Tell Our Senators: We All Deserve Full Equality

Tell Our Senators: We All Deserve Full Equality	Take Action!
Help Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment by 2015
Tell Our Senators to Lift the Time Limit from the ERA   Please join our call for equality! PDA members will be lobbying with our sister United for Equality coalition members in the Senate Wednesday and Thursday this week. We need your support! Your calls will help raise awareness for the visits. See below for background information, a call-in script, and tips for a successful call.   PDA stood up for equality with our allies   National Director Tim Carpenter said, "We strongly endorse Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin's Resolution [HJ Res 47] to 'remove the deadline for ratification and clarify that upon ratification by three additional states, the Equal Rights Amendment will be added to the United States Constitution.'" PDA National Board Member Rep. Woolsey said: "It is with great pride that I stand with this bipartisan group in support of the long-overdue Equal Rights Amendment..... Here’s the text of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, 'Section 1: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.' Replace the word 'sex' with 'race', and there would not be a single dissenting vote in the entire United States Congress."   Please call during working hours through July 1st. You can follow up in about a week, and ask if your Senators have made any decision yet. For a direct line to your Senators, use this action alert. Tips for a Successful Call   Ask to speak with the Senator's staffer working on constitutional and/or women's issues. If that person is unavailable, ask to leave a message on their voice-mail. Note: It's critically important to stress that you're calling to support a resolution removing the time limit from the ERA, not the "start over" new ERA legislation. Please limit your remarks to this issue only. Include your own experiences which pertain to the ERA. MORE INFORMATION: See: United4Equality.com and U4E's Facebook page.

Making History! ERA Lobby Days--this Weds. and Thurs.

Please join us in the Senate office buildings this Wednesday and
Thursday to lobby for quick ratification of the ERA.

We'll meet in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Basement Cafeteria at
10 AM
(Closest Metro Stop: Union Station on the Red Line)

Even if you can't make it, please share this email with all your
progressive local lists, contacts, feminists and ERA supporters.

United for Equality (U4E) is organizing meetings with Senators and their
staffers this week to gain a sponsor and cosponsors for HJ Res 47, the
measure to lift the time limit from the ERA. 47 would allow ratification
of the ERA upon the votes of three state legislatures.

38 states are required, and 35 have already voted to ratify. Rep. Tammy
Baldwin 47, and there are currently about 2 dozen cosponsors in the
House. U4E and coalition member Progressive Democrats of America set up
a national call-in effort this week, with people from all around the
country calling their Senators to express support for 47. We'll cover
all the key Senators' offices.

Even if you didn't make the training session, you can still join the
effort! No one will be thrown in over their head!

We'll meet ahead of time to prepare. By the time we start lobbying,
we'll all be ready to make history.

We'll have talking points, and folders to give Senators and staffers.
We'll work in teams of 3 or more.

People lobbying for the first time will be teamed with experienced
lobbyists.

Please contact Carolyn Cook: ccook@united4equality.com to RSVP for one
or both days. Even if you can't RSVP, please show up!

Senator Kerry wants to hear from YOU!

Senator Kerry wants to hear from YOU!

Comment on this post and forward this link far and wide...thank you!

http://www.pdamerica.org/blog/view/from-senator-john-f-kerry/

We really need to step up comments...Senator Kerry and his staff are
watching this closely.

http://www.pdamerica.org/blog/view/from-senator-john-f-kerry/

SENATE LOBBY DAY Thursday, June 30

United 4 Equality coalition to host SENATE LOBBY DAY for HJ Res. 47

Capitol Hill, Thursday, June 30, 2011 from 10am - 5pm.

Training offered. Paired up in teams. Interested in joining us?

Email info@united4equality.com with your name, # in group, lobbying
experience if any, and phone #.

No experience necessary. Feminist Passion and purpose highly desirable!

We'll have ERA cheat sheets for volunteers and materials packets for
distribution to Senators!

Come on out and join history-in-the-making! Goal: Senate introduction of
our bill a.s.a.p!

Please share with ALL your feminist, equality-loving contacts!

Healthcare NOT Warfare in the Senate.

Healthcare NOT Warfare in the Senate.

Last Push--Deadline 5 PM ET Monday!

Dear Friend,

On Tuesday, June 7, PDA joined our friends, National Nurses United/California Nurses Association (NNNU/CNA) in a hugely successful rally and lobby day in Washington. Over 2,000 people attended the rally in the morning, before dozens of citizen lobbyists headed to the Hill to meet with Democratic senators or their aides.

We delivered our letter, asking for a significant troop withdrawal from Afghanistan beginning in July and to support Sanders' single-payer bill (S. 915)—signed by more than 16,000 peace advocates—to all the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Although we fell short of our goal to collect 25,000 signatures by June 7, the Senate is still considering the Defense Authorization Act, and we're still actively seeking more signers. At our meeting with Sen. John Kerry, we promised to deliver 10,000 more signatures on June 21. We're close to reaching that goal, but your signature can put us over the top and beyond. Click here to help us surpass our goal.

Thank you to our friends at NNU/CNA, U.S. Labor Against the War, Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare, Healthcare-NOW!, CODEPINK, RootsAction, and United for Peace and Justice, who also circulated the letter among their members.

A special thank you to PDA Advisory Board member Thom Hartmann, who featured Healthcare NOT Warfare co-chairs Donna Smith and Norman Solomon on his June 8 program. Watch it here!

If you have already signed the letter, thank you. Please ask your like-minded friends and family members to sign it, too. If you haven't signed it yet, please sign here and pass this along. (Remember to delete the "unsubscribe" link at the very bottom of your forward before sending.)

We're closer than we've ever been to ending the war in Afghanistan, and the issue of spiraling healthcare costs is still unaddressed. The time is ripe for Healthcare NOT Warfare. Please help us top our goal.

In solidarity,

Tim Carpenter for PDA

Help bring our message of Healthcare NOT Warfare to the Senate

Help bring our message of Healthcare NOT Warfare to the Senate
Sign the Letter PDA is bringing to the Senate Democratic Caucus

Prominent peace and justice advocates have signed this letter. Please add your signature by completing the form below. The letter was delivered to the Senate as part of the June 7 Rally with the Nurses and Citizens Lobby Day with over 16,000 signatures. We will continue to gather even more signatures as the Senate debate continues.

To: The Honorable Senators of the Democratic Caucus
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Democratic Senators,

We, the undersigned, express our support for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Afghanistan Withdrawal Resolution, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee and passed on February 26, 2011.

We support the American Health Security Act of 2011 (S.915), sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, which will move us to a single-payer healthcare system.....

To read more and sign, please click this link: http://bit.ly/senate-letter

Then, please send this email to all your contacts, friends and lists.

To go the extra mile, post the following on your Facebook page:

Still going! Sign the Letter to Senators for Healthcare NOT Warfare! PDA will keep taking your signatures to the Hill to demonstrate strong support for our values--peace and expanded, improved Medicare for all.  Share this with all your Facebook friends, on email, etc. Thank you! http://bit.ly/senate-letter

You're invited to help make history TOMORROW!

Reminder: you're invited to join us TOMORROW to prepare for our Lobby 4
Equality June 29, 2011
(Please share this email with all equality advocates and feminists you
know.)

We're working to gain ratification for the the Equal Rights Amendment
which states:

"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States or by any state on account of sex."

Join Montgomery County NOW, Maryland NOW, Progressive Democrats of
America, Montgomery County Progressive Alliance and friends who are
teaming up to lobby Congress in support of House Joint Resolution 47 (HJ
Res 47) under the leadership of United 4 Equality, LLC :
http://www.united4equality.com

SCHEDULE:
1. LOBBY TRAINING Saturday, June 18th 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Saigonese Restaurant 11232 Grandview Avenue Wheaton, MD 20902-4632
(a few blocks from the Wheaton Metro stop, red line)

This is an inexpensive, good restaurant. People can get tea or coffee
or a dessert--or nothing.

INSTRUCTOR Andrea Miller, PDA's National Deputy Field Director has
graciously offered to host our lobby training this Saturday at no cost
to attendees. Andrea is a seasoned organizer and former Congressional
candidate from Virginia. She will be speaking at the National NOW
Conference next weekend in Tampa and will prepare us for our big day in
two weeks.

FACILITATOR Mike Hersh, PDA, MCPA and MC NOW, will discuss plans for
upcoming events and ways we can all support the ERA 2015 campaign effort.

2. CONFERENCE CALL (time and date TBA) to discuss and finalize plans,
instructions for lobbying.

3. LOBBY DAY / CALL-IN DAY Wednesday, June 29 Senate Office Bldgs 10am
- 6pm
If you cannot make the training session, you can still join the lobby
day effort! We'll meet ahead of time at the Senate Office Bldgs. to
prepare you. By the time we start lobbying, we'll all be ready to make
history.

BACKGROUND:
"47" is an exciting, new strategy developed by an MC NOW member and
founder of United 4 Equality, LLC, Carolyn Cook, urging Congress to
remove any time limit for ratification of the 1972 Equal Rights
Amendment. Her proposal avoids "starting over" (that would require 326
representatives, 67 senators and 38 states to pass).

Instead, "47" safeguards victories previously won in Congress and 35
states to end sex discrimination under the Constitution and ensures that
a path to equality exists in perpetuity for the final three states
needed. It is imperative as corporations seek 2012 candidates willing to
do their bidding that citizens recognize the advantages in establishing
equal rights for all under law.

Updates on the ERA: Thanks to the hard work and leadership of United for
Equality, we're gaining more House cosponsors. This week, feminist
advocate, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, joined Maryland's Chris Van
Hollen and Donna Edwards, and DNC Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz,
Keith Ellison, Dennis Kucinich, and others on "47". Congresswoman Tammy
Baldwin introduced the bill in March.

We are currently seeking a Senate sponsor for introduction. Prime
targets are Al Franken and Lisa Murkowski among others. Lobby Day will
target the Senate Judiciary Committee where Ben Cardin sits. Of course
we won't forget to visit our own Barbara Mikulski to ask her to back HJ
Res 47.

REMEMBER: No one will be thrown in over their head! We'll work in teams
of 3 or more. People lobbying for the first time will be teamed with
experienced lobbyists. We will gather at the Senate Office Buildings 10
am on Wednesday, June 29th. We hope to cover all the key Senators'
offices. We'll have talking points, and folders to give Senators and
staffers.

Hope to see you there tomorrow, and / or June 29th!

Mike

express your support for healthcare not warfare

Sign the Letter to the Senate Democratic Caucus

sign here: http://www.pdamerica.org/forms/sign/Sign-Letter-Senate-Democratic-Ca

Prominent peace and justice advocates have signed this letter. Please add your signature. The letter was delivered to the Senate as part of the June 7 Rally with the Nurses and Citizens Lobby Day with over 16,000 signatures. We will continue to gather even more signatures as the Senate debate continues.

Please sign the letter here: http://www.pdamerica.org/forms/sign/Sign-Letter-Senate-Democratic-Ca

To: The Honorable Senators of the Democratic Caucus
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Democratic Senators,

We, the undersigned, express our support for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Afghanistan Withdrawal Resolution, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee and passed on February 26, 2011.

We support the American Health Security Act of 2011 (S.915), sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, which will move us to a single-payer healthcare system.

The resolution and Sanders' S.915 express the intent of the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign, which is to eliminate unnecessary military spending and redirect those funds to meet the very real need for comprehensive health coverage for all.

The vast majority of Americans are facing economic hardship brought on by policies that have favored the elite over working families. Foreclosures, high unemployment, bankruptcies, and loss of equity, savings, and pensions, accompanied by the rising costs of food, education, gasoline, and energy, have impacted the lives of most Americans.

While much of this problem was created on Wall Street and the failure of regulatory bodies to protect us, we recognize that the spiraling costs of healthcare and continuing to fight a war of choice in Afghanistan are responsible for a significant portion of the national debt and the hardships many Americans face.

With two major spending bills facing the Senate—the Defense Authorization Act and the 2012 budget—we encourage Senate Democrats to offer amendments that will cut unnecessary military spending and redirect those funds to providing healthcare for all and preserving and expanding Social Security and Medicare.

As peace and justice advocates, we expect our Democratic Senators will follow the lead of the Party that elected them and act in compliance with the will of the majority of U.S. citizens by taking necessary steps to begin a significant drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, beginning in July, as dictated in the DNC Resolution. In addition, we ask that Democratic Senators move to contain the spiraling costs of healthcare and address the 47 million Americans currently lacking access to healthcare by co-sponsoring the American Health Security Act of 2011.

In kind regards,

[your name] if you sign the letter here: http://www.pdamerica.org/forms/sign/Sign-Letter-Senate-Democratic-Ca

Progressive Summit and Lobby Night

Monday, March 7, 2011 -- 5:30 8 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hosted by House Ways and Means Chairwoman Sheila Hixson
Sponsored by Senators Jamin Raskin, Roger Manno, and Karen Montgomery; and Delegates Tom Hucker and Heather Mizeur (others TBA)

All Maryland General Assembly members warmly welcomed!

House Ways and Means Committee Hearing Room
131, House Office Building 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD

Senators Paul Pinsky, Victor Ramirez, and Bill Ferguson; and Delegates Elizabeth Bobo,
Tom Hucker, Heather Mizeur, Al Carr, Eric Luedtke and others will participate.

The Summit will provide organizations and legislators an opportunity to unite support for specific bills, and build progressive momentum in Maryland.

To sponsor (help promote event) or participate, please contact: membership@mdpwg.org
Legislators please include: your name, committee assignment, and legislative priorities.

Organizations please include: your name, organization, contact info. and legislative priorities.

This year, PWG members voted to focus on six issues: Transparency in Government/Public Information Act Expansion, The Health Security Act, Campaign Finance Reform, Offshore Wind Farm, Cost of War/Fund Our Communities Campaign, and Combined Corporate Reporting--as well as facilitate progress on other issues. In past years, we've focused on issues including Marriage Equality, Paper Ballot Voting, Privacy Issues (ASVAB, Anti-Spying), Immigrants' Rights, Global Warming Legislation, and more.


The Progressive Working Group supports a wide political, economic and social agenda for the state of Maryland based on progressive principles and practical, effective solutions to the challenges we face. We promote progressive campaigns and candidates to advance the quality of life for all. We work to promote activism and participation by Maryland residents through outreach and education. We challenge candidates and elected officials to advance progressive values in their legislative actions. Many progressive groups are working on issues in Annapolis, often with limited cooperation or communication with other groups. The Progressive Working Group will create opportunities for progressive organizations to share information, assess legislation, as well as learn from and cooperate with each other on issues affecting the well-being of Maryland’s residents.

If you're interested in joining the PWG, email us at: membership@mdpwg.org
Please include: your name, organization, contact info. and legislative priorities

Progressive Working Group Coalition and Planning Meeting

Delegate Liz Bobo will join us and give us an update on her legislation in Annapolis 
Progressive Working Group Coalition and Planning Meeting, Saturday February 19th 3 - 5 PM

        Oakland Mills Interfaith Center AKA "The Meeting House"
        In the "The Quad" (Rooms 22 through 25)
        5885 Robert Oliver Place Columbia, Maryland
        Directions: http://www.themeetinghouse.org/direc.htm
        Near: Columbia Bank, Food Lion Grocery Store, etc.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=5885+Robert+Oliver+Place+Columbia+Maryland+21045

We'll discuss issues facing Maryland, and Progressive Working Group organizing

Legislative Forum in Silver Spring this Sunday January 23rd

Progressive Neighbors/Progressive Working Group Legislative Forum at IMPACT Silver Spring this Sunday January 23rd.

WHEN: Sunday afternoon Jan. 23rd, 2 p.m.
WHERE: IMPACT Silver Spring – 825 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring
WHY: Maryland faces a significant budget deficit. Will it be balanced on the backs of working Marylanders or will more progressive solutions be offered?
WHO: Sponsored by Progressive Neighbors and Progressive Working Group. Hosted by Impact Silver Spring.
For more information: Email malakoff@starpower.net or 301-587-5559

The forum will begin at 2:00 PM. If you are able to come at 1:45, we will be inviting people to come at that time to personally meet and speak with their legislators. To date, 10 senators and delegates have confirmed that they will be participating: Senators Raskin, Manno, and Madaleno; Delegates Hixson, Mizeur, Hucker, Luedtke, Gutierrez, Cullison, Robinson, and Carr.

Progressive Working Group's 6 Priority Issues: Transparency and Equal Access in Government, Combined Reporting, Offshore Wind Power, Public Financing of Campaigns, Health Security Act (Single-payer), Costs of War / "Fund our Communities--Bring the War Dollars Home"

Background On Priority Issues

Transparency and Equal Access in Government: This includes measures to make the Maryland General Assembly (GA) and other MD government deliberative bodies more transparent and promote equal access of petition for all individuals and organizations. After impressive successes last year (TEAG’s first year in existence), this year TEAG is pushing for (among other things): 1) all votes taken in all General Assembly subcommittees should be roll-call votes, recorded and posted on the GA website in a timely manner along with a brief description of the subject being considered; 2) a tracking of each bill that does not get reported out of committee, should be posted on the web along with a listing of the Committee where it stopped, and who was chairing that committee; 3) the Bill Hearing process should be overhauled so that the order in which bills are scheduled to be heard is posted on the website 24 hours in advance, and testifiers can sign up online the day of the hearing; and 4) all motions made in ALL committee proceedings should be recorded and summarized, and posted on the web along with the submitter's name. (For this designation of "committee" we include all Committees, Workgroups, Councils, Panels, Commissions, Boards, and Task Forces that are authorized and/or adjuncts to the General Assembly).

Combined Reporting: With the pressing budget crisis in Maryland, combined corporate reporting will generate needed income (potentially $100 million or more per year) from large multi-state corporations that are not paying their fair share in taxes – in many cases these corporations are actually not paying corporate income taxes to Maryland at all. They are able to manipulate the tax code to shift income reporting to states with low or no corporate income taxes.  Besides hurting Maryland's Treasury and important government programs, the current situation also gives these multinational corporations an unfair competitive advantage compared to in-state businesses that cannot take advantage of these loopholes.

Offshore Wind Power: The current proposal for a moderate-sized wind farm (about 600 MW) would create thousands of Maryland jobs in construction, operations, and maintenance. A recent study by the Abell Foundation stated that offshore wind power could produce the equivalent of two thirds of Maryland’s current electricity demand. >From 2002 to 2009, electricity prices rose 75 percent in Maryland. Wind energy prices are typically locked in for 25-year contracts, offering an alternative to current and future price hikes for fossil fuels. Currently, significant regulatory and market barriers exist at the state and national level that stand in the way of developing Maryland’s offshore wind potential. CCAN, the United Steelworkers, Environment Maryland, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, and the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter are working together leading an effort to bring offshore wind power to Maryland. Gov. Martin O'Malley plans to introduce legislation this year that would require utilities to enter into long-term contracts for offshore wind power. For more information, see: http://www.marylandoffshorewind.org

Public Financing of Campaigns: Introduced in the 2010 legislative session as “The Clean Money Bill (SB 681), this measure would reduce the undue influence of special interest campaign contributors in the Maryland General Assembly by creating a voluntary, publicly-funded way to run for legislative office. How it works: To participate in the public funding of campaigns system, a candidate must demonstrate board community support by collecting a large number of small contributions in the district she or he wishes to represent within a specified amount of time. If successful, the candidate receives enough public funds to wage a competitive primary and, if she or he wins, general election campaign. If a privately financed opponent outspends her or him, the candidate receives offsetting funds up to a certain point.

Health Security Act: Single-payer (Medicare-like) health care financing for Maryland. Federal health care legislation, the Affordable Care Act, will not provide all Marylanders with health care, nor will it control costs to individuals or the state.  Based on previous studies an upcoming economic impact study by the Lewin Group is expected to demonstrate that a single-payer, tax-financed, privately delivered system will save money, help businesses and provide comprehensive health care for all Marylanders.  Maryland’s Medicaid bill accounts for over half of the budget shortfall, but the Health Security Act would cover everyone for less money.  In 2010 fifty legislators supported the legislation.

Costs of War / "Fund our Communities--Bring the War Dollars Home": Maryland’s contribution to the FY 2010 Pentagon budget was $13.65 billion. Meanwhile, the entire Maryland State budget was $13.9 billion. We need to redirect spending from the Pentagon to local communities. That way, we can fund veterans’ services, jobs, education, the environment, infrastructure, and housing. PWG will work with members of the Maryland General Assembly to draft and sign a letter to Maryland's representatives and senators in the U.S. Congress.  The letter will advocate national legislation to reduce the annual military budget by 25%, with savings to support state, local and community needs. For more information, see: http://ourfunds.org

Combined MeetUp/Meeting for MCPA, DFMC, PDA, and more.

Combined MeetUp/Meeting for MCPA, DFMC, PDA, and more.
Progressive Coalition Meeting to plan future events and actions.

Please join the Progressive Victory Meetup to stay involved with the combined meetup events we've held since 2003. See: http://www.meetup.com/progressive-victory/  

7 PM Tuesday February 1st
Saigonese Restaurant,
11232 Grandview Ave
Silver Spring (Wheaton), MD 20902
Public Transportation: Short walk from Wheaton Metro (red line)
Google Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=11232+Grandview+Ave+Silver+Spring+MD+20902

Report on progress in our county and state on Healthcare, the Environment, Education, Labor, Transportation, Energy and other issues. We're building up our coalition and lobby efforts on the state and national level, planning special events, forming a steering committee, and working on meetings with legislators, and other organizations.

Please join the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/mcprogressivealliance
If you're on Facebook, please join the MCPA group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3401340272&ref=ts

1. MCPA: The Montgomery County Progressive Alliance is a result-oriented coalition working on local, state, national and international issues. MCPA includes more than 1,000 local activists, mainly in and around Montgomery County Maryland. The organization began in 2003 when Democracy for America Meetup members reached out to other Meetup groups and other groups. In 2004, 100s of Montgomery County for Kerry members and local Progressive Democrats of America members joined the MCPA. MCPA adopted a mission statement, organized special events, and has held meetings nearly each month since 2003.

2. DFA/DFMC: Democracy for America emerged from Gov. Howard Dean's presidential campaign in 2004, and has organized grass-roots activists to support socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates. DFMC is Democracy for Montgomery County, a local DFA-inspired organization which is not directly or legally affiliated with DFA. DFMC has organized events and meetings; and endorsed and organized volunteers for several candidates. DFMC is currently seeking additional steering committee members. Please contact me, mikehersh@mikehersh.com if you're interested. You can sign up for DFA here: http://democracyforamerica.com/session/new

3. PDA: Progressive Democrats of America began just after the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Bringing together people from the 2004 Kucinich and Dean Campaigns with other progressives, PDA adopted an "inside/outside strategy" uniting activists working inside the Democratic Party with those working in peace and justice movements. PDA's core issues include clean, accurate and transparent elections; environmental protection; single-payer healthcare; economic and social justice; and peace. See: http://www.PDAmerica.org You can sign up for PDA there.

Other organizations working in our area:

PWG: The Progressive Working Group is a coalition promoting progress and reform, economic fairness and equality, protecting the environment, and more. PWG is not part of the MCPA, but the MCPA is part of the PWG which currently includes: Audubon Naturalist Society, CASA of Maryland, Democracy for Montgomery County, Equality Maryland, Health Care Now, Montgomery County Progressive Alliance, Montgomery Health Care Action, PeaceAction Montgomery, Peace and Justice of Prince George's County, Progressive Cheverly, Progressive Democrats of America (Maryland), Progressive Neighbors, Save Our Votes, and Upcounty Action. PWG will focus on 2 or 3 issues during the 2011 session. Progressive organizations are welcome to join PWG. Please contact Wally Malakoff malakoff@starpower.net for more information.

NOW: The National Organization for Women has been advancing womens' issues including general progressive causes for decades. See: http://www.now.org/ for more information. Contact Montgomery County NOW membership chairperson Jeannette Feldner lj.feldner@verizon.net to join. Men as well as women are welcome to join NOW.

OfA: Organizing for America emerged from President Obama's campaign in 2008, and is organizing grass-roots activists to support the Democratic National Committee/Obama agenda. OfA is sponsoring local efforts in each congressional district which are not directly or legally affiliated with the DNC. OfA is currently sponsoring phone banks, organizing meetings, and building a "rapid response" media effort. Please contact Jon Randall jrandall39@comcast.net for more information. See http://www.barackobama.com/learn/about_ofa.php

MoveOn is a national political action organization and has a local council in Silver Spring and elsewhere around Maryland. Local MoveOn members have cooperated with MCPA on town halls, vigils, phone banking, and other actions. See http://www.moveon.org to join your local council.

To have your organization or events listed here, please contact me.

Thanks for reading down this far, and hope to see you at the meeting and future events,

Mike Hersh, Meetup Organizer
Chairperson, MCPA and DFMC
Maryland State Coordinator, PDA
Steering Committee, PWG