DFA NEEDS TO ENDORSE OBAMA NOW!

Written by: James Ginsburg on Feb 9, 2008 2:39 AM EST

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

I am on the Steering Committee for Chicago's Northside DFA. This week at our monthly meeting, our group voted 15-0 to endorse Obama. (The vote will be held open for a week so voting members of our group who weren't there can vote on line, but I don't expect the result to change.)

I believe DFA members need to find a way to convince national DFA to hold a membership vote ASAP so DFA can endorse Obama while it still matters. This race is for the soul of the Democratic Party: will we be a party of the people or of corporate lobbyists, grassroots or big money? DFA was founded on the idea of making the Party truly democratic (small d). Endorsing Obama and working toward his election is the way to achieve this.

In Iowa DFA had a campaign to elect a progressive: either Edwards, Kucinich, or Obama. Now that Obama is the only one left of those 3, I think we need to give the DFA membership a chance to endorse him.

When I spoke to Jim Dean 2 weeks ago, he said he did not plan to hold another vote. I think this would be a huge mistake. DFA has a role to play in this fight. We should not sit on the sidelines. I hope people reading this can find a way to persuade the folks in Vermont that the time for a new vote is NOW.

UPDATE: Just want to make it clear, what I am asking for is a VOTE (something we haven't had this year). I am assuming that progressives here have settled on Obama just as they have everywhere else (e.g., MoveOn, Daily Kos, etc.). Once the DFA membership votes overwhelmingly for Obama (preferably via a quick, members-only poll), DFA should make that endorsement official. 

Ongoing Seals Campaign Events

Written by: James Ginsburg on Oct 19, 2006 3:09 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

Exciting news: The latest poll has Dan Seals within the margin of error, just 2 points behind Mark Kirk (46-44)! Following is a list of events (in addition to our own canvas on Oct. 29 www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=139...) you can join to help put Dan over the top (courtesy of Bob Denneen at the Seals campaign):

We have phone banks Monday-Thursday 6-9 at the Wilmette office (1213 Wilmette Ave). We also will be making calls from 11-5 on Saturdays and from 12:30-8 on Sundays. There is also a phone bank at the New trier Dems office 7-9 Monday-Thursday and 4-8 on Sunday. Waukegan is having phone banks on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 6-8:30. Libertyville is phone banking on Monday & Wednesday starting this coming Monday from 6-9. There should be 2 more locations soon which I will send to you as soon as the details are ironed out.

The areas where we need the most help are Waukegan and Wheeling townships. There are canvasses going out of the 709 North ave in Waukegan and 1635 N. Arlington Heights Road in Arlington Heights every Saturday at 10am. The Wheeling office will also be going out on Sundays at noon. I will send details when I get a Sunday canvass in Waukegan scheduled.

On The 29th we are meeting at the 1635 N. Arlington Heights Road location.

New DFA event: Canvas for Dan Seals on July 22

Written by: James Ginsburg on Jul 13, 2006 1:15 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

Dear Member,

I am writing to let you know about a new featured event for our DFA group (Edgewater/Rogers Park) that was not included on the agenda at our Linkup last Thursday:

Separate from our canvas for Dan Kotowski in Elk Grove Village on Sunday, July 23, we will canvas for adopted candidate Dan Seals in Libertyville (allowing us to also distribute literature for endorsed candidate Amanda Howland) on Saturday, July 22. Dan Seals may offer our best shot at "flipping" an Illinois Congressional district this fall: He is a very attractive candidate running in the only Republican-represented IL district that voted for Kerry in 2004.

Kotowski asked that we canvas in an area that isn't in Seals's territory, so I hope anyone who can will ALSO sign up to canvas for Seals so we can help both our "Dans" this month as we intended.

We'll start from Coffee Chicago here, as usual. The plan is to be in Libertyville at 10:00 AM at an exact location to be determined. The Seals campaign will choose which precincts they want us to cover and give us detailed walk sheets.

Please attend Canvas for Dan Seals on Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 9:00 AM. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=104...

What: Canvas for Dan Seals
When: Saturday, July 22, 2006, 9:00 AM
Where: Coffee Chicago
Broadway & Berwyn
Chicago IL 60640

Thanks. I hope to see you there,

Jim

An Inconvenient Truth

Written by: James Ginsburg on May 25, 2006 4:22 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

Dear Member,

Please join us watching Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" on Friday, June 2, 2006 at 7:00 PM. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=862...

What: An Inconvenient Truth
When: Friday, June 2, 2006, 7:00 PM
Where: Landmark Century Theater
2828 North Clark Street
Chicago IL 60657

Canvassing opportunity: DAN SEALS FOR CONGRESS 2006 on May 27

Written by: James Ginsburg on May 15, 2006 4:58 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

Dear Member,

Please attend CANVASSING: DAN SEALS FOR CONGRESS 2006 on Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 10:00 AM. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=840...

What: CANVASSING: DAN SEALS FOR CONGRESS 2006
When: Saturday, May 27, 2006, 10:00 AM
Where: Meet at 1213 Wilmette Avenue, 2nd Floor, Wilmette IL 60091

This may be the Democrats' best Congressional pick-up opportunity in Illinois this year. Seals is a terrific candidate and Mark Kirk is a phony (pretends to be a moderate but is actually in the Republican House Leadership -- i.e., it's his JOB to help pass the Republicans' odious legislative agenda).

This canvassing is being organized by the highly effective "Illinois Committee of 100" so there should be a great turnout. Let's make sure Edgewater/Rogers Park DFA is a big part of it.

Thanks,

Jim Ginsburg

Inaugural Chicago Sun-Times/University of Illinois at Chicago lecture forum

Written by: James Ginsburg on Apr 7, 2006 1:44 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

Fellow DFAers,

Lynn Sweet asked me to spread the word about this FREE event. Please pass on the information to others who might be interested. Thanks. --Jim

Robert Novak: Headlines first Chicago Sun-Times/University of Illinois at Chicago lecture forum. April 19 at UIC. Public invited.

And blogger Lynn Sweet is part of the panel...

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak launches the Chicago Sun-Times/University of Illinois at Chicago Lecture Forum at an April 19 panel analyzing
Washington policies and politics.

"We are pleased to embark on our inaugural panel series with UIC. Our long-term commitment will be to address topics that reflect the diverse communities and cultures that both the university and the Sun-Times serve," said John Cruickshank, Chicago Sun-Times Publisher.

"We welcome the opportunity to join with one of the nation's major newspapers in hosting a forum that will give the public the opportunity to hear from, and
question, leading experts from academia and journalism on vital issues of the day," said UIC Chancellor Sylvia Manning.

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak launches the Chicago Sun-Times/University of Illinois at Chicago Lecture Forum at an April 19 panel analyzing
Washington policies and politics.
"We are pleased to embark on our inaugural panel series with UIC. Our long-term commitment will be to address topics that reflect the diverse
communities and cultures that both the university and the Sun-Times serve," said John Cruickshank, Chicago Sun-Times Publisher.

"We welcome the opportunity to join with one of the nation's major newspapers in hosting a forum that will give the public the opportunity to hear from, and question, leading experts from academia and journalism on vital issues of the day," said UIC Chancellor Sylvia Manning.

Novak, a native of Joliet who writes one of the nation's premier Washington columns, will be part of a panel on ``Inside Washington: Where Red States and Blue States Collide" moderated by Chicago Sun-Times political columnist Carol Marin.

Other panelists include Lori B. Andrews, a professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Chicago-Kent College of Law; Lyn Ragsdale, professor and head of
political science at UIC; Lynn Sweet Sun-Times Washington Bureau Chief and Maria de los Angeles Torres, professor and director of Latin American and Latino Studies at UIC.

The forum will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. at UIC's Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St., Room 302.

The program is free and open to the public,
but space is limited and registration is required. To register, call (312) 413-0151 or e-mail karenj@uic.edu.

If you live in IL-5 or IL-9, consider writing in Cegelis

Written by: James Ginsburg on Mar 20, 2006 3:53 AM EST

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

Cynthia Fox gets the credit for this idea, which I would like to spread far and wide:

I think this would be a great way to send a message to Rahm Emanuel and Jan Schakowsky. If there are a significant number of write-in votes for "Christine Cegelis" in their districts, they might notice it (especially if it is pointed out to them or covered in the press).  Especially in Schakowsky's case, since she is running unopposed and had no reason to side with Duckworth other than Kowtowing to Rahm.  In Rahm's case, you could also register your protest by voting for Johnny Hap, of course, but he is an embarrassingly poorly informed candidate: at the IVI-IPO endorsement session someone asked him about Medicare Part D and he said "What's that?"!

Since Rahm and Jan think someone with no history in or connection to IL-6 should represent that district, it's only fitting that we vote for someone with no connection to their districts.

Thanks for considering this suggestion,

Jim

P.S. I've also sent this idea to the Democracy for Illinois Yahoo group and blogged it at SoapBlox Chicago: www.soapblox.net/chicago/showDia...

Any interest in seeing "Why we Fight" after canvassing Sunday?

Written by: James Ginsburg on Feb 18, 2006 5:38 AM EST

Linked to groups: Northside DFA

Just got back from out of town. Before I left, I emailed some members suggesting we might catch this award winning documentary after the rally and canvassing event on Sunday (2/19). Unfortunately, I didn't think to blog it until now. I hope it's not too late to get a group together for this.

We could do dinner after canvassing, followed by the movie, which is playing at Century Theaters in Chicago (Clark & Diversey) and Evanston. If we did the movie first, we would have to go to Evanston (5:15); if we did dinner first we could choose between the Chicago (7:30) and Evanston (7:40) locations. Information on the movie can be found at: Link

Please post comments here on the blog and/or email me (jim@anotherdadfordean.com) if you're interested and to state your timing and location preferences, if any.

Thanks,

Jim