This is Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and I’m excited to report that I spent last weekend in North Carolina, where a new progressive movement is in full force! For those who haven’t been following the situation, the state legislature has been taken over by Tea Party extremists who have rammed through an agenda that includes rolling back voting rights, rejecting Medicaid expansion, and slashing funding to education. But folks are fighting back, effectively and persuasively. So I headed down to see how we could help.

First stop was Raleigh, where we held a trainingAi??on SaturdayAi??andAi??SundayAi??for activists from all over the state on how to run a field program for electoral candidates from soup to nuts. We taught folks how to calculate a win number, manage volunteers, create a budget, and more. The training was led by the awesome Kim Rogers, deputy political director of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) — thank you, Kim! Our class included local leaders like Mary Perkins Williams, a longtime activist from eastern North Carolina, Wanda Cole, an organizer with the national fast food workers campaign, Nancy Davis, who has worked as a clinic escort for Planned Parenthood, and Tom High, an activist with the Move to Amend effort on campaign finance reform. Here is our class picture:

Thank you to the North Carolina Democratic Party for letting us use their lovely headquarters for the training. We had a wonderful time, and were all sad to say goodbye. Ai??If you want to apply for an upcoming training in your area, you can do soAi??here. These trainings are appropriate for anyone, regardless of skill level or experience. They are part of our larger effort to give activists the skills they need to elect …

Around 25 liberal figures – including officials with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, MoveOn and Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO – said in their Wednesday letter that Social Security benefits could be expanded if wealthier workers pay more into the system.

“In upcoming budget negotiations, a Grand Bargain that cuts Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits must be off the table,” the liberal officials wrote.

Instead, they said that “Congress should focus on important priorities such as jobs and investment in our nation’s infrastructure.”

TodayAi??on Capitol Hill, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) Ai??will join experts and members of Congress to brief congressional staff on the political and policy case for expanding Social Security benefits.

The PCCC will present state polling (including Iowa and New Hampshire) that makes the political case for expanding Social Security benefits and will explain why it’s good politically for Democrats that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) took off the table a Grand Bargain that cuts Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits.

Tune in to the livesteam below at 12:30 ETAi??to see PCCC co-founder Adam Green on a panel of experts on Capitol Hill making the political case for expansion, precededAi??atAi??11:15 am ET by a panel outlying the policy case.Ai??Then, sign our petition calling on Congress to expand Social Security benefits! Click here.

The panels will lead into statements by members of Congress who oppose cuts to benefits and support expansion:Ai??Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Brian Shatz (D-HI),Ai??Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL),Ai??Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA),Ai??Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI).

Last night, Congress voted to end the government shutdown following two weeks of protests held around the country byAi??PCCC members and local activists to hold their Republican representatives responsible for the shutdown.

Our events took place in front of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) Louisville office, Rep. Sean Duffy’s (R-WI) Hudson office, Rep. Andy Barr’s (R-KY) Lexington office, Rep. Pat Meehan’s (R-PA) Springfield office, Rep. Lee Terry’s (R-NE) Omaha office, Rep. Jackie Walorski’s (R-IN) Mishawaka office, Rep. Daniel Webster’s (R-FL) Winter Garden office, and Rep. Mike Coffman’s (R-CO) Aurora office.

5 of these 8 Republicans changed their vote and supported yesterday’s deal to end the shutdown.

Senate and House Democratic leaders united their colleagues and stood firm against the Tea Party during the shutdown. Click here to thank your representative for standing firm!

Check out some of the media coverage and photos from our events pressuring Republicans below.

The events were coordinated with the help of our allies at Democracy for America, AFGE, AFL-CIO, Kentucky Jobs with Justice, Louisville Young Democrats, Progressives United, MoveOn.org, CREDO Action, USAction, and Center for Community Change.

Pressuring Rep. Pat Meehan (PA-7)Ai??”Protesters stood in the pouring rain outside Rep. Pat Meehan’s Springfield officeAi??Friday…Their message to the Republican congressman from Delaware County: You’re vulnerable, and don’t forget it.Ai??Only 28 percent of voters in Meehan’s moderate district think he’s doing a good job.” — Philly.com

Pressuring Rep. Daniel Webster (FL-10)Ai??”Angry constituents gathered outside Rep. Daniel Websterai??i??s (R-FL) Winter Garden officeAi??on Friday, to demand that he votes to end the government shutdown” — West OrlandoAi??News

Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-07)Ai??”30 constituents protested outside Duffy’s Hudson officeThursdayAi??to demand that he vote to end the government shutdown…The event …

Frustration over the government shutdown is becoming more visible in Lexington as groups mobilize to protest the lack of progress in Washington.

