Summer is just around the corner

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Apr 19, 2007 12:12 PM EDT

Linked to groups: 2007 Summer Interns

Hi All,

Summer is rapidly approaching and I wanted to give everybody a chance to introduce themself before we begin our work together this summer.

Everybody at DFA is getting very excited about your arrival and we are looking forward to an awesome summer.

Kyle 

Join us for Al Gore's Slide Show

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Apr 6, 2007 5:32 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA HQ Grassroots

Democracy for America announced some exciting news this week -- we have gone carbon neutral! We have partnered with NativeEnergy in Charlotte and we're investing in wind and methane projects in four states. We are not stopping there. DFA will continue spreading the word until we get a better national energy policy.

Thomas Hand -- who works for NativeEnergy and attended Al Gore's training to deliver the Inconvenient Truth slide show -- is coming to DFA. He'll be here the evening of 4/19 at 7:00 to give the slideshow and take questions. Come join us.

http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=19449

Also, I want to thank the people who responded to my earlier request for intern hosts. I am still in need of housing for 4 interns. If you have a spare room and are able to host a bright, young progressive -- please let me know. (They are responsible for food and transportations.)

Thank you!

Kyle Duggan

Volunteer Coordinator

Can you House an Intern

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Apr 2, 2007 2:10 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA HQ Grassroots

As many of you know, a huge part of our success comes from the hard-working, dedicated interns who come to work at DFA. However, with our mission of helping elect candidates at all levels of office, our resources go toward supporting campaigns; thus we are not able to offer a stipend to our interns. Because of this, we are asking our local volunteer network to help provide housing for these wonderful young men and women who are coming to Vermont to help change the national political landscape. If you are interested in hosting an intern please email me at:

operations@democracyforamerica.com

 Thank you,

 Kyle Duggan

Volunteer Coordinator 

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Written by: Kyle Duggan on Jan 23, 2007 11:33 AM EST

Linked to groups: test2

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Summer Nights with Peter Welch

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Aug 11, 2006 10:58 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA HQ Grassroots

Dear Member,

Please attend Summer Nights With Peter Welch on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 at 7:00 PM. Meet Peter Welch, ask him your questions, and enjoy the refreshments. You can RSVP, to help us plan, at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=112...

What: Summer Nights With Peter Welch
When: Tuesday, August 15, 2006, 7:00 PM
Where: Champlain Valley Union High School
369 CVU Road
Hinesburg VT 05461

Sponsored by Democracy for America and local Host Committee of Volunteers.

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=112...

See you there!

Kyle Duggan
Field/Political Deputy
Democracy for America

More Candidate Forum Success

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Jan 10, 2006 10:57 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA-Link Organizers

Stroger meets Claypool in back of pub

By Mickey Ciokajlo
Tribune staff reporter
Published January 10, 2006

The setting was classic old-school Chicago politics: the backroom of an Irish pub.

But the circumstances were anything but conventional Monday when John Stroger and Forrest Claypool kicked off the Democratic primary race for Cook County Board president with a debate in front of about 60 people in Evanston.

Stroger, who is running for a fourth term, has boasted for weeks that he was not afraid to debate his challengers, Claypool or Republican Tony Peraica.

If these are to be the Lincoln-Douglas debates for an office most people hardly recognize, they got off to a low-key start.

Stroger and Claypool sat elbow-to-elbow in the backroom of the Celtic Knot restaurant as they answered questions from the moderators and the audience, which was at a regular meeting of the local Democracy for America group, an organization that grew out of Democrat Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign.

Both candidates stayed on good behavior.

Questions ranged from listing the advantages and disadvantages of running in a contested election to what each candidate would do about what one questioner called the county's "culture of corruption."

Responding to the latter question, Stroger defended his administration and said it has "no federal investigations," and he sought to take credit for his administration having rooted out wrongdoing. Stroger said much of the talk of scandal in Cook County is politically motivated and joked about how his adversaries think every African-American employee lives in his 8th Ward on Chicago's South Side.

"I'm the president of the County Board, but I don't know all of the black people in Cook County," Stroger said to a room full of laughter.

Claypool immediately corrected Stroger and cited last fall's guilty plea in federal court to fraud by the former chief financial officer of Provident Hospital, Earl Bell. Claypool also cited the recent indictment on state charges of Shirley Glover, a former finance official in a job-training program under Stroger's control.

