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Welcome to
PDA and Our Metro San Diego Chapter!
Progressive Democrats of America
(PDA) exists to carry the progressive
agenda from the American grassroots to Congress to guide the
development
of progressive legislation, fight for its passage into law, and
support the
realization of progressive policies at the state and local levels.
PDA Metro Encourages you
to sign the petition -
And to support PDA at the
click on the icon tell our legislators you want
war
national level, click the icon
funding redirected to human
needs!
above. _________________________________________________________________________________________
PDA METRO MEETING
when:
Thursday,
June 17, 6 pm supper,
7 pm meeting
where:
Giovanni's Pizza, corner 9353 Clairemont
Mesa Blvd., San Diego (at Ruffin Rd.)
An Invitation to our Esteemed
Endorsed Candidates
"OK, the Primary's over - NOW
COME HOME!"
This
will be a "down home" meeting, suits left in the closet,
hair down, Congratulations, fun music, conversation, crying
in beer as needed.
We
will have some Announcements (when don't we?), and brief
discussion of Blackwater's recent Court decision followed by the
June 12 protest.
Our
Nationally
(and Locally) Endorsed Candidates:
Cheryl
Ede (CA 50)
Vickie
Butcher (CA 52)
Mike
Copass (CA 53)
Our
Locally
Endorsed
Candidates:
Floyd
Morrow (Mayor of San Diego)
Stephen
Whitburn (SD Council District 3)
Rudy
Reyes (SD County Board of Supervisors)
Welcome
home to PDA
Metro and on
to greater things.
______________________________________________________________
For
your viewing pleasure - Campaign PIX! (in ascending
order)
______________________________________________________________
Election
Central - June 3, 2008
MIKE GIVES INTERVIEW
AND THANKS SUPPORTERS
RUDY REYES - SURVIVOR AND
HERO
HAPPY CANDIDATE - HAPPY SUPPORTERS
(please note - Cheryl had
to fly to Joplin MO for her mother's surgery - Vickie celebrated
with supporters in East County but campaign was at election
central - folks please sent pix!)
______________________________________________________________
Mike
Debates (Clobbers) Susan Davis, DINO, WHO VOTED TWICE TO FUND WAR
AND OPPOSED DIFAZIO AMENDMENT TO PRVENT BUSH FROM INVADING IRAN
WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL
Link
to debate here
______________________________________________________________
MEMORIAL
DAY - CAMPAIGNS PAUSE TO REFLECT
ARLINGTON
WEST AT USS MIDWAY
______________________________________________________________
And
to work - the Campaigns -
HEAT
UP! on the campaign trail!
Cheryl, Carlos Richardson, CA 50 Point (left
banner holder) and Supporters in North County
DOWNTOWN - NOTE GAS PRICES
(May)
Judy, (?) Sandy and Carroll Zahn, Mike's fiancee,
Pat Gracian
and Ken Lindenau
Jill , Mac Duncan, CA 53 Point, Pat Gracian,
Mike, Ken
Sal
Magallanez CA 52 Point Person
with
Think we wanted
Vickie and Judy
-
106° in Tierrasanta
HEALTCARE
NOT WARFARE?
And then - the california convention!
Mike and Dr.
Bill
PDA's from all over California Demonstrated for Mike
Even
Fabian Nunez knew who Mike
was!
OK - who has a shot of Mike taking Susan on
Before
we knew it, the deadline for Endorsement Meetings was upon
us!
FEB
29 - MIKE COPASS - SUSAN DAVIS DIDN'T
ENTER, PROGRESSIVE MIKE TOOK THE
MEETING BY STORM (help
- who took pix?)
FEB
21 - VICKIE BUTCHER (CA 52, WAS UNOPPOSED,
BUT HAD TO WIN US ON PROGRESSIVE
VALUES- AND SHE DID!
Vickie with Chapter Leader
Judy Hess and Southern California Coordinator Dr. Bill Honigman
FEB
21 - NICK LEIBHAM AND CHERYL EDE
FACE OFF (CA 50)
(sorry for
grainy photos)
Nick didn't fully
answer
Cheryl did, very progressively,
our
questions
and she won!
Lots
of Candidates Came to Visit for the Holidays
Like Jim
Bell
And Rudy Reyes
Vickie
Butcher
Mike Lumpkin...
And Mike Copass
was Home for the
Holidays... AND DID
ANNOUNCE!
Happy Holidays, Candidates!
NOVEMBER
MEETING - OUR FIRST ALMOST-ANNOUNCEMENT
Mike -
Announces
... then visits with
speakers
Not before making
he'll
Announce...
and potential
constituents
a few more points
Nov. 15,
'07...
_______________________________________________
PDA METRO MEETING
when:
Thursday,
May 15 6 pm supper,
7 pm meeting
where: Giovanni's Pizza, corner
Clairemont
Mesa Blvd and Ruffin Rd.
See Upcoming Meetings and Events Page
for Details
_____________________________________________
PDA METRO MEETING
when:
Thursday, April 17
6 pm supper,
7pm meeting
where:
Giovanni's Pizza, corner Clairemont
Mesa Blvd and Ruffin Rd.
See Upcoming Meetings and Events Page
for Details
_____________________________________________
PDA Metro Meeting:
When:
Thursday,
Mar. 20 6pm
supper/ 7pm meeting
Where:
Giovanni's Pizza (corner
Clairemont Mesa Blvd
and Ruffin Rd. San Diego)
What:
Did you
know?
That
San Diego
County's Elections
are run by:
Former
Diebold Sales Executive
(Registrar, Deborah Seiler)
Former
Cuyahoga
County Ohio
Registrar, two members of whose
staff were convicted in the 2004
Ohio Presidential Election Scandal?
(Assistant Registrar, Michael Vu)
How
to elect Progressive Democrats and take back our country?
Come
to our meeting to find out!
Hear
Julian
Quinonez (SD
Co. Dem Party) discuss the Go Team
efforts - and how to become a Precinct Leader and Poll Watcher -
help progressive candidates get elected.
Hear
Sal
Magallanez
on working Election Integrity by poll watching
We
got Blackwater out - we can
fix our elections and get a
Progressive
Democratic Majority in - Si se puede!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
PDA
Metro Endorses and will Participate in
SDCPJ's
March 15 Rally and March
commemorating
the Illegal Invasion of Iraq Mar.
19, 2003
The
occupation continues...
Join us at our PDA
Metro Table
11:15 at
TerAlta Park
(bordered by 40th St, Orange Ave, Central Ave and Polk St)
We'll
assemble there to
go to the March together
and march behind our banner.
Bring
signs, drums (substitute pots
and wooden spoons)
and wear your PDA T Shirt to demonstrate
our solidarity in opposing this war!
March will return to TerAlta Park for 1 pm Rally with
Featured Speaker,
Gore Vidal
Directions to TerAlta
Park
TerAlta is either directly below or above I-15 - hard to be sure from the map.
If you get off I-15 North at El Cajon Blvd. (highly recommended) go West (left) on El Cajon Blvd, and almost immediately go South (left) on 40th. Orange Ave. is 1 block south of El Cajon Blvd. Turn left on Orange to drive the northern border of the park and then you can circle it to find parking.
If you're coming from 15-South, go west (right) on El Cajon Blvd and then follow the above directions.
____________________________________________
PDA
Metro San Diego Proudly Presents:
!!! ENDORSED
CANDIDATES !!!
CA 53
MIKE COPASS
Click on Mike's picture to
see his story on the
National
Website
CA
50
CHERYL EDE
And Presenting Our First
Nationally Endorsed
Candidate this year, in
CA 52
VICKIE BUTCHER
See Vickie's Front Page Story at PDA National:
http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/campaigns/2008-03-03-13-06-01-campaigns.php
Information: All 3 Candidates have won the Endorsement of
our Chapter. To
receive the National Endorsement, the
Candidates participate in the National
Conference Call, "Inside the
Democratic Party", the 4th Thursday of each
month.
Candidate
Vickie Butcher
has won the National Endorsement in last month's call.
Mike Copass and Cheryl
Ede will be on the call
Thursday, March 27. All PDA
members are invited to be on the
call. See the National Home page for call
information.
___________________________________________
Candidate Endorsement Meeting
Feb.
29
Hear Mike Copass for
Congress in CA 53
Giovanni's at 6pm Supper -
6:30 pm Registration - 7:00 pm Meeting
Here ar Mike's
Responses!
CA 53
PDA
Metro
San Diego
Chapter
2008
Candidate Endorsement Questionnaire
U. S. House of Representatives
Return to:
Judy Hess, Leader
j.hess@cox.net
Diane
Shamis, PDA
diane@pdamerica.org
Please fill out this form if
you are interested in pursuing an endorsement by PDA Metro
San Diego
. We are part of Progressive Democrats of
America
, a nationwide grassroots organization of 100,000 members that
works inside the Democratic Party and outside in movements for
peace and justice.
Please return this questionnaire by the Deadline:
Feb. 22 2008
Altering or deleting the questions on this form may lead to
disqualification. Please
note that your answers on this questionnaire may be made public.
Please answer on this form in the space below the question.
Use as much space as you need. Feel free to change font
and/or color to distinguish your answers.
If you have any questions regarding
this questionnaire, please contact Judy Hess, 619-421-6403.
Candidate
and Campaign Information:
Candidate
Name:
Mike
Copass
Address:
4042
Mount Blackburn Ave
City,
State, Zip:
San
Diego
CA
92111
E-mail
Address: California53@gmail.com
Office
for which you are running: US
Congress, 53rd District,
California
Date
of Election: June
3, 2008
Registered
Political Party: Democratic
Party
Campaign
Manager:
N/A
Phone:
619.665.9415
Fax: N/A
Campaign
Consultant:
N/A Phone:
N/A
Fax: N/A
Campaign
Address: Copass
for Congress,
PO Box 125081
,
San Diego
CA
92112-0581
List endorsements from organizations and/or individuals:
Al
Meyerhoff (Environmental
lawyer and former Natural Resources Defense Council attorney)
I
have only recently begun asking for endorsements.
How
would you describe yourself politically (i.e. progressive;
moderate democrat, etc.)?
I
am a proud Progressive.
To quote the late Senator Paul Wellstone “I
stand for the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party”
List elective or political party offices you have held, including
committee appointments:
None.
(In addition, I have been neither wined, nor dined, by a lobbyist
or PAC, nor taken paid-for travel.)
What is your primary occupation?
I
am a scientific consultant to a plaintiffs’ law firm,
specializing in detecting and prosecuting securities
fraud perpetrated by pharmaceutical manufacturers alleged to have
violated Securities laws. I
created
and am the president of a legal services business which hires and
trains attorneys in the review and
analysis of discovery documents in similar complex civil
litigation matters. Additionally,
I write for the Corporate
Governance Bulletin, a quarterly publication which highlights
litigation and advances in
securities and consumer fraud.
Why are you running for Congress? (100 word limit)
I
strongly believe that the
United States
must face multiple impending financial, ecological,
political
social crises, driven by a war machine and militarism that has
been vocally opposed by We, the People,
but yet unchallenged by the people's Congress. It is abundantly
clear that the status quo (and the
incumbent representative in our District) has failed utterly to
provide leadership in confronting these
crises. Americans can,
and will, boldly confront these challenges – and to do so, the
times call for change – for a new approach and with a new voice.
Issues Specific to Office:
What experiences have prepared
you to run for Congress?
Patience:
I have 12 years of experience in molecular biology,
specifically microbiology and molecular genetics, working in three
different countries, which has provided training in patience,
persistence, (and languages) as well as providing an understanding
of genetic technologies. There are currently no members
of Congress with training in molecular biology, which is alarming,
given the rapid technological
development and genetically modified products entering our food
supply.
Business:
I manage a small business in Legal Services, which has been
instrumental in instructing me
how job creation, business, and regulation function.
Activism: I have served as a volunteer Point Person in the 53rd
Congressional District (
San Diego
) since June, in which I brought the concerns of the progressive
community to the office of its Congressional Representative. My
candidacy arises directly out of my experience with PDA, in
pursuing a meaningful "inside and outside the Party"
strategy for change. I took my role as point person seriously,
reading and studying the various House Resolutions under
consideration, and communicating the Representative's
votes and positions on key issues (
Iraq
, impeachment, and healthcare) back to the members of PDA.
If you receive the endorsement of Progressive Democrats of
America
, how do you intend to use it?
A PDA endorsement will be
invaluable to establishing awareness and excitement about a
new
Progressive candidate on both a local national level.
