Wait, it’s not that boring! Drawing lines really can be fun. What I can tell you is that the people at the top of both major parties in California have this once-a-decade process at the top of their priority lists and you should too. If you don’t believe me, just check out all the partisan back and forth in the public comments to our new Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC). Until this year, the parties were drawing the lines for their own benefit behind closed doors and now they’re frantic that an independent commission really will be independent.

The powerful people who run the state from Sacramento are sidelined and YOU are now front and center as we draw district lines for the State Assembly, State Senate, Board of Equalization and U.S. House of Representatives.

Please join us in the Bay Area to learn how to get involved and share information with fellow Californians.

Register at http://www.commoncause.org/Red…

Some of the organizations you lean on for expertise and wisdom when you don’t know where to turn for political information you can trust make up the coalition hosting this conference.

Please consider telling others you know in the Bay Area about this half-day event. People power is YOU.

Members of the Redistricting California Alliance include the  Advancement Project, African American Redistricting Collaborative, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, California Common Cause, California Forward, Center for Governmental Studies, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, League of Women Voters of California, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, Rose Institute for Government Studies, the Greenlining Institute, San Diego Foundation for Change and The Redistricting Group at Berkeley Law.

There is a little food shop down the street from where I live that seems to know more about using technology than the $6 billion dollar organization where I work.

I work at San Francisco City Hall.

The shop in the Sunset District in San Francisco was having some challenges. People complained on Yelp. The shop owner was kind of mad at first, but then he figured it out. The response was actually helping him understand how to get better. And when he fixed the problems, the neighbors came back.

If we can use technology to make a small business more responsive to the neighborhood, why can’t we use it to make our government better?

The answer is we can.

That’s why I have a pretty simple idea to help make my City Hall more effective and responsive. And I would like to ask for your help in making it a reality.

My idea is to allow more people to talk back to government by being able to make their voices heard at City Hall by submitting YouTube videos that would be heard just like other public testimony.

If you have ever been down to your own City Hall to testify or if you have watched this process on TV you know the problem. What happens now is most of the testimony seems to come from about the same people who either work for government, are lobbyists or work for people who have city contracts or want city contracts.

There is nothing wrong at all with these people making their voices heard. And most of them here in San Francisco are pretty knowledgeable and committed to a better city. The problem is that not enough people can be heard. And a government decision is only going to be as good as the information it was based on.

Right now almost every single Board and Commission, including our Board of Supervisors, meets during the day. So what about the people who work or go to school or just can’t make it to City Hall on a few days notice? What about virtually everyone else?

So here’s a pretty simple – and absolutely free – way of making government better right now.

Let’s ask our government boards and agencies to accept ten minutes of testimony via YouTube, and hear that testimony on equal footing with the lobbyists and activists who can make it to City Hall.

We could make it social. So if more than five videos were submitted, only those with the most “likes” would be shown.

This may seem like a small idea. But it is based on a pretty radical concept – democracy works. The more people can be heard, the better our government will be. And when we open up government to more people, not just the usual suspects, the decisions will be more representative of the rest of us.

A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog about how we can reset local government. My idea was that one of the most progressive things we can do right now is to make government better.

Using technology to open up government is just a start. And we need to remember that not everyone has Internet access or knows how to make a YouTube video. But it is a big leap forward from the system we have now.

Resetting local government will take many steps. Here’s a pretty big one. Let’s allow YouTube Testimony at City Hall.

If You Agree – Sign the Petition: Yes – I want YouTube Testimony at City Hall

Just a few minutes ago, the California Nurses Association (CNA) endorsed my campaign for Mayor of San Francisco!

The endorsement from CNA, which has over 5,000 members in San Francisco, follows major endorsements in the last few weeks from the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)and Communication Workers of America Local 9410.

I am deeply honored to have their support.

Will you help us build on the momentum by joining our 20/20 advisory group today and donation $20 or volunteering 20 hours of your time to the campaign?  Donate.  Volunteer.

I will continue to work to ensure San Franciscan has affordable health care.  Our city has led the nation with important health reforms.  As insurance companies across California continue to raise rates and limit care – it’s essential that we do more, especially for our children and families.

To make these policy goals a reality, we need your support.