Monday, Karissa Gerhke with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee led about 50 protesters who gathered in front of U.S. Representative Andy Barr’s office to demand action.

“We’ve been working with our partners to do these all across the country in Republican House districts like Andy Barr’s where they are not listening to their constituents and instead they’re just playing politics in D.C.,” Gerhke says.

A group of protesters including PCCC members huddled in the pouring rain outside U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan’s office in Springfield, Delaware County, office Friday and urged him to help end the government shutdown.

Their message to the Delaware County Republican: You’re vulnerable, and don’t forget it.

“If Rep. Meehan decides to follow party ideology instead of standing with his constituents on this critical issue, Rep. Meehan can be sure constituents like me will not forget this moment once Election Day rolls around in 2014,” Innes Forbes, 62, of Ridley Park, said to the group of about 20 people.

About 50 furloughed federal workers chanted and held signs Wednesday outside the Wanamaker Building, which houses several government offices.

Government workers and union members rallied Friday outside U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office to call for an end to the 11-day-old government shutdown that has idled hundreds of thousands of government workers across the nation.

About 50 people attended the rally that was organized by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which has been critical of McConnell.

Karissa Gerhke, director of member engagement for the PCCC, laid the blame directly at the feet of McConnell, the minority leader in the Senate.

“We are all here today to call on Rep. Lee Terry to vote to end the government shutdown with a clean bill to fund our government,” said Jensen, vice president of the National Education Association Retired.

“Americans nationwide are feeling the effects of the shutdown and are outraged by Congress’ inability to do something that is as fundamental as continuing to fund our government.”

The rally was organized by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and other groups.

A protest occurred today in Louisville outside Republican Senator Mitch McConnell’s office.

Local members of the Progressive change committee, the AFL-CIO, the Kentucky Jobs with Justice and several other groups gathered to call out McConnell and send him the message to “earn his paycheck and put our people back to work.”

Protesters said they wanted him to help re-open the government and give furloughed citizens the opportunity to continue to work. Furloughed workers also spoke at the event.

Protesters were outside the Winter Garden office of local congressman Daniel Webster calling for Webster to vote for an end to the government shutdown.

A group of 30 protesters gathered representing various groups including Organize Now, Organize for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Today, PCCC members and local activists are holding media events across the country to hold their Republican representative responsible for the government shutdown.

In front of closed Republican district offices in Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Indiana, Colorado, Florida, and Kentucky, local activists, veterans and furloughed workers will share their stories of how the shutdown is hurting their community and the economy.

Tune in to the Livestream below atAi??12pm ESTAi??to watch our event happening today in Louisville, Kentucky holding Sen. Mitch McConnell accountable.Ai??Then, chip in $3 here to help sponsor a district event next week!

We’re coordinating on today’s events and more next week with our allies at Democracy for America, AFGE, AFL-CIO, Kentucky Jobs with Justice, Louisville Young Democrats, Progressives United, MoveOn.org, CREDO Action, USAction and Center for Community Change.

At noon, about 20 people gathered on the Second Street sidewalk in front of Tulgren Square, the building in which Rep. Sean Duffy’s regional office is located. They chanted and carried signs calling on the Republican congressman to vote to end the federal government shutdown.

“We want Sean Duffy to vote to end the government shutdown, and we will not tolerate a bad deal that cuts Social Security benefits or is otherwise unfair to everyday families,” said Westlund. “If Sean Duffy decides to follow party ideology instead of standing with his constituents on this crucial issue, he can be sure constituents like me will not forget this moment when election day rolls around in 2014.”

The demonstration was organized by the liberal groups Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy For America, Center for Community Change, MoveOn.org, CREDO and Progressives United.

This morning at 12:01am, Congressional Republicans forced a government shutdown. This has real-world consequences for millions of Americans: disabled veterans could be hurt, some Social Security services will be disrupted, and many working families will struggle to put food on the table.

This shutdown will end in one of two ways:

1) Democrats will cave and cut vital programs like Social Security
2) Republicans will cave to immense public pressure

Thousands of us are pressuring Congress together with phone calls to make sure Republicans cave. We’re also running online ads targeting Republican Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to make sure they feel extra pressure back home.

So here’s what you can do:

Make a call to your Congressperson — click here for the script and number to call.

Donate $3 to help us continue to run the targeted online ads and keep pressure on Boehner and McConnell.

Watch Elizabeth Warren say what’s at stake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMloSXqzMw4