Progressive Democrats of America

Progressive Democrats of America
Formation	July 26 – July 29, 2004
Affiliations	Democratic Party
Website	pdamerica.org

The Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is a progressive political organization and grassroots political action committee operating inside the United States Democratic Party.

History

The Progressive Democrats of America formed out of the presidential campaigns of Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich.

PDA was founded during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Massachusetts by Tim Carpenter, Steve Cobble, Kevin Spidel, Mimi Kennedy, Laura Bonham, Bruce Taub, and about two dozen other former staffers and supporters of the Dennis Kucinich for President Campaign who helped organize delegates and activists concerned with the centrist and right leaning trends in the Democratic Party. Currently PDA consists of "a large group of progressive grassroots activists from across the country who want to support progressive grassroots activities both locally and nationally." Appearing at the first PDA meeting in Roxbury, Massachusetts were leaders, activists, and politicians including Dean and Kucinich, U.S. Representatives John Conyers, Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Barbara Lee, Jesse Jackson, James Zogby, Tom Hayden, Medea Benjamin, John Lauritsen, and Current PDA Executive Director Tim Carpenter.

PDA's mission is to strengthen the voice of progressive ideas within the Democratic Party by using "inside/outside" and "grassroots fusion" models of working both in the Democratic Party as well as working with other progressive organizations both inside and outside the Party.

Priorities

End wars

The Progressive Democrats of America believes that the Iraq war is one of the worst foreign policy disasters in U.S. history. The PDA has called on the United States to withdraw its troops and redirect its war funding toward social needs at home and humanitarian aid for Iraqis. The organization has called on Congress to cut off military funding for the war and investigate all White House claims justifying the invasion. PDA is also behind the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act, introduced by key members of the PDA board, Reps. Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters. The bill would bring all U.S. troops home within 6 months. PDA has also publicly endorsed House Resolution 746, known as the Safe and Orderly Withdrawal From Iraq Act.^[1]

Single-payer health care

PDA supports establishing a single-payer health care system through the United States National Health Care Act, which would essentially provide enhanced Medicare for all by establishing a streamlined, nonprofit national health insurance program that would negotiate drug and treatment costs. Care would be publicly financed and privately delivered. PDA also supports health care initiatives at the state and local level that move toward a single-payer system.^[2]

Economics

The Progressive Democrats of America support an agenda of progressive taxation and fair trade. PDA has worked to get the United States Congress to roll back President George W. Bush's tax cuts. The PDA also supports fair trade, which it claims protects workers' rights and the environment, while opposing free trade agreements that it argues allow corporations to exploit unprotected labor worldwide. PDA is attempting to block renewal of fast track authority that allows the White House to enact trade deals without Congressional amendment. PDA endorses the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to organize unions.^[3]

Election reform

The Progressive Democrats of America support federal legislation that would ban further use of touch-screen voting machines, establish a paper ballot as the official record for determining voter intent and require rigorous mandatory audits for elections. PDA also supports comprehensive campaign finance reform at the state and national level.^[4]

Energy policy

The Progressive Democrats of America want to reduce America's dependence on oil and fossil fuels by raising auto fuel economy and imposing mandatory caps on carbon dioxide while investing in public transportation, energy conservation technologies, and alternative energy development.^[5]

Drugs

The Progressive Democrats of America supports legalization of marijuana and endorsed California Proposition 19 (2010).^[6][7]

Views on Gaza and Hamas

In June 2011, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) condemned the Progressive Democrats of America for their role in the upcoming Hamas Flotilla 2,^[8] which according to the PDA website shows support of the Gaza Flotilla.^[9]

Advisory board

• Mimi Kennedy, Advisory Board Chair
• Stephen Shaff, Advisory Board Vice Chair
• John Conyers, Jr.
• Donna Edwards
• Raul Grijalva
• Barbara Lee
• Maxine Waters
• Diane E. Watson (emeritus)
• Lynn Woolsey
• Cindy Asner
• Medea Benjamin
• John C. Bonifaz (emeritus)
• Steve Cobble
• Jeff Cohen (emeritus)
• Jodie Evans
• Gary L. Flowers
• Lila Garret
• Tom Hayden
• Joe Libertelli
• Ralph I. Miller
• Greg Moore^{[disambiguation needed ]}
• Joel Segal (emeritus)
• David Swanson
• Lyle Wing
• Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr.

Staff and consultants

• Laura Bonham, Deputy Director and Communications Manager
• Conor Boylan, National Field Coordinator
• Kimberly Buchan, Administrative Coordinator
• Tim Carpenter, National Director
• Mike Hersh, Social Media Director and Blog Editor
• Judy Hess, Operations and Communications Assistant Manager
• Roberta McNair, Operations and Communications Deputy Manager
• Andrea Miller, Deputy Field Director

References

External links

• Progressive Democrats of America official website