DCDL

If you’re looking to spend a few days networking with liberal activists, hearing speakers, and attending workshops, there are at least three progressive political conferences this summer:

• DemocracyFest, June 9–10, 2007, Manchester, New Hampshire: Sponsored by Democracy for America, this “annual educational and inspirational festival for the progressive grassroots” features Howard Dean, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, and other speakers, trainers, films, and panels.

• Take Back America, June 18–20, 2007, Washington, DC: The Campaign for America’s Future is holding this conference at the Washington Hilton (across the street from our DCDL meeting place). Speakers include John Edwards (and probably Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who spoke last year), Howard Dean, newly elected senators (including Jon Tester), bloggers (including Atrios and Chris Bowers), and others. Drinking Liberally will be co-hosting a special event one night, so watch this blog and the e-mail list for details.

• YearlyKos, August 2–5, 2007, Chicago, Illinois: John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson (at least) will be participating in a Presidential Leadership Forum. The speaker lineup is still in flux. Those who can’t travel to Chicago can attend YearlyKos virtually in Second Life.

DC for Democracy is having a picnic Saturday, May 19, in Rock Creek Park to raise funds to support their efforts, including presidential primary activities, voting rights, and community projects. Special guests include Jim Dean, chair of Democracy for America (and Howard Dean’s brother); Judy Feder, 2006 House candidate in Virginia’s 10th District; and members of the DC council. Suggested donation is $35 for an individual, $50 for a family.

If you’re looking for a local grassroots group focusing on progressive politics, DC for Democracy is the organization for you — and much of the leadership is made up of DCDL regulars (I’m the IT chair), so you should feel at home.

For more information, see the RSVP page (and if you can’t make it but feel moved to donate anyway, you can do it through ActBlue).

As Tom Goldstein mentioned at last week’s DCDL gathering, Barack Obama will be at H2O Restaurant & Lounge, 800 Water Street SW, on Wednesday, May 23, for a fundraiser that verges on affordability for ordinary people ($100, $50 for students). Tickets are going fast, so if you’re interested sign up today.

The next stage in the DC House Voting Rights Act’s passage through the Congress is a hearing Tuesday. If you’re able to come to the Hill that morning, please do, so we can have a crowd to demonstrate that DC residents care about the issue. Here’s the latest message from DC for Democracy:

As our patron Senator on DC Voting Rights and Chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Sen. Joe Lieberman has just announced the schedule and witness panels for an important hearing on S. 1257, the DC House Voting Rights Act of 2007, on Tuesday, May 15 at 10:00 AM. All details about the hearing, including the witness list, can be found at http://www.dcvote.org/events/event.cfm?eventID=330.

To demonstrate our overwhelming support for the Senate’s quick response to our demand for full House voting rights, we are calling on all DC For Democracy members who are able to attend the 10:00am hearing, to please do so. We need to make our presence known and pack the room on Tuesday. Please attend the hearing if you are able — and show up early to get a seat! If you cannot make it in person, the hearing will be Web cast live from the Committee’s Web site at http://www.senate.gov/~govt-aff/.

Please RSVP to votingrights{at}dcfordemocracy.org.

Hope to see you all on Tuesday!

Karen Rose
Chair, Voting Rights & Democracy Committee
DC for Democracy

Since my previous post on the subject, two more senators have signed on as cosponsors: Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and John Kerry (D-MA).

If you’re a Virginia resident, please contact Sen. John Warner, who’s a possibly persuadable Republican member of the relevant committee, and ask him to support the bill, S. 1257. For that matter, wherever you are, if you have senators, ask them for their support. One way to send a message is to use the Free and Equal DC site.

The local grassroots group DC for Democracy has its monthly meeting tonight. They’re getting ready to kick off their presidential primary efforts, so they’re seeking input. If you’re looking to get involved in a group, this would be a great time to check out DC4D.

There will also be an update on the status of DC voting rights and some information about the upcoming Picnic in the Park fundraiser (mark your calendar for May 19).

Wednesday, May 2, 7pm
Ben’s Chili Bowl, 1213 U St NW (back room)
(across the street from U Street Metro, Green/Yellow Line)
RSVP

On Monday, April 16, DC Emancipation Day, Congress returns from recess, and the people of DC will be greeting them with the biggest demonstration ever for DC voting rights. You can be part of it. If you work for the DC government (including the schools), you won’t even have to take time off work, since Emancipation Day is a city holiday. Otherwise, please consider taking part of the day off and showing that you care about having voting representation in Congress, even if you can attend only the rally at 4 o’clock.

DC Vote is the main organizer of the march, which conveniently ended up being the week that the DC Voting Rights Act is expected to be reintroduced in the House. For details see www.votingrightsmarch.org.

I’ll be marching with DC for Democracy and some other folks from DC Drinking Liberally. If you’d like to join us, RSVP. I hope to see you there!

Those of you who are interested in politics and plan your schedule at the last minute are in luck. The evening of Wednesday, March 28, is chock-full of exciting events:

• Capitol Hill Drinking Liberally: The Wednesday chapter continues at its usual place and time, 7–9pm at the 18th Amendment, 613 Pennsylvania Ave SE (Eastern Market Metro). Subscribe to the e-mail announcement list to keep up to date on events.
• DCist–DC Vote Happy Hour: The popular local website and the premiere voting-rights organization combine forces to bring you a happy hour, 6–8pm at Eighteenth Street Lounge, 1212 18th St NW (Farragut North Metro). Have a drink with other supporters of DC voting rights and find out the latest on our chances of getting a vote in the House.
• Obama Fundraiser: Arlingtonians for Obama is hosting a $25 per person fundraiser, 7–10pm at Whitlow’s, 2854 Wilson Blvd (Clarendon Metro). The door prize is an autographed copy of The Audacity of Hope.
• Edwards House Parties: John Edwards supporters are holding house parties all over the country. There are a least five parties listed in or near DC.

In 2005, when Howard Dean became DNC chair, he launched the Democracy Bonds program, in which grassroots Democrats set up monthly contributions to support the party. Obviously not everyone can afford to make such a commitment, but you don’t have to be rich to do it, either. I’ve been a Democracy Bond holder for nearly a year and a half now, and I was very pleased in November with the return on my investment as the Democrats took back both chambers of Congress.

Monday, Democracy Bond holders are invited to reception with Governor Dean and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (fresh off her latest appearance on the Colbert Report). Hear what Dean has to say about the future of the party, and what Norton can tell us about the status of DC’s hoped-for vote in the House. If you’re not yet a bondholder, you can become one or make a one-time contribution of $50 to attend.

Monday, March 26
5:30–7pm
Human Rights Campaign
Equality Forum Room
1640 Rhode Island Ave NW

RSVP at www.democrats.org/dcgrassroots or contact Casey Breitenbeck at breitenbeckc@dnc.org or 202-863-8023.

As of last month, there are two monthly happy hours in DC for people interested in environmental issues, and both are happening this week.

The Sierra Club happy hour is on the second Monday of each month at different locations. Tonight, March 12, it’s in Adams Morgan at the Reef (2446 18th St NW), in the street-level bar, 5:30–7:30pm. It’s an opportunity to socialize with local environmental activists, hikers, and Sierra Club members, and this time there’s a presentation as well:

Representatives from the Sierra Club Inner City Outings (ICO) will be available to answer questions about the program. ICO provides wilderness adventures for people who wouldn’t otherwise have them, including low-income youth of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, hearing or visually impaired individuals, and the physically disabled. ICO promotes personal development by linking cultures, fostering respect of self and others and providing leadership skills.

For more information, see the DC Sierra Club site or e-mail Chasta Piatakovas at cpiatakovas{at}netzero.com.

The newer happy hour is Green Drinks, which meets on the second Tuesday of the month (March 13 this time), 6–8:30pm, at Local 16 (1602 U St NW):

GOAL: To bring together all who share a passion for the environment, sustainable/green living, energy efficiency and green power, green transportation, green product-sourcing, environmental legislation and advocacy, LEED architecture, and, well, you get the picture.

PRODUCT: The creation of a green community network, a sense of place, and connections with like minded people.

WHAT: These events will be very simple, unstructured and mostly FUN! We’ll meet monthly, same time and place.

For more information, contact Tina Schneider at indigoblue2{at}verizon.net.

Quite a few DCDLers will be going to tomorrow’s march. Some of us will be gathering with the Progressive Democrats of America and other folks, as described in this message from Democrats.com:

Excitement is Building for Saturday’s March on Washington to End the War Now!

The weather will be perfect, and a huge turnout is expected due to Bush’s adamant refusal to back down from his plan to escalate his disastrous Iraq War. Details here:
United for Peace and Justice

Speakers include: Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Danny Glover, Jane Fonda, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Reps. Dennis Kucinich, Maxine Waters, and Lynn Woolsey, Bob Watada, and many more.

Unlike past marches, the Corporate Media is already covering this event, including the Washington Post. Better yet, we’ve created our own powerful progressive media on the Internet since 2003 — this Revolution will be Blogged and YouTubed!

RALLY: Democrats.Com, PDA, Afterdowningstreet.org activists and friends are asked to gather with their PDA state banner, Saturday morning on the National Mall between Jefferson Ave. NW and 4th St. NW. (Facing the National Air and Space Museum) We will begin gathering at 9:30 AM. Download the map. (If you need help finding us on Saturday, call Sherry 480-529-2131 or Laura 435-640-2252)

Come to the workshops and trainings (including on how to lobby for investigations with the ultimate goal of impeachment) on January 28th and come with us to meet with your Congress Member and Senators on January 29th. It’s not too late to register:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/modinput4.php?modin=121

Here’s what we’re lobbying for (and what you can ask your Senators and Congress Member for):
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/16562

For comprehensive list of all sorts of related events in Washington and elsewhere in the coming days, see:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/event

DCDL and friends are mainly gathering at that location about 11, coordinated by Kesh Ladduwahetty (keshinil@yahoo.com or 202-531-0615). I’ll be catching up with them a little later.