I will employ the PDA endorsement in a fashion
similar to that of Donna Edwards of
Maryland
, to reach out to other progressive political groups both
locally and nation-wide, and be proud to list the endorsement on
my literature, website and
communications.
Please
list the top three issues on which you will take leadership if
elected:
1) Ending
Iraq
war funding and returning troops home with full proper treatment.
I support the Lynn Woolsey-sponsored HR 508, the Bring the Troops
home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration, towards
restoring the
United States
’ standing in the world community.
2) Aggressively moving to address global climate change, through
integrating sound and sustainable
energy policy with carbon and climate policy, for both short term
and long term goals.
3) Implementing Universal Health Care in the
United States
(I support HR 676, cosponsored by John Conyers and Dennis
Kucinich)
Do
you agree with Congress’ decision to reauthorize the Patriot
Act?
No.
We know now Patriot Act was a terrible idea, born of the
twin evils of fear and deception, and based neither in facts nor
reflection.
As
a matter of principle, I oppose strongly all legislation that
undermines or eviscerates our Constitutional rights -- from the
Patriot Act, to the creating of the Homeland Security Dept, the
Military Commission
Act, which suspends habeas corpus, and the attempts to pass
“Patriot Act II.” The
net effect of these
laws is not “better security” -- the Patriot Act and its
ill-conceived brethren instead exert an enormously chilling effect
on free and open speech, and the ability of American citizens to
actively voice their dissent.
I
stand with Congressmen Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul, who, although
of starkly differing positions on social programs, have stood up
and spoken out-- with purpose and clarity --against the raft of
"anti-
freedom" legislations passed by Congress during the last
seven years, laws which are antithetical to the basic freedoms and
liberties which generations of men and women fought to establish.
The newest
outrage is the revelation that Bush-Cheney have sought, even prior
to September 11th 2001, the circumvention of the FISA court
standard, to harvest all electronic communications, voice and
data, from American citizens engaged in private discourse – this
with the collaboration of the large telecom
corporations.
The
lifeblood of liberty is free and open discourse: in the street, on
the phone, on the internet. Legislation
that chills or suppresses this speech, or that permits spying
either overtly or covertly, eviscerates the
privacy protections of the 4th Amendment.
In Congress, I will support
legislation such as HR 3835, cosponsored by Kucinich and Welch,
which addresses and repeals many of the abuses of executive power.
Why
or why not?
See details above.
If
elected, which committee(s) would you prefer to serve on and why?
The House Armed Services
Committee, in order support the human personnel serving in the
armed forces in the mission of defense of the continental United
States, and to place a strong check on the interests that would
attempt to manipulate and abuse the awesome military power of the
United States to purposes that are inimical to freedom – whether
for purposes of empire-building, or to expand for-profit oil
enterprises. We have learned the lessons of Col Medley Butler, who
said (in 1933) "There are only two things we
should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is
the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a
racket." Having
been alerted by our returning US military veterans regarding the
incredible
abuses of the
Iraq
invasion, we must stay ever-vigilant against the use of the Armed
Services for "war as
a racket." The restoration and rebuilding of the human
infrastructure of the men and women is our obligation.
As such, I would be honored to be called to serve on the
Oversight Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).
As a scientist who is keenly aware of the importance of scientific
data, and who has direct experience as a genetic engineer, and
fully aware of both the incredible power for genetic technology to
be abused for private-profit purposes,
I would also be pleased to rise to the call to serve on the
Agricultural Committee. The
use, sale and consumption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO
foods) is a topic that should be part of a lively and informed
public debate.
I would similarly be glad to serve on the newly-established House
Select Committee on Energy
Independence and Global Warming.
Federal Issues:
1)
Iraq
:
PDA
supports an immediate start to a rapid and complete withdrawal
from
Iraq
of all troops and military contractors, and has championed
legislation that would withhold funding for any other military
purpose there. In addition, PDA believes that the
U.S.
must revise its strategy for the region by removing these forces
from the
Mideast
entirely, rather than just "redeploying" them within the
region. PDA advocates
a shift in
U.S.
foreign policy from reckless unilateralism toward cooperation and
diplomacy--so that people of other countries know us more by our
helping hand than our slugging arm. Furthermore, PDA supports the
redirecting of resources allocated for military spending to human
needs.
