Progressive Democrats Sonoma County

Dear Friends,

The United Farm Workers are now in their 8th day of their 187-mile journey from Madera to Sacramento. This march is intended to put pressure on Governor Brown to pass new legislation to protect farm workers. Since Governor Brown vetoed the Farm Worker Protection Act just two months ago, THREE farm workers have died in the fields. Sadly, this kind of information rarely makes the news cycle.

We have a wonderful opportunity to show solidarity with our farm worker brothers and sisters in Sacramento as they complete their historic march. There will be a UFW bus caravan leaving from Santa Rosa this Sunday, September 4, and arriving at Southside Park in Sacramento where we will greet the marchers. We will all take the final steps to the Capitol together and join a huge rally in support of Farm Worker Protection. After the rally, the buses return to Santa Rosa. Here are the details:

By Donna Smith, National Co-chair, Healthcare Not Warfare

In more than 60 locations from Maine to California, the 170,000 registered nurse members of National Nurses United will be hosting events aimed at healing the damage done on Main Streets all over America by Wall Street’s special interests.

Read the Full Story & Find Locations Here

Norman Soloman – Donna Smith – and Tim Carpenter of Progressive Democrats of America join Thom Hartmann. The “Healthcare not Warfare” campaign is raising awareness about our deteriorating healthcare system that’s bankrupting millions of Americans and leaving them sick with nowhere to go. And while this is going on – our nation is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on endless wars in the Middle East. So the choice is simple – do we keep funding “black hole” wars – or start making Americans healthy again? Please sign “Healthcare not Warfare” petition at http://bit.ly/jZlPGZ

with NORMAN SOLOMON

Thursday, July 14, 7:00pm
Peace & Justice center of Sonoma County
467 Sebastopol Avenue
Santa Rosa

Norman Solomon is a national columnist and award-winning author of a dozen books – including War Made Easy, which was turned into a powerful documentary film. He played a prominent role in the movement to prevent the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He has led fact-finding missions to Iraq and Afghanistan and has appeared regularly on TV and radio, from CNN and MSNBC to PBS’s NewsHour and NPR’s All Things Considered. His columns have run in the New York Times, L.A. Times, Washington Post, as well as CommonDreams, Truthout and AlterNet.

Seating is limited so come early. For more information, 707-575-8902
This event is Co-sponsored by the Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County

Flyer attached

By Melissa Byrne, Online Campaigns Coordinator
StrengthenSocialSecurity.org
March 29, 2011

Today’s the day! We need you to call your Senators and demand that they vote for the Sanders/Reid Social Security Protection Amendment.

Call Today: 1-866-251-4044 ACT NOW! Your voice needs to be heard.

Senator Sanders and Majority Leader Reid are leading the Senate to protect Social Security from drastic cuts.

Their amendment simply says: Social Security benefits for current and future beneficiaries should not be cut and Social Security should not be privatized as part of any legislation to reduce the Federal deficit.

Read the Rest Here

UPDATE: Mix and mingle with NORMAN SOLOMON and Special Guests including national radio commentator, author and progressive populist JIM HIGHTOWER & KAREN BERNAL, Chair of the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party.

Event Details & RSVP Here

New Events added to Norman Solomon for Congress Exploratory Committee Events Calendar . Check back often for updates.

If you are unable to attend an event for any reason, please consider making a donation to support a progressive champion!

Would you like to host a house party for Norman? Click here to get started!

The House of Representatives voted on HConRes28 “Directing the President to remove the United States Armed Forces from Afghanistan.” 93 voted aye.

If you see your Representative below, please contact and thank him or her. If not, contact him or her ask why not, and express your support for a rapid, responsible withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Read the Rest Here

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March 16, 2011
Santa Rosa, CA

Dear Representative Woolsey,

Since January 2010, the Brown Bag Lunch Vigils have been out in front of our representatives’ and senators’ offices, on street corners, and in parks to get the word out to our community that this country can give everyone access to healthcare, make jobs available to those who need them, stem the increase of carbon in our air, and correct the balance of power and wealth between those who have and those who have not. The common thread among many of our goals is that naysayers must be able to step out of their comfort zones and understand the terrible effects these problems have on ordinary people.

