Mediaboss Marketing

Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersCBO says minimum wage would increase deficit B The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by TikTok - Senate trial of Trump to dominate this week This week: Senate starts Trump trial as Democrats draft coronavirus bill MORE (I-Vt.) said that President Biden sees the progressive movement as a strong part of his coalition, even as recent debates over the federal minimum wage and coronavirus relief have revealed some divisions between liberal and more centrist Democrats.

In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, Sanders, a leading voice on the left, said congressional Democrats are largely united with the Biden administration in efforts to respond to the health care and economic crises fueled by the coronavirus pandemic.

The new Senate Budget Committee chairman, citing the the large portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt opposite the Resolute Desk thathe saw when he walked into his first Oval Office meeting with Biden last week, told the Times, President Biden understands that, like Roosevelt, he has entered office at a time of extraordinary crises and that he is prepared to think big and not small in order to address the many, many problems facing working families.

There is an understanding that if were going to address the crises facing this country, were all in it together, Sanders added.

Bidens former 2020 Democratic presidential primary opponent added that already in the presidents first three weeks in office, he has spoken frequently with him, as well as White House chief of staff Ron KlainRon KlainOvernight Health Care: New COVID-19 cases nationally drop below 100K for first time in 2021 | CDC warns states against lifting restrictions amid threat of virus variants | Health officials warn COVID-19 eradication unlikely House Democrats renew probe into Trump administration's pandemic response Biden makes inroads with progressives MORE, withSanders saying that his calls to the White House have been returned very shortly.

Biden, Sanders said,"sees the progressive movement as a strong part of his coalition and is reaching out to us and is adopting some of the ideas that we have put forth that make sense in terms of todays crises.

Despite opposition from Republicans, Democrats appear largely united in their effort to advance Bidens proposed $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, as well as in a collective desire to hold former President TrumpDonald TrumpDOJ to seek resignations of most Trump-appointed US attorneys: report Trump attorney withdraws request to not hold impeachment trial on Saturday Kinzinger in op-ed calls on GOP senators to convict Trump in impeachment trial MORE accountable in his Senate impeachment trial this week.

Trump faces a single article of impeachmentafter the House accused him with inciting the violent Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, which led to the deaths of five people, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. Two additional officers who responded to the rioting have since died by suicide.

However, Sanders over the weekend condemned some fellow Democrats who he says are looking to lower the income eligibility thresholds for coronavirus stimulus checks from $75,000 to $50,000 for individuals and from $150,000 to $100,000 for couples.

On Thursday, the Senate voted 99-1 on an amendment from Sens. Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinHouse Democrats unveil draft coronavirus relief legislation Former Ocasio-Cortez spokesperson: Manchin, Sinema should be primaried if 'they're going to stand in the way of progress' CBO says minimum wage would increase deficit B MORE (D-W.Va.) and Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsThe GOP's impeachment 'prisoner's dilemma' This week: Senate starts Trump trial as Democrats draft coronavirus bill Biden makes inroads with progressives MORE (R-Maine) related to "targeting" the checks and making sure that "upper-income taxpayers are not eligible."

The moves come asthe addition of two new Democratic moderates to the upper chamber Sens. John HickenlooperJohn HickenlooperOVERNIGHT ENERGY:DOJ to let companies pay for environmental projects again to reduce fines | House Democrats reintroduce green energy tax package Republican 2024 hopefuls draw early battle lines for post-Trump era Senate Democrats approve budget resolution, teeing up coronavirus bill MORE (Colo.) and Mark KellyMark Kelly'Purple America' will set political direction in 2022 Republican 2024 hopefuls draw early battle lines for post-Trump era Senate Democrats approve budget resolution, teeing up coronavirus bill MORE (Ariz.) has strengthened the centrist wing of the caucus.

Manchin and other moderates have signaled opposition to raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, which is currently part of Bidens coronavirus relief package, despite having support from Sanders and other powerful progressives in both chambers of Congress.

Read more:
Sanders says Biden sees progressives as 'strong part of his coalition' | TheHill - The Hill

President Biden has established an early working relationship with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, satisfying a group that was skeptical of him during the campaign with an aggressive agenda in his first weeks in office.

Biden campaigned as a moderate in a primary field of progressive stalwarts including Sens. Bernie SandersBernie SandersCBO says minimum wage would increase deficit B The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by TikTok - Senate trial of Trump to dominate this week This week: Senate starts Trump trial as Democrats draft coronavirus bill MORE (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenOvernight Energy:Biden faces calls to shut down Dakota Access pipeline | Hackers breach, attempt to poison Florida city's water supply | Daines seeks to block Haaland confirmation to Interior Biden faces calls to shut down Dakota Access pipeline Wyden to wield new power on health care, taxes with committee gavel MORE (D-Mass.). When opponents attempted to brand him as a socialist, he shot back, I beat the socialist.

But the president has managed to win over much of the progressive wing of the party in the early going through regular outreach, executive orders on climate and immigration, and a commitment to a $1.9 trillion relief package.

There are certainly areas were continuing to talk to them and push them on, but generally its been a good productive relationship, and we feel like many of the priorities of progressives that benefit working people and poor people across the country are really getting addressed and spoken to even in these first two weeks, said Rep. Pramila JayapalPramila JayapalHouse Democrats unveil draft coronavirus relief legislation Biden makes inroads with progressives Biden's push for stimulus checks sparks income eligibility debate MORE (D-Wash.), who chairs the 94-member Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Early and consistent outreach from the White House has been key in building trust with progressives on Capitol Hill, officials said.

One of the first calls Louisa TerrellLouisa TerrellBiden makes inroads with progressives Biden officials hold call with bipartisan group of senators on coronavirus relief plan MORE made as Bidens director of legislative affairs was to the Progressive Caucus. The group has also met with Domestic Policy Council Director Susan RiceSusan RiceBiden makes inroads with progressives The Hill's Morning Report - Biden seeks vaccine for all by summer; Trump censure? 5 things to know about Biden's racial equity orders MORE and National Economic Council Director Brian DeeseBrian DeeseBiden makes inroads with progressives The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Republicans squeeze Biden with 0 billion COVID-19 relief alternative Biden's push for stimulus checks sparks income eligibility debate MORE, among others.

The Sunrise Movement, a progressive group focused on climate change, has been in regular contact with members of Bidens climate team.

Progressives have been satisfied with Bidens choice of Ron KlainRon KlainOvernight Health Care: New COVID-19 cases nationally drop below 100K for first time in 2021 | CDC warns states against lifting restrictions amid threat of virus variants | Health officials warn COVID-19 eradication unlikely House Democrats renew probe into Trump administration's pandemic response Biden makes inroads with progressives MORE as his chief of staff, preferring him as a voice who would bring progressive ideas to the table in contrast to Rahm Emanuel, who served as former President Obamas chief of staff from 2009 to 2010.

If we want to have unity on a bill that is a priority for the president, I say the same thing that I say to leadership, which is, consult us early and often, Jayapal said.

Officials say progressive priorities have been reflected in Bidens early actions, thanks in part to the recommendations of unity task forces between the former presidential campaigns of Biden and Sanders.

Biden delivered progressive groups wins by revoking the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, signing an executive order to end the use of private prisons in the criminal justice system and pushing to include an increase in the minimum wage in the economic relief proposal.

It really does tell us that Biden is listening and is committed to using his full executive power. And while this is a great step forward we also are very aware this is just the beginning of what needs to get done, said Ellen Sciales, press secretary for the Sunrise Movement.

The Democratic Party has so far been unified in its push for a robust relief package even without Republican support, weary of repeating the mistakes of the Obama administration when a stimulus package was narrowed to garner GOP votes in 2009 in response to the Great Recession. Any talk of Democrats in disarray has also been overshadowed by infighting among House Republicans.

The basic lesson of the Obama White House was they never regretted when they went bold and they almost always regretted when they slow walked or watered down popular ideas under the illusory hope that Republicans like [Maine Sen.] Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsThe GOP's impeachment 'prisoner's dilemma' This week: Senate starts Trump trial as Democrats draft coronavirus bill Biden makes inroads with progressives MORE would deal in good faith," said Adam Green, cofounder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, who commended Biden for sticking by his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief proposal.

But progressive groups and lawmakers have made clear they will push Biden on key issues, setting up potential fractures in the party as the president navigates the rest of his term.

Green's group is pressing for the relief bill to fund full $2,000 stimulus payments to some Americans, after Democrats campaigned on them in the Georgia Senate runoffs. Biden's proposal includes $1,400 checks that add to $600 payments already signed into law in December by former President TrumpDonald TrumpDOJ to seek resignations of most Trump-appointed US attorneys: report Trump attorney withdraws request to not hold impeachment trial on Saturday Kinzinger in op-ed calls on GOP senators to convict Trump in impeachment trial MORE.

