Norman Solomon's Blog, page 57
March 18, 2012
Help Spring Our Campaign into the Final Two Months!
“The power of Wall Street is undermining life for the rest of us on Main Street. This is totally unacceptable. I will fight for a truly democratic and sustainable future every day, on the campaign trail and in Congress.�
� Norman Solomon
Voting by mail begins in early May, and we need to get our message out to voters over the next two months! Please help move the thermometer to meet our new goal of $135,000 in new contributions.
All donations will go directly to voter contact - for signs, brochures and volunteer support. If you’d rather contribute by check, please click here for mailing address.
� Norman Solomon
Voting by mail begins in early May, and we need to get our message out to voters over the next two months! Please help move the thermometer to meet our new goal of $135,000 in new contributions.
All donations will go directly to voter contact - for signs, brochures and volunteer support. If you’d rather contribute by check, please click here for mailing address.
March 13, 2012
Solomon Renews Call to Close California’s Nuclear Power Plants
Following up on the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, congressional candidate Norman Solomon on Tuesday [March 13] renewed his call for closing California’s two nuclear power plants as part of a “swift and urgently needed� transition to an energy policy focused on “clean and green� renewable sources and conservation.
"The Diablo Canyon plant near San Luis Obispo and the San Onofre plant on the southern California coast are vulnerable to meltdowns from earthquakes and threaten both residents and the environment," said Solomon, who has been a leading critic of the nuclear industry for more than 30 years.
Solomon urged a bold rethinking of America’s nuclear energy use and oversight. “There is no more technologically advanced country in the world than Japan,� Solomon said. “If nuclear power is not safe there, it is not safe anywhere. We must recognize that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean.�
Solomon was the director of the National Citizens Hearings for Radiation Victims in 1980 and co-authored “Killing Our Own: The Disaster of America’s Experience with Atomic Radiation,� with Harvey Wasserman, which exposed the health and environmental effects of the nuclear industry. Solomon is also a former researcher for the Committee for U.S. Veterans of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The independent progressive Democrat -- a leading candidate in the race for the open congressional seat in the new North Coast district stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border -- insists that tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the nuclear power industry. Instead, he says, “we should be investing far more in serious energy conservation, along with solar, wind and other renewable sources.�
Solomon has called the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission “a nuclear-friendly fox guarding the radioactive hen house. The federal government has no business promoting this dangerous industry when safer, more sustainable energy resources are readily available.� He points out: “The fact that federal law imposes a liability cap of about $12 billion on a nuclear power accident is a reflection of the fact that those plants are uninsurable in a truly free market.�
Solomon has taken a firm position against nuclear power. Last May, his campaign took out a full-page ad in the Pacific Sun newspaper headlined: “Isn’t It Time to Close California’s Nuclear Power Plants?� That ad can be viewed by clicking here.
"The Diablo Canyon plant near San Luis Obispo and the San Onofre plant on the southern California coast are vulnerable to meltdowns from earthquakes and threaten both residents and the environment," said Solomon, who has been a leading critic of the nuclear industry for more than 30 years.
Solomon urged a bold rethinking of America’s nuclear energy use and oversight. “There is no more technologically advanced country in the world than Japan,� Solomon said. “If nuclear power is not safe there, it is not safe anywhere. We must recognize that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean.�
Solomon was the director of the National Citizens Hearings for Radiation Victims in 1980 and co-authored “Killing Our Own: The Disaster of America’s Experience with Atomic Radiation,� with Harvey Wasserman, which exposed the health and environmental effects of the nuclear industry. Solomon is also a former researcher for the Committee for U.S. Veterans of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The independent progressive Democrat -- a leading candidate in the race for the open congressional seat in the new North Coast district stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border -- insists that tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the nuclear power industry. Instead, he says, “we should be investing far more in serious energy conservation, along with solar, wind and other renewable sources.�
Solomon has called the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission “a nuclear-friendly fox guarding the radioactive hen house. The federal government has no business promoting this dangerous industry when safer, more sustainable energy resources are readily available.� He points out: “The fact that federal law imposes a liability cap of about $12 billion on a nuclear power accident is a reflection of the fact that those plants are uninsurable in a truly free market.�
Solomon has taken a firm position against nuclear power. Last May, his campaign took out a full-page ad in the Pacific Sun newspaper headlined: “Isn’t It Time to Close California’s Nuclear Power Plants?� That ad can be viewed by clicking here.
Solomon Renews Call to Close California's Nuclear Power Plants
Following up on the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, congressional candidate Norman Solomon on Tuesday [March 13] renewed his call for closing California’s two nuclear power plants as part of a “swift and urgently needed� transition to an energy policy focused on “clean and green� renewable sources and conservation.
"The Diablo Canyon plant near San Luis Obispo and the San Onofre plant on the southern California coast are vulnerable to meltdowns from earthquakes and threaten both residents and the environment," said Solomon, who has been a leading critic of the nuclear industry for more than 30 years.
Solomon urged a bold rethinking of America’s nuclear energy use and oversight. “There is no more technologically advanced country in the world than Japan,� Solomon said. “If nuclear power is not safe there, it is not safe anywhere. We must recognize that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean.�
Solomon was the director of the National Citizens Hearings for Radiation Victims in 1980 and co-authored “Killing Our Own: The Disaster of America’s Experience with Atomic Radiation,� with Harvey Wasserman, which exposed the health and environmental effects of the nuclear industry. Solomon is also a former researcher for the Committee for U.S. Veterans of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The independent progressive Democrat -- a leading candidate in the race for the open congressional seat in the new North Coast district stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border -- insists that tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the nuclear power industry. Instead, he says, “we should be investing far more in serious energy conservation, along with solar, wind and other renewable sources.�
Solomon has called the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission “a nuclear-friendly fox guarding the radioactive hen house. The federal government has no business promoting this dangerous industry when safer, more sustainable energy resources are readily available.� He points out: “The fact that federal law imposes a liability cap of about $12 billion on a nuclear power accident is a reflection of the fact that those plants are uninsurable in a truly free market.�
Solomon has taken a firm position against nuclear power. Last May, his campaign took out a full-page ad in the Pacific Sun newspaper headlined: “Isn’t It Time to Close California’s Nuclear Power Plants?� That ad can be viewed by clicking here.
"The Diablo Canyon plant near San Luis Obispo and the San Onofre plant on the southern California coast are vulnerable to meltdowns from earthquakes and threaten both residents and the environment," said Solomon, who has been a leading critic of the nuclear industry for more than 30 years.
Solomon urged a bold rethinking of America’s nuclear energy use and oversight. “There is no more technologically advanced country in the world than Japan,� Solomon said. “If nuclear power is not safe there, it is not safe anywhere. We must recognize that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean.�
Solomon was the director of the National Citizens Hearings for Radiation Victims in 1980 and co-authored “Killing Our Own: The Disaster of America’s Experience with Atomic Radiation,� with Harvey Wasserman, which exposed the health and environmental effects of the nuclear industry. Solomon is also a former researcher for the Committee for U.S. Veterans of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The independent progressive Democrat -- a leading candidate in the race for the open congressional seat in the new North Coast district stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border -- insists that tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the nuclear power industry. Instead, he says, “we should be investing far more in serious energy conservation, along with solar, wind and other renewable sources.�
Solomon has called the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission “a nuclear-friendly fox guarding the radioactive hen house. The federal government has no business promoting this dangerous industry when safer, more sustainable energy resources are readily available.� He points out: “The fact that federal law imposes a liability cap of about $12 billion on a nuclear power accident is a reflection of the fact that those plants are uninsurable in a truly free market.�
Solomon has taken a firm position against nuclear power. Last May, his campaign took out a full-page ad in the Pacific Sun newspaper headlined: “Isn’t It Time to Close California’s Nuclear Power Plants?� That ad can be viewed by clicking here.
March 7, 2012
Help Launch Our Campaign into Spring!
Please help us meet our goal of $40,000 in new contributions by the time the spring equinox arrives on March 20.
Voting begins in early May, and we need to get our message out to voters before then!
Click here to help us meet our goal.
For crucial outreach and “media messaging,� I need your help now.
* A contribution of $20 would get us four lawn signs (and the stakes to go in the ground with them).
* If you can spring for a dozen lawn signs, please contribute $60.
* Or contribute $100 to provide for twenty lawn signs.
* How about full-color brochures for our volunteers to take door-to-door? You can provide 1,000 brochures with a contribution of $80.
If you’d rather contribute by check, please click here for mailing address.
Thank you!
Best wishes,
Norman
Voting begins in early May, and we need to get our message out to voters before then!
Click here to help us meet our goal.
For crucial outreach and “media messaging,� I need your help now.
* A contribution of $20 would get us four lawn signs (and the stakes to go in the ground with them).
* If you can spring for a dozen lawn signs, please contribute $60.
* Or contribute $100 to provide for twenty lawn signs.
* How about full-color brochures for our volunteers to take door-to-door? You can provide 1,000 brochures with a contribution of $80.
If you’d rather contribute by check, please click here for mailing address.
Thank you!
Best wishes,
Norman
March 5, 2012
Solomon Wins Rare Spot Among National "Grassroots All-Stars"
In a remarkable show of local organization and national strength, North Coast congressional candidate Norman Solomon has triumphed in the "Grassroots All-Stars" competition sponsored by Democracy For America.
Solomon bested nearly 200 other congressional candidates across the country to finish in second place, behind only former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson. The top three online vote-getters won immediate endorsement from DFA, which has more than 1 million members nationwide.
"This victory reflects our campaign's grassroots leadership in this race," Solomon said. "The fact that we won more votes than any other candidate in this contest, except for Congressman Grayson, demonstrates our leading local grassroots support, plus the interest our campaign has attracted nationally. I'm very grateful for all the support we received in this month-long effort."
"Whether it was online or on the ground, we set our sights on this win, and we brought it home," said Solomon's campaign manager Dan Mullen. "No other campaign in our district came close to finishing in the top 10, let alone number 2 in the country," Mullen added.
Solomon's victory comes on the heels of endorsements by DFA's Marin County chapter and Progressive Democrats of America as well as PDA's Sonoma County chapter. Solomon's individual endorsers include U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus; U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), former chair of the House Judiciary Committee; and the North Coast's former Congressman Dan Hamburg.
Said Mullen: "Progressives following this race have spoken, and their choice is Norman Solomon."
National DFA's endorsement opens the door to nationwide online fundraising efforts reaching millions of Democrats.
Concluded Solomon: "We look forward to working with DFA and Democrats across the country to significantly increase our fundraising prowess. Our grassroots power will be unlike anything our competitors can muster in this race."
Solomon bested nearly 200 other congressional candidates across the country to finish in second place, behind only former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson. The top three online vote-getters won immediate endorsement from DFA, which has more than 1 million members nationwide.
"This victory reflects our campaign's grassroots leadership in this race," Solomon said. "The fact that we won more votes than any other candidate in this contest, except for Congressman Grayson, demonstrates our leading local grassroots support, plus the interest our campaign has attracted nationally. I'm very grateful for all the support we received in this month-long effort."
"Whether it was online or on the ground, we set our sights on this win, and we brought it home," said Solomon's campaign manager Dan Mullen. "No other campaign in our district came close to finishing in the top 10, let alone number 2 in the country," Mullen added.
Solomon's victory comes on the heels of endorsements by DFA's Marin County chapter and Progressive Democrats of America as well as PDA's Sonoma County chapter. Solomon's individual endorsers include U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus; U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), former chair of the House Judiciary Committee; and the North Coast's former Congressman Dan Hamburg.
Said Mullen: "Progressives following this race have spoken, and their choice is Norman Solomon."
National DFA's endorsement opens the door to nationwide online fundraising efforts reaching millions of Democrats.
Concluded Solomon: "We look forward to working with DFA and Democrats across the country to significantly increase our fundraising prowess. Our grassroots power will be unlike anything our competitors can muster in this race."
February 24, 2012
SEIU Endorsement Boosts Momentum of Solomon Campaign for Congress
Norman Solomon, the independent progressive Democrat running for Congress, says SEIU’s endorsement of him is “a huge boost� for his grassroots campaign in the new North Coast district stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border.
SEIU represents more than 700,000 in-home care providers, healthcare workers, janitors, social workers, classroom aides, state and county workers, security officers, college professors and others in California. In its endorsement of Solomon, the union declared: “Our members look forward to working with you on legislation that promotes quality jobs and revenues, quality healthcare and quality public services.�
Solomon responded by underscoring his commitment to representing the public interest. “We’re fed up with upside-down priorities in Congress,� he said. “It’s unacceptable for Main Street to suffer while many big corporations are posting record profits. We need to create millions of good green jobs, provide access to quality healthcare for all Americans, fund public education and ensure retirement security. We can pay for large-scale public investment with a transaction tax on Wall Street, an end to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, overall tax fairness and major reductions in military spending.�
Solomon is the grassroots leader in the hotly contested battle for the open seat in the new Second Congressional District; his campaign has more than 800 volunteers and has raised more than $350,000 from upwards of 3,400 different individuals while refusing to accept any corporate PAC money.
SEIU represents more than 700,000 in-home care providers, healthcare workers, janitors, social workers, classroom aides, state and county workers, security officers, college professors and others in California. In its endorsement of Solomon, the union declared: “Our members look forward to working with you on legislation that promotes quality jobs and revenues, quality healthcare and quality public services.�
Solomon responded by underscoring his commitment to representing the public interest. “We’re fed up with upside-down priorities in Congress,� he said. “It’s unacceptable for Main Street to suffer while many big corporations are posting record profits. We need to create millions of good green jobs, provide access to quality healthcare for all Americans, fund public education and ensure retirement security. We can pay for large-scale public investment with a transaction tax on Wall Street, an end to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, overall tax fairness and major reductions in military spending.�
Solomon is the grassroots leader in the hotly contested battle for the open seat in the new Second Congressional District; his campaign has more than 800 volunteers and has raised more than $350,000 from upwards of 3,400 different individuals while refusing to accept any corporate PAC money.
