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October 14, 2006
Why I Like Sherrod Brown
Bearing in mind the adage that “All politics is local,” let’s look at the Ohio Senate race between Congressman Sherrod Brown and incumbent Senator Mike DeWine. My endorsement for Brown doesn’t deviate entirely from my “Throw the Bums Out” campaign, since DeWine has held the office for two terms and deserves to be fired for being nothing more than a sock puppet for the Republican party. Brown has taken some very unpopular stances in Congress, including voting against NAFTA, the Patriot Act and invading Iraq. For those gutsy votes alone, he deserves my support. Unlike the majority of useless rubber stamps, he was actually representing his constituency: what a concept!
Sherrod Brown is one of those rare, genuine career politicians who embodies the spirit of public service. He was elected in his twenties as the youngest member of the Ohio House of Representatives during the Rhodes Regime when the position was a low-paying part-time job with the minority party. As Secretary of State during the Celeste administration, he ran one of the most effective, incorruptible departments in the past 25 years; which, if you know anything about the history of Ohio’s government, is saying a lot. I met Brown on several occasions, socialized with some of his staff, and participated in a number of “get out the vote” activities where Brown was right in the thick of it with the proverbial rolled-up sleeves. His youthful looks and gravelly voice remind you of a character from the old sitcom “Happy Days.” He’s always been in tune with the needs of his district, from the working class disenfranchised by the failing steel industry to the burgeoning population of elderly with critical issues involving Social Security and Medicare. Sherrod is the kind of neighbor you would trust picking up your mail and keeping an eye on your house when you went on vacation. He’d probably cut your lawn, too.
Brown and DeWine debated on “Meet the Press” a few weeks ago and more recently in Toledo with a panel of Ohio newspaper journalists. The recurring issues are the war in Iraq, each candidate’s voting and attendance record, the so-called “war on terror”, and the Ohio economy. Those of us in Ohio have seen thousands of jobs vanish, manufacturing and industry drying up, college tuition rise, wages stagnate, health care costs soar, and young taxpayers fleeing the state in droves. (I don’t think they’re leaving because of the weather.) Brown has consistently voted against increased defense spending, increases in the “intelligence agencies” that failed us so miserably on 9/11, tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, domestic wiretapping, torturing prisoners of war, and renewing the unconstitutional Patriot Act. I would have voted exactly the same way. I don't care what party he's with, we need this man in the Senate!
I think instead of Brown defending his voting record and soft-pedaling his opinion that US troops should have been out of Iraq by now, he should stand his ground. His job