Obama Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry

The Treasury Department has released the following list of members of President Obama’s Task Force on the Auto Industry … I hope they spend some time listening to folks who have been in the trenches … I know how important for our economy, our national security, and our future their work is … 

• Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner
• National Economic Council Director Larry Summers
• Secretary of Transportation
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Labor
• Secretary of Energy
• Chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers
• Director of the Office of Management and Budget
• Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
• Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change

Senior Advisor on Auto Issues at the Treasury Department
Ron Bloom, Senior Advisor on the Auto Industry, Department of Treasury

Official Designees of the Members of the Presidential Task Force:

• Diana Farrell, Deputy Director, National Economic Council
• Gene Sperling, Counselor to the Secretary of Treasury
• Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist to Vice President Biden
• Edward Montgomery, Senior Advisor, Department of Labor
• Lisa Heinzerling, Senior Climate Policy Counsel to the EPA Administrator
• Austan Goolsbee, Staff Director and Chief Economist of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board
• Dan Utech, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy
• Heather Zichal, Deputy Director, White House Office of Energy and Climate Change
• Joan DeBoer, Chief of Staff, Department of Transportation
• Rick Wade, Senior Advisor, Department of Commerce

Help Sharon Bulova Keep Fairfax Blue – Special Election Tuesday

This coming Tuesday a special election is being held in Fairfax for the Chair of the Board of Supervisors … I encourage our Democratic friends and all of the voters in Fairfax to get out vote for Sharon Bulova  … here’s some basic info about the election   

VOTING INFORMATION:
Tuesday, February 3rd.

Voting will be at your normal polling location, and polls are open from 6 AM – 7 PM.

For more information: sbe.virginia.gov 

Absentee Voting:

Fairfax County Government Center. 12000 Government Center Parkway, Room 323, Fairfax, Virginia 22035

You can vote absentee in-person between 9 AM – 5 PM on Saturday

Volunteers Needed:
Bulova Campaign

5618 Ox Road #C  Fairfax Station, VA 22039

Phone: 703-503-2009

Step Forward and Help Renew America

President Barack Obama and his team have release the following ad for USAService.org

DCCC Chairman Steps Up To Thank Grassroots and Netroots for 2008 Success

Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Chris Van Hollen has stepped up with this video to say thanks to all the support Democratic Congressional candidates received from the grassroots and netroots during the 2008 election cycle.  He’s correct when he says YOU were the driving forces for success. 

Here in Virginia YOU helped make history and THREE U.S. House seats moved from Republican to Democratic. Glenn Nye in the 2nd, Tom Perriello in the 5th, and Gerry Connolly in the 11th all got major support from the netroots and grassroots communities during their victorious campaigns.

NOTE:  The Democratic Party picked up a total of 24 U.S. House seats “… the first time in history a party has won a wave election to take the Majority and followed it with another wave of pick-ups.”

Congressman Bobby Scott Holds Forum and Discusses the 2008 Election Process

This past Tuesday I participated at a Town Hall forum in Richmond that 3rd District Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott sponsored to examine the 2008 election process. I agree with his opening statement that “It is important that we address both positive and negative aspects of the voting process. We should use this opportunity to learn from the November 4, 2008 election to encourage and improve voting for all of our citizens.”

Congressman Scott put together quite a panel from voter protection experts, to those with first hand knowledge of the process from registration to tabulation and the successes and problems encountered around the November 4, 2008 election.

Issues presented included the NAACP’s lawsuit filed against the Commonwealth questioning whether the state had adequately prepared for Election Day, Virginia’s experience of record turnouts in both the primary and general election cycles, the impact of DRE’s, and the restoration of voting rights.

During the Town Hall it was apparent that Virginia has a way to go to make the process of voting in the Commonwealth easy, open, transparent and verifiable. While covering voting procedures and practices general agreement was easily arrived at among panel and audience that Virginia should provide for no excuse absentee voting and early voting.

Reports from across Virginia of long lines with 4-6 hour wait times, an average of 13% absentee voting, disparities of voting machines from 1 for every 750 registered voters to 1 for every 180, multiple voter registrations by the same individual, use of optical scanners and electronic poll books sped up the process, and military votes arriving too late to be included in the count.

I spoke of voting earlier in Fredericksburg in the special election for Commonwealth’s Attorney and the process, the need to have HAVA mandate only open source software be used in voting machines and tabulators, and that Congress needs to address the Bush v. Gore ruling that determined none of us are entitled to our vote.

My thanks to Congressman Scott, his staff, the panel, and all those who took the time to attend an offer such a broad array of potential improvements and analysis of the ’08 election cycle.

President-elect Obama’s Weekly Transition Video Update

This video address from President-elect Barack Obama talks again of his commitment to science and introduces the major members of his administration who he has chosen to lead our nation’s major scientific projects and provide him with advice on issues and policies.

DFA Asks You To Stand Up For America’s Middle Class

Last month we witnessed a historic election. Progressive Democrats won all across the country thanks to the hard work of DFA members like you. Now, we have to put these new majorities to work to help save the hard working American middle class.

It is called the Employee Free Choice Act.

Unionized workers are the backbone of a strong and growing middle class and the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) will re-empower American workers to freely form and join a union.

But major corporations are against the bill and have already come out swinging. Anti-EFCA ads are already on radio and television, and big businesses like McDonald’s are pressuring middle management to organize against the bill. We need to take a stand and fight back against big business.

Write your local paper today supporting the Employee Free Choice Act

The current system for workers to come together to improve working conditions is broken. Corporations can intimidate or lay off employees who try to organize and bargain collectively, leaving millions of middle class people working without health insurance, at unfair wages and in potentially unsafe conditions.

The Employee Free Choice Act puts the power to organize back in the hands of working people, protecting them from corporate coercion and threats. It fixes a broken system that heavily favors corporations over people, and empowers millions of Americans by bringing democracy into the workplace.

Use DFA’s easy letter-to-the-editor tool and write a letter today

This is our chance to stand up for middle class Americans.

Thank you for all that you do,
Democracy for America

President-elect Obama Announced His Nominees for Secretary of Agriculture and the Interior

PDA Virginia Endorses Herring for 46th HOD Special Election

PDA VA member Charniele Herring is running for the vacant seat in a special election.  This is an excellent chance to put a great progressive and PDA VA member in the House of Delegates! 

www.herringfordelegate.com

1) If you live in the 46th District, please vote in the Democratic caucus this Tuesday, Dec. 16 between 6 and 9 p.m. at the William Ramsey Recreation Center.  Address and map above.  (Absentee voting in person at the Ramsey Center on Monday, Dec. 15, 6 – 9 p.m.) 

Tuesday Is Special Election Day In Fredericksburg – Get Out and Vote for LaBravia Jenkins for Commonwealth’s Attorney

As many of you know I have strongly endorsed LaBravia Jenkins in the special election being held December 16th.

I encourage Fredericksburg area voters to get informed and then take time Tuesday to go to the polls and V O T E !

The following are from numerous emails I received in support of LaBravia:
—————————

Well Gang,

For whatever it is worth to you, tonight I met Labravia Jenkins. I like the way she handles herself.

She is a law school graduate from George Mason. She is the acting Fredericksburg Commonwealth Attorney. She mentioned that the 5 assistant attorneys in her office are all young (20’s). She is originally from Illinois and has lived in our area 20 years.

She believes that the punishment should fit both the crime and the person charged in order to be effective. I agree with her. She feels that the 8 years under Mr. Sharp (currently a judge) as his assistant have prepared her well. She has 13 years in the Fredericksburg area as a prosecutor. She was the Public Defender in Fredericksburg for 3 years.

This variety (neither Olsen nor Hicks) and level of experience (not Hicks) makes her my choice.

Cheers, Ron

——————————

I agree, Ron. I know Labravia; she knows this job, and has been doing it well. Let the incumbent win. Why should someone else win, when she has been doing it so well herself.

Cheers, George

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FWIW, I agree she is the best choice. Having worked in private practice for 8 years, I don’t think Hicks has the experience needed and I have heard of Olsen prosecuting a case that made me question his use of the prosecutor’s discretion.

Phil

and be sure to check out additional coverage over at Fred2Blue