Changing America one election at a time.

Chasing Ice was the latest NDFA social outing. It is a documentary about a photographer, James Balog, who is documenting the receding glaciers in the northern hemisphere as a result of global warming.

Join us tomorrow night, Tuesday, March 26, for dinner and/or the show at Hamburger Mary's, 5400 N. Clark. We meet downstairs around 6:00 for dinner and upstairs at 7:30 for the show. RSVP to dfa@chicagobarry.com

After tonight's meeting, we will be watching President Obama's State of the Union Speech live at the Lincoln. Come for the meeting, stay for the speech!

Contrary to what I was told and reported at our October meeting, there are indeed Cook County Circuit Court Judges up for retention - 60 of them, in fact. Most have received all "Yes" ratings from the 12 bar associations. However, the following Judges received all, or mostly all, "No" ratings for retention:
Cynthia Brim - 100% No
Gloria Chevere - 11 of 12 No
James D. Egan - 100% No
Pamela E. Hill-Veal - 100% No
11 Bar Association Rating Spreadsheet      Chicago Council of Lawyers Ratings

It looks like you can have alot of fun at a Progressive fundraiser, after all! For more pictures from "Small Change for BIG Change 2012" at Uncommon Ground, visit our Facebook page. And, it's still not to late to donate at Act Blue

NDFA's major annual fundraiser    
Monday, July 23, 6:30 - 8:30 pm    
Uncommon Ground, 1401 W. Devon in Chicago    
Tickets $50, $250, $500, $1,000    

Buy Your Tickets Here at ActBlue     Or pay cash/check at the door.    

Hors d'ouevres, cash bar, silent auction, you know the drill. We need your support to further our mission as the most influential and dynamic Progressive group in Chicago. Please join us and like-minded capital-L Liberals for a fun evening.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,[76] that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...

Several NDFA members, including Melissa Lindbereg, Sue Pastin, Mary Hunter, Bob Rosenstein and Connie Anderson attended the this showing sponsored by Rep. Jan Schakowsky and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The film exposed how American corporations have manipulated our government to allow them to hide their profits from the IRS by parking money overseas in tax havens. It is estimated over $1 trillion dollars of profits extracted from American consumers (and the Federal goverenment) is hidden this way, which, if repatriated, would generate over $300 billion in taxes. After the film, Rep. Schakowsky, Co-Producer Karin Hayes, and Northwestern Professor Jeffrey Winters answered questions. They are planning a nationwide 'house party' of DVD viewings of the movie, which NDFA plans to be a part of.

Check out this short film from Mayor Emanuel. It explains nothing about TIFs and later the Mayor takes credit for reforming TIFs, which he hasn't done. Not mentioned is how property tax payers get gouged to make up for the general revenue lost to the Mayor's TIF slush fund. At least only about 900 people have watched it. Mayor's TIF Fantasy