PDACNM Monthly Gathering

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For the month of August we invite all our PDA friends to join in these two progressive-focused events.

NM Working Families Party “State Convening” on Aug. 8 and Adelante Progressive Caucus “Getting progressives elected to the State Central Committee” on Aug. 12.  Let’s get PDA progressive voices present at these important gatherings and support our fellow progressive groups.  We’ll be back on Sept. 9 for our PDA Monthly Gathering.

1) NM Working Families Party “State Convening” – Sat. Aug. 8, 1:00-4:00pm

FOCUS: State-Level Power Building Plans through our collaborations and connections. Learn about how fusion voting can get more progressives elected.

Values pledge: https://secure.everyaction.com/mEentOuPtU24uPULPIfnDg2
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/nm-wfp/event/286417/

2) Adelante Progressive Caucus – Wed. Aug. 12, 6:30pm

FOCUS: Discussion on how to elect progressives to party’s State Central Committee of the DPNM. We are starting now on plans for the spring of 2021 and beyond. The people elected next year to the State Central Committee will determine the state party’s direction for the next couple of years. Let’s get more progressives on the SCC!

No registration required:  Join here from the zoom site at https://zoom.us/
Use this meeting ID 226308705

Medicare for All Calculator

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The Medicare for All Calculator is a free, online, user-friendly tool based on a proposed financing plan for H.R.1384, the Medicare for All Act of 2019. With this calculator, mfacalc.com, anyone can enter information anonymously about the number of people in the household with health insurance, their current income, a typical year’s health insurance premium and out of pocket health costs. Once this information is entered the calculator will determine the savings (in most cases) that HR 1384 would provide if enacted.

H.R.1384 would expand Medicare to cover all Americans, regardless of age, income or disability. It eliminates ALL individual healthcare costs, premiums, co-pays and deductibles. It adds comprehensive healthcare coverage, including dental, vision, mental health, long-term care, prescription drugs and other benefits.

A group of concerned citizens, many who are former healthcare providers and associates, have formed the Medicare for All Speakers Bureau. We have a 30 minute presentation which compares single-payer health system myths vs facts, gives the pertinent points of the Act and a picture of the financial analysis done by Gerald Friedman, PhD., Economics Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, on how to fund a universal single payer system. We’ve added updated information on COVID-19 and how it’s making obvious the serious flaws in our health care system, along with some proposed short term solutions.

If your group would like to schedule a presentation email  mc4allnm@gmail.com for more information.

New Mexico Public Bank Legislation: What You Need to Know

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The time has come for New Mexico to make the bold step of taking control of its own state finances. New Mexico loses up to half of the money it spends on debt service in interest payments to big banks. Let’s bring that money home by creating a public bank.

A public bank is a financial institution owned by the state of New Mexico that finances
New Mexico infrastructure projects and small businesses, clean energy, affordable housing, and many other economic development projects that need Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) loans, through participation loans with community banks and credit unions. The LEDA loans can be enhanced with public bank loans to support local economic development. Instead of selling bonds to out-of-state banks and investors, a public bank can replace the need for the issuance of bonds and help New Mexico by bringing the debt service payments back to New Mexico, as public bank income, and offering lower interest rates. A simple $50 million in capital can generate as much as $500 million in funds to leverage the projects we need.

Download and read the complete legislative proposal here.

 

PDACNM July Monthly Gathering: VIDEO MESSAGES TO REP. HAALAND!

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At our July Community Gathering more than 30 progressives from around Albuquerque recorded messages for Rep. Deb Haaland about the progressive issues we want her to champion for the DNC Platform.

Rep. Haaland in the ABQ Journal on June 24, “She said she was looking forward to ‘bringing my progressive values and crafting our party’s platform, and paying attention to urgent issues like climate change, health care and criminal justice reform that we’ve seen protested about across our country the past couple of weeks.’“

About the DNC Platform:  CD1 Rep. Deb Haaland was been appointed to the 15-person Democratic National Committee Platform Drafting Committee by DNC Chairman Tom Perez. This 15-person Platform Drafting Committee is responsible for developing and managing the process through which the Democratic Party’s National Platform is established. According to DNC rules, the members of the drafting committee are appointed by the DNC Chair.

Our online program focused on issues about Bringing Broadband to the Native Nations with special guest Dr.  Maggie George; and PDA Planning Committee Speakers who highlighted the following:

·         Ending police violence and the Movement for Black Lives – Karen Bentrup

·         Immigrant Rights  – Kathleen O’Malley

·         Medicare 4 All – Amy  Antle

·         Climate Crisis – Ted Cloak

·         Voting Right  – Paul Stokes

·         Ending Wars and Occupations and Bringing Peace – Sally Alice Thompson

With signs and issues ready to announce, Sharla Parsons (DPNM Chair of the State Platform and Resolutions Committee) kicked off the recordings followed by more than 30 participants. Herb Hoffman concluded our program leaning into Rep. Haaland’s commitment to her values that honor and care for the people. THANKS EVERYONE for telling Rep. Haaland what we progressives want in the national platform!

PDACNM Newsletter – July 6, 2020

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Police Brutality and Racial Injustice in New Mexico: What Progressives Can & Must Do

We all watched in horror as the life went out of George Floyd under the impassive knee of the sadistic little man in blue on May 25th in Minneapolis. Since then, uprisings against police brutality and racial injustice have swept the country and the world. New Mexico is no exception.  Nor should it be, given in particular the squalid record of killings and other rank abuses of power by a militarized police force in Albuquerque. Read more…..

Read the complete Newsletter here….