That’s no easy task, even for the most enlightened of us. Something that helps people see the importance of making sure that others in our country can take care of themselves—or receive help when they can’t—is seeing a goal laid out in print in a piece of simple legislation.

PDA Press Release
March 15, 2011

Progressive Democrats of America and allies have planned vigils at congress members’ offices in districts all over the United States for midday Wednesday. They will be demanding an end to the war in Afghanistan the same day General David Petraeus is questioned by the House Armed Services Committee and the day before the House is scheduled to vote on ending the war (resolution HCR 28).

“People everywhere have been supporting the activism in Madison, Wisconsin, this week,” said PDA National Director Tim Carpenter. “We’ve seen a people’s movement compel Democrats to stand up straight and push back, a far superior outcome than continued ‘bipartisanship,’ in the view of most Americans. We’re taking that energy national this week to insist on a change in priorities. Our country is bankrupt morally, not financially. We need to move the money where it can do some good.”

Read the Rest Here

March 7, 2011

Critical U.S. Senate Votes this Week: Tell Your Senators to Vote NO on the Harsh House Cuts (H.R. 1) The Senate is expected to vote this week on alternative plans to approve spending for the rest of this year.

Read the Rest Here

It’s Easy!
Click Here to get started.

Pacific Sun
March 4, 2010

by Norman Solomon

Why does the U.S. government still put the ‘me’ into megalomaniacs?

A standard zigzag of political rhetoric went for a jaunt along Pennsylvania Avenue last month with a speech by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at George Washington University. “Iran is awful because it is a government that routinely violates the rights of its people,” she declared. During the last few weeks much has changed in the politics of the Middle East—but not much has changed in the politics of Washington, where policymakers turn phrases on a dime.

The currency is doublespeak, antithetical to a single standard of human rights.

Read the Full Story Here

Friday, March 4
6:00pm – 8:00pm

Old Court House Square, Downtown Santa Rosa
Fourth and Mendocino
Santa Rosa, CA

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Join Us to support working people in Wisconsin and ALL WORKERS who are being targeted for economic problems that they DID NOT CAUSE! Bring your Kids, Candles and SOLIDARITY this Friday March 4 at 6PM!

RSVP on Facebook

CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY

Republicans have found an easier way to cut Social Security-just cut funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA). In the wee hours of the morning on February 19, all but three House Republicans voted to cut $1.7 billion from the SSA. The proposed cuts are so severe that the SSA could have to furlough thousands of workers for 1 month out of the 7 months remaining this budget year. The impact of these cuts for retirees, disabled workers and families will be devastating.

Read the Rest Here

February 25, 2011
By Tim Carpenter

After bailing out the bazillionaires on Wall Street, and throwing billions at a bad war in Iraq and a failed war in Afghanistan, the GOP’s answer to the voters of America is austerity and more sacrifice for anyone earning under a hundred grand a year—and that’s most of us. We can kiss goodbye our jobs, home ownership, our children’s education, healthcare, Social Security, and a host of other necessities that generate prosperity.

Read the Rest Here

February 20, 2011

From Jobs with Justice:

The week of February 21st, workers, community, faith, and students will come together to rally in support of workers under attack in Wisconsin and across the country. Below is a list of actions we know are planned so far.

http://www.jwjblog.org/2011/02/worker-solidarity-rallies-planned/

From the California Labor Federation …

JOIN US ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 22ND!
5:30pm at the State Capitol West Steps, Sacramento

Rallies. Crowds spilling into the streets. A sea of people marching together in solidarity. Every day this week, nonstop.

This isn’t happening in Egypt…It’s happening in Madison, Wis.

February 17, 2011

Nadler-Lee-Stark amendment would strike $90 billion from Afghanistan war funding, leave $10 billion for troop withdrawal. Call Capitol Switchboard: (202)-224-3121.

Read the Rest Here