DFNYC Linkup, Net Neutrality, Kennedy update

Busy day yesterday. Lots to do today, personally and for democracy.

Democracy for New York had a Sunnyside linkup at the Grind coffee shop, thanks to activists Heather Woodfield and Dan Jacoby [click title link for DFNYC], who hosted the event. The rainy night aside we had an invigorating time, thanks to their efforts and some good folk who showed and shared: Alice Cardona, Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, Robin Cook, Jimmy Van Bramer and me, with a special visit from Assemblymember Cathy Nolan. I'm already petitioning for Cathy but I may get involved with the Tasini campaign, thanks to their emphasis on petitioning. While DFNYC has not endorsed Jonathan Tasini for US Senate, they encourage petitioning and even have a handy NY state petitioning guide on their web site. (This will be a useful reminder for the WQIDC folk doing petitioning.) I look forward to good things coming out of this group as it grows. Together we will strengthen our democracy. (Pictures will be posted later, here and/or at my Flickr site, linked at right.)

Of course, to do that we need to maintain Net Neutrality. If they can slow down the internet for diseminating the progressive message, we will have to work harder. Best to stand up for a free and open web now, instead of letting AT&T, Verizon and their ilk make more corporate profit at the expense of our democracy. MoveOn is doing a lot in that area and we have to be in touch with our politicians. I called Joe Crowley's office and spoke with Esther Genuth, an intern, who was happy to take my message but said she wasn't sure of Joe's position and that I should visit his website. I will. [UPDATE: Argh! He voted AGAINST net neutrality - bad, Joe, bad! Both our other West Queens Congressmembers supported it.] David Stoopler at Chuck Schumer's office told me that Chuck hasn't come out with his position. Anne at the Front Desk (she wouldn't give her last name :-) at Hillary Clinton's office said that Hillary is co-sponsoring a bill on net neutrality. I haven't checked it yet, but hopefully it won't be watered down. This is important. We must encourage more to act on this.

Finally, fair elections are essential, because all of the work we do can't get people elected if the vote's aren't counted and this leads to my Robert F. Kennedy Jr. update on the Stolen 2004 election which appears in the Rolling Stone this month and on the web. I've made a Google alert and more is appearing in the semi-mainstream, but I know we have to follow Thom Hartmann's lead in demanding it be covered more. I would urge folks to read Bobby's article, call the DNC 202-863-8000 about it, and keep talking up Kennedy's article and the whole subject of election theft and hackable electronic voting machines. Listen to Bobby's interview on Air America Radio's David Bender's June 4th Politically Direct show, which can be downloaded at this link. Lots to do. Please do what you can.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne