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Assemblywoman Catharine Baker listens to state Sen. Steve Glazer at the town hall.

Assemblywoman Catharine Baker listens to state Sen. Steve Glazer at the town hall.

Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, right, speaks alongside Senator Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, during a joint town hall meeting held at City Hall in San Ramon, CA, on Thursday March 2, 2017.

Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, right, speaks alongside Senator Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, during a joint town hall meeting held at City Hall in San Ramon, CA, on Thursday March 2, 2017.

Senator Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, left, speaks during a joint town hall meeting held with Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, at City Hall in San Ramon, CA, on Thursday March 2, 2017.

Senator Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, left, speaks during a joint town hall meeting held with Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, at City Hall in San Ramon, CA, on Thursday March 2, 2017.

At East Bay town hall, Democrats and Republicans get along

State Assemblywoman Catharine Baker is a rare bird: a living, breathing Bay Area Republican elected representative in a sea of Democratic blue.

So at a time when town halls hosted by GOP politicians around the country have become the go-to venue for unleashing fury on the Trump administration and its policies, you would think that a Baker town hall would attract at least a bit of that wrath and protest.

But that was not the case at San Ramon City Hall on Thursday night.

In a display of bipartisan civility not seen much these days, Baker, the Republican from San Ramon, and Democratic State Sen. Steve Glazer of Orinda joined forces to give their Tri Valley constituency the latest news from the state Capitol. With more than 300 people in attendance half of them watching on a screen in the buildings rotunda the political odd couple of Contra Costa County talked about higher education, infrastructure, transportation, water storage, transgender rights, BART, high speed rail, health care and DNA testing.

What they didnt talk about, at least directly, was the man who could have a dramatic impact on all those issues: President Trump. Baker said that while attendance at her town hall meetings has doubled since Trump was elected, her constituents dont seem to hold her responsible for what comes out of Trumps mouth and administration.

I dont think you saw any of that here, Baker said afterwards. The real focus here is on exactly what it should be: what should we be doing, regardless of party, to improve the lives of people in this community. Its not are you toeing the line? What does your party say about this or that?

Republicans, with the exception of Baker, have not done well in the Bay Area over the last decade. The state Senate has 27 Democrats and 13 Republicans, but no Republicans from the Bay Area. The Assembly is made up of 55 Democrats and 25 Republicans, and only one, Baker, is from the Bay Area. None of the 14 California Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives is from the Bay Area.

And even in her own district, Baker is a minority. Republicans make up just 31 percent of her 16th Assembly District, compared with 39 percent Democrats. Trump got trounced in Contra Costa County, which covers much of the district, garnering 24.5 percent of the vote, compared with 67.5 for Hillary Clinton.

It might have helped that Baker did not endorse Trump and condemned him after audio tapes surfaced in which the president was heard bragging that he forces himself on women. I took a stand early and publicly not to support Donald Trump, and it lost me supporters, she said at the time. The most recent revelations of his taped statements about women re-affirm my stance not to vote for Trump. As a mother and a woman, I find his statements disgusting.

But while Glazer and Baker have different party affiliations, they agree on most things. Of the 1,210 bills that made it to both the Assembly and Senate for votes in 2016, Glazer and Baker voted the same 88 percent of the time. They both are unpopular with teachers unions because they support charter schools. They are both on the outs with BART workers because they think public transportation workers, like police officers and firefighters, should not be able to go out on strike.

Transit is an essential service its not a luxury, said Glazer at the town hall.

They both said they want infrastructure investment, but not waste. They both said high speed rail between San Francisco and Los Angeles is a waste of money. They both back Bakers legislation that would ensure that BART bond money is spent on system capital improvements, not administrative costs.

If we are taking money from you in the name of transportation, it needs to go to roads and infrastructure, Baker told the audience.

Perhaps out of politeness, audience members seemed to tread lightly around Bakers affiliation with the party of Trump. She was asked about the likely dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agencys greenhouse gas reduction efforts by new EPA head Scott Pruitt.

I was one of the only members of my party to support climate change and greenhouse gas reductions standards, she said. We need to blaze ahead ourselves as best we can.

In another break with the Trump administration, Baker also said she supports the right of transgender people to use whatever public facilities they feel comfortable using.

Several attendees showed up with signs that revealed their anti-Trump positions. Peggy Kroll of Danville had a sign saying Invest In People Not Jails. Connie Chilba of Moraga held a sign in support of Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act, which would prevent local and state public resources from aiding federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement in deportation actions.

Chilba said she was very concerned about the hate and fear we are living under and appreciated the bipartisanship Glazer and Baker had on display. This kind of reaching across the aisle is an example for the rest of the county.

The joint town hall was the eighth in a series, and Glazer said they would keep doing them.

Our political world is getting pretty polarized, said Glazer. It seems like people are getting in their corners and are more interested in fighting than finding common ground.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @SFJKDineen

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At East Bay town hall, Democrats and Republicans get along - SFGate

Regional meetings intended to provide more local engagement

The SLO County Progressives Democratic Club announced that meetings will now be held in both North County and South County.These regional meetings are intended to provide more local engagement and provide the full group with recommendations on county-specific issues and candidates.

The North SLO County Progressives regional group was formed by local activists Deborah Scarborough, Janice Mundee, and Susan Robinson. These activists identified a demand for meetings in North County to serve local residents. The North County meetings have grown in attendance from approximately 30 at the first meeting in January to nearly 200 at the February meeting.

We were inspired by the womens march. When I arranged the first meeting I didnt know if anyone would come, but it was a huge success. I proceeded to create a Facebook group on January 22. By the end of the week we had more than 100 members and by the end of the month we had over 300. says Deborah Scarborough, activist and founder of the North County group.

Activist Janice Dundee adds Our country has a precious democracy and we cannot take it for granted; ordinary citizens must value our freedom and feel empowered to step up to defend and promote our government. Theres too much at stake in our cities, our towns, our country and the world.

It was heartening to see so many enthusiastic progressives show up for the North SLO County Progressives meeting on February 9, said Nick Andre, Co-Chair of SLO Progressives Democratic Club.

South County activists Steve Lacki and Jennifer Stover Doula see sufficient interest in their area that they have decided to form another regional group to serve Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Nipomo, and Oceano. The South County groups first meeting is still to be announced but residents of these cities are encouraged to join the SLO County Progressives so they can be notified of upcoming events. Membership in SLO County Progressives is required to join a local group. Visit the website to join or learn more about this grassroots organization dedicated to advancing progressive values

The SLO County Progressives Democratic Club is a grassroots political activist organization with more than 1,000 members dedicated to powering the political revolution by advancing progressive values in SLO County and beyond. SLO Progressives embrace the movement embodied by Bernie Sanders. Driven by the message of economic and social justice, the Club seeks to revitalize and re-energize the Democratic Party with bold progressive change.

About the author: News Staff

News staff of the A-Town Daily News wrote and edited this article from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog. He can be reached at scott@accesspublishing.com.

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Progressives Democratic Club adds North County meetings - A-Town Daily News

Citing his vote confirming Jeff Sessions as attorney general and his outspoken support of President Trumps fossil fuel-based energy policy, powerful liberal groups on Thursday demanded that Sen. Joe Manchin be removed from his post in Senate Democratic leadership.

Nearly a quarter-million progressives signed a petition, delivered to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday morning, slamming Mr. Manchin, West Virginia Democrat, and arguing he no longer represents the values of the party.

The idea that Manchin is considered a Senate Democratic leader is both morally disturbing and politically toxic for a Democratic Party with millions in the street demanding its members stand united in opposing Trumps hateful and corrupt agenda, said Charles Chamberlain, executive director of the liberal PAC Democracy for America, one of the groups that organized the petition. Joe Manchin has spent the last few months aiding and abetting the Trump administration, removing him from Democratic leadership should be a no brainer.

Mr. Manchin currently serves as the partys vice chairman of policy and communications in the Senate. But hes often clashed with his own party on energy policy and other issues, and has been by far the most supportive Democrat in the chamber when it comes to the Trump administrations cabinet posts.

He was the only Democrat to vote in favor of Mr. Sessions, now embroiled in a scandal over his conversations with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Mr. Manchin also was one of just two Democrats joining North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp to vote to approve Scott Pruitt as EPA administrator. He was one of four Democrats who voted in favor of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Whats more, progressives say, Mr. Manchin has been among the strongest proponents of Mr. Trumps plans to roll back EPA regulations, eliminate the federal governments focus on climate change, and promote more coal mining and oil-and-gas drilling across the country.

Joe Manchins been a tool of the coal industry, blowing the tops off of West Virginias mountains, since before entering the Senate. Now hes a tool of Donald Trump and his terrifying agenda for America, said Kelly Mears, an official with the activist group Other98, which also helped gather signatures for Thursdays petition. Why in the world would Senate Democrats want this DINO (Democrat in name only) on their leadership team?

For his part, Mr. Manchin has bemoaned the hardcore left in American politics. In an interview earlier this week, he said progressives are wrong to try to block Mr. Trumps every move, likening such a strategy to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells tack during the Obama administration.

The hardcore left looks back and says, Well, it worked for [the Republicans]. They have both the House and the Senate and they have the presidency. So, why dont we try the same thing, since it worked for them? Mr. Manchin said during an interview Wednesday on conservative Laura Ingrahams radio show. Well, that didnt work for the American people, I can assure you, and thats not what they want. Two wrongs dont make a right.

Continued here:
Progressives target Sen. Joe Manchin, demand removal from Democratic leadership - Washington Times

Organizers expect thousands of Michiganders will take part in rallies across the state tomorrow in support of President Trump.

Anti-Trump protests have dominated the news for months.

Michigan rally organizer Meshawn Maddock says this weekends events are intended to show the president is loved."

If you watch nothing but mainstream media, it does feel like overwhelmingly people are dissatisfied, says Maddock, and those of us who support the president, and walk every day among each other, know that thats not true.

Maddock says the presidents supporters plan to work to help him push through his agenda. She says shes even organizing now to help Trump win re-election in 2020.

Noon-hour rallies are planned in Lansing, Grand Rapids and a half-dozen other Michigan cities.

More pro-Trump rallies are taking place across the country this weekend.

Meanwhile, Michigan progressives will meet just a short walk from the state Capitol where Trump supporters will rally.

Tomorrow, more than 600 are expected to attend the 2017 Michigan Progressive Summit at the Lansing Center.

Organizer Marissa Luna says people who have been in the Progressive movement for many years will be mixing with others who have been inspired to become more politically active since Donald Trump was elected last year.

She says the point of the summit is to help attendees learn how to channel their energies to move their policies forward.

Well be able to see some immediate effects in the form of folks doing a lot more local grassroots organizing and engagement in their communities, says Luna.

Much like the pro-Donald Trump supporters who will be rallying down the street, the progressives hope to influence the outcome of the next election.

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Trump supporters to hold rallies across Michigan, while ... - Michigan Radio

In case you ever wondered about the definition of hypocrisy, you might just want to compare and contrast a couple of documents which can be found online today.

Exhibit A is the outrageous hit piece just published in the op-ed section of Berkeleyside.com by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, the owner of the DailyKos website under his corporate umbrella, the very prosperous Kos Media LLC.

Its billed as an endorsement of Kate Harrisons opponent in Berkeleys District 4 council race, but provides him with an opportunity for a gratuitous attack on Mayor Jesse Arreguin,

Exhibit B is the Daily Kos Rules of the Road , his proprietary sites somewhat smarmy guide to making nice online. Lets see how Mr. Moulitsas Zuniga follows his own rules.

Heres one Kos Ruledont:

And then theres a little problem with facts, a topic which the Rules address admirably:

And by the way, he lost. Not such a strong candidate, right?

More missing facts: How many units of housing did Mayor Arreguin vote for since hes been on the Berkeley city council? A whole lot more than he turned down. Look it up, Kos.

The Kos site is billed as a way for Democrats to discuss important issues in a positive way:

Havent you heard that Jesse, a Democratic party activist since the age of 8, was endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party in the recent election?

And by the way, some of his supporters in that regressive faction were progressive Democrats before you were born, as were many of us way back when you were still a Republican.

Those same rules say Do:

" Accept that reasonable people may in the end still disagree."

Let the market decide? Not my idea of progressive.

My correspondent Tree Fitzpatrick deftly depicts Kos economics:

Real democracy is at the polls, not the people who show up at arcane meetings. And the voters have spoken clearly and convincingly... I know that's an inconvenient reality, but it is the reality nonetheless.

Who could have said that?

A guy named Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, Thats who.

Click on his name above for more of his wit and wisdom as recorded for posterity on Disqus.

Someone should really out him to his bloggies, many of whom would be appalled if they knew who this sanctimonious twerp was when hes at home.

Mayor Jesse Arreguin won the election. Get over it, Kos.

And dear reader, if youre a voter in District 4 and you still havent turned in your vote for Kate Harrison, just do it now. We need another genuine progressive on the Council.

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Markos Moulitsas Zuniga trashes Berkeley progressives, supports developers' shill - Berkeley Daily Planet