I’m inviting you to join our 20/20 advisory group.  Here’s how it works:

We are asking supporters to volunteer 20 hours of their time or donate $20 to help build a clear vision for San Francisco’s future.  Donate. Volunteer.

You’ll be invited to a small coffee conversation with me to discuss issues we all face as San Franciscans.  How do we improve our schools?  Make it easier for people to raise a family in the city.  What are the best ways to grow our economy?  How do we improve Muni?

Will you help us build on the momentum of the last few weeks and join our 20/20 advisory group?  Donate. Volunteer.

Thanks for your time and support.  I hope to see you on the campaign train for a cup of coffee!

Sincerely,

Leland Yee

Yes, you read that subject line correctly.

We’re huge Giants fans.  We want to connect with other Giants fans.  That’s why the Leland Yee for Mayor campaign is giving away three pairs of tickets to the Giants opening weekend games on April 9th and 10th.

Diehard fans can stop reading here and enter to win Giants tickets on Leland’s Facebook page.

I can still vividly remember the joy of the World Series parade last fall.  People from all walks of life, of every age, from every corner of the city came out to celebrate the Giants victory and civic pride.

It was a great moment to be a San Franciscan.  Now, it’s time to show your pride again.

Enter to win tickets for a Giants opening weekend game on Leland’s Facebook page.

It’s clear we still face a tough economy and difficult choices in the upcoming city budget.  We need to improve our schools, fix Muni, make it easier for people to raise a family in the city and have a more civil political conversation.

But you only get so many opportunities to celebrate civic pride as an entire city.  That’s important too!

So go on…you never know when we’ll get another change.

Enter to win tickets for Giants opening weekend game on Leland’s Facebook page.

With the exception of Mary Bono Mack, California’s House delegation voted down party lines last week to revoke all federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Nominally, the move was to prevent federal funding from supporting the full range of legal, reproductive choices to which women are entitled. But thanks to the long-standing Hyde Amendment compromise, federal funds cannot fund abortion services anyways. And so this move — which will not reduce the deficit and will eliminate jobs rather than create any — is simply a direct attack on basic primary and preventive health care.

Let’s be clear. At best, the rhetoric about reproductive choice used by opponents of Planned Parenthood is an excuse; an attractive smokescreen. This is a fundamental attack on basic health services for underserved communities of all kinds throughout the country. It’s a revocation of access to basic breast, cervical and other cancer screenings, basic health exams, HIV testing, contraception and birth control for many millions of Americans- including an estimated 1.4 million who would be cut off from their health care by the Pence amendment.

And it isn’t as though other existing health programs for these communities are in a position to pick up the slack. Prospective budget cuts stretch as far as the eye can see, and wide swaths of our communities are already struggling to have basic needs met. Heck, San Diego doesn’t even have a county hospital. Against this backdrop, we have Planned Parenthood — a program with nearly a century of proven effectiveness and serving millions each year — targeted specifically because it’s been such an effective support mechanism.

Many lawmakers remain expressly opposed to the wide-ranging health care reforms passed last year to expand care to millions of Americans who have struggled without for generations. And many have already assembled long resumes of attempts to prevent women from having health care freedom and access in whatever form possible. They haven’t had much luck yet repealing or dismantling the reforms from last year, though they continue to try. In the meantime, they’re pressing anywhere possible to undermine the basic health infrastructure in this country- the pieces that provide care to those who insurance companies don’t find sufficiently profitable.

This Saturday, there are solidarity events for those who are protesting in Wisconsin for basic workers rights. And there are also events to support the vital work of Planned Parenthood scheduled in San Francisco and Los Angeles. You can also get more info on Twitter at @WalkforChoice

Grabbing for everything at once, hoping that not everything can be defended at once isn’t an entirely unreasonable strategy. But it’s unconscionable to cut off millions of Americans from the most basic of preventive care and life-saving screenings for cancer and HIV, from access to fundamental, legal and widely accepted birth control and contraceptives. Which is why it’s so important that we resist every time to defend vital elements of our community-health structure.

California voters overwhelmingly passed the Three Strikes initiative in 1994 based on the promise that it would take repeat violent offenders off the streets.