Will you pledge to support such
immediate and total withdrawal from
Iraq
of the military forces, including supporting legislation towards
this goal?
A priority for the 111th Congress must be the restoration of
America
’s standing in the world community.
America
’s strength lies not in its weaponry, but in the power of its
ideals. To that end, I
fully support legislation such as HR 508, Lynn Woolsey’s “Iraq
Sovereignty Restoration” Bill. The international community can
and will come together to
support the peaceful reconstruction of the nation of Iraq, and I
will support legislation those ends, while we
reconstruct our human military infrastructure both at home and
abroad by providing the services they may need.
In addition, will you forswear any preemptive military attacks
upon any nation?
I believe in Rule by Law.
The
framers of the Constitution understood that placing the power of
unilateral use of the military in the hands of one man, or in the
Executive Branch, was to invite the abuse of that power.
Therefore, Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution
describes that it is reserved to the Congress, and only to
Congress, the power to declare war and levy funds for that
purpose.
Pre-emptive military strikes fall dangerously close to what the
U.S.
itself defined at Nuremburg as Crimes against Peace, or War
Crimes.
Will you commit to fully support investigations into the White
House's false claims justifying the invasion
of Iraq, and would you support impeachment of Bush, Cheney and
other administration officials for these
and other high crimes?
I believe in Rule by Law. No one is unaccountable, or above the
law.
Congress'
failure to uphold the rule of law, to uphold its sworn oath, is a
danger to the rule of Law. The founders and framers of the
Constitution could foresee a need for Congressional oversight and
accountability, and saw fit to discuss impeachment in six places
in that document. (Curiously, "corporation" appears
nowhere.)
I
would support investigations to the actions of any government
officials, whether in foreign countries, or
my own, which may constitute War Crimes, or at the least, the
fraud perpetrated and described in the book "
USA
v. George W Bush" by
Elizabeth de la Vega
. If investigations
proved to be grounds for
impeachment of either President Bush, or Vice President, it is
Congress' obligation pursue the.
It is
appalling that throughout two full Congressional sessions,
particularly after the November 2006 election's majority went to
the Democrats that many members of Congress have failed to support
HR 333, which I would do, if in office.
Have you participated
in or spoken at any events, demonstrations, meetings or teach-ins
opposing the
Iraq
war and occupation?
Yes. I have participated in a
number of anti-war and impeachment demonstrations on the street.
Have you organized any such
events?
I am organizing 24 (or 48) hour anti-war vigil in downtown
San Diego
, in solidarity with Iraq Veterans
Against the War and their Winter Soldier events, March 14-15.
2)
Health Care:
There
are over 46 million uninsured people living in
America
, the majority of who are working Americans. Every year, nearly
18,000 people die unnecessarily as a direct result of their lack
of health insurance. Millions
with health insurance maintain inadequate, overly expensive
coverage and face the peril of denials of claims or termination of
benefits if a family member becomes seriously ill--one of the
leading causes of bankruptcy in the
U.S.
While spending twice
as much on health care as any other industrialized country,
our system performs poorly, spending more money for less coverage,
maximizing profits by finding ways to deny care. The private
insurance bureaucracy expends one-third of health care money on
waste, administrative paperwork, advertising and corporate
profits. The current
Medicare program for senior citizens spends under 4% of
its budget for its overhead costs. Meanwhile, poor health,
escalating health insurance premiums and spiraling health care
costs impair our economy and job creation in the
U.S.
PDA has endorsed HR 676, the
National Health /"Expanded and Improved Medicare
for-All" Act. To guarantee comprehensive health care for all,
PDA supports the replacement of the current profit-driven system,
publicly financed, privately provided health care program. This
"Medicare for All" national plan would save more than
$350 billion per year, enough new money to provide guaranteed
comprehensive
health care for all. This system would insure portable and uniform
benefits regardless of income. With no deductibles or co-pays,
this plan would encourage preventive care and restore a doctor and
patient
controlled health care system affording choice of providers and
fair, publicly negotiated payment for both treatment and
medication.
What is your approach to the health
care crisis?
I believe that without
access to health care, we cannot reasonably practice the pursuit
of "life, liberty and happiness" – as exhorted to in
the Declaration of Independence.
It is a moral outrage that the
United
States
has 46 million who are without access to healthcare, and
approximately 100 million who are un- or inadequately covered.
We
are all the stakeholders in the Public Health. I would support
legislation similar to HR 676, the Conyers-Kucinich bill, the
system endorsed by more than 14,000 physicians.
What
is your view of Guaranteed Health Care through an Expanded and
Improved Medicare-for-All
system?
See above. If
France
can put together a functioning healthcare system for its
population, there is no
reason that the
United States
cannot.
There will be certain parties who will howl in anger at such a
system, best illustrated by CEOs such as UnitedHealthcare's
William McGuire, who, after years in the private sector of
healthcare, then attempted
to retire with $1.3 billion in gains, and Pfizer's former CEO Hank
McKinnell, former BusinessRoundTable Chairman, who, after pushing
pharmaceuticals on the market that medical plans neither needed
nor could afford, stepped down with $240 million in options.
A for-profit system tends to fall victim to being
rigged
in the interests of a self-serving elite.
These enormous healthcare and Pharma CEO payouts illustrate
at
a glance that for-profit systems are difficult to harness to the
public good.
If
elected, would you support a publicly financed, privately provided
national health care program, which insures access to
comprehensive health care for all in the
U.S.
?
Yes. Americans deserve
access to at least a minimum of health care, particularly
preventive care. I have worked with type II diabetics and am very
concerned about the epidemics of diabetes, obesity,
hypertension, and cardiac disease which are lurking like time
bombs in our population. As
the son of a physician who works in a
County
Hospital
, we often do not realize that failure to treat and intervene
early
is not a "savings" but rather a cost, a tax that must be
paid elsewhere.
Would
you support a not-for-profit, doctor-patient controlled system
which would eliminate the private health insurance industry (with
protection for eliminated workers) as the intermediary determining
access and the level of care?
Yes, substantially.
When we create a profit-center out of denying care to those
who need it, to feed the corporate insurance sector's requirement
to "make its numbers" on profit margins each year, we
sow the seeds of disaster. It
is care-givers and patients that have the vested interest in
promoting long-term public health – and that "health and
wellness" is to the public profit – measured in moral
terms, not in Wall
Street's dollar-only metric.
Would
you support the government's ability to negotiate fair prices for
treatment as well as drugs, as it
does for those covered by the Veteran's Administration's plan?
Yes. I furthermore
would support intensive engagement of the FDA in its mission not
to rubber-stamp Big Pharma's latest new drugs, but to determine
efficacy and safety. Our government is useless if it does not
protect the public from such harms as the recent phen-fen and
Vioxx debacles. My work in analyzing
clinical trials data from big-Pharma sponsored drug trials (both
the published and often-hidden data) has
been invaluable.
3)
Economic Justice:
The
current generation has seen unprecedented levels of economic
disparity, both among individuals (the richest 1% of Americans own
almost 35% of all wealth; the bottom half, only 2.5%) and in the
ratio of
CEO pay to employee wages. Thirty-seven million people (equal to
the population of
California
) are living
in poverty in the
U.S.
These immoral levels of poverty, which disproportionately impact
communities of
color and women, can be significantly reduced through concerned
legislative effort - including a living wage for all workers,
expanded earned income tax credits, childcare assistance and
housing vouchers.
Specifically, the federal government must fulfill its
promise of resources to Hurricane Katrina survivors so they can
return to rebuild their communities
in the
Gulf
Coast
.
Tax
burdens on the middle class can be eased if the wealthy pay their
share. In addition to working to roll back Bush's tax breaks for
the wealthy, PDA endorses the Equity in Income Act, limiting the
amount of
CEO compensation afforded federal corporate tax deductions. In
emphatically supporting the workers'
right to organize, we also endorse the Employee Free Choice Act,
which establishes unions in any
workplace where a majority of workers sign union cards to join. In
the global arena, PDA supports anti-sweatshop legislation and fair
trade agreements which protect workers' rights as well as the
environment, while opposing wage reducing "free trade"
agreements that protect only corporate rights to exploit
unprotected labor. PDA
also advocates for humane and comprehensive immigration reform,
which insures a fair, attainable path to citizenship and the
rights of undocumented workers in the workplace, affirming the
dignity and integrity of immigrant families.
What is your position on "Fair Trade"
versus "Free Trade" agreements?
"Free Trade"
agreements often prove to be neither Free nor substantially about
furthering true Trade, rather a rigging of the system to the
benefit of the few, and detriment of many.
If 12 years of NAFTA
have not shown anything else, the ability of US Corn to dump a
subsidized product on Central American markets has the net effect
of driving Central American growers (many smallholders) off their
own land,
into the ranks of urban poor, and finally, to desperate migrations
to other countries.
This
massive migration pressure is felt first in border areas including
San Diego
County
. NAFTA and its
ilk (such as the recent Peru-CAFTA) have failed all parties.
I am strongly supportive of fair wages being paid on both
sides of the border, and to these ends, trade agreements not by
supra-national bodies such as the WTO, but from representation of
workers and the citizens, are of utmost importance to all.
Will you have pledge to reverse
the tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans?
I pledge to restore tax
fairness, and to do this, the repeal of the
economically-disastrous Bush tax cuts is essential -- (Even
conservative Alan Greenspan, former head of the Federal Reserve,
insists on that point.)
Having
already thought about the matter, I would support a “Tobin
Tax” on financial derivative transactions (the outstanding
notional amount is roughly $516 trillion) of about 0.5% to 1%.
Congress must act now to restore fairness, such that Wall
Street transactions of billions and trillions are taxed in a
fashion not
creating unfairness to the laboring man and woman.
Do you support the right of
workers to organize, in any situation?
I support the right of workers
to organize, to discuss organization, and if a majority agree to
form a labor organization, then management should immediately
begin a formal process that acknowledges and formally recognizes
this process, while creating protections for workers who wish to
organize.
What is your relationship to
labor nationally and in your district?
I am in support of Organized Labor, nationally –and I believe
that to be pro-Labor is to be pro-Family and furthermore
pro-strong American Middle Class. A strong an engaged middle class
is a bulwark of liberty, and of the "domestic
tranquility" referred to in the Constitution.
I work on behalf of a plaintiffs’ firm which represents
Union clients in securities fraud class-action suits, when union
pension funds have
been
defrauded -- these unions include SEIU, UNITE-HERE, and others.
Do you have union endorsements and
supporters in your district?
I have no union endorsements at this time. I will seek the
endorsement of particular labor unions in the
53rd District.
What is your approach to
bringing communities "out of poverty"?
1)
Recognize the root causes of the poverty cycle in a
specific community, and
address them with long-range programs
2)
Business incentive and job creation: most
communities on borderline poverty are ready and willing
to work. They lack the job training & access to capital --
which the wealthy often enjoy as a matter
of birthright.
3)
Homeownership & foreclosure:
I support public & private partnerships in the
community which assist at-risk homeowners who face late payment or
mortgage default. The 2/28 and 3/27 ARM mortgages (called
“subprime”) often result in rapidly increasing “balloon
payments.” Default leads to foreclosure leads to neighborhood
decay I support neighborhood which assist at-risk homeowners from
predatory lending, and can save homeowners from foreclosure –
programs in
Chicago
have
been incredibly successful in this regard.
Would you support the
legislation of the "out of poverty" caucus?
Yes.
Poverty is an issue addressed through equitable and mandatory
education standards, through investment in human capital across
the country, and requires equitable taxation and healthcare
support to achieve the goal. We all stand to gain if poverty is
addressed honestly, and with moral force.
What efforts would you
support to provide meaningful resources to Katrina survivors?
In 2005 and 2006, the
United States government missed, (whether through negligence or by
intention) an
incredibly important opportunity in the aftermath of the flooding
and destruction of many lower Wards in
New Orleans– to bring job skills and educational training to the
poor communities of the Lower 9th Ward
and elsewhere. Instead, the Federal Government sent FEMA trailers
with toxic formaldehyde.
This does nothing to alleviate either acute or long-term
issues. Out of
crisis, opportunity:
New Orleans
residents,
for example, could be right now working with groups like Rebuild
Green to construct affordable and environmentally-sound housing in
their own neighborhoods, “Green Collar” jobs.
Frequently all we need
but do is “open the door” – and it is morally appalling that
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