It's the Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo, with upcoming events, actions taken and the permanent agenda of social justice in our state at all the points of the compass. At Progressive Maryland (and with our progressive allies) we work for environmental justice, reform of the criminal justice/policing system and cutting the school-to-prison pipeline, fair elections that loosen the grip of big money on our politics, and reform of the systems that keep our families trapped in poverty in the midst of wealth. Read more about our issues -- and how you can be a part of change and building power -- in the Memo, every week.
Â
Welcome to the Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday June 17 2019
DEMOCRATIZE PLANNING
On Wednesday June 13, 25 members of the Progressive Alliance [a MoCo solidarity group including PMD Montgomery, MoCo DSA and MoCo OR] rallied in support of the appointment of Brandy Brooks to the Montgomery County Planning Board. In the public interview process Brandy stressed to County Council members the need for transparency in the planning process and greater resident involvement, particularly by underserved communities. The Board provides input in critical development and land-use issues. The Council will soon be voting to fill the vacancy. [tx Wally Malakoff]
At Progressive Maryland (and with our progressive allies) we work for environmental justice , reform of the criminal justice/policing system and cutting the school-to-prison pipeline, fair elections that loosen the grip of big money on our politics, and reform of the systems that keep our families trapped in poverty in the midst of wealth. Read more about our issues here.
Progressive activism around the Free State, both Progressive Maryland’s action and those of our allied organizations and individuals, are in the Weekly Memo early every week (usually Monday unless a holiday intervenes). It’s a clearinghouse for folks who are building power together; and you can be in that environment of collective action. You can get the Weekly Memo email; just sign up here.
Â
OUR CHAPTERS AROUND THE STATE
Take Action Anne Arundel County
Lower Shore Progressive Caucus
Â
EVENTS FROM OUR PROGRESSIVE ALLIES
Monday June 17 “Reel & Meal” film series features Purgatorio, 7 PM at New Deal CafĂ©, 113 Centerway. The Rodrigo Reyes 2014 documentary depicts the humanitarian crisis on our southern border, near Tijuana into southern Texas, with shots of beautiful scenery juxtaposed with images of desperate poverty on one side of the border and protectionism on the other side. Prince George's County Peace & Justice Coalition presents program. Contact: Donna Hoffmeister, [email protected]. Â
June 17-June 19 – Poor People’s Campaign: A Moral Action Congress in Wash, DC
The Poor People’s Campaign will hold a Moral Action Congress at Trinity Washington University from June 17-19. Poor people, moral leaders, activists, and advocates from over 40 states across the U.S. will convene to strategize, learn and build power together. More info here.
Tuesday June 18 Get Money Out Maryland (GMOM) film show and discussion, 7 pm, Greenbelt Community Center Multi-Purpose Room. Program features Dark Money, in cooperation with Point of View www.pbs.org/pov/, “the best film ever about money in politics,” which reveals vivid examples of corruption in election cycles and impact of big money on parties and policies. Susan Ogden will lead discussion on how to reclaim democracy so it works for all and thus serves as a foundation of peace.  By GMOM and Prince George’s County Peace & Justice Coalition. Contact Susan: [email protected].
 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 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 published these blog posts:
June 13, 2019 MD clean energy and transportation bills set stage for thriving low-carbon economy
Some good paths for sustainable energy in Maryland – vulnerable like all states to the effects of climate change and particularly to sea level rise – emerged from the past legislative session, as Alli Gold Roberts outlines here in Maryland Matters. Clean power is critical for the coordinated attack on transportation, the single biggest chunk of our carbon footprint, through electric vehicles. But the CEJA and a companion bill kick-starting the multistate clean transportation effort open the door to activist agitation in official channels in up to a dozen states for taking on these two carbon sources – together amounting to nearly two-thirds of carbon emissions in our urbanized Eastern Seaboard.
June 11, 2019 Public Private Partnerships have their downsides
The wonders of the Public-Private Partnership (P3) have their skeptics, like columnist Frank DeFilippo here. What seems a handy way to offload expensive state projects (like toll lanes on I-495 and I-270) onto the private sector (wait, just why do they have all the money, again?) may turn out to cost users and leave the public on the hook for boneheaded decisions by private business.
June 10, 2019 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, June 10, 2019
It’s summer; maybe you think it’s a sleepy time – but our issues are still on the front burner, and so is our activism. Our activists are training on the Shore this weekend to build power across the state; info about that and future training opportunities below; check it out.
 We work for environmental justice , reform of the criminal justice/policing system and cutting the school-to-prison pipeline, fair elections that loosen the grip of big money on our politics, and reform of the systems that keep our families trapped in poverty in the midst of wealth. Read more about our issues here.
>>REMEMBER – these blog posts are frequently 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
Â
Â
Do you like this page?