Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” inspired a wave of interest and action on climate change? “Inside Job” is a must-see film narrated by Matt Damon about how Wall Street crashed the economy—and it can do the same for 99%.

“Inside Job” will make your blood boil. But more importantly, it will make you want to take action to fix a system rigged for the 1%.

That’s why we’re throwing hundreds of “Inside Job” movie parties next weekend, February 11 and 12. Currently, there are more MoveOn members in Santa Monica than parties to accommodate them.

Can you host a movie party so that more MoveOn members can see “Inside Job” next weekend?

Have you ever been one fact away from getting your conservative uncle to agree that Wall Street has too much political influence? Or been oh-so-close to convincing your banker friend that Big Banks, in fact, cannot be trusted to regulate themselves?

Conversations like these aren’t about scoring political points—they’re about getting our friends and family to wake up to a crisis that’s costing millions of Americans their homes, jobs, and retirement savings.

The 99% movement is gearing up for a big spring. To get a head start, MoveOn members around the country are throwing “Inside Job” movie parties on February 11 and 12. The Oscar-winning documentary shows exactly how Wall Street’s risky behavior—and Washington’s inaction—caused the global economic collapse.1

Organizing a party is simple—and you’ll have a step-by-step guide to help. Can you host a party in your community?

Understanding what Wall Street did to us doesn’t require a degree in economics. In fact, millions of Americans can learn what happened in under two hours. “Inside Job” provides a straightforward explanation of what happened and who’s responsible—and can bring more people into the 99% movement for economic change.

Can you host an ”Inside Job” movie party on February 11 or 12? Click here for more information and to sign up:

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/create.html?action_id=267&id=35437-19980072-SX9xqNx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Lenore, Mark, Marika, Sarah, and the rest of the team

P.S. Once you register for an event, you’ll get access to a Host Guide and priority emails with tips and materials to help you throw a great party.

Source:

1. “Inside Job (film),” Wikipedia, accessed February 1, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269985&id=35437-19980072-SX9xqNx&t=5

The City Hall-Chamber of Commerce annual celebration, aka “State of the
City,” was exceptionally giddy this year (see WELCOME TO SILICON BEACH
(below).

The bureaucrats and technocrats were celebrating the whiz-bang growth of the advanced technology industry in Santa Monica, which has already got the City dreaming of sugarplums.

As usual, Mayor Richard Bloom, who, not incidentally, is running for a State
Assembly seat, larded his “State of the City” speech with superlatives “…the
envy of cities across the country and even the globe…stronger…limitless.. leading the way…excellent…internationally recognized… highest occupancy
…a leader of sustainable cities…”

Bloom nattered on about the City’s progress, projects and programs and its profitable partnership with the Chamber and the business community. But he said nothing, not a word about the primary fact of Santa Monica: the residents, the people who live here and have the last word, and are not only its reason for being, but the source of its character, spirit and style.

The omission didn’t surprise us, for we were reduced to extras in our own movie a while ago. We drive the cars that are caught daily in the perpetual traffic jam caused by over-development, and support tax increases and bond issues because we care about our schools and are ignored by our elected representatives, five of whom collect more campaign contributions from out of town developers than from residents.

We are also the people who elect the members of the City Council, and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, Santa Monica College and Rent Control Boards, and there’s an election this fall.

From MoveOn

Mitt Romney is on the verge of locking up the Republican nomination. And now we’re in for an incredibly close race—Gallup’s latest poll has Romney tied with President Obama.1

Romney’s election plan is simple: Blame the president for the fact that people are suffering in a bad economy.2

And with hundreds of millions of dollars to spend, there’s a good chance that it’ll work—that he’ll manage to make voters forget that Obama inherited the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

We don’t have a super PAC full of deep-pocketed 1%-ers, but we do have people power that Romney and his Wall Street friends can’t match. We’ve also got a comprehensive plan to make sure that the election’s about one thing: who stands for the 99%.

Already this year, we’ve seen people power beat big money on Internet censorship and investigating the housing crisis,3 but if we want to do the same in the election, we have to start now. That means raising $175,000 this week to hire staff and build the new technology we’ll need to run hard-hitting ads, local events, polling, petitions, and more. Can you help?

Americans are fed up with politicians like Romney, who are only interested in protecting the 1%. They want more jobs, fair taxes, and economic policies that help all Americans.

So to drive home who’s protecting the 1%, we’ve got a ton planned—from the presidential level all the way down to local races—including:

* Organizing thousands of candidates for elected office, from local to federal, to declare their support for fair taxes—for the basic idea that Warren Buffett shouldn’t pay a lower tax rate than his secretary
* Events around the country to pressure Washington to make the wealthy pay their fair share
* Rapid response ads highlighting Mitt Romney and the Republican Party’s absolute commitment to the idea that the richest 1% should pay even less in taxes
* Organizing millions of people through online actions to show strong public support for Obama’s call for fair taxes

Every election has a story. In 2010, the story was about the rise of the tea party. In 2008, it was the amazing power of the Obama generation. And in 2006, it was the Democratic take-back of Congress.

In 2012, we can make this election about the poster boy for the 1% losing because Americans are sick of an economy that isn’t working for them. But we need to get started right away. Will you chip in?

http://pol.moveon.org/donate/election2012.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=35390-19980072-LTZvgzx&t=3

1. “Romney Ties Obama in Swing States; Gingrich Trails,” Gallup, January 30, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=270048&id=35390-19980072-LTZvgzx&t=4

2. “Romney Flip-Flops on Blaming Obama for Jobs Crisis,” Mother Jones, January 8, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=270042&id=35390-19980072-LTZvgzx&t=5

3. “After an Online Firestorm, Congress Shelves Antipiracy Bills,” The New York Times, January 20, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=270049&id=35390-19980072-LTZvgzx&t=6

“Obama Creates Unit to Probe Mortgage Misconduct by Banks,” Bloomberg Businessweek, January 25, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269816&id=35390-19980072-LTZvgzx&t=7

Want to support our work? We’re entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.
PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Kevin Roderick/LA Observed

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation apologized on Friday for deciding to cut most of its financing to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screening. “We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s chief executive, said in a statement posted on the organization’s Web site, via the New York Times. “We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants.”
An outcry from women’s organizations and Democratic politicians threatened to cost the Komen organization a large slice of its funding base and good will. The move to ban Planned Parenthood was widely seen as a sop to conservatice critics and pro-lifers because Planned Parenthood handles abortions, though Brinker had denied that.

By Hannah Heineman

The accelerated influx of cutting-edge technology companies to Santa Monica and their impacts were highlighted at the annual State of the City event on January 26.

In her opening remarks, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Laurel Rosen said that Santa Monica is now “home to many world class companies specializing in technology and the creative arts” and this has enabled “Santa Monica to maintain its competitive edge in a global economy that demands leaner, faster, stronger and yet more innovative.”

Mayor Richard Bloom echoed Rosen in his own State of the City Address when he stated, “The state of our city has never been stronger. We have a limitless future and Santa Monica technology is leading the way. Today, we are not Santa Monica, we are Silicon Beach and Tech Coast. While other cities have faced large scale retrenching and cutbacks, Santa Monica has weathered the economic storm around us. Our technology qualified workforce, creative work places, and leading broadband infrastructure will keep our economy well-positioned for future growth.”

Bloom also noted that in addition to the growth in the technology sector “Santa Monica is now the envy of cities across the country and even the globe for our environmental initiative, our excellent schools, our broad programs for seniors, children and the homeless, and our long standing commitment to building and maintaining affordable housing.”

As a result, he said, Santa Monica is “an internationally recognized city its own right. In 2011 we had 6.5 million visitors who helped generate $1.2 billion in economic activity. This helped generate over 10,000 jobs and kept our hotels at the highest occupancy in the county.”

The Mayor also noted, “that in 2012 Santa Monica is poised to be a leader of sustainable cities with an influence that goes far beyond our 8.3 square miles.” In 2011, he added, the city “reflected the five Es of sustainability: environment, equity, economy, education, and community engagement,” and listed such accomplishments as opening the largest bike center in the country, placing 305 people in permanent housing, beginning work on the Civic Center parks, the City and Chamber of Commerce’s formation of the Santa Monica Alliance to keep existing businesses here and attract new ones, strengthening the partnership between Santa Monica College, the School District and the City and “the weighing in of thousands” on the Pico Library Branch, the Bike Action Plan, and the Urban Forest Master Plan.

The event also included a “Silicon Beach” panel that was moderated by Jason Nazar, the CEO of Docstoc. The panel participants were Paige Craig the CEO of Better Works, Keith Kline, a partner with Bryan Cave LLP, Dr Chui Tsang, the Superintendent/President of Santa Monica College, and David Travers, a partner with Rustic Canyon Partners.

The discussion focused in part on the why Santa Monica has become a desirable place for technology entrepreneurs. Among the reasons cited were its closeness to Hollywood, the convergence of media and technology, and the fact that Santa Monica is a great place to work and live, which makes it easy to attract tech talent.

Among the biggest challenges is convincing landlords to lease to :start-ups” and the continuing shortage of tech talent “out there.” Tsang noted that Santa Monica College is “creating education so students can ratchet up their tech knowledge so they can tackle whatever they need to tackle.”

The panelists also discussed ways and means to make the tech community and the private sector as a whole stronger. One panelist said, “Santa Monica needs to be ready when one of these start-ups takes-off.” It should be open to the expansion of a start-up’s campus and other needs, to ensure that it doesn’t move out of the City. Also mentioned was the need to make the city’s tax structure more favorable to business, and Tsang said the college needed more information from the tech industry so it could provide the most up-to-date training. The panelists all agreed that the city and the tech community should have more events together to increase networking and the City’s understanding of the tech community’s needs.

The panel’s discussion concluded with a vote from the audience on whether Santa Monica’s tech community should be called “Silicon Beach” or “Tech Coast.” Silicon Beach won by a large margin.

Finally, there was an awards presentation. The 2011 Innovation Award went to Coloft, a community and workspace focused on “empowering entrepreneurs, startups, freelancers, programmers, designers, professionals, and others.” Brad Cox, Senior Managing Partner, Trammell Crow Company, a Texas-based developer, and chair of the Santa Monica Alliance, received the 2011 Leadership Award. Finally, Santa Monica College was honored with the 2011 “Economic Excellence” Award.

The event was held at the Soka Gakkai International – USA auditorium.

The Miramar hotel, at Wilshire and Ocean Avenue, is among the the oldest, most distinguished and most luxurious hotels in Southern California..

But now a developer wants to demolish what’s there and build a much larger complex that will overwhelm the city block it occupies and overshadow everything in the vicinity.

The hotel’s neighbors have formed a coalition that opposes this wholly incompatible project. Anyone who cares about Santa Monica should visit its website: http://www.savesantamonica.com.

It shows, in still photos and a video, the multiple negative impacts this enormous project will on its immediate neighborhood, the area and the town. It is not only much too large, it is out of synch.
That’s http://www.savesantamonica.com.

Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City (SMCLC) is working with and is part of this coalition. It circulated an email today asking residents to attend a Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday, February 8, when the project will be introduced by the developer. .

SMCLC also said, “The developer has somewhat modified its plans in response to feedback from the community. The changes, though, are minor and the new hotel remains way out of scale for the site.

“Please let the Planning Commissioners know that we don’t want a Miami Beach-style high-rise in Santa Monica. You can do that by going to the meeting and speaking during the comment period. If you don’t want to speak, just stand when other opponents stand to be counted. It’s important to impress the Commissioners that a large number of Santa Monicans oppose this enormous new project.

“You may reach the Commissioners through staff liason Kyle Ferstead at Kyle.ferstead@smgov.net. Or contact them directly: Amy Nancy Anderson andersonsmpc@yahoo.com; 213.892.8775 extension 2; Jennifer Kennedy kennedyrcb@aol.com; 310.403.7097; Richard McKinnon bikeitday@gmail.com; 310.451.2193; Gerda Newbold gnewbold@gmail.com; 310.458.8341; Jason Parry parryj@gte.net; 310.399.3243; Jim Ries jim_ries@hotmail.com; 310.717.8868; Ted Winterer tedsmplan@gmail.com; 310.496.1545

“Here’s a summary of why we want the project scaled back:

“The Proposal: Demolish and Rebuild The Luxury Miramar Hotel, Adding Height, Retail and Residential Towers

“The developer proposes to virtually demolish and rebuild its luxury hotel and add residential towers on its existing site at Ocean and Wilshire. The project will more than double the size of the current buildings but actually reduce the number of hotel rooms.

