Moving into the new year, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is building a grassroots coalition effort to retake the Democratic Party from the bottom up. This by urging current and newly-elected progressive Democratic Party office-holders—as well as encouraging new candidates—to join the political revolution at the local and state party levels. Also by strongly backing Rep. Keith Ellison for DNC Chair. If you want to get involved, contact Mike Fox.

To fund this effort, along with the relaunch of our Healthcare Not Warfare campaign, and to retire debt we incurred during the 2016 election cycle, we need your support now! Please pitch in $500, $50, or whatever you can to reform the DNC, stop the next war, support healthcare as a human right, send Progressives to Congress, and more! Money tight? Sign up with Mike "Phone Guy" Fox to make calls from your home. If you need any help organizing a new PDA chapter or energizing your existing chapter, please contact PDA Field Coordinator Judy Hess.

Head Strongly Into 2017

Last Summer, PDA challenged ourselves to recruit 100 new sustainers—donors who support PDA with automatic monthly payments—by Election Day. We gained dozens of new Change Makes Change sustainers toward our goal. We fell short by a few dozen, so we extended the deadline. We're happy to say we made it to our goal of 100 sustainers. We still need more, and we hope we can sign up 10 more monthly donors in the next several days. If you're not yet a sustainer, will you please click here now to help us reach our goal of 10 new sustainers by New Years?

Here's a brief recap of our year (plus) as Progressive Democrats of America (PDA):

Over a year ago, PDA's "Run Bernie Run" campaign persuaded Bernie Sanders to run for president as a Democrat. Then, as an independent grassroots PAC, we promoted his candidacy with rallies, blasts, get out the vote calls, house parties, organizing calls, joining the National Nurses United (NNU) Bus Tours, and by designing and widely distributing materials including flyers, bumper stickers, rally sign, and buttons. Bernie gave us a shot out in his new book, and many have said if not for our effort, Bernie's Revolution may not have happened.

In Chicago last Summer, we organized at the People's Summit with allies especially the summit conveners National Nurses United at which we helped lead panels and joined progressives from around the country making plans for the upcoming Democratic National Convention and beyond. Also last Summer, PDA activists participated in the platform drafting process, and had a major impact on the platform especially regarding climate and healthcare policy. We sent representatives to platform deliberations, and achieved some significant progressive victories.

Please pitch in $50, $10, or whatever you can each month to help PDA make progress!
Money tight? Sign up with Mike "Phone Guy" Fox to make calls from your home
Help organize chapters where you live; contact PDA Field Coordinator Judy Hess

Leading up to the Democratic National Convention in Philly, PDA and allies founded the Bernie Delegate Network, and then helped present a unified and effective progressive voice at the convention. Also, we cohosted Progressive Central (see photo above), at which Rev. Jesse Jackson, John Nichols, Rep. Grayson, incoming Rep. Jamie Raskin, and countless other progressive leaders and activists participated.

Leading up to Election Day, we supported or endorsed candidates with events, blasts, get out the vote calls, house parties, poll work, and organizing calls. We worked with friends we'd met in Chicago to launch Young Progressives Demanding Action (YPDA), and we've been amazed by their energy and effectiveness organizing at colleges across the USA.

Many of our endorsed candidates won on Election Day, some largely due to our support. Also in November, we supported our allies including NNU and Social Security Works at a major "Hands Off Medicare" press conference and demonstrations on Capitol Hill. Earlier this month, we organized Healthcare Not Warfare events across the county to mark International Human Rights Day, and to demand drastic cuts to weapons and warfare spending to pay for an expanded, improved Medicare for All program. We also leant our support to the Native Americans and allies at Standing Rock, and launched our Resist Trump efforts. PDA is organizing with our allies to pressure Trump and Congress by establishing a powerful progressive action network. As we approach the 2018 midterm elections, we'll work to send more progressives to Congress, including by challenging comfortable corporate incumbents with Progressives in the primaries.

Please Sustain PDA: Make Automatic Donations

Russell Freedman (MA, $200/month sustainer) writes, "I am a monthly sustainer for PDA and glad to do it. I have 4 grandchildren and I give some money each month in their names: Sam, Jake, Max and Rosie. From climate change to healthcare, peace, and justice, I feel that PDA gives me the biggest bang for my buck and the best investment I can make for the future of all of our kids and grandkids."

My husband Larry and I have been PDA sustainers for years. We see these donations as investments in a better future—for us, and like Russell, especially for our kids and grandkids. We want to leave them a more peaceful, livable world with guaranteed high quality healthcare for all, and a meaningful voice in their workplace, community, and nation. Please click here now to help us reach our goal.

In solidarity,

Donna Smith for Deb, Mike H, Judy, Mike F, Janis, Dan, Kim, Amos, and Teva
Your Progressive Democrats of America National Team

P.S. We're here to help you make progress in your state and locality! If you need any help organizing a new PDA chapter or energizing your existing chapter, please contact PDA Field Coordinator Judy Hess.

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