Wednesday, October 20, 2010

making progress in Montgomery County and Maryland

Thanks to you, the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance is making progress in Montgomery County and Maryland.

We've been organizing events, supporting candidates, and informing you about progressive efforts in our area since 2003. We have big plans to work with our friends and allies in the county and state on healthcare, the environment, equality, and more! MCPA is playing a role organizing, supporting, and/or promoting ALL of the events below. NO OTHER ORGANIZATION is involved and promoting progress on such a wide range of issues and efforts!

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Progressive Events Coming up:

Patients United for the Human Right to Healthcare in Bethesda Saturday, Oct 23 at 2 p.m.

Early Voting / Silver Spring festival Saturday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.


Public forum: The Left and Elections in Baltimore Sunday, October 24th, 2 pm to 3:30 pm


ELECTION DAY: Tuesday November 2nd, 7 am to 8 pm

Symposium Series: Pathways to Peace: Creating an Israeli/Palestinian Peace Agreement in DC Thursday, November 4th, 7:30 to 9:30 pm


Mean Girls and their Victims a panel discussion and workshop addressing "Girls at Risk" Monday, November 8th, 7 TO 9 P.M

MoCo Progressive Alliance MeetUp/Meeting November 9, 7 - 9 pm (it's OK to come late, traffic can be tough!)

Alphabet Soup--who are these organizations and what do they do?

Help keep us working for you! Please support the MCPA with a generous donation now.  We hope you will give $25, but we appreciate any help you afford in these tough economic times. You can donate safely and easily online here or bring your donation to our meetings and events. If you can't afford to contribute, please at least pass this along to your progressive friends in Maryland, DC--or anywhere!


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Patients United for the Human Right to Healthcare in Bethesda Saturday, Oct 23 at 2 p.m.

Meet Joel Segal, Senior Legislative Assistant to Congress; Phyllis Zolotorow, Healthcare Advocate and uninsured patient; Judy Mahaffy, Healthcare Advocate and underinsured patient and Beverly Hummel, Healthcare Activist to explore how to start the "building" process!

6213 Dahlonega Road, Bethesda, MD / http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6213+Dahlonega+Road+Bethesda+MD+20816

Please RSVP ASAP to: patients4hcr@gmail.com

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Early Voting / Silver Spring festival Saturday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Governor O'Malley will speak at 1:30 p.m.  More details / entertainment schedule: http://www.silverspringfestival.com/
Early voting is 10 am to 8 pm Friday October 22nd through Thursday October 28th (excluding Sunday October 24th)
Contact me to make calls, work the polls, and otherwise help elect progressive candidates!

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Public forum: The Left and Elections in Baltimore Sunday, October 24th, 2 pm to 3:30 pm
The Baltimore Free School, 1323 N. Calvert St. Baltimore MD 21202
Speakers:  Les Bayless, union organizer and peace activist, and Cindy Farquhar, member of Progressive Working Group.
Event is free, and there will be plenty of time for discussion about legislative possibilities in the General Assembly in 2011.

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ELECTION DAY: Tuesday November 2nd, 7 am to 8 pm

Find your polling place here: http://www.elections.state.md.us/voting/where.html

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Symposium Series: Pathways to Peace: Creating an Israeli/Palestinian Peace Agreement in DC Thursday, November 4th, 7:30 to 9:30 pm
Come hear, meet and share your support and insight with: Harriet Fulbright – President of the J. William and Harriet Fulbright Center, Walter Fauntroy – US Congressman (D-DC, 1971-1990) and Founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, Joel Segal – Congressional Staffer, Founder of the Free China Movement & co-founder of the Progressive Democrats of America, plus other expert panelists as they seek your help and participation in transforming a long standing conflict into a long standing peace. Sponsored by the Campaign for Middle East Peace and George Washington Interfaith Action (GWIA).

GWU, Marvin Center, Grand Ballroom,
800 21st Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20052
A few blocks from the Foggy Bottom Metro Station
Snacks and Drinks will be provided.

To RSVP or more information, please contact Tarek Nahabet at StrategiesForDevelopment@live.com / 603-504-4440

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Mean Girls and their Victims a panel discussion and workshop addressing "Girls at Risk" Monday, November 8th, 7 TO 9 P.M

Free, open to the public, free parking. Refreshments.

Sponsored by the Montgomery County Chapter of the National Organization for Women
Wheaton Regional Library, Large Meeting Room on the ground Floor
11701 Georgia Ave., (corner of Arcola Ave.) Wheaton, MD 20902
Directions: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/libraries/branchinfo/wh.asp#map

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MoCo Progressive Alliance MeetUp/Meeting November 9, 7 - 9 pm (it's OK to come late, traffic can be tough!)

