiny paper "receipts" that some machines give the voter are NOT an officially recognized paper trail. This means THERE CAN BE NO RECOUNT. There is no independent count for the vote that can be checked and compared like the lever machines in NYC or PB/OS machines have. Additionally there is no transparency. The software for doing the counts is owned by a company and that company keeps it secret. So no one knows what the machine does. If fraud were committed either by the company on behalf of a candidate they like or by a hacker, it could never be caught by the public. No paper trail...no recount...no independent check and balance...no transparency. These problems have led to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to recommend decertification of DRE machines. NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration that "promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life." The decision by NIST to recommend decertification should be definitive. When the techies tell you the technology is unacceptable, we should listen.

Every system will have flaws. But proper maintenance of machines, fair and bi- or multi-partisan election boards, a paper trail, good opportunities for recounts if desired, and full transparency are the way to avoid problems with elections. This is really very simple, yet it isn't being done. DRE machines are the worst possible solution because they lack a paper trail, good opportunities for recounts if desired, and full transparency. PB/OS and mechanical machines have problems, but at least they allow for all of the above criteria for a fair election.

So let's stop blaming Hillary Clinton for an Obama undercount in Harlem and instead take this chance to recognize what we really do need for fair elections.

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS: Peace Vigils, Groups and Events

Here are events and groups in NY State:

House Party for Steve Harrison for Congress (NY-13)
hosted by Daniel Millstone
Sun., Feb. 24, 2008
Donations greatly appreciated.
Location: 327 8th Avenue Apt 4A, New York, NY 10009
When: 2:00 PM
Tickets/More Info

Democratic Organization of County of Richmond Meeting
Steve Harrison Guest Speaker
Mon., Feb. 25, 2008
Location: The Corner House, 102 Lincoln Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10306
When: 8:00 PM
More Info

Big Kick off Fundraiser for Norm Siegel for Public Advocate
Monday, February 25th, 2008, 6pm to 8:30pm

Cafe Deville
103 Third Avenue (at 13th Street)
NYC

Let me just preface this with the comment that Joy Romanski, Marjorie Gersten and myself have already held a fundraiser for Norm Siegel...so maybe we should claim the Kick off fundraiser :-)

Norman Siegel is the ideal candidate for NYC Public Advocate. In essence he has been our public advocate for decades, having been head of the NY Civil Liberties Union, defending the rights of NYC protestors against the 2004 Republican Convention, defending the rights of Critical Mass bicyclists, fighting destruction of Harlem neighborhoods, etc.

You can read more about my impressions of Norman Siegel here.

And you can attend this big, big fundraiser and meet the man himself:

You are cordially invited to join State Senator Eric Adams, Sally Regenhard, Council Member Hiram Monserrate, Carmela Pickney and Ira Glaser in celebration of the 2009 candidacy of Norman Siegel for Public Advocate.

The 2008 Kick Off Fundraiser for Norman will be at Cafe Deville, located 103 Third Avenue (at 13th Street). Tickets range in price: $50 (Suggested Minimum), Advocate $100, Supporters $150, Sponsors $250, Patrons $500, Benefactors $1000, Angels $4950.

There will be performances by The Granny Peace Brigade and Laughing liberally. In addition, there will be a free buffet and Happy Hour drink prices. We hope you will attend and show your support for Norman's campaign to be the next New York City Public Advocate!!

Please RSVP: NYCNormanSiegel.com or call Theresa at 212-448-6271. You may pay at the door or go to www.normansiegel.com and pay with a credit card.

House Party for Steve Harrison for Congress (NY-13)
Wed., Feb. 27, 2008
Fundraiser Suggested Donations $100-$2300
Hosted by Lewis Cohen. Honorary host Gloria Steinem. Special Guest Frank Barbaro.
Location: Social Bar and Grill, 795 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
When: 6:30 PM
Tickets/More Info

Schenectady: Counter-recruitment leafleting of high school
"Truth in Recruitment"

On the second and forth Monday of every month 1:50pm to 2:20pm, counter-recruitment literature is handed-out to the students at Schenectady High School.

Location:
Schenectady High School
1445 The Plaza
Schenectady, NY 12308

Contact: Elizabeth at 518 374-2949 for confirmation or further directions.

Sponsored by: Schenectady Neighbors for Peace, a branch of Peace Action

Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference
April 17th-18th

http://www.globalmarinerenewable.com

New York, New York
Millennium Broadway Hotel

The Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference will convene international and U.S.-based leaders and innovators to exchange the latest information on marine renewable energy. Speakers include experts from the IEA-OES, U.S. federal and state government leaders, and other recognized industry representatives on the cutting-edge of this growing business area.

Don't miss cutting-edge dialogue on:

- The performance results of marine renewable technology demonstrations
- Evolution of permitting (consent processes) and siting in various countries
- The most effective financing instruments and public subsidies
- Understanding and mitigating potential environmental risks and future studies

Explore and exchange knowledge on best practices from international experts, including our moderators and keynote speakers:

- Dr. Dan Arvizu, Director, U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Technology Laboratory
- Dr. Robert Thresher, Director, National Wind Technology Center, U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Robert LaBelle, Director, Department of Interior’s Mineral Management Service
- Roger Bedard, Ocean Energy Leader, Electric Power Research Institute
- Gouri Bhuyan, Chairman of the IEA-OES and Principle Advisor, Alternative Energy, Powertech Labs Inc.
- Ed Feo, Millbank and Tweed
- Michael O’Connell, Stoel Rivers, LLP
- Matt Simmons, Chairman, Simmons & Company International

Panelists on our Executive Overview panel include:

- George Hagerman, Virginia Tech
- Keith Martin, Chadbourne & Park
- Carolyn Elefant, OREC
- Bonnie Ram, Energetics Incorporated

Visit our website for more information: www.globalmarinerenewable.com
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact: CS@energetics.com

Phillipstown for Democracy Demonstration against the War in Iraq
Every Saturday at the intersection of Route 9 and 9D from 12-2. For information contact Connie Hogart at conart1_at_optonline.net

Mountaintop to Tap Exhibit Reception at the Queens Museum of Art
Friday, May 16
Mountaintop to Tap exhibit reception at the Queens Museum of Art in Flushing Meadows Park: http://www.queensmuseum.org/
The exhibit will be in the space with the Panorama.

Film Screening - Flow for the Love of Water
April 17, 2008

Screening of a new Sundance documentary
Flow for the Love of Water
The Linda at Quail and Central, Albany, NY
http://flowthefilm.com/

There will be panel discussion following the screening.

Riverkeeper Honors Patty Smyth McEnroe and John McEnroe
Tuesday, May 13th
Cocktails 6:30 PM
Dinner 7:30 PM

This year Riverkeeper proudly honors Patty Smyth McEnroe and John McEnroe at our Annual Dinner on the Hudson at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers.

For more information, please contact Teresa Walsh at Riverkeeper
(914) 478-4501, ext. 243


Here is a list of weekly Peace Vigils around NY State:

Cobleskill: Vigil for peace
Weekly vigil for peace, every Saturday 11:00am to 12:00pm.

Location:
Main and Union Streets
Cobleskill, NY 12043

Contact: 518-287-1771

Sponsored by: Peacemakers of Schoharie County

Marbletown: Peace vigil
A peace vigil held every Saturday from at least 11:00am to noon, held by an assortment of local people.

Location:
Southernmost intersection of Route 213 & Route 209 (the one with the stop light)
Marbletown/Stone Ridge, NY 12484

In the event that the community has another pre-arranged event scheduled for this intersection on a given Saturday, the vigil will move on that day to the front of the Stone Ridge Town Hall, south on route 209.

Contact: 845 687-9591

Saratoga Springs: Peace vigil
A peace vigil every Saturday 11:00am to 12:00pm. in front of the Post Office.

From the organizer: "Please keep the crosswalks clear and be the peace you want in the world. Many among us will be making signs with positive messages reflecting our hopes or our concerns for the future. Our goal is to: Support the United Nations in promoting peace; Encourage people to consider effective alternatives to war; Empower people to express their views to their elected officials."

Location:
outside the Post Office
Broadway and Church Street
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Contact: Jim at 518-583-7501.

Sponsored by: Saratoga Peace Alliance (SPA)

Saugerties: Vigil for Peace
A weekly peace vigil every Saturday 11:00am to 12:00pm. All are welcome.

From the organizers: "End the War. Bring the Troops Home Now. Fund Education, Healthcare, and Housing... Not War. Join us for an hour, or a few minutes. Bring a neighbor. Let our voices be heard."

Location:
Corner of Market and Main Streets
Saugerties, NY 12477

Contact: 845 246-3449.

Sponsored by: Saugerties Committee for Peace and Social Justice

Wappingers Falls: Weekly peace vigil
A long standing peace vigil happening every Saturday 11:00am to 12:00pm. Pete Seeger attends when he can [cool!!], and the group usually ends singing a song.

Location:
On the grassy knoll
Intersection of Routes 9 & 9D
(near the South Hills Mall)
Wappingers Falls, NY 12601

Contact: 845 838-1277.

New Paltz: Women in Black peace vigil
A peace vigil occurring every Saturday 12:30pm to 1:30pm.

