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Wise up, CA progressives

I agree with Oakland City Council member Dan Kalb that having two out of the five questions that the Progressive Delegates Network asked Democratic Party delegate candidates focus on Israel was overkill (California progressives get pushback on Zionism litmus test, Feb. 9).

Of the myriad issues that the party should be considering, attitudes toward Israel and Palestinians are far less important than indicated by the 40 percent represented in the questionnaire.

More critical, however, is the continued effort to conflate two separate issues, being pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian. It is time to move beyond thinking that to be pro-Palestinian one must, for example, also support the BDS movement and right of return. Palestinians must have a state of their own in the West Bank and Gaza, and Israel must accept its responsibility to end the conditions that Palestinians suffer each day.

However, BDS clearly has not been an effective advocacy tool, and right of return simply will never happen. There are better ways of building a just and lasting two-state peace in the Middle East. Creating a faulty litmus test for would-be Democratic delegates is counterproductive.

Personally, as a member of J Street, I advocate for meaningful measures to build support in the U.S. Congress for a pro-Palestinian as well as a pro-Israel foreign policy. I think that with the Democratic Party in Washington now in the leadership role, we can make real progress. We dont need the red-herring litmus test that the so-called Progressive Delegates Network was offering.

Jon KaufmanOakland

I grew up in the Bronx, in the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative, fairly close to the Stella Doro bakery (Why American Jews love Stella Doro cookies, Feb. 5 print edition).

When the wind was blowing in the right direction, you could smell the cookies baking. Stella Doro also had a restaurant in a building next to the bakery. Our family used to go there frequently for Sunday dinner. My mother often got lasagna, and I typically ordered the fried, breaded shrimp with spaghetti (for some unexplained reason, kosher did not come into play in restaurants).

This was gourmet heaven for an 8-year-old Bronx boy.

There were only two choices for dessert: spumoni or tortoni. But there was always a plate of cookies for the whole table. My mother would bring home the leftovers. As far as I know, you can still get Stella Doro Breakfast Treats and Swiss Fudge at Safeway.

Dr. Robert GolombBerkeley

The First Amendment is invariably cited to justify what is always termed legitimate criticism of Israel, no matter how untrue and/or hateful the verbiage may be.

However, even Bari Weiss and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, women of great intelligence and impeccable integrity, are incapable of presenting any legitimate criticism of Palestinians or Islam (Commonwealth Club event goes forward, despite CAIR criticism of anti-Muslim speakers, Feb. 12).

An impenetrable deflector shield of victimhood sanctity protects these entities.

Criticism of Palestinians or Islam is and apparently always will be anti-Muslim, racist and/or Islamophobic.

Julia LutchDavis

Kudos to Dr. Anthony Fauci for receiving a $1 million prize this week from Israels Dan David Foundation for his lifelong work in vaccine development (Fauci wins $1 million Israeli prize, Feb. 16).

In its statement, the foundation said he was receiving this award, among other reasons, for courageously defending science in the face of uninformed opposition during the challenging Covid crisis, a direct reference to his turbulent days under Trump as he tried to uphold the work of science, as opposed to the divisive politicking going on all around him.

In opposing anti-mask and anti-distancing in Trumps many unsafe gatherings over the last year, and therefore ostensibly sidelined, Fauci stood his ground against the anti-scientists as the U.S. continued to witness the highest death rates in the world.

Not only did he receive this prestigious award, but he is now once again fully recognized under the Biden government for the important work he continues to do on behalf of all of us.

Mazel tov, Dr. Fauci!

Yvonne BoxermanPalo Alto

I want to commend you on the addition of Gabe Stutman to your staff.

As someone who had been engaged as a journalist many years ago, I am most impressed by the quality of his reporting on controversial issues, his journalistic high standards and excellent writing style. He is a true professional in the best sense of the word.

Ruhama LipowWalnut Creek

For 70-plus years, Jews who believe in things like protecting the environment, health care for everybody, equality under the law, etc. have been able to call themselves progressives even when they turn their backs on Israels human rights violations against Palestinians (Progressive with some strings attached, Feb. 12).

But now, the times they are a-changin.

Now there are organizations like the Progressive Delegates Network that expect progressives to be consistent in their beliefs in order to win an endorsement.

Is it too much to ask of a candidate for public office that they support the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, freedom of speech in all matters and for everyone? And what about the rights of refugees to return to their homeland if they so choose? Is that also not a basic human right that all candidates should support, especially if they call themselves progressives?

There was not a single word about Israel or Palestine in the Progressive Delegates Networks questionnaire for (people seeking to become delegates for the California Democratic Party). There were only two general statements about protecting freedom of speech and the rights of refugees.

Organizations have the right to establish their own criteria for endorsement. If candidates dont agree with the criteria, they can seek endorsements elsewhere. That is their right.

Lois PearlmanGuerneville

The Torah teaches us that leaders are not perfect.

Noah saved the world but in his old age became a drunkard and debased himself. Jacob, also known as Israel, our namesake, deceived his father (that he was Esau) and tricked his uncle/employer Lavan out of his sheep (causing the lambs to be born speckled and spotted after making a deal to get the speckled and spotted ones).

Aaron was the first Kohen Gadol (high priest), but before that he fashioned the golden calf. Even Moses, in a fit of frustration during the 40 years in the desert, disobeyed Gods instruction and was forbidden to lead the Jews into Israel.

Yet, despite their flaws, all these forefathers remain eternally to be invoked and honored for their accomplishments.

The idea that the school board would strip school names honoring such accomplished leaders as Washington, Hamilton, Madison (my elementary school) and Lincoln shows a failure to understand the importance of true leadership (S.F. school board approves plan to rename 44 schools, including Feinstein and Sutro, Jan. 27).

It teaches a bad lesson to our kids and to the public and degrades the whole city.

Alan TitusSan Francisco

Politicians quoting the Old Testament has come back into fashion (Joe Bidens inauguration was replete with anxiety, and a lot of it was Jewish, Jan. 21).

The roots of American exceptionalism rhetoric began in Colonial times, when our Founding Fathers often spoke of our country as the American Zion and the 13 [sic] colonies as the tribes of Israel who were chosen by HaShem to be a light unto the world. That ended with the Civil War.

Some of the uptick in Old Testament quoting is a good sign, but some is dangerous in that it represents a mischaracterization of HaShem and Mosaic law as authoritarian and universal. The question is why now?

I think that American politicians across the spectrum turn to biblical authoritarianism to fill the void when there is little political consensus. Politicians argue that a cause or action is justified on moral grounds or a higher authority. It is a sign of a liberal democracy under stress. One road to fascism goes through biblical authoritarianism.

In other cases, citing a verse from the Old Testament can be viewed as a heartfelt expression of religious faith by our political leaders. I liked all the faith talk during the inauguration. I get a kick out of three former presidents wishing Joe Biden Godspeed on national TV.

I even gave our newly elected president the benefit of the doubt when he cited Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, a time to every purpose under Heaven, to signify that HaShem had a hand in his win.

Larry AbramsMonterey County

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LETTERS: Wise up, CA progressives; Hooray for Dr. Fauci; etc. - The Jewish News of Northern California

The Progressive Corp. is acquiring Indiana-based trucking industry insurer Protective Insurance Corp. in a move that will increase its stake in the commercial lines insurance market.

Progressive has agreed to pay $23.30 per share in cash, for a total transaction value of approximately $338 million. The per share price represents a 49.1% premium and 63.2% premium, respectively, to Protectives share prices as measured on February 12, 2021.

Protective Insurance Corp., founded in 1930, is the publicly-traded holding company for several property/casualty insurance subsidiaries including Protective Insurance Co., Sagamore Insurance Co. and Protective Specialty Insurance Co. The subsidiaries provide liability and workers compensation coverage for trucking and public transportation fleets of all sizes, along with trucking industry independent contractors.

In May, Protective Insurance Corp. reported that a special committee of independent directors has been formed to evaluate a sale agreement offered by certain shareholders and other parties. The offering parties were not identified.

Protective Insurance Co. is licensed in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and all Canadian provinces and provides coverage for trucking fleets of all sizes.

Sagamore is licensed in 49 states and provides commercial auto coverage to small trucking fleets and artisan contractors, and workers compensation coverage to small and medium-sized transportation-focused businesses via the independent agency system.

Protective Specialty provides excess and surplus lines products in 48 states.

Through the end of nine months of 2020, Protective reported net premiums written were at $320 million and a net loss of $7.4 million, reflecting in part the effects of the pandemic on the trucking sector. The third quarter itself saw improvements net income of $3.3 million due to actions taken to improve underwriting results, including non-renewal of unprofitable business and significant rate increases in commercial automobile, according to Jeremy Johnson, Protectives CEO.

For full year 2019, Protective reported net premiums written of $447 million and net income of $7.4 million with a 106.80 combined ratio. Premium growth in 2019 was only 1.8% compared with 26% in 2018, 30% in 2017 and 7% in 2016.

But given ongoing profitability challenges, CEO Johnson announced the insurer would discontinue writing new public transportation business effective the fourth quarter of 2020.

The move allows Progressive to add products for larger fleets and brings expertise in workers compensation coverage for the transportation industry, which are new areas of business for Progressive.

As a leader in commercial auto insurance, were excited to expand our capabilities with the expertise Protective offers in larger fleet and affinity programs and by providing additional product lines for us to add to our portfolio, said Karen Bailo, Commercial Lines president for Progressive.

Keefe Bruyetts & Woods analyst Meyer Shields, who follows Progressive, commented that the deal will modestly broaden the insurers product offerings. He noted that Protective, along with others writing commercial auto, has underperformed in recent years. However, Shields believes that rising commercial lines rates and Progressives analytical capabilities will quickly produce better results.

According to 2018 figures from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Progressive is the largest commercial auto insurance writer with about an 11% share of the market, followed by Travelers, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide and Berkshire Hathaway.

Progressive said it plans to maintain Protectives offices in Carmel, Indiana and retain Protectives employees.

The acquisition is expected to close prior to the end of the third quarter of 2021.

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Progressive to Buy Transportation Insurer Protective for $338 Million - Insurance Journal

Support for a progressive alliance is growing in British politics. The notion has surfaced before, often as the spectre of a hung parliament looms on the eve of an election. This time, however, Labours path to victory is so fraught that the idea is gaining traction four years before an election.

A progressive alliance is the idea that centre and leftwing parties come together behind a shared political agenda. Through collaboration during elections, progressive parties can thwart the substantial electoral advantage given by the first-past-the-post system to the Conservatives and place their electoral power behind a common agenda for change.

In recent history, Labour has been hesitant to sign up to any progressive alliance. Following the European referendum, some centre-left parties began standing aside for one another in an attempt to harness a progressive voting bloc against the rise of pro-Brexit parties. In the June 2017 election, around 30 seats were kept out of Tory hands through cooperation. However, its estimated that about 60 seats were lost because Labour refused to step aside. While Jeremy Corbyn feigned a sense of pluralism, the reality of his politics was deeply tribal. Labour would rather have no power than share just a tiny bit of it.

Next time around, boundary changes have made clear the need for a progressive alliance. Labour will need to win an extra 124 seats to take them to a majority in the House of Commons. But the cards are stacked against them. Support for the party is in decline in Scotland, Boris Johnson is set to receive a vaccine bounce in the polls come autumn, and once the peak of the pandemic is over the Conservatives will be able to return to their levelling-up agenda.

Labour is focusing relentlessly on recapturing the so-called red wall seats in the north and the Midlands, but winning all of them doesnt put it close to the seats needed to win outright. The party also needs to win seats in the south such as Reading, Swindon and Southampton and for the Liberal Democrats to win in many of the 80 seats in which they are second to the Tories. An electoral alliance is the only way to defeat the Conservatives.

A progressive alliance wont be plain sailing, and hurdles will have to be overcome. Each party must allow for a spirit of pluralism. While similarities are essential, the Lib Dems, in particular, must be given the space to win over soft Conservative voters without them being denounced as yellow Tories from the more tribal factions of the Labour party.

At the same time, if this is to be more than just a cynical stop the Tories coalition, an agreement needs to be found on a common platform in support of a secure, sustainable and just society, post-Covid. One essential tool to rebuild trust in society will be replacing the first-past-the-post system with proportional representation, so people can finally feel that they have a voice in British democracy.

Standing aside for each other might work in some places, but where possible voters should be allowed a choice. As in 1997, tactical campaigning by redeploying resources away from areas in which fellow progressives show strength might be a better option. To work all this through demands trust and relationship-building in the barren soil of competitive Westminster politics.

The biggest hurdle to a progressive alliance is Labours self-perceived monopoly status. The party has to shift from a mindset in which it is the one and only tent on the centre-left to seeing the progressive terrain like a campsite of shared values and endeavour, with parties retaining their own identity. The most challenging point of cooperation for Labour will be the need to work alongside the SNP who are likely to hold the balance of power.

To date, Labour has opted for no power over sharing, but things are starting to give. Not least because 76% of its members back proportional representation. Progressives of all parties stand on a burning platform safer ground must be found. The prize isnt just the end of more than a decade of Conservative rule but, the biggest prize of all, the refashioning of our divisive political structures and culture into one of collaboration a truly new politics for a new society.

Neal Lawson is a director of the centre-left pressure group Compass

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Only a progressive alliance can defeat the Conservatives at the next election - The Guardian

Ian Silverii, the wise-cracking, fast-talking, political genius who ran the states largest leftie organization for the past five years, is moving on, which should come as a relief as Colorados ragtag Republicans attempt to get their act together.

Silveriis tenure at ProgressNow Colorado roughly coincided with the presidential election that led to Donald Trumps victory in 2016 and QAnon believer Lauren Boeberts election to Congress in 2020 bookends that revved up the liberal base and fattened the organizations coffer with donations.

Silverii, 35, who will stay on at ProgressNow until his successor is hired, says he isnt sure of his next career move.

The group was founded in 2003 as a foil to the Independence Institute, which bills itself as free-market and libertarian. Independence Institute President Jon Caldara who, like Silverii, is a political jester believes ProgressNow has helped turn Colorado into California.

But Caldara also ripped conservatives.

Progressives have taken control of all levels of power in state government as well as all urban areas because they and their financial backers think in terms of decades and about getting changes in policy, Caldara said. Conservatives have let this happen because they and their financial backers think in terms of only the next election and about getting personalities elected.

Silverii and I became friends after the 2010 election when House Democrats hired Silverii, who had worked on legislative races, as their deputy comms director. We talked all the time because a) I covered the Capitol for The Denver Post, and b) Silverii became my latest pro bono tech assistant.

Our decade-long friendship has survived ProgressNows unrelenting, over-the-top, vicious attacks on U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Yuma Republican who lost his re-election bid last year, and my run-ins with ProgressNow staffer Alan Franklin, who is even more juvenile and petty than I am, if thats possible.

Silverii and I actually agree on a number of things that I cant share because we confide in each other. But were on the same page when it comes to former Secretary of State Wayne Williams decency, the damage caused by Trumps presidency and how Silveriis son, Davis, might just be the cutest 1-year-old on Facebook.

And then theres our addiction to politics.

Theres nothing in the world like running a campaign and winning one, Silverii said. Theres a flood of serotonin to your brain thats incredibly hard to get elsewhere.

Silverii moved to Colorado in 2007 after graduating from Rutgers University in New Jersey, where he loaded up on political science classes at the end. He grew up in New Jersey, which explains his habit of frequently using the F-word whether in complimentary or attack mode.

It is the most flexible word in the English language, he said.

Silveriis first win was in 2008 when he ran Rep. Gwyn Greens re-election campaign. The young Jew Silveriis grandparents were Holocaust survivors became close friends with the older Catholic public servant billed as the fighting Granny. He was inconsolable when Green died in 2018.

But 2010 was a much tougher year for Democrats, in part because of concerns over President Obamas health care plan. Led by Reps. Frank McNulty and Amy Stephens, the GOP wrestled control of the state House by a one-vote margin.

I was convinced my short career in politics was over, said Silverii, who was the deputy director of the House effort to elect Democrats.

Instead he got the comms job and began aiming barbs at McNulty and other Republicans.

House Democrats took back the majority in 2012 and hold it to this day. When Boulder Democrat Dickey Lee Hullinghorst was nominated speaker by her caucus two days after the 2014 election, she tapped Silverii as her chief of staff.

It wasnt a perfect fit. Silverii developed stomach problems and his weight dropped to 145 pounds.

It was the best-worst job I had ever had, Silverii said. Im not a policy wonk, Im a campaign guy.

ProgressNow hired Silverii as its executive director in 2016.

The year after its founding, the organization pulled off an enormous upset, helping Democrats in 2004 win both the state House and Senate for the first time since 1960. But over the years, ProgressNows influence was questioned. A 2014 story in 5280 magazine by respected political reporter Eli Stokols asked, After playing a key role in turning Colorado blue, are the states best-known liberal hell-raisers losing their mojo?

Silverii inherited a two-member staff, including Franklin, and began hiring people to bridge the gap between the progressive nonprofit community and the new activists who were calling themselves the resistance.

Along the way, Silverii met another young Democrat, Colorado native Brittany Pettersen. He was outside the Capitol in late December 2009 when he encountered a really cold blonde in a big puffy ski jacket who was holding a clipboard.

She asked, Do you have a moment to Save the Children? Silveri recalled. I took one look at her and just knew, right there. We stood in the light snow and talked for a few hours and she gave me her number.

That night he called his mother in New Jersey to say, I just met the woman Im going to marry. Seven years later they tied the knot at the governors mansion in front of a whos who of Democrats. By that time, Pettersen was a state representative from Lakewood. She was elected state senator in 2018 as part of the bluest wave to hit Colorado since the Depression.

When Silverii called to let me know that he was leaving ProgressNow and the news would be announced in a few days, I assumed he was going to work full time on his latest hobby: cooking.

He makes bagels and breads, and his smoked and marinated meats are so good that the couples babysitter recently sent home a note with Davis: Do you guys have a recipe you might be willing to share on the ribs & brisket that Davis brings? It looks and smells amazing!

Silverii always joked to Republicans that if they wanted to take him out of the political arena they should invest in a cooking start-up for him. But, he said, that will continue to be his hobby, not his next job.

After his announcement, I reached out to conservatives for their thoughts on Silverii. Many asked, Whats he really going to do? One declined to comment, saying, I hate the bastard.

Kelly Maher, vice president of marketing for Caucus Room, a social media site for conservatives, used to appear on 9News with Silverii, providing the right-left perspective on political issues.

Ian has been a good friend and a worthy adversary over the years. We don't agree on much when it comes to politics but we agree on a lot when it comes to life, she said. I am a better person because Ian made me so.

I have to agree.

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BARTELS | A tribute to the progressive power of Ian Silverii - coloradopolitics.com

Last week, as progressive New York assemblyman Ron Kim was taking care of his children at home on Thursday evening, he got a phone call from an irate Gov. Andrew Cuomo, he says. Cuomo yelled at him for 10 minutes, Kim recalled, and threatened Kims career. Cuomo was reportedly upset over Kims vocal criticism of his handling of nursing homes in the state amid COVID.

Cuomo wasted no time when Kim picked up the phone, the Queens assemblyman told The New York Times. Are you an honorable man? Cuomo began. He said that, if Kim didnt retract certain statements criticizing the governor, he would ruin his career. After the call, Kims wife told CNN, Kim said The governor threatened to destroy my life.

Earlier that day, the New York Post issued a damning report in which Cuomos top aide admitted that his administration purposefully hid COVID nursing home data last year out of fear of criticism. Kim has been critical of Cuomos handling of nursing homes during the pandemic before and was quoted in the New York Post piece maintaining that criticism.

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After the aide apologized to fellow Democrats over the issue, Kim told the New York Post that Its not enough how contrite they are with us. They need to show that to the public and the families and they havent done that. Cuomos handling of nursing homes has been a subject of much scrutiny over the past weeks and months, particularly when a report by the state attorney general found last month that the state underreported nursing home deaths by 50 percent.

In the early days of the pandemic, the virus hit Queens, which Kim represents, especially hard and Kim suspects that he lost his own uncle to the virus. He has urged Cuomo to apologize to families affected by the nursing home deaths, but the governor has yet to do so.

Evidently, Kim told CNN, Cuomo continued to try calling Kim over the weekend; Kim received calls with no caller ID followed by messages from aides saying that the governor wanted to talk to him, he said. Kim said he didnt pick up the phone.

On Wednesday, Cuomo went public with his grievances with Kim. In a press briefing, Cuomo spent nearly six minutes of the hour-long call criticizing the progressive lawmaker, saying that he and his administration have had a long and hostile relationship with Kim.

Stunningly, he accused Kim of participating in pay to play politics, which is when businesses donate to political campaigns in exchange for professional contracts, over an issue with nail salons from 2015. He called it a continuing racket. Though the spat between Cuomo and Kim over the nail salons remains unresolved, it was a bizarre topic to broach during a call that was supposed to be about the pandemic.

Kim and Cuomo both said that Kim had attempted to get his quotes retracted out of concern for the aide, but the New York Post refused. Still, knowing this, Cuomo tried smearing Kims reputation on Wednesday because Kim didnt want to issue a statement retracting his quotes because, according to Kim, he still felt they were true, even if he felt bad for the aide.

Kim is reportedly not the only one who has faced threats since last week from Cuomo and his aides over criticism for his handling of the pandemic. Three of Cuomos fellow Democratic New York lawmakers, who remained anonymous out of fear of retaliation from the governor, have also faced threats from the governor, CNN reports.

Though Cuomo received much praise as an alternative to Donald Trump during the beginning of the pandemic, holding video briefings on the coronavirus, he has since faced criticism from progressives for his handling of the pandemic.

Cuomo has come under fire, especially in the wake of the nursing home cover-ups, for being obsessed with his image and personal grievances and for what some deem improprieties. For instance, last year, as the pandemic still raged and shortly after his administration covered up nursing home deaths, Cuomo released a book titled American Crisis: Leadership Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo Threatened Progressive NY Lawmaker Over Nursing Home... - Truthout