You might be a liberal if you...

• Believe in and are willing to defend
• civil rights (right to equal treatment - free from discrimination based on race, gender, disability, etc. in employment, housing, etc.)
• civil liberties
• freedom of speech and thought
• the right to privacy 
• the right to be free from unreasonable searches of your home
• the right to a fair court trial
• the right to marry (whomever you please!)
• the right to vote
• representative democracy
• the rule of law
• the common good
• separation of church and state
• protection of the environment
• peace
• Believe you can make the world a better place and that in fact, you have an obligation to your fellow human beings to do exactly that
• Embrace the idea of a social contract - meaning it is to mankind's mutual advantage to band together and cooperate
• Are not bound by tradition
• Are open to change
• Are tolerant - of speech, religion, choice,
• Encourage diplomacy over war knowing we can more effectively lead by the power of our example than the example of our power paraphrased from President Bill Clinton
• Know it is your duty to be an active, effective citizen
• Demand a well-functioning government to provide the structure for improving the life for citizens through allowing and providing to all:
• freedom - speech, privacy, religion, economic, press, assembly, movement, participation
• due process of the law, right to a fair trial
• equality
• competitive education
• world-class health care
• police, fire, roads, courts, national parks, national security
• And, you are especially liberal if you understand that it requires taxes to pay for these services

What did I miss? What does being a liberal/progressive mean to you?

Action Alerts

I've started to sign up the progressiveparents@gmail.com for action alerts from different public interest groups who can make us aware of issues we may be interested in following up on. The list is below, please make your recommendations of other groups we should be following. I will continue to update it as I find them and hear from you. Thanks!

GENERAL POLICY/LEGISLATION
Co PIRG http://www.copirg.org/
Organizing for America

HEALTH
NARAL http://www.prochoice.org/
Planned Parenthood http://www.ppaction.org/
Health Care for All Colorado http://www.healthcareforallcolorado.org/

EDUCATION
Great Education http://www.greateducation.org/

ENVIRONMENT
Environment Colorado http://www.environmentcolorado.org/

WOMEN/CHILDREN
Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault http://www.ccasa.org/

An ad we don't want to see during the Super Bowl

Send CBS the message that now is not the time to cave and run an ad for special interests. There have never been political or issue ads run during the Super Bowl - until this year. Desperate for ad income CBS is willing to break tradition/policy and run ad for Focus on the Family.
https://secure.prochoiceamerica.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4143

Magazine Exchange

If anyone is interested in a magazine exchange bring your relatively current issues to the next Progressive Parents meeting. Those magazines not taken by the end of the meeting will be dropped off at the library or recycling center.

Re-use - good for the environment and good for your pocket book!

Opt out of phone book delivery

No more phonebooks! Penny Parker posted 2 links to add UR name to the do not deliver list. Too late for this year - but you won't get them next year:

Dex Go to http://www.dexknows.com/; scroll down 2 bottom of home page; click "select your Dex"; type in ZIP code, brings U 2 page asking 4 address. Drop-down menu lets U select publica...tions 2 receive or opt out.

Yellow Book lets U opt out thru http://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/

Progressive Parents Meeting Times

Our next meeting will be Thurs Feb 4. After that we will meet every 2nd and 4th Thursday each month (including Feb - so we will also meet Feb 11 and 25). We meet at the Icehouse (next to the Little Bear) at 9:30 am.

Another view of the China/US relationship

If you'd like to read a different opinion to Zachary Karabell's on the importance of China and the US: http://security.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/chiamerica-is-this-the-new-glo.php#1388777

Zachary Karabell - The US and China Relationship

Tuesday, January 19th Zachary Karabell spoke at the Foothills World Affairs Council at Mt Vernon Country Club. The author of "Superfusion: How China And America Became One Economy And Why The World's Prosperity Depends On It" was incredibly knowledgeable on the US/China relationship and his humor made the presentation all the more enjoyable.

Overview of his speech -
When we look back we will see that the defining event of the 21st century was not terrorism, the Middle East and the conflict of religions. We will see that it was China joining the World Trade Organization in 2001. Karabell likened the rise of China to that of the Renaissance. People going through that time didn't say, "cool, we're in the Renaissance" rather it was a dramatic change that was only obvious in retrospect.

He questions the accusations of instability for the US (think recent financial crisis) due to the US relationship with China and counters that our dependence on one another (albeit reluctant on both sides) is rather currently a source of stability. His example was the fluidity of money between the two countries - a super simplified example (his had many more layers and details but it showed the money flowing back and forth): JP Morgan Stanley investing $10 billion in China, China buying $10 billion US Treasury Bonds, US Govt loaning Morgan Stanley $10 billion in bailout.

The story of China's 20 years of evolution is also a US story. After Tianamen Square, the Chinese elites knew they had to make a change to avoid a future similar to the fall of the USSR. They were not willing to make a political change but they did undertake "hypercharged" economic reform by opening their doors to investments of time and money from the West.  The US was dominant on the world stage economically so they were the natural partner. And, China was a dynamic source of growth for US companies (eg. Avon, Walmart, KFC, Fed Ex) - so it was a natural fit.

What does the future hold for this relationship?
Our commonality is capitalism. China will be looking for places to invest. Both countries will be looking for ways to preserve the environment and resources. But, there will be a shift in power and it will be challenging for the US. "How China and the United States manage their relationship will determine whether the coming decades witness increased global prosperity or greater instability." Both countries are struggling for their sovereignty but "the fusion has advanced too far for either to extricate itself without severe harm." The US has to let go of some power and China needs to accept the responsibility of becoming a major world player.

Karabell sees the likelihood of two scenarios depending on the US reaction to China's rise:

1. European Union-like relationship - joint/similar banking/currency systems
2. US/Great Britain-like relationship in 1946 - one country holding sway and economic control over the other

What do we need to do to avoid the second? Keep innovating and inventing. Stop worrying about what the Chinese are copying. If they are always playing catch-up they will not take the lead. Stop complaining about unfair advantages and so forth. Instead take the initiative. Don't fear Chinese investment in the US.



Quotes above are from: http://www.rivertwice.com/superfusion.htm

He will be speaking at the Institute of International Education on January 20th which will be shown on C-SPAN. A link to his presentation will be provided when published.

His research company: http://www.rivertwice.com/

From Wikipedia: Karabell is President of River Twice Research, where he analyzes economic and political trends. He is also a Senior Advisor for Business for Social Responsibility. Previously, he was Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing and Chief Economist at Fred Alger Management, a New York-based investment firm, and President of Fred Alger and Company, as well as Portfolio Manager of the China-US Growth Fund, which won both a Lipper Award for top performance and a 5-star designation from Morningstar. He was also Executive Vice President of Alger's Spectra Funds, a no-load family of mutual funds that launched the $30 million Spectra Green Fund, which was based on the idea that profit and sustainability are linked. At Alger, he oversaw the creation, launch and marketing of several funds, led corporate strategy for acquisitions, and represented the firm at public forums and in the media.


Educated at Columbia, Oxford, and Harvard, where he received his Ph.D., he is the author of several books, including the recently published Superfusion: How China and America Became One Economy and Why the World's Prosperity Depends on It (Simon & Schuster, 2009) and previous books such as A Visionary Nation: Four Centuries of American Dreams and What Lies Ahead, The Last Campaign: How Harry Truman Won the 1948 Election (which won the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for best non-fiction book of the year), and Peace Be Upon You: The Story of Muslim, Christian and Jewish Coexistence (Knopf, 2007), which examined the forgotten legacy of peace among the three faiths.

In 2003, the World Economic Forum designated Zachary a "Global Leader for Tomorrow." He sits on the board of the World Policy Institute and the New America Foundation, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is a regular commentator on national news programs, such as CNBC, CNN, and a contributor to such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Newsweek and Foreign Affairs.

Go Lead Training - Lobbying

Wednesday, January 27

5:30-7:30 p.m.

@ the Colorado Education Association
(1500 Grant St., Denver)

2010 Go Lead training series plans to develop the next generation of policy and community leaders. First topic of 2010: Lobbying. Get your voice heard at the state capitol. More than 500 bills will be introduced this year; have an impact on the issues that matter to you!

Featuring State Senator Morgan Carroll and Lobbyist Heather Atkinson of Siegal Public Affairs.

Parking available in lot next to building. ** Food provided! **

RSVP to Faith at fwinter@thewhitehouseproject.org (please include Go Lead RSVP in your subject line).

The Go Lead program is a series of monthly trainings designed to increase your leadership and give you the skills to be an effective advocate. The Go Lead Training program will be held the 4th Wednesday of every month at the Colorado Education Association.

The Colorado Go Lead Training series is brought to you by: 9 to 5 National Association of Working Women, Center for Progressive Leadership, Colorado Black Women for Political Action, Colorado Education Association, Colorado Organization of Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), Latina Initiative, NARAL Colorado, New Era Colorado, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, The White House Project

Free Activist Workshop

Saturday, January 23, 2009 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

University Colorado at Denver, Auraria campus

The training is being run by Environment Colorado and the Public Interest Network and will feature sessions on:
* The best techniques for organizing your neighbors to take action,

* The best ways to persuade your local media to cover an issue you care about.

It's a chance to learn, share ideas, and connect with other environmentally active citizens, as well as activists from other causes. And it's free.

http://www.environmentcolorado.org/action/free-activist-workshop?id4=ES

Training will take place at the Auraria Campus near downtown Denver. The training will be held in North Classroom Building room NC 1204. The NorthClassroom Building is located on the corner Larimer St and Speer Blvd, across from the athletic fields. From parking lots, the North Classroom building is straight east, past the Tivoli Student Union, on the right hand side as you walk toward Larimer St. There is a large campus map in the Tivoli Commons, as you walk east from the parking lots. Campus map: _http://www.ahec.edu/campusmaps/AHEC3D.pdf_Parking map: _http://www.ahec.edu/parking/ParkingMap2009.pdf_

2010 Jeffco Primary Election Mail-in ballot

The JeffCo Clerk and Recorder's Office will be receiving public input regarding whether or not the 2010 Primary Election shall be conducted by mail-in ballot from January 29 through February 12, 2010. Comments in favor or opposed to a mail-in ballot Primary may be submitted by email to CountyClerk@jeffco.us, by phone at (303) 271-8111, or by delivering written comments to the Clerk and Recorder's Office at 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 2560, Golden, CO 80419.

Great Decisions

Great Decision books were delivered for those who paid. If you'd still like to join us you can order through the website.

These are the topics that will be covered this year.

• Special envoys
• Kenya and R2P
• Global crime
• U.S.-China security relations
• Global financial crisis
• Russia and its neighbors
• Persian Gulf
• Peace building and conflict resolution

You do not need to attend all of the meetings. The Evergreen Library will also have a GD group meeting on six of the topics late spring/early summer so if you miss one of ours you can attend theirs. The library's schedule will be posted when available.

We are meeting the second Friday of each month. The first meeting is February 12th. Time and location still to be determined.

China will be our first topic (it is #4 in the book) because there are several speakers coming to town:
a. China and America Tue, January 19, 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Mount Vernon Country Club (we can meet for dinner beforehand $16, or drinks after - only need to RSVP for dinner)

b. China Rising Tue, February 9, 7pm – 9pm
Gates Concert Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, University of Denver Campus (need to RSVP)

We discussed expanding the GD focus to include more than just the topics in the book. Instead picking a country to go along with the topic and learning more about the country's religions and visiting a place of worship if there is one in Colorado, traditions, music, food, authors, etc.

Growing Progressive Parents

Many of us believe there are plenty of "closet" liberals in Evergreen who would appreciate being a part of a group of like-minded individuals in a safe setting. So, we'd like to get the word out. Please invite people you think might be interested in joining us.

We plan to design posters and flyers with the following information, we'd appreciate your feedback:

INVITE OTHERS

If you'd like to invite people to join, here is suggested copy for an email if you'd like to use it or modify it:

I thought you might be interested in attending a meeting of the recently created Progressive Parents. The group formed this past fall to offer forward-thinking parents a place to share ideas and thoughts on politics. Since its formation it has evolved to a group dedicated to learning more about current events, finding causes we can support as a group and giving "liberals and progressives" a face in the Evergreen community.

There is no time or monetary commitment. You can attend meetings and social gatherings, lead topic discussions or just follow along on Facebook and the blog - whatever fits best for you.

If you'd like more information, ask me or check out the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=136656972446&ref=ts or the recently created blog: http://www.progressiveparents.blogspot.com/.

Giving

As a group we'd like to give regularly to others in need. We discussed bringing items to each meeting and then someone will deliver:

• ECHO - needs personal care items eg. toothpaste, deoderant, TP, etc. (since most people can get food w/ foodstamps, but they cannot get personal items) evergreenchristianoutreach.org/donations/

• Food Pantry for Molholm elementary in Lakewood needs canned and dry food - Many of these students are homeless and very poor. One of the teachers has started a food bank for them to make sure students take home food to eat. feedingmindsfoodpantry.org

• ADOPT a school - Risa has a great idea to help Jeffco schools with students that are in need with school items, clothes, food, etc. She is researching what that would entail.