June Hasty DFNYC Endorsement Process - Our Apology & Your Feedback

If you are a candidate or campaign staff/supporter, we want to hear from you!

The recent endorsement process that DFNYC had for candidates for federal office was held in a hasty and disorganized manner that was in some ways overly burdensome for candidates and their staff, and confusing for DFNYC members. The elections in the primaries are this Tuesday, June 26th, and we should have started the process much sooner than just one month ago. But now is not the time to assign blame; now is the time to apologize and move forward.

In the future, we intend to start the candidate endorsement process much sooner. People that are involved in NYC grassroots politics know who is running for office a year or more before election day. While things change as candidates announce, drop out, and incumbents get promoted (or indicted!) leaving open seats, we can still keep our finger on the pulse of the electoral situation and make our endorsement process clearer from the beginning.

We want to hear from you! Please tell us what you liked and didn't like about the endorsement process and how we can change it for the future. We won't promise to do exactly what campaigns want, but we will listen. Different timing? Didn't like the questionnaire? We want to hear it all.

Email our new Political Director Richard Wallner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Acting President Tracey Keij-Denton at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Petition to TIAA-CREF: Move Your Money Out of Private Health Insurance!

From Healthcare-NOW: Socially responsible investors were shocked to learn
TIAA-CREF, one of the largest pension funds in the world, invests their
socially responsible funds in major private health insurance companies.

Click here to learn more and sign the petition at Healthcare-NOW's website.

Celebrate Obama's birthday-- take the bus to PA!

Saturday August 4th is President Obama's 51st birthday!  Obama for America volunteers from all over New York will give the President a great birthday present by taking the bus to Pennsylvania to reach out to undecided voters and do voter registration/voter education.  Pennsylvania has new voter ID requirements.  It is imperative that we reach out to all Obama supporters in PA to let them know that to register to vote, and then to vote, they must have a state issued photo ID!   

This week will be a special later trip, leaving at 11 a.m. and returning 11 p.m., to accomodate Saturday night Obama birthday activities!  Should be fun!

From mybarackobama.com:

Our friends in PA need our help and our boots on the ground to win the state for the President. Sign up to register voters and recruit volunteers to celebrate the President's Birthday.

Every trip, knock, handshake, and smile count in this election. Mitt Romney's campaign is raising a lot of money. It's time that we introduce Big Money to People Power and say, "good luck buying spirit, energy, and commitment!" Can't make it? Persuade a friend to take your place! We need as many volunteers as possible to help the President win in Philly and PA.

The cost is $10.00 round trip, however no one will be turned away for lack of funds. See you on August 4th. Fired up?! Let us know that you're ready to go!

See you there!!

Redistricting: Public Hearings in August for New Proposed City Council Districts

Written by DFNYC Vice President Jen Berkley:

Now that all the New York State redistricting Court fights and Albany legislative deals have ended, the New York City begins the process for drawing new Council Districts. The way the lines are drawn can change who controls the city and what laws get passed, impacting every New Yorker's quality of life.

The NYC Districting Commission, whose 15 members are appointed by the City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has planned public hearings starting next week to lay the groundwork for drafting new City Council District lines. These hearings are not getting as much attention as we think they should and it would be great for DFNYCers to get involved in this process. 

The NYC Districting Commission will hold five public hearings from Aug. 13 to Aug. 23. These hearings are open to the public. The purpose of these hearings is for the Commission to hear testimony from the public concerning the initial phases of its work in drafting a new districting plan for the New York City Council. Individuals wishing to pre-register for speaking time or to submit written testimony in advance may do so by signing up online here. Individuals wishing to speak at the hearings will be provided up to three minutes of speaking time. For a wealth of information on this process, check out the Brennan Center for Justice's website here.

Brooklyn
Date: Monday, Aug. 13th
Time: 5PM-9PM
Place: Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon St., Brooklyn

Manhattan
Date: Thursday, Aug. 16th  
Time: 5PM-9PM
Place: New York Law School, 185 West Broadway, Manhattan

Staten Island
Date: Monday, Aug. 20th
Time: 5PM-9PM
Place: Staten Island Borough Hall, 10 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island

Queens
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 21st
Time: 5PM-9PM
Place: Queens Library at Flushing, 41-17 Main St., Flushing
 
Bronx
Date: Thursday, Aug. 23rd
Time: 5PM-9PM
Place: Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, East Dining Room, Music Building, Bronx

Sign PCCC's Petition on Paid Sick Days in NYC

A message from Ethan Jacovy and Tyler Ross, PCCC organizers and New York residents:

(PCCC is the Progressive Change Campaign Committee)

More than a million New Yorkers can't take a sick day when they get ill. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has the power to change that.

A super-majority of the City Council supports granting paid sick days for workers -- a progressive, pro-worker policy. All Speaker Quinn has to do is schedule a vote. But so far, she's refused.

Can you sign our joint petition with the New York Working Families Party telling Speaker Quinn to schedule a vote for paid sick days? Click here.

The New York Times strongly endorsed paid sick days this weekend -- describing that many workers "have to work when ill or take unpaid sick days, which can lead to financial hardship, or, worse, dismissal."

Speaker Quinn says she opposes this policy because it will hurt business. But similar laws in others cities show that's not true. The truth is that many big corporations just don't want to do right by their workers. (Rupert Murdoch opposed paid sick days via Twitter this weekend.)

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

-- Ethan Jacovy and Tyler Ross, PCCC organizers and New York residents