Tricounty DFA Update: Gillibrand Challenges Sweeney To Debate, Vigil and more
Hello Everyone!

In this update:

1. Gillibrand Challenges Sweeney to Debate War
2. Friday Film Fest
3. Vigil Saturday-- also petition pick up
4. Dean Says It Again-- You Have The Power-- 50 State Strategy
5. Dunkirk In The Desert?
6. Minimum Wage
7. On The Lighter Side

1. Gillibrand Challenges Sweeney to Debate War

The race between Kirsten Gillibrand and John Sweeney is heating up. Both are now running ads and Kirsten today challenged Sweeney to a debate on the Iraq war. You can read her challenge at: http://www.gillibrand2006.com/node/237

You can also see her spot at: http://www.gillibrand2006.com/Multimedia

Her other campaign-- her fundraising campaign-- is now also heading towards the end of June and the end of the second fundraising quarter. The closing is the 30th, a week from Friday. It goes without saying these TV ads are very expensive.
If you are thinking of making a contribution to her campaign this summer, you might want to consider doing it now, since the "air war" on television has already kicked off. Go to: https://services.myngp.com/ngponlineservices/contribution.aspx?X=yEvSsqeBpDPsOTgPrro9jQ%3d%3d

2. Friday Film Fest

The Friday Progressive Film Fest is on again tomorrow, Friday, at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls. On tap this week is: June 23 THE FUTURE OF FOOD (www.futureoffood.com)
Shot on location in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, THE FUTURE OF FOOD examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world's food systems. The film also explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today. The Christian Science Monitor reported, “There’s a stunning revelation in almost every scene. Grade: A” Director: Deborah Koons Garcia Running time: 120 min.

3. Vigil Saturday-- also petition pick up

There will be another Vigil For Peace and to bring our troops home this Saturday at 11am at the Five Corners in Downtown Glens Falls. In the last week American deaths in Iraq rose over 2,500 with no end in sight. That number does not include the two POW's who were taken prisoner and murdered this week. Meanwhile, the situation in Iraq continues to rapidly deteriorate, as a following item in this update reveals. Come and bring a friend! For more info or to RSVP go to: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=9649

Also, someone should be there with petitions if you want to help with the petition effort for local candidates Kirsten Gillibrand and Dr. Tim Merrick.

4. Dean Says It Again-- You Have The Power-- 50 State Strategy

Governor Dean is sending out an appeal from the DNC for Democrats to stand up and be counted. This is only partly an effort to fundraise -- the goal is to get as many people as possible to make a donation, however small, to show support for the 50 State Strategy. Really, it's voting with your credit card for the kind of party you want-- one that answers to the people, not big, mainly corporate donors. Even five dollars will roll the odomenter one more number.
https://www.democrats.org/page/contribute/peoplecount

The Governor also made it clear to Wolf Blitzer how it is Democrats who actuallly can be trusted to defend America-- Frankly, I wish all our Democrats could chant along with this like a catechism and memorize it, it's that good. A lot of this is the tough, take-no-guff tone. As Dean says, they only way they can beat us, is if we beat ourselves. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/19/19853/5968
Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKiSG4oeg3Y
Dean was also on the Daily Show recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmuHuH7WIDc&mode=related&search=

5. Dunkirk In The Desert?

The "must read" of the week is a piece by Nicholas Von Hoffman in the Nation. According to Von Hoffman, "As the bad news continues to seep in, debates about exit strategies are going out of date. Another year like the last three and the deteriorating military situation will have us debating what tactics will be necessary to extract our people with a minimum of loss... We could be moving toward an American Dunkirk."

and "Military commanders in the field in Iraq admit in private reports to the Pentagon the war 'is lost' and that the U.S. military is unable to stem the mounting violence..."

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060626/howl
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_8790.shtml

This may be why John Kerry this week found the voice he had many years ago on returning from Vietnan -- "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a lost war..."

6. Minimum Wage

The Post Star today really called John Sweeney for flip-flopping on the minimum wage, which is at the lowest point in real dollar terms since 1955. Wake Up Walmart has an online petition to raise the minimum wage:http://letters.wakeupwalmart.com/dia/organizationsCOM/wakeup/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1777

Drew sends along this piece from David Sirota on the bald lies about the minimum wage being spread by people like John Stossel: http://davidsirota.com/index.php/2006/06/17/debating-a-pathological-liar-on-cnbc/

7. On The Lighter Side

Finally, on the lighter side, Wendy and Richard send this classic on the Bush White House.

Thank you for calling the White House switchboard. Our new voice activated system will help direct you to the proper office. If you are calling to complain about the mishandling of the war in "Iraq", press one.

If you are calling to complain about the "abuse of prisoners" and the White House's "endorsement of torture", press two, and then say the name of the torture site that you wish to complain about (and please note for the sake of the voice mail system that it is pronounced "Abu GRABE", not Abu grahb).

If you are calling to complain about "illegal spying on American citizens" and the abuse of FISA laws, press 3, but do know that these calls will be recorded.

If you are calling to complain about the "disastrous mismanagement of the hurricane Katrina recovery", please press 4, and your call will be directed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. If you wait for more than 48 hours without anyone picking up the phone, hang-up and send a letter. We have been assured that all letters will receive a prompt reply within one year.

If you are calling regarding the administration's "unwillingness to enforce immigration law", press cinco, por favor, or direct any thanks to your local Chamber of Commerce office, which can explain why we like cheap labor that can't vote and where you may be able to find willing illegal day laborers in your local area.

If you are Jack Abramoff or any Saudi prince, please call the private line - it is always open.

If you are calling about the "Medicare prescription debacle", please press 6. If you are having a medical emergency, you should proceed directly to your local emergency room, although please understand that your health coverage may not pay for the visit and you can no longer get out from under the bill by declaring bankruptcy.

If you are calling about the "ballooning federal deficit" or the recent "hike in the debt ceiling" to $8 trillion, please press 7, unless you are Bill Clinton calling to brag about the surpluses under your administration, in which case we don't want to hear about it.

If you are calling to complain about the White House's efforts to "block stem cell research", please press 8, and then say the disease that you are most concerned about that may ultimately be cured through scientific research. If you are a scientist calling with new research findings or important clinical data, please hang up, we don't want to hear from you.

If you are calling to express concern about "global warming" and our efforts to "roll back environmental laws", please press 9, unless you are a government scientist, in which case you are forbidden to talk without first clearing it with the oil lobbyist we hired to screen and edit your research. He can be reached at Exxon 4-2611.

If you are calling to complain about the President's efforts to "privatize" social security, please press 1 and then the pound key, and your call will be redirected to representatives at Merrill Lynch, who will explain the virtues of putting all your savings in the stock market.

If you are calling about the need for more "prayer in public schools" or any other faith-based initiatives, please press 10 and Reverend Falwell will be with you shortly.

If you are calling to lobby for more Supreme Court Justices who will "block a woman's right to choose, please stay on the line and the President will be with you immediately.

If you are calling about all the "tax breaks for the wealthy", press *1 if you have ideas for more loopholes and are making more than a million dollars per year; if you are earning less than a million per year but have ideas for how you may help the wealthy, press *2; if you are earning less than a million per year and just want to complain that all the burden is now falling on you, please call back in a couple of years

If you need to speak with the president directly please press 666.

Press zero at any time if you would like to hear these options again. Thank you for calling the White House. It is our pleasure to serve you.

Thanks everyone! See you soon,

Larry
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 7:20 PM