Progressive Democrats Sonoma County

April 22, 2011

I’ve been remiss in not calling attention to the budget proposal from the Congressional Progressive Caucus. It’s not going to happen — but then neither is the Ryan plan. And unlike the Ryan plan, it actually makes sense.

Read the Rest Here

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Dear PDA California activist,

We’re on a countdown to launch a major transformation of the California Democratic Party!

Just days from now — on the weekend of January 8 and 9 — progressives will converge at local caucuses to elect delegates to the party’s state central committee.

This is a very big chance to mobilize and push the California party in a progressive direction. These caucuses happen only once every two years.

So, please mark your calendar — and mobilize to get out the vote! Every progressive who’s a registered Democrat can simply show up and cast a ballot for up to 12 candidates.

Sally Weiss, co-chair of the PDA End War and Occupation IOT
December 20, 2010, Northampton, MA

Rep Richard Neal of western Massachusetts CD-2 joined the Out of Afghanistan Caucus on December 16, 2010. This is the story of how it came about.

It took an entire year of tireless lobbying to achieve this small but significant victory, last Thursday.

Our monthly Brown Bag Lunch Vigils at Rep. Neal’s district office in Springfield, MA, played a big part, along with a series of other events and actions that brought us to this point

November 17, 2010

Dear Representative Woolsey,

The election early this month might have been more disheartening to people who want to see movement toward economic justice, a clean planet, and fair elections if not for the fact that the Democrats voted out of office by and large were the ones that more closely adhere to the “business as usual” model in Washington, DC. Those voted out seem to support corporations and the wealthy more than the people who are their constituents.

In contrast, as you know, most members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) held onto their seats. They are the ones who are working for the people’s interests, not the corporations’. That they were reelected is as much of a mandate for changing how the business of Washington, DC, is conducted as any Tea Party votes.

E-Board Meeting: November 19-21, 2010
Radisson Hotel
500 Leisure Lane, Sacramento CA, 95815

Progressive Caucus meets Saturday night.

Tentative Agenda Here:

http://www.cadem.org/about/executive_board?id=0001

October 20, 2010

Dear Representative Woolsey,

October’s Brown Bag Lunch Vigils are making three simple but important requests: Sign Rep. Raul Grijalva’s letter to President Obama urging no cuts to Social Security, join Rep. John Conyers’ Out of Afghanistan Caucus, and cosponsor Rep. Barbara Lee’s HR 6045 to expedite our exit from Afghanistan.

Thank you for being a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Your unwavering voice and vote for progressive legislation is what will pull us away from regressive and unjust policies and lead us toward peace, equality for all, and an accountable government.

PDA had a very strong presence in DC and around the country at One Nation. I was personally on the ground in DC and want to thank all of our members who showed up for our lobby day and reception on Friday and the rally on Saturday.

Read the Rest Here

By David Swanson
October 1, 2010

The House Judiciary has some new members: Conor Boylan, David Swanson, Andrea Miller and Tim Carpenter of Progressive Democrats of America.

The impeachments start later this afternoon.

Read the Rest Here

CLICK HERE to read the letter.

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From David Swanson
July 5, 2010

WarIsACrime.org

What it means: The Peace Movement’s Progress.

How it worked: Democrats Forced to Cheat to Fund War .

What it looked like: Live Blog of the Vote .

How they voted on the Rule that allowed the war escalation funding to move forward.

1) On this call we had a DC Update: The supplemental war spending vote is expected at any time. Featured guest: Mike Darner, United States Congress Legislative Director for Rep. John Conyers, Jr.

2) We Introduced the launch of the PDA vets for peace working group. We had representatives from Iraq Vets against the War and Veterans for Peace. The objective is to add the voices of progresive veterans to PDA’s on-going educational, electoral and legislative campaigns.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Norman Solomon
June 1, 2010

When Israel attacked the Gaza aid flotilla, Congresswoman Jane Harman was engaged in a parallel assault. Israel’s government relied on the efficacy of violence; Harman’s campaign was counting on the power of paid media. In both cases, the targets were advocates of human rights for Palestinian people.

Brandishing guns and stun grenades, in international waters, Israeli commandos rappelled from a helicopter and boarded from a fast-moving boat onto the flotilla’s largest ship. The mission was to halt a Gaza-bound expedition carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid.

