Tag Archives: Courage Campaign

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Middle class isn’t middle of the road: Take politicians’ populist shpeil and make it real

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I’m super excited about Netroots Nation tomorrow.  And I am very much looking forward to the panel I am on Friday morning (10:30 am Ballroom F) titled: “Middle class isn’t middle of the road: Take politicians’ populist shpeil and make it real”.  

David Sirota, Andrea Batista Schlesinger, the Executive Director of the Drum Major Institute and David Goldstein, of Horse’s Ass will also be on it.  The panel will be moderated by Elana Levin, the Assistant Director of Communications for UNITE HERE.

Here is the description.

We know that populism wins elections, but once a politician wins how do we make sure that pro-middle class policies are actually implemented? Blue Dogs and the media conflate being pro-middle class with being “centrist”.

The debt stricken, under-insured public’s realization that their personal economic struggles are really political struggles presents an opportunity for lasting progressive change. Barack Obama’s agenda includes healthcare and transportation among other investments in our country that the middle class needs– but these aren’t free. How can the netroots mobilize to make it politically possible to pass Obama’s domestic agenda in a Grover Norquist-shaped world?

For my part, I plan on focusing on the California budget fight and using the Yacht Party campaign as an example of how we can attack the right to help advance progressive policies that help the middle class.  California is very much a lab for progressive politics and we have a unique opportunity here to actually advocate for higher taxes to pay for programs.  The public is amenable to increasing revenue and there is no better time to promote our agenda than now when we are at a crisis stage and the other side is advancing proposals that the public does not support.  Flip it.

A lot of this may be old hat to regular Calitcs readers, but for those who are not I want to talk about the structural reasons that have lead us to this opportunity and how we can be productive as members of the netroots in this fight.

California has a structural budget deficit.  By that I mean we have set spending that is greater than what we take in.  That is true even during a good year.

When we have a bad year like this one it grows into a huge gaping hole.  We are somewhere around $15 billion at this point, though that changes depending on how bad the revenues really are into the state’s coffers.  

California has done so much ballot box budgeting and formulaic allocating of funding that there is actually a really limited amount of programs that we can actually cut.  Those are mostly social welfare programs, things that aid the poor, provide assistance and health care.  Why is it that those programs are vulnerable?

A) There is not much of a support structure to advocate for them.  Quite frankly the poor/middle class just don’t have that big of a voice in Sacramento.  B) This is related to A, but they have not passed an initiative to protect their funding.

The result is that the most vulnerable are most vulnerable during a budget deficit to cuts.  So they have been cut and cut some more and cut some more over the past few years.  Before we used to say that we were cutting muscle after having gotten rid of the fat, but now we are into the bone.

Our Democratic legislators want to increase revenues to help pay for spending and eliminate the structural budget deficit.  81% of the public (Field pdf) says that we will have to increase taxes to resolve the current deficit.  They don’t like paying taxes and wish that others would pay for the increases, not them, but they don’t really want to see cuts to programs.  In fact the program they would like to see cut the most, Prisons & Corrections doesn’t even get majority support, with only 47% saying to reduce spending.

So why is it that it is so hard to pass tax increases given the general public support for the Democratic world-view?

Chalk that up to the two 2/3rds rules.  Our legislature is dysfunctional for many reasons, but the two biggest are the 2/3rds support requirement to pass a budget and 2/3rds to increase taxes.

The Republicans refuse on principle to increasing revenue and we need their votes to do it.  The Democrats finally seem to have dug their heels in and are refusing to pass a budget that is all cuts as we have done before.  That is why we are several weeks into the new fiscal year and do not have a budget.

In a few weeks the state will run out of money and things will go from bad to worse, particularly this year since the borrowing that many groups have done in the past will not be an option due to the credit crunch.  It is in short a big freaking disaster.

But is is a disaster that Californians are aware of but are not particularly engaged on.  So the question for folks like myself who want to ensure that the budget that is passed does not hurt the middle class and the poor is how do we engage the public when they generally agree with us, but aren’t that into it.

The answer that Calitics and the Courage Campaign came up with was mockery and using one obscure tax increase to make a larger point about the budget.

The Democratic leadership started pushing for increased revenue with the so-called yacht tax loophole.  If you stash your boat or airplane out of the state for 90 days, you don’t have to pay sales tax.  Closing the loophole would bring in a fairly minimal amount of money, $25 million or so a year.

But that wasn’t the point.  The point was to make the Republican’s position ridiculous, to find a way to engage Californians in the budget debate.

Someone on Calitics dubbed the Republican Party as the Yacht Party.  Dave Dayen produced a spoof video and the Courage Campaign turned it into two different television ads with the support of several unions, legislators and our members to air on television.

