Please join us Monday, February 27 at 7:00pm via Zoom for Chapter elections. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm, and voting will begin at 7:30pm. Voting will be held for Chair and Vice Chair positions. Voting is open to all Chapter members.

Please RSVP to this event to receive the Zoom link.

If you are interested in running for a position, you can read more about the elected roles here.

DA Germany will also be holding two information sessions for potential candidates on February 5 (2-3pm, event page here) and February 13 (7-8pm, event page here).

How do we reverse increasing income inequality in the United States? A 21st-Century Economic Bill of Rights would guarantee all people residing in the United States the right to the essentials of a good life, regardless of their income, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or country of origin. Join our guest speakers to learn more about this progressive proposal and what we can do to implement it.

Confirmed speakers:

• Harvey J. Kaye: American historian and sociologist. Author of several books, including “Thomas Paine and the Promise of America” and “The Fight for the Four Freedoms.” He is Professor Emeritus of Democracy & Justice Studies and the Director of the Center for History and Social Change at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay.
• Alan Minsky: Executive Director of the Progressive Democrats of America and a lifelong activist, who has worked as a progressive journalist, as Program Director at KPFK Los Angeles, and coordinator for Pacifica Radio’s national coverage of elections.

Here are some resources to prepare for the event:

Article: “A Call for All Progressive Candidates and Officeholders to Embrace a 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights.” Alan Minsky and Harvey J. Kaye. Common Dreams, 23 February 2022.
Video: "The Ethos of the Greatest Generation"- Discussing the Four Freedoms with Harvey Kaye. FDR Library, 4 January, 2023.

All are welcome to attend! Please RSVP to receive the Zoom link.

Thanks to our co-sponsors: Global Black Caucus, Global Women’s Caucus, Reparations Task Force, proDA Austria, proDA Germany

RSVP below for the Zoom link!

While there is no donation required to attend, the suggested donation for this event is $10. Click here to donate. Help Democrats Abroad volunteers mobilize voters around the world. Help us fight for progressive policy changes in the new Congress!

Recording and Slide Deck from January 22nd, 2022

View the slide deck (with lots of of resource links)

This event took place on January 22nd, 2022.

Join the next Progressive Caucus monthly members meeting Progress for Progressives on Feb 5th, 2022. 

In July of 2020, presidential nominee, Joe Biden, and Senator Bernie Sanders announced their Unity Task Force recommendations for a Democratic presidency. Their bold plans to address the pressing needs of working-class families, combat climate change, and much more helped us win the presidency and Senate majority, as well as hold the House majority. We entered 2021 with high expectations! 

As we begin 2022, many of our expectations remain unfulfilled. The scope of the Build Back Better Act has narrowed dramatically, remaining two votes short of passage. Existing filibuster rules stand in the way of passing the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Delivering victories for all three of these and more is crucial to millions of us and for Democratic electoral success in the midterms. 

Join members of proDA to learn about and discuss the negotiations for all three bills, the prospects for their passage, and the consequences of further delay. We will advocate for action, urging all of us to intensify our efforts. Time is very short and so, too, is the patience of those whose needs are not being met!

CO-SPONSORS: DA Austria, DA Canada, DA Guadalajara, proDA Austria, proDA Germany, and proDAUK

Double your impact! A generous donor in Asia Pacific will match donations to DA through proDA’s donate page, up to a total of $2500. Donate to help inform and mobilize members around the world to support our unfinished business. The Fight for (at least) $15. Meaningful Medicare expansion. Tuition-free community college. Student debt relief. Reparative justice. Truly ambitious climate change mitigation. Federal Voting Rights legislation. And more.  Will you donate today to help America build back even better? Please donate here. Thank you!

January Newsletter

In July of 2020, presidential nominee, Joe Biden, and Senator Bernie Sanders announced their Unity Task Force recommendations for a Democratic presidency. Their bold plans to address the pressing needs of working-class families, combat climate change, and much more helped us win the presidency and Senate majority, as well as hold the House majority. We entered 2021 with high expectations!