From the organizers:
"Women in Black has been standing for an end to war and violence in all its forms for over 5 years. We wear black in resistance and mourning for all the senseless killing. We are silent because words cannot express the tragedy of war. Please join us. Men are welcome."

Location:
In front of the Elting Library
Corner of Main St and North Front Street
New Paltz, NY 12561

Sponsored by: Women in Black of New Paltz

Woodstock: Women in Black peace vigil
A silent vigil for peace every Sunday 1:00pm to 2:00pm, throughout the year.

The group seeks "non-violent solutions to world problems, and stands for peace and social justice.

It is suggest that participants wear black clothing if possible. Signs are available.

Men are welcome, as well.

Location:
Woodstock Village Green
Rt. 212 / Tinker St / Mill Hill Rd
Woodstock, NY 12498

Contact: Jane at 845 679-7502.

Sponsored by: Woodstock Women in Black

Delmar: Weekly peace vigil
Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace hold these weekly vigils every Monday 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

From the organizers:: "Please join us in taking a stand against the war! Even if you can only stop by for a few minutes, your presence helps make a difference. Those of us who regularly attend the vigil enjoy sharing news and community with each other, and the encouraging honks and support from many drivers. Among other purposes, this weekly vigil serves as a regular reminder to hundreds of people in our community (those driving or walking by) of our viewpoints, issues and information - something they rarely see in the media. Bring a sign or borrow one of our extras. Join us!"

Location:
Four Corners
Delaware Ave at Kenwood Ave
Delmar, NY 12054

Sponsored by: Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace.

Troy: Peace vigil
A vigil for peace, held on the first Monday of the month 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

Located on Hoosick St, one of the busiest corridors in the Capital District.

Location:
110 Hoosick St (at 10th St)
Troy, NY 12180

Contact: 518 272-1318.

Sponsored by: Troy Neighbors for Peace

Guilderland: Weekly peace vigil
A weekly Monday vigil 5:00pm to 6:00pm, with participants holding signs and making a peaceful presence known.

Attendees are asked to bring their own signs.

From the organizers: "A dedicated group of people have been meeting every Monday during rush hour at the corners of Route 20 (Western Avenue) and Route 155. The positive response from commuters has been tremendous! Several new members have joined as a result of passing by our vigil."

Location:
Routes 155 and 20, northeast corner
(New Karner Rd and Western Ave)
Guilderland, NY 12084

Contact: 518 464-6788.

Sponsored by: Guilderland Neighbors For Peace


DEMOCRACY FOR NYC MEETINGS:
First Wednesday of every month

Upper West Side, The Parlour, 250 West 86th(btwn Broadway & West End), with host Merle McEldowney,7pm

West Village, Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St. (near 7thAve.) with host Abhishek Mistry,7pm

Astoria, Queens, at Sanford Diner, 30-13 Broadway, with hosts Costa Constantinides and Jeremiah Frei-Pearson.Note: this Linkup will begin at 7:30.

Sunnyside, Queens, at The Grind, 39-24 Queens Blvd. in the back room, with host Dan Jacoby. Note: this Linkup will begin at 7:30.

Bayside, Queens, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics, 7pm

Park Slope, Brooklyn, Ozzies, 249 Fifth Avenue with host Josh Skaller, 7pm

Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Wycoff Bennett Homestead, 1669East 22nd Street, 7pm with host Annette Mont


DRINKING LIBERALLY MEETINGS IN NY STATE:

Clifton Park, New York
* First Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Old Dublin Inn, 130 Meyer Rd (Google maps is wrong, please contact me for directions.)
* Hosted by Chris Selkirk, cliftonpark (at) drinkingliberally.org

Ithaca, New York
* Every Wednesday, 6:30 pm onward
* Felicia's Atomic Lounge, 508 W State St
* Hosted by Joseph Cannon Murtagh, ithaca (at) drinkingliberally.org


New York City, New York:

The Original Drinking Liberally
* Every Thursday, 7:30 pm onward
* Rudy's, 627 9th Ave (between 44th and 45th)
* In the backyard, weather permitting
* Hosted by Justin Krebs, Matthew O'Neill and Katrina Baker, nyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Drinking Liberally Steps Out
* Third Tuesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* XES Lounge, 157 W 24th St (@ 7th Avenue)
* In conjunction with the Stonewall Democrats of New York City www.sdnyc.org.
* Hosted by Matthew Carlin and Greg Rae, outnyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Harlem
* Second Wednesday of each month), 6:30 pm onward
* Soundz Lounge, 3155 Broadway (between 123rd and 124th)
* Hosted by Yolanda (Shoshi) Shoshana, harlem (at) drinkingliberally.org

Park Slope
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:30-10:00 pm
* Commonwealth, 497 5th Ave (at 12th Street)
* Hosted by Anthony Accurso, Emilie Harkin and Emily Farris, parkslope (at) drinkingliberally.org

Queens
* Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102 (group of young liberals taking up one lane)
* Hosted by Donald Graff, queens (at) drinkingliberally.org

Upper East Side
* Last Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Doc Watson's, 1490 2nd Ave (at 77th)
* Hosted by Matthew Bachiochi, ues (at) drinkingliberally.org

West Bronx
* First and third Friday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* An Beal Bocht, 445 W 238th St (between Waldo and Greystone)
* 1 to 238th, turn left, straight on 238th, just past the top of the stairs
* Hosted by Jamin Sewell and Scott Kennedy, westbronx (at) drinkingliberally.org

Rochester, New York
* Every Thursday, 8:00-10:00 pm
* Monty's Korner, 355 East Ave
* Hosted by Tom Tucker and Tracy Logan, rochester (at) drinkingliberally.org

And then we have: Shooting Liberally
Tuesday, Feb 19
From your friends at Drinking Liberally comes the debut of SHOOTING LIBERALLY...

For the First Amendment enthusiast ready to move on to the Second. A social evening at the gun range including training & weapon rental.

For more info and to reserve your spot, contact: Stanley Sherman - maskarts (at) worldnet.att.net

NEW JERSEY FOCUS: Blue Radio, Peace Rallies, Impeachment, Groups and Events

Every Saturday Morning: Blue Jersey Radio
Saturdays 10:30 - 11:00

Listen Live every Saturday morning from 10:30a-11:00a - or download the podcast anytime to listen to the latest hot topics, gossip and opinion on New Jersey politics with hosts Jeff Gardner and Jay Lassiter.

Click here to listen!

WEEKLY JERSEY CITY ANTI-WAR RALLY
Sundays 12noon-1pm
Jersey City Peace Movement is calling for an ANTI-WAR Vigil and Flyering from
12 noon till 1pm
at Journal Square's Fountain.





Starting SUNDAY, JANUARY 7th, 2007
(and continuing EVERY SUNDAY after)
Jersey City Peace Movement is calling for an ANTI-WAR Vigil and Flyering
from 12 noon till 1pm at JOURNAL SQUARE's PATH STATION at the FOUNTAIN
on Kennedy Blvd.

(Take PATH train from NYC to Journal Square)

EVERYONE can give ONLY 1 hour for peace and justice!

Bring PEACE posters, buttons and a friend!
Bring flyers from YOUR peace and justice organization!

Spread the Word!

Weekly Impeachment Rally in Butler City:
Support your country 4:30-6:30 p.m. every Monday on Highway 23 North in Butler!
Bring your HONK 2 IMPEACH! signs and flags to the Butler footbridge that spans over Highway 23. We display our signs and flags from the footbridge and along the highway. Be sure to bring water and a sun hat! Directions are easy: click Intersection of Cascade Way & State Rte. 23 North, Butler, NJ 07405. When you approach driving northbound, there will be a traffic light with Cascade Way on the southbound side of the highway. Be in the right lane, go through the intersection and turn right immediately into a small parking area. There's a safe grassy place where we can stand along the highway, in addition to the footbridge where we hang our huge sign. We don't show when it rains. See YOU Monday afternoon! Contact Vigil Organizer


Here are a few upcoming events in New Jersey:

SOUTH JERSEY: MONTHLY ACTIVISM ORGANIZING MEETING
Tuesday FEB 27th at 7:30 pm. Joint Event/Meeting with Progressive Democrats of South Jersey and Democracy For America
Location: Hadden Twnshp Branch Library. 15 MacArthur Blvd, Westmonth, NJ 08108.

South Jersey: CITIZENS EMPOWERMENT TRAINING
Saturday March 10th from 10:30 - 12:30. FREE.
Learn how to run for a local committee seat to represent your neighborhood!
Please RSVP here or email : roses4joanne_at_snip.net

Reversing Environmental Damage and Improving Public Health with the Precautionary Principle
March 3rd, 9 AM until 4:45 PM

A Conference Presented By The Environmental Education Fund
The Environmental Studies Program of Seton Hall University
with support from The Science and Environmental Health Network

Seton Hall University
400 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, NJ 07079

Main Lounge: University Center
For more info and agenda, click here.


