CURE RED FEVER (McPherson Strain)
or die with California Blues
- CDC report or origin of new Red Fever Strain
- Viral Contagions Rap Sheet
- Miracle Cure: Tuesday, 3/29/05 [Even if you can't go, please see important numbers to call]
Hello Fellow California Citizens Who Realize We're in the Throes of a Bad Case of Red Fever--
It's enough to ruin a holiday weekend--there's a new strain of Red Fever evidenced by Arnold's flexing his two big exploding muscles (fat with GOP money and pulled with Dieboldical tendons), but then we remember that millions of us peons [See more below the fold]
have rock-sized. . . .uh. . .things--that if thrown together could make a difference. Yes, it's an analogy AND it's pep talk for OUR pep rally (okay, okay, it's a protest) on show-down day, 3/29/05, THIS TUESDAY morning at our Sacramento Capitol steps.
If you're one of those lucky folks who have a job, you can still participate--you're not off the hook--see details befow about one or two phones (or faxes) we all must make or forever hold our peace. . . .
1) THE CDC SAYS THE SOURCE OF THIS STRAIN OF RED FEVER CAN BE SUMMARIZED BY THIS STATEMENT OF THE DFA/MARIN COUNTY:
[Addressed to the California Assembly that will hear McPherson's second--and likely final--confirmation hearing this Tuesday, 3/29/05]
Last week at the 3/16/05 Senate hearing we, Democracy for America/Marin County chapter ("DFA/Marin"), welcomed the highly recommended Mr. Bruce McPherson as our new Secretary of State. Once Mr. McPherson allayed our concerns in his answers to the Senate, we were relieved that this transition phase would soon be over.
However, several days later we became aware of McPherson's Transition Team, and we thought it prudent to see if the people he selected might offer some insight into how he would run the SoS's office. We want to think the best of Mr. McPherson, but political history has proven it's best to err on the side of caution.
After much consideration, we now regret to inform you that we can we no longer recommend McPherson. We are concerned that too many members of McPherson's Transition Team have apparent conflicts-of-interest. At least five members of the team either have ties with e-voting vendors (which is particularly disturbing in a time when our HAVA millions must be spent on e-voting equipment), and/or they have very partisan ties to the GOP-Schwarzenegger administration, including specializations in redistricting (which is particularly disturbing in light of Gov. Schwarzenegger's plan to bring redistricting directly to ballot later this year).
We believe that Mr. McPherson's choice of advisors, his Transition Team, reveals an inadequate respect for election integrity and will likely make it impossible for the well regarded and highly respected McPherson to reach the standards of non-partisanship that we had hoped he would desire. We've come to the conclusion that we must weigh our decision in favor of the fact that California voters--your constituency--cannot have the shadow of doubt cast over the outcome of any of our future elections.
Our election integrity concerns are non-partisan, and we look forward to working with you to find a SoS who wants what our citizens--and ANY citizens in a democracy want and deserve--a voting system they can safely rely on. It's that simple.
2) VIRAL CONTAGION RAP SHEET SUMMARY ON WHAT WE KNOW
(Please read the list below and ask yourself: Are these these kind of folks you want advising our SoS who will soon need to spend our HAVA millions on e-voting equipment and oversee Schwarzenegger's ballot initiative to redistrict Calfiornia? Do you see hints that would reasonably lead us to suspect that at least five of these folks may have partisan or e-voting influences--influences that may well eclipse their concerns for what is best for the voters?)
The Rap Sheet:
Bryant, Cynthia: Chief Legislative Affairs Secretary to Schwarzenegger; formerly lead policy director for Senate Republican caucus--specialized in political reform act.
Cain, Bruce: Redistricting specialist
Clark, Bradley: Registrar of Voters for Alameda County and it was his guidance that brought paperless e-voting to Alameda.
Hawkins, Ernest: Director of "Election Center," a dubious organization funded by e-voting vendors.
Lapsley, Robert: Bush appointee to the State Department and repsonsible for strategic modernization initiatives in elections
Lesher, Bryant: Advocate of proportional voting systems in Calfiornia.
Merksamer, Steven: Too much to mention--just think of him as the partner of a powerful Sacramento law firm that specializes in redistricting. Also, he is connected with fundraising efforts for Schwarzenegger's special election (which has redistricting as its centerpiece).
Miller-Malek, Beth: Directly connected to Schwarzenegger's chief fundraiser and attempted to gut workman's comp.
Ortega, Adan (Jr.): Spokesperson on chromium levels for the "bad guy water dept." in the real Erin Brockovich scandal. He allegedly only co-habits in office space shared with a Diebold communications firm --a communications firm for whom he does consulting work.
Wood, Wiliam: California Corporations Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Corporations
3) MIRACLE CURE RED FEVER RALLY
Rally Opposition to Sec. of State nominee McPherson!
Tuesday March 29 9:00 AM (and hours thereafter)
South Steps of the Capitol Building -- Sacramento --
Dress in a business suit and carry a briefcase (if you have one) full of fake money with Diebold written across the bills. Our slogan? "We Mean Business" ----
Other ideas? Women might be inspired to dress up as Lady Liberty and/or to bring signs regalling our democratic values--maybe--Protect Our Vote, Democracy In Peril, Lady Liberty Says No on McPherson, or ?
And more slogans!
And get big business out of the elections department. Vote to protect our Vote. No on McPherson! No on Merksamer! (Arnold's fundraiser on the McPherson transition team) Although the Senate overwhelmingly approved McPherson, the Assembly is divided, with the wise ones distrustful of McPherson's highly partisan transition team.
BTW, the Assembly Rules Committee grilled McPherson for 90 minutes before spring break, adjourning without an approval. The drama continues on Tuesday, when the Rules Committee members (5 Dems out of 8 members -- see below) resume the hearing.
We can stop this. Please join us!
*Let friends and contacts in Sacramento know about the rally -- their support is needed
*If you can join our "We Mean Business" rally, please let us know at pdlavote@aol.com --- this is a permitted rally
*Please immediately call and e-mail the 5 Democrats on the 8-member Assembly Rules Committee. Urge them to vote NO on McPherson for CA Secretary of State. The vote is Tuesday. Monday is a holiday.
Assemblymember.montanez@assembly.ca.gov
916-319-2039 and/or 818-838-3939
Assemblymember.Baca@assembly.ca.gov
916-319-2062 and/or 909-388-1413
Assemblymember.dymally@assembly.ca.gov
916-319-2052 and/or 310-223-1201
Assemblymember.Karnette@assembly.ca.gov
916-319-2054 and 562-997-0794
Assembly member Joe Coto
916-319-2023 and/or 408-277-1220
[Also, because the office is closed for the Easter holiday until Tuesday a.m., here's a list of numbers to fax your opposition:
-Cindy Montanez, Chairwoman Assembly Rules 916.319-2810
-David Cogdill, Vice-Chairman Assembly Rules
Committee 916.319.2125
-Fabian Nunez, Speaker of the Assembly 916.319.2146
-Kevin McCarthy, Assembly Republican Leader 916.319.2132
-Joe Baca 916.319.2162
-John Benoit 916.319.2164
-Joe Coto 916.319.2123
-Mervyn Dymally 916.319.2152
-Betty Karnette 916.319.2154
-Michael Villines 916.319.2129
-Joe Nation 916.319-2106
-Maureen Evans 916.319-2107
Thank you for previously contacting Assembly speaker Nunez's office to register your opposition to McPherson. McPherson wants to bring in a 70-million dollar Arnold fundraiser and a Diebold law firm rep to reorganize California's elections. Shades of Florida, 2000. Ohio, 2004. Bad news. Fight back.
Rally Organized by Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles--affiliated with Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)
CONTACT: Marcy Winograd, chair PDLA: pdlavote@aol.com -- OR to sign up for PDLA's list serve, go to pdla.org and click "Join PDLA"
To find your state contacts for PDA outside of the LA area, please visit www.pdamerica.org - click on California and join the growing progressive movement inside the Democratic Party.
Please circulate this e-mail to a minimum of 10 people in your address book. Send it to leaders of unions, advocacy groups, election protection groups, religious and social networks in our diverse communities -- we are all in jeopardy when our elections are tainted.