At Progressive Maryland, we've been exploring ways to not only resist, but to break through the partisan silos that often divide everyday working people. We've spent the summer talking to residents across the state and are finding people are concerned about many of the same things. Join us this coming weekend for a statewide outreach effort -- in your community.

FOR PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND, A WEEK FOR REACHING OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS

Since the election, there's been no shortage of actions to take part in and you may even be a little exhausted from all the protests.

At Progressive Maryland, we've been exploring ways to not only resist, but to break through the partisan silos that often divide everyday working people. We've spent the summer talking to residents across the state and are finding people are concerned about many of the same things. 

That's why we're holding a weekend of action with a goal of having 100 volunteer canvassers talking to residents in every region of the state. 

We all want access to high quality affordable health care, jobs that pay fair wages and provide opportunities for upward mobility, safe communities, and elected officials who actually listen to our concerns. We may differ on how to get there, but it's important to come together around our shared values to forge solutions together. Are you ready to get involved?

We're organizing a mass Weekend of Action starting Friday, August 4 through Sunday, August 6th to connect residents across the states with fellow community members through deep canvassing. This is a unique approach that is about listening to residents about their concerns and values that is proven to improve voter turnout and change political opinion.

By building relationships through real conversations with people we may not think we agree with, we can transform the resistance to something even bigger and bolder than before. The powers that be want us to remain divided over petty differences. To build real grassroots power that advances progressive values, we must overcome these divides. 

From western Maryland, to the DC suburbs, Baltimore, and the Eastern Shore, we'll be engaging in conversations about a range of issues including healthcare, wages, and ending community violence. 

This is the first step to transform our communities. Will you join us?

Click the link above to RSVP and one of our regional organizers will follow-up with additional information about canvasses in your area. And see below in individual chapter entries for your local opportunities in this statewide push.

Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare campaign update:

Thank you to everyone who was able to come to the Rally for Healthcare in Annapolis on Saturday! The rain didn't dare mess with us! Members of the Lower Shore Progressive Caucus grabbed some great photos, and we posted a few on Twitter, as well! We also had a ton of people sign Medicare's 52nd birthday card! Special thanks to Eve and Randi with March on Maryland, and Claire with Take Action AAC and many, many more volunteers, activists and speakers who made Saturday possible! The entire video of speakers is available to view on the Arundel Patriot's Facebook page!

Our speakers included Senator Ben Cardin, Prince George’s County Exec Rushern Baker, Jackie Black, Vinny DeMarco, Eve Hurwitz, Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk, Dr. Danna Tauber, Mike Taylor, RN, Thereasa Black, Chrissy Holt, Ben Jealous, Beth Landry, RN, Alec Ross, Senator Rich Madaleno, and Michele Gregory! If you know them, let them know how amazing they all are and how wonderful it was for them to share their stories and expertise.

Wednesday, August 2nd:

Statewide Healthcare Update and Canvass Training Zoom Conference

The Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare campaign will be having an update video and/or phone conference call, as well as deep canvassing as well as issues-based deep canvassing leader training, future action steps, and finally a period of time for questions.

Please RSVP for this call - the dial-in information can be obtained through the RSVP page.

This call will be delineated by these time frames:

7-7:40 p.m. Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare Campaign Update

7:40-8:15 p.m. - Canvass Leader Training

8:15-8:45.p.m.- 15 mins - Action Steps; 15 mins - Questions

RSVP HERE to get the link to join by video conference or by phone

Progressive Prince George’s -

August Chapter Meeting - RSVP here! Thursday, August 10 6:30 - 8: p.m. at Colmar Manor Community Center and Town Hall 3701 Lawrence Street – Colmar Manor, MD. 20722

 Listening Tour - JOIN US! In towns and neighborhoods across the county, we hold conversations with voters about the issues of the day and the world we’re fighting to build. We train volunteers to knock on the doors of neighbors and transform their communities into a force at the polls. We ask candidates tough questions and secure policy commitments. If you are interested in being a part of this movement of transformational listening tour, please reach out to Amanya Paige our amazing student intern@[email protected].

 *Friday, August 4 - District, time & location - COMING SOON!

 *Saturday, August 5:

 *Sunday - District, time & location - COMING SOON!

 *Be on the lookout for an email from Progressive Maryland.  If you do not receive emails from Progressive Maryland, please send an email to [email protected] to be added to our listserv.  

 Prince George’s LOCAL ISSUE - To RSVP, please click here

Opposition to a Bladensburg Concrete Batching Plant – Special Exception- 4792 – support the Port Towns and Progressive Cheverly in their opposition to this potential danger to public health and the environment.

Please attend the Zoning Hearing Examiner’s hearing to hear the case and support the Port Towns on Wednesday, August 2, 9 a.m. in the County Administration Building, 2nd floor.

https://www.facebook.com/Port-Towns-Environmental-Action-1851603078460419/

To learn more about the Special Exception case SE-4792 at: http://www.mncppcapps.org/planning/Person_of_Record/

Take Action Anne Arundel

  Friday, August 4, 2017 at 4 p.m. Eastport Elementary School in Annapolis, MD

Anne Arundel County Weekend of Action

Take Action Anne Arundel County chapter is hosting a deep canvassing event on healthcare in Eastport on Friday August 4, 2017. Meet at 4 p.m. at the Eastport Elementary School parking lot (show all) rsvp

  Friday, August 04, 2017 at 4 p.m. through August 06, 2017 · Around Maryland Statewide Weekend of Action All summer we've been talking to Maryland residents about the issues that matter most to them. Through our deep canvassing model, we're breaking through partisan divides by engaging people

Progressive MoCo: The Fight for Fifteen continues

You may have heard that a bill to raise the Montgomery County minimum wage to $15/hr was reintroduced yesterday. This is good news following the County Executive's veto earlier this year. 

Of course many of the same corporate interests that helped defeat the original bill are determined to kill this one too. In fact, a biased study showing a wage increase will hurt businesses is expected to be released this week.  That's why we must get organized!

We all know Montgomery County is expensive–the most expensive in the state–and new reports show a working family in the county needs to earn over $30/hr to be self-sufficient. On top of that, over half of county renters are paying more than 50% of their incomes on housing. No one who works hard should have to live in poverty.

Raising the minimum wage to $15/hr is a modest increase that will give Montgomery County workers a leg up in the day-to-day struggle to make ends meet. Such an increase already has overwhelming public support including the support of small businesses, most of which already pay $14-$15/hr. 

The real opponents are large corporations and wealthy interests who want to keep wages low for their own personal financial gain. 

This is a critical moment for the Fight for $15 in Maryland. We need you to get involved to help us build a strong working class movement.

Join the Maryland for $15 campaign and let us know how you can help. Click the link to volunteer to share your story about why Montgomery County needs a $15 minimum wage, host a house meeting in your neighborhood, or knock doors in your community. 

 BLOG POSTS THIS WEEK

Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our blogs for the previous week are shown below, but if you want a handy way to keep track – and never miss a blog post – you can sign up to get this Weekly Memo by email. Remember this is your blogspace and your participation is heartily invited. See something going on that you don’t like – or that you do like and hope to see more of? Send us your thoughts; submit to the moderator at [email protected]

We recently posted these blogs:

July 28, 2017 Struggle continues on Bladensburg concrete batching plant

Concerned -- and organized -- residents in Prince George's County towns on or near the Anacostia River are questioning the value of a proposed concrete batching plant, citing likely danger to air, water and public health in the revitalizing Port Towns area. Attend the Zoning Examiner’s Hearing Aug. 2 at 9 a.m. in the CAB, Upper Marlboro.

July 25, 2017 Motion To Proceed On Healthcare Debate Narrowly Passes In Senate

Official statement: MOTION TO PROCEED ON HEALTHCARE DEBATE NARROWLY PASSES IN SENATE .. Statement of Beth Landry, Healthcare Organizer for Progressive Maryland, on this afternoon's Senate vote passing a motion to proceed on healthcare debate.

July 19, 2017 Healthcare victory won't be complete without healthcare for all -- in the law

Activists like Progressive Maryland and our allies have stopped "repeal and replace" -- now the goal is to see health care as a human right become the law of the land. Gov. Larry Hogan made lukewarm comments -- finally -- about a solution to the mess his GOP fellows have made, but we need to keep pressure on him and Rep. Andy Harris to do the right thing. Hear what is needed from folks who need it in Salisbury tonight

July 18, 2017 Wealthy Howard County has serious human problems in the midst of affluence

Howard County should apply its notable wealth and potential for citizen engagement to some glaring problems. "I think that there are a number of challenges that face the county, including lack of affordable housing, a noticeable homeless population, and a lower than desirable level of citizen engagement," says Progressive HoCo activist Dave Bazell. What to do? Organize for change.

July 17, 2017 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for July 17-23

There are two events tonight (Monday, July 17), see Progressive Prince George's and Take Action AA below. And the long game on health care, which nevertheless means the pressure has to stay on even when the Senate plan experienced a hiccup... Also Note a health care correction to the emailed Memo; Tuesday's "People's Filibuster" has been canceled/postponed...

Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace since June 2015 are all available with descriptions and links here.

 

 

 

woody woodruff

About

M.A. and Ph.d. from University of Maryland Merrill College of Journalism, would-be radical, sci-fi fan... retired to a life of keyboard radicalism...