Northern California CCDS

2022 Northern California CCDS Membership Meeting

Thursday July 28, 2022, 7:15 PM

 

Hello Comrades!

Northern California CCDS is having a membership meeting on July 28 at 7:15 pm.  No snacks for this virtual meeting, but no driving or parking either! And we have an interesting program planned for you. 

 

Hands Off Medicare! Our keynote speakers will be Dr. Corinne Frugoni and Marilyn Albert, both founding members of CCDS. Dr. Frugoni will speak about how Medicare is already being privatized right now and how further encroachments are being implemented. She is a retired family physician who provided healthcare for 30 years in Humboldt County. She is also co-chair of the California Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). Marilyn Albert has been an activist for Medicare for All/single payer health care since the 1970s.  In New York City, Marilyn was a hospital nurse and activist in Local 1199 for 35 years and then worked for 5 years organizing registered nurses for National Nurses United. Later she worked as an organizer for the National Union of Healthcare Workers in California. Presently active in Healthy California Now, the largest coalition for a California single payer system, she also is a leader in the Labor Campaign for Single Payer.

 

We will hold a short and spirited discussion of National, State and Local elections.

 

At this meeting we will also elect a new Coordinating Committee (up to 10 people) and a Treasurer. Any Northern California CCDS member can run for these positions. We also have Chair and Secretary positions, which can be elected at the meeting or appointed by the new Coordinating Committee. We will vote on a proposed bylaw change to allow online voting.   Click Here to View Proposed Amendment

 

To make or endorse, a nomination, go to http://bit.ly/CCDSnominate - you will need to provide your first and last name and, optionally, an email address.  You will only be able to nominate current CCDS members.  If you have problems, click on the email link provided on the page and send an email to Voting Solutions.

You will need to register for the meeting. To do so go to one of these links:

 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0td--orT8qGtTHbyHlOGW35cHYuEX0eRs5

Short Version: https://bit.ly/NCCCDSmembers2022

After you click the link and fill in your name and email address, you will receive a message telling how to join on the day of the meeting: Thursday, July 28. You can join by computer or mobile device. You don’t need a camera, though it’s nice to let others see you. You need a microphone if you want to talk, but there is also a Chat feature where you can type comments and questions during the meeting. It is easiest to register, join the meeting, and make a nomination by computer, but if you can’t do that, call Steve Willett (510-435-0559) for assistance.

 

A little behind in your dues? If you are one year in arrears with your dues, you may still make nominations (see above) and if you attend the meeting, you will be given instructions on how to vote. If you are further behind in your dues and can’t afford to pay, but do want to participate, please contact [email protected] or call Steve Willett (510-435-0559).

 

Yours for the revolution,

Ellen Schwartz, on behalf of Northern California CCDS Coordinating Committee

916-835-4330 or [email protected]

Saturday, March 13, 2021: Northern California CCDS Membership Meeting

March 13, 2021, Northern California CCDS Membership Meeting

Hello Comrades!

Northern California CCDS is having a region-wide membership meeting on Saturday March 13, 1pm to 3pm.  We won’t have any snacks for this virtual meeting (but think how nice not to have to search for parking!) and we have an interesting program planned for you. 

Our keynote speaker will be Marilyn Albert, a founding member of CCDS. She has been a health care worker and activist specifically around single payer health care for 45 years.  Marilyn was a member and shop steward in union Local 1199 for 35 years and then worked for both National Nurses United and National Union of Healthcare Workers. She retired in 2019.  Presently she is active in Healthy California Now, the largest coalition fighting for a California single payer system. She also serves on the steering committee of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer.  She recently had two articles on Portside, "Why the Pandemic Proves We Need Medicare for All"  and "What is the Future for Health Care Workers?"

Marilyn will provide up to the minute information on the statewide campaign for Single Payer health care and how we can participate.

At this meeting we will elect a new Coordinating Committee (up to 10 people) and a Treasurer. Any Northern California CCDS member in good standing can run for these positions. We also have Chair and Secretary positions, which can be elected at this meeting or the meeting can decide to have them appointed by the new Coordinating Committee. 

