Progressive Democrat Issue 205

Recently I have been beefing up the local focus of this newsletter, particularly in areas where I have a lot of readers. My readership skyrocketed right around the election, but has come back down right to where it was most of 2008, right around 120 hits per day. That is still small, of course, but I still feel it is significant. And often this blog gets noticed by people of some importance, raising the profile of the blog.

In terms of people getting to this site from search engines, searches for info on Republican corruption and on alternative energy and green jobs are two top ways people reach this site. In terms of where my readers live, I am often surprised in that, next to New York State and California, Southern States are usually at the top. The top states after NY and CA vary, but Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida are usually vying for the top spots. I am quite happy with that, though initially I had imagined the Midwest as being one of my main areas of focus.

This week, even as I become more convinced than ever that Bush's Republican Recession may be slipping into a Depression, I also see signs of optimism. I see parts of the stimulus package that are helping fellow scientists buy new equipment, which helps the companies and workers that make that equipment, the people who deliver that equipment, and the medical research that depends on that equipment, thus helping America in three ways. I see that even as irresponsible banks like Bank of America and Citibank are crashing at below $10 a share (as low as $2 a share!!!), responsible banks like TD Bank are still at $30 a Share. That is still half their value of a year or so ago, but still ten times the value of Bank of America. The difference? Bank of America and Citigroup participated in predatory lending and sacrificed customer service for petty fees, while places like TD Bank avoided the worst predatory lending and maintained a solid sense of customer service. The difference is reflected in the market. Simple capitalism. After years of Republican Crony Capitalism, the bad companies beg for money while at rock bottom stock prices, while the good companies maintain their value. Keep this in mind when you choose your banks, your credit cards and your investments.

Here is this weeks newsletter, more locally focused than ever:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Bushvilles...the new Hoovervilles...Tent cities across America.

Norm Coleman: Abysmally Stupid Republlican

The Madoff Scandal: The Long Term Impact

Brooklyn Focus: Steve DiBrienza Scandal

NYC COMPTROLLER'S RACE: John Liu Endorsement

NY STATE FOCUS

Jersey City Focus: Dan Levin for Mayor

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Virginia Young Democrats Young Democrats

VIRGINIA FOCUS

Phoenix, AZ Events

ARIZONA FOCUS

WISCONSIN FOCUS

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

WASHINGTON FOCUS

North Carolina Action: Support Comprehensive Sex Ed

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

FLORIDA FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

NEVADA FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS