I met Peter at a Netroots Nation party in Los Angeles about two weeks ago. He impressed me as a very progressive, competent and energetic Democrat. A natural born leader.
And he is ready to meet with Kossacks in the San Francisco area.
This is how he introduces himself;
I'm a lifelong Democrat and progressive activist. I was the founding Executive Director at MoveOn.org, from 2001-2005. Previously, I served as the National Student Organizer for the Sierra Club, as associate director for a K-12 school science & community service program, as a clean air advocate for the American Lung Association, as a national organizer for a successful campaign to eliminate the U.S. budget deficit under President Clinton, as a campaigner for future-oriented, sustainable energy policies, and as an assistant to a Democratic member of Congress.
I'm 40 years old. I was born in Boston and grew up in Portland, Maine. I studied history in college, at the University of Pennsylvania (1991). I moved to California in 1996, and have lived in the San Francisco bay area almost ever since, except for two years earning an M.B.A. at Yale (1998-2000), and one year running MoveOn.org from Washington, D.C. (2001-2002).
I'm an entrepreneur, a campaigner, and a builder of organizations.
I believe in a spirit of connection between people, one we create together through our daily choices and acts to support one another, especially when we're struggling. I believe in possibility, and in bringing the possibility of a better world to life.
Jerry does have a slicker looking website but if you compare what they say you'll agree with me that Jerry sounds like a DLC type candidate at best.
Here is Jerry Brown's campaign video which IMO sounds like that of a moderate Republican at best. His emphasis on bi-partisanship is a huge yellow flag in today's reality;
What we need in Sacramento, given that both houses are Democratic, is a Governor that does not veto legislation passed by the legislature.
So Jerry has a slicker website, but he has a lot of baggage. It is also stunning how he has moved to the right in recent years.
Healthcare reform to follow the non-Public Option DC bill with a strong Public Option Single Payer system is what we need in California to help turn around the state economy and help with the budget deficit. Let's take a look at whet each candidate says;
Peter
Californians deserve health care that works: simple, affordable, accessible.
The answer is Medicare for everyone.
Insurance companies are the problem. They are parasites -- taking our money, denying our claims, and burying people and doctors' offices in impossible paperwork. Demanding more money whenever they feel like it.
When we take insurance companies out of the equation, we get better results for less money.
Specifically:
Californians will save $8 billion in the first year, and $343 billion over ten years. The average family will save at least $340 per year.
Businesses that now cover their workers' health care will save $775 per worker per year. Our state and local governments will save $44 billion over ten years. This simple solution is within easy reach. California's Senate has passed SB 810, the California Universal Health Care Act.
Now, THAT is what a Democrat in California sounds like.
Jerry
Fighting Fraud & Abuse in California's Health Care System
Curbing Medi-Cal Fraud
Elder Abuse Fighting Prescription Drug Abuse
Fraud Protecting Patients And Fighting Deceptive Drug Marketing
Curbing Prescription Drug Price Inflation
Illegal Industry Collusion
Illegal industry collusion? What a smokescreen!
If we don't have substantive discussions about the only 2 candidates for Deamocratic Governor of California one month before the primaries in this forum NOW when will we?
So join us in San Francisco on Saturday.
In addition to hanging out with a bunch of great Kossacks lead by the indefatigable and charismatic navajo AND Peter Schumer, you can also meet Andrew McGuire the Executive Director of California OneCare, the Single Payer campaign organization behind SB 810.
Or at least Recommend this diary and give a true Democrat a chance.