To make or endorse, a nomination, go to http://bit.ly/CCDSnominate - you will need to provide you first and last name and optionally an email address.  You will only be able to nominate CCDS members in good standing.  If you have problems, click on the email link provided on the page.

The Membership Meeting is going to be virtual, and the registration link is

   http://bit.ly/NoCalCCDSMemberMeet2021 -

after you click the link and fill in your name and email address, you will receive a message with instructions on how to join on the 13^th.   You can join by computer or mobile device. You don’t need a camera, though it’s nice to let others see you. You need a microphone if you want to talk, but there is a Chat feature where you can type comments and questions. 

Please note, if you are no more than one year in arrears with your dues, you may make nominations (see above) and if you attend the meeting, you will be given instructions on how to vote.  If you are further behind in your dues and can’t afford to pay but want to participate, please contact [email protected] or call Steve Willett (510-435-0559).

You can register, join the meeting, and make a nomination most easily by computer, but if that is not possible, call Steve Willett (510-435-0559) for assistance.

Yours for the revolution,

Ellen Schwartz
On behalf of Northern California CCDS
Coordinating Committee

916.835.4330
ellen (at) nicetechnology.com

NCAL CCDS Membership Meeting, Saturday, April 28, 1-3pm

"We Happy Few" will be holding our Northern California District Membership Meeting on Saturday, April 28, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. We will be holding separate face-to-face meetings at several locations, connected together by an Internet conference. Members can join one these meetings, gather a few nearby members/friends at a single location and connect, or connect individually by computer or telephone. Scheduled locations:

In the East Bay, call Steve Willett, (510) 435-0559 for directions

In Sacramento, call Ellen Schwartz,  (916) 369-5510

In San Francisco, call  Barbara Blong, (415) 863-6637

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/374209131

By Telephone (dial either of these two numbers):

1 (669) 900-6833  or 1 (646) 558-8656

At the prompt, enter this Meeting ID: 374 209 131

In these times of both hope and trepidation, we need to once again gather to ascertain:

1. Exactly "what time is it" in our social history, in our environment/ecology, and what is our active place in this mix, both as individuals and as an organization of socialists? A central question: how do we pass our experience and knowledge of past and present struggles on to younger people who have become radicalized by the issues they are now facing? We want to encourage members to be prepared to speak briefly about their own experiences.

2. We need to elect new leadership. Our constitution calls for the election of a Chair, a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, and up to ten Coordinating Committee Members. The Coordinating Committee meets monthly by Internet/telephone conference.  We encourage members join the meeting prepared to nominate themselves or someone else for one of these positions, or to make nominations in advance by mail (CCDS, 522 Valencia St., San Francisco 94110) or email ([email protected]).

3. The Membership Meeting is also a time when either our Constitution or Bylaws can be amended. Follow the links below to see the current documents, or call (415) 863-6637 if you would like printed copies mailed to you. If you wish to offer amendments to either of these documents, please submit them either by mail or email by April 26, so they can be available to the meeting participants.

You will find links to the current Constitution and Bylaws for Northern California CCDS in the right-hand column on this page.

(Note, depending on your browser, the documents may be saved to your “Downloads” folder rather than opening up directly.)    

For more information, you may call any of the three scheduled hosts. We look forward to joining you on April 28!

Northern California CCDS Fall Membership Meeting, Saturday, Nov. 19

REMINDER

A Northern California CCDS membership meeting is scheduled for Saturday, November 19, 2016; lunch will be provided at 12 noon and the meeting to last no longer than 4 pm. It will be held at the Florence McDonald Community Room of Savo Island Coop Homes, 2017 Stuart, Berkeley, near the Ashby BART station.

Proposed Agenda (meeting to take place after lunch)

1. Reports from members: We encourage CCDS members who are attending this meeting to share information on work they are involved in. For example, recent NorCal CCDS Coordinating Committee member Marilyn Albert has been working with the Oakland Justice Coalition, and plans to make a report on the coalition and her work with it.
2. Thoughts on the national CCDS convention and what it means for our work in the coming year. We emerged from the convention with a commitment to increase our efforts in socialist education, with development of study guides, participation in conferences, expansion of the Online University of the Left and weekly news updates.
3. Election of new Coordinating Committee: Volunteer your energy! The NorCal CCDS Coordinating Committee meets by video/conference call once a month for two hours.  If you have a computer and webcam screen sharing is possible, but participants may join by telephone.