As we begin 2022, many of our expectations remain unfulfilled. The scope of the Build Back Better Act has narrowed dramatically, remaining two votes short of passage. Existing filibuster rules stand in the way of passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. Delivering victories for these and more is crucial to millions of us and for Democratic electoral success in the midterms. Let’s get to work!

BIDEN-HARRIS PROGRESS REPORT #8 TAKING CARE OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS
JANUARY 22nd

The House has passed three substantive bills to protect voting rights in the face of massive Republican voter-suppression efforts, including extreme partisan and racially-discriminatory redistricting schemes. Two of those bills, the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, are supported by all 50 Democratic Senators. But Republicans have used the Senate filibuster rule to block even beginning formal debate on them.

As Grace Segers recently reported in The New Republic, Senate Democratic leadership is still committed to enacting voting rights legislation this year. The time is short and the stakes are high! 

Check out this short commercial with John Legend and this humorous ad featuring Mark Ruffalo and Jonathan Scott, from our friends at Represent Us. Share these with those you know and please call your senator at 1-202-224-3121. This number works 24 hours a day; often you speak to a person if you call 9-5 ET. See Senate contact info for individual Senators, including options for email and fax. 

Represent Us has an online “Stay in Washington Until Our Democracy Is Safe” petition.

*Thanks to Bruce Miller (proDA Steering Committee member) for drafting this article and the Global Veterans and Military Families Caucus for select materials.

Democrats Abroad elects eight members every four years to represent DA to the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

DNC members represent DA and its priorities to the DNC Chair, Executive Committee, staff, other state party DNC delegations, the 75 (appointed) at-large DNC members, dignitaries, and others attending two annual DNC meetings (pre-Covid). They represent DA when attending DNC committee, council, and caucus meetings.

Under current DNC Rules, they also serve as automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention to nominate the Democratic candidates for President and Vice President.

proDA supports transparency, fairness, accountability, and democratic principles in Democratic Party policies and practices, which is why we provided a candidate survey and candidate forums for the 2020 election of the current DNC members, who will serve until the end of the 2024 National Convention.

Here is the information DA provides about our DNC members.

Here are the resources provided by the Progressive Caucus for the 2020 election of our current DNC members (with the exception of DA’s International Chair and Vice Chair who are elected differently)

• About DA’s DNC members and how they are elected (2020)
  
  
• Candidate Survey (2020)
  
  
• Recording of Candidate Forum (2020)

The seventh Biden-Harris Progress Report meeting is scheduled for October 28th, 2021 -- please RSVP!

Our Monthly Members Meeting is ready for your confirmation -- please RSVP!

WOW! 

Thanks to the many activists who participated in our monthly meeting on October 9th 2021.  We discussed what we can do to deliver for the planet, working families, and all who count on us to do just that with a truly big and bold Build Back Better Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and much much more. Our momentum is surging to work toward progressive victories in 2021, 2022, and beyond. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

We host follow-up working-group meetings next Saturday and need your help!

When?

Saturday, 16 October at 2:00-3:00 pm CET--Terms of Reference Review (see Terms of Reference published here)

Saturday, 16 October at 3:00-4:00 pm CET--Communications

Saturday, 16 October at 4:00-5:30 pm CET--Working Groups/Collaboration/Events:

    Topics:

• DA Environmental and Climate Crisis Council formation
• Democracy and diversity reform in DA, the DNC, and state parties/primaries 
• Foreign Policy Coordinating Committee
• Medicare for All campaigns
• Student debt relief efforts
• Voting rights legislation
• Issue advocacy priorities

Where?

Zoom: Please RSVP to the individual events above to receive the link.

There is plenty of work to do and your help is needed. 

THE NEEDS ARE CLEAR AND OUR TIME IS NOW!