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The Progressive Caucus Launches in Richmond

By Mike Signer | February 28, 2011 | One Comment

Great news out of Richmond late last week, as Arlington’s Delegate Patrick Hope and over a dozen other delegates and senators launched an exciting new initiative — the Progressive Caucus.  You can watch video of the announcement here.

The caucus is going to be dedicated to fighting for the people’s values through new policy ideas.  I spoke with Patrick about the Caucus on Saturday.  He was extremely happy about the launch, and was excited about the discussion it’s already triggered about the need for Democrats and progressives to re-energize the fight in Richmond.

As we discussed, the stakes couldn’t be higher, given the General Assembly’s shocking and unconscionable vote last week for an end-run around our Constitutional protections for a woman’s right to choose.

The group’s members include Delegates Bob Brink, Robin Abbott, Mamye BaCote, Betsy Carr, Adam Ebbin, David Englin, Matthew James, Mark Keam, Kaye Kory, Jennifer McClellan, Delores McQuinn, Joseph Morrissey, Kenneth Plum, James Scott, Scott Surovell, David Toscano, Roslyn Tyler, Jeion Ward, and Senators Mamie Locke and A. Donald McEachin.

NDP congratulates Delegate Hope and the other members, and looks forward to working with these courageous legislators to advance ideas both new and old in Virginia and the General Assembly.  Here’s the press release announcing the group, and please find below a list of the Caucus members.

Legislators Announce Formation of Progressive Caucus

Richmond - This morning, a group of legislators gathered to announce the formation of a Progressive Caucus in the Virginia General Assembly. At the announcement, Delegate Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) said, “Progressive values are Virginia values. Families across the Commonwealth want their legislature to focus on issues that matter to them.” Delegate Hope continued, “The Progressive Caucus serves to fight for the interests of the average citizen and to educate the public on Progressive issues. ”

His colleague, Delegate Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) added, “While Virginia can be slow to change, we have to keep pace with the times when it comes to issues like stem cell research, global warming and society’s attitudes towards gays and lesbians. As progressives, it is important that we stand together as we work to move Virginia forward.”

Delegate David Englin (D-Alexandria) stated, “It’s time for progressive legislators to organize and work together to advance the progressive values that we share, so we can keep our Commonwealth moving toward that day when every person - including the poor, the elderly, the week, the dispossessed - has a fair shake and an equal shot at the American dream.”

Senator McEachin (D-Henrico) concluded the press conference. “We standing here today believe that Virginians are fair and open-minded and want a Commonwealth that reflects those values. We will work together to improve the environment, support a strong, vibrant, quality, twenty-first century, public education system for all our children, devise and implement a long-term transportation program including a critical component of mass transit and of updated  infrastructure, create good-paying jobs and provide all Virginians equal opportunity, justice and fairness.”

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One Response to The Progressive Caucus Launches in Richmond

  1. What a great purpose, “to fight for the interests of the average citizen and to educate the public on Progressive issues.” Educating the public will be difficult with so much inaccurate information in play, for-profit news media seeking ratings, corporate interests injecting so much money, and ideological jargon coming from so many directions.

    Educating the public is essential, because Progressive ideas are complex, and the opposition has a lot of easy buzzwords available to throw at the fan. I am hopeful that as this group comes together, we will find effective ways to express the foundational ideas of democracy and the common good.

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