But now, more than fifteen years after the initiative’s passage, we have the benefit of facts to help us understand the true impact of Three Strikes.

Most Californians already know that in the wake of Three Strikes the cost of corrections has soared. Our state prison budget is now so high that California spends as much on prisons as we do on higher education.

But many Californians are surprised to learn that, under Three Strikes, Curtis Wilkerson of Los Angeles was sentenced to life for petty theft of a pair of socks; that Shane Taylor of Tulare was sentenced to life for simple possession of 0.1 gram of methamphetamine; or that Greg Taylor of Los Angeles was sentenced to life for attempting to break into a soup kitchen to get something to eat.

In fact, the majority of those put away for life under Three Strikes – over 4,000 people total – committed a minor, non-violent third strike. These non-violent third strikers will, according to the California state auditor, cost the state at least $4.8 billion over the next 25 years – almost $200 million per year.

The people named above have an advantage that the vast majority of three strikers do not — they are all clients of the Three Strikes Project at Stanford Law School’s Mills Legal Clinic. Under the direction of Project co-founder Michael Romano, Stanford law students have helped get a dozen non-violent third strikers released from prison after having their sentences reduced.

They are not being released because they are innocent. As Romano said on the Criminal Justice Conversations Podcast,

“Our clients are, in almost every circumstance, absolutely guilty. We’re not going into court and saying that they didn’t do it. What we’re saying is that the punishment that they received for this petty crime is disproportionate.”

This disproportionate punishment is unjust, and it is bankrupting our state. We are wasting precious resources to unnecessarily incarcerate minor offenders who pose little threat to society for huge periods of time – and draining resources away from the law enforcement agencies, community organizations and schools that can truly prevent crime and keep us safe.

Simply put, it is time to reform Three Strikes – so that it is focused on the serious and violent repeat offenders we all agree society must be protected from. Because Three Strikes was passed by a voter initiative, it can only be changed by initiative. In the past, Three Strikes was viewed as untouchable. But now, with the state facing fiscal catastrophe, and Romano and his students bringing attention to the unjust extremes of the law with each new client that gets released, there is momentum for change.

Romano thinks that there is another ingredient necessary for successful reform: political leadership. He says that “with a few notable exceptions, there has been very little leadership on this issue from our elected law enforcement leaders.”

Now is the time to show the leadership what it will take to return to sensible, cost-effective and fair criminal justice polices in California.

David Onek is a Senior Fellow at the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, former Commissioner on the San Francisco Police Commission and candidate for San Francisco District Attorney. You can listen to Onek’s recent interview with Romano on the Criminal Justice Conversations Podcast.

After spending my career working to identify and implement the most effective public safety strategies, I have seen one constant – the community is safest when the police and prosecutors earn and keep the public’s trust.

That’s why I read with real concern that the San Francisco District Attorney’s office would not produce reports related to officer-involved shootings pursuant to a recent public records request from NPR-affiliate KALW.

As a former Police Commissioner, I have been briefed in closed session on the details of officer-involved shootings. But the public knows very little about these incidents. My fellow Commissioners and I often heard complaints from community members about how little public information was released about officer-involved shootings. This lack of transparency breeds distrust.

In all officer-involved shootings, the DA’s office conducts an independent review to determine if there is criminal liability. If such liability is found, the DA presses charges, which are public. But when the DA determines that there is no liability, it is equally important that the DA publicly explain the reasons for its decision.

As such, the District Attorney’s office should issue a very detailed report on every officer-involved shooting in which it does not file charges and should make the report publicly available on its website. The report should detail the facts, the law and the reasons for the decision not to file charges.

This kind of complete transparency will make the job of our police and prosecutors much easier by building trust between law enforcement and the community – making it more likely that community members will work in partnership with police and prosecutors, and that victims and witnesses will come forward to testify.

San Francisco is lucky that we are served by rank and file police officers who are second to none. Publishing detailed reports that clear officers when they acted within the law can dispel public misconceptions about what actually happened.

Of course, officers’ privacy rights need to be respected and investigations cannot be compromised. But once an investigation is complete, and an officer has been cleared, it is imperative that the District Attorney’s office share its findings with the public.

