Phil Lopes, former State House Minority Leader, will update lefties of all stripes on local Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) organizing efforts at the Drinking Liberally gathering on Sunday, April 10.

Congressman Raul Grijalva and populist commentator Jim Hightower addressed a standing room only crowd at PDA’s initial organizing meeting back in February.

Since then, PDA has been organizing a local steering committee to run the local group and organizing teams to tackle PDA’s core issues. Several Issue Organizing Teams (IOTs) have held strategy meetings and participated in nationwide conference calls around PDA’s core issues: Accountability/Justice, Climate Change, Clean/Fair Elections, Economic and Social Justice, End the Wars/Redirect the Funds, Health Care for All, and a new IOT– Immigration. More volunteers– including IOT leaders– are needed.

PDA is planning another big event for April 25 at the YWCA on Bonita. The featured speaker will be Congressman Grijalva who will address the federal budget. (Watch for further details in the future.)

Personally, I think PDA is a breath of fresh air in a bleak political landscape. If you’re as disgusted as I am with the corporate-controlled political parties, stop by The Shanty tonight or come to the April 25 meeting to learn more about PDA.

Tonight, kibitzing and drinking– both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages– begins at 6 p.m. Lopes will speak at 7 p.m. Drinking Liberally is a nationwide organization of liberal thinkers who gather regularly to discuss politics. The Tucson group meets every Sunday evening at The Shanty.

More than 300 unapologetic progressives packed a local YWCA for the inaugural meeting of Progressive Democrats of America, Tucson Chapter. (Photo Credit: Pamela Powers)

Who said the progressive movement was dead? It is alive and well in Tucson, Arizona.

An estimated 300 activists, liberals, Green Party members, and Democratic Party foot soldiers crammed into a large meeting room at the YWCA on the west side of Tucson Monday night for the inaugural meeting of the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), Tucson Chapter.

Twenty minutes before the meeting started, it was standing room only. By the time the first speaker began at 7 p.m., all chairs were filled and people were standing 2-3 deep on the sidelines, sitting 4-5 deep on the floor in front, and standing out in the hall.

Pretty much all of Tucson’s liberal leaders and volunteers– including a significant portion of Democratic Party Precinct Committeepersons (PCs)– came to hear what Congressman Raul Grijalva, populist radio commentator Jim Hightower and PDA leaders Tim Carpenter and Mimi Kennedy had to say.

As one of the introductory speakers, Carpenter sparked cheers from the crowd with fiery rhetoric, saying, “We [PDA] are not the Democratic Party… We’re the insurgency of the Democratic Party!”

Carpenter said that PDA was born out of the presidential races of Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean. He gave a shout-out to other liberal groups whose members were in attendance: MoveOn.org, Democracy for America, Jobs with Justice, and the Central Labor Council.

Populist commentator and author Jim Hightower was the keynote speaker, along with Congressman Raul Grijalva. (Photo Credit: Pamela Powers)

“Building community and building organization. That’s what PDA is about,” said Carpenter. But despite their efforts, progressives learned in recent years that electing a Democratic Party president and Congress wasn’t enough to get progressive legislation enacted. PDA is now going to work inside and outside the Democratic Party for real change in America.

The speeches were punctuated with cheers when Carpenter, Grijalva, and Hightower talked about taking our country back from the radical right and corporate pawns in the  Republican and Democratic Parties.

Hightower warned activists that taking the country back from the corporate oligarchy that now runs it would be a long struggle and likened it to the 70-year battle for women’s suffrage.

Hightower did admit that he wasn’t beyond “colluding with the pharmaceutical industry” in his quest to rebuild the middle class. He wants them to invent a “new Viagra” that could be used to stiffen the spines of Democrats and give them the backbone to fight for the middle class, rather than kowtowing to big business and their lobbying machine.

After the speeches, attendees broke up into issue organizing teams around PDA’s six core issues:

• Single-payer healthcare (Medicare for All)
• Peace (ending the wars and occupations and redirecting the funds)
• Clean elections and voter rights (including repeal of Citizens United and elimination of private funding for elections)
• Economic and social justice
• Accountability of elected officials
• Environment and global warming

Republicans and Republican-lite Democrats– be forewarned. Like the Tea Party on the right, progressives are “mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore”. Well, maybe we’re seriously annoyed and not going to donate to or volunteer for Republican-lite anymore. Southern Arizona Leadership Council Democratic Party sympathizers and No Labels Democrats could be in trouble, if even half of the Democratic Party PCs in attendance decide to work for real progressive candidates and issues instead of just settling for someone who is not Republican.

