Category Archives: Civic Life
How The Right Wing Beat Us
I’ve started a series of articles on HuffingtonPost to review my own civic experience sine 1990. I got woke when the Far Right went after the National endowment for the Arts. America’s arts and culture organizations LOST the so-called Culture Wars. It’s been down hill ever since.
Part 1 recounts the story of the Powell Memo. Heard of it?
CivicLab Launches The POWER Institute
The CivicLab proudly announces the launch of a new series of training programs to help you organize, resist, engage and WIN for social justice!
Our first workshops are on basic subjects to prepare people who are new to public life. All attendees will get a copy of “Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve.”
Session #1 – Wednesday, September 13 – 7-9pm – “Chicago 101” – What are the basics for preparing to organize and win in a city dominated by the Democratic Machine for 75 years? You will learn the about the political and geographic context for Chicago politics.
Session #2 – Wednesday, October 11 – 7-9pm – “Organizing 101” – Did you know Chicago is the home of modern community organizing? Learn the basic skills and mindsets of a community change maker. This will be a highly interactive session with a lot of small group work as you build a case and work on power analysis.
Session #3 – Wednesday, November 8 – 7-9pm – “Grassroots Campaigning” – Learn the basic steps toward putting together a principled grassroots campaign for change and justice. All attendees will receive the chapter “Organizing a Campaign” from Winning Elections in the 21st Century by Dick Simpson and Betty O’Shaughnessy.
These sessions are $40/person per session. You can attend all three for $100. We will have snacks but not dinner. All attendees will receive take-away materials with resources and links to more in-depth materials.The workshops will be at the Loyola Law School, 25 E. Pearson.
You must register via EventBrite -> https://power-institute-fall_2017.eventbrite.com. [or use the form below]
++ Our first full day workshop for running for local office will be on Saturday, October 14, from 10am to 4pm! Details here: https://campaign-training-fall-2017.eventbrite.com. ++
Participants at our first round of “101” sessions said…
o “I wish it could be more than two hours a session”
o “I was really inspired by the class and appreciate thinking about Chicago history and politics.”
o “I learned so much! Thank you!”
o “Very excited about the organization and class – learned a lot today!”
o “I loved the first session and am looking forward to learning more in the forthcoming seminars. I haven’t been able to stop talking about CivicLab with colleagues and friends.”
o “I wish the workshops were more often and closer together!”
o “More time! I would pay more :)”
Your trainers will be Jonathan Peck and Tom Tresser.
Challenge To The Nonprofit Sector
I gave these remarks at the Chicago Philanthropy Club on February 7, 2017. What do you think? Too much? The video is 39 minutes. The event was recorded by John Sheehan of the Video Catalyst Project.
Wide Ranging Interview With Bill Cameron
Tom was interviewed on the “Connected To Chicago” radio program with long time political reported Bill Cameron. We discussed “Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve” in light of the Inauguration of Donald Trump, which took place shortly before we began the interview.
Upcoming “Broke” Book Events
SULZER REGIONAL LIBRARY
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29
2:00pm -4:00pm
4455 N. Lincoln Avenue
QUIMBY’S BOOK STORE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8
7:00 pm – 8:00pm
1854 W. North Avenue
Democrats Did Not Listen To Harry, Paid the Price
Democrats, listen up. Here’s what Harry S. Truman said to the 1952 convention of Americans for Democratic Action:
“The first rule in my book is that we have to stick by the liberal principles of the Democratic Party. We are not going to get anywhere by trimming or appeasing. And we don’t need to try it.
The record the Democratic Party has made in the last 20 years is the greatest political asset any party ever had in the history of the world. We would be foolish to throw it away. There is nothing our enemies would like better and nothing that would do more to help them win an election.
I’ve seen it happen time after time. When the Democratic candidate allows himself to be put on the defensive and starts apologizing for the New Deal and the fair Deal, and says he really doesn’t believe in them, he is sure to lose. The people don’t want a phony Democrat. If it’s a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don’t want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign.
But when a Democratic candidate goes out and explains what the New Deal and fair Deal really are–when he stands up like a man and puts the issues before the people–then Democrats can win, even in places where they have never won before. It has been proven time and again.”
Paul Wellstone use to quote parts of these remarks all the time. He was a REAL Democrat.
“Chicago Is Not Broke” Book On Sale!
Wow! We did it. Or, I should say – 200 of you did it. Because that’s how many people chipped in to our crowdfunding campaign. The book “Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve” is now available for purchase! Click here to order. Books ship out every few days so your wait will be brief.
You can get a discount if you order five copies or more. We’d LOVE to visit your organization, school or religious institution to do a presentation around the book and its ideas. Use the form below to contact us.
Tom Talks Civics, Asserts “Chicago is not broke!” on “Chicago Newsroom”
Tom was on “Chicago Newsroom” with Ken Davis on April 7, 2016 to talk civics, TIFs and explain why it was great to NOT get the 2016 Olympics and how Chicago is NOT broke. (46 minutes)
