Progressive Maryland is resettling its work into our communities across the state after the all-hands effort during the General Assembly session that ended last week. We build power between elections and between legislative sessions, because that is how you win when it’s all on the line.

Progressive Maryland is resettling its work into our communities across the state after the all-hands effort during the General Assembly session that ended last week. We build power between elections and between legislative sessions, because that is how you win when it’s all on the line.

Save the Dates for The People's Wave: People's Action 2019 Convention -- Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC -- Sunday, April 28 - Tuesday, April 30

There is still plenty of opportunity for action in connection with the People’s Wave. We will engage in strategic direct actions to elevate our narrative and forward our issues and bring our voice to the Hill for a lobby day. To find out more about how to participate in the direct action and the Lobby Day, contact [email protected] Watch the PM BlogSpace as we launch the 2020 platform and advance our long term agenda.

Follow The Issues – check out our website’s expanded “Our Issues” pages, with separate pages for each of our key issues: Fight for $Fifteen, Civic Engagement, Fair Elections, Police Reform and Environmental Justice. Each page offers links to our past explanatory blog posts to deepen understanding of our work and our goals – building power for working people.

And to keep up with our activities and those of our progressive allies, sign up for the emailed Weekly Memo, which includes links and summaries for our most recent blog posts – one-stop shopping for the info and calendar you need to build power and agency with our movement in Maryland’s changing system.

OUR CHAPTERS AROUND THE STATE

Progressive Prince George's

MDOT-SHA recently roused anger in Beltway country by dropping mass transit options from plans for Larry Hogan’s pet project, private toll lanes on I-494 and I-270. See our blog post. The agency has scheduled new informational meetings coming soon in Prince George’s (April 23 and 27). More on this issue with informational blogs at our Environmental Justice issue page.

 PMD Montgomery

MDOT-SHA recently roused anger in Beltway country by dropping mass transit options from plans for Larry Hogan’s pet project, private toll lanes on I-494 and I-270. See our blog post. The agency has scheduled new informational meetings in Montgomery (April 24 and 25). More on this issue with informational blogs at our Environmental Justice issue page.

 Frederick County Progressives

Take Action Anne Arundel County

Progressive Howard County

 Talbot Rising

Lower Shore Progressive Caucus

PMD Baltimore

EVENTS FROM OUR PROGRESSIVE ALLIES

TONIGHT (Monday, April 15) the Reel and Meal at the New Deal presents A Teachable Moment, a documentary that tells the story of four stroke survivors searching for their new normal – a piece describing the science behind strokes, offering lifestyle choices to lower risk and empowering viewers with the knowledge that the disease is preventable, treatable and beatable. With discussion leaders Heidi Menocal and Jutta Brettschneider -- 6:30 PM, plant-based buffet at $14; film (free) at 7. New Deal Café, 113 Centerway (Roosevelt Center) Greenbelt.

Our allies at CCAN remind us that the Clean Energy Jobs Act passed with a veto-proof majority and is on the way to Gov. Hogan. Urge him to sign it or let it become law; if he vetoes another climate bill it just means an embarrassing override for him at the beginning of the next session, slowing the funding for 20,000 good jobs and a vital boost for the state’s clean energy industries. Make calls NOW into his office asking for his signature and emphasizing the jobs aspect of the bill. His number is 410-974-3901.

Fellowship opportunity Friends of the Earth is recruiting applicants for Pennsylvania for our six month Grassroots Fellowship Program to begin in January 2019. Learn and utilize core organizing skills to take action to protect people and the environment. Focus is on training members of under-represented communities.  $2,000 monthly stipend with a commitment of 25 hours a week -- how to apply: https://foe.org/jobs/2019-grassroots-fellowship-program/

Thursday, May 2 Progressive Cheverly Monthly Forum on criminal justice reform, 7 PM, Hoyer Education Center (cafeteria).  Details and speakers to be announced. All are welcome. Light refreshments will be served. 2300 Belleview Ave. Cheverly

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

 Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our blogs for the previous weeks 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 published these blogs:

April 12, 2019 Elected officials stay current with their communities -- or they lose

Getting lost in the excitement over the progressive-establishment spat in the Democratic Party is a political imperative – mutual, educational exchange of information from politicians to electorate – and vice versa. Stay current with your community. Or go home.

April 11, 2019 Where the 2019 General Assembly Session failed

Maryland’s General Assembly passed over 850 bills by their Sine Die deadline. About 2,500, a record number, were filed, and there’s no doubt that many of those were bad bills and good riddance. But there were some real missed opportunities – at least as far as the state’s progressive forces are concerned. Let’s look at a few.

April 10, 2019 Bringing educational and legislative experience to improving our schools

The struggle to improve our schools in Prince George's County and other embattled systems throughout the state has to happen at the grass roots -- parents, students, teachers who understand what excellence means for our children's future must build power in school and political systems to make it happen. Our newest Progressive Maryland organizer, Davain McClain, outlines what has brought him to the fight for education quality.

April 09, 2019 Bills that passed the 2019 General Assembly session, in a roundup

As Sine Die came and went -- the final day of the Maryland General Assembly's 2019 Session -- lawmakers mourned and engaged in horse-trading to get 850-plus bills across the finish line. Here is a roundup from Maryland Matters writers on bills that made it and some that didn't. And more pathways to info are included; read on...

April 08, 2019 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday (Sine Die), April 8, 2019

Today is Sine Die, the last day of the legislative session  -- but one big chair is vacant after the death Sunday of Mike Busch, the House of Delegates’ longest-serving speaker.

The frantic business of Sine Die will go on, with many, many bills trying to get across the finish line – some to an uncertain fate at the hands of Gov. Larry Hogan. So the struggle always continues.

Save the Dates for The People's Wave: People's Action 2019 Convention -- Omni Shoreham Hotel  |  Washington, DC

Sunday, April 28, 2019 at 2:00 PM - Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 5:00 PM (EDT)

>>REMEMBER – these blog posts are expressions of political opinion from our wide-ranging membership and circle of allies. They are not expressions of opinion by Progressive Maryland. Don’t be surprised if they sometimes vary in their political content. You might even disagree with them – a good reason to contribute a blog of your own. Send it to the moderator, Woody Woodruff, at [email protected].

>>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