We are ramping up for the first of our monthly Progressive Maryland mass canvasses to build support for a popular reversal of business as usual at the polls. Progressive Maryland trains canvassers and runs canvasses that get results – bringing more responsive public officials and fewer, well, politicians. To find out more, join our canvasses. June 26 is coming, and the political earthquake is building. Don’t get gamed.

First Monthly Canvass of 2018 in Prince George's County will be THIS Saturday, January 27th in Capitol Heights! 10am-6pm. Sign up for a three hour shift and get the launch point location here:

http://www.progressivemaryland.org/pgjancanvass

Prince George's and the Criminal Justice System. 

Take a few minutes to answer our survey about Prince George's and the Criminal Justice System. 

Our Mass Incarceration Team is conducting research on the impact of criminal justice system on the Prince George's County community so we can better understand how residents feel and take better actions in reform, partnerships and building power among the community.

Political Empowerment Day Recap

On January 6th, Alexiss Kurtz and Seanniece Bamiro, Progressive MD staff, co-hosted an event with Sistas United on the importance of engaging this electoral cycle and the necessity of elevating the leadership of women of color. Check out the write up on their event here.

PPG Organizing Co-op Update 

The organizing co-op came to an end on Friday, January 12th. We were a little over 10% to our goal of 200. On Wednesday, co-op members met to decide the next steps of the co-op! The members decided to identify a leader to run the co-op from within the co-op membership by February 15th. Stay tuned!

Take Action Anne Arundel County

Action Reports!
Jan 18 Chapter meeting - Legislative Preview with Progressive Maryland

Jennifer Dwyer, Progressive Maryland's Policy and Legislative Coordinator shared highlights from the 2017 session and the priorities for the 2018 session. Leslie Schwartz-Leeper, the chapter's social media lead, live streamed the presentation on the chapter's Facebook page and thirteen concerned citizens were on hand to have an engaging discussion about the issues.  Jennifer highlighted Progressive Maryland's work on the Fight for $15 and Bail Reform along with a number of other issues including protections for pregnant workers and equal pay for women. Citizens in the audience had questions and comments about a range of issues including the Consumer Healthy Air Act, Lowering Maryland's blood lead action level for children, Health Impact Study Requirement for the Public Service Commission's regulation of utilities, single payer healthcare, drug addiction bills, the rape survivor family protection act, collective bargaining bill for part-time college faculty, and a bill to redefine the legal definition of a hate crime.    

Jan 20 - March on the Polls in Annapolis

Take Action Anne Arundel County participated with hundreds of women, men and children for the anniversary of the Women's March and the launch of March on the Polls on Saturday Jan 20 in Annapolis. It was exciting to see the high level of energy and enthusiasm of participants and speakers. The most compelling speakers were the young -- a young Muslim teenager who shared her challenges growing up in this country, a young indigenous woman who urged us to elect candidates who would care about the fate of missing indigenous women, and a young man who was building advocacy for Evelyn's Law that would require caretakers of the elderly and disabled to be licensed to provide that care. Krytsal Oriadha did a fantastic job providing the context of why Progressive Maryland is focused on both bail reform and the fight for $15 to end the institutional cycle seen in so many communities. There were so many inspiring talks and a rousing march down Main Street. It was a great day to be inspired and to get engaged in 2018's March to the Polls. Check out more at Operation Marching Orders.

Events this week in Anne Arundel

Thursday January 25 at 7pm at the Annapolis Friends Meeting House- Public Forum on Medicaid in Maryland. Learn more here.

-- Report from Claire Miller

Frederick Progressives

Talbot Rising

Saturday, January 27 LECTURE: "Talking About Single Payer" with James Burdick, MD. Talbot Co Free Library, 100 W Dover St., Easton, MD. Jan 27 from 2-3:30 p.m.

Lower Shore Progressive Caucus

ALLIED EVENTS

TONIGHT Monday, January 22, Wolf PAC-GMOM Legislative Action Night  6-8 p.m., State Capital, Annapolis Meet in the House Office Building Lounge at 6:00 PM.

January 23, 2018 Our Revolution, Maryland and Howard County: “Improved Medicare for All” -- With Our Revolution President Nina Turner, Eric Naumburg, Ken Zinn and Mark Dudzic -- Owen Brown Community Center• 6800 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045 • 6:30 PM Host Contact Info: [email protected] More info and RSVP here

Thursday, January 25 -- Forum: Small-Donor Public Financing Program for Prince George's County Elections.   Kenhill Center, 2614 Kenhill Drive, Room 101, Bowie MD 20715. , 7 pm.

Do you want to reduce the influence of wealthy interests and increase the power of regular Prince Georgians in County politics?  To enable grassroots candidates to compete effectively for County Council and Executive?  Then join us in Bowie for a public forum to discuss legislation that would create a Small-Donor Public Financing Program for County elections – allowing citizens to run on the power of their ideas instead of the size of wealthy interests’ bank accounts.  

The program would work by amplifying small dollar donations to candidates who show sufficient community support and agree to accept donations only of $150 or less from individuals.  A similar program has been launched in Montgomery County and has brought out many grassroots candidates! 

 The forum's panel will feature:

• Mary Lehman, Prince George's County Councilwoman (the bill's lead sponsor)
• Phil Andrews, former Montgomery Council member (initiated the Montgomery program),
• Joanne Antoine (Common Cause/Maryland Fair Elections Coalition), and
• A participating candidate from a nearby jurisdiction.

 Sponsored by the Prince George’s Sierra Club and the Fair Elections Maryland Coalition.   Registration not required, but appreciated for planning. To register: https://sierra.secure.force.com/events/details?formcampaignid=7010Z000001P2PAQA0

For more information on the Fair Elections Maryland Coalition:  http://www.fairelectionsmaryland.org/home.html.

Friday, January 26 -- Progressive Cheverly's annual legislative forum for District 47A. We will hear from State Senator Victor Ramirez and Delegates Diana Fennell and Jimmy Tarlau about their legislative priorities for the upcoming Maryland General Assembly session and have the chance to ask your questions directly to your representatives. This annual event is one of our most popular forums.

Saturday, January 27th  Del. Alonzo Washington (D-22nd) has his first "Table Talk Tour" of 2018 at the Starbucks in New Carrollton (8498 Annapolis Road, New Carrollton, MD) from 10 a.m. to noon. This month, he will be joined by Congressman Steny Hoyer's Office, the Prince George's County Assessment Office, and the Maryland Comptroller's Office for a discussion of the impacts of the 2017 federal tax overhaul. In addition to these topics, we will also discuss any issues, thoughts, or concerns you have regarding the 2018 Legislative Session,

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. You know you meant to do it last week and now here you are again...

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:

January 20, 2018 Tell the Assembly: No more blood money from bail bond industry

Progressive Maryland and progressive, justice-seeking allies are demanding that every elected official who has received money from bail lobbyists return the money -- and refuse to sponsor bills that come from the bail lobbyists. Join more than 2,000 people who have signed a petition to make that happen.

January 19, 2018 Micro-organizing: a model in MoCo

Taking electoral outcomes for granted (including, maybe, staying home) has brought us Larry Hogan and Donald Trump. Did we learn a lesson about taking democracy for granted – including what happens when we don’t vote? A new grassroots group in Montgomery County’s Council District 1 is taking steps to make sure that lesson is always in front of us and the countdown to voting opportunities is completely explained.

January 18, 2018 Md Assembly one week in: struggle over Hogan budget begins

After a week of the General Assembly session, progressive agendas are taking shape up against the Hogan budget's cuts to people programs and favoritism to his base. In an election year, the action is getting as hot as could be expected.

January 16, 2018 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for January 16-22

Organizing, training and extending our power through people and ideas are at the forefront in January 2018. Check out statewide action, including a member orientation in Frederick and upcoming training for building power -- and events and actions from our chapters around the state in continuing resistance, fair elections, Medicare for all and bringing people power to the General Assembly.

 Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace from June 2015 through December 2016 are all available with descriptions and links here. You can follow blogs for 2017-18 starting from here