These videos and the whole Yacht Party frame were never going to be the end-all-be-all in the budget negotiations.  However, for the first time the netroots, labor, and legislators were working together to attack the Republicans and advance a progressive economic argument.  The campaign reached outside of the relatively small world of the blogosphere and progressive activists to the general public.  The videos were easily accessible and compelling enough to engage them in what is a very boring topic, the state budget deficit.

It was a relatively small scale campaign for California standards, but it showed a lot of promise for future collaborations.  While the blogosphere has cut its teeth working on legislative campaigns, it is important that we continue to learn how to help pass progressive legislation and take it from shpeil to reality.

Health Care

Dropped, denied or delayed?

Full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign

Adapted from a post at the Courage Campaign blog.

Like so many others in California, The Courage Campaign has long championed the battle for affordable and accessible health care. It’s why Courage joined with a diverse coalition asking Terry McAuliffe to please don’t do it as we approach his high-priced speaking engagement in San Francisco for insurance executives tomorrow. And it’s why Courage partnered with the California Nurses Association and Senator Sheila Kuehl today to introduce our new “Insurance Jive” ad.

We’ve all been touched in one way or another by the catastrophic failure of the private insurance system.  Whether it’s ourselves, our family or friends, or diarists like CarlsbadDem, we’ve all seen the results of too many people sick and injured without recourse.  Heck, providing for the common welfare is right there in the Preamble to the Constitution. Like the ad says, it doesn’t have to be this way. The move for reasonable access to quality health care is growing stronger by the day and we need to keep up the momentum. The first $6,000 raised by the Courage Campaign via the ad’s ActBlue page will be matched by the California Nurses Association and Sen. Sheila Kuehl in order to get this ad on the air in San Francisco in the next 48 hours.

Earlier today, Rick Jacobs emailed Courage subscribers about the ad explaining just how much is at stake and and how much a small contribution to air this ad can accomplish:

Have you been dropped, denied or delayed?

Patsy Bates was dropped. Health Net canceled — or “rescinded” — Patsy’s health insurance policy after this 52-year-old grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing Patsy to halt chemotherapy for several months while piling up $129,000 in medical bills.

Unbelievable? Actually, the Patsy Bates case may be just scratching the surface. The Department of Managed Health Care is now reviewing thousands of other “rescissions” made by five major insurers operating in California: Health Net, Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California and PacifiCare.

We were so moved by Patsy’s story that we decided to create a 30-second TV ad for other people like Patsy who have been dropped, denied or delayed by their health insurance carrier in California.

But our television ad is not what you might expect. It’s not traditional. Or typical. It’s called “Insurance Jive” and it features a nurse (actor Beth Broderick of “Lost”) who — reminiscent of the Barbara Billingsley character in the 1980 movie “Airplane” — translates insurance jargon for a hospital patient and her husband.

Sounds funny, right? Well, “Insurance Jive” also packs a punch.

That’s why, together, the California Nurses Association and State Senator Sheila Kuehl have pledged to match the first $6,000 donated to place this powerful ad on the air in San Francisco in the next 48 hours — just as thousands of health insurance executives gather in the city for their annual convention.

Please watch “Insurance Jive” now and — if you like it — consider contributing what you can afford on ActBlue to help us make the $6,000 challenge match from CNA and Senator Kuehl:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/InsuranceJive

In the case of Patsy Bates, the good news is that a judge recently ordered Health Net to pay Patsy a whopping $9 million in mostly punitive damages.

But her victory is a rare blow to an industry that routinely seeks to profit at the expense — and physical well-being — of its customers. For example, according to the Los Angeles Times, Patsy’s lawsuit revealed that Health Net had “linked cancellations to employee performance goals,” an illegal policy that helped drive more than $35 million in denied claims between 2003 and 2006.

Fortunately, Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has initiated a lawsuit and criminal investigation into Health Net’s decisions to drop, deny or delay health care, asserting that:

Countless Californians who believe they have insurance actually have policies that aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. At a patient’s most vulnerable moment, the insurance company won’t pay for care, or will cancel the policy altogether. Industry schemes to maximize profits at the expense of patients are unfair and unlawful, and they must be stopped.

Rocky Delgadillo is talking to these corporations in a language they can easily understand: “lawsuit”. That’s why we created “Insurance Jive” to spread the word about the City Attorney’s helpful website for consumers.

Please watch this powerful new 30-second ad now. If you like it, please consider making a contribution on our ActBlue page so that we can put it on the air in San Francisco in the next 48 hours, for thousands of health insurance executives to see:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/InsuranceJive

We know this ad is provocative. And we know our letter to former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe — in which 9,201 citizens asked him not to speak at, or take a speaking fee from, the AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) convention — was provocative as well.

But we think it’s about time these powerful people were held accountable so that, in the future, seriously ill people like Patsy Bates do not end up in the “rescinded” column on a corporate spreadsheet.