New Jersey for Democracy:
Here are the local Democracy for America groups in New Jersey:

North Jersey -

Bergen County
Ethical Culture Society
687 Larch Ave
Teaneck, NJ 07666
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/bergen

Essex County
Cryan's Beef & Ale House
24 First Street
South Orange, NJ 07079
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/essex

Hudson County
The Hard Grove Cafe
319 Grove St.
Jersey City, NJ 07302
201-451-1853
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/hudson
(First Wednesday of the Month, 7:30pm)

Morris County
Morris County Democratic Headquarters
11 Washington St
Morristown, NJ 07960
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/morris

Passaic County
Puzo's Restaurant (Upstairs)
4 Garfield Ave.
Hawthorne, NJ 07506
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/passaic
(First Thursday of the Month)

Union County
Rockin Joe Cafe
20 Prospect Street
Westfield, NJ 07090
908-232-1660
RSVP at Union Meetup

Warren County
MS Health Software Corp
605 Grand Ave.
Hackettstown, NJ
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/nwnj

Central Jersey -

Hunterdon County
Friendly Grounds Coffee
36 Mine St.
Flemington, NJ
908-788-8983
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/hunterdon

Mercer County
Carl A Fields Center
86 Olden Street
(Corner of Olden St and Prospect Ave on Princeton Univ campus)
Princeton, NJ
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/mercercounty
(please check DFA-Link for schedule)

Middlesex County
Panera Bread
1551 Route 1 South
Edison, NJ 08837
(732) 516-1611
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/middlesexNJ

Monmouth County
Racioppi's Kitchen
107 Oakland St. (at the train station at Bridge Ave.)
Red Bank, NJ
(917) 863-2408
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/monmouth

Somerset County
Somerset County Complex
40 North Bridge St. (off of High)
Somerville, NJ
RSVP at Somerset Meetup
(Second or Third Tuesday of the Month)

South Jersey -

Camden County
Haddon Township Library
15 MacArthur Blvd
Westmont, NJ 08108
856-854-2752
RSVP at Progressive Democracy South Jersey
4th Tues. of month

Gloucester County
RSVP at Democracy for Gloucester County
(Please check DFA-Link for date & location)

Ocean County
Joshua Huddy Brew Pub and Grill
1250 Hooper Ave.
Toms River
RSVP at www.dfalink.com/oceancounty
(First Tuesday of the Month)

Cape May County Federation of Democratic Women Meeting
Sam DiVico Senior Center
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
Join the Cape May County Federation of Democratic Women to discuss important local, state and federal issues. All are encouraged to join!

2nd Thursday of every month.
7:00pm
Sam DiVico Senior Center
Romney Place
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210

For more information, please contact:
Virginia Hesel
609-884-5848

Drinking Liberally:

For the more social and fun-oriented (and booze oriented), there's Drinking Liberally. Here are the New Jersey Drinking Liberally Chapters:

Hillsborough, New Jersey
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 8:00 pm onward
* Petrock's Bar and Grill, 419 Amwell Rd (at Amwell and 206)
* Hosted by Matthew Dawson, hillsborough (at) drinkingliberally.org

Montclair, New Jersey
* Second Thursday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Just Jake's, 30 Park Street (b/t Bloomfield & Claremont)
* We meet in the REAR DINING ROOM. Turn left after entering, go past the juke box, bar and W.C.
* Ample parking in municipal lot next to Just Jake's (free after 7 pm)
* ** Mtclair DL ON THE ROAD, TUES, NOV 13, from 8PM at PAUL'S BAR & BOWLING, 377 CROOKS AVE, PATERSON, NJ (973) 278-1982 http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=10780514 **THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL MEETING, WE STILL HAVE OUR USUAL 2nd THURSDAY
* Hosted by Kevin Kelly and Dan Evans Farkas, montclair (at) drinkingliberally.org

Morristown
* Third Thursday of each month, 8:00 pm onwards
* Hennessey's Tavern, 140 Morris St (Corner of Elm & Morris, next to the train station)
* There's plenty of public parking behind train station or on Elm Street.
* Come on by & raise a pint with other fun loving local progressive's! Hope to see you there...
* Hosted by Jim Long, Chip Robinson, David Cochran and Linda Humphries, morristown (at) drinkingliberally.org


Dover
* First Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The Hop, 14 N Morris St
* Hosted by Jim Long, Chip Robinson, Dave Cochran and Linda Humphries, dovernj (at) drinkingliberally.org

New Brunswick, New Jersey
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Doll's Place, 101 Paterson St (corner of Paterson & Joyce Kilmer)
* Hosted by Bob Scardapane and Chris Swasey, newbrunswick (at) drinkingliberally.org

Pennsauken, New Jersey
* First and third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Kings Row Sports Bar and Billiards, 6030 S Crescent Blvd (Route 130 N)
* Hosted by Art Williams and Denise Williams, pennsauken (at) drinkingliberally.org

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

TEXAS FOCUS: Alternative Energy, Rick Noriega for Senate, Groups and Events

Here is a special Democratic Presidential Fundraiser in Dallas:

Presidential Fundraising Party for the Democratic presidential candidates
March 2nd, 2008, 7:00PM - 10:00PM
Adolphus Hotel
1321 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas

Proceeds go to their campaigns.
Sign up and help us take over the White House in November!
For more info contact March-on.org


Now some events for Rick Noriega's run for Senate:

Meet Rick Noriega, candidate for Texas Senate:

Rick to attend Meet Up
Fort Sam Houston 01/27/08, 3pm
Location: 1804 E Walters St, Off IH35 and Walters St, near Fort Sam Houston

Corpus Christi: breakfast with state representatives
Corpus Christi 01/28/08, 7:30am
Where: Executive Surf Club, 309 Water St.

Robstown: coffee and doughnuts
Robstown 1/28/08, 9:30am
Where: Nueces County -- Oak Pavilion, 415 Mainor Rd.

McAllen: State of the Union Rally McAllen 01/28/08, 6pm
Location: Cine el Rey, 311 S 17th St.

Weslaco: meet with local veterans Weslaco 01/29/08, 10am
Location: Weslaco City Hall, 255 S Kansas Ave.

Edinburg: lunch meet w/local leaders Edinburg 01/29/08, 12pm
Location: The Social Club, 205 Conquest Blvd.

Zapata: rally with local citizens Zapata 01/29/08, 5:30pm
Location: Holiday Inn Express, 1675 S US Highway

Laredo: meet and greet and GOTV event Laredo 01/29/08, 7:30pm
Location: Phillip V Room, La Posada Hotel, 1000 Zaragosa St.

Eagle Pass: breakfast, meet with local citizens Eagle Pass 01/30/08, 8:30am
Location: Cactus Steak House, 1916 E Main St., Eagle Pass

Del Rio: meet with local citizens Del Rio 01/30/08, 10:30am
Location: Falcon International Bank, 504 S Main St.

Uvalde: meet with local citizens Uvalde 01/30/08, 12:30pm
Location: Uvalde County Courthouse

Hondo: meet with veterans and local citizens Hondo 01/30/08, 3:30pm
Location: Medina County courthouse steps

San Antonio: Bexar County headquarters grand opening San Antonio 01/30/08, 6pm
Location: Noriega Campaign Headquarters, 7121 New Highway 90, Ste. 214

Here are some alternative energy related events coming up in Texas:

COOL HOUSE TOUR 2008
Sunday, June 22nd, noon to 6 p.m.
Austin, Texas

Talk to the owners, architects, builders and installers

You will see homes ranging from the affordable to high-end luxury, featuring:
* Solar electric (PV)
* Climate responsive design, for comfort and energy efficiency
* Green building materials and concepts
* Pleasing landscapes that save water
* Rainwater collection systems

Visit open houses featuring energy efficient and environmentally sound design and construction…in very cool houses!
How to take the tour: A Guidebook to the locations serves as your ticket and provides directions. Each site has a full page devoted to its significant features and sustainable highlights, along with a photo, so you can choose what you want to see and go at your own pace. Plot your personal tour from the map and directions in the Guidebook.

For more info email: info@txses.org

Windpower 2008 Conference & Exhibition
WINDPOWER 2008 Conference & Exhibition will be held June 1 - 4, 2008 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

EXHIBITION
The Exhibiton at WINDPOWER 2008 will be an impressive display from close to 500 of the leading companies from all facets of the wind energy industry. Exhibitor reservations are currently being accepted - book now to ensure a prime location!

CONFERENCE PROGRAM
The WINDPOWER conference program includes 300 speakers and moderators, 150 poster presentations, and over 50 sessions on leading wind energy topics organized into tracks with policy, business, and technical focuses. There is no better place to learn the latest industry developments and new technology than WINDPOWER 2008. Attendees can also participate in several day-long pre-conference seminars for more in-depth education on various topics. The Call for Papers will be available in the summer of 2007 for anyone interested in becoming a speaker or poster presenter at WINDPOWER 2008. For more information, contact Sakura Emerine at semerine@awea.org or (202) 383-2540.

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Whether you are an industry veteran, or a newcomer to this exciting field, interaction with over 7,000 wind energy professionals is key to advancing your business interests. With various receptions, a conference dinner, and numerous meal functions included in the conference schedule, you are sure to catch up with existing colleagues and make many new contacts.


And here are some political meetings:

Fundraiser Benefitting Iraq Veterans Against War
Feb 24 2008 - 3:00pm

Body:
Join us for a Peaceful afternoon of inspiring speakers, open discussion, a little poetry and great music. Two Texans will share their stories of transformation from Warriors to Conscientious Objectors.

Hart Viges was raised in West Texas, graduated from San Angelo High in 1994, and joined the Army after 9/11. He served in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne and was awarded an Honorable Discharge in Dec. 2004 as a CO. Hart resides in Austin and is active in counter-recruitment & the GI Rights Hotline. He is currently working on HR 1921 - Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act - a bill that would extend one's CO status to the taxes one pays and their use.

Doug Zachary was raised in Buckner Baptist Home in Dallas, joined the Marines in 1968 and received CO discharge in 1970. He has spent his life working for peace & justice issues. He is also founder of Austin Living Wage Coalition and Austin - Tan Cerca de la Frontera and is currently working for the national office of Veterans for Peace.

Bob and Sally Ackerman will perform.

Location
Poor David's Pub
1313 S. Lamar St
Dallas, TX

Dallas Area Christian Progressive Alliance Meeting
Mar 8 2008 - 2:00pm

Body:
This group is dedicated to living the radical love, compassion and justice of Jesus and promoting these values in religious and public discourse and policy. For more information, go to www.matthew-25.org/.

Location
Northaven United Methodist Church
11211 Preston Rd.
Dallas, TX

Plano Democrats Fellowship Gathering
Friday, April 11, 18:30
Where: TBA - Plano TX 75074
For more info: office@collindems.us
Join area Democrats for an evening of conversation, food, and friendship


Here are the Texas Drinking Liberally groups for those who like to socialize with fellow Liberals:

Austin, Texas
* Every Tuesday, 6:30 pm onward
* The Dog and Duck Pub, 406 W 17th St (at Guadalupe)
* Hosted by Ben Andrews, austin (at) drinkingliberally.org

Corpus Christi, Texas
* Third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Cassidy's Irish Pub, 601 N Water St
* Hosted by Teresa Klein and Jim Klein, corpuschristi (at) drinkingliberally.org


Dallas
* Second Friday of each month, 6:00 pm onward
* The Stoneleigh P, 2926 Maple Ave (at Wolf across from the historic Stoneleigh Hotel)
* Check out our blog for announcements of Eating Liberally, Screening Liberally, Drinking Coffee Liberally and other nonsmoker-friendly gatherings. Also, please "friend" us at MySpace.com/DallasDrinkingLiberally.
* Hosted by Melissa Morgan, dallas (at) drinkingliberally.org

Addison
* Third Thursday of each month, 6pm until 8pm
* The Quarter, 15201 Addison Rd (next to Sambuca)
* http://www.myspace.com/addisondl
* There is road construction! However, Addison Rd is now re-opened in both directions for the time being.
* Hosted by John McClelland and Erica Stockbridge, addison (at) drinkingliberally.org

Mid-Cities
* First and third Wednesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward
* Esparza's Tequila Factory and Grill, 3314 Harwood Rd, Bedford
* Hosted by Kathleen Thompson and Todd Hill, midcities (at) drinkingliberally.org


El Paso, Texas
* Third Tuesday of each month, 6:00 pm to 8:00pm
* Hemmingways, 214 Cincinnati Ave
* Hosted by Michael Apodaca and Lily Ruiz, elpaso (at) drinkingliberally.org

Houston, Texas
* First Thursday of each month, 7 PM onward
* Dog House Tavern, 2517 Bagby St
* TRYING SOMETHING NEW. GOING TO MEET 1ST THURS FOR A FEW MONTHS.
* Visit or post on the Houston forum: http://drinkingliberally.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=6
* Hosted by David Robertson, houston (at) drinkingliberally.org


New Braunfels, Texas
* Third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The Black Whale, On the Plaza in Downtown New Braunfels
* Hosted by Steve Woolbert and Greg Woodall, newbraunfels (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Antonio, Texas
* Second and fourth Thursday of each month, 6:00 pm onward
* The Cove, 606 W Cypress St (The Cove is located just west of San Pedro, where Cypress runs into Fredericksburg.)
* Hosted by Bill Livermore, Livi Bogrand and Ned Allen, sanantonio (at) drinkingliberally.org

Waxahachie, Texas
* Every Thursday, 6:30 pm
* Library Lounge, downstairs in the Rogers Hotel, 100 E Main St (Take the elevator or stairs from lobby)
* Location changes from time to time. Be on the email for updates!
* Food available; no smoking. Conversation-friendly environment!
* Hosted by Nathalie Guyol, waxahachie (at) drinkingliberally.org

ALASKA FOCUS: Groups and Events

Starting to make some connections in Alaska...so, here are some groups and events for readers in Alaska

Alaskans for "Alternative Energy" Official First Meeting
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Anchorage, Sign Up to find out where.

Who should come: Everyone wanting to discuss what is going on with Alternative energy and how it apply's to Alaska...

You will like this group, this will be our first meeting, it will be short but sweet... I do not want to sit around all night and waste time.. We will get some talk going then hold off until March.

Interior Democrats Monthly Meeting

When: Wednesday, February 27th 2008, at 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Where: Interior Democrats Headquarters
507 Gaffney Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701

Host: Interior Democrats
Contact: davidwvalentine_at_yahoo.com
Info: Interior Democrats meet regularly at 6:30 pm on the 4th Wednesday of every month at our new headquarters at 507 Gaffney Street (the Stone Soup Community Center building).

All interested persons are invited.

VETERANS FOR PEACE Chapter 100, Juneau, Alaska
*Weekly Peace Vigil
3rd & Seward Streets
Thursdays 12-1 p.m.

Honor the dead and protest the Iraq War & Occupation.

*Meeting Second Thursday of Each Month
We meet on the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at Northern Light United Church, 400 11th Street, Juneau, AK. These meetings are usually over by 7:00 or 7:30 p.m.

*Meeting Third Saturday of Each Month
We also meet on the third Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. at The Back Room, silverbow Inn-Bakery, 120 2nd Street, Juneau, AK.
These meetings are usually over by 10:00 a.m.

Prospective members and guests are welcome to attend.

*Also Listen each month to "Peace Talk" Radio
every 3rd Monday
7 - 8 p.m. Alaska Time
KTOO NEWS 104.5 FM
www.ktoo.org

One hour of interviews & news on issues of war and peace, hosted by Phil Smith,
VFP Chapter 100 President

Interior Democrats Monthly Meeting
When: 4th Wednesday of every month, at 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Where: Interior Democrats Headquarters
507 Gaffney Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701

Host: Interior Democrats
Contact: davidwvalentine_at_yahoo.com
Info: Interior Democrats meet regularly at 6:30 pm on the 4th Wednesday of every month at our new headquarters at 507 Gaffney Street (the Stone Soup Community Center building).

All interested persons are invited.


For a more social environment, here are Drinking Liberally events in Alaska:

Anchorage, Alaska
* Third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Inlet Tower, 1200 L St (Inside Mixx Grill)
* Hosted by Ruthie Kreuzer and Carly Horton, anchorage (at) drinkingliberally.org

Fairbanks, Alaska
* First and third Wednesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward
* We are now meeting Twice a month.
* First week of the month will be at varying restaurants around town and we'll meet at the PUB on UAF's campus every third Wed of the month
* Also, EVERY Sunday we meet for coffee at ACRC at 10:30am
* Hosted by Michael Wenstrup and David Valentine, fairbanks (at) drinkingliberally.org

VIRGINIA FOCUS: Impeachment, Groups and Events

Let's start with a weekly impeachment related events:

Honk to Impeach Bush and Cheney to End the War Every Friday at noon in front of Rep. Bobby Scott's office building at the corner of E. Clay Street and N. 2nd Street-
Address:
501 N. 2nd Street
Richmond, VA 23219-1321
Come by and HONK LOUDLY!!!
http://www.myspace.com/rva4peace


Now some other groups and events:

Monthly Interfaith Pray for Peace Gathering
Final Thursday of evern month, 7:15pm

Location: Sojourners UCC Church, 1017 Elliott Ave, Charlottesville
Sponser: Interfaith Cooperation Circle of Central Virginia-URI; Gesher Center; Unity Church

Description:
On the final Thursday of every month, the Interfaith Pray for Peace Gathering welcomes people of all faiths, backgrounds, and beliefs to an inspired and inspiring flow of prayers, meditations and songs for peace.