This is the standard that is already being applied in communities throughout California. The District Attorney’s office in San Diego, hardly a bastion of liberalism, actually lists these cases on its website. Many other counties – including Los Angeles, Orange and Fresno – also make them matters of public record and available on request.

Building trust with the community is the key to enhancing public safety. Let’s not violate that trust by refusing to release documents that the public has the right to see.

David Onek is a Senior Fellow at the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, former Commissioner on the San Francisco Police Commission and candidate for San Francisco District Attorney.

It’s been a strong few months since Leland announced his exploratory campaign for Mayor and I just wanted to give you a quick update on our progress. (Share this note on Facebook)

First Major Endorsement in the Mayoral Race

Last week, Leland received the first major endorsement in the race for Mayor – The San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council. The Council is made up of over 28 construction unions representing more than 60,000 workers. Press Release. SF Weekly Story.

5,000 Fans on Facebook

This week, we passed 5,000 fans on our Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who has joined and participated in our community. Keep an eye out for some fun promotions here in the near future…

Thousands Rally to Boycott Rush Limbaugh

4,494 people signed our petition to boycott Rush Limbaugh for his bigoted remarks. We appreciate you standing with us against this type of intolerance. Petition.

Fundraising Success

We are also pleased to report that in just seven weeks the campaign was able to raise an impressive $166,000. We are most proud that voters from every neighborhood and 26 of the 28 San Francisco zip codes donated to our campaign. Over half gave $100 or less. Thank you for your help and support. Press Release. Donate.

Meet Leland in Your Neighborhood

Leland is out in neighborhoods across the city holding small conversations over a cup of coffee hearing about the issues you deal with in your community and that we all face as San Franciscans. Join us for coffee. We’re in the Richmond this week – Check out the event schedule.

We’re scheduling more coffees right now all over the city. We’d love to have your help setting these up or hosting a house party in your neighborhood. Lend a hand.

Thank you for your time, your help and your ideas. We hope to see you on the campaign trail.

If you have a moment, please share this note on Facebook with your friends.

Sincerely,

Jim Stearns

Campaign Manager

[cross-posted at Daily Kos]

The Netroots community has been all over of the story of California state Senator Leland Yee, who began receiving death threats after he demanded an apology from Rush Limbaugh, who delivered a rant on his show ridiculing individuals of Chinese descent.

Media Matters and diarists at Daily Kos deserve thanks for their coverage;  our own recap of those events is available here.

Sadly, this story is growing uglier by the day – but now there’s a new way you can help.

Senator Yee’s office has reported receiving a new set of threatening letters, some of which bear crosshair graphics.  Meanwhile, Limbaugh’s supporters are flooding Senator Yee’s office with hundreds of phone calls actually supporting Limbaugh’s hateful remarks!

That means it’s more important than ever to show Senator Yee and his staff that they’re not alone – that we stand with Senator Yee as he stands against hate.

So the DLCC is calling on our supporters and progressives everywhere to sign our petition thanking Senator Yee for his effort, and we’re encouraging everyone who signs to add their own personal message we can deliver to Senator Yee along with our letter.

Please click here to add your name, and show Senator Yee that the progressive community supports what he’s doing.

We’ve seen this kind of ugliness before.

Last year, a Democratic candidate in Kansas received similar threats against his life – but they weren’t mailed to his office; they were left on the doorstep of his home.

We responded then by speaking out, and by adding his district to our list of Essential Races for 2010. Our candidate proved that he wouldn’t be intimidated, and Democrats everywhere stood with him.

Now another Democrat is being threatened, and we’re asking you to join the DLCC once again in standing with him.

Many of you have already joined Senator Yee’s campaign calling on advertisers to stop supporting Limbaugh’s brand of hate radio – and if you haven’t already, we urge you to do so.  There’s still plenty of time to add your support.

But we wanted to do something more personal.  These threats have been directed against Senator Yee personally, so he deserves to hear a personal message of support.  Angry phone calls from Limbaugh supporters shouldn’t be the only thing Senator Yee and his staff hear.

Please visit www.dlcc.org/petition/Yee to thank Senator Yee for doing what’s right.

For more background on this story, watch Senator Yee’s interview on MSNBC’s The Ed Show, explaining why it’s so important to stand against hate, and then please  add your name to our petition: