Impeachment, Iraq, and Elections: Progressives Need to Get Tough
This is a continuation of my decision last week to start endorsing in this newsletter for primaries. This goes into more detail why I think this is important and discusses some more candidates that are worth helping out.
Americans like to complain. Grassroots progressives, myself included, in particular like to complain. Sometimes I have seen the complaints become almost an obsession, to the detrement of actually getting things done. Nader is a perfect example of this. I have seen progressive apathy or even antipathy sink some of the most progressive and honest candidates you could ever imagine. This is the danger of being on the forefront of progress. You can get ahead of yourself, ahead of everything and wind up all alone.
Impeachment, Iraq and winning elections. Right now these really are about the most critical things. And these three things are what we really need to work hard at if we want to be a significant force in politics...and in society. I want to discuss some specific examples of people who really need our help and they deserve it because they are taking strong stands for impeachment and/or against the Iraq war. We need them...but they also need us. They need our time and our money to win so that they can fight for what we think is right.
In 2006 an amazing coalition of mainstream moderates and grassroots progressives created a tidal wave of change in Congress. Many have complained that we didn't get what we expected from our new Congress...but don't let the complaints get in the way of appreciating that what we did was amazing.
It was a damned good effort and I am proud to have been a part of it.
But, needless to say, it didn't solve all our problems. I never expected it would. Progress is seldom easy, seldom linear. In 2008 in November, we need a similar wave of allied moderates and progressives if we want to rout the Republicans again. And I intend to be a part of that alliance. Hope you will be too, whoever the nominees turn out to be. But...
But the progressive grassroots need to take some big, tough stands as well, and that will sometimes mean splitting with the most conservative and most wimpy parts of our own party. As Howard Dean says, we are the DEMOCRATIC branch of the Democratic party. As his brother Jim Dean says, we have to take OWNERSHIP of the political process. And, as my friend and candidate for Congress, Steve Harrison, says, we have to once again be proud to be LIBERALS because it was Liberalism that established this nation, brought about every great leap forward in America, and which is the patriotic philosophy of our founding fathers. Remember "Give me liberty or give me death?" It wasn't "give me liberty until someone attacks us then take all my freedoms away in the name of keeping me safe."
This is OUR party and we need to be proud of it again, proud of our role in it, and proud of our liberal, progressive values. That is what this is all about, isn't it?
Well, that means winning some elections, folks. Not just the general elections, but the primaries. Congressional primaries. Judicial primaries. School board elections. Every damned thing we can.
Back in 2005 I actually was called a "troll" on dKos once for pointing out that the failings of many grassroots progressives pretty much gave our politicians the message that we WANT business as usual, that we WANT boring, corporate candidates. It was part of a long trend which a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, David Shaw of the L.A. Times, called "The Greying of American Politics." He was not referring to AARP's power. He was referring to a phenomenon whereby in the national arena (specifically Presidential politics) no candidate with any unusual ideas, characteristics or positions would make it through the grueling process of a national election. Since America is so big and diverse in ideas, only the most boring candidates can survive the process. No exciting bright colors...only boring, grey politics as usual. Americans like non-threatening candidates who make them feel like everything is okay...fine...go back to watching TV.
David Shaw was talking about presidential politics, but watching local NYC politics I became convinced that this phenomenon is applies at all levels of politics most of the time. And many grassroots progressives were a big part of the problem. Too often when trying to get people involved in a primary where there was a grassroots progressive against a machine candidate, all I'd hear from so-called progressives is, "I am sick of Democrats...they don't represent me so I won't vote in the primary." The self-fulfilling prophacy left them smugly self assured in their complaining.
But had enough of them had actually HELPED the grassroots progressive candidate in the primary, maybe they would actually feel represented by the Democrats. By falling into the trap of obsessively complaining and not fighting, they basically gave the message that only boring, corporate, machine candidates will win.
In 2006 the dynamic changed. Some really amazing things happened that we all were a part of. In 2006, politics across the nation became brighter, more interesting...less grey. And this year, as it is clear from the fact that it is almost certain that the Democrats will nominate either the first black or first woman EVER to be nominated by a major party for President, this year will also be exciting. But we have to keep going with it. And primary elections can be just as critical as general elections for doing that.
Impeachment, Iraq and elections. That is what I'm talking about. We can't just talk about them. We can't just complain about them. We have to fight for the Congressional reps who will do us proud. Impeachment...Iraq...elections. We have some really great opportunities to have an impact on some Congressional primaries. And it seems to me, the ones to target are the ones where we can really help people who stand for what we believe in. Personally, I am looking at impeachment and getting the hell out of the Iraq quagmire as two of my main standards for who to help out in primaries. We all need to spend some time and/or money for these people.
Let's look at some primaries, shall we? Coming up very soon is our chance to defeat an anti-Choice, pro-Iraq War Democrat and elect a Democrat whose commitment to ending the Iraq quagmire is genuine: Mark Pera (IL-3). It is our shot at sending the clearest message we can to BOTH parties: we are a force to be reckoned with. If there is a must-win primary for the progressive grassroots this year, it is Mark Pera's race. And the time to act on that is NOW!
Mark Pera has been endorsed by NOW, Democracy for America, Blue Majority, Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, Jewish Political Alliance of Illinois, United Muslims and Arabs for a Better America, Mexicanos for Political Progress, NARAL Pro-Choice America, etc. He is running against an anti-choice, pro-war Democrat. This really is a critical race. You can donate through my primaries Act Blue Page. You want better Democrats? THIS is the top priority for us. Please give. But perhaps even MORE important is local volunteering. I can't be there. But many of you can. I have some events and contacts for those who can help on this page on my Progressive Democrat blog. Or go to Mark Pera's campaign directly. Between now and Feb. 5th this is one of out top priorities.
But there is another race most of you DON'T know about. It is, in some ways, even more critical because it not only pits a better Democrat against a machine Democrat, but the stakes are also defeating a Bush Republican. This is the NY-13 Congressional race. My friend Steve Harrison is the grassroots candidate who wants a rematch against Bush Lap Dog Vito Fossella. But the local machine has decided that now that Steve has shown how vulnerable Vito can be, they want THEIR candidate (who doesn't live in the district yet) to run. Steve Harrison is the guy I described above defending the word (and concept) "liberal." Despite a conservative Catholic upbringing and demeanor, he defends liberalism more passionately than many around here do. He frames being pro-choice as being the TRUE pro-life stand because banning abortion means women will die. He unequivocally is in favor of withdrawal from Iraq. From what I can tell his views match either those of Richardson or Edwards on withdrawal. By contrast, the Democrat being run by the machine, Dominic Recchia, would wait to withdraw until the Iraqi army can stand on its own (this is Bush's talking point; Richardson and Edwards favor a regional force rather than US force), has stated he is willing to consider permanent bases in Iraq, and in a recent judicial election, he endorsed a known homophobe who has never even practiced law for a civil court judicial seat. The NY-13 primary is another case of a clear cut choice for progressives: a Democrat who would allow the quagmire continue with permanent bases in Iraq and has no trouble endorsing homophobes for judgeships, or the Democrat who proudly states that Liberal Values are AMERICAN values. Yet Harrison has also been able to work well with Republicans when needed, something that is key in a district that has elected Republicans for way too long. Harrison understands both the conservative AND liberal view. I have gotten to know him and it seems to me he has conservative values they way they USED to be before the neo-Cons, but he takes clearly liberal stands on issues. Either one would be better than Bush Lap Dog Fossella. But if we nominate Recchia we will have just one more weak, do nothing Dem we will be disappointed in. If we nominate Harrison...AND win the general, we will have someone who will stand up for what we believe in. Steve Harrison COULD be one of our all stars. You can donate to his campaign through my primaries Act Blue site, or through the official Daily Gotham Act Blue Site. You can contact his campaign to voluneer at his website. Or let me know and I will pass your name on to him personally. I owe him a dinner when he comes out to my end of Brooklyn!
Then there are some excellent Congressional reps we need to defend. I want to call people's attention to someone else's Act Blue site: 10 for impeachment. Each and every Congressional Rep on this list is helping push for impeachment. My Rep is Yvette Clarke and she's on the list, I am proud to say. But honestly, Yvette (who I opposed in the primary in 2006...but now I support her!) won't have much of a challenge...if any. She has smoothed over the grudges left over from her election and is satisfying even her critics...like me.
But some on the list DO have primary challenges from Dems who do NOT want impeachment, do NOT want people with spines in office. So I want to call your attention to some of the pro-impeachment progressives who are being attacked by corporate mainstream Democrats.
Let's start with Dennis Kucinich. Of all the presidential candidates, my values come closest to Kucinich's. But I wasn't supporting him in the presidential primary. But I DO support him in his Congressional seat! As THE leader of impeachment, I think Kucinich deserves our support here and now to keep him in Congress. That is where I think he belongs, anyway. Not convinced he'd make a good President even if I agree with him. But we sure need more Democrats like Kucinich in Congress. Please go to the 10 for Impeachment site and donate to Dennis Kucinich. And if you can, go to his website and volunteer. Don't let his seat be taken by a corporate Democrat!
Congressman Keith Ellison is not being challenged in the primary, I believe, but he may well get challenged by Republicans. They don't like him very much since he is (Oh my!) a Muslim! He is a strong progressive advocate including standing up for impeachment. I urge support for Keith Ellison for re-election through the 10 for Impeachment page10 for Impeachment page, or through his website.
Finally, there are some freshmen Congressional Reps who have consistently stood up for the values that they were elected on AND are likely to be challenged by Republicans. They don't have primary challenges as far as I know. But they could use our help heading off Republican attacks. If we don't defend those who already ARE standing up for us, then we aren't doing our job. Please check out my list of Freshmen House Allstars and help them out. These are the Dems who HAVE been doing what we want them to do, so let them know we are behind them!
Personally, between the 2006 success, what I consider a pretty amazing Presidential primary, and the growing influence of the grassroots (that's you and me folks!), I am pretty excited about 2008.
Americans like to complain. Grassroots progressives, myself included, in particular like to complain. Sometimes I have seen the complaints become almost an obsession, to the detrement of actually getting things done. Nader is a perfect example of this. I have seen progressive apathy or even antipathy sink some of the most progressive and honest candidates you could ever imagine. This is the danger of being on the forefront of progress. You can get ahead of yourself, ahead of everything and wind up all alone.
Impeachment, Iraq and winning elections. Right now these really are about the most critical things. And these three things are what we really need to work hard at if we want to be a significant force in politics...and in society. I want to discuss some specific examples of people who really need our help and they deserve it because they are taking strong stands for impeachment and/or against the Iraq war. We need them...but they also need us. They need our time and our money to win so that they can fight for what we think is right.
In 2006 an amazing coalition of mainstream moderates and grassroots progressives created a tidal wave of change in Congress. Many have complained that we didn't get what we expected from our new Congress...but don't let the complaints get in the way of appreciating that what we did was amazing.
It was a damned good effort and I am proud to have been a part of it.
But, needless to say, it didn't solve all our problems. I never expected it would. Progress is seldom easy, seldom linear. In 2008 in November, we need a similar wave of allied moderates and progressives if we want to rout the Republicans again. And I intend to be a part of that alliance. Hope you will be too, whoever the nominees turn out to be. But...
But the progressive grassroots need to take some big, tough stands as well, and that will sometimes mean splitting with the most conservative and most wimpy parts of our own party. As Howard Dean says, we are the DEMOCRATIC branch of the Democratic party. As his brother Jim Dean says, we have to take OWNERSHIP of the political process. And, as my friend and candidate for Congress, Steve Harrison, says, we have to once again be proud to be LIBERALS because it was Liberalism that established this nation, brought about every great leap forward in America, and which is the patriotic philosophy of our founding fathers. Remember "Give me liberty or give me death?" It wasn't "give me liberty until someone attacks us then take all my freedoms away in the name of keeping me safe."
This is OUR party and we need to be proud of it again, proud of our role in it, and proud of our liberal, progressive values. That is what this is all about, isn't it?
Well, that means winning some elections, folks. Not just the general elections, but the primaries. Congressional primaries. Judicial primaries. School board elections. Every damned thing we can.
Back in 2005 I actually was called a "troll" on dKos once for pointing out that the failings of many grassroots progressives pretty much gave our politicians the message that we WANT business as usual, that we WANT boring, corporate candidates. It was part of a long trend which a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, David Shaw of the L.A. Times, called "The Greying of American Politics." He was not referring to AARP's power. He was referring to a phenomenon whereby in the national arena (specifically Presidential politics) no candidate with any unusual ideas, characteristics or positions would make it through the grueling process of a national election. Since America is so big and diverse in ideas, only the most boring candidates can survive the process. No exciting bright colors...only boring, grey politics as usual. Americans like non-threatening candidates who make them feel like everything is okay...fine...go back to watching TV.
David Shaw was talking about presidential politics, but watching local NYC politics I became convinced that this phenomenon is applies at all levels of politics most of the time. And many grassroots progressives were a big part of the problem. Too often when trying to get people involved in a primary where there was a grassroots progressive against a machine candidate, all I'd hear from so-called progressives is, "I am sick of Democrats...they don't represent me so I won't vote in the primary." The self-fulfilling prophacy left them smugly self assured in their complaining.
But had enough of them had actually HELPED the grassroots progressive candidate in the primary, maybe they would actually feel represented by the Democrats. By falling into the trap of obsessively complaining and not fighting, they basically gave the message that only boring, corporate, machine candidates will win.
In 2006 the dynamic changed. Some really amazing things happened that we all were a part of. In 2006, politics across the nation became brighter, more interesting...less grey. And this year, as it is clear from the fact that it is almost certain that the Democrats will nominate either the first black or first woman EVER to be nominated by a major party for President, this year will also be exciting. But we have to keep going with it. And primary elections can be just as critical as general elections for doing that.
Impeachment, Iraq and elections. That is what I'm talking about. We can't just talk about them. We can't just complain about them. We have to fight for the Congressional reps who will do us proud. Impeachment...Iraq...elections. We have some really great opportunities to have an impact on some Congressional primaries. And it seems to me, the ones to target are the ones where we can really help people who stand for what we believe in. Personally, I am looking at impeachment and getting the hell out of the Iraq quagmire as two of my main standards for who to help out in primaries. We all need to spend some time and/or money for these people.
Let's look at some primaries, shall we? Coming up very soon is our chance to defeat an anti-Choice, pro-Iraq War Democrat and elect a Democrat whose commitment to ending the Iraq quagmire is genuine: Mark Pera (IL-3). It is our shot at sending the clearest message we can to BOTH parties: we are a force to be reckoned with. If there is a must-win primary for the progressive grassroots this year, it is Mark Pera's race. And the time to act on that is NOW!
Mark Pera has been endorsed by NOW, Democracy for America, Blue Majority, Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, Jewish Political Alliance of Illinois, United Muslims and Arabs for a Better America, Mexicanos for Political Progress, NARAL Pro-Choice America, etc. He is running against an anti-choice, pro-war Democrat. This really is a critical race. You can donate through my primaries Act Blue Page. You want better Democrats? THIS is the top priority for us. Please give. But perhaps even MORE important is local volunteering. I can't be there. But many of you can. I have some events and contacts for those who can help on this page on my Progressive Democrat blog. Or go to Mark Pera's campaign directly. Between now and Feb. 5th this is one of out top priorities.
