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Democracy For The Southern Adirondack/Tricounty Area
Monday, December 05, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Reminders -Meeting Wednesday, Vigil Saturday, More
Hello Everyone!

In this update for December 5th, 2011:

1.  Glens Falls DFA Meeting Wednesday, 7pm
2.  VIgil In Support of Occupy Wall Street Saturday, 11am
3.   Great Work At Truman National Security Project
4.    Must Read

1.  Glens Falls DFA Meeting Wednesday, 7pm
We will be holding our usual meeting of Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area this coming Wednesday, December 7th, at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls.

On the agenda will be setting up contingency plans for next year''s congressional race, which will be the dominant ones here in NY, since NY is a very safe state for Obama, and also, I think, pretty safe for GIllibrand.     I say contingency plans, because we do not know, and may not know until as late as May, into what Congressional District we will be placed by the legislature.  The only thing we can say for sure is that we will not wind up in Peter Welch's district.   But, as Pasteur famously said, luck favors the prepared.  

2.  VIgil In Support of Occupy Wall Street Saturday, 11am

We will be holding another vigil in support of Occupy Wall Street this Saturday, December 10, at 11am in front of the Civil War Monument at the corners of Bay, Glen and South Streets in downtown Glens Falls.  Come, bring a friend, there are usually plenty of signs, and show your support for the 99%.

3.   Great Work At Truman National Security Project

I am sure many of us fondly remember working with Scott Murphy campaign staffer Liz Mckenna during the campaign last year,  Liz is now with the Truman National Security Project in Washington, D. C., and is running their new campaign to protect international development - Make US Strong (http://www.makeUSstrong.com). 

One of the latest initiatives of the Truman Project is a campaign to stop the Republicans from endangering the US ad the world by slashing foreign aid.    Accordng to Liz, "Yesterday, we introduced a new narrative into the debate over this funding: Connecting the foreign aid programs of the Greatest Generation to today’s fight against terrorists around the world and America’s role as a world leader. The ad, called “Tell 'Em Joe Sent You,” reminds viewers that foreign aid and international development made America safe and strong and is a necessary tool of American strength and standing in the 21st century."    

You can check it out at http://makeusstrong.com/muss_blog/watch-gi-joe-stars-in-our-new-ad/


4.    Must Read

I want to pass on a must read from Rolling Stone Magazine that Dick recommended to me -- it is an extraordinary overview of how we got to where we are economically, and why, in a sense, there is now a movement for the 99%:    http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-20111109?print=true


Thanks everyone!  See you all Wednesday,

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:59 PM 0 comments
Monday, October 31, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Wednesday Meeting Reminder, GOTV, More
Hello Everyone!

First, I hope you all have a Happy Halloween!

In this update for October 30, 2011:

1. Meeting Reminder Wednesday 7pm
2. Agenda:
GOTV
Training
Tabling
Vigil
3. Social Security Under Attack by Supercommittee

1. Meeting Reminder Wednesday 7pm

We will be having our regular monthly meeting of Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area this Wednesday, Nov. 2nd at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls. The Cafe is one block west of the roundabout in downtown Glens Falls on the corners of Hudson Avenue, Elm and Exchange Streets. Because the election is bearing down on us, we will have a busy agenda:
GOTV
We have endorsed several candidates this year: John SIlvestri for Supreme Court, Mike O'Keefe for County Treasurer, Bill Mason for County Supervisor and John Strough for Queensbury Town Board. We will be discussing and organizing for the big Get Out The Vote effort this coming weekend.

Training
We volunteered at our last meeting to host a DFA National training weekend for next year, and I hope to hear from Monique Teal at DFA National about this. Roy Thomas has also been inquiring on this with the City.

Tabling
We have had a group tabling at the Farmer's Market as well and we want to keep that going.

Vigil
We have also been having an excellent turnout at the vigils we have been holding at the Civil War Monument in support of Occupy Wall Street and "We are the 99%." As we all know, we decided to do this at our last meeting on October 5th. This is in many ways a continuation of the several years of vigils we held at the same time and place against the Iraq War.

We are going to hold another one at 11am Saturday, again at the Civil War Monument at the corner of Bay and Glen Streets. We will be discussing this at our meeting as well. If you cannot come to Wednesday night's meeting, please come to the vigil on Saturday. There are also new pictures on our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Democracy-For-The-Greater-Glens-Falls-Area/291798854180727?sk=wall&filter=1

3. Social Security, Medicare Under Attack by Supercommittee

DFA National and DFA Chair Jim Dean and DFA founder Gov. Dean are sending out an urgent appeal on the budget supercommittee.

Jim Dean alerted us first:

"Democrats on the so-called Super Committee are caving to Republican demands and pushing a plan that would make drastic cuts to Medicare.

"This is bad policy and bad politics. Cuts like these are the worst possible way to reduce the deficit. They protect the status quo for the richest 1 percent while the 99 percent are expected to sacrifice vital healthcare that they need to survive in tough economic times like these -- and they'll hamstring Democrats running for reelection in 2012.

"We've been down this road before. Republicans and some Democrats have been pushing plans to destroy Medicare and Social Security for months. We beat them then and we can beat them now with an overwhelming show of grassroots opposition to any plan that cuts Medicare.

"Join me and tell Washington that this deal is Dead On Arrival."

Pledge to oppose any candidate -- Republican or Democrat - who votes for a plan that cuts Medicare and Medicaid benefits for the 99 percent.
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/activities/668

Gov.Dean adds:

"I'm going to get straight to the point. If the so-called Super Committee votes to increase the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67, it will completely erase all the gains we made in providing healthcare to every American under President Obama.

"Medicare is the only universal healthcare program that exists in the United States of America. No one who supports moving back the age of eligibility can possibly be considered an advocate for universal health insurance.

"In fact, if that happens, the legacy of the Democrats for the past four years will have been to do far more harm to the healthcare system than good.

"By raising the age of eligibility from 65 to 67, hard working Americans who are in their 50's or 60's, and cannot afford insurance under the current system will have to wait two additional years before Medicare kicks in. They would be forced to stay in the private healthcare system - if they can afford it."
Help support this at:
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/fightbackmedicare?refcode=GHDnond
"

There is more detailed info at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-altman/super-committee-social-security-cuts_b_1065105.html

Thanks everyone! See you all Wednesday!

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:10 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Our Occupy Wall Street Vigil Continues
Hello Everyone!

 As many of you know from the large turnout we had last Saturday, our vigil in support of Occupy Wall Street was a great success with over 50 in attendance.

We had an impromptu meeting last week and we agreed we will continue this vigil again this Saturday, at 11am in the same place we held our almost four years of weekly vigils against the Iraq War, in front of the Civil War monument at the corners of Bay, Glen and South Streets in downtown Glens Falls.

It was great to see so many people who had been with us during our vigils against the war, it was almost like Old Home Week!

 Come on down, bring a friend, meet old friends, and show your support for "We are the 99%."

Also, we have had a Facebook group page for several years, but Facebook is migrating all the groups to a new status, so we have created a new Greater Glens Falls DFA Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Democracy-For-The-Greater-Glens-Falls-Area/291798854180727

 I have put a large album of photos of Saturday's vigil on our new page for everyone to see, so click the link above to see the photos and while you are at it, join the page so you can get updates through Facebook as well.

 Hope everyone can make it Saturday!

 Thanks,

 Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 10:58 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Solidarity Vigil with OWS Saturday at Civil War Monument Downtown at 11am, Endorsements, more
Hello Everyone!

In this update for October 10, 2011;


1. Solidarity Vigil With Occupy Wall Street Saturday, 11am in front of the Civil War Monument in Downtown Glens Falls
2. Solidarity With Occupy Wall Street Resolution
3. 99% — Which Side Are You On?
4. Endorsements: O'Keefe, Mason, Strough



1. Solidarity Vigil With Occupy Wall Street Saturday, October 15th, at 11am in front of the Civil War Monument in Downtown Glens Falls

In the last two weeks Occupy Wall Street has mushroomed into a national phenomena, connecting Americans together in a new community discussion, similar to what Democracy For America has been doing since its inception.

At our meeting we agreed to holdina solidarity rally on October 15th at 11am in front of the Civil War Monument at the intersections of Bay, Glen and South Streets in downtown Glens Falls. It will last at least one hour. This is in concert with the International Day of Solidarity around the world.

Come, bring all your friends and make a sign supporting Occupy Wall Street and expressing support for the 99%.

2. Solidarity With Occupy Wall Street Resolution

The decision to hold the vigil grew from a resolution DIck introduced at our meeting Wednesday night at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, which passed unanimously. It reads:

"Be it Resolved:

"That the Greater Glens Falls Democracy for America hereby Endorses and Supports OccupyWallStrreet.
"We do so because:
"1) The power, greed and arrogance of Wall Street is crushing the Middle Class.
"2) The power, greed and arrogance of Wall Street is completely destroying the American Dream for millions and millions of Americans.
"3) The power, greed and arrogance of Wall Street has "convinced" a large bulk of our politicians that the Federal deficit is more important that jobs.
"4) The power, greed and arrogance of Wall Street has never been investigated for it's widespread fraud and complicity in the financial collapse
of 2008.
"5) The power, greed and arrogance of Wall Street is gleefully behind the division of income and wealth, so the top 1% has almost a full quarter of all income in the U.S; the top 400 families have a much wealth as the bottom 150 million; "the richest five percent of households obtained roughly 82 percent of all the nation's gains in wealth between 1983 and 2009. The bottom 60 percent of households actually had less wealth in 2009 than in 1983..(Economic Policy Institute) .
"6) The power, greed and arrogance if Wall Street is behind the lies about Social Security so that at last they get to privatize demanding exorbitant fees for management.
"For all this and to all of this an more, OccupyWallStreet brings a blinding light of attention.


