(California leads the way on ActBlue, due in large part to the SD-03 race. Mark Leno is tops, followed by Joe Alioto Veronese. – promoted by juls)

I’m cross-posting this from the ActBlue blog due to California’s status in leading the way! -KT

Over the past week we’ve looked at a number of statistics from ActBlue.com, everything from some raw numbers, top candidates, and top fundraising pages. To finish out our series we’re going to take a look at one of the most important areas of ActBlue- state level fundraising.

It’s true that federal activity made up the majority of 2nd Quarter fundraising at ActBlue- 90% in fact. That’s no surprise as federal races have always made up the bulk of ActBlue activity and tend to get started sooner than state legislative races.

That said, state level fundraising at ActBlue has huge potential for 2008 and is already showing enormous growth. In the 2nd Quarter, $323,638 was raised for state candidates in 15 states. (To note- in Q2 2005, just under $100,000 was raised across ActBlue for all candidates federal and non-federal.)

The charts below break out the numbers by state and detail the cluster of activity in Virginia (which has 2007 elections) and California.

In addition, the following table is of the Top 10 state candidates by $ raised on ActBlue in the 2nd Quarter.

We’re looking forward to helping more candidates in the 23 states where we are active. Contact us at [email protected] to get set up with ActBlue and start fundraising today and join these existing California candidates.

That concludes our Q2 Stats Week with ActBlue. If seeing more if this type of data is something you find valuable on an ongoing basis, leave a note and we’ll see about developing a more automated system to present select data.

The Merc website is currently running an opinion piece titled Bill, life will change in Hillaryland (free registration required).

The really interesting thing is the byline:

By Joe Blow
San Jose Mercury News

Because what this is, is Maureen Dowd’s syndicated column, dated the 4th on the NYT website, where it’s titled Fireworks for Former First Lady and Future First Lad. Behind firewall of course. That’s why syndicated columns that run in print rarely appear on the Merc website; it obviously would undercut the NYT’s ability to charge for the stuff.

My theory is it has something to do with this:

The newspaper plans to eliminate about 40 of the editorial department’s 240 full-time positions beginning July 2.

Looks to me like a prank by an ex-employee, and someone should have changed the passwords sooner. It’s still up right now but I’m sure it can’t last long. (yes I took screenshots). But I’m telling the blogosphere before I tell either the Merc or NYT. Enjoy!

I wouldn’t have expected the national media to pick up on the story of the Governor’s actions not matching his rhetoric when it comes to the environment, but the New York Times actually found some room for it in today’s paper.  They even highlight the governing-by-magazine-cover that has become a staple of this Administration.

In September, Mr. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, signed into law a landmark emissions-reduction measure and then drove a green bus during his easy, breezy re-election campaign. Since then, he has announced that he will buy offsets for his own personal carbon emissions, threatened to sue the Environmental Protection Agency over air quality and appeared on the cover of Newsweek spinning a globe on his finger […]

But the Governator’s eco-friendly reputation may have taken a dent over the last week in a messy battle over the leadership of the California Air Resources Board, a science-geared agency that has traditionally operated with considerable autonomy, even though its 11 members are political appointees. Its most visible mandate is the nuts and bolts of putting the emissions law, known as AB 32, into effect […]

“We have schizophrenia here,” said James Marston, a lobbyist for Environmental Defense who worked on passing the emissions law. “Even while we were doing AB 32, the Schwarzenegger administration was a little schizophrenic.” […]

“There’s an obvious difference to what he’s been saying and what his administration and other appointees have been doing,” said Don Perata, a Democrat who is president pro tempore of the State Senate. “There’s some real knuckle draggers over there.”

over…

The replacement of the fired Robert Sawyer on the board with environmental stalwart Mary Nichols certainly reflects an effort by the Governor to stop the bleeding.  But the Democrats in the Assembly are holding a hearing on the Sawyer and Catherine Witherspoon resignations today, and when our man in Sacramento Frank Russo has any information we’ll bring it to you. 

Meanwhile, two top aides to Schwarzenegger, Chief of Staff Susan Kennedy and Cabinet Secretary Dan Dunmoyer, were asked to testify in the hearing, and the Governor refused their participation.  So committee Chair Loni Hancock is talking about subpoenas:

Assembly Democrats said they may need to subpoena two of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s aides, who are expected to rebuff an invitation to testify at an oversight hearing today on why two officials were forced from the state’s air resources board.

Berkeley Assemblywoman Loni Hancock sent letters to Schwarzenegger’s chief of staff, Susan Kennedy, and Cabinet Secretary Dan Dunmoyer, asking them to testify at the Natural Resources hearing she heads. Her committee is looking into accusations that the administration interfered with the board’s implementation of AB 32, the landmark law to curb greenhouse gases by 25 percent by 2020.

“If we don’t get the answers we hope and expect, the committee will explore the option of a subpoena,” said Steve Maviglio, deputy chief of staff for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles.

Schwarzenegger’s aides had not replied to Hancock by Thursday, though a spokesman said they will send a representative of the administration to the hearing but not the two staff members.

Dan Walters thinks that this could be some kabuki theater, which would be interesting, because clearly there is a real conflict over implementation of the landmark Global Warming Solutions Act, and clearly neither side wants to give an inch.  The Governor has the upper hand because the Air Resources Board, which is tasked with implementation, is entirely appointed by him.  But the Legislature can undertake meaningful oversight like they are today, and use Schwarzenegger’s fascination with his own self-image as a lever to get the required solution.  This bit, incidentally, from Walters’ story, was remarkably reminiscent of another chief executive:

Núñez […] said he had wanted Kennedy and Dunmoyer to appear before the Assembly Natural Resources Committee today — asking first orally and then, late Tuesday, in the form of letters to the two gubernatorial aides. […]

Later, Schwarzenegger’s press secretary, Aaron McLear, said such an appearance “would be unprecedented,” which doesn’t square with the historical facts. Kennedy, who was then a high-ranking aide to Schwarzenegger’s predecessor, Democrat Gray Davis, testified before a legislative committee delving into a scandal involving a software contract with Oracle Corp. five years ago. In fact, the circumstances were somewhat similar, with critics alleging that Kennedy had interceded with a state agency for political reasons.

A press flack calling appearances before legislative committees “unprecedented” when the same person sought to testify has HERSELF appeared in the past?  Knock me over with a feather.

(Let’s get this conversation on the front page (and in the RSS feed) – promoted by jsw)

Michael Moore’s SiCKO has now been out almost two weeks, and I’m beginning to find that for a number of us, it’s been a seminal event that has motivated people who were not previously involved in the issue to actually get up and raise some hell.

I like raising hell.  Don’t get me wrong, I really do.  But in cases like this, I like to win too.  And we need to win this one.

There are things we can learn from recent victories we’ve had that can be applied to the single payer health care fight.  On the flip, I’ll mention a few.

First, a few parameters for our discussion here.  There is a lot that traditional advocacy organizations and the unions have been doing, and should continue doing.  In particular, I am in awe of the California Nurses Association and its activities over the last month.  I’m going to assume that they will continue to do what they’re doing, and won’t discuss them much further.  I am much more interested in how we can harness the large progressive blogs and the new-wave net based organizations like DFA and MoveOn.

Second, I am both an activist and a technologist, and am most interested in what we will call “tech assisted local activism”.  The prototype of this was MeetUp: using web sites and related techniques to get people doing things in the real world with real people. We beat Pombo with tools like this.  I want a better understanding of what we did there that we can transfer to a more issue based campaign like this one.

Third, a lot of what we need to do I see already.  There are diaries just about every day on Kos and MyDD — typically, more than one.  I know for a fact that the many of the people who write them read Calitics.  On the whole, none of these diaries are getting the play I’d like to see them have.  Based upon things I’ve seen done by folks like Eden out of McNerney’s people, I know that it’s possible to get a lot more bang from our diaries than what we’ve been getting.  I’d like to see the group of us working together more closely to make that happen.

Forth, we need to get this going before the presidential silly season sucks all of the oxygen out of the issue, and while SiCKO is still drawing crowds.  That means training, and it probably also means making sure some of us start meeting with one another on a regular basis, and soon.

Those are the terms of reference, folks.  Now, what should we be doing about this?

(cross-posted from Working Californians)

One of the biggest sticking points in the negotiations that led up to the passage of the landmark Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) was whether the goals to reducing greenhouse gas emissions were going to be accomplished through a cap and trade system.  Governor Schwarzenegger favored that “market based approach”, while the Democrats resisted codifying that into law.  The compromise reached allowed that cap and trade was to be one potential solution, only after careful study by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Part of the recent dust up over the CARB was how it planned on addressing a potential cap and trade system.  Arnold was twisting arms to insure that the CARB would take that approach and vowed that his next pick to head the board would support a cap and trade program.

Before I get ahead of myself here, I want to be clear about we are talking about.  Cap and trade systems are basically emission trading programs.  They encourage controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing pollution emissions.  Participating entities may trade carbon credits.  Wikipedia is our friend:

In such a plan, a central authority (usually a government agency) sets a limit or cap on the amount of a pollutant that can be emitted. Companies or other groups that emit the pollutant are given credits or allowances which represent the right to emit a specific amount. The total amount of credits cannot exceed the cap, limiting total emissions to that level. Companies that pollute beyond their allowances must buy credits from those who pollute less than their allowances or face heavy penalties. This transfer is referred to as a trade. In effect, the buyer is being fined for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having reduced emissions. Thus companies that can easily reduce emissions will do so and those for which it is harder will buy credits which reduces greenhouse gasses at the lowest possible cost to society.

