From the book Healing ADD by Thom Hartmann:

There’s a perhaps-apocryphal story commonly told among therapists about the famous psychotherapist Judith Fromm-Reichmann. She had a client, a young woman, who came to her a bundle of nerves and fears. This young woman was certain she would soon be the victim of a terrible disaster, that the government had been taken over by madmen, and that her life was in danger; she was socially paralyzed by her anxiety and afraid to leave her house. Fromm-Reichmann spent three years with this woman, helping her resolve her fears and adjust to the society in which she lived. Finally, she was pronounced cured and discharged from therapy. Two weeks later this young Jewish woman was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to a death camp. Shortly thereafter, Fromm-Reichmann herself escaped Nazi Germany.

Maybe we shouldn't be so pragmatic to "adjust to the society in which we live."

PDA NorCal Event a Huge Success

By By Rich Hundreiser, Photo by Rene Aguilera
February 13, 2010, Loomis, CA

Bob Vizzard, Karen Bernal and Scott Johnson

On Monday, February 8, PDA NorCal put on an event in Loomis, Calif., that was well received by many local area activists. On a rainy Monday night over 80 Progressives jammed Loomis Veteran’s Memorial Hall to talk about strategizing as we grow the Progressive movement that is swelling around the country. Progressives came from as far away as Chico to attend. Most of the Democrats in Congress are moving to the right in lock step with corporate America. This has frustrated many Progressives, as our congressional representatives seem to be abandoning our core principals in exchange for job security.

Dean comes in at about 5:15

Howard Dean: Democrats ‘need a spinal transplant’

WASHINGTON -- One year after being swept into the White House and bestowed huge majorities in Congress, Democrats have seen their towering lead over Republicans evaporate. Why? According to previous DNC chairman Howard Dean, they're just not tough enough.

Dean declared Thursday that Democrats "need a spinal transplant" as the party is too quick to succumb to Republican intimidation rather than stand by their convictions and bring their ideas to fruition.

Related: Healthcare by the numbers

Leno’s single payer “Medicare for All” health bill passes Senate

Reply to FDL Statement on Health Care Reform from MA voter

As a Massachusetts voter, I can say that my lack of enthusiasm for yesterday’s election was certainly due to the behind the scenes corporate deal making and bailouts for the banking and insurance industries as well as big pharma and others at the expense of real reform for ordinary Americans.

The Obama administration, with help from Congress, has made the biggest transfer of wealth up from ordinary people to the wealthy and powerful in the history of the planet. This is not the change we hoped for.

What happened to the fierce urgency of now? Or is that only for banksters and insurance executives?

What the country needs now are real solutions to our very real problems. It is beyond frustrating that there are obvious solutions to benefit the vast majority of Americans and my own party refuses to even consider them — apparently because they might anger some corporate donors.

Healthcare reform is a perfect example of this.

Building a Progressive California Democratic Party Platform

The Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento (PDA) held a meeting on Saturday, Jan. 9th to discuss improvements to the CA Democratic Party (CDP) Platform. All area Progressive Democrats were invited by Wellstone President Tamie Dramer and Political Affairs Chair Chris Niehaus to help shape the Party's Platform. CDP Platform Committee member Christine Thomas started off with a brief overview of the committee. CDP Progressive Caucus Chair (and PDA NorCal co-coordinator) Karen Bernal spoke about the need for Progressives in California to change the Party and how we can use our numbers to improve our platform. The room overflowed with attendees that took on issues such as Health Care, the Environment, Energy, Labor, Economic Justice, Poverty Elimination, Education & Criminal Justice.

I think #7 is the most important

Ten New Year’s Resolutions for a Fiscally Responsible California

I’m a big believer in New Year’s resolutions. I have one list for home, one for work, and a separate list for my favorite hobby. In honor of the new decade, here’s another list: one aimed at setting the state on a fiscally responsible path for the year ahead.

ACLU: What you should know

On December 31, 2009, three provisions of the Patriot Act will sunset. This is the perfect opportunity for Congress to examine all of our surveillance laws and amend those that have been found unconstitutional or have been abused to collect information on innocent people, including last year's changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the Attorney General Guidelines (AGGs).

Get Ready for the Obama/GOP Alliance

Saturday 28 November 2009
by: Jeff Cohen, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed

With Obama pushing a huge troop escalation in Afghanistan, history may well repeat itself with a vengeance. And it's not just the apt comparison to LBJ, who destroyed his presidency on the battlefields of Vietnam with an escalation that delivered power to Nixon and the GOP.

There's another frightening parallel: Obama seems to be following in the footsteps of Bill Clinton, who accomplished perhaps his single biggest legislative "triumph" - NAFTA - thanks to an alliance with Republicans that overcame strong Democratic and grassroots opposition.

It was 16 years ago this month when Clinton assembled his coalition with the GOP to bulldoze public skepticism about the trade treaty and overpower a stop-NAFTA movement led by unions, environmentalists and consumer rights groups. How did Clinton win his majority in Congress? With the votes of almost 80 percent of GOP senators and nearly 70 percent of House Republicans. Democrats in the House voted against NAFTA by more than 3 to 2, with fierce opponents including the Democratic majority leader and majority whip.