CA-46: Live from the Battleground!

OK, so I see that our friend Todd at MyDD covered it. I know some some Andrew Davey person also talked about it. Still, I need to talk with you about it. I need to talk with you about a very competitive, very close race that we can win.

Is it in Ohio? Florida? Virginia? Colorado? Nope. I'm talking about California's 46th Congressional District!

Debbie Cook is running a very competitive campaign against the 20 year Republican incumbent, Dana Rohrabacher. Dana never felt like he was in danger before, so he never really felt the need to the job that voters here hired him to do. He has never brought home the resources that local communities need to stay safe and healthy because he doesn't believe in effective government. Dana doesn't believe in representing his own constituents because they care about taking on the climate crisis, ending the Iraq Occupation, fixing the economy, and protecting women's reproductive rights... While he'd rather worry about asteroid attacks and RFK Assassination conspiracy theories. I'm not even kidding, and that's why Dana is so crazy, so silly, and so scary!

Now contrast "Crazy Dana" with Debbie Cook. Unlike Dana, Debbie has a real record of real results. She stood up against corruption and waste in the Huntington Beach City Council. Without her, we wouldn't have a protected coastline and coastal wetlands stretching all the way from the Bolsa Chica Wetlands to the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Because Debbie Cook actually cares about the well-being of the community enough to fight for more effective government, the people of Surf City USA are better for it.

The choice couldn't be clearer. That's why we're seeing attitudes changing and votes changing, even in places like Costa Mesa.

Over the weekend, I walked two distinct neighborhoods in Costa Mesa, a kind of "bellwether" city in the Orange County part of the district. On Saturday, I walked the more working class and Latino heavy west side that has been hit hard by both the economic crisis and by the Republican controlled city council's attempts to kick out the working poor so big developers can profit off "gentrification". The voters here were quite receptive to Debbie Cook's message of real change to help real working people. And because Crazy Dana has a horrible record of scapegoating everything on immigrants, many people here will be glad to see him gone!

On Sunday, however, I switched to a neighborhood in the more upscale and lily white east side of Costa Mesa. Over here, the glamorous Newport Harbour is within sight and the McMansions here sometimes make me wonder if I really have crossed the Newport Beach city limits. Honestly, I was a little concerned about finding any Democrats here. But to my surprise, I found them! And better yet, I also found Republicans and Independents who were ready to cross over!

Believe it or not, Costa Mesa and other Orange County towns in the 46th District are not as Republican as the Republucan Party wants us to believe. Democrats have won here before. And yes, Democrats can win here again!

All we need are the resources to do it. Will you please help? We only have two weeks left. And with your help, I know we can win! So will you please help this Orange County local dump Crazy Dana and elect a Congressperson we can all be proud of?

On Winning the Midwest: Part 1

(Proudly cross-posted at Swing State Project, Motley Moose, Open Left, and CCN)

Last week, we finished surveying the lay of the land out West. This week, we begin to turn our attention to the Midwest. Yes, that's right. The Midwest looks to be once again a crucial battleground to win both the White House and Congress. And with just six weeks left until election day, we'd like to talk about the state of the races in America's Heartland.

So would you like to join us?

Let's begin with Ohio. Ohio may yet again be THE critical swing state this year, as polls show an extremely tight race here. However, the Presidential race isn't the only exciting contest in The Buckeye State. We also have some great opportunities to win some more Congressional seats as well!



In the Columbus based 15th District, we have a great candidate in Mary Jo Kilroy. She's currently a Franklin County (Columbus) Commissioner who has a terrific record of accomplishments in bringing Republicans and Democrats together to enact real solutions to the county's economic, health care, and environmental problems. But while Kilroy offers a message of real change, her Republican opponent only offers more of the same Bush-Cheney-McCain nonsense. Mary Jo Kilroy nearly ousted the Republican incumbent in 2006 (who's now retiring) and Bush barely squeaked by with 50% of the vote here in 2004, so this district is ripe for the picking in 2008! With the DCCC and EMILY'S List already all in here, our help can really help put Mary Jo Kilroy (and Barack Obama, for that matter!) on top this November.







Another race that the DCCC and other top Democrats are targeting in Ohio is the 16th District. Here, Air Force veteran and current state representative John Boccieri is running to bring some real change for Northeast Ohio. He's fought for our country, and he now wants to fight for Ohioans... For more and better jobs, affordable health care, and real help in these perilous economic times. Meanwhile, Republican Kurt Schuring... Well, he's not quite as fond of his possible future constituents. This race is quite winnable for Democrats, and we have a terrific candidate in John Boccieri. If we support him, he will win.



Another state that's critical for Barack Obama this fall is Michigan. The race here is close, but the renewed focus on the economy does seem to help Obama here. If there's any state that's been severely hit by the economic downturn, it's Michigan. And hopefully with Obama's message resonating here, we can also elect more good Democrats to Congress from here.



One great candidate running is Gary Peters from Michigan's 9th District (Oakland County, Detroit suburbs). Peters is an accomplished state legislator, business owner, and a Navy Veteran who signed up again to serve after 9/11. Unlike the incumbent Republican Joe Knollenberg, Peters wants to get to work to help rebuild Michigan's economy. But in order to make change happen here, we need to help Gary Peters win.





Michigan and Ohio are two critical swing states for Barack Obama to win this fall. If he wins them both, he'll likely win the White House. But in addition to the Presidential race, we have critical Congressional races to win as well in these two states. Please don't forget to help all these wonderful Democrats win by giving what you can here and by volunteering for the campaign if you live in or near any of these districts. With our help, we'll make victory happen on November 4 in the Midwest and all over the country! :-)

Send Us, Hillary!

Seriously, this was made for us! Hooray for Hillary! We'll keep you posted when we find out more about this exciting new program. :-)

On Winning the West: PART 2!!

(Proudly cross-posted at CCN & Swing State Project)

Last week, I began analyzing the state of the races out West. And ever since then, I've received feedback about me not including all the competitive races out here. And to all of you fretting, I say... Don't worry!

Because we have so many opportunities to not just pick up electoral votes for Obama, but also additional House and Senate seats, I just couldn't pack them all into one diary. So today, without further adieu, I give you Part 2 of "On Winning the West"!

OK, there's no denying it. Colorado is one of the top swing states this year. Colorado is one of our best opportunities outside of New Mexico for a Western pick-up this year, but it's also a state where the Republicans are going for broke as they're doing everything they can to prevent us from turning the state blue. But because we have the facts, the issues, and the momentum on our side, we have a great opportunity to not just turn Colorado blue on the Presidential level, but also make the state's Congressional Delegation bluer as well.





Mark Udall is currently a Member of Congress representing the Boulder area, and he's the Democrat running for Senate here. Udall has a strong record of standing up for the values we believe in as well as working across the aisle to make change happen. He's been a leader on energy and environmental issues, and he's really the perfect fit for Coloradans on the issues they care about most. Despite a recent barrage of ugly attacks, Udall has the edge in this race. Still, our friends at the DSCC are taking the GOP threat seriously... And we should, too. As long as we have Udall's back, we can win here.

Another great opportunity for us in Colorado lies with Betsy Markey in the state's 4th Congressional District. This area has traditionally been more Republican-leaning, but that's quickly changing. The incumbent anti-environment, anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-working-class Marilyn Musgrave is so extremist that she couldn't even get 50% last time she ran for reelection. And already, Markey has taken the lead in the last indpendent poll done in the district. So far, it looks like the people here would rather see someone who's ready to work for them like Betsy Markey rather than face another two years with Musgrave. And with the DCCC and EMILY'S List making a move here, we know this is a real race that we can win.

Now I know we can win Oregon for Obama. It's a pretty reliably blue state, although the polls are often close here. With some hard work and a strong message, we can not only keep Oregon blue for Obama... But also send another Democrat to the Senate!





Jeff Merkley is the Democrat running for Senate here. He has a strong record as Oregon's State House Speaker of bringing all sides to the table to pass legislation that has made a difference in people's lives while still holding true to his progressive values. That's why a multitude of progressive advocates, such as Oregon's labor unions, the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood PAC, and NARAL Pro-Choice America have all endorsed Merkley. Now the Republican incumbent Gordon Smith may claim to be "bipartisan", but we know he's just another Bush-Cheney-McCain enabler. The polls here may be close, but withour help and the DSCC's help Merkley can win.

So will you join us in helping these good Democrats win? We can win the West... As long as we stand up and fight! So will you fight with us? If we want change, we need to suppport it and work for it. So come on, let's bring some positive change to the West! :-)

NM-01: Heinrich AND Obama Lead in New Poll!

Check out the new Roll Call poll, via NM FBIHOP:

Martin Heinrich (D) 51%
Darren White (R) 46%

Barack Obama (D) 55%
John McCain (R) 41%

This purple district is going blue! Now let's make sure our Democrats win! :-)

C4O Spotlight: Let's get Debbie Cook (CA-46) on the air!

Today, the C4O All Stars spotlight shines on Debbie Cook, mayor of Huntington Beach, California and candidate for California's 46th Congressional district.

As we've told you previously in CA-46: Better Leadership for Our People & Our Planet, Debbie Cook is from the deep red Orange County and she's attempting to unseat GOP rubberstamp, and global warming denier, Dana Rohrabacher. Debbie Cook is well-known in the region, popular, and has a realistic shot at turning this red district blue.

Now, Debbie has a new TV ad, "Results", that she's airing across her district (see it here). This ad makes it clear how different Debbie's policies are from Dana Rohrabacher. As Debbie says:

I'm just not comfortable playing the Washington politics that have kept Dana in office for so long; I am depending on hardworking Americans like you for support, not Washington lobbyists like Jack Abramoff. A campaign built on the power of our community working together is the way we are going to win in November.

Now Debbie is asking for help to get this ad on the air. Each ad costs about $38 (which sounds like a great price to me) and she's asking for donations so her ad can air as many times as possible between now and November 4.

This is the chance to help unseat a really awful, entrenched Republican and get some real respresentation for the people of Orange County. Please use our C4O ActBlue page to donate to Debbie Cook's campaign (and maybe contribute to a few other good Dems while you're there.) And if you donate $38 to Debbie Cook's campaign, you can be assured that someone in Orange County is seeing a political advertisement all thanks to you.

NC-SEN: C4O Spotlights Kay Hagan

(Proudly Cross Posted at MyDD and ComputerQueen.Net)

Today I rise in support of the Candidacy of Kay Hagan to represent the Great State of North Carolina in the United States Senate.

While in the North Carolina State Senate, Mrs. Hagan has worked tirelessly to support her constituents. She has been a vocal advocate for Safer Schools and Streets. She has crossed party lines to ensure a balanced budged in her state, and pushed reform measures to open the budgeting process to the public. Kay was instrumental in the effort to make North Carolina a leader in encouraging power companies to use renewable energy sources. She also led the charge to make up the difference when Washington failed to adequately fund the Children's Health Insurance Program. Kay has been a liberal lion for her district and for the State of North Carolina.

If she can effect all this change in the State Senate, think of the amount of change she can help President Obama effect if we send her to the US Senate!

In her own words:

Military and Veterans

The government needs to protect the American people with a strong, well-funded military. Kay has consistently been a strong supporter of the military and has been a leader in making sure that North Carolina remains the most military-friendly state in the country. When Washington came up short, Kay helped members of the National Guard get the living and travel expenses they were owed, and she has supported efforts to make sure that the National Guard was getting all the training and equipment they needed to do their jobs and to come home safely. She will support better pay for our brave service members and she will oppose extended deployments that prohibit necessary rest and training. Kay also opposes the proposed Navy outlying landing field and will push for a solution that works for the military and for North Carolinians.

As the wife of a Vietnam veteran and the aunt of two young men currently serving in the military, it’s personal to Kay when it comes to taking care of our veterans and rewarding their service and sacrifice. With over a million service members having served in Afghanistan and Iraq, the country needs to improve its commitment to our veterans. Kay will continue to support increased funding for veterans’ health care and providing benefits for our veterans so we are not leaving them homeless and out in the cold. She will insist on passing a new GI Bill so returning veterans can go to college, and she favors a major investment in mental health resources for the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to make sure this generation of veterans gets appropriate treatment for the invisible casualties of combat.

We have the power to help her fight for Veterans.

Health Care
Making health care affordable and accessible to everyone is crucial to our economic competitiveness and to North Carolina families’ well-being. When Washington failed to adequately fund the children’s health insurance program, Kay stepped up and pushed for state funds to make sure children got coverage. In the Senate, she will keep fighting to extend health coverage to children and will oppose unfunded mandates by supporting increased funding for Medicaid. She will fight to lower costs by implementing electronic medical records, eliminating the extraordinary waste in the system, giving small businesses new options for buying insurance together and allowing the government to negotiate for lower drug costs for Medicare recipients.

North Carolina, as well as the nation, must reduce our nursing shortage. Kay supports improving education to boost the number of qualified applicants, and she will push to improve the quality and availability of nursing programs.

She's already a leader in Health Care in her state - now we can help her work with Our Next President to effect this form of Pragmatic and Positive change nationwide!

We can enable her to become a leader in the charge for a responsible energy policy, heavy in renewable sources, and we desperately need leadership like hers to help balance the National budget.

C4O has been committed to sending good Progressive Democrats to Washington to build a coalition for President Obama to work with, and this laudable candidate is a prime choice for that role.

I'll leave you with a video from Kay Hagan's website.



As always, please help C4O send Our All Stars and Our Rising Stars to Washington!

NH-Sen: C4O Spotlights Jeanne Shaheen

OK, now that the convention is over... It's time for us to get back to work! And for us here at C4O, this means getting more & better Democrats elected. So today, I'd like to introduce you to a truly awesome person who will make a fantastic Senator from New Hampshire.

Are you
ready to meet her?





Jeanne Shaheen was the first woman ever elected as Governor of New Hampshire. But not only did Gov. Shaheen make history this way, as she also worked hard as Governor to build a clean, green energy infrastructure in the state, as well as implement real ethics reform, improve New Hampshire's schools, and advocate civil rights for all. Oh yes, and her list of accomplishments didn't end after she left office. From 2005-07, she was Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Now contrast this with Republican Incumbent John Sununu. He's an out-of-touch George W. Bush Republican who would rather side with Bush than the people of New Hampshire. The people of New Hampshire are ready for change, but Sununu only offers more of the same.

Fortunately, the race here has become quite competitive. In fact, Democrats may even have a slight advantage here. But still, that doesn't mean we should take a win here for granted. Bush, McCain, and Sununu will do anything to win New Hampshire this fall, so we Democrats must be ready to fight back!

And guess what? Democrats are lining up to support Jeanne Shaheen! Emily's List is on board, as well as the DSCC, the Democratic organization that supports our Senate candidates. New Hampshire is poised to be one of our best Senate pick-up opportunities, so we need to be prepared to win!

So please join us in standing up for great Democrats like Jeanne Shaheen! let's say no more to the GOP and its watys of the past. Let's say "Yes, We Can" and make real change happen today! :-)

NM-01: C4O Spotlights Martin Heinrich

(Proudly cross-posted at Clark Community Network and Swing State Project)

As you all know by now, New Mexico will be critical to a Barack Obama victory this fall. However, what you may not know is that New Mexico will also be a critical battleground for us to strengthen our majority in Congress. Fortunately, we have Tom Udall running for the open Senate seat here. And even better, we also have Martin Heinrich running to turn blue a House seat that's been red for 40 years.



Martin Heinrich has spent his life helping and serving others. He's helped improve the community in Albuquerque with his non-profit work. He's fought for a healtheir environment as New Mexico State Natural Resources Trustee. He's worked to bring "green-collar jobs" to Albuquerque while on the city council, as he's also worked on the council to increase the minimum wage, reduce crime in the city's neighborhoods, and protect the area's precious natural resources. Basically, Martin Heinrich can be counted on to get the job done for the people.





Darren White,on the other hand, is nothing more than another far right Republican Bush loyalist. He served on the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign in New Mexico, and he's happily using his Bush-Cheney connections to raise money for his Congressional campaign. So even though White stresses he's an "independent leader", don't believe it. He's yet another Bush Republican offering more of the same when New Mexicans are looking for real change.

Fortunately for us, the voters in New Mexico's First District seem ready for change. The race is very close right now, and Democrats have a real chance of picking up this seat. That's why our friends like The League of Conservation Voters and The DCCC's Red to Blue program are lining up to support this people's environmental champion. We can win here... If we stand up and support our Democrat running!

So will you stand up and support good, strong, progressive Democrats like Martin Heinrich? This is one of the hottest races in the country, and this is one of best chances of turning a red seat blue and expanding our majority. So please, stand with us and support Martin Heinrich today! :-)

CA-04: C4O Spotlights Lt. Col Charlie Brown (USAF-Ret)

(Proudly Cross-Posted at ComputerQueen.Net and MyDD)

I'm just pleased as punch to have been asked to do another blog about Lt. Col. Brown.

Now, let me preface this by saying that I know this will prove to be a tough race. The PVI of the district is R+11, and the GOP is running a carpet bagger from the 19th State Senate district (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties). It appears they have to transplant someone with a pulse to take over for Doolittle, whom chose not to run again after the scandals of the past year.

The newest polling data I could find was from May, where Brown was 2 points up.

The following is a taste of his issue profile:

On Health Care:

45 Million Americans lack access to health insurance, and the number is growing. Charlie believes increasing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans is a moral and fiscal imperative. Charlie strongly supports the expansion of SCHIP, to ensure all children have access to affordable care. He also supports the concept of Universal Health care and will lead the fight for a new, constructive dialogue to solve America's health care crisis in the next Congress.

