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PDSonoma meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month except December.
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Afghanistan
Cost of War to Sonoma County
Learn the Cost of War to Sonoma County. And see what this $$$ could have been spent on instead — what are the trade-offs?
CLICK HERE
Take Action: Attend the monthly Sonoma Co. PDA Brown Bag Lunch Vigil at Rep. Lynn Woolsey’s Santa Rosa office.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND JOIN THE BBLV
War Is Over (If They Mean It)
David Swanson
March 11, 2010
Take Action: Eat lunch for peace—become a “brown-bagger”; learn more here .
Published by AfterDowningStreet.org.
Sixty-five congress members, including 60 Democrats and 5 Republicans, voted to end the occupation of Afghanistan on Wednesday. But 356 congress members, including 189 Democrats and 167 Republicans voted to keep the war going. The vote followed three hours of debate created by Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s introduction of a privileged resolution.
Join a PDA Issue Organizing Team!
March 9, 2010
We highly encourage signing up for a PDA Issue Organizing Team (IOT) if you wish to actively engage in the work of PDA and PDSonoma County. If you have not already done so, you can get started by clicking on ‘Committees’ on the menu at the top of this website page and there you can:
*sign up for a PDA Issue Organizing Team via the PDA website and
*find the name and contact information for the local PDSonoma chapter team leader for that IOT. If you have not already done so, let that person know that you have signed up for the PDA IOT and they can add you to their local chapter list of activists on that particular issue.
Kucinich Forces Congress to Debate Afghanistan
Robert Naiman
March 8, 2010
Take Action: Tell Congress – Support debate of the Afghan War
Published by Common Dreams.
On Thursday, Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich introduced H. Con Res. 248, a privileged resolution with 16 original cosponsors that will require the House of Representatives to debate whether to continue the war in Afghanistan. Debate on the resolution is expected early next week.
How Kucinich's Resolution to End the War Will Help Us End the War
David Swanson
March 4, 2010
Take Action: Tell Congress – Debate the Afghan War
Published by AfterDowning Street.
[Today], Thursday, March 4, Congressman Dennis Kucinich plans to introduce a privileged resolution to end the Afghan War. The resolution requires that the House debate, within the next week, the continuing war in Afghanistan, now the second longest war in American history.
While we may not win a majority vote in the House on this first go-round, and would still have to get past the Senate and the President (a good time if ever there was one to throw Scylla and Charybdis into a blog), we will completely change the conversation and put many congress members on record claiming to oppose the war. While the president can send congressional Democrats out to fall on their swords for unpopular wars and healthcare mandates, they may be less willing to do so if the end of their careers is held up to their noses. To keep their careers alive, congress members in progressive districts will have to claim to oppose the war in/on Afghanistan.
Kucinich Announces Introduction of Privileged Resolution to End Afghan War
March 3, 2010, Washington, DC
Take Action: Tell Congress Support the Kucinich privileged resolution to debate the Afghan War
Millions of Americans have no healthcare, and the economy continues to bleed jobs and generate foreclosures—yet there’s still money for war. The Afghan War is now the second longest war in US history—it’s time for an open debate on ending US involvement. On the eve of introduction, by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, of a privileged resolution to debate the Afghan War, Congressman Kucinich recorded this message (select the second recording) to PDA members. Please contact your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Kucinich privileged resolution.
IOT: End War and Occupations, Redirect Funding March Call
This IOT conference call had its usual stellar lineup of guests, including last-minute guest Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
PDA Conference Call Guests: David Swanson, Cole Harrison of UFPJ, PDA Field Director Conor Boylan,
Brown Bag Lunch Vigils (BBLV) partner David Swanson started the call off with comments on and advice for the BBLVs, to move the vigils to a higher degree of action, and he spoke about the legislation to halt Afghanistan funding.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN & to read more
Join PDA’s End War & Occupations, Redirect Funding Issue Organizing Team (IOT); learn more here.
War Politics: Numb and Number
Norman Solomon
February 25, 2010
Take Action: Tell Congress Stop funding war
Playwright Lillian Hellman said: “I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions.”
The statement was in a letter to the House Un-American Activities Committee. The year was 1952. We tell ourselves that the McCarthy era was vastly different than our own—but what about the political fashions of 2010?
This year’s fashions cut mean figures on Washington’s runways. Conformities lie, and people die.
Norman Solomon on KPFA Morning Show --
February 24, 2010
Click on the link below to hear archived radio show with Norman Solomon speaking about Afghanistan. The interview begins at 12:40 minutes into the program and was recorded this morning on KPFA.
The Agitator: Voices of PDA Episode 2
February 22nd 2010. Donna Smith and Norman Solomon discuss Healthcare NOT Warfare and Brown Bag Lunch Vigils
Listen to “Healthcare NOT Warfare” national co-chairs Donna Smith and Norman Solomon in the next installment of Agitator Voices of PDA, a new series of podcasts from Progressive Democrats of America’s. It was a busy week for PDA activists and our allies as we gathered in front of 65 congressional offices for the second Brown Bag Lunch Vigil.
Letter to Rep. Lynn Woolsey -- delivered at Feb. Brown Bag Lunch Vigil
February 17, 2010
Dear Representative Woolsey,
We thank you for signing on to support HR 2454, calling for an exit strategy from Afghanistan & HR 3699, prohibiting any increase in the number of U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan.
Further, we call on you to publicly commit to voting “No” on any bills that fund wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Yemen, and to publicly urge your colleagues and the House leadership to make the same commitment.
An Update and Some Political Reflections
Norman Solomon
February 19, 2010
Take Action: Tell Congress We need an exit strategy for Af/Pak war
Published by Norman Solomon.com.
During the last couple of weeks, I’ve spoken to Democratic Party clubs and other activist groups from Santa Rosa and San Rafael to San Mateo County and the East Bay—some chartered by the state party, others affiliated with Democracy For America or Progressive Democrats of America, still others with no partisan affiliation.
Progressive Democrats of America Wants War Money for Healthcare
Ralph Lopez
February 11, 2010
Take Action: Eat lunch for peace—become a brown-bagger
Published by Daily KOS.
Unveiling a potentially powerful campaign which goes beyond pointless marching in the street on a Saturday in DC when no one is around, and the march is roundly, thoroughly, even aggressively ignored by the media, Progressive Democrats of America has come to a realization that International ANSWER has not. It’s our house.
A Long War Demands a Long Peace Movement
Tom Hayden, PDA Advisory Board member
February 3, 2010
Take Action: Sign the Afghanistan Peace Petition .
I want to thank PDA for continuing to pressure against the pillars of power supporting the Long War in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. You are making military escalation more difficult and building a political obstacle to the Pentagon and White House plans through 2012. A long war demands of us a long peace movement.
Thirty one Americans lost their lives in Afghanistan last month, which is more than twice the number killed in January 2008 and January 2009. The fighting in Afghanistan is intensifying even in the winter.
Congressman Payne: I Won't Oppose War Money Because Obama's President
David Swanson
January 31, 2010, New Brunswick, NJ
Take Action: Tell Congress Stop funding war
My encounter with Congressman Payne at the PDA-NJ Statewide Conference
Congressman Donald Payne (D., N.J.) has voted against war funding bills for years. Last summer he was one of 32 heroes to vote No under intense pressure from the White House to vote Yes. When I asked him a couple of years ago to sign onto impeaching Bush he immediately said “Sure!” and he did it.
Today I asked him if he would commit to voting No on the next $33 billion for war. I asked him privately, just after he’d given a long speech to a Progressive Democrats of America conference in New Jersey, a speech about how much he opposes the wars.
In Marin, some see Obama speech as political switcheroo -- Marin IJ
By Richard Halstead
Marin IJ
January 27, 2010
Marin residents who listened to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Wednesday included a progressive Democrat, who disliked many of the president’s policy prescriptions, and two Republicans, who admire many of those same policies but doubt Obama’s sincerity.
“The speech was nice but reflected deteriorating policies,” said Norman Solomon, a West Marin author and progressive activist.
Referring to Obama’s proposal for a three-year budget freeze, Solomon said, “Now he’s not only a military hawk in Afghanistan, he’s also become a deficit hawk with the domestic budget. This is exactly the wrong direction in terms of job creation. FDR would be rolling over in his grave.”
And that was not all that rankled Solomon.
Benefit for the Healthcare NOT Warfare Media Project
We can add to the momentum from the resolution that the California Democratic Party approved last November — calling for an end to the air war in Afghanistan, withdrawal of U.S. forces and an increase in humanitarian/development aid to that long-suffering country.
This gathering in Sonoma County will give a boost to a new effort, in the Bay Area and elsewhere, combining grassroots organizing with media outreach to reframe the politics of U.S. policies toward Afghanistan. Please bring a checkbook.
Speakers will include Karen Bernal and Norman Solomon. The two of them, along with Marcy Winograd (who is now running against incumbent war hawk Rep. Jane Harman), co-authored the military-out-of-Afghanistan resolution that is now the official position of the California Democratic Party.
