Progressive Democrat Issue 222

What a difference it makes having Obama as President. From Daily Kos, here is a list of US favorability ratings from around the world (Pew Poll's survey of 25 countries):

2007 2009
US 80 88
Canada 55 68

Britain 51 69
France 39 75
Germany 30 64
Spain 34 58

Poland 61 67
Russia 41 44

Turkey 9 14
Egypt 21 27
Jordan 20 25
Lebanon 47 55
Palestine 13 15
Israel 78 71

China 34 47
India 59 76
Indonesia 29 63
Japan 61 59
Pakistan 15 16
S. Korea 58 78

Argentina 16 38
Brazil 44 61
Mexico 56 69

Kenya 87 90
Nigeria 70 79

Every nation polled shows either about the same or much higher US popularity...even among Americans (+8 among Americans)! Note also that many of our key allies in the war against al-Qaeda (France, Germany and Spain) have massive increases in popular support for the US. That is something we really need.

Another article from Daily Kos I want to call your attention to goes along with my recent emphasis on how individuals and local communities can reduce their carbon footprint. In An American's Experience With Spain's Energy Policy a Kossack discusses how it is done in Spain and how he adapted to a less wasteful lifestyle. I have at times highlighted how Denmark is making the switch to offshore wind power and how it is amazing that Denmark has the gumption to make such a switch but America hasn't yet. (I also like to point out that although Denmark has higher taxes, they also have a healthcare system that beats the pants off America's and they have been ranked the "happiest place in the industrial world" this year...maybe America needs to emulate the tax policies, healthcare system and energy policies of Denmark...). One thing I somewhat disagree with the Daily Kos article about is how there are few ways in America to make the necessary changes to lower one's carbon footprint. He is right that it is harder. Most places have no alternatives to driving, for example. But there ARE incentives to install solar (my building is considering it looking at a 3-5 year break even period followed by some 12-17 years of almost free electricity) and there ARE ways you can also switch to alternative energy as your source for electricity through your existing energy company in most states, as I pointed out last week. But the article is correct in pointing out that many industrial democracies around the world are governing better in terms of energy policy, and I would add healthcare and education. The reason? We sacrifice health, education and the environment for tax breaks for the wealthy. Most industrial democracies are willing to pay higher taxes for better healthcare (at an overall cheaper price, I might add), better education and a better energy policy (reducing pollution as well). And by most measures people are HAPPIER in those nations. We need to learn from those nations.

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

My Message to the Democratic Party: Get off your Asses on Healthcare Reform

MSNBC's Donnie Deutsch Calls for Glenn Beck Advertiser Boycott

Congressman Anthony Weiner on Healthcare

Dr. Howard Dean on Healthcare and Sotomayor

Brooklyn, NY Focus

Queens, NY Focus

Bronx, NY Focus

Rochester, NY Focus

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS

Silicon Valley, CA Focus

San Diego, CA Focus

Orange County, CA Focus

CALIFORNIA FOCUS

Dallas County, TX Focus

Austin/Travis County, TX Focus

Houston/Harris County, TX. Events

TEXAS FOCUS

Sussex County, NJ Focus

Warren County, NJ Focus

Passaic County, NJ Focus

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Georgia Democrats Work

Georgia Action for Health Care

Coweta County, GA Focus

GEORGIA FOCUS

Virginia Congressman Target of Right Wing Forgery Attempt

VIRGINIA FOCUS

COLORADO FOCUS

WASHINGTON FOCUS

Florida Fire Fighters Endorse Alex Sink for Governor

Jacksonville, FL Campaign Training

FLORIDA FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

WISCONSIN FOCUS

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

Arizona Focus: Uranium Contamination on Navajo Land

Maricopa County, AZ Focus: Blood on Sheriff Arpaio's Hands

ARIZONA FOCUS

Nevada Focus: Stop Blackstone Coal

NEVADA FOCUS

MICHIGAN FOCUS

MINNESOTA FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS