By Gary Patton, Special to the Sentinel-Posted: 07/02/16

Bernie Sanders has been getting a lot of advice, lately. Advice like, "why don't you admit you lost; sit down; get out of here; shut up."

Stephen Kessler, a regular contributor to the Santa Cruz Sentinel, pretty much says all that in his "Open letter to Bernie Sanders" published last Saturday, accusing Sanders of being "deluded" and "caught in the bubble of (his) fans' adulation." Kessler paints Sanders as an "intransigent nag and a sore loser."

As an alternate delegate pledged to Bernie Sanders, who plans to be at the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia, I would like to offer a different view.

"Hard" delegate votes are the votes of delegates who are obligated to vote for a candidate. Neither Senator Sanders nor…

By Daniel Wirls, Special to the Sentinel 6/17/16

This presidential primary has been particularly difficult for Democrats because never before have the candidates represented so starkly two seemingly polar visions of political life and practice. Bernie Sanders represents (not resembles) Moses, the Old Testament prophet who delivered his people from slavery and gave them God's commandments. Hillary Clinton is Machiavelli, or to be precise, "The Prince" in the Florentine thinker's work by the same name, the leader who wields skill and power to govern - the leader whose prudence is in knowing "how to distinguish the character of troubles, and in choosing the lesser evil." Moses is the law giver; Machiavelli is a law maker.

The Moses in politics offers a vision of salvation, a p…

David Brooks   New York Times - July 8, 2016

Western society is built on the assumption that people are fundamentally selfish. Machiavelli and Hobbes gave us influential philosophies built on human selfishness. Sigmund Freud gave us a psychology of selfishness. Children, he wrote, "are completely egoistic; they feel their needs intensely and strive ruthlessly to satisfy them."

Classical economics adopts a model that says people are primarily driven by material self-interest. Political science assumes that people are driven to maximize their power.

But this worldview is clearly wrong. In real life, the push of selfishness is matched by the pull of empathy and altruism. This is not Hallmark card sentimentalism but scientific fact: As babies our neural connections are built …

In their remarks to the nation following the Orlando massacre, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump made their differences- and disturbing similarities- crystal clear.

Meeting was called to order at 1:30 p.m.

New slate of PDC Officers were voted in with one no vote:

Gail Jack - President
Nora Hochman - Vice President
Nancy Abbey - Treasurer
Paul Elerick - Recording Secretary
Brian Murtha -  Corresponding Secretary

Presentation of Proposals for PDC action 2016-17

Two on-going PDC Initiatives:
[For more information scroll down]

1.   Committee on State Ballot Measures: Nancy Abbey discussed the continuing work of  this committee to track State measures which will be on the 2016 ballot, report recommendations to PDC on those measures mostly worthy of PDC support, schedule tabling to educate voters on these measures.

2.   Affordable Housing Task Force:  Gail Jack outlined the continued participation of herself and Nancy on the…

Task:  Enlist 15  organizations involved in Progressive activities to donate $10 - $15 monthly to the Community Activist Calendar to pay for production and maintenance.

Goal:   A decisive majority of progressive community groups will use the calendar - thus encouraging all involved organizations to do so.   

Objectives:

1. Form and maintain a current calendar of activist meetings and events, both recurring and one-time.
2. Stop stepping on each other's toes!!! Have easily accessed, current  information with which to set meetings and public events that won't conflict with others.
3. Publicize all of our organizations' activities.  (Possibly  sending out a once-a-week listing or chart of events with links to more info?
4. Make it easy for the public to a…

Goal:  To have maximum impact on the initiatives reaching the 2016 ballot.

Description of Project:  a PDC committee would be formed to:  1. start tracking initiatives that have been approved for signature collection, 2. make recommendations to the membership about which of initiatives we should focus on, and 3. collect  signatures for and educate voters about those supported by the PDC membership, and educate re those we oppose.

Rationale/Impact:  There are 17 qualified ballot measures at this point and the legislature may add more before the final deadline. 

Work entailed/status: 

Form committee of 3-5 people (including reps from other Dem clubs and like-minded organizations) that meets regularly in person or by email to track the initiati…

Goal of project:  To design and implement a Rent Stabilization Program for the tenants in the City of Santa Cruz.

How would this PDC partnership be accomplished?

The PDC will establish a working group to include, but not be limited to, PDC members, to formulate a rent stabilization program.  Recruitment will reach out to other tenants' advocates to join the working group.

What Impact could be expected?
Some form of rent stabilization agreed on by diverse members of the Santa Cruz community and implemented by the City Council would establish a limit on the escalation of some rents.  It would help to alleviate the lack of affordable rental housing available to low and middle income families, affording more opportunities to current residents to continue to live in …

Goal of project:  Affordable Housing Now! (AHN!)  advocates for solutions to the housing crisis in Santa Cruz County by attending City Council and Board of Supervisors meetings in support of new affordable housing developments, new zoning configurations, and changing city and county regulations to help support the availability of affordable housing for very-low,  low, and middle-income residents of the County.

How would this PDC partnership be accomplished?

The PDC will continue to be represented on the AHN! Task Force by Gail and Nancy.

This is a growing collaborative effort:

PDC, Crosson North County Dems, COPA, CRLA, Habitat for Humanity, the County Housing Coalition have been working together with individuals Bruce Van Allen and Tom Burns.  AHN! has successfully …

by Don Lane

Per a tentative arrangement made last year, I'm planning a dinner with five friends.  As our dinner  approaches, we have an interesting dilemma.

• Sam likes tofu, never eats dessert, and dislikes trendy food
• Tony is vegetarian and has an aversion to meat.
• Maria eats just about anything and doesn't eat much of any one thing.
• Julia likes a balance but she insists on having some meat at dinner.
• Chris has bad teeth and only eats softer foods.
• I like to try trendy dishes. I generally avoid meat.

I'm hoping for a peaceful meal together but also heard a suggestion that we dine separately to avoid conflict over dietary preferences.  This second alternative seemed unsatisfactory in that we often are able to help support each other when we dine together.  Also…