1 . PD - East Bay General Meeting (Saturday, May 7)
The next general meeting for PD–East Bay is Saturday, May 7 from 1:00–3:00 pm.
The agenda features a panel discussion on the Health Care for All Californians Bill (SB 840). This bill would enact universal health care (utilizing a single payer financing mechanism) for all Californians.
Speakers on the panel include Rachel Richman of Assemblywoman Wilma Chan's office and Don Bechler with Health Care for All. This is your chance to learn the ins and outs of Universal Health Care. This panel discussion is co-sponsored by the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club.
Meetings are held at :
Temescal Oakland Library
5205 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA
Directions
Wheelchair accessible. The Oakland Public Library does not advocate or endorse the viewpoints of meetings or meeting room users. For more information, contact Sara.
Our own Bonnie Borucki created a flash animation for the Move-on Flash Contest to Stop Social Security. Drag Dubya around the screen to get to the truth about Bush's plan. He eventually takes you to a link to the Move-on petition to protect Social Security. More. . .
3. PD–East Bay / Wellstone Strategy Session for Canvassing Pombo's District on Social Security (Wed, Apr 27)
The Social Security teams of PD–East Bay, the Wellstone Club, and other organizations have been working closely to plan a strategy for going to Rep. Pombo's District (CD 11). (Purpose Letter from the coalition of progressive organizations.)
Please come to a meeting to hear an update and get involved with plans for house parties, tabling, and speaker training. Details:
Wednesday, April 27 at 7:30 PM
Niebyl Proctor Library
6501 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland
Directions
Contacts:
Speaker Training – Jean Tepperman – jeantepper@aol.com
House Parties – Pete Bank (petebank1@aol.com)
Tabling – Jody Ginsberg (Jody@idiom.com)
Work in District 11 – Matthew Hallinan – mhallinan@sbcglobal.net
The Jobs With Justice Organizing Committee has been working to set up a chapter in the Bay Area during the past year. You are invited to a founding meeting on Thursday, April 28 to hear about Jobs with Justice and what it could mean for the Bay Area. Featured speakers are Nancy Haque and Sarita Gupta from the National Staff of Jobs With Justice. More. . .
Decades of struggle by workers and their unions have resulted in significant improvements in working conditions. But the toll of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths remains enormous. Each year more than 60,000 workers die from job injuries and illnesses and another 6 million are injured. The unions of the AFL-CIO remember these workers on April 28, Workers Memorial Day.
Details:
Thursday, April 28, Noon to 1:00 PM
Oakland State Building
1515 Clay Street, Oakland, CA (near City Center BART)
Directions
Sponsored by WORKSAFE! and the Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo Labor Councils. For more information call Susan Chacin (510) 632-4242. For information on injured workers' rights visit www.calaborfed.org. More. . .
May Day grew out of the struggle of working people in this country more than a 100 years ago for an 8 hour work day with full days pay. All over the world, working and poor people march on May Day to send the message, that workers are united. Let's bring that unity and fighting spirit back.
Reclaim May Day!
Rally on MAY DAY (International Workers DAY)
Sunday, MAY 1 12:00 Noon to 3:00 PM
Harry Bridges Plaza, San Francisco
(Directly across from the Ferry Building at Embarcadero)
Sponsor: Million Worker March Movement
ILWU Local 10
ILWU Local 34
For more information call: 510-444-6272 FAX: 510-632-6816
7. Iraq War Veteran and Resister Camilo Mejia to Speak in Oakland (May 2)
Iraq war veteran and resister Camilo Mejia will speak on May 2nd in Oakland. Mejia was the first Iraq war veteran to file for discharge from the army as a conscientious objector and spent a year in the stockade for his courageous stance.
Also appearing will be Brian Willson and other notable resisters, with music by Annie and the Vets. Details:
Monday, May 2 at 7:00 PM
First Congregational Church of Oakland
2501 Harrison Street (at 27th Street)
Oakland, CA
Directions[wheelchair accessible]
Tickets $5 - $15 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds.
Benefits Veterans for Peace.
The Peace Alliance is urging Barbara Boxer to sponsor a companion Senate bill to the House bill in support of Department of Peace legislation. Senator Boxer's aides stressed the importance of hearing from citizens regarding how they feel about this legislation. We are urging you to call, email and fax Senator Boxer. The Senator needs to hear from you.
Here are two sample letters (for CA residents and non-residents) you can use with a link to Senator Boxer's email. More. . .
9. Caution: Continuing Politicization of Religion Ahead!
The following statement from Rabbi David Saperstein calls on Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist to disengage from the politicization of religion.
The news that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist plans to join a telecast whose organizing theme is that those who oppose some of President Bush's judicial nominees are engaged in an assault on "people of faith" is more than troubling; it is disingenuous, dangerous, and demagogic. We call on him to reconsider his decision to appear on the telecast and to forcefully disassociate himself from this outrageous claim.
. . .
-- Rabbi David Saperstein
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
10. Stop Arnold From Holding An Expensive, Unnecessary, Unverifiable, Special Election! (Sign Petition)
Stop Arnold! Visit www.ContestTheVote.org and sign the petition to Stop Arnold's Special Election (an election for his Special Corporate Interests!) While there, you can send a message to your friends to sign, too. More. . .
11. Stop John Bolton's Nomination for U.N. Ambassador (Act Now!)
John Bolton represents his own agenda, not the agenda of the American people. Bolton, who has defied orders throughout his career, is a loose cannon. His belief that the international community is led only "when it suits our interests, and when we can get others to go along" would alienate even America's most devoted allies. (1994 Global Structures Convocation, New York, NY.) This appointment could prove disastrous to U.S. national security.
The committee vote for John Bolton's nomination should happen soon. Call or write Barbara Boxer and other Senators now to stop John Bolton's nomination for U.N. Ambassador from getting out of committee. More. . .
12. PDLA Has Endorsed Antonio Villaraigosa for Mayor of Los Angeles (Phone Bank Help Needed)
Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles has endorsed Antonio Villaraigosa for Mayor of Los Angeles. The mayoral run-off election is May 17. Phone-banking help is needed for Antonio. If you can help, please contact Brad Parker or Dan Tamm at the Valley Headquarters for Antonio–(818) 781-7944.
AUA has teamed up with the San Jose State College Democrats to hold a non-partisan Social Security Rally on Thursday, May 9 from 12 Noon to 1:00 PM at the Student Union Amphitheater at San Jose State University. More. . .
The Hands Off Social Security Coalition takes the battle to the Stockton office of Rep. Richard Pombo, California torch-bearer for Social Security Privatization. This event is scheduled for May 10 at 10:30 AM. More. . .
15. Join PD - East Bay
Letter from PD-East Bay Co-chairs
To friends of Progressive Democrats of the East Bay:
We now have a thriving and growing East Bay Chapter of PDA. We have successfully held three monthly general meetings. We have Action Groups busy on many topics: saving social security, providing universal health care, ending the war in Iraq now, public financing of elections and safe balloting, reforming the mass media, and dialoguing with religious progressives. Soon we will start precinct organizing. We have a membership of over fifty and a mailing list of over one hundred twenty five.
Many of you have been to our meetings and are involved in the Action Groups, but many of you are not. We urge you to come to our next meeting (May 7th, from 1-3 at Temescal Library at Telegraph and 52nd St., in Oakland) to join an Action Group or form a new one. (Please see our web page at www.pdeastbay.org and become a member.)
We realize that many who support our cause and endeavors cannot make meetings and are too busy with other activities to be involved in an Action Group. Please, if you support our work become a member. Our funds make it possible to create flyers, literature and banners, rent the meeting room, and enable us to mail notices about events. These are all essential activities to our functioning as a progressive voice.
Dues are on a sliding scale: 2 hours or more of volunteer work during the year or $10-$100 per year.
Make checks to PDA-EB and send to:
Sara Shumer
1610 Kains Ave
Berkeley, CA. 94702
Include:
Name Address
E-mail Phone
Interests/Skills
Thank you,
Bill Lawler and Sara Shumer
16. Submit Items for this Newsletter and update on the PD - East Bay Website
If you have items you would like listed in this newsletter or on the PD-East Bay web site at www.pdeastbay.org, submit them to pdebListAdmin@PDEastBay.org. Events, activities, and action alerts about local progressive causes will be considered for inclusion.
We are continually updating our website as we strive to make it for valuable resource in progressive political action. Some of the additions are separate pages providing updates and alerts from each of our action groups. We also have contact information for the interim officers of PD–East Bay and the chairs of each action group.
Check out www.pdeastbay.org regularly for updated information on progressive politics!