L.A. County Democratic Party

Statement from CDP Chairman Art Torres on President Bush’s Veto of Stem Cell Funding

Sacramento — Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party, today issued the following statement on President Bush’s veto of critical legislation to expand federal funding for stem cell research.

“Californians want leaders who will work to improve the quality of life for those in need. That is why our state’s voters passed Proposition 71 in 2004, taking leadership on stem cell research when the President and the Republican Party refused to lead.

“The President had a critical choice to make today: either stand with the American people who want hope and progress by expanding stem cell research, or stand against them in favor of rigid Republican Party ideology. Once again the President has made it clear that the American people take a back seat to partisan politics.

“Expanding stem cell research is supported by a bipartisan majority in Congress and by 72 percent of Americans. Democrats will continue to fight to expand federal funding of stem cell research and will continue to hold the President and Bush Republicans accountable.”

California Democratic Party

SATURDAY, JUNE 16 -
Plummer Park - 7377 Santa Monica Blvd
(West of La Brea at Martel) in West Hollywood

9:30am to 5:30pm - Lunch Provided RSVP LINE: 213-382-1211

Come join us for a day of lectures and interactive workshops. Build your club, increase its influence, engage to win and understand the world we live in - all on SATURDAY, JUNE 16.

Topics Include:

• Organizing and Mobilizing for 2008
• Campaign Finance and Legal Update
• Improve Your Club’s Image and Message
• Fundraising Tips, Tricks and Planning

Click on Link for Summit Agenda:

Club Summit Agenda

Post from Barack Obama’s Official Blog:

Happy Mother’s Day

By Barack Obama - May 12th, 2007 at 11:28 am EDT

I would not be who I am without the mothers in my life.

My own mother, Ann Dunham, was the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known, and what is best in me, I owe to her. My grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, loved my mother and me so completely that she rejected the bigotry that might have torn other families apart, embraced my parents’ marriage, and helped raise me. Today, there is another mother in my life – the mother of my two lovely daughters – my wife Michelle, a woman who radiates beauty, strength, and integrity, and continues to make me a better person.

But our mothers deserve more than just a holiday. So on this Mother’s Day, let’s rededicate ourselves to lifting those burdens that make the difficult job of raising children that much harder. Let’s care for them when they get sick. Let’s make sure they’re getting treated fairly at work. And when their working days are over, let’s make sure they can retire with dignity and financial security. And let’s also remember those mothers who can’t be with their families today because either they or their loved ones are serving our country.

In the end, this campaign is all about doing what my mother taught me to do when I was growing up – to keep working until the world as it is and the world as it should be are one and the same.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Barack
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obama/CcYY

Clinton Honors Mother’s Day, Calls for Health Care for America’s Children

WASHINGTON– Hillary Clinton celebrated Mother’s Day today by calling for health care for every child in America, urging Congress to pass the Children’s Health First Act and give mothers the gift of peace of mind. The campaign also posted a video of Hillary discussing the important role her mother played in her life, and encouraged supporters to send Mother’s Day eCards through Hillary’s website.

“Nothing keeps mothers up at night more than worrying whether their children will have the health care they need if they get sick,” Clinton said. “We have a moral obligation to our children to give them a healthy start in life.”

Clinton introduced the Children’s Health First Act in March to extend coverage to the 9 million uninsured children across the country. As President, she is committed to providing affordable, quality health care for all Americans.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the ranks of the uninsured are growing–low-income children made up 23% of the 1.3 million newly uninsured between 2004 and 2005. And children without insurance face far more difficult lives, as needed care is more likely to be postponed and they are less likely to see a physician or dentist for standard preventive care. Uninsured children admitted to the hospital due to injuries are twice as likely to die while in the hospital as their insured counterparts.

Hillary’s legislation allows States to expand children’s health coverage to families up to 400 percent of the Federal poverty level (which is $70,000 for a family of three) through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and receive increased federal payments.

Her bill includes incentives for states to expand children’s health care to those who are not eligible, and identify and enroll uninsured kids that already qualify for coverage. The bill offers a new affordable coverage option for both families and employers by allowing them the opportunity to buy health insurance coverage through SCHIP. And it provides new incentives to strengthen and protect employer-sponsored coverage, something more than 50 percent of children enjoy today.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=1612

California Faculty Association Announces Tentative Agreement

The California Faculty Association announced today a tentative agreement with the California State University administration in the 23-month dispute for a contract covering the CSU’s teachers, librarians, counselors and coaches.

CFA President John Travis said, “We have a tentative agreement on the CSU faculty contract that will be good for the CSU, good for our students, good for the faculty—and frankly it will be good for California. As a result, we have put the rolling walkouts at the 23 CSU campuses on hold pending ratification of the agreement.”

