PROGRESSIVE EVENTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND DC

PROGRESSIVE EVENTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND DC

The Audubon Society and others forum
Candidates for the upcoming District 4 County Council special primary
election will discuss their positions and issues.

Date: Sunday March 22, 2009 Time: 7:30 pm
Place: Woodend: Audubon Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase
MD 20815

Expected candidates: Michael Bigler, Robert Goldman, Thomas Hardman, Ben
Kramer, Cary Lamari, Nancy Navarro, Also invited: George Gluck (Green
Party)

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Building the Election Reform Movement MeetUp (DC Metro area)
Sign up/more details here: http://electionreform.meetup.com/176/

Date: Monday, March 23, 7 p.m.
Place: Burma Restaurant 740 6th street NW Washington, DC 20001 2nd floor
short walk from Gallery Pl. Chinatown metro stop (Green/Yellow
Blue/Orange Line)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=740+6th+St.+washington+dc+20001

Guest speaker Joseph Oddo (writer/political consultant/businessman and
co-founder of the Independent Greens of Virginia). We will also discuss
progress on paper ballot/opti-scan voting in Maryland and the Lobby Day
in Annapolis on March 16th. More info, contact: jenkarius@gmail.com

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Senator Ben Cardin in Silver Spring Sponsored by the Greater Silver
Spring Democratic Club

Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Place: White Oak Middle School 12201 New Hampshire Ave, Silver
Spring, MD

Senator Ben Cardin will discuss how the Congress is approaching the
Economic Crisis
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=12201+New+Hampshire+Ave,+Silver+Spring,+MD+20904
Public transportation info: http://www.wmata.com/

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MoveOn PowerUp Campaign Kick-Off with Congressman Chris Van Hollen

Date: Saturday March 28 Time: 12:30 pm. to 3:30 p.m.
Place: Wheaton Regional Library Mtg room 2, lowest floor, 11701 Georgia
Ave., Wheaton, MD 20902
Accessible to all, short walk or bus ride from the Wheaton Metro Station.
Directions:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/libraries/BranchInfo/wh.asp

PowerUp Campaign Kick-Off of MoveOn's 2009 Agenda and Organizing our
efforts in Montgomery County--Special Guest Congressman Chris Van Hollen
CONFIRMED
Requested donation $5 (or more) to defray costs of the room,
refreshments, etc. We'll discuss ways to support President Obama's Green
Economy/Green Jobs initiatives and ways we can all conserve energy.
We'll organize efforts to continue progress. Sign up online:
http://pol.moveon.org/event/poweruplaunch/92499
Combined MeetUp/Meeting for MCPA, DFMC, MoveOn, PDA, PWG and more.
Wednesday April 1, 7 p.m.
Saigonese Restaurant 11232 Grandview Ave Silver Spring (Wheaton), MD 20902

Short walk from Wheaton Metro (red line) /
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=11232+Grandview+Ave+Silver+Spring+MD+20902

We're working on Coalition Building Efforts, several bills and lobby
efforts on the state and national level. We'll also discuss the upcoming
County Council Special Election, coalition efforts, and much more!

We're planning special events, forming a steering committee, and working
on meetings with legislators, etc. We'll be holding meetings and events
to make a real difference in our county, state and nation. Participating
organizations include: Montgomery County Progressive Alliance, Democracy
for Montgomery County, Progressive Democrats of America, MoveOn.org and
the Progressive Working Group as well as several "MeetUp" groups.

MoveOn has an exciting, progressive agenda for the U.S. and 1000s of
involved, informed members in our area. Please join the Montgomery
County MoveOn Council by clicking on this link:
http://www.moveon.org/team/search/signup.html?team_id=4221

April: Maryland Legislative Update (details TBA) / May: Healthcare in
Maryland and the USA (details TBA)

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Eco-Justice Cafe' University of DC--Friday, April 3, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Music, poetry, an open mike session, good food, good beer, good people,
good cheer. University of DC, Firebird Inn, Van Ness/UDC Red Line West
exit--Building 39, B-Level, 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW, DC 20008,
Wheelchair Accessible.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=4200+Connecticut+Ave.,+NW,+DC+20008

Suggested donation $15/$10 students/$5 kids -- Food and drink included.
All ages event; child activities provided and powered by kids!

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Progressive Working Group/Progressive Neighbors/SaveOurVotes Events Recap:

The PWG/Progressive Neighbors House Concert Fundraiser with Magpie was
GREAT!
Next time we mention Magpie, make sure you're there!

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Our PWG Lobby Night in Annapolis (with Save Our Votes and others) for
Accurate, Verifiable Paper-Ballot Voting Monday, March 16 was
well-attended and (we hope) very effective.

Transition to paper ballot voting across the state will save Maryland
money, due to extravagant costs for maintaining the less reliable and
impossible to verify touch screen machines. Our state should use a
system which will provide private and independent voting for disabled
voters alongside the paper ballot-based system. Many jurisdictions in
Maryland used to use the paper-ballot optical scan voting which was
unanimously supported by the Maryland legislature in 2007. We ask our
representatives to ensure a smooth, cost-effective transition to
reliable, transparent voting for the 2010 election cycle, as planned.

Tomorrow Night Roy Zimmerman in ROCKVILLE

Roy Zimmerman: Real American
Moore Music House Concert

Saturday, March 21 8 PM ROCKVILLE, MD
Call or email for directions and reservations: 301- 461-3600 or
mooremusicconcerts@gmail.com $15

What's funny about war, poverty, ignorance, bigotry, neo-conservatism,
homophobia, greed, lust and fear? Ask Roy Zimmerman. He's been writing
satirical songs for twenty years.

The Los Angeles Times says, "Zimmerman displays a lacerating wit and
keen awareness of society's foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom
Lehrer."

Tom Lehrer himself says, "I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing
literacy to comedy songs. And the rhymes actually rhyme, they don't just
'rhyne.'"

Joni Mitchell says, "Roy's lyrics move beyond poetry and achieve
perfection."

There's a decidedly Lefty slant to his lyrics. "We used to have a name
for Right Wing satire," he says. "We called it 'cruelty.'"

Zimmerman has played clubs across the country, and shared the stage with
George Carlin, Bill Maher, Kate Clinton, Dennis Miller, Sandra Tsing
Loh, kd lang, Andy Borowitz and Paul Krassner. He's done several shows
with The Pixies' Frank Black, swapping songs in a solo acoustic setting.
His up-to-the-moment topical songs are featured on American Public
Media's syndicated broadcast "Weekend America" and Sirius Radio's "West
Coast Live."

He's currently touring a one-man show called "Faulty Intelligence." It's
a ninety minute theatrical presentation of Zimmerman's original songs
and comic commentary - an indictment of the Bush administration to
accompany Patrick Fitzgerald's.

And there's a new album to go with it. "Faulty Intelligence" the CD
contains a lesson in Intelligent Design, "Creation Science 101;" an
Elvis sounding love song to the government phone tappers called "Hello,
NSA" that's featured on the ACLU web site; and the bawk-along
"Chickenhawk," already a Zimmerman classic. He says, "I hope this record
gets good reviews, but mostly I hope it gets denied under oath by Karl
Rove."

Zimmerman's fourth CD is a Holiday offering called PeaceNick. It's
Lefty, Pacifist, Humanist satire celebrating the birth of the Prince of
Peace in a time of pre-emptive war. The disc takes a snipe at
militaristic merchandising with "Buy War Toys for Christmas," and thumbs
its nose at the War on Christmas - an absurd notion promoted by Bill
O'Reilly and his ilk - with the Happy Holidays song
"Christma-Hanu-Rama-Ka-Dona-Kwanzaa." The Dylan-esque "Christmas is
Pain," another Zimmerman classic in the mold of another Zimmerman,
receives wide airplay every Holiday Season.

Homeland and Security are a twin pair of CD releases arising in the
aftermath of the 9-11 disaster. In 23 scathing originals, Roy dissects
the jingoism, belligerence and plain addle-headedness of Bush and
Company's response. Homeland takes on domestic threats, among them the
"Patriot Act" and "Jerry Falwell's God." This disc also contains Roy's
heartfelt love song to his wife, "You." Security widens the satirical
bite to include a "Multinational Anthem" and the mock-inspirational "One
World, One Bank."

Roy's first solo release was Comic Sutra, a mixture of the personal and
the political and the personal that is political including the same-sex
marriage anthem, "Defenders of Marriage," and "Punish the People," a
happy-go-lucky paean to class warfare.

"Punish the People" is also featured on the compilation CD Laughter is a
Powerful Weapon, released to raise money for the Red Cross in the wake
of Hurricane Katrina.

Roy wrote the song "I'm Fired" for the Los Angeles Theatre Works
production of "Fired!" and performed in the show at the Skirball Center
for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles and Off-Broadway at New York's
Second Stage Theatre.

Performing at New York City's Symphony Space during the 2004 Republican
Convention, he drew this review from the New York Times: "Roy Zimmerman
lifted the evening with his song 'Chickenhawk,' ridiculing the military
policies of Bush administration officials who didn't serve in the armed
forces. Zimmerman's squawking and clucking conveyed his scorn with
contagious irreverence."

US Senator, Ben Cardin in Silver Spring Weds. March 25!

Meet our US Senator, Ben Cardin and hear the latest about how the
Congress is approaching the Economic Crisis!
Sponsored by the Greater Silver Spring Democratic Club

Wednesday, March 25th at 7:30 at White Oak Middle School
12201 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20904
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=12201+New+Hampshire+Ave,+Silver+Spring,+MD+20904
Public transportation info: http://www.wmata.com/

MoveOn PowerUp Campaign Kick-Off

MoveOn PowerUp Campaign Kick-Off
Special Guest Congressman Chris Van Hollen invited, confirmation
expected soon.

Saturday, March 28, 2009 / 12:30pm - 3:30pm
Wheaton Regional Library Mtg room 2
11701 Georgia Ave Wheaton, MD
Accessible to all, short walk or bus ride from the Wheaton Metro Station.
Directions:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/libraries/BranchInfo/wh.asp

Requested donation $5 (or more) to defray costs of the room,
refreshments, etc.

We'll discuss ways to support President Obama's Green Economy/Green Jobs
initiatives and ways we can all conserve energy. We'll also organize
efforts to continue progress and build on our accomplishments.

Sign up online here: http://pol.moveon.org/event/poweruplaunch/92499

April: Maryland Legislative Update (details TBA)
May: Healthcare in Maryland and the USA (details TBA)

Protect Voting! Lobby Night Annapolis tonight / Write-In today

2 actions you can do to protect voting in Maryland. Please share with friends, lists, etc.

Lobby Night in Annapolis for Accurate, Verifiable Paper-Ballot Voting
Monday, March 16, 5:30 p.m.
Senate Building, 11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=11+Bladen+St.+Annapolis+MD+21401

We'll meet in the Rotunda (turn right and walk up the ramp after passing through the metal detector), organize into teams, receive ...  Read Moreassignments, talking points and other materials. Bring a valid ID!

Find your State Delegate(s) and Senators here: http://mdelect.net/ and send your contact information and the names of your state elected officials to Stan Boyd, sbb223@yahoo.com ASAP.

Transition to paper ballot voting across the state will save Maryland money, due to extravagant costs for maintaining the less reliable and impossible to verify touch screen machines. Our state should use a system which will provide private and independent voting for disabled voters alongside the paper ballot-based system. Many jurisdictions in Maryland used to use the paper-ballot optical scan voting.

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Maryland Legislators are seriously considering eliminating funding for paper ballot voting systems. Not only is that wrong for elections, it's money wasted.

If you have already sent a message to lawmakers, thank you, please send another message today!

Make yourself heard once more. And if you have not sent a message urging lawmakers to keep us moving away from the touch screens, now is the time to act. Please take just a moment help to educate lawmakers about the costs of keeping the touch screens. Visit our action center to send a message to your lawmakers and to key members of the leadership.

Reminder--please use your own words, elected officials and staff tend to discount several emails with the same comments. You can reword the sample message (already loaded at the website) or pick and choose from points (below).

TAKE ACTION BY CLICKING HERE: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26869

Legislators have received cost estimates that do not include the maintenance costs of the touch screens, even though those are some of the highest costs of the state's current, unverifiable system of voting.

The state's current touch screen voting systems cannot prove their accuracy, and do not allow meaningful recount. Please take action today to make sure that the 2010 elections in Maryland are verifiable:

TAKE ACTION BY CLICKING HERE: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26869

Thank you for all you do.

Best regards,

The Team at Verified Voting

Some talking points:
My research and discussions with election integrity activists and others suggest the following:

Legislation passed unanimously in 2007 and the Governor's budget provided the means and funding to purchase Optical Scan and other voting equipment sufficient to transition to paper-ballot voting for all Marylanders, including those with special access needs.

The planned transition to optically scanned paper ballots will save Maryland the most money in the mid to long term, but apparently requires amending the 2007 legislation to grant flexibility to election boards so they can purchase reliable, secure, effective and appropriate--although not necessarily federally certified--voter assistance equipment.

Enacting Del. Hixson's HB 893 (with Senate companion legislation) offers to fully address concerns about accessibility, and would save Maryland the most money in the mid and long terms.

Enacting Del. Cardin's HB 738 as currently drafted would implement a "mixed machine" solution which is preferable to delaying implementation of Optical Scan machines, but could be improved by an amendment allowing implementation of reliable, secure, effective and appropriate--although not necessarily federally certified--voter assistance equipment.

Delaying the transition to paper ballots and optical scans would cost Maryland the most money due to higher ongoing expenses for elections in the near, mid and long term--and continue unverifiable, highly vulnerable voting--an outcome which is untenable for several reasons discussed below.

Fewer machines means lower costs: The Optical Scanning machines each replace approximately 10 touch screen DRE machines. This is because approximately 10 voters may mark ballots at voting stations simultaneously, and then feed their ballots into the Optical Scan readers--requiring only 1 or 2 machines per precinct. The touch screen DRE machines require one machine per voter. Therefore, Maryland needs to buy, store, maintain, transport, etc. ten times more touch screen machines than optical scan machines.

Touch screen DRE machines suffer from degradation similar to laptop computers--they wear out quickly, require hardware and software patches and upgrades, etc. which incur added expenses and may void their certifications. (Note: This places into context concerns about new equipment specifically the delay or lack of federal certification.

Maryland has been using problematic and potentially out-of-certification technology because of vulnerabilities and other flaws in the touch screen systems. Attorney General Gansler brought civil action against vendors in an attempt to recover ongoing costs to maintain and remedy these vulnerabilities.

We have an obligation to accommodate voters with special needs. Some voters who are currently able to vote on require another person or additional equipment to assist them, but there aren't any certified voter assistance systems yet. The certification process is slow. Some argue the state should purchase such equipment in anticipation of certification.

Purchasing voter assistance equipment to facilitate voting by those with special needs as well as the optical scan equipment this year would deliver the greatest savings and best outcomes for all voters over the mid and long term, because voter assistance equipment could ease implementation of other reforms including early voting and voting by Maryland citizens who speak English as a second language. This approach would provide the least expensive implementation of paper ballot based voting for all Marylanders in time for the 2010 cycle.

Paper ballot-based voting is the only reliable, verifiable form of voting. Their operation is opaque to voters, election officials and others, and they have well-established hardware and other vulnerabilities, making widespread errors or even intentional "vote flipping" possible. There is no tangible record of the ballots cast, making audits, recounts etc. impossible. As noted, known and likely to emerge vulnerabilities in touchscreen DRE machines call into question the transparency, accuracy and legitimacy of elections. Any approach which depends on use of any such touchscreen DRE machines remains problematic for these reasons.

We support HB 893 the Hixson/Dyson/Carter Conway attempt to reconcile the 2007 legislation with current conditions to allow for purchase of optical scan and tested (although not necessarily federally certified) voter assistance equipment which would facilitate voting by special needs voters, ease implementation of early voting as well as voting by Maryland citizens who speak English as a second language. This approach would provide the least expensive implementation of paper ballot based voting for all Marylanders in time for the 2010 cycle, and save the state $millions over the short, mid and long terms.

We support the Cardin approach HB 738--hopefully with amendments, and if not, with reservations. Using both Optical Scan and touchscreen DRE machines machines in 2010 as a temporary transitional measure, with the goal of complete transition to paper-based, verifiable voting by 2012 (once voter assistance machinery is federally certified) is better than delaying the transition to paper-based voting past 2010. We can accept HB 738--preferably if amended to allow for full implementation of paper-based voting for all Maryland voters in time for the 2010 election cycle. Such amendment(s) would address concerns in the 2007 legislation, and allow the purchase and implementation of reliable, secure, effective and appropriate--although not necessarily federally certified--voter assistance equipment.

Mike Hersh
Chairperson, Montgomery County Progressive Alliance