“This proposal violates the letter and spirit of the city’s newly-adopted Land Use and Circulation Element (“LUCE”) in several ways, including:

“1. It ignores the LUCE goal of protecting surrounding neighborhoods from encroaching development. Instead, it will create light, shade, wind, view, noise and privacy issues for its many neighbors. It will also result in a substantial increase in traffic and parking problems in a neighborhood already dense with multiple family dwelling structures.
“2. It goes against the LUCE’s requirement for low-rise buildings everywhere in the city. The proposed new Miramar building complex is too big and too tall for Santa Monica, especially situated so close to the city’s iconic oceanfront and Palisades Park (a historic landmark) — an area which has long been held sacred as open space with a few aberrant structures.
“3. Its new, residential floors atop hotel guest rooms would top out at 11 stories, many floors higher than any other residential building the LUCE allows.
“4. Ironically, it would reduce the actual number of luxury hotel rooms on the site. And it fails to provide the low and mid-priced hotel rooms that the city claims are underserved in Santa Monica.

“While the Miramar is proposing some open space around the landmarked Moreton Bay Fig tree, the Hotel’s claim that doing so will somehow preserve the tree is hyperbole. The tree is not in danger because it is landmarked. That open space fits the character of the current, historic Miramar, which provides a gradual transition from the natural setting of Palisades Park to the trees and rooftops of the Miramar to buildings east. A new Miramar will be a welcome addition when it scales back its massive proposal and respects the neighborhood and the unique beach city in which it is located.”

“Best,

“Diana, Victor, Sherrill, Jeff, and Susan (Scarafia)
Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City | 1223 Wilshire Blvd. #1002 | Santa Monica | CA | 90403”

Donald Trump endorses Mitt Romney for President in Vegas, January 2.

“Republicans believe that life begins at conception and ends at birth.”

– Congressman Barney Frank on MSNBC “Politics Nation,” February 2

The Center for the Study of Political Graphics has scheduled an opening
reception for the premiere of “Decade of Dissent: Democracy in Action 1965-1975” at the West Hollywood Library on Saturday, February 4, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

1965-1975 was a watershed decade for California and the country as a whole, as democracy advanced at the ballot box, in the classroom and in the streets. Though freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and civil liberties and civil rights are guaranteed by the Constitution, California students had to fight for free speech, police regularly attacked peaceful demonstrations, and African Americans, Asians, Latinos, women, lesbians and gays and others were often denied equality.

Artists were in the forefront of the battle for democracy.

“Decade of Descent” documents the importance of poster art in developing and promoting the ideas and ideals of democracy in California during this turbulent decade. It also demonstrates the power of art to convey past experiences and views of the world, and create a broader context for understanding contemporary society.

Several special events have been scheduled. There will be a book signing and conversation with Mr. Fish and Robert Sheer on February 13, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., an artists’ panel on March 31,
from 3 to 5 p.m., and “Dissent 451: Art & Activism Now,” April
21, 3 to 5 p.m., in which artists/activists will discuss the role of “art in contemporary movements for social change.”

“Decade of Dissent” is funded in part by The City of West Hollywood and the California Council for the Humanities and is part of The City of West Hollywood’s “Pacific Standard Time: It All Started Here.” PST was organized and coordinated by the Getty Center and involves 50-some sites, galleries and museums all over Southern California.

PST It All Started Here – West Hollywood Celebrates Pacific Standard Time

In 1945-1980, the years that Pacific Standard Time covers, the urban parcel that is now the City of West Hollywood was the modern-day wild west, physically and metaphorically. An unincorporated territory smack in the middle of Los Angeles, it was and is a hotbed of creativity and progressivism representing the rebellious heart of Southern California’s artistic and cultural identity. True to form, West Hollywood presents its own provocative take on Pacific Standard Time with “PST It All Started Here,” a collection of events and exhibits that take art out of the museum and onto the streets– and celebrate the art world icons, rock music stars, visionary conceptualists, and revolutionary thinkers who made the city a world renowned cultural destination.

Brash, bold, and brainy, offerings for “PST It All Started Here” include Perpetual Conceptual, an exploration of gallerist Eugenia Butler, part of the seminal art movement on La Cienega Boulevard that was anchored by the legendary Ferus Gallery. “Decade of Dissent” mines the archives of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics, whose collection of post-WWII political art is the largest of its kind in the U.S. At the ONE Archives Gallery & Museum, “Cruising the Archive: Queer Art and Culture in Los Angeles, 1945-1980,” Wink Wink examines the relationship between artistic practices and LGBTQ histories. Other activities will tie in storied locations — including Barney’s Beanery, the Troubadour and the Whisky-that were the hang-outs of the artists and musicians that shaped our world.

Incorporated in 1984, West Hollywood was the first city in the U.S. to call itself “The Creative City.” Encompassing districts, including The Avenues and the Sunset Strip, “WeHo” has been voted the second most walkable community in California, and, at 1.9-square miles total, arguably has more arts per square mile than any other city in the country. PST It All Started Here celebrates Pacific Standard Time, and West Hollywood’s role in shaping the cultural history of Southern California.

Artists and graphic collectives represented in Decade of Dissent exhibition include: Carlos Almaraz, Jay Belloli, Black Light, Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, Armando Cabrera, Carlos Callejo, Christopher Street West, Manuel Gomez Cruz, Derosa, Vic Dinnerstein, Emory Douglas, Bob Fitch, Rupert García, Gilbert, Group Graphics, Dave “Buffalo” Greene, Helck, Gerta Katz, Corita Kent, Richard Mackson, William McNally, Méchicano Art Center, Malaquías Montoya, David Mosley, Earl Newman, Ramses Noriega, Tracy Okida, Jerry Palmer, Peace Press, Lorraine Schneider, J. Sellery, Susan Shapiro, George Stowe Jr., Philip Swartz, Trager, Xavier Viramontes, Weisser, Bob Zaugh, Andy Zermeño

The Center for the Study of Political Graphics (CSPG) is an educational and research archive that collects, preserves, documents, and circulates posters relating to historical and contemporary movements for peace and social justice. CSPG assembles traveling and online exhibitions, holds lectures, and workshops, and creates publications, and workshops as part of its effort to utilize the power of art to educate and inspire people to action.

The West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.. West Hollywood, is open Monday – Thursdays 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Closed Sundays

For more information: email: cspg@politicalgraphics.org
phone: 323-653-4662 web: http://www.politicalgraphics.org

Center for the Study of Political Graphics | 8124 West Third Street, Suite 211 | Los Angeles | CA | 90048-4309

From MoveON

Susan G. Komen for the Cure just cut all its funding to Planned Parenthood for breast health screenings, bowing to anti-choice pressure and making breast health care suddenly inaccessible to many women.1

Planned Parenthood health centers are often the main source of health care for women in underserved communities, and they provide 830,000 breast exams every year. 2 170,000 of these were funded through Komen, along with 6,400 mammogram referrals.3 Without Komen’s funding, many of these women could be unable to get the screenings and early detection of breast cancer that save lives.

It’s incredibly disappointing for an organization founded to protect women’s health to play politics with real women’s lives.

Tell Susan G. Komen for the Cure, “Don’t bow to anti-choice pressure. Reestablish breast health funding for Planned Parenthood affiliates.”

Komen has raised tons of money and awareness about breast cancer from people who care about women’s health. They need to know that they’ve gone too far by joining the right-wing war on Planned Parenthood—which, let’s be honest, is really a war on women. That’s why we’re partnering with the new organization UltraViolet to get Komen to reverse this decision.

Komen says this isn’t about choice, but it recently changed its funding guidelines to exclude any organization under investigation by Congress, knowing that a baseless investigation into Planned Parenthood had been opened by Republican Representative Cliff Stearns at the request of anti-choice groups.4

And Komen has strong links to the anti-choice movement. Its new vice president of public policy, Karen Handel, ran for governor of Georgia in 2010 on an aggressively anti-choice platform, part of which was a pledge to defund Planned Parenthood.5

Komen needs to hear that we won’t stand for this kind of political posturing when real lives are at stake.

Tell them to reestablish funding for Planned Parenthood now.

MoveON

Sources:

1. “Amid abortion debate, Komen cancer charity halting grants to Planned Parenthood,” The Washington Post, January 31, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269935&id=35312-19980072-GV2EI8x&t=4

2. “Protect Women’s Health, Protect Planned Parenthood,” Planned Parenthood Federation of America, April 12, 2011

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269936&id=35312-19980072-GV2EI8x&t=5

3.”Komen breast cancer charity severs ties with Planned Parenthood,” The Los Angeles Times, February 1, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269955&id=35312-19980072-GV2EI8x&t=6

4. “Planned Parenthood Investigation Is An Abuse Of Government Resources, Democrats Charge,” Huffington Post, November 27, 2011

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269937&id=35312-19980072-GV2EI8x&t=7

5. “Komen Cuts Planned Parenthood Grants Months After Arrival Of New VP, Who Is Abortion Foe,” Huffington Post, January 31, 2012

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=269938&id=35312-19980072-GV2EI8x&t=8