If you agree, please forward this message to your friends right now. We don’t have much time to get this ad on the air while Terry McAuliffe and thousands of health insurance executives are gathering together in San Francisco.

Thank you, again, for helping us make 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California.

Rick Jacobs

Chair

P.S. As Senator Kuehl said in our press release: “The time is long past for insurance companies to stop killing and hurting people by refusing to pay for coverage. Until we get a single-payer system, we need Rocky Delgadillo and other leaders to stand up to the insurance industry with the full force of the law.”

We couldn’t agree more with Senator Kuehl. That’s why we created “Insurance Jive” and why we need your help to make the $6,000 challenge match she is making together with CNA. Please take 30 seconds to watch the ad and consider making a contribution on ActBlue to put it on the air ASAP:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/InsuranceJive

Health Care

Please don’t do it, Terry McAuliffe

I work for the Courage Campaign

This is a year unlike any in recent memory for the prospects of progressive progress and reform. There’s an opportunity to take huge steps towards fixing the damage done by the Bush Administration and make positive change towards a country that simply takes better care of its citizens.

But as Democrats, we’re going to have a much tougher time getting there if we don’t all travel together. Which is why, with millions of Americans unable to get basic health care, it’s so distressing that former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe is cashing a big check from the insurance companies in San Francisco June 19.

We know all too well that insurance companies don’t spend a dime on actually providing health care to the sick and injured if they can help it, which is why it’s such a concern that McAuliffe is willing to accept this money that should be spent on medical treatment.

But, not surprisingly, Rick Jacobs said it much better than I ever could earlier today:

This is personal.

I was quite surprised when I learned that Terry McAuliffe was going to appear at a major convention of health insurance corporations in San Francisco on June 19.

After all, how could the former Chair of the Democratic National Committee show up as a guest of health insurance executives — much less accept any money for his appearance at the AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) convention? This appearance seems inappropriate at best, especially after Barack Obama and Howard Dean courageously directed the Democratic National Committee last week to reject contributions from lobbyists, including the health insurance industry.

And now it’s personal. My sister, who suffers from severe and rapidly deteriorating hearing loss, just told me that she has been denied useful health care coverage. Again. Why? Because her hearing problems have been diagnosed as a “pre-existing condition,” precluding her from receiving cochlear implants so she can hear again.

The last I checked, being able to hear is not “optional” medical care. Unfortunately, my sister is one of over 100 million Americans who either have no health insurance coverage or are underinsured. My entire family worries about her, but the system is designed by these health insurance executives to keep her out — not to help her.

I know Terry McAuliffe. When I was the California chair of Howard Dean’s presidential campaign in 2003-04, I interacted with Terry on a number of occasions. While we have differences of opinion from time to time, I think he might listen if enough people appeal to him and the morals and values the Democratic Party is supposed to represent.

So, I wrote a letter to Terry McAuliffe. The simple message: “Just don’t do it, Terry. Don’t go to the AHIP convention and please don’t accept a speaking fee.” Can you add your name to my letter so that we can deliver as many signatures to Terry McAuliffe as possible on Tuesday?

http://www.couragecampaign.org/TerryMcAuliffe

Here’s an excerpt from my letter to Terry:

“Did you know that Assurant Health — listed as the sole sponsor of your joint AHIP speaking appearance with former Bush spokesperson Dan Bartlett — was just fined $3 million by the state of Connecticut for illegally denying care to hundreds of patients? That is just one example of how the health insurance racket in America has a death grip on our health care system. Using nearly unlimited resources from our monthly premium payments, it has single-handedly blocked every health care reform proposal in recent years, including “Medicare for All” or single-payer health care.

No Democrat, least of all the former Chair of the Democratic National Committee, should support these corporations by appearing on their stage, and no progressive should allow himself to be paid in blood money “earned” by withholding treatment from sick patients.”

I know that’s strong language. But it’s the truth.

If you agree, please join me, the Courage Campaign and the California Nurses Association in asking Terry McAuliffe not to appear at — or take a speaking fee from — the AHIP convention on June 19. We need you, your friends and your family to sign this letter now so that we can deliver thousands of signatures to him on Tuesday:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/TerryMcAuliffe

You know who else will be at this convention, lending their “legitimacy” to this cabal of health insurance executives? Bill Frist, the former Republican Senate Majority Leader. And Tommy Thompson, President Bush’s former Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Of course, there’s no point in asking Dr. Frist and Mr. Thompson not to show up, given that they oppose health care reforms that would restrict the role of, or remove, the insurance industry from the management and delivery of health care. But I hope that Terry McAuliffe decides, on behalf of my sister and everyone else who suffers from the callous policies of greedy insurance companies, to stay away from the AHIP convention.

If you agree, please forward this message to your friends now. We don’t have much time to collect thousands of signatures to remind Terry of the first rule of health care: “first, do no harm.”

