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Democracy for America personal blog for Susan Rowe
What happened to all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth?
Linked to groups: Blog For America, DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, California for Democracy, What are Progressive Values? Study Group
Linked to campaigns: Obama for America
National spike in gun sales reflected in BakersfieldMIDLOTHIAN, Va. — When 10-year-old Austin Smith heard Barack Obama had been elected president, he had one question: Does this mean I won’t get a new gun for Christmas?
That brought his mother, the camouflage-clad Rachel Smith, to Bob Moates Sports Shop on Thursday, where she was picking out that special 20-gauge shotgun — one of at least five weapons she plans to buy before Obama takes office in January.Like Smith, gun enthusiasts nationwide are stocking up on firearms out of fears that the combination of an Obama administration and a Democrat-dominated Congress will result in tough new gun laws.
“I think they’re going to really try to crack down on guns and make it harder for people to try to purchase them,” said Smith, 32, who taught all five of her children — ages 4 to 10 — to shoot because the family relies on game for food.
Last month, as an Obama win looked increasingly inevitable, there were more than 108,000 more background checks for gun purchases than in October 2007, a 15 percent increase. And they were up about 8 percent for the year as of Oct. 26, according to the FBI. [...]
Mayme Hubert: Durston for Congress and the Democratic Deciders
Linked to groups: Take Back Red California, Sacramento For Democracy, California for Democracy, Capitol Area Progressives (CAP) , Northern California Trained Activists, Blog For America
Durston for Congress and the Democratic Deciders
By Mayme Hubert
Take Back Red
California
Why Didn’t the Democratic Party Support an Outstanding Progressive
Candidate?
Dr. Bill Durston, an outstanding progressive Democratic
candidate for House of Representatives in California’s 3rd Congressional
District, ran a close race against the Republican incumbent, Dan Lungren, in the
2008 general election, losing by a margin of 44% to 49%, with third party
candidates accounting for the remaining 6%. The 3rd CD includes portions of
Sacramento and Solano counties, and all of Alpine, Amador, and Calaveras
counties. Despite his impeccable progressive credentials, a poll showing that he
was in a statistical dead heat with Lungren, and a well-organized grass roots
campaign, Dr. Durston received little support from the State Democratic Party
and no support whatsoever from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
(DCCC).
Dr. Durston has announced that he will run again in 2010. The purpose of this communication is to help ensure that Dr. Durston will get the support he needs and deserves to be victorious in 2010, and that progressive message he represents will be heard by not only the voters, but also by the state and national Democratic party leaders.
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Commission Appointment Opportunity: California Commission on the Status of Women (State Advisory Committee on Sexual Assault Victims Services Program)
Linked to groups: DFA Job Board, California for Democracy
Commission Recruiting Advisory
Committee
Members for Sexual Assault
Victim Services Program
The California Commission
on the Status of Women is recruiting for two (2) appointments to the State
Advisory Committee on Sexual Assault Victim Services Program, Governor's Office
of Emergency Services. The term will begin immediately upon appointment, no
earlier than January 2009, and extends until January 2012.
The committee
is responsible for advising and developing training courses for sex crime
prosecution units throughout the state. The committee is also responsible for
developing criteria for funding grants to rape crisis centers, child sexual
exploitation programs, and child sexual abuse counseling centers.
All
applicants must have broad knowledge of, and/or experience in, working with
sexual assault and child sexual abuse prevention programs, sex crime assistance,
or victim counseling.
Applicants with a specific expertise in the work of
rape crisis centers are encouraged to apply
(e.g. former staff or former
board member, etc.).
NOTE: Current Employees and Board Members of rape
crisis centers are not eligible to apply due to conflict of interest, but are
encouraged to pass on the announcement to eligible
colleagues.
Applicants must be able to travel throughout the state for
no less than four meetings per year. The committee meets quarterly. All actual
expenses for attending the meetings will be reimbursed.
TO APPLY: Submit
a letter of interest, supported by a resume of related experience and at least
three letters of recommendation. Applications must be received no later than 4
PM on Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Applicants will be notified of appointment
selection by February 2009.
Please submit to:
Mary Wiberg,
Executive Director
California Commission on the Status of Women
Attention:
SAC Appointment
1303 J Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA
95814-2900
916-445-3173 916-322-9466 (fax)
info@women.ca.gov
California Statewide Rally for Change!
