New Yorkers joined noted civil rights attorney Norman Siegel, State Senator Bill Perkins, former Senate candidate Jonathan Tasini, and Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping for the annual July 4th reading of the Constitution in Strawberry Fields. Yoko Ono sent a poem in honor of the day which was read by Joan Wile of the Granny Peace Brigade.

DFNYC member Bernadette Evangelist attended with supporters of Adam Sullivan, Congressional candidate in the 8th CD running on a platform of impeachment and the promise to protect the Constitution. Both Bernadette and Adam were invited to address the crowd.

DFNYC member Dan Jacoby did a spirited reading from the Constitution. Other DFNYC members spotted included Bruce Markens, Emily Pearlman, Bruce Rosen, and Chuck Zlatkin.

Photos of the event HERE...

(DFNYC Member and Transportation Alternatives' Queens Committee Chair Mike Heffron brought this issue up at the July Astoria linkup and we felt it might be worth sharing with other DFNYC folks. Opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent official positions of or endorsements by Democracy for New York City)

In early 2007, the city Department of Transportation proposed addition of painted bike lanes as part of a package of improvements for Vernon Boulevard, a major street running parallel to the waterfront in western Queens. Although the land use committee voted unanimously in favor of the lanes, Community Board 2 tabled discussion of the project and never took it up in a general meeting. Community Board 1 also never discussed the project but did send a letter to local officials opposing the bike lanes. However, a number of other local groups, under the leadership of Transportation Alternatives, signed on to a letter in support of the bike lanes, and in June 2008, the lanes were created.

While this should be seen as a victory for bicyclists and for "green" transportation in New York City, the future of bike lanes is not entirely clear. The primary point of opposition seems to be the elimination of parking spaces (200 in the case of Vernon Boulevard) on already congested streets while (as in the poorly-conceived "bike lane to nowhere" on 36th Street) creating lanes that seem to provide no benefit to the community in general. But successful bike lanes (as with the Fort Greene bike lanes) can overcome opposition in time and demonstrate their value to the community. The trick is building the community support necessary to get them built in the first place.

Read more about this story and related topics on StreetsBlog.org

CityLimits has done a nice profile on DFNYC-endorsed candidate Kevin Powell entitled, "Upstart Could Bring Hip-Hop to the Hill". DFNYC gets a brief mention:

...As his candidacy receives the support of both the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats – a political club headed by Chris Owens, son of former U.S. Rep. Major Owens of Brooklyn – and the advocacy group Democracy for New York City, Powell is fully aware of the symbolism. If elected, he would become the first and the most identifiable member of the hip-hop generation ever to serve in the U.S. Congress. On national issues, both Powell and Towns oppose the war in Iraq and support a single-payer healthcare system. But while campaigning on Memorial Day, Powell told practically every resident he encountered about the catalyst for his candidacy: The incumbent’s "absent and ineffective advocacy" on a host of local needs. "What we need in Congress from this district, as we enter a new presidential administration and a new decade, is active leadership that deals with the concerns of regular working-class people," he says.

Read more HERE...

Robert Wexler's new book, Fire-Breathing Liberal offers an inside perspective on his long and courageous fight on progressive issues.

Congressman Wexler's work on Impeachment and Inherent Contempt, his recent role in the Obama campaign, his opposition to FISA, torture and the attack on our Civil Rights, and his fight to bring our troops safely home from Iraq have made him a hero at Democracy for NYC.

Fire-Breathing Liberal will be especially interesting to those of us who signed the petition at WexlerWantsHearings.com. The chapter dealing with the WexlerWantsHearings Campaign shows how it came together, the rationale behind his call for hearings, and the struggle the campaign encountered in getting mainstream media coverage.

Beyond its literary value, there is another reason why you should buy this book: The more attention Wexler gets, the more exposure he will have on TV and radio to discuss Impeachment and related issues of accountability.

Democracy for NYC has been a strong supporter of Congressman Wexler through our meet and greet and fundraiser sponsorships in NYC. And, Congressman Wexler has been a good friend to us and the Nation.

If we can help drive this book onto the New York Times Best Sellers List, we will drive the discussion to a broader audience, and at the same time, show Congress that if you actually do your job, you will be rewarded.

Fire Breathing Liberal is available at finer bookstores everywhere and from amazon.com.