STOP THE CORPORATE POWER GRAB
Ballot Measure
EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR

The Corporate Power Grab Ballot Measure attempts to limit the power of Organized Labor by restricting the ability of Unions to contribute to political candidates and initiatives.

Join us for an explanation of the Measure, information on messaging, and a plan to STOP this dangerous initiative!
All seminars start at 5:30 pm.

MAY 1  Santa Barbara County
IBEW Local 413
100 Thomas Road, Buellton, CA 93427

MAY 2:  Ventura County
UFCW Orchid Room
816 Camarillo Springs Road, Camarillo, CA 93012

MAY 3:  San Luis Obispo County
IBEW Local 639
6363 Edna Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

For more information contact Allison Grove at 805-234-3487, or agroves76@gmail.com

Since 1998, Congresswoman Lois Capps has represented California’s South and Central Coasts, which includes portions of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.  “I am proudly endorsing Hannah-Beth Jackson for the State Senate because we need her in Sacramento to fight for better schools, a cleaner environment and stronger consumer protections,” said Congresswoman Capps.  “I’ve known Hannah-Beth for many years, and she is the right choice to represent the Central Coast in the State Senate.”

Lois and I have developed a strong working relationship to serve our community and constituents over the past twenty years, including during my tenure in the State Assembly from 1998 – 2004. Together, we’ll work tirelessly to create jobs, strengthen women’s healthcare and ensure every child in California has the best possible education.

Here’s how YOU can join us in our grassroots campaigning activities this week:

What: Meet & Greet
When: Thursday, March 22nd from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Downtown Sol, 328 3rd Street in Oxnard

What: Walking and Talking to Voters
When: Saturday, March 24th at 11:00 am
Where: Downtown Sol, 328 3rd Street in Oxnard

What: Walking and Talking to Voters
When: Sunday, March 25th at 1p
Where: New Campaign HQ, located at 114 E. Haley St Suite E in Santa Barbara

Please join my grassroots campaign, and help me win the 19th State Senate seat back from the special interests. I look forward to seeing you soon!

SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) will be shaving his head in support of and solidarity with children facing cancer.

On Monday, March 12 the Assemblymember will shave his head during a St. Baldrick’s Day event at DeVere’s Irish Pub, 1521 L St., Sacramento between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Each year the community gathers for a one-day event that brings together teams of people willing to shave their heads bald as a sign of solidarity with children who are fighting cancer. Assemblymember Williams is leading a team raising money for the cause.

“Everyone deserves a shot at life and happiness. That is why it is especially tragic when a child faces the prospect of a terminal illness. Instead of playing soccer, they make trips to chemotherapy; instead of school dances, they face baldness and surgery,” said Assemblymember Williams. “But we can help them beat it! Treatments for people who cannot afford them and research for life saving technology are expensive, so every bit helps. By shaving your head, you give them kinship. By donating, you give them hope.”

Assemblymember Williams is asking you to make a donation in support of his efforts on St. Baldrick’s Day. To Donate, go to: http://www.stbaldricks.org/teams/mypage/76048/2012

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.

For a fact sheet about, visit: https://www.stbaldricks.org/file/get/f/1e8a4cff-c213-41dc-b96d-3cec2282af97/n/PressKit2012_HQ_030112.pdf

Website for Assemblymember Das Williams: http://assembly.ca.gov/Williams

You are invited to a very special fundraising party hosted by Jordan and Sandra Laby happening next month.  Please save the date for good wine, food and friends at the Laby’s beautiful Ventura home. Here are the event details:

Sunday, March 11th, 2012 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Home of Sandra & Jordan Laby, Ventura (address given with RSVP)

Levels of Support:

Host $2,500
Co-Host $1,000
Sponsor $500
Friend $250
Ticket $100

Please RSVP by March 8th to Elena at info@hannah-beth2012.com

You can purchase your ticket online at our event page by clicking here

Or you can mail your check to:

Hannah-Beth Jackson for State Senate
Po Box 92010, Santa Barbara, CA 93190

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.

SACRAMENTO — A Bill authored by Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) that provides policy guidelines regarding background screening requirements for Emergency Medical Responders, passed the Senate floor today.

Assembly Bill 1245 simply states that if the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) proposes to adopt or adapt a regulation for state approval of an Emergency Medical Responder (EMS) course, the completion of the course must also include criminal background checks for those who will be acting in the capacity of an EMR.

The State Health and Safety code already requires criminal background checks for all certified or licensed EMS personnel. The bill will ensure that the existing standards are in place for all persons delivering care in the EMS system.

“These folks are often asked to do many of the same things in the line work that their certified and licensed colleagues are, such as enter an individual’s home to render lifesaving care and collect vital medical information, the public deserves the protection of the same background checks,” Williams said.

Website for Assemblymember Das Williams: http://assembly.ca.gov/Williams

Comments Due by November 22

The Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley resolved earlier this year to support the full and complete cleanup of the Santa Susan Field Lab.  Countywide help is  needed now on this critical environmental and public health issue.

The most contaminated place in Ventura County is the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, where reactors and rockets were tested.  One atomic reactor suffered a partial meltdown there in 1959; at least three other reactors had other accidents; there were thousands of rocket tests.  Radioactive and chemical contamination resulted.

For decades, the fight to get the site cleaned up has raged.  Finally, we have a breakthrough:  the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and NASA, which operated key parts of the site, have agreed to a cleanup to background levels of contaminants.  In short, if they detect contamination from their activities, they will clean it up.  This is what the community has sought for so long.

An initial comment period resulted in over 1700 comments in favor of the agreement-in-principle—absolutely remarkable.  If you commented then, thanks!  But DOE has now asked for a second, final round of comments, on the final, legally binding Agreement.  It is frustrating to have to comment a second time, but we are near the finish line. [You can find the Agreement and related documents at http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/SiteCleanup/Santa_Susana_Field_Lab/SSFL-Cleanup.cfm and get more information about the SSFL issue  http://www.rocketdynecleanupcoalition.org.]

ACTION NEEDED:  Whether you commented before or not, PLEASE send in a comment NOW urging that the final Agreements be immediately signed.  (Comments are due no later than November 22.)

Click here to send an email comment: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5393/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4690

Join John Laird and friends in Santa Maria on the final weekend before the June 22nd special election to fill Senate District 15! 

We want to make sure our Democratic supporters remember to vote, and we need your help to get them to turn in those ballots or head to the polls. Winning this seat means getting within 1 vote of 2/3rds in the State Senate!

Come at 10am to hear John rally the troops, then we’ll train volunteers and head out to walk precincts and talk to voters. 

For those who cannot walk, we will also have phonebanking opportunities. 

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Bring a friend!

There will be carpools from Santa Barbara and points south, so if you need a ride, Facebook message Hillary Blackerby or email hillary@lairdforsenate.com.

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More info on the 15th District and the race:

The 15th State Senate district, located on California’s Central Coast, running from Saratoga in Santa Clara County through Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, all of San Luis Obispo County, to Santa Maria in Santa Barbara County, has a vacant seat due to the confirmation of Abel Maldonado as Lt. Governor.

Governor Schwarzenegger called the special election for June 22, hoping to confuse voters into not showing up to vote and helping a right-wing Republican win a seat that has a majority Democratic registration, a seat that went to Barack Obama in 2008 by 20 points.

We need to elect John Laird to this seat. John Laird is a Democrat who represented a large portion of the 15th District in the State Assembly, and has a record of standing up for his principles. During my time there, he fought for fair budgets, protection for our environment, investment in education and equality for all Californians.

In 1959, degree in hand, he followed Horace Greeley’s advice to go west to join the faculty of San Fernando Valley State College, now CSUN, where he taught until his retirement in 1995. At Northridge he combined teaching, research, and textbook writing with activism in Democratic politics. He became president of the Northridge Democratic Club in 1963, an elector in the Electoral College in 1964, a regional officer in the CDC, and an intermittent delegate to the California State Democratic convention. His outspoken stand against escalation of the Vietnam War temporarily alienated him from mainstream politics and led to a long-term avocation in Renaissance and Baroque recorder music. Fully back in the swing of things by the 1980s, he combined political activism with political database building , maintaining the data base for the Nuclear Freeze in Southern California. He was also involved in many local and congressional elections in Los Angeles in the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1987 he became a commuter professor and (temporarily) absentee landlord, moving, with much political baggage, to Oxnard. GOOD Club officers quickly snagged him at the county fair, and he was appointed by Mayor Lopez to the Oxnard Public Library Board. Then it was the Ventura County Living Wage Coalition and CAUSE, the County Democratic Central Committee, and the California Clean Money Campaign. In the 1990s he served two terms as president of the GOOD Club. As a member of the Ventura Country Democratic Central Committee he worked on the executive board to provide inexpensive electronic voter data to clubs and candidates. In 2001 he was named Volunteer of the Year for Region 10 of the party for coordinating county voter registration. From 2004 to 2006 he served as precinct coordinator of the GOOD Club, receiving major recognition from labor, the party, and legislative bodies. Then, recovered from an illness, he again became president of the GOOD Club and resumed activity in the County Democratic Central Committee and the Fair Elections Campaign.

Behind this activism has been the conviction that the social contract that mitigated the economic collapse of the 1930s, the (con)federalist vision that U.S. provided the world and especially Europe at the end of WW II, and the domestic programs that treat all Americans as stake holders have been indispensable to our achievement of a “more perfect union,” domestic tranquility, and national security. Successful capitalism must provide incentives to more than a few winners who commandeer the rest. Our social fabric has been systematically undermined by the Friedmans and the Reagans whose deeds contradict their creeds.

Responsible parenthood and custody of our natural endowment are likewise indispensable perquisites for a rule of law that recognizes real persons, not corporate collectives, as participants in our polity. Activism is a commitment without end. Some dedicated band must fight for equity lest civilized society wither. As a professional historian, Al is all too aware of the historical record of imperial adventurers whose waste of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness constitute boundless marches of folly commonly celebrated as national epics.

Married for 28 years to Susan, Al has two sons and a grandson in Sacramento and a daughter in Oakland. Marriage added three stepsons and two granddaughters, who now reside in Palo Alto.

Allen Dirrim with editorial help from Dori Maria Jones.