Tag Archives: Democracy for America

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Call right now and demand no cuts to Social Security


Let’s just call this so-called “Deficit Commission” what it really is — an attack on the middle class.

From the very start, right-wing Republicans have been using the commission as a platform to destroy Social Security. They want to cut benefits and raise the retirement age, knowing full well that it will throw millions of seniors into poverty.

It’s wrong. That’s why we supported candidates who stood strong for Social Security and that’s why we’re working today to hold them accountable to the promises they made.

Call your Senators right now and tell them Hands Off Social Security.

Call now at 1-866-529-7630 and tell Congress “No cuts, no raising the retirement age”

When we asked DFA members where they stood on Social Security, the answer was clear — you said to stand strong for Social Security — No cuts, no raising the retirement age — and that is exactly what we’re doing.

We’ll deliver our Hands Off Social Security petition, with almost 100,000 signatures from across the country, directly to members of the House of Representatives this week. But today’s target is the U.S. Senate. Whether your Senator is a supportive Democrat or a right-wing Republican bent on destroying Social Security, your call still has an impact. Strong supporters use these calls to back them up on the Senator floor and some Republicans will think twice about sticking their neck out against seniors if their offices are flooded with calls too.

So don’t throw your hands up and think this call isn’t worth it, especially because DFA members aren’t alone when it comes to protecting Social Security. On Election Day, we polled voters nationwide to ask them where they stood and 85 percent said they don’t want to see ANY cuts to Social Security.

That’s right, even people who voted for Republicans to take back Congress said they don’t want any cuts to Social Security.

Make sure Congress gets the message — Call your Senators right now at 1-866-529-7630 and tell them Hands Off Social Security.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Angry?


Are you angry over the recent election? Good. You should be.

In 2011 we’re fighting back. We are not going to allow tea party radicals to dictate policy in Congress or the Statehouse. We are going to rebuild in all 50 states and focus on electing Democrats who will bring the bold change that our country needs.

But there are no silver bullets. No simple change of messaging or different White House strategy will be enough. We have to do the hard work of building up an army of skilled and trained organizers across the country with the goal of electing a real progressive majority.

Still angry? Good. Here’s what you can do right now.

Our National Field Organizers are working with grassroots activists like you right now to organize dozens of weekend campaign trainings in 2011. And you have the power to bring one of these great trainings to your city.

Apply to host a DFA Campaign Academy in 2011.

Since 2004, DFA has been building the progressive movement by training thousands of progressive activists and candidates every year. We’ve brought our training program to over 100 cities across the country and trained over 12,000 progressive activists.

A DFA Campaign Academy is more than just a series of interesting lectures. They are gatherings of like-minded and passionate progressives where we assess what’s worked before, learn cutting edge campaign skills and make plans for the future.  We bring the best political talent in the country to your city to fire up the local progressive movement.

Want one of these trainings in your community in 2011? Then it’s time to get started now.

Apply to host a DFA Campaign Academy in 2011.

As we begin our 8th year of providing this great resource to progressive communities the demand is very high. We’re determining where in the country these trainings can have the biggest impact and we have to hear from you.

These elections were a disappointment to be sure. But I’m still here and still fighting. So is DFA and so are you. And we’re not going to be stopped because of one election.

-Matt

Matt Blizek, Field Director
Democracy for America

P.S. We’re scheduling our 2011 Campaign Academies right now and if you want one in your community you need to act fast.

Forward this email on to 5 of your local progressive friends and see if they want to help bring one of these great trainings to your community.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Pop Quiz


Pop quiz: Which of the following will make up a majority of the deficit in the next decade?

A) Social Security
B) Medicare
C) The National Park Service
D) PBS
E) George Bush’s tax cuts

Give up? The answer is E — George Bush’s tax cuts.

But this week the co-chairs of the so-called “Deficit Commission” came out with their recommendations on how to fix the deficit. Do you know what their answer was? They said they wanted to cut A, B, C and D.

That’s right — the co-chairs of the Deficit Commission said that they wanted to cut Social Security, Medicare, the National Park Service, PBS and a whole lot more. But they’re OK with leaving George Bush’s tax cuts in place even though those tax cuts are projected to make up over half of the deficit over the next 10 years.

These guys are dead wrong and it’s time Congress knew just how wrong they are — sign the pledge calling on Congress to reject the Deficit Commission’s right-wing attack on Social Security.

Add your name now

Not only are they dead wrong on how to fix the deficit, but they’re probably the only two people in the country who think it’s a good idea to cut Social Security.

On Election Day, Democracy for America polled voters nationwide on some key issues, and when asked about Social Security only four percent said they supported making cuts to Social Security.

The vast majority of Americans — 85 percent — said they don’t want any cuts to Social Security. But they don’t get a vote in the Deficit Commission, so let’s make sure Congress hears what they have to say — sign our pledge today.

Tell Congress to reject the Deficit Commission’s right-wing attack on Social Security.

DFA members told us to stand strong for Social Security. And that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Thank you for working to move America forward.

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Political Director
Democracy for America

Democracy for America relies on you and the people-power of more than one million members to fund the grassroots organizing and training that delivers progressive change on the issues that matter. Please Contribute Today and support our mission.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

24 hours … a message from Arshad Hasan


This is it. Tonight, we’re making our final decisions on where to invest extra resources in these last 24 hours before the election. The more we raise by tonight, the more places we’ll be able to invest in — so please, contribute $10 right now and put our candidates over the top.

Contribute $10 right now — before we make the final decisions on where to invest in the last 24 hours.

When it’s all said and done, DFA members are providing the difference for progressives in top races around the country. Just look at the work we’ve done together:

  • $1 million raised for endorsed candidates up and down the ballot across the country
  • 750,000 calls to swing states and districts where progressives are running
  • 250,000 volunteer hours made by DFA members for endorsed campaigns
  • Trained staff on the ground in 10 of the most important races nationwide

And that’s not all. We’ve run ads and polls that have fundamentally changed the debate of this election time and again. This is the final push. With just 24 hours left, we’re making our final decisions on which races need extra resources right now to get over the top. Your contribution today will help us work in more places than ever.

This is DFA’s biggest Get Out The Vote program ever — Contribute $10 now to finish the job.

We’ve come this far. Join us today and deliver the win.

-Arshad

Arshad Hasan, Executive Director
Democracy for America

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

a message from Jim Dean …DFA


This past weekend I had the great honor to speak at the One Nation Rally in Washington DC. More than 200,000 people had turned out to work for a more united country — one with good jobs and equal justice.

When I stepped up to speak and I saw just how many people were there, I had to ask myself — Where’s that enthusiasm gap I keep hearing about?

For months, talking heads in the media have been telling us that Democrats are doomed. But DFA members never stopped working. We doubled down, knocking on more doors and making more calls than ever before. Now, our hard work is paying off. Polls are turning around for DFA-endorsed candidates Sen. Barbara Boxer in California, Joe Garcia in Florida and many, many more.

Now, we need to double down again to put our progressive heroes over the top. We’re running the biggest Get Out The Vote program in DFA history — call centers, phone bombs, and staff on the ground in more than 30 key races.

If we raise $50,000 by the end of the week, we won’t have to hold anything back. Every dollar raised will go directly to fuel DFA’s progressive Get-Out-The-Vote campaign and deliver victory in November. It’s time to put our progressive heroes over the top. Please contribute today.

Contribute $10 right now to fuel the biggest Get Out The Vote program in DFA history.

Earlier this year, DFA members told us they wanted to see DFA staff on the ground in races across the country, so we’re sending our entire Field Team on campaign leave and we hired five Dean Corps organizers specifically to help recruit volunteers and Get Out The Vote.

With our friends at the PCCC, we’ve opened a full-time campaign call center and recruited hundreds of volunteers for our Call Out The Vote actions. Working together, we’ll generate over 500,000 calls by Election Day.

Combined with the work DFA members are doing on the ground across the country, we’ll generate over 250,000 volunteer hours for DFA-endorsed candidates before Election Day.

It’s your support that helped more than two-thirds of DFA-endorsed candidates win tough primaries this year. Contribute now to help us win again in November.

DFA is the boots on the ground winning elections across the country — contribute to fuel the campaign for progressive victories.

Working together, we can lead progressives to victory and beat the Tea Party once and for all.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

Democracy for America relies on you and the people-power of more than one million members to fund the grassroots organizing and training that delivers progressive change on the issues that matter. Please Contribute Today and support our mission.