About Democracy for NYC
Democracy for NYC (DFNYC) is committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean, and the national network of local coalition groups dedicated to the same.
We work both locally and nationally to ensure that fiscally responsible and socially progressive candidates are elected at all levels of government. We develop innovative ways to advocate for the issues that matter to our members and support legislation which has a positive effect in our communities. We promote transparency and ethical practices in government. We engage people in the political process and give them the tools to organize, communicate, mobilize, and enact change on the local, state, and national level.
You can download our bylaws here.
In This Together Campaign - Save Social Security
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Democracy for NYC has endorsed In This Together, a campaign to defend Social Security by pressuring New York's Republican congressmembers " and any wavering Democrats " to vote against privatization. There are nine Republicans representing New York, and five more in New Jersey and Connecticut. With a Republican majority of only 17 total in the House and with the Democrats holding firm, the battle to save Social Security can be won in the Northeast.
In This Together is led by the Working Families Party and Citizen Action of New York and includes many of New York's leading advocacy, labor and community groups including Democracy for NYC. Their strategy is to use intensive field work " doorknocking, phone banks, public meetings, letter-writing campaigns " in targeted districts to pressure Republican congressmembers to reject the President's plan. The campaign is modeled on last year's successful effort to raise the state minimum wage, which used similar tactics to win over a majority of the state's Republican state legislators.
This is an exciting campaign. New York may be a backwater in presidential races, but in the most important policy fight of Bush's second term it will be a key battleground state. By organizing in Republican districts around an issue where the Republican position " ending Social Security as we know it " is deeply unpopular, more can be done than protecting the country's most important safety net. In This Together can begin building a new constituency for a progressive economic program, and lay the groundwork for retaking Congress in 2006.
In the "fun" department, Senator Chuck Schumer's office has come up with a nifty Social Security calculator. Check it out here. Some of us had the pleasure of meeting Senator Schumer in Albany - he said this was "giving the Republicans fits." Pass it on!
Brennan Center Reforms - Endorsed by DFNYC
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DFNYC ENDORSES THE BRENNAN CENTER REFORMS
The vote is in: 98% voted to endorse the Brennan Center Reforms and 2% abstained. Not a single no vote was cast. How's that for progressive unity?
We proudly endorse the Brennan Center Reforms. See below for more ways you can help reform the New York State legislature.
We are currently faced with an urgent action here in New York. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law has declared the New York State legislature the worst in the nation. Along with this diagnosis, the Brennan Center proposed several reforms to the state legislative process.
Most of these reforms are simply changes to the rules in the State Senate and the Assembly, which means that each chamber can pass the reforms independent of each other and independent of the governor, bypassing the "three men in a room" scenario. The Brennan Center reforms will make the State Senate and the Assembly more democratic and more open to debate and consideration of bills. Many of you may be familiar with the Brennan Center reforms, and we encourage you to write to your State Senator and Assemblymember to request that they vote for the reforms in January. We are hearing that many legislators are not receiving many messages on this issue, so your email or phone call will be significant. Contact your Assemblymember and your State Senator today.
Please visit our Brennan Center page to read more about the Brennan Center reforms. Be sure to read the update on legislation as well.
DFNYC ENDORSES THE BRENNAN CENTER REFORMS
The vote is in: 98% voted to endorse the Brennan Center Reforms and 2% abstained. Not a single no vote was cast. How's that for progressive unity?
We proudly endorse the Brennan Center Reforms. See below for more ways you can help reform the New York State legislature.
We are currently faced with an urgent action here in New York. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law has declared the New York State legislature the worst in the nation. Along with this diagnosis, the Brennan Center proposed several reforms to the state legislative process.
Most of these reforms are simply changes to the rules in the State Senate and the Assembly, which means that each chamber can pass the reforms independent of each other and independent of the governor, bypassing the "three men in a room" scenario. The Brennan Center reforms will make the State Senate and the Assembly more democratic and more open to debate and consideration of bills. Many of you may be familiar with the Brennan Center reforms, and we encourage you to write to your State Senator and Assemblymember to request that they vote for the reforms in January. We are hearing that many legislators are not receiving many messages on this issue, so your email or phone call will be significant. Contact your Assemblymember and your State Senator today.
Please visit our Brennan Center page to read more about the Brennan Center reforms. Be sure to read the update on legislation as well.
Contact Information
| Email: | info -at- dfnyc.org |
A local coalition group of Democracy for America since 2004
Democracy for NYC (DFNYC) is committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean, and the national network of local coalition groups dedicated to the same.