Coffee Party USA Roundup for the week of 12-12-10 #p2 #DKos #DADT #DreamAct

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Posted on Daily Kos here.




The Coffee Party USA, which has 334,829 supporters on Facebook, has been very busy this week on its website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel about the national political issues its members consider to be priorities.

This week, Coffee Party USA has concentrated on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the Dream Act, Citizens United, and Wikileaks.

Join me, the maintainer of the Coffee Party USA community on LiveJournal, over the fold for details on each of these.

First up, Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

In Senate will vote tomorrow on repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, Eric Byler praises Lt. Dan Choi's speech to the Coffee Party Convention, points out the popularity of the repeal, and exhorts members of the Coffee Party to call their senators to vote yes.

Here's Dan Choi's speech.

Click to view

This presentation by Lt. Dan Choi inspired a standing ovation at the Coffee Party convention in September.

The most recent ABC News/Washington Post poll shows that nearly 8 in 10 Americans support the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, this after a detailed report by the Defense Department showed the majority of service members feel the same way.

...

This is a national security issue as well as an equal justice issue. To value homophobia above either would be wrong enough. To value such backward thinking over both is unconscionable.
He then provided this link to call your sentators.

Next, the DREAM Act.

Click to view

The above video accompanies Eric Byler's post DREAM Act students' video Christmas card to the U.S. Senate, in which he wrote:

The shifting debate over The DREAM Act illustrates one of the themes of 9500 Liberty and the Coffee Party - that a fact-based, solutions-oriented approach to collective decision making can supersede blind partisanship when we focus on the facts instead of the fight.

70% of Americans support the DREAM Act. If enacted, it would offer six years of residential status for young people who are in every way "American," but were brought to the U.S. as children without proper legal status. After ten years, they could apply for a green card if they have completed two years of college or two years of honorable service in the U.S. military. And, after acquiring a green card, they could apply for citizenship.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates this measure would reduce our deficit by $1.4 billion over the next 10 years due to increased tax revenue. A recent study by UCLA’s North American Integration and Development Center estimated that $1.4 TRILLION over 40 years in income would be generated by DREAM Act beneficiaries. And, America's military leaders advocate for the DREAM Act because it would significantly increase the pool of recruits qualified to defend our nation.

Despite bipartisan support for the DREAM Act, the irrational ugliness we are seeing in opposition is a manifestation of widening division within the Republican party between pragmatists and extremists. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) is a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act. 
Again, use this link to call your sentators. Eric Byler also provided two other ways to contact your senators.

Or, call your Senator by CLICKING HERE and participating in this cell phone campaign by Reform Immigration for America. Just enter your cell phone and zip and you'll be connected to the offices of your representatives in Congress.
Or if you prefer, Americas Voice offers this easy to use system for sending faxes: CLICK HERE.
Coffee Party USA isn't just concerned about immediately upcoming legislation. It has a long-term commitment to campaign finance reform. In January, it's holding For The People Summit • Jan. 20-22, 2011 • Washington DC & Anytown USA

A year ago on January 21st, the US Supreme Court confirmed what many had long suspected, that "Government of, for and by the People" is in jeopardy. Their 5-4 decision, Citizens United v. F.E.C., compromised vital restraints on the corrupting influence of money in politics, enshrining the concept of corporate personhood, and implying the reckless equation: high-dollar, anonymous political donations = free speech.

To mark the anniversary of this landmark decision, please join the trans-partisan For the People Summit in Washington DC, or in your home town. In Washington, we will be offering group rates at a Metro-accessible hotel, which will host many of the events designed to reclaim First Amendment rights for We the People.
Much more on the events scheduled on Thursday January 20th through Saturday January 22nd at the link. Progressives recognize that Citizens United is a disaster--come join an event to work to reverse it!

Finally, a discussion thread from Coffee Party USA's Facebook page became so interesting that it was elevated to a post on their website in Interesting FaceBook Exchange about WikiLeaks' Julian Assange. Click for a look at discussion about the role of a free press in the Internet age.