4. Resolutions (if any): To submit a resolution to the group, please bring at least a dozen copies.

Your dues must be current in order to serve on the Coordinating Committee, but if they are not, it’s easily fixed!

Questions? Call 415-863-6637, or day of meeting: 916-835-4330.

In unity and solidarity,

Northern California Coordinating committee: Barbara Blong, Betty Brown, Cathy Hodge McCoid, Michael Kaufman, Karl Kramer, Ellen Schwartz and Steve Willett

Mark your calendar: 8th CCDS/KAF Northern California Banquet

On Sunday, October 4, 2015, we are holding our Eighth CCDS/Kendra Alexander Foundation Banquet. It will be held from 2–5 pm at the Redwood Gardens Community Room, 2951 Derby Street, Berkeley, CA.

We are delighted to announce that our keynote speaker will be Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, well known us in Northern California as a teacher, activist in indigenous peoples’ struggles, and author of numerous books, most recently An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States. She will be speaking on “The United States as a Settler-Colonial State.”                                                  

The program will open with a Native American ceremony honoring the land and ancestors, and this year CCDS will honor three local/national/international organizations: Idle No More SF Bay, LeftRoots and US Labor Against The War. Dinner will be catered again by Jordon Alexander.

Watch for information on ordering tickets or becoming a sponsor of this event.

Northern California CCDS Membership Meeting Saturday Dec. 6, 11am

Northern California Committees of Correspondence Membership Meeting:

Saturday, December 6, 2014,  518 Valencia St., San Francisco
11am to 2pm

Our Annual Membership Meeting will take place SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Eric Quezada Center for Culture and Politics, 518 Valencia St., between 16th and 17th Streets, near the 16th St. BART in San Francisco. Lunch will be provided.

AGENDA: Discussion of Paths to Left Unity (including electoral reform in the context of the 2014 elections) / Resolutions / Amendments / Election of new Coordinating Committee.

Questions? 415-863-6637.

Look on the right side of this page for links to the current Constitution and Bylaws (scroll down to "CCDS Northern California Structure"). Send
amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws, or any Resolutions to:
CCDS at 6422 Irwin Ct., Oakland CA 94609 or [email protected]. 

Correction to People's Climate Change Rally - time is 2pm to 5pm

The original post regarding the People's Climate Change Rally on Sept 21 listed the time as noon-5pm, but it has been rescheduled for 2pm-5pm instead.   The rest of the details below are correct.

Take Action Against Climate Change!

What can you do?

Learn more! Come to a joint meeting of CCDS and DSA.
Saturday, September 13, 11am-1pm

We’ll have presentations and discussion on the current state of the climate crisis and possibilities for action. There will be more information on the historic UN Climate Summit taking place in New York in late September.

Lunch will be provided. Everyone welcome. Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.

Attend the Northern California People's Climate Rally!
Sunday, September 21, 2014, 2-5pm.  (previously listed as noon-5)

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called a Special Meeting on Climate Change, to meet in New York in late September; he is urging governments to support an ambitious global agreement to dramatically reduce global warming pollution. In support of this summit meeting, to urge that our government support real change, a broad coalition has organized a massive Climate March in New York city on September 21.  As of today (August 25), over 850 businesses, unions, faith groups, schools, social justice groups, environmental groups and more, have endorsed the march.(see the updated list at www.peoplesclimate.org) 

While the People's Climate March is happening in NYC, The NorCal People's Climate Rally will be happening in Oakland from noon to 5pm. The main events will be at Oakland’s Lake Merritt Park Amphitheater (at end of Lake Merritt near 12th St. & Lake Merritt Blvd, Laney College, and Lake Merritt Bart Station), while bannering and leafletting will be taking place around the Bay Area.

All the events will family-friendly, with activities for children, and tables by sponsoring and endorsing organizations at a "Climate Fair".  Find out more, and learn how you can get involved, at www.bayareasept21.org

Mark Your Calendar! March 30, 2014, Northern Calif CCDS Annual Banquet

The Road to Genuine Democracy...

Gayle McLaughlin

...Goes through Richmond!

We are delighted to announce that Gayle McLaughlin, the Green Mayor of Richmond, Ca, will be the keynote speaker at our banquet on Sunday, March 30, 2014.  The banquet will be held at Redwood Gardens in Berkeley, and will be catered by Jordon Alexander.

Take Action: Jobs Not Wars petition, Health Care for All rally Feb. 11

Dear CCDS members,

Jobs Not War!  follow this link to sign the petition: http://bit.ly/jobs-not-wars-CCDS

CCDS is a sponsoring partner of the online petition Campaign "Jobs Not Wars" initiated by US Labor Against the War.  Pressure the President and Congress now -- we want jobs, social security and peace!  Other sponsors include UFPJ, Progressive Democrats of America, Peace Action, Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare, New Priorities Network, and others.  (
(The campaign website: http://jobs-not-wars.org.)

The petition will be presented to Pres. Obama and Congress in January.  If the petition campaign is successful, it may lead to an issue-oriented action in Washington DC during Inauguration week.  The purpose is to have a vehicle to begin pressure from the progressive and left direction soon after the 2012 election.

Please circulate the petition to your local listserves -- and consider how to do outreach to different groups and constituencies to persuade them to also circulate the petition.

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PUT PEOPLE FIRST - Lobby Day/Rally for Single Payer, February 11 at Noon in Sacramento, north steps of the Capitol.

Insurance Companies are raising their rates on individual policy holders by 20%. It's tiem to tell legislators to PUT PEOPLE FIRST!  Join the Campaign for a Healthy California in supporting this year's California Health Professional Student Alliance (CaHPSA) Rally for single payer!

See the flyer for details and information on Free bus rides to Sacramento from Bay Area locations. Please call to reserve your seat!

 

Nov 2012 Ballot Proposition Recommendations from Northern California CCDS

At our annual Membership Meeting, Sept. 9, 2012, we approved the following positions on the ballot propositions which will be on the November Ballot.

If you have trouble reading the table below, here is an Adobe PDF version (311.7K).