Contact Name: Heena Reiter
Contact email: gesher_at_mindspring.com
Contact Phone: 434-970-7836

Fauquier Democrats Monthly Meeting
Third Tuesday of Each Month, 7:30 pm

Warren Green Building
10 Hotel Street
Old Town, Warrenton

Blue Mondays With the Stafford County Democrats
Every Monday evening at 5 PM
King Street Blues Restaurant
Casual get-together of like minded Democratic Activist
For more info contact: jac_at_j2power.com

Democracy for Virginia:
Here are the local Democracy for America chapters in Virginia. Click on the link for more info:

* Arlington for Democracy (may be dormant...you can go here to contact the organizers and get more up to date info)

* Roanoke DFA

* Tidewater for Democracy

* Virginia Grassroots Coalition (may be dormant...you can contact them here for more info: info@vagrassroots.org)

Drinking Liberally:
For the more social and fun-oriented (and booze oriented), there's Drinking Liberally. Here are the Virginia Drinking Liberally Chapters:

Alexandria/Springfield, Virginia
* Second Thursday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* King Street Blues, 5810 Kingstowne Center Drive, Alexandria (Corner of Kingstowne Blvd and Van Dorn Street)
* Hosted by Brian Murray and Mike Sizemore, alexandria (at) drinkingliberally.org

Arlington, Virginia
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
* Capitol City Brewing Company, 2700 S Quincy St
* We're usually in the back room at Cap City; check with the host station if you don't see us there!
* "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world" - Margaret Mead
* Hosted by David Swim, Quinn Jones, Michelle Elliott and Bev Wright, arlington (at) drinkingliberally.org

Charlottesville, Virginia
* Every Thursday, 6:00 pm onward
* South Street Brewery, 106 W South St
* Hosted by Chris Dumler and Clare Wuerker, charlottesville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Lorton, Virginia
* First and third Friday of each month, 6pm to 8 or 9
* Glory Days Grill, 9459 Lorton Market St
* First hour of the gathering is part of happy hour
* Hosted by Alan Salisbury and Chris Ambrose, lorton (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 Tom Mitchell and Vivian Paige, norfolk (at) drinkingliberally.org

Richmond, Virginia
* Every other Wednesday, 7:00 pm onward
* Chiocca's Downstairs, 425 N Belmont Ave (Museum District - corner of Kensington & Belmont)
* Come join us for brews & news!
* Hosted by Morgan Bailey and John Manall, richmond (at) drinkingliberally.org

Virginia Beach, Virginia
* First Friday of each month, 7:00 PM
* Studio For The Healing Arts, 1611 Colley Ave # D, Norfolk, VA, Norfolk (One block from the Naro theater)
* Zeitgeist the Movie, DVD Door Prize
* http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Virginia9-11Truth/ http://vbdems.org
* One block from the Naro theater in Ghent
* Hosted by Chris Jaramillo and Eileen Levandoski, vabeach (at) drinkingliberally.org

FLORIDA FOCUS: Christine Jennings, Groups and Events

Here are some Florida groups, events and chances to help out some good candidates.

FL House Dist. 32 SPECIAL ELECTION-VOTE TODAY 7:00AM - 7:00PM

Description: TODAY is special election to replace State Sen. Bob Allen in Florida House of Representatives District 32, north and central Brevard.

VOTE TODAY!

Sierra Club has endorsed TONY SASSO (D) for this seat, as representative best able to represent Space Coast residents' desire for growth management and preservation.
Event link: www.brevardelections.org/s128info.htm


Peace Vigil West New Haven 5:00PM - 6:30PM
Description: Repeating event - First Wednesday of the month at the "Peace Corner" 1700 West New Haven (just west of the Melbourne Square Mall). Signs provided or bring your own. Please bring nonperishable food items for "Food Not Bombs". Food is distributed to local families in need.

More info 321-720-3520 or vimpoco@cfl.rr.com
Organization: Patriots For Peace

Weekly Peace Vigil in Homosassa
Every Tuesday, 4:00 PM
Meet at Hardee's at Route 19 & Hall's River Road - Homosassa

Call Ed Murphy 382-0876 for more info

Weekly Peace Vigil in Inverness
Every Thursday, 5:00 PM
Old Citrus Courthouse

Call Beverly at 400-4174 for more info

Planned Parenthood Mixer
Join us at On Tapp Lounge for our monthly mixer with Planned Parenthood. On Tapp is located on New Haven Haven just before you go over the Melbourne Causeway on the left side.

We meet at 5:30 pm the 4th Tuesday of every month. Brevard NOW and Planned Parenthood will celebrate the 35th anniversary of Roe v Wade and discuss the 2008 plans for both our organization. For more info, please call Michele Paccione/President at 480-9295 or e-mail at shellymk1@aol.com
Organization: Brevard NOW
Event link: www.myspace.com/brevardnow

Sumter County Democratic Club
P.O. Box 1066 Wildwood, FL 34785
General Meeting at 7:00 p.m. on the 2nd Thursday of every month Sumterville Community Center

Tri-County Women's Democratic Club
General Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on the 1st Monday of every month at the Sumter County Sheriff's Annex on Highway 466 @ Morse Boulevard.

Charlotte County Democrats meeting
The Charlotte County Democratic Club meets on the second Saturday of every month. Please join us at 9:30 AM for coffee and snacks. The meeting starts at 10 AM. Location is the upstairs meeting room at the Public Library on Aaron Street in Port Charlotte. Call 743-5560 for directions or more info.

House Party for Christine Jennings in Bradenton
Mar 13 2008 - 10:00am - Mar 13 2008 - 11:30am
Bradenton, FL
Call our Campaign HQ at 941/366-8121 for more information.

Rollins College Youth Forum
This will be an event based around educating our youth voters on the issues that will comprise this next election. They are hoping to have speakers/representatives from both the Democratic and Republican Parties (even more specifically on certain candidates) to showcase their party's stance on each issue. The forum will be taking place at the beginning of March.

Time: Saturday, March 15 at 6:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours
Host: Brittany Fornof
Location:
Rollins College (Winter Park, FL)
1000 Holt Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789


House Party for Christine Jennings in Venice
Mar 20 2008 - 5:00pm - Mar 20 2008 - 6:30pm
Venice, FL
United States

Call our Campaign HQ at 941/366-8121 for more information.


Denim & Diamonds Gala Event (Fundraiser)
Seminole County Democrats will host a fundraising Gala event. We will be having country/western music, line dance lessons,poker & black jack tables, BBQ dinner,bar,silent auction and so much more.

Time: Saturday, May 3 at 7:00 PM
Duration: 5 hours
Host: Seminole County Democrats
Location: Lake Mary Event Center (Lake Mary, FL)


2008 Black Caucus Convention
The Democratic Black Caucus of Florida will host its 23rd Annual Convention May 15-17, 2008. Invited Guests: Presidential Candidates, National and State Elected Officials.

Time: Thursday, May 15 at 9:00 AM
Duration: 3 days
Host: Democratic Black Caucus of Florida
Contact Phone: 941-773-9177
Location:
Hyatt Hotel & Resorts (Sarasota, FL)
1000 BLVD of the ARTS
Sarasota, FL 34236


And for those interested in a more fun way to be liberal, here are Florida's Drinking Liberal groups:

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Island Jack's Patio Bar and Grille, 5425 W Atlantic Blvd, Margate (just East of 441)
* Hosted by Jacqueline Hope Derby and Dave Pfeffer, ftlauderdale (at) drinkingliberally.org

Orlando, Florida
* Every Wednesday, 6:00 pm onward
* Johnny's Fillin' Station, 2706 S Ferncreek Ave (NE corner of Michigan and Fern Creek)
* Hosted by Dan Hill, orlando (at) drinkingliberally.or

Pensacola, Florida
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Intermission, 214 S Palafox St
* Hosted by Terry Welch, pensacola (at) drinkingliberally.org

Tallahassee, Florida
* Third Thursday of each month, 6:00 pm onward
* Gill's Tavern, 2545 North Monroe Street
* Hosted by Sharon Collins, tallahassee (at) drinkingliberally.org

South Tampa
* First Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* MacDintons Irish Pub, 405 S Howard Ave, Tampa (map)
* Hosted by Shadia Alame and Kirk Sander, southtampa (at) drinkingliberally.org

St. Petersburg
* Last Thursday of each month, 8:30 pm onward
* Limey's Pub, 1492 4th St N
* Hosted by Connor Davis and Dave Lee, stpetersburg (at) drinkingliberally.org

Brandon
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Old Chicago, 2042 Badlands Dr (Outside patio)
* Hosted by Joe Litton and Shirley Litton, brandon (at) drinkingliberally.org

Land O Lakes
* Second Tuesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* Rapscallions, 4422 Land O Lakes Blvd (US-41)
* Hosted by Brian Reach and Michael Greenman, landolakes (at) drinkingliberally.org

ARIZONA FOCUS: Progressive Candidates, Groups and Events

Here are some candidates for office in Arizona I would like to introduce you to (all are endorsed by Progressive Majority):

Corey Woods
Candidate for Tempe City Council - At Large (Challenger)



Corey Woods is running for the non-partisan Tempe City Council. Corey ran unsuccessfully for this position in 2005 and has since become more involved in the community by serving on the City of Tempe's Transportation Commission, the Boards of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs, Communities in Schools, Kiwanis Club of Tempe, and Tempe Community Action Agency. This spring's election will include three city council seats and the mayor's seat, with two incumbents on the council running for reelection. Two of Corey's opponents are insurance agents who would represent the insurance lobby on the council. Corey, if elected, will be the first African American to serve on the council of Tempe.

Click here to support and learn more about Corey.

