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Even as 150 enthusiastic organizers of a new Franklin County League of Women Voters gathered on a recent Sunday at Greenfields Temple Israel, a standing-room-only crowd of more than 200 people showed up less than a mile away at the Guiding Star Grange Hall for the second general assembly of a new political action group calling itself Franklin Continuing the Political Revolution.

We thought wed have 100, said David Cohen of Greenfield, since 65 had shown up for its first general assembly just after the November election.

Were really tapping into people who are really afraid of whats happening right now, and they want to work on progressive issues, Cohen, a member of the groups eight-member coordinating committee, said recently.

Franklin Continuing the Political Revolution bills itself as nonpartisan, although its leaders clearly are politically engaged and liberal. Many recruits are political novices recently energized by the election of Donald Trump. There are 225 dues-paying members, many of whom arent enrolled in any party and some of whom, Cohen says, havent been politically active before.

People want to talk and know What can we do? said Susan Triolo of Sunderland, another coordinating committee member, adding that using social media, the group has brought in people who havent done anything, ever, in their lives politically, who are terrified or depressed or desperate, or who just believe in democracy and want to do more than just show up for demonstrations.

FCCR, a grass-roots effort that morphed out of the Pioneer Valley for Bernie (Sanders) organization last summer, turned its emphasis from get out the vote to long-range issues.

We said, Well stick together and work on issues long-term, said Cohen.

Seven task forces have been meeting every couple of weeks to actively advance their seven areas of concern, including civil rights, education, electoral politics and workers rights.

A task force on single-payer health care, said Judy Atkins of Greenfield, is insisting that Massachusetts in the face of Republican efforts at the national level to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and do away with Medicaid should move toward a full single-payer health plan, as prescribed in a bill now before the Legislature, and as called for on the state Democratic platform for years.

That task force, of which shes a member, is researching how much area towns would save on employee health insurance if such a plan were in place, to create what Atkins calls a groundswell of support.

A campaign finance reform task force, meanwhile, is working on efforts to get big money out of lobbying. The Climate Crisis Task Force is working to help Franklin County towns move toward the statewide coalition Mass Power Forwards goal of 80 percent renewable energy generation, supporting the campaign to divest the states pension fund away from fossil fuel investments and promoting greater use of public transportation.

The Education Task Force, which worked initially to defeat the charter school ballot question on last falls ballot, is focused on issues like high-stakes testing, on separating test results from teacher evaluations and promoting free higher education.

The Electoral Politics Task Force will encourage progressive candidates to run for local and state office, said coordinating committee member Ferd Wulkan of Montague. Were not going to just support somebody because theyre slightly better than their opponent.

In this, FCCR appears willing to take its revolution moniker seriously.

Wed expect that if somebodys running for, say, state rep and they say they support single-payer, but the leadership of the Democratic Party doesnt want to push it, wed expect that person to buck him, and not say, Ill go along with what the leadership tells me, Cohen said. If they run on a platform of things people need, we expect them to fight and raise a little hell in the statehouse over those issues. We have to openly say, Yes, we have a political system that doesnt work and is dominated by the interests of corporate donors. To have a true democracy wouldnt depend on people who have been in there a long time and have toed leaderships line. Theres a real problem with that.

The task force also hopes to provide basic information and support on how to run for town office, or for becoming a delegate to the state party convention.

General assembly meetings are open to members and nonmembers, and nonmembers can go online to http://www.FCCPR.us to join and learn when task forces are meeting or the time and location of the next general assembly meeting, on March 26.

There are also plans for theater, music and arts activities, as well as seeking town meeting resolutions on issues from sanctuary for refugees to campaign and finance reform.

With plenty of work to do, the local groups hardly work in a vacuum, but Triolo said, Were trying to stay focused locally and not get distracted by Donald Trumps daily tweets.

Cohen reiterated state Rep. Paul Marks message at the Jan. 19 Greenfield pre-inaugural rally that The federal government is not going to be there for us for the next two to four years or maybe longer. Massachusetts has always been a leader, and nowhere more so than western Massachusetts. It is our duty now to set an example for the rest of this country, to lead as weve always led. Whether its same-sex marriage, whether its health care for all. We need to lead and we need to go beyond where weve been able to go so far.

Rather than standing apart as a group, these gray-haired veterans of the labor movement and other social issues said, FCCR has also attracted anti-pipeline activists as well as members of Western Massachusetts Jobs For Justice, Social Justice Rising, Not in Our Town and even some founding members of the new League of Women Voters chapter.

Were making it clear: Were not out to supplant them, Cohen said. Were trying to add more people into this large struggle for civil rights and against racism.

Because were seen as an active group, actually doing stuff, the work were doing is giving people hope, said Triolo. Thats how we got 200-plus people to show up on a Sunday afternoon for two hours. Were alive People can actually be involved with doing something.

On the Web: fccpr.us

You can reach Richie Davis at rdavis@recorder.com

or 413-772-0261, ext. 269

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Local progressives continue working toward 'Political Revolution' - The Recorder

Republican Donald Trump becoming the 45th President of the United States was a shock for Albany County progressive Chris Lowry.

But the left-leaning Wyoming native in an overwhelmingly Republican environment isnt looking to lie down and accept an executive branch thats taking the nation in a direction that contradicts some of his core values. Instead, Lowry said he and fellow Albany County progressives are feeling energized.

It was disappointing, but I would say it gave me incentive to work even harder, Lowry said of the November election that saw Republicans take control of Congress and the White House. It definitely seems the opposition feels inspired to work together against a common threat to what people on the left feel are important to them.

Lowry, 33, came to Laramie to pursue a chemistry degree at the University of Wyoming. Today, hes a chemist at Western Research Institute and a single dad of two younger children. Since the April primary where more than 1,000 local Democrats cast their votes in the Democratic caucus, Lowry has attended monthly meetings of the Albany County Democratic Party.

The number of people that were there was really impressive, he said of the caucus. Wyoming people wanted to have a voice even though Democrats are outnumbered by more than two-to-one.

Looking forward, Lowry said he plans to remain active politically.

If a position in the (Democratic Party) leadership happens to open up and the rest of the county delegates think that Im a good choice, then Ill accept a leadership position, he said. But I plan on remaining active and involved and aware of whats going on.

Laramie resident Adrienne Vetter, 34, also said shes been inspired by the enthusiasm local progressives displayed during and since the election cycle. Like Lowry, Vetter said she was a supporter of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who ran on a democratic socialist platform to the left of Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Though shes volunteered some time and effort to the Albany County Democratic Party in the past, Vetter said shes also potentially upping her commitment in the near future.

Ive definitely been interested since the caucus section of the election, she said. Its kind of that realization, If not me, then who? We have to step it up and be more involved in political systems.

Vetter said she let the Albany County Democrats know she wants to put her name in the hat for the State Committeewoman position.

Im planning on being more involved, she said. Im not entirely sure Ill get it, but its important enough for me to fight this apathetic mood by taking a risk and putting myself out there.

One of Lowrys first acts of 2017 was attending the Wyoming Womens March in Cheyenne on Jan. 21 to voice dissent regarding Trumps policies that he said he opposes.

I think it was uplifting and inspirational, he said.

I feel like it was empowering to a lot of people that were there and for me, too just to have something to kind of register dissent of the results.

Albany Countys Democratic representatives in the State House and Senate were able to keep their seats in November, but werent able to come up with any victories from newcomers. With a Senate seat and four house seats up for grabs, only Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie, and Rep. Charles Pelkey, D-Laramie defeated their challengers. Pelkeys race was the closest as Republican challenger Tom Schmit had the lead with 12 of 13 precincts reporting before the final precinct, but early and absentee votes put Pelkey over the top.

However, since the election, some local progressives have been pleased to have some younger blood looking to fill leadership positions, said Pam Mathewson, Albany County Democratic Party chair.

We have a whole lot of new faces and we have a lot more precinct committee spots filled, Mathewson said. Weve been engaging some more young people and people who previously havent been politically active, or at least not recently. Were trying to get their viewpoints, get them into the process and part of our organization so we can be more inclusive, get more viewpoints and what they want to see for the future of Albany County and Wyoming. Were getting new faces and new enthusiasm, and thats always nice to see.

Forward Wyoming is a nonprofit organization based in Laramie dedicated to progressive causes. Though the group is officially nonpartisan, Executive Director Marc Homer said it is aligned with progressive ideals.

Were working to develop the next generation of progressive advocates, Homer said.

During the 2016 election cycle, Forward Wyoming worked with affiliate organizations to support Democratic candidates running for seats in the Legislature. Homer said Forward Wyoming is moving on with the Grassroots Institute, a free program offered to community members looking to learn how to enact political change. He said many Democrats as well as Republicans and Independents think the Trump administration is out-of-step with their values and could unite to oppose policies they find objectionable.

There used to be a time where conservatives and liberals wanted the same things, Homer said. We are teaching young people to organize so they can go in their communities, they can begin to protect the rights that they know they should be having as American citizens and they are going to try to develop public momentum behind ideas that are simply trying to level the playing field and give everyone a slice of the pie.

In addition to the Womens March for which Forward Wyoming chartered a bus that transported dozens of Laramie residents to Cheyenne Homer said there are more actions coming from progressives looking to make their voices heard in Wyoming.

I think its wonderful people are finally taking this seriously maybe a day late and a dollar short but they are going out, he said. Well see more of these rallies, and well do our part in helping to sustain them.

Wyomings Legislature is also on Albany County progressives radars, Lowry said.

Im worried about losing access to public lands, Im worried about government overreach into public bathrooms, Im worried about bills that are titled Religious Freedom but actually protect Christian beliefs more than allowing non-Christians to have an opinion, he said. I make phone calls and send emails, and Im donating and volunteering.

Mathewson said local Democrats are happy about the defeat of House Bill 135, titled Government Nondiscrimination Act, which opponents said would tie the governments hands in protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination. However, she said they are still concerned about bills regarding abortion and concealed carry of firearms.

Those are bills at the top of the list wed like to see if we can keep from passing, she said.

With all the disagreements between liberals and conservatives in Albany County and across the nation, Lowry said he thinks its important especially for people on the left to listen to different and opposing viewpoints. The violence that broke out when Breitbart News editor and right wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos was scheduled to come to the University of California, Berkeley, campus Feb. 1 was counterproductive way for progressives to express themselves, Lowry.

We have to find a way to build some consensus, he said. Some of the ugly rhetoric Ive seen from people not just online, but in person, like the riots in California is probably not the best action to take. The violence and destruction of property is not going to help win elections and change.

Homer said the best way to forward for progressives is registering more people to vote.

Hopefully politicians who are ethically challenged maybe the only thing they listen to is the zero-sum result of whether they win or lose, he said. So, we have to keep getting more people registered to vote so they will keep that pressure up.

Link:
County progressives moving forward after elections - Laramie Boomerang

Hours after Senate Democrats failed to block Betsy DeVos' nomination for education secretary, they shifted to trying to stop Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., from becoming attorney general.

Democrats plan to use the same tactics they employed unsuccessfully in the DeVos fight: late night speeches in the Senate, petitions from the many progressive organizations and voters who oppose President Trump's nominees, telephone calls, and social media posts urging senators to vote "no."

In doing so, the Senate minority is heeding the call from Democratic voters to stand up to Trump, despite the risk of promising the progressive base things they can't deliver with their current numbers.

But progressives are making it clear they aren't yet happy with the aggressive Democratic effort. Green Party 2016 presidential nominee Jill Stein, who won over a million votes by arguing Democrats weren't sufficiently progressive, actually blamed Democrats for DeVos' confirmation.

Stay abreast of the latest developments from nation's capital and beyond with curated News Alerts from the Washington Examiner news desk and delivered to your inbox.

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"Why would we have a tie on such an egregious nominee?" Stein asked on Twitter. "Because Democrats serve corporate interests."

That criticism ignored the fact that there are only 48 Democratic senators, and all of them voted against DeVos. The education secretary pick was confirmed because 50 Republicans supported her and Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote in his constitutional capacity as president of the Senate.

Yet Democrats still faced criticism for not doing enough to make wobbly Republicans fear supporting DeVos.

"Democrats blew what was arguably their best shot to take down one of President Donald Trump's nominees when secretary of education nominee Betsy DeVos won confirmation in the Senate on Tuesday," wrote VICE News' Alexandra Jaffe. "Democrats were spinning it as a win, but it's hard to read DeVos' confirmation as anything other than a fumble for Democratic lawmakers and grassroots groups, who were given a near-perfect set of circumstances to derail her nomination and still fell short."

DeVos received poor reviews for her performance at her confirmation hearings. She had two Republican defectors and no Democratic supporters. She was opposed by Native American groups in states with GOP senators. Suburban Republican voters haven't always been much more enthusiastic about school choice for low-income children than the teachers unions railing against DeVos.

Also from the Washington Examiner

Under the Congressional Review Act, lawmakers can undo rules finalized within 60 legislative days.

02/08/17 6:44 AM

By contrast, Sessions' confirmation hearings went better. He has at least one Democratic supporter and no Republican opponents. Democrats changed the filibuster rule to get rid of the 60-vote threshold for ending debate on executive branch nominees and most federal judges. Under the old rules, Democrats could have blocked most of Trump's nominees.

Having failed at stopping DeVos, the prospects for derailing Sessions are even worse. Nevertheless, many Democrats believe this is a necessary battle in a larger war against the Trump administration.

"These fights are energizing our communities and reminding them of the power of their voice," said Scott Simpson of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the organization that delivered 1 million signatures on an anti-Sessions petition.

"Every fight prepares constituents to be more strategic, more organized, and more engaged than the last," Simpson said. "These nominees and executive orders are very out of step with the country and we expect that this is only the beginning of the pushback from constituents."

Progressives are spoiling for a fight. Many of Trump's moves have triggered a massive backlash among rank-and-file Democrats, and progressives were demanding a more combative Democratic Party even before Trump won, as evidenced by Bernie Sanders' stronger than expected campaign against Hillary Clinton.

Also from the Washington Examiner

Sen. Jeff Sessions is on the verge of achieving the ultimate personal vindication.

02/08/17 12:41 AM

Clinton's loss to Trump confirmed to many of these voters that confrontation is more politically effective right now than "New Democrat" triangulation and compromise.

Trump's election has galvanized many black and Hispanic Democrats who were not supportive of Sanders in the presidential primaries, potentially creating a more diverse progressive electoral coalition.

"Senate Dems may not be able to block [Trump's nominees] but they should continue to use hearings as an opportunity to cement the narrative that Trump and his administration is one run by a dictator who is being influenced by a bunch of billionaire Wall Street people," said Democratic strategist Bud Jackson. "The anger and fear among the Democratic grassroots base is real. They must continue the resistance on their own track."

Even some Democrats who are more conciliatory by nature have responded to this fear and anger.

"[Sessions] would be wrong at any time because of his record on immigration, civil rights and voting rights, but particularly wrong now because we need someone who has some degree of independence from the president," declared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Some Democrats fear replicating the climate within the GOP where activists demanded congressional Republicans do things to stop President Obama that they didn't have the numbers on Capitol Hill to do, and then mounted primary challenges against party members who failed to go along. But others note that the Tea Party helped Republicans win some elections.

"With a low turnout in an off-year congressional election, Dems must keep pushing to please the activists who will vote in 2018," said Democratic strategist Brad Bannon. "The Berniecrats could do for the Dems what the Tea Party did for the GOP in 2010."

Republicans re-took the House that year, ending a nearly three-fifths Democratic majority. Four years later, they captured the Senate.

"Our goal must to sustain the different communication channels now being used to ensure Americans are aware of Trump's behavior and overreach," Jackson said. "On the legislative front, I firmly believe an important and achievable goal is keeping the fire so hot that Republicans will feel forced to split from Trump. It's not a question of when, but how long."

Top Story

Sen. Jeff Sessions is on the verge of achieving the ultimate personal vindication.

02/08/17 12:41 AM

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Progressives push Democrats to fight Trump's picks even harder - Washington Examiner

WASHINGTON Progressives wondering whether President Donald Trump will give any notice to their concerns hold out hope that his daughter Ivanka will intervene.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), a longtime champion of paid family leave, on Tuesday reintroduced her Family Act, which would guarantee 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers.

The legislation, which proposes a universal paid leave program funded by a small payroll tax, failed to advance in the previous session of the Republican-led Congress, and likely faces the same fate under Trump.

But Gillibrand and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), sponsor of a companion bill in the House, on Tuesday expressed optimism that the president would be receptive, in part because Ivanka Trump has spoken about the issue.

I am hopeful that the administration will reach out to me and work with me on a national paid leave plan, Gillibrand said on a call with reporters.

Drew Angerer via Getty Images

Gillibrand referenced Ivanka Trumps speech at last summers Republican National Convention, in which she presented her father, who has a record of demeaning women, as a champion for womens rights and a supporter of equal pay for women. It led many progressives to hope that her influence would encourage or at least make it possible that the president pivot from his campaign promises. Ivanka Trump also tried during the campaign to deflect attention away from her fathers history of misogyny and climate change denial.

Last week, Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner, a senior White House adviser, reportedly convinced the president not to roll back LGBTQ protections, a important achievement of former President Barack Obama.

Trumps proposed paid leave plan, like most of his policy proposals, contains little substance and is limited in scope. It allows for six weeks of paid leave, and only applies to mothers.

Ivanka Trump said in an interview when her fathers leave plan was announced in September that it is intended to help mothers in recovery in the immediate aftermath of childbirth. She would not elaborate on whether it would apply to LGBTQ, adoptive or foster parents, or people caring for aging parents.

Well wait to see what the dimensions of it, what the details are, DeLauro said of Trumps proposal.

I dont know when they will move forward with making a substantive proposal, she added. Were waiting for them to join the debate. Were on the field.

The U.S. remains the only industrialized country without mandated paid family leave. Sunday was the 24th anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act, which provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave for people who work at companies with more than 50 employees.

The push for universal paid leave is growing, with state legislatures and businesses enacting more expansive plans.

Gillibrand said she hopes to gain bipartisan support because the issue affects everyone.

Despite the fact that we dont have a Republican yet, I am optimistic that people will be demanding action on this issue, that people will rise up and say we need a national paid leave plan, and really call on their elected leaders to listen to the challenges that theyre facing, Gillibrand said. I am hopeful that the new administration will focus on it because they did run on it, they did talk about it, and it should be nonpartisan.

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Progressives Hang Onto Hopes For Ivanka Trump | The Huffington ... - Huffington Post

Liberals should learn from their conservative peers and bind themselves to corporate activism.

By Jared Keller

More than 120 companies have joined a legal brief rebuking President Donald Trump and his executive order barring refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries from entering the country, Reuters reports. Among those companies are some of Americas biggest playersApple, Google, and Elon Musks Tesla and SpaceXwho argued in an amicus curiae brief that the Trump administrations ban inflicts significant harm on American business.

According to Reuters, the brief continued:

So much for Trumps tech summit last Decemberthe tech sector wants reform, and its willing to flex its muscle to get it.

And those tech executives arent wrong. Restrictions on worker visas like the H1-B program would deprive American tech companies of essential talent. While computer-related jobs are the largest source of new wages in the country (per Code.org), American colleges barely graduate enough skilled workers to tackle the more than 50,000 computing jobs currently open; about 70 percent of tech jobs may go unfilled in 2020, according to the Department of Labor. Beyond tech workers, Trumps travel order has prohibited hundreds of brilliant scientists and academics and nearly 16,000 university students from re-entering the country. Seven founders and CEOs of the tech sectors most successful companies are the children of immigrants; Trumps executive oder could create a brain drain that the ever-innovative Silicon Valley obviously doesnt need.

It would not be churlish to regard tech companies benevolence with suspicion. The brief includes Uber, whose CEO Travis Kalanick was a member of Trumps business advisory counsel until last week, and his ride-sharing app hemorrhaged users last week after breaking a New York Taxi Workers Alliance work stoppage at the citys JFK Airport in protest of Trumps travel ban. Its worth noting that Lyft, which enjoyed a corresponding boost in users as a result, is also a signatoryand a beneficiary of Trump adviser Peter Thiels timely investment.

Tech companies are, at their core, capitalistic enterprises: If business interests happen to overlap with human interests, thats a happy coincidence that can help a companys bottom line. This fact is very clear to liberal critics of major corporations, but its often lost when the political agenda coincides with left-wing justice. That was certainly the case when corporations boycotted North Carolina businesses last year as a response to the states anti-LGBT religious freedom legislation. As I asked then: Is it hypocritical for liberals to rail against money-in-politics measures like Citizens United and corporate lobbyists while lauding tech conglomerates for effectively strong-arming elected officials with their economic clout?

In the case of the Trump order, the will of a corporation isnt just the will of an executive board with fiduciary responsibilitiesits actually the will of people, too. Thats according to reporting in the New York Times on Monday that detailed how organizers and activists like the group Tech Solidarity are pushing back on corporate management from within, holding executives accountable for their dealings with the Trump administration and, occasionally, staging internal protests of their own companies. I want pressure from below to counterbalance the pressure management is already feeling from above, organizer Maciej Ceglowski told the Times. We have to make sure were pushing at least as hard as Trump is.

In the aftermath of the Womens March on Washington, Jamelle Bouie made a curious observation: Protests actually do work, if only by force of sheer annoyance. This notion that a little complaint, no matter how small, can mushroom into a massive moment on social media has transformed corporate crisis communications in recent years, and these recent events only serve to reiterate how a focused jeremiad of dissent can change the course of those old, impenetrable institutions.

Conservatives have been using corporate power for years to raise money and reinforce ideological battle lines. And while tech companies and their figurehead billionaires have a history of aiding liberal causes, the mobilization of corporate power from the worker up could be a game-changer. Should the tech industrys response to Trumps travel ban solider on as a genuine movement, corporate activism may become a new province of resistance in the Trump age.

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How Progressives Are Recruiting Corporations in Their Fight Against Trump - Pacific Standard