Progressive Democrat Issue 209

This week Biden showed us why Obama picked him as VP...how many other people will take on Dick Cheney? Biden said what we all want said to Dick Cheney:



Meanwhile Obama made a "surprise" visit to Baghdad (I had actually been wondering when he was going to make an appearance) and was greeted with wild enthusiasm by our troops: (image from BBC News)



Better yet, here's a video:



And while there he reiterated his promise that all American troops will be withdrawn by the end of 2011. Not as quick a time frame as I would like, but it is nice to hear a definite date and to hear it being emphasized at every opportunity. I should also add that MOST US troops are to be out by the end of 2010, a timeline that is reasonable given the logistics of transporting that many troops out in an orderly fashion. The residual "advisers and support staff" that will remain until 2011 is worrisome. What happens if they are attacked? Will we send in reinforcements? It sounds like a possible disaster, but also could be a good way to help ensure stability in Iraq without committing our combat troops.

This past couple of weeks has been big for marriage equality. Iowa's supreme court declared the limiting of civil marriage (note...CIVIL marriage, not referring to any religious ceremony) to only opposite-sex couples is unconstitutional. Then Vermont's legislature managed to override their governor's veto and legalized marriage equality. That means more than 2/3 of Vermont's state legislators supported marriage equality! Finally, Washington, DC had said it would recognize all marriages recognized in other states, meaning that although marriage equality is not accepted in DC, the same-sex marriages in Iowa and Vermont will be legal in DC.

Here is a statement from Iowa's Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal:



Of course the right wing extremists are going insane, mis-quoting chapter and verse to try and support their intolerance. Well, funny that they are so selective about what they take a stand on. For those who want to go all the way with Leviticus and Deuteronomy, there is God Hate Shrimp, taking the rightous protest to Long John Sliver's and Red Lobster.

Finally, let me note that the candidates I was plugging in Wisconsin's Spring election this last week did extremely well. You can read about it below.

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

REMINDER: Torture Does NOT Work

More Problems With Nuclear Energy

Brooklyn, NY Focus

Queens, NY Focus

Bronx, NY Focus

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS

Silicon Valley, CA Focus

Orange County, CA Focus

Sacramento, CA Focus

San Diego, CA Focus

CALIFORNIA FOCUS

NEW JERSEY EQUALITY

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Virginia Action Alert: End Workplace Discrimination

VIRGINIA FOCUS

Pennsylvania Action Alert: Equality PA

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

Big Progressive Victories in Wisconsin Elections

WISCONSIN FOCUS

ARIZONA FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

NEVADA FOCUS

COLORADO FOCUS

FLORIDA FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS

WASHINGTON FOCUS

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS