December Newsletter - San Francisco Young Democrats

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
House Democrats' Innovation Agenda: a Commitment to American Competitiveness

Nancy Pelosi

America built the world's most vibrant economy and leads the world in scientific discovery, but the dynamic and virtuous cycle of innovation that secured our status as world leader is facing a challenge from countries across the globe.

Other countries are following what has been the United States' blueprint for decades, investing heavily in improving their educational systems, particularly in science and technology. They are making a commitment to long-term research and development, while we are allowing that commitment to falter.

Democrats believe that together, America can do better. That is why, over the past several months, we have sought out the best possible thinking on how to secure America's place as the world leader in innovation. Here in the Bay Area, Representatives George Miller, Anna Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren, and I met with leaders in the high-technology, venture capital, academic, biotech, and telecommunications sectors from Silicon Valley, to identify priorities that will guarantee our economic leadership throughout the world. The Bay Area has been an incubator for innovation and a model for the rest of the country. We were invigorated by the freshness of their thinking and the depth of their commitment to the future.

Last month we unveiled our "Innovation Agenda: A Commitment to Competitiveness." This Innovation Agenda is a challenge to the Congress and the country to renew our commitment to the public-private partnerships that will secure America's continued leadership and unleash the next generation of discovery, invention, and growth.

It recognizes first that in a globalized, knowledge-based economy, America's greatest resource for innovation and economic growth resides within America's classrooms. To create a new generation of innovators, our agenda calls for a qualified teacher in every math and science K-12 classroom, so that through scholarships and financial assistance, we will add 100,000 new scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to America's workforce in the next four years.

Second, we recognize that independent scientific research provides the foundation for innovation and future technologies. Our agenda will double federal funding for the National Science Foundation and basic research and development in the physical sciences. We will promote the public-private partnerships that will translate new ideas into marketable technologies, and modernize and make permanent the R&D tax credit.

Third, our agenda calls for universal broadband, so that every American will have affordable access to broadband services within five years. All Americans, no matter where they live, should be no more than a keystroke or a mouse click away from the jobs and entrepreneurial opportunity that affordable broadband service can both create and support.

Fourth, we recognize that only innovation and technology can lead America to energy independence, which we intend to achieve within 10 years. We will achieve greater energy and national security by developing new emerging technologies in areas such as synthetic and bio-based fuels, and creating a new streamlined approach to develop high-risk research and transfer it as rapidly as possible from the lab to the marketplace.

Fifth, Democrats recognize the need to create a competitive small business environment for innovation. Our agenda calls for affordable health insurance, small business financial support and technical assistance, reduced regulation, and protection of intellectual property.

There will be those who say that we can't afford to make these investments. Democrats believe we can't afford not to make them. We intend to submit them to the rigors of pay-as-you-go budgeting, so they will not add to the deficit, but instead will grow our economy.

Our innovation agenda is part of our vision for a stronger America. Because of the spirit, optimism, and ingenuity, of the American people, Democrats believe that together, America can do better. This is our obligation to the future. This is our Democratic commitment.

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On the Mark in Sacramento
From the Desk of Assemblyman Mark Leno

Greetings San Francisco Young Democrats! Over the course of the 2005 legislative session, one of my proudest moments was shepherding through my package of foster care youth initiatives into law. These four pieces of legislation will help to provide our foster youth with the stability they need to become successful citizens. I would like to share with you some of the changes these new laws will bring when they become effective on January 1st.

The first bill, AB 519, addresses the problem of "legal orphans" -- children who have been freed for adoption, but have yet to be adopted. These children, separated from parents who may have abused or neglected them, also suffer the permanent loss of their legal relationships to grandparents, siblings, and other relatives. Roughly one in six children in foster care for more than three years falls into this category. And under previous law, juvenile courts had no power to set aside, change, or modify an order terminating parental rights once made -- even when all parties agreed that there had been a material change of circumstances in which it was now in the child's best interest to have a parental relationship restored.

AB 519 allows legally-orphaned children, through their court-appointed dependency attorneys, to petition the court to restore parental rights if, after the passage of at least three years, they can show that they are no longer likely to be adopted and that reinstatement of parental rights would be in their best interest.

The second bill, AB 1412, will help ensure that, eventually, no child will be emancipated from the foster youth system without a loving connection to a committed adult -- a top-priority bill sponsored by the San Francisco-based California Youth Connection, an organization of current and former foster youth working for positive change in the foster care system. Currently, social workers are required to ask foster youth over the age of 10 who have been placed in group homes for periods longer than six months about important relationships they may have with caring adults, and work to maintain those relationships during the youth's time in foster care.. This bill sets forth an orderly phase-in that will eventually extend this requirement to maintain important adult relationships for every foster youth over the age of 10, regardless of her/his foster care placement.

This new law will help foster youth maintain relationships with committed adults to help them through the bad times, provide guidance and celebrate their successes. Foster youth point to the need for a "forever family" as their most critical need as they age out of foster care and begin life on their own.

The third bill, AB 1261 recognizes the importance of stability and continuity of school placement in the success of foster youths' educational outcomes. Frequent placement moves, delays and difficulties in transferring educational records, and the general upheaval associated with family crises make it difficult for foster youth to keep up and do well in school. This bill, in conjunction with a landmark 2003 law, clarifies that foster children have the right to remain in their school of origin until the end of the school year and requires that school records be immediately transferred and granted immediate enrollment even if there are outstanding fees, fines, textbooks or other items due to the school last attended. While a good education is critical to every child's successful transition to adulthood, it is especially true for children who spend long periods of their childhood in foster care.

Finally, pursuant to the passage of ACR 85, the State of California proclaimed last month, November 2005, to be Court Adoption and Permanency Month, in which California's courts and local communities showcased their joint efforts to decrease the number of children waiting for permanent, safe homes and families.

It is my hope that these new laws will help strengthen our foster youth system. But it is not only foster youth who need our care and guidance

That is why I hosted our 2nd Annual Young Women's Conference, "Own It: Your Body, Mind and Life" on October 21st, meant to give our City's young high-school women the opportunity to share personal struggles and common goals. One hundred young women from nine of our area high schools and youth centers took part in the conference. The event was co-sponsored with Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (PPGG) and featured such speakers as District Attorney Kamala Harris, Community Youth Center's Sarah Wan, PPGG's Dian Harrison, African-American Art Culture Complex's London Breed, Asian Women's Shelter's Beckie Masaki, CHALK's Taneika Jones, and the Center for Young Women's Development's Marlene Sanchez. Additionally, this month I will host our 2nd Bi-Annual Young Men's Conference.

Our young people are truly our greatest resource, and we must do everything we can to give them what they need to thrive. Each of them deserves protection, guidance, resources, understanding and love. We all have the opportunity to provide these essentials to young people in one way or another. It's our job to seek out those opportunities.

If you would like more information about my package of foster youth laws that will take effect this January, or on my local youth conferences, please feel free to contact my office here in San Francisco, 415-557-3013, or email me directly at Assemblymember.Leno@asm.ca.gov.

Yours,

Mark Leno
Assemblyman, 13th District
http:www.markleno.com

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After the Election Victory with the Alliance for a Better California
Delivering the Knockout Blow
Alice Board Member Robert Haaland

Robert Haaland As the San Francisco Campaign Director for the Alliance for a Better California, I had the amazing opportunity to work with some of the finest people and most inspiring groups I have ever worked with. On Tuesday, we had over 1300 people on the streets, half from the community and half from Labor. Tuesday’s victory was not just a victory of Labor, it was a victory for all. And that is the way it should be. Fortunately for us, it was. As one writer put it, it’s about time that the League of Pissed Off Voters and the SF Labor Council work together towards a common goal. People who don’t usually talk to each other, let alone work together, were part of our coalition.

Who was part of this coalition? SF for Democracy, ACORN, A. Philip Randolph Institute, Democracy Action, Asian Pacific Americans for an Informed California Richmond Democratic Club, Democratic Party Committee members and activists, Teachers, Nurses, Firefighters, Green Party Committee members and activists, SF People’s Organization, Equality California, LACLA, Harvey Milk and Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Clubs , APALA, League of Pissed Off Voters, POWER PAC, Young Workers United, Pride at Work, the SF Labor Council, SF State Youth Activists, SEIU, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, volunteers from organizations like Coleman Advocates, Chinese Progressive Association, Asian Law Caucus, And Castro For All, Chinatown Community Development Center, Our City, UNITE/HERE Local 2, Senior Action Network, Code Pink, Working Assets, SF Tenants Union, Artists, Bay Area Organizing Committee and the countless individuals who I just want to say thank you to. Everybody worked so incredibly hard. So many people gave up so much of their time to ensure Arnold’s defeat.

I don’t know what to say except that we had some incredible people on the campaign. You guys are all rock stars…

Rock Stars Nora Dye and Nicole Yelich, SF Prop 73 coordinators Picture by Bill Wilson

In terms of the field operations, Levin Sy, the GOTV coordinator, had seven offices up and running on election day that managed over 1300 volunteers and our campaign was in over 360 precincts. A. Philip Randolph had been phoning and walking over 30 precincts in the Bayview and they did GOTV out of the Iron Workers Hall . ACORN had a volunteer operation that had taken on all of District 11 and a paid field operation that contacted over 20,000 voters in San Francisco. In the Sunset, Democratic Party Committee Member Mary Jung ran precincts out of State Board of Equalization Betty Yee’s campaign office . In the Richmond, Melanie Nutter, Executive Director for the SF Democratic Party, ran precincts out of her garage . The League of Pissed Off Voters ran precincts in the Haight, APA for an Informed California ran precincts in Chinatown and the Richmond. LACLA, under the direction of Frank Martin Del Campo, ran precincts in the Mission out of their office, and a coalition of the No on Prop 73 campaign, Equality California, and Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Clubs ran 60 of the most queer precincts out of the Castro Community Center at 18th and Castro and Kelly Dugan from Local 2 was the site coordinator.

The mobilization that was mostly composed of Labor was out of the Plumber’s Hall and was directed by Kim Tavaglione, SF Alliance Field Director and Pilar Shiavo, the Political Director of the SF Labor Council. The phone banks were run out UESF and UHW. Amy Laitinen. Brandy Hunt and Alexis Gonzalez ably ran the operations at UHW. Nicole Derse, the Coalition Director, helped coordinate the sites and Levin Sy was the overall GOTV coordinator.

The mind boggles at how many possibilities there are at what we could do locally and statewide if we continue to try and work together. But in order to do that, we need to do our best to let issues inform our politics, not personalities. None of us are perfect in this regard, but we need to stop making our decisions based on who we hate or like. Letting political grudges dominate our decision-making hurts us in the long run. We needed everyone to be on board helping us to defeat these initiatives.

Next year when the far right wants to ban marriage equality and domestic partner benefits, the LGBT community needs many of these coalition partners to help defeat this regressive measure. Some are rightfully concerned that much of organized labor was silent on Prop 73, although I am proud to say that the SF Labor Council endorsed the No on 73 position and incredibly proud to have worked side by side with their campaign. We even had our victory party together, because not only is an injury to one and injury to all, but a victory for one is a victory for all.

Tim Paulson, Executive Director, SF Labor Council watching results Picture by Bill Wilson

Ting’s election is a victory for Progressives

Support by the LGBT community for Ting was a critical component of his success. Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club sent out 25,000 slate cards by mail and walked 12,000 slate cards to LGBT voters. Alice placed full page ads in LGBT newspapers. Over the last week, 20,000 door hangers of HaevryMilk Club endorsements were distributed. Support by Alice and Assemblymember Mark Leno was critical as well. A united LGBT community makes a huge difference for a candidate.

Assemblymember Mark Leno

Also a huge factor was that LGBT activists were coordinating GOTV efforts in the 60 most queer precincts for the Special Election. In the weeks leading up to and over the last weekend, they distributed their literature through mail and by walking door hangers. Harvey Milk and Alice even coordinated handing out slate cards at MUNI stops in the last few days. Clearly the end goal was to defeat Schwarzenegger and we spent election day working alongside the Proposition 73 folks turning out voters who were identified as voting no on Schwarzenegger’s initiatives, but moving all that literature definitely had an impact. The highest turnout neighborhoods were all queer neighborhoods. In large part, they were highly motivated to send a message to Arnold and they did.

Did Progressives Win Tuesday night?

If you worked on the Prop 73 or the Alliance campaign, which most progressives and labor activists did, then you were in 7th heaven at our party at Club Eight Tuesday night. If you were one of the 1300 people who volunteered, thank you. Thanks for all your work on behalf of teenage women and the working women and men of California. We can believe in and find the best in ourselves and each other. We saw it on our campaign and on Tuesday night. Tuesday night gave me a lot of hope about the future of coalition politics, of issue-driven, not personality-driven, politics. Thanks Arnold for all that you did to unify this large coalition. Let’s do it again.

Nurses protesting Arnold

Calvin Gipson, of Glide Memorial and former President of the Pride Committee, speaking at the African American Activists against Props 73-78 Press Conference, standing next to James Bryant, President, A. Philip Randolph Institute and District Attorney Kamala Harris

Representatives from Young Workers United, APALA, SEIU, and Nicole Derse, from the Alliance

Amy Laitinen of the Alliance signing in volunteers

Michael Goldstein signing in at the first mobilization in September

A.Philip Randolph Institute volunteers phonebanking along with Alice and Milk

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Election Analysis from David Binder Research

David Binder Research has offered post-election analysis of the electoral data, both within the City and throughout the state. You can find this information in the linked PowerPoint presentation. (Note: This is a 1MB PowerPoint file)

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Target Digs Its Own Coffin
by Nicole Sarabia-Rivera

I must confess…

I used to be a Target-holic, I LOVED shopping at Target and because it's a scant mile from my office, you could find me there at least once every two weeks. I would find good deals or cute stuff and sing the Target praises to all of my family and friends. I don't sing those praises anymore. In what has to be one of the most offensive policies I've ever come across, Target has decided to let its pharmacists refuse to fill emergency contraceptive pills (Plan B) simply because they find your prescription immoral.

Target is now claiming - quite appallingly - that its employees' religious fanaticism is covered by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Seriously. Apparently Target employees are allowed to not sell you things based on their religion.

This despicable policy is going to largely affect the poor, rural woman. Have you been to the "Heartland" recently? Last time I was in Texas, there was only one Target and the other one was 40 miles away. Just where are the women supposed to go if they are refused medication?

I received an e-mail response from Target and this is part of what Jennifer Hanson, from the Target Executive Office had to say "We're surprised and disappointed by Planned Parenthood's negative campaign. We've been talking with Planned Parenthood to clarify our policy and reinforce our commitment to ensuring that our guests' prescriptions for the emergency contraceptive Plan B are filled. Our policy is similar to that of many other retailers and follows the recommendations of the American Pharmacists Association. That's why it's unclear why Target is being singled out. We're committed to meeting the needs of our female guests and will continue to deliver upon that commitment."

Poor Target, the feel like they're being "singled out".

Target is being "singled out" because what they are letting their pharmacists do is wrong. If they don't want to dispense Plan B based on moral or religious views, they shouldn't have gotten into the business in the first place, they should have gone into the ministry.

Until Target reinstates full compliance with prescriptions, I'll never shop there again and ask all those who read this to do the same. Maybe when they start seeing those holiday profits disappear, they'll have a change of heart.

Please send Target an email objecting to this policy. They can be reached at investorrelations@target.com or at 1.800.440.0680

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SFYD Needs You: Recruitment for Committee Assistance

Are you interested in event planning? Do you want to have an active voice in the SFYD program agenda? If you're saying yes, then join the SFYD Program Committee! Contact Nicole Sarabia-Rivera at nicthebrick@gmail.com

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