Stand Up! Take Action! Vote!
August 20, 2010
Norman Solomon was interviewed yesterday on FAIR’s national radio program “CounterSpin”.
CLICK HERE to listen.
Guests: Tim Carpenter-PDA, John Amato-CrooksandLiars.com and Jane Hamsher-Firedoglake.com.
Tim discusses the upcoming election season for PDA and reviews the recent National PDA Conference in Cleveland, OH.
CLICK HERE to listen.
Norman Solomon
August 16, 2010
Take Action: Eat lunch for peace—become a brown-bagger
It’s already history. In mid-August 2010, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan launched a huge media campaign to prevent any substantial withdrawal of military forces the next summer.
The morning after Gen. David Petraeus appeared in a Sunday interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to promote the war effort, the New York Times front-paged news of its own interview with him—reporting that the general “suggested that he would resist any large-scale or rapid withdrawal of American forces.”
August 8, 2010
Published by Tom Hayden.com.
The White House stepped up its campaign against WikiLeaks [Wednesday] by calling for the whistleblower organization to turn over the secret Pentagon documents still in its possession.
Meanwhile a petition supporting WikiLeaks began national and European circulation. See Defend WikiLeaks—End the Secret Wars at http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38165.html . The petition has been endorsed by Daniel Ellsberg, who was prosecuted by the Nixon administration for releasing the Pentagon Papers a generation ago. Other signers include Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, Rev. George Hunsinger of Princeton Theological Seminary, and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink.
Take Action: PDA’s Amend to Suspend Corporate Personhood Conference Call is TONIGHT, Wednesday, July 28.
Learn more here: https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/309/personalopt1.asp?formid=meet&c=387273
by Ronnie Cohen
Pacific Sun
Friday, July 9, 2010
Absolutely nothing, according to latest work by San Anselmo filmmaker
Born in 1914, the first year of World War I, poet William Stafford grew up hearing war horror stories along with the biblical commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” When the U.S. government drafted him into World War II, he felt he could not go and instead became a conscientious objector, one of 12,000 who lived in civilian public-service camps throughout the country.
“I belong to a small, fanatical sect,” Stafford wrote in his journal. “We believe that current ways of carrying out world affairs are malignant.”
For those who couldn’t get into the sold-out screening of “Every War Has Two Losers” in San Rafael on Wednesday night, or for anyone else interested in taking a look, here’s video of Norman Solomon’s interview last week with the filmmaker Haydn Reiss:
Norman Solomon
July 2, 2010
Watch — Norman Solomon: From Wall Street to the war, this isn’t what progressive democrats voted for
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For the warfare state, it doesn’t get any better than 99 to 0.
Every living senator voted Wednesday to approve Gen. David Petraeus as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan.
Call it the unanimity of lemmings—except the senators and their families aren’t the ones who’ll keep plunging into the sea.
No, the killing and suffering and dying will be left to others: American soldiers who, for the most part, had scant economic opportunities in civilian life, and Afghans trapped between terrible poverty and escalating violence.
California Political Desk
June 30, 2010, Sacramento, CA
Published by California Chronicle
The Assembly Health Committee today approved the California Universal Health Care Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). The bill guarantees all Californians comprehensive, universal health care while containing ballooning health care costs and improving the quality of care and delivery of health services statewide.
“Our state is being bankrupted by out-of-control health care costs, and small businesses and families are struggling to pay premiums that rise as much as 40% every year,” said Senator Leno. “California´s single payer plan remains the gold standard for health care reform, and is the only proposal that will truly contain health care spending and provide universal coverage for all.”
By David Swanson
WarIsACrime.org
June 29, 2010
Whether an organization opposes a war is not simply a yes or no question. Does it profess opposition when cornered and asked, or does it go all out organizing events, phone calls, press conferences, and civil disobedience? Is the organization a media outlet with multiple views? Does it oppose wars but muddle the issue with unhelpful amendments and rhetoric? How much opposition amounts to opposition?
Nonetheless, it has become clear that many groups opposed wars in significant ways when Bush was president and have not done so since. Additionally, the coalition that opposed the “emergency” war funding bill last year seems to have shrunk considerably by the time this year’s “emergency” war escalation bill came around. It’s not too late to change that, and most of last year’s war opponents jumped on with a statement at the last moment. That may happen again in the coming days.
Norman Solomon is going on KPFA “Morning Show” tomorrow (Thursday) at 8:10 a.m. to talk about the swap of Petraeus for McChrystal; 94.1 FM on the radio in Northern California and streaming on the web at www.kpfa.org
1) HNW co-chair, Donna Smith,upated us on the Declaration of
Health Independence and talked about some upcoming events including the Washington, DC Brown Bag Lunch Vigil.
2) Katie Robbins from Healthcare-NOW! joined us to talk about
plans for the upcoming US Social Forum.
3) Eve of Brown Bag Lunch Vigil updates.
4) State Medicare for All updates.
With $2 BILLION in Sonoma County taxes going to pay for the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, participating in a monthly Brown Bag Lunch Vigil to stop the escalation and funding for wars is an act of community support.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Cost of War and what that $$$ could be used for instead.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Brown Bag Lunch Vigils and how WE can help to End War & Occupations by sending a consistent message to our Congressperson to stop funding wars, set firm dates for complete withdrawal, and dismantle corporate influence over our government.
CLICK HERE to Read More about the CA State Democratic Party Resolution to “End the U.S. Occupation and Air War in Afghanistan”.
