Tricounty DFA Update: Lamont, Neighborhood Network, Film and more
Hello Everyone;

In this update:

1. Earthquake In Connecticut: Taking Our Party Back
2. Urge Senator Reid To Strip Lieberman of Committee Privileges
3. Special Meeting Next Week: Neighborhood Network & Special Guest
4. Friday Night Film Fest
5. Tabling And Vigil
6. Phone Banking


1. Earthquake In Connecticut: Taking Our Party Back

As I am sure we all know, a political earthquake occurred Tuesday in Connecticut. The people of Connecticut have shown us that democracy lives and that we can in fact Take Back America, as Governor Dean described two years ago during his Sleepless Summer Tour.

What happened Tuesday also vindicates as forcefully and factually as possible what we have been trying to tell everyone who would listen for well over a year-- the war is The Issue. Only a hard shelled elite of out of touch consultants and party hacks from Washington, NYC and elsewhere who have a record of taking the Democratic Party down don't get this.

In fact, the "consultocracy" hates and fears the rise of grassroots politics, which is why the furor over what was happening in Connecticut was so intense-- they know the gravy train is ending, and there won't be another generation of consultants getting rich off of Democrats' donations.

Grassroots politics is really just making politics a normal part of community life again, as it was in the beginning. Democracy is not supposed to be a spectator sport passively watched by the multitudes. Democracy is something we all do and share.

Governor Dean had a special statement on the primary: http://www.dnc.org/a/2006/08/strong_turnout.php

2. Urge Senator Reid To Strip Lieberman of Committee Privileges

A follow up to the Connecticut Primary now presents itself: Joe Lieberman wants to campaign as an "independent Democrat." That is not right. If Lieberman is going to run against the Democratic Party's candidate, then he is not entitled to hold Democratic Party committee postings and leadership positions in the Senate. It is not clear what Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid will do. Write Senator Reid and urge him to strip "Joementum" of his assignments, so he can't use them to campaign against Ned Lamont: http://reid.senate.gov/contact/email_form.cfm

3. Special Meeting Next Week: Neighborhood Network & Special Guest

At our last meetup we scheduled a special DFA-Linkup meeting for next Wednesday, August 16th at 7pm. This will be an informational and organizational meeting for the Neighborhood Network, and we will have a special guest: Matt Ehlinger of the New York State Democratic Committee, who runs the Network for our twelve county region, will be coming up from Albany just to talk to us about this great new program.

I hope you would all be willing to come and hear about this program, and give it your consideration. I believe it is worthy of all our attention. It represents the chance to make a difference we are all looking for.

The best way to help all our candidates is by helping build the Neighborhood Network. Basically, they are asking us to connect with our neighbors: three a day for 30 days. It's not that much, they are not strangers, but people who live right around us. By talking to our neighbors, we build community in our neighborhoods, get them to vote, and show them we care. This is a program to create long term, and permanent, change.

It also works like an Amway plan, besides contacting people, we look for others who will join us in contacting others, and keeping the network growing and going.

This is how we will Take Back America, by taking back our own communities. The state party will provide the lists of voters, tips or scripts on what to talk about, and report forms. It's really pretty easy.

I urge you all to please come and bring a friend and family to hear this out. This will be a fairly short meeting. Matt will speak and we can get started. I'll have more on this later this week.

For info or to RSVP, go to: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=11375

4. Friday Night Film Fest

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe Friday Night Progressive Film Fest will be on again this Friday at 8pm. Featured this week will be ORWELL ROLLS IN HIS GRAVE
Has America entered an Orwellian world of doublespeak where outright lies can pass for truth? Are Americans being sold a bill of goods by a handful of transnational media corporations and political elites whose interests have little in common with the interests of the American people? Orwell Rolls In His Grave explores what the media doesn’t like to talk about – itself.
Director: Robert Kane Pappas Running time: 105 min.

5. Tabling And Vigil

We will be tabling at the Farmer's Market in downtown Glens Falls from about 8am until 11am this Saturday. Given the improvement in the weather, it was a pretty successful event last week, and we got to meet a lot of friendly people.

At about 11 we will make a decision on whether or not we have enough people to do the Vigil, and if construction conditions allow it.

It looks good to have a team for an event like tabling! Come on down and join in and talk with everyone else. For more info go to: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=10479

6. Phone Banking

Also, the Gillibrand campaign is still organizing phone banking at 470 Glen Street in Glens Falls. Contact me for information or Patrick Layden at (518) 796-0109. Patrick is working out of the Saratoga County Democratic Committee's office on Broadway, so he needs enough people to come and open up, in effect. Tuesdays, possibly Wednesday and Thursdays from 5-8. Make sure you call Patrick before you go.

That's it for tonight! Thanks everyone!

Larry Dudley
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:50 AM