The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Originally intended for New York City progressives, its readership is now national. For anyone who wants to be alerted by email whenever this newsletter is updated (usually weekly), please send your email address and let me know what state you live in (so I can keep track of my readership).
This will be the last issue of the Progressive Democrat of the year. I will take a holiday break and be back in early January. I have tried tweaking the formating of the site. I'm not sure it's working quite properly, so let me know how it looks and how it works for you.
About a year ago I introduced readers to a neat little site called "Free Rice." Basically you could play a vocabulary game and for each answer you got right sponsors would pay for 20 grains of rice to feed the poor around the world. In their first month of operation last year this effort raised enough to feed 50,000 people for one day. They have continued operation since then, though I had forgotten about them. Now they have expanded, offering not just vocabulary but also geography, foreign language, chemistry and math games. Each answer you get right donates 20 grains of rice. Last night Joy and I played enough to donate 16,000 grains of rice. Okay, that sounds kind of nerdy, but we have no lives and it was for a good cause. Overall, since October 2007, Free Rice has donated more than 55 billion grains of rice. That's enough to feed 2.75 million people for a day. Small effort. It's fun and educational. And it does a small part to feed people. Free Rice is a sister site of Poverty.com and partners with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and the United Nations World Food Program. Please visit their site and enjoy learning something and feeding some people.
This week Obama has angered many supporters by inviting a rabid bigot pastor to his inauguration. I have a theory why he chose this particular pastor.
First off, this pastor, despite his homophobia, is considered moderate on most issues. I am not sure if I agree with that assessment, BUT that is the perception. So he is inviting a definitely homophobic but otherwise outwardly moderate pastor to his inauguration. This has caused an outcry from gay rights advocates and gives the impression that he is leaning anti-gay rights.
Which, I believe, is the perfect set up for him to then end the ban on gays in the military as he has promised. It would be much harder for the right wing media to portray him as some kind of gay rights radical after having Warren at his inauguration and angering gay rights advocates. Obama becomes the clear moderate on the issue, able to hang out with Warren but disagree with him, and then go on to end the ban on gays in the military. We'll see if I am right, but during the whole transition process Obama has shown nothing he does is without careful thought and a deliberate purpose. He chose Warren KNOWING his homophobia and he did so for a good reason. The only possible reason is so he can then turn around and do something favorable to gay rights. And the main thing he has promised is ending the ban on gays in the military.
As our economy collapses, it doesn't help to learn that Wall Street insiders have been running Ponzi schemes, bilking investors. Corruption has just been rampant in America during the Republican "deregulation" years. This comes from the Florida Chief Financial Officer's Consumer eViews newsletter:
A grand Ponzi scheme uncovered; Florida investors hurt
Recently an investment scam was uncovered in the investment capital of the world - Wall Street. A respected investment manager allegedly ran a giant Ponzi scheme with a possible loss of $50 billion. Unfortunately many investors put most or all of their funds in this one plan. One of the wisest rules of investing is to spread the risk.
Bernard Madoff ran a vast options game made popular by inviting investors into the fold. Anxious for an invitation to join, investors entrusted their money to Madoff. A part-time resident of Palm Beach, Madoff convinced many neighbors, friends and acquaintances to invest in his funds. This type of affinity fraud grows from the natural trust among friends and relatives.
Never make an investment based solely on the recommendation of a member of an organization or religious or ethnic group to which you belong. Remember that the person telling you about the investment may have been fooled into believing it is legitimate. Before considering an investment, independently verify any offer by calling the Department of Financial Services Consumer Helpline toll-free at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236) to find out if the company, broker and investment are legitimately registered, and if there is a complaint history.
Watch out for an investment manager who wants total control of your money, and asks for checks to be made out to the manager individually or to a company he/she controls. Your funds are safest when held separately, in custody at a broker-dealer firm regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and backed by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Contact the firm directly to make sure your money is with them, and check it out through FINRA. Get copies of your statements directly from the broker-dealer firm. A broker who guarantees or assures investment performance, brags of great returns or is very aggressive or overly persuasive should alarm you. And check any investment record that looks too steady over the long term: Ponzis like to keep it looking steady to avoid redemptions.
If an investment seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Similarly, be wary of any investment that is said to have no risks. The greater the potential return from an investment, the greater your risk of losing money.
Scam artists frequently pay out high returns to early investors using money from later arrivals. Accordingly, early investors — including friends you’ve known for years — may be wildly enthusiastic about a scheme that may collapse entirely once you’ve invested.
Everyone wants the perfect investment, offering high returns with little or no risk. The problem is, no legitimate investment is like that. High returns involve high risk, which means you could lose some or all of the money you invest. Investment frauds target those who don’t understand this basic rule of investing. Many are nothing more than illegal Ponzi schemes, in which early investors are paid with money collected from later ones. Don’t risk losing your money.
* Make sure you understand the terms of the investment, including fees. * Don’t give in to pressure to invest your life’s savings. * Don’t fall for the talk of high returns with little or no risk. * Before you invest, call the DFS Consumer Helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236) to make sure that the company, agent, and the securities you are considering are all registered in Florida and to find out if any complaints are on file. * If you encounter problems with a company or agent, file a complaint by calling DFS at the number above.
Good run down of the scandal and some good advice. Obviously aimed primarily at Florida residents, but also good advice for everyone.
This week Obama named one of his best cabinet picks yet: Dr. Steven Chu, director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, former chair of Stanford University's physics department, and Nobel Prize-winning (for research in laser cooling and trapping of atoms) physicist, was named Obama's Energy Secretary. Chu also has been an early and strong supporter of alternative fuels and renewable energy research. THIS is the kind of leadership this country needs!
It should be noted that this is the FIRST Energy Secretary who is genuinely an expert on energy.
Here's a video of Steve Chu at the Davos Annual Meeting, 2007, talking about Climate Change:
I am so not used to a President picking an ideal cabinet pick that I am not sure how to react! The guy sounds excellent. He's got the smarts. He's got to have organizational skills to have run a physics department, and now to run Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Korean Academy of Sciences and Technology. And, critically to me, he has signed onto the Copenhagen Climate Council. He has even actually collaborated with BP (yes...an oil company) to develop alternative energy options.
For all the high profile posts Obama is making fairly typical political appointments. That's normal. Perhaps not ideal, but normal. Let's face it, many appointments are mostly done for political reasons and the appointees rely on good staff to supply the expertise while they provide the political clout and knowhow. But Obama seems to be picking experts for the more techincal posts, and that is something refreshing to see. I may not agree with all of his choices, but they are all well thought out. When I know someone has put this much thought into things, I have some faith that he knows what he is doing.
I should add that Chu isn't the only pick that reflects this. Here is a great Daily Kos article showing that Obama's cabinet is shaping up to be one of the smartest and most reality basd in recent history.
I still hear people dismissing accusations of Republican election fraud as crazy conspiracy theories. This dispite mounting evidence that Republicans and their corporate allies, like Diebold, HAVE systematically explored vote tampering. Right now the evidence is strongest for the 2002 Senate race in Georgia and now evidence links Karl Rove with election fraud in that race.
Anyone who first makes such accusations is almost bound to be accused of being crazy. One of the earliest whistle blowers was Clint Curtis in Florida, a former Republican and computer expert, who claims he was approached by his Congressman, Tom Feeney, and asked to design software that could alter vote totals on touch-screen voting machines. This was in 2000 BEFORE the Presidential election. Clint Curtis was horrified, left the Republican Party in protest and even made two runs against Feeney (whose corrupt ass was finally brought down this year by Kosmas). Many criticized Curtis for claiming that people were trying to subvert the touchscreen machines BEFORE the 2000 election when supposedly no one was thinking touch screen. Well, some actual investigativg journalism by Dan Rather eventually revealed that people WERE thinking touch screen before the 2000 election and, in fact, the problems that arose in 2000 in Florida may have been part of the push for touch screen machines. That makes two reports of Republican scheming to commit election fraud in Florida. Add to that evidence that Republicans deliberately tried to create an undercount in Florida's 2006 Congressional race in the FL-13 district (see here and here) and you have a pretty good case for Republican Fraud in Florida.
Now let's turn to Georgia where a second whistle blower is confirming that fraud was probably committed in the 2002 Senate election. Previously, I have written about Stephen Spoonamore, a REPUBLICAN cyber-security expert and former adviser to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who claims there is clear evidence that Diebold deliberately tampered with their own machines in Democratic districts in Georgia in 2002. Essentially, a computer patch was installed in person by Diebold CEO Bob Urosevich, who flew in from Texas to apply this patch in DeKalb and Fulton counties, both Democratic strongholds. Georgia's election board was not aware of this change in the voting machines until after the election. The patch was claimed to be to fix a problem with the computer clock but did NOT fix it. Democrats raised the alarm over this at the time but were, as usual, dismissed as crazy. Then Spoonamore (again...a REPUBLICAN) came out supporting their accusations. I should add that Spoonamore aslo believes there is evidence of Republican election fraud in Ohio in 2004.
...a former Diebold vote machine contractor who was in charge of preparing the 2002 election between Saxby Chambliss and Max Cleland has stated that the software patches placed on the voting machines in the weeks prior to the election could have rigged the election in favor of Republican Chambliss.
We get confirmation directly from a former Diebold contractor. So, a Republican cybersecurity expert AND a former Diebold contractor agree that the 2002 Senate election in Georgia was probably rigged by Republicans and Diebold. But the conspiracy (a real one, it seems) goes one step further. The same article claims that Karl Rove himself was part of the fraud.
Three pieces of clear evidence for fraud in Florida in 2000 and 2006. Two pieces of clear evidence for fraud in Georgia in 2002, with a clear connection to Diebold's president, and a possible connection to Karl Rove. And the same cybersecurity expert who blew the whistle on Georgia's election fraud considers Ohio 2004 also suspicious.
How much evidence will it take before the Republicans and Diebold are held accountable for their fraud?
NYC FOCUS: Defeating Bloomberg and the City Council Traitors
Those who have followed the Bloomberg Putsch, wherein Bloomberg and 29 members of the City Council, chose to overturn the vote of the people on term limits (which remain popular), know there is considerable anger at their actions. This isn't about term limits themselves (which I used to oppose). It is about an arrogant power grab by politicians against the will of the people. (As an aside there is currently a lawsuit filed by Norman Siegel and others to block the Bloomberg Putsch).
Why do these people think they are our saviors during this economic collapse? They are so convinced of their powers to save us that they decided to sweep away the VOTER'S choice to impose term limits upon them, and they voted themselves third terms. They are willing to say "screw you" to the very voters who elected them just to hold onto power. And their excuse is that no one, NO ONE in the entire city can save us from the economic collapse but them.
What unmitigated crap! What egotistical nonsense. This is the kind of dictatorial, anti-democratic bullshit I expect from Bush Republicans.
These people were IN OFFICE when the collapse came. They didn't do anything to prepare for it. They didn't do anything to warn us about it. They haven't done anything to help us yet.
In fact, Bloomberg supported the very national Republicans who got us into this mess with his donations (e.g. largest donor to Tom DeLay's PAC).
And yet these people think they, AND ONLY THEY, can save us.
I was opposed to term limits (though these actions by the Surrender Monkeys is convincing me otherwise!). But I AM for our elected politicians respecting us as voters and that is precisely what Bloomberg, Quinn, Yassky, Recchia and the others failed to do. We elect them and our taxes pay them, yet they treat us like dirt. And they expect us to see them as our saviors.
This election was about CHANGE, folks. Not keeping the same politicians who got us into this mess in power beyond their allotted terms. This election was all about the will of the people, not the dictatorial demands of politicians.
Recently I came across a Facebook site dedicated to defeating Tsar Bloomberg and the Bloomberg 29 (his trained surrender monkeys). So far it is just a sattement of purpose and a list of possible challengers to the 29 City Council members who voted to overturn the will of the people on term limits.
Here is their statement of purpose:
On October 23, 2008 the New York City Council passed Mayor Bloomberg's proposal that extended term limits from 2 terms to 3 terms for the Mayor, City Council, and other city officials without a voter referendum even though New Yorkers voted in 1993 and 1996 to keep term limits at 2 terms. The final vote was 29 YES and 22 NO.
According to a Quinnipiac poll, 89% of New Yorkers believe that the issue of term limits should be decided by voters in a referendum, not by an act by the City Council.
This was not an issue about whether you supported term limits or not. This was not an issue about whether you believed Mayor Bloomberg was a good mayor or not. This was an issue about whether the New York City Council had the right to overturn the will of the people.
Mayor Bloomberg deserves blame for bringing about this undemocratic proposal, but the City Council Speaker Christine Quinn along with the 28 City Council members are to blame for advocating and enabling this undemocratic proposal. Mayor Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and every City Council member who voted YES to the Mayor's proposal are unfit to continue serving the people of New York for overturning the will of the people.
This group will be used as a tool to identify and campaign for primary opponents of all 29 City Council members who voted YES to the Mayor's undemocratic term limits proposal. There will be a heavy focus on unseating City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
The site has a list of known and suspected primary challengers to these city council members. So far, the most likely challenger to Tsar Bloomberg himself is Anthony Weiner. My prediction is Weiner will team up with the Working Families Party and put on an excellent challenger to Tsar Bloomberg, but that remains to be seen.
As to the city council challenges, here is a video of some of them giving a statement on term limits (I got this from Maria Passannate Derr's website):
I want to highlight a few of the potential races for the 2009 primary (PARTAIL list from the Facebook site):
Lead Surrender Monkey Christine Quinn (Manhattan) Council District 3 PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Maria Passannante Derr http://www.mariaforcouncil09.com/ Yetta Kurland http://yettakurland.com/
Simcha Felder (Brooklyn) Council District 44 Fleder was one of the four main people pretty much openly bribed by Bloomberg in the OTHER Slushgate scandal. PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Joe Lazar http://friendsofjoelazar.com/ David Greenfield(?)
Alan Gerson (Manhattan) Council District 1 PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Margaret Chin http://www.margaretchin.com/ [Editor's Note: there is also talk of Rocky Chin running again...I hope he does!]
PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Todd Dobrin http://dobrin2009.com/ John Lisyanskiy http://www.johnforcouncil.com/ [Note I have heard another name thrown about for this race: Mark Treyger. But I have no confirmation of his running]
James Sanders (Queens) Council District 31 PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Marquez Claxton http://marquezclaxton.com/ (site not really up and running yet?) Jacques M Leandre http://www.votejacques.com/ Frederick A. Lewis II http://lewisforcouncil2009.com/ Michael Duncan (?) Jerwaine Gorman (?)
Helen Sears (Queens) Council District 25 [Note: Among the most vulnerable of the Surrender Monkeys?] PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Daniel Dromm http://danieldromm.com/ Mujib Rahman http://votemujibrahman.com/ Alfonso Quiroz Stanley Kalathara (?)
Peter Vallone Jr. (Queens) Council District 22 Vallone is was yet another one of the four main people pretty much openly bribed by Bloomberg in the OTHER Slushgate scandal. PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Costa Constantinides (trying to track down a website) [Note: I have met Costa. He's a good guy who has been doing good work on the steering committee of the Democratic Lawyers Council working on voting rights]
Albert Vann (Brooklyn) Council District 36 [More about Vann here] PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Mark Winston Griffith http://mwgriffith.com/ David Grinage http://friendsofdavidgrinage.com/ Saquan Jones http://www.saquanjones.com/ Robert Cornegy Jr. (?) Robert Waterman (?)
David Yassky (Brooklyn) Council District 33 PRIMARY OPPONENT(s): Ken Baer http://kenbaerforthecommunities.com/ Jo Anne Simon http://www.joanneforcouncil.com Ken Diamondstone http://www.KenDiamondstone.com
I would also like to call attention to Darlene Mealy (Brooklyn) Council District 41. From what I have heard, she was so bullied by the Bloomberg/Quinn thugs that she actually threw up twice before the vote. Given the number of fights we are facing in 2009, I am willing to give her a break.
The Daily Gotham covers both New York City (with a slight emphasis on Brooklyn) and New York State politics.
Reform NY is the blog of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
No Land Grab: News from the point of view of Brooklyn opposition to overdevelopment
On NY Turf is run by someone I know. Long overdue that I add his blog here. Contains political info, good map resources for NYC and discussions of development issues.
True News from ChangeNYC.Org: ChangeNYC.Org is an organization unifying our City’s Democratic Party by welcoming all New Yorkers back into the political process. We are a coalition of real, everyday New Yorkers – young voters, progressives, neighborhood leaders, community bloggers, good government groups, and even conservatives – who believe that in cooperation we can bring the change to our City that together we have begun to bring to our nation.
Let me highlight some excellent candidates running in New York in 2009:
Norm Siegel for Public Advocate For those of you who live in NYC, let me introduce you to Norman Siegel, one of America's top Civil Rights Lawyers, is running for New York Public Advocate. Here's a Youtube video of him:
And here is Youtube footage of Norm Siegel and the NYC Coalition To Preserve Term Limits Press Conference:
Josh Skaller for City Council. A progressive who is coming in second in fundraising, Josh is considered a serious contender by several pragmatic allies I have talked to and has been endorsed by State Senator Eric Adams. Josh may well become the frontrunner if he keeps it up. Josh is a good friend of ours, a solid progressive, and about as honest as you can get. Josh will be one of my top priorities in 2009!
Marquez Claxton for City Council: A former NYC Police Officer and co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, Marq Claxton is running for the City Council District 31 seat in Queens. He is currently the chair of the Public Safety Committee for Community Board 13. He has been endorsed by Eric Adams (who I know and respect) and is being considered by the Working Families Party as a candidate. Here is Eric Adam's endorsement statement:
Daniel Dromm for City Council: a public school teacher running for the City Council District 25 seat in Queens. He was a founder of the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens and chapter leader of United Federation of Teachers, PS 199Q. He has been endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers, Mark Green, and others. WFP seem to be considering him as well. Dromm received the "Community Service Impact Award" from the Times Ledger Newspapers (2006), the "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" PS 199Q Principal's Award (2006), and the "Citation of Honor" from the Queens Borough President (1995). Seems like exactly the experience we need on the City Council.
More Races: Here is a Facebook Site highlighting some good primary challenges against those City Council members who voted themselves a pay raise then voted themselves a third term in the council over the vote and objections of the voters. In the future I will be highlighting some of these challengers, though for now electing Norm Siegel and Josh Skaller are my main efforts. I am particularly watching the following people to see if they are running for City Council. If they run, I am likely to support them:
David Galarza, Council District 38 Rocky Chin, Council District 1 Rodrick Daley, Council District 45
Here are a handful of Organizations worth checking out:
The Environmental Business Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to supporting the growth of the environmental industry in New York State. Specifically, we help to promote and serve serving the industry sectors of Climate Change, Greening Communities, Energy and WALCE (Water-Agriculture-Land Use-Conservation-Environmental). News here. Events list here (not recently updated).
NY Citizens for Clean Elections: We are committed to passage of Clean Money Clean Election legislation in NYS that provides a non-partisan approach for full public funding of campaigns for all qualified candidates who refuse private money and abide by spending limits. We want to ensure that all Americans, regardless of wealth, have an equal voice in the political system and that qualified candidates are not discouraged from running because they do not have access to the money needed for a competitive campaign.
The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats is a community-based Democratic club. CBID has fought for reform and progressive causes since 1968. As a Brooklyn-based Club, we have been instrumental in the election of many candidates for public office. Much of this success was a result of our question-and-answer forums with prospective candidates as well as our extensive on-the-street contact with our constituents.
Staunchly opposed to political corruption, we are proud of our independence and our commitment to progressive reform in city, state and national politics. We are a vehicle for citizen empowerment and making government more accountable to our neighborhoods.
We meet monthly, usually the fourth Thursday evening of the month in the basement of the Park Slope United Methodist Church, on the corner of 6th ave and 8th street, at 7:30pm. All are welcome.
New Kings Democrats (”NKD”) is a new, grassroots organization in Kings County (Brooklyn), New York whose primary mission is to recruit and prepare individuals to run for Kings County Democratic Committee. NKD hopes to achieve the goal of an inclusionary and participatory democracy by making it easy for individuals to run for local, elected office. NKD will serve as a training ground for individuals seeking higher office, and hopes to build and nurture a new group of Brooklyn Democratic leaders.
Stonewall Democrats of Western New York is the GLBT Democratic voice in WNY. Our mission is to advocate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community within the Democratic Party and to encourage GLBT participation within the Democratic Party. Our membership includes representatives from State, County, and City government, and several Democratic committee members amongst the various County Committees in WNY.
Drop the Rock: Enacted in 1973, the Rockefeller Drug Laws require lengthy prison terms for the possession or sale of a relatively small amount of drugs. There are over 13,000 people in New York’s prisons incarcerated under the drug laws, most of them minor offenders with no history of violent behavior. It costs New York $500 million a year to imprison drug offenders. 90% of the people locked up in New York for drug offenses are African American or Latino, despite research showing that the majority of people who use and sell drugs are white. Research shows that drug treatment is less expensive than imprisonment and more successful in reducing drug-related crime. Repealing the Rockefeller Drug Laws would save the fiscally strapped state over $220 million per year. Get involved here.
DEMOCRACY FOR NYC MEETINGS: First Wednesday of every month
Staten Island, Muddy Cup, 388 Van Duzer Street with hosts Al Dykes and Tracey Denton at 7pm
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
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
Looking Ahead to 2010: Attorney General. I strongly urge people to pay attention to races like secretary of state and state attorney general. These are extremely important and under appreciated positions that Republicans have used to further their corruption. If you want change, we need fair and honest secretaries of state and attorneys general.
Here are some alternative energy groups and events:
Texas Solar Energy Society: The TXSES mission is : To increase awareness of the potential of solar energy and other renewable energy applications and to promote the wise use of sustainable and non-polluting resources. Find local chapters here. Check out their calendar for upcoming events.
The Dallas Progressive Alternative Energy Meetup Group Want to know when and where this meeting is? Sign up for this Meetup.
The foremost purpose of The Dallas Alternative Energy Meetup Group is to bring together individuals seeking better, cleaner, more economical energy methods and technical experts working in the field of solar, wind, water, geothermal and other renewable sources to gain knowlege and how to use that knowledge. Any individual that has family or friends who live and breath air, those who live in a home, apartment, condo or townhouse as well as those who own automobiles or any other energy powered machinery would be well served to visit our monthly meetups.
This group is to discuss the role of wind power in Texas. Who should attend?
-citizens interested in learning about wind -homeowners and landowners -wind industry professionals -wind industry job-seekers -investors -anyone who feels they can contribute to the group
Monthly Colleyville, Grapevine, Southlake Democrats Meeting The CGS Democrats meet the second Thursday of each month at different locations around our three cities. Arrive at 6:30pm to socialize and eat dinner or at 7:00pm to meet.
Central Market (Southlake, TX) Hwy 1709 Southlake, TX 76092
Meet with other local Democrats, listen to special guests speakers, and learn how to participate in the poltical process. We have a lot of fun networking and learning how to activate our voters.
Meeting agendas are posted at the club Website one week in advance of the meeting date at http://www.cgsdemocrats.com
Look for us in the community room of the Central Market store. It is a nice meeting room and works out nicely. Call if you need directions: (817)939-5671
Lake Area Democratic Club (Social) A gathering of Democrats and anyone interested in the democratic process. Location: Seven Points Dairy Queen (Seven Points, TX) Directions: On hwy 85 just west of hwy 274
We meet at the Seven Points Dairy Queen at 6PM 3rd Tuesday of each month. Come join us and dine at the Queen and have fun while we work to get our county, state, and country back in shape.
Call 214-683-2811 for more information.
The Texas Fair Trade Coalition (TFTC) is a diverse, nonpartisan, coalition of unions, environmental advocacy groups, consumer groups, family farmers, religious organizations, women's advocacy groups, low-income and immigrant advocacy groups, professors, students, public interest and fair trade groups. TFTC promotes democratic control over fiscal and social policies, social justice, workers' rights and livable wages, and sustainable development in trade policy, in Texas and worldwide.
The Sustainable Food Center creates opportunities for individuals to make healthy food choices and to participate in a vibrant local food system. Through organic food gardening, relationships with area farmers, interactive cooking classes and nutrition education, children and adults have increased access to locally grown food and are empowered to improve the long-term health of Central Texans and our environment.
Stonewall Democrats is an organization of politically active individuals working for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender community. Here are some local chapters in Texas:
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
Tondee's Tavern: "A Practical and Useful Blog for the benefit of PROGRESSIVES in GEORGIA."
Atlanta Progressive News: Also on Every Thursday on 89.3 FM WRFG 12pm "Current Events" Show with Adam Shapiro.
Georgia Justice Project is an unlikely mix of lawyers, social workers and a landscape company. We defend people accused of crimes and, win or lose, we stand with our clients while they rebuild their lives.
Here are some stories of interest:
Woman Arrested in Georgia for Practicing Her Religion: I wonder if Georgia forces Jews to remove their yarmulkes as well. If so, this is a bigger problem with regards to freedom of religion. If not, this is clear discrimination.
Westside fire station closing heats up, as predicted: Firehouses should NOT be lightly closed down. This is an issue in NYC where many firehouses got closed down very soon after 9/11, against the wishes and needs of the community. The result? Longer response times in emergencies leading to worse fires and more dead Americans. It is NOT the right thing to do in most circumstances.
Democrats caught a nice break here when incumbent Sen. Johnny Isakson decided against a run for Governor in 2010, choosing instead to run for reelection.
Had Isakson run, he would very likely have won, and certainly would have been favored. With redistricting around the corner, and the Republicans in control of the Georgia legislature, the Governorship is a big prize for Democrats, perhaps bigger than the Senate seat.
And a Senate vacancy may not have been that appetizing even if Isakson did leave his seat, as term-limited Gov. Sonny Perdue would have been positioned to run for Isakson's seat.
Instead, while the battle against Isakson in the Senate will be somewhat tough, the Governor's race is wide open. For the Republicans, the front-runners are Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, Secretary of State Karen Handel, and perhaps a Congressman or two like Lynn Westmoreland.
On the Democratic side, Gen. David Poythress (the former Secretary of State, Labor Commissioner, and Adjutant General) is already running. Potentially in the mix are Attorney General Thurbert Baker (one of the most prominent potential candidates), Congressman Jim Marshall (who also might run for Senate), and Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond.
Any of these folks could run, as could a few more - it's a wide open field. The biggest name of all is former Governor Roy Barnes, who has been polled (and does fairly well) against Oxendine and Cagle.
The Senate race (against Isakson) ought to have more or less the same cast of characters, with the addition of Jim Martin (should he lose his current race against Saxby Chambliss), and wealthy Atlanta attorney Jim Butler. It's likely the open-seat Gov race will draw better Democratic talent, although both Baker and Jim Marshall have been competitive in polling.
Marshall is one of the most conservative Democrats in the House (though he's pretty decent on labor). His seat is perennially endangered, and should be the most hotly contested House seat in Georgia in 2010. Should Marshall run for Senate or for Governor, expect to lose the seat.
His partner in conservative-Dem land, Rep. John Barrow, also may be hunted, though his district is a lot more Dem-friendly than Marshall's - Kerry won it.
