tw3k at #5

E-mail from Russ today:

With so much focus on this year’s presidential campaign, it is imperative that we remember the importance of supporting strong progressive candidates for Congress and state office in 2008. … We must redouble our efforts this year to build on the majorities in Congress with strong candidates committed to promoting our progressive reform agenda, no matter who occupies the White House.

This is where my heart is ever more so that the presidency.

Oh, really, Russ?? I wrote back — sin $$ — this:

Dear Russ Feingold –
Sure. I’ll renew my membership in Progressive Patriots and send you MORE money …

… Just as soon as you publicize — LOUDLY and WIDELY — that you were a Corporate Dufus for dissing John Edwards recently.

Truth be told, I have a feeling there is some other kind of Political Cold Cocking going on, what with 2004 Weenie John Kerry AND Loser Gary Hart AND allegedly-sane Pat Leahy of Guerrilla Republic of Vermont all going out of their way to endorse Barack Kumbaya Obama or to diss John Edwards. (Same Difference)

Russ Feingold, alleged progressive patriot, piled on with others listed in the previous paragraph; all to piss on the only presidential candidate who is looking at Class divisions and Economic Justice issues in the US.

Now, maybe Russ is part of this stealth cold cocking of our crypto-fascist GOP masters and the corporate-owned fake news media. But until I get an explanation, Progressive Patriots Fund can Sh*t In Its Fist on more money from me. I’m giving it to Edwards.

Thanx so much. I look forward to your watered-down, PR Spin Cycle reply.
######

I’d also point out that Edwards spent time as a well-paid consultant to the lobbyists and Directors of Fortress Investment Group

Noted. Irrelevant. He has done what he said he would do in each of his ventures. As long as he does the same now then we’ll get the Progressive agenda and his solutions.

He has a long record of doing very very well. I want to see that applied to the presidency.

Yes, exactly. Everybody knows they’ve screwed up massively, now is the time to permanently crush their crackpot ideas before “stab in the back” starts up and people forget.

I agree completely. Why let them off the hook after what they’ve done. It was Republicans who chose to walk away from their moderate positions and become radical and fascist. It was Republicans who chose to use the government to support oil companies and quash research on new energy sources and technologies. It was Republicans who changed the tax system to let more and more of the nation’s wealth go only to the Rich. It was Republicans who tore down unions until the working stiff has very little going for him. It’s been the Republicans who let the health care industry rape America and push a lot of cities and companies to the brink of extinction.

They have a lot to pay for.

Edwards spent the four years working with the people crossing the country. Maybe his view have changed since his Senate days.

Or, maybe he’s just built his resume the only way he could and then moved on to the real prize.

BTW, the vote count in NH is just as bogus as NV or Iowa. Somebody’s got a lot of ’splainin to do.

Edwards is easily the most progressive candidate in the race…

I agree with that completely, which is why Edwards is also my choice of candidate. The only thing that bothers me is that Feingold said that when Edwards had the opportunity to vote on some progressive programs, he didn’t. Feingold says that Edwards is campaigning on Feingold’s record of votes, but he didn’t vote that way himself. That worries me, but the other two candidates worry me more.

It worried me until I considered what you just said, if they’re all gonna pander and be all over the place, then why don’t I go for the candidate whose campaign positions most reflect what I want and who is most consistent about pushing for that agenda.

Edwards has been much more consistent in this campaign than the other two and recently they’ve gone off the rails, so he really does represent the ‘adult wing of the Democratic Party’.

One amusing thing I noted recently was that Edwards doesn’t toot his own horn very much. I’d think that if he were only a phony self-promoting hypocrite, then he would toot a lot more often. It seems he’s much more honest than many believed — the others…not so much.

Edwards is easily the most progressive candidate in the race…

I think that would be less so if he had has to “vote”. I suspect if he had done a second Senate term his voting record would be between his first term and his present positions.

Possibly. A lot would have depended upon which party controlled the Senate and the White House. But still, he would’ve been a senator from NC and that would always entail some DLCish behavior. That’s probably why he left to get free and be himself.

The way Randi Rhodes said it was that he was not praising Reagan’s policies, but was admiring his political skill.

Though I haven’t heard her show for a while, I, like all men who have any sense, love Randi. She’s the greatest. Couldn’t you imagine her debating Ronald Reagan. Ha that would be great.

I also agree with her that Obama’s comment in and of itself is harmless.

Where I wonder about it is in how Obama (and his supporters) compare him to Lincoln, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and now Reagan. Why this kind of grandiose rhetoric. It borders on delusions of grandeur.

I also wonder, after seeing what happened in Iowa if he identifies with Reagan because of how they pander to this and that group and how they use race and perhaps how they cheated to win an election. Lee Atwater was pretty much scum and led Reagan’s dirty tricks (IIRC). Let’s not forget that aspect of Republican campaigning.