The Busy Progressive Week That Was
By Mike Fox, Donna, Dr. Bill, Kim, Janis, Deb, Dan, Bryan, Mike Hersh and Judy—Your Progressive Democrats of America National Team
Last Week, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) made history!
This email is very long, because we’ve been very busy! PDA was founded in 2004 to help elect progressives and to make a real difference organizing for progress. All week we’ve been calling and organizing to support today’s Healthcare Summit in Tampa with Jean Ross, National Nurses United Co-President. Soon, we’ll be laying out the plan to get healthcare for all in Florida—and ultimately the whole country.
Last Tuesday, PDA and a stellar list of elected officials, leaders, experts, musicians, and others celebrated inclusiveness, peace, and progressive politics. We have photos and will share video from the event soon. Donations to defray our costs would be greatly appreciated.
We’ve worked to support the DNC Unity Reform Commission recommendations at Democratic Party meetings and events from coast to coast. Last Saturday, we had a major breakthrough! We’re making it easy for you to join in the effort! Click here to add your name to the Unity for Victory petition. Then, tell all your contacts to join you by sharing this link: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/unity-for-victory/ (share it on social media, by email, text, any way you can think of.) We need your help to win this effort!
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Last Saturday, PDA sustainers Russell and Martha Freedman organized a team effort to get the Massachusetts Democratic Party to pass a resolution in support of the Unity Reform Commission’s recommendations. The PDA Mass state coordinator and the rest of the team gathered signatures to put the resolution on the agenda, and the State Democratic Convention voted aye.
As Russell explained, “All Democrats realize the importance of the coming elections. The Unity Commission recommendations make our party stronger, more inclusive and better able articulate our strong progressive platform.” Kudos to the whole PDA Mass team! Read more about PDA leading the effort in Massachusetts, then sign and share the petition.
This is not an isolated victory. This is movement building 101. Arizona PDA State Coordinator Dan O’Neal brought on board multiple party leadership signatures at the Arizona Democratic Convention weeks before, including the state party chair Felicia Rotellini and several DNC members.
Now let’s show solidarity with these organizing efforts by telling Congress members and other DNC officials that the time for transparency, inclusiveness, and an invigorated Democratic Party is now! Click here to sign the petition for unity and reform. Taking back the Democratic Party from the corporations and lobbyists won’t be easy or cheap. We need resources to organize behind strong candidates. Pitch in $500, $50, or whatever you can right now.
We’ve always supported the brave, hard working DREAMers—law-abiding young people brought to the USA as children or babies. They deserve the protection of a clean DREAM Act. If all the Democrats and a few more Republicans sign the “discharge petition”, that would force floor debate and votes on multiple bills. The bill that gets the most votes would pass. Click here to tell your Representative to help force debate and a vote on the bipartisan, overwhelmingly popularDREAM Act.
Call the US Capitol Switchboard (202)-224-3121 and ask to be connected with your representative. Tell the staffer working on immigration that you want them to sign the Discharge Petition on DACA, and to cosponsor the bipartisan Dream Act (HR 3440). If they’re not available, ask to leave a voice mail message. Then, tell all your contacts to join you by sharing this link:https://actionnetwork.org/letters/vote-on-daca (share it on social media, by email, text, any way you can think of.) We need your help to win this effort!
The American people overwhelmingly support the DREAM Act. Most Democrats and some Republicans in Congress support this legislation to offer permanent legal status and a path to citizenship for DREAMers, without wasting money on a foolish border wall or reckless border militarization. Click here to tell your Representative to sign the Discharge Petition and to help pass the bipartisan, overwhelmingly popular DREAM Act.
Last Tuesday, PDA was on the ground and in the air (phoning) for Kevin de Leon, running against Diane Feinstein for the CA US Senate seat up for grabs this cycle. And in the California Primary Tuesday, that work paid off! Kevin defeated top-ranked Republican James Bradley in California’s “Jungle Primary” format to make it to the final round in November.
If you walked neighborhoods, made calls via our national phone bank, or gave money to help Kevin win, thank you! Please toss in what you can right now for Kevin, or for any of our other endorsed candidates like Amy Vilela and Roger Manno.
This coming Tuesday we hope to help Amy Vilela win her primary! Her story is both tragic and inspirational. After her daughter died in her arms from a blood clot due to the system refusing her needed care, Amy has decided to stand up and fight for us all as a candidate for US Congress in NV-04. She’s not only a powerful advocate for Expanded And Improved Medicare For All, she’s equally-solid on all of the progressive issues we at PDA hold dear.
Can’t donate? No problem. Volunteer to make some calls to help Kevin and our other endorsed candidates across the county win by replying to this email or click here to email Mike Fox and sign up to make quick, easy get out the vote calls from your own home.
Internet Freedom Hangs In The Balance! PDA’s Online Media Coordinator Janis Kay warns: “The FCC’s repeal of Net Neutrality will officially take place on June 11th. Starting that day, Internet providers like Comcast and Verizon will be able to censor websites, block apps and services, and charge us arbitrary extra fees. The Internet as we know it won’t suddenly end. But with each second that passes until net neutrality is restored, it will be slowly dying.”
Please act now! Click here to email your Representative. Say we need his or her support to bring bipartisan, overwhelmingly-supported Net Neutrality to the House floor, and to work for its quick passage. Then, tell all your contacts to join you by sharing this link:https://actionnetwork.org/letters/internet-freedom (share it on social media, by email, text, any way you can think of.) We need your help to win this effort!
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF SUPPLIES! PDA activists across the nation are campaigning hard for progressive candidates and progressive policies. We need banners, rally signs, bumper stickers, buttons, and loads of lapel stickers to amplify our message. We would love to put Healthcare not Warfare, Justice or Bust, or Windmills not Weapons banners in the hands of our 60+ local chapters, but we need to raise $6,000 to place that order. We would love to order Healthcare not Warfare T-shirts to help the push for universal health care at events throughout the summer, but we need to raise $5,000 to place an order.
Additionally, we would like to print and ship rally signs, bumper stickers, buttons, and lots of lapel stickers to our activists attending Healthcare Now events, Democratic Party gatherings, and all those parades and fairs around the country. And for that we need to raise at least $4,000 in the next two weeks. Please help us out with a gift of $100, $50, $20.18, or $10 to raise the $15,000 we need for supplies.
For Peace and Progress,
Mike Fox, Donna, Dr. Bill, Kim, Janis, Deb, Dan, Bryan, Mike Hersh and Judy—Your Progressive Democrats of America National Team
P.S. We’re here to help you build unity for victory within a new or existing PDA chapter. Please contact PDA Field Coordinator Dan O’Neal. Please keep in mind we can’t do anything without your generous support
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