Claypool, who headed the Chicago Park District in the 1990s and twice served as Mayor Richard Daley's chief of staff, repeatedly referred to scandals and allegations of misdeeds in offices under Stroger, most notably Provident Hospital and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.

Wearing a red tie and dark suit, Claypool kept his familiar executive demeanor and said it was no secret that he has been angry about county problems, but he said he has hope for the future. Stroger, who has served on the board since 1970, sat and sipped ice water from a glass while Claypool stood and spoke.

For his part, Stroger defended his government, including individual executives whom Claypool vowed to fire if elected.

Stroger's spontaneous quips were also successful in eliciting occasional laughs.

To a question about their most important accomplishments in life, Claypool told a story that highlighted the importance of his children.

Stroger cited his children, but he mostly talked about his public life, saying his cornerstone achievement was the construction of the new Stroger Hospital.

Then, as his time was running out, he hurriedly added with a smile, "Obviously, after 48 years of marriage, I'm happy with my wife," prompting laughter from the crowd.

Jason's Legislative update, including a call to action

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Jan 5, 2006 11:16 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA HQ Grassroots

This email is a series of periodic updates that Rep. Jason P. Lorber sends as a Citizen Legislator representing Downtown Burlington and the Old North End.

It's begun! The Legislature, after a six month break, is back at work. Yes, it's been wonderful seeing all of my friends and colleagues. But more importantly, I'm proud to say that we've hit the ground running. Unlike last year, in which the first week was mostly ceremony, we've been voting on important issues and hearing testimony on upcoming bills. This email gives you a brief update on issues related to Farmers, Health Care, and Corrections. I also ask you to take action to advocate for the continuation of an important program. Details follow.

Yesterday the big vote was on an amendment that many folks have referred to as "The Farmer Protection Act." It relates to Genetically Modified Organisms (or GMOs), which have many farmers and citizens concerned. I voted for the bill that would have provided the strictest liability protections to protect organic farmers. Unfortunately, the amendment was narrowly defeated; however, another amendment today did pass that provides some of the protections we had hoped for with the first amendment. So, while we didn't get everything we wanted, we made progress.

We also voted today to override the Governor's veto of the impressive "Green Mountain Health Care" plan that called for Universal Health Care for all Vermonters. As was unfortunately anticipated, our vote fell short by around a dozen votes. But our work will continue toward creating a bill that aims to cut costs and give all Vermonters access to a doctor.

Tomorrow, the 42-page report I completed around Corrections will be distributed to key members of the House and Senate. I appreciate the many positive responses and thoughtful comments I've already received from many who've read through it. If you haven't seen the report, you can find it online at Link (just click on the link on the bottom of the page). It stemmed from interviews I had with 53 Vermonters, including Correctional Officers, Parole Officers, Victims' Advocates, Inmates, Mental Health Advocates, and many others. I hope
that the report sparks continued discussions.

The last issue I wanted to discuss with you involves you: please take action on this item. The Governor's Administration recently shut down a program called the ManPhone, a program operated by Planned Parenthood that provides sexual health and reproductive information to young men. This program provides outreach to a group of people that is very difficult to reach and has great potential for making progress in health and safety for themselves and their partners. The concerns that were raised by the Adminstration (see Link) have been addressed but the program is still blocked from continuing. I spoke with a Representative from Planned Parenthood today and she suggested to me that it would be very helpful for those agreeing that
ManPhone should be continued, to make a phone call or send an email saying simply, "Please reinstitute ManPhone." Please email Health Commissioner Dr. Paul Jarris at PJarris@vdh.state.vt.us and call the Governor at 802-828-3333, (toll-free in VT: 800-649-6825) with your thoughts.

And as always, please contact me with your thoughts about any of these matters, or any issues that are on your mind.

Regards,

Jason

CT Group Gets Good Press for Forum

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Dec 8, 2005 10:55 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA-Link Organizers

Malloy makes pitch to the party faithful

Stamford Advocate, By Doug Dalena

NORWALK -- Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy told some of Fairfield County's most fervent Democrats last night that Gov. M. Jodi Rell can be beaten next November and that he is more likely to do it than his rival for the Democratic nomination.

Speaking at the Silver Star Diner to about 30 people in the Fairfield County chapter of Democracy for America, the political action committee and Democratic group founded by former Vermont governor and presidential candidate Howard Dean, Malloy said he has a better chance of being elected governor than New Haven Mayor John DeStefano.

"No Democrat is going to be elected who cannot get some of the Republican vote and a majority of independents," Malloy said, "and I have the ability to do that."

Some party activists have associated DeStefano with the more liberal wing of the party represented by Dean, and Malloy with the more conservative Democratic Leadership Council associated with former President Clinton. Malloy was named one of the Democratic Leadership Council's 100 Democrats to Watch in 2003.

The crowd included David Stevenson, who said he campaigned for Dean before the 2004 New Hampshire primary, and Keith Crane of Branford, creator of the DumpJoe.com Web site, which advocates mounting a Democratic challenge to U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a Stamford native and friend of Malloy.

Edward Anderson of Branford said before Malloy arrived that "anytime a DLC guy comes to Dean people for support, it's of interest."

But on issues, Malloy made the case that his 10-year record as mayor of Stamford includes the kind of progressive success that Dean and Democracy for America support.

The organization's Web site says it is looking to support "fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates."

Malloy touted the city's universal prekindergarten program, his formation of the Stamford Achieves education task force and his leadership on devoting local resources to school construction as evidence of his ability to move the state to better educational performance.

The chief way to do that, he said, was through reforming the state's tax system by increasing sales, utility, income and gambling taxes and devoting half the increase to education. That, he said, would reduce the property tax burden on local towns.

If increases in those four taxes, which he said grow faster than any other revenues, had been devoted to fully funding education grants to towns 10 years ago, property taxes would not be so high, Malloy said.

"The reality is with the Rowland-Rell administration, that they used those increased revenues to cut taxes, many times on corporations, and to make the tax system less progressive," he said.

"Let us stop defending it," he said of the property tax, adding that no one would re-create Connecticut's tax system if asked to design a plan to adequately fund education.

Malloy said Stamford remains the only city in Connecticut to require affordable housing in multifamily developments, while under Republican leadership, the state has decreased funding for affordable housing from $125 million to about $6 million each year.

On job growth, Malloy said Rell has abdicated responsibility. He said the state must invest heavily in transportation improvements as New Jersey did 20 years ago, make public and higher education more responsive to business needs, and compete heavily for business in every sector.

Noting the state's heritage as the home of the insurance industry, he told the group more insurance jobs had been created in Iowa in the past decade than in Connecticut.

Malloy's message resonated with some in the crowd.

Marcia Bandes of New Canaan liked what he had to say about education.

"I think that's a severe problem in this state," she said, adding that she liked Malloy's ideas about addressing education funding disparity along racial, income and home ownership divides instead of cities against towns.

"If he can help with those points, he's got my vote," Bandes said. She had not heard DeStefano speak and said she did not know enough about him to compare the two.

John Hartwell of Westport, who was a 4th Congressional District coordinator for Dean in 2004 and organizes the monthly "meet-ups," agreed.

"Personally I thought he was very impressive. I had never heard him speak before," Hartwell said. "He sounded as progressive to me as the rest of this group is."

Hartwell said neither Dean nor Democracy for America is as liberal as some people may think.

"Dean talked about balancing budgets," he said.

Anderson said while Malloy had a strong message, he found it hard to support a man tied to a group he blamed for attacks on Dean during the 2004 presidential campaign. Anderson said that while either Malloy or DeStefano would be a better governor than Rell, DeStefano is a better Democrat.

"John DeStefano's dad was a cop," Anderson said. "He understands what it's like to be a working person."

Malloy, who described his mother's work as a nurse during his pitch to the group, argued that because his city is more reflective of Connecticut, in its political and economic mix, his success here could translate more easily to statewide victory.

Anderson also took issue with Malloy's close relationship with Lieberman, and Lieberman's support for the war in Iraq.

"To Dan's credit, he came out very honestly against Joseph Lieberman's foreign policy," Anderson said.

Hartwell said he would like to get DeStefano, who has spoken to the group before, and Malloy together for "a conversation, not a debate" in front of the group.

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Written by: Kyle Duggan on Oct 25, 2005 3:23 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Liaisons

Hi this is a test.

Hey

Written by: Kyle Duggan on Oct 20, 2005 6:27 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Interns

Hey interns. How is everybody doing?