Saving the Economy and Environment with Clean Energy! Solar, Wind, Energy Efficiency, and Energy Conservation all have the power to meet our current and projected energy demand more cheaply then fossil fuels (read: Fools), all while providing more local jobs then traditional coal, nuclear, or natural gas plants! Join here for more details. Or go here: www.cleanpower4georgians.com
Atlanta Beyond Oil We are interested in peak oil, global warming, relocalization, sustainable communities, alternative energy, permaculture, and more. We are beginning to network with other Metro Atlanta groups and to have events that educate people about our concerns. We offer support, information, and opportunities to contribute to the solution. We'd love to have you join us! Go here for more details.
The Atlanta Green Living Meetup Group We will meet to share ideas, listen to speakers, review new products, and organize in the community to promote the preservation of Atlanta's natural environment. The group focuses on easy, accessible options that everyone can take to reduce their footprint. Join here for more info.
2009 BIO International Convention May 18, 2009 - May 21, 2009
Atlanta, Georgia - The BIO International Convention is the largest biotechnology event in the world. The Convention helps BIO fulfill its mission to help grow the global biotech industry. The BIO International Convention features keynotes and sessions from key policymakers, scientists, CEOs, and celebrities. Past speakers include President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, Michael J. Fox, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, among many others. The convention also includes hundreds of sessions covering biotech trends, policy issues and technological innovations, and the world's largest biotechnology exhibition - the BIO Exhibition. Go here for more information and registration.
Veterans for Peace, Atlanta has several vigils and rallies around Atlanta. Here is their weekly schedule. I urge you to join them if you can to show your support:
Tuesdays 12:45-1 pm Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Emory University , in front of Woodruff Library. For more information e-mail: thee.smith@emory. edu.
Thursdays 5:00-6:00pm Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at CNN, Marietta and Centennial Olympic Park. For more information e-mail John.Zientowski@ turner.com
Fridays 12:00-1:00 pm Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Colony Square , corner of Peachtree and 14th Street . For more information, e-mail bobbiepaul@rp.cbeyond.com
Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Marietta Square ( Cobb Court House). For more information e-mail cobbpeace@comcast.net
Saturdays 12:00-1:00 Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Dekalb Farmers Market At 3000 Ponce de Leon Avenue , Decatur For more information, Fro more information e-mail John.Zientowski@ turner.com
Sundays 12:15-1:00 pm Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at the corner of MLK Drive and Washington Street (across from the state capitol). For more information, e-mail elogan@gsu.edu or peggyhendrix2000@yahoo.com.
12:00-12:30 pm Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at 910 Ponce De Leon Ave NE ,Open Door Community. For more information contact Lauren Cogswell at lauren_cogswell@yahoo.com, 404-874-9652
Next let me highlight some NAACP groups:
The Cobb County NAACP monthly meetings are the first Monday of the month at the branch office at 6:30 p.m.
General membership meets the fourth Tuesday of the month, mostly at the office location but varies based on programs. Members are encouraged to attend these meetings. Join a committee today. Elections of officers are held in even years.
For more info contact the branch office: 605 B. Roswell St Marietta, GA 30061 770.425.5757 info_at_cobbnaacp.org
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is the oldest, largest and strongest civil rights organization in the United States. The principal objective of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of the United States.
The NAACP is committed to achievement through non-violence and relies upon the press, the petition, the ballot and the courts, and is persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility.
Fayette County NAACP Branch General Membership Meeting: 2nd Saturday Each Month - 4:00 PM, Flat Rock AME Church
And if you want contact info for other NAACP branches in Georgia (mainly addresses), please go here.
Here are a couple of Democracy for America meetings in Georgia:
Decatur Meeting: First Wed. of every month, 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM, Location: ChocoLate Coffee, 2094 North Decatur Rd, Decatur, GA, 30033 US Contact: Susan Keith susan_at_georgiafordemocracy.org
The North Fulton/East Cobb Democracy for America: Second Tuesday of every month, 7:00 PM, sign up here to find out where and more details.
Atlanta Area Democrats Meetup Group: Grassroots Democrats upset with the direction the Republicans are taking our country and our state - we're taking action! Sign up for more information.
Cobb County Young Democrats Monthly Happy Hours on the first Fridays of every month and monthly Business Meetings on the third Tuesdays of every month. Both are great opportunities to meet fellow Cobb County Young Democrats and learn about the 2008 heated races taking place in Cobb County.
Happy Hours: BLACKBIRD, 114 W Hancock St, Milledgeville, GA, 31061 US Contact: Christin Ivey, Christin_ivey@ecats.gcsu.edu,
Business Mettings: Little Azio Pizza and Pasta 1675 Cumberland Pkwy, Ivywalk Unit #415, Smyrna, GA, 30080 US Contact: Alexandra O'Callaghan, alli@georgiayds.org,
Cherokee County Democratic Party Meeting Third Monday of Every Month, 7 PM Hot Springs Community Center 100 Hickory Circle Holly Springs, GA More info here.
Georgia Equality is the political advocacy voice of Georgia's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender citizens and their allies. Founded in Atlanta in 1995, it has grown into a true statewide organization and is known nationally as one of the leaders among state and local LGBT groups.
Atlanta Amnesty International Chapter 75: Meet others in your local area interested in Amnesty International USA, a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. Sign up to find out when and where.
Drinking Liberally is a grassroots social organizations for people who like to meet fellow liberals over a good beer. Here are the Drinking Liberally chapters in Georgia:
Atlanta, Georgia * Every Thursday, 8:00 pm onward * Thinking Man's Tavern, 537 W Howard Ave, Decatur * Hosted by Erin Abrahams, atlanta (at) drinkingliberally.org
Dunwoody * First and third Wednesday of each month (next meeting January 2), 7:00 pm onward * Ye Olde Dunwoody Tavern, 5488 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd (map) * Hosted by Hillary Meister, dunwoody (at) drinkingliberally.org
Augusta, Georgia * Second and fourth Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward * Helga's Lounge, 2015 Central Ave * Hosted by Margie Hobbins, augusta (at) drinkingliberally.org
Savannah, Georgia * First and third Thursday of each month, 7:30 pm onward * Crystal Beer Parlor, 301 W Jones St (corner of west jones and jefferson) * lots of parking * Hosted by John Mattingly, Victor Fishman and McKay Schwalbach, savannah (at) drinkingliberally.org
CALIFORNIA FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events
I will continue, for some time, be focusing on Marriage Equality. I will keep the statement by Keith Olbermann on Prop 8 on the top of my California Focus for sometime because I think it needs to be heard over and over again. It is a brilliant statement right from the heart. I don't have much to add to it except I am also a straight man from a family of straight folks who support Marriage Equality and just don't get this whole homophobic anti-gay marriage movement:
What I don't understand is how two consenting adults loving each other threatens anyone else? My marriage isn't threatened if gays can marry!
