Benzie Democrats: Links

Grow Benzie, located on highway 115 between Benzonia and Frankfort, aims to become a year-round demonstration and training center for sustainable practices that are a symbol of hope and revitalization for the entire community. It was created to be a rallying point for community programs such as community gardens, greenhouses, teaching kitchens, classrooms, and workshops.

Michigan Land Use Institute works with citizens, officials, and other organizations to build a prosperous new economy in Michigan, one that expands opportunity by improving our health and environment. It specifically promotes people-friendly, regional planning; healthy food from local farms; and Michigan's leadership in the new green-energy and clean-water economy.

Friends of Benzie Bus supports rural public transportion in Benzie, specifically millage funding, which is on the May 3, 2011ballot.

Political Action Groups

Act Blue Fundraising. An online clearinghouse for Democratic action.

Change: lists many organizations working for various progressive causes.

CREDO Action (Working for Change)

Democracy for Americais a network of activist groups nationwide challenge politicians to support specific measures that reflect their constituencies’ viewpoints.

Michigan Coalition for Progress is an independent, issue-based group with over 40,000 members dedicated to holding elected political leaders accountable.

MoveOn is a family of organizations with over 3.2 million members who work on progressive issues. The MoveOn.org Civic Action organization primarily focuses on education and advocacy on important national issues. MoveOn.org Political Action, is a federal PAC that mobilizes people nationwide to fight congressional battles and help elect candidates who reflect members values.

Organizing for America operates in partnership with the Democratic National Committee to enlist volunteers in the continuing effort to achieve reform in Washington and pass Obama agenda legislation.

Progress Michigan works to provide a strong credible voice that holds public officials and government accountable, helps promote progressive ideas and uses state-of-the-art web based new media to creatively build grassroots support for progressive ideas; a communications team and media hub for the entire progressive community and a marketing department for progressive ideas. Works year round to challenge conservative propaganda in the media and make sure that progressive perspectives are heard.

Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) works to elect bold progressive candidates to federal office and to help them and their campaigns save money, work smarter, and win more often. Also advocates for bold leadership on the most important, pressing causes. (issue campaigns) Named The Nation's Most Valuable Online Activism of 2010.

Progressive Majority is dedicated exclusively to electing progressive champions at state & local levels. It recruits, trains, and helps elect candidates. Leaders from organized labor, Congress, and progressive donors founded group as a multi-issue political action committee (PAC) and to enhance the political effectiveness of the progressive movement.

Public Citizen is a 40-year old nonprofit advocacy group that works to ensure that all citizens are represented in the halls of power. Five policy groups: the Congress Watch division, the Energy Program, Global Trade Watch, the Health Research Group and our Litigation Group. This organization doesn't participate in partisan politics or endorse candidates.

Specific Issue & Subject Links

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the constitutional principle of church-state spearation as the only way to ensure religious freedom for all Americans. AU works in the arenas of the courts, Congress, state legislatures, the White house, and public opinion to address many pressing issues. Not to be confused with the right-wing Citizens United group.

Citizens for Tax Justice Citizens for Tax Justice is a nonprofit public interest research and advocacy group focused on on federal, state and local tax policies and their effects. CTJ's mission is to give ordinary people a greater voice in the development of tax laws.

Free Speech For People On Jan. 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations are entitled to spend unlimited funds in our elections. The First Amendment was never intended to protect corporations. To restore the First Amendment to its original purpose, this group is working to enact a constitutional amendment that will override the courts decision.

Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) is a nonprofit, non-partisan research organization that works on federal, state, and local tax policy issues. ITEP's mission is to ensure that elected officials, the media, and the general public have access to accurate, timely, and straightforward information that allows them to understand the effects of current and proposed tax policies, focusing on fairness and sustainability.

HealthCare.gov

MiCorps: Michigan Clean Water Corps is a network of volunteer monitoring programs in Michigan.

MiWater - Michigan Save Our Water Committee

Michigan Saves is a nonprofit dedicated to making energy improvements easy and affordable. It's Home Energy Loan Program helps homeowners finance the cost of energy efficiency improvements.

Move to Amend is the organized effort to counter the Supreme Court decision on corporate political contributions.

NARAL Pro-Choice America and its sister groups focus on reproductive justice that puts choice among broader issues important to women's equality and human rights. NARAL incorporates other organizations' research and policy expertise into publications and materials to tell a more complete story about how good policies help women and bad policies hurt them. Partners: Choice USA mobilizes and provides ongoing support to the diverse, upcoming generation of leaders who promote and protect reproductive choice both now and in the future. The National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum bridges the many issues that confront Asian-Pacific Islander women and their communities. The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health works to ensure the fundamental human right to reproductive health and justice for Latinas. SisterSong: Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective strengthens and amplifies the collective voices of Indigenous women and women of color to secure our human rights, and thus achieve reproductive justice.

Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit org. that fights hate and bigotry, and seeks justice for the most vulnerable members of society. It is internationally known for tracking and exposing the activities of hate groups and domestic terrorists. Its Teaching Tolerance program produces and distributes free films, books, lesson plans. etc. that promote tolerance and respect.

Media and Media-related organizations, Click here.