Happy Independence Day!

On this day, 234-years ago, the leaders of what would become the United States declared independence from England, guaranteeing our freedoms of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

As we join our families to celebrate this weekend, it’s important to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many for the freedoms we enjoy today.

How we conduct ourselves over the course of this campaign is one way to exercise those freedoms. The choices Dan and I have made in the course of our careers should be part of an open and honest dialogue with voters. That’s why I have called for a series of debates so the people can hear directly from us, instead of hiding behind handlers.

But questioning our patriotism has no place in this campaign. I love our country. I know Dan loves it too. But we have very different views on how to get our economy moving and people back to work.

I was born and raised in California, my parents’ experience taught me that if you work hard and play by the rules you can get ahead.

Those are the values that guide me. After listening to hundreds of people at campaign events and house parties, it’s clear we have to fight for more opportunity on Main Street, not Wall Street.

I’m running for Congress because I want everyone in this Great Nation to have the opportunity to enjoy the freedoms our Founding Fathers and generations of soldiers have fought and even paid the ultimate price for.

If we want to want to create more jobs here, we have to change the way things are done in Washington.

I look forward to meeting you at a house party or canvassing event soon. For more information, visit www.BeraforCongress.com

Happy Fourth of July!

Ami Bera

Happy Independence Day!

On the anniversary of the birth of our country, I wanted to take this moment to first thank all the men and women who proudly serve our country in the armed services. I also think it’s important to acknowledge Americans who have found other ways to serve our country – the Teach for America and AmeriCorps volunteers who work in America’s most desperate pockets to help create a more just and equitable society, the volunteers from community, religious, and non-profit organizations who selflessly devote time and money in their local communities, and the volunteers in the Peace Corps and NGOs who generate goodwill the world over while presenting America’s best face to allies and adversaries alike.

Forty-three years ago, my wife Patti and I heeded President John F. Kennedy’s call, left Berkeley, and embarked on a journey that would shape our outlook for the rest of our lives. We joined the Peace Corps and spent two years working on the eradication of small pox in rural southwest Ethiopia. We witnessed unimaginable suffering on an almost daily basis, but we understood that the work we were doing was not just vital to good people desperately in need of help but also served to demonstrate to the world abroad the goodness of America.

More over the flip…

Today I attended parades in Fairfield and Concord and will soon be in Antioch and Livermore. These are joyous events that bring us together in celebration of the blessings of our country. Around the world, people remain awash in disease, famine, widespread poverty, and senseless oppression, I’ve seen it firsthand, but there remains hard work to be done here at home. Almost 60 million Americans are uninsured; we have not done enough to reduce the harmful effects of climate change or to promote fair trade policies; and at dark points in our past, we have strayed from the values that unite us as Americans. But there is nothing wrong with America that can’t be fixed by what’s right with America, and we should be proud to be the leaders of the free world.

Today, as you join friends and family in celebration of America’s birthday, please take a moment to reflect on the blessings bestowed to us all. If you are not yet active in your local communities, get involved. And of course, I always recommend the Peace Corps to anyone interested in giving back. I recently read that under President Obama, interest in the Peace Corps has spiked. This dedication from young Americans gives me hope that our better days are yet to come. When you see the smiling faces of people whose lives are improved by your service, believe me, you will truly understand what it means to be free.

John Garamendi is the Lieutenant Governor of California, a University of California regent, a California State University trustee, and the founder of the Clean Seas Coalition. He was previously California’s first State Insurance Commissioner, Deputy Interior Secretary under President Bill Clinton, and a state legislator. For more information, please visit http://www.garamendi.org or follow him on Facebook and Twitter. He is a candidate for California’s 10th Congressional District.

Our friends at Blue America note Senator Dianne Feinstein is hiding under the covers at an undisclosed location:

Christy has put in tons and I mean tons of hard work finding out where our elected officials are going to appear over the fourth of July holiday. It seems some of them (*cough Diane Feinstein cough*) are using the “terrorist threat” to refuse to let their constituents know where they will be.

National security is a convenient excuse for so very many things.

So you’ll probably have a tough time seeing DiFi this Independence Day to ask her to honor her oath of office to defend the Constitution and filibuster retroactive immunity. But Blue America has a nifty tool for you to whip votes.

There is a great deal of disgust with Barack Obama’s massive flip-flop on retroactive immunity, but let’s remember that from day one it was Dianne Feinstein trying to undermine him and the Constitution. I feel sorry for Obama, Senators like DiFi put him in a lose/lose situation. And if you’ve seen much news today, you won’t be surprised that after flip-flopping on defending the Constitution he’s getting beat up all over by people concluding he’ll also flip-flop on Iraq. So give DiFi a call and give her a piece of your mind. Celebrate Independence Day and then go have BBQ or such to enjoy the 4th of July.

UPDATE: Senator Feinstein turned off the answering machine in her DC office and suggests calling a California field office. Numbers after the jump.

UPDATE II: Both her DC and LA offices automatically hung up after the message and the mailboxes are full at all of her other field offices. The online form is the only way to contact DiFi this Independence Day to ask her to support the Constitution. Turning off answering machines and hiding from the public? I think she belies her realization that constituents are pissed.

San Francisco

One Post Street, Suite 2450

San Francisco, CA 94104

Phone: (415) 393-0707

Fax: (415) 393-0710

The following counties are served by the San Francisco office: Alameda, Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, Yuba.

Los Angeles

11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 915

Los Angeles, CA 90025

Phone: (310) 914-7300

Fax: (310) 914-7318

The following counties are served by the Los Angeles office: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura.

San Diego

750 B Street, Suite 1030

San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: (619) 231-9712

Fax: (619) 231-1108

The following counties are served by the San Diego office: Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego.

Fresno

2500 Tulare Street, Suite 4290

Fresno, CA 93721

Phone: (559) 485-7430

Fax: (559) 485-9689

The following counties are served by the Fresno office: Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne.