Calling all Progressives: My name is Pat Babb, and I live in Chester, NY, which is in Orange County, NY, which actually part of NY and within commuting distance of NYC. We’re on the west side of the Hudson, above Rockland County and below Sullivan County. We have 2 Democrats on the Town Council, and one was elected to the County Legislature, and there is one year remaining on his term. At the time we were collecting petitions in June and July, I did not knowthere was no Democrat running to retain that seat: currently there is a Republican running unopposed. I think Democrats should not concede the seat for want of a candidate, so I am running. I have to run as an independent, the Chester 1st Party, but I am a Democrat through and through. Our local committee members are working with me.

I need 200 signatures by August 22nd from Chester — I’m targeting Democrats. If there are progressives in my neighborhood who are inclined, please come to Chester and help me gather signatures. Rational, reasonable progressives need to be elected at every level of government.

All friendly campaign advice is welcomed: I’m learning as I go. We progressives cannot concede a single seat anywhere without a contest.

You can always tell when the other side is afraid of you. The MSM has started calling us “the left wing Internet bloggers.” Sort of has a ring to it.

’scuse me, not my country, but our country!

Oh well …

1. THE NICE-NICE JANUS FACE for public interactions, like Letters to Editor (supporting the Objects of their Destruction, like Cynthia McKinney as noted by ilson45201, below; and amusing, joke-filled stabs to the chest of right-wing-nut media mouthpieces)

2. WHILE GIVING NO QUARTER TO PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW ME (so when they think of me as their “token” flaming liberal or they mouth the rantings of their backward, knuckle-dragging work associates or relatives just to get my rage and talking points) they are never disappointed. They know they will get the argument of their lives. No squishy lib, I.

Apropos the Letter to Editor Nice-Nice face …

*ilson46201 said:

>>… mainly working with progressive Black women. They’re “3-fers” having to deal with classism, racism and sexism simultaneously. I just sent thru ActBlue $20 to Cynthia McKinney — her election is also this coming Tuesday.

And, if you need to feed a crowd, try this cookbook: Lloie’s Kitchen, from Schoolhouse Press in WI (plug: small business, woman-owned).

I missed hearing from looseheadprop this week. She told us of some troubles last week, and I hope all is well.

I am politically-minded but not all that active yet. But my daughter and I did take a page from the FDL book and organized and email campaign to our state legislature to defeat a bill that targeted gay clubs in high school. It was a very interesting experience. The bill was eventually defeated and I don’t know how much influence our small group had (I don’t even know how many people ultimately sent the emails — we provided the mailing list and some talking points, and they were on their own after that). But it was a small success.

I also have my personal blog which leans to the political side with a little life mixed in. Friends and family read my blog, and I hope I can influence some of the many conservatives in my otherwise great family.

Pancakes! mmmmm! Make them from scratch–they’re simple. Better yet, turn them into waffles. Life is short, why have a plain flat pancake when you can have an “embossed” one!

In 1948 my Dad taught me how to “keep score” for both Baseball (The Indians won the Penant that year) and for Political Conventions. As a result we were listening (still no TV) to the Dem Convention from Philadelphia when Hubert Humphrey delivered what has since become known as the “Sunshine Speech” — which was followed by the roll call of the states on the strong Civil Rights plank — and then Strom Thurmond leading the Dixiecrats out of the hall. I’ve always thought that was the critical point in my political education. I had many to explain what it was all about among my family and friends — but hearing the words and the passion about “States Rights” (Racism) just set my course. Yep, I passed out Stevenson lit in 1956, and worked on state and local races before I could vote — but beginning in 1957 I got much involved with King’s organization (Coretta was from my College), and after graduating, I spent ten years administering a Religious Civil Rights Organization. Yes, I voted for Kennedy, but I also picketed his campaign, demanding that he speak out on Civil Rights and the Sit In Movement. (As of mid October, he hadn’t said much).

In the 1970’s — all the time teaching — I became involved with Minnesota’s DFL Party, and have served 10 years on State Central, Chaired party and convention committees, and I’ve managed about 20 state and local campaigns. I was in on that famous bonfire at the campground outside Rochester Minn in June, 1988 when the Progressives and the Jackson delegates decided to run Paul Wellstone for the Senate in 1990, spent two years at it, and you know — we won. It was the most “out of the box” but most rewarding political thing I ever did — and I am still not over how it all ended in 2002. These days I am pretty much homebound with arthritis, and have to do my politics on the “tubes” — but I sense we are coming into a good season if we keep working on it smartly.

Upthread, someone said not to forget the local and state races — double that. The folk you elect to the State Legislature now and in 2008 will be the masters of re-apportionment. You want a better congress? You get it by running quality people for the legislature now and in 08, and thus have control of that process. I know he is taking lots of flack from Schumer and Emanual who have their agendas, but Howard Dean has the right idea, and his 50 State project is in need of strong support.

I love these voices.

Today Rayne wins with #53 her wonderful background story, kids as prez parenting and #101 tremendous idea – blogs for us lurker, commenter types who need to take the next step . . .

My first conscious political act was mailing $1 to Jack Paar for “Tractors for Cuba” . . . This is from an innocent Iowa jr. high kid. My racist, republican daddy and loving though puppet mommy were overheard laughing at cocktails saying they’d raised us to look out for the underdog – but they hadn’t expected us to really do this.

In the 60’s my first love in Iowa was black (problematic), in the 70’s I voted for McGovern and started the first consciousness raising group in my Iowa town, in the 80’s I went back to college, got a divorce, had a nervous-breakdown and started over in NYC. The 90’s are a blur as I was grieving the suicide of my daughter.

The 2000 election and this administration caused me great rage and mobilized me.

The last 4 years I have been taking baby steps towards becoming a complete person. (You know . . . Why am I alive?) For me, a critical part of that is climbing out of myself to keep some balance. I had to arbitrarily say to myself I needed to spend 2 hours a month for others, for the community and for volunteering.

Found buzzflash during the 2004 election, went to Meet-ups, followed Move-On, became chair of Women’s issues in Kerry campaign (before DLC and his campaign pushed our local group to the side), signed petitions, and became president of my Phoenix neighborhood association.

I now live in California (North Coast of San Diego) and read blogs for hours and hours a day, worked on Busby campaign, volunteered for Straw Bale build at fair (alternatives), will be virtual calling for Lamont through Move-On this weekend. I still have to make myself participate in the community. Does it get easier? It reminds me of exercises – just do it and you will be glad you did.

Seems it is not my nature, just the terrible times. Big fear is that I am simply becoming addicted – indignation addiction.