Prop #	Yes/No	Initiative Title and Description From Secretary of State website, www.sos.ca.gov
30	Yes	Temporary Taxes to Fund Education. Guaranteed Local Public Safety Funding. [Compromise measure between Gov. Brown, California Nurses Assn and Calif Federation of Teachers.]   • Increases personal income tax on annual earnings over $250,000 for seven years. • Increases sales and use tax by ¼ cent for four years. • Allocates temporary tax revenues 89% to K–12 schools and 11% to community colleges. • Bars use of funds for administrative costs, but provides local school governing boards discretion to decide, in open meetings and subject to annual audit, how funds are to be spent. • Guarantees funding for public safety services realigned from state to local governments.
31	NO	State Budget. State and Local Government.. • Establishes two-year state budget cycle. • Prohibits Legislature from creating expenditures of more than $25 million unless offsetting revenues or spending cuts are identified. • Permits Governor to cut budget unilaterally during declared fiscal emergencies if Legislature fails to act. • Requires performance reviews of all state programs. • Requires performance goals in state and local budgets. • Requires publication of bills at least three days prior to legislative vote. • Allows local governments to alter how laws governing state-funded programs apply to them, unless Legislature or state agency vetoes change within 60 days.
32	NO	Political Contributions by Payroll Deduction. Contributions to Candidates.. • Prohibits unions from using payroll-deducted funds for political purposes. Applies same use prohibition to payroll deductions, if any, by corporations or government contractors. • Permits voluntary employee contributions to employer-sponsored committee or union if authorized yearly, in writing. • Prohibits unions and corporations from contributing directly or indirectly to candidates and candidate-controlled committees. • Other political expenditures remain unrestricted, including corporate expenditures from available resources not limited by payroll deduction prohibition. • Prohibits government contractor contributions to elected officers or officer-controlled committees.
33	NO	Auto Insurance Companies. Prices Based on Driver's History of Insurance Coverage.. • Changes current law to allow insurance companies to set prices based on whether the driver previously carried auto insurance with any insurance company. • Allows insurance companies to give proportional discounts to drivers with some history of prior insurance coverage. • Will allow insurance companies to increase cost of insurance to drivers who have not maintained continuous coverage. • Treats drivers with lapse as continuously covered if lapse is due to military service or loss of employment, or if lapse is less than 90 days.
34	Yes*	Death Penalty.. • Repeals death penalty as maximum punishment for persons found guilty of murder and replaces it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole. • Applies retroactively to persons already sentenced to death. • States that persons found guilty of murder must work while in prison as prescribed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with their wages subject to deductions to be applied to any victim restitution fines or orders against them. • Directs $100 million to law enforcement agencies for investigations of homicide and rape cases. [* recommend Yes on 34 “on the basis that it will end the death penalty in the state of California."   ]
35	NO	Human Trafficking. Penalties.. • Increases criminal penalties for human trafficking, including prison sentences up to 15-years-to-life and fines up to $1,500,000. • Fines collected to be used for victim services and law enforcement. • Requires person convicted of trafficking to register as sex offender. • .Requires sex offenders to provide information regarding Internet access and identities they use in online activities. • Prohibits evidence that victim engaged in sexual conduct from being used against victim in court proceedings. • Requires human trafficking training for police officers. Position changed from “No Position” to “No” by Membership Meeting 9/9/2012
36	Yes **	Three Strikes Law. Repeat Felony Offenders. Penalties.. • Revises three strikes law to impose life sentence only when new felony conviction is serious or violent. • Authorizes re-sentencing for offenders currently serving life sentences if third strike conviction was not serious or violent and judge determines sentence does not pose unreasonable risk to public safety. • Continues to impose life sentence penalty if third strike conviction was for certain nonserious, non-violent sex or drug offenses or involved firearm possession. • Maintains life sentence penalty for felons with nonserious, non-violent third strike if prior convictions were for rape, murder, or child molestation. [**. Conditional endorsement; it does not go far enough. ]
37	YES	Genetically Engineered Foods. Labeling.. • Requires labeling on raw or processed food offered for sale to consumers if made from plants or animals with genetic material changed in specified ways. • Prohibits labeling or advertising such food, or other processed food, as “natural.” • Exempts foods that are: certified organic; unintentionally produced with genetically engineered material; made from animals fed or injected with genetically engineered material but not genetically engineered themselves; processed with or containing only small amounts of genetically engineered ingredients; administered for treatment of medical conditions; sold for immediate consumption such as in a restaurant; or alcoholic beverages.
38	NO	Tax to Fund Education and Early Childhood Programs.. [This is Molly Munger’s State Income Tax Increase.] •.Increases personal income tax rates on annual earnings over $7,316 using sliding scale from .4% for lowest individual earners to 2.2% for individuals earning over $2.5 million, for twelve years. • During first four years, allocates 60% of revenues to K–12 schools, 30% to repaying state debt, and 10% to early childhood programs. Thereafter, allocates 85% of revenues to K–12 schools, 15% to early childhood programs. • Provides K–12 funds on school-specific, per-pupil basis, subject to local control, audits, and public input. • Prohibits state from directing new funds.
39	YES	Tax Treatment for Multistate Businesses. Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Funding.. • Requires multistate businesses to calculate their California income tax liability based on the percentage of their sales in California. • Repeals existing law giving multistate businesses an option to choose a tax liability formula that provides favorable tax treatment for businesses with property and payroll outside California. • Dedicates $550 million annually for five years from anticipated increase in revenue for the purpose of funding projects that create energy efficiency and clean energy jobs in California.
40	YES	Redistricting. State Senate Districts.. • “Yes” vote approves, and a “No” vote rejects, new State Senate districts drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. • If the new districts are rejected, the State Senate district boundary lines will be adjusted by officials supervised by the California Supreme Court. • State Senate districts are revised every 10 years following the federal census. Position changed from “?” to “YES” by Membership Meeting 9/9/2012