Frequently Asked Questions
What is Progressive Democrats of Benicia?
Progressive Democrats of Benicia, or PDB, is a Club that is chartered by the Solano County Democratic Central Committee, and thus is part of the California Democratic Party. As part of the California Democratic Party, PDB is able to participate in County and State Party activities, including the development of policies and the selection and endorsement of candidates.
Who can join PDB?
Any registered Democrat can join, or anyone who 16 to 17 years old and commits to registering as a Democrat as soon as is legal to do so in the state of California. Annual dues are $20.00 per member. It’s easy to join – just go to our Join / Pay Dues / Donate page.
Why did PDB form?
A group of Benicians began meeting after the November 2016 Presidential election to decide what we could do locally to counter the change of direction we foresaw in numerous U.S. policies, legislation , and actions during a Trump presidency.
We decided to form PDB as a Club within the Democratic Party, with focus on:
- the election and appointment of local, county, and state officials who support progressive issues, and
- actions, initiatives,and programs to ensure equity and justice for all people.
We work with local groups like Carquinez Patriotic Resistance and Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible toward common goals.
What is a Progressive Democrat?
“Progressive” is all about progress toward a future where those “inalienable rights … to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are enjoyed by all, for the well-being of all. This sense of direction contrasts with political ideologies that seek to maintain a status quo, or to look back and recapture a time of supposed former greatness. Progressive Democrats move legislation and regulations to rein in the excesses of corporations and capitalism, as well as supporting governmental programs that “form a more perfect union, establish justice, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” [Preamble to the US Constitution]
What are the core issues for PDB? What commitments are you looking for in candidates you support or endorse?
As Progressive Democrats in this era we identify many issues of concern. Prominent among them are:
- Health Care. We believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. PDB supports a national, single payer healthcare system, in which each person’s basic level of care and needs are covered. In lieu of a national program, we believe the state of California should enact a state, single payer program which would include current levels of funds received from the federal government. We have reviewed proposals for each – Bernie Sanders during his 2016 campaign, and AB 562 introduced during the California 2016 Legislative Session – and conclude that funding mechanisms exist to support both that would result in more people covered, with better quality care, and at a lower cost than under current programs.
- Social Justice and Equality. We work to ensure racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice, equal rights for all, equal protection under the law, and equal access to all the privileges and opportunities in our community and society at large. We promote equity and believe that diversity enriches us as a community and as a nation.
- The Environment. We assert that “climate change poses a real and urgent threat to our economy, our national security, and our children’s health and futures.” [Democratic Party Platform 2016] We strive to protect the invaluable resources of air, water, and fertile soil from pollution and contamination, and to keep them available to the public.
We look for similar commitments when we support or endorse candidates.