Progressive Democrat Newsletter Issue 259

Last week a reader had a suggestion regarding immigration and the issues surrounding it. Often we respond to anti-immigrant bigotry by opposing the bigotry. Which is a perfectly good and proper response. But neither the anti-immigrant bigots nor the anti-bigotry side are addressing the underlying issues behind immigration problems. This reader recommended this Daily Kos diary bringing up some of these issues. I promised to link to it. I welcome comments on the issues this diary brings up:

Arizona & America & Playing Dumb & Consumerism & ...

In partial response to this diary I recommend people look into the Fair Trade Federation for things they buy, community supported agriculture for produce needs, and Kiva.org for investment (no profit, but you can get the money back after a loan is paid back). These are two important, if rather tentative, steps towards addressing the issues of exploitation and consumerism that this diary brings up.

Once again, I am so thankful we all worked so hard to get Al Franken elected to the Senate. He is now responsible for some really meaningful reform to Credit Rating Agencies. From an email from Al Franken:

If you read my last email, you already know that one of the biggest problems on Wall Street is that banks can influence Credit Rating Agencies to give their financial products good grades.

As I said, kids don't get to buy grades in school, so banks shouldn't be able to buy theirs on Wall Street.

Well, just now the United States Senate did something to fix it.

My amendment to the Wall Street reform bill puts an end to the flawed rating system that costs retirees and everyday investors billions -- and it just passed with bipartisan support, 64-35!

I think it was absolutely critical to strengthen the consumer protections in the Wall St. reform bill. I came to Washington to stand up for middle class Minnesotans who haven't had a voice in Washington. And I think ending the bogus conflicts of interest ripping people off in the current system is a good start.

Minnesotans, and folks all over the country, build their nest eggs with what they are led to believe are top-rated bonds. Those ratings need to be accurate. And while we're at it, let's reward ratings agencies for being accurate, instead of propping up a pay-to-play system where banks win and consumers lose.

My amendment does just that, and now it is on track to pass the Senate with Wall St. Reform.

In the end, 11 Republicans joined with my Democratic colleagues and me to pass this important amendment. I'm especially grateful for the Senators who made this effort bipartisan. I think it really shows that when we take a common-sense approach to improving people's lives, we can make real progress.

Thank you so much, as always. You and I know fights like this one are worth fighting, and I appreciate your support.

Thank you Senator Franken. And once again, this shows the importance of the Secretary of State Project. It is thanks to their help that Minnesota had an honest, determined secretary of state to insist that a proper recount was conducted and it is thanks to that complete and accurate recount that Al Franken is now a Senator.

This week I focus a great deal on local elections. People tend to focus on top ballot races, but the truth is the people who decide a great deal that affect our everyday lives are the down ballot, local races. So one thing I often do is try to focus on these down ballot races. If I cover people in your area, please check them out and see if you want to support them. And if you do, please take some time to help them out...it can make a HUGE difference. And it is these local races that you can really get progressives elected. I should point out that Arizona is one of the states I am focusing on. It was the Arizona legislature that passed the recent hate laws and we have some chances to flip some seats in that legislature from reactionary to progressive. If you are angry at Arizona's racist laws, the best thing you can do is check out my page on Progressive Candidates in Arizona and help them if you can.

I leave you with this week's address by President Obama:



Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

National Acadamy of Sciences to Global Warming Deniers: "DELAY MUST NOT BE AN OPTION!"

Elana Kagan as Supreme Court Nominee

Brooklyn Focus: Challenging Marty Golden (State Senate)

Brooklyn Focus: Challenging Carl Kruger (State Senate)

Brooklyn, NY Focus

Manhattan, NY Focus

Queens, NY Focus

Bronx Focus: Challenging Pedro Espada jr. (State Senate)

Bronx Focus: Challenging Ruben Diaz, Sr. (State Senate)

Bronx, NY Focus

Suffolk County, NY Focus

Rochester, NY Focus

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

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS

Texas Focus: (CRITICAL!!!) Texas Board of Education

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

Orange County, CA Focus

Silicon Valley Area, CA Focus

San Diego, CA Focus

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

CALIFORNIA FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

Charlottesville/Albemarle County, VA Foucus

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania County, VA Focus

Hanover County, VA Focus

VIRGINIA FOCUS

Broward County, FL Focus

Orange County, FL Focus

Pinellas County, FL Focus

FLORIDA FOCUS

Sussex County, NJ Focus

Passaic County, NJ Focus

Warren County, NJ Focus

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Progressive Candidates in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Focus: Lois Herr for Congress

Lancaster Co. PA Focus

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

Atlanta, GA Focus

Fayette County, GA Focus

Coweta County, GA Focus

GEORGIA FOCUS

Progressive Candidates in Washington State

WASHINGTON STATE FOCUS

Progressive Candidates in Colorado

Boulder County, CO Focus

Larimer County, CO Focus

Douglas County, CO Focus

COLORADO FOCUS

Progressive Candidates in Michigan

MICHIGAN FOCUS

WISCONSIN FOCUS

KANSAS FOCUS

Arizona Republican Leader Follows KKK Leader on Twitter

Progressive Candidates in Arizona

ARIZONA FOCUS

NC-5 Congressional Race: Democrat Bill Kennedy Outraises Republican Virginia Foxx

North Carolina Focus: NC-5 District Focus (Stokes County, Statesville, Surrey County, Iredell County, Watauga County, Yadkin County)

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

NEVADA FOCUS

TENNESSEE FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS

Progressive Candidates in Minnesota

MINNESOTA FOCUS