Sorry for the short diary, but I had to interrupt my Obama canvassing here in Henderson, Nevada to bring you the big news: the No on 8 web ad written and produced by myself, hekebolos and theKK, and backed by the Courage Campaign is going on TV with a big election day ad buy in the Los Angeles and San Francisco markets. The ad has been spreading around the blogosphere, but this is the biggest news yet. If you haven't seen it yet, here's the ad:
I mean this is really getting out of hand. And before it goes any further, we need to establish a few things that the Yes on 8 campaign seems not to understand.
The current state of marriage does not make the words "bride" and "groom" hate speech. Gays are not the same as unicorns. No matter what Tom McClintock thinks, gays are not dogs either. The notion- in this country of all places- that equality would be "armageddon" should be outrageous to anyone. And most certainly, eliminating human rights would not be the same as defeating Hitler. Just stop. But hey- Yes on 8: if you've got an actual point, let's hear it. No really. One that's true.
So far there isn't one. I'm actually a little surprised. Given the tens of millions being rushed to California by Mormons and the great monied patrons of the religious right and the lather being worked up, you'd think that somewhere there would be a reasoned argument. Even if it wasn't front and center. There's lying and there's fear mongering and there's divisiveness. I've gotten those messages. And it's all capped by the evocation of the most horrific genocide the world has ever known.
And then there's The Call. Leading untold thousands to my city on Saturday to pray for Proposition 8. You do that. I'd like to think that this will be a positive event, but nothing so far leads me to expect a break from the nonstop divisiveness and the out-and-out lying and the histrionics (not to run this into the ground, but in the world of rhetoric, a Hitler comparison is the last stop on the hyperbole express). I'm sick of it, and if that's what I can expect on Saturday, take it elsewhere. I'm sick of the lies, I'm sick of the blackmail of my local small businesses, I'm sick of this being considered a remotely appropriate level of political discourse, and most of all I'm sick of being told that people are not created equal. That's the entire point of this country existing. It's the very first self-evident truth. Don't get angry at me if you don't like it. Take it up with the Declaration of Independence.
So while Prop 8 supporters pile into Qualcomm to pray, the Courage Campaign is joining with other allies of equality and freedom calling for volunteers to stop Prop 4 and Prop 8. When Rick Jacobs emailed Courage members earlier today, he noted that "the religious right is calling Proposition 8 its 'decisive last stand,'" which tells you the stakes on this. If you doubt at all how seriously they're taking it, check out the Call video on the volunteer page. It's pretty shocking.
Look: this is how the religious right keeps winning elections. For all the (very important) stories of voter suppression and ballot box rigging and corruption, the fundamental strategy hinges on drowning everyone in so much vitriol and general negativity that they give up entirely and stay home. It can't work this time. We can't let it. There's simply too much on the line. At a time that it's almost hackneyed already to rally around hope and change, it's all the more vital that California stand up collectively and say enough is ENOUGH. Lying to us won't work. Trying to wear us down with the rhetoric of alienation will not keep us home. Trying to make us miserable will not keep us quiet.
6 days left. I'm spending my Saturday with Lou Engle and James Dobson because there's some question as to whether equality is a human right in this country. How can we allow this to be a debate any longer? Enough is enough. Do something. And if you have time, do one more thing. If we don't stop this crap now, then when?
Seriously, this is the biggest race in California and members of the Mormon Church are responsible for at least 40% of the cash into the Prop 8 campaign and who knows how many volunteers. Quite honestly, the California papers have been following the lead of the Salt Lake Tribune, but the LA Times is nowhere to be found.
Yesterday, the SLT reported on the strife within the Mormon Church about their unprecedented level of involvement. Here is the lede:
The thought of going to church in her southern California LDS ward makes Carol Oldham cry. She can't face one more sermon against same-sex marriage. She can't tolerate the glares at the rainbow pin on her lapel.
Oldham, a lifelong Mormon, is troubled by her church's zeal in supporting a California ballot initiative that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. She feels the church is bringing politics into her sanctuary.
"It has tainted everything for me," Oldham said, choking up during a telephone interview/. "I am afraid to go there and hear people say mean things about gay people. I am in mourning. I don't know how long I can last."
Christine Alonso's body trembled and her lips quivered as she walked up and spoke to a few of the 50 protesters in front of the Mormon Temple in Oakland on Sunday.
"Don't think they're all against you," said Alonso, 27, explaining that she was Mormon and that despite her religious leaders' support of a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage, she was actively opposed.
