Rep. Grijalva on Need to Address Climate Change - House Floor, April 2013

Southern Arizona Congressman says the flow of the Colorado River-- the "life blood of Arizona"-- will be reduced by 30% by 2050.

"We need proactive solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change," Grijalva said.

Upcoming Event: Exposing Arizona's Political Corruption

PDA Tucson, along with labor and immigration rights advocates, is sponsoring an upcoming free event featuring the "United States of ALEC" and a discussion led by Sam Wercinski of the Arizona Advocacy Network on Saturday, June 1. 

Here is the announcement from the AZ AFL-CIO, PALF, IBEW 570, Tucson PDA, and Border Action Network:

WHAT: Join Arizona Advocacy Network Foundation to expose how lobbyists and Big Money buy favor with officials at the our expense. We begin with a special showing of Bill Moyers’ United States of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), exposing how Big Money uses campaign cash and freebies to buy access to OUR tax dollars for greater profit at the expense of jobs and voter priorities. We then highlight important bills being voted on by the legislature and Congress on Clean Elections, other political anti-corruption/conflict of interests bills, voting rights and election administration. Learn more about our March 18, 2013 U.S. Supreme Court hearing to defend every eligible citizen’s right to register to vote without the barriers Arizona politicians keep in place.

WHEN: Saturday, June 1, 2013

Check-in 10:00 a.m. - Film begins 10:30 a.m. - Lunch and Legislative Update 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: IBEW 570 Union Hall, 750 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/375979945856586/

This event is FREE, but registration is required.

Go to this website to register...
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QbKsjna2nU_2XHM5vM3IR1Pjs2bB8BqZsD510JHdVzw/viewform?pli=1

Grijalva Leads House Committee Fight Against Keystone XL Pipeline

Watch Southern Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva debunks claims related to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

"There will be no lasting impact on the energy independence question for the American people," he said.

Ashley Sanders of Move to Amend Speaking in Tucson, May 26

Are you tired of corporations running our elections with dark money donations? Join the Move to Amend movement!

On Sunday, May 26, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson will host a Move to Amend presentation by activist Ashley Sanders. 

Here is the background from the national Move to Amend website...

Ashley Sanders is touring the country for Move to Amend in an effort to build connections, inspire activism, and reveal the origins of corporate power in America.

Ashley Sanders is a long-time community activist from Salt Lake City, Utah. She began political work doing campus organizing against the Bush administration and then worked to build third parties as the Nader spokesperson in 2008. She worked for Democracy Unlimited (a Move to Amend Founding Organization) in 2009 and helped to form the Move to Amend coalition. She founded the Salt Lake affiliate of Move to Amend and serves on the National Leadership Team.

Move to Amend is a national coalition of over 280,000 people and organizations whose goal is to amend the US Constitution to end corporate rule and get money out of politics.

Sanders tells the history of the American Constitution as it pertains to Corporate Personhood and illegitimate but legal corporate constitutional rights, followed by facilitated discussion/Q and A. "Organizing to End Corporate Rule & Get Money Out of Politics" aims to help local folks understand how they can work to abolish corporate personhood and establish a government of, by, and for the people.

This event is free and open to the general public, donations appreciated, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. The UU church is located at 4831 E. 22nd St. in Tucson.

https://movetoamend.org/events/tucson-az-move-amend-barnstorming-tour-ashley-sanders

Here is a link to this event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/573962069314743/

PDA to Congress: 'Austerity Is Not an Option'

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) members visited roughly 200 Congressional offices nationwide on May 15 with an urgent message for their representatives: "Austerity is not an option."   In addition, 2,000 PDA members called their Congressional representatives yesterday, and PDA/Robin Hood Tax supporters held demonstrations in San Francisco and Fresno. Over the past year, PDA's monthly letter drop campaign has mushroomed from a handful of offices visited to nearly half of Congress.

Once again, here in Tucson, PDA  visited the office of Representative Ron Barber. Once again, we asked him to back the Financial Speculation Tax (AKA the Robin Hood Tax) which would charge a tiny fee for every Wall Street transaction, stop speculative minute-by-minute computerized trading, bring stability to the financial markets, and generate billions of dollars for our economy. Once again, we asked him to protect the middle class, the veterans, and the poor by protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Mr. Barber, aren't there more regular folks in CD 2 than bankers? Why would you protect Wall Street-- and not your constituents?

The only thing I can say to you is, "We're not giving up, and we're not going away."