Meeting with Senator Kerry's Staff to Advocate for Economic Fairness

On Friday, October 28, 2011, members of the Cambridge-Somerville for Change Economic Fairness team met with Senator John Kerry’s Boston policy advisors, Meghan Leahy and Stephen Meunier, in Kerry’s Boston office.

CSfC members discussed Sen. Kerry’s role in the Congressional Deficit Super Committee. Sen. Kerry is one of the twelve legislators assigned to the Deficit Super Committee, whose task is to reduce the federal deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next ten years.

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First Steps - Lobbying Senator Kerry and the Super Committee

CSfC's Economic Fairness Team has been meeting and planning for the past few months and at our September 21st community meeting we unveiled our three initiatives:

• Join the efforts of the Defend the American Dream campaign 
• Unelect Senator Scott Brown
• Lobby Senator Kerry in his role on the Congressional Super Committee

The Super Committee initiative has the shortest time-frame, and one of the Super Committee members represents Massachusetts, so we have a short-term organizing opportunity and we're starting out by focusing our efforts there.

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Amazing Somerville Canvass

Today the Deval Patrick/Tim Murray campaign, Organizing for America, and Democrats around the state held a state-wide canvass.  In Somerville, CSfC worked closely with the Patrick/Murray campaign to knock on doors in Winter Hill.  We had a great response, with many supporters identified.  In the Mystic Public Housing Community, several canvassers focused on registering new voters and encouraging registered voters to vote on November 2nd.  For enthusiasts, we had the additional draw of a rally with the President next Saturday in Boston.

The voters are out there, we just need to reach out to them.  We'll be canvassing again tomorrow, and next weekend, and making calls all week. Sign up here to get involved: http://bit.ly/CSDems2010

Smulowitz and Ross Mini-Debate on WBZ today

WBZ hosted a brief interview with Peter Smulowitz and Richard Ross this afternoon. You can watch the video at WBZ's web site. CSfC is supporting Peter Smulowitz for state senate in the special election coming up on Tuesday. Join us tonight for a phone bank in Harvard Square from 6:00 to 8:30 PM.

CSfC Supports Peter Smulowitz for MA State Senate

The membership has voted and we're pitching in to turn Scott Brown's long-held State Senate seat Blue by supporting progressive Democrat, physician, and first-time candidate Peter Smulowitz.

The Boston Globe endorsed Dr. Smulowitz today, praising his "refreshing willingness to challenge established political figures."

Election Day is just 4 days away! Below is the schedule of events between now and Tuesday, including phone banks in and near Cambridge and Somerville, as well as door-to-door canvasses in the senate district. Note that CSfC is hosting a phone bank at HUCTW in Harvard Square on Sunday night, from 6-8:30pm (sign up here). Please sign up for all events by clicking on the RSVP links, below.

Please spread the word by joining Peter Smulowitz's Facebook page and please forward this message to anyone you think might be interested in helping out.

SUNDAY, MAY 9

Phone Banks:

Cambridge-Somerville for Change, 6pm-8:30pm

HUCTW, 15 Mt. Auburn St., Harvard Square

To RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gp8b8r

Mass Dems, noon -

Mass. Democratic Party Headquarters, 56 Roland St., Charlestown

To RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gp8qwp

Canvass:

Smulowitz Campaign, 10am - 6pm

Smulowitz Campaign HQ, 56 Pickering St., Needham

To RSVP:http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gp8q2m

MONDAY, MAY 10

Phone Bank:

Mass Dems, 10am -

Mass. Democratic Party Headquarters, 56 Roland St., Charlestown

To RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gp8qwy

TUESDAY, ELECTION DAY, MAY 11

Phone Bank

Mass Dems, 10am - 8pm

Mass. Democratic Party Headquarters, 56 Roland St., Charlestown

To RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gp8qw4

Canvass

Smulowitz Campaign, 6am-8pm

Smulowitz Campaign HQ, 56 Pickering St., Needham

To RSVP:http://petersmulowitz.com/index.php?option=com_rsform&Itemid=67

Tell Governor Patrick to Support In-State Tuition for the Class of 2010

The Immigration Reform/In-state Tuition team has regrouped following the Jan. 27th Public Hearing at the State House. Alongside our allies at MIRA and SIM, we're shifting focus to the Governor. That's right - Gov. Patrick has the recourse to enact a measure that would allow the 2010 high school graduating class to attend public colleges in Massachusetts at the in-state rate. He also has the drive to do it! So we should be sure he knows we back him. We've drafted a very short, simple call script, some background and talking points, so you can leave a message on the Governor's answering machine. Please do it today! Thanks.

• In-state tuition
• A bill that has languished in Massachusetts for over 6 years
• The time is now
• Please call Governor Patrick today

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Public Hearing on In-State Tuition - Wed. 1/27

The CSfC Immigration Reform Team needs us now. On Wednesday, January 27th at 1pm, there will be a public hearing on the In-state Tuition legislation we've been working on since last June.

Our immigrant rights allies are counting on CSfC's mobilization capacity.

• Public Hearing on In-state Tuition Legislation
• Wed. 1/27 1pm
• State House Room 2B

The Education Parity Act (H.1175/S.603) will let undocumented immigrant students in MA, most of whom came to Massachusetts as infants or children, pay the same in-state tuition rates as their peers at public colleges. These hard-working high-schoolers are currently charged out-of-state tuition rates that are financially prohibitive, making an education beyond the twelfth grade unaffordable and thus, unattainable.

This is not a discount or a hand-out. Students will have to pay full in-state tuition rates out of pocket with no assistance from federal or state financial aid or scholarships. According to a 2006 MA Taxpayers Foundation report, which stands by these numbers as current today, the Education Parity Act (H.1175/S.603) would bring $2.5 million in new revenue to Massachusetts within 3 years - by increasing income without increasing costs.

CSfC's Immigration Reform/In-state Tuition team supports the youth of our neighborhoods: born in this country or first generation immigrants; documented or undocumented; we think all youth deserve a fair chance to learn and succeed, and that their success lifts up our Commonwealth.

• Public Hearing on In-state Tuition Legislation
• Wed. 1/27 1pm
• State House Room 2B

Twelve other states, including Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma (hardly bastions of liberalism) have already passed similar legislation with wide bipartisan support. Massachusetts, a pillar among education states, is lagging. The time is NOW to eliminate useless barriers for Massachusetts high-schoolers who want to go to college and learn.

Be there:

• Public Hearing on In-state Tuition Legislation
• Wed. 1/27 1pm
• State House Room 2B

Contact: immigration@cambridgesomervilleforchange.com

Meet Your Neighbors Today - Join Our Election Day Canvass

Today is election day; be sure to vote!

The Coakley campaign and Organizing for America have made over two million calls in the last four days, and we'll make many more on election day. But out-of-state supporters can't knock on doors and talk to voters face to face. You can.

After you vote, come out to help at our Cambridge (45 Mt. Auburn St.) or Somerville (19 College Ave.) headquarters. We will be knocking on doors and calling voters, especially in the afternoon when people are getting home from work, right up until the polls close at 8PM.

Pulling Out All the Stops

In just three days Massachusetts voters will go to the polls to elect a new US Senator. It's hard to imagine a vote cast in the Commonwealth that will have a greater impact on national politics.

This is a great time to volunteer for a political campaign - the race is close and the stakes are high. With partners in our communities we've put together 59 events in the next three days.

Let's have some fun.

Somerville GOTV events

Cambridge GOTV events

CSfC Volunteers Are Amazing

At our phone bank for the US Senate race Thursday night our volunteers, along with recruits from CDCC and the Coakley campaign, made 1860 calls to voters. That's an amazing amount for a single phone bank in a 3 hour shift. But that's just the beginning. To win we're going to need a lot more shifts like that. We're setting up new locations, training new phone bank coordinators, and activating all of our resources to send Martha Coakley to the US Senate. Stay tuned.

Make the Health Care Bill More Progressive

This is it - the last chance for the health reform bill to be amended and passed.

The health care reform legislative process is in its final stages now that separate bills have passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate. House and Senate Democrats are working together to combine their bills with the goal of finding amendments and compromises that will allow the same bill to pass both chambers.

Even though some compromises have been made, the health reform legislation is still worth supporting as long as it achieves two key goals:

• Providing health coverage to at least 20-30 million people who currently do not have insurance.
• Putting a structure in place that will regulate insurance companies and end their worst abuses.

Call Representative Mike Capuano at (202) 225-5111 for the DC office or (617) 621-6208 for his district office. He is a strong progressive leader, and we want him to be more public and emphatic about his concerns for the Senate bill. Rep. Capuano is a key leader whom the House and Senate leadership are consulting as they craft the final bill.

During your call, please ask Rep. Capuano to help make the final legislation include more from the House bill than the Senate bill in the following areas:

1. The Exchange & Public Option. The Exchange - to provide a new health care marketplace for individuals and small businesses, the exchange must be national in its scope, as laid out in the House bill, in order to provide enough clout to negotiate reasonable rates and terms. The Public Option - to offer adequate competition and to set appropriate standards in order to prevent insurance companies from continuing to boost their rates and profits astronomically.

2. Subsidies for low and moderate income families. Subsidies are needed for these families to purchase health insurance. The funding and sources to provide this funding are far better in the House bill than the Senate. For example, a family of 3 with an income of $41,000/year would be required to pay an average of $7000 for insurance in the Senate bill as compared with $4866 in the House. In addition, the Senate bill taxes hard-won health benefits of employees, instead of raising fund by levying a small surcharge on the wealthy who make over one million dollars a year, as the House bill lays out. If people are required to have insurance, the insurance must be affordable.

3. Employer mandate. Employers need to be required to do their part in providing adequate health insurance. The House bill requires all but the smallest employers to provide good health benefits or pay into a pool to cover their employees through the Exchange. It also applies standard benefits specifications to all health plans, not just for small groups and individuals. It also mandates that health premiums cannot vary depending on the health status of the person covered. The Senate bill fails on all three counts.

Organizing for Martha Coakley for Senate - Two Weeks Till Election Day

As you may have heard, Rasmussen released a poll today showing GOP State Senator Scott Brown within 9 points of Attorney General Coakley. That's just too close. If you're reading this blog, I don't have to tell you that we can't afford to lose a US Senate seat.

The CSfC Elections Team has two projects during this brief, wintry campaign to keep that from happening. We're holding phone banks with our old friends the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW) at their offices at 15 Mount Auburn Street in Cambridge, between Harvard and Central Squares, every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday night through (Special) Election Day, January 19th.

Sign up here to join us from 6 to 9 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 5:30 to 8:30 PM on Sundays. HUCTW has phones, comfy chairs, the works.

We're also working with the Cambridge Democratic City Committee on an Absentee Voter project to increase voter turnout among local seniors - you can sign up for that project on the same form.

Pledge Project Today!

President Obama has asked us to canvass our neighborhoods today, talking one-on-one with members of our community about his budget plan. The pledge asks supporters to invest in what our President refers to as the three areas most critical to our future: Energy, Health care, and Education.

Click here if you want to sign the pledge. If you'd rather sign the pledge in person on this sunny spring day, come find us in Central Square, Harvard Square, Porter Square, or Davis Square. We'll be there from 10am-2pm, and we'd love to talk to you.

Even if you can't come out today, we would really like to hear from you. In the comments section, please tell us what's on your mind. What do you think of the President's budget plan? How do you feel about signing the pledge? What are your reservations? What do you hope the pledge will accomplish?

What do you think?

Urge your Senators to Support the President's Stimulus Package

CSFC encourages you to call your Senators and urge them to support the President's stimulus package, without cuts to badly-needed spending or tax breaks for the wealthy or corporations. Below is an "Action Alert" from United for a Fair Economy (UFE) that can help guide you in making your calls. Click here to find out more info on the stimulus package from UFE. Please call ASAP, as the Senate is expected to come to a final vote on Tuesday.

Dear supporter of United for a Fair Economy,

Tell your Senators to support the economic recovery plan without shrinking it or adding tax give-aways to corporations and the rich!

The Senate is currently debating a $900 billion economic recovery plan. We believe a stimulus package this large is necessary because our economy is spiraling downward. President Obama's economic recovery plan will help real people, not the Wall Street banks. It's not perfect, but it's targeted on both stimulating the economy immediately and investing wisely in long-term growth.

Please take 5 minutes TODAY to call your Senators. Below is a script and toll-free number that make it easy for you to make a difference.

Call 866-544-7573, listen to a brief message, and ask to be connected to one of your two Senators. Then, tell the person who answers the phone:

• I am a constituent. My name is _____________.
• As a person who wants to reduce economic inequality, I want to urge the senator to vote for the economic recovery plan and oppose amendments to gut it by shrinking its size or to replace it with tax give-aways to corporations and the rich that won't create jobs.
• The Obama plan will save or create millions of jobs, will help protect our state against hunger, sickness and unemployment, and help to rebuild our infrastructure and educational systems.

Then call again to speak to your other senator. If you are unable to get through using the above number, please call the main Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected with your two Senators, or click here for the names of your two U.S. senators and their direct lines in Washington and at home.

YOUR CALL IS NEEDED - PLEASE KEEP TRYING UNTIL YOU GET THROUGH.

You can also click here to email your Senators (see "Web Form" or "Email" link listed under your senators' names).

THE SENATE WILL VOTE TODAY, and the bill will make its way to President Obama by February 16.

A stimulus package is likely to be passed - we need to make sure it is the best it can be. With your help we can pass an economic recovery plan that makes a huge difference in people's lives and how much they are hurt by the economic crisis.

Conservative opponents of a fair economy are pushing changes designed to make the plan fail. Opponents want to cut provisions that will help reduce economic inequality – including funds for states to provide healthcare, education, and childcare, as well as tax cuts for lower-income families. Instead, conservatives want more tax cuts for corporations and $3.1 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy – tax cuts that, our experiences show, do not create jobs. Conservative talk radio hosts are rallying their audiences to call Washington in support of these irresponsible changes, and it's our job to outweigh their efforts.

So, please CALL 866-544-7573 TODAY and tell your Senators to support the economic recovery plan, without shrinking it or adding tax give-aways to corporations and the rich.

Visit the following link to download information on both the House and Senate bills:
http://chn.org/pdf/2009/RecoveryBillschart.pdf

Please forward this alert as an attachment to your family, friends and colleagues who may want to get involved.

Thanks for taking action to promote a fair economy.

Lee Farris
United for a Fair Economy
29 Winter St., Boston, MA 02108
617-423-2148 x133
lfarris@faireconomy.org