What’s on this week? The wearying but exciting awareness that the 2022 primary is less than a year away and progressive candidates are converging on that opportunity. We will support them. The New Era project is under way and the critical needs of our communities are on the line -- including health care and the welfare of kids, in the classroom and out. Check it all out in this week’s memo.

What’s on this week? The wearying but exciting awareness that the 2022 primary is less than a year away and progressive candidates are converging on that opportunity. We will support them. The New Era project is under way and the critical needs of our communities are on the line -- including health care and the welfare of kids, in the classroom and out. Check it all out in this week’s memo.

Thank you for being part of this movement. 

In Solidarity,

The PM Team

Quick Actions:

• Contribute to support progressive candidates in next year’s election, the primary is less than a year away!
• Volunteer to support progressive candidates in next year’s election!
• Call Gov. Hogan (410 974-3901) - tell him to restore unemployment insurance benefits
• Support our campaigns and our statewide organizing by becoming a full member
• Join us on Slack to continue the conversation

Statewide Updates:

The New Era Project

We held our first Anne Arundel County and first in-person grassroots gathering to support Progressive Maryland’s  New Era Project at an event in Truxton Park on Saturday. Thanks to all who came out to support this effort. We appreciate PM leaders Johntel Greene and Katy Edwards for their hard work on the event. It was great to have Annapolis Alderman Rob Savidge (Ward 7) on hand for the launch, too. To learn more about the Project and/or to volunteer with us, please contact Yves. We’re planning more of these events to help us meet progressive activists where they are and to hear what is important to them and the communities they serve as we get ready for next year’s critical election. .

Healthcare Justice Campaign 

Medicare For All: 

Breaking News! The Montgomery County Council will introduce a Medicare For All Resolution tomorrow, Tuesday, July 13. We appreciate the full Council’s support of the measure and the leadership in particular of CM Albornoz, Jawando, Hucker, Navarro and Glass who have met with our local leaders about the urgent need for Medicare For All to address all the shortcomings and problems with the U.S. healthcare system. If you are a Montgomery County resident you can still sign the petition this week and you can call your District Councilmember and any or all of the at-large Members to encourage them in this timely action.  

Our public education and outreach around the state continues. We’re setting times and plans for more M4A  teach-ins  and starting to develop a timeline for doing some deep canvassing on the  Medicare for All issue. Please contact Josh or Malcolm to learn more about some great opportunities to get involved.  WIth your help we can get more sponsors from our Congressional Delegation for the Improved Medicare For All Act of 2021, HB 1976.

Global Vaccine Equity 

There is a dire and urgent need for vaccinations  in low income  countries across the world, particularly in the global south. COVID cases are rising and the death toll is mounting in many parts of the world, due mostly to lack of vaccine availability.  That’s why we’re part of the national and international campaign to #FreeTheVaccine. We’ll be in New York City this week with hundreds of other activists doing direct actions pressing for a full TRIPs Waiver from the WTO and for an end to BigPharma’s greedy grip on patents and vaccine know-how. We need more leaders from wealthy countries to push for policies that will get the billions of doses the world needs. Want to get more involved?  Please sign up to help with outreach on this issue in the next few months; we’re getting postcards to the Biden Administration. Contact Patty for details.

Local Chapter Updates:

Progressive Montgomery

Help us get our County Council to pass a Medicare For All local resolution. Please sign the petition and share. Want to help with outreach to Councilmembers and to other residents to build support for the campaign? Please contact Josh this week!

State and National News:  

Economic Justice For Unemployed Marylanders

Courts Continue to block Hogan’s attempt to cut off UI - Larry Hogan has gone to court THREE TIMES to cut federal unemployment benefits for hundreds of thousands of working Marylanders. And he’s spending thousands in taxpayer dollars for legal fees.

Larry Hogan is desperately trying to prematurely end $300 supplementary federal unemployment insurance payments for more than 170,000 Marylanders. Over the July 4th holiday weekend, plaintiff workers in two separate lawsuits were granted a temporary restraining order by the Baltimore City Circuit Court. Hogan’s lawyers appealed to the appellate court and the Court of Special Appeals but both upheld the lower court’s TRO. A full hearing is scheduled for today and Tuesday, July 13. The court’s initial findings relied on the bill overhauling the state’s unemployment insurance system that passed during the 2021 legislative session and went into effect in April. The law specifies that the state shall take full benefit of available federal unemployment insurance benefits. Hogan violated this law by prematurely ending benefits. Maryland courts this week will rule on the legality of Larry Hogan’s unilateral move to end extra Unemployment Insurance payments.

BREAKING: Sun reporter Bryn Stole reported in mid-afternoon Monday that the Biden White House told Hogan if he persuaded the court he would still have to submit a new thirty-days notice to the feds, “meaning expanded benefits will continue at least into August.”

Education and The Child Tax Credit

The wreckage left by the Hogan version of state education policy shows up in findings from a States Newsroom report that appeared in Maryland Matters -- Maryland was among three states showing the lowest amount of in-person classroom education as a result of the pandemic despite the state’s previous high K-12 quality rankings. The new state superintendent of schools will have a heavy lift. 

The new state schools superintendent, Mohammed Choudhury, talks about his excitement to be on board as Maryland launches the Blueprint plan for educational improvement in this Maryland Matters Q&A. Here is a one-page refresher on the Blueprint. Find more resources about it here, including specific details for all our local school systems across the state. And a board established by the Blueprint legislation whose members will monitor and ensure accountability as the Blueprint funds are spent is being appointed soon. The committee to choose the committee is about to open nominations.

And in three days the Child Tax Credit rebate checks will be arriving in family mailboxes. Note that those not required to file for income taxes are still entitled to the payments, so be sure they get the word.

National Priorities from People’s Action (our national affiliate)

Sign on in support of drug decriminalization: Reps. Bonnie Watson-Coleman & Cori Bush recently introduced the Drug Policy Reform Act of 2021 - the first federal drug decriminalization bill. Check this summary of the contents of the bill here.  

“No Climate, No Deal”: The Green New Deal Network is working with key members of Congress to advance the “No Climate, No Deal” pledge; here are the “red lines” we are trying to advance; no deal unless it includes: >$1T in tax credits for renewables; >$500B to electrify mass transit; >$600B to retrofit public buildings, including schools and public housing; >Oversight to ensure adherence to labor, equity, climate standards. A White House memo acknowledges the proto-bill needs work and that the reconciliation bill is where real investment will happen. Read the full memo.  Meanwhile, the Green New Deal Network is also starting to build towards a National Day of Action on Thursday, August 19th when Congress is on recess and legislators are back in the district. This will be a critical time to keep the pressure on and demonstrate that the people want the infrastructure deal to be passed. Here is a sample Digi Calendar that the GNDN has put together to build towards the date. 

Housing: Biden CDC’s Eviction moratorium has been extended one more month. Here is the official CDC statement. People’s Action reports “The White House convened a Summit for Immediate Eviction Prevention Plans. “Effective prevention of unnecessary evictions through deployment of ERA funds requires local strategies that strongly encourage alternatives to evictions.” Here is the White House statement.

And the long-term solution: Homes Guarantee National Tenants Bill of Rights: -- This explainer from the social media kit for the People’s Action NTBOR campaign has the scoop: “We as tenants don't have the power we need, especially compared to the people who own our homes. That’s why we’re launching a campaign for a National Tenants’ Bill of Rights, a critical stepping stone on the path to our North Star vision, a Homes Guarantee to build the power of the tenant movement, establish tenants as a political class of citizens, and ultimately transform the conditions for tenant organizing.” 

Altogether, this is THE moment for us to act together to ensure that the biggest, boldest, recovery package possible passes through Congress this fall, Check out this webinar on. Making August Recess Count: Building Support for Federal Recovery Legislation to Advance Racial Equity; Register Here

Events from Our Allies:

Tuesday, July 15 | 6-7:30pm | Stand With Us: Histories of Asian Resistance

In light of the recent racially motivated attacks on members of the Asian community, we will be discussing the history of Asian resistance and solidarity that has purposefully been left out of the national educational platform. During this event we will also be creating space for peoples of color to discuss tensions that exist between the Black and Asian communities. Photo Credit: Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya. Zoom link here.

Wednesday, July 14 | 5-7pm | Happy Hour in Harford County!

Join Progressive Harford County and the Young Democrats of Harford County during their upcoming happy hour this Wednesday. The event will be on July 14 from 5-7 p.m. at TB3 Bar & Grill, 705 S. Philadelphia Blvd., Aberdeen, MD 21001. This happy hour is free to attend and meant to help recruit people who want to get involved with either organization. There will also be a presentation mid-way through outlining what the organizations plan to accomplish. RSVP today to let us know that you’ll be there.

Wednesday, July 14 | 8am | Bastille Day Climate Action

Takoma Park Mobilization Climate Action Coffee will host a virtual forum on Zoom at 8 AM with Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to discuss the Climate Action Plan. Please join us!  Review the CAP here. Submit questions/comments in advance to: [email protected] 

Thursday, July 15th | 4:30-5:30pm | Community Clean-Up In Baltimore City

The BRIDGES Coalition for Overdose Prevention Sites is hosting a Community Clean-Up in Sandtown this Thursday from 4:30pm-5:30pm. Address is 1012 N Carrollton Ave Baltimore, MD 21217.

*RSVP to Harriet ([email protected] or text 443-418-6614)*

-What to expect: We'll be picking up trash with tongs! We will have basic supplies. We will also have sharps containers in case we see any. If you want to join but do not have the physical ability to do the trash clean up portion you can welcome late comers or answer questions of any passersby.

Friday, July 16 | 2pm | Webinar - Making August Recess Count: Building Support for Federal Recovery Legislation to Advance Racial Equity

Altogether, this is THE moment for us to act together to ensure that the biggest, boldest, recovery package possible passes through Congress this fall. Register Here.

Progressive Maryland BlogSpace:

We value creating space for our members to express their thoughts on any issues related to our campaigns. Have an idea for a blog post? You can submit writing, film, graphic design etc. to be published on our website to the blog moderator, Woody, at [email protected].  

-Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Tuesday, Jul 6, 2021

-Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, June 28, 2021

June 25, 2021 Unfinished business in the Assembly: where is the progressive impulse?

A former progressive member of the Maryland General Assembly asks: Why doesn’t more progressive legislation get passed in the General Assembly? Year after year, there are overwhelming Democratic majorities in the House of Delegates and the state Senate, but critical legislation does not get passed by the General Assembly.

June 23, 2021 How the War on Drugs has warped priorities and ruined lives for 50 years

We're passing the post on the 50th Anniversary of the start of the War on Drugs. After enduring 50 years of the War on Drugs and witnessing its devastating effects on our communities, we feel it is important to change this policy now and pursue a public health and harm reduction approach. Join us to make change in this crucial area.

-Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Tuesday, June 22, 2021

June 21, 2021 Solidifying the past, looking to the future

New research finds the general well-being of children here in Maryland has fallen from 21st among the states to 24th, with 157,000 children living in households with income below the poverty line. And that was before the pandemic. Access to the full report is included in the article from Maryland Matters.

June 18, 2021 JTF Statement on Juneteenth 2021

More than 150 years after abolishing chattel slavery in the Confederate States, we join the United States of America as it celebrates what has always been an important tradition for Black Americans. As we celebrate, we understand that being 150 years removed from a 400 year institution of depravity means that the fight for the real liberation of Black Americans is not over.