PRICELE$$, THE MOVIE: Free showing in Tucson

Arizona Advocacy Network Foundation and PDA Tucson are presenting a free showing of the documentary PRICELE$$ on Tuesday, July 17.

PRICELE$$ chronicles the shocking process of campaign fundraising. Following the movie, there will be a discussion of Arizona’s Clean Elections and the 2012 Ballot Measures. 

WHEN: Tuesday, July 17

WHERE: Hotel Tucson City Center, 475 North Granada Avenue

CHECK-IN: 5:30PM
FILM: 6:00PM
DISCUSSION: 7-8:00PM – Discussion

Please RSVP at: http://www.azadvocacy.org/forums-a-events/forums-a-events/176-a-special-free-showing-of-pricele-

Clean Elections provide a shield against the corrupting influence of big money in politics. Join the Arizona Advocacy Network and PDA in the fight to get big money out of politics and to achieve government for the People, not corporations. Learn how you can help strengthen this anti-corruption law at www.azadvocacy.org.

Important Discussion of Banking in Today's Arena

Please watch this discussion of banking in public life given by the Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi and Naked Capitalism's Yves Smith on a recent Bill Moyers Show. 

This material certainly frames and explains why we need public banking NOW!

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/taibbi-joins-yves-smith-on-moyers-20120625

PDA Tucson Economic and Social Justice Team

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Ward Six Council Office, 3202 E. First St., Tucson, AZ

10 AM – Noon

Present:  Harvey Akeson, Marjie Baker, Warren Demming, Richard Fridena, Jim Hannley, Phil Lopes, Susan Willis, Richard Brodesky

Special Guest:  Caroline Isaacs, American Friends Service Committee

Most of the meeting was spent on learning about the AFSC Program on Prison Reform.  We learned about public and private prisons.  We also learned about the contractual exigencies for nearly total occupancy.  We discussed the need for sentence reform and the need to reduce prison populations.  We discussed the economic consequences of private prisons and found out that they did NOT create new jobs in the communities that welcomed them.  Intergovernmental agreements also mean that deportees are being housed with very mixed prison populations. 

The IOT decided to collaborate with AFSC.  We will put questions about prison reform on the instrument to be distributed to congressional candidates.  We also will publicize and participate in (as we are able) AFSC advocacy training. 

Other Business:  A report was given on the meeting with the City of Tucson Director of Economic Development on public banking.  We will be contacting one or two city council members and possibly people from Pima County. 

Scheduling was discussed.  We’d like to continue meeting at this venue, but it cannot be booked until after July 1. 

Action in response to SCOTUS decision on SB1070: Updated

UPDATE...

Now that the Supreme Court has made their ruling on SB1070-- keeping some of it and scraping other parts-- here is more specific information from Derechos Humanos regarding the press conference and protests today and tomorrow (June 25-26).

ACTION ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TODAY!!!!! 

Tucson Community Members Demand a Repeal of SB1070: Affirm the Principle that if a Law is Unjust, Our Duty is Resistance!

1. Press Conference TODAY [June 25] At: 1pm @ Arizona State Building in Downtown Tucson, corner of Congress and Granada. 

2. Community rally at 4:30 pm TODAY [June 25] and TOMORROW [June 26], in opposition to SB1070 at the same place. Arizona State Building in Downtown Tucson, corner of Congress and Granada. 

3. Things to bring if you can: noise makers, signs, water and friends.

Original Story...


How will the US Supreme Court rule on Arizona's racist "papers please" SB1070? If the oral arguments are any indication, many of us on the left will not like it. The ruling is expected any day now.

If the SCOTUS rules in favor of SB1070 and allows it to stand, a local coalition is calling on Southern Arizonans to protest.

On the heels of the Supreme Court decision on SB1070, a broad coalition representing various members of the Tucson community is calling on southern Arizonans to stand together in defiance of the law and other racist policies and Practices of which it is a part. The court's expected decision is not definitive and we call on others to stand strong and to stand in solidarity with their neighbors.

WHAT: Community Rally in opposition to SB1070
TIME AND DATE: 4:30 pm on the day of the Supreme Court ruling on SB1070
WHERE: Arizona State Building in Downtown Tucson, corner of Congress and Granada

Tucson City Council votes to abolish corporate personhood

The US Supreme Court ruled in favor of Citizens United and proclaimed that corporations are people, they have the right to free speech, and, by the way, money equals speech. That was January 2010, and the country has not been the same since.

The 2010 elections were awash with secret, private campaign contributions, and campaign spending in this year's election is utterly obscene. Single individuals have their own personal PACs. Candidates have their own PACs (even though PACs and candidates are supposed to be separate). Even Jan Brewer has a PACs-- no problemo that they have spent a considerable about of the donations to buy her book.

As a result, a nationwide grassroots movement to amend the US Constitution has sprung up. Move to Amend is promoting a Constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, abolish corporate personhood, and deny that money equals speech.

Move to Amend, MoveOn.org, Progressive Democrats of America Tucson Chapter, Occupy Tucson, and other local groups encouraged the Tucson City Council to join Flagstaff and hundreds of US cities to pass a resolution to abolish corporate personhood.

At the June 12, 2012 City Council meeting, they voted 7-0 in favor of abolishing corporate personhood and supporting a Constitutional amendment.

Meet & Greet with Wenona: June 28

Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, Arizona CD1. Wenona is a Harvard-educated attorney from the Navajo Nation who is seeking to make history by becoming the first Native American woman ever elected to Congress, and the first Native American from Arizona to serve in Congress!

Come out and hear Wenona's vision for Arizona's working people, seniors, and middle-class families!

WHEN: Thursday, June 28th, 2012
WHERE: Rock N' Java Coffee House, 7555 Twin Peaks Rd., Marana
TIME: 5:00pm to 7:00pm

Directions: Exit the I-10 on Twin Peaks Rd. Take Twin Peaks Rd. west approx. 1 mile to Continental Ranch. Venue is located near the corner of Twin Peaks Rd. and Coachline Rd., on south side of street.

Event is free and open to the public! Coffee, tea, and refreshments will be served. Support Arizona small businesses, and support an Arizona candidate who will make history!

To RSVP, please contact Ruben Romero at 520.834.4784 or at ruben@wenonaforarizona.com

If you are unable to attend, please visit our website at www.wenonaforarizona.com to donate. Or you may send a check to the address below, made payable to "Wenona for Arizona."

July 1 Jim Hightower event to support Raul

Humorist, political commentator, and progressive scalawag, Jim Hightower will be returning to Tucson on Sunday, July 1 for a Raul Grijalva benefit at The Loft Cinema. The event starts at 5 p.m. with a patio social hour; Hightower's presentation will begin at 6 p.m.

PDA Tucson, Occupy Tucson, and other organizations will have tables at the issues fair, which will be open during the social hour. Come on down for a "howling good time."

From Hightower...

In the old west, it wasn't uncommon for big mining companies to buy off government officials or replace the ones who had the courage to stand up to them. Nowadays, it seems that not too much has changed. Thanks to Citizens United, multinational mining conglomerates, corporate polluters and other big businesses have been dumping backhoes of corporate cash into our national elections - and we need to help our Progressive champions like Rep. Raul Grijalva fight back. Please click here to help keep the mining minions from turning Washington into a company town. 

Raul is one of our top Progressive champions. His grassroots campaign organization and willingness to stand up to the establishment has carried him to victory for years - even when he is outspent 3 to 1 by his opponents! But as we've seen in places like Wisconsin, sometimes people power alone is no match for the Koch's corporate cash. 

Big business knows that Raul is the type of Democrat who cannot be bought - so they'll spend what it takes to beat him and buy a seat in Congress for their corporate lackey. Please click here to donate to help a true Progressive champion fight back against unlimited corporate cash. 

We've always been able to rely on Raul to fight for us in Washington. From championing single-payer/public option during health care reform to preventing the big diggers at Rio Tinto from destroying the scenic landscape and sacred tribal lands in the Southwest, Raul has got our backs. 

Over this past year, we've been fighting tooth and nail to elect more Progressive Democrats like Raul to Congress - but let's not forget that he too needs our help to get re-elected and keep on fighting in Washington. He's always stood with us, now it's time to stand with him. I'm doing all I can to help Raul, including going to Tucson on Sunday, July 1 for a fun and lively event celebrating the work that Raul does not just for the people in Arizona, but across the country . 

You can get event info here. If you happen to be in Arizona, or have friends and family there, tell them to come out to join us. And, please tell your friends and family about Raul, his work, and his campaign. Thanks for all you do!
Keep Agitating!
Hightower

Grijalva speaks out on the President's bold new immigration policy

Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, applauds President Obama's new immigration enforcement policy on MSNBC's "Politics Nation" June 15. More than 800,000 young people who were brought to the US illegally as minors will not be deported, if they meet certain criteria.

Why are We Concerned about Arizona's Prisons?

Just in case anyone is wondering about attending this Saturday's Economic and Social Justice IOT meeting, a quick read of this article maqy help you decide. 

Pam Powers Hannley, our excellent media person, has found this link which will astound you!

http://www.christiandemocratsofamerica.org/2012/06/arizona-prisons-a-social-justice-emergency/ 

Till Sat., 6/23, 10 AM - 12, Ward 6 Council Office, 3202 E. First St. 

PDA Tucson Economic and Social Justice Team

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Ward Six Council Office, 3202 E. First St., Tucson, AZ

10 AM – Noon

1.0        General Matters

1.1        Welcome

1.2        Approval of Minutes

1.3        Agenda Modifications

2.0        Presentation by Carolyn Isaacs, American Friends Service Committee

2.1        Can we support this endeavor?  If so, how?

3.0        Old Business

3.1        Meetings with City Officials

4.0        New Business

4.1        Richard’s Situation

4.2        Reports from Steering Committee