(Please welcome Josh Hoyt, who lives in Rahm Emanuel’s congressional district and heads the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights — jh)
Rahm Emanuel represents Chicago’s North Side, Illinois’ 5th CD, historically one of the premier immigrant destinations in the entire United States. Even today, the district has several large and vibrant immigrant populations. In fact, when Emanuel’s predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, was elected governor it was expected that the 5th would be re-districted out of existence — until the 2000 census showed huge population increases in the immigrant neighborhoods, saving the district, which the Daley Machine and the Clinton Administration gave to Emanuel as a reward for his work on passing NAFTA.
Even with a concerted attempt to put as many Hispanic neighborhood as possible into the 4th CD, almost a quarter of Emanuel’s constituents are Hispanic. The district also has a huge Polish population and a very large Korean population.
Emanuel likes to boast that as the son of an Israeli immigrant himself, he’s the best friend the immigrant community has ever had. And he may have policies that are amenable to immigrants — if you happen to be a right wing, pro-NAFTA war-hawk who wants to turn he border into a police state.
Others … not so much.
Two weeks ago he sent a DCCC-connected candidate training a video of himself haranguing congressional candidates to “move right” on immigration or risk defeat at the hands of Republicans. This is similar to the terrible advice he shoved down candidates’ throats last year, although then he was demanding they move to the right on Iraq, dooming the candidacies of Lois Murphy, Francine Busby, Ken Lucas, Tammy Duckworth, Diane Farrell and several others who went along with his demands. Yesterday Markos asked a blaring question at DailyKos: Is Rahm racist, or merely scared?. While walking the picket line at the WGA strike at Fox today Jane and I came up with the idea of inviting Emanuel over to FDL to ask him why he thinks adopting Tom Tancredo’s immigration ideas is a good idea and why he’s unleashed Heath Shuler to do just that.
But then we thought a far better idea would be to invite one of Emanuel’s constituents over.
Meet Josh Hoyt, someone whom both Pach and John Laesch said is the go-to guy for all things regarding immigrants rights in Illinois. Josh has been in the activist/organizing “business” for over 30 years, much of it in the immigrant communities. He’s known Emanuel since 1980 and more recently he’s been testifying in front of the House Judiciary Committee and debating on both O’Reilly’s and Glenn Beck’s GOP propaganda shows. He runs the largest immigrants’ rights organization in Illinois (130 groups and organizations)– the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Last April ICIRR sponsored a townhall meeting with Emanuel and Luis Gutierrez on the issue of immigration that was attended by over 1,500 people — in Emanuel’s district. There were lots of Koreans and Muslims and Poles and Latino immigrants. “He got up,” Josh told me last night, “and said he was with us and he signed on as the lead co-sponsor of the Gutierrez STRIVE Act. He plays both sides of the issue. We had him for 5 minutes. When it became clear that this was a difficult issue — that it would take some political courage — he became a rubber chicken. The thing that we don’t like is that he runs around calling himself Rahmbo but he’s a coward when it comes to standing for progressive constituencies and progressive values… He’s completely two-faced.”
Blue America is working with several groups in Chicago to help hold Emanuel accountable. We don’t want to show our hand; just let me say that Jacquie has been busy, busy, busy doing her thing while writers write and designers design and vocalists vocalize. This looks like it will be the biggest Blue America campaign ever. And we have a $5,000 matching fund from a patriotic FDL community member who has asked to remain anonymous. She will match every dollar up ’til five grand donated this weekend to the Blue America PAC. Hint, but only a hint.
Update: If you’re a Kossack, please go recommend Pach’s diary.
Related posts:
- Blue Dogs and Republicans Agree: No Health Care Vote Before Recess
- Blue America Welcomes Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, Candidate For U.S. Senate
- Maxine Waters: White House Won’t Put Pressure on Blue Dogs
- Blue America Launches New TV Initiative in Arkansas — And We Need You
- Blue America: Meet Linda Ketner
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1
Howie!
Josh, welcome to firedoglake! And Howie, thanks so much for all you do.
Josh, what does Rahm do when he wants to give someone the finger?
good afternoon. Today bloggers meet the immigrant rights crowd. First time I have ever done this (our movement marches, and we are just learning blogging, e-advocacy, etc.) so I will try to get the hang of it. Also, I am a slow typer.
But we can’t stand the hypocrisy of Rep. Emmanuel, who represents 192,000 immigrants in his district, votes correctly, and then urges targets and the party to work against his constituents.
I understand the blogosphere does not like his political cowardice either?
Welcome, Josh!
