State of the Union – Click here to watch full Enhanced Version (about 1 hour)

President Obama outlined a series of ideas to build an economy that works for everyone, one that will bring about a new era of American manufacturing, and promote homegrown and alternative energy sources.  Taken together, those ideas represent a blueprint for the future.

For decades, economic security for the middle class has been unraveling. Jobs that were once the source of stable livelihoods were shipped overseas. Those at the very top watched their incomes skyrocket, while the majority of Americans were stuck with stagnant salaries and rising costs. And all of this was happening before the worst economic crisis in generations.

What’s it going to take to address this crisis?  We need to promote new skills and better education so that all Americans are prepared to compete in a global economy. That’s why, tonight, the President said every state should require all students to stay in high school until they earn a diploma or turn 18. That’s why the President called for a new partnership between community colleges and businesses to help train and place 2 million skilled workers.

We need to put a new emphasis on American manufacturing. That means refocusing our corporate tax structure to reward businesses who work to keep jobs in the United States, and end tax incentives for corporations that outsource. That means getting tough on trade enforcement and rebuilding American infrastructure.

We need to promote homegrown, American energy. That’s why President Obama supports finding ways to develop the extensive natural gas reserves we have in the United States, and is calling for new ways to create clean energy jobs.

And above all, we have to restore a basic sense of fairness to our economic system. We need to revamp our tax system — ending subsidies for millionaires and billionaires and protecting working families from a tax hike. We need to give every responsible homeowner the opportunity to refinance their mortgage at the current historically low interest rates. We need to make sure that Wall Street plays by the same rules as the rest of us.

Today, the economy is growing again. Over the past 22 months, businesses have created 3.2 million jobs. But it’s going to take more to keep moving forward, and that’s the goal of President Obama’s blueprint.

by RL Miller, Calitics, Jan 23, 2012

One of the benefits of newly redrawn maps for me is the ability to vote for Fran Pavley, running for state Senate District 27. Recently, former speaker of the Assembly Bob Hertzberg has expressed interest in the race. His stated rationale: he’s a moderate, the district is moderate, he’s a Valley guy. He might be looking at a different SD27.

The one I’m living in covers some of the West Valley, but also includes east Ventura County, Malibu, and parts of Santa Clarita. Pavley was a mayor and council member of Agoura Hills, the geographic heart of the new district. Democrats at an East Ventura County women’s club who heard Pavley speak a couple of weeks ago are quite sure they don’t want to be represented by a Sherman Oaks resident – they moved to Ventura County to get away from the San Fernando Valley.

More important than carpetbagging issues is Hertzberg’s record. Hertzberg is a moderate, pro-business Democrat. Currently, he co-chairs California Forward, a Third Way/raging centrist group thinking that it has a monopoly on common sense. His wife sits on the board of Kaiser Permanente, so presumably he’s less than thrilled with healthcare reform. In 2005, he ran – and lost – for mayor of Los Angeles by espousing traditional GOP themes.

By contrast, Pavley is a champion of progressive values. In 2011, her bills signed by Governor Jerry Brown include laws banning toxic cadmium from jewelry and toxic BPA from children’s sippy cups, promoting energy conservation, and strengthening domestic violence laws. Despite Hertzberg’s being a Valley guy, it’s Pavley – not Hertzberg – who has received the unanimous endorsement of the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, an umbrella organization of 27 Democratic clubs.

Perhaps Pavley’s greatest contribution to the California economy is AB32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, bringing clean energy jobs to California. The law bothers oil companies so much that they mounted an entirely unsuccessful attack on it in 2010, Proposition 23. Thanks in part to her leadership, California is on target to meet its renewable energy standards early. One in four American solar jobs is in California. As a climate hawk, she’ll keep California on track to lead the fight against global warming.

Pavley was endorsed overwhelmingly, 105-1, by party insiders at pre-endorsement caucuses this weekend. She deserves to be the party’s nominee, and to win in November.

Next Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley Meeting

When:  February 1, 2012 (note the shift to the FIRST Wednesday of the month);
Time:  6:15 (networking)/ 6:45 (business)
Where: Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 East Janss Road.

We the People, Not We the Corporations

On January 21, 2010, with its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are persons, entitled by the U.S. Constitution to buy elections and run our government. Human beings are people; corporations are legal fictions.

Bill Haff of Move to Amend will be speaking about the repercussions of this ruling and galvanizing us into action.

Bill worked as an antiwar activist in the Boston area from 2001 to 2008 and during that time was also a member of the Alliance for Democracy, a national group focused on globalization, corporate personhood and critiques of American democratic processes. Bill is currently working with Abolish Corporate Personhood – Ojai Valley, an Ojai-based group affiliated with national Move To Amend.

We will also hear from our candidates.  The general public is welcome.

Take action today!

One of the most important and powerful pieces of legislation to fix our broken political system is now entering a critical point in the State Legislature.

Assembly Bill 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act, will be heard this Thursday, January 19 in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. In order for this bill to move forward, it must pass out of Appropriations.

Please contact the members of the Appropriations Committee now using our easy online tool here.

The Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case and poor Federal Election Commission regulations opened the door for corporations and the wealthy to hide anonymously behind non-profit entities that conduct massive electioneering activities.

While the Federal DISCLOSE Act failed to gain passage last year because of Republican filibusters, we in California have the California DISCLOSE Act to rally around.

This legislation, AB 1148, would mandate a clear statement of sponsorship in political ads funded by wealthy individuals and big corporations. The California Clean Campaign is working to get this legislation passed directly by the state legislature or put on the ballot. This is a critical issue which affects us all. Please contact the members of the Appropriations Committee using our easy online tool today.

Americans do not want their leaders and laws bought and paid for by special interests. In fact, increased disclosure is supported by 84 percent of respondents in a recent Field Poll. To learn more about this legislation, visit www.yesfairelections.org.

To sign up to help, email Jay Kapitz at j_kapitz@yahoo.com and join the Ventura County DISCLOSE Act Working Group. Speakers are available for your group meetings.

Much has been made of Mitt Romney’s “I like being able to fire people” gaffe:

“I like being able to fire people who provide services to me,” Romney said at a Monday breakfast in New Hampshire, when talking about health care. “You know, if someone doesn’t give me a good service that I need, I want to say, ‘I’m going to go get someone else to provide that service to me.’”

If you haven’t seen it yet, video is here:

Romney was making a fairly mundane point about being able to change from one health insurance company to another and used a particularly unfortunate choice of words, particularly given his reputation as a heartless, robotic job-killing vulture capital CEO. But watching the video clip is profoundly disturbing in a way that goes beyond just a thoughtless gaffe. James Fallows postulates that it’s because he used the word “enjoy” in the context of the act of firing someone–an act that should in no way be enjoyable for the person on either end of the pink slip, if they have any empathy.

But not even that gets at the heart of what is so wrong with Romney’s statement. It goes much deeper, to Romney’s sense of privilege, and a relationship to the world around him that is alien to most Americans and reinforces everything that is wrong with the 1% in America.

The key part of what’s off-putting about the gaffe isn’t the first part about liking to fire people, so much as the second part about “who provide services to me.” Liking to fire people is bad enough, but this is the real kicker.

When it comes to basic services like healthcare, almost no one in America sees the relationship that way. Most of us wouldn’t speak of “firing” our health insurance company. No matter how much we might detest our insurance company, we probably wouldn’t describe the experience of removing ourselves from their rolls an enjoyable one.

But most of all, we don’t see the health insurance company as providing us a service. We see ourselves, rather, as indentured supplicants forced to pay exorbitant monthly rates for a basic need that responsible people with means can’t get out of paying for if we can help it. We don’t see ourselves as in control of the relationship with them. They are in control of us–and no more so than when we get sick and need the insurance most. If the company decides to restrict our coverage or tell us we have a pre-existing condition after all, we’re in the position of begging a capricious and heartless corporation to cover costs we assumed we were entitled to based on a contractual obligation. It’s precisely when we need insurance most that we’re least able to “fire” the insurance company.

The same goes for the rent/mortgage, for the utilities, for the car, for the cell phone bill, for nearly everything. Most of these things are necessary commodities for most Americans. Many are socially expected, even if not technically necessary. They all have (usually far overpriced) unavoidable monthly charges and premiums that fall on overworked and underpaid Americans every month like a load of bricks. We see many of them increase by at least 5-20% year over year even as our wages stay flat. All we can do is struggle to keep up, trying to find the least bad service for the lowest price we can afford, but knowing we’re getting gouged every step of the way.

Romney talks about paying for health insurance as if it were the same as getting a pedicure, hiring an escort or getting the fancy wax at a car wash. It’s a luxury service being provided to him, and if he doesn’t like it, he can take his business elsewhere. Romney’s is the language of a man who has never wanted for anything, never worried about where his next paycheck would come from, never worried about going bankrupt if he got sick.

It is the language of an entitled empowerment utterly alien to the experience of most Americans, who feel victimized and bled dry without recourse by these rentier corporations. Romney sees himself as in charge of the relationship between himself and these entities. Most Americans don’t. That’s why the statement rankles and feels so off-putting to us. The mention of enjoying the act of “firing” them is just icing on the cake.

When it comes to health insurance companies and their ilk, most Americans think of the relationship more like this.

It’s an experience Mitt Romney wouldn’t even begin to understand.

A version of this post originally appeared at Digby’s Hullabaloo on 1/10/12, and was quoted by Paul Krugman on 1/11/12.

Hank Lacayo and Armando Lopez Support Hodge As Best Choice To Change Politics As Usual in Sacramento

Two prominent Latino Community Leaders, Hank Lacayo and Armando Lopez, have endorsed Jason Hodge for the State Senate in District 19 which covers Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. They join over fifty prominent individuals and organizations supporting Hodge for Senate including Assemblyman Pedro Nava (former), the Tri-Counties Central Labor Council which represents over 50,000 working men and women, local elected officials and public safety organizations. As a member of the Cherokee Nation, Hodge will be the first Native American elected to the State Senate.

“I’ve been working with Jason over the past ten years. He cares about seniors and our quality of life; teaching kids to swim; and students who want access to better educational opportunities. People trust Jason will represent their interests in Sacramento,” stated Hank Lacayo

Hank Lacayo is currently serving his fifth term as the state president of the Congress of California Seniors, which represents more than 65,000 seniors statewide. He has held several dozen titles and has been highly decorated over the years. Notably, he was the former National Director of the United Auto Workers, Past President of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and is the current Secretary of Cause (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy).

Armando Lopez, President of El Concilio Family Services*, a nonprofit that provides mentoring and other services for at-risk youth and their families, stated that “Jason understands the importance of building bridges between and among diverse communities. He is a true public servant that dedicates his life everyday to working families and those who want to better their lives. I am proud to support Jason Hodge.”

“I am honored to have the support and confidence of prominent Latino community leaders like Hank Lacayo and Armando Lopez.” said Jason Hodge. “It is time for new leadership in Sacramento because politics as usual has failed and I’m honored to be entrusted with their support.”

Born in western Ventura County, Jason Hodge currently serves as a full-time firefighter with the Ventura County Fire Department and an elected Commissioner of the Oxnard Harbor District. Hodge has been on the front lines in some of the largest fires in modern California history, has helped manage major disasters, and has served with state and federal emergency response teams. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and is a resident of Oxnard.

*Title for identification purposes only

The Nevada Caucus is on 1/21/12 and we have a great opportunity to call our fellow Democrats in Nevada to encourage them to get to their caucuses to show support for our President. We in So Cal can make a big difference in the caucus turnouts. Please join us with your cell, positive energy and a friend. We’ll be providing snacks, and training as needed for any new volunteers and yes, a fabulous phone banking location. Thanks to Grace and Elliot Leiboff for the use of this great space!

Details are below as is the website address so you can RSVP (that’s important). A map to the location is attached.

Get more info from Janet Eckhouse, the Neighborhood Team Leader for the Conejo Valley – janeteckhouse@sbcglobal.net

https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpp3h2

The Greater Oxnard Organization of Democrats (GOOD Club) will host a forum on Wednesday, Jan. 11 featuring Jason Hodge and Hannah-Beth Jackson, candidates for the 19th State Senate District. The event begins at 7 p.m.

Each candidate will be asked to give a five-minute introduction and then will answer questions provided by GOOD Club members. At the end, each candidate will have another five minutes for a concluding statement. The forum will be moderated by Caleb Donner. If time permits, the audience will be invited to ask further questions in writing.

The event, which will be held at Café on A, 438 S. A Street, Oxnard, is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. More info: (805) 216-7672.

For more information on the GOOD Club, visit http://greateroxnarddemocrats.com/

Next Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m., 233 Corte Linda, Santa Paula

The Santa Clara Valley Democratic Club will hold their December club meeting with a holiday social at 6 p.m. with a short meeting to follow, featuring State Senate District 19 Candidate Jason Hodge. A tamale dinner will be served. RSVP to Laura Espinosa at (805) 525-7690.