Linked to groups: DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, California for Democracy, Courage Campaign, Take Back Red California, Northern California Trained Activists, San Diego for Democracy, DFA of Chowchilla, DFA-CFD of Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties , Sacramento For Democracy, DFA of Stanislaus County, Capitol Area Progressives (CAP)
Linked to campaigns: Obama for America
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| Paid for by the California Democratic Party 1401 21st Street, Suite 200, Sacramento CA 95811 Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. |
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Faith communities rally in Fresno to oppose Proposition 8
Linked to groups: DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, DFA of Chowchilla, California for Democracy, Courage Campaign
Faith communities rally in opposition to Proposition 8 Sunday, November 2, 2008 Featured speakers...
(Granddaughter of Cesar Chavez & former UFW, Political Director),
Rev. Bryan Jessup (Unitarian-Universalist Church of Fresno) and many others Fresno City Hall 2600 Fresno Street Fresno, CA 93721 2:00 - 4:00 PM Time for mainstream voters to show our community that we support equal rights for all! You can help defeat Proposition 8 by making an online donation to help air commercials like this one by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.
Fresno Says: Vote NO on Prop 8
Linked to groups: DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, DFA of Chowchilla, California for Democracy, Courage Campaign
On Saturday, October 25th Mike Rhodes of the Community Alliance newspaper reported... A large and enthusiastic crowd showed up today at Shaw and Blackstone avenues in Fresno for a rally in support of marriage equality and against proposition 8.
video by sadstorygirl
song daughtry "what about now"
NO on Prop 8 Rally at 4-6 TODAY in Fresno
Linked to groups: DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties
No on Prop 8 rally at 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
TODAY at Shaw and Blackstone Ave., Fresno.
Signs will be provided although you may want to make your own. Please do not use the word “hate” if you make your own sign.
Call Fresno No on Prop 8 at (559) 862-4559 if you can help distribute door hangers.
Proposition 8 puts discrimination into our Constitution. It would inject government into private lives. It undermines equal protections under our laws. ~ Jay Hubbell
Here’s what’s fiction and what’s fact:
Fiction: Prop 8 doesn’t discriminate against gays.
- Fact: Prop 8 is simple: it eliminates the rights for same-sex couples to marry. Prop 8 would deny equal protections and write discrimination against one group of people—lesbian and gay people—into our state constitution.
Fiction: Teaching children about same-sex marriage will happen here unless we pass Prop 8.
- Fact: Not one word in Prop 8 mentions education, and no child can be forced, against the will of their parents, to be taught anything about health and family issues at school. California law prohibits it, and the Yes on 8 campaign knows they are lying. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley has already ruled that this claim by Prop 8 proponents is “false and misleading.” The Orange County Register, traditionally one of the most conservative newspapers in the state, says this claim is false. So do lawyers for the California Department of Education.
Fiction: Churches could lose their tax-exemption status.
- Fact: Nothing in Prop 8 would force churches to do anything. In fact, the court decision regarding marriage specifically says “no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs.”
Fiction: A Massachusetts case about a parent’s objection to the school curriculum will happen here.
- Fact: Unlike Massachusetts, California gives parents an absolute right to remove their kids and opt-out of teaching on health and family instruction they don’t agree with. The opponents know that California law already covers this and Prop 8 won’t affect it, so they bring up an irrelevant case in Massachusetts.
Fiction: Four Activist Judges in San Francisco…
- Fact: Prop 8 is not about courts and judges, it’s about eliminating a fundamental right. Judges didn’t grant the right, the constitution guarantees the right. Proponents of Prop 8 use an outdated and stale argument that judges aren’t supposed to protect rights and freedoms. This campaign is about whether Californians, right now, in 2008 are willing to amend the constitution for the sole purpose of eliminating a fundamental right for one group of citizens.
Fiction: People can be sued over personal beliefs.
- Fact: California’s laws already prohibit discrimination against anyone based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. This has nothing to do with marriage.
Fiction: Pepperdine University supports the Yes on 8 campaign.
- Fact: The university has publicly disassociated itself from Professor Richard Peterson of Pepperdine University, who is featured in the ad, and has asked to not be identified in the Yes on 8 advertisements.
Fiction: Unless Prop 8 passes, CA parents won’t have the right to object to what their children are taught in school.
- Fact: California law clearly gives parents and guardians broad authority to remove their children from any health instruction if it conflicts with their religious beliefs or moral convictions.
Regardless of how you feel about the issue, we should not eliminate fundamental rights for ANY Californians.
Please vote NO on Prop 8.
TBRC: BackTalk October 2008
Linked to groups: Take Back Red California, DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, California for Democracy, Northern California Trained Activists, DFA of Chowchilla, DFA-CFD of Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties , DFA of Stanislaus County, Plumas County Democratic Club, Capitol Area Progressives (CAP) , Sacramento For Democracy, Say No to Pombo, Sierra Foothills Democratic Club
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| BackTalk October 2008 |
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Wow, can you believe this? In this time of economic crisis and bad news, here is some remarkably great news! It’s worth a few minutes of your time — by the end, you will feel both hopeful and energized. Read on to see how your support has helped "red" California begin to trend blue. Discover what a dramatically different landscape is before us now, and what you can do to give these great candidates their final push over the top. FIRST, AN ACTION ITEM The Rural Caucus of the California Democratic Party is hosting a Blue Wave Huge Day of Action in support of Jerry McNerney (CD 11), Lois Wolk (SD 5), Alyson Huber (AD 10), and several local downticket races on October 26 in Stockton. TBRC invites you to join us for a day of solidarity, precinct walking, and phonebanking. It will be great fun. Co-hosts include the San Joaquin County Democratic Central Committee and clubs, TBRC, Project BlueBridge, and California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass. For more information, please call (916) 743-2682, or visit the TBRC website, www.TakeBackRedCalifornia.org. MORE CANDIDATES FOR THE BLUE WAVE As the 2008 election approaches, California Democrats are building the blue wave. The Obama-Biden ticket has widened its lead over McCain-Palin in state polls, and Democrats now lead Republicans in statewide registration by almost 12 percentage points. With your support, Take Back Red California is proud to contribute to that wave by endorsing a number of great Democrats in rural Northern California. In keeping with our belief that downticket races are critically important for building our party, we are endorsing two more Assembly candidates and three candidates for county supervisor.
NEW ENDORSEMENTS Mickey Harrington (AD 3) – Mickey is a union leader who favors single-payer health care, improved working conditions, and support for education in his race against Yuba County Supervisor Dan Logue for the seat vacated by Rick Keene, who was termed out. Republicans have a 41% to 34% registration advantage in this sprawling district, which takes in most of Butte County as well as Lassen, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Yuba, and a bit of Placer. But Mickey gained name recognition in his campaign against Keene in 2006 and deserves support. John Eisenhut (AD 26) – John is a Turlock almond farmer and former school board member who has the advantage of a slight edge in voter registration in his effort to replace termed-out Republican Greg Aghazarian. His opponent, Bill Berryhill, lacks political experience but had a slight lead in fundraising in the summer quarter. John’s polling, however, indicates that the race is tied. The district includes the eastern half of San Joaquin County, including part of Stockton, and the western half of Stanislaus County, with a population that is 33% Hispanic. To learn about, support, or become involved in this campaign, see http://johneisenhut.com. Grace Bennett (Siskiyou County Supervisor, Dist. 4) – Grace has served three terms on the Yreka City Council and was mayor for two of those years. To learn about, support, or become involved in this campaign, see http://bennettforsupervisor.org. Jim Hardy (Siskiyou County Supervisor, Dist. 2) -- Jim is currently president of the Board of Trustees of the College of the Siskiyous. To learn about, support, or become involved in this campaign, see www.jimhardyforsupervisor.com. Barbara Smiley (El Dorado County Supervisor, Dist. 2) – Barbara has spent her entire career in community development and organizing and has shown that she can work with all types of people to build consensus. She is the only Democrat in this nonpartisan race and has just received the endorsement of the Sacramento Bee. Her campaign is motivating a strong grassroots base. To learn about, support, or become involved in this campaign, see www.smileyforsupervisor.com. More October 2008 BackTalk continues HERE. |
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Take Back Red California Day of Action for McNerney, Wolk, Huber, Eisenhut + more on Oct. 26th in Stockton!
Linked to groups: Take Back Red California, DFA of Stanislaus County
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(Fresno, CA) "No on Prop 8" Rally this Saturday, October 18th at 2-5pm
Linked to groups: DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, DFA of Chowchilla, California for Democracy, Courage Campaign
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Time: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
City/Town: Fresno, CA
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Robin McGehee 559-287-9670
When we speak, we shape the world!
SPEAK OUT!!!
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Blog for America
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