FIGHTING BACK:
Proposition 8 is among the worst results in California. It is, basically, a homophobic Hate Amendment that lets government define whether the love between two people is legitimate. There is now a backlash against those who led in the movement to pass this hateful amendment. Among the leaders of this year's movement to discriminate against gays was the Mormon Church. Once again right wing religious fanatics want to force THEIR religion on American society. This is one more example of the American Taliban trying to marginalize anyone they see as different.
For those who doubt the extremist aspects of the Mormon Church (though of course not all Mormons), read Jon Krakauer's book, Under the Banner of Heaven.
There is a backlash. It is the kind of left wing backlash that seldom gets much momentum, but when it does, it can have a powerful effect. Over at Daily Kos there is a list of businesses that endorsed Proposition 8. These are businesses that should be targeted for economic pressure. On the left suggestions like this often cause consternation. Truth is, boycotts DO WORK when enough people get pissed off enough to actually do them. The California grape boycott was a long term effort that finally worked. The anti-Apartheid boycotts were often vague and irregularly carried out...but in the end they were part of what worked. Here is the list of targets for actual economic pressure:
ACMS Ag West Distributing Co., Inc. Ronald Allison, M.D.- Allison Geriatrics Alpasina Insurance Services Pastor Marcelo Alvarado, Iglesia Misionnera HispanoAmericana American Build & Design, Inc. Automated Environments Best Tire and Automotive Rich Bott-Bott Radio Network Boy's Republic Donovan S. Browning, DDS Mary J. Buzzell, M.J.B. Floral Services Catherine Callen - Lampstand Studios, Divide CO Ron Carter- Carter Construction Company CC Layne & Sons Inc. Duncan Chamberlin-Duncan's Auto Sales Richard and Marie Clayton- Maric Services Community West Mortgage Cornerstone Custom Construction CRS, Inc. Culp Diversified Properties Curry Copy Center of Hemet Eldon Cyrus- Cyrus Tree Service Thomas B. Dafoe – Briden Wilson Farm, Arbuckle John DeCesare, President - inetMatrix Joyce Edge, Founder/President – Survivors of Assault Recovery EL VOCERO MAGAZINE Everything4Mom.com Jason & Andrea Ewell – Jason’s Glass Tint, San Clemente Fahillion Technology Consultants Fernandez and Fernandez First Experiences Preschool John Gaines, D.D.S. Mark E. Gething, Insurance - Amarillo TX GFBB Benefits and Insurance Peter Giannini, CPA John J. Gobbell, Jr., Real Estate Appraiser Richard A. & Susan J. Gregg, SueGreggCookbooks, Riverside Guy Strohmeiers Auto Center H M S Capital Hartman Construction of Home Services Dr. Jay W. Henderson, President - The Law Offices of Jay W. Henderson, Ltd. Higham, Richards & Vranes Inspired Stylus Writing and Copyediting GLen Inverso- MJ Baxter Drilling Company R. Christian Jesperson- Chiropractic Family Health Center Justin A. March Associates, Inc. Richard Kerr- Kerr Real Estate Advisors George M. Knapp, Investment Advisor: Knapp Financial James Knox, American Focus Land Resource Investments Lane Associates, Inc. Law Offices of Kimber B. Goddard Leon's Place Independent Living Lewis Appliance Repair and Installation Logos Tax Service David W. & Alice G. Magnusson: Haws, Record & Magnusson, Attorneys at Law Vlade Mamayev, CEO – Buildex Inc. Mammoth Auto Nora O. Marin - Little Angel's Daycare, Rancho Cordova Wayne M. Martin – Wayne Martin Associates, Oxnard Maximum Marketing Inc. Joseph McFarland, DDS Douglas McMullin, MD Anchi Miller – ATM International, Kirkland WA Ridley R. Molders – Molders Logistics, Santa Ana Todd Mowrey-Fit-To-Be-Tyed Fabricio Mundo- LinearB Enterprises NordalAppraisal.com Don Nordgren, Owner - Pacific Coast Auto Body, Paint & Frame, San Diego Dr. Phillip Ortiz, President/Owner - Direct to You Mobile Dentistry, Murrieta Michael A. Padgett – Law Office, Fontana Bradley L. Quick - Bradley L. Quick Insurance Agency Rick J. Radecki – Lion’s Roar Media, Victorville RCS Door Service/ Rodney Press. Peter M. Reimer - Peter Reimer Farms, Shafter Reimer's Wholesale Nursery Resources For Continuing Education, Inc. RF Sweet & Associates Real Estate Anthony Rios- First Security Home Loans Rockingham Asset Management Rod B. Johnson, CPA Denise M. Roland – Reliable Referrals LLC, La Crosse WI RPM Events, Inc. Joel Sanders – Sanders Heavy Towing, Williams Ross L. Sardo – RLS Inspections, Inc. Ventura Janice Schindler, President - Schindler & Schindler Inc. Fountain Valley Scott McDonald & Assoc. SCVHHS Sheppard & Associates Insurance Agency David Smalley, M.D. Patricia Smith – Classic Clean, Inc. Los Gatos Splash! Designworks Cynthia L. Stevens - Cynthia’s Cleaning Service Robert D. Stevenson, DDS Douglas Stevenson-Quietcool, inc. Stubblefield Family Chiropractic Scott Suchomel-Sibling Systems Superior Notary, LLC Teague Construction The Fire & Cop Shop The Law Office of H. Craig Miller The Wellness Advantage President Daniel y Susana Torres, Vision De Futuroag Tri-Valley Propac, Inc. Tropical Sands Vacations William U. Valencia, Tax Consultant: Valencia Tax Service Keith Walker, Writer-Publisher: Golden Door Press Warren Photography, Victorville Robert R. Weedon LCSW, Coherent Counseling Services West Coast Commercial Mortgage, Inc. White Diamond Jewelers Zane Schaeffer Construction
Also over at Daily Kos there is a diary listing Mormon businesses. These are not necessarily endorsers of the homophobic propositions that have been enacted in several states. But they are members of the religious organization that led to fight to marginalize approximately 10% of Americans. These businesses are good targets for establishing a dialogue regarding this proposition and urging them to condemn theHate Amendment. Some may well be right wing nut cases, like Diebold. THEY should be boycotted. Others should not but rather should be part of an effort to talk to people about why marriage equality is fair and a good thing for American society. So here is a list of companies to look into and TALK to about marriage equality.