Thanks, again, for doing everything in your power to make 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California.

Rick Jacobs

Chair

P.S. It’s time to take a stand for universal health care and against health insurance corporations. That’s why thousands of Californians will be protesting outside the AHIP convention at Moscone Center in San Francisco, starting at noon on June 19.

Led by our friends at the California Nurses Association, a strong coalition of health care organizations and reformers will gather outside the convention, rallying to support H.R. 767 and S.B. 840 — federal and state bills supporting single-player health care. To find out more about this rally, as well as sign my letter to Terry McAuliffe, please click here:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/TerryMcAuliffe

Budget, education

Al Gore on California Education Funding

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(full disclosure: I work for Courage)

Vice President Al Gore recorded a video and wrote an email to Courage Campaign members about the importance of investing in education even during a time of economic crisis.

In it Al Gore asks for people to respond back to him directly on Current.com with either a video response or text.  They have a pretty nifty tool that will detect a webcam on your computer and let you respond right there, just scroll down to the bottom.

On Monday, I went to the capitol and filmed 18 different Assemblymembers responding to Al Gore.  Dave has been cutting them into individual videos and uploading them.  Below the fold is the rest of the email from Gore.  I had hoped to be able to embed those videos from the Assemblymembers here, but the code from Current is not playing nicely, so you will have to click the link to see.

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino AD-44, Assemblywoman Betty Karnette AD-54, Assemblyman Dave Jones, AD-09, Assemblyman Kevin DeLeon AD-45, Assemblyman Ed Hernandez AD-57, Assemblyman Hector De La Torre AD-50, Assemblyman John Laird AD-27, Assemblyman Lloyd Levine AD-40, Assemblyman Lori Saldana AD-76, Assemblyman Sandré Swanson AD-16 and there are a few more coming including Speaker Karen Bass.

Dear Julia,

I don’t write emails like this often.

But, with Californians facing a massive budget crisis and potentially devastating cuts to education, I feel compelled to speak out. As members of the Courage Campaign community, I hope you will speak out as well.

I recorded this one-minute video for the Courage Campaign on Current.com. Please watch it and let me know what you think by recording a short video or written response of your own.

Jann Wenner, the publisher of Rolling Stone magazine, asked me an interesting question in an interview a few months ago:

“How do we engineer the sweeping social and political and industrial change that we need in a short period of time, from top to bottom?”

My answer is that we must create a shift in consciousness — and, education is the catalyst for this shift.

That’s why I recorded this video for the Courage Campaign. Please watch it on Current.com and, if you feel so inspired, respond with a webcam video or text response of your own.

Education is not a partisan issue. It is a crucial building block toward creating a more informed democracy. We can solve the climate crisis, and every other problem facing our nation, if we begin by transforming America’s priorities on education.

As parents, teachers and students speak out about these proposed cuts, they need your support, now more than ever. Please forward this message to your friends who care about the future of California and our country as much as you do.

I hope you will take a moment today to record a short webcam video or write a response to my video. Your voice, and the voices of your friends, can change the conversation in California.

Thank you,

Al Gore

Lots of thanks to Steve Maviglio for help getting the legislators to come give their responses to Gore.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Budget, California

Stick This Up Arnold’s Budget!

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(Emily beat me to it, but I will add a bit of context to her post.–Julia – promoted by Dante Atkins (hekebolos))

UPDATE: by Julia I just want to add some context here.  This ad is titled “Yacht Party 2”.  It would not exist without help from CNA, so major props to them.  Today Arianna Huffington sent out an email to Courage Campaign members asking for their help to get this on the air, part of which is excerpted on the flip.  We are going up in Sacramento to start, but the more donations, the more we can expand the buy.

This is very much a non-traditional ad and builds upon the first “Yacht Party” we produced that was inspired by Dave.

The most extreme high priests of the tax cut cult operate right here in

California. Because Democrats do not hold a two-thirds majority in our

state legislature, a small minority of Republicans is able to hold

Californians hostage to a $20 billion state budget deficit, refusing to raise taxes on the super-rich.

It gets worse. Much worse. While California’s future is being put in grave jeopardy, the tax cut cult is refusing to close a tax loophole for yacht and private jet owners.

Schools closing. Social services slashed to the bone. And right-wing Republicans are letting the uber-wealthy off tax-free on yacht and private jet purchases. It’s no wonder the California Republican Party has been re-branded as the “Yacht Party” by the netroots.

To increase the pressure on Republicans in Sacramento to close this

yacht tax loophole, we need to make this “Yacht Party” brand stick. That’s

why the Courage Campaign and California Nurses Association have just

teamed up to produce a new 60-second TV ad that strips naked the

shocking nature of the California Republican Party’s priorities.

It’s time to change the conversation inside Sacramento. Here are two actions you can take to help us make this “Yacht Party” brand stick:

  1.  CONTRIBUTE: please donate $25, $50, $100 or more to help us get our TV ad on the air in Sacramento on Thursday. This week is the unofficial start to budget season in Sacramento and we need to expose the “Yacht Party” as budget negotiations begin inside our state capitol. If you contribute at least $100, Arianna Huffington will sign her book (“Right is Wrong”) and send it to you ASAP!

  2. FORWARD THE YOUTUBE VIDEO: Please forward “Yacht Party 2” to your friends and family.  Here is the direct YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…

San Diego

Jerry Sanders gets the Block Blackwater Message

Full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign

Local leaders gathered today outside the office of Mayor Jerry Sanders to present him with more than 2,500 signatures to the letter from San Diego Democratic Party Chair Jess Durfee calling for an investigation into Blackwater’s permit process.  There was a somewhat unexpected air of celebration to the event as it was announced yesterday that Mayor Sanders is calling for the city’s Chief Executive Officer to conduct a full review of the Blackwater permit process (of course now we’ll see what comes of it).

The stage was shared by Jess Durfee (who noted he knows a few things about vocational schools courtesy of a Master’s degree in vocational education), Courage Campaign’s Rick Jacobs, Humberto Peraza- district Chief of Staff for Rep. Filner, Francine Busby and Ray Lutz from Citizens’ Oversight Projects.

All the parties involved have been instrumental in the rapid and effective response to this new Blackwater situation.  Remember it’s been barely two weeks since the news originally broke of this new facility, yet here everyone was gathered to mark and celebrate a significant people-powered success story.

Today was a great opportunity to cement in no uncertain terms the coalition to Block Blackwater which has formed rapidly and forced action from the Mayor.  And we’re just getting warmed up.  There have been recent revelations that Blackwater is looking to expand operations at current facilities and open a new training facility in Idaho.  Why? Because they see the writing on the wall.  They know that Iraq isn’t going to last much longer, partly because they’ve behaved so criminally and partly because the war is such a debacle.  They know that their survival depends on diversifying and establishing new roles in a post-Bush/Iraq system.  It’s why they’re looking for a few good hundred million in new investment capital.  It’s because there’s no natural place for them to exist once they can’t get anymore handouts from the Bush Administration and their cronies.

Today was a victory. Tomorrow we’ll likely need another. But we’re developing the methods that win.

Uncategorized

ABC Debate Protest Live Thread

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Bob put this as an update to the post below, but I think this protest deserves its own thread.  I too just talked to Dave who said there is about 70 people there already and growing by the minute.  They are handing out a ton of pins and it sounds like everyone is having a good time and no issues that the personal officer needs to deal with.

(Bob) I just got off the phone with David Dayen for the report from the ground. It was kinda tough to hear because all of the horns honking in the background. He said there was a great crowd, KTLA is interviewing a number of them, and they are having a lot of fun passing out the lapel pins. Also, he loved the fact that a Burbank Police Officer came by and told them he was their officer for the night and if they had any problems (with ABC or Disney) to give him a call. I wish I was there, if you can make it they’ll be out there until 7PM.

[UPDATE 6:09]  Just got off the phone with Dave and Rick.  Things are going really really well.  Lots of people, one radio station, an AP reporter and a photographer were there as well as KTLA.  

ABC/Disney actually rerouted traffic away from the gate where the protesters were and so a few people move over to the other gate, so they couldn’t be avoided.

Uncategorized

Courage and the Responsible Plan

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(note: I work for Courage)

The Courage Campaign today became the first organization to push out the Responsible Plan to its members.  We sent out an email to our list this morning (see it on the flip) encouraging our members to endorse the Responsible Plan and almost as importantly, talk to candidates they know about endorsing the plan.

Over 50 candidates, including Debbie Cook, Ron Shepston, Cheryl Ede, Bill Hedrick and Mary Pallant here in California have endorsed the Responsible Plan.  It is key that we get your help to continue to build momentum for the plan.  That means getting as many people and candidates to endorse, so sign it and pass the link on to your friends.

This is about changing the conversation about the war.  When people ask what we are going to do about the war, this is our plan.  It is our roadmap to both ending the war and taking care of our veterans.  Rather than using the Republican frame on the war, focused mostly on the tactical, i.e. the surge as a strategy, we need to take control of the narrative.  Promoting the Responsible Plan is one way to do that.  

Framing the debate is only one site of the equation.  The movement behind the Responsible Plan also about electing Democrats who will run strongly on the war and end it when they take office.  We need more and better Democrats.

Dear Julia,

The war in Iraq will never end.

That’s right. This occupation will never end unless we change the conversation and change Washington.

Fortunately, there’s an unprecedented new movement of courageous congressional candidates, military veterans, bloggers, and activists teaming up on a plan to responsibly withdraw our troops from Iraq. Together, this unique alliance is pushing back on John “100 years” McCain and his fellow head-in-the-sand politicians and pundits.

And now, we’re bringing this movement for change to California.

It’s called the “Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq” — a comprehensive strategy endorsed by 50 congressional candidates, two generals, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense, and netroots activists across the progressive blogosphere (led by our friends at Open Left). And, as the plan gains momentum, it is provoking a predictable reaction from the right-wing, pro-war crowd and their sympathetic stenographers in the traditional media.

You can see it for yourself. In a less-than-shocking example of beltway blindness on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” Cokie Roberts dismissively rolled her eyes at the “Responsible Plan,” proudly quoting John McCain’s tired talking points.

How do we change the national conversation today? By showing Cokie Roberts and her friends in the media that the American public is fed up with Washington’s failure to end the war. You can start now by signing on to the “Responsible Plan” after you watch Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation magazine, courageously challenge Roberts and her mimicry of McCain on ABC:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ResponsiblePlan

What is the “Responsible Plan”?

Arianna Huffington, in a piece for the Huffington Post, does an excellent job summarizing how it got started, what it says, and what it will mean come 2009:

“(The plan was initiated by) Darcy Burner, a Democratic challenger who is running for Congress in Washington state. Working with national security experts and retired military generals such as Major Gen. Paul Eaton, the officer in charge of training the Iraqi military immediately after the invasion in 2003 and 2004, (Burner) developed “A Responsible Plan to End the War,” a comprehensive approach to Iraq based on legislation already introduced in Congress.

The (plan) doesn’t just lay out how to end the war — it also addresses the institutional failures that led to the tragic invasion and occupation of Iraq. This includes rebuilding the U.S. diplomatic apparatus, banning the use of armed military contractors like Blackwater, banning torture, promoting government transparency, and restoring accountability through the checks and balances laid out in the Constitution.”

… The idea is to band together a group of challengers running on a shared platform who, if elected, will be able to head into Congress armed with a mandate, supported by allies, and wielding a specific legislative agenda designed to end the war. Call it ‘A Contract to Restore America.'”

From the grassroots to Congress, the “Responsible Plan” is a people-powered campaign to flip the script on the right-wing cabal that started this disastrous war and continues to defend it. As you might expect, neo-conservative extremists are already waging attacks on the “Responsible Plan,” including one pro-war organization — founded by former Bush Administration officials — that called the strategy “surrender.”

The “Responsible Plan” has already been endorsed by 50 congressional candidates in just a few weeks, including five from California (click here to see who they are).

But that’s not enough. To stop the right-wing noise machine now, we need you to show your support and speak out. Please sign on, post a comment, and tell your friends — and your favorite congressional candidate — that they should support this responsible plan to end the war in Iraq:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ResponsiblePlan

Ending the war in Iraq does not mean just electing more Democrats. It also means electing better Democrats. The kind of Democrats who won’t cave in to the ridiculous rhetoric of neo-con extremists, Cokie Roberts, and the other shameless power-brokers and pundits populating our nation’s capital.

We have to keep up the pressure on our elected representatives as well as strongly encourage this year’s slate of congressional candidates to get behind the “Responsible Plan” now. Many of you have personal relationships with congressional candidates — both incumbents and challengers — across California. Can you reach out to them and ask them to take responsibility by endorsing the “Responsible Plan” now?

We know that we can end this war in Iraq — and prevent another war with Iran — if we build this movement together. But it’s going to take each and every one of you and your friends to make it possible.

Thank you for taking action today and making 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California. And the world.

Rick Jacobs

Chair

P.S. A few weeks ago, you helped us air “Yacht Party” TV ads about California Republicans refusing to close a multi-million dollar “yacht tax” loophole, despite facing a grim $16 billion budget deficit. Meanwhile, the federal government is diverting funds that would support housing and education in order to pay for endless war in Iraq.

Our elected leaders have their priorities out of whack. This has got to stop. You can take matters into your own hands today by signing on, speaking out, and telling your friends:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ResponsiblePlan

Budget

From the Netroots to a Cable TV Screen Near You

Disclosure: I work for Courage Campaign

Just over a month ago, on a $2 budget, David Dayen created A Message from the California Yachting Association and unveiled it here at Calitics, mocking the California Republican Party’s transformation into the Yacht Party. It was an instant smash.

That ad inspired the Courage Campaign to create another Yacht Party ad, this one taking it to the floor of the Legislature and defining the Republicans as the party that protects tax loopholes while watching schools and health care collapse:

Last week’s fundraising campaign was so successful – bringing in over $11,000 in just a few days – that we’ve been able to get this ad onto Sacramento cable TV Wednesday night, on CNN, MSNBC, The Daily Show and the Colbert Report.