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SFVYD Boycotts Circuit City

Democrats,

According to recent news reports, Circuit City has laid off 3,400 workers for no better reason than their higher rate of pay. These workers will be offered their jobs back after 10 weeks, but at minimum wage.

Like too many American businesses, Circuit City is replacing skilled workers, knowledgeble about the products the stores are selling, with unskilled workers simply to boost profits. Now these predominantly young twenty-somethings - many of whom are paying for college or supporting a family with their jobs - are being thanked for their loyalty and service with a pink slip. If we don’t stick up for these fired employees, we move one step closer to an economy where young workers have no opportunity to get ahead.

Yesterday SFVYD’s Executive Board voted unanimously to promote a boycott of all Circuit City stores. Until the company offers these employees their old jobs back at their previous salary, we will encourage consumers young and old to take their electronics-buying business elsewhere.

Additionally, we are asking our membership to contact Circuit City and express your disappointment in this insulting and appalling business decision. Here’s the contact info:

Circuit City Store, Inc.

9950 Mayland Drive
Richmond, VA 23233
Phone: 804-527-4000
Fax: 804-527-4164
Web Site: http://www.circuitcity.com

By the way, according to their Yahoo! Finance profile, Circuit City’s Chairman, CEO and President Philip J. Schoonover is paid $1.42 million annually. He’s not getting a paycut this week.

If you are a member of another Democratic, consumer, or labor-friendly organization, please urge them to join us in this boycott. Together we can stick up for these employees and promote an economy that serves consumers and workers, not just profits.

Democratically Yours,

Damian Carroll
President, SFVYD

The March meeting is this Tuesday at UTLA- 3303 Wilshire Blvd in L.A. (corner of Berendo and Wilshire.) The meeting starts at 7PM. Call Gloria for more info: 213-382-0063.

Long-time LA Democrat and environmental activist Bob Hattoy has left us. For those who knew him, no obituary can do him justice, for those who didn’t, no obituary can describe him.

Suffice it to say that Bob was among the sharpest wits our Party has ever possessed. He had no fear in speaking truth to power, even at the risk of great personal expense. His was a passionate, sharp-witted honesty that made us all proud, if at times a bit uncomfortable. Bob was a truly committed Democrat, the ultimate environmentalist, a fearless advocate for those living with HIV/AIDS and an uncompromising activist for equality for LGBT Americans.

Here is a portion of what author/activist David Mixner (www.davidmixner.com) had to say this morning:

Bob Hattoy passed away Saturday night and with his passing another giant of the LGBT and AIDS community has died. Bob was a charismatic and exciting leader who was almost impossible to describe. I once said to Bob that he was “the best outsider on the inside” that I knew.

Bob was an avid environmentalist, an advocate for the LGBT community, a powerful activist who lived with HIV/AIDS and a member of the Clinton Administration. Those who loved him cherished his cutting wit and his ability to make our enemies - and even weak allies - look like fools within a sentence or two.

But history, most of all, will remember Bob for being the first person with HIV/AIDS to ever address a national political convention in 1992. For those at Madison Square Garden or watching on television, it was a moment that we will never forget. I wrote in my journal and later in my book Stranger Among Friends what that night was like:

Finally Congressperson Pat Schroeder came to the microphone and began the introduction of the two AIDS speeches. The hall was in the usual hubbub that passes for normal even while speakers are addressing the convention. But as Bob Hattoy mounted the podium, stillness fell over the entire place. One by one, the delegates stood up, until all five thousand people were on their feet in respect. The hush was palpable. When he paused, and said as he looked out over the crowd, “This is difficult,” he won the hearts of a nation.

‘I am a gay man with AIDS. If there is any honor in having this disease, it is the honor of being part of the gay and lesbian community in America. We have watched our friends and lovers die but we have not given up. Gay men and lesbians created community health clinics, provided education materials, opened food kitchens, and held the hands of the dying in hospices. The gay and lesbian community is a family in the best sense of the word.’

There was not a dry eye in the nation that night. Those of us in the hall had black arm bands to honor those we knew who had died of AIDS and held unto each other as he spoke. It was as if at last we were finally being heard after a decade of horror, death and abandonment. Bob did us all proud that night.

Bob was viewed by many on the inside of the Clinton Administration as reckless and by those of us on the outside as fearless. He walked a fine line between representing President Clinton and advocating the truth for the LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities. He knew that the Clinton Administration had help create his visibility for political reasons and that he could get away with more than others. He did not hesitate to use that advantage for the good of the community.

Click here to read the full post