Tricounty DFA Pre-election Update
Hello Everyone;

In This Update For October 16th, 2008:


1. Glens Falls Mayor's Race
2. Vigil Saturday 11am
3. Obama Actions
4. Single Payer Healthcare
5. Who Grew The Economy & War Crimes
6. Saturday Night Progressive Film Fest


1. Glens Falls Mayor's Race

The Glens Falls mayor's race became a confused affair when City Democrats split over who was to replace Mayor Leroy Akins when he died. In effect, we had a primary and a general election combined in one race, with two Democrats on different lines.

Now, however, with the sudden withdrawal of Councilmember Judy Villa-White, there is only one Democrat running: Acting Mayor Jack Diamond. As Councilman-At-Large, Jack has been filling in as Mayor for the better part of a year. Further, as Councilman-At-Large, he is the only candidate who has been elected city-wide. With eleven years on the Council, Jack has the most experience to bring to bear, and is most up to date on City issues and what is going on. No one should doubt that Jack has been working very hard and it should be no surprise he was the clear winner of the recent TV-8 debate.

Because this race opened up too late for a primary, we were not able to make a formal endorsement between the two Democratic candidates. However, there is no longer any issue: even though he is not actually on the Democratic line, he is THE Democratic candidate in this race, and the best hope for a progressive agenda in Glens Falls. Jack deserves a chance to show what he can do in the one year remaining in Leroy Akin's term. All Democrats need to rally around him,


2. Vigil Saturday 11am

There will be the usual rally for peace and to bring our troops home this Saturday, October 18, from 11am until Noon at the corners of Bay, Glen and South Streets in downtown Glens Falls, in front of the Civil War monument. Please come and bring a sign and a friend. If necessary, we will rally at the roundabout instead.


3. Obama Actions

With the final debate a clear win for Obama, the presidential race is in the final stretch. However, we should take nothing for granted! There are area Obama activities on tap:

Drive

If you are in a position to go out of state, the Albany For Obama group is organizing a pair of canvassing trips:

"Scranton Canvassing: October 18th-20th"

"This weekend we will be canvassing in PA to help win the Keystone state. We will be leaving early Saturday morning at 7am from HQ. As always, housing will be provided by the campaign. Sign up and details here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/driveforchange/gs5ggf

"Ohio Canvassing Trip: October 24th-26th"

"On Friday afternoon we have a bus leaving from Crossgates mall to campaign in Ohio over the weekend. We have 42 spots left to fill for campaigners who will play an integral role in winning the Buckeye State! We are asking for $50 donations to help cover the cost of the bus. Housing will be provided by volunteers in Akron. RSVP below. Or call 434-0944 to sign up today. Since volunteers are providing houses, if you sign up online please indicate if you have any allergies to pets."

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/driveforchange/gs5wbk


You can also sign up at the Obama website to go to Pennsylvania and work for change separately:

http://my.barackobama.com/cometoPA


Moveon also sent out this appeal:

"The Obama campaign particularly needs volunteers in Claremont, New Hampshire this Saturday—so if you can, please click below to sign up!"

http://pol.moveon.org/obama/teams/training.html?office_id=229&source=traveler&date=20081018&id=14365-643825-XWc4NJx&t=3

Call

If you can't travel, you can still call. By registering, you are given instructions and an interactive list of names to call out of state-- the website is terrific, very easy to use, you go down a list of names, and click off the response:

http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php

Donate

Needless to say, they still have to raise money. This need is actually intensified by the fact Obama-Biden are competitive in more states. For instance, Obama is now competitive in North Carolina, and just opened 40 local offices. This extra effort costs a lot of money!

https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/standardmagnetalt?source=mainnav_bt_nsu_dg


4. Single Payer Healthcare

Despite the election, issue advocacy continues. 68% of the American people now support a single payer healthcare system. I recently received this important request:

"HR676 ( The U.S. National Heath Insurance Act ) has more co-sponsors (supporters) than any other in the House or Senate. But because of the new house rules, six more co-sponsors are needed to to hold Congressional hearings on this legislation. Now is the time to pressure our legislators in the house that have not signed on to step up. Senator Obama has said if this legislation were to come across his desk as president, that he would sign it.

"Please contact your representative and encourage him/her to stand-up for the health of America and co-sponsor HR676. Also, encourage those running for office in your state and local community, to support HR676."

"It's Possible and It's Time, Mona Marlow FMI: www.ufhc.org

I would note that regional Democratic Representatives Hinchey, McNulty and Welch have signed.

Contact your member of Congress at: (202) 224- 3121 or http://www.house.gov


5. Who Grew The Economy & War Crimes


There are a couple of fascinating things I have to pass along:

This graphic at the NY TImes on which party caused the greatest increase in the wealth of the nation is astonishing. According to the Times,
"As of Friday, a $10,000 investment in the S.& P. stock market index* would have grown to $11,733 if invested under Republican presidents only, although that would be $51,211 if we exclude Herbert Hoover’s presidency during the Great Depression. Invested under Democratic presidents only, $10,000 would have grown to $300,671 at a compound rate of 8.9 percent over nearly 40 years." http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/10/14/opinion/20081014_OPCHART.html

Also, next year could be interesting-- Bush administration officials were apparently aware from the beginning they were committing war crimes, which is why they were alarmed at the prosecution of Chilean dictator Piniochet. Many current Republican office holders may never be able to leave the country without being arrested: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/16/pinochet-law


6. Saturday Night Progressive Film Fest

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe Saturday Night Progressive Film Fest continues with the not to be missed SICKO!

SAT OCT 18 7:00 pm SATURDAY SCREENINGS Free.
SICKO (2007) Michael Moore 113 min. RT Rating = 93 %
focus on ordinary Americans affected by the nation's health-care crisis. After providing some historical background on how our nation's medical care system became so ravaged and unfair, Moore interviews a series of individuals and families who have had their lives all but destroyed by the denial of care in the service of profit. While there are two sides to the gun-control debate and even a legitimate discourse for how to best wage the war on terror, it's simply impossible to justify how a baby girl can wind up dead because her mother's health insurance wasn't accepted at a nearby hospital. Moore smartly allows this and other stories to be told with little or no interference, conjuring strong feelings of empathy, rage, and deep sadness. Moore visits countries that have universal health care--spectacularly so when he takes several World Trade Center workers to Guantanamo Bay (and then to Cuba) to receive health care that they were denied in the United States--and presents a compelling argument for adopting a similar system in the States. Moore's ultimate purpose here is to compel Americans to care for one another, and it's a simple request that shockingly must be made via a major motion picture, making SICKO essential viewing.

Thanks everyone!

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Iraq, Iraq War, Joe Biden, Obama, Obama Phonebanking, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, SiCKO

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

 
Tricounty DFA Update: Reminder-Vigil Saturday, 11am Downtown GF, More On Surge Failure
Hello Everyone;

In this update for August 7th, 2008:


1. Vigil Downtown Glens Falls 11am Saturday
2. Democratic Strategist On Failure of Surge
3. Karl Rove In Inherent Contempt?
4. Let Obama Know!
5. Friday Night Film Fest: Dr. Strangelove



1. Vigil Downtown Glens Falls 11am Saturday

There will be another of our weekly vigils for peace and to bring our troops home this Saturday at 11am at the corners of Bay, Glen and South Streets in downtown Glens Falls, in front of the Civil War Monument. If there are other activities downtown, the vigil is held at the roundabout. Please come and bring a friend and a sign, if you have one.


2. Democratic Strategist On Failure of Surge

Since this update leads with our vigil for peace and to bring our troops home, apropos that subject, I cannot recommend this piece from the Democratic Strategist more; it punctures the naked lie increasingly being spread that the so-called surge has succeeded in any real way and that a corner has been turned in Iraq. As this article and an accompanying piece on Salon.com makes clear, the tactics used had a domestic political focus: just get the administration and conservatives (in both parties!) through the election, before the inevitable explosion, made worse by these tactics, occurs. The depth of the cynicism of this is impossible to understate.

One thing is clear: Democrats allow any slippage of the nation's focus on Iraq as the central issue at their extreme peril. As Herman Goering famously said, if you are going to tell a lie, tell a big one, it is more likely to be believed. If the new Big Lie about Iraq is accepted, that the US is "winning," Democrats, particularly liberals and progressives, and the nation as a whole, are in big trouble-- there are many people who will find the notion of "victory" irresistible, and if they fall for that, they are going to vote for McCain.

http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/_memos/mccain_iraq_memo.pdf
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/08/06/sons_of_iraq/

In addition the Iraqi Parliament has adjourned without setting elections. Creating a "space" for these elections was the original pretext for the escalation. Now the elections may not be held until next July, if then.
http://www.truthout.org/article/iraqi-parliament-adjourns-without-setting-elections

And of course there are the new revelations on from author Ron Susskind on how the Bush administration forged documents to justify the invasion of Iraq: http://www.salon.com/books/review/2008/08/06/suskind/ It's all quite a load this week.



3. Karl Rove In Inherent Contempt?

Will Karl Rove ever go to jail? Drew sends along this equally terrific piece by David Swanson of Democrats.com that demonstrates more than anyone should need that Congress has the power under the Constitution to jail Rove for contempt of Congress, specifically, inherent contempt, a power Congress has held and used since 1795, but seems to be no longer willing to recognize.

Here's a basic question: why should voters trust Democrat to defend their interests and their nation, when Congressional Democrats will not even defend the status of Congress as a co-equal branch of government? http://www.smirkingchimp.com/print/16346/


4. Let Obama Know!

Obama campaigned as a progressive: now we to make clear we need to him stay a progressive: the Nation magazine has a petition urging him to stay the progressive course. It intends to present it on August 25. You can read it and sign it here: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1555/t/510/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=420

People For The American Way also has a petition urging him to pick a progressive for Vice President: http://www.pfaw.org/go/VP


5. Friday Night Film Fest: Dr. Strangelove

Finally, if you haven't seen it, don't miss Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Film Festive:

FRI AUG 8 7:30 pm SUMMER FAMILY FILM FEST
DR. STRANGELOVE (1964) Stanley Kubrick 90 min. RT Rating = 100 %
Stanley Kubrick's Cold War masterpiece.

Thanks everyone!

Larry

Labels: Big Lie, Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Iraq, Karl Rove, lying, Obama, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:34 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

 
CORRECTION: Tricounty DFA Update: VIGIL ON SATURDAY AT 11AM AFTER ALL
Hello Everyone;

Due to some unfortunate but occasionally inevitable confusion, it seems the Glens Falls/Queensbury Memorial Day Parade is actually on Monday the 26th. Accordingly, we will be holding on weekly vigil for peace and to bring our troops home on Saturday, May 24th as originally planed.

My apologies and I hope no one lets this discourage them from coming!

Larry

Labels: Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Iraq, Iraq War, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 8:39 AM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: "Day In The Life Of Glens Falls" Peace Vigil Thursday, more
Hello Everyone;

In This Update:

1. Special Vigil: Day In The Life of Glens Falls, Thursday, 5:15pm
2. Saturday Vigil 11am
3. Iraq War Vote Still Looms: Kucinich Speaks Out
4. Rockhill Friday Night Progressive Film Festival
5. On The Lighter Side: Amy Poler on SNL


1. Special Vigil: Day In The Life of Glens Falls, Thursday, 5:15pm

At our meeting Wednesday, it was pointed out (my apologies, I forget who it was!) that the Post Star on Thursday will be recording events around the community for a special "Day In The Life Of Glens Falls," chronicling life in the city over a 24 hour period, much the way has been done with other countries and communities.

We decided to participate by holding a special vigil for peace and to support our troops on Thursday from 5:15pm to 6:15pm at the corner of Bay and Glen Street in front of the Civil War Monument.

Please come down and bring a friend and a sign if you have one-- what we do helps determine the nature of the face that Glens Falls puts forward. We want it to accurately reflect how the community has changed in recent years.

2. Saturday Vigil 11am

We will again be holding our regular vigil for peace and to support our troops on Saturday from 11am until Noon, again, at the corner of Bay and Glen Streets in front of the Civil War monument in downtown Glens Falls. Two vigils in one week really isn't that much: attendance at the weekly vigil has been growing. Help us keep the ball rolling.


3. Iraq War Vote Still Looms: Kucinich Speaks Out

The proposed House of Representatives Bill to fund the Iraq War for another year, and probably continue it into 2010, is still pending, and the scandal of what it represents is still growing. Representative Maurice Hinchey publicly attacked the Blue Dog Coalition of conservative Democrats for attempting to strip veterans educational benefits from the bill. Said Hinchey:

"It is absolutely shameful that members of the Blue Dog coalition would vote to take this country into Iraq on false intelligence and lies, repeatedly vote to fund the disastrous military occupation of that country, but choose to turn their backs on the brave members of our armed forces by refusing to support an expansion of education benefits for them when they come home," Hinchey said in a statement.

Read about Hinchey's statement at: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050908O.shtml

Bert sends along this link to a short speech by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, asking the simple question "why are we in Iraq?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYgI7NhDQ5A

The "must read" of the week is probably this piece on Salon.com, by oil scholar Michael Klare. Klare argues that the rising price of oil represents the end of American power-- unless really radical changes are made quickly, specifically getting out of Iraq now. http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/05/12/russian_oil/index1.html

Indeed, our imperial pretensions are almost the end of America as a country. http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/05/12/russian_oil/index1.html

If you are in for some additional bleak reading, Thomas Powers latest article in the New York Review of Books asks whether the US really has the resolve to avert its own destruction: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/051108Z.shtml


4. Rockhill Friday Night Progressive Film Festival

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

OT: OUR TOWN (2003) Scott Hamilton Kennedy 77 min. RT Rating = 88 %
This inspiring documentary tracks the progress of Catherine Borek, a high school teacher in Compton California who is determined to start a drama troupe in a school that is dominated by a champion basketball team and is otherwise full of hopeless, helpless kids. Pulling her students together and motivating them by telling them that they are talented and they can prove themselves, she gives them the script for Our Town, the classic play by Thornton Wilder about a small community in Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. With frequent cuts to the 1977 television rendition of the play starring Hal Holbrook, OT: OUR TOWN slowly but surely establishes the gigantic differences between the crime-ridden ghetto that is Compton and the idyllic homogeneous safe haven of Grover's Corners. The kids who are to star in the play first approach it with amusement, coloring the actions of the play with their own music, insights, and experiences. But they soon encounter seemingly insurmountable challenges, ad that is when the film diverges from the play's production to show the real family and friends behind these struggling students. An inspiring and honest piece of filmmaking directed and produced by Scott Hamilton Kennedy, OT: OUR TOWN is a tale of modern urban struggle and strife with a happy ending.


5. On The Lighter Side: Amy Poler on SNL

And finally, this sketch of Amy Poler from the last Saturday Night Live is the funniest thing all week: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/11/6490/23273/998/513606

See you all Thursday!

Larry

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

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:05 PM 0 comments

 
Hello Everyone;

In This Reminder Update:

1. Vigil For Peace & To Bring Troops Home Saturday 11am
2. Congressional Blank Check On War?
2. Washington County Women's Luncheon
3. Total, Final Voting Machine Victory!


1. Vigil For Peace & To Bring Troops Home Saturday 11am

At our last meeting we agreed to resume our Saturday morning vigils for peace and to bring our troops home. Thanks to the generous coverage of WNYT-13, our vigil on the 12th was a tremendous success.

At that vigil we decided to hold another vigil this coming Saturday, April 26th, at 11am. Please come on down to the corner of Bay and Glen Streets by the Civil War monument in downtown Glens Falls. Bring a sign and a friend! With Iraq falling apart, it's time to start showing our opposition to that debacle again.

2. Congressional Blank Check On War?

There have been persistent news reports that Congressional leaders are preparing a massive, $172 Billion war funding bill for Iraq, which would fund that conflict for another year, that is, up until the war's sixth anniversary. Truthout has a pretty balanced summary: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042508J.shtml

However, one simply has to wonder if the Democratic has a death wish. How else can one describe telling the American people you agree with them you want the troops home and the war ended, and then vote to fund it?

Declaration Of Peace.org is urging people to call Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at (202) 225-0100 and John Murtha (Chair of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee) at (202) 225-2847 to tell them another blank check of $172 Billion for this war is unacceptable.


2. Washington County Women's Luncheon

A quick reminder from Washington County:

"YOU ARE INVITED TO: The Washington County Democratic Women’s Spring Luncheon
Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 12 noon - 2 pm
La Cocina Restaurant
122 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY
$25 in advance; $30 at the door: Gourmet Buffet
Special Guest: NY State Demicratic Chair June O'Neill.
Only FIve Days To Get Your Checks in: Contact Ellen Faber at 518-677-8345 or steveandellen@earthlink.net
or send check to Ellen at 100 EAST MAIN STREET, CAMBRIDGE, NY 12816"


3. Total, Final Voting Machine Victory!

Great news this week from Bo Lipari of New Yorkers For Verified Voting"

"It is now official. Liberty Election Systems has withdrawn from the New
York market and has informed the State Board of Elections that they will not
fulfill the order for 11 LibertyMark DREs. LibertyVote was promoting the
Dutch Nedap DRE in New York State, but was required to post another $750,000
bond to cover the costs of ongoing certification testing as requires by the
State. Apparently LibertyVote and Nedap decided it was time to pull the
plug."

"The LibertyVote/Nedap DRE had been denied certification by the NYS Board
earlier this year, but the company sued the State and in a surprise ruling
by the State Supreme Court the DRE was ordered back on the list of machines
available for purchase. However, when the New York's 58 counties placed
machine orders several weeks later, only tiny Hamilton county placed an
order for 11 of the Dutch DREs."

"New York State now has no DREs of any type being purchased by any county, or
currently undergoing NYS certification testing for 2009 purchases. For the
vendors who for 6 years had told us "New York is a DRE state", we tell you
now as we told you then, "Wrong. New York is a paper ballot state."

So the great Voting Machine War is finally over, at least for NY State. We will be voting in the future on reliable, safe and recountable paper ballots, optically scanned.

For this great victory great credit must go to a real hero: Bo Lipari!


Thanks everyone!

Hope to see you all tomorrow downtown at 11am.

Larry

Labels: Bo Lipari, Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Iraq, NYVV

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 3:50 PM 0 comments

 
First Pictures: Fifth Anniversary Of Invasion Of Iraq Vigil Held In Glens Falls
Wednesday, March 19th, was the fifth anniversary of the United States' invasion of Iraq and Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area held yet another vigil for peace and to bring our troops home.

One thing was different this time: members read all of the names of the American dead aloud-- almost 4,000, starting with those from New York and Vermont, which were read by themselves. The effect was sobering and very powerful and all present were clearly moved, some to tears. It took almost 45 minutes, even with the names of those lost in each year of the war being read simultaneously in a form of counter point.

We were particularly privileged to have Frank Grassia, who taught Pfc. Nathan Brown at South High, read Nathan Brown's name along with those of the fallen from New York and Vermont.

We were also grateful for the news coverage by the Post Star, WNYT-13 and TV-8, both of which did major news reports. The WNYT report lead coverage for the entire Capital District region of NY, with about a million people.

All photos courtesy Dick Dudley.



Frank Grassia begins reading the names of the lost.


Shot with Canon PowerShot S3 IS at 2008-03-20

Co-organizer Kate Austin reads more names.



Kathy Sonnabend reads lists of dates of major Iraq loss of life.


Shot with Canon PowerShot S3 IS at 2008-03-20

2006 was the year with the greatest number of casualties and took the longest to read. At the end there was a moment of silence and Taps was played.

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Dick Dudley, Iraq, Iraq War, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 10:00 PM 0 comments

 
DFA Reminder: Vigil Wednesday 6pm Against War & To Bring Troops Home
Hello Everyone!

In This Update:

1. Vigils Wednesday For 5th Anniversary Of War And To Bring Our Troops Home
2. Special Film Presentation: Winter Soldiers
3. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival


1. Vigil Wednesday For 5th Anniversary Of War And To Bring Our Troops Home

This Wednesday, March 19th, is the fifth anniversary of the United States' invasion of Iraq. Please join with us and millions of other people around the world for peace and to bring our troops home at a special candlelight vigil and reading of the names of the dead at the bandstand in City Park in downtown Glens Falls at 6pm.

As our local Moveon organizer Kate Austin notes: "Regardless of what you think of the war, and what strategy you think is best, I think we all can agree that the goal is peace, and we can communally mourn and honor the nearly 4,000 American soldiers and countless Iraqi civilians. These are people, not chess pieces."

If you watched the evening news you saw the claims the "surge," and thereby the war itself, is a success. Those who follow events closely know this temporary lull has been bought with wholesale bribery that will make things much worse in the long run. The surge has succeeded-- in distracting people from this terrible war and dumping it on the next President's desk, no more.

That makes it doubly important we turn out to show our opposition, that we aren't buying the propaganda, and we aren't acquiescing. I know this has gone on for a long time. When we discuss this in our meetings I can see the fatigue in everyone's eyes. But everyone matters at special moments like this.

Those wishing to come are asked to please R.S.V.P. at http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=45117
or http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=28485

During the event the names of Americans lost in Iraq will be read in a form of counterpoint, along with major losses of Iraqi lives, with one person reading the names of those lost in each year. A separate reading of those lost from New York and Vermont will begin the event. A poem will be read at the end followed by the playing of taps. The reading of the names of the dead will begin at 6pm.

Those wishing to participate in the reading of the names are asked to come at 5:30pm. Kathy notes "Please bring your own candle and something to prevent wax from dripping onto the park grounds. Some have inserted a candle through the neck of an inverted cut-off plastic liter bottle; others have inserted a candle through a hole in the bottom of an inverted waxed paper cup. "

There will also be a candle light vigil at 8pm at the corner of Broadway and Church Streets in Saratoga Springs, followed at 8:45pm by a march to Congress Park.

Here's a final thought for extra motivation from Lisa Scerbo: "The financial costs have rocked our economy. Nobel Prize winning economist has Joseph Stiglitz has stated that so far the cost to our economy is $3 trillion to $5 trillion. The US military spends $720 million per day in Iraq. In the time it takes to read these short paragraphs we will have spent $600,000.00 in Iraq. While the war in Iraq has been a disaster for most Americans and Iraqis, it has been a smashing success for others. It has been a smashing success for Defense contractors such as Halliburton and KBR. It has been a smashing success for Alqeda who have seen their recruitment numbers soar. It has been a smashing success for the Taliban who are controlling large areas of Afganistan since the Iraq war has distracted our efforts there."

Hope to see you all there! Again, to RSVP: http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=45117
or http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=28485


2. Special Film Presentation: Winter Soldiers


After the Vigil In Glens Falls, The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe will be presenting a special showing of Winter Soldier to benefit the Iraq Veterans Against The War: There will also be continuous showings of Winter Soldiers at the Arts Center in Congress Park from 1pm until 9pm


Wed Mar 19 7:30 pm ** FILM FUNDRAISER ** Donations will be collected for Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW)
WINTER SOLDEIR (1972) Vietnam Veterans Against The War 96 min. RT Rating = 100 %
In 1971, with the My Lai massacre still vivid in the public consciousness, 109 Vietnam War veterans gathered in a hotel in Detroit and, in front of news journalists and a collective of young filmmakers, spoke frankly about their experiences in Vietnam. They called themselves the Winter Soldiers and their testimonials are devastating: women raped and disemboweled, children murdered, prisoners thrown from helicopters, ears severed, villages burned, and families slaughtered. Almost instantaneously, a pro-war backlash set out to discredit the veterans and their stories, and though their brave confessions were hailed by many senators and congressman, the news media never aired any of the footage. The filmmakers who were present, including Barbara Kopple (HARLAN COUNTY U.S.A.), masterfully edited the three days of interviews into a single 96-minute presentation. Almost as harrowing as the accounts themselves are the haunted looks and the trembling voices of the young men as they speak opely of becoming debased monsters who were willing to commit atrocities. Though the film seemed to be inexorable evidence that Vietnam war crimes were commonplace rather than anomalous, the film received scant screenings, and the stories never reached the majority of the American public. During the 2004 presidential election, the Winter Soldier Investigation resurfaced in regards to John Kerry's involvement with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and his role as a pivotal organizer of the event. A group of veterans, indignant over any supposed defamation of soldiers and their actions, set out to attack Kerry's wartime credentials, and to paint the Winter Soldier stories as spurious and fabricated. In 2005, more than 30 years after it was made, WINTER SOLDIER received general distribution, and the film remained as unsettling and pertinent than ever. The charges that the men were imposters seem ludicrous in the face of these blistering and self-crucifying descriptions of human behavior in wartime. The film stll evokes a visceral response and raises questions of what, eventually, may be revealed about military abuses and crimes in Iraq. Contact Matt Funiciello at mattfuniciello@earthlink.net for more information.

3. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival


And the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe continues its Friday Night Progressive Festival with:

Fri Mar 21 7:30 pm Adirondack Progressive Film Forum
FOLLOWING SEAN (1969) Ralph Arlyck 87 min. RT Rating = 86 %
Filmmaker Ralph Arlyck first met Sean while living as a graduate student in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury neighborhood at the height of the 1960s. The city was awash with the trappings of America's cultural revolution-the San Francisco State University campus flooded with cops in riot gear, the Haight filled with drifters and idealists, and, on the third floor of Arlyck's building, a come-one-come-all crashpad apartment. It was from this top floor commune that the precocious 4-year-old Sean would occasionally wander downstairs to visit and talk-and one day Arlyck turned on his camera. Sean's casual commentary on everything from smoking pot to living with speed freaks was delivered in simple sincerity throughout the soon-to-be famous 15-minute film. This First Child of the notorious decade may have shaken the audience with his simple sentence- "Sure, I smoke pot"-but it was his barefoot impishness which would encapsulate the hope that lay in front of the nation: a promise of infinite possibility. Thirty years, three generations, and a lifetime later, Arlyck has returned to San Francisco in search of who the adult Sean might have become. And what he finds, to his surprise, tells him as much about his own east-coast migration as it does about the Californian life he left behind-that the choices we're handed and the choices we make are, very often, quite odd bedfellows.

Thanks Everyone! See you all Wednesday for the 5th Anniversary,

Larry Dudley

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

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:07 PM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: Invitation-- Five Years of War Commemoration March 19th
Hello Everyone;

First, what a difference three days makes. I am sure the humiliating fall of Eliot Spitzer has transfixed most of us this week-- I know from the many of you who have called me how shocked and saddened we all are. I have been told by those who know him, what a remarkable figure soon to be governor David Patterson is. Stories of his decency and kindness seem to be commonplace-- along with a real talent for bringing people together to get the people's business done. If these many stories are only half true, the future of our party and New York looks bright, despite this week's sad events.

In This Update:

1. Invitation: Vigil Commemorating The 5th Anniversary Of The Invasion Of Iraq
2. Republicans To Focus On War?
3. Stop Drive Through Mastectomies
4. Friday Night Film Progressive Film Festival


1. Invitation: Vigil Commemorating The 5th Anniversary Of The Invasion Of Iraq

One week from today, March 19th, is the fifth anniversary of the United States' invasion of Iraq. You are invited to join a special candlelight vigil and reading of the names of the dead at the bandstand in City Park in downtown Glens Falls at 6pm.

Millions of people in thousands of communities will be coming together simultaneously on the 19th in solidarity to stand for peace, protest the war and its cost and solemnly remember those lost. This coordinated nation wide commemoration and protest promises to be the largest simultaneous public gathering since the protests against the start of the war five years ago, which were the largest in history, with tens of millions of people around the world in attendance.

Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area and local Moveon.org members are co-sponsoring this event as part of The National Commemoration Of The Iraq War organized by Moveon.org, United For Peace And Justice, True Majority Action, Working Assets/Credo Mobile, US Action, the SEIU and other national organizations.

Those wishing to come are asked to please R.S.V.P. at http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=45117
or http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=28485

During the event the names of Americans lost in Iraq will be read in a form of counterpoint, along with major losses of Iraqi lives, with one person reading the names of those lost in each year. A separate reading of those lost from New York and Vermont will begin the event. A poem will be read at the end followed by the playing of taps. The reading of the names of the dead will begin at 6pm.

Those wishing to participate in the reading of the names are asked to come at 5:30pm.

This event is open to all members of the public and everyone concerned about the ongoing war in Iraq is urged to attend and bring a candle and a sign, if they wish, along with friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers. In recognition of the gravity and solemnity of the moment and in respect for the vast lost of human life, there will be no speeches or other entertainments.
Glens Falls.

Again, those wishing to come are asked to please R.S.V.P. at http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=45117
or http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=28485


2. Republicans To Focus On War?

Kathy Sonnabend sends this piece which underscores the importance of keeping public attention focused on what a disaster Iraq has become, despite claims of a successful surge or escalation. Studies indicate McCain may actually be able to get voters who oppose the war to support him, anyway. This is definitely the must read of the week!

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/79351?page=entire

Congress failed last year to remove our troops from Iraq-- allowing the war to be an issue in this election, which is what the Republicans wanted. Now we have to deal with it. As this article makes clear, there is going to be a huge battle for public opinion over the war. As Kathy pointed out to me, we must strive to remind people how terrible this war is-- for our economy, for the safety of our nation and the world, and the lives of those called to serve. So we would urge everyone to make the special effort to come Wednesday at 6pm, with a candle and sign if you like, to show our opposition to our continued presence in Iraq.

3. Stop Drive Through Mastectomies

Lisa Scerbo sends this horrifying message:

"I received this link from a operating room nurse who has experienced this horrendous practice of "Drive-Through Mastectomies". Insurance companies are making mastectomies an out patient procedure. There is a bill in Congress now to make insurance companies cover a minimum stay of 48 hours following a mastectomy. Lifetime Television is promoting this petition drive to tell Congress to end this practice. Please take 1 minute to sign this petition. Who knows it could make a difference."

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php


4. Friday Night Film Progressive Film Festival

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Progressive FIlm Festival continues at 7:30 with,

Fri Mar 14 7:30 pm Adirondack Progressive Film Forum
CAPITOL CRIMES (2006) Bill Moyers 120 min. No RT Rating
"It's a dizzying scope of perfidy and politics that boggles the imagination, and although Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay have been brought down, the system remains as vulnerable as ever," says Bill Moyers. "The scale of corruption still coming to light dwarfs anything since Watergate. In one sense it's the age-old tale of greed, but greed encouraged now by the way our system works. Deep in the plea agreements of Jack Abramoff and his cronies is the admission that they conspired to use campaign contributions to bribe politicians; campaign finance is at the core of the corruption. They took great pains to cover their tracks, and they might have pulled it off except for a handful of honest people, and the work of some enterprising print reporters, Senate investigators, and the ethics team at the department of justice. Following the money in this story leads through a bizarre maze of cocktail parties, golf courses, private jets, four-star restaurants, sweatshops - and the aura of chandeliered rooms frequented by the high and mighty of Washington." The ramifications of the Jack Abramoff scandal continue to mount. Since "Capitol Crimes" was broadcast in October 2006, Jack Abramoff started his prison sentence, and U.S. voters in exit polls named "corruption" as the biggest factor in their ballot-casting - above terrorism and the economy. Indeed, association with Abramoff was cited in the defeat of at least two incumbent Republicans - Representative Richard Pombo of California and Senator Conrad Burns of Montana.

Thanks everyone! Hope to see you all at City Park downtown at 6pm on the 19th.

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Iraq, Iraq War, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:49 PM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: "Yes We Can" Calling Invitation, Surge Exposed, more
Hello Everyone;

In this Update:


1. Obama Calling Invitation
2. Meeting Next Week
3. Online Action On Iraq
4. Dark Side Of The Surge
5. Friday Night Progressive FIlm Festival


1. Kate Austin would like to invite everyone to a special "Yes We Can" Party for Barack Obama, this Sunday, March 2nd, at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe from 5-7pm. For info and to R.S.V.P. please go to: http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=43738

"On Sunday, March 2, we're participating in MoveOn.org's biggest phone bank in presidential primary history. Folks everywhere will come to parties armed with cell phones--ready to call thousands of Texas MoveOn members whose votes could put Obama over the top on March 4. Bring your cell phone!"

Lists of Texans to call along with suggested scripts and other materials will be available, including, I think, some Obama stickers. If you would like to help Obama win in Texas on the 4th, this is your chance to do it. Again, please R.S.V.P. at http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=43738 so that Kate has enough materials for everyone. And remember to bring that cell phone! You have to bring your own cell!

And a special tip of the hat to Matt for making the Cafe available, even though he is, as we all know, very much a Nader man. If you haven't been there, the Cafe is one block west of the roundabout in Downtown Glens Falls.


2. Meeting Next Week

Next week, March 5th, we'll be meeting again at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe as usual at 7pm, and we'll be getting to that showing of Uncounted, the new video on election fraud, and discussing future action.

3. Online Action On Iraq

Senator Russ Feingold will be bringing up legislation tomorrow to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq. You can help by contacting our Senators and urging them to support Sen. Feingold's bills. http://act.truemajorityaction.org/t/50/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1521

"The first bill, S. 2633, would provide for the safe redeployment of US troops from Iraq within 120 days. And the second bill, S. 2634, would require a report on the global strategy of the US to combat and defeat al Qaeda. We need 60 votes to end debate and bring these important pieces of legislation to the Senate floor."

http://act.truemajorityaction.org/t/50/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1521


4. Dark Side Of The Surge

The importance of getting U.S. forces out of Iraq before our Army is completely broken is highlighted by an extraordinary new article in the March 6th issue of Rolling Stone, the "must read" of the week. It rips the cover off the fraud that is called the "Surge" and the mainstream media's touting of it as some kind of success for the Bush Administration. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge/print

A few quotes:

"The U.S. has not only added 30,000 more troops in Iraq — it has essentially bribed the opposition, arming the very Sunni militants who only months ago were waging deadly assaults on American forces. "

"The American forces responsible for overseeing "volunteer" militias like Osama's have no illusions about their loyalty. "The only reason anything works or anybody deals with us is because we give them money," says a young Army intelligence officer. The 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, which patrols Osama's territory, is handing out $32 million to Iraqis in the district, including $6 million to build the towering walls that, in the words of one U.S. officer, serve only to "make Iraqis more divided than they already are." In districts like Dora, the strategy of the surge seems simple: to buy off every Iraqi in sight."

"We are essentially supporting a quasi-feudal devolution of authority to armed enclaves, which exist at the expense of central government authority," says Chas Freeman, who served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia under the first President Bush. "Those we are arming and training are arming and training themselves not to facilitate our objectives but to pursue their own objectives vis-a-vis other Iraqis. It means that the sectarian and ethnic conflicts that are now suppressed are likely to burst out with even greater ferocity in the future."

Of course, from a political perspective, the goal of the Bush administration is clear; by temporarily bribing and arming the opposition in Iraq, they have a chance of maintaining the pretense the Surge can succeed. The lull in violence may fool some people. But there eventually will be an even greater and more terrible explosion of violence, and the real surge-- in U.S. casualties-- but not until after the November General Election. That's the real objective, pushing the problem down the road without admitting total failure by the Bush Administration. That would greatly help Republican's electoral chances, especially getting John McCain into the White House.

Obviously, this underscores the fecklessness and spinelessness of the Democratic Congress in its failure to stick together and get our troops out promptly. If they had acted decisvely a year ago, virtually all our troops would be home by now.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge/print


5. Friday Night Progressive Film Fest

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

Fri Feb 29 7:30 pm Adirondack Progressive Film Forum
9/11 PRESS FOR TRUTH (2006) The Disinformation Company 85 min. No RT Rating
Although independent investigations began within weeks of both pearl harbor and the Kennedy assassination, the same was not ture of the attacks of Spetember 11th. Most are unaware that formation of the 9/11 Commission was strognly opposed by many in Washington, including the Bush administration. It was only due to pressure fromt eh 9/11 families, led by a particlaur twelve calling themsevles the Family Steering Committee, that, fourteen months after the attacks, the fist hearings finally began. In "9/11 Press For Truth", five of the most prominet members fo the FSC tell their story for the first time on film, providing the most powerful argumnet yet for why 9/11 still needs investigation. Adapting Paul Thompson's definitive Complete 9/11 Timeline, the filmmakers stitch together rare, overlooked news clips, buried stories, and government press conferences, revealing a pattern of official lies, deception and spin.

Thanks Everyone! See you all soon,

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, DFA, Iraq, Iraq War, Obama rally, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Uncounted Film

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:39 AM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: Invitation to Uncounted Film, Election Machine Confusion & More
Hello Everyone!

In This Update:

1. Special Invitation: Join Us To See New Film On Election Fraud, Uncounted, Wednesday
2. NY Vote Machine Confusion & News
3. NY Primary Delegate Proportionment Explanation
4. Vigil For Iraq War 5th Anniversary
5. Links: Iraq About To Explode?
6. Friday Night Film Festival
7. Local Food


1. Special Invitation: Join Us To See New Film On Election Fraud, Uncounted, Wednesday

At our meeting Wednesday night we decided to join DFA groups across the nation in hosting a special showing of Uncounted, a new film by David Earnhardt on election fraud in America. The film will be followed by a live, national wide conference call with DFA Chairman Jim Dean and filmmaker Earnhardt.

The film event will be next Wednesday, Feb. 13th at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls, one block east of the roundabout. The showing is free and open to the public.

"Uncounted is an explosive film that shows how the election fraud that changed the outcome of the 2004 election led to even greater fraud in 2006 -- and now looms as an unbridled threat to the outcome of the 2008 election. This film examines in startling terms how easy it is to change election outcomes and undermine election integrity across the U.S. The film ends with a call to action to take our elections back, while offering ideas, identifying possible coalition partners, and providing the tools to get the job done. "

If you think you want to come, please RSVP at http://www.dfalink.com/register.php?c=e&id=96747aa763359ba9&eid=27847&email=%%EMAIL%%


2. NY Vote Machine Confusion & News

The timing of Uncounted couldn't be more timely, because New York State is still locked in the throes of picking new election devices to replace our aging lever action machines.

As I noted in an earlier posting, the New York State Board of Elections recently rejected the use of the controversial Direct Recording Entry vote machines, or DRE's, colloquially known as touchscreens, because of their failure to meet certification standards established by the Legislature. That was a great victory.

However, in a last minute move, manufacturers of some of DRE machines went to court earlier this week and secured a restraining order against the state BOE, asking that their machines be used as ballot marking devices for the handicapped. This is widely regarded as an entering wedge to get touchscreen machines reestablished.

However, according to Bo Lipari, of New Yorkers For Verified Voting, most New York counties have already adopted safe optical scan paper ballot technology. (I am sure many of us remember Bo's great presentation at the Crandall Library two years ago, which we were privileged to sponsor.) Bo sent out a flash update tonight: check it out at http://www.nyvv.org/boblog/quick-news/


3. NY Primary Delegate Proportionment Explanation

At our meeting Wednesday, there were questions asked about how many votes the two candidates actually won in New York's Presidential Primary on Tuesday. That's actually a surprisingly difficult question to answer. However, John McBride of DFHMR and Democracy For Westchester recently, and an attorney, recently sent out an explanation of New York's incredibly Byzantine and arcane process.

"The state has 280 delegates, 232 will be pledged the rest will not be pledged. Not pledged delegates are free to vote as they choose. Pledged delegate are expected to vote in good faith for the candidate they are pledged to support. "

"151 of the pledged delegates are selected based upon the election results in each congressional district. There are 29 CDs, some districts having 5 delegates and some have 6. To get a pledged delegate a candidate has to get at least 15% of the vote in that CD. For each candidate that is over the 15%, the number of delegates is allocated according to the percentage of the vote they receive and the percentage received by other candidates above the threshold, obviously they have to round up or down to a whole number, there a no fractional delegates. "
"There are also 81 pledged delegates which are allocated based upon the statewide vote. The same method more or less is used."
"Assume that the state wide result is Clinton 55%, Obama 40% and others adding up to 5%. The others get no delegates since they did not exceed the threshold of 15%. Then the number of delegates is determined by multiplying the vote percentage by the number of delegates to be allocated. The result is 44.55 (81 * 0.55) for Hillary and 32.4 for Obama. Right of the bat, Hillary is allocated 44 and Obama gets 32. That leaves 5 more to allocate. Because Hillary has the larger fraction of a remainder (.55 compared to .4) she gets the next delegate, Obama gets the second and then back and forth until they are all used up. So in the end, Hillary has 47 to Obama’s 34 for the state wide pledged delegates."
"The same procedure is used on the CD level, based upon the number of delegates allocated to that CD and the voting results in that CD."
"Hopefully you can see that your vote matters. I would also point out that if you vote for one of the non-contenders, it is possible that your last choice will benefit from your vote. "
"John McBride"

Hopefully you can all follow that!



4. Vigil For Iraq War 5th Anniversary

Also discussed at our meeting was the upcoming fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. We decided to schedule a vigil type event for Wednesday, March 19th at 6pm. Kate Austin will be working on getting some appropriate music for this sad commemoration.

We will be discussing this more at our monthly March meeting on the 5th.

Personally, I find it just stunning that this is still going on, especially after all the efforts of so many people, both here and across the country. One just has to ask, how could this have happened?



5. Links: Iraq About To Explode?


Particularly relevant to that anniversary is this article on the situation in Iraq. We are told, falsely, that violence in Iraq has declined. Some of this has happened by simply redefining the killings that occur-- famously, in US statistics taking today, if you are shot in the back, you are the victim of terrorism, but if you are shot in the face, you are classified as the victim of a civil crime!

The other part of the decline in violence is due to a unilateral cease-fire declared at the end of August by Moqtada-El Sadr, leader of the largest and most powerful Shiia militia. If this article is correct, the lid is about to come off Iraq, which will probably result in a huge increase in violence.

Unsurprisingly, US efforts to "win" the war via the surge and the arming of the so-called awakening councils, instead of seeking a political solution, is actually increasing the danger of a major blow-up. It will not have been the first time US policy crafted by dunderhead neocons made everything worse: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5286&l=1

Also, as you problem know, Obama crushed Clinton in the primaries and caucuses yesterday. Maybe the most salient comment comes today from Frank Rick of the NY Times, who asks, how far will the Clintons go on their drive to reclaim power? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/opinion/10rich.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

Also, Drew sends this piece on a creepy government/industry program to create a network of corporate police type forces in the event of a declaration of martial law: http://www.alternet.org/rights/76388/?page=1



6. Friday Night Film Festival


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

Fri Feb 15 7:30 pm Adirondack Progressive Film Forum
HUEY LONG (1985) Ken Burns 88 min. No RT Rating
A fascinating documentary portrait of Louisiana politician Huey P. Long, known to many as "the Kingfish." Filmmaker Ken Burns tells the complex story of Long through the use of archival footage, insightful and often entertaining narration, and interviews with some of the people who knew the politician best. We also meet residents of the state who recall Long's many years in the public eye. The movie traces Long's life, from his middle-class childhood spent on his family's Louisiana farm, through his long career in politics which was cut short in 1935, when an assassin murdered him. Although "the Kingfish" is portrayed as a ruthless politician who often sacrificed justice to get what he wanted, the film also explores some of his many accomplishments, including his success in providing education and jobs for the poor.


7. Local Food

Ruth sends this along about local food:

On Tuesday, FEb. 12 at 6:30 local farmer Jen Ward will be at the Unitatarian Universalist Church at 21 Weeks Road to talk about membership in Our Farm during 2008. People who would like to receive fresh produce weekly during the months of June, July, August, September, and October, pay Jen at the start of the growing season. The cost for a full share is $400, for half-a-share, $200. Twenty of us received Wednesday deliveries worth $16 from the farm last year.
Anyone interested in learning more is invited to join the discussion.


Thanks everyone! See you all Wednesday at the showing of Uncounted.

Larry Dudley

Labels: Bo Lipari, Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, Hillary Clinton, Iraq, Jim Dean, local food, Obama, Uncounted Film

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 9:16 PM 0 comments