Progressive Democrats of America

Tim Carpenter

PDA National Director Tim Carpenter Dies: Progressives Push ‘Forward’

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Tim Carpenter
Tim Carpenter speaking at Progressive Central, outside the DNC in Charlotte, 2012.

The New Progressive Era lost a giant with the passing of Tim Carpenter on Monday, following a protracted battle with cancer.

As co-founder and National Director of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), Tim was a force of nature. His energy and determination were contagious. He lit the room with his larger-than-life personality and his jolly smile. Tim was my friend, my mentor, and my comrade in the fight for economic and social justice in the United States and the world. Along with 1000s of PDA members nationwide, I will miss him.

I first met Tim in February 2011. It was a dark time in Arizona. Democrats were downtrodden following the 2010 “shellacking” the Teapublicans gave us in the midterm election. Arizona Republicans had won control of  our entire state government. Tucson was reeling from the recent shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at a north side Safeway. And the Arizona Democratic Party was controlled by the No Labels Republican-Lite faction.

At the inaugural meeting of PDA Tucson,Tim’s fiery speech about progressive values and the way forward gave us hope.

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John Nichols of ‘The Nation’ Returns to Tucson for Progressive Politics & Book Signing (video)

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John Nichols
John Nichols speaking in Tucson in 2013

Author, historian, and humorist John Nichols of The Nation and MSNBC returns to Tucson on Saturday, March 15, 2014. This is the third year in a row that the PDA Tucson and the Pima Area Labor Federation have hosted an evening with Nichols at the IBEW Hall.

Nichols mixes political commentary with snippets of history and calls for progressive action. Join Progressive Democrats of America’s Tucson Chapter and PALF for an inspiring evening with a national figure. I guarantee that you will come away from this event inspired, informed, and maybe just pissed off enough to fight the forces of greed who are trying to destroy our country. [Video after the jump.]

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PDA Meeting, Jan 23: Should Arizona Move Its Money? (video)

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PBI-logo-without-tagline (2)by Pamela Powers Hannley

Following the Wall Street crash and the housing market collapse a few years ago, the Move Your Money campaign encouraged millions of Americans to take their money out of big commercial banks and hold the funds locally in credit unions and community banks.

Is it time for state governments to move their money?

Across the US, millions of dollars of taxpayer funds are held in big commercial banks and invested on Wall Street. If Arizona had a public bank, the state’s rainy day funds would be held and invested in Arizona.

Local investment of state funds translates into jobs and a stronger economy. An Arizona public bank could create jobs by investing in public works projects, can boost entrepreneurship by backing small business loans through community banks, can build our state’s future by helping finance college loans—and much more. Isn’t it time that Arizona invested in Arizona—instead of Wall Street?

Why does Arizona need a public bank?

  • Maybe it's because Arizona has a crumbling infrastructure and "no money" to fix roads, bridges, and public buildings?
  • Maybe it's because Arizona's entrepreneurs can't get the capital they need to grow and innovate?
  • Maybe it's because cities and towns are strapped for cash and have have to sell bonds and pay high fees in order to get credit?
  • Maybe it's because Arizona has the 3rd lowest credit rating in the US, making borrowing extremely expensive?
  • Maybe it's because Arizona is among the 10 worst states in the country for home foreclosures?
  • Maybe it's because 10 Arizona banks have failed in the last few years?
  • Maybe it's because university tuition continues to increase, pricing young Arizonans out of the market for higher education?

The answer is, of course, all of the above and more. 

Come to the January 23, 2014 meeting of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) Tucson Chapter to learn how public banking can build Arizona’s economy and benefit Arizona’s citizens. [Event details and video after the jump.]

Self-Actualization, White People Problems, & the War on the Poor

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640px-Maslow's_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svgby Pamela Powers Hannley

As one year comes to a close and another begins, people often look back at events to reflect and perhaps resolve to improve their lives or change their behaviors in the coming year. In 2013, the Do-Nothing-at-All Congress— led by the nose by Teapublicans– continued its war on the poor– fighting for cuts to food stamps and unemployment and fighting for austerity for the 99%, while disingenuously padding the pockets of their corporate benefactors.

As Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs teaches us, people must satisfy their basic needs before they can become fully self-actualized, before they can reach their full potential. To put this simply, if you don't have food, water, and shelter, your time, energy and resources will be spent obtaining those basic needs. Until you have security and the necessities of life, you will not have the luxury to worry about trifles– Christmas gifts, video game releases, wine selections, fancy coffee, designer-label clothes, insignificant social snubs, political differences– in other words, "white people problems".

Since our country is governed by the  Congressional millionaire's club, it's no wonder that they can't relate to the poor (or even the struggling middle class).