Progressive Democrat Newsletter 279

I think it is worth keeping this quote (sent to me by a reader) at the top of the newsletter for some time to come:

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are...a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 11/8/54

Seems like the modern Republican Party and their Texas oil millionaire backers have forgotten the words of one of their best. Pity that the Eisenhower Republicans have lost out to the George Bush/Newt Gingrich extremists who now control the party.

I feel I need to comment on the ethics problems of Congressman Charles Rangel. In general I feel Rangel has been a good Congressman who truely represents his district. But it also seems as if he has indeed commited ethics violations and, from what I can tell, he deserves what he has gotten. I like Rangel, but I have to hold him to the same standards as I do all those corrupt Republicans I complain about. This is one of the key differences between the Democratic and the Republican parties. The Republicans almost NEVER censure their own for corruption or ethics violations. Democrats, most of the time, hold their fellow Democrats accountable for ethics violations.

I think this is also a good time to repeat this unbiased list of Congressional corruption: The 26 most corrupt members of Congress 15 Republicans, 9 Democrats

* Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
* Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
* Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
* Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)
* Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
* Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
* Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA)
* Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
* Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
* Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
* Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
* Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
* Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA)
* Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV)
* Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
* Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA)
* Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)
* Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
* Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)
* Rep. David Scott (D-GA)
* Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)
* Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH)
* Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
* Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)
* Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
* Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

More details here. I consider it very important to keep this kind of thing in the public eye.

And I would like to remind people that Republicans are far, FAR more corrupt than Democrats on average, as outlined in detail on the Liberals Like Christ website. You can also find out more at the Republican Offenders website.

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Economy

Burma Releases Aung San Suu Kyi

California Focus: Green Power Switch

Los Angeles, CA Focus

San Diego, CA Focus

Orange County, CA Focus

Silicon Valley Area, CA Focus

California 11th District Focus: San Joaquin, Alameda and Santa Clara Counties

Northern California Focus: TAKE BACK RED CALIFORNIA

Southern California Grassroots Alliance

CALIFORNIA FOCUS: Blogs, Stonewall Democrats, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

New York Focus: Green Power Switch

Manhattan, NY Focus

Brooklyn, NY Focus

Queens, NY Focus

Bronx, NY Focus

Suffolk County, NY Focus

Rochester, NY Focus

New York 19th District Focus: Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, and Westchester Counties

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Austin/Travis County, TX Focus

Houston/Harris County, TX Focus

Dallas County, TX Focus

Texas 10th District Focus: Bastrop, Lee, Burleson, Washington, Austin, Harris, Waller Counties

Texas 15th Congressional District Focus: Hidalgo, Brooks, Duval, Live Oak, Bee, Jim Wells, Karnes, DeWitt, Goliad, San Patricio, Refugio Counties

Texas 21st District Focus: Travis, Kerr, Real, Bandera, Kendall, Comal and Blanco Counties

TEXAS FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Washington State Focus: Green Power Switch

Seattle/King County, WA Focus

Spokane County, WA Focus

Thurston County, WA Focus

WASHINGTON STATE FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, Native Vote, Groups and Events

Florida Focus: Green Power Switch

Tampa/Hillsborough County, FL Focus

Orange County, FL Focus

Broward County, FL Focus

Pinellas County, FL Focus

FLORIDA FOCUS: Blogs, Equality, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Michigan Focus: Green Power Switch

Detroit, MI Focus

MICHIGAN FOCUS: Blogs, Food Co-op, Native Vote, NAACP, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Pennsylvania Focus: Green Power Switch

Philadelphia, PA Focus

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, NAACP, Groups and Events

Illinois Focus: Green Power Switch

Chicago/Cook County, IL Focus

ILLINOIS FOCUS: Blogs, Reform Illinois, Food Co-ops, Alternative Energy, NAACP, Groups and Events

Wisconsin Focus: Green Power Switch

Milwaukee, WI Focus

WISCONSIN FOCUS: Blogs, Biodiesel, Native Vote, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Virginia Focus: Green Power Switch

Charlottesville/Albemarle County, VA Foucus

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania County, VA Focus

Stafford County, VA Focus

Hanover County, VA Focus

VIRGINIA FOCUS: Blogs, Food Co-ops, Energy and Agriculture, NAACP, Groups and Events

Colorado Focus: Democratic Accomplishments Nationally and in Colorado

Colorado Focus: Green Power Switch

Denver, CO Focus

Boulder County, CO Focus

Larimer County, CO Focus

Douglas County, CO Focus

COLORADO FOCUS: Blogs, Food Co-ops, Veterans for Peace, Native Vote, NJDC, Immigrant Rights, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Nevada Focus: Green Power Switch

Las Vegas, NV Focus

NEVADA FOCUS: Blogs, Progressive Majority, Food Co-op, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Georgia Focus: Green Power Switch

Atlanta, GA Focus

Coweta County, GA Focus

Fayette County, GA Focus

GEORGIA FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, NAACP, Groups and Events

Minnesota Focus: Green Power Switch

Minneapolis, MN Focus

Olmsted County, MN Focus

MINNESOTA FOCUS: Blogs, The Minnesota Project, NAACP, Drinking Liberally

New Jersey Focus: Sustainable Cherry Hill

New Jersey Focus: Green Power Switch

Passaic County, NJ Focus

Sussex County, NJ Focus

Warren County, NJ Focus

NEW JERSEY FOCUS: Blogs, Food Co-ops, NAACP, NJDC, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Arizona Focus: Green Power Switch

Phoenix/Maricopa County, AZ Focus

ARIZONA FOCUS: Blogs, Food Co-ops, Alternative Energy, Native Vote, NAACP, NJDC, Groups and Events

North Carolina Focus: Green Power Switch

North Carolina Focus: NC-5 District Focus (Stokes County, Statesville, Surrey County, Iredell County, Watauga County, Yadkin County)

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS: Blogs, Biodiesel, Alternative Energy, NAACP, Veterans for Peace, Groups and Events

Iowa Focus: Davenport Farm to School Initiative

Iowa Focus: Green Power Switch

Iowa Focus: Save the Iowa Power Fund

IOWA FOCUS: Blogs, Food Co-ops, NAACP, Alternative Energy, Sustainable Agriculture, Groups and Events

TENNESSEE FOCUS: Blogs, Groups and Organizations, NAACP, Biodiesel, Food Co-ops

KANSAS FOCUS: Blogs, Biodiesel, NAACP, Food Co-ops, Groups and Events

Oklahoma County, OK Focus

SOUTH CAROLINA FOCUS