A Personal Note from Gov. Tim Kaine

Written by: Keshini Ladduwahetty on Sep 24, 2009 9:37 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

Dear Friends,
 
I wrote you a few weeks ago to discuss the stakes facing Virginians this November. My letter concerned a political blueprint authored by the Republican candidate for Governor containing extremely objectionable references to working women, single mothers, gays and lesbians, and many others. That blueprint, which has been generally followed by the candidate in his elected career, advocated policies that would take Virginia backward-opposition to day care services and pay equity for women, objection to contraception, criminalization of women's reproductive choices, and promotion of the idea that people need to be "punished" due to their sexual orientation. That philosophy contrasts sharply with the record and character of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Senator Creigh Deeds, who is a centrist legislator who believes our state government should focus on economic and educational opportunity.

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Discuss

How was Moran's town hall?

Written by: Keshini Ladduwahetty on Aug 26, 2009 12:01 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

(photo by Kristal Wortham)

I don't think I ever met so many supporters of real health care reform with a public option as I did last night, when more than 100 DFA members joined a boisterous crowd of 2,500 people at Jim Moran's town hall at South Lakes High School in Reston.  DC for Democracy and DFA staff in VT worked hard to help make this event a success for reform supporters, as the Washington Post reported today.

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Name that bag!

Written by: Keshini Ladduwahetty on Jul 31, 2009 10:59 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

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Draft DC for Democracy Policy Statement on Homelessness

Written by: Clayton Mansfield on Jul 10, 2009 8:08 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

DC for Democracy is considering the following draft policy statement for adoption at our August meetup.  Your comments on our proposal are welcome.

DRAFT DC for Democracy Policy Statement on Homelessness in the District of Columbia

WHEREAS, DC for Democracy believes in the principle that everyone has a right to housing for the heatlh and well being of the person and his family embodied in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and

WHEREAS, as a Human Rights city as proclaimed by the DC Council in December 2008, our elected officials have an obligation to secure this right for its residents.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of DC for Democracy urge its elected officials to end homelessness in the District of Columbia.  Towards that end, we urge the following actions by the Mayor and the DC Council:

1. Take immediate steps to resolve the emergency shelter capacity crisis, including increasing the number of shelter beds to meet the increased demand

2. Increase housing resources in order to solve homelessness including transitional housing and permanent supportive housing

3. Implement a public process to determine the appropriate amount of shelter capacity, the location of shelter facilities, and access to services.

4. Maintain transparency, accountability and effective oversight of shelter management and permanent supportive housing programs.

5. Improve services for the homeless, including job skills training and mental health counseling

While we appreciate budget constraints, we believe the necessary resources can be found.  The DC Fiscal Policy Institute recently published principles to guide efforts to balance the budget while maintaining the safety net for homeless individuals and families.

To achieve these aims, DC for Democracy will advocate for these policies with our local government.  We will also collaborate with Fair Budget, a coalition of grassroots community groups and other organizations that is a leading advocate for the rights for the homeless.

Video of delivering the DFA Petitions

Written by: CraigJTMP on Jul 1, 2009 2:13 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

I just finished processing and posting the video of us, DC For Democracy, delivering the "Stand with Dr. Dean" petitons of over 400,000 Americans who want a public option in our health care reform. It was wonderful to see how accessible our givernment still is, as long as we get out there and work hard.

The insurance company lobbyists will not tire or give up, so we must keep the grassroots effort up, and  urge our Represenatives and Senators in Congress that we insist on a public option when it comes to health care reform.; it is non-negotiable.

Please go to the group, DC For Democracy, and view the video.

Craig

SFFD Supports a Clean Voting Rights Bill for Washington, DC

Written by: Jesse Lovell on Apr 29, 2009 12:28 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

Thanks to our partners at San Francisco for Democracy (SFFD), DC's epic struggle for civil rights is moving outside the Beltway.

Our sister organization on the West Coast, San Francisco for Democracy (SFFD), has once again shown its commitment to DC voting rights by writing to their Representative, Nancy Pelosi, urging a clean voting rights bill, with no harmful gun amendments. Read their letter here

Thank you, Tim Durning, Susan Pfeifer, Tom Brown, and all SFFD members for your understanding that injustice in the District of Columbia is a threat to justice everywhere in America. Karen Rose, our Chair of Voting Rights & Democracy, hand-delivered the letter to the Speaker’s office yesterday, and received a very warm reception.

We are so grateful to SFFD and other Democracy for America (DFA) allies around the country for all the help they have given for DC voting rights. With their help, we will get a vote in the House today, and full citizenship rights, through statehood, in our lifetime!

Miles Grant on Unions Going Green & the Employee Free Choice Act

Written by: Miles G on Mar 25, 2009 11:45 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Virginia, Democracy for Environmental Awareness, DC for Democracy, Arlington/Alexandria Democracy for America

Linked to campaigns: Miles Grant for Delegate

Read why Miles supports the Employee Free Choice Act at his blog, The Green Miles!

Too High a Price for Voting Rights

Written by: Keshini Ladduwahetty on Mar 4, 2009 9:28 AM EST

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

Given the uncertainty surrounding the DC House Voting Rights Act (see today's Washington Post article), it is important that grassroots groups like ours take a clear stance.

DC for Democracy members have expressed a commitment to full citizenship rights for the District of Columbia, as opposed to "full congressional representation."  This broader mandate includes the right to spend our local tax dollars as we choose, and the right to make the local laws under which we live (subject to federal law, of course).

As you may have heard, the NRA is trying to pollute the DC Voting Rights Act with language that would gut our local gun safety laws.  The Senate has already caved and passed language that would gut all registration requirements, allow interstate trafficking of guns, and legalize military-style assault weapons.   It would turn DC into an NRA paradise and a nightmare for those of us who live here. 

We have confidence that Congresswoman Norton is doing her best to make sure that the Voting Rights bill is clean of language that meaningfully alters our local gun safety laws.  If, however, despite her best efforts, Congress persists in attaching such language, DC4D's Steering Committee has decided that we must reject the Voting Rights bill.  We will not accept a false choice between congressional representation and local autonomy.

We will not take public action as an organization until our next monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 11 7PM.  At the meeting, we will invite our members to support or challenge our decision.  If a simple majority of our members disagree with our decision, we will rescind it.

In the meantime, let us know what you think!

Thank you, DFA, from the District of Columbia!

Written by: Keshini Ladduwahetty on Feb 26, 2009 9:01 AM EST

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

Thanks to the many DFA members, from Jim Dean and DFA staff to regular DFA members across the country, the almost 600,000 people living in the District of Columbia are one step closer to equality in the House of Representatives.

Because of your phone calls, emails, and activism, we cleared a critical procedural hurdle in the US Senate on Tuesday, and prevented the Republicans from filibustering the DC House Voting Rights Act.  We hope to see the bill pass both houses of Congress very soon!  This bill will permanently expand the House of Representatives to 437, give one of the new seats permanently to DC (reliably Democratic) and the other temporarily to Utah.  At the next reapportionment of the House seats, Utah's seat would go back in the pot to be assigned based on population.  Yes, we do need to occasionally mix politics and principle, but at least the politics here is just a temporary sacrifice!

A special thanks to DFA members Robbie Akhene, Charles Gardner, and Lucia Messina of North Carolina, who called Senator Kay Hagan on our behalf.  Senator Hagan is still on the fence, so if you're a North Carolinian, please urge her to support basic democratic rights for the people of DC (call 202-224-6342).

A very special thanks to DFA members Linda Brooks of Virginia and Larry Drake of NH, who have long been loyal friends to us.

A very, very special thanks to all the DFA folks in Burlington -- Jim, Charles, Michael -- who have consistently championed our cause.  Boy, do we owe you guys!  We'll repay our debt to you by doing our best to be outstanding members of DFA!!

Streetcars and Less Gun Violence

Written by: Keshini Ladduwahetty on Feb 25, 2009 1:08 PM EST

Linked to groups: DC for Democracy

This Saturday, February 28th, 1 - 3PM at the Cleveland Park Library (ground floor meeting room), we will hold two formal endorsement votes:

Joining the Coalition for Gun Violence (CSGV), a leading national coalition that works to reduce gun violence in the US and abroad, and

Joining the Streetcar Alliance, a local partnership of the DC Sierra Club and neighborhood organizations to promote a new option for mass transit in the city.

We talked about these issues at our last meetup, and we have prepared fact sheets on CSGV and the Streetcar Alliance for your review.

This is an important opportunity for DC4D to expand our activism and get involved with new issues.  So please share your feedback before the meeting!