Tricounty DFA Update: Meetup reports, DSM action, Hillary starts to rock, Dean Breaks records, video and more
Hello Everyone;

Sorry to take so long to get this out -- I guess summer is catching us already; in this update:

1. Meetups in Glens Falls and Saratoga
2. Downing Street Memo links
3. Hillary Rips Republicans
4. Dean Breaks Fundraising Record

1. Meetups in Glens Falls and Saratoga

Last week we had meetups in Glens Falls and Saratoga; on the agenda was a video preview of the upcoming documentary "Walmart: The High Price Of The Low Price" by acclaimed film maker Robert Greenwald, who also created "Outfoxed" and "The War On Iraq." Greenwald's film is still in production and he is still looking for stories people have about Walmart's many unfair practices. If you have a story to share, or want to know more, you can go to the movie's website http://www.walmartmovie.com

In Glens Falls we agreed to propose to DFA a national action day on Walmart -- which we will carry out locally -- the core of the idea is the Maryland Walmart Act which requires companies with over 10,000 employees to provide health insurance for all their employees. We will be attempting to meet with our local state legislators to press them to introduce the Walmart law here in NYS. I have been in touch with DFA and they are very interested. I'll let you know what happens.

We will also be setting up a house party to benefit DFA on the 23rd; there will be a live conference call with DFA Executive Director Tom Hughes, possibly our new DFA Chair Jim Dean and maybe more!

Miranda Kyhill also volunteered to chair a committee for getting out info on Walmart and DFA's Walmart initiative.

The Saratoga Meetup got going again after a brief hiatus, meeting at Pat Friesen's in Saratoga.

You may have seen the article by Maury Thompson in the Post Star on Glens Falls 3rd Ward Council candidate Walt Combs' proposal for economic revitalization in Glens Falls. Glens Falls owns more land in Queensbury than the size of the CIty itself, mostly on or over the mountain. Walt is proposing to put electric wind turbines on the watershed. This could potentially bring millions of dollars of revenue to the city, slashing property taxes.

This is real and millions of dollars of annual revenue could be at stake, something that could transform the city. He also proposed Glens Falls adopt the new WiMax wireless Internet standard, which has a range of 30 miles at ten times the speed. Under one variation, City residents would get free extremely high speed internet access, while people outside could buy in at half the present rate.

2. Downing Street Memo links

In a news conference yesterday Bush angrily denied the substance of the Downing Street Memo that reveals he committed an impeachable offense by conspiring to attack Iraq. Drew wants to remind us that Rep. Conyers has an online petition asking for an investigation; Conyers is asking all of us to sign it and we should: http://www.johnconyers.com/index.asp?Type=SUPERFORMS&SEC={D96730F9-4989-479E-A5D4-BA439D2DB29D}

Also, Pat sends along this new webisite on the DSM: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/

3. Hillary Rips Republicans

In a major address in Manhattan yesterday, Senator Clinton also ripped into the Republicans, according to this piece in the NY Times. Here's a great quote: "I can tell you this: It's very hard to stop people who have no shame about what they're doing. It is very hard to tell people that they are making decisions that will undermine our checks and balances and constitutional system of government who don't care. It is very hard to stop people who have never been acquainted with the truth."

This is the first speech of her reelection campaign and it looks like a great season is in the offing! http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/06/nyregion/06cnd-hillary.html?pagewanted=print

4. Dean Breaks Fundraising Record: Also Take Back America Conference

Governor Dean has been on a rip against the Republicans and raising lots of money (contrary to some articles). The Washington insiders are not happy that the Governor wants to push back in Republican dominated areas (like the one we live in) by building up state and local parties and they are trying to undermine his efforts. They want all the money spent on Washington consulting firms (like the one the formerly "ragin cajun" Jim Carville owns). But the state parties are extremely happy. Check out This dKos posting: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/7/21857/23914 The author gets one thing wrong, though, those consultants have been entrenched for a lot longer than the 1990s. The over centralization of our party and its domination by consultants has been a problem for a very long time.

Incidentally, Sen Edwards retracted the critical statement about the Chairman he made the other day.

There have also been several good articles on Dean after a long drought:
http://www.workingforchange.com/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=4E3C8013-075E-2160-AF80AE6E8E674995
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/02/AR2005060201847.html

There is a full text of the Governor's address at the Take Back America Conference last weekened. Many of our Democratic leaders also spoke. Here's a page, courtesy of Drew, listing many of them with videos! http://www.ourfuture.org/projects/national_conference/2005/interactive.cfm#behind

Thanks everyone!

Enjoy this great weather,

Larry
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 9:23 AM