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 nationwide. 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. We've been meeting nearly every month since late 2003. We're holding events across Montgomery County and we're planning to endorse candidates this election year, if you--our membership--supports this idea. DFMC is currently seeking steering committee members. Contact me,
democracy4montgomery@gmail.com for more information.
Please contribute $25 to keep Democracy for Montgomery County going and growing.
You can use PayPal online:
http://tinyurl.com/Democracy4Montgomery or bring a check or cash to our next meeting.
Our next meeting will be 7:30 PM Tuesday, July 6th: Meeting With State Senator Mike Lenett.
Combined MeetUp/Meeting for MCPA, DFMC, PDA, and more. Progressive Coalition Meeting to plan future events and actions.
Saigonese Restaurant, 11232 Grandview Ave Silver Spring (Wheaton), MD 20902
Public Transportation: 2-3 block walk from Wheaton Metro (red line)
Google Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=11232+Grandview+Ave+Silver+Spring+MD+20902
If you haven't already, you can sign up for DFA here:
http://democracyforamerica.com/session/new See our blog:
http://d4mc.blogspot.com/ to stay up-to-date with our actions and events.
Please contribute $25 to keep Democracy for Montgomery County going and growing.
You can use PayPal online:
http://tinyurl.com/Democracy4Montgomery or bring a check or cash to our next meeting.
Four Meetup groups--Progressive Victory in 2010, Democratic Party / MCPA, Montgomery County Progressive Alliance and Democratic Party / DFA / DFMC--get together with like-minded activists working for progress. We support and help plan the actions of these other organizations:
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. The 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 since 2003.
2. 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. Contact me for more information. See:
http://www.PDAmerica.org You can sign up for PDA here:
https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/309/personal2.asp?formid=joinusshort&c=5052037 3. 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. This past year, several organizations in Howard County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City launched a sister chapter of the PWG. See:
http://progressiveworkinggroup.blogspot.com/ Contact Wally Malakoff
malakoff@starpower.net We cooperate with and support other organizations working in our area including (but not limited to):
Common Cause Maryland is the state's leading good government and democracy reform group aiming to: Strengthen public participation and public faith in our institutions of government; Ensure that government and the political process serve the public interest, rather than special interests; Curb the excessive influence of money on government decisions and elections; Promote fair and honest elections and high ethical standards for elected officials; and Protect the civil rights and civil liberties of all Marylanders. See:
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4847585 The Greater Silver Spring Democratic Club sponsors important discussions, forums and other events including the spectacular annual Summer cookout. Contact Mark Woodard:
markdwoodard@comcast.net HealthCareMaryland.org is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization engaged in research, public education, and advocacy to guarantee universal high-quality health care for all Maryland residents. See:
http://www.healthcaremaryland.org/ 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.
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 PeaceAction Montgomery are highly motivated individuals, affiliated with the national organization, Peace Action. Anyone can join Peace Action Montgomery. Currently, there are over 2,600 dues-paying members in Montgomery County. Activities depend on the dedication and hard work of the membership. For more information see:
http://www.peaceactionmc.org/ Progressive Cheverly is based in Cheverly, Maryland. Their mission is to promote economic fairness, social justice, basic human rights, a sustainable environment, a tolerant society and world peace through a more informed political dialogue and active participation in civil society and the democratic political process. For more information see:
http://progchev.edterry.com/ Progressive Maryland is a grassroots, nonprofit organization of more than 15,000 members and supporters as well as 40 affiliated religious, community, and labor organizations. Through research, public education, and direct political action we strive to improve the lives of working families in our state. See:
http://www.progressivemaryland.org/ Progressive Neighbors is working for: Schools that give all students an opportunity to reach their full potential, Universal health care, affordable housing, and an adequate living wage, Public transportation systems that combine convenience and environmental protections, Land use policies that are sustainable, serve residents, and don't overburden our infrastructure, Effective protection against crime stressing prevention, community involvement and fairness, Measures that assure a greater voice for all, such as campaign finance and voting reforms, Fairness and equality for all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, income, or sexual orientation. More information:
http://www.progressiveneighborsmd.org/ SAVEourVotes is a statewide nonpartisan grassroots nonprofit organization working for Secure, Accessible, Verifiable Elections in Maryland. More information:
http://saveourvotes.org/ Transparency and Equal Access in Government is working to open operations of state government, and to guarantee members of the public have the same access as lobbyists and other insiders. Contact Luis Zapata for more information:
4zapata@gmail.com Upcounty Action engages in advocacy for people, places, programs and preservation in upper Montgomery County areas. For more information see:
http://www.upcountyaction.org/ WPFW-FM Pacifica provides outlets for the creative skills and energies of the community, to contribute to a lasting understanding between individuals of all nations, races, creeds and colors, and to promote the full distribution of public information. Programming on WPFW will principally be a mix of jazz, Third World music, news and public affairs. The airwaves at 89.3 will be an accessible media outlet for Blacks, Hispanics, cultural groups, women, seniors, youth and other ethnic and non-traditional groups. See:
http://www.wpfw.org/ Thanks for reading this far, hope to see you soon!
Mike Hersh
Chairperson, Democracy for Montgomery County
