SONORA PROGRESSIVES NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 6, 2007, I:1
Hi everyone,
Well, here is information I hope you find useful, in one package, rather than daily alerts and bulletins. My intention is to compile a weekly newsletter. If you have something to say to the group, please email me put “newsletter” in subject so I won’t miss it. Or, come blog with me at http://sonoraprogressives.blogspot.com/ recent headlines... • Elected Officials Contactsfor citizen involvement • Cornell Sun Interview with Gabby on Blog for AZ • New Latas campaign announced on Blog for Arizona
Also, if you are interested, I am sending out daily reflections based on the work/words of Mahatma Gandhi and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, for the 64 day Gandhi/King Season for NonViolence which started January 30 and goes through April 4. Email me or go to yahoogroups.com, find SNVTucson64Days, and sign up.
If you are not yet a member of Sonora progressives, please sign up at www.sonoraprogressives.org
In peace,
Gerry
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/41009 “Son wanted 'to get the hell out of Iraq'” a story today on the latest Tucson casualty in Iraq. My thanks to everyone who helped or visited the Eyes Wide Open Exhibit last weekend - Spc. Alan E. McPeek, 20, died while we were there, and he was supposed to be on his way home, but was held over in the surge.
Check out the PDA home page www.pdamerica.org Make Bush Pay For The War With Higher Taxes on Wealthy If we can’t stop the funding for Iraq, at least let him pay for it: “There are a lot of ways to force a "pay-go" provision. My own favorite: when the appropriation reaches the Ways and Means Committee, Charlie Rangel, the chair of the committee (who has also pushed legislation to re-institute a military draft), could attach an amendment stating that every dollar has to be paid for by hiking the taxes of the top one percent of the country, effectively rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the very rich. As I've pointed out before, the top 1 percent--those who pull in at least $1.3 million a year--will pocket more than $347 billion in the next four years if Congress does not roll-back the tax cuts. According to data from Citizens for Tax Justice, if Congress just rolled back the tax cuts on that top 1 percent for just 2007 and 2008, it would reap $136 billion--probably enough to cover the costs of the emergency supplemental request for this year (a stunning number on its own). In fact, the White House's new budget proposal seeks to--surprise!!!--preserve the tax cuts for the rich.”
Also, new petition to support new McGovern bill HR746- http://pdamerica.org/petition/mcgovern-petition.php
Next Sonora Progressives meeting: February 28, 7pm Dem HQ – Election of Officers.
You have to already be a paid up member now (by the meeting prior to the election) to vote on any official business, including the election of officers, or to run for office. Elections will be by ballot. Terms of officers are two years.
Positions are: Chair; the Vice Chair (Political Action Chair); the Second Vice Chair (Membership Chair); the Third Vice Chair (Outreach Chair); the Fourth Vice Chair (Policy Chair); Treasurer/Fundraising Chair, and Secretary.
Barbara Tellman reports a meeting with former state rep Dr Ted Downing for those interested in citizen activism. Ted has a lot of interesting and provocative ideas that I think you will find very stimulating in addition to some nuts and bolts information. It looks like we will have do have the meeting next week on Thursday. For those of you who want to do something now, I hope you have gone to the legislature's web site and explored what is there and looked at some of the bills that interest you, etc.
AZ News and Chatter
Solar Energy Infrastructure - There is a groundswell of interest amongst engineers, environmental activists and other solar proponents, being facilitated by SP Member Barry DiSimone, in proposing legislation in the AZ legislature to support real investment in clean energy. I have long believed that AZ can easily be a net EXPORTER of energy, and at the very least energy self-suffiecient, and the movement is developing legs. This is part of what our fearless chair, Jeff LATAS, campaigned on. There is also a great, though technical, discussion occurring on the Sustainable Tucson e-list – which you can sign up for at www.yahoogroups.com, Look for Sustainable Tucson and click for a daily digest of postings. SustainableTucson@yahoogroups.com See also this article TEP part of utilities group eyeing major solar plant http://www.azstarnet.com/altsn/default/newsletterclickthru/167521
Renewables Can Turn the Tide on Global Warming The ASES report, titled "Tackling Climate Change in the US - Potential Carbon Emissions Reductions From Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 2030," makes this extraordinary claim: "Energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies have the potential to provide most, if not all, of the US carbon emissions reductions that will be needed to help limit the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide to 450 to 500 ppm." more... http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/020207R.shtml
Tucson Arts and Activism ( sustainable) community center a group of us are actively pursuing buying property as a nonprofit corp to create a center that would serve the entire arts and activism community, a “one stop shop” for those wanting to be involved with Tucson's progressive groups, and for those seeking information. I met with Karin Uhlich already on this idea, and she is an enthusiastic “thumbs up.” It would allow groups to share resources, schedule and host joint events, make it much easier for groups to cooperate. The vision includes 1) A pub and café 2) Meeting, performance, and events space 3) Office space 4) Retail shops and work space 5) A gallery 6) A library and information resource center 7) A bookstore 8) A printer/copy shop email Jack Strasburg jocx@juno.com for more info.