The Hoyer-Pelosi confrontation with the Hispanic caucus was despicable. There is no way to go after Steny…but Rahm might be a target. We can’t get distracted by all of the bad Dems, there are two many, but we could target a couple. Rahm and Chris Carney would by my choices.
howieklein @ 4
He smiles at you, says he is your greatest champion, and then with the politicos behind closed doors he stabs you in the back for whatever his view of political expediency is.
Josh:
You are right about political cowardice. As far as Rahm. As you might know, or found out from Howie at any rate, Rahm is not very well liked around here. That being said, why would be push something that is sure to make a lot of people in his district mad? Is he that tone deaf(so to speak)? What is the opinion of people in his district? Do they just accept him because he is a part of the Daley machine?
Josh Hoyt @ 5 says
Gee, just a little bit of an understatement there!
Rahm is to courage what Little Boots is to military strategy (and economic strategy and planning and …)
You don’t want to tip your hand? I would love to help you and all but only if there is a chance of REMOVING Rahm and replacing him with someone else. If all this is going to be is a campaign to yell at Rahm for being a dick and a two-faced coward, then that isn’t good enough.
Best option of all, a hispanic anti-war, anti-spying, anti-caving-in-to-Bush candidate sent in to primary Rahm and take his seat. Karma, baby. Karma…plus a more better Dem.
Steve-AR @ 7
We’re going to help Rahm focus on his own district a little more and stop meddling with important national issues he doesn’t understand.
Steve-AR @ 7
Any possibility that Christine Cegellis might be interested in a primary with Rahmbo? That’s a movement I could get behind! If not her, any other good progressives that could take him down?
Steve-AR @ 7
Hopefully Josh addresses how vunerable he thinks Rahm is. I don’t think we can count on Hillary winning and Rahm taking a cabinet position.
Steve-AR @ 7
Until this year the Congressional Hispanic Caucus was not terribly united or effective. The immigrant bashing and betrayal by some members (including Rahm) has now united them. Cong. Baca and Gutierrez are playing important roles, and they are determined not to be steamrolled. Good for them!
Does your concerns extend to trade policy? Here in my little town in Florida, we lost 400 semiconductor manufacturing jobs, they went overseas, but gained 400 Walmart and Home Depot jobs, it is not the same.
Do you think the right wing will cause trouble because you are for immigrant rights?
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 14
howieklein @ 12
Excellent..I would be happy to provide some donor matching funds for that little project.
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 14
Praedor Atrebates @ 11
Do we have a progressive candidate to run against Rahmbo?
Filing deadline in Illinois is past, and there is no primary challenge to Emmanuel. Perhaps this is why at this time he is showing his colors on the immigration issue.
He is an attentive politician, though, very aware of what is happening in his backyard. Any activity that informs his constituents of the poor role he is playing on immigration issues nationally will have a distint impact on him
Steve-AR @ 19
Like I said in the post, an FDL contributor has offered to match $5,000 worth of donations that we will be using to help focus on some of the important issues in Emanuel’s district. Pach and Jacquie and Jane and I, plus our allies in Chicago, are working all weekend to bring Emanuel a
littlebig surprise next week.howieklein @ 23
I’m in. . . . .now to go over to BA.
Hiya RevDeb!!!!
howieklein @ 23
Thanks for the info..I was too pissed off to get to the last para.
Josh Hoyt @ 22
Josh, we need to have a candidate to run against Emanuel next year. Jane and I were talking the other day how it would take at least a year to organize an endeavor like that. Let’s look forward to 2010. Weren’t you the campaign manager for Nancy Kaczak, the woman who Rahm ran against after Daley and Clinton told him he could have the seat?
howieklein @ 23
Well, I don’t think that the 48,000 Mexicans in his district, 47,000 Poles, 12,000 Philipinos, 6,000 Indians, or 5,000 Koreans have a clue about how the Congressman is urging Democrats to sell them down the river in their messaging and their legislative efforts!
Welcome, Josh.
This is a great coalition building exercise, one I’ve been looking forward to since we met last summer.
I look forward to the reeducation of “Rahmbo” with you!
SnarKassandra @ 25
Hi Cassie! Are you taking good care of Aunt Betsy?
RevDeb @ 30
She’s all better but she gave her stomach flu to my cousin.
howieklein @ 23
Hi Howie and Josh
today’s a good day to ACT BLUE
howieklein @ 27
Undoubtedly you would get a tidal wave of netroots support to take Rahm down. He’s that odious. And we know it.
I don’t know…he could simply feel he is “safe” with no challenger, doing what the national Dem “leadership” always does and just screws the actual heart and soul of their party on the thought of, “What are you gonna do? Vote Republican? Naw, you’ll come back to us no matter what.” Or he could adjust his thinking that he can do what HE wants regardless and always move into a cabinet position is a (god no) Hillary regime. He could simply decide you are all a bunch of ingrates and children and think, “I’ve got a better, more ‘important’ job to do with Hillary, working to do the GOP’s work like I always do.”
