Healthcare is front and center as usual these days, but we are sobered and saddened by the violence and deaths in Charlottesville over this weekend. We are gearing up for deep canvassing on more general issues, priming our communities for thinking about what’s at stake in the 2018 elections -- as well as tomorrow and the next week…

The Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo:  Healthcare is front and center as usual these days, but we are sobered and saddened by the violence and deaths in Charlottesville this weekend. We are gearing up for deep canvassing on more general issues, priming our communities for thinking about what’s at stake in the 2018 elections -- as well as tomorrow and the next week…

Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare Campaign:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

The past few days has been especially difficult to bear witness with events in Charlottesville coming to a boiling point. On top of the already-reprehensible domestic terrorism being carried out by hate groups, allies standing in solidarity were injured and a few people lost their lives. Heather Heyer, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates will not be going home to their families. 

Click here to be taken to the GoFundMe in honor of Heather Heyer to make a donation in their families' time of need.

We must remember that the evil in this world is surviving because it's being sustained like a fire needs oxygen. We need our friends, families, allies and communities now more than ever, to stand up for what's right, and not what's convenient. We must remember love, compassion, and understanding. 

Here at the Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare campaign, hate and racism cannot derail us fighting for fundamental human rights. 

For those interested in getting more involved with the Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare campaign:

• You can sign up to share your healthcare story or host a Potluck to #ProtectOurCare!
• We are having healthcare deep canvasses on August 19th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. We will be talking one on one with others on what is important to them regarding our nation's healthcare system and galvanizing relationships with our neighbors and communities. RSVP on this link and we will follow up with you!
• Many proposals are being put forward on both sides of the aisle, some with better intentions than others. The Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare campaign is just that - a campaign for guaranteed healthcare. With the strides the ACA has done to improve the healthcare system, there will still remain 30 million Americans uninsured, with many who have insurance still not having needed medical coverage and care. In the immediate short-term, our advocacy has been concentrated heavily on preventing up to 23 million Americans from having their medical coverage taken away. Millions of people in our nation rely with their lives on services provided by Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. We are demanding our elected officials such as Governor Hogan, Representative Andy Harris, and others to oppose ANY healthcare cuts for Maryland, as well as to take a leading position that everyone deserves healthcare and supporting policy solutions that make that goal a reality. Health care is a human right and moral issue, not a commodity. Our goal should be to provide more and higher quality care to Americans, especially access to mental health services. We at Progressive Maryland believe that should take the form of a single-payer, Medicare-for-all system. Sign our petition if you agree!  

• Are you a resident of Congressional District 1? Your voice will be of the utmost importance as the August Congressional recess comes to a close and our legislators return to Washington from their districts. Rep. Andy Harris will be voting on several important things, including the 2018 Budget and CHIP re-authorization that is due to expire September 30th, as well as potentially on a bill proposed to eliminate 89 jobs from the Congressional Budget Office. Sign HERE to speak out and let Rep. Harris know that cutting healthcare from children or any other person in our state makes him delinquent in his duty as an elected official!

Text "healthcare" to (240) 708 - 8203 or visit our webpage to sign up to volunteer!
Contact Beth Landry, Healthcare Organizer for more information (443) 366 -9402   [email protected]

PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND EVENTS THIS WEEK

 Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 10 a.m. Hitting the Streets for Healthcare! This coming Saturday, August 19th, we will be deep canvassing for healthcare in our communities. Sign up to attend below, and we will be in touch with you to follow up on what you need to participate! rsvp

Progressive Prince George’s

PPG Meeting report – our quarterly chapter meeting at Colmar Manor Aug. 10 introduced many members to the practice of Deep Canvassing – learning to relate to our neighbors on their issues instead of treating them like potential votes for a candidate. Alexiss Kurtz, Progressive Maryland’s movement politics coordinator, concisely outlined this strategy based on her experience as an organizer, including in the tough political terrain of North Carolina. We also heard a thorough rundown of the issues surrounding a proposed concrete batching plant in Bladensburg, threatening quality of life in the Port Towns (which include Colmar Manor). Committee reports followed. Get with one of our committees (below) and see how your issues can be developed along progressive lines in Prince George’s.

There will be more in future blog posts about PPG’s ongoing organizing and our development as a political and social force in the county.

You matter!  Get involved and get your issues addressed.  

Issue Groups

Our chapter has identified seven key issues of concern in our county: criminal justice, economic matters, education, fair elections, health care, immigration rights & protection and transportation.  Email the issue leads below to join a group.

• Criminal Justice - Krystal Oriadha: [email protected]
• Economic Matters - Belina Winbish-Haile: [email protected]
• Education - Rob Anthony: [email protected]
  • Community Stakeholder Forum Follow-Up - PGCPS Monday, August 14 at 7pm - Jericho City of Praise Church - 8501 Jericho City Dr. Landover, MD. 20785
• Fair Elections - Linda Thomas-Thorton: [email protected]
• Health Care - Delia Clayton: [email protected]
• Immigration Rights & Protection - Charles Smith - [email protected]
  • Immigration Forum with Brian Frosh at Stamp Union of UMD, September 24th.  RSVP link coming soon.
• Transportation - John Tabori - [email protected]

 County Council

We are looking for a point person for each County Council District. This team will mobilize when needed to advocate with their councilperson on a progressive issue, or to support new candidates for the office. If you are interested in this, please reach to Diane Teichert, County Council Lead [email protected].

 LOCAL ISSUE - To RSVP, please click here

Opposition to a Bladensburg Concrete Batching Plant – Special Exception- 4792 -- Please attend the Zoning Hearing Examiner to hear the case and support the Port Towns on Wednesday, August 22, 2017, at 9 a.m. in the County Administration Building, 2^nd floor.

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

Take Action Anne Arundel County

Chapter reports:

August 7 Chapter meeting - 10 attendees. Discussed input on issues to refine chapter priorities moving forward.

August 10 Prince Georges Chapter meeting – Claire attended to network and promote development of a community perspective panel for an environmental town hall planned for October 21st in Annapolis.  Planning the environmental town hall is a collaborative effort with local activists in Anne Arundel County with a goal of connecting activists statewide for a more impact in the 2018 legislative session. She is focused this week on networking in Anne Arundel County to form a new steering committee for the chapter.

 WITH OUR ALLIES

 Friday, August 18 --  9-11 a.m. Brown Station Road Landfill Upper Marlboro

Zero-Waste Tour of the Brown Station Road Landfill, Upper Marlboro. When you throw stuff away, where does it go? Learn more about our Prince George's County waste-management system through this tour of the Brown Station Road Landfill, including how landfills are designed and how environmental impacts are mitigated. Organized by the Prince George's Sierra Club. The tour will include the leachate treatment plant and methane collection. Limited to 20 participants; registration is required: https://sierra.secure.force.com/events/details?formcampaignid=7010Z000001ulVCQAY.  For more information, contact Janet Gingold ([email protected]).

 Coming up Monday, August 21, at the "Reel & Meal at the New Deal" film series -- Power and Control, Peter Cohn’s 2010 documentary about physical and emotional abuse in families. After the film two Greenbelt actors, Kathy Gordon and Katherine Jones, will perform a skit about domestic violence.     Starts 7 p.m. at the New Deal Café, 113 Centerway in Roosevelt Center, Greenbelt, following an optional buffet for $14 served from 6:30 pm

 Progressive Cheverly Event Thursday, September 7: 7 p.m. Forum on Returning Citizens and our Community.  Last spring a large number of Cheverly residents objected to the placement of a halfway house in our town.  Yet the fact remains that formerly incarcerated persons live in Cheverly as they do elsewhere in Prince George's County and very few public services are offered to help this vulnerable population.  

This forum will present experts and activists who will examine the public policy steps we can take to help reintegrate them into civic life upon their return as well as look at the public policy choices that result in so many of our fellow citizens being locked up in the first place. We will also look at action steps we can take going forward. Hoyer Education Center (cafeteria) 2300 Belleview Ave. (Parking Available) Cheverly -- Light refreshments will be served.

 
Saturday, Sept. 9 -- 5^th Annual District 47 – Family and Friends Cookout.  Join us for free food, games, music and more!  RSVP to [email protected] or leave a message at 301-858-3340Noon -- 3:00 p.m. 4300 39th Place Brentwoood

 Tuesday, September 19 -- Zoning Rewrite presentation. 6:30 p.m. This is an open meeting of the Port Towns Community Development Corporation to hear about and discuss the Prince George’s County Zoning Rewrite progress. The MNCCPC staffers Brittney Drakeford and Chad Williams will present how the changes might affect us in the 47th district and in the Port Towns area.

RSVP :  [email protected]6:30 p.m. -- light refreshments; 7 p.m. -- presentation followed by Q & A Colmar Manor Town Hall & Community Center, 3701 Lawrence Street

Colmar Manor

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Baltimore comrades, Check in on Max Obuszewski’s highly useful calendar and tip sheet at http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

To keep up with progressive events in and around DC consult the invaluable calendar at the Washington Peace Center, http://washingtonpeacecenter.org/alerts

 It all happens for free… right? Not exactly. Organizing for change in our society and our high-maintenance politics requires both people and money. Keep change moving with a quick, secure impulse-buy contribution here.

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:

August 10, 2017 Port Towns concrete plant has new hearing date, Aug. 22 -- Details

Port Towns residents in Prince George's County and their organizations have been fighting a proposed industrial use, a concrete batching plant in Bladensburg, at the county level. Here are details on the proposal and its drawbacks and how to support local control of development at the Aug. 22 hearing.

August 09, 2017 Home mortgage interest deduction is regressive

Allowing tax deductions for home mortgage interest payments is a popular loophole in the US tax code but its history in other countries, and analysis of whether it actually creates home ownership and connectedness to the community, makes its supposed benefits seem hollow. Regular policy blogger Mathew Goldstein argues that the MID's lopsided benefits for the already-rich make it regressive and a candidate for reduction or capping -- and ultimately, removal from the tax code.

August 08, 2017 Affordable housing a central issue for HoCo equality

Few communities have been as consciously designed for democratic equality as Columbia. But Howard County's development has not promoted affordability in housing for all income levels, and to restore the dream action must come bottom-up from the community, local activist Dave Bazell reports.

August 07, 2017 Progressive Maryland weekly update for August 7-12

The weekly memo -- events around Maryland focusing on our growing list of active chapters; allies' events, and links to the blogs from the last week.

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.