Election Integrity Suit by PC Dems last Thursday in Pima County Pima County Democrats filed a public records lawsuit Thursday against the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the Pima County Treasurer, , seeking to examine printouts of early ballot totals. Party leaders worry the ballots were improperly counted prior to last November's election. http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/40636.php Supervisor Richard Elias (D) and Ray Carroll ® are working with the EIC Committee. The rest must be lobbied.
Come meet election integrity citizen journalist and activist Brad Friedman Wed 2/7, 6:30 PM, Dem HQ, 4639 E. 1st St. Potluck and discussion.
National PDA Conference call Feb 20 - Voter Protection/Clean, Fair, Transparent Elections working Group: Paper Ballots and the Holt bill 9:00 pm EST. write sherry@pdamerica.org for call in information.
Progressives of Verde Valley post a piece on DC lobbying to new Dems: http://www.progressivesedona.org/VV/news.php Progressives of Verde Valley have a piece on DC lobbying from the LA Times that will surprise no one: Surprising as it might seem in view of the Democrats' public rhetoric, business groups are getting their telephone calls returned. And they're getting plenty of face time with the new House and Senate leaders. The report is detailed and very interesting.
WOW! amazing must-see video posted on Blog for Arizona about the way/manner/process/, well- you’ll see, how the web works to change everything/us. http://arizona.typepad.com/blog/ Keep reading for Brzezinski's Warning to the Senate, then Arizona’s economic health report card Note, we get a “C” for overall performance. See solar energy infrastructure above – this group is going to change everything. Can you imagine, Arizona is #18 in use of alternative energy – with 300 days of sunshine a year) We get an “F” (that’s bottom of the barrel in % of non-elderly residents covered by health insurance, % of workforce classified as “working poor,” an involuntary part-time employment.
Tucson mayors race chatter - Art Jacobson, on dataport, http://thedataport.blogspot.com/ , is plugging, as the basis of the mayoral race, the vision of Symphony Director George Hansen, for a world class a performing arts, education and technology center, celebrating our Native American, Hispanic and European heritages. Since we have Rio Nuevo in stall mode, looks good to me! http://thedataport.blogspot.com/2007/02/tucson-mayoral-racewhat-are-issues.html
National News and Chatter:
Follow AZ Delegation congressional votes To follow the voting in Congress, sign up for MegaVote weekly updates from www.congress.org – you will see votes taken this week and important votes coming up. It does not include committee work, unfortunately, but is still helpful. And/or, go to http://www.azcongresswatch.com/ for news and opinion of interest
This from our friend Brian Hill, who asked us to help with the Appeal for Redress: This is why my brothers and sisters need to come home: Soldiers in Iraq view troop surge as a lost cause - McClatchy - 03FEB07
Ripoff Privatizations-- And Why They Keep Happening http://www.progressivestates.org/content/551/ripoff-privatizations-and-why-they-keep-happening
Freedom’s Phoenix, headline news published daily by AZ Libertarian Ernest Hancock, is well worth subscribing to, for a quick summary of what you don’t typically see on CNN. http://www.freedomsphoenix.com Also plenty of AZ news.
From AZ - At the recent meeting of the Arizona State Republican party, it was the party elite marching in lock step with their orders from John McCain falling in behind Lisa James, verses the traditional Republican grassroots falling in line behind their leader Randy Pullen. To those with allegiances to the party elite, John McCain is the President who'll save America against a Hillary Presidency. To those of the party of Barry Goldwater, John McCain is nothing more than a worn out version of the worst that Hillary represents. In fact, both Hillary and McCain will continue to escalate the War on Terror.
Why they Hate Us: Three YouTubeVideos : #1 - US Hummers muscling their way through traffic bumping the cars in front of them, who can’t get out of the way fast enough...crossing the meridian, driving on the wrong side of the street... #2 US soldiers conduct “kid races” where they use precious clean drinking water in the same way they use the fake rabbit at the greyhound races, dumping it in the street while Iraqi kids race behind...#3 US Army tanker crushes, literally runs over, Iraqi taxi carrying looted firewood, soldiers laughing.
U. S. Department of Peace - The Peace Alliance announces that On February 5th, 2007, legislation to establish a U. S. Department of Peace was re-introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. The new bill number is HR 808. This landmark measure will augment our current problem-solving options, providing practical, nonviolent solutions to the problems of domestic and international conflict. Learn more at The Peace Alliance website: http://www.ThePeaceAlliance.org or write to Congress at http://www.thepeacealliance.org/action PDA's End the War, Refirect Funding Issue Organizing Team is forming a group to focus on creating a Department of Peace. To join the PDA National Department of Peace Organizing Team, please email Diane Shamis at diane@pdamerica.org.
On pots and pans, in memory of Mloly Ivins, Susan Foster writes me that in Spain I was told that even before the Madrid bombings, there was a movement started in Barcelona.?. Every night at 10 pm women beat pots and pans from their balconies -in opposition to Spains participation in Iraq. Hmmmmm.
UFPJ legislative Iraq conference call report: The best news out of the call was the Out of Iraq members of Congress are getting angry and are ready to disrupt the Democratic Caucus meeting today. Members report that the Democratic Caucus leadership has muzzled debate on Iraq and the new members don’t know what to do. Also, it is clear that activists in many states are doing far more to lobby members than we are doing in Arizona. There is a recess scheduled Feb 19-23.
From a great post on the UFPJ legislative elist – Build the beloved Community to make possible world peace:
We can only be stopped by our own lack of imagination, our own failure to live up to our dreams.
One way we limit ourselves is by talking and thinking in negatives. "End the War" is a very weak request, merely a reaction to the military-industrial complex. We should make sure we keep saying, over and over, what we really want: an end to all the wars America now supports. A world of peace. A foreign policy based on respect for human rights and a commitment to diplomacy. Trade policies that are fair and that nurture stability and security.
There are many, many specific ways to end this war, and the various other wars the US is involved in. The supplemental and the budget are very important, but they are far from our only chance.
When we build up enough public pressure, when enough people commit themselves seriously to ending the war, our politicians, who are very good at figuring out what large, organized groups of citizens want, will find a way (or a dozen ways) to end it.
The most important thing for us to do is to build the "beloved community", to increase the number of people who are working together to replace American militarism with policies of justice, fairness and reponsibility. Instead of saying "Everyone must write to Congress about the Supplemental!" or about impeachment, or whatever, we should be more concerned about steps we can take which will double the number of people writing to Congress to express their desires, and then double that number again and again, in a way which is not likely to collapse when our attention is drawn elsewhere. Fred Miller
Note from ed: Please consider joining a Sonora Progressives legislative action team to begin to build the INFRASTRUCTURE for the kind of action Fred Miller is talking about above.
ACTION ALERTS:
Tucson's KGUN-9 Gunning For Gays - Thursday evening, our local ABC affiliate aired a lurid segment as part of its "KGUN-9 On Your Side" series, in which reporter Jennifer Waddell portrayed gay men as being on the prowl for sex in our parks. (You can see the video here
Tucson’s Network of Spiritual Progressives are working on lobbying meetings with both Reps Grijalva and Giffords, not only calling the troops home but advocating a ‘generosity and care’ paradigm to all levels of our society as proposed by Rabbi Lerne, a global Marshall Plan with the thought that if we spent far less on aid than we now spend on military might, the world would be a much safer place. We would have to give up the “warring” paradigm, and instead adopt a “building peace and plenty” paradigm. Next meeting is this Thursday Feb. 8th, at 7:00pm (note time) at the First United Methodist Church. I can’t attend, have actually already two conflicting meetings, but would appreciate someone going in my place and reporting back to me! I would like to be part of that lobbying team. SP Member Vince Pawloski is the guy to see.
Building the Beloved Community: EVENTS:
Election Integrity Potluck and Discussion Wed. 2/7, 6:30 PM, Dem HQ, 4639 E. 1st St.
Brad Friedman, Citizen Investigative Blogger "We Need a Paper Ballot for
Every Vote Cast!"and Arizona Democratic Party Vice-Chair, Donna Branch-Gilby, just back from EIC work at the winter DNC meeting.
Brad's investigative work (www.bradblog.com
Suggested donation $10, will benefit the Pima County Democratic Party Election Integrity Committee.
Bring some food or drink to share and participate in the drive to improve election integrity!
Jewish Voice for Peace slide show: Saturday February 10 6pm Potluck (please bring something to share) 7pm Presentation Health and Human Rights in the West Bank and East Jerusalem: a slide show and talk by Rula Khalidi, Palestinian/ American nurse, who traveled with Jewish Voice for Peace in the fall. Presentation will focus on the impact of the occupation on access to health care, and on the social, economic and political conditions in the Old City and East Jerusalem. Rula's recent op-ed in the AZ Daily Star provides a bit of a preview of the event: http://www.azstarnet.com/opinion/164364 at Sonora Cohousing common house 501 E. Roger Rd.
Charlie King Concert: Feb. 17th Charlie King/Karen Brandow meal and concert at Tucson’s Unitarian Universalist Church, E. 22nd St.;
Fourth Annual Corazón de Justicia Awards Dinner 6:30pm Dunbar Cultural Center 325 W. 2nd Street $35.00 Please RSVP to: 520.770.1373
Tucson Peace Fair, Feb 24, Reid Park. Find Season for NonViolence art mural and help paint!
Learn Water Harvesting Earthworks and Cistern Intallation FOR FREE! Watershed Management Group is currently seeking volunteers to participate in the design and implementation of public demonstration sites on water harvesting. Contact Elena Rotondi at elenarose@gmail.com, to participate.
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