Midnight Thought on Progressive Populism

Excerpted from Burning the Midnight Oil for Progressive Populism,

in the Burning the Midnight Oil blog-within-a-blog, hosted by kos,

though to the best of my knowledge he doesn’t know it.

So, how is our fight going a Progressive Populist People’s Chamber?

I did a round up before the Ohio primary … and Ohio is where I live, so I naturally start here (TGAL) … Burning the Midnight Oil for Edwards’ Victories in the Fall

Two of these are listed among some MSM lists of House Races most likely to flip:

John Boccieri, Democratic Challenger for OH-16

John Boccieri’s “Get Involved” page

and

Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic Challenger for OH-15

Join Team Kilroy Sign-Up Page

If you are of a mind to be pushing now in the most marginal races, those are two good ones to support.

Also requiring mention when thinking of flipping seats from Actual Republicans to Actual, Real Deal Democrats, friend of the EENR, Larry Kissell, Democratic Challenger in NC-08.

But the list, as the cliche tells us, goes on.

I also have to keep in mind a strong Southwest Ohio friend of Universal Health Care, Doc Vic Wulsin, Democratic Challenger for OH-2, and up by Lake Erie, a strong Northeast Ohio friend of Universal Health Care and strong friend of Labor in Bill O’Niell, Democratic Challenger for OH-17.

Dr. Vic Wulsin, coming off a strong challenge in 2006 and winning her primary handily is also considered a very serious prospect.

And at the same time, in any other year, Bill O’Niell would be considered a top tier challenger in the state, but is in danger of being overlooked given the other high profile candidates … a little spring spotlighting from the blogosphere could go a long way in not only giving LaTourette the biggest fight of his tenure in Congress … but also the last.

But, of course, its not all the Buckeye State

However, I would be remiss if I did not put a spotlight on, underline, boldface and highlight in blinking text A Seigel’s recent blog on some of the biggest swings we can make in terms of booting out Staunch Dead Energy Parasite Republicans and replacing them with supporters of America’a Energy Independence:

Vote Energy Smart, not Energy Dumb (Energy Smart)

Kay Barnes, Democratic Challenger for MD-04, going up against Sam Graves, a rock ribbed solid Energy Parasite Republican.

Debbie Cook, Democratic Challenger for CA-46, going up against Dana Rohrbacker, a strong supporter of surrender of US Sovereignty to overseas oil producers and their US Oil Industry collaborators.

Tom Perriello, Democratic Challenger for VA-05, and sometimes the candidate says it in a nutshell:

We need to commit to independence from fossil fuels within a generation

… while the strongly pro-Energy-Parasite Republican incumbent Virgil Goode knows that he has to make a show of it, but seems to think that the last few dregs in this country represent part of a permanent contribution:

I also support the utilization of nuclear power and expanded drilling opportunities for natural gas and oil in this country so that our energy needs are met by domestic and not foreign sources.

Bob Lord, Democratic Challenger for AZ-03, a strong supporter of the New Energy Economy, against John Shadegg, deep in the pockets of the US collaborators of overseas fossil fuel producers.

And if you only have a couple of bucks

And never forget, if you only have a couple of bucks to scrape together, that a couple of bucks can make the big difference to an underdog, insurgent campaign. So I want to finish with a nod to two insurgents who both need and deserve to be the headliner acts for tonight:

Gilda Reed, Democratic Challenger for LA-01

As the EENR endorsement diary said:

If any area in the United States needs a progressive representing them it’s Louisiana’s 1st CD. The district is home to Lake Pontchartrain to Slidell to Hammond. There are so many neighborhoods in the 1st district that have yet to be rebuilt since Katrina battered the area. There’s no excuse for it, and the people of Louisiana deserve better. They deserve a Representative that will fight for them, and that person is Gilda Reed.

And the position of LA-01 on the front-line of the climate crisis was not just a temporary aberration … southern Louisiana is quite literally losing land, and the side effects of our parasite on fossil fuel Energy Dependence strategy is one major reason why. If we can do anything to improve the prospects … whether this election or the next … of helping someone willing to fight for interests of the people of LA-01 rather against them, it just seems to me like the right thing to do.

And finally, Heather Ryan, Actual Democratic Challenger for KY-01 … because KY-01 is exactly the political terrain where Progressive Populists can fight and win. It is, indeed, the type of territory where traditional Washington insiders would “forgive” a “51 percenter”, a ‘half Democrat, half Republican, but voted for the Democratic Speaker at the beginning of the session’ “D”. And it is exactly the type of territory where a scrappy fighter in the House can gain and hold the trust of the people in her district.