DFA National Endorses - Russ Warner - CA 26th Congressional District!

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Oct 23, 2008 3:31 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena, Glendale DFA

I just got word today that DFA in National has endorsed Russ Warner here in the CA 26th Congressional District!!  You should be very proud because DFA only endorses candidates that it thinks reflect the values which we were founded upon - fiscally conservative, socially progressive, and all about grassroots organizing to elect candidates at all levels of government.

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Pasadena DFA workin' on the weekends for Russ.

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Sep 23, 2008 11:42 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena, Glendale DFA

I wanted to share a few pictures and words of thanks to some great volunteers from Pasadena DFA. 

This past weekend a few of us walked precincts in Walnut, CA.  Red territory in the San Gabriel Valley.  Here are a couple of us at our starting point in Claremont, CA - Claremont Democratic Club.

Thanks to Ann Bailey, Judy Hochenhauer, Ahmed Kassem, Linda Fidel, Mickey Weinberg, and Maddie Gavel!

We need the rest of you in Pasadena DFA to pitch in.  It's great that the folks from the steering committee are showing up, but as members of our group, we need you to show your support too!

This is what Pasadena is all about through election day, November 4th!

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Pasadena DFA Supports Gold Line Extension at 6/26 LA Metro Board Meeting

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Jul 6, 2008 12:21 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Continuing in the spirit of keeping you all informed about some late June work that Pasadena DFA was a part of, we had a big - though unsuccessful day - on June 26th at the MTA Board Meeting in downtown LA.

On Thursday, June 26th we rode the Gold Line and met at Union Station.  Details can be found here about the event.   At this critical meeting, a revised Long Range Transportation Plan was presented to the Metro Board for adoption which we had hoped would include amendments that would lead to securing funding towards construction and operation of the Foothill Extension for the Metro Gold Line.

It was make-it or break-it time for this year seeing constuction begin on the San Gabriel Valley's long-sought Gold Line Extension light rail project.  It did not pass despite having a room half-filled with San Gabriel Valley supporters.   It did not pass despite our CA Assemblyman, Anthony Portantino being there, nor the mayors of most every city on the proposed route.

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Pasadena DFA at Sierra Madre 4th of July Parade

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Jul 5, 2008 1:16 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Happy 4th of July weekend 2008!  Pasadena DFA gathered in Sierra Madre at the home of member, Ahmed Kassem.  He and our good friend Linda were kind enough to host us.

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Pasadena DFA Takes a Stand for Light Rail

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Apr 13, 2008 5:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Pasadena DFA had their Chapter meeting last week and used it as an opportunity to get behind a local issue. It's progressive, community-oriented, and will make a lot of people's lives in the San Gabriel Valley better - light rail.

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Pasadena DFA - 5th Anniversary of the War Vigil

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Mar 20, 2008 5:21 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Pasadena DFA worked with the national Moveon.org rallies to create an event to mark the 5th Year Anniversary of the Start of the Iraq War yesterday evening.  The event was successful beyond our expectations!

Almost all the Pasadena DFA Steering Committee members were present!  We attracted a few new members and some regulars.  Altogether, we had 120 plus Pasadena neighbors show up.  Some of those neighbors came from as far away as La Puente and downtown Los Angeles.

Hats off to Maddie Gavel-Briggs for doing a great job coordinating with the local press.  We got our main paper, the Pasadena Star News to run a story on our vigil front page!  We also got about a minute of TV coverage on channel 4 - KNBC!  Here's a link to the newspaper coverage (wish they had gotten our group's name right):

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_8632169

For a different approach to our rally, commuters saw a Burma-Shave style signage before even getting to our intersection.

More on the flip:

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Pasadena DFA Endorses Russ Warner in the CA 26th Congressional District

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Mar 8, 2008 11:44 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Pasadena DFA isn't satisfied working just in its own CA 29th Congressional District. No, we want to help a neighboring and very red district go blue. The CA 26th Congressional District has been represented for too long by a 25 year Rupublican incumbent - David Dreier. This year will be his last year representing this district!

Pasadena DFA is endorsing Democrat, Russ Warner, for Congress in the CA 26th Congressional District!

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Leadership and Inspiration from Jim Dean and Arshad Hasan!

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Feb 27, 2008 9:32 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

The Pasadena DFA leadership got to meet with Jim Dean and Arshad Hasan yesterday evening. The last debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was on when they arrived but that quickly faded into the background!

More below the fold: 

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DFA Pasadena Fights for Universal Healthcare and against FISA telecom immunity

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Feb 13, 2008 4:17 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

I wanted to write a brief post to say how incredibly proud I am to be a member of such a great group of DFA'ers in Pasadena. We got together for our monthly meeting a little later than the rest of you but we really got to work.

This is the tangible result of a night's work. 52 letters to our state, congressional and senatorial representatives on two subjects we feel very passionately about:

Shiela Kuehl's SB 840 - Universal Health Care

and

Fighting the Democratic Senate's failure to strip telecom immunity from the FISA bill today.

 We're also excited about taking on Republican Congressman, David Dreier ("FIRE DREIER") and supporting Russ Warner in the San Gabriel Valley. In fact, our next meeting will be held in the heart of the 26th Congressional District - Monrovia, CA and will be all about how we can tie ourselves into Russ' campaign.

We talked about DFA Nightschool and the upcoming DFA Training Academy in San Diego on April 5-6. We hope to send a sizable delegation from Los Angeles so we are really ready for Russ's campaign and can begin to find other candidates to help us take our country back.

This group wasn't done either. Several more from our meeting tonight will be at a house party for "Uncounted" on Wednesday evening. Our newest steering committee member, Patrick, is hosting.

In the wake of an incredible grassroots victory in Maryland's 4th Congressional District, and after such a great meeting of enthusiastic DFA'ers, I realize that hope and community are alive for us in Pasadena. We are proud to be a part of Democracy for America!

Can Pasadena become a 'city of justice?'

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Oct 21, 2007 1:07 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

We often hear that we should think local in our politics. Pasadena resident, Peter Dreier (proud to say he lives on my block!), has an important essay out on the centrality of affordable housing, an involved citizenry with their city council, and a good public education system, to a socially just Pasadena community. Please read these links to find out more:

http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/print.php?id=18365

Here is a link to a report commissioned by the Pasadena Educational Foundation. It was written by Richard Kahlenberg, an educational consultant. The report pointed out that Pasadena has more world-class institutions colleges, museums, theaters, hospitals, and science-based businesses -- than any other city its size. If these institutions and the broader community got behind our public schools, there's no reason that PUSD couldn't be a first-class school system.

http://www.pusd.us/article.php?story=20060606114711995

Peter Dreier also recently wrote a feature story for the Pasadena Weekly titled, "Separate and Unequal: Nowhere in California is the gap between rich and poor greater than in Pasadena" Please give this a read. All three of these links get very specific about our community's challenges and hopes.

http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php?id=5087&IssueNum=89

If you feel moved to get involved or are already involved on this issue, please contact us. Our leadership would like to involve YOU to take action in support of a more socially just Pasadena.

Regards,

Patrick Briggs,
Pasadena DFA Chapter Leader