Rep. Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarDemocrats should make the 'Bee-Gees' the face of theRepublican Party Biden makes inroads with progressives Defiant Greene attacks media, dodges questions on past remarks MORE (D-Minn.) led a group ofmore than 50 progressive Democratic lawmakers who penned a letter to Biden late last month urging him to support recurring monthly direct payments to Americans during the pandemic.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus will pressure the White House to extend the ban on private prisons to the immigration system and act on student loan debt relief, Jayapal said. The White House said Thursday it is reviewing what actions Biden might be able to take unilaterally to forgive federal student loans amid the pandemic.

The filibuster, which requires 60 votes to close debate on legislation, is another point of tension, though with Sens. Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinHouse Democrats unveil draft coronavirus relief legislation Former Ocasio-Cortez spokesperson: Manchin, Sinema should be primaried if 'they're going to stand in the way of progress' CBO says minimum wage would increase deficit B MORE (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) opposed to eliminating it, Democrats do not now have the votes to do away with it.

Dozens of progressive groups nonetheless wrote to Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerOcasio-Cortez, Schumer announce federal COVID-19 fund to help families pay for funerals Over 60 progressive groups urge Schumer to nix filibuster Booker reintroduces bill to give all newborns ,000 savings accounts MORE (D-N.Y.) on Friday urging him to end the filibuster, which they called a weapon of pure partisan gridlock.

Tensions could also persist over certain staffing moves in the administration. Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezON THE MONEY: CBO estimate makes waves | Democrats to expand child tax credit | Wyden wields power Ocasio-Cortez, Schumer announce federal COVID-19 fund to help families pay for funerals Former Ocasio-Cortez spokesperson: Manchin, Sinema should be primaried if 'they're going to stand in the way of progress' MORE (D-N.Y.) late last year criticized the makeup of Bidens Cabinet and whether progressives were being rewarded for their role in helping Biden to the White House.

Progressives have been satisfied with some of Bidens nominees to Cabinet and other high-level positions, including Rep. Deb HaalandDeb HaalandOvernight Energy:Biden faces calls to shut down Dakota Access pipeline | Hackers breach, attempt to poison Florida city's water supply | Daines seeks to block Haaland confirmation to Interior Biden makes inroads with progressives Daines seeks to block Haaland confirmation to Interior MORE (D-N.M.) to lead the Interior Department, Xavier BecerraXavier BecerraIs Biden truly committed to unity and moderation? There's hope, but time's running out Biden makes inroads with progressives Pelosi pushing Newsom to pick Schiff for next California AG: report MORE to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Marcia FudgeMarcia FudgeBiden makes inroads with progressives The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - House boots Greene from committees; Senate plows ahead on budget Senate panel advances Biden's picks for Housing secretary, chief economist MORE as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Some progressives also waged a campaign against Mike Morell for CIA director, a position for which Biden ultimately nominated veteran career diplomat William BurnsWilliam BurnsBiden makes inroads with progressives Biden's Cabinet gradually confirmed by Senate Biden announces veteran diplomat William Burns as nominee for CIA director MORE.

Weve won a bunch of these fights, but it doesnt make any sense that some of the people we were having to fight against were ever in the running, said David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress. The idea that Bidens team would have ever considered installing Morell at CIA is another signal we need to be very watchful in the national security realm despite them having made the seemingly better choice of Burns.

Segal said that overall the nominations went better than expected but described them as far from perfect. He raised concerns about Agriculture Secretary nominee Tom VilsackTom VilsackUSDA: Farm-to-school programs help schools serve healthier meals OVERNIGHT MONEY: House poised to pass debt-ceiling bill MOREs work for the U.S. Dairy Export Council, Commerce Secretary nominee Gina RaimondoGina RaimondoBiden makes inroads with progressives Daines seeks to block Haaland confirmation to Interior Hillicon Valley: Democratic senators unveil bill to reform Section 230 | Labor board denies Amazon request to delay local union vote | Robinhood lifts restrictions on GameStop, other stocks MOREs ties to Wall Street, and Secretary of State Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenColombia to register thousands of Venezuela migrants in bid to give them legal residency The Hill's 12:30 Report: Senate prepares for impeachment trial to start Biden administration announces plans to rejoin UN human rights council MOREs consulting work at WestExec Advisors.

Biden is also facing pressure to more forcefully root out individuals from the government who were installed under former President Trump.Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, noted in particular that most of the U.S. attorneys appointed under Trump remain in place and also argued that FBI Director Christopher Wray should be fired in light of the security failure at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The White House said last month that Biden would keep Wray on in his position.

Were disconcerted by the number of Trump officials still in power, Hauser said.

Read the original:
Biden makes inroads with progressives | TheHill - The Hill

Run For Something, the PAC that supports young progressives running for state and local office, says 6,554 people signed up for its pipeline in January, many of whom indicated their interest to run in the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6.

The high interest comes on the heels of Democrats winning the White House and Senate, and maintaining their majority in the House.

While signing up with Run For Something demonstrates a potential candidate's interest in running for office, it does not mean they will run in the next few years, nor does it guarantee the person will run at all. But the number of people who have signed up with Run For Something in the last month is far greater than anything the organization has seen before. Just 1,939 people signed up for the pipeline in January 2020.

And of those who signed up for Run For Something this past January, more than 3,500 people said they'd like to run within the next two years, according to the organization.

"We need to win local office because it's not enough to win the House, Senate and White House," Amanda Litman, co-founder and executive director of Run For Something, said, adding that action taken at the national level will not impact regular people's lives fast enough.

"Progress happens locally," Litman said.

Since its founding, Run For Something -- which launched in 2017 as a response to President Donald Trump's inauguration -- has recruited more than 70,000 potential candidates. Its pipeline provides potential candidates with tools and resources to start and sustain their political campaigns, including training sessions, conversations with Run For Something alumni, as well as a potential endorsement.

In the past four years, the group has spent about $2 million a year supporting candidates. The group has supported 486 young people who have been elected local office across all 50 states and their elected candidates have been 56% Black and brown, 55% women, 21% LGBTQ and all under the age of 40.

The group noted a number of factors that may be motivating young people to consider running for office in addition to the insurrection, including the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 election and the nation grappling with racial justice. All shed light on the role that state and local elected officials play, the group says.

Some of the young people who have signed up for Run For Something's pipeline in January told the organization they started to consider running after the death of George Floyd, the Black man in Minnesota who died after a White officer knelt on his neck last year, or because of a lack of Covid-19 relief in their communities.

Call to action

The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6 also served as a call to action.

On that day, Shayna Jaskolka, a 20-year-old student at University of Iowa, tweeted her interest in running for office.

Jaskolka has now officially signed up for the Run For Something pipeline.

"I sat there thinking about what happened and what was going on and what this meant, and I decided to tweet and make it official to say one day I will run for office to hold myself accountable," Jaskolka told CNN.

She told CNN she plans to run for Congress in Iowa in 2026, as she will be just a month shy of being eligible to run for Congress in 2024.

"In the meantime, I definitely think I might run for state House or state Senate," Jaskolka said.

"Hopefully I'll end up being the youngest person elected into Congress," she added.

For his part, Nicholas Cropper, a 24-year-old from Florida, said he decided to run for office after the insurrection because he was "utterly appalled" by his local representation in Sarasota, Florida.

"Learning that one of my state representatives had a hand in what happened at the Capitol on the 6th really got me thinking about where these people get their start. It's so clear to me that they get their start in city council on school boards or as state legislators," Cropper said.

Cropper, a public health student at the University of South Florida, says he would like to run for office immediately, but recognizes he is still in school.

"I'm eager to get on the trail and do this and be the candidate, but I understand that there's a lot to this that I haven't experienced yet," Cropper told CNN.

"That's not to say I won't try this year for my local city council in Sarasota," Cropper said, adding that his real goal would be to run for state legislature.

Meanwhile, Luis Vizcarrondo Jr., a 30-year-old minister in Cleveland, intends to run for city council in Cleveland this year.

Vizcarrondo has considered running for a while, after experiencing racism and hearing of hatred toward the Latino community in the city, he says. "But the insurrection was the last straw for me," Vizcarrondo told CNN. "As a father of three kids, I would never have thought I would see a day like this."

Vizcarrondo has a disabled daughter and an autistic daughter, and says he hopes to build a better world for them, as well as his 1-year-old son.

"I don't want them to live in a world where people are constantly bashing them and something needs to change."

More here:
Thousands of young progressives say they want to run for office - CNN

The fight to increase the minimum wage continues to pose a challenge for Democrats as progressive voices dispute analysis that a $15 rate would lead to fewer jobs and a higher deficit.

The findings by the Congressional Budget Office, released on Monday, outlined possible scenarios under President Joe Biden's plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025.

Biden's Raise the Wage Act of 2021 would benefit 27 million workers and lift 900,000 people out of poverty with a net increase in wages over a decade of $333 billion, the CBO said.

However, higher wages would raise prices for consumers and employers would move to automate more roles, leading to about 1.4 million fewer jobs by 2025.

This amounts to a 0.9 percent decrease in employment. There would also be a budget deficit increase of $54 billion over the next 10 years, because of higher government costs through unemployment insurance and health care spending.

As Democrats push to include the increase in their $1.9 trillion relief bill, the report may turn off moderate lawmakers in the party.

Republicans such as Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina have seized on the CBO report as evidence that a minimum wage increase would kill jobs. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) tweeted: "Washington needs to be putting forward solutions that will get Americans back to work not putting them out of a job."

After the White House described the projected job losses as "overstated," however, California Rep. Ro Khanna pushed back at the federal agency, tweeting: "This CBO analysis is not by leading economists in the field."

Referring to the economist Arindrajit Dube, who disputes that a higher minimum wage hurts job numbers, Khanna added: "Consider @arindube work, recent studies showing the impact is more HS degrees required, or that wage growth & spending would create more jobs than lost. False pretense of expertise."

His tweet was shared by entrepreneur Joe Sandberg, who told his 143,000 followers: "Agree with @RoKhannaa higher minimum wage is good for the economy, good for business, good for entrepreneurship, good for workers and long, long overdue!

"In the end, a $15 minimum wage would raise earnings of low-wage workers, reduce inequality, and have significant and direct fiscal effects."

Rep. Andy Levin, a Democrat from Michigan, shared an article about the impact a higher minimum wage might have on job numbers but added a message of support for the move.

Levin tweeted: "Congress has the opportunity not only to get folks the one-time resources needed to overcome the pandemic, but also to give 27 million Americans a forever raise and lift 1.3 million adults and kids out of poverty with a $15/hr minimum wage."

The Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, also took aim at the CBO's projections, saying in a statement: "We believe the CBO's assumptions on the scale of job loss are just wrong." It added that the figures were "inappropriately inflated relative to what cutting-edge economics literature would indicate."

The graphic below provided by Statista shows minimum wage levels across the U.S.

When contacted for comment, the CBO referred Newsweek to sections of its report that described how, over the past two years, it had developed the capacity to analyze "the behavioral effects for minimum-wage legislation."

Its latest analysis took into account the impact of a higher minimum wage on businesses, prices, income distribution and employment.

"The set of affected programs is broader than those included in some other analyses; for example, this report includes effects on spending for major health care programs, unemployment compensation and Social Security," it said.

Raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 is a key ambition for progressive Democrats such as Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, who helped implement a $15 minimum in Seattle in 2014.

In an interview with MSNBC, she emphasized that the plan would lift people out of poverty, despite its critics.

Jayapal said: "We want to make sure people understand we've got to get it across the finish line," adding that Democrats would "have to fight" to get the bill through the House and the Senate.

Newsweek has contacted the Congressional Progressive Caucus for comment.

Continue reading here:
Progressives Dispute CBO Analysis That $15 Minimum Wage Will Hurt Job Numbers - Newsweek

A group of liberal Zionists based in Solano County is organizing against what its members see as an effort within the progressive wing of the state Democratic Party to ostracize supporters of Israel.

The Progressive Zionists of California announced Jan. 26 that it had launched a petition and letter-writing campaign imploring the states Democratic Party leaders to oppose what it called dangerous litmus tests.

PZC is a nascent activist group whose co-founders are residents of Vallejo and Fairfield.

The groups latest actions follow a controversial statement and questionnaire sent out in December by the Progressive Delegates Network to delegate hopefuls. The document focused unduly on the Israel/Palestine conflict, PZC activists said.

The PDN document sent in advance of a since-completed election of delegates for each of the states 80 Assembly districts devoted two of its five affirmations to topics related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as reported in J. last month.

Critics have called the form a step in pushing the Democratic Party to the far left, and are afraid efforts like it will erode historic support for Israel in a manner some said is anti-Jewish. Some compared it to what former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, a longtime supporter of Palestinian rights and critic of Israel, attempted to do to his party in Britain.

We, in the California Democratic Party, spend more time on Israel/Palestine resolutions than on any other issue and have been doing so since 2017, said Susan George, one of PZCs co-founders. Though the Vallejo resident is not Jewish, she said she is concerned about a growing anti-Israel narrative in the party.

In a statement, the PZC said its efforts were a necessity in response to demonizing anti-Zionist rhetoric that has become a central organizing principle in the Progressive Caucus.

California Democrats should know, the PZC statement said, that since 2017 more time has been spent in the resolutions and platform committees on Israel and Palestine than on any other issue of importance, including climate change, economic and racial justice, health care, housing and womens rights.

Democrats for Israel Los Angeles also has been critical of the PDN of late, issuing a statement last month opposing candidate forums that have been organized by groups such as PDN, Jewish Voice for Peace and Muslim Allies.

The L.A.-based groups statement called JVP, which is headquartered in Oakland, a fringe group that is the only self-identified national Jewish American organization that has called for the destruction of Israel and removal of any Jewish character from Israel by creating a single Jewish-minority state.

As for the candidate forums, the statement said, Rather than reaching out and building bridges, these events do little other than reinforcing confirmation biases of activist echo chambers.

Despite supporting many PDN policy aims, Oakland City Council member Dan Kalb said he was taken aback by the forms apparent focus on Israel. Kalb, in his ninth year on the council, said he planned to forward the issue to the California Legislative Jewish Caucus in Sacramento.

The form asked potential progressive delegates to pledge to never restrict the right to boycott, divest from or sanction countries that engage in routine human rights violations. Another affirmation referenced refugees right of return to their ancestral homelands, a call often made by Palestinians and their supporters. Those seeking to become delegates agreed, by signing the form, that they would support those stances and vote to endorse candidates that support these issues (though a comment box was provided for those who had any concerns regarding your ability to adhere to the affirmations).

It seemed so very odd that we had a questionnaire two-fifths of which concentrated on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, said Kalb, a progressive state Democrat Party delegate for more than 25 years. The Progressive Caucus is supposed to promote a broad range of progressive policies to work on, and are picking one international issue to spend 40 percent of their work time on. That seems very odd and it doesnt make sense to me.

Other local Jewish delegates, such as Soli Alpert of Berkeley, disagreed. A delegate in the 15th District who has been endorsed by PDN, Alpert said he saw nothing wrong with the questionnaire. The 23-year-old also said theres nothing unusual about California Democrats engaging in discussions about foreign policy.

We endorse federal policies, he pointed out. The debate over what our relationship with Israel should be is totally relevant and one we should have. We spend more money on Israel than on nearly any other country in the world.

While he acknowledged the existence of antisemitism on the left and that maybe we spend more time on [the Israel/Palestinian issue] than we should, he said they do so because its an important one.

He insisted there is no effort within the state party to squeeze out Zionists.

Theyre not trying to exclude any Jews from the party. Its not a conspiracy against Jews, Alpert said. I understand peoples concerns. But to not endorse people who disagree with you politically, well, thats politics. Atrocities done against Palestinians by Israelis in my name as a Jew have to be opposed.

As of Feb. 8, the PZCs petition had received 177 signatures, according to its website. The petition is called Act Now: Tell CADEM leadership to oppose dangerous litmus tests. CADEM stands for California Assembly District Election Meetings.

The PZC also sent letters to California Democratic Party leaders (such as current chair Rusty Hicks and chair candidate Delaine Eastin), executive board members of the partys Progressive Caucus and a number of organizers within the Progressive Delegates Network.

George and fellow PZC co-founder Matthew Finkelstein said the possible erosion of Democratic support for Israel represents a wider threat.

They say, As goes California, so goes the nation, George said. Thats where theyre trying to steer the national party as a whole in this direction. Because so many people are silent and afraid to engage on the issue, the whole party is vulnerable. Its time for the party leadership to act.

Kalb fumed at the thought that support for Israel could blacklist someone from liberal politics in California.

No one is going to tell me Im not progressive just because I believe in a two-state solution, and no ones going to push me out of the progressive wing of my party because I want to see a fair resolution to the Israel/Palestinian issue, he said.

Though he said he agrees with the Progressive Caucus on a number of issues, Kalb acknowledged the existence of a subset of people who are hyper-focused on attacking Israel. It takes away from the items the state party should be focused on.

See the original post:
California progressives get pushback on Zionism 'litmus test' J. - The Jewish News of Northern California