Continuing King's Work: PDA Launches Brown Bag Lunch Vigils
January 18, 2010
Join us the third Wednesday of each month, beginning January 20.
Today, the country celebrates the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 4, 1967, King delivered the Beyond Vietnam speech in the Riverside Church as a powerful indictment of the Vietnam War—the words are as true today as they were when first spoken. Read the speech here ; listen here .
Many of the values on which PDA was founded are based on the teachings of Dr. King, and we believe that our policy positions reflect his beliefs. So it is appropriate that today, Martin Luther King’s birthday, PDA officially launches the Brown Bag Lunch Vigils (BBLV) to be held every third Wednesday each month, beginning on Wednesday, January 20. The vigils are an expansion of the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign. Click here to learn more .
PDSonoma PRESS RELEASE - PDSonoma County Schedules Brown Bag Lunch Vigils in Coordination with PDA Healthcare Not Warfare Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 16, 2010
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS SONOMA COUNTY TO HOLD REGULAR VIGILS AIMED AT ENDING CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING FOR WARS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ
Progressive Democrats Sonoma County, the local chapter of Progressive Democrats of America, plans regular Brown Bag Lunch Vigils in front of Rep. Lynn Woolsey’s Santa Rosa District office to stop the escalation and funding for war. We thank Rep. Woolsey for signing on to support HR 2454, calling for an exit strategy from Afghanistan and HR 3699, prohibiting any increase in the number of U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan. Further, we call on Rep. Woolsey to publicly commit to voting “No” on any bills that fund wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Yemen, and to publicly urge her colleagues and the House leadership to make the same commitment. The first vigil is planned for Wednesday, January 20th at noon.
When: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
12 PM – 1 PM
Where: Office of Rep. Lynn Woolsey
1101 College Avenue
Santa Rosa , CA 95404
_____________________________________
ED. NOTE: Please RSVP for this event here:
https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/309/personalopt1.asp?formid=meet&c=9243517
Thank you!
PDA Press Release -- Brown Bag Lunch Vigils, January 20
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 15, 2010
Washington, DC
IN MEMORY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, VIGILS AGAINST WAR FUNDING TO BE HELD AT CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES NATION-WIDE
As the country celebrates the life of Martin Luther King on January 18, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) will launch the Brown Bag Lunch Vigils to be held every third Wednesday each month. The vigils are an expansion of their Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign.
With the White House having just announced its intention of requesting another record military budget ($708 billion, not including military budgets in the Departments of State and Energy or the CIA) and another war supplemental ($33 billion), it is appropriate that the first lunchtime vigils will take place immediately following Martin Luther King Day.
Colorful vigils and pickets are already planned in many congressional districts, including the following, with others being added: AZ-3, AZ-5, CA-6, CA-22, CA-23, CA-48, FL-10, FL-17, MA-2, MI-9, OH-13, OH-17, PA-7, WA-2, WA-6, WI-3, WI-7. More details are available about each location online: http://tinyurl.com/brownbagvigil
Shooting Handcuffed Children
David Swanson
January 2, 2010
Join PDA’s End War and Occupations, Redirect Funding Issue Organizing Team (IOT); learn more here .
The occupied government of Afghanistan and the United Nations have both concluded that U.S.-led troops recently dragged eight sleeping children out of their beds, handcuffed some of them, and shot them all dead. While this apparently constitutes an everyday act of kindness, far less intriguing than the vicious singeing of his pubic hairs by Captain Underpants, it is at least a variation on the ordinary American technique of murdering men, women, and children by the dozens with unmanned drones.
Also this week in Afghanistan, eight CIA assassins (see if you can find a more appropriate name for them) were murdered by a suicide bombing that one of them apparently executed against the other seven. The Taliban in Pakistan claims credit and describes the mass-murder as revenge for the CIA’s drone killings. And we thought unmanned drones were War Perfected because none of the right people would have to risk their lives. Oops. Perhaps Detroit-bound passengers risked theirs unwittingly.
Fears Become Reality for Oakland Democrat
Daniel Weintraub
December 28, 2009
Take Action: Tell Congress – In Afghanistan, don’t escalate—remediate
Published by The New York Times .
In the fear-filled, nationalistic fervor after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in September 2001, Congress rushed to approve President George W. Bush’s decision to attack Afghanistan, the country where the terrorist leaders had trained for their suicide voyage.
A resolution giving Mr. Bush the authority to act raced through Congress just three days after the attack. Nearly every member of the House of Representatives and the Senate voted for it. Only one member rose to oppose the measure: Representative Barbara Lee, Democrat of Oakland.