But there is another race most of you DON'T know about. It is, in some ways, even more critical because it not only pits a better Democrat against a machine Democrat, but the stakes are also defeating a Bush Republican. This is the NY-13 Congressional race. My friend Steve Harrison is the grassroots candidate who wants a rematch against Bush Lap Dog Vito Fossella. But the local machine has decided that now that Steve has shown how vulnerable Vito can be, they want THEIR candidate (who doesn't live in the district yet) to run. Steve Harrison is the guy I described above defending the word (and concept) "liberal." Despite a conservative Catholic upbringing and demeanor, he defends liberalism more passionately than many around here do. He frames being pro-choice as being the TRUE pro-life stand because banning abortion means women will die. He unequivocally is in favor of withdrawal from Iraq. From what I can tell his views match either those of Richardson or Edwards on withdrawal. By contrast, the Democrat being run by the machine, Dominic Recchia, would wait to withdraw until the Iraqi army can stand on its own (this is Bush's talking point; Richardson and Edwards favor a regional force rather than US force), has stated he is willing to consider permanent bases in Iraq, and in a recent judicial election, he endorsed a known homophobe who has never even practiced law for a civil court judicial seat. The NY-13 primary is another case of a clear cut choice for progressives: a Democrat who would allow the quagmire continue with permanent bases in Iraq and has no trouble endorsing homophobes for judgeships, or the Democrat who proudly states that Liberal Values are AMERICAN values. Yet Harrison has also been able to work well with Republicans when needed, something that is key in a district that has elected Republicans for way too long. Harrison understands both the conservative AND liberal view. I have gotten to know him and it seems to me he has conservative values they way they USED to be before the neo-Cons, but he takes clearly liberal stands on issues. Either one would be better than Bush Lap Dog Fossella. But if we nominate Recchia we will have just one more weak, do nothing Dem we will be disappointed in. If we nominate Harrison...AND win the general, we will have someone who will stand up for what we believe in. Steve Harrison COULD be one of our all stars. You can donate to his campaign through my primaries Act Blue site, or through the official Daily Gotham Act Blue Site. You can contact his campaign to voluneer at his website. Or let me know and I will pass your name on to him personally. I owe him a dinner when he comes out to my end of Brooklyn!
Then there are some excellent Congressional reps we need to defend. I want to call people's attention to someone else's Act Blue site: 10 for impeachment. Each and every Congressional Rep on this list is helping push for impeachment. My Rep is Yvette Clarke and she's on the list, I am proud to say. But honestly, Yvette (who I opposed in the primary in 2006...but now I support her!) won't have much of a challenge...if any. She has smoothed over the grudges left over from her election and is satisfying even her critics...like me.
But some on the list DO have primary challenges from Dems who do NOT want impeachment, do NOT want people with spines in office. So I want to call your attention to some of the pro-impeachment progressives who are being attacked by corporate mainstream Democrats.
Let's start with Dennis Kucinich. Of all the presidential candidates, my values come closest to Kucinich's. But I wasn't supporting him in the presidential primary. But I DO support him in his Congressional seat! As THE leader of impeachment, I think Kucinich deserves our support here and now to keep him in Congress. That is where I think he belongs, anyway. Not convinced he'd make a good President even if I agree with him. But we sure need more Democrats like Kucinich in Congress. Please go to the 10 for Impeachment site and donate to Dennis Kucinich. And if you can, go to his website and volunteer. Don't let his seat be taken by a corporate Democrat!
Congressman Keith Ellison is not being challenged in the primary, I believe, but he may well get challenged by Republicans. They don't like him very much since he is (Oh my!) a Muslim! He is a strong progressive advocate including standing up for impeachment. I urge support for Keith Ellison for re-election through the 10 for Impeachment page10 for Impeachment page, or through his website.
Finally, there are some freshmen Congressional Reps who have consistently stood up for the values that they were elected on AND are likely to be challenged by Republicans. They don't have primary challenges as far as I know. But they could use our help heading off Republican attacks. If we don't defend those who already ARE standing up for us, then we aren't doing our job. Please check out my list of Freshmen House Allstars and help them out. These are the Dems who HAVE been doing what we want them to do, so let them know we are behind them!
Personally, between the 2006 success, what I consider a pretty amazing Presidential primary, and the growing influence of the grassroots (that's you and me folks!), I am pretty excited about 2008.
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