Swanson Chooses Budget over Convention

Assemblymember Swanson (D-Alameda), announced on Friday that he will forgo a trip to the Democratic National Convention, scheduled to run from August 25-28, in order to continue work on the State’s budget crisis. Like many other legislators, he is a delegate to the convention.”In good conscience, I just cannot go there.  Our current budget crisis is preventing students from attending California State Universities, we are laying off state workers, and teachers continue to receive pink slip notices. In fact California’s unemployment rate has reached 7.3%.  I will be spending every day of next week urging my colleagues to finish the budget, and to complete the remaining legislative work we have before us, ” remarked Assemblymember Swanson, who chairs the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee.  He is also a member of the Budget Committee. [Read more]

African-Americans and the 2008 Democratic National Convention

The delegation to the 2008 Democratic National Convention is being called the most diverse in Party history, and African-Americans are playing a central role. More African-American delegates have been elected to this year’s Convention than ever before. African-American speakers will be featured nightly in roles from roles on key committees and as senior leaders on the Convention’s management team.Below are some key facts about African American attendance and participation during the convention.

Delegates

There is a 4.1% percent increase in the number of African-American delegates elected to the Convention from 2004 to 2008. 24.5 percent of delegates elected in 2008 are African-American (1,087 in total), compared to 20.4 percent in 2004
(886).

Convention Speakers (partial list)

Monday: One Nation - Speakers include Michelle Obama, Craig Robinson and Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL)
Tuesday: Renewing America’s Promise - Speakers include Gov. Deval Patrick and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).
Dr. Cynthia Hale will deliver the Invocation.
Wednesday: Securing American Future - Speakers include House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (SC)
Thursday: Change You Can Believe In - Speakers include Senator Barack Obama

Convention Standing Committees

Credentials Committee
The Credentials Committee is charged with coordinating issues around the selection of delegates and alternates to the
Convention. The committee will issue a report that is the first official item of business at the Convention. African-
Americans serving on this committee include The Honorable Alexis Herman who is a Committee Co-chair, Baltimore
Mayor Sheila Dixon and Christopher Edley, Jr., Dean of the Berkley School of Law at the University of California.

Platform Committee
The Platform Committee is responsible for drafting and recommending a proposed National Platform for approval at the
Convention. African-Americans serving on this committee include Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick who is a
Committee Co-chair, Colorado Senate President Peter Groff, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, Trenton
Mayor Douglas Palmer and National Education Association President Reginald Weaver.

Rules Committee
The Rules Committee is responsible for proposing the Permanent Rules for the Convention, adopting the proposed
Convention agenda and making recommendations for permanent Convention officers - all addressed as the second
official item of business at the Convention. African-Americans serving on this committee include Columbus Mayor
Michael Coleman, Bishop David Evans, Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson and Bishop Vashti McKenzie.

Special Convention Programs

Interfaith Gathering
The Interfaith Gathering will kick off the 2008 Convention on Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at the Wells Fargo
Theater. The gathering will include religious leaders from many faith communities, including Bishop Charles E. Blake of
the Church of God in Christ, and musical artists such as Grammy-award winning artists Richard Smallwood & Vision.

Unity Breakfast
This event will commemorate the 45th anniversary of the March on Washington on Thursday, August 28 and will include
prominent African American leaders including Martin Luther King III, Rev. Al Sharpton and Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Caucus Meetings

Meetings of the Black Caucus will take place Monday, August 25 and Wednesday, August 27 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00
p.m. MDT at the Colorado Convention Center. All caucus meetings are open to the public and members of the media.

Monday: Urban Renewal, Quality Education and Job Creation (10:00 a.m.)
The program will feature a panel of experts in the areas of education and economic development who will engage in a
discussion of Senator Obama’s plan for the renewal of Urban America and the importance of investing in our schools
and infrastructure as a means for creating high quality, high wage jobs. The panel will include the President and CEO of
National Urban League Marc Morial, former Mayor of New Orleans; Hon. Michael Coleman, Mayor of Columbus, Ohio;
and Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone.

Monday: Young Leaders Summit - Building the Next Generation of Democratic Leaders(11:00 a.m.)
Senator Obama and the DNC will recognize young leaders from across the country already making a difference in the
lives of their communities in the spirit of Senator Obama’s message of activism, cooperation and change. Panelists
include Kerry Washington, National Co-chair, Vote for Change voter registration program; Alisha Thomas Morgan, the
first African American elected to the Georgia House of Representatives from Cobb County; and Ephren W. Taylor II, the
youngest African-American CEO of any publicly traded company ever - City Capital Corporation

Wednesday: Training the Trainer - Organizing That Works
The Obama campaign has developed one of the most successful grassroots campaigns in the history of American
politics. Featured participants will include Donna Brazile, President and CEO of Brazile and Associates and national
political commentator. This session will provide an overview of the campaign’s activities from the primary season and
insight into its plans for the fall.

Senior Staff of Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC)

African Americans also occupy key leadership roles on the DNCC, the official arm of the Democratic Party responsible for
planning and organizing the 2008 Convention in Denver. Key staff members include Convention CEO Leah D. Daughtry;
Travis Dredd, Deputy CEO for Inside the Hall Operations; Christian Duffus, Deputy CEO for Finance and Administration;
Cameron Moody, Deputy CEO for Outside the Hall Operations; Tina Akintayo, Director of Housing; Yolanda Caraway,
Director of Podium Operations; Tasha Cole, Director of Political Affairs; Atif Harden, Co-Director, Colorado Convention
Center and Damon Jones, Director of Press Relations. Mayor Shirley Franklin of Atlanta serves as Co-chair of the 2008
Convention.

Convention to Highlight Diverse Faith Leaders

DENVER - In keeping with Barack Obama’s personal commitment and the commitment of the Democratic Party to put faith in action, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) and the Obama for America campaign today announced that the 2008 Democratic National Convention will recognize the tireless efforts of those in the faith community working toward the common good.
“Senator Obama is a committed Christian, and he believes that people of all faiths have an important place in American life,” said Joshua Dubois, Obama For America Director of Religious Affairs. “He’s proud to work with the Democratic National Convention Committee on a Convention that fully engages people of faith in dialogue, celebration and prayer. We are honored that so many religious leaders are reaching across partisan and ideological lines in this Convention to address the values that matter to Americans.” [Read more]

Sports Owners Backing McCain

Owners of professional sports teams in the U.S. are overwhelmingly backing Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama in the presidential race.
Through the end of June, team owners and their families in the four major sports — baseball, football, basketball, and hockey — have reportedly contributed or raised more than $3.2 million to aid McCain, compared to only $615,000 for Obama.
McCain even raised over six times more than Obama from the owners of teams in Obama’s hometown of Chicago.
And owners of the teams in McCain’s hometown, Phoenix, contributed or raised as much as $550,000 for the Republican — and nothing for Obama. [Read more]

London Breed To Attend Convention

By Wade Woods

On April 13, 2008 San Francisco and Western Addition native London Breed was elected to serve as a Barack Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention to be held next week in Denver, Co.

Ms. Breed is the only African American in the San Francisco delegation which represents the 8th Congressional district, the District is currently represented by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Breed is currently the Director of the African American Art and Cultural Complex (AAACC) having been appointed to the position in 2002 by former Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr.

The AAACC is located in the heart of the Western addition and is recognized as one of the renowned and progressive institutions on African American centered cultural expression in the San Francisco Bay Area. [Read more]

Is Water the Next Oil?

Water is an essential commodity for our growing nation and yet our leaders regrettably overlook its importance.
Budgets for infrastructure maintenance and improvements continue to be slashed at the Federal, State and municipal government levels.  It is another national problem waiting to happen, with the question being not “if?”,but “when?”
Water shortages are one of the most looming threats for our communities in the near future.  In some communities, the shortages may be severe or catastrophic.
A majority of the nations ground water is servicing the needs of a constantly growing domestic population.  The demand for water increases twice as fast as the population base.
Industrialization and agriculture techniques are harming the supply of clean water. High quality potable water is becoming a commodity. [Read more]