Tricounty DFA Update: Meeting Next Week, Candidate Forum and more
Hello Everyone!

In this update:

1. A Message You May Have Received
2. Gillibrand Financial Closing
3. Glens Falls Meeting Next Week
4. Forum with Dr. Tim Merrick
5. Petition Countdown Reminder -- don't wait until the last minute!
6. Governor Dean Gives Democrats' address, speaks on war
7. Friday Film Forum
8. Saturday Vigil
9. Bo Lipari on Brennan Center Report on Electronic Voting Machines.


1. A Message You May Have Received

First, some of you may have received a DFA-Link message about the Gillbrand family, etc., making all kinds of allegations. Jonathan Gillibrand's family all worked for BAe, as he did, very much the way people here worked for GE-- they all grew up in a company town. Jonathan's father met his mother there and he worked his way up from the plant floor to management. Just like GE families here, they have company stock in their retirement fund. We all know how Democrats who run for office get smeared-- the Republicans take any little thing they can find and twist it totally out of shape. That's what's going on here and that's where this came from. Sad to say, we will probably see more of this: it's going to be a bumpy ride. Take heart and pay no heed.

2. Gillibrand Financial Closing

The Gillibrand Campaign does need your help to give'em hell: The Federal Financial reporting quarter for candidates ends Friday, June 30th. Her other campaign-- her television campaign-- is now on the air. These TV ads are very expensive.
If you are thinking of making a contribution to her campaign this summer, do 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

Remember, all contributions are important, even small ones, because the gross number of people who donate is also important for the effect it has on funding agencies, especially if the people are local.

3. Glens Falls Meeting Next Week

Greater Glens Falls Democracy For America will be holding its monthly meeting next week, Wednesday July 5th at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls. The Cafe is located at the corner of Exchange and Elm Streets and Hudson Avenue. We will have a busy, two part schedule this month:

4. Forum with Dr. Tim Merrick

First we will be holding a candidate forum for Dr. Tim Merrick, who is running in the 45th Senate District against Republican Betty Little. (The 45th SD consists of Washington, Warren, Essex, Hamilton and Clinton Counties (Plattsburg). If you live in Saratoga County you are in Sen. Joe Bruno's district.) Tim is a member of our Plattsburg DFA group and those of you who attended our February DFA Training Day at the Plumbers and Steamfitters Hall may remember meeting him. He also made a brief appearance at our last meeting. Tim will make a presentation and then answer our questions.

5. Petition Countdown Reminder -- don't wait until the last minute!

At our last meeting we handed out petitions for Kirsten Gillibrand and Tim Merrick. You only have about a week left to get them filled out! Don't wait until the last minute! We are asking everyone to please bring their petitions to hand in to our next meetup to check them over. If you need more sheets or walk lists, please contact me or Bob Rockwell in Lake George at rrockwel@nycap.rr.com

6. Governor Dean Gives Democrats' address, speaks on war

Last Saturday Governor Dean gave the Democrat's response to Bush's weekly address. Dean focused on the Republican handling of the war and called for our troops to begin coming home from the war. Among other things the Governor said, "'Stay the course' is not a plan. Saying the problems in Iraq will be left to the next president is not a plan. Our troops deserve better," http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=475620&category=&BCCode=&newsdate=6/24/2006
Listen at:
http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/democratic1.download.akamai.com/8082/audio/addresses/20060624_dean.mp3

Dick adds that Dean is not falling into a trap some Democrats are falling into. Troops are going to be withdrawn either way; the real question is who gets credit: He sends along a TPM piece: "Their (the Republican's) strategy is to attempt to demonize any Democrat who calls for withdrawal so that Democrats will not end up with a unified, strong stance. If Republicans can say in Sept through Nov., "See, we've taken the lead on withdrawing the troops" this will help burnish their (false) image of strength, control etc., and will gather them credit. But, if it looks like Democrats forced the issue, it would be an admission that the whole Iraq enterprise was FUBAR and the administration has had to alter course, making them look weak.
The public has already decided the war was a mistake. The Republicans are trying prevent the public from giving credit for the planned withdrawal to Democrats, and unfortunately many Democrats appear too craven to position themselves squarely in the line of fire. Unless they do I predict the withdrawal of significant numbers of troops at summer's end will redound to Bush's credit. Democrats are playing this very unwisely.

Further proof of the terrible situation in Iraq comes from this piece Kathy sends about how the US Army covered up the murder of two US soldiers by the Iragis they were training because the Army didn't want to admit how specious the Iraqi Army really is. For more on this shocking story: http://www.alternet.org/story/37989

If there is any doubt the Republicans are on the run, Drew sends this piece in the Guardian about the defection of the Kansas Republican Party Chairman to the Democrats. You may not have heard about it, but it is creating shockwaves in the Mid-west.: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1805330,00.html

7. Friday Film Forum

The Friday Progressive Film Fest is on again, Friday, June 30, at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls at 8pm. On tap this week is: THE END OF SUBURBIA (www.endofsuburbia.com) As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to the collapse of their dream? Are today's suburbs destined to become the slums of tomorrow? And what can be done NOW, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia ?
Director: Gregory Greene Running time: 78 min.

8. Saturday Vigil

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. We've been getting a very good turn out for these, with a healthy crowd drawing a steady beat of beeping horns as people go by and wave. They know that as the situation in Iraq continues to rapidly deteriorate our troops are more and more caught in the middle. Note the article today in the Post Star on how the much vaunted security crackdown in Bagdad seems to have little or no results. For more info or to RSVP go to: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=9776

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.

9. Bo Lipari on Brennan Center Report on Electronic Voting Machines.

Last November we hosted Bo Lipari of New York Verified Voting on the security of our voting machines. Bo sent this message out yesterday, and it is disturbing:

"A task force of government, academic and non-profit experts convened by the
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU has today released the first comprehensive
threat analysis of three of the most popular types of electronic voting
systems.

"Here's a quick quote from MIT professor Ron Rivest from the press release:
"I see this as an historic report because it's the first time we've
systematically examined security concerns presented by all of the electronic
voting systems in use. The report will be invaluable for any election
official grappling with electronic security and, hopefully, will pave the
way for widespread adoption of better safeguards."

Here's the press release and full report:

http://brennancenter.org/presscenter/releases_2006/pressrelease_2006_0627.ht
ml
http://www.brennancenter.org/programs/downloads/Full%20Report.pdf

Here is USA Today coverage:

Analysis finds e-voting machines vulnerable
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-06-26-e-voting_x.htm

Thanks Everyone! See you Wednesday!

Larry
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:59 AM