Don Jorgensen
Candidate for Arizona State Assembly - District 26 (Open Seat)
Northern Tuscon and Oro Valley



Don Jorgensen, Ph.D., is running for an open seat in the Arizona House of Representatives Legislative District 26. He is a small business owner who serves on the Board of the Compass Healthcare Foundation and the Tucson/Pima County Commission on Addiction, Prevention, and Treatment. He has also served on the Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, the YMCA of Metropolitan Tucson and is the former President of Great Tucson Leadership. In 2006, farm team member Lena Saradnik picked up this seat for the Democrats when an ultraconservative Republican emerged from the primary. Three Republicans have filed to run at this time; two are far right-wingers and one is positioning himself as a moderate.

Click here to support and learn more about Don.

Marquisha Griffin
Candidate for Maricopa City Council - At Large (Challenger)



Marquisha Griffin is a 32-year-old candidate seeking a seat on the nonpartisan Maricopa City Council. If elected, she will be the only female and the only person of color on the city council. Three seats are open on the council - two incumbents are seeking re-election and six additional candidates have filed. Marquisha is currently serving her third term on the City of Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission. She volunteers at local charity events and city sponsored activities and is currently employed by the City of Mesa as a City Council Assistant to its council. The incumbent, Kelly Haddad, may be removed from the ballot for soliciting nominating petition signatures from city employees at city hall.

Click here to support and learn more about Marquisha.


Here are some Groups and Events in Arizona:

Sunday March 2: 5th Annual Muslim-Jewish Peace Walk - Tucson - Gather at the Islamic Center of Tucson, 901 E. First St. to begin walking at 1:00pm, to Ner Tamid (Water of Life Campus), 3269 N. Mountain Ave. for meal,. music, crafts and art at 3. 901 E. First St. to 3269 N. Mountain Ave. Tucson Free. (404-1988)

Thursday March 6: Solar Energy for Your Home - Learn how to incorporate solar energy in your life. Presented by Kevin Koch of Technicians for Sustainability. 7 - 8:30 pm. Community room in Bookmans on Grant, Tucson . Free. (740-0736)

Weekly Women in Black Peace Vigil - Every Fri. Protest the occupations in Iraq and Palestine, and the use of war, violence, and terrorism everywhere. Everyone welcome, please wear black & maintain a peaceful presence. 5 - 6 pm. Corner of Euclid and Speedway, Tucson. Free. (407-1432)

Monthly Meeting - District 17 Democrats - Pyle Center
When: second Tuesday of every month, 6:30 PM
Where: 655 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ

Northeast Phoenix Women in Blue
Monthly at 6:30 PM on the second Monday of each month at The Market Place, 777 Thunderbird, Phoenix

District 20 Democrats Meeting
Monthly at 7:00 PM on the second Monday of each month at the Ahwatukee Fire House

For more info go here: http://ld20.maricopademocrats.org/

Distroct 10 Democrats Meeting
Monthly at 7:00 PM on the first Thursday of each month at the Denny's at I17 & Dunlap


And for those who are interested in combining social events and politics, here are the Drinking Liberaly events in Arizona:

Flagstaff, Arizona
* Second Thursday of each month, 6:00-8:00 pm
* Bigfoot Bar-B-Q, 120 N Leroux St (basement of Old Town Shops)
* Hosted by Andy Stevenson and George Castleberry, flagstaff (at) drinkingliberally.org

Phoenix
* Every other Thursday, 5:30-9:00 pm
* Rosie McCaffrey's Irish Pub, 906 E Camelback Rd (9th St & Cameback on the North Side)
* http://www.rosiemccaffreys.com/index.htm
* Hosted by Stuart Dollar, phoenix (at) drinkingliberally.org

Scottsdale
* First Saturday of each month, 5:30 to 8:30
* Epicurean Wine Bar, 7101 E Thunderbird Rd (Southwest corner of Scottsdale Rd & T'bird)
* On T'bird at the west end of the retail area. It's tucked away and not hugely visible from the road.
* Starting in February, we will be meeting the first Saturday of each month.
* Please join us for a quick drink or the entire evening as we unite in promoting democracy one pint at a time! Cheers!!!
* Hosted by Vicki Billing, Susan Fletcher and Maureen Young, scottsdale (at) drinkingliberally.org

Tucson, Arizona
* Every Thursday, 6:00 pm onward
* The Shanty, 401 E 9th St (Fourth Ave. at the underpass)
* Please visit our chapter's web site for schedules, book club info, and more: http://arizona.typepad.com/drinkingliberally
* Hosted by Michael Bryan, Tasha Nelson and Shasta McManus, tucson (at) drinkingliberally.org

ILLINOIS FOCUS: SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION: IL-14

Dennis Hastert was the Congressman in the IL-14 district until he resigned in disgrace.

Now Bill Foster, an eminent scientist at Fermilab, is running to take his place. This race pits Foster, who is against the Bush/McCain Iraq quagmire and for affordable healthcare, against pro-Bush, pro-War right wing Republican Oberweis. The choice is clear. Bill Foster is the man.

Today Barack Obama has endorsed Bill Foster for Congress in the special March 8 election in IL-14. Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The campaign of scientist and businessman Bill Foster announced that Democratic presidential candidate and Illinois favorite son Barack Obama has cut a broadcast TV ad stating that Foster can "deliver change" in Congress.

"Barack Obama and I stand together for change. We want our troops home safely and responsibly, not in Iraq for 10 years or 100 years. We want to invest in American jobs, not send American jobs to China. We want health care that costs less, not an end to employers paying for health care for their workers," said Foster, a physicist who worked at Fermilab in Batavia for 20 years after starting a successful theater light company with his brother that has created hundreds of jobs in the Midwest.

The 30-second Obama endorsement spot is a positive ad that clearly establishes Foster as the change candidate in the special election to replace retired Congressman and former House Speaker Denny Hastert in Illinois' 14th Congressional District.

The Aurora Beacon News reported yesterday that a Foster poll has the March 8 special election in a "dead heat," with Foster leading 49-27% among Independents. The poll also showed that 41% of voters have a negative view of Foster's opponent, Jim Oberweis, after years of running campaigns for office that have featured negative, personal attacks on his fellow Republicans -- even using a fake headline to attack his opponents.

Here is a vedio of Bill Foster on Iraq:



Here is a video of Bill Foster on healthcare:



Bill Foster has been endorsed by (in addition to Barack Obama):

27 Nobel Prize winning scientists

Aurora Beacon News
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Sun-Times
Daily Herald
DeKalb Daily Chronicle
Elgin Courier News
Kane County Chronicle
Oswego Ledger-Sentinel

AFSCME State Council 31
Citizen Action/Illinois Policy Council
NARAL Pro-Choice America
Illinois Planned Parenthood Council
SEIU Illinois Council
United Hellenic Voters of America
Ronald J. Schultz Memorial Foundation

and many more.

Vote for Bill Foster on March 8. And if you can, give a small donation to turn Hastert's seat blue.

ILLINOIS FOCUS: Groups and Events

Women In Black peace vigils, Second Saturdays, 8am-9am in Elmhurst

We will be holding a WIB vigil to protest the occupation of Iraq on the 2nd Saturday of each month.

We meet from 8am-9am at the intersection of North Avenue (Rt. 64) and Rt. 83 in Elmhurst, Illinois.

Please join us on the northwest corner. We'll be wearing black!

Let's Talk Politics! Democrats, Independents, Republicans
Wednesday February 27th 2008, 07:00pm
Vernon Area Public Library
300 Olde Half Day Road
Lincolnshire
Contact: events@tenthdems.org 847-266-VOTE

Tenth Congressional District Democrats invite other Democrats, Independents, and yes, Republicans, too, for coffee and political discussion, to share your concerns and frustrations and make plans to do something positive about them.

For more information, e-mail events@tenthdems.org or call 847-266-VOTE (8683).

Dorothy Brown's Black History Month Gala Event
Saturday March 1st 2008, 06:00pm
The Grand Ballroom
6351 South Cottage Grove Avenue
Chicago

Contact: Donna Hodge: pearlofillinois@yahoo.com 312-239-0435

Please join Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Dorothy Brown, for an evening of dinner, dancing, tributes, and celebration.

Here are some Drinking Liberally groups in Illinois:

Chicago, Illinois
* Second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* Sheffield's, 3258 N Sheffield Ave (In the back room)
* Hosted by Greg Sasso and Jon Mclennand, chicago (at) drinkingliberally.org

DeKalb, Illinois
* Every other Tuesday, 8:30 pm onward
* O'Leary's Irish Pub, 260 E Lincoln Hwy (On the Corner of 3rd and Lincoln Hwy)
* Parking is available on 3rd St. in the public lot across the tracks.
* Hosted by Kevin Malone, dekalb (at) drinkingliberally.org

Evanston, Illinois
* Every Wednesday, 7:00 pm onward
* The Celtic Knot, 626 Church St (Half block east of Orrington)
* For the upcoming holiday season we're not planning on meeting the week of Thanksgiving or during the month of December
* Hosted by Mark Foisy, Rich Heath and Adelaide Rowe, evanston (at) drinkingliberally.org

Moline, Illinois
* First and third Friday of each month, 8:00pm onward
* Jack's Place, 425 15th St
* Stop on down and bring a friend!
* Hosted by Amy Holcomb and Rachel Griffiths, moline (at) drinkingliberally.org

Naperville, Illinois
* 2nd Sunday and 4th Tuesday of every month
* Quigley's Irish Pub, 43 E Jefferson Ave
* Hosted by Rich Wawronowicz and Tom Mikesell, naperville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Peoria, Illinois
* Second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward
* Kelleher's Irish Pub, 619 SW Water St
* Hosted by Bill Poorman, peoria (at) drinkingliberally.org

Springfield, Illinois
* Every Thursday, 6:30 pm onward
* Brewhaus, 617 E Washington St (Between 6th & 7th)
* We also meet for Drinking Coffee Liberally the 1st & 3rd Saturday mornings of the month at Trout Lilly Cafe
* Hosted by Vera Mount, springfieldil (at) drinkingliberally.org

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS: Peace Vigils, Groups and Events

Here are some events and groups in North Carolina:

Ongoing weekly vigils for Justice and Peace:

* Chapel Hill: Each Friday from 4:30-5:30PM at the corner of Elliott Road and East Franklin Street. Call 942-2535 for information.

