Elections do have consequences. And sometimes, getting some new blood in elected office is just what a particular district needs. A Republican constituent of Kirsten Gillibrand, one of our Blue America candidates from 2006, took the time to compliment her in a local paper, and I thought I'd share a bit of it with everyone. To wit:
As a former aide to John Sweeney while he was in the Pataki administration, I must say what a tremendous job Kirsten Gillibrand is doing. She is the most accessible politician in the region. Every weekend, she is somewhere in the 20th Congressional District, letting us know exactly where she stands on issues and why, which is a refreshing change. I'm sure we all have stories about experiences we have had dealing with Rep. Gillibrand, but I feel compelled to tell you about mine….
I figured I would see the usual political maneuver in which the politician walks through the room, shakes a couple of hands, gets a picture with a leading area vet, says how hard she is fighting for us in Washington and then is whisked out of the room, all in a matter of minutes.
What happened could not have been further from this. Rep. Gillibrand went to the podium, disconnected the microphone, walked to the vet seated nearest her, gave him the microphone, sat down, opened a notebook, got out a pen and asked, "What do you want me to do as your representative in Congress?" I have to tell you, I was astonished.
Rep. Gillibrand sat there for 2 1/2 hours, listening as we passed the microphone from person to person. She asked questions, gave opinions and answers, and took down personal contact information if she did not have an answer, promising to call us back.
Our district could not have asked for a better person to serve us. If she keeps this up, she will be our representative for life.
Amazing how just listening to your consituents, treating them like fellow human beings and peers, and taking their suggestions into account while valuing their real life experience can do a world of good, isn't it? Here's to more good news from more of our Blue America candidates in the days ahead.
I want to take a moment to underscore the importance of participating in face-to-face meetings like this one with your elected officials. They need to hear your voice, talk to you about the issues you face, and listen to your suggestions on solutions to problems in your community. Otherwise, the only voices they will hear are those of the Beltway political consultants and the K Street crowd, and that simply is not not acceptable. Citizenship is something that we do — so please, take some time to do something today that makes your voice heard on an issue that you think is important.
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Zed
And then you have politicians like Joe Lieberman who only wants to keep his job and forgets that he works for his constituents. Contrast the two…
Ahhh, good news is like a cool breeze on a dog day.
Thanks!
That is good news. Thanks!!!
Hooray! Thanks, Christy! :-)
cccmask @
2
ccmask – is that you? Have you changed your screen name?
The trick is to keep it up & and stay humble…
Mae @
93
I’ve never brought something over from a previous thread. Hope it’s O.K. I hoped we might talk about this a bit more.
[Mod: quote-nesting alert.]
What a nice post! I’m not sure I need a cool breeze here in New York City, but refreshing just the same.
Thanks Christie.
Christy I was thinking about what you posted about Frontline, that they are trying to air all sides.
But when a well known “liar or fabricator” like Perle is given an hour is that really fair or just stupid? Would they give Chalabi or Judy Miller an hour of airtime?
I forgot you said they gave Cheney an hour.
kathleen — they didn’t just give the hour TO Cheney — they talked ABOUT him with others as well, which I suspect they will do with Perle. Don’t you think that watching the show first before you castigate them for it might be the more prudent way to go? That way you’ll know if they handle it badly or well?
Hi Christy!
Thanks for all you do.
OT-TPM has up that Conyers’ cmte. will be voting on whether to offer Monica G. immunity in exchange for her testimony.
Does that reflect the fact that both sides are talking, or is this Conyers’ way of making an offer?
From the NYTimes, March 21, 2007:
(NYTimes link behind TimesSelect firewall.)
CHS — pls pardon Spelling Weasel — complIment :)
Christy Hardin Smith @ 12
After I watched Pollacks “Inside Iran” The Most Dangerous Nation”. I began to seriously question Frontline
Who could have anticipated a representative that . . . what’s the word again? . . . listens?
Progressives, that’s who!
Listening does not mean automatically agreeing with what you hear. It does mean taking the time to pay attention, and letting what you hear inform your thinking.
Kudos, Rep G!
P.S. Rahm — this is how it’s done.
Wow. This is really much needed news, Christy.
I’m so proud of Gillibrand I could just burst; she is EXACTLY the kind of elected official this country so needs in every seat.
Wow! A representative who actually appears to “represent” her constituents. WHAT a CONCEPT! Maybe she could give ol’ Lamar Smith some lessons. But I ain’t gonna hold my breath on THAT happening soon. She might offer but he wouldn’t honor the offer.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 6
He’s gone Soviet!
Picture the usual campaign tv commercial: Candidate with beautiful family, candidate in uniform, candidate with constituents, talking constantly to show he/she’s still alive. Never one listening. This story is a refreshing image.
Uh, huh. Yeah. That is a great story. That’s the kind of thing that makes you feel good about a politician.
Thanks for this post, Christy! You really brightened my day. America today needs a lot less politics in politics.
From the NYTimes, March 21, 2007:
(NYTimes link behind TimesSelect firewall.)
kathleen @ 16
Christy I appreciate your suggestion, but there is a big part of me saying enough of spending more time listening to known “liars and fabricators” all in the name of justice and “freedom of speech”.
Instead of encouraging and pushing our reps to prosecute some of these habitual “liars and fabricators” and either impeaching them for these lies that have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths so that they can not serve in future administrations or putting them in jail for the crimes that they have committed
why do i get the feeling that the guy on the left wearing the glasses is:
1) mugging for the camera in a goofy way;
2) related to the woman in front of him in the white sweater;
3) married to her;
4) and she’s used to,
if not tolerant of,
his embarrassing her like this in public?
If we could just get more of the eligible voters to cast ballots. Things might change for the better.
CNN, St Edwards University in Austin, Texas evacuated. Bomb scare.
This was very good news to me, since even though I reside outside the US she represents my district. I must admit that it is refreshing as well to see that she will appeal to at least some in the Republican party. More fresh air and sunshine are definitely needed to turn the country around.
The nation which is the most dangerous to world peace is my country. Far and away.
johnSwifty @
3
Yes, thanks, CHS. Some mornings need more help than others.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 30
Unfortunately I think you are correct. How sad.
o/t a little, but. . .
B R E A K I N G:
more at my site shortly. . .
gonzales has to be pleased. . .
or. . . not so much.
goodling to have immunity by
tomorrow, before noon. . .
thinkprogress has it now, too. . .
nolo @ 34
That immunity will come with a price, though. Conyers expects Goodling to pony up with the information, and I don’t expect that he’s going to put up with very much crap in the process.
nolo @ 34
Who can tell? His face seems frozen in a psychotic smile no matter what happens.
Fan-Goodling-TASTIC!! :)
I would like to add to Christy’s suggestion having to do with “taking time to do something today that makes your voice heard on an issue that you think is important”.
Please contact Senator Rockerfeller (chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence) in regard to the status of Phase II of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Memory refresher on Phase II
http://thinkprogress.org/roberts-coverup
Senator Jay Rockefeller
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202.224.6472
We have yet to witness anyone held accountable for the WMD false intelligence!
I have been trying, for many months, to find out when Steny Hoyer, our new House Majority Leader, has open meetings with his constituents, of which I am one. He’s had one that was specifically to discuss with seniors the problems they were having with Medicare Part D, but that’s it.
If he ever has an open forum, I’ll be there. But no luck so far.
EvilDrPuma @ 35
Can Rover trump that with a Preznit Pardon?
Badwater @ 40
Not without basically admitting to wrongdoing. A stunt like that would call the dogs off Goodling, but it also gives them another target.
endgame much?
Years ago as child, I was terribly afraid about what Russia and perhaps China would do. Now it’s my own country that I’m terrified of.
OT–but important:
Can we define toobz for urban dictionary.com?
We can come up with a draft with emendations, then submit as FDL community?
toobz: the connection between individual machine (or computer) and a webite’s server.
Christy,
If you have a moment, could you address my post @13?
Thanks.
Rove must be provided his day in court. Even if it’s after the next election.
I applaud Ms. Gillibrand for her sincerity and dedication. No doubt we need more reps. of such caliber. Isn’t it sad that we have arrived at this situation where we have to pass out kudos to people for doing their job, after all, they represent the voters and their job is supposed to find out what the constituents would like from their government.
Rep. Gillibrand is not just doing her job, she is doing her job extremely well and I hope she never gets disillusioned or jaded.
Kudos to rep. Gillibrand for her dedication.
OT
I learn from NYT article on Wolfie’s girlfriend that Victoria Toesuck is her lawyer. More popcorm please.
sorry, linky:
urban dictionary.com
OT & EPU’ed
To Christy: Thank you regarding the browser question!
Have a good day all!
Ally, ally, in come free!
Goodling should thank her lucky stars that she’s even getting the chance to have an immunity deal!
Maybe this will encourage others to come forward quickly…
Biodun @ 44
imvho not funny enuf. The definition should include some ridiculation on Senator Stevens’s amazingly stupid conceptualization of what the Internet is. And yep, I just coined ridiculation. I hope its intent is clear :)
Are “Internets” and “the Google” in that dict yet, for the same reasons except that they are out of the mouth of President Potemkin (who is also amazingly stupid in his own special way)? I ain’t checked…
RT @
39
Pete Stark, my rep in the SF Bay area, has meetings roughly each month.
On the Senate side of Capitol Hill, Dick Durbin and Barack Obama follow the lead of the late Paul Simon, and regularly hold constituent conversations.
If your rep or senator doesn’t hold open meetings like this, perhaps phone calls asking them why not might be in order.
If a satisfactory answer is not forthcoming, perhaps relaying this information to the local media might get some action. “It’s a pity that Rep ABC doesn’t have time to listen to their constituents, unless the constituent has a big lobbying firm or political connections. . . .”
Toobz;
The place where Ted Stevens constantly parks large trucks to deliver emails thereby slowing the transfer of information at the headquarters of FireDogLake.
Christy, if you’re still there..we’re still curious: what IS “blogwhoring”?
Bustednuckles @ 54
NOW yer talkin’, Bustednuckles!
SoS@
Is “ridiculation” a word? If not, it should be!; ;)
conniptionfit @ 55
Tossing in links back to your own site. If done once, on topic, that’s one thing, and it’s not a problem. If you do it multiple times, just to drive your traffic regardless of the topic, that is a problem. If you do it under multiple handles (changing your name to make it look like several people are saying “look at this”), that makes you a sock puppet — and also gets your tail tossed.
LA Times op-ed on Wolfowitz and his lady:
The Wolfowitz non-story
By Ruth Wedgwood
Why the World Bank chief and his girlfriend are victims of scandal peddlers, not their own judgment.
Oh, so it’s a standard business practice to get your significant other a high-paying job in your organization?
ooohhhh. Thank you Peterr.
My draft of toobz is just that: a first draft inviting editing, suggestions, etc. There are FDLers more clever than I that I’m sure we can come up with something.
I just thought we should do this since toobz is frequently used here. I suspect that like EPU’d (which, BTW, is in urban dictionary) it’s unique to FDL.
conniptionfit @ 60
We aim to please.
There’s a special circle of internet hell for sock puppets — right next to the trolls. The sock puppets keep shouting “hey, look at me,” and the trolls will be happy to oblige them.
Peterr @ 58
hopes he’s not talkin’ ’bout me. . .
seriously, peterr — i am just tryin’
to get the word out quickly — and, i
humbly apologized, and in advance, for
straying off-topic in this thread.
“we now return you to your
regularly scheduled thread. . .”
Biodun @ 61
Absolutely no offense meant by my followup, Biodun… good idea! Stupidity like Stevens’s deserves a good ridiculation :) imho
P J Evans @ 59
Oh we know the mantra. Victims. Good people. Political witchhunt. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
-GSD
P J Evans @
59
Have you seen this ThinkProgress post?
Riza link
Riza Was a Key ‘Influence’ Who Helped ‘Reinforce Wolfowitz’s Resolve’ On Iraq Invasion
STTP in Ohio @ 13
didn’t see this one at 13 — i sincerely
apologize. . . my bad — delete my link.
More Good News for those living in the Chicago region. The Green Fest is this coming weekend. Alisa Gravitz (director of Co-op America, and Denise Hamler ( a dear friend of mine who has been with Co-op america for 25 years) will be co-hosting Green fest with Global Exchange
This event is an incredible opportunity to see and buy “alternative” goods and hear an incredible list of speakers for a very inexpensive price. Support the Green Fest by attending if you are in the region.
http://www.greenfestivals.org/content/view/17/3
Co-op America is a phenomenal organization
http://www.coopamerica.org/ Co-op America and
Global Exchange (co-founded by Medea Benjamen and her husband Kevin
http://www.globalexchange.org/
I have attended the Green Fest in Washington D.C. and it is an incredible event, well worth attending. Here are just a few of the speakers this weekend at the Green Fest in Chicago
With a guest speaker list of over 150, Green Festival will play host to such visionary leaders as Amy Goodman, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Jim Hightower, Greg Palast, Bill McKibben, Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins and Chicago Environment Commissioner Sadhu Johnston (invited).
no worries, nolo. The question was raised and EPU’d at the end of the last thread, and I tried to give a quick answer. I’m just tossing out a general observation about how Christy and Jane run this place.
And an “off topic” warning and “apologies in advance” are always appreciated. Thanks!
Of course, if anyone else should recognize themselves in that description . . . ahem . . . you have been warned.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 66
“reinforce resolve”? Is that what we’re calling extra-marital sex combined with a heavy dose of cronyism?
Not exactly one of the wingers’ better frames…
By the way, check out the organization at which Wolfie helped his chickee get placed — looks like a whorehouse for the military-industrial complex.
OT and I hope this doesn’t cut down on too much FDL traffic… but some kind Pup mentioned earlier today that this is Free Cone Day at [ http://www.benandjerrys.com/ ] so I’ll brb :)
“we now return you to your regularly scheduled thread …”
Thanks for this post Christy. I just sent a copy of that letter and a link to it along with my message–
This letter from a Republican in Rep. Gillibrand’s district illustrates
the kind of behavior that would lead me to vote for a representative, even
if I didn’t always agree with his stands.
–to Patrick Tiberi, with whom I am almost never in agreement.
“If your reinforced resolve lasts more than four hours, consult a physician immediately”
EvilDrPuma @ 20
I had an extra “c” in there for some reason! Yes, alas, it’s only me!
TeddySanFran @ 73
Best Post Of The Day!!! ROTFLOL!!! :) Thankee kindly
Now I’m off for a BJ – brb
(Naughty, naughty — per my #71, Ben & Jerry’s. Keep your mind where I can see it)
Peterr @ 69
sigh. relieved. . .
peace. gotta’ bounce. . .
S.O.S. from MA @
75
Best Post Of The Day!!! ROTFLOL!!! :) Thankee kindly
Now I’m off for a BJ – brb
(Naughty, naughty — per my #71, Ben & Jerry’s. Keep your mind where I can see it)
Betcha they would get more customers if they offered “free BJs”
Holee crapoleee.
Unusual Trip to Iraq in ’03 for Wolfowitz Companion – NY Times 4-17
OleHippieChick @ 78
Did you notice in same article that Riza’s lawyer is Victoria Toesuck, aka Cruella DeVille?
SPCPA @ 66
To be fair, LAT also has a piece saying thay should be fired. It doesn’t have the direct link on the front page, though.
eCAHNomics @ 79
Things just get more incestuous by the moment!
S.O.S. from MA @ 64:
Absolutely no offense taken. I’ve read enough of your comments to know your sense of humor, I think. *g*
Here’s a little good news…
As much as I like her as my representative, I would much rather have her replace Schumer.
I guess we’ll have to wait a while for that.
Gunga, if you are still hanging around, I got an answer from the tech folks:
Welcome to Opera. Most likely the static server was slowing down, causing images to load slow (cookies would not cause this and the people not logged in only get 1 small cookie loaded – about 30 bytes. Logged in gets one loaded about 200 bytes). It could have also been Sitemeter or something else loading slow on the site. Opera won’t properly render out the page until everything is loaded (on our servers and not).
Will e-mail this to you as well. Hope it helps!