Now that health insurance reform has become law, PDA is taking the fight for Medicare for All single-payer health insurance to the states. In this episode, Tim Carpenter interviews Chuck Pennacchio, Healthcare4AllPA Director and Ben Day, MassCare Director about the single-payer efforts in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Produced by David Pakman of Midweek Politics http://www.midweekpolitics.com/
Norman Solomon will be on C-Span “Washington Journal” tomorrow (Sunday), 7:45 a.m. ET, talking about Obama and progressives.
Video of his appearance on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” will be posted soon after it happens Sunday morning:
Conservation Council for Hawai’i
June 11, 2010, Honolulu, HI
Join PDA’s Stop Global Warming/Environmental Issue Organizing Team (IOT); learn more here .
A broad coalition of elected officials and community leaders, representing over 100,000 residents throughout Hawai’i, are calling for the U.S. Senate to pass a comprehensive climate and clean energy bill this year. Hawai’i imports about 45 million barrels annually and burns over 5 million gallons of oil per day to meet roughly 90 percent of its current energy needs. It costs nearly $10 million daily to buy this oil—money that simply leaves the state. On average, each Hawai’i resident produces approximately 18 tons of carbon dioxide each year.
Steve Cobble
June 7, 2010
Tomorrow is Today—TAKE ACTION NOW— Join the phone bank for Marcy!
Published by The Huffington Post.
Just a little over 2 days left to say yes to one of the only real progressive Democratic challengers running this year.
Just a few hours left to go to www.winograd4congress.com to make a donation, volunteer to make a few phone calls, or find out where to vote.
By Norman Solomon
Published on Friday, June 4, 2010 by the Marin Independent Journal
http://www.marinij.com/marinvoice/ci_15225900
In this state, the Democratic and Republican parties rarely agree on anything — but both oppose Proposition 14. Although its misleading ballot title promises to increase the “right to participate in primary elections,” the measure actually imposes major new limits on voters.
By eliminating party primaries, Proposition 14 would deny all political parties — and their voters — the right to choose a nominee to run in a general election.
Instead, the top two vote-getters on a single all-inclusive primary ballot would square off in the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
In the process, the measure — an amendment to the state constitution — would exclude small parties from the November ballot.
Interview from Friday May 25th 2010. Thom speaks with Tim Carpenter, David Pakman, and Chris Collins all live at WHMP, plus anything goes Friday.
KOWS 107.3FM ( streaming at www.KOWS.fm ) , Voices and Vision, Tu. 5/25, 6-8 pm presents an election commentary program with analysis and recommendations for candidates and propositions. It will feature Stan Gold from Progressive Democrats of America, Sonoma County, and Victoria Brandon, Political chairperson of Redwood Chapter, Sierra Club. Health and schedule permitting, we could be joined by feisty West County pol women, Alice Chan and/or Lynn Hamilton. There’s a slim chance a mystery election expert from SSU could join the commentary party. In any event, it should be an informative and interesting time.
You’re invited to join our conversation by calling the studio, (707) 874-1073. Join us and explore Sonoma, north coast and California politics with your own questions/statements/ideas. We even hope to talk about Republican Gubernatorial and Senatorial candidates. Maybe some Greens and tea partiers will call.
Hear Voices and Vision on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 6-8 pm. KOWS 107.3 FM , Occidental, is a community station serving west Sonoma County and much of Santa Rosa. It can also be heard by going to www.KOWS.fm and clicking on the link under community radio project.
Linda Milazzo
May 24, 2010
Take Action: Join Marcy’s virtual phone bank!
Americans spoke out loudly this past Tuesday. In two of the nation’s most anticipated primaries, the Sestak vs. Specter Democratic primary in Pennsylvania and the Paul vs. Greyson Republican primary in Kentucky, the party underlings defeated their party leaders’ choices and demolished the status quo. On the Democratic side, despite the full throttle barrage for Specter by Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey and Governor Ed Rendell, Congressional upstart Joe Sestak beat three decade incumbent Arlen Specter by 54 to 46 percent.
In Kentucky, political neophyte, libertarian extremist, and tea party enthusiast, Rand Paul, clobbered the hand picked candidate of Senator Mitch McConnell, the most powerful Republican in D.C. The results of both elections send an earsplitting message to the leadership of America’s two dominant parties, that warns: ‘Your choices, endorsements and power don’t matter. We’re electing who WE want.’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2010
Local PDA Chapter Joins Nationwide Protests in Opposition to $33 Billion War Supplemental
Progressive Democrats Sonoma County, the local chapter of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), to hold noon hour “Brown Bag Lunch Vigil” in front of Rep. Lynn Woolsey’s Santa Rosa 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 & 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.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
12 PM – 1 PM
Office of Rep. Lynn Woolsey
1101 College Avenue
Santa Rosa , CA 95404
May 11, 2010
Forest conversion project threatens watershed, ecosystem
SANTA ROSA, CA – The Sonoma County Democratic Party has opposed a plan by Napa-based land development company, Premier Pacific Vineyards, LLC (d.b.a. Preservation Ranch) to convert 1,600 acres of coastal Sonoma County redwood and douglas fir forestland to vineyards and luxury estates. CalPERS, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, is a significant investor in the project.We are an affiliated chapter of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)
STAY TUNED FOR PROGRAM DETAILS!
PDSonoma meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month except December.
New Members and Guests Always Welcome!
Refreshments can be ordered and enjoyed in our meeting room. Please arrive early if you wish to order refreshments.
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