* Durham: Each Saturday, from Noon-1:00PM, Gregson and Main Streets, opposite Brightleaf Square. Call 402-0424 for information.


Weekly Veterans for Peace Vigil in Asheville
Every Tuesday 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
At the Vance Memorial
Pack Square
Asheville, NC 28801

Weekly Women in Black Anti-War Vigil in Asheville
Every Friday 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Vance Monument - Pack Square
Asheville, NC

The Women In Black stand in silence against war, each Friday from 5 to 6 PM. All others are welcome to stand with them.

Marshall Adame For Congress Fundraiser
WhenFri, Feb 29, 18:00 – 20:30
WhereDemocratic Party HQ, 220 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh NC

Young Democrats of North Carolina State Convention:

The YDNC state convention is a time for young Democrats and supporters to join together and celebrate our successes from the past year and prepare for the coming year. This year will also mark the 80th anniversary of YDNC.

Date and Time: Saturday, March 29, 2008 - 9:00am
Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center
4700 Emperor Blvd
Durham, North Carolina 27703

Contact:
Zack Hawkins, president@ydnc.org

The YDNC Executive Board is pleased to announce that the annual YDNC State Convention will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham (http://www.sheratonrtp.com/). This year, 2008, marks YDNC’s 80th year, and our annual convention will celebrate this amazing anniversary and the coming election year.

We are also extremely excited to announce that the keynote speaker at this year’s convention will be the controversial and inspirational CNN commentator and Democratic political strategist James Carville.

Please visit www.ydnc.org for more information and updates.


And for those who want to combine social events with politics, here are the Drinking Liberally Groups in North Carolina:

Asheville, North Carolina
* Every Thursday, 7:00-10:00 pm
* Asheville Brewing Company, 77 Coxe Ave (Downtown, 1/2 block north of Hilliard Ave.)
* Hosted by Aric Vance and Susan Lee, asheville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Charlotte, North Carolina
* First Monday and Third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* First Monday of the month Location: Brixx Uptown, 225 E 6th St (we usually gather at the bar, on the LEFT side)
* Be sure to bring in your parking pass for validation, and to tell the parking attendant you are going to Brixx so they don't charge you $5!
* Third Wednesday of the month Location: Dolce Vita, 3205 N Davidson St 1/2 priced wines by the glass on Wednesday
* Hosted by Marcus Williams, Andy Graves and Mark Campbell, charlotte (at) drinkingliberally.org

Charlotte Eating Liberally
* Second Saturday of each month, 10:00 am
* Matthews Community Farmers' Market, 105 N Trade St, Matthews (We meet at the tables just outside of the Community House Coffee Shop)
* Come by after collecting your week's bounty & join us for a cup of coffee from the community house and a freshly baked pastery from one of the vendors!
* Bring your favorite organic/local/sustainable related books or recipes.
* Hosted by Laura Paynter and Heather Taylor, charlotte (at) eatingliberally.org

Concord, North Carolina
* Second Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Sweet Pea Cafe, 16 Union St S (1/2 block south of Cabarrus & Union)
* Hosted by Mark Ortiz, concordnc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Greensboro, North Carolina
* Every Thursday, 7:00-9:00 pm
* The Green Bean, 341 S Elm St
* Hosted by Richard Rozzelle, greensboro (at) drinkingliberally.org

Raleigh, North Carolina
* Every Tuesday, 6:00-9:00 pm
* Players Retreat, 105 Oberlin Rd (right near Hillsborough Street)
* Look for us in the room across from the bar, thru the doorway.
* Hosted by Wallace Pankow and Dave Carden, raleigh (at) drinkingliberally.org

Wilmington, North Carolina
* First and third Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Orton's, 131 N Front St
* Hosted by Tom Schutte and Jimmy Cartrette, wilmingtonnc (at) drinkingliberally.org

WISCONSIN FOCUS: Progressive Candidates, Groups and Events

Here are some Progressive candidates running in Wisconsin (all are endorsed by Progressive Majority):

Lena Taylor
Candidate for Milwaukee County Executive (Challenger)



State Senator Lena Taylor is a Milwaukee native who was first elected to the State Legislature as an Assemblywoman in 2003, and quickly ascended to the State Senate after winning a special election in 2004. Lena has championed progressive values for her entire political career, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Lena earned a Bachelor's Degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1990, and a law degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1993; she is a member of the Milwaukee Boy Scouts advisory board, the Girl Scouts of Milwaukee Area, the NAACP, and Urban League of Milwaukee. Her opponent, conservative incumbent Scott Walker, is rumored to run for Governor in 2010. If Lena wins, we can stop him now.

Click here to support and learn more about Lena. (I have donated to her campaign)

Daniel Cody
Candidate for Milwaukee County Board - District 15 (Challenger)



Dan Cody is an information technology administrator at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dan is challenging current County Supervisor Lynne DeBruin, because of her alignment with conservative County Executive Scott Walker, who has continued to slash county services including cuts to transportation and closing all but two of the public pools. DeBruin is out of touch with the progressive area she represents, including parts of Milwaukee, where Dan resides. Dan is a member of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Wisconsin, is active in his neighborhood association, and is also a well-regarded blogger commenting on national and local political issues.

Click here to support and learn more about Daniel.

Jan Balestreri
Candidate for Milwaukee County Board - District 9 (Challenger)

Jan is running for the Milwaukee County Board against ultra-conservative Paul Cesarz in the 9th district. Jan was recruited by AFSCME, and is an AFSCME member working in the County Transportation Department, where she drives snow plows. Jan ran for this seat unsuccefully four years ago. In her second attempt to win the seat, Jan started early - she'll work hard as a candidate, and Progressive Majority is right behind her.

Chris Kuester
Candidate for Milwaukee Common Council - District 13 (Challenger)



Chris Kuester is a resident of the South Side of Milwaukee who is challenging Terry Witkowski for his seat on the Milwaukee Common Council. Chris is the founding member of his neighborhood association and is running on a platform of responsive representation. The incumbent, Witkowski, voted against requiring prevailing wage on a key redevelopment project. Chris supports prevailing wage and, as a union plumber, he will be a strong voice for labor.

Janis Ringhand
Candidate for Rock County Board - District 1 (Open Seat)



Janis has been a member of our farm team since 2005 and, in 2006, she was a Progressive Majority candidate for the State House in the 80th Assembly District. Despite hard work and a valiant effort on her part, she came up short by less than 200 votes. Now, Janis is running for an open seat on the Rock County Board. Janis is a former mayor of Evansville and, if elected, she will hold a progressive seat in one of the more conservative parts of the county.

Jessica King
Candidate for Wisconsin State Senate - District 18 (Challenger)
Oshkosh, East Winnebago County



Progressive Majority in Wisconsin helped Jessica win election to the Oshkosh City Council in 2007, where she ran an aggressive race that unseated an incumbent. During that race she impressed us with her work ethic; she raised over $12,000 for her race and knocked thousands of doors. Jessica is now looking to move up and challenge Carol Roessler, a conservative member of the State Senate. This seat is one of our top targets for 2008 because an additional victory will bolster the one-seat majority in the State Senate. Jessica has attended Wellstone training and is a recent graduate of Emerge - an intense, eight month leadership development program for Democratic women. Jessica is a practicing attorney and is active on numerous community boards including the Boys and Girls Club and United Way.

Click here to support and learn more about Jessica.

Sandy Pasch
Candidate for Wisconsin State House - District 22 (Open Seat)
Fox Point, River Hills, Glendale, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood



Sandy Pasch is running in an open seat vacated by Democrat Sheldon Wasserman, who is running for the State Senate to challenge conservative Alberta Darling. The 22nd is a seat that Democrats must protect. Sandy Pasch entered the race early and has been campaigning aggressively. Sandy has attended Camp Wellstone and secured the endorsement of the Inspector of the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department, the Milwaukee District Attorney, and many prominent progressive activists. Sandy is a registered nurse and 21-year resident of the 22nd district. She is married and has rasied three grown children. As a second job, Sandy teaches ethics, mental health, and community nursing at Columbia School of Nursing. She also serves on numerous community boards and works with the Milwaukee Police Department conducting training on how to effectively deal with people living with mental illness.