Perhaps just as significantly, the successful campaign has brought in new allies on the Yacht Party project. If Courage Campaign can raise $5,000 in the next 48 hours, both Speaker Fabian Núñez and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West have promised to each match that with $5,000 of their own. That would enable another ad buy not just in Sacramento, but in the home districts of some of the most obstinate Republicans.

This is a significant pledge. It represents the coming together of the netroots, of organized labor, and one of the most powerful Democratic politicians in our state in a shared effort to take the fight to the Republicans, and help stop their efforts to destroy our public services just so rich folks can get a tax break.

I’ve been in the netroots a long time, and have been an observer of California politics for even longer. And I’ve always hoped that such coalitions could be built – progressive coalitions to take back our state from the radicals who have governed it into the ground. These groups haven’t always seen eye to eye, but they also recognize the importance of the budget fight, and the need for common action.

Even if you don’t donate – though I hope you will – I think it’s worth reflecting on just how significant a moment this is.

Over the flip is the fundraising email we sent out to Courage Campaign members today. And pay attention to the “P.S.” at the end – if you like these Yacht Party ads, perhaps you can help us create the next one.

Wow. We’ve got some wonderful news for you.

On Thursday, we asked you to help us raise $10,000 by noon today to get our 30-second “Yacht Party” TV ad on the air in Sacramento, taking the budget fight to head-in-the-sand Republicans in Sacramento. With California facing a massive $16 billion deficit and teachers being laid off by the thousands, Republicans are supporting a shocking tax loophole for, get this: yacht purchases.

Californians have had enough. That’s why our TV ad compelled 335 donors to raise $11,023 combined on ActBlue and our web site, surpassing our first goal. Now, because of your generosity, we just bought time on Sacramento cable to air “Yacht Party” this Wednesday on CNN, MSNBC, the Daily Show and Colbert Report — an action that has attracted media attention across California.

The good news gets even better:

Your people-powered response to our re-framing of the Republicans has inspired our good friends — United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez — to get on board.

But there’s a catch. It’s a match. If the Courage Campaign community can raise $5,000 more in the next 48 hours, Speaker Núñez and SEIU-UHW will each donate $5,000 as well, tripling the power of your donation.

Can you help us make this match by Thursday at 12 p.m. by contributing $25, $50, $75, $100 or $150 on ActBlue right now?

http://www.actblue.com/page/Ya…

What will it mean for our community to meet this $5,000 match by SEIU-UHW and Speaker Núñez? It means extending our ad buy in Sacramento to Thursday AND expanding it to air the ad in specific districts where California Republican “Yacht Party” Assembly members are most vulnerable.

It also means moving one step closer to making 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California. It’s so exciting to see progressives working together in common cause, from the netroots and the Courage Campaign to our friends in organized labor and the Assembly.

If you can help us make this $5,000 match, we can make history. Together.

Will you take 30 seconds to watch “Yacht Party” and then contribute $25, $50, $75, $100, $150 or more on ActBlue to match Speaker Nunez and SEIU-UHW’s challenge before Thursday’s deadline?  

http://www.actblue.com/page/Ya…

We can’t afford to close this disastrous deficit with devastating cuts. Common sense dictates that California bring in new revenue by ending these unbelievable tax loopholes for the rich. The sooner you take action either by contributing or forwarding this message to your friends, the sooner we can pressure the Republicans to stop destroying our social safety net.

Together, we helped kill the GOP’s electoral college “dirty trick,” count the “double bubble” votes in Los Angeles County, and block Blackwater’s base on the California border. And now, SEIU-UHW and Speaker Núñez are joining you to re-frame the Republicans and end this appalling yacht tax loophole for the super-wealthy.

With 30 seconds of your time and a few dollars, we can change the conversation inside Sacramento, help fix our gaping $16 billion state budget deficit, and rebuild the California dream.

Please watch “Yacht Party” and help us make the $5,000 match before Thursday:

http://www.actblue.com/page/Ya…

And yes, thank you again for making this amazing news possible.

Rick Jacobs

Chair

P.S. Do you own a yacht? Or do you know someone who does? This campaign has gone so well, we want to film another “Yacht Party” TV ad. But this time we need an actual yacht, not just an animated version. If you know someone, preferably in Southern California,  who wouldn’t mind having the Courage Campaign film a commercial on their yacht, please email us at “[email protected]”. Thanks!

Budget

The Yacht Party

full disclosure: I work for Courage

From Calitics to the airwaves….

Dave’s video a few weeks ago on the yacht tax loophole inspired the Courage Campaign to create this TV ad, which with your help we will get up on MSNBC, CNN, The Daily Show and the Colbert Report.  Please contribute using our ActBlue page to place it on the air.

The goal is simple: frame the Republicans as the Yacht Party and draw more attention to their refusal to close the loophole.

