PDACNM Monthly Gathering

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PDACNM IN NOVEMBER
Community Gathering

February 12, 2019
First Congregational United Church of Christ
2801 Lomas Blvd NE.

Doors open 5:30       Program begins 6:00
Childcare

PUBLIC BANK IN NM?   

Is a state bank in New Mexico’s future? It’s a possibility as activists work tirelessly to advocate for a public bank in NM. Come to our February gathering and hear a panel of very knowledgeable activists who have spent years researching, educating and lobbying for a public bank in our state.

Please try to be there before 6:00 because the doors lock automatically.  However, if you can’t make it by then, ring the bell or text the number listed at the door and someone will let you in.  It might take a minute so don’t leave!! We want to see you.

It’s the dinner hour so you are welcome to pack a sandwich and come on over. We’ll have tables for dining from 5:30 – 6:00.

BANK OF NORTH DAKOTA, THE ONLY STATE BANK IN THE US

Desperately poor and tired of being at the mercy of out-of-state economic powers, North Dakota’s farmers launched the Nonpartisan League in 1915.  This political party united progressives, reformers, and radicals behind a platform that called for returning control of the state’s economy to its people.  At the time, farmers were utterly dependent on out-of-state grain milling companies, national railroads, and Minneapolis banks, all of which had been gouging farmers.

In the 1918 elections, the League won both houses of the legislature.  One of the first bills these new lawmakers passed created a publicly owned grain mill, the North Dakota Mill and Elevator, and a publicly owned bank, the Bank of North Dakota (BND).

Institute for Local Self Reliance. Read more here.

 

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. 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All bill in Congress. 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 676 would provide if enacted.

H.R. 676 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.

We are indebted to Kris Hardy, owner of Albuquerque Software for his role in developing the Medicare for All Calculator. And to Health Action New Mexico for their sponsorship.

A group of concerned citizens, many who are former healthcare providers and associates, have formed the Medicare for All Speakers Bureau. We have created a 30 minute Power Point presentation which compares single-payer health system myths vs facts, gives the pertinent points of the bill and a picture of the financial analysis done by Gerald Friedman, PhD., Economics Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, on how to pay for this bill if enacted, “Funding HR 676”, published in 2013.

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

AOC Turns the Tables on the DCCC and So Can We     

Opinion

 

by Jerilyn Bowen

As we progressives know all too well, the neoliberal power brokers in the Democratic Party have long been dead set on preventing those of our persuasion from obtaining a decisive voice in the party.  Top example:  the national party establishment overrode the grassroots uprising of the Sanders campaign in 2016, contriving to prevent Bernie from getting the presidential nomination and thereby throwing the country to the wolves.  Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by three million but Bernie would almost certainly have done what needed to be done to win in the electoral college as well.  Given his demonstrated grassroots support in the industrial and midwestern states that narrowly handed Trump victory, Bernie would likely have taken the White House, bigtime.  And we wouldn’t now be living this nightmare the Republican cartel is inflicting on the country.

So what did Democratic Party centrists learn from the avoidable debacle of 2016?  That election was theirs to lose and they blew it.  Did they then recognize the error of their ways and move to open the party doors to the influx of vital energy coming from grassroots progressives?  No, they did not.  Instead, following the remarkable and most fortunate 2018 midterm House victories, they moved to circle the wagons to protect their hegemony against the invaders who were instrumental in bringing that victory about.  Among other things, under the leadership of Cheri Bustos in 2019 the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) instituted draconian new rules designed to prevent progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Ayanna Pressley (MA), and Ro Khanna (CA) from running for office by denying anyone who challenges a Democratic incumbent the funding they need to hire consultants and vendors.

Continue reading AOC Turns the Tables on the DCCC and So Can We      →

2020: Renewing our Commitment to Challenge Racism, Just Mercy Film & More

Information, News

Every day, select some media to widen your understanding and listen to diverse perspectives.  Here’s some to get you started:

 The movie JUST MERCY – opened Jan 10th

Powerful true story about Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative!

– Bryan talks about the film:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsVWayl3BjU

– Film trailer:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVQbeG5yW78

– Equal Justice Initiative:   https://eji.org/

Continue reading 2020: Renewing our Commitment to Challenge Racism, Just Mercy Film & More →

Progressive Democrats of America CNM Chapter Newsletter – Solidarity

Events, Meetings, News

The Legislative Action Expo was a big success last year. Please help make it even bigger and more successful this year.  The 2020 Legislative Session promises to be exciting and promising but it takes all of us to push for bold progressive legislation that is so urgently needed in our state. Come learn about the issues and the bills for 2020.

Read the Newsletter Here!

MONDAY NIGHT UPDATE – Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019

Legislation

Two companion bills to stop unnecessary war with Iran have been introduced in the House and Senate.

The text of the House bill (H.R.2354 – Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019) is here.

The text of the Senate bill (S.1039 – Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019) is here.

I believe both bills are identical, but I have not compared them closely.

So you know whether to thank your Senators and Representative or urge them to sign on:

Co-sponsors of H.R.2354 are here;
and co-sponsors of S.1039 are here.

It is especially important to make contact if your senator or representative is sitting on a committee to which the bill has been referred.

H.R.2354 is currently in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Committee on Armed Services.

Membership of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs is here.

Membership of the House Committee on Armed Services is here.

S.1039 is currently in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Committee. If one of your senators sits on this committee, it is especially important to call or email your senator about S.1039.

Membership of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is here..

SPECIAL NOTE:
Reps. Haaland and Lujan are co-sponsors of H.R.2354.

Rep. Torres Small sits on the House Committee on Armed Services and has NOT signed on as of when this is posted.

Sen. Udall is the main sponsor of S.1039.
Sen. Heinrich has NOT signed on as of when this is posted.