Tuesday, November 27, 2007

FEINGOLD LISTENING SESSION IN LA CROSSE DECEMBER 1!!!

[IMPORTANT NOTE: SENATOR FEINGOLD WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH THE MEDIA FOR A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THE LISTENING SESSION. (Hint: BE THERE AT 7!)]

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will hold his final Listening Session of 2007 in La Crosse County on Saturday, December 1. Senator Feingold has pledged to hold listening sessions in all of Wisconsin's 72 counties each year of his six-year term and this is the Senator's 15th year of holding listening sessions. This session will mark the 72nd listening session of 2007, and the 1080th since 1993. If constituents need special accommodations at the listening sessions they should contact Senator Feingold's Middleton office at 608-828-1200.

His La Crosse County listening session will be held at 7:30 a.m. at the Campbell Town Hall, 2219 Bainbridge Street, in the Town of Campbell. The meeting will last up to an hour.

"I again look forward to meeting with constituents in Chippewa, Dunn and La Crosse Counties," Senator Feingold said. "These listening sessions are an excellent opportunity for me to hear directly from constituents about any issues or concerns they may have, and I appreciate the effort people make to attend these meetings and let their voice be heard. Their ideas and advice continue to enable me to serve the people of Wisconsin to the best of my ability."

BE THERE!

He's pretty good except on Iran.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Buy Here

The UW-L Progressives will again offer an excellent opportunity for us to put our money where our hearts are.

The annual Fair Trade Market will be held November 28 and 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Port o' Call, Cartwright Center, UW-L. Gifts from around the world (via 10,000 Villages) plus local and other fair trade goods will be available.

Come and show your support for UW-L Progressives and for the fair trade movement and ideal.

Learn more about Fair Trade here.

We have a dream

Soon, it will be time to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

What do you admire most about Dr. King? His faith? His perseverance? His intelligence? His humor? His vision? His model?

Help us plan a great celebration of his life and works in January 2008. The next planning meeting will be at 4:00 p.m. at the Jubilee Center, 1707 Main Street (in the Grandview Building).

Everyone is welcome to help the plan. If you can't come but would like to be involved, please call the Jubilee Center, 782-1394.

Amy Goodman's tribute to Dr. King.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

You're Invited

November 15 at 6 p.m. at Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House (8th and Main Streets). Program will include an interactive slide show on Indigenous/Hmong gardening and a short presentation on Food Safety and Indigenous Rights. Vegan food included. All organic. FREE.

Howard Zinn Tells All

Friday, November 09, 2007

Monday - 5th and Jay - 10 a.m. Be There

Rep. Ron Kind, who has never met a war funding bill he didn't like (or at least didn't vote for) has agreed to meet with some of the protesters who piled into his office on November 1, just after four other protesters were sentenced for trespassing earlier this year (see below). The meeting will occur at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 12.

Only the protesters are allowed to meet with him, but we would like to show our support for them and for their demand - NO MORE FOR WAR - by standing near his office, Fifth Avenue and Jay Street, on Monday morning from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.

The Democrats have been a BIG disappointment when it comes to doing something about ending the conquest of Iraq. Their new package provides $50 Billion more for war, with a weak, non-committal withdrawal request. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, claims that if Bush vetoes the funding which includes a timeline for withdrawal, she will not put forward another funding bill this year.

Pelosi may be caught between conservative "Democrats" (I thought we'd gotten rid of those when Lyndon Johnson ordered desegregation in the south?) and the progressive caucus. But the American people couldn't be more clear. "The American people want out."

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Kind Trespassers Sentenced

[from Jason]

Today, La Crosse Municipal Judge, Dennis Marcou, found four anti-war protesters guilty of trespassing at Congressman Ron Kind’s office. Judge Marcou fined Anita Zibton and Gail Vaughn $96 each. Two twelve-year-old girls had their fines waived. More than 60 people appeared in court to support the protesters.

While the four defendants were in court, eight additional protesters sat in at Congressman Ron Kind’s office, refusing to leave until he agreed to meet privately to talk about the upcoming War Appropriations Bill. Dozens of supporters stood outside Kind's office.

Adam Conlin, spokesperson for the anti-war protesters, said, "Ron Kind has publicly stated on his website that 'American military power is not the solution to war. More troops, more time, more money—these are not the answers.' We agree with our Congressman and are here to ask him to vote according to his stated public values."

Congressman Ron Kind has repeatedly voted for authorization bills for ongoing funding of the war. "It’s time for Congressman Kind to take a stand. How can the Congressman agree that the solution is not military power while supporting funding for the war?" asked Jason Strangstalien.

After an hour of discussion with Congressman Kind’s Chief of Staff, and communications with the Congressman himself, Ron Kind agreed to the protesters’ demands for a private meeting to discuss the upcoming Appropriations Bill. The bill is tentatively scheduled to be voted on in January of 2008.

The protesters agreed to meet with Congressman Kind on condition that the meeting would be timely and would address the concerns that the overwhleming majority of his constituents oppose the war and want the troops home. Congressman Kind’s staff stated that the meeting would take place before the end of November.

In spring of 2005, La Crosse residents voted to support a resolution for the safe and immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, one of dozens of Wisconsin cities, villages and townships to do so.

================= end report ==============

Back in January, a new idea to stop war funding, Operation Occupation began and the targets were Democrats who said how bitterly they opposed the occupation but continued to vote funding for it.

The Obey meltdown and tirade against "idiot liberals" who want to end the war by stopping the funding, is one result. But so far, funding is chugging right along, ensuring we will probably surpass the TRILLION DOLLAR mark Republicans scoffed at just a year or so ago.

The best way to stop war funding is to run someone against Ron Kind in the primary and get rid of the guy. Let him go back to being a prosecutor or run for Governor (now THERE'S a Halloween thought for you!)

So - WHO WILL RUN AGAINST RON KIND?