The Tucson meeting was the second in a series of PDA organizing meetings across the state. According to Carpenter, the Bisbee organizing meeting drew 120 attendees; later this week PDA will hold events in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Winslow.

Watch for an update of this story with full video of the speeches.

Old Glory (Photo Credit: Pamela Powers)

Since I wrote Disgusted? It’s time to organize a year ago, our state’s swirl down the drain has accelerated, and the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is working hard for military-industrial complex– while ignoring the needs of the American people.

Liberals, who were only disgusted last year, are either: 1) angry about the destruction of our country by greedy corporatists and ready to take to the streets to protest capitalist dictators or 2) resigned to the destruction of our country and preparing for total economic collapse by buying some chickens, planting a garden, installing rainwater harvesting and solar panels, and living “off the grid”.

Living "off the grid": rain water cistern + loyal guard dog. (Photo Credit: Pamela Powers)

If you have been reading the news (1, 2, 3, 4)  in the past year, you, too, are probably somewhere on that sliding scale of disgusted-angry-resigned.

Before you buy those chickens, try organizing. Trust me, right-wing Tea Partiers are not the only people who are fed up with business-as-usual government in Washington, DC and Phoenix.

On Monday, February 21, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) will hold an organizing meeting in Tucson.

Political commentator Jim Hightower and Congressman Raul Grijalva will be the guest speakers at the inaugural meeting of the newly formed Tucson PDA chapter. If you listen to KXCI, you have heard Hightower’s sometimes-caustic but always poignant political commentaries.

From his website, here’s a taste of Hightower’s tell-it-like-it-is style.

Corporate America’s idea of Patriotism
If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

More than an old adage, that’s a crucial operating principle of presidential leadership. Indeed, it’s a mark of political character, defining whether a president will stand up for the many, or be pushed around by the arrogant few.

In the past, when over-privileged corporate barons selfishly feathered their already-luxurious nests at the expense of America’s national interests, some U.S. Presidents had the moxie to get in their royal faces. Using what Theodore Roosevelt called the “bully pulpit” of the presidency, those White House champions of the common good confronted the greed of the corporate elite, rallying the larger public to bring them down to earth.

Barack Obama does not seem to have such presidential fortitude. Corporate America has been given a wealth of tax breaks, regulatory favors, and absurd levels of subsidies in recent years, amassing a stash of cash that now tops $2 trillion. But they adamantly refuse to invest that in American jobs and communities. Yet, in a recent meeting with these arrogant powers, Obama showed neither anger nor strength. Rather, he essentially begged them to consider “what you can do for America.” Pretty please. With sugar on it. “I want to encourage you to get in the game” of job creation, he pleaded.

Encourage? Why not demand?

And what did he buy with this genteel appeal to corporate patriotism? He got the corporate thumb jabbed in his eye. “Bottom line,” barked the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s chief lobbyist after Obama’s plea, “The most patriotic thing a company can do is to ensure it is in business.”

What a perfect expression of today’s prevailing corporate ethic. It’s a perverse twist on John Kennedy’s appeal: Ask not what you can do for your country; ask what you can do for yourself. Why should any President want any part of that?

What: Organizing meeting for Progressive Democrats of America
When: Monday, February 21, 7:00pm (Registration begins 6:30)
Where: Tucson YWCA, 525 N. Bonita (just south of St. Mary’s Road, half mile west of I-10)
Suggested Donation: $5 at the door.

A scene from the 2010 Tucson Peace Fair. (Photo Credit: Pamela Powers)

Righties would like to believe that Lefties are at home, moping and depressed at the state of our state and our country– following the 2010 “shellacking”– and sipping Chardonnay as we read progressive blogs and long for a political miracle.

While there may be some truth to that scenario, Southern Arizona Lefties have a myriad of socializing, organizing, and energizing opportunities in the coming weeks to cheer us up and sharpen our resolve.