2 Words: Right On!

On Homeland Security:

It is appalling that 5 years after 9/11, the U.S. Government still hasn't implemented most of the 9/11 commission's recommendations.

Charlie believes we must immediately secure our borders, implement a national railway, port, and transit security plan, end the practice of using DHS funding for pork barrel spending that doesn't address legitimate security threats, address the communication and interoperability problems that continue to plague intelligence and emergency response operations, adequately fund FEMA and restore it to a Cabinet level post.

I don't even have to bother spinning this one!

On Iraq

Having coordinated surveillance flights over Iraq in the 1990's, Charlie did not support the U.S. invasion because he knew there were no WMD's present, that an invasion could unleash centuries old sectarian conflicts inside Iraq, and leave fewer American military resources available to defeat the enemy who attacked America on 9/11--Al Qaeda.

Despite under-manning, under-equipping, bad intelligence and naive post-war planning by politicians in Washington, America's military has toppled a terrible dictator in Iraq. But as General Patreus himself has said, our troops can only create the space for Iraq's newly elected politicians to reconcile the political differences that have fomented sectarian violence and civil war. Ultimately, Iraq needs a political solution, not a military one. And America can't defeat global terrorism by transforming the world's finest military force into the Baghdad police force.

Charlie believes accountability is the key to getting our troops home quickly and responsibly---tying future U.S. aid to the achievement of key political benchmarks by Iraq's elected leaders. Together with limited counterterrorism operations, training of Iraqi Security forces and accelerated reconstruction efforts, only real results from Iraq's politicians can expedite the process of political reconciliation Iraq needs to create a permanent stable government that can sustain itself and defend its own borders. Ultimately, open ended promises of money and troops by our government provide little incentive for Iraqi politicians to take action and ownership of their nation's future.

Ultimately, re-deploying US Troops out of Iraq will enable the United States to refocus on the real front lines against terrorism-fighting the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, strengthening our strategic alliances, improving intelligence gathering, expanding special operations capabilities, and giving our troops more time here at home- so they can be rested, trained, properly equipped and ready for quick deployment against terrorist concentrations or any other threats to America.

Col. Brown has show his willingness to speak truth to power. He was a vocal opponent of the Iraq War … not because it was the politically expedient thing to do, but because it was the RIGHT thing to do.

So this brings me to my support of Col. Brown. He already had a good showing in 2006, running against Doolittle, only losing by just over 3 points. The district has grown since then, and a lot more progressives have moved into the mountain regions of the Northern Sierra Nevada range. With all this motion, we have the best chance we’ve had in 20 years to take back the CA 4th.

On our commitment to Veterans, Col. Brown is setting aside 5% of his fundraising to assist with Veterans charities. Having a Father who is a Vietnam Vet, this is something that is very moving for me. I’d like to see more of our candidates rise to this challenge and help those who have fought for our freedoms.

Charlie Brown also understands the need for retail politics in a rural district, such as the 4th. From appearances at 4th of July Celebrations, to fundraisers at a Vineyard in Penn Valley (which is where I got to meet him … my friend’s parents own the vineyard), he is no stranger to the Grip-N-Grin. When people contribute to his campaign, he sends them a Hand Signed letter of thanks. That is something that is all too rare in today’s politics.

So, please join with the Clintonistas for Obama team as we support Our Progressive C4O All Stars.

As always, Just my 2 Cents!

Dizzy

NV-03: C4O Spotlights Dina Titus

(Proudly cross-posted at Swing State Project & Clark Community Network)

I'm so excited to kick off our new "C4O Spotlight" series today. As you all know by now, a Democratic victory isn't complete without electing more & better Democrats to Congress. So in that spirit, I'd like to introduce you all to someone very special. Please meet our first C4O All-Star.

As I talked about last weekend, I still have fond memories of my trip to Las Vegas last January. My friends & I helped make a difference in getting Democrats out to caucus. I was able to see Hillary & Bill Clinton in person for the very first time. And yes, I was also able to witness Dina Titus in action.

Dina Titus has been dedicated to serving the people of Suburban Las Vegas in the twenty years she's served in the Nevada State Senate, fifteen of those also working as the Senate Democratic Leader. She's worked to preserve Southern Nevada natural treasures like Red Rock Canyon, expand health care access to working families in Nevada, and improve the schools that serve Nevada's kids. Oh, and when she's not in the Senate, she's busy teaching American & Nevada government at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

But while Dina Titus has been working hard for Nevada's working people, Republican incumbent Jon Porter has been busy serving only himself. He's been a rubber stamp for Bush & Cheney ever since he first took office. He's used his taxpayer funded Congressional office to raise money for his campaign. He's consistently voted against the interests of Southern Nevada's working families if they get in the way of what his fat cat corporate donors want. Basically, Jon Porter is yet another dirty Republican who needs a different kind of job.

Fortunately for us & for Las Vegans, Dina Titus has a great shot at beating Porter. Titus beat Porter by 4 points in the first public poll released. DC political watchers now officially consider this race a toss-up. Democrats have come from behind to take the lead in voter registration. Oh yes, and Barack Obama's agressive Nevada campaign is sure to fire up turnout that can not only turn Nevada blue for Obama, but help Congressional candidates like Dina Titus win as well.

Oh, and let's not forget all the high-profile help Dina Titus is receiving from some great progressive allies! The Sierra Club has endorsed her because she's someone we can trust to fight for what's best for our people and our planet. EMILY's List has endorsed her becuase she'll work her hardest for all the hard working women in Southern Nevada. Dina Titus has even been added to the DCCC's Red to Blue program, which means that national Democrats are confident enough to invest in a victory here!

But you know what? Nonw of that matters if we don't take action! I wouldn't be here today if i didn't think that Dina Titus deserves our
support. So please, please join us to take action and help Dina Titus & all our other great All-Star Democrats win. With real progressive fighters like Dina Titus in Congress, we can make a difference foe the better. So if you're as committed to a better & stronger America as I am, please join me in helping great candidates like Dina Titus win. :-)

On Expanding the Map

I'm sure we've all heard about all the buzz on "expanding the map". Democrats may finally be able to do it this fall. We have enough winnable Congressional races and enough new swing states to build a stronger Democratic majority.

So can we do it? Only if we make it happen...

Obama is competing in states that Democrats have never really thought about winning before.







Obviously, the Obama campaign is doing a whole lot to expand the map and turn more red states blue. But as we've seen lately, the Republicans will not make it easy for us. They'll throw whatever mud they have at us to try to achieve a third Bush term.We need to ensure our Democrats have what it takes to keep fighting... And keep winning!

We also need to understand that how we win in these new swing states may be different from how we're used to winning traditional "blue states". I may not agree with Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) on everything, but I understand that he & other Mountain West Democrats needs to address issues in a different way (not necessarily be more conservative, but frame issues differently) in order to win. I may not always understand why Southern Democrats do what they do, but I know they also need to address issues differently in order to win. So if we see Barack Obama & Democratic Congressional candidates in these swing districts speak differently from how we're used to seeing our "Solid Blue" Dems speak, we need not freak out.

But still, all these Democrats in all these areas share the same values we do. Like us, they want real solutions to the climate & energy crisis. Like us, they want our troops home from Iraq as soon as possible. Like us, they want real health care solutions. And like us, they want an economy that works for all of us working people again.

We have a unique opportunity now, in 2008. Americans are tired of the same old Bush-Cheney garbage. Americans want real change. This is our time, and we have to take advantage of it now.

I know we're all freaking out over daily racking polls & VP picks & convention buzz right now. But hopefully, we'll all remember to do what's necessary to help Democrats win. We can't afford to miss this opportunity. Let's build a stronger majority today!



:-)

For Hillary

(Proudly cross-posted at Clark Community Network)

Sometimes, I still feel disappointed about this election. Sometimes, I keep asking myself "Where's Hillary?" Sometimes, I become frightened at the thought of Democrats losing. Sometimes, I still wish I could see Hillary back on the campaign trail again.

Sometimes, I wonder what the hell I'm doing now. But you know what? I just can't keep looking back. I can't let Hillary down now.



After all that I did for Hillary, how can say no to her now? That's what keeps me going. That's what continues to prod me forward. That's what keeps me pushing for Democrats.



Hillary has done so much for us. She proved to me that no one can hold us back. She taught us that yes, we can pursue our dreams. She showed us that with hard work and true grit, we can accomplish anything.

So why am I freaking out over a couple of lousy polls for Barack Obama? Why am I allowing the Rethuglican hacks to scare me into submission again? Why must I worry myself into complete depression when John McBush still can't build up a lead? While this latest rough patch has taught me not to become to complacent in "likely victory", there's also no reason for me to commit suicide over this.

After all, Hillary keeps fighting for us... Even when all the pundits & DC insiders count her out. And if she can keep working for a Democratic victory this fall, so can I. If she can continue fighting, so can I.

There's far too much at stake for us to lose. We desperately need a Democrat in the White House to right Bush's wrongs. Oh yes, and we need a Democratic Congress to help President Obama do that.

When I was in Nevada this past January campaigning for Hillary, I had the time of my life. One of my best memories from that trip was seeing Hillary in person for the first time at a campaign event in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson. I was amazed by her intelligence, her wit, her beauty, and her grace. But you know who also amazed me? I also remember seeing a state senator by the name of Dina Titus impress me with her breadth of knowledge on Nevada issues along with her warm, soulful personality. I was excited when I later found out that Dina Titus is now running for Congress, and I couldn't help but to make sure I was of help to her.

When I was starring to become depressed about the state of the Presidetial Race in May, I found a new cause to enthusiastically jump into. Like Hillary, Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook is another strong woman who doesn't stop fighting when the going gets tough. I've been able to witness her commitment to environmental justice here in Orange County, CA, and we'll all be well served to have people like Debbie serve us in Congress. I'm sure that would make Hillary smile.

So this is why I keep fighting. This is why I keep working so damn hard for Democrats. I want to see more people like Hillary take office and fight for us. If she won't ever give up on us, let's not give up on her and the causes she believes in.

Let's not give up now. Let's keep fighting. We can stay strong. If Hillary can do it, so can we. :-)

My contribution: $

I've Said It Before & I'll Say It Again

My contribution: $

(Proudly cross-posted at Clark Community Network)

I think you all know what I'm about to say. So often, we forget as we become excited about ending the eight year long Bush-Cheney nightmare currently haunting the White House. We forget about how Bush & Cheney have been able to get whatever they want. We forget about how they've been able to avoid any kind of accountability. We forget about the 535 people who can make a HUGE difference in changing course from Bush-Cheney and helping President Obama forge a new & better path for this nation.

I think you now know what needs to be said... Now don't you?

President Obama is NOT enough! While you all know I'm as excited about the Presidential election as all of you are, I also know that we can't stop with the White House. If we want a more progressive government, we also need more & better Democrats in Congress!

Remember that as long as Republicans control at least 41 Senate seats & a significant chunk of House seats, they can obstruct the Democratic agenda. Why do you think House Speaker Nancy Pelosi & Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have been unable to do much of anything lately? The Republicans currently have enough votes in both houses of Congress to obstruct whatever Pelosi & Reid try to do. And when we combine the present strength of the Republicans with the number of moderate or conservative "Blue Dog Democrats" that sometimes break away from the rest of the party on key social, economic, and/or foreign policy issues, we have a recipe for complete & ugly stalemate.

If you care about a smart & sane energy future that benefits our people & our planet, please send more & better Democrats to Congress. If you want and end to Bush's Iraq occupation as well as a new commitment to real global cooperation, please send more & better Democrats to Congress. If you prefer to see real progress on advancing civil rights for all, please send more & better Democrats to Congress. If you can't wait to see the dream of universal health care become reality, please send more & better Democrats to Congress. And if you'd like to see an end to the Republican war on the poor & middle class, please send more & better Democrats to Congress!

Come on now. We can't wait. We
can't hesitate. Labor Day has not even arrived yet, and the GOP is already tossing its ugliest dirt our way. We need to make sure our Democrats have enough resources to continue fighting the good fight... And ultimately win this fall!

Please join with us in supporting these awesome Democrats today! Let's make sure we have more & better Democrats in Congress. Let's make sure President Obama won't be alone in delivering change we can believe in. :-)

Andrew Rice (OK-Sen)	$
Tom Allen (ME-Sen)	$
Annette Taddeo (FL-18)	$
Bill Hedrick (CA-44)	$
Julie Bornstein (CA-45)	$
Nick Leibham (CA-50)	$
Michael Montagano (IN-03)	$
Sam Bennett (PA-15)	$
Judy Baker (MO-09)	$
Kay Barnes (MO-06)	$
Christine Jennings (FL-13)	$
Betsy Markey (CO-04)	$
Gary Pritchard (CA-SD-33)	$
Al Franken (MN-Sen)	$
Jill Morgenthaler (IL-06)	$
Dan Seals (IL-10)	$
Judy Feder (VA-10)	$
Ronnie Musgrove (MS-Sen)	$
Rick Noriega (TX-Sen)	$
Eric Massa (NY-29)	$

I Think the DCCC Likes Our All-Stars...

Take a look at where they are spending money. I think they like us... And they like our Democrats. Keep it up. We're making a BIG difference! :-)

CA-46: Crazy Dana Walking Precincts... WHERE??!!

My contribution: $

(Proudly cross-posted at Swing State Project)

Ah, how I love me the right-wing blogs! Sometimes, I find it amusing to simply lurk over there and see the vile garbage spew out of their keyboards. But to my surprise, I found out today that some of my recent diaries have been featured on an infamous local right-wing blog.

Apparently, Debbie Cook is foolish for actually talking to voters. I mean, why should she actually take time to talk to voters? "Crazy Dana" Rohrabacher obviously doesn't. I have yet to see one neighborhood outreach walk, volunteer phone bank, or any other kind of voter outreach activity happening with his campaign.

Well, I guess it's Crazy Dana's loss that he doesn't talk to voters while Debbie Cook does. The more voters here in the 46th District find out about him, the less they like him. And as they learn more about Debbie Cook, the more they like her for her hard work to protect our quality of life as well as her plan to make real change that benefits real people.

 

 OK, so Dana doesn't want to earn his votes? And he'd rather continue with his extreme right-wing agenda than listen to the more moderate voters in his own district? So be it.  

I just hope Dana's ready to face the consequences. From what I understand, voters don't like to be ignored. And if Dana keeps ignoring his own voters, he may have a tougher November than what he's planning for. I just wonder if he & his GOP buddies have actually thought this through.

Whatever. I shouldn't have to worry about Crazy Dana & his far-right GOP pals. We have enough work to do ensuring that great Democrats like Debbie Cook get elected this fall.

Barack Obama (President)	$
Hillary Clinton (President)	$
Debbie Cook (CA-46)	$
Jeanne Shaheen (NH-Sen)	$
Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)	$
Jeff Merkley (OR-Sen)	$
Dina Titus (NV-03)	$
Linda Stender (NJ-07)	$
Darcy Burner (WA-08)	$
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)	$
Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15)	$
Debbie Halvorson (IL-11)	$
Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)	$
Martin Heinrich (NM-01)	$
Dan Maffei (NY-25)	$
Jon Powers (NY-26)	$
Charlie Brown (CA-04)	$
Jim Himes (CT-04)	$
Gary Peters (MI-09)	$
Glenn Nye (VA-02)	$

Are you with me? ;-)

CA-46: Better Leaderhsip for Our People & Our Planet

(Proudly cross-posted at Swing State Project & MyDD)

I live in Orange County, CA. I'm used to seeing scary Republicans that care nothing about environmental justice. But of all the crazy Republicans here, none can be crazier than "Crazy Dana" Rohrabacher. He's consistently voted against the best interests of our people and our planet, and it's time we do something about this. That's why I'm so glad to see some good friends of ours take real action for real change.




Here's the big announcement from the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV):

“We’re proud to support Debbie Cook because she has shown time and again her commitment to protecting our coastal resources,” said CLCV’s Southern California Director David Allgood. “Mayor Cook has a long record of achievement on environmental, public health and other issues important to the people of the 46^th District.”

Huntington Beach Mayor & Democratic Congressional Candidate Debbie Cook has worked so hard to do so much to protect the California coastal environment. She successfully sued the state Coastal Commission to protect the ecologically sensitive Bolsa Chica Wetlands. She successfully convinced all the Republicans on the Huntington Beach City Council to join with all the Democrats on the council in unanimously agreeing to sign the city onto the US Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement. And today, she's working to stop a dangerous desalination plant that would harm the regional coastline while fueling more exurban sprawl.



(photo coutresy LA Times) 

Debbie Cook truly is the people's environmental champion here in Orange County, CA. And if we elect her to Congress, she can be a champion for all of us. So will you please join the League of Conservation Voters in supporting Debbie Cook?


I've come to know Debbie Cook pretty well as I've helped out with the campaign. She's the real deal. That's why she's earned my full support. I hope she can earn yours as well. :-)

Barack Obama (President)	$
Hillary Clinton (President)	$
Debbie Cook (CA-46)	$
Jeanne Shaheen (NH-Sen)	$
Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)	$
Jeff Merkley (OR-Sen)	$
Dina Titus (NV-03)	$
Darcy Burner (WA-08)	$
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)	$
Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)	$
Linda Stender (NJ-07)	$
Christine Jennings (FL-13)	$
Martin Heinrich (NM-01)	$
Gary Peters (MI-09)	$
Charlie Brown (CA-04)	$
Glenn Nye (VA-02)	$
WesPAC - Securing America's Future	$