Progressive Democrat Newsletter Issue 241

Been slowly getting back to the politics. This is a tough time. The economy is still bad. The left is finding it hard to remain united on any issue in the face of continued, united opposition from the right. At a party tonight I heard exasperation from members of the NY State Assembly, NY State Senate, and Congress. All expressed some weariness at the left's ability to divide itself and the right's ability to hold together. Remember, it doesn't matter that the left has the better ideas, the better understanding of economics and society, the better plan for America. If we can't stick together on key issues--and that means most of us from Blue Dog to Green--and if we cant express a clear, engaging message, we can't win out against the unified, yammering lies of the right.

This is no one person's fault. We all contribute to the problem. And, talking to an Assemblyman and State Senator tonight, I expressed how it is endemic on the left throughout history for the left to be divided. They both vehemently disagreed with me. This was no political stance they were taken. They saw that division now does not mean division tomorrow. We just have to find the way to come together and stay united.

I will discuss this more next issue, I think. For this issue, I want to mainly mention some of the very clear, very definite ways in which Obama and the Democratic majorities in Congress have helped us all. The hints of economic recovery, the positive impacts of the economic stimulus Congress gave us, improved enforcement of labor laws and advances in government involvement in climate research. These are some of the things we should be thankful for a year after Obama took office. We can disagree on important issues, but there are real advancements that Obama and the Democratic Congress have given us, and we can't dismiss these. I remain thankful every day that Bush is out of office. There are disappointments, but I am thankful for a great deal that has changed.

I am also starting to add in Darwin Day events when I find them for the states I am covering.

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Optimism

First Transgendered Presidential Appointee

Silicon Valley Area, CA Focus

Orange County, CA Focus

San Diego, CA Focus

California 11th District Focus: San Joaquin, Alameda and Santa Clara Counties

CALIFORNIA FOCUS

Brooklyn, NY Focus

Queens, NY Focus

Bronx, NY Focus

Suffolk County, NY Focus

New York 19th District Focus: Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, and Westchester Counties

Rochester, NY Focus

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS

Atlanta, GA Focus

Fayette County, GA Focus

Coweta County, GA Focus

GEORGIA FOCUS

Austin/Travis County, TX Focus

Dallas County, TX Focus

Houston/Harris County, TX Focus

Texas 10th District Focus: Turn TX-10 Blue

Texas 21st District Focus: Turn TX-21 Blue

TEXAS FOCUS

Charlottesville/Albemarle County, VA Focus

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania County, VA Focus

Hanover County, VA Focus

VIRGINIA FOCUS

Sussex County, NJ Focus

Passaic County, NJ Focus

Warren County, NJ Focus

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Lancaster Co. PA Focus

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

WASHINGTON STATE FOCUS

FLORIDA FOCUS

Arizona's Racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio Under Investigation

ARIZONA FOCUS

COLORADO FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS

WISCONSIN FOCUS

Michigan Secretary of State: Jocelyn Benson

MICHIGAN FOCUS

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

MINNESOTA FOCUS

NEVADA FOCUS