PDA New York blogs

Disappointed, an understatement!

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:14:16 -0400

I went door to door for John Hall and yet I have not seen him do anything that might be called progressive. When is Bush going to be impeached?

I supported Barack Obama and more and more he sounds like Bush. What is going on?

Obama's health care proposals will just keep the insurance companies in power.

Will we have a war on poverty? Will we end the war on drugs? How about the war on terror?

He seems to favor war all over the place? What the FUCK? He even wants to increase military spending. That is sick!

This country is worse than pathetic. OBAMA does not seem to be an alternative to Bush. Does anyone disagree?

Exposing Michael Bloomberg

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:14:39 -0500

Michael Bloomberg joined the Republican Party to run for mayor of New York City and left the Republican Party to position himself as an independent presidential candidate. Now that he has abandoned his presidential bid, our "independent" mayor is "quietly" writing personal checks to help the Republican Party maintain its control of the State Senate (AND THEREBY BLOCK ENACTMENT OF A PROGRESSIVE AGENDA IN ALBANY). Once again, Michael Bloomberg's actions do not match his high-sounding rhetorical criticism of party politics. Quite simply, the mayor is a fraud who joins, leaves and supports political parties not out of philosophical conviction and agreement with party principles but to enhance his own political ambitions. When it comes to political parties, all Michael Bloomberg really cares about is what is best for HIM. Ironically, independent Bloomberg epitomizes what is wrong with our political parties. Scott

A New Strategy for the Peace Movement

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:56:27 -0500

Dear Friends,

Even with all the good will it seems as if the peace movement is stuck. Here’s a great new strategy that UFPJ can bring in all its members states. (See below) Congresswoman Betty Hall is working with her local citizens to have the New Hampshire state legislature call for impeachment. She says she is “ready to die for it.” As for me and Patrick Henry, “Give me liberty or give me death!” C-c-c-courage!!! Let’s work legislatively locally by getting all our state capitals to vote for impeachment, if things are so stuck in DC. And let’s study David Swanson’s proposal for what to do in Congress as Robert Jereski has urged us to do. www.downingstreet.org We should stop supporting any members of Congress—whichever party-- except the ones who won’t vote to fund the war. This has nothing to do with Democrats and Republicans. And we have to bring all the others on. This will have to be done locally by visiting our Congress critters (as Jim Hightower refers to them) at their home offices. Right now we are planning sit-ins at Jerry Nadler’s office in NY because he sits on the Judiciary Committee and has taken impeachment off the table! What a nerve he has!! Didn’t he read the Constitution lately!! He should know better, coming from the most liberal district in NY City, and being a lawyer, presumably well versed in the beauty of our laws and precious human rights. It’s impossible for us to act from Washington, given the “inside-the-beltway” culture. The lobbying must occur at home where you can collar your Congresscritter, look ‘em in the eye, and demand that they not vote funds for war and that they preserve our Civil Liberties.

Gillibrand backs tax reform, troop pullout

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:01:38 -0500

The Register-Star, January 13, 2008
Livingston, NY

Gillibrand backs tax reform, troop pullout

By John Mason
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand strongly criticized the use of property taxes to fund New York’s schools, and said she would like to see 80 percent of U.S. troops out of Iraq in 12 months, at a “Town Hall meeting” Saturday at Livingston Town Hall . The hall was packed with about 150 people.

The announced agenda was property taxes, and the congresswoman had brought along two state experts, Geoffrey Gloak, a spokesman for the Office of Real Property Services, and Shelly Willett, an education and communication specialist with the Internal Revenue Service. But many other issues affect property taxes, and Saturday’s discussion touched on several, including voting machines, the Iraq War, impeachment and tree preservation.

Promoting Democracy Abroad

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:22:55 -0400

Recently I was asked to comment on the following question:

"For decades, America’s role in the world has been summarized as promoting freedom, democracy and human rights. Following the failures of forced regime change in Iraq and Afghanistan, however, many now question this mission. Still others hold that if the U.S. were to promote democracy in nations such as Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other autocratic nations the result would be even more oppressive, Taliban-like regimes that would promote terrorism and be hostile to American interests. Should the U.S. continue to promote democracy overseas? Should it center its endeavors around some other goals? Or should it simply stick to its own knitting?”