3. 99% — Which Side Are You On?

It is common in national news reports to hear claims that the Occupy Wall Street protestors do not have a specific agenda or stance. This is not so. It is just that the position is radically simple: which side are you on? The 99% or the 1%. This is the question Occupy Wall Street is posing to the nation.


4. Endorsements: O'Keefe, Mason, Strough

At our meeting we hosted Democrats Mike O'Keefe, candidate for Warren County Treasurer, Bill Mason, candidate for Queensbury County Supervisor, and John Strough, candidate for the Queensbury Town Board.

O'Keeke, son of current Warren County Treasurer Frank O'Keefe, spoke about the importance of an open, fair and honest accounting of county finances, and keeping check on the Republican dominated county Board of Supervisors. Mason spoke of the need for more Democrats on the Board of Supervisors to counter Republican mismanagement of county government, while Strough spoke about a number of issues facing the rapidly growing Town of Queensbury, including planning.

After the presentations the group voted unanimously to endorse and support the candidates, and discussed get out the vote efforts.

Also, if you want John Silvestri lawn signs, we have them! Let us know how we can get you one, or if you also want a Mason or O'Keefe sign, we will let them know.

Thanks everyone! See you all Saturday at 11am downtown.

Larry




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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:15 AM 0 comments
Monday, August 01, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Wednesday Meeting Reminder & Dark Days Ahead
Hello Everyone—

In this update for August 1, 2011:

1. Meeting Reminder: Glens Falls DFA Wednesday 7pm
2. The Disaster
3. Concrete Action
4. The Real Democratic Party


1. Meeting Reminder: Glens Falls DFA Wednesday 7pm

We will be having our regular monthly meeting of Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe at 7pm, this Wednesday, August 3rd.

I'm sure it'll be a lively meeting, given what just happened in Washington.

The Cafe is one block west of the roundabout in downtown Glens Falls on the corner of Elm and Exchange Streets and Hudson Avenue.


2. The Disaster

It has become agonizingly apparent over the last few days that a disaster of epic proportions is happening in our nation's capitol. The so-called deal, which hands a right-wing faction of the Republican Party a victory that seemed beyond their reach even weeks ago seems to be in place, unless congressional Democrats lead by Rep. Pelosi can overturn it. She may. I would note the Congressional Black Caucus has now broken with Obama.

This "deal" puts on the chopping block, for certain destruction the entire achievement of the Democratic Party since the beginning of the New Deal, and liberals and progressives in all forms, since the administration of Teddy Roosevelt. A few key points:

*Tthis deal actually undermines the Constitution and American democracy itself. No longer do we have a system of government that translates the will of the people into action. A vicious minority can now rule over the many. Check out Paul Krugman today on this today, he characterizes it as surrender: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/01/opinion/the-president-surrenders-on-debt-ceiling.html?src=ISMR_HP_LO_MST_FB
Also Robert Reich: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/debt-deal-republicans-_b_914737.html

*This erasure of the New Deal and everything Democrats have stood for may be tied to Obama's reelection strategy, according to a piece in the NYRB that everyone is talking about— it is an extraordinary picture and if you only have to read one of these, this is probably it: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/aug/18/what-were-they-thinking/

*However, we need to resist the notion that Barack Obama is somehow the victim in this, or had no choice because of those "awful Republicans." He is a perpetrator. He could stop this madness in a moment by evoking the 14th Amendment, and end the fake crisis. He will not.

There is by now massive documentation that Obama went into this process determined to advance cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other programs. http://www.americablog.com/2011/07/larry-summers-in-2009-obama-will-launch.html

A fake crisis was used by Obama, the so-called "Shock Doctrine," to push through changes the American people would never have supported.
For more check out Arianna Huffington and Glenn Greenwald:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/the-debt-ceiling-impasse_b_909314.html
http://www.salon.com/news/budget_showdown/index.html?story=/opinion/greenwald/2011/08/01/debt_ceiling

Reagan economic adviser Bruce Bartlett put it starkly to Chris Matthews on Hardball: " the dirty secret is that Obama is a moderate conservative."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/28/999759/-Hardball:-Bruce-Bartlett-desroys-every-Republican-fiscal-talking-point-in-5-minutes-?via=siderec

House Democrats could still shoot this deal down. Since we do not have a Democratic representative, you could try calling another. The Congressional switchboard is (202)224-3121



3. Concrete Action

Beyond this, what we do we do? First, we keep focused on changing legislatures and the next congressional election. We have to take back the House. But that does not mean we have to win any specific race, any Democratic pick up works for us, too.

RIght now DFA National is trying to win the Wisconsin recall elections. Channel your anger into that effort:

Yes! I'll make calls to Wisconsin voters on Tuesday.

Sorry, I can't make calls, but I'll contribute $5 to help air TV ads in these districts.



4. The Real Democratic Party

We must not despair about the Democratic Party. This was on Daily Kos, about the REAL Democratic Party:

"On the eve of what could be the biggest giveaway in the political history of the United States by one political party to another, I got to thinking -- where have all the Democrats gone? Because as surely as Washington is saying "Cut Social Security and Medicare" there can be none left in the three Houses (White, Yellow and Red) in the District of Columbia."

"And then the answer came to me.

• They've gone to Wisconsin, to fight in the State Senate recalls and to turn Fitzwalkerstan back into a first-world state.
• They've gone to Ohio, where they gathered 1.3 million signatures to overturn Kaisch's labor law.
• They've gone to Michigan, where they are fighting their own so-called Democratic Party torecall their own version of Scott Walker, Rick Snyder, and give democracy back to its towns and cities.
• They've gone to California, where they are desperately trying to save the state by enacting single-payer health care (e.g., Single Payer Now and California One Care).
• They've gone to Maine, where they've been working hard and long to convince Maine voters to reconsider their ban on marriage equality, and to undo their state's new law forbidding same-day voter registration.
• They've gone to Colorado, where they will be trying to put a marriage equality initiative on the ballot."


Thanks everyone! See you all Wednesday!

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:46 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Gov. Dean On Afghanistan, NY-26, Gibson votes, moreKathy
Hello Everyone!

In this update for May 9, 2011;

1. Gov. Dean Now Calls For Afghan Change\
2. Reminder To Sign Up WIth Us At DFA-Link
3. Kathy Hochul in NY-26 Now In The Lead
4. Gibson Hits New Lows
5. Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon


1. Gov. Dean Now Calls For Afghan Change

News came yesterday of a major new initial from DFA National based on demands from members and local groups and a shift in position by DFA founder Gov. Dean. Dean is now calling for a phased withdrawal. Dean made an extensive case in an interview with the Daily Beast: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-18/howard-dean-to-president-obama-get-our-troops-out-of-afghanistan/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsC1#
More info on Dean and DFA National at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/howard-dean-democracy-america-afghanistan-withdrawal_n_859320.html

DFA National is asking everyone to join as a citizen co-sponsor of a withdrawal bill authored by Sen. Barbara Boxer and co-sponsored by Sen. Gillibrand, Sen. Sherrod Brown and Sen. Durbin. Read the bill and sign on at: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/activities/512?akid=753.214578.tGpxpV&rd=1&t=1

Kirsten also sent an excellent message out on this via DFA earlier in the day.


2. Reminder To Sign Up WIth Us At DFA-Link

While you are signing on as a cosponsor, please take a few seconds extra to sign on to DFA-Link and our group: this will help make sure you get updates, and you will also be able to get more information on the DFA site, for instance, past training sessions.
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/groups/113-democracy-for-the-greater-glens-falls-area

3. Kathy Hochul in NY-26 Now In The Lead

At the recent Democratic Rural Conference there was a lot of talk about the special election to Congress on May 24th in the 26th Congressional District in Western NY. Democrat Kathy Hochul now has a slight lead in one of the most rock-ribbed Republican districts in the country. If this seat flips Democratic, it will set off national shockwaves and help roll back the tea party surge.

They are looking for people to phone bank from home. If you have some spare time, contact Blake@KathyHochul.com, or if you can go west to volunteer contact Jesse@KathyHochul.com or Kyle@KathyHochul.com

2. Gibson Hits New Lows

In the meantime Rep. Chris Gibson has been a busy fellow. He voted:

*To repeal mandatory funding to set up health insurance exchanges under healthcare reform. The grants are part of the 2010 health care bill which requires each state to establish an exchange by 2014.

*To repeal a section in the 2010 health care bill providing funding for the construction of school-based health centers.

*He voted for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act - which would prohibit federal funds from being used for abortions, except in the cases of rape, incest or danger to the woman's life, and to bar most abortion expense deductions and tax credits for healthcare policies that cover abortions.


*He also voted to defeat a Democratic sponsored measure to bar the IRS from accessing medical records to establish whether rape or incest occurred, in connection with a provision in HR3 making abortion costs not tax deductible except in cases of rape or incest

*And to require the Interior Department to sell oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Virginia.

*Gibson also voted against a Democratic sponsored measure for a direct vote to end $30 billion in subsidies and tax breaks for the oil industry and use the money for tax breaks to industries to create jobs.

This all speaks for itself. As I noted before, we need volunteers to help put information on www.chrisgibsonwatch.com

5. Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon

And don't forget the Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon:

You are invited to the Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon on Friday, May 20th from Noon-2pm at the Cambridge Hotel in Cambridge, NY. Tracey Brooks, President of Family Planning Advocates of New York will be the featured speaker. Brooks was former regional director for Sen. Clinton. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Men are of course, welcome!

For information call Barbra Kinglsey at 518-677-5921 or Ellen Faber at 518-677-8345., Mail checks made out to WCDC to Ellen Faber, 100 East Main Street, Cambridge, NY 12816

Thanks, everyone! Remember, we still need volunteers for www.chrisgibsonwatch.com

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:26 AM 0 comments
Monday, May 02, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: A New Era, Meeting Wednesday, Gasland Video, More
Hello Everyone!

Bin Laden's death is a moment for celebration, but also a moment to remember all those who have died or suffered over the last decade.

Hopefully, Bin Laden's death, along with the still burgeoning Arab Spring, will mark the beginning of a new cycle of events. The Dean campaign and DFA may never have come into being had 9/11 not happened, and had George Bush had not been able to exploit it politically. We now must work to restore balance in our foreign commitments, repair our battered civil liberties, curtail the national security state, and a create sane and moral approach to rebuilding our nation's economy.

And I hope it is not politically crass to point out that this success makes Barack Obama the un-Jimmy Carter. The failure to rescue the hostages in Terhan doomed Carter's reelection chances. The jubilant crowds outside the White House and in Times Square last night, a sight not seen since V-J Day in 1945, surely immensely bolsters Obama's. Watch for Republican challengers to start dropping out.

In this update for 5-2-2011:

1. Glens Falls DFA Meeting Wednesday at 7pm
2. Academy Award Nominated Video Documentary Gasland
3. Gibson Watch Videos Up Of Town Hall
3. America's Growing Inequality
4. Washington County Women's Luncheon


We will be holding our regular monthly meeting of Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area this Wednesday, May, 4th at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls.

On the agenda is a discussion of local events, and a report on the Democratic Rural Conference, which I was at last weekend. The Cafe is on the corner of Elm and Exchange Streets and Hudson Avenue, one block west of the roundabout in downtown Glens Falls

2. Academy Award Nominated Video Documentary Gasland

If we get time, we will also have a showing of the Academy Award nominated video documentary Gasland, which is about the horrible, environmentally destructive practice of hydrofracking, which is becoming an enormous issue here in New York State.

DFA National has been making a big push on this, and you should add your name to their petition: http://stopfrackingnow.com/fp


3. Gibson Watch Videos Up Of Town Hall

Republican Rep.Chris Gibson held a town hall in Malta last Tuesday. A lengthy succession of questioners hammered Gibson on a range of issue from Medicare to America's growing inequality. I got some video and will be putting clips up online. The first is already up at http://www.chrisgibsonwatch.com

They are worth watching because a demonstration outside completely blew off coverage of the tough questions being asked inside, so everyone who was not there missed Gibson's squirming and ducking. The worst thing we could do to Gibson is to let people see what he is actually saying.


3. America's Growing Inequality

The first question at Gibson's town hall meeting was about inequality. Here is something on this from the Huffington Post:

THERE IS A WAR ON AMERICAN WORKERS

The top 1% owns 43% of the financial wealth; the next 4% owns 29%. THE BOTTOM 80% SHARE ONLY 7% OF THE FINANCIAL WEALTH.

This is not what a democracy looks like. The top 5% control 72% of all the financial wealth, and along with it, the vast majority of power. The republican meme of "what's good for the rich is good for all of us" just is not true.

Working class Americans are facing cuts in education, healthcare, wages, and services as essential as sanitation of their water supply. Yet we're told that tax cuts and subsidies to corporations are essential because they create jobs. We've been told that for 40 years now, so why do wealth inequalities continue to grow?

There's a pie chart at Flickr. Go to Flickr, in their search box type in "DISTRIBUT ION OF FINANCIAL WEALTH", click on green pie chart until you get to the size you want, then PRINT IT OUT AND PASS IT ON.

I've been leaving copies in restaurant booths, public restrooms, waiting rooms, shopping carts, etc.

When I quote the wealth distribution figures to people, they don't believe me. When I prove it to them, they are shocked.

4. Washington County Women's Luncheon

You are invited to the Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon on Friday, May 20th from Noon-2pm at the Cambridge Hotel in Cambridge, NY. Tracey Brooks, President of Family Planning Advocates of New York will be the featured speaker. Brooks was former regional director for Sen. Clinton. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Men are, of course, welcome!

For information call Barbra Kinglsey at 518-677-5921 or Ellen Faber at 518-677-8345., Mail checks made out to WCDC to Ellen Faber, 100 East Main Street, Cambridge, NY 12816

Thanks everyone! See you all Wednesday,

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 3:34 PM 0 comments
Sunday, April 24, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Gibson Town Hall, Washington Co. Women's Banquet, more
Hello Everyone!

In this update for April 24th, 2011;

1. Gibson Town Hall Tuesday
2. Gibson Votes To End Medicare
3. Other Gibson Votes
4. Washington Democratic Women's Luncheon
5. Make a difference with GIbson Watch

1. Gibson Town Hall Tuesday

Republican Rep. Chris GIbson will be holding a public town hall this Tuesday, April 26 at 6:30 pm at the Malta Community Center. The center is next to the Malta Parks and Recreation Department on the corner of Bayberry Drive and Rt, 9 just a bit up the road from the Malta Price Chopper, outside Ballston Spa.

I would urge everyone who can make it to attend this event and come loaded with questions. Republicans have been shocked at the negative response they have been getting at town halls across the country -- the grillings at some of these meetings have been devastating.

If you are going to go, it is very important to get there early enough to get a seat and get inside to ask your questions, and also to keep GIbson and his people from packing the hall.

Unfortunately, there will be some attention seekers outside protesting -- I would urge everyone to ignore these people and get into that room. Don't get distracted. It is not about us and what we feel, but getting GIbson out of office.

We need to educate people about what Gibson represents. Unfortunately, a protest action can only distract from that. Both newspapers and TV have only so much space or time to allot to coverage of this event. All coverage of the action outside will come out of time or space allotted to covering what happens inside. Instead, people need to see images of GIbson ducking, waffling and evading questions, or saying something about what he is really doing that will piss voters off.

What should happen is that Gibson goes in and is confronted by a row of senior citizens who want to know why Gibson is dismantling Medicare, or diary farmers demanding to know if he understands how a nuke plant will affect Washington County farmers, and so on. This is how we put him on the spot, get the word out, and shape perceptions of him.


2. Gibson Votes To End Medicare

The biggest issue at the moment is that Gibson voted to end Medicare.

From the DCCC:
Fact Check: Representative Chris Gibson Voted to End Medicare, Turn it into Voucher Program


In an interview with Capital Tonight’s Liz Benjamin, Representative Chris Gibson (NY-20) continued to mislead voters about his vote to end Medicare and force seniors to pay more for their health care. Despite repeatedly claiming to oppose using vouchers for Medicare, Representative Gibson voted to do just that when he helped pass the Republican budget. Now, caught breaking a campaign pledge, Representative Gibson is resorting to lies and distortions in an attempt to trick his constituents.

FALSE Gibson Claim: “Listen, I’m opposed to vouchers, and I remain opposed to vouchers because we don’t want to privatize this program. We don’t want a situation where our government just sends checks to senior citizens and says ‘you’re on your own, from there’ that’s what a voucher program would do and that’s unacceptable.”

FACT: Ryan Plan Will End Medicare And Turn It Into A Voucher Program. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americas, as a program that directly pays those bills.” The New York Times reported that, “The plan would turn Medicare into a voucher program for future generation[.]”[Wall Street Journal, 4/04/11; The New York Times, 4/11/11]

( Maury Thompson of the Post Star specifically asked Gibson about this last September, and Gibson promised to oppose vouchers: http://209.98.77.34/albanyproject/diary/9359/ny20-gibson-lies-about-medicare-vouchers )

FALSE Gibson Claim: “If you’re a current senior, no change. If you’re 55 years and older, no change.”

FACT: The Republican-passed budget will force nearly four million seniors to pay an additional $2.2 BILLION for prescription drugs next year alone. Under the Republican budget, 273,223 New York seniors will pay $153 million more for prescription drugs next year alone. [DPCC, 4/21/11]

FALSE Gibson Claim: “If you’re 54 years and younger, what we’re talking about doing is giving future seniors the same options that members of Congress have.”

FACT: Under The Republican Plan Seniors Will Pay 68% Of Their Health Care Costs While Members Of Congress Only Pay 28%. In an April 2011 open letter to the House, Congressman Paul Tonko wrote, “If this plan extended the same kind of health care options that Members of Congress have access to, seniors would be responsible for only 28 percent of their health care premiums. Yet, CBO projects that seniors will have to pay for 68 percent of their premiums within ten years of enactment of the Ryan Voucher Plan. Today, by comparison, the average senior on Medicare pays about 25 percent of their total health care costs. The Republican budget plan’s burden of 68 percent of health care costs on seniors is a far cry from the 28 percent of costs that Members of Congress pay.” [Office of Congressman Paul Tonko, 4/7/11]

FACT: Seniors Will Pay More Under Ryan Plan, Or Face Limits To Coverage

· Wall Street Journal: “The House Republican plan for overhauling Medicare would fundamentally change how the federal government pays for health care, starting a decade from now, likely resulting in higher out-of-pocket costs and greater limits to coverage for many Americans.” [WSJ, 4/6/11]

There was more today from the New York TImes: http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/272-39/5728-a-real-choice-on-medicare

3. Other Gibson Votes

However, what the Republicans and GIbson want to do to Medicare is only the beginning. Here are some other choice votes:

Fiscal 2011 Planned Parenthood Funding - Vote Passed (241-185, 1 Present, 5 Not Voting)

Following passage of the 2011 spending bill, the House adopted this enrollment correction resolution that would have blocked funding for Planned Parenthood. The Senate rejected the resolution so it will not be part of the final spending bill.

Rep. Chris Gibson voted YES..

To repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund - Vote Passed (236-183, 13 Not Voting)

This House bill would eliminate funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which was established by the health care law. Supporters of the bill say there is no accountability to determine where the money is spent. Opponents of the bill say it would defund important prevention programs. The Senate is unlikely to take up the measure.

Rep. Chris Gibson voted YES..

Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (255-172, 5 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases for the purpose of addressing climate change. A similar measure failed in the Senate earlier in the week.

Rep. Chris Gibson voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Net Neutrality Disapproval - Vote Passed (240-179, 13 Not Voting)

This resolution would nullify a Federal Communications Commission rule prohibiting broadband Internet service providers from blocking content or traffic. Supporters of the resolution say the FCC does not have the authority to regulate the Internet, while opponents contend the regulations are necessary to provide unfettered access to the Internet. A companion resolution has been introduced in the Senate but its future is unclear.

Rep. Chris Gibson voted YES.

The HAMP Termination Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (252-170, 1 Present, 9 Not Voting)

The House voted to end the Home Affordable Modification Program, a home foreclosure prevention program that uses Troubled Asset Relief Program money to help homeowners modify their mortgages. The Senate is unlikely to take up the bill.

Rep. Chris Gibson voted YES...

The House also voted 184-240 against Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D-Calif.) amendment hat would have put the chamber on record backing the widely held scientific view that global warming is occurring and humans are a major cause. In other words, they voted against the idea climate change is occurring. http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/154445-house-votes-down-climate-science-amendment


4. Washington Democratic Women's Luncheon

You are invited to the Washington County Democratic Women's Luncheon on Friday, May 20th from Noon-2pm at the Cambridge Hotel in Cambridge, NY. Tracey Brooks, President of Family Planning Advocates of New York will be the featured speaker. Brooks was former regional director for Sen. Clinton. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Men are of course, welcome!

For information call Barbra Kinglsey at 518-677-5921 or Ellen Faber at 518-677-8345., Mail checks made out to WCDC to Ellen Faber, 100 East Main Street, Cambridge, NY 12816


5. Make a difference with GIbson Watch

Again, we really need an active team for www.chrisgibsonwatch.com If you are going to the town hall, take notes, make recordings or shoot video, which we can ppost! We need to get the stuff above out. If you want to help with Gibson Watch, let me know and I will send you the information you need.

Many thanks everyone, we will be having our usual meeting a week from Wednesday, May 4th, at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe at 7pm.

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 10:58 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Gibson Watch News Alert & Next Week
Hello Everyone!

This is a special update:

There is a major new story on Gibson Watch ( http://www.chrisgibsonwatch.com ) on Gibson's so-called energy advisory panel, and who Gibson has chosen to lead it: Bill Teator. That name may be familiar. Teator is the lobbyist who organized former Congressman John Sweeney's "Lake Placid Challenge" lobbyist trips that Kirsten Gillibrand first ripped into when she was first running way back in 2006. Teator has a long record of working for Jerry Solomon and John Sweeney, as well as the nuclear power industry and the lobbying group Solomon formed after retiring from Congress, and much more. Find out who Gibson is associating with by reading the full story at http://www.chrisgibsonwatch.com

Also, a week from today, Wednesday April 6th, will be our eighth anniversary meeting!

Yes, it seems hard to believe, but it was eight years ago next week in the space that is now the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe that we came together for our very first Dean For American Meetup. Needless to say, an awful lot has happened in eight years: the incredible surge of the Governor's campaign, the heartbreak-- for this country -- of the eventual suspension of his campaign, his creation of Democracy For America, our first effort in 2004 to go after John Sweeney, hosting Kirsten Gillibrand's very first pubic political appearance at our 2nd Anniversary Meetup, DFA's highly successful effort to save Social Security in 2005, clean ups, vigils, weekly demonstrations, working for Obama, and finally the effort we made for Scott Murphy last year.

It has been a wild ride, and I humbled and honored to have been along with all of you.

We have a lot going on with Gibson Watch, now, so it will be a special meeting next Wednesday at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls. There will be more news this weekend.

Thanks so much and see you all there!

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:32 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
 
Tricounty DFA Update: Gibson Watch Now Online, How To Make a Difference & Why
Hello Everyone!

