Jesus was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a Governor.

Written by: Wendy Sejour on Sep 4, 2008 6:47 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Florida Trained Activists, Democracy for Florida, Progressive Businesses and Professionals for America, Veterans for Democracy, Netroots Activism!

Jody Finver has written the great piece below in response to Sarah Palin's attack on community organizers.  Also, check out the latest video post.  Do you like the title of this post?  Purchase gear at the DFAM Store!

I refused to tune in last night (in part because I was working) but I read Palin's speech and all I can think is just when you think the Republicans can't sink any lower, they prove me wrong.

In her snarky attempts to rile up her crowd, Governor Palin showed us who she really was. An ignorant water carrier with no comprehension of subtext and no concept of life in the lower 48 otherwise known as the Continental United States.

The media, from what I have read, have not caught on to two things:

the first - that Palin attacked a candidate that she never met and doesn't know.

and the second - she insulted every community organizer in the world and said we have no actual responsibilities.

Now the thing about attacking Obama I think is a bit ironic. Since last night was Rudy's wrap yourself in the memory of the twin towers, a noun, a  verb and 911 stampede -- for Palin to come out and attack someone based on hearsay, without any first-hand knowledge, comes off sounding like a radical, fundamentalist extremist.

Wait, aren't they the enemy? The very evil John McCain will stare down with steely eyes and defeat just by exhaling? Has history not taught the Republican party anything? I know science hasn't but is history too now subject for questioning?

Do they not realize that when they speak, people outside their inner fear mongering circle hear them?
I don't think so. Because if they considered for a moment that people outside of their ego-maniacal world are watching, they never would have allowed a former PTA, city councilwoman to insult community activists the way she did.

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Why It Matters

Written by: Franco Caliz-Aguilar on Aug 15, 2008 12:30 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Coral Park Young Democrats, FIU Campus Corps, DFA-Link Organizers, GenDFA Student Leaders, Democracy for America Miami-Dade (DFAM)

For those who received Democracy For America's email on Wednesday, with the subject line: "Whose side are they on?," and thought "why does this matter?", take a look at this youtube video of Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart at a fundraiser talking about his "dear friends" Democratic congresspeople Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Kendrick Meek:

That's right, the "Democrats" that have not publicly backed DFA-list candidates Joe Garcia or Annette Taddeo.

Why does this matter? I've seen Mario claim that it's his ability to draw bipartisan support, such as these two congressional folks, for his policies of "centrism and realism" that makes him such an effective representative. Mario-Diaz Balart is a right wing thug, who voted against S-CHIP and then lied about it when his office told constituents that he voted for it.

He's the very definition of a Republican Rubber Stamp Congressman. He follows the party line blindly -- right off the cliff.   Mario regularly calls in to Spanish talk radio and spews discredited right-wing talking points bashing and demonizing Democrats. Here's someone who drank up all the Bush/Cheney/McCain kool-aid and asked for seconds.  Mario still believes that terrorism sponsored by Saddam Hussein was the reason we went into Iraq and, no matter the facts on the ground, we must stay the course.

If the activist base, the DFA members, don't put pressure on shameful "Democrats" like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Kendrick Meek, who will? It's time for Democrats to act like Democrats and grow a backbone. It's time for us to knock out of Congress fools who are beholden to special interests like Mario Diaz-Balart, and to elect people of true good character and integrity, like Joe Garcia and Annette Taddeo. And, it's also time for us to hold Democrats accountable  when they fail to assume their duties or mistakingly align themselves with knuckle-dragging, reactionary Republicans.

I have no hope for either of the Diaz-Balart brothers or Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, but Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick Meek should know better.  They should know who their friends are...and it ain't Mario, Lincoln, and Ileana.

HYPOCRISY

Written by: Wendy Sejour on Aug 8, 2008 2:24 PM EDT

Linked to groups: The Original Broward County DFA- DFAB, West Miami Dade Democrats for Change, FIU Campus Corps, Florida Trained Activists, Veterans for Democracy

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

Last Wednesday night I went to listen to Nancy “Impeachment is off the table” Pelosi at Temple Judea.  She was promoting her book “Know Your Power: A message to America’s Daughters.”  So, what overarching message did I take away from this event?  She’s a hypocrite.

