Sicko Viewing Brings Out Local Citizens

Written by: Alta Price on Jul 9, 2007 9:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

A little over 30 people from the Quad Cities and nearby towns in Illinois and Iowa went to see Sicko last Saturday (July 7) morning at 10:20 AM. Most of us went to the Texas Roadhouse restaurant afterwards to discuss the movie.

The consensus was that everyone should make the effort to get to this movie while it is still in town. The film surpassed our expectations, even though we had heard the favorable reviews before we went to see it. We will try to schedule several more group viewings of the film, hopefully one this week during the day and one next Sunday afternoon. Details will follow.

If you haven't seen the film yet, go. Better yet, take a friend. If you know a doctor or someone in the health care field, invite them along.

Alta Price 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DFA Training Academy graduate wins election in Silvis, IL

Written by: Alta Price on Feb 28, 2007 10:32 PM EST

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

 When Caryn Unsicker attended our DFA Training Academy last April in the Illinois Quad Cities, she was already a successful peace activist and had started to organize in opposition to the world's largest hog slaughterhouse that the powers-that-be were trying to foist upon her community, against the wishes of the vast majority of its citizens. I knew her well enough to drag her to the Training Academy, although never having been to one, I wasn't sure if it was designed for grassroots activists not interested in political campaigns.

 As it turned out, Caryn - and everyone else - loved the Training Academy. She thought it was the most interesting training she had ever attended. Of course at the time she never dreamed she'd one day be running for office!

 Caryn was able to put her training to immediate use. Her Silvis City Council was the only one of seven local governments to vote against TIF funding for the slaughterhouse, putting a (sadly) temporary halt on the project. The powers-that-be, including the local Democratic Party establishment, decided to punish the alderman who stood up against the hog plant by running pro-slaughterhouse candidates in the Democratic primary. Caryn decided to run for the Silvis City Council herself.

The strategies she and her volunteers learned at the Training Academy were invaluable in running her low budget, grassroots campaign. She knocked on doors and made phone calls, and DFAers turned out to knock on the door of every Democratic primary voter in her ward. On election day we knew how to get her supporters out to vote.

Caryn beat her pro-slaughterhouse opponent, 87 votes to 61 votes. Although that might not seem like a lot of votes, Caryn got more votes in her race than anyone else in the four primary races in Silvis, including three other races featuring incumbents with opponents. We were glad that the three anti-slaughterhouse incumbents all won as well. In Silvis Democrats get elected, so we are confident that Caryn Unsicker will go on to win the general election in April.

 

 

 

Attend Democratic Gun Club Event for Elesha on October 7!

Written by: Alta Price on Oct 3, 2006 2:07 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Quad Cities Democratic Gun Club

Dear Member,

Please attend a special presentation by the Quad Cities Democratic Gun Club on Saturday, October 7, 2006 at 3:00 PM. Dr. Leonardo M. Antaris (Alta Price's husband) will talk about how to value firearms. Elesha will be there to meet with voters from her district. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=138...

What: Special Presentation: Valuing Firearms
When: Saturday, October 7, 2006, 3:00 PM
Where: Oak Hill Gun Club
12364 Coonhunters Road
Blue Grass IA 52726

Iraq War Forum help needed

Written by: Alta Price on Aug 24, 2006 2:05 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

Hello everyone!

Things are coming together nicely for the Iraq War Forum on Aug 26. But we could use your help! A few points:

1) We can't get in the building until 8 am. However, we are doing the Carny Mobile and registration outside in the parking lot at 3rd and Ripley (unless it rains). So, we need help setting up at 8 am (and a few people at 7:30). Can you help out? Please let me know if you can help set up, and when you expect to arrive.

2) We may need to rearrange the furniture in the room. The setup is more or less fine if we have less than 70 people. If more, we need to move around tables and bring in chairs from the adjoining classroom.

3) Coffee - getting this started is a priority! Cathy Hermes is bringing the coffee stuff, but we need to help her get it started.

4) Monica Kurth has agreed to be our moderator. Thank you!

5) Suggested tasks during setup:
Greet and help speakers - Monica Kurth and Anne Corbi
Registration table - Alta Price and backup person from DFA-QC ???
Someone to put up signage (outside mostly): ???
Coffee and refreshment setup - Cathy Hermes and ???
Someone to stand at door to building and direct people to parking lot - ???
Someone to stand at door and help unload stuff to take inside - ???
Room setup - ???
Set up DFA-QC table and PACG tables inside - Caroline Vernon
Set up NAMI table - Anne Corbi
Set up PSR table - John Rachow and Maureen McCue
(Does anyone know of anyone else who needs a table?)
Clean up - ???

Let me know if you can volunteer for one of the jobs marked as ???.

Thanks! Don't forget to call and remind your friends about the event!

Alta Price
altaprice@yahoo.com
563-332-5051 home
563-421-1140 work (on this Friday, 421-6771 or 421-6772)

Attend Quad Cities Iraq War Forum on August 26!

Written by: Alta Price on Aug 17, 2006 11:56 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

Dear Member,

Please attend the Quad Cities Iraq War Forum on Saturday, August 26, 2006 at 9:00 AM. We have a wonderful group of speakers, so make sure you call up your friends and invite them, too! You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=933...

What: Quad Cities Iraq War Forum
When: Saturday, August 26, 2006, 9:00 AM
Where: Kahl Education Center, Tenth Floor
326 W. 3rd St
Davenport IA 52801

Attend August Linkup on August 3!

Written by: Alta Price on Aug 1, 2006 12:01 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

Dear Member,

Please attend Linkup on Thursday, August 3, 2006 at 7:00 PM. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=981...

What: August Linkup
When: Thursday, August 3, 2006, 7:00 PM
Where: Bettendorf Public Library
2950 Learning Campus Dr
Bettendorf IA 52722

Drinking Liberally in the Quad Cities

Written by: Alta Price on Jun 30, 2006 11:43 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

Note: This is NOT a DFA group or activity, but I thought many of you would be interested in Drinking Liberally and wanted to extend this invitation on behalf of Caroline Vernon and myself.

Alta Price

*****************

Hello Liberals!

Please sign up for our new Drinking Liberally ("promoting democracy one pint at a time") chapter in the Quad Cities. You can go here to sign up:

drinkingliberally.org/subscribe1...

We meet every week to drink, socialize, and rant liberally. The schedule is tentative (and confusing), but if you sign up you'll be notified of any changes (the First Saturday event below will not change). You can also check the website without signing up.

Our next Drinking Liberally get-together is our First Saturday Drinking Liberally in the A.M. Details:
When: July 1, 2006 at 9 am (and onward)
Where: Mojo's coffee shop in dowtown Davenport, 131 W. 2nd St (2nd and Main)
Why: To drink coffee (or tea, milk, juice, pop) liberally, socialize progressively, and rant exuberantly
Who: Anyone who wants to join "City Leader" Caroline Vernon (who will also be celebrating her birthday)

Upcoming Drinking Liberally events:

Second Friday Drinking Liberally:
When: July 14, 2006 at 6 pm (and onward)
Where: Ruby Tuesday's across from Showcase Cinemas in Davenport (53rd St.)
Why: Why not?
Who: Anyone who wants to

Third Thursday Drinking Liberally and Cheaply:
When: July 20, 2006 at 6 pm (and onward)
Where: Ruby Tuesday's across from Showcase Cinemas in Davenport (53 rd St.)
Why: Ruby Tuesday's has two-fers on Thursdays on beer and mixed drinks
Who: Socially progressive, fiscally responsible liberals

Fourth Friday Drinking Liberally:
When: July 28, 2006 at 6 pm (and onward)
Where: Ruby Tuesday's across from Showcase Cinemas in Davenport (53rd St.)
Why: Why not?
Who: Anyone who wants to

Hope to drink liberally with you soon! Sign up now at

drinkingliberally.org/subscribe1...

Lavishly yours,

Alta Price
563-332-5051
altaprice@yahoo.com
Drinking Liberally City Leader

Attend July DFA Linkup on July 6!

Written by: Alta Price on Jun 30, 2006 10:53 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

Dear Member,

Please attend July Linkup on Thursday, July 6, 2006 at 7:00 PM. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=981...

What: July Linkup
When: Thursday, July 6, 2006, 7:00 PM
Where: Bettendorf Public Library
2950 Learning Campus Dr
Bettendorf IA 52722

Cheap labor conservatives

Written by: Alta Price on Jun 30, 2006 10:43 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

Hello all!

I found this at DailyKos. It is long, but well worth reading, especially with the upcoming elections. The diarist discusses tactics used by the Republicans, and why the Democrats have trouble countering them. Running against Bush is not enough. Just this discussion is worth the read.

I really like the discussion on Republican "ideology". The basic idea is the conservatives have spent 40 years and millions (billions?) of dollars promoting their ideology of "government is bad" and we need "less government". This is nonesense, of course, but is accepted unthinkingly by the people. We need our own ideology to counter their ideology (the diarist also explains what an ideology is, and why we want to be ideologues!)

www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/28...

If you click on the links towards the end, you get more information about the ideology this diarist suggests, which is "cheap labor conservatives", as opposed to "big government liberals". I think it is pretty good, actually.

Alta Price
563-332-5051
altaprice@yahoo.com

Attend Iraq War Forum Planning Meeting on June 27!

Written by: Alta Price on Jun 20, 2006 12:30 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for America-Quad Cities

Dear Member,

Please attend Iraq War Forum Planning Meeting on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 at 6:00 PM. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=933...

What: Iraq War Forum Planning Meeting
When: Tuesday, June 27, 2006, 6:00 PM
Where: Anne Corbi's home
629 Brown St.
Davenport IA 52802