In This Update For March 14, 2011:

1. www.chrisgibsonwatch.com Project Now Up And Running
2. How You Can Help Make A Difference
3. What Do We Aim To Achieve?
4. Why This Is So Important: The National Perspective
5. Why This Is So Important: The Grassroots Perspective



1. www.chrisgibsonwatch.com Project Now Up And Running

A proiect GFA-DFA has been at since last year— www.chrisgibsonwatch.com— is now up and running -- you can see it at http://www.chrisgibsonwatch.com

First, I want to salute everyone who helped make this possible. Our group will be celebrating our 8th Anniversary at our next meeting in April, and although we have sponsored trainings and helped get candidates elected, this is one of the biggest things we have done on our own since we got started.

A few details: http:// www.chrisgibsonwatch.com looks like a blog but it is actually a fully integrated web system. Posts to Gibson Watch are automatically "echoed" to a Gibson Watch Twitter account and the GIbson Watch Facebook page. This means that anyone who wants to be automatically notified when there is a new post or other information on Gibson Watch can subscribe to twitter on their computer or cell. Or, they can join the Gibson Watch Facebook page and get updates on their page, too. This is important because many people in the media and politics now rely on Twitter for fast updates.

If you want to get updates on Twitter, you will need a twitter account. You can subscribe by going to the GIbson Watch Twitter page at: http://twitter.com/gibsonwatch and open an account.

Also, join our Gibson Watch Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-Gibson-Watch/108979135849779

And if you haven't joined our GFA-DFA Facebook page, do it now! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106419759408230


2. How You Can Help Make A Difference

It's like the Uncle Sam recruiting poster: Gibson Watch Needs You!

We have created a great tool, but to be successful Gibson Watch is going to require a team of people who keep track of what our right wing Representative is up to, figure out what it means and post it.

If you want to help, email me back and I will send you an invitation link. I will also send you an user's manual with suggestions and some guidelines.

We need volunteers who will identify or develop areas in which they have expertise, whether it be educational issues, environment, economics, national security or others, and follow Gibson’s positions accordingly, and provide alternatives.

We need to especially focus on how Gibson’s positions are out of the mainstream of the district and upstate New York in general, and damage the local economy, jobs and environment.

You don't have to be in DFA. The Gibson Watch team is open to all liberals, moderates and progressives across the 20th CD and the upstate New York region who support responsible positions that build the district and the nation, support peace, economic and social justice, human rights and human dignity, and America’s progressive tradition of a government, as Lincoln put, “of, by and for the people,” not the powerful, the connected, or privileged and wealthy elites.

If you want to help, even if you can only do something occasionally, email me back and I send you an invitation and that user's guide.


3. What Do We Aim To Achieve?
Congressional representatives, particularly from upstate New York, routinely go to Washington and then consistently vote against the interests and beliefs of their constituents— and get away with it— due to the geographically dispersed nature of a district as large as the 20th.
Misrepresentations often go uncorrected. One current example is Rep. Gibson’s recent statement he is an original co-sponsor of a provision passed in the House of Representatives to repeal a requirement in the Healthcare Reform Bill that small businesses file 1099 forms with the IRS for every purchase of goods and services over $600. In fact, this problem was first identified by Rep. Scott Murphy last year.

Harry Truman once said "I never gave anybody hell! I just told the truth and they thought it was hell."

The very worst thing we can do the Republicans is tell the truth. Like mold, they can't stand the light of day.


4. Why This Is So Important: The National Perspective

There are two sides to the "Big Picture" of why we have to do this.

1. In 2012 we absolutely have to take back the House of Representatives before the Republicans destroy our country. For instance, last night, came news that Gibson voted to kill mortgage relief for the unemployed and a program to help people refinance homes that are worth less than their mortgages. Another example in the news: Chris GIbson is gung-ho on nuclear power and recently sent staffers to Easton to encourage the Town Board to volunteer their town as the site for a new nuclear power plant. (great timing...)

2. There will be no leadership from the White House. No doubt you have also noticed that Pres. Obama has been AWOL on the crisis on WIsconsin. By abandoning the unions to whom he pledged his support and loyalty before the election, he has effectively left the Democratic Party. I don't know what he is, but he is not even a Blue Dog anymore. If you doubt that, here is another shocker -- last week Obama signed a Republican bill that completely eliminated funding for Reading Is Fundamental, one of the best things anyone ever thought of to help kids read. So much for "winning the future." Obama signed for illiteracy and ignorance instead. Read at http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/reading-is-fundamental-funding-eliminated_b24798?c=rss

3. We have to get Nancy Pelosi back as Speak of the House so that the Democratic Party and our nation has some leadership that works someone other than the big financial interests.


5. Why This Is So Important: The Grassroots Perspective

The 20th CD has been slowly trending Democratic for a long time and we need to keep that trend going.

But here's the big thing right now: people are deeply upset and frustrated and there is a temptation to do things that at the least waste energy and tire people out to no purpose, and at worse make us look foolish and impotent. We need to give everyone something constructive to do. We can't just preach to the choir, we have to reach out -- that's how we make change.

Thanks everyone! Looking forward to hearing from you!

Larry

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- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:28 AM 0 comments

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