As she walked away, she said, "I'm afraid that a gay or lesbian friend might hear that I'm Mormon and think that I want to tear their marriage apart."
Oldam and Alonso are not alone in being extremely troubled and distressed about their Church's overwhelming involvement in the Prop 8 campaign. You don't have to look much further than right here on Calitics for the same anguish. Chino Blanco wrote earlier today:
The "Yes on 8" campaign has directed more than $10 million dollars (so far) from Mormon donors to a narrow political campaign. Much of this money was raised after the Church reviewed its tithing records and identified wealthy Mormons to recruit even larger donations from, using special conference calls with Church elders. Why are tithing records being utilized this way? What does this reveal about the way the wealth of individual members has played a growing role in church leadership decisions? How many lives could this money save through the Church's Humanitarian General Fund? How many educations could this money pay for through the Church's Perpetual Education Fund? Why does our concept of morality focus so zealously on gender and sexuality at the cost of efforts to end death by disease or starvation, proclaim peace, relieve the debtor, or show stewardship for God's creation?
The whole thing really is worth a read. This path that the proponents of Prop 8 have taken is tearing people apart, inside and out.
The LAT is the biggest paper on record here in California, one of the largest in the country and they are missing this wrenching story. How about we suggest some story lines here in the comments.
I will go first: dig into the enemy of my enemy is my friend story to look into how well the evangelicals, who are no fans of the Mormon Church are working with Mormons within the campaign.
(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign)
Estimates of donations by Mormons to Prop 8 are now up to $10 million, funding all of those lies and distortions on our airwaves. They have been fueling their volunteer base from here in California and across the country, using their church organizing networks to turn out volunteers to phone bank and knock doors. And Mark Jansson, a "Yes on 8" Executive Committee member and self-described LDS member, was one of four signers to the blackmail letter sent to Equality California donors. The Mormon Church is heart of the Prop 8 campaign, but for a long time the scope of their involvement was not known.
Well, now that it is out in the open and attention is being paid to it, the Mormon Church is squirming and at least in one case, backing down. They are simply not enjoying this attention. From today's SacBee:
The Mormon church, whose members have emerged as the leading backers of a ballot measure to end same-sex marriage in California, is scaling back its Utah campaign operation but will continue to support the initiative.
Church members will no longer be making phone calls from Utah to California voters, Kim Farah, a spokeswoman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a prepared statement Friday.
Good. They shouldn't be doing it in the first place. Pressure on the Mormon Church to cease their funding of the lying, blackmailing Prop 8 campaign is working.
The Courage Campaign has been keeping the heat on with our petition to LDS President-Prophet Thomas Monson demanding that his church cease funding the Prop 8 campaign and all forms of advocacy for the ballot measure, which was referenced in the SacBee article. Flip it:
(oh and full disclosure: if you didn't know it already, I work for the Courage Campaign)
(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign)
Yes, you read that headline correct. I told ya that the Mormons and others were flooding the Yes on 8 campaign's coffers with donations. We may have beaten them up on the air, but they have more cash to spend on their buy. The two recent polls taken after the ads have hit the airwaves show that we are losing ground. So, Brian is right to say "complacency is our worst enemy".
So here is what we have to do folks, there is something every one of you can do. It will take all of us to win this thing.
Contribute to the campaign using the Calitics ActBlue page. If you have the cash to give big give big. If you only have $5 or $10, give what you can. Yes, your money will be spent on TV ads, but unfortunately that is the way we win elections here in California.
Talk to your friends and family about Prop. 8. Lot's of people are still confused that supporting marriage equality means voting No. To that end, the Courage Campaign has created what the Politiker is calling"the most humorous TV ad of the fall election season". They like it, we think it's pretty funny, but watch it for yourself.
It is aimed at straight people, using a privacy, "get the government out of my pants" argument. The undecided electorate is quirky. Some of your friends will be swayed by talk about fundamental rights being taken away. Others with a more libertarian streak may like the video. Tailor your discussion to your friends.
Oh and keep an eye out for a new ad from the No on 8 campaign that should hit the airwaves shortly.
We can win this historic fight, but we gotta buckle down and do the hard work and contribute what we can.
Check the flip for an email I got from a Yes on 8 person who for some reason thinks I know where the lost in China lawns signs are.
The most hotly anticipated State Senate election this year is in the 19th District covering Santa Barbara and Ventura County, between Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson and Republican Tony Strickland. Though the two are almost polar opposites, the chunk of the district in Santa Barbara, where residents have long memories about the 1969 oil spill, makes it impossible for Republicans to win with their "Drill Now" message on energy. So Tony Strickland opted to run some ads that Al Gore might have run were he to be contesting in the district, highlighting renewable energy through wind, solar, algae, tidal and other forms. This is completely at odds with Strickland's doctrinaire Republican record, with votes against green building standards, minimum renewable energy standards, and even fuel-efficient tires. Strickland has taken money from Big Oil and stood with global warming denialists in the recent past. It's incongruous for him to carry a pro-environment message.
So I hooked up with the Courage Campaign and the California League of Conservation Voters to put together a little video highlighting this incongruity.
What's interesting is that the Courage Campaign's Web tool invited those supporters who received their email blast to spread the word, and they were so successful, both online political reporters at the Ventura County Star, the region's biggest newspaper, covered the video. More important, the Jackson campaign has been energized to fight back against some of Strickland allies' misleading ads on taxes, and in doing so buttresses the outside groups' take about Strickland's terrible environmental record.
So progressive groups are ensuring that Strickland gets away with nothing in this race, and in turn the Jackson campaign is fighting back as well and counter-punching swiftly and effectively. This is a growing success story in the 19th.
On Monday, Julia, Rick Jacobs and Assemblyman Dave Jones delivered more than 28,000 petition signatures gathered by the Courage Campaign to Gov. Schwarzenegger's front door. You can click on the link to the right for a light-hearted taste of the path traveled by our intrepid petition carriers. More than 200,000 state workers have been threatened with a pay cut to just $6.55 an hour as the budget stalemate stretches on without any end in sight. The signatures and the attention were enough to convince the Governor to delay signing such an order (which incidentally he isn't allowed to do according to the state Legislative Analyst), but only temporarily.
In his own unique magnanimous way, Arnold's decided to delay until Thursday. That would be tomorrow. That means we don't have much time to drive home the point that Californians will not stand for this sort of attack on so many of the workers who keep this state functional. Just because Arnold can't get the legislature to work doesn't mean he should punish the people who are still getting their jobs done.
Please take this opportunity to get on the phone and call Governor Schwarzenegger. Phone numbers, a sample script, and a form to report back with your experiences are available, so get dialing cause we have a narrow window in which to get through to him. State Controller John Chiang has already stood up strongly against this proposal, but Arnold isn't going down without a fight. As the Governor said today, "The controller has his opinion of what he wants to do. He's a constitutional officer and he runs his office his way. I think the law is very clear that he has to follow through and do exactly of what our executive order says."
He's not backing down, and neither will we. But it takes people power to drive this message home, so call Arnold now.
(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign)
Weintraub thinks it is a dumb idea. And we know how Caliticians think about it.
So, Courage was up late last night putting together a petition to Arnold, calling on him to drop this unconscionable plan and to get back to work on the budget. We grabbed from the comments and blog posts here and used it for an email that went out to our full membership earlier today.
True Majority liked it so much that they sent it out to their members in California. Now, thousands of Californians have signed their name on the petition to Arnold. It truly has been an overwhelming response and growing by the second. If you haven't already, please go sign. I personally will be delivering them to the governor's office on Monday.
you're such a pushover -- i know its HARD work bein' a dem :-)
John Rapf wrote:
Too much for one reading. I cut to the end. I agree. Off to the bar! - JR
----- Original Message -----
From: Becky Curry
To: John Rapf ; CDPRuralCaucus@yahoogroups.com ; TBRC-Council@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 3:42 PM
Subject: Re: L' affair du Singh and Feinstein Censure
i agree w/the whole gabriel thing - he is doing nothing to foster party building -- he's really mad about something, and feinstein just happens to be the target d'jour.
ooooh more french :-)
however, while i think that we get distracted sometimes by the resolution of the moment and I think this feinstein thing is the biggest waste of time i can imagine, (at times i feel like it's a way to distract us about where to put this word or that word in order to keep us from focusing on the big picture and allowiing people get lost in the minutiae of the process)
People are losing focus. Feinstein has a good record on most of the practical stuff I care about.
If we are not faulting Obama for sliding on this one, what's the percentage in getting our knickers twisted over her unsurprising and predictable positions regarding 'national security' and 'terrorism'?
However, I diverge from John about being an activist regarding issues and the policy that results.
I believe it is extremely important for local dem clubs to be activists about issues - issues and policy are what make us Democrats, not candidates who are nice and make us feel good.
And I believe it is up to us to let our elected people know where we stand on issues - we elect them, this is not a feudal system.
Those issues drive our candidates and drive the activism behind a candidate, you know, that stuff that gets them elected?
Our job is to reach out and carry the democratic message and policies to the peeps and put candidates forward who will
embody our policies and provide solutions to what we know are the issues that need addressing.
We have been working in LC on single payer health care for close to two years, we have followed legislation, written letters, we have gone to rallys with our labor folks, we have hosted forums, networked w/retirees, other dem groups, we called big time b.s on the 'compromise' that our State Dem leadership tried to cram down our throats early in the year.
We have instigated a campaign that is spreading out, to have citizens call upon their local elected jurisdictions to actually DO THE MATH, and see what the savings would be to taxpayers if California passed single payer.
Sheila Kuehl walks on water as far as i'm concerned (and i bet she's nice and she does make me feel good :-) )
We have written numerous ltte to the local media, staking out our ground as dems on the issue, we brought "sicko" to our teeny little commercial theater by working with many other groups in the county, to packed houses for several showings a day for 4 days i may add.
i would venture to say that if anyone asked who has done the most to bring the message of single payer and a modicum of understanding about the issue, into the mainstream conversation, in LC they would say 'the local democrats'
Same with the war, while we dont spend all month every month focusing on activism, we feel we must stake out the territory and define the ISSUE as democrats -- and sometimes it comes to us in the form of actions from other dem orgs.
LC endorsed and wrote to all our federal legs, urging them to consider endorsing the responsible plan 3 months ago.
i'm glad to see the uber liberals in alameda county catching up :-)
In order to define ourselves, frame our message, and take control of the dialog we must take positions on issues.
David Sirota, Andrea Batista Schlesinger, the Executive Director of the Drum Major Institute and David Goldstein, of Horse's Ass will also be on it. The panel will be moderated by Elana Levin, the Assistant Director of Communications for UNITE HERE.
Here is the description.
We know that populism wins elections, but once a politician wins how do we make sure that pro-middle class policies are actually implemented? Blue Dogs and the media conflate being pro-middle class with being "centrist".
The debt stricken, under-insured public's realization that their personal economic struggles are really political struggles presents an opportunity for lasting progressive change. Barack Obama's agenda includes healthcare and transportation among other investments in our country that the middle class needs-- but these aren't free. How can the netroots mobilize to make it politically possible to pass Obama's domestic agenda in a Grover Norquist-shaped world?
For my part, I plan on focusing on the California budget fight and using the Yacht Party campaign as an example of how we can attack the right to help advance progressive policies that help the middle class. California is very much a lab for progressive politics and we have a unique opportunity here to actually advocate for higher taxes to pay for programs. The public is amenable to increasing revenue and there is no better time to promote our agenda than now when we are at a crisis stage and the other side is advancing proposals that the public does not support. Flip it.
Like so many others in California, The Courage Campaign has long championed the battle for affordable and accessible health care. It's why Courage joined with a diverse coalition asking Terry McAuliffe to please don't do it as we approach his high-priced speaking engagement in San Francisco for insurance executives tomorrow. And it's why Courage partnered with the California Nurses Association and Senator Sheila Kuehl today to introduce our new "Insurance Jive" ad.
We've all been touched in one way or another by the catastrophic failure of the private insurance system. Whether it's ourselves, our family or friends, or diarists like CarlsbadDem, we've all seen the results of too many people sick and injured without recourse. Heck, providing for the common welfare is right there in the Preamble to the Constitution. Like the ad says, it doesn't have to be this way. The move for reasonable access to quality health care is growing stronger by the day and we need to keep up the momentum. The first $6,000 raised by the Courage Campaign via the ad's ActBlue page will be matched by the California Nurses Association and Sen. Sheila Kuehl in order to get this ad on the air in San Francisco in the next 48 hours.
Earlier today, Rick Jacobs emailed Courage subscribers about the ad explaining just how much is at stake and and how much a small contribution to air this ad can accomplish:
This is a year unlike any in recent memory for the prospects of progressive progress and reform. There's an opportunity to take huge steps towards fixing the damage done by the Bush Administration and make positive change towards a country that simply takes better care of its citizens.
But as Democrats, we're going to have a much tougher time getting there if we don't all travel together. Which is why, with millions of Americans unable to get basic health care, it's so distressing that former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe is cashing a big check from the insurance companies in San Francisco June 19.
We know all too well that insurance companies don't spend a dime on actually providing health care to the sick and injured if they can help it, which is why it's such a concern that McAuliffe is willing to accept this money that should be spent on medical treatment.
But, not surprisingly, Rick Jacobs said it much better than I ever could earlier today:
Vice President Al Gore recorded a video and wrote an email to Courage Campaign members about the importance of investing in education even during a time of economic crisis.
In it Al Gore asks for people to respond back to him directly on Current.com with either a video response or text. They have a pretty nifty tool that will detect a webcam on your computer and let you respond right there, just scroll down to the bottom.
On Monday, I went to the capitol and filmed 18 different Assemblymembers responding to Al Gore. Dave has been cutting them into individual videos and uploading them. Below the fold is the rest of the email from Gore. I had hoped to be able to embed those videos from the Assemblymembers here, but the code from Current is not playing nicely, so you will have to click the link to see.
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino AD-44, Assemblywoman Betty Karnette AD-54, Assemblyman Dave Jones, AD-09, Assemblyman Kevin DeLeon AD-45, Assemblyman Ed Hernandez AD-57, Assemblyman Hector De La Torre AD-50, Assemblyman John Laird AD-27, Assemblyman Lloyd Levine AD-40, Assemblyman Lori Saldana AD-76, Assemblyman Sandré Swanson AD-16 and there are a few more coming including Speaker Karen Bass.
Dear Julia,
I don't write emails like this often.
But, with Californians facing a massive budget crisis and potentially devastating cuts to education, I feel compelled to speak out. As members of the Courage Campaign community, I hope you will speak out as well.
(Emily beat me to it, but I will add a bit of context to her post.--Julia - promoted by Dante Atkins (hekebolos))
UPDATE: by Julia I just want to add some context here. This ad is titled "Yacht Party 2". It would not exist without help from CNA, so major props to them. Today Arianna Huffington sent out an email to Courage Campaign members asking for their help to get this on the air, part of which is excerpted on the flip. We are going up in Sacramento to start, but the more donations, the more we can expand the buy.
This is very much a non-traditional ad and builds upon the first "Yacht Party" we produced that was inspired by Dave.
Local leaders gathered today outside the office of Mayor Jerry Sanders to present him with more than 2,500 signatures to the letter from San Diego Democratic Party Chair Jess Durfee calling for an investigation into Blackwater's permit process. There was a somewhat unexpected air of celebration to the event as it was announced yesterday that Mayor Sanders is calling for the city's Chief Executive Officer to conduct a full review of the Blackwater permit process (of course now we'll see what comes of it).
The stage was shared by Jess Durfee (who noted he knows a few things about vocational schools courtesy of a Master's degree in vocational education), Courage Campaign's Rick Jacobs, Humberto Peraza- district Chief of Staff for Rep. Filner, Francine Busby and Ray Lutz from Citizens' Oversight Projects.
All the parties involved have been instrumental in the rapid and effective response to this new Blackwater situation. Remember it's been barely two weeks since the news originally broke of this new facility, yet here everyone was gathered to mark and celebrate a significant people-powered success story.
Today was a great opportunity to cement in no uncertain terms the coalition to Block Blackwater which has formed rapidly and forced action from the Mayor. And we're just getting warmed up. There have been recent revelations that Blackwater is looking to expand operations at current facilities and open a new training facility in Idaho. Why? Because they see the writing on the wall. They know that Iraq isn't going to last much longer, partly because they've behaved so criminally and partly because the war is such a debacle. They know that their survival depends on diversifying and establishing new roles in a post-Bush/Iraq system. It's why they're looking for a few good hundred million in new investment capital. It's because there's no natural place for them to exist once they can't get anymore handouts from the Bush Administration and their cronies.
Today was a victory. Tomorrow we'll likely need another. But we're developing the methods that win.
Bob put this as an update to the post below, but I think this protest deserves its own thread. I too just talked to Dave who said there is about 70 people there already and growing by the minute. They are handing out a ton of pins and it sounds like everyone is having a good time and no issues that the personal officer needs to deal with.
(Bob) I just got off the phone with David Dayen for the report from the ground. It was kinda tough to hear because all of the horns honking in the background. He said there was a great crowd, KTLA is interviewing a number of them, and they are having a lot of fun passing out the lapel pins. Also, he loved the fact that a Burbank Police Officer came by and told them he was their officer for the night and if they had any problems (with ABC or Disney) to give him a call. I wish I was there, if you can make it they'll be out there until 7PM.
[UPDATE 6:09] Just got off the phone with Dave and Rick. Things are going really really well. Lots of people, one radio station, an AP reporter and a photographer were there as well as KTLA.
ABC/Disney actually rerouted traffic away from the gate where the protesters were and so a few people move over to the other gate, so they couldn't be avoided.
The Courage Campaign today became the first organization to push out the Responsible Plan to its members. We sent out an email to our list this morning (see it on the flip) encouraging our members to endorse the Responsible Plan and almost as importantly, talk to candidates they know about endorsing the plan.
Over 50 candidates, including Debbie Cook, Ron Shepston, Cheryl Ede, Bill Hedrick and Mary Pallant here in California have endorsed the Responsible Plan. It is key that we get your help to continue to build momentum for the plan. That means getting as many people and candidates to endorse, so sign it and pass the link on to your friends.
This is about changing the conversation about the war. When people ask what we are going to do about the war, this is our plan. It is our roadmap to both ending the war and taking care of our veterans. Rather than using the Republican frame on the war, focused mostly on the tactical, i.e. the surge as a strategy, we need to take control of the narrative. Promoting the Responsible Plan is one way to do that.
Framing the debate is only one site of the equation. The movement behind the Responsible Plan also about electing Democrats who will run strongly on the war and end it when they take office. We need more and better Democrats.
Just over a month ago, on a $2 budget, David Dayen created A Message from the California Yachting Association and unveiled it here at Calitics, mocking the California Republican Party's transformation into the Yacht Party. It was an instant smash.
That ad inspired the Courage Campaign to create another Yacht Party ad, this one taking it to the floor of the Legislature and defining the Republicans as the party that protects tax loopholes while watching schools and health care collapse:
Last week's fundraising campaign was so successful - bringing in over $11,000 in just a few days - that we've been able to get this ad onto Sacramento cable TV Wednesday night, on CNN, MSNBC, The Daily Show and the Colbert Report.
Perhaps just as significantly, the successful campaign has brought in new allies on the Yacht Party project. If Courage Campaign can raise $5,000 in the next 48 hours, both Speaker Fabian Núñez and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West have promised to each match that with $5,000 of their own. That would enable another ad buy not just in Sacramento, but in the home districts of some of the most obstinate Republicans.
This is a significant pledge. It represents the coming together of the netroots, of organized labor, and one of the most powerful Democratic politicians in our state in a shared effort to take the fight to the Republicans, and help stop their efforts to destroy our public services just so rich folks can get a tax break.
I've been in the netroots a long time, and have been an observer of California politics for even longer. And I've always hoped that such coalitions could be built - progressive coalitions to take back our state from the radicals who have governed it into the ground. These groups haven't always seen eye to eye, but they also recognize the importance of the budget fight, and the need for common action.
Even if you don't donate - though I hope you will - I think it's worth reflecting on just how significant a moment this is.
Over the flip is the fundraising email we sent out to Courage Campaign members today. And pay attention to the "P.S." at the end - if you like these Yacht Party ads, perhaps you can help us create the next one.
Dave's video a few weeks ago on the yacht tax loophole inspired the Courage Campaign to create this TV ad, which with your help we will get up on MSNBC, CNN, The Daily Show and the Colbert Report. Please contribute using our ActBlue page to place it on the air.
The goal is simple: frame the Republicans as the Yacht Party and draw more attention to their refusal to close the loophole.
Check the flip for the email we sent out to Courage Campaign members a few minutes ago, which gives a h/t to Dave, Robert and Calitics, plus quotes from Mark Leno's blog post here.
Score another big victory for the little guy. The people of Potrero have beaten back Blackwater and kept them out of their community. After the stunning recall of the local planning board members who supported Blackwater in December, Blackwater was facing clear local opposition to the plan. Regional groups had been working hard to raise opposition in San Diego County. Meanwhile, the Courage Campaign was teaming up with the locals to turn this into a broader fight. There were significant questions about it's environmental impact on the community and area. The company was awaiting the official Environmental Impact Review. Instead of continuing to fight against the town, Blackwater decided to pack its bags and leave tiny Potrero.
The letter from Brian Bonfliglio of Blackwater pulling the project is on the flip.
