This is just a quick note on the Washington DC demos scheduled for April. It's a great plan and great target.
I didn't notice any mention of labor unions. It sure would be nice to have them along, since the basic issues that effect them haven't changed, and second, they should be looking at the primaries and consider extracting plenty for their support--like forcing some kind of actual position out of Gore or Bradley (lotsa luck on that one).
Anyway the other missing pieces are the lawyers. I saw a note that the legal working group will be formed later. Better sooner than later. It is a great comfort for demo participation to know there is legal help in the background if something goes wrong and you get arrested from out of town with no local contacts. Just making bail is almost impossible unless you have some kind of support from local groups (or you're well-off).
It is important at least for those who show up, to know the local DC laws on demos, and local penalties for the usual high crimes and misdemeanors associated with street demonstrations. You know, worst case, best case, phone numbers for reporting your arrest, charges, case number, making bail, getting a lawyer or joining a large class of other defendants under a single legal team. A local law team will also know the court scene and the likely disposition of cases, jails, detention centers, and have local city contacts with the cops and district attorney office, etc. BTW, it sure would be nice to get some of DC city workers involved so they could shut down DC city services--maybe remind Congress of something called 'the people', 'democracy', and 'real life'.
I can't tell you how much better I used to feel when organizers could hand out or read out legal help information like that at the collection points. I used to write down the lawyer's name and number on the inside of my wrist in indelible laundry markers that were handed around for that purpose.
Good luck.
Chuck Grimes