ESCONDIDO, May 20, 2010 - The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Region 5 has endorsed Tracy Emblem for U.S. Congress in California's 50th as the Democratic Candidate to vote for in the June 8th primary.
UAW Region Five consists of active and retired members in 17 states in the Western and Southwestern United States and represents individuals such as manufacturing and aerospace employees, agricultural implement workers and academic student employees, readers and tutors at the nine teaching campuses in California.
"Putting Americans back to work should be the number one priority right now in Congress. If America is to have a future, now is the time to revitalize our manufacturing base with high tech green manufacturing jobs that benefit Americans. It starts immediately with policies that return our jobs to America and by retooling for a new economy together with a multi-industry strategy approach through partnership with private, public and labor segments."
The UAW is one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy. UAW-represented workplaces range from multinational corporations, small manufacturers and state and local governments to colleges and universities, hospitals and private non-profit organizations. The UAW has more than 390,000 active members and more than 600,000 retired members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
It has been actively involved in every civil rights legislative battle since the 1950s, including the campaigns to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 and legislation to prohibit discrimination against women, the elderly and people with disabilities.
The UAW also has played a vital role in passing such landmark legislation as Medicare and Medicaid, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Employee Retirement Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. In Washington and state capitols, the UAW is fighting for better schools for kids, secure health care and pensions for retirees, clean air and water, tougher workplace health and safety standards, stronger worker's compensation and unemployment insurance laws and fairer taxes.
This endorsement brings the total labor support of Tracy's campaign to about 20 unions. Tracy is also the candidate endorsed by the Progressive Democrats of America.
Tracy Emblem is running for U.S. Congress in San Diego's 50th District against Francine Busby, a Cardiff School Board trustee with only one endorsement by labor (California Teachers Association), to unseat the incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray who has no endorsements by labor.
ESCONDIDO, May 12, 2010 - The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has endorsed Tracy Emblem for U.S. Congress in California's 50th Democratic primary race in North San Diego County.
AFGE represents a diverse workforce of government workers who are the vital threads of the fabric of American life. Government employees inspect the food we eat and the places we work, protect citizens from the illicit flow of drugs, maintain the safety of our nation's borders, care for our nation's veterans and keep the national defense systems prepared for any danger
"With the 50th District geographically between two military bases and San Diego County home to the second largest Veteran population in the nation, I am proud to have the support and endorsement of AFGE whose members work to care for, empower and assist our returning Veterans and protect and keep America strong," said Tracy Emblem on Wednesday.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas. Workers in virtually all functions of government at every federal agency depend upon AFGE for legal representation, legislative advocacy, technical expertise and informational services.
AFGE believes that all unions should belong to the house of labor and has been nationally affiliated with the The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) since AFGE was founded in 1932. The AFL-CIO is a voluntary federation of 56 national and international labor unions. The AFL-CIO was created in 1955 by the merger of the AFL and the CIO.
This endorsement brings the total labor support of Tracy's campaign to about 20 unions. Tracy is also the candidate endorsed by the Progressive Democrats of America.
Tracy Emblem is running for U.S. Congress in San Diego's 50th District against Francine Busby, a Cardiff School Board trustee with only one endorsement by labor (California Teachers Association), to unseat the incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray who has no endorsements by labor.
Logan Jenkins, a San Diego Union-Tribune columnist based in North San Diego County, covered the tight Democratic Congressional primary in California's 50th District today. He profiled the two Democratic candidates in the race competing for a chance to unseat the Republican incumbent, Brian Bilbray: 1) Francine Busby, "the Harold Stassen of the 50th district, a three-time loser in head-to-head races against Republicans," and 2) Tracy Emblem, the fresh new upstart with extensive blue collar support from about 20 labor unions. He posited that the 50th District might change color from red to blue this year. Read more:
WASHINGTON D.C., May 07, 2010 - National peacekeeping group, Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) gave progressive democrat, Tracy Emblem the thumbs up in her race for United States Congress in North San Diego County's 50th district with their official endorsement for her candidacy in the June 8th Democratic Primary.
CGS is a membership based 'big idea' group working to promote the International Criminal Court (ICC), reform the United Nations and encourage the United States to adopt a multinational foreign policy, which includes working together with other nations to abolish war, protect our rights and freedoms, and solve the problems facing humanity that no one nation can solve alone.
"I am proud to have the support and endorsement of the Citizens for Global Solutions and to work together to promote the end of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. We all have a responsibility to be part of the solution," said Tracy Emblem upon receiving the news.
CGS remains one of the leading U.S. based organizations focused on the ICC. Through the work of members, they have been able to roll back the anti-ICC policies adopted by Congress and the Bush administration. They are currently meeting with members of the Obama administration to build a truly positive U.S. relationship with the Court.
As a founding member of the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping, CGS successfully lobbied Congress to appropriate an additional $524 million to help address critical shortfalls to funding U.N. peacekeeping missions. Overall, they were able to help reduce, by more than 20%, U.S. debt to the U.N. They will continue work to bring this to zero and to put blue helmets back onto U.S. troops.
Close to 90% of the 183 candidates endorsed by Global Solutions PAC in the 2008 election cycle won, including 5 new senators and 5 new representatives.
Tracy is running for U.S. Congress in San Diego's 50th District against Francine Busby, a Cardiff School Board trustee, to unseat the incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray.
With the June primaries fast approaching, we have three candidates facing challengers for the party's nominations. As we pursue our goal of a governing progressive majority, you'll be hearing from each of them. Our hope is that you will find an hour or two to help elect true progressive candidates like Tracy Emblem in California's 50th congressional district. -Tim Carpenter
Republican Brian Bilbray has stood as a living roadblock to every meaningful piece of legislation. He voted NO to Regulate Predatory Lending Practices while people are losing their homes due to foreclosure. He voted NO to Health Care Reform, even after his friends in Congress stripped the Public Option back to nothing less than another private insurance bailout. He voted NO to Ending the War and to bring our troops home. In fact, the only consistent YES vote he has cast is to participate in the Obstruction of Progress.
The RNC considers the 50th a vulnerable district. In 2008, President Obama won with over 14,000 votes. The district is 97.8 percent urban and is ready for change and progressive leadership in Congress.
I am running in a contested Democratic Primary against the party "blue dog" candidate who has already run and lost three times. I have the support of California's working families, the California Labor Federation, the California Nurses Association, National Air Traffic Controllers and almost 20 individual unions in the AFL-CIO. Labor supports me because they know it will take a progressive leader to deliver a victory. Your support will help to level the playing field against the party machine.
With only days until the primary, I need your help now more than ever to win this fight. Please volunteer to make calls to help us reach voters in this critical Southern California district. Together, we can work for true progress to make America stronger.
Yours truly,
Tracy Emblem
P.S. Your campaign contribution of $10, $25, $50 or whatever you can afford will help us reach voters in this critical time. Please visit www.TracyEmblemforCongress.com.
P.P.S. Join Tracy this Thursday on the "Inside the Party" call. Register here.
ESCONDIDO, CA April 23, 2010 - The California School Employees Association (CSEA) joins the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), the California Labor Federation (CLF) and nearly twenty diverse labor unions from building trades to health care specialists and service employees in their official endorsement of Tracy Emblem for United States Congress in California's 50th district.
CSEA represents nearly 230,000 classified employees in California public schools and community colleges.
These school support staff, known in California as “classified school employees,” perform a wide range of essential work, including security, food services, office and clerical work, school maintenance and operations, transportation, academic assistance and paraeducator services, library and media assistance, computer services and more.
"I am proud to have the support and endorsement of the working men and women who keep our schools and colleges open and running. California's Classified Employees work hard every day to ensure that our learning environments are safe, clean and ready for our students, young and old. It is essential that we have a quality, skilled workforce which is why I support rights for employees to organize, pool their resources and collectively bargain for benefits. Investing in our local communities will have lasting results for generations to come," said the jubilant Tracy Emblem.
These endorsement's bring the total labor support of Tracy's campaign to almost 20 unions. Tracy is also the candidate endorsed by the Progressive Democrats of America.
Tracy is running for U.S. Congress in San Diego's 50th District against Francine Busby, a Cardiff School Board trustee with only one endorsement by labor (California Teachers Association), to unseat the incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray who has no endorsements by labor.
Vote Now for Tracy Emblem the True Progressive Candidate
We all know in our hearts who the real progressive candidate is -- Tracy Emblem. The other 50th District candidate has lost the general election three times, and is now attempting to gain the DFA endorsement as a "progressive" candidate. She is not a Progressive Democrat who DFA should endorse. In fact, the DFA does not want Blue Dog or Corporate candidates to represent the party as stated in a recent email from DFA.
To our fellow democrats who are Busby supporters we say that your friendship and loyalty to her is admirable, but we all know friends don't win elections. It is the best qualified candidate who should move on to defeat Brian Bilbray. Let's all make it happen, and as our opponet says - "Let's rally the troops."
Why support Tracy Emblem as the Progressive Candidate? Progressive Democrats of America and Progressive Push - both national progressive organizations have endorsed Tracy.
Tracy has the support/endorsements of 16 labor unions who represent hundreds of working families in the 50th District.
This district can only be won by a strong opponent -- Tracy has been a civil rights attorney protecting and fighting for people's constitutional rights!
Please Click on the Link Below & Vote for Tracy Emblem
PDA is the second progressive organization to endorse Emblem this week. The Progressive Push PAC endorsed Emblem on Saturday. Luis A. Cuevas, the National Director, stated on Emblem's Facebook page that he was proud to endorse "the real progressive in California's 50th Congressional District race".
Pat Meagher, Progressive Democratic Candidate for the 41st Congressional District, has received endorsements from multiple Union and Democratic Clubs. A Forest Falls resident and Principle of Fontana Adult School he has gathered the support of the Mojave Desert Democratic Club, East Valley Democratic Club, Stonewall Democratic Club,
Greater Rialto Dual Endorsement, Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club and The Democratic Club of Big Bear Valley. His Union endorsements include IBEW Local 440, UAW Region 5 Western United States CAP Council, California Labor Federation's Committee on Political Education (COPE), San Bernardino/Riverside Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, San Bernardino/Riverside Building and Trades Council, and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 12.
This father of nine, seven of whom are adopted, has also gotten the attention of Progressive Democrats of America Dr. Bill Honigman, So CA State Organizer, who was the Keynote speaker at Pat Meagher's fundraising event held at University of Redlands. Ahjamu Makalani evoked Meagher's name and sloganas an inspiration to a standing room only crowd at the State Democratic Convention PDA Caucus. Meagher embraces the entire PDA platform including their current campaign for Healthcare Not Warfare.
The war is real for the Meagher family. Their newly married son will be returning to Iraq this summer for a second tour, as well as a daughter whose first tour was in Afghanistan. To thunderous applause at Arlington West Santa Monica following Col. Ann Wright (Ret), Meagher declared "Don't tell me I don't support the troops. Those are my kids. It is time to bring our glorious and victorious troops home!"
Col. Ann Wright, 29 year Army Veteran, 13 year United States Diplomat, was so impressed after meeting with Meagher that she adjusted her schedule in order to share the podium with him when he announced his candidacy to a crowd of community leaders and peace and justice activists from the Inland Empire at the Carriage House in Redlands.
Pat Meagher is proud that his campaign is funded through grassroots supporters who believe he is the best man to represent their concerns in Washington DC.
One hundred and ten Progressive Democrats of America members and their guests filled the center section of the Nuart Theater in Los Angeles for the premiere of Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro's new film, "Body of War." It was a sold-out house and a very special evening for everyone lucky enough to have gotten their tickets in advance.
The "Body of War" is the story of Tomas Young and his journey from healthy young man from Kansas to that of the face and body of the broken warrior returning to his country, disillusioned by the lies that sent him to war and a leader who jokes about non-existent "weapons of mass destruction." Tomas begins his new life paralyzed from the chest down in a wheel chair. City riding in an unarmored Humvee on his first mission into Sadr City, he had been shot above the collarbone.
Progressive Democrats of America has presented a national endorsement to Vickie Butcher, Democratic candidate in the 52nd Congressional District.
This will mean national phone banking and other support for Vickie, who is running in an open seat to replace retiring Congressman Duncan Hunter.
"We couldn't be more happy or more proud," PDA Metro-San Diego president Judy Hess said in an e-mail informing Vickie of the national endorsement. "You've joined the ranks of Donna Edwards and other great progressives."
Vickie has fought for civil rights and voting rights, challenging segregation in her youth. She's been doing what is right ever since. She became a teacher of the deaf and later taught civics, before earning her law degree after her fifth child was born. She's chaired a local planning board and served on water and hospital boards. Nationally, she headed up the National Medical Association auxiliary, working with her husband, a physician, to make healthcare accessible to those in need. She supports universal healthcare for all and has expertise to make this a reality. Vickie also founded Water for Children Africa, meeting with world leaders and leading efforts to bring water and medicines to people in 15 nations. Now she's fighting to give a voice to all of us in Congress-not the special interests!
Read about Vickie's long history of progressive leadership here: www.votevickiebutcher.com
Vickie faces a tough primary battle against a former Navy Seal who was a liaison reprsenting the Department of Defense (Special Forces Operations) in Congress.
We've got people power to walk precincts and man phonebanks -- but need money to cinch victory. Please help by donating to help a true progressive and internationally acclaimed humanitarian win this seat! www.votevickiebutcher.com.
Two weeks may have passed between the Democratic Convention and today, but that hasn't stopped us from speculating over whatactuallyhappened during that weekend. During these two weeks, everyone seems to have developed a theory on who knew what ahead of time, who was conspiring to silence the progressives, and who was really behind the mysterious quorum call. Two weeks have passed since then, and I'd like to do my part to end all the speculation NOW.
Last Thursday, I hopped on over to OC Drinking Liberally. John Hanna, Co-chair of the Resolutions Committee, also happened to be there. Pretty soon, hekebolos showed up, and we all went to the back room of Memphis to discuss what really happened at the convention. Later on, we also talked about what we can do better next time, but I'll talk about that part of the discussion another time.
Right now, I'm inviting you to follow me after the flip to find out WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE RESOLUTIONS. I have been collecting information from a few brave individuals for quite some time now, and my meeting with John Hanna on Thursday put an end to my own speculation on all these rumors. So why not join me after the flip, so that you can also toss the speculation and just find out what happened?