Check the flip for the email we sent out to Courage Campaign members a few minutes ago, which gives a h/t to Dave, Robert and Calitics, plus quotes from Mark Leno’s blog post here.

Dear Julia,

It’s shocking and unbelievable.

California is in crisis, facing a $16 billion budget deficit. Social services are being slashed to the bone. Teachers and education professionals are being laid off by the thousands (up to 20,000, according to California Department of Education). Tuition and fees at state universities and colleges are being raised through the roof.

And California Republican Assembly members are unanimously supporting an appalling loophole in our state’s tax code that allows the super-rich to avoid paying sales taxes on…

Yachts.

Still blinking in disbelief? You read that right: Tax loopholes for yacht owners.

While you are wondering if your child’s school is going to be shut down because of the brutal cuts proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, his California Republican “Yacht Party” colleagues in the state legislature are protecting the lavish lifestyles of the super-wealthy.

With the budget crisis approaching catastrophe, it’s time to change the conversation inside our state capital. Inspired by California netroots activists like David Dayen and Robert Cruickshank, the Courage Campaign asked our friends at Agit Pop Communications to create a memorable ad to air on cable news programs watched by Republicans in Sacramento (OK, we also want to air it on “fake news” shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, but not fake news like the Fox News Channel).

The 30-second ad is called “Yacht Party” and you can watch it by clicking here. To air this ad Wednesday on CNN and MSNBC, plus the Daily Show and Colbert Report, we have to raise $10,000 by Tuesday from members like you.

That means we need 250 generous donors contributing an average of $40 per person ASAP. Will you chip in $25, $50 or $75 or more on ActBlue to fund our “Yacht Party” ad campaign no later than Tuesday at 12 p.m.?

http://www.actblue.com/page/Ya…

Yacht purchases aren’t the only tax loophole California Republicans are blowing open for the fat-cat donors who paved their path to power in Sacramento.

Get this: Private jets are tax-free as well.

The only catch? Richie Rich must stash his yacht or private jet outside of California for at least 90 days.

So, if you’re wealthy enough to not only own a yacht but spend a sizable chunk of time vacationing on it (or sneakily ship it elsewhere for a few months), you don’t have to pay one dime of sales tax on your ultra-luxurious extravagance. Meanwhile, people like us pay sales tax on essential needs, from clothing to school supplies. And the Republicans in the state legislature march in lockstep, calling for draconian cuts that will destroy California’s social safety net.

It’s time for someone to tell the truth inside Sacramento: instead of serving the people of California, Republicans are serving their yacht-owning paymasters.

Will you help us raise $10,000 to air this “Yacht Party” ad on the Daily Show, Colbert Report, CNN and MSNBC? If you can contribute $25, $50, or $75 or more on ActBlue by noon on Tuesday, we can air this ad Wednesday on the huge flat-panel TV’s of Republicans across Sacramento:

http://www.actblue.com/page/Ya…

We don’t have much time. But if 250 generous supporters of the Courage Campaign contribute an average of $40 per person before Tuesday at 12 p.m., we can raise the stakes in Sacramento, change the conversation, and maybe even embarrass Republicans into doing the right thing.

Can’t contribute? Then please forward this email to your friends who can ASAP.

Your activism is making 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California. Together, we helped kill the GOP’s electoral college “dirty trick,” count the “double bubble” votes in Los Angeles County, and block Blackwater’s base on the California border.

Now, with 30 seconds of your time and a few dollars, we can change the conversation in Sacramento.

Rick Jacobs

Chair

P.S. On Monday, Democratic Assemblymember Mark Leno blogged the details behind this outrageous “yacht tax” loophole on Calitics (a community blog for Californians):

“In February, the legislature considered closing the loophole that gives the wealthiest in the state a tax exemption for their extravagant toys. The proposal was simply to adjust this loophole in the tax law and increase the waiting period to a year–an action that is estimated would have netted the state $26 million. No-brainer, right? Well, not to the Republicans in the legislature.

Because Republicans in both houses voted against the bill, it failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed for passage. Republicans in the legislature have taken a pledge to never, under any circumstances, consider tax increases, even during budget deficits like the $16 billion one we currently face…

… (Governor Schwarzenegger) is now proposing that we cut more than $4.5 billion from K-12 education; decimate our AIDS Drug Assistance Program; further reduce reimbursement rates for health care providers; put the children of mothers on state assistance at risk of homelessness; deny the blind, the elderly, and the disabled even a minimal cost-of-living adjustment; slash funding for our court system; virtually close down our state parks system; and continue to under-fund our higher education systems.”

Enough is enough. Please watch the “Yacht Party” ad. Contribute what you can afford on ActBlue by Tuesday at noon. And spread the word by forwarding this email to your friends across California as soon as possible:

http://www.actblue.com/page/Ya…