Fun, informal discussion plus a report on progress in our county and state on Healthcare, the Environment, Education, Labor, Transportation, Energy and other issues. We're building up our coalition and lobby efforts on the state and national level, planning special events, forming a steering committee, and working on meetings with legislators, and other organizations. You can bring MCPA donations to our meeting!

Saigonese Restaurant, 11232 Grandview Ave Silver Spring (Wheaton), MD 20902
Public Transportation: Short walk from Wheaton Metro (red line)

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Other ways to stay in touch


Please join the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/mcprogressivealliance

If you're on Facebook, please join the MCPA group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3401340272&ref=ts

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Alphabet Soup--who are these organizations and what do they do?


1. MCPA: The Montgomery County Progressive Alliance is a result-oriented coalition working on local, state, national and international issues. MCPA includes more than 1,000 local activists, mainly in and around Montgomery County Maryland. Four Meetup groups--Progressive Victory, Democratic Party / MCPA, Montgomery County Progressive Alliance and this one--get together with like-minded activists working for Progressive Victories in 2010 and beyond. We meet at least once each month to discuss and plan events and actions. Of these groups, Progressive Victory has the most members, and we hope you will join that Meetup to save time, money, and effort organizing our meetings and actions. See: http://www.meetup.com/progressive-victory/ 

MCPA organization began in 2003 when Democracy for America Meetup members reached out to other Meetup groups and other groups. In 2004, 100s of Montgomery County for Kerry members and local Progressive Democrats of America members joined the MCPA. MCPA adopted a mission statement, organized special events, and has held meetings nearly each month.

2. DFA/DFMC: Democracy for America emerged from Gov. Howard Dean's presidential campaign in 2004, and has organized grass-roots activists to support socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates. DFMC is Democracy for Montgomery County, a local DFA-inspired organization which is not directly or legally affiliated with DFA. DFMC has organized events and meetings; and endorsed and organized volunteers for several candidates. DFMC is currently seeking additional steering committee members. Please contact me, mikehersh@mikehersh.com if you're interested. You can sign up for DFA here: http://democracyforamerica.com/session/new

3. PDA: Progressive Democrats of America began just after the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Bringing together people from the 2004 Kucinich and Dean Campaigns with other progressives, PDA adopted an "inside/outside strategy" uniting activists working inside the Democratic Party with those working in peace and justice movements. PDA's core issues include clean, accurate and transparent elections; environmental protection; single-payer healthcare; economic and social justice; and peace. See: http://www.PDAmerica.org You can sign up for PDA here:
https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/309/personal2.asp?formid=joinusshort&c=5052037

Other organizations working in our area:

PWG: The Progressive Working Group is a coalition promoting progress and reform, economic fairness and equality, protecting the environment, and more. PWG is not part of the MCPA, but the MCPA is part of the PWG which currently includes: Audubon Naturalist Society, CASA of Maryland, Democracy for Montgomery County, Equality Maryland, Health Care Now, Montgomery County Progressive Alliance, Montgomery Health Care Action, PeaceAction Montgomery, Peace and Justice of Prince George's County, Progressive Cheverly, Progressive Democrats of America (Maryland), Progressive Neighbors, Save Our Votes, and Upcounty Action. PWG will focus on 2 or 3 issues during the 2010 session. Progressive organizations are welcome to join PWG. Please contact Wally Malakoff malakoff@starpower.net for more information.

NOW: The National Organization for Women has been advancing womens' issues including general progressive causes for decades. See: http://www.now.org/ for more information. Contact Montgomery County NOW membership chairperson Jeannette Feldner lj.feldner@verizon.net to join. Men as well as women are welcome to join NOW.

OfA: Organizing for America emerged from President Obama's campaign in 2008, and is organizing grass-roots activists to support the Democratic National Committee/Obama agenda. OfA is sponsoring local efforts in each congressional district which are not directly or legally affiliated with the DNC. OfA is currently sponsoring phone banks, organizing meetings, and building a "rapid response" media effort. Please contact Jon Randall jrandall39@comcast.net for more information. See http://www.barackobama.com/learn/about_ofa.php

MoveOn is a national political action organization and has a local council in Silver Spring and elsewhere around Maryland. Local MoveOn members have cooperated with MCPA on town halls, vigils, phone banking, and other actions. See http://www.moveon.org to join your local council.

To have your organization or events listed here, please contact me.

Thanks for reading down this far, and hope to see you at the meeting and future events,

Mike Hersh, Meetup Organizer
Chairperson, MCPA and DFMC
Maryland State Coordinator, PDA
Steering Committee, PWG

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Please help support the MCPA with a generous donation now. You can donate safely and easily online here or bring your donation to our meetings and events.

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