Click here to support and learn more about Sandy.

Paul Tubbs
Candidate for Wisconsin State House - District 34 (Challenger)
Oneida and Vilas Counties



Paul Tubbs is running for State Assembly in Wisconsin's 34th District. This will be Paul's second run for the 34th Assembly District. As latecomer to the 2006 election, despite having a small budget, he out-performed all other Democratic challengers who had run for this seat since 2000. This cycle we recruited Paul to run again. Paul is currently a member of the Rhinelander School Board, has worked as a school counselor for 34 years, is a member of Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), and is a 30-year resident of his district. Paul owns a small business that has sold recreational equipment since 1988. His wife Cheryl is a teacher and they have three children.

Kristen Dexter
Candidate for Wisconsin State House - District 68 (Challenger)
Altoona, Eau Claire, Fall Creek



Kristen is running for the State Assembly in the 68th District, a top target for us in 2008. Kristen has lived in this district for 14 years and was elected to the Altoona School Board in 2002. She serves on the Regional Steering Committee for Health Literacy Wisconsin. She owned a small business working as a metalsmith for several years. She has been married for 15 years to David Dexter, a neurologist at Luther Midelfort/Mayo, and she is a mother of 3 children. Kristen was a star campaign volunteer for Pat Krietlow, a Progressive Majority candidate elected to the State Senate in 2006.

Dale Klemme
Candidate for Wisconsin State House - District 96 (Challenger)
Prairie du Chien, Gays Mills, Viroqua, Hillsboro



Dale Klemme is running for the 96th Assembly District seat - a top target for us in 2008. We identified and recruited Dale to run in the Spring of 2007. Dale is working to unseat Lee Nerison, a conservative Assembly member who has consistently voted along party lines. Dale is a community development planner who has lived in the district for 30 years, and his wife is the Mayor of Prarie du Chien. He is an active member of the Praire du Chien community, participating in the Praire du Chien Chamber and School Board. He is also a Vietnam veteran.

Click here to support and learn more about Dale.

Adam Warpinksi
Candidate for Brown County Board - District 1 (Incumbent)



Adam has been a member of our farm team since late 2005, and was successfully fielded by Progressive Majority to the Brown County Board in 2006. At 25 years old, Adam is currently the youngest member of the board. He is an organizer for the League of Conservation Voters, a partner organization and member of our Advisory Council. Adam has drawn two opponents for his strong progressive views. Adam is a great champion for progressive values, and Progressive Majority will stand with him against conservative attackers.

Dan Bertrand
Candidate for Brown County Board - District 13 (Challenger)

Dan Bertrand was recruited to run for the Brown County Board this fall by our recruitment task force. Dan is a retired warden and currently serves on multiple community boards. Dan doorbells daily and has a very aggressive field strategy to build a true grassroots campaign. Currently there are six progressives out of 19 seats on the board and Dan's election would bring us one step closer to a progressive majority.

Rob Zerban
Candidate for Kenosha County Board - District 5 (Challenger)



Rob Zerban is running for Kenosha County Supervisor as part of our strategy to put progressives on the Kenosha City Council, County Board and School Board in 2008. Rob is an enterpreneur who has started several tech companies in Illionis and Wisconsin. Rob was recruited by our Kenosha County Task Force in July 2007 to take on the conservatve incumbent who has an anti-labor and anti-environmental record. Rob has an aggressive campaign strategy and is going to run a great campaign.

Jennifer Jackson
Candidate for Kenosha County Board - District 20 (Incumbent)



Jennifer Jackson is the most outspoken progressive on the Kenosha County Board, and the lone progressive woman. She is leading our recruitment task force, and this year she has worked with us to recruit eight new candidates to Kenosha local elected positions. Jenn is a stay-at-home mom and a leader in the environmental community. She is currently serving in her third two-year term. Progressive Majority assisted Jenn in getting a conservative opponent removed from the ballot this cycle due to forged signatures and multiple other problems with his nomination papers; he is currently being investigate by the DA's office.

Tara Johnson
Candidate for La Crosse County Board - District 18 (Incumbent)

Tara Johnson was recruited to the Progressive Majority Farm Team in the fall of 2007 as a potential candidate for the State Senate in 2008 - however, she must win this race first. Tara is currently serving her second term on the La Crosse County Board and will face a challenger this spring. The Center for Responsible Government (GRC), a conservative anti-government organization, has been recruiting local candidates and its chairperson is running against Tara. Tara is the former executive director of United Way and currently a stay-at-home mom. On the La Crosse County Board, she is the chair of Health and Human Services Committee and Second Vice-Chair of the board. Tara is well respected and admired for her ability to fight for progressive values while building consensus among her peers.

Katie Kusnasik
Candidate for Rock County Board - District 29 (Challenger)



Katie Kusnasik is challenging a conservative member of the Rock County Board as part of a strategy to create a progressive majority in the next two election cycles. She is currently a legislative assistant to progressive Assembly Representative Michael Sheridan and specializes in constituent relationships. Katie is supported by United Auto Workers and the local Labor Council. Katie has attended training by Progressive Majority and this is her first run for public office.

Celestine Jeffreys
Candidate for Green Bay City Council - District 7 (Incumbent)



Celestine is currently one of Wisconsin's rising political stars and, because of her courageous progressive politics, she has drawn two challengers in this election. Celestine was elected to the Green Bay City Council and is currently the only woman and only person of color on the council. Progressive Majority recruited her in 2006, when she successfully won her first election. In her first term as Councilwoman, Celestine stood for the separation of church and state against a controversial ordinance that allowed a nativity scene to be placed a top City Hall. We need more progressive champions like Celestine, and her victory this spring is critically important for Wisconsin progressives.

Michael Orth
Candidate for Kenosha Common Council - District 5 (Challenger)



Michael is a lifelong Kenosha resident who is running his first campaign for elected office. Michael and his wife have two small children and are active members of the community. Both he and his wife are teachers in the Kenosha public schools - Michael teaches history and is very active in the local teachers union, as well as Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the Wisconsin chapter of the NEA. The current alderman is a conservative who voted to advance the building of a Super Wal-Mart, which drew much outrage within the community. Michael is a great candidate and we see him as a rising star in the progressive movement.

Click here to support and learn more about Michael.

Carl Bryan
Candidate for Kenosha Unified School Board - At Large (Challenger)



Carl is an eighteen year-old running for an At-Large seat on the Kenosha Unified School Board. He is currently working with our Farm Team member Rebecca Stevens, who is an elected School Board member. He is running a coordinated campaign with Michael Orth, who is also his high school history teacher. Carl attended Camp Wellstone in October 2007 with several of his campaign volunteers and is running a serious race despite his young age. Carl's ability to engage young voters in this race is very exciting.


Here are some Wisconsin Groups and Events:

Madison Veterans for Peace:
Website: http://www.madison.com/communities/madveteransforpeace/
February Monthly Meeting
Date: 2/20/2008

The February business meeting will be held at the Main Library in downtown Madison, 2nd floor, starting at 6pm. This month's business will include consideration of an annual budget and plans for 2008 programs and events. Guests are always welcome and need not be veterans.

March Monthly Meeting
Date: 3/19/2008

The March business meeting will be held at the Main Library in downtown Madison, 2nd floor, starting at 6pm. Guests are always welcome and need not be veterans.

Milwaukee County Democratic Club:
We meet on the fourth Monday of most months in the Hall of Fame Room of the Pettit National Ice Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park. We look forward to seeing you there!

Petitt National Ice Center
500 S. 84th St
Milwaukee, WI, 53214
United States

Ozaukee First Friday Forum
Mar 07 and May 2, 12:00 pm - 12:00 pm
First Friday Forums - public affairs breakfast forums co-sponsored by MATC-Mequon, UW-Extension and the Ozaukee County Board.

Held on the first Friday of every other month from 730am to 900 am at MATC-Mequon. $5 registration fee per session.
Additional information: Sandra Webster 262-238-2205/ websters@matc.edu

March 7, 2008: Land Preservation - How can we preserve Ozaukee's Rural Character.
May 2, 2008: Downtown Development-Reinventing Main Street

For the bicycilists in Madison, here's Critical Mass Madison:

Critical Mass is a movement (not an organization) that advocates for better transportation alternatives. Meets 5:30 PM, the last Friday of Every Month, no matter the weather. Gather where West Washington meets Capitol Square . Where the ride goes after that is decided by whoever shows up.


And for those who like to combine social events with politics, here are the Drinking Liberally Groups in Wisconsin:

Fitchburg, Wisconsin
* Second Thursday of each month, 5:30-7:00 pm
* Kelly's Grill, 2685 Research Park Dr
* Hosted by Alice Jenson and John Mosman, fitchburg (at) drinkingliberally.org

Sister Bay, Wisconsin
* Every Tuesday, 7:00 pm onward
* Shipwrecked Restaurant & Brewery, 7791 Egg Harbor Rd (Hwy 42), Egg Harbor (village center on Hwy 42)
* ALERT! We are currently on seasonal hiatus with our next gathering in May of 2008.
* Hosted by Dick Kaiser, sisterbay (at) drinkingliberally.org