Tricounty DFA Update: House Party Invitation, Sweeney Report, Hillary libeled? DSM and more
Hello Everyone!

In this update:

1. Join us for a DFA House Party Thursday!
2. Sweeney to hold forum on SS and some really bad votes
3. Senator Clinton libeled
4. DSM heats up
5. Dean speaks out again


1. Join us for a DFA House Party Thursday!

Everyone in DFA, all good Democrats, liberals, progressives and fellow travelers are invited to Nora's Summer Solstice House Party, Thursday, June 23rd at 7pm.

Everyone who went to Nora's earlier house parties, particularly during the Dean campaign, knows what a huge hit they were. A live conference call with Tom Hughes, the Executive Director of Democracy For America is scheduled and don't be surprised if there are surprise guests with Tom. The goal is to raise a relatively paltry $100 for DFA and we will also be discussing the latest on DFA's Walmart initiative (we'll know more about that this week) to which we contributed some interesting suggestions. But mainly it's a time to relax!

We will have some light refreshments and people are encouraged to bring snacks, desserts or beverages, if they like.

For those of us who haven't been there, Nora has a lovely Adirondack log home in Lake George, so this is the perfect time of year to go for the Adirondack experience. These parties have been terrific in the past, so it's not to be missed!

From the Northway Exit 21 turn West onto Luzerne Road going towards Lake Luzerne. Travel about 2 miles to the Roaring Brook Dude Ranch, which is on the left hand side going towards Luzerne. Nora's is just past the entrance to Roaring Brook. It's a log home with a circular driveway and a signboard out front. There's be a Dean For America sign -- it's the only sign we have!

Please RSVP by click here: http://petition.democracyforamerica.com/page/event/zdp or by email me or Nora at nnellis@capital.net

Hopefully we'll know more about the Walmart initiative we proposed at our last Meetup.

2. Sweeney to hold forum on SS and some really bad votes

Rep. John Sweeney is finally going to have Forum to discuss Social Security Reform on June 27th at 8pm.   The place is the Clifton Park Town Hall on Vischer Ferry Road in Clifton Park.   The In This Together Coalition is trying to get a large crowd to go and confront him on his silence on SS and other issues . To Get there take the Route 146 W exit of the Northway 9. 0.2 miles , Turn LEFT onto CLIFTON PARK BLVD/NY-146 W. 2.4 miles., turn Left onto CR-90/VISCHER FERRY RD. 0.7 miles, Turn Left into TOWN HALL PLZ. <0.1 miles, end at 1 Town Hall Plz  Clifton Park, NY

There are other questions he could be asked, because Congressman Sweeney's been a busy man lately.

First he voted against Vermont Rep. Bernie Sander's successful effort to keep the FBI and Homeland Security from examining what we read at libraries and bookstores. (This was a big victory for House Democrats with many Republicans defecting.) Does Sweeney not know the cops can get a search warrant from a judge for literally anything anyway? http://www.workingforchange.com/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=82337ABD-9B55-7515-33FFDF5FFB7133A9

Next: did you know there's a Congressional Horse Caucus? (Please... stop laughing... I am not making this up! And it is not Horse's Ass Caucus, although arguably it should be... ) It seems Sweeney is in favor of people maxing out their plastic gambling on horses online. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,159703,00.html How nice.

But the worse outrage may be that Sweeney voted against funding to fight methamphetamine addiction and trafficing. "Meth" has become a frightening plague in the Mid-West and I know many local police departments are really scared we're next. http://townmeetingday.blogspot.com/2005/06/john-sweeney-fighting-against-fighting.html

What a guy, against reading, for gambling and the most dangerous drug around.

3. Senator Clinton libeled

If you didn't know you could tell Senator Clinton's reelection is coming up. From accounts of a new book about to come out (The Truth About Hillary Clinton), one of which was in the Post Star, it's become clear in the last week we are going to see a regurgitation of the kind of slander we saw in the 90s. The far right especially seems to like putting lies in the mouths of dead people. Remember Vince Foster, who committed suicide early in Bill Clinton's first term? According to the far right either Bill or Hillary had him murdered because Foster was having an affair with Hillary or he knew about a drug deal or a land deal or Foster knew Bill was having an affair with someone else and so on. About the only thing they didn't claim was Bill was having an affair with Vince Foster, but I may not have been paying attention that day.

The dead mouthpiece now is Senator Moynihan and his daughter Maura is furious about it. Maura Moynihan says "The Truth About Hillary Clinton" is a complete pack of lies and can prove it. This account shows how low the far right will go: http://mediamatters.org/items/200506150002 According to news reports HIllary is thinking of suing for libel.


4. DSM heats up

The Downing Street Memo is finally drawing attention. Rep. Conyers held a hearing yesterday and tried unsuccessfully to present a petition signed by half a million Americans to the White House, but he wasn't even allowed on the grounds.

There are now a total of SEVEN Downing Street Memos, all with different aspects of this sordid story: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8207731 /
Two are online at DFA if you havenb't read them, along with DFA's petition: http://bsd.democracyforamerica.com/page/petition/downing
David Sirota has a good wrap up: http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/06/real-question-about-downing-street.html
Also The Nation: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?bid=3&pid=3539

This story has tremendous potential to wake the American people up to what has been done in their name; we have to keep this story rolling! It's starting to hurt: look at Drew's posting today: http://townmeetingday.blogspot.com/2005/06/fault-lines.html

5. Dean speaks out again

Governor Dean is staying on the attack; we'll be hearing more from him this weekend at Demfest in Austin. This covers some earlier comments: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/12/AR2005061200600_pf.html

The VRWC (What Hillary called the "vast right wing conspiriacy) is still lying about Governor Dean and fundraising: http://mediamatters.org/items/200506170001

Plenty of other people "get" what he is doing: http://www.corante.com/mooreslore/archives/2005/06/10/a_master_politician_at_work.php#more and http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0615-28.htm

Thanks Everyone! Hope to see you all Thursday!

Larry
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 10:03 PM