The Palestine/Israel June 10th Rally

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:15:54 -0400

I would like to go to the June rally but would need a ride. I have to admit that I don't fully agree with the organizers position. The Two state solution is not viable and the Israelis insist that Israel must exist forever as a Jewish State. Problem: What is to be done with the Arabs who used to live their?

The following article has a sensible argument.

This article can be found on the web at
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070618/makdisi

For a Secular Democratic State
by SAREE MAKDISI

[from the June 18, 2007 issue]

This month marks the fortieth anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. Four decades of control established and maintained by force of arms--in defiance of international law, countless UN Security Council resolutions and, most recently, the 2004 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague--have enabled Israel to impose its will on the occupied territories and, in effect, to remake them in its own image.

Don't compromise with evil.

Wed, 09 May 2007 22:52:02 -0400

I sent this letter to the editor of the Record a few days ago.

Dear Editor,

Our Government is an embarrassment. We illegally and immorally attacked Iraq and further we have fought an occupiers imperialist war for 4 years with a resultant high death count and many Iraqi children suffering from malnutrition and cancers.

The overwhelming majority of Iraqis of every type want us to leave. The majority of American people want us to leave. Yet the Criminal Bushite regime refuses to leave.

I beg the people of this country to rise up and take back our country from this government.

People's Platform

Sun, 06 May 2007 10:04:05 -0400

Our PDA chapter for NY's CD 14 compiled this platform of questions some time ago to ascertain candidates' stances on the issues we care about. We haven't yet polled a candidate for national office to my knowledge, and some of the items already are in need of updating, but we thought we'd share it here because we're interested in hearing what other PDA members in NY think about it in relation to their own activities. So here it is . . .

1) Do you support the repeal of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and the immediate restoration of habeas corpus for all people, citizens and non-citizens alike?

Al Gore Says: Help me send a message to Congress: Now is the time to act on global warming.

Sat, 17 Mar 2007 17:52:44 -0400

Sign here:
http://www.algore.com/cards.html

More sabre rattling???

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 16:59:05 -0500

Cheney hints at Iran strike By Greg Sheridan

February 24, 2007 01:20am

US Vice-President Dick Cheney has raised the possibility of military action to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.

He has endorsed Republican senator John McCain's proposition that the only thing worse than a military confrontation with Iran would be a nuclear-armed Iran.

In an exclusive interview with The Weekend Australian, Mr Cheney said: "I would guess that John McCain and I are pretty close to agreement."

The visiting Vice-President said that he had no doubt Iran was striving to enrich uranium to the point where they could make nuclear weapons.

THE DEMOCRATS GROW SOME BALLS

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 18:11:01 -0500

http://demballs.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

Congratulations, NY19

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 14:06:32 -0500

New York 19th Congressional District (97% of precincts)
*John Hall (PDA) 51%
Rep. Sue Kelly (R) 49%

If you get an automated (robo) call, question the origin

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 19:22:02 -0500

Many people receiving the calls are complaining to the (innocent) Dem candidate.

If the message says they are calling on behalf of a Democrat, don't assume this is true. The robo-callers are often not identifying their sponsors until the end of the call. (Which is against FCC rules).
If it takes you more than ten seconds to identify who the call is from (not who the call is about), be suspicious.
If the caller ID is from out of state be suspicious.
If they call at odd hours, be supsicious.
If they call back on you after you hang up, be suspicious. This is also against the FCC rules. (The goal is to make people think they are being harassed by the Democrats, and piss them off enough to change their votes.)

ALL OUT FOR A UNITED EFFORT TO PROMOTE PROGRESSIVE IDEAS

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 10:28:08 -0400

People, members and supporters of PDA, it is now urgent to promote progressive ideas at the electoral level.

I am actively supporting John Hall in the 19th congressional district in the effort to drive out the reactionary Sue Kelly.

But statewide it is very important to back the Green Party and their excellent slate of candidates. No they have no chance of winning but they have a good chance of achieving ballot status. That makes it crucially important to vote for Malachy McCourt for Governor. Ballot status changes the zeitgeist! It is a warning to the corporate Democrats not to take progressive support for granted.

All Out October 5th, New Paltz

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 02:29:15 -0400

Hopefully we will have a good preformance in New Paltz on the Fifth. Most activity will be from about 2:30 pm till things wind down.

We are expecting Congress Person Hinchy and John Hall to speak amongst others.

For more information go to:
http://worldcantwait.net --Location--NY --New Paltz