July frequently is the sleepiest month, especially when the thermometer hits triple digits.

In the lull before the hugely important fall elections (Governor, U.S. Senate, Congressional seats all over the suburbs at stake), it behooves progressive Philly to take a deep breath and plan ahead for Philly's future, especially as next year's City elections will be upon us by the time November's dust settles.

Think about it: many Philly progressives are unhappy about the current budget, the School District, the Mayor's performance and the perceived choices on City Council for 2011.

That's why this month's Philly For Change Meetup is being given over to a Progressive Planning Session for Philadelphia 2011. Philly For Change Chair David Sternberg will moderate this informal meeting Wednesday July 7 at 7:00 at Tritone, 1508 South Street (wheelchair accessible and, yes, air-conditioned).

(Sestak now in the lead in one poll- Dan)

National progressives are taking notice, as Joe Sestak has pulled even with Arlen Specter, in the race for the Senate, according to the latest Muhlenberg daily tracking poll.

Open Left, Daily Kos, Atrios, MyDD, and Talking Points Memo all have hailed Sestak's surge.

Saturday at 2:30, Democracy For America national chair Jim Dean (Howard's brother), pulls into Philly to stump for Sestak at a Pre-Mother's Day Rally at Bardascino Park, 10th and Carpenter Street, in the Italian Market area.

Harrisburg should figure a lot in progressive politics in 2010... since we need to win there in order for things to get better in Philly.

That makes the governor's race priority #1.

Philly For Change is voting to endorse a gubernatorial candidate tonight at 7 at Meetup.

You know the players: local former Congressman Joe Hoeffel, former Philly mayoral hopeful Tom Knox, Pittsburgh's presumed frontrunner Dan Onorato, big vote-getter Auditor General Jack Wagner, and Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty.

Come out tonight and help set a progressive agenda for the next governor. For the price of admission (free), you also get Brady talking about Marcellus Shale, Friends of the Free Library's Amy Dougherty with a Libraries Update, and a big talk about that other big 2010 race, the one for U.S. Senate.

More than a few Philly progressives are wondering what's going to happen to Harrisburg politics when Ed Rendell -- disappointment that he may have been -- retires to the broadcasting booth, or the cheese steak franchise, or wherever he and Midge plan to spend their golden years.

Can the Democrats hold the Governor's Mansion? In the wake of the still-ongoing budget fiasco, can Harrisburg become a healthy functioning place of government any time in the near future?

How bad can state politics get if the Republicans win?

One candidate with progressive credentials who's seeking to answer these questions is Montgomery County's former Congressman Joe Hoeffel. He's running for governor, and he's speaking at Philly For Change Meetup, which starts tonight at 7:00 at Tritone, 1508 South Street (wheelchair accessible).

Wednesday night's Philly For Change Meetup offers a chance to meet, talk to, and show your support for an important leader working on a huge Civil Rights issue as Congressman and Iraq War vet Patrick Murphy stops by to discuss the legislation he's sponsoring to end the nation's bigoted Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy.

State Senator and Appropriations Committee member Larry Farnese explains the biggest local issue of the moment -- the State Budget -- from the inside and answer questions about what we can do the get the best possible State Budget.

That other huge issue -- Health Care Reform -- gets an update from Health Care for America Now's (and YPP's) Marc Stier, who'll discuss Thursday's big event and plot the preservation of the public option and what we can do to help get it to the finish line.

Since the Take Back Our City coalition/site seems not to be a going concern in this cycle, I put together my own spreadsheet of endorsements and recommendations. I thought others might find it helpful. I included Liberty City, Neighborhood Networks, NOW, Philly ADA, and Philly for Change. I also included the two Bar Associations' ratings and the endorsements from the Inquirer, Tribune, and Daily News, though I couldn't find any judicial endorsements from the DN - please comment with link if you see them.

If I missed an organization or media outlet that you think I should have included, feel free to comment here or by e-mail from the top-left cell of the spreadsheet.

http://bit.ly/PhillyDPrimary

Congratulations to City Controller candidate Brett Mandel who last night joined District Attorney candidate Seth Williams on the Philly For Change Reform Ticket for the May 19 Democratic Primary, winning the vote for endorsement with 85% of ballots cast.

Congratulations too to the victorious Philly For Change Judicial Slate including Court of Common Pleas candidates Christine Adair, Dan Anders, Greg Coleman, Joyce Eubanks, Angeles Roca, and Diane Thompson, Municipal Court candidate Dawn Segal, and Delaware County Court of Common Pleas candidate Nancy Rhodes Koons. The judicial slate was unanimously approved for endorsement at last night's meetup.

Tomorrow on the Fourth Floor of City Hall at 11AM, Seth Williams will be holding a pretty exciting press conference.

He'll announce the endorsement of important Philadelphia progressive groups spanning from gay rights to poor people's organizing: Liberty City Democratic Club, ACORN, Americans for Democratic Action, Neighborhood Networks, and Philly for Change. These endorsements are a major vote of confidence from a lot of different and important constituencies, and I think reflect Seth's attention to how crime and the criminal justice system affect people's lives in different ways beyond a simple binary of victim and perpetrator.

He'll also unveil a new policy paper, dealing with economic justice. The proposal shows a great vision of how the DA's office has power to positively affect the lives of many more Philadelphians than it has in the past.

Also: stay tuned for another YPP-sponsored benefit for Seth coming up on May 8th. Email info@youngphillypolitics.com to get on the host committee!

You have an opinion about the District Attorney's race, no?

You want a chance to express it?

Philly For Change gives you an opportunity Wednesday night at 7:00 at Tritone, 1508 South Street, as we vote on our important endorsement for District Attorney. If you've attended two meetups between April 2008 and March 2009, you're an eligible voter.

All of the Democrats, except Michael Turner who is not seeking endorsements, will be on the ballot.

Bad news, good news, friends.

Bad: Councilman Bill Green has had to reschedule his budget talk until March Philly For Change Meetup.

Good: In its place, PFC is pleased to host

A DEBATE ON PHILLY'S BUDGET & TAXES

One Philadelphia's (and YPP's) Stan Shapiro and Philadelphia Forward's Brett Mandel have graciously agreed to debate and answer questions about the best methods for dealing with the city's budget crisis.

Bring your good questions, your good ideas, and (seriously, people) your good behavior, but otherwise:

Let's Heat Up a February Night!

Also on the bill: Lauren Townsend on unlocking condoms and Judge Angeles Roca on our criminal justice system.

PHILLY FOR CHANGE FEBRUARY MEETUP is Wednesday February 4 at 7:00 at Tritone, 1508 South Street (wheelchair accessible).

PS: Don't forget to crush your empty PBR if you want another Special.

For Immediate Release April 7, 2008
info@brothersforbarack.com
www.brothersforbarack.com
IN THE BATTLE GROUND STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, BLACK MEN IN THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE COME TOGETHER TO RALLY BEHIND
BARACK OBAMA

IN THE BACK DROP OF RACE, POLITICS and GENDER 3000 black men will stand together with men of all races in support of Barack Obama in a massive effort to mobilize and energize the black male voter bloc

CALLING ALL PROGRESSIVES! While you were visiting and revisiting YouTube for one of the great speeches of modern American politics, you may have missed the big news in local elections.

West Philly Machine State Rep Tommy Blackwell (Jannie’s stepson) got knocked off the ballot. What does that mean?

That means the amazing, super-positive, and super-inspiring community activist Vanessa Brown—for whom great speeches with touching personal stories are par for the course—can become our next great progressive representative in Harrisburg.

Who is Vanessa?