* Affiliated Computer Services * AES Corp. * Avista Corp. * American Express * Black & Decker * Cadence Design * Corvis * Central Pacific Bank * 1-800-Contacts * Cygnus Inc. * Diebold * Dell Computer * Dionex * Downey Savings and Loan * EarthShell * Franklin Covey * Hillenbrand Industries * Headwaters, Inc. * Hollywood Entertainment * Host Marriott * Iomega * JP Realty * Key Corp. * Knight Transportation * K-Swiss, Inc. * La Quinta Properties, Inc. * Marriott International * Micrel Semiconductor * Micro General * Merit Medical Systems * Monaco Coach * Microsemi Corp. * Myriad Genetics * Novell * NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. * NuSkin * Oil States International * Oakley * priceline.com Inc. * Phelps Dodge Corp. * Ryder Systems * SkyWest Airlines * Swift Transportation * Cornerstone REIT * Tropical Sportswear * Williams Companies, Inc. * Zions Bancorp
If you boycott a company...TELL them you are boycotting. If you contact a company and receive a reply, even just a form letter, write back. Keep up the dialogue. Make a follow up phone call. TALK to people. It can make the difference.
And here is a list of STONEWALL DEMOCRATS and related organizations in California:
Stonewall Alliance of Chico: The Stonewall Alliance Center offers a range of services to help connect people to their community. Volunteers staffing the Center provide information on activities and events and offer referrals for services. Our Education & Outreach give community members access to the Harlan Adams Memorial Library, Out Education classes, we deliver speaker’s panels to local colleges and presenters to area organizations and groups.
BLOGGING CALIFORNIA: Here are some blogs covering California Politics
Calitics is an open source news organization for California.
The California Progress Report is published by Frank D. Russo, a longtime observer of and participant in California politics.
Senator Barbara Boxer is up for reelection, and she ought to win, unless she happens to face an exceptionally strong candidate like, say, term-limited Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I feel that Boxer would beat the Governator (who has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for a Cabinet position) in a head-to-head race, but it would be quite a lot of fun to watch.
Perhaps not as much fun, however, as the Democratic primary for Governor is expected to be.
Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi is already running. Other possible or expected candidates include:
• Attorney General, former Governor, former Presidential candidate and former Mayor of Oakland Jerry Brown. • U.S. Senator and former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein. • San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom • Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa • U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez • U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis
And those are just the Democrats. On the GOP side, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is expected to run, and we can only hope that Conservative Icon Tom McClintock might get into the race, whether or not he wins in the House.
Speaking of the House, there probably won't be too many top-tier races to begin with, but as we saw this year, there are a number of California districts where upsets are plausible. Among them:
CA-03, where Republican Dan "the Sacramento '49er" Lungren received under 50% of the vote in 2008. CA-04, where we still don't know who the next Representative will be (though it's not looking good for Democrat Charlie Brown). CA-26, where incumbent Republican David Drier pulled just 53% in 2008 CA-44, where Democrat Bill Hedrick nearly shocked the world by pulling off a stunning upset of Republican Ken Calvert, in a race no one saw coming. CA-45, a moderately Republican district and home of Democrat Mary Bono Mack. CA-46, where Republican Dana Rohrabacher got just 53% against Democrat Debbie Cook this year.
Meanwhile, it's likely Republicans will take another crack at Jerry McNerney in CA-11. It's likely neither party will gain any House seats in California in 2010, but you never know.
The Green Way Out: Yes...a Green New Deal is what we need...and on a related note: Green efforts boost economy. I've been saying this for YEARS. And boy our economy could use some boosting!
Here are some Biodiesel Cooperatives in California. If you have a diesel truck or car, joining one of these co-ops can help you drive more green.
The Berkeley Biodiesel Collecctive Berkeley, CA email: berkeleybiodiesel_at_yahoo.com. Or check out their website.
The Biofuels Research Cooperative Sebastopol, CA email: veggieoilcoop_at_yahoo.com.
I also want to highlight Conserv Fuels in Los Angeles, which offers a selection of alternative fuels (biodiesel and ethanol included) as well as pretty cheap regular gasoline. Joy and I buy our fuel (whatever we need) when we are in Los Angeles.
And Propel Fuels have several stations around California that offer biodiesel: (I discovered them when I saw they did carbon offsets)
* Rocklin 6700 Five Star Blvd Sacramento, California 95677
* Citrus Heights 7741 Auburn Blvd Citrus Heights, California 95610
* Sacramento, Folsom Blvd. 8090 Folsom Blvd. Sacramento, California 95826
* Sacramento, Norwood Ave. 4200 Norwood Ave Sacramento, California 95838
* Sacramento, Florin Road 8062 Florin Road Sacramento, California 95828
* Elk Grove 9190 E Stockton Blvd Elk Grove, California 95624
* Roseville 999 Sunrise Ave Roseville, California 95661
* Placerville 151 Main St Placerville, California 95667
Here are other alternative energy resources for Califorina:
San Francisco Community Power pilots innovative programs that improve our neighborhoods' environmental and economic conditions. We help small businesses and low-income families lower their expenses and reduce their ecological footprint. Our work provides policy makers with demonstrative ways to solve complex resource allocation issues.
California for Democracy: Here are some local Democracy for America groups (click on the link for more info)
Here are some local political meetings in California:
San Fernando Valley Young Democrats: San Fernando Valley Young Democrats shall endeavor to stimulate in young people an active interest in governmental affairs, increase the efficiency of our government, maintain the viability of our free institutions, and contribute to the growth and influence of the ideals and philosophy of the Democratic Party. Check their calendar of events here.
Pasadena Young Democrats: PYD welcomes students and young adults from throughout the region to join us. The mission of PYD is to encourage young people to participate in the political process, support progressive ideals and Democratic candidates and have a lot fun in the process!
If you are actively looking to find out about the local scene, get involved with a campaign, or even if you are just looking for some fun progressive people aged 14-35 to hang out with, we encourage you to join PYD and attend one of our meetings or events. Check out their calendar here.
Orange County Young Democrats: We are young workers, young families, college and high school students--ages 14-35--who are commited to the Democratic values that make America strong and provide opportunity for all. As the official voice for young people in the Democratic Party of Orange County, OCYD is a network of Young Democrat activists around the county that are helping to provide a Democratic presence around Orange County and around college and high school campuses. Check out their calendar here.
San Ramon Valley Democrats Meetings We are a group of dedicated Democrats living in the San Ramon Valley who have come together to support and promote the progressive social and political principles that always have been fundamental to the Democratic Party. The San Ramon Valley is comprised of Alamo, Blackhawk, Diablo, Danville, San Ramon, and southern Walnut Creek, and members of our club come from each of those communities. We meet once a month for an educational program at Mudd's Restaurant in San Ramon, alternating between lunch on the second Tuesday, and appetizers (no-host bar) on the evening of the fourth Thursday (6:30 PM). We register people to vote, walk precincts to arouse voters, raise money for candidates, and enjoy the opportunity to socialize with people of common interests. Go here for more info.
Our meetings are lively and our programs are focused on issues of concern to Democrats, locally, statewide, and nationally. Our speakers are chosen for their astute insight into the problems before us as citizens and as voters. We socialize before and after the formal meetings, and enter into animated discussions about the topic of the day. In the process we become fast friends.
Mudds Restaurant $22 per person (meal included)
Democrats of North Orange County Bill Daly, President 714-990-6767 Bruce Sandercock, Vice-President 714-871-5244 P. O. Box 6597 Fullerton, CA 92834 Monthly meeting: First Thursday, Sizzler Restaurant, 1401 N. Harbor, Fullerton; 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. meeting
Santa Clara County (San Jose) Democratic Party Meetup We meet at 7:30pm on the second Tuesday of each month at the Dem Party Office, 2102 Almaden Road, Suite 114, San Jose, 95125. Feel free to bring snacks to share.
Brought to you by the Santa Clara County Democratic Party (http://www.sccdp.org).... Please join us to learn ways to help elect Democrats in Santa Clara County and beyond.
~~Together, America Can Do Better!~~
On Almaden ROAD (not Expwy), between Curtner and Canoas Garden. It's OK to park in the big lot, despite posted warnings.
Internet directions usually suggest taking Almaden Expressway, which is sometimes backed up. A lower stress route is to take Bird Avenue west from 280 and follow it all the way until it dead-ends at Malone. Left on Malone, Right on Almaden Road and 2102 is on the first corner on your left.
We meet in Suite 114, first door on your left as you enter the glass doors marked Main Entrance.
Drinking Liberally:
For those who like a more social, and beer focused, environment, there's Drinking Liberally. Here are the Drinking Liberally groups in California:
San Jose * Second Thursday of each month, 6:30 and on * Trials Pub in downtown San Jose, 265 N 1st St (main cross streets: W St James and W Julian) * September is our first meeting with our new host! I'm looking for a co-host, so let me know if you are interested * Hosted by Mia White, sanjose (at) drinkingliberally.org
Downtown Los Angeles * Third Wednesday of each month, 6:00-8:00 pm * The Edison, 108 West 2nd St * We'll be in the area past the bar, known as the "Generator Lounge" (the entrance to the bar is through the alley off of 2nd street) * Hosted by Vincent Jones, Cecilia Cabello, Becca Doten, Roxi Reeves and Jim Kennedy, downtownla (at) drinkingliberally.org
Hollywood * Second Wednesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 PM * Molly Malone's Irish Pub, 575 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles 90036 (near corner of 6th avenue) * http://www.mollymalonesla.com/ * Hosted by Vincent Jones, Jim Kennedy and Mary Jack, la (at) drinkingliberally.org
Pasadena * Every Tuesday, 7:30-10:00 pm * Madeleine's Wine Bistro, 1030 E Green St (between Wilson and Catalina) * We'll start out in the wine bar, then move out to the front patio. * Hosted by Asa Hopkins, pasadena (at) drinkingliberally.org
San Fernando Valley * First and third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward * The White Harte Pub, 22456 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills (Two blocks west of Shoup Ave.) * Hosted by Andy Beaton and Jon Hytowitz, sfv (at) drinkingliberally.org
Westside * Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm * Cock and Bull Pub, 2947 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica * Hosted by Vincent Jones, Mary Jack, Robert Coyner, Gisele Perez, Jeremy Bloom, Tami Reiss, Marc Saltzberg and Jim Kennedy, westsidela (at) drinkingliberally.org
Monterey, California * First Wednesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward * Ol' Factory Cafe, 1725 Contra Costa St (In Sand City, off of Del Monte Blvd) * http://www.olfactorycafe.com/ * Please note that The Ol' Factory Cafe currently only takes cash and local checks. * Hosted by Annie Ho, monterey (at) drinkingliberally.org
Santa Ana * Every Thursday, 8:30 pm onward * Memphis Bar, 201 N Broadway (Artists Village) * Hosted by Mike Lawson, orangecounty (at) drinkingliberally.org
Rancho Santa Margarita * Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward * Canyon Fireside Grille, 22312 El Paseo * Hosted by Gary Kephart, rsm (at) drinkingliberally.org
Huntington Beach * First and third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward * Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co. - Out Back On The Patio, 19461 Main St * Next Meeting will be on Thursday November 15th * Hosted by Scott McKown and Louise Stewardson, huntingtonbeach (at) drinkingliberally.org
Sacramento, California * Second Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward * BJs Restaurant and Brewery, 3531 N Freeway Blvd (Natomas) * Come check out our new venue and meet some new people! * Hosted by Leslie Simmons, sacramento (at) drinkingliberally.org
San Diego, California * Every other Tuesday, 7:30 pm onward * Nunu's Cocktail Lounge, 3537 5th Ave (Between Brookes and Ivy Ln) * We will also be meeting periodically at Firehouse in Pacific Beach for special editions of Drinking Liberally. 722 Grand Avenue Pacific Beach, CA 92109 * Hosted by Jesse Rubin and Jason Miller, sandiego (at) drinkingliberally.org
San Francisco * Every Monday, 7:00-9:00 pm * Nickie's, 466 Haight Street (between Fillmore & Webster) (Look for our red, white and blue striped bottle!) * Hosted by Susan Harrison, sf (at) drinkingliberally.org
Oakland * Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:00 - 9:00 PM * Luka's Taproom & Lounge, 2221 Broadway * Join us for the Eating Liberally Oakland Brunch at Luka's * Hosted by Cyril Allen and Philip Combs, oakland (at) drinkingliberally.org
Napa * First and third Monday of each month, 5:00-6:30 pm * Compadre's, 505 Lincoln Ave * Hosted by Mick Winter and Lauren Coodley, napa (at) drinkingliberally.org
San Luis Obispo, California * First and third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward * The Graduate, 990 Industrial Way * Hosted by Lorrie Toles and Sergio Monge, slo (at) drinkingliberally.org
Santa Barbara, California * Every Wednesday, 8 pm - 10 pm * Elsie's Bar, 117 W de la Guerra St (behind Paseo Nuveo Mall) * Elsie's is 21+ and cash only * Hosted by Daryl Chrisman and Bart Woolery, santabarbara (at) drinkingliberally.org
Santa Clarita, California * Second Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward * Mulligans, 25848 Tournament Rd (Near Cal Arts) * Hosted by Michael Cruz, Bill Bailey and Minerva Williams, santaclarita (at) drinkingliberally.org
Santa Cruz, California * First Tuesday of each month, 8:00 pm onward * Cafe Pergolesi, 418 Cedar St (In the orange room to the right and back) * Hosted by Brandon Smith and Natalie Rojas, santacruz (at) drinkingliberally.org
Stockton, California * Third Friday of each month, 7:00 pm onward * Stockton Grand Hotel, 2323 Grand Canal Blvd (Front of Bar) * Grand Hotel tel. 209-957-9090 * Joel's Cell: 209-351-3397 * Hosted by Joel Carignan, stockton (at) drinkingliberally.org
Ventura, California * Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 8:00 pm * JJ Brewsky's, now and forever, 2344 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo (in the heart of Old Town Camarillo) * Join us every second and fourth Wednesdays at 8:00 PM for a pint and some politics! * Heather, Marie, Mark and Brian * Hosted by Heather Schmidt, Marie Davis, Mark Eggertsen and Brian Mack, ventura (at) drinkingliberally.org