The mission of Harman’s campaign strategists—targeting her progressive opponent with a slick TV commercial—was to achieve a related goal in California’s 36th congressional district. Stopping the Gaza flotilla and stopping the congressional campaign of Marcy Winograd are similar agenda items.

Read the Rest Here

Help elect Winograd — join the virtual phone bank!

John Nichols
May 25, 2010

URGENT Action: Supplemental war funding vote this week — Tell Congress: No Money for War!

Published by The Nation

Congressman Alan Grayson is at it again. This time, the Florida Democrat who shook up the health-care debate by saying Republicans were the real death-panel party and who shook up the bank reform debate by leading (with Texas Congressman Ron Paul) the “Audit the Fed” fight, is shaking up the debate about so-called “emergency” supplemental spending to fund the occupations of foreign lands.

Read the Rest Here

Here’s audio of Norman Solomon’s interview Monday April 19, on KPFA Radio, assessing what just happened with the progressive challenge to state party endorsement of Rep. Jane Harman at the Democratic convention. (The interview begins 20 seconds after 01:10).

http://kpfa.org/archive/id/60351

Norman Solomon
April 21, 2010

This is a grim story about the care and feeding of a Blue Dog.

Right now, Congresswoman Jane Harman is facing a serious primary challenge from a genuine progressive, Marcy Winograd, in Southern California’s 36th congressional district.

Last Saturday afternoon (April 17), I sat on stage with both candidates and other panelists at a forum during the California Democratic Party convention in Los Angeles. The room was filled with several hundred progressive delegates.

Harman has been refusing to debate her opponent, but she couldn’t stay away from the forum that afternoon. The entire convention would be voting the next day on whether to withhold endorsement of her for re-election.

Read the Full Story Here

The 2010 California Democratic Convention is almost upon us.

On April 16th Democrats from all over the state will converge at the Los Angeles Convention Center .
Mark your calendars and be there!
April 16th – 19th

The Progressive Caucus will meet on:
Saturday, April 17th
4 – 6 pm

At The JW Marriott Hotel
across the street from the Convention Center

Sonoma County PDA’ers, both Convention delegates and those who are not, will be attending the Convention. We’d love to see you there! You do not need to be a delegate in order to attend the Caucus meetings.

More info here

Will you be in LA for the CA Democratic Party State Convention?
Don’t miss this special event!

Friends of the Progressive Caucus Present

Party with Progressives at the Convention!

with ….

JIM HIGHTOWER . JANE HAMSHER . NORMAN SOLOMON
And much more!

Friday, April 16th 7 – 9 pm

Details Here

Dear Fellow Progressive Democrats,

We can’t describe the pride we feel for you all as we announce the news you’ve been waiting for: not only did we make the 300 count threshold for obtaining signatures for Marcy Winograd, we did so solidly! Progressive Democrats everywhere stepped up, proved their mettle, and got the job done!

From Marcy Winograd:

“Many thanks to the leadership of the Progressive Caucus, the Chairs or Co-Chairs of the Progressive, Women’s, Rural, LGBT, Irish-American, Senior’s and Veterans’ caucuses, as well as to my staff and statewide volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure debate on the Party’s endorsement in the 36th congressional district.

I am also grateful for the help and support that was given to me by leaders in the State Legislature, County Central Committees, Progressive Democrats of America, the Southern California chapter of Americans for Democratic Action, and individuals connected with wonderful progressive organizations and clubs throughout the State who happen to be fellow delegates to the DSCC.

When the California Democratic Party endorses a candidate, the endorsement is made in the name of the entire party, not just appointed delegates or elected officials guarding access to the incumbent.

Visit the CDP page of the Progressive Caucus of the CA Democratic Party:

http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org/cadem.html

Can Progressives still Hope for Change? Karen Bernal answers. from Jon Stiffler on Vimeo.

Progressives Moving Forward! from Jon Stiffler on Vimeo.

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.

BBC World Service
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p005td2n

The Program is 53 mins long, and Karen’s segment is from 27:05 – 31.35 .

Karen is the PDA Northern CA Co-Coordinator and is Chair of the CDP Progressive Caucus.

CPC Co-chair and PDA Advisory Board member Rep. Lynn Woolsey Headlines Fundraiser for War Hawk, Rep. Jane Harman. We urge Rep. Woolsey to withdraw from the fund-raising event for Rep. Harman’s campaign.

CLICK HERE