Tricounty DFA Update: Meeting Reminder, Keehn Now Declines, more
Hello Everyone:

In this Update for June 29, 2008:

1. Glens Falls DFA Link-Up Or "Meetup" Wednesday
2. Brief Background Statistics
3. Keehn Not To Run
4. No Film At Rockhill Cafe


1. Glens Falls DFA Link-Up Or "Meetup" Wednesday

This Wednesday, July 2nd, we will be holding our monthly Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area Link-up or "meetup" at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls.

The principal item on the agenda, by widespread requests from all of you, are the recent votes by Rep. Gillibrand to fund the war in Iraq for another year, and to approve the FISA Act, which is now before the Senate and postponed until July 8th.

DFA National also has an agenda item for contacting local democrats.

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


2. Brief Background Statistics

For a brief review of recent polls as background to these Congressional votes, Dick sends along this brief quote from dKos:

"These are poll numbers that make the GOP's blood boil: 66% of Americans support health coverage for all, even if it means raising taxes; 76% of Americans think global warming in "a proven fact"; only 16% of Americans think abortion should be completely outlawed; 77%of Americans believe we should meet with leaders who are hostile to the United States; 57% of Americans support either gay marriage or civil unions; and 85% of Americans say a candidate's position on Iraq is "extremely important" or "important" to their vote."

Obviously, as Dick notes, the last point on Iraq is the most important, and clearly reflects opinion here.

3. Keehn Not To Run

There is some additional news out today from Saratoga Springs. Val Keehn sent the following message out to her supporters:

"Dear Friends and Supporters,

"The events of the last 48 hours have caused a dramatic change in course for me. When I began setting things in motion to collect petition signatures and gather support for a run for the open 43rd Senate seat recently vacated by Senator Bruno, I was aware that Supervisor Joanne Yepson was also exploring a similar path. I intentionally held off making a formal announcement for this reason, as well as a few others.

"Friday morning, I was informed that Mike Russo, Director of Congresswoman Gillibrand's district office, was also in this race and that he had lined up a million dollars. Not wanting to participate in a primary with Saratoga Springs candidates and knowing that I could not possibly come close to raising that kind of money, I started talking to my core team about pulling out.

"Joanne and I meet twice yesterday with various individuals acutely involved in this situation in hopes of having one candidate rise above the others with unified support. At one point during a meeting with Mr. Russo, he stated that this senate race was not about him, but about finding the best candidate; and that if he was not that candidate among us, he would bow out and support one of us.

"Shortly after that, I made the decision to stop my petition effort and offer my full support to Joanne Yepson if she wanted to continue her pursuit of this seat. She did. A late night phone call to Mike resulted in him accepting my decision to support Joanne and acknowledging her desire to continue her organizational efforts with full force. He did not, however, agree to step aside.

"So, it is with some degree of disappointment, but with far more enthusiasm, that I ask you to accept and respect my decision not to pursue the senate seat, and to give your wholehearted support to our Saratoga Springs County Supervisor, Joanne Yepson. She has the drive, bi-partisan support, and the intellect to be a superb State Senator. It is also my sincere hope, that by supporting Joanne, the divides within the local Democratic community will start to narrow and we can work together to elect a popular local Democrat who will represent our interests in the 43rd Senate District.

"Thank you all for your friendship and encouragement for the past three years. My strength and positive outlook on my future endeavors have come largely from all of you. Good things are ahead for the Democrats in Saratoga Springs.

"Always,

"Valerie"

4. No Film At Rockhill Cafe

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe will be closed for the Fourth Of July, so there will be no Friday Night Progressive FIlm Festival this Friday.

Thanks everyone!

See you all Wednesday!

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Gillibrand, Glens Falls, Iraq War, Keehn, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Val Keehn

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 8:50 PM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: Multiple Appeals On FISA Emergency, more
Hello Everyone;

In this update for June 24, 2008:

1. Emergency Appeals On FISA Vote/Filibuster
2. What Is At Stake In FISA?
3. Last Week's Votes
4. Vigil Request-- Feedback
5. Bruno Retires
6. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival


1. Emergency Appeals On FISA Vote/Filibuster

The Senate is now in a filibuster to prevent the FISA Act from being voted out of the Senate. Senators Dodd, Feingold and others have taken to the floor calling for the Senate to refuse cloture and kill the FISA ACT.

There has been an amazing outpouring from practically every liberal and progressive group asking us to call our Senators and appeal to them to join the filibuster, or at least refuse to vote for cloture: DFA, PDA, True Majority, People For The American Way and more have all issued appeals.

Sen. Clinton has said she will vote against it and my counter part at DFNYC, Heather Woodfield, says Schumer is leaning no. Take nothing for granted, please call both offices if you can: These are the Albany numbers, and are easiest to get to: (518) 431-0120 & (518) 431-4070

If you can't get a line (the DC ones are jammed) you can email, but calling is far better. Please click here to report your call: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/activities/90-demand-our-senators-filibuster-telecom-immunity

Again, it's (518) 431-0120 & (518) 431-4070


2. What Is At Stake In FISA?

First, if FISA is passed, the many crimes of the Bush administration in spying on Americans will not only never be prosecuted, they will never even be exposed. We will never know what happened. It is basically a coverup.

A disastrous precedent will also be established: what's called the Nuremberg defense, from the Nuremberg war crimes trials at the end of WWII. That is, if someone in authority orders you to do something, it's okay, you were just following orders. We can see where that got Germany.

The FISA Act unravels 247 years of American history going all the way back to the famous Writs Of Assistance case in 1761, when James Otis argued the writs, basically blank search warrants, were a violation of rights. The protection against unreasonable search and seizure was one of the basic issues of the American Revolution. John Adams thought the Revolution really began with the Writs case.

Under FISA the government will be free to suck up and filter vast amounts of electronic information, among others, without a warrant. What will it do with this information?

Why this unseemly hurry to pass the FISA Act now? Why, exactly, will this not wait until the Obama Administration? Bush is crowing at his victory, as is the right wing. And it is a great victory, won against all odds. Does that not trouble anyone? Will we ever get our protections against unwarranted search and seizure back? Again, please call our Senators at (518) 431-0120 & (518) 431-4070


3. Last Week's Votes

In case you have not heard, last week the House passed not only the FISA bill, but also to give Bush $165 billion in funding to keep the Iraq War going into the Spring of 2009.

We will, then, be having a sixth anniversary vigil of the US invasion of Iraq.

Rep. Gillibrand voted for both. She was the only Democrat in New York State to vote with Bush on the war. It is a matter of simple reporting that there are large numbers of people who are very, very upset about this, and people are already talking about a primary challenge against her, along with the other so-called Blue Dogs.


4. Vigil Request-- Feedback

Since the war has now been funded well into next year, the question was raised at last Saturday's vigil as to whether or not we should keep them going. There was one group who felt it is now futile. Others wanted to continue, and turn it into a protest.

We agreed to poll everyone to see what we all wanted to do: If you want to keep the vigils going, and are also committed to coming, please let me know in a return email. We have to have a decent number of people to do it, otherwise it actually goes more harm than good. I understand how deeply discouraging and dispiriting all aspects of this are.


5. Bruno Retires

In other news, Senator Joe Bruno announced his retirement from the State Senate yesterday, which greatly improves the Democrat's chance of taking the State Senate for the first time in over 40 years. This means there will be a serious senate race in the 43rd SD, which will benefit Democratic Candidate Brian Premo. There's an interesting interview with Premo at: http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2008/06/12/brian-premoyou-know-the-guy-challenging-joe-bruno

6. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Progressive Film Festival continues with:

Fri Jun 27 7:30 pm Progressive Film Forum
I LIKE KILLING FLIES (2005) Matt Mahurin 79 min. RT Rating = 95 %
In his feature debut, noted artist illustrator and video-director Mahurin celebrates one of his favorite restaurants -- and ours -- Shopins, a Greenwich Village institution, much beloved by its loyal clientele for decades. With over 900 items on his menu, all conjured up in his Rube Goldberg-style kitchen the size of a walk-in closet, Kenny Shopsin is chef de cuisine and proprietor. When there is a lull in the cooking, he steps out from behind his Frankenstein stove and holds court, serving up morsels of wisdom and wit on life, death, sex, politics and even food. But, after 32 years in the same sheltered workshop, Kenny loses his lease and the family must now find a new location – a move vigorously supported both financially and logistically by customers who can’t bear the thought of life without Shopsins. Mahurin, himself one of the faithful, was asked to record the move for posterity, and what emerges is a hilarious and heartfelt hymn to individuality, independence, and idiosyncrasy – not just in the kitchen, but in life.


Thanks Everyone!

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Gillibrand, Iraq, Iraq War, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:54 PM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: REVISED TIME On Keehn Fundraiser, DFA Pulse Poll, More
Hello Everyone!

In This Special Update;

1. Alert On REVISED TIME For Keehn/Gillibrand Fundraiser
2. Gillibrand In Moreau
3. Gore Leading In DFA Pulse Poll
4. Rudy Rising?


1. Alert On REVISED TIME For Keehn/Gillibrand Fundraiser

The schedule for Sunday's fundraiser for the reelection of Mayor Valerie Keehn featuring a special guest, Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, has been revised.

Guests are now being asked to "please arrive between 3:30 and 3:40pm due to a last minute schedule change for Rep. Gillibrand, who will arrive promptly at 4pm and must leave at 4:30pm." The Keehn campaign apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

The event is called "Sunday at Sargo's"

Saratoga National Golf Club, Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs.
Sunday, October 21st from 4 - 6 pm
Suggested contribution $50.
cash bar • hors d’oeuvres
Kindly RSVP by Oct. 18 • 581-8924 or pgussey@msn.com

Join Val and Kirsten at Sargo’s, but if you can’t make it, please show your support for the Mayor’s re-election with your generous contribution.

Directions to Sargo's at Saratoga National from I-87 (Northway)
http://www.golfsaratoga.com/directions.html

You can contribute via PayPal at www.MayorKeehn.com


2. Gillibrand In Moreau

Rep. Gillibrand will also be holding an open public forum on Health Care Affordability, Sunday, October 21st, at 1:00pm at the Moreau Community Center, 144 Main Street, South Glens Falls.


3. Gore Leading In DFA Pulse Poll

Former Vice President Al Gore is leading in the DFA Pulse poll announced earlier this week.

This is a pretty amazing showing, considering he has garnered the most support without his name being on the ballot; all of his votes are write-ins, whereas all the other nine candidates not only have their names on the Pulse Poll ballot, but their pictures as well.

http://democracyforamerica.com/pulsepoll

If you haven't voted, you should. If one candidate gets 66% of the vote, that candidate will get DFA's endorsement. Below that level, the winner can get state wide endorsements. Since tonight Gore seems to be gaining almost 1% per hour, and the poll lasts until November 5th, it seems possible he might get it. The other candidates are pretty much tracking in place without much movement vis-a-vis each other.

Gore has not officially declared, but he placed campaign type videos on his network, Current TV, earlier this week, and the effort to draft him continues. Four years ago Gore called the organizers of that seasons Draft Gore effort and asked them to stop. No calls have been made asking anyone to stop anything this year.


4. Rudy Rising?

Growing interesting in Gore may be due to the continuing rise of Rudy Giuliani on the Republican side of the Presidential contest, and people in NYC who know Rudy best, are starting to sweat. That makes for this must read from the New York Observer: http://www.observer.com/2007/rudy-s-doin-it

"Norman Siegel, who served as the director of the New York Civil Liberties Union during Mr. Giuliani’s tenure as mayor, said, “I’ve been saying to people in New York, especially the liberal community that I’m proud to be part of, that unless the truth is revealed about the real Rudy, he could win, and not just the Republican nomination, but the presidency as well. Most people in New York look at me, and they say ‘no way.’ They say it can’t happen. The political leadership in New York is underestimating him. They are really in political denial. I say to people, ‘You better wake up.’”

Thanks everyone!

Larry

Labels: Al Gore, Climate Change, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Draft Gore, Gillibrand, Giuliani, Glens Falls, Gore, Iraq War, Larry Dudley, Valerie Keehn

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:50 PM 0 comments