Corazon de Justicia Awards Dinner, Friday, February 18, 2011– Sponsored by Derechos Humanos, this dinner recognizes the work of “community organizers for their commitment to justice and social change.” Beginning at 6:30 p.m., the event will be held at the Apollo Middle School. The cost is $35 per person. Follow the link for more information about the program and the keynote speaker David Bacon, a writer for TruthOut, The Nation, and other publications. (Here’s a link to a story on last year’s event.)

Organizing Meeting for Progressive Democrats of America Tucson Chapter, Monday, February 21, 2011– Jeff Latas (former Congressional candidate), Phil Lopes (former Arizona Legislator), and other progressives are firing up local lefties and trying to get us organized. This first meeting will feature Congressman Jim Hightower and our own Congressman Raul Grijalva (Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus). The meeting will be held at the Tucson YWCA, 525 N. Bonita (just south of St. Mary’s Road ½ mile west of I-10). The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m., with registration starting at 6:30. Suggested donation is $5 at door. For more information contact Phil Lopes: lopesphil@gmail.com.

“Join me in this new chapter to help energize the much needed change we desperately need in our country and in Arizona. We can no longer count on someone else doing the changing and we definitely shouldn’t count on the status quo of our current party structures. It is up to us to make this much needed political change and we must act now. Hope to see you and many of your friends at the YWCA on 21 February,” says Latas.

29th Annual Tucson Peace Fair and Music Festival, Saturday, February 26, 2011– Billed as “Arizona’s largest gathering of peace, social justice and environmental groups,” the Tucson Peace Fair is a free, family-friendly event featuring live music and dozens of booths representing activist organizations and political movements. The event is 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Reid Park Bandshell. (Here’s a link to a story on last year’s event.)

1st Annual Consuelo Aguilar Awards Luncheon, Saturday, February 26, 2011– The Southern Arizona Unity Coalition will honor the 11 ethnic studies teachers with presentation of the first Consuela Aguilar Award. The goal of the group is to honor Aguilar’s memory by recognizing community leaders “who embody her commitment to education and community empowerment.” Tickets are $25 each, and the event will be 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the University Marriott.

Democratic Party LD28 St. Patrick’s Day Party, Saturday, March 13, 2011– This is an annual fundraiser for local Democrats. The potluck event is held at the home of life-long Tucson Democrats George and Margie Cunningham, parents of City Councilman Paul Cunningham. The event is from 2 to 5 p.m. at 630 N. Alamo. Tickets will go on sale after Feb. 15. They are $20 if purchased prior to March 10 and $25 after the March 10 or at the door.

March for Peace and Jobs, Saturday March 19, 2011 — March 19 is the 8th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. This event is still being organized by the End the Wars Coalition. The March will begin at 10 a.m. at Armory Park and end with a rally at noon at DeAnza Park. Watch for more details. From the Tucson Peace Center website: March and Rally to Protest the Wars and Demand funding for social programs. Puppets, floats (that will fit on the sidewalk) and other forms of creative protest are invited. If you focus on Border issues, join us. If you focus on Health Care, join us. If your focus is Education or Job Creation, join us. (You get the idea–) Environmentalists, ethnic studies students, anti-SB1070′ers–join us with your banners and your priorities. We are all scrambling for the crumbs of funding left over after our government is finished paying for multiple wars–demand change now!

Solar oven-- one of the many environmentally friendly products featured at Solar Rock 2010. (Photo Credit: Pamela Powers)

Solar Rock Tucson, Sunday, March 27, 2011– Solar Rock is an outdoor,  solar-powered music concert and vendor fair. The rock concert demonstrates the power of the sun loud and clear. Last year, there were several vendors with information on solar panels, solar hot water systems, rainwater harvesting, bicycle commuting, and all things environmentally friendly. This year’s event is from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Armory Park.

22nd Annual LULAC Educator’s Banquet, Thursday, March 31, 2011– The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) will host its annual awards banquet in the Copper Room of the Tucson Convention Center. Tickets are $75 per person. No host bar begins at 5:30 p.m., with the dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Mark your calendars, fellow comrades! Come out and meet other like-minded people at one or more of these worthwhile events.