UMass Progressives

04/20/2017

No meeting tonight!
We'll be having a special meeting next week, so mark your calendars!

04/03/2017

"Senate Democrats on Monday appeared to secure the votes necessary to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, sending the body hurtling toward a bitter partisan confrontation later this week."

The Senate Judiciary Committee was in position to approve the nomination of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch of Colorado later on Monday and send it to the deeply divided Senate.

03/31/2017

Thank you to SGA Senator & Mass Sierra Club Executive Board member Robert Kearns for speaking with UMass Progressives tonight on the upcoming People's Climate March in Washington D.C!

Buses will be leaving from UMass Amherst & Hampshire college. Sign up for tickets here: http://www.sierraclub.org/massachusetts

03/29/2017

UMass Progressives & Western Massachusetts Young Democrats - WMYD member Timmy Sullivan testifies to the Massachusetts State Senate for a debt free future & in support of public education!

03/29/2017

Yesterday, Mr. Trump signed an executive order unwinding many of the crucial policies Obama implemented to combat climate change. "Mr. Trump made clear that the United States had no intention of meeting the commitments that his predecessor had made to curb planet-warming carbon dioxide pollution, turning denials of climate change into national policy" (NYTimes). Trump directed the Environmental Protection Agency, headed by avid climate change denier, Scott Pruitt, to begin withdrawing and rewriting Obama's Clean Power Plan. The US is leading the world as one of the largest carbon polluters; the Clean Power Plan was crafted by former President Obama to meet the goal of cutting US emissions by 26% by 2025 through closing hundreds of coal fired power plants, freezing construction of new plants and replacing them with new wind and solar farms.
Erik Solheim, executive director of the United Nations Environment program in response to the executive order said, “This is not the time for any country to change course on the very serious and very real threat of climate change. The science tells us that we need bolder, more ambitious commitments."
We only have one earth, and if we do not work on ensuring it's survival then we will literally have nothing left. As progressives, we must make sure we are at the front lines of fighting against climate change and lobby our state legislators to pass legislation to protect our environment and regulations on greenhouse emissions. Attorney General of New York, Eric T. Schneiderman argued that, "If they want to go back into the rule-making process, we believe they are compelled under law to come up with something close to the Clean Power Plan, they probably don't want to hear this again, but if they want to repeal, they have to replace."

Flanked by coal miners at the Environmental Protection Agency, President Trump signed an order directing the agency to start the process of rewriting the Clean Power Plan.

03/29/2017

Some resistance swag!

We've seen millions of inspiring acts of since Donald Trump took office. We need to keep building power by making our movement visible on every street in America. Order your FREE bumper sticker now.

03/28/2017

Professor Chomsky to speak at UMass Amherst!

World-renowned linguist, philosopher, author and political activist Noam Chomsky will speak at the University of Massachusetts Amherst William D. Mullins Center Thursday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

03/28/2017

Bernie Sanders on MSNBC Live this past Friday night on March 24th, said he will be introducing a "Medicare For All" bill in lieu of the repeal of the GOP's failed healthcare bill.
Sanders said, "We have got to have the guts to take on the insurance and drug companies and move forward toward a medicare for all single payer program and I will be introducing legislation shortly to do that."
Progressives in Congress are advocating for this and other bills such as lowering the medicare eligibility age and "permitting the importation of prescription drugs from Canada, where the existing single payer system keeps prices lower."

Lowering the Medicare age could be a starting point.

03/28/2017

Attention Amherst voters: today is your municipal election -- go vote!

03/27/2017

From Saturday's event with DNC Deputy Chair Congressman Keith Ellison & Congressman Jim McGovern.

McGovern and Ellison spoke about health care and immigration.

03/27/2017

Members of UMass Progressives with DNC Deputy Chair Congressman Keith Ellison & Congressman Jim McGovern.

03/27/2017

Thank you to the 1,000+ who came out to Progressive Politics in the Era of Trump Saturday!

Special thanks to Congressman Keith Ellison, Congressman Jim McGovern, Progressive Democrats of America, UMass Democrats, and event moderators Julia Pelletier and Casey Pease!

Congressman Keith Ellison and Congressman Jim McGovern present progressive ideas and energized the local community to stand up fight back. Over 600 were in attendance!