WQIDC looking to reactivate

We'd be interested in your thoughts about having regular meetings again. Please let us know of your interest. A poll is being sent out from the old list serve. You can also

1. reply to this post below, 
2. write to wqidc@yahoo.com or 
3. send a note to our snail mail box:

PO Box 4252
Sunnyside NY 11104-0252

Dorothy Morehead is heading up this effort. Yay, Dorothy!

Hope we hear from some old members and potential new members.

VOTE Today 6 am - 9 pm + Volunteer Info

The New York State polls are open today from 6 AM to 9 PM. You must be allowed to vote if you are in line at 9 PM.

Confirm where to vote. Get your polling place through the Obama campaign here or NYC folks can go here for both polling place and a sample ballot display. For personalized voter information, check out the League of Women Voter's Vote411.org site. (This should work for our non-NY friends too.) If you are in an area affected by Hurricane Sandy, check out this NYC emergency voting place info or call 866-VOTE-NYC / 866-868-3692, TTY 212-487-5496. To send a more progressive message vote on ROW D, the Working Families Party line, as long as your candidate of choice is there. NYS allows fusion voting and these votes will tally with those on the Democratic Party line.

VOLUNTEER. If you have time today to help with the get out the vote campaign for President Obama, consider going to the Long Island City campaign office at 41-07 Crescent Street, the northern side of Queensboro Plaza, across from the parking lot. Bring cell phone and charger (though they have some cell phones there). You might be able to reach the campaign directly at 917 806 4580 to check to see if they need help. They will be there until 9 pm.

OR you can make calls from home via call.barackobama.com

Most of all VOTE and REMIND your like-minded friends to VOTE, especially if they are in swing states. Urge everyone to be prepared to wait in line if necessary.

Thanks!

Nichols and McChesney on Citizens United

WATCH. VOTE. WORK on this issue so that WE the People have a voice and that "NO ONE has the right to a speech that shouts down other citizens." Get the money out of politics and let REAL people speak.

From Laura Flanders:

The Supreme Court's "Citizens United" court case has made a bad situation worse by allowing corporations to inject even more money into our political process. John Nichols and Bob McChesney explain how we can begin to take back our democracy from the monied interests that currently monopolize power.

St Pat's Parade Sun., March 6

[Always the first Sunday of March, which is the 6th this year with a SHORTER route. LOOK FOR US on 47th Street ! Note the 2 pm time, but seasoned marchers know that they usually start late. Weather-permitting for some of our marchers -- but some of us will be there at 1:30 PM to hold our spot!! Kate will have her cell phone 917 374 9679. See http://stpatsforall .com/  Also, we usually go out AFTER for FUN.]

We are now registered as a participant for 

the 12th annual

St. Patrick's Parade  

of Queens, NY

Please join us for the parade 

or greet us along the route:

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

2:00 - 4:00 pm 

Starting Point: 47th St and Skillman Ave. in Sunnyside Queens

(marching from 47th St., up Skillman, north over 56th and heading up Woodside Ave. to 58th St.)

How are YOU celebrating the new era of change? You may leave us YOUR suggestion(s) to share with others BUT we have TWO ideas

In Sunnyside, some of us WQIDC members are going to Bliss Bistro on Tuesday evening, Jan. 20, to celebrate and toast Barack Obama's inauguration. Your are welcome to JOIN US:

BLISSful Sunnyside Celebration
Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009
7 PM

Dinner and one drink and a lot of GREAT COMPANY
(And we hope to replay some key moments by computer connection.)
Price to be determined by # RSVP-ing ($30 to 35 is Dorothy's guestimate)
Bliss Bistro -- 46th & Skillman, Sunnyside
Hosted by Dorothy Morehead and Kate Anne Brennan
RSVP by contacting Kate by phone or at kateanne7 at yahoo.com

And another suggestion is Living Liberally 's Sunday evening Inaugural Ball:

The Living Liberally Inaugural Ball
Sunday, January 18th - 8pm
Rush - 6th Avenue @ 16th Street, Manhattan

Three floor dance party; special guests; drink specials all night and the first drink on us; the Inaugural energy right here in New York.

...and help support Living Liberally -- our chapters around the country, in conservative areas as well as progressive centers, gave liberals a way to engage and take action this election season. Help us grow to keep the liberal community going in a new administration.

We'll also be "Feeding Liberally" -- that is, collecting food for local foodbanks as part of a national Drinking Liberally effort to donate to pantries across the country. So bring your dancing shoes and a few canned goods.

(Attire is whatever you make of it -- there will be people in suits and gowns, and others dressed down to get down)

With special thanks to our Party Partners:Rush, Democrats.com, Time Out New York,Democracy for NYC, Blue State Coffee, Citizen Joe, Daily Gotham, ActBlue, The Albany Project, Community Free
Democrats.

To our Honorary Party Hosts: State Senator Daniel Squadron, City Council Member Bill deBlasio, State Senator Eric Schneiderman

And to our
Party Hosts: David Alpert and Stefanie Schneider, Katrina Baker, Josh Bolotsky,
Mary Bruch, Justin Krebs, Matt O'Neill, Greg Rae, Claire Silberman

Get Your BALL Tickets Now SLIDING COST $20 to $4400 -- MORE INFO or email info@livingliberally.org

After several stolen elections and eight years of what Mike Malloy calls "the Bush Crime Family", we have plenty of reason to celebrate wherever you are!

WQIDC registers/petitions at Strawberry Fair

Cathy, Kate, Jimmy, Dan


WQIDC President and State Committeman Jimmy Van Bramer was out petitioning and registering voters along with Kate Anne Brennan. Both are seen here with Assemblymember Cathy Nolan (left) and Democracy for New York's Sunnyside leader Dan Jacoby (right) at the annual Strawberry Fair, hosted by All Saints' Episcopal Church in Sunnyside, New York -- June 14, 2008.

May 15: Clean Elections Panel Discussion

West Queens Independent Democratic Club
and
Citizen Action of NY

Invite you to a Panel Discussion:

CLEAN ELECTIONS AND THE MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
Thurs., May 15, 2008 -- 7 PM
at All Saints' Church Hall, 43-12 46 St, Sunnyside
[#7 Train - to 46/Bliss Street]

Clean Elections puts Power back where it belongs:
IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE

All of the movements for social justice are dramatically affected by the influence of private money in our elections.

Panel Discussion Will Include:
* The Fight for Universal Healthcare Through Clean Elections
* Clean Elections: A Civil Rights Necessity
* Power and the Rent Wars: Why Are Tenants Losing?
* Clean Elections Here and Now

Why Full Public Financing of Elections? Clean Money/Clean Elections is a full public financing system for election campaigns under which candidates who agree to limit spending, not take any private interest money, and collect only a limited number of small, indvidiual contributons from their constitutents, can qualify for a set amount of public funds to run their campaigns.

Clean Elections levels the playing field, focuses on the needs and interests of the voters, and is a common-sense solution to restoring democracy.

Sponsorship list in formation. Initial Co-Sponsors:
Democracy for NYC, Met Council on Housing, Metro NY Healthcare for All Campaign, Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition, West Queens Greens, Long Island City Alliance, Democracy Matters, Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, New Visions Democratic Club....

JOIN US! For more info, to RSVP, and to co-sponsor, please contact Citizen Action of NY at 212-523-0180, ext 43, kguild@citizenactionny.org

Hartmann: Roll Back the Reagan Tax Cuts

A recent Common Dreams article by Thom Hartmann is worth a good read and follow-up action: Roll Back the Reagan Tax Cuts.

If you go to the online version, you will find some great discussion and you can check out some other great articles. Here is a taste:

Roll Back the Reagan Tax Cuts
by Thom Hartmann

Our bridges are falling apart (among other things), and its Ronald Reagan’s fault.

A few hours before the bridge collapsed in Minnesota, a news release landed (among hundreds) in my email inbox. It was from the right-wing “Heartland Institute” and a Minnesota conservative group calling itself the “Taxpayers League of Minnesota.” It read:

"Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) issued 20 full or partial vetoes of tax hikes and spending increases in May, giving taxpayers reason to smile. … " more

Please consider printing out some copies to give a few friends AND send with penned comments to our Senators and Representative(s). In case you want to send the article (or letter) to Hillary and Chuck and your rep, we would recommend sending items to a local office address since not only are they on break right now, but even afterwards congressional mail in DC is extremely delayed due to checking for anthrax and other such things. Which reminds me that we are overdue in revising our political address sheet update. Our WQIDC "To-do" expands.

We welcome your comments on this article. But more than that, we welcome your action. "Tag, you're it!"