Dear Friend,

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we’re taking time here at Progressive Maryland to focus on gratitude and giving.

We draw instruction and inspiration from social justice movement leaders everywhere, especially during these tumultuous times. We’re so grateful for their work and perspective. Our grassroots members, supporters, and volunteers who persisted with us in the struggle to get the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Build Back Better Act last Friday inspire us, too. Now it’s time to take the fight to the Senate!

November is Native American Heritage Month, and we hope our efforts honor our Native American brothers and sisters.

Thanks for all you do — have a safe and happy holiday!

In Solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

Become a donating member of PM: Our members power our work!

Progressive Maryland is organizing at the grassroots level for economic, social and political justice. We have a chance for our message and our policy priorities to break through now and in the coming months in Washington and Annapolis. Help us gain more ground by becoming a member of Progressive Maryland.

Our members strengthen our grassroots organizing and through their financial support help us reach Marylanders all over the state. In turn, PM provides its members important updates, invitations to some great leadership and political training sessions, and opportunities to help guide our chapter building, our issue and electoral priorities and other decisions. Join today so we can build a better Maryland.

Quick Actions:

Sign up to join our election team and ensure progressive victory in 2022!
Tell the Senate to act: pass the Build Back Better Act now and send it to Pres. Biden’s desk! Call Senator Van Hollen and Senator Cardin today.
Join our next Throwdown Thursday event on Thursday, Dec. 2 to phone bank for progressive candidates.

Statewide Updates:

2022 Elections

Last week, in partnership with the Working Families Party, Progressive Maryland announced our preliminary round of candidate endorsements for the 2022 elections. These leaders embrace a bold vision for Maryland’s future, and we are committed to advancing that vision. Watch the recording of our slate launch event here!

We are proud to officially endorse the following candidates:

Carlos Childs for Charles County Commissioner, D3
Edward Burroughs for Prince George’s County Council, D8
Jamila Woods for State Delegate, D26 (Prince George’s County)
Januari McKay for State Delegate, D23B (Prince George’s County)
Laurie-Anne Sayles for Montgomery County Council, At-Large
Logan Endow for State Delegate, D43 (Baltimore City)
Michele Gregory for State Senator, D38 (Somerset County, Worcester County, Wicomico County)
Natali Fani-González for Montgomery County Council, D4
Robbie Leonard, Baltimore County State’s Attorney
Ruben Amaya for State Delegate, D10 (Baltimore County)
Sheila Ruth for State Delegate, D44B (Baltimore County)
Tiffany Jones for Democratic State Central Committee, D45 (Baltimore City)
Wala Blegay for Prince George’s County Council, D6
William “Billy” Reid for State Delegate, D3A (Frederick County)

We need YOUR help to elect progressives to office in 2022! There are plenty of ways to get involved with our election team — we’re recruiting folks to make phone calls, knock on doors, distribute literature, and talk with voters. We’ll provide training and support. Every day between now and the June 28, 2022 primary matters, and every conversation we have will make a difference. Sign up here to join our election team!

If you’re running for office, have already filed for candidacy, and are interested in being considered for our endorsement, you may complete a questionnaire here.

Throwdown Thursday

Join us virtually next Thursday, December 2 at 6:00pm to call and text voters across the state with our team! We’ve activated folks on key issues, and now we’re going to talk with them about the 2022 elections, including a special election taking place in January. We need your help to get progressives elected. Click this link to let us know you’ll join — it’s fun, and it’s a great opportunity to meet fellow Maryland progressives.

Drug Policy Campaign

Our Drug Policy Task Force is hosting its Legislative Launch Party next Wednesday, December 1 at 7:00pm over Zoom to share our legislative priorities for the upcoming session. We’ll be joined by Delegate Jazz Lewis and Luke Jones from Maryland NORML to answer all your questions about marijuana legalization. We hope you’ll join us as we kick off our activities heading into the 2022 legislative session — RSVP here to attend the virtual launch party!

Healthcare Justice Campaign

Prescription Drug Pricing, Paid Family and Medical Leave in the Build Back Better Act

The Build Back Better Act passed the House on Nov. 19, thanks in large part to the organizing work of progressive activists. This package will offer real financial relief for seniors and families by lowering prescription drug prices, expanding child care, and providing paid family and medical leave. All of the House Democrats in our Congressional Delegation voted in favor, and it’s time to urge Sen. Van Hollen and Sen. Cardin to do the same. Call Sen. Van Hollen at (202) 224-4654 and Sen. Cardin at (202) 224-4524 TODAY and tell them to push for a speedy vote.

End Medical Debt Maryland

Thanks to your help, End Medical Debt Maryland passed the Medical Debt Protection Act of 2021 earlier this year! This legislation established some important protections for Maryland patients, but we need to do more. Get involved with our campaign to educate Marylanders on their rights as patients, pass comprehensive medical billing reform, and eliminate barriers to healthcare. Will you join us? Sign on to join our coalition!

Fighting COVID

We’ve seen a recent uptick in COVID cases and community spread in Maryland. Please continue to mask and urge your friends and family to get vaccinated. We also need to make sure Maryland uses all the Federal relief dollars and resources we’ve received to meet the needs of our communities, especially workers and those who have been most affected by this public health crisis. Take a minute to sign this petition to state leaders.

Local Chapter Updates:

Progressive Harford County:

Progressive Harford County is hosting weekly happy hours before heading to the Harford County Council hearings on Tuesday evenings. All can attend, regardless of age — RSVP here and we’ll email you the time & location. You can check out the calendar on the Progressive HarCo website for more upcoming events!

Progressive HarCo is also recruiting candidates to support during the 2022 elections. If you're interested in running for office, fill out this form and we'll contact you about supporting your campaign.

Progressive Montgomery:

The Montgomery County Council is considering a number of important measures over the next month. We urge MoCo residents to attend the Montgomery County Council’s Virtual Community Listening Session on Thrive Montgomery 2050 on November 30 at 7:00pm. The Council encourages both those who are unfamiliar with the Thrive Montgomery 2050 plan and those who have been following the plan closely to review the draft plan and pre-register to speak at the session. Learn more here and pre-register to speak at the event here.

Anne Arundel Fair Elections Task Force:

Want to help get big money out of Anne Arundel County politics? Join the Fair Elections Task Force and attend our next Task Force meeting on Tuesday November 30th at 6:30pm.

Progressive Prince George's:

Start making calls and door knocking now for the upcoming special election in Prince George’s County. Help us elect our endorsed candidate — current Prince George’s County Board of Education member, Edward Burroughs — to the District 8 seat on the County Council. Fill out this form to get involved!

State and National News:

Maryland news:

In the Inequality Report, Chuck Collins notes that inflation hysteria “is doing no one any good — except our corporate execs. Yes, some costs have indeed risen as the economy reopens and demand surges, creating all sorts of supply bottlenecks. Big corporations are now exploiting this moment. They’re squeezing consumers, raising prices to ensure fatter profit margins. ‘A lot of large firms,’ one analysis in the business press noted last week, ‘have spent their recent quarterly calls bragging to investors about their ability to hike prices with relative impunity.’ ”

National Update:

From Megan Essaheb at People’s Action – Megan E reported in a bulletin Friday “the House finally passed the Build Back Better Act! Woohoo! Here is [the People’s Action] statement. All but one House Dem voted yes; No Republicans voted for the bill. You may want to send thank yous on social or via email to Dems who voted for it (especially if they are weak [threatened, in risky districts]). Here is a resource document on the substance of the bill that we will continue to build as new info comes along.

“As a reminder, Senator Schumer committed to bring the BBB to the floor for a vote in the Senate before the end of the year, but not until after the Thanksgiving break. CBO SCORE: The cost is $1.7 trillion. “CBO estimates that enacting this legislation would result in a net increase in the deficit totaling $367 billion over the 2022-2031 period, not counting any additional revenue that may be generated by additional funding for tax enforcement.”

In her Monday dispatch, Megan E said “The House and Senate are on recess this week. [This would be the week to tell our Senators that we want them to fight as hard for the Build Back Better Act as they did for the bipartisan infrastructure bill that Joe Biden signed into law just a week ago.] The Senate will have a busy end of year schedule when they return. It is scheduled to vote on the National Defense Authorization Act on 11/29. Government funding runs out on December 3rd and Congress is likely to pass another continuing resolution (which extends current funding levels) until February, when they will hopefully create a new package of bills. Congress also still has to deal with extending the debt limit, which now has an estimated deadline of December 15th. Leader Schumer has promised to bring the Build Back Better Act to the floor before the end of the year. “

The Senate Parliamentarian, that usually out-of-sight official, is back in the spotlight thanks to the lawyer battalion mustered by Big Pharma: Megan E relays that Politico reported that PhRMA and Republicans are asserting that the portion of the prescription drug plan that restricts pharmaceutical companies from raising drug prices higher than inflation violates the Byrd rule as it applies [to] private insurance. Earlier this year the minimum wage increase was stripped from a budget reconciliation bill for violating the Byrd rule because it regulates the private sector.“

Events From Our Allies:

Tuesday, November 23 | 6:30pm & Tuesday, November 30 | 6:30pm (virtual) — Join the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment for one or both of their upcoming Community Meetings to discuss their Climate Action Plan. Register for either meeting here.

Tuesday, November 30 | 6:00–7:30pm (virtual) — CASA is hosting a Teach-In: Annapolis 101, Passing Immigration Reform in 2022. Join the teach-in to learn more about how the Maryland General Assembly operates, key players in the legislature, how to testify in support of critical immigration reforms, and our demands for immigrant justice. Register for the teach-in here.

Tuesday, November 30 | 7:00–8:00pm (virtual) — Join Jews United for Justice, the Baltimore Jewish Council, and the JCRC of Howard County for Illuminating Justice: Issues for Working Families in the Upcoming Legislative Session. Participants will hear from leaders in the movement for paid family & medical leave and the fight for renters’ rights. Register for the virtual event here.

Wednesday, December 1 | 8:00am (Washington, DC) — Join the Center for Reproductive Rights for the Abortion Is Essential Rally for Our Rights at the steps of the United States Supreme Court building (1 First St NE, Washington, DC 20543). RSVP for the rally here to receive additional information.

Wednesday, December 1 | 12:00pm (Ellicott City) — Join the Silver Spring Justice Coalition in Ellicott City to demand the Howard County State’s Attorney reopen the case against the officers who fatally shot Kwamena Ocran in January. Participants will gather in front of the Howard County Circuit Court (9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043). RSVP to join here.

Thursday, December 2 | 6:00–7:30pm (virtual) — CASA is hosting a Teach-In: Healthcare Expansion for Immigrant Families. Undocumented immigrants are currently ineligible for healthcare through the ACA or Medicaid, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without coverage. Join this teach-in to learn about legislation being introduced in the upcoming legislative session to expand healthcare access to all Marylanders, regardless of immigration status. Register for the teach-in here.

Progressive Maryland BlogSpace:

We value creating space for our members to express their thoughts on any issues related to our campaigns. Have an idea for a blog post? You can submit writing, film, graphic design etc. to be published on our website to the blog moderator, Woody, at [email protected].

November 17, 2021 Robbie Leonard endorsed for BACO state's attorney by a progressive alliance

November 16, 2021 We're Endorsing Candidates for the 2022 Elections!

-Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, November 15, 2021

-Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, November 8, 2021

November 03, 2021 "We should never stop learning" -- a teacher's journey to respect for diversity in the classroom

-Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday, November 1, 2021

>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org.

Click here to view this memo in your web browser.

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