Massachusetts State News

Vol. 1, No. 1--August 27, 2004

Progressive Democrats of America continue work after the July 29 Convention in Western MA

by Carl Doerner cdoerner@surfglobal.net

A formative and exploratory meeting was held on August 18.

(1) We agreed to form a chapter - Western Mass PDA. A chapter is nationally recognized upon gaining 15 members who pledge $25 each to PDA. In Western MA PDA is an evolution from the Kucinich campaign, so we will be encouraging all who participated in our very successful organizing in this region to join us. Although joining in solidarity with us advances a political agenda (see below) and helps us stay in touch, it does not necessitate attending our monthly meetings.

(2) Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday September 14, 7-9, at the home of Susan Lantz, 74 Lyman Rd., Northampton. As we remain in a formative stage, this is still a good opportunity to help shape our goals and procedures.

(3) Susan Tricolo of Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts (an offshoot of the Reich gubernatorial campaign) joined us for the meeting and shared the aspirations of that well-established group. Their focus is in-state issues. All acknowledged our differences, common goals, and the likelihood of our moving forward in harmony.

(4) For ourselves, we discussed the importance of a non-hierarchical organization with rotating facilitators and note-keepers.

(5) What should a PDA agenda look like? This is an ongoing discussion, but here is what is evident:

a. Internationalize the conflict and occupation of Iraq by withdrawing US forces and replacing US economic involvement with UN supervision and assistance;
b. Establish a cabinet level Department of Peace and Non-violence;
c. Create a system of universal single-payer health insurance for this country;
d. Withdraw from NAFTA and the WTO and establish fair trade policies;
e. Work to repeal the Patriot Act;
f. Invest military dollars in human needs;
g. Begin full public funding for state and national political campaigns (remove money from politics;
h. Begin instant runoff voting (IRV). (These were the Kucinich issues.)

(6) We should also contemplate such PDA agenda issues as:

a. Means of addressing growing corporate power and economic control;
b. Raising public awareness and meeting failures of the media;
c. Opposing privatization (education, water, public services, etc.).

(7) We contemplate growing our movement regionally with an activist agenda:

a. Help establish membership and other chapters;
b. Have every member of the MA congressional delegation be a co-signer of the Department of Peace legislation Dennis will re-introduce in 2005, and urge groups in other states to replicate;
c. Engage in active regional outreach, e.g., with remnants of the Dean campaign, with the Vermont Progressive Party, etc;
d. Establish an on-going program of social issue films;
e. With local colleges, initiate a speakers series (Tom Hayden, Chalmers Johnson, and many others).

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