During the introduction, it was made clear that Madam Speaker would have no real interaction with the audience. There would be no live questions from anyone, including the media.  It was made clear that anyone who spoke out of turn would be escorted out.  A small group of us (proudly wearing our Impeach Bush & Cheney t-shirts) was approached by one of the several police officers present that not only were signs prohibited but that any interruption of the event would result in being tossed out.  That being said, we decided that our action would be to stand quietly in the back of the hall after everyone was seated so that Ms. Pelosi would at least be able to see that some of us think impeachment should be placed back on the table.

The ground rules laid out to us would not ordinarily have upset me, except that Speaker Pelosi’s first talking point was the importance of everyone, especially women, recognizing not only their power to speak out but actually using it.  I stood there shocked, thinking that she’s saying how important it is for women to speak out, and here this woman had just been told that I had to shut-up in order to stay in the room.  I can’t voice my fears, dreams, nada.  What is wrong with this picture?

She went on to speak of her awakening to the power that she held as Speaker of the House and to speak of some of the legislation that the House passed in the past two years (equal pay, SCHIP, etc., none of which got past the Senate or a Presidential veto threat).  She also spoke about finally having a seat at the table and discovering what that meant.  She also spoke of the strength it took to raise five children and realizing that women could lead the way on what’s good for the country.  Two questions ran through my mind as she said those words:  Is the rule of law not good for the country?  If she had the courage to raise five kids, why doesn’t she have the courage to lead the House in standing up to George Bush and the Republicans?

Speaker Pelosi’s mantra was “Know Thy Power” as a woman, a mother, a citizen.  I couldn’t help but wonder, what about the power of the Constitution?  Having power is one thing.  It takes courage to use it.  My final question to Madam Speaker is, do you dare?

DFA Miami has been called out!

Written by: Wendy Sejour on Jul 24, 2008 10:23 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Broward County Democracy for America, Coral Park Young Democrats, Florida Trained Activists, The Original Broward County DFA- DFAB, FIU Campus Corps

The Taddeo for Congress campaign has issued a challenge: Can DFAM come on out one day and help us change Washington? We're up for the challenge, and we need you. They are being asked by the

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to come out and phonebank for them. If DFAM and Taddeo campaign volunteers contact more voters than the other campaigns, they will give the Taddeo campaign access to an email list of over 3 MILLION Democrats across the country!

To make sure that volunteers are up for the challenge, food and drinks will be given to them. The time for action has come, so we hope to see you on Saturday!

WHERE:   Taddeo for Congress Headquarters, 11509 South Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL 33156                                                   

Suniland Plaza behind Starbuck's Coffee (on US1 & Killian)

WHEN: Saturday, July 26th - 12:00PM – 5:00PM

SEE YA THERE!

Oil Crisis: Oil Industry's method of raising prices and cutting their own taxes

Written by: James Dunn on Jul 8, 2008 11:15 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy For Vermont, Topeka DFA meetup, Connecticut Greens, 7 Mile Beach Democratic Club, DFALA

Regarding opening environmentally protected areas for mining and pumping oil:

There is over 200 years of oil in the 48 contiguous States that are capped up by oil companies to monopolize world energy. There is no need to violate our environmentally protected areas, just to allow oil companies to further monopolize their strangle hold over our lives.

They are creating a media frenzy just to increase the price of oil; very successfully I might add. However, there is no immediate threat for an oil shortage !!! The oil companies have ONLY created the perception that there is a shortage !!!!

I personally believe that ALL mineral rights belong to the American People, NOT souless corporations!!!

I applaud Venezuela for nationalizing the oil assets in their country!!!!

We should be doing the same thing here in the United States !!!!

Ethically Eliminate ALL Political Corruption

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/jamesbdunn?p=57

Another DFA Victory

Written by: Franco Caliz-Aguilar on Apr 4, 2008 9:53 AM EDT

Linked to groups: FIU Campus Corps

Florida International University Campus Corps has done it!

We’ve won the Outstanding Political Club of the Year award on campus. This means that in our first year on campus, we beat out groups with higher name recognition like the College Democrats and College Fascists Republicans. We also beat out groups like Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights [SUPER] and others like United Students Against Sweatshops.

Our hard work through canvassing, phone banking, going to candidate events, volunteering around the community and asking questions of those in positions of power; have been recognized. More importantly, many people who had heard of us, have finally taken note of our group. We have arrived.

It is all down to your hard work, and if we continue this we can hopefully see Campus Corps and DFA endorsed Congressional Candidate Joe Garcia win locally as well as the other two South Florida congressional races. We are catalyzing change and winning the battle, day by day. Let’s keep up the great work and do it again next year!!!

If you're an FIU student and want to join our email list:

http://tinyurl.com/5dunoy

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Another progressive victory.

Written by: Franco Caliz-Aguilar on Jan 9, 2008 3:18 PM EST

Linked to groups: FIU Campus Corps

Democracy For America has won yet again thanks to it's message of grassroots involvedment, and the fact that everyone can change the world.

It is that message that was applied to one of DFA's newest Campus Corps groups. Campus Corps groups are university DFA chapters. The Florida International University Campus Corps has been awarded as "The most active political group on campus". Having beaten out both the College Democrats & Republicans, crushing the candidate groups, including the infamous Ron Paul one and just piping United Students Against Sweatshops as well as a Palestinian rights group, Campus Corps looks to this new semester.

While remaining a large prescence on campus, we will continue to talk about issues such as health care and global warming. We will continue our support of local, state and national candidates, across Miami-Dade County as we spread the progressive mesage.

FIU Campus Corps is proud of this achievement. But it's a tiny one compared to what lies ahead, and we're ready to prove not only that youth can turnout, but that we can make a difference in people's every days live and that we will have an impact on the races here in 2008.

And besides, we're gonna ecome the #1 group on campus this semester.

This'll ruffle some feathers

Written by: Franco Caliz-Aguilar on Dec 26, 2007 2:55 PM EST

Linked to groups: FIU Campus Corps

So, Happy Boxing Day to one and all!

The progressive movement may be outnumbered and outmanned in the media. But it seems as though slowly and surely, much like the American people, they are realizing that those terrible crazy progressives who are to the left might actually be correct! Well this horrendous notion has caught on at Slate apparently. Why Progressives should forget the middle is fantastic and makes a case too many Americans don't want to hear, but that is vital to have OUR goals met. And it's something we should make clear during our conversations about primaries, unless someone who is willing to fight for the goals becomes elected, we're going to get more of the same old results.

 What progressives should be focused on now is taking on the political movement that brought Bush to power. In short, what we need right now isn't Bush bashing—what we need is partisanship.

More under the fold:

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Debate at FIU!

Written by: Franco Caliz-Aguilar on Nov 6, 2007 7:30 AM EST

Linked to groups: FIU Campus Corps

Progressives don't get equal air time. They're out numbered 40-1 on the radio talk shows. So whenever we get the chance to fight back, we hit them with the ol' Dean bat and knock one out of the park! 

In just a couple of hours (10 AM EST-11.30 AM EST) Florida Iinternational University Campus Corps (DFA's University Branch) will participate in the first ever radio debate on education. The College Democrats, College Republicans and the school's most visible libertarian on campus will sit down for a four way rumble with myself, the head of FIU Campus Corps.

The surprising thing? The reason FIU Campus Corps was chosen to participate-despite being in it's first semester of existence- is that, we're the most active political organization on campus. So in the center of the main building of FIU, we will discuss education, a topic that the Republicans know how to screw up and try to profit off of, and the Democrats haven't had the backbone to step up and fight back for much too long. Maybe today's election will change somethings.

Tune in on your dials in Miami to 88.1 FM or 95.3. Maybe stream it online at http://wrgp.fiu.edu/ 

And good luck to all the candidates out there this election day who are fighting the good fight! Remember folks, you have the power!