GREETINGS!
This month we celebrate the close of another busy year that has been full of hard work and never-ending dedication. In 2005 Taking Root has covered hundreds of groups, individuals and events from across the progressive spectrum. We thank you for your participation, contributions and your continuous efforts!
Having risen together from the ashes of a former campaign, we at GFA were compelled and still are to work towards truth, unity, citizen empowerment and the preservation of the grassroots way. Our network community has grown and we have become better people from the many relationships we have forged along the way. We would be remiss if we did not recognize the phenomenon that occurred as a result of the 2004 Presidential primary and we are proud of the bonds we have formed and the progress we as a movement have achieved.
Most remarkable is that we, with so many of us political neophytes, have in a very short span dramatically changed the face of Democracy and given it new meaning and a new direction. The year has been truly sensational and we look forward to our continued growth together.
In this month's issue we cover DFA Link, Moral Values, Diebold, Supporting Our Troops and Recent Bills and Legislation. We also bring you state news from New Mexico, the District of Columbia and Texas and we connect you to Working for Change the New Organizing Institute as well as other groups and resources.
We hope you enjoy this month's issue! Please consider contributing to Grassroots for America so we can continue to keep the spirit of our community alive!
We welcome your story ideas and look forward to receiving your local news, group activities, letters and/or opinions for next month's issue. Email us at editor-at-grassrootsforamerica.us.
As always, subscriptions to Taking Root™ come spam-free to your email box.
If you like what you see here and would like to lend a hand, please drop us a note at volunteer-at-grassrootsforamerica.us.
Peace!
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Glimpse What’s Inside!
Click on a title to jump to the story below.
NEWS for the ROOTS
The Wizards of Winter
Click here or on the picture to enjoy the light show! Be sure to have your sound on!
You can visit SNOPES to find out more about the light display.
Have happy, healthy and safe holidays!
Grassroots for America
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Democracy for America invites you to join DFA-Link!
submitted by Noreen Nielsen, Communications Director, DFA. GFA encourages you to join DFA Link to become better connected to activities in your area!
In September of 2005, Democracy for America (DFA) launched its new grassroots organizing software “DFA-Link,” as an in-house alternative to Meetup.com. DFA-Link provides activists throughout the country with a free on-line tool to organize events, connect with local, state and national Democracy for America groups and communicate with internal private messages without ever having to use e-mail addresses. DFA-Link helps people join together locally and work for positive change in their communities by using on-line tools for off-line actions.
Over the course of just the past few months, 11,000 people have joined DFA-Link, 600 groups have been formed and thousands of events have been planned in every state in America. In addition, new features are constantly being added and existing tools updated to create one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly on-line organizing software programs in the progressive community. In 2006, DFA-Link will include a number of new features such as local group blogs, polls, candidate profiles, and photo albums.
To join DFA-Link and find out about the latest happenings in you area, visit: www.dfalink.com. Join DFA-Link today and help in the fight to take our country back!
Thank You!
-Noreen Nielsen
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2005: Bad Year for Goliath. How About David?
Commentary: Acknowledging the groups, organizations, publics, and citizenries who stood up for their rights this year. From Mother Jones Magazine, written by Rebecca Solnit , December 20, 2005. We will reprint the first three paragraphs and then link directly to the article.
"To say that it was a bad year for Goliath doesn't mean it was exactly a good one for what George Bailey, in annual holiday It's a Wonderful Life reruns, calls "the little people." U.S. public opinion has almost caught up with the rest of the world in opposing the war, but Iraqis are still being bombed and American soldiers are still dying.
I write this from Buenos Aires, which attracts activists from afar for its progressive social movements, but up close is more compelling for its armies of the poor -- such as the cartoñeros who come out after dark to collect recyclables, families pushing huge loads through the summer night toward whatever pittance a pile of old cardboard brings in. In the same way, you could focus on how Hurricane Katrina damaged the Bush administration's standing, but the suffering of people displaced on roofs, and then in sports stadiums, and now out of view (but in hardly less precarious circumstances around the country) might matter more.
The most compelling images of 2005 are those of war, flood, and riot, but perhaps the most summary one wasn't even of human beings. It was a novelty photograph that appeared in many newspapers in late September of a huge non-native python that choked itself to death trying to swallow an alligator in Florida. It proved a lasting image of overwhelming and unsuccessful greed. All around the world this year, the snake choked and the alligator refused to see itself as lunch -- if you will let "alligator" stand in here for "civil society," for all the groups, organizations, publics, and citizenries who stood up for their rights. ..."
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Diebold's December Decline
submitted by Pam Paul
The month of December has not been good for Diebold and ES&S. The two companies currently tally more than 80% of America's votes. They have each been run by two brothers named Urosevich. And while Diebold, Inc. in total, is a larger company than ES&S, the latter is actually a larger provider of Voting Systems and Machinery around the country.
So far this month the following has occurred:
Diebold's chairman and chief executive officer, Walden W. O'Dell, has resigned from the company and its board of directors.
Scott+Scott, LLC, at the direction of clients, has filed a securities fraud class action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against Diebold Inc. ("Diebold" or the "Company")(NYSE: DBD) and individual defendants.
In Volusia and Leon Counties, Florida, Diebold is being decertified.
In North Carolina,Diebold, has decided it is removing their company from contention for the lucrative election systems contracts in the state in light of a state law which requires Voting Machine Companies to submit their full source-code to the state for inspection.
In Saint Louis County, MO, Diebold, has been rejected as the voting machine company for their elections.
In California, ES&S, Diebold's counterpart, has been told by the Assistant Secretary of State for Elections Bradley J. Clark that he would start the process of decertifying their machines for use in California if senior officials of their company didn't immediately address concerns of known faulty voting equipment.
Even Governor Bush, of Florida, is showing signs of concern over Diebold's failing of hacking tests.
Who says there isn't a Santa Claus?
For real time information on Diebold, including the above, you can visit Brad Blog.
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Recent Bills and Legislation
Through our activism we are presented with real time alerts of new legislation and bill activity. It is safe to say that citizen involvement, in helping to move forward or stop bills from passing, has made a huge difference in the political atmosphere. The more people that become knowledgeable of legislative activity and then take action, the more of a role we will play in shaping a positive future for us all.
These are a few of the most recent bill action alerts that have been delivered to my mailbox:
H.CON.RES.330 : Expressing the concern of Congress that the President's 2002 order authorizing electronic surveillance of United States persons without a warrant violates existing law prohibiting such electronic surveillance, and for other purposes.:
H.RES.635: Creating a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.
H RES.636: Censuring President George W. Bush for failing to respond to requests for information concerning allegations that he and others in his Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq, misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for the war, countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of persons in Iraq, and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of his Administration, for failing to adequately account for specific misstatements he made regarding the war, and for failing to comply with Executive Order 12958.
H. RES.637: Censuring Vice President Richard B. Cheney for failing to respond to requests for information concerning allegations that he and others in the Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq, misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for the war, countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of persons in Iraq, and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of the Administration and for failing to adequately account for specific misstatements he made regarding the war.
H. H.RES.643 : Directing the Attorney General to submit to the House of Representatives all documents in the possession of the Attorney General relating to warrantless electronic surveillance of telephone conversations and electronic communications of persons in the United States conducted by the National Security Agency..
H. RES.4232: To prohibit the use of funds to deploy United States Armed Forces to Iraq.
This is just a sample of some of the serious activity currently taking place. Some success stories include defeating Oil Drilling in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge, extending the Patriot Act ( which prevents renewal as it stands), and the Bill preventing cruel and inhumane treatment for prisoners. Some not so successful include the recently approved package of $39.7 billion in spending cuts to programs that benefit the elderly and poor, and the Bankruptcy Bill.
It is more important than ever that we remain diligent in keeping up with legislative affairs. Get connected, stay aware and keep involved by writing and/or calling your representatives and asking others to do so as well.
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2005: Things I Want To Forget
by Arianna Huffington, excerpt taken from the Huffington Post, then linked directly to the article
"Dec. 21 -- The older I get, the more I'm convinced that the key to happiness is starting every day, if you can, with a clean slate. But it should certainly be done before the start of every new year. This task is particularly easy for me this year since forgetfulness seems to come along with the Bora Bora breeze here.
So here is my list of things from 2005 that I'd love to forget -- that, indeed, we'd all be better off never having cross our minds again:
Read the Rest of Arianna's part one list and her part two list - both include links for information about the stories and events she wishes to forget.
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State Field Briefs– a variety of news sent in from across the country!
Scrooge of the Day: Senator Pete Domenici
The budget bill that makes significant cuts in things like Medicaid, Medicare, student loans, child support enforcement, foster care and more just passed the Senate. A 50-50 tie was broken only by the vote of the always Draconian Dick Cheney. Our own Senator Pete Domenici voted for the bill that will ensure that some of the gigantic deficits produced by tax cuts for the rich will be paid for by whacking the poor, the sick, the elderly and those seeking help with obtaining a college degree.
All 44 Democratic Senators voted against this budget travesty, joined by one independent (Jim Jeffers) and five Republicans who have a conscience: Senators Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, Gordon Smith of Oregon, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island
Quote:
Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) called it "an ideologically driven, extreme, radical budget" that "caters to lobbyists and an elite group of ultraconservative ideologues here in Washington, all at the expense of middle class Americans."
Miserly Pete, however, sided with those supporting the rich elites and the wealthiest of the investor class at the expense of ordinary Americans. Hats off to today's Scrooge of the Day -- good 'ol Pete Domenici. Click to let Pete know what you think about his enlistment in the Republican War on America's Poor, Seniors, Children, Sick and Students. And be sure to thank Senator Bingaman for hanging tough and voting against this abomination.
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Metro DC Progressive Network
submitted by Todd Smyth
Hello everyone!
Volunteers from a number of local progressive groups (PDA, DFA, VA Grassroots Coalition, Drinking Liberally etc.) have started a clearinghouse web site to list all progressive events in the Metro DC area including VA and MD. It is an all volunteer effort and free listing site called the Metro DC Progressive Network.
In addition to events, the site includes a comprehensive list of progressive groups that are active in the DC Metro area and mass transit links to help with the 12 different bus systems that connect to Metro rail service.
Progressive Event Types listed include: Canvass, Caucus, Conference, Forum, Fund-raiser, Lecture, Lobby, Meeting, Movie, Music, Party, Phone Bank, Protest, Rally, Reception, Seminar, Speech, Theater, Training etc.
Please send/email us your progressive events, link to us on your web site and pass this email on to other people and groups who might be interested.
Thank You and Happy Holidays! (and I mean that in the being considerate of others way!)
-Todd Smyth
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Oregon: the National Nurse team
submitted by Pam Paul
This past summer, Teri Mills, of Oregon, proposed the creation of the office of National Nurse. In a widely-circulated op-ed that appeared in the New York Times and was reprinted in the Oregonian. Teri suggested that the office would dramatically improve America's health care system by re-focusing efforts on prevention.
As a result, Teri's article has been read into the Congressional Record, thanks to Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and the idea has garnered enough attention that she will be traveling to WA DC with the growing National Nurse Team to lobby Congress to introduce legislation for an Office of the National Nurse.
Merely six months later The National Nurse team now has a new website that offers many features including the means to contact politicians and nurse leaders in support of the National Nurse. Via the site and their email list nurses will be invited to call and email their state and national leaders to express their support for a National Nurse.
National Nurses across the country are currently running for different levels of political office and they are joining together to support one another during their campaigns. They are making great gains with the key message or platform concentrating on shaping new health care initiatives and policies.
This is an amazing testament to the passion and drive of a single person and all that can be accomplished with focus and determination!
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Texas Candidate Training to be held in January, 2006!
submitted by Teri Sperry of Democracy for Texas
Are you a socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidate running or considering running for any level of public office in the 2006 Texas elections? Don't miss this exciting opportunity for you and up to four members of your campaign team to participate in intensive and affordable candidate training by successful campaign experts from around the country and right here in Texas.
Apply now to attend Texas Candidate Training, January 20–22, 2006 (5 p.m. Friday–5 p.m. Sunday) at the Holiday Inn–Town Lake in Austin, hosted by Democracy for Texas, with curriculum developed by Latinos for America and Democracy for Texas.
Our goal is to empower Texas progressive candidates through assistance in building winning campaign plans and training in carrying out those plans successfully.
Click here to find out more about this rewarding opportunity to maximize your campaign successes and help take back Texas!
Thank You!
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GET INVOLVED
Supporting our Troops and their Families
submitted by Pam Paul
As the time of giving is upon us, no matter who we are, if we celebrate this season we are in the habit of giving or looking for ways to give of ourselves. I realize for many this is an ongoing process, however, it is true that the holidays trigger us to sometimes do more.
Whether we are in support of the war in Iraq or we are not- I believe we all support our troops and their dedication to our country and we believe there is honor in their service. Despite the ongoing, rather clouded, debate over the war and all the political hoopla it entails we, who have the capacity, know it is possible to support our troops and not the war.
The irony of all this is that thousands upon thousands of peace activists help make up the community of those who have sent supplies, letters, email and phone cards to our troops abroad, as well as making visits to Walter Reed Hospital and the families of fallen soldiers. These acts will rarely make the headline news and, of course, the bottom line is that acts of giving really do not need any publicity to make them immensely worthwhile. It is just rewarding to know that although we are not endorsing the current war we do endorse our soldiers and we have engaged ourselves to support them side-by-side with work for peace.
If you are looking for ways to support our troops and/or their families you can visit the IAVA: Operation Truth Troops and Families Charity Page.
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A Working for Change Invite
submitted by Will Easton of San Francisco for Democracy and Working for Change
Hey everybody,
My primary DFA-related volunteer activity is with San Francisco for Democracy, but I'm actually writing you about something related to my day job (which I was fortunate enough to get through some great people I met on the Dean campaign back in 2003).
I manage the ActForChange program here at Working Assets – check it out. We do progressive issues advocacy, very much in line with the politics of most everyone on this list – though we do not support candidates as DFA can.
I'm writing to offer everyone a couple things:
So once we get that set up, I'll be getting in touch with some groups individually to see what issues are on the top of your progressive agendas and how we might be able to assist in pushing them forward from here. We've found that a few hundred or thousand e-mails & faxes into a state legislator's office at the right time can make a pretty serious difference on key votes.
Thanks, happy holidays to everyone!
-Will Easton
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New Organizing Institute
The New Organizing Institute (NOI) is a unique grassroots training and research program created by experienced on-line organizers and politically oriented technology professionals in conjunction with MoveOn.org.
The mission of the NOI is:
The Institute will select exceptionally talented trainees, provide them with intensive training, and follow up with continued support throughout their early careers.
NOI's goal is to create a network of experienced on-line organizers and technologists committed to progressive values. In its first two years, NOI hopes to inject hundreds of new, talented and trained on-line organizers and technologists into the job market — organizers who understand politics and people as well as the Internet and technology.
Visit the NOI website to Get Involved!
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Public Campaign Action Fund
Connecticut recently made history by becoming the first state in the nation to pass Clean Elections campaign finance reform for all State House, State Senate, and state-wide offices. The public financing bill was approved on December 1 and was signed into law by the Governor on December 7th.
Public Campaign Action Fund (PCAF) worked with local groups and activists to make elections in Connecticut about voters, not big money donors, and they are now asking for our support to help us secure and fight for more victories.
Connecticut joins the ranks of Arizona and Maine among states with full public financing of statewide and legislative races. New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Vermont have Clean Money systems for some races, and the municipalities of Portland, Oregon and Albuquerque, New Mexico recently approved full public financing for citywide races.
PCAF is working in more than 30 states to make elections about voters not donors. Please find ways to support PCAF so they can strengthen their fight to bring Clean Elections to your state.
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The DART Center
The Direct Action & Research Training (DART) Network is a national network of grassroots, metropolitan, congregation-based, community organizations spread throughout the United States.
A DART organization is where people can achieve their dreams for social, racial, and economic justice. Each local organization in the DART Network has its own leaders, staff, funding base, and accomplishments toward justice at the local level. Unpaid leaders from the local community make the decisions and ultimately run these organizations. Organizing staff provides the facilitation, training, and leadership development needed to make it happen.
Recent victories include education reform, affordable housing investments, fair immigration policies, job training programs, and dozens of others. Local DART organizations are supported by the DART Center, Inc. based in Miami.
The DART Organizers Institute is a paid, four-month, field school for people interested in launching a career committed to building power for a greater degree of justice.
At the DART Organizers Institute you will learn to train others and build relationships. These skills will help you cut problems into winnable issues, and take successful direct action to deal with surfacing community problems. Applications are being accepted now!
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Inspiration Point
What Are Moral Values?
by Rev Dr Robin Meyers, 11/2004
This speech was given by Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers, in November of 2004 during a Peace Rally at Oklahoma University. Our purpose in highlighting this article is not to promote the faith but rather the messenger and his message. Since this speech was given, it has been circulating continuously and it has touched thousands upon thousands of hearts and minds across the country. It surfaced yet again on a National list about three weeks ago and again last week. This speech helps remind us that there is no monopoly on Moral Values.
"As some of you know, I am minister of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, a church in northwest Oklahoma City, and professor of Rhetoric at Oklahoma City University. But you would most likely have encountered me on the pages of the Oklahoma Gazette, where I have been a columnist for six years, and hold the record for the most number of angry letters to the editor. Tonight, I join ranks of those who are angry, because I have watched as the faith I love has been taken over by those who claim to speak for Jesus, but whose actions are anything but Christian.
We've heard a lot lately about so-called "moral values" as having swung the election to President Bush. Well, I'm a great believer in moral values, but we need to have a discussion, all over this country, about exactly what constitutes a moral value -- I mean what are we talking about? Because we don't get to make them up as we go along, especially not if we are people of faith. We have an inherited tradition of what is right and wrong, and moral is as moral does. Let me give you just a few of the reasons why I take issue with those in power who claim moral values are on their side:
I'm tired of people thinking that because I'm a Christian, I must be a supporter of President Bush, or that because I favor civil rights and gay rights I must not be a person of faith. I'm tired of people saying that I can't support the troops but oppose the war.
I heard that when I was your age, when the Vietnam war was raging. We knew that that war was wrong, and you know that this war is wrong -- the only question is how many people are going to die before these make-believe Christians are removed from power?
This country is bankrupt. The war is morally bankrupt. The claim of this administration to be Christian is bankrupt. And the only people who can turn things around are people like you--young people who are just beginning to wake up to what is happening to them. It's your country to take back. It's your faith to take back. It's your future to take back.
Don't be afraid to speak out. Don't back down when your friends begin to tell you that the cause is righteous and that the flag should be wrapped around the cross, while the rest of us keep our mouths shut. Real Christians take chances for peace. So do real Jews, and real Muslims, and real Hindus, and real Buddhists--so do all the faith traditions of the world at their heart believe one thing: life is precious. Every human being is precious. Arrogance is the opposite of faith. Greed is the opposite of charity. And believing that one has never made a mistake is the mark of a deluded man, not a man of faith. And war -- war is the greatest failure of the human race -- and thus the greatest failure of faith.
There's an old rock and roll song, whose lyrics say it all: War, what is it good for? absolutely nothing. And what is the dream of the prophets? That we should study war no more, that we should beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks.
Who would Jesus bomb, indeed?
How many wars does it take to know that too many people have died? What if they gave a war and nobody came? Maybe one day we will find out.
Time to march again my friends. Time to commit acts of civil disobedience. Time to sing, and to pray, and refuse to participate in the madness."
Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers, Oklahoma City
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Fielding Your Opinion
The Spirit of Tookie Williams
a letter written by James Rucker, co-founder of Color of Change- printed with permission
Last night, as I stood outside the gates of San Quentin, I tried to think of what good could come from the killing that was happening inside. I couldn't think of anything. Several times I read Gov. Schwarzenegger's statement explaining why he denied clemency to Williams, looking for a logical explanation that I could accept, even if I didn't agree with it. I couldn't find that either.
Gov. Schwarzenegger missed an opportunity, and we suffered a loss. Schwarzenegger chose to follow a line of logic that was simple and flawed, refusing to acknowledge the benefit of Williams' work and going through pains to explicitly deny it. He dismissed the fact that the black community, which has borne the brunt of the effects of gang violence, largely stood in support of Williams. More troubling, Schwarzenegger cited Williams' celebration of Angela Davis, Malcolm X, and Mumia Abu-Jamal, among others--folks who many of us regard as heroes--as evidence that he hasn't truly shunned violence. Schwarzenegger doesn't realize that these folks are our heroes--strong voices who have followed their convictions, took amazing personal risks, and who above all have worked in service of social justice and a better society. Mr. Williams became one of those people, too.
Not a single life destroyed because of gangs or Mr. Williams will be brought back--not the victims of the crimes for Mr. Williams was accused and convicted, not the gang members whose lives have been destroyed because of the choices they made. And we, as a community that is attempting to take care of itself, lost a powerful voice.
To the 3,710 ColorOfChange.org members who claimed ownership of Tookie Williams and his legacy, who engaged the complexity of the situation and stood up and made your voices heard, thank you. This is what we all hope to do--become informed, engaged, and stand up. And to those who gave the issue consideration but could not sign on, thank you too, for engaging the issue.
Our thoughts go out to those for whom Williams sought deliverance and redemption and to all those needing peace--Tookie Williams, himself, the victims of those who suffered as a result of Williams' actions or other gang activity, Tookie Williams' family, those affected by systemic injustice, and all of us. As we continue without the presence of Tookie, let's hope that each of us will do what we can to increase justice and spread peace, wherever we find ourselves--our communities, our country, our world. No doubt, it's the way Tookie would want us to support his legacy.
Thank You and Peace,
-- James Rucker, ColorOfChange.org
December 13th, 2005
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SITE SEEING
Clothing of the American Mind: Recent Activism
An open letter to fellow activists
In early December, Clothing of the American Mind, along with our friends at Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), attended various Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Young Democrats of America (YDA) events in Phoenix, Arizona during the DNC Winter Meeting.
Highlights of the weekend included PDA’s welcome reception attended by more than 500 DNC members, state party chairs, progressive Congressional candidates and PDA and grassroots activists from around the country. Tom Hayden, Rep. Maxine Waters, AZ State Representative Kyrsten Sinema, actress/activist Mimi Kennedy and many others noted Dems were also in attendance. A solo performance by guitarist Tim Reynolds of The Dave Matthews Band capped off the evening.
In January, Clothing of the American Mind will be heading back to Washington, DC to attend the inaugural conference of a new progressive student organization, that will unite young progressives nationwide under one umbrella and feature a steering committee with representatives from colleges and universities across the country.
This exciting new organization will be a national voice for students in the capital, a continuous lobby force fighting for student rights, working closely with the Hip Hop Caucus, Progressive Democrats of America, the United Progressives for Democracy coalition and it will be at the forefront of America’s new Youth Power Movement. Students who are interested in representing their university, college or themselves are encouraged to attend and take an active part in making history.
Clothing of the American Mind also has volunteer and college credit internship opportunities available in various cities. Please visit their site for more information!
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Greening Your Auto Club: Better World Club
All the end-of year festivals offer us a chance to help heal the earth. To bring light not only into the winter darkness but into the dark of hopeless, helpless doom that often overshadows us. Here is an example of how to make light in a dark time.
Most people who are committed to healing the earth find it necessary to use automobiles, even knowing the damage they are causing. Many of us are working for deep changes in social policy that will make for less need to drive autos – but meanwhile ---- here we are.
Many drivers find it very helpful to belong to an auto club in case of a bad battery, a tire blowout, an accident. The biggest club is AAA. But AAA is really run not by its members but by the auto industry. And it supports and strengthens the earth-destroying system of oil/ gasoline/ autos/ highways.
THERE IS AN AUTO CLUB FOR THE REST OF US.
It is the Better World Club. It takes a pro-active stance for mass transit, bikes, etc. – ways of reducing the power of Big Oil and our own oil addiction. Membership provides not only emergency road service for cars AND BIKES (!!) but discounts on hybrid cars (!) and on auto maintenance, rebates on gasoline purchases; and Better World donates 1% of its annual revenues toward environmental cleanup and advocacy.
You can reach it, get more information and join up or give someone else a membership, by clicking here.
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Wand: Women's Action for New Directions
WAND was founded in 1982 as Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament. With the end of the cold war, we became Women's Action for New Directions, and have been dedicating our energies to redirect federal budget priorities away from the military and toward human needs.
WAND's goals are to:
Find out more about WAND here!
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THE TOOL SHED
Know your enemy: the Free Market Project
The economics division of the Media Research Center, "The Leader in Documenting, Exposing and Neutralizing Liberal Media Bias", the Free Market Project (FMP) purports to audit the media’s coverage of the free enterprise system. FMP's goal is to bring "balance" to economic reporting and promote a "fair" portrayal of the business community in the media.
Editor's note: you may want to make sure you're in striking distance of the bathroom before continuing...
FMP, the only organization in the world dedicated to the unique challenge of correcting misconceptions about free enterprise in the media, provides resources for journalists, such as connections to sources who can provide propaganda speak intelligently about the economy.
FMP offers links as additional resources identifying various organizations which provide conservative and free market perspectives on current issues and information on free market economics and philosophy, and economic and business news and information they believe is useful in furthering corporate influence thought provoking and useful to our supporters.
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Fair Vote: Leading the way in voter reform!
FairVote seeks elections that promote voter turnout, fair representation, inclusive policy and meaningful choices by building on our nation's history of improving upon the American experiment. As a catalyst for electoral reforms such as instant runoff voting, proportional voting, direct election of the President and automatic voter registration, FairVote conducts research, analysis, education and organizing to ensure all Americans can exercise their right to vote and elect representatives who reflect America's racial and political diversity.
FairVote has five program areas:
This past year, Fair Vote, and it's supporters, have been victorious in many areas of voter reform. Check out their site to find out how you can make 2006 even more successful!
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Progressive Punch
ProgressivePunch is a non-partisan searchable database of Congressional voting records from a Progressive perspective. It is extremely useful irrespective of an individual's political positions.
Progressive Punch shows the performance of members within 160 different issue categories with detailed vote descriptions, thereby empowering you to zero in on what matters to you. To see how progressively your member has voted or explore a policy issue that interests you, select from one of the many search options offered.
Visit Progressive Punch today to find out how your representatives have been voting.
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Wal-Mart Watch
In Spring 2005, Wal-Mart Watch began its nationwide public education campaign to challenge the world’s largest retailer to become a better employer, neighbor, and corporate citizen.
By connecting and supporting the myriad efforts already underway across the country, Wal-Mart Watch serves as a catalyst for coordinated action, a fact-based presence on the truths about Wal-Mart’s business model, and the nation’s premiere on-line resource center for Wal-Mart educational tools.
Wal-Mart Watch invites your ideas, participation, and commitment to establishing higher standards for the world’s largest company.
For those of you who have joined in the push for Wal-Mart to create a more fair and balanced working and shopping environment Wal-Mart Watch is the place to go.
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GFA News
More Joy, Less Guilt! Shop at alonovo.com
alonovo.com provides up-to-date socially responsible information on hundreds of companies to help you shop on-line responsibly and help Grassroots for America fulfill its mission in the bargain.
Register at alonovo.com and select Grassroots for America as your affiliated organization and shop 'till you drop!
Bring Them Home Magnets and GFA Progressive Premiums
Click on the Ribbon for information on purchasing the Bring Them Home Ribbon/Magnets
You can find our Premiums on our Grassroots Premium Page
Grassroots for America has a variety of Premiums available for you!
To include:
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Looking For A Few Great Volunteers!
Grassroots for America is putting out a call for activists who wish to contribute your creative abilities to our newsletter!
In order for us to gather a full spectrum of experiences and stories we would like to build upon our already awesome team of writers.
All it would entail is a few hours a month and your desire to share your writing and/or editing talent.
Please contact Pam-at-grassrootsforamerica.us if you wish to become part of our team.
We thank you for your support!
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About Our Newsletter
Newsletter Production: Pam Paul
Send Letters to the Editor to: editor-at-grassrootsforamerica.us
Send content submissions to: news-at-grassrootsforamerica.us
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VISIT OUR WEB SITE
Grassroots for America is a resource for progressive grassroots organizations across the nation, connecting groups and providing services, infrastructure and consulting to:
- Energize their ideas and bring them to life
- Connect with like-minded teams across the country
- Mobilize bodies of voters for active citizen engagement
- Publicize their projects utilizing a professional PR and Media team
- Multiply the impact of every grassroots initiative.
Grassroots for AmericaSM is a not-for-profit corporation operating as an IRS chapter 501(c)4 organization.
 Your contribution will help us help the progressive grassroots grow. |
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