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06/23/2007
Seattle, WA/Atlanta, GA - The Progressive Cabinet Summit, a unique gathering of over forty-five progressive policy, movement, and media leaders will take place at the Carter Center in Atlanta next Tuesday, June 26. It is being co-convened by the Backbone Campaign and the Institute for Policy Studies. Scheduled to compliment and prepare for the first ever US Social Forum, its purpose is to be a strategy session for advancing the message that progressives belong to a propositional movement with the leaders and ideas to run the country. Beginning with a video welcome from Professor Howard Zinn, and facilitated by Adrienne Maree Brown, (executive director of the Ruckus Society and co-founder of the League of Pissed Off Voters), the Progressive Cabinet Summit will build on work of the Backbone Campaign its partner project Progressive Government over the past four years:
Similar to "shadow cabinets" in Europe and elsewhere, this cabinet would "shadow" current policy makers, offering critique, but also articulating progressive alternatives. As Bill Moyer, director of the Backbone Campaign says, " The Progressive Cabinet would be designed to demonstrate that progressives are not content perpetually organizing protests, but are prepared to run the country." Unlike the infamous Cheney "shadow government," operating in an "undisclosed location," the purpose of the Progressive Cabinet would be to create greater visibility, accountability, and grassroots influence over policy priorities. "As we have seen in the past six years, the fox is far too often put in charge of the hen house, and by the time there is any accountability all the chickens are dead," says Moyer. "Equally problematic is that opinion polls repeatedly reflect that American citizens are far more progressive than our politicians, whose need to fundraise impedes their independence, innovation, and ability to propose bold solutions to solve current crisis." Moyer goes on ýDespite their failure to lead ý DLC and DCCC type Democrats like Rahm Emanuel, Steny Hoyer, and Maria Cantwell are all too eager to assume the mantle of ýprogressive,ý but run to K Street (corporate lobbyists) for marching orders and campaign dollars. We must not allow them to corrupt a term that reflects the uncorrupted hopes and hard work of dedicated advocates for human dignity, ecological sanity, and international cooperation." "We feel that a Progressive Cabinet can help citizens overcome their sense that the current madness is inevitable. The Backbone Campaign hopes that the Summit will propel the Progressive Cabinet project as a vehicle for communicating our innovative capacity, aspirational vision and the brilliance of our leaders." Moyer continues, "Americans deserve to have confidence that progressives have the leaders and ideas to run the country. We must build a movement that fills them with that confidence." In preparation for the Summit a number of progressive policy leaders have prepared "First 100 Days" statements as nominees for Secretaries of: Commerce - Hunter Lovins, co-author with Paul Hawkins of Natural Capitalism Energy - Prof. Dan Kammen of UC Berkeley's Renewable & Appropriate Energy Lab Education - Eric Cooper of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education State- Emira Woods of the Institute for Policy Studies Interior - Tom Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network and Attorney General - Jakada Imani of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights US Trade Rep. - Lori Wallach of Gloal Trade Watch "Bush and Cheney are leaving in eighteen months, hopefully sooner. It is time for progressive leaders to take control of how progressives are seen and how we see ourselves. We must demonstrate that progressives belong to a unified, propositional movement, that transcends party affiliation with the leaders and ideas to run the country. Creating a Progressive Cabinet is a great next step." As Stephen Zunes, Professor of Political Science at the University of San Francisco and a Cabinet nominee says "The Progressive Cabinet is an essential project at a critical time." Notes of Interest to Media Professionals: The Summit will offer bi-lingual (Spanish) translation during the event and live Spanish language interviews are available with many of the speakers and attendees. JPG and TIF headshot images are available for all attendees and media may also request photo opportunities during the event itself. For pre-event interviews, please see the two contacts listed at the top; for day-of-event media needs, please contact event co-producer Diane Wittner, 410-245-3637. This press release can be made available en Espaýol on request.
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The Backbone Campaign P.O. Box 278, Vashon, WA 98070 206-408-8058 ©2007 Backbone Campaign