What’s to stop him from simply patting you all on the head and saying “There, there, I know best”, and doing exactly what he was going to do anyway? No challenger? He’s “safe”…unless you can field an independent to run against him…
howieklein @ 27
I was Nancy’s campaign manager for one of her earlier successful State Rep races. She later lost a Congressional bid to Blagojevich, who is now Governor. When Blagojevich left the seat to run for gov Rahm got the nod from the regulars and Nancy Kaszak challenged the boys. She ran a great race but was out spent, out muscled and had some bad luck with an anti-semitic Polish supporter. So she lost.
Pachacutec @ 29
Bloggers and Immigrants Unite! You have nothing to lose except the chains of hypocrisy!
In the past I’ve given to various charities in lieu of Christmas presents for relatives and some friends. I think that perhaps giving to BA and to BA candidates trumps the presents and some of the charities.
Give Blue America for Christmas. A step closer to getting our country back.
RevDeb @ 33
And “The netroots” aren’t gonna get the respect we deserve until we help take someone big down(Slummy Joe doesn’t count since he’s back in DC .. that he won by a fluke doesn’t matter .. he was able to get back).
Josh Hoyt @ 36
This is one of those collaborations with great upside all around. We have a megaphone and some ability to do media and push message through advertising, and we can also help activate locals who might not be part of your coalition to place their Internet skills at the disposal of your coalition.
But we can’t do things the locals don’t feel as relevant. We can help concentrate your power, give you another platform and some new tools, but it’s your district, your lives, the future of your families. We can get your stories into the national dialogue and put Rahm on his heels, not only at home, but in the national press and in DC.
Then comes 2010.
First Rahm, then Nancy Pelosi. Or how about aiming for both if you are going to wait until 2010. Take down Rahm and possibly Nancy, or at least put the fear of Mithras into her empty soul.
Josh, how do Democrats put forward a comprehensive plan that will work for the immigrant community and for Americans concerned about the issues Lou Dobbs keeps harping on and about the legitimate issues inherent in the U.S.-Third World immigration dilemma?
Praedor Atrebates @ 34
What’s to stop him from simply patting you all on the head and saying “There, there, I know best”, and doing exactly what he was going to do anyway? No challenger? He’s “safe”…unless you can field an independent to run against him…
Very good question. From our perspective in the immigrant rights field, we cannot let one of the most important Democratic leaders, the son of immigrants, who represents 192,000 foreign born in a district next door to Cong. Gutierrez’s district, lead us into oblivion in the face of the worst nativist attacks in 60 years. His constituents need to know the role he is playing.
From your perspective as progressive bloggers, he is sensitive to your slings and arrows, but he is also tough guy “Rahmbo” and not going to be cowed by the left. And you have no constituency in his district.
So we have a constituency and you have a megaphone and we all share a long term interest in a country where the dignity of the human person is valued… even if they are vulnerable immigrants.
So, shall we dance???
Praedor Atrebates @ 34
He may have his seat, but his influence will take a nasty hit. In DC, that’s the coin of the realm. “Hey, if he can’t even read his own district, why should I take his advice about my district?”
What’s to stop him? Things like these:
* Tom Allen matching HoJo’s fundraiser for Susan Collins
* Darcy Burner’s $100,000 fundraising, to match a Bush fly-by fundraiser
* Donna Edwards’ fundraising to match Nancy Pelosi’s fundraiser for Al Wynn
When other Democrats in the House come to realize that backing Rahm’s positions in order to keep Rahm’s “support” for their candidacy can spell $$ for their opponents, they’ll be quicker to back away from him.
Pressure across the board will make Rep Emanuel distinctly nervous.
Well, Mr. Hoyt, what exactly do you stand for on the immigration issue? Do you favor absolute amnesty? Do you favor any preconditions to granting citizenship? If so, what preconditions do you favor? Do you support, or oppose efforts to increase border security? And why? Do you favor Open Borders? Permitting anyone to cross our borders without restriction?
Ghostman
Hi Howie, sorry I missed last Saturday.
But I am in today.
The Rahm and Nancy show has effects..
N.Y. governor wavers on driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants
CNN
Edwards didn’t help either.
Praedor Atrebates @ 40
DiFi goes to the top of the list as well. We learned a lot from the Lamont Campaign. Time to take it to CA.
Welcome, Josh.
It’s great to have constituents from Rahm’s own district speaking up.
As Howie says, he was basically handed the seat and never really had to earn it. I imagine a challenge will frighten him more than most because he’s never had to spoil his manicure and work his shoeleather to keep his seat.
No wonder he has no idea about congressional accountability. It’s meaningless to him.
Maybe naive, but if the dem congress starts weighing the majority at the expense of party values, is Rahms idea of blue candidates sort of counterproductive. The only thing he gets is their vote in caucus for the leadership, rest of the time they vote with Boehner.
If you are going to start tossing more names out (and DiFi is a GOOD one) then I see your DiFi and raise with Reid AND Schumer.
But totally neutering Rahm is a great start, if neuter you can…before UNSEATING HIM. Cowing him is great, erasing him from elected office better still.
Hiya Howie! Welcome, Josh!
Not much to say except THANK YOU to the angel who has come up with the 5,000 MATCH today!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU – for those of us who cannot give, you are a shining light of inspiration!
It will be so fun to give this guy something he’s needed for a very long time!
MEDIA COSTS! Please give if you can.
Have I used enough EXCLAMATION POINTS,YET????11!!11!!
Folks, while we have Josh here, please ASK HIM YOUR RAHM QUESTIONS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DISTRICT!
Thanks.
howieklein @ 41
Well I screwed up technically on that last response. Maybe someday I will learn to march with my fingers as well as my feet!
The American people can be sold on solutions. They have not yet responded to odious attempts to play on the politics of racialized fear and resentment.
Pols (D’s and R’s) with some moral courage will come out swinging. They should say “What part of solutions don’t you understand? Immigration reform with legal status for the undocumented makes all safer by draining the swamp of human trafficking and fraudulent id, and in America we let people earn their seat at the table with their hard work.
The CHC (hispanic caucus) has taken the position that enforcement should be combined with reform, including 5 year renewable work visas for the undocumented.
This give pols an enforcement shield, a humane solution for the undocumented, and takes guest workers and citizenship off the table. Sounds like something that Pelosi and Rahm should get behind.
Ghostman @ 44
Praedor Atrebates @ 50
The political goals are parallel but not equal..More Democrats is #1 for the next several election cycles.. Better needs to be focused and not distracting us from #1.
Is it just a generic donation to the BlueAmerica PAC that is being matched or is there something more specific at the PAC?
I believe the Immigrants Rights Movement badly needs a national leader — a King or Chavez — who is that leader?
Hello Mr. Goofy Ghost, As you know the only ones in America that favor open borders is the Wall Street Journal.
Actually, I AM a proponent of amnesty. I don’t shy away from the word. It’s clean, less bureaucratic and costly, and it ws good enough for fucking Reagan.
I’m all for employer side enforcement, but we have a permanent underclass here now that we have induced and rewarded, partially, for coming to act as our unprotected underclass. Blaming them and punishing them for our own wink and nod exploitation is immoral.
Couple all this with efforts to strengthen unions, workers and the middle class and you have sensible public policy.
Steve-AR @ 55
Right to the PAC. No fuss, no muss. We’ll do our pricing studies and strategies and use the funds for your business.
Praedor Atrebates @ 56
Yes, a donation to the PAC gets matched up to $5,000. Jane, Pach, Digby, John and I decided to dedicate it to the Rahm Emanuel project.
Josh, what is the neighborhood like around Emanuel’s Chicago district office? Is it up on the fourth floor of a manicured corporate-style office complex, a storefront in a workingclass Hispanic area, or something else?
Josh Hoyt @ 58
Huh?? I am a “goofy ghost” for asking questions? And no, I’m not aware of the WSJ position. Perhaps you have me confused with someone else…or have been fed incorrect information. Who knows.
Ghostman
Peterr @ 62
Storefront on a busy street in a working class heavily immigrant neighborhood. I have been there once or twice with groups of people.
Josh, can you tell us more about the ICIRR, its mission and history? Also, can you tell us about the rubber chicken campaign and how effective it might have been?
Worth reapeating:
“…if you happen to be a right wing, pro-NAFTA war-hawk who wants to turn he border into a police state.”
And I might ask: Where does my party’s “front-runner stand” on this?
Just a thought:
Although “established party” and “independent” candidates for federal office (i.e., Rahm’s seat) had to file in Illinois by November 5th this year, due to the timing of the primary next year, “new political party” candidates for said seat have until June 23rd next year to file. [”Connecticut for Lieberman” anyone??]
From a very cursory glance at this Illinois Elections PDF:
http://www.elections.il.gov/Do…..nGuide.pdf
[Signatures for such a new political party candidate’s filing would need to be collected from 5% of the total number of persons voting in the last General Election for that Congressional District, and couldn’t start to be collected before next March 25th.]
To find links to the candidate filing information for all states:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind…..tion_dates
Praedor Atrebates @ 50
What was that phrase that Reid was quoted as saying re Mukasey ???? Something about registering his displeasure? I ask because I just found my Give ‘Em Hell Harry sign left from YKos 1. I plan to tear it into pieces and send it to him with his own quote.
Hi Josh,
Which of the spanish-language newspapers would you say reaches the most of IL-05? (eg. La Raza Versus Tribune’s HOY?)
What is the difference between advertising in a daily issue versus Sunday?
Have you ever heard of “Lawndale News? CL100? What do you know?
What size/type audience does each have?
Ghostman @ 63
No one who is in a serious debate about how to move our country forward asks devil’s advocate questions about open borders, unless they are living in their head or trying to be provocative.
The CHC position right now seems like the most sensible way forward this year, vs. the SAVE act that Rahms protege Shuler is pushing with the worst of the nativists Bilbray and Tancredo.
The immigration issue is the issue I’ve thought least about.
A big kudos to the hispanic caucus for standing up to Hoyer-Pelosi!
Luis Gutierrez is my congress-critter and I’m happy with his performance. Chicago has a vibrant and growing Latino population. The marches last summer proved the community could mobilize huge numbers.
Other than marching and demonstrating, how else can we harness those numbers?
Pachacutec @ 60
Hmmm. got distracted..I hope put it in the correct box.
Done. A donation to BlueAmerica PAC.
Is trade policy an issue in your district? Are people losing there jobs, to unfair overseas workers?
China just dumps all the toxins into the rivers, well some into the toys as well.
Josh Hoyt @ 64
Thanks. It makes me wonder how the neighbors might react to word of Rahm’s political “wisdom” if were a bit more visible to them.
In addition to his regular office, on his official website, Rahm also promotes his “Congress on your Corner” initiative for constituent services:
Unfortunately, there is no information on the site as to when and where this mobile office will be. Josh, have you seen it around?
Mobile office . . . mobile office . . . hey! Perhaps Rahm’s mobile office could use a companion vehicle: a similarly mobile display of some of Rahm’s “greatest hits” from that candidate training video.
Care to comment on what purpose the DLC and the “third way” serves?
Was Rahm really stupid enough to send around a video of himself going evil on immigration? That would make a great anti-Rahm commercial.
Pachacutec @ 65
We are a 20 year old non partisan coalition of 130 immigrant serving organizations across Ill., from SEIU and the UFCW to Catholic parishes and large service organizations.
Of late we have been very active in the work for legalization of the third of immigrants to the US who are undocumented. Globalization has pushed Mexicans especially off of the land, and the growth of unskilled jobs and a history of nod and wink border enforcement (under Bush and Clinton and going back to the 1920’s) has brought them here.
To build power for our folks we have been deeply engaged in citizenship and voter registration / mobilization drives. In the last 4 years we have assisted 29,000 legal immigrants to become citizens, registered some 53,000 to vote, and had massive GOTV operations in both 04 and 06 in 8 languages and 18 Chicago and suburban communities.
I will do rubber chicken in the next post. Sorry I am such a slow typer.
Peterr @ 76
I remember a certain float driving around CT and getting quite a reception. Geographically the IL district is a much smaller area to cover. Much better possibility for saturation.
Pachacutec @ 59
This is the best nutshell argument I have read on this subject yet. Now I am off to Act Blue.
Josh, and all who are on,
Glad to see the progressive bloggosphere pay increasing attention to immigration and the opportunities for collaboration with advocates.
There is huge hypocrisy on this issue, and I think there is space for unmasking that and calling on Democrats to lead and provide workable and humane solutions. Republicans have already stated their possition — they are going to obstruct reform for the sake of political ads. Emanuel is trying to get Democrats to do the same for short-sighted political expedience.
And that is the mark of a great strategist? Democratic leadership needs to wake up — and if not, then Dem members need to lead their “leaders.”
Josh’s stated position on immigration, worker visas, etc, is perfectly fine by me. It makes sense, is fair, and is actually easily doable. Sadly, the Rahm’s and the Pelosi’s don’t see things that are sensible, fair, etc. They only hear GOP talking points that generate inflammatory images and spout Dobbsish/Buchananoid propaganda.
The enemy has the easier time (so far) with merely having to produce scary plot designs and then producing short, simple descriptive statements about those plots.
Well, Mr. Hoyt, looks like you and I just aren’t on the same page. Grown Men ask questions in order to obtain answers. With answers, we learn. You’ll learn all that someday, I hope.
Good luck to you, but you won’t be getting any of my money; nor can I reccomend you to my friends. Have a nice day.
Ghostman
Oklahoma kiddo @ 77
The “third way” Clintonist’s split off in 1996 to form the NDN. NDN..think Mark Penn.
jacqrat @ 69
Well Hoy is a M – F daily, and La Raza is a much more substantial but weekly (thurs) publication. We use both to push citizenship but Hoy is much cheaper. Both get good readership in the district. Lawndale News is for the SW side, not the NW side, but is a bi-lingual publication. So is Extra publications. There are some English papers in the district, such as “Inside Ravenswood” or “Inside Lincoln Park”
RevDeb @ 80
Never seen a mobile office. Must not really be a big thing. Probably a camper for events and festivals, or something like that.
Steve-AR @ 86
Mark Penn? Now that is comforting.
Hey kossacks, please recommend this to get more support for this effort!
Thanks.
Great idea.
Pachacutec @ 91
done.
Done.
The president of Hoyt’s group wrote this letter to Vicente Fox. Just so you know which country you’re helping.
Third Way and NDN are different outfits.
Third Way did polling and messaging in 2006 to try to help Democrats speak about immigration without going all out Republican light or anti-immigrant. Not everyone agreed with their approach, but were definitely not on the Emanuel approach.
About tipping your hand…
Are we going to see a primary challenge to Rahm this cycle… ?
Pachacutec @ 65
So, rubber chickens….
Well Rahm approached our organizations president at the Aspen Institute and told him “If you think Democrats are going to touch immigration reform in a first term Dem presidency, you are crazy.”
We got mad, and Juan confronted Hilary Clinton about this in front of 2,500 people at the convention of National Council of La Raza, demanding to know if she would commit to the first year of the first term. Hilary equivocated.
So we went to the Yearly Kos Convention with rubber chickens and accusing “Rahmbo” of being a coward on immigrant issues. We met a lot of nice people, but until lately the general blog world has not treated immigration reform and standing up to the bigotry embedded in the “anti-illegal” movement as a priority.
Our flyers and rubber chicken page are embedded in the intro piece to this dialogue. Soon they should be on our web-site http://www.icirr.org.
We are thrilled with the recent attention to immigrant rights and protection by FDL, Down with Tyranny, and the DailyKos. Thank you.
Pachacutec @ 59
I agree and this is good politics. No, I’m not nuts. Moving the goalposts on the Doddsian nativist idiots who think alienating the fastest growing voting block in the country is good politics will work for two reasons.
First, it gets all those Hispanic citizens who can vote fired up to protect their voting block. Many have relatives who are here illegally and are totally motivated to fight for them.
Second, the vast majority of Americans favor a ‘path to citizenship’ Amnesty is such a path. The cheapest and quickest.
It’s the one that allows those who are now illegal to join unions and get jobs at prevailing wage rates instead of…
Taking your job because they have to work for slave labor.
Just one of the arguments ‘The Rabbit’, he’s no Rambo he’s a fucking coward, should be making but is too fearful and stupid to do so.
Take him out!
RonCharest @ 96
too late to file. This was mentioned above. BUT if someone wanted to take him on as an indie and got enough sigs. could be possible.
RonCharest @ 95
Asked and answered earlier:
Josh Hoyt @ 22
ICIRR has done a great job at reaching out to give Emanuel an opportunity to do the right thing, just so that he can’t play dumb later.
He decided to go for the photo op and then stab the community in the back.
At least he should have the courage to say openly where he stands — he definitely needs to have his picture on the “Hypocrisy Watch” sall.
Rhambo….LMAO…he is a complete loser. too bad it is too late to primary him. I dropped in some geld,it is def. a very worthy cause . He is as slimey as Boehner.
Niebla @ 94
Sorry about the confusion..”Third Way” I think OKK was referring to was political philosophy of 1986-1996..DLC-Clinton Dems. Simon Rosenberg and other early DLC operatives split off in 1996.
What about a write-in campaign against Rahm.
If HoJo can go independent why can’t a good progressive?
A bit more, from the PDF, about any possible “new political party” candidate’s nomination next spring/summer to challenge Emanuel in next November’s General Election, per my comment @ 67:
The number of signatures such a candidate would need to collect next year, per Illinois Elections, is 7,713 in CD-05 (that’s the 5% minimum, per the rules). Also, any such “new political party” must field a full slate of candidates, not just a candidate for Emanuel’s seat in the U.S. Congress.
jacqrat @ 51
You inspired me to contribute today. This is a great blog and Act Blue is what this country needs.
tw3k @ 103
Maybe the rubber chicken will offer himself up as a write-in candidate?
Pardon my late arrival, just got here.
I live in the district as well.
Is there anyone running against Rahm? I’d do it in a second if I thought there was a snowball’s chance in hell of getting his attention.
dogmatta @ 107
Too late!
Josh Hoyt @ 22
Watched Bilbray and Shuler pimp this bill on Lou Dobbs (man was he happy).
Anyhoo, I think Rahm knows this one can pass because it has bi-partisan support.
http://www.numbersusa.com/interests/attrition.html
Welcome, kossacks!
Word has it that Rahm, Lieberman and HRC are politically friendly. Care to comment?
Too late to run as a Democrat, Republican, Green, or Independent, dogmatta @ 107, but someone seriously committed could probably find a way to run either as a “new political party” candidate, or as a write-in (see details in earlier comments and links).
howieklein @ 61
I just made a donation, but they split it up among all the ActBlue candidates, and I saw nothing about matching funds. Did I do it wrong for the matching funds?
Bob in HI
What we need is a Hispanic Iraq vet. Maybe VoteVets or the other Iraq vets group mite have some names?
pow wow @ 104
hmmm. so a write would have to be a “new political party” and just just some generic independent or something?
Pachacutec @ 90
Done deal.
Bob in HI
I’m not sure about the details of the requirements for a “write-in” candidate in Illinois, tw3k @ 114. That may be the easiest option (or no option at all), at this point. But a “new political party” candidate is not a “write-in” candidate, and has specific requirements for access to the Illinois ballot (fielding a full slate of candidates, 7,713 signatures by next June, etc.), which can still be met because that filing deadline is not until next year.
More detail here:
http://www.elections.il.gov/El…..lcome.aspx
http://www.elections.il.gov/Do…..nGuide.pdf
No, can’t run as a new party because Illinois changed the law a few years back after the Dems had a “LaRouchie” problem.
Some Larouchies got on the ballet for Lt. Gov and another race and screwed the Dems bad. So they changed the law to make an indy party have a FULL slate of candidates for all offices. Not sure how this applies to the Congressional seat tho.
Josh- any idea what percentage of the Hispanic population in the district speak Spanish? (Thinking about ads).
pow wow @ 116
From the PDF:
And, Howie loves $5 donations.
I’ll donate at least $5 for myself, and $5 for Jackie, plus I’ll match 4 new (new this thread) $5 donors. Just let me know in the thread.
Double matching!
Steve-AR @ 103
I believe that HRC is a member of the DLC Leadership Team.
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ka.cfm?kaid=137
Valley Girl @ 120
Well 36% of the 192,000 foreign born in the district were born in Latin America, say some 66,000 people. Then many U.S. born latinos speak Spanish, although fewer read it or write it well. So let’s say some 70,000 of the 80,000 Latinos in the district are Spanish speaking.
Josh Hoyt @ 122
Are the ads in the paper or on TV?
Josh Hoyt @ 124
Good to know those numbers.
Josh Hoyt;
I certainly hope that you and your organization shall have the same affect upon Rahm Emanuel that you had on Ghostman. Rahmbo,
at least, is certainly deserving of a speedy exit, for everyones sake.
Everyone commenting here today, so far as I know, has an immigrant heritage, some such as Oklahoma Kiddo, less so (his wife, Lahoma, may honestly consider all the rest of us to be interlopers). But, it is our common humanity which must unite us. That requires courage, tolerance and understanding.
I’m certain you agree.
That ‘full slate of candidates’ for the establishment and ballot access of “new political parties” sounds like it would only apply to the public offices available in the particular Congressional District – U.S. Congress on down in CD-05, in other words – but, again, that’s just a guess from a quick scan of the PDF.
See, for example:
Josh, thanks for helping us understand some of the complexities of the issue and how it effects politics in Emanuel’s district. Jane and Pach and Jacquie and I are really looking forward to working with you and your team this week to bring a little heat and light to the situation. Please come back once the campaign starts running on the ground so you can tell this community how it impacted the community there. Jane’s got a new post upstairs on Color of Change and the Jena Six.
Josh, thanks so much for being here with us today. It is really heartening to see the work you are doing.
Well, heartening if your name isn’t Rahm Emanuel.
Pachacutec @ 125
yep. thanks Josh. Growing up in SoCal, I don’t necessarily assume that someone who is “Hispanic” also speaks Spanish.
here i am
O.K. folks, signing off. That was my first live blog, so thanks for the experience. Look forward to working with the blogosphere in the future. Josh
David W. Bartoo @ 127
Some of my best friends are brown.
Josh Hoyt,
Thanks for stopping by. I’ve been writing about immigration extensively over at my place, but unfortunately the nations most heinous anti-immigration law just went into effect Nov. 1st–HB 1804. The war on brown people continues, so thank you and Howie and all the donors willing to do the heavy lifting on this issue.
Do you feel Rham will be vulnerable in 2010?
Thanks, Josh. Well done. We’ll stay tuned in for further developments in Illinois’s CD-05.
naomi wolf @ 132
Hi Naomi, I think you’re about an hour early…
Oklahoma;
At the risk of causing you some slight embarrassment, you and Lahoma represent all that is best in our Nation’s people and what was once the Democratic Party. I only wish that young people all over this country might have the experience of teachers such as yourself.
