Welcome to the July 18, 2005 edition of the Progressive Democrats of the East Bay Newsletter. This newsletter is published about every two weeks listing progressive events of interest in the San Francisco Bay Area along with actions you can take to support progressive causes. For information about PD–East Bay and how to submit items to this newsletter, refer to the articles under the section "About PD–East Bay and This Newsletter," which appears at the end of this newsletter.
Help turn the screws on Karl Rove, and hold the Bush Administration accountable for its lies and deception. Sign as many of the following petitions as you can that ask for Karl Rove to be removed from the White House.
His scurrilous actions helped dupe the American public into the war on Iraq, compromised the security of unknown CIA agents and operations, and have put our country at great risk in the name of partisan politics.
Here are some links to background information on Rove-Gate:
Point-and-click petitions you can sign to help fire Karl Rove, from:
Progressive Democrats of the East Bay invite you to join us for our first annual Picnic & Politics on Saturday, August 6. We'll bring the drinks and charcoal, please bring something for the grill or something to share.
On the agenda will be a brief discussion of the Special Election initiatives followed by a vote for the positions endorsed by PD–East Bay. For information on the Special Election initiatives, visit our Special Election action group.
Details:
Saturday, August 6, from 12:30pm to 3:30 pm
Cordonices Park
1201 Euclid Avenue @ Eunice St. (across from the Berkeley Rose Garden)
Directions
For more information: call (510) 526-4632 or email pdlistadmin@pdeastbay.org
The health committees of the Progressive Democrats of the East Bay and Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club have joined forces to work on health issues. Our first meeting together will be a potluck on Monday, July 18 at 6 pm. We will work on SB 840 and stem cell research among other health issues (see below). Details for the meeting:
When: Monday, July 18th at 6:00pm
Where: 446 66th Street (at Telegraph), Oakland
Directions
SB 840 PASSED OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE in Sacramento on July 5! The bill continues to gather momentum. We will discuss strategies for continued support at the July 18 meeting.
For more information on Health Care for All Californians, SB 840, visit their website: www.healthcareforall.org. For more information on the Health Care Committee, contact Moria Lawlor at moriala@hotmail.com.
Mark your calendars for an extraordinary Town Hall meeting with Barbara Lee at the Oakland Grand Lake Theater on Saturday, July 23. Barbara will be joined by Medea Benjamin of Code Pink and Daniel Ellsberg of Pentagon Papers fame. They will discuss the infamous Downing Street Memo and encourage citizens to press Congress to pass a "Resolution of Inquiry." You don't want to miss this opportunity!
Details:
When: Sat, July 23 from 11:00am to 12:30pm
Where: Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Ave., Oakland
Directions
On July 23, the 3rd anniversary of the Downing Street Memos will be recognized nationwide through Congressional Town Hall Meetings, Public Forums, Dramatic Recreations, House Parties, Rallies, and Study Circles (including Barbara Lee's Town Hall meeting at Oakland Grand Lake Theater, listed below).
Here are some links to take you to more information:
Pete Stark will be conducting town hall meetings on Social Security on Saturday, July 23 at the following locations:
| Fremont | 9:00 am - 10:30 am | Fremont Senior Center – Wing A 40086 Paseo Padre Parkway |
| San Leandro | 10:30 am - 11:30 am | Marina Community Center – Thunderbolt Room 15301 Wicks Boulevard |
| Alameda | Noon - 1:00 pm | Alameda City Hall – Council Chambers 2263 Santa Clara Avenue |
Attend one of these meetings and show Pete Stark your support for preserving Social Security. Details at: www.house.gov/stark
It's time to hold all pro-war politicians accountable for the deaths, the destruction, the lies, and the toll on our communities! Join United for Peace and Justice in Washington, D.C. for three massive days of action against the war:
Saturday, September 24: Massive March, Rally & Festival
Sunday, September 25: Interfaith Service, Grassroots Training
Monday, September 26: Lobby Day and Mass Nonviolent Direct Action and Civil Disobedience
For more information, visit United for Peace and Justice.
WILL THE GOVERNOR'S ELECTION SINK CALIFORNIA? This panel discussion hosted by the Berkeley Gray Panthers will focus on organizing for the special election on November 8. Speakers include Dick Heyman from the California Teachers' Association, Mal Bernstein from Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, and Don Nicodemus from Progressive Democrats of the East Bay.
Time: Wednesday, July 27 at 1:30pm
Where: North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst @ MLK (1 block North of University)
Directions
For information call Gray Panthers at 548-9696.
Here is some background information you can use to get up to speed on the initiatives in the upcoming California Special Election:
On June 30, the Alameda Board of Supervisors, despite 30 speakers opposing the motion, authorized the Registrar of Voters to negotiate a sole-source contract with Diebold for its Direct Reporting Electronic (DRE) voting machines. The contract may not be signed until the State of California certifies the Diebold system (it is currently not certified) and until the Board of Supervisors votes to approve the contract.
We urge you to lobby your Supervisor to reject a system that:
For more information on Diebold systems, refer to the Election Reform/Protection and Black Box Voting websites.
Follow this link for information on contacting the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
Senator Liz Figueroa will be the featured speaker at the Hayward Demos meeting on Friday, July 29. Liz will be giving us an update on the single payer health care legislation, SB 840. Liz has served in the 10th Senatorial District for two terms and has authored a number of landmark bills particularly in the healthcare field, including bills for safe and affordable drugs and a bill that stopped the HMO practice of "drive by deliveries." She is a co-author of SB 840 and will be a candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2006. There will also be a speaker on Senator Sheila Kuehls SB 840, now making its way through the Assembly.
The Hayward Demos will also endorse a Democratic Party candidate for Governor and will have a representative from both the Angelides and Westley campaigns.
Details:
Hayward Demos July Meeting
Friday, July 29 at 7:00pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church
27287 Patrick Ave., Hayward
Directions
Volunteer for tabling in Red Counties to support Hands Off Social Security! Despite the low poll numbers for privatization, plans to dismantle Social Security are not going away. The House wants a vote in July! We must be visible in our opposition, particularly in Congressman Pombo's district.
Follow this link for an AP article on what is happening in Congress: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8405353/
If you would like to help with this effort, please contact Jody Ginsberg (510-636-4149, jody@idiom.com). Tabling training will be provided.
Social Security Action, an alliance between Progressive Democrats of America and the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, has just completed a position paper on the debate over the future of Social Security. This paper, written by Matthew Hallinan, addresses the following issues:
This position paper is an excellent resource as you advocate for preserving Social Security. It is available by following this link. It is also available for download as a MS Word document.
Celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Social Security at Congressman Richard Pombo's office in Stockton. We'll deliver a birthday cake and signed cards opposing privatization–let's let him know how much we love Social Security.
Details of this event will be forthcoming. For more information, contact Jody Ginsberg (jody@idiom.com).This Spring, infamous Producer Rick Delgado was fired from HOT 97 in New York for writing and airing an explicitly anti-Asian and deeply racist song about tsunami victims. The song, with lyrics as follows, sparked a national outcry from civil rights and community groups.
"Screaming Chinks," "Africans Drowning," "Little Chinamen"
Now Clear Channel has hired Delgado to produce the morning show at local station Wild 94.9 FM in the Bay Area. He started work this past week.
Two years ago, when Michael Savage was fired from MSNBC for his virulently racist and anti-gay remarks, guess who then picked him up? Clear Channel's 910 KNEW in the Bay Area!
Stand up against hate and racism on our publicly-owned airwaves. Tell Clear Channel this is unacceptable to our community and that we demand greater media accountability.
FOR ACTION STEPS + MORE BACKGROUND INFO, visit the Media Alliance.
The Supreme Court recently refused to hear a case that could imprison two reporters for refusing to reveal their anonymous sources to a federal prosecutor.
The decision casts a chill over investigative reporters, whistleblowers and the public's need to know about government wrongdoing – information that would not see the light of day without laws to shield journalists and their sources.
Sign the Free Press petition to support federal shield laws (S.340 and H.R.581) protecting journalists and their confidential sources.
On Tuesday, July 12th, the Berkeley City Council unanimously voted to endorse the boycott of Berkeley Honda because of horrendous labor practices by the new owners. It is extremely important that within the next few weeks Berkeley and Oakland residents recognize why they too should not patronize Berkeley Honda.
An excerpt from the July 8 San Francisco Chronicle story on the strike.
"Mechanics and other striking service workers have been picketing Berkeley Honda on Shattuck Avenue downtown since June 15, claiming the new owners of the former Jim Doten Honda are trying to bust their union.
The new owners, Blackhawk developer Stephen Beinke and his son, Tim Beinke, required all Doten employees to reapply for their jobs when they took over June 1. When they didn't offer jobs to about half of the service staff -- instead hiring lower-paid, recent technical school graduates -- the remaining union workers walked off the job."
Other links to information about the strike:
Daily Planet Article (July 15)
San Francisco Bay IndyMedia article
For information on distributing flyers, coming to a Picket Potluck on Saturday, July 30, and contact info, click here.
Progressive Democrats of the East Bay is a growing chapter of Progressive Democrats of America, a national organization and Political Action Committee (PAC), started by supporters of Kucinich, Dean, and various social justice groups. It is not affiliated with the Democratic party but is dedicated to restoring to the Democratic party its progressive vision by engaging local support for national and local progressive causes.
Progressive Democrats of the East Bay will support progressive candidates for elected office from the small local boards to national offices. It dialogues and networks with a broad-based coalition of likeminded groups and people in our community to create a common agenda and an agreed-upon plan by which to realize our goals.
We realize that many who support our causes and endeavors cannot attend all our meetings or are too busy with other activities to be involved in an Action Group.
Please, if you support our work, become a member. Funds make it possible for us to create flyers, literature, and banners, rent the meeting room, and mail notices about events. These are all essential activities to our functioning as a progressive voice.
Dues are on a sliding scale: $10–$100 per year or a minimum of 2 hours of volunteer work a year.
Make checks payable to PD-EB, and send to:
Sara Shumer
1610 Kains Ave.
Berkeley, CA. 94702
Please provide the following:
Name: _______________________________________
Address: _____________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
E-mail and phone: ______________________________
_____________________________________________
Interest and skills: ______________________________
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. Note: All submissions subject to editing to fit the style and content of our organization.
The next PD–East Bay newsletter will go out on or around July 31. Please submit items for inclusion as early as you can! Note that the newsletter will go on vaction in August, and return in September.
Check out www.pdeastbay.org regularly for updated information on progressive politics!
The next meeting for the PD–East Bay Steering Committee is Tuesday, August 16 from 7:00–9:00 pm. The agenda to be announced.
If you are not on the steering committee, but would like to attend, please RSVP to Sara Shumer at shumer3@comcast.net.
Those interested in forming action groups within our organization and those interested in helping determine the direction of PD–East Bay are welcome. You must join PD–East Bay to participate in the steering committee.