The environmental community is a bit split on the issue.  Nunez has stated that he prefers the ARB meets the “emission-reduction goals with regulations and energy efficiency before a market system such as cap-and-trade is put into place.”  He is holding a hearing tomorrow on the governor’s attempts to influence the ARB.

The Senate will take its turn investigating this issue when Arnold’s pick for the new chairmanship of the ARB, Mary Nichols, comes up for her confirmation hearing.  Perata writes letters, like this one to Arnold earlier this week:

As you know, you and I have not always agreed on the implementation of the state’s greenhouse gas law.

Specifically, I have taken issue with your preference for market-mechanisms – a.k.a., “cap and trade” – over strong regulation. Last October, I sent you the attached letter, opposing your broadly-drafted executive order directing the ARB to adopt market mechanisms concurrent with the adoption of regulations. I believed your executive order conflicted with AB 32. The law requires that the ARB adopt “early action” emission reduction regulations prior to the use of any market-based compliance mechanisms [Health and Safety Code Section 38560.5]. What’s more, AB 32 specifies that regulations are mandatory, while market-based mechanisms are elective – and, in fact, permitted only after extensive evaluation and a public process.

It’s a little more wonky than the above, but you get the picture.  There are some pretty high hurdles before a cap and trade system can be put into place under AB 32.  Arnold has been working since day one to try and game the system.  Trouble is that the language of AB 32 is pretty clear on the subject and it is what Arnold personally signed into law, following intense legilative negotiations.

As for Mary Nichols, she is getting widespread praise as an excellent choice for the chair of the ARB.  However, note that she does have experience with running a cap and trade system, thus pleasing Arnold.  AP:

Nichols said she supported market-based mechanisms as part of a broader effort that includes regulation. She said she already ran a cap-and-trade program on acid rain when she was at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“I think I can speak with some authority,” she said. “It takes a strong regulatory backdrop. It takes good measurement and monitoring. It also takes a recognition that trading is just one tool. The key is the cap.”

Expect Nichols to face some pointed questions by Perata about cap and trade during next week’s hearing.  He promised as much in the letter.

The Senate will determine the extent to which she is both knowledgeable about the law – and the law’s emphasis on strong regulation over market mechanisms – as well as independent, even if given a directive to take an action in conflict with AB 32.

We will establish a bona fide understanding of the law and its enforcement priorities.

The law is the law, not whatever Arnold says it is.

(Cross-posted at Ditch Crazy Dana and Obama OC)

History was made again yesterday. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Huntington Beach once again for the Fourth of July Parade. And once again, the OC Democrats had a fantastic time being a part of the largest Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi River. And the party didn’t stop when the parade ended, as local activists pitched up tent by the pier to wake up the neighbors, and let them know about the importance of next year’s election. All in all, we all had a great time!

Follow me after the flip as I take you on a tour of the biggest and best party one could be at on the Fourth of July!

For twenty-five years, the Democratic Party of Orange County has been a part of the parade. And every year, we continue to delight the crowds with our rockin’ music and jubilant marchers. This year’s theme of our float was “Opportunity, Diversity, & Freedom”, and boy could everyone see all that and more yesterday! We had young Democrats and long-time Democrats who are still young at heart. We had gay Democrats and straight Democrats. We had black Democrats, brown Democrats, and white Democrats. We had Democrats supporting Barack Obama, Democrats supporting John Edwards, Democrats supporting Hillary Clinton, and Democrats supporting other Democratic Candidates for President. And what brought all us Democrats together yesterday was that we’re all part of the Democratic Party of Orange County, and that we all stand for the right of working families in Orange County to have that opportunity to succeed.

So who was there yesterday? Here I am (left to right) with our newest OC Democrat Mitch Star, the one & only Mike Lawson of The Liberal OC, and Elizabeth and Jason of Orange County Young Democrats (OCYD).

Here I am with (left to right) Garden Grove City Council Candidate Paul Lucas, Mitch, and Mike.

Here’s Former State Senator & Current California Medical Association CEO Joe Dunn with some young Democrats as they prepare for the moment of truth.

Here I am with the great Vern Nelson, the fearless Orange County organizer for Healthcare for All California.

And here’s the float in action!

Now all these great Democrats were a part of the parade, but they weren’t the only Democrats busy in Surf City! Obama OC laid out some blankets on the beach by the pier, put up a canopy, and got to work registering new voters and letting others in the ‘hood know about Barack Obama and the 2008 Election. We had over 30 new registrations yesterday, including a Republican and a Green who switched to Democrat because they’ve been inspired by Obama. And of course, we had dozens more come on over to our beach party, just to talk to us about the election and show their appreciation of us being out in the community.

OK, so a few of us Obama Girls did manage to get in the parade! ; )

And here’s our great booth!

Oh yeah, and could we have possibly held a beach party at a better location than this? : )

Yep, I’d say that yesterday was a huge success for OC Democrats! At the parade, we let the community know that we’re 454,000 voters strong and we’re making a difference for working families in this county. At the beach party, Obama OC showed the folks by the pier that there are progressives who care enough about changing the same old politics of despair and destruction that we get out in the community and let them know that hope is still here. Now what could be more American than this?

Perhaps a terrific fireworks show? What the heck, why not! ; )

You can’t really blame Lauren Turner the Google-ista who breathlessly begged HMO’s to let Google help them fight back against SiCKO and block that horrific push for universal healthcare.

But you can blame Google.

“Do no evil, Google?”

Let’s see how you can make your motto true…after the jump.

Cross-posted at the National Nurses Organizing Committee’s Breakroom Blog, as we organize to make 2007 the Year of GUARANTEED Healthcare.
 

When Google backed off from Turner’s  blog, your official spokesperson wrote:

In fact, Google does share many of the concerns that Mr. Moore expresses about the cost and availability of health care in America. Indeed, we think these issues are sufficiently important that we invited our employees to attend his film (nearly 1,000 people did so). We believe that it will fall to many entities — businesses, government, educational institutions, individuals — to work together to solve the current system’s shortcomings. This is one reason we’re deploying our technology and our expertise with the hope of improving health system information for everyone who is or will become a patient.

So, you are the largest corporation in the world, with progressive employees, incredible financial independence, and a corporate motto to “do no evil.”

And you take on the nation’s largest, life-and-death problem by:

a) sending 1,000 employees to a movie and
b) doing a little categorizing of health information???

Sorry, Google, this does not “demonstrate corporate responsibility on a major issue of our time.” 

But here’s how you can.

1. Realize you don’t live online—you live off-line.  You do business in a nation where thousands are killed each year by a broken healthcare system.  Your customers are hurting, and so are your employees and your family.  From a business angle, the American economy is at a major competitive disadvantage with every other nation because we are funding an unnecessary health insurance sector.  Get serious about this issue, and I’m not talking about selling more ads to health insurance corporations.

2. Become the business that changes everything—you have the chance to make money *and* make a better country.  Use your famed lobbying prowess to change the culture and bring guaranteed health care to all Americans. 

Yep, you might step on the toes of a few right-wing think tanks, and some ideologically-driven conservative businessmen.  But this could also be the biggest PR/branding gift your company has ever gotten–and you could actually  demonstrate corporate responsibility and live up to your motto.

Here’s where we are right now: a coalition of big businesses are blocking health care reform, or are proposing health care reform that might pad their bottom line a little, but won’t really help customers. 

Meanwhile, other companies like Ford are just throwing their hands in the air and moving to Canada because they can’t afford our broken healthcare system. 

The irony is, that there is a proven solution to the health care crisis, but no one in the business world has the guts to stand up and say it. 

Except, that is, for BusinessWeek which admits that, “France, Britain, and most other Old World countries long ago took the plunge into universal health insurance and have made it work, with varying degrees of success.”  Other than them, there are a few CEO’s here and there who support guaranteeing healthcare on the single-payer model, but no one has shown leadership on this issue.

So why don’t you?  What’s the alternative?

According to E-commerce Times:

… Google’s bottom line, in large part, has to do with its street cred. In other words, it may act like a big business, but it doesn’t necessarily want to look like one. The current uproar — as silly at it may seem in the eyes of some in the business community — could have a negative impact on Google.

“Google is making a very tricky transition from a relatively young company to an established company, Jeffrey Johnson, partner at Pryor Cashman, told the E-Commerce Times.

“This transition is risky: If they do not handle the transition well, Google may go from being perceived as an “upstart” company with cutting-edge technology that helped bring Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT)  and other corporate bullies down to earth, to a bully that is no better than Microsoft,” he remarked.

Sounds like a brand disaster in the making.  Or a revolutionary and profitable business strategy in the making.  Your choice.

To join the fight for guaranteed healthcare (with a “Medicare for All” or SinglePayer financing), visit with GuaranteedHealthcare.org, a project of the National Nurses Organizing Committee.