Well, I also wish that you might gain considerable influence in certain political circles.
Josh Hoyt @ 64
Hmmmm, well Josh, you’ve either were blindfolded or have never been to the Irving Park address. The Portage Park/Irving Park neighborhood is as are many Chicago neighborhoods diversified. But the home prices to live in that neck of the woods, is gonna cost you a pretty penny.
Chicago Tribune Real Estate section
http://chicagotribune.2.homesc…..xt=portage park&geo_area_text_lookup_id=51255&filter_min_price=&filter_max_price=&filter_
min_bed=&filter_min_bath=&filter_property_type=&search_by_type=resale_mls,resale_class,
resale,new_const,new_class,new_mls&reporting_search_name=Channel Quick Search
And here’s the Congressional Illinois 5th District demographics
http://projects.washingtonpost…..istrict-5/
RockPaperScizzors @ 139
Mods could you please fix the chicago tribune real estate link @139?
Anyone interested in real estate prices in Rahm’s neighborhood, type in portage park or Old Irving Park at this link:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/…..ealestate/
Rahm didn’t just doom the candidacy of Tammy Duckworth in IL-6, he killed the candidacy of Christine Cegelis — a true progressive running against the war — to do it.
To this day Kos does not understand (or at least admit) that he was wrong to side with Duckworth (and by extension with Rahm) in that race. Now he has the gall to complain about Rahm’s power in the Party when he had a chance to help check that power.
I’m just someone who writes occasional comments and diaries on other people’s blogs. I really wish other prominent bloggers would explain to Kos that he made a huge mistake by not siding with the netroots and local grassroots in that fight. Otherwise, the next time Rahm or someone of his ilk finds a sufficiently attractive candidate (on paper) — Duckworth was a wounded Iraq war vet — Kos is likely to make the same mistake again.
If he did for Cegelis 2 years ago what he’s doing for Donna Edwards now, the DCCC wouldn’t have wasted $4 million in that district to the detriment of races like Dan Seals in IL-10 (which we now have to fight again), and we might well have won by drawing a clear contrast with the Republican in IL-6. Instead, on Rahm’s advice, Duckworth refused to take a stand against the war (even though she could have been the poster child for war opposition) leaving the race to be run on issues like illegal immigration. She also had no field organization to speak of, leaving the next candidates nothing to build on.
Josh, thank you for taking that blackguard on. I am dismayed to hear that you can’t get rid of him until 2010, otherwise I’d pack my bags and go to chicago to help get rid of him. He and Hoyer have chain-linked the DEM party and I, for one, think its being accomplished by blackmail.
And BTW, THANK YOU Jane and Howie for banging on Rahm’s pipes.
late to the party, reading and catching up, but COUNT ME IN. and why is hoyer untouchable exactly? anyhow, i will donate liberally to toss rham out.
I sent an angry email to Emanuel, copied Pelosi and my congressman George Miller, and Guteirrez with a letter of support– And made a contribution to Blue America.
email:
There is a long tradition in the Democratic Party that goes against racism with every fiber of our being. Ignoring that, I’m told that Rahm Emanuel is actually pressuring others in the Party to take a racist position.
We must fight very hard against this. It is a worse threat than the Republicans, because it brings their worst ant-American racism into our own Party. How dare he?
I’m asking for your leadership in opposing him.
I sent this email:
To: Rahm Emanuel
I am writing as a former resident of your district who now lives in California to express my shock and displeasure at your recent turn to a racist approach on immigration issues.
You do not have the power to turn the Democratic Party toward racism at this time. Your move in this direction is the worst thing I have heard of in a long time. Our democracy hangs by a thread. We need our traditions of honesty and fairness to fight against the fascist forces that the Republicans have introduced and which are gradually gaining hold in America. We see this very clearly.
It is no secret that it is obvious.
Nowhere is this more evident than in issues on the border; there are reports of massive commercially run prisons for immigrants where people are kept with children and families, and where they die for lack of medical care and poor treatment. What are you doing to elimate these prisons?
We need leadership now to fight against this horror in the name of the long established principles of the Democratic Party.
You have no right to insist that other Democratic Congressmen follow your lead in voting for racist solutions. There is no basis for it in our traditions, and we will fight fiercely to oppose any such move.
You are the one who is trying to destroy the Democratic Party. You are not a leader of it. If you believe in racist solutions, I call on you to resign from the Democratic Party and join the Republicans. We don’t need or want you in our Democratic Party with this message.
Ghostman @ 44
I know I’m late, but if I may :
Open borders make sure that there is actually a balance of wealth. Today, wealth is unbalanced and that’s why there is so much immigration.
Mexicans don’t look at the borders and say “hey it’s easy to cross, let’s go!”.
Rather, they compare the perspectives in both countries and make a choice.