Next DFA-MC Meeting

Next DFA-MC meeting is on Wednesday, February 1st at 6:30pm.  Our speakers will be Ann Kirkpatrick, running for Congress in CD 1 and Anthony Elmo from Organizing for America.

Old Spaghetti Factory

1418 N. Central Phoenix AZ

South of McDowell, across from light rail

Follow us on Facebook “like” us; also follow us on Twitter @DFAMC.

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Posted in Message & Framing by DFA Editor. No Comments

What’s Really Going on in South Carolina

Today in South Carolina while Republicans are picking their candidate, they are working behind the scenes to stop thousands of Democrats from voting in November.

On Martin Luther King Day the Republicans held a debate where they touted South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s efforts to block African-Americans from voting by requiring a state issued ID at the polls on Election Day. This bill was so egregiously targeted toward disenfranchising the African-American vote that the Department of Justice stepped into block it.

This is an outrage.

For the first time in history state legislatures around the country are working to shrink the numbers of Americans who can vote. And to add insult to injury, this effort to disenfranchise 21 million voters is being funded by the Koch brothers.

That’s why we are fighting back on two fronts. DFA is hosting a live Telephone Town Hall with Rep. Keith Ellison, Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus, to talk about what we can to do stop corporate millionaires from ruining our Democracy and to defend everyone’s fundamental right to vote.

Join the live Telephone Town Hall on Monday, Jan. 23rd at 8:00 PM EST with Rep. Keith Ellison.

While the 2008 election saw more people turn out to vote in over a decade, as many as 5 million voters will be restricted from voting in this upcoming election due to state laws that have already passed.

It’s no surprise that those disenfranchised voters include African Americans, Latinos, elderly, students and others.  Why?  It’s all part of a larger Republican strategy — to restrict voting rights to people who have traditionally voted for Democratic candidates.  Almost five decades ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act of 1965, outlawing discriminatory voting practices. The bills champion, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, fought tirelessly to expand voting rights to all Americans. As we celebrate his legacy this week we need to keep a keen eye on every attempt to keep Americans from the polls.

DFA and Rep. Keith Ellison are fighting on the legislative front and to expose the corporate money that funds these efforts to disenfranchise voters. And, we need your help.

We want to hear from you at the Live Telephone Town Hall on Monday, Jan. 23 at 8:00PM EST with Rep. Keith Ellison. Sign up to join in here.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

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Posted in Election Integrity by DFA Editor. No Comments

CENSORSHIP IN THE U.S.

January 18th, 2012 is the largest online protest in history, to stop the internet censorship bills, SOPA & PIPA. Join in by urging everyone you can reach to contact Congress now.

SAMPLE LETTER TO CONGRESS:

I am writing to you as a voter in your district. I urge you to vote “no” on cloture for S. 968, the PROTECT IP Act, on Jan. 24th. The PROTECT IP Act is dangerous, ineffective, and short-sighted. It does not deserve floor consideration.  I urge my representative to vote “no” on SOPA, the corresponding House bill.

Over coming days you’ll be hearing from the many businesses, advocacy organizations, and ordinary Americans who oppose this legislation because of the myriad ways in which it will stifle free speech and innovation.  We hope you’ll take our concerns to heart and oppose this legislation by voting “no”

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Fight Citizens United

DFA-MC has affiliated with MovetoAmend.org to fight the  Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision that says Corporations are People and Money is Speech.  We are holding a citizens gathering at the Sandra Day O’Connor Federal Court House on January 20, 2012 from 11am – 5pm.  We want to ensure that Arizonans know about this decision and how it hurts us.  There will be speakers,  registration of voters, and a kids table.  Please join us.  For more information email info@dfamc.com.

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Posted in Corporations Education Move to Amend by DFA Editor. No Comments

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL

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Posted in Uncategorized by DFA Editor. No Comments

Democracy for American Campaign Academy

DFA-MC is scheduling a Campaign Academy for anyone who would like to run or work on a campaign.  With the redistricting nearing an end, please think of running for office.  We need good Democratic candidates to run in all races.  The dates for the two day academy will be announced soon.

 

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Posted in DFA Training by DFA Editor. No Comments

Move to Amend

Democracy for America-Maricopa County has become an affiliate of Move to Amend.  This group believes in

We the People, Not We the Corporations

On January 21, 2010, with its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are persons, entitled by the U.S. Constitution to buy elections and run our government. Human beings are people; corporations are legal fictions.

We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United, and move to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.

The Supreme Court is misguided in principle, and wrong on the law. In a democracy, the people rule. We Move to Amend.

DFA-MC will work to bring about an amendment to the constitution that says Corporations are not people and money is not speech.

Here in the Phoenix area we are making plans for the anniversary of the Citizens United decision.  A handful of people cannot do it alone – we need each of you to participate in the planning.  We are working on several ideas.  Pick a couple that work for you and join the planning.

Wednesday, November 30th there will be a meeting of the viral and image theatre and occupy flash mob task forces at 5:30pm at the home of Nancy Hornyak.

Saturday, December 3rd there will be three task forces meeting at 2pm at Nancy’s house: one will make plans for a freeway banner another will discuss boycotting businesses and the third will be discussing a ballot initiative.  At 3:30pm all the groups will meet to discuss Occupy or Circle the Court.

For more information email email nhornyak@cox.net.

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GOP TRAMPLES REDISTRICTING!

Tuesday after colluding with the Republican Congressional delegation, Governor Jan Brewer and the Republican legislature trampled on a process that voters approved in 2000 to take the job of redrawing the political map away from elected officials.  In their effort to make a corporate controlled one-party system in Arizona they removed the Independent chair, Colleen Mathis.  MS Mathis was chosen unanimously by the four other Commissioners, two Republicans and two Democrats.

This egregious abuse of power must be answered in everyway we can with phone calls, emails, and letters to the Governor, Republican legislators and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce who put them in power.

The Governor’s phone number is (602) 542-4331 or 1-800-253-0883

You can find your legislator’s phone number and email address at http://www.azleg.gov/.

You can reach the Arizona Congressional Delegation through the toll-free Capital Switch board: 1-866-220-0044 or 1-877-851-6437 and reach both the Senators and your Representative.

The number of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce is 602-248-9172.

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Posted in Initiatives Issues Media Response by DFA Editor. No Comments

DFA Campaign Academy

Do you want to elect more candidates that think like we do and are more concerned with Main Street than Wall Street?  If so we need knowledgeable, trained candidates with trained staff to run for office.

What is a tweet and why would we send one?

How do we get the media to show up at our event?

What is our message and how do we frame it?

These questions and more will be answered at the Democracy for America Campaign Academy.

DFA-MC is scheduling an Academy for anyone who would like to run or work on a campaign, but we need at least 50 people to express interest by signing up here.

We are not asking you to commit now, just express interest.  We will send details to all when we reach the magic number and can schedule the two day training.

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A Great Day at ‘Occupy Phoenix’

The only thing wrong during the day on Saturday, October 15th was that it was HOT!  Otherwise it was great – the crowds were large but orderly, the speakers were good and the signs were great.  The only problem was in the evening at Margaret Hance Park when the protesters were forced to move with some being arrested by the Phoenix Police.

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Posted in Events by DFA Editor. No Comments