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Mole's Progressive Democrat

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Originally intended for New York City progressives, its readership is now national. For anyone who wants to be alerted by email whenever this newsletter is updated (usually weekly), please send your email address and let me know what state you live in (so I can keep track of my readership).

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Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States

I am a research biologist in NYC. Married with two kids living in Brooklyn.

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  • Saturday, March 19, 2011

    Progressive Democrat Newsletter Issue 292

    I have been watching the disaster in Japan unfold as I put together this newsletter. Having lived in Japan (further South) it is really devastating to watch. If you want to get a good (and charming) feel for what regular life is like in Japan, watch Whisper of the Heart. Not normally my style of movie (almost a chic flick, in fact) but it captures Japanese life so perfectly that it makes me feel nostalgic. I highly recommend it.

    To get a feel for what the exact same area featured in Whisper of the Heart was like before it was built up, watch My Neighbor Totoro. If you watch Totoro first you will better understand the "Country Roads"/"Concrete Roads" theme in Whisper of the Heart.

    Wish I had something cheery to say about the Japanese disaster, but one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history followed by a tsunami and a nuclear disaster are just about as bad as you can get. For a good discussion of the risks of the nuclear plant, here is a good article from BBC.

    Turning to politics, which goes merrily on no matter how bad things get...

    Next time a conservative attacks collective bargaining, perhaps you should pull out this little quote:

    "These are the values inspiring those brave workers in Poland … They remind us that where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost." (Ronald Reagan 1980)


    Why do modern Republicans hate Reagan so much?

    And I LOVE this photo from a great Daily Kos photo diary of the recent protest in Madison:



    Here is a little graphic someone posted on Daily Kos...really shows EXACTLY what the Republicans are up to.



    Republicans are determined to kill the unions...and it will hurt us. But it will also be their downfall. People are angry now.

    In Wisconsin a judge has blocked the Republican anti-worker law.

    And the fight has expanded to Michigan now. Republicans in Michigan are trying to repeat the Wisconsin anti-union attack, Democrats are trying to block them, and Michigan unions are fighting back. There is even a recall effort brewing in Michigan as well.

    I want to keep pushing my now expanded Union Solidarity Across FOUR States Act Blue Page, keeping the focus on Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana where the battle between pro-Billionaire Republicans and pro-union Democrats are going on right now. Most of the attention has been on Wisconsin and the Teabagger dirty tricks that have been going on there, but the battle in Ohio is just as fierce and in Indiana we have to keep pushing to keep the Republicans from doing what they did in Wisconsin. Please help out!

    And for a more long-term strategy, check out my Liberals Strike Back 2012 Act Blue Page, which widens the focus beyond these key three states to other states that are crucial for taking back Congress in 2012.

    And finally, let me suggest a donation to Heartland Revolution...you get a T-shirt if you donate $50:



    Heartland Revolution PAC is a committee set up to target progressive candidates who support our ideals. This PAC is restricted to giving limits of $5,000 per year per individual and cannot receive money from corporations.

    Here is this week's newsletter:

    TABLE OF CONTENTS:

    Sticking to the Union

    Japan, Nuclear Energy and Earthquakes

    Updated from last issue: Union Solidarity Across Four States

    Longer term: Liberals Strike Back in 2012

    California Focus: Green Power Switch

    Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley/San Gabriel Valley, CA Focus

    Orange County, CA Focus

    San Diego, CA Focus

    Silicon Valley Area, CA Focus

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

    CALIFORNIA FOCUS

    New York Focus: Green Power Switch

    Brooklyn, NY Focus

    Manhattan, NY Focus

    Bronx, NY Focus

    Queens, 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

    Austin/Travis County, TX Focus

    Dallas County, TX Focus

    Houston/Harris County, TX Focus

    Texas 10th District Focus: Bastrop, Lee, Burleson, Washington, Austin, Harris, Waller Counties

    Texas 15th Congressional District Focus: Hidalgo, Brooks, Duval, Live Oak, Bee, Jim Wells, Karnes, DeWitt, Goliad, San Patricio, Refugio Counties

    Texas 21st District Focus: Travis, Kerr, Real, Bandera, Kendall, Comal and Blanco Counties

    TEXAS FOCUS

    Wisconsin Focus: Green Power Switch

    Wisconsin Focus: CRITICAL April 5th Election!!!

    Madison, WI Focus

    Milwaukee, WI Focus

    Monroe County, WI Focus

    WISCONSIN FOCUS

    Washington State Focus: Green Power Switch

    Seattle/King County, WA Focus

    Spokane County, WA Focus

    Thurston County, WA Focus

    WASHINGTON STATE FOCUS

    Florida Focus: Green Power Switch

    Tampa/Hillsborough County, FL Focus

    Orange County, FL Focus

    Broward County, FL Focus

    Pinellas County, FL Focus

    FLORIDA FOCUS

    Virginia Focus: Green Power Switch

    Charlottesville/Albemarle County, VA Focus

    Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania County, VA Focus

    Hanover County, VA Focus

    Stafford County, VA Focus

    Roanoke County, VA Focus

    VIRGINIA FOCUS

    New Jersey Focus: Green Power Switch

    Jersey City/Hudson County, NJ Focus

    Warren County, NJ Focus

    Passaic County, NJ Focus

    Sussex County, NJ Focus

    New Jersey 7th Congressional District Focus: Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union Counties

    NEW JERSEY FOCUS

    Illinois Focus: Green Power Switch

    ILLINOIS FOCUS: APRIL 5th ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS

    Chicago/Cook County, IL Focus

    McHenry County, IL Focus

    ILLINOIS FOCUS

    Pennsylvania Focus: Green Power Switch

    Pennsylvania Focus: Union Solidarity Pizza...Winning Slice by Slice

    Philadelphia, PA Focus

    Lancaster Co. PA Focus

    PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

    Georgia Focus: Green Power Switch

    Atlanta, GA Focus

    Coweta County, GA Focus

    Fayette County, GA Focus

    GEORGIA FOCUS

    Michigan Focus: Green Power Switch

    Detroit, MI Focus

    Oakland County, MI Focus

    MICHIGAN FOCUS

    Iowa Focus: Green Power Switch

    Davenport/Scott County, IA Focus

    IOWA FOCUS

    Minnesota Focus: Green Power Switch

    Olmsted County, MN Focus

    Minneapolis, MN Focus

    MINNESOTA FOCUS

    Arizona Focus: Green Power Switch

    Phoenix/Maricopa County, AZ Focus

    ARIZONA FOCUS

    Colorado Focus: Green Power Switch

    Denver, CO Focus

    Boulder County, CO Focus

    Douglas County, CO Focus

    Larimer County, CO Focus

    COLORADO FOCUS

    North Carolina Focus: Green Power Switch

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

    North Carolina 11th District (Cherokee, Graham, Clay, Macon, Swain, Jackson, Transylvania, Haywood, Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, Polk Counties)

    NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

    Nevada Focus: Green Power Switch

    Las Vegas, NV Focus

    NEVADA FOCUS

    Tennessee Focus: Green Power Switch

    TENNESSEE FOCUS

    Wichita, KS Focus

    KANSAS FOCUS

    SOUTH CAROLINA FOCUS

    Arkansas 1st Congressional District Focus

    Arkansas 3rd Congressional District Focus

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