OT–
From AP:
Lou Costello @ 83
Kucinich!
yellowsnapdragon @ 87
YAY!
end zig
FYI, New thread
yellowsnapdragon @
87
Can I play Devil’s advocate (or what the right wing bloggers call Gore) for a moment? Is it better to drag us through impeachment hearings for Bush/Cheney or keep them in the White House and drag their criminal behavior through the MSM so Dems can capture the maximum seats in ‘08 congressional elections AND the Presidency? I do not think there is a strong enough case yet for broaching the subject of impeachment as yet, and Kucinich might be shooting himself in the foot. As my friends remind me, it is not what you know, it is what you can prove and I think there needs to be concrete proof to get enough votes for impeachment.
I so agree with this post, Christy, especially your closing line “citizenship is something that we do.”
I was just thinking about this moments ago, when thinking about how to bolster my son’s education. Areas not being well addressed in schools are history, political and cultural knowledge; knowledge of geography; and world knowledge. And in the context of world knowledge, knowledge of our own country.
Students today, and many adults, do not understand what a grand political and social experiment the United States of America is. They not aware of what came before 1776, and they don’t really know what brought about the founding of this nation. They don’t understand the cornerstone of this nation is the belief in the inherent goodness and wisdom of the informed common man.
I think what we are seeing in these times is this democratic experiment coming up against its limits. We were not meant to be a big well oiled machine. We need to be more of a living, breathing organic entity, in which all parts are working.
And how this all relates back to my son’s education, is that students are not being taught that they are citizens.
We have become a big unaware snoozing populace. And BTW, I do believe that the dumbing down of education is deliberate. An awake citizenry is a dangerous thing.
Petrocelli, What about Cheneys lies and his intention to go to war via a pack of lies.. I would think there is enough evidence to pursue articles of impeachment…on that alone
IANAL and we should read what Kucinich articles say..but it is time!! past time!! and the country needs sunlight on Cheneys evil doings, at least!
jmho
Fresh thread for everyone.
Eureka Springs @
92
I would love to see these guys impeached ASAP, many of my friends who are (very good) attorneys say the burden of proof makes impeachment a Herculean task. They got Clinton on his own words. This Congress would have to gather some fairly heavy testimony from Tenet, Powell, Clarke, O’Neil, etc. as well as some written or audio of the POTUS/VP being party to their crimes.
All I can say is, ‘Wow!’ Gillebrand is the real deal, an actual REPRESENTATIVE. Few enough of them.
yep…just need congres to get the wheels in motion…since MSM is under some kind of gag order or being blackmailed..
Let Kucinich…summon every big energy person and ask if they attended the meeting in the White House with Cheney and ask what was discussed..
Follow the yellow cake road, via eRiposte.
Feiths office??
PNAC manifesto signatories…who sent a letter with their intentions to Pres Clinton.
Start assembling the pieces in public..
If at first Kucinich doesn’t succeed, try, try, again.
The process may be more important than the actual impeachment…because there is always the Hague.
Eureka Springs @
96
I sincerely hope Kucinich can launch such an investigation and issue summons to all the big players. Congressional lawyers will have sleepless night drafting all of those immunity deals.
Bush & Co. do not recognize The Hague.
Christy Hardin Smith @
85
Yes! Thank you Christie, got the e-mail and got it here. I think it was sitemeter running slow (whatever sitemeter is :) and I think the cookie and/or image I mentioned came from their site directly while loading FDL. Whatever, Opera is up & running great. I think the multiple pagewidth reformats have ended too, now that I think about it.
Thanks so much to all involved!
Good News for the 20th I guess. Our Representative in California’s 3rd District is Dan Lungren-how the hell can you talk to such a dip?
What do you think the chances are of Mr. Mihalko ever being hired by a Republican again?
Amazing that this should be amazing, but kudos to Ms. Gillibrand for setting a good example — one my Congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky could learn from. At a recent appearance before a progressive group I belong to, her talk was mostly about what we could do for her. When I suggested in the question period that this had to be a two-way street — many local progressives were upset at her for helping Rahm Emanuel in his quest to keep Christine Cegelis from getting the nomination in IL-6 last year (something she and Rahm were working on long before anyone heard of Tammy Duckworth) — she considered my question presumptuous and refused to answer.