February 20, 2012
SEIU Letter of Endorsement for Norman Solomon
Dear Norman,
On behalf of SEIU members in California, we would like to officially inform you of our endorsement of your candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District for the primary election in June 2012.
SEIU California represents over 700,000 social workers, healthcare workers, classroom aides, state workers, security officers, college professors, in-home care providers, janitors, and more. We work throughout the state, in all 58 counties, and we represent California in all its diversity. On behalf of the 4,452 SEIU members that live in the district, we wish you the best of luck in your candidacy.
We are the fastest growing union in North America committed to providing workers a voice on the job, fighting for equality and ensuring that all working people can live with dignity.
Our members look forward to working with you on legislation that promotes quality jobs and revenues, quality health care and quality public services.
We hope that our endorsement will contribute to your success on Election Day. Please feel free to use SEIU California's logo, which is representative of all the SEIU locals in California.
We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
David Kieffer
Executive Director
On behalf of SEIU members in California, we would like to officially inform you of our endorsement of your candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District for the primary election in June 2012.
SEIU California represents over 700,000 social workers, healthcare workers, classroom aides, state workers, security officers, college professors, in-home care providers, janitors, and more. We work throughout the state, in all 58 counties, and we represent California in all its diversity. On behalf of the 4,452 SEIU members that live in the district, we wish you the best of luck in your candidacy.
We are the fastest growing union in North America committed to providing workers a voice on the job, fighting for equality and ensuring that all working people can live with dignity.
Our members look forward to working with you on legislation that promotes quality jobs and revenues, quality health care and quality public services.
We hope that our endorsement will contribute to your success on Election Day. Please feel free to use SEIU California's logo, which is representative of all the SEIU locals in California.
We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
David Kieffer
Executive Director
February 14, 2012
An Open Letter from Norman Solomon on Saving Shollenberger Park
Norman at Shollenberger Park on 2/12/2012
Photo: Josh Rotsten
Anyone who’s been to Shollenberger Park can attest to its beauty, value to the surrounding community and vital role in the greater ecosystem of the Bay Area. It’s hard to see why anyone would want to jeopardize this special place � and yet that’s exactly what we face from the proposed Dutra asphalt plant.
For years, I’ve been speaking out against this Dutra plant on the radio, in public statements and more recently as a candidate for Congress. This asphalt plant would release hazardous chemicals into the air and water � near schools and trails, across from a beautiful wildlife park and along the banks of the cherished Petaluma River.
Shollenberger Park and the surrounding areas are surely precious enough to be worth saving. I admire and support the strong coalition of local leaders engaged in this effort, including Friends of Shollenberger Park, Moms for Clean Air, the Madrone Audubon Society, Petaluma Tomorrow, the Petaluma River Council, Occupy Petaluma, the Petaluma City Council and many hundreds more individuals.
This broad coalition to save Shollenberger Park is fighting for the rights of the public, the wetlands and the wildlife for future generations to come. We are calling for more allies, to protect the air we breathe, the open space we enjoy and the economic vitality of Petaluma and Southern Sonoma County.
Photo: Josh Rotsten
Anyone who’s been to Shollenberger Park can attest to its beauty, value to the surrounding community and vital role in the greater ecosystem of the Bay Area. It’s hard to see why anyone would want to jeopardize this special place � and yet that’s exactly what we face from the proposed Dutra asphalt plant.
For years, I’ve been speaking out against this Dutra plant on the radio, in public statements and more recently as a candidate for Congress. This asphalt plant would release hazardous chemicals into the air and water � near schools and trails, across from a beautiful wildlife park and along the banks of the cherished Petaluma River.
Shollenberger Park and the surrounding areas are surely precious enough to be worth saving. I admire and support the strong coalition of local leaders engaged in this effort, including Friends of Shollenberger Park, Moms for Clean Air, the Madrone Audubon Society, Petaluma Tomorrow, the Petaluma River Council, Occupy Petaluma, the Petaluma City Council and many hundreds more individuals.
This broad coalition to save Shollenberger Park is fighting for the rights of the public, the wetlands and the wildlife for future generations to come. We are calling for more allies, to protect the air we breathe, the open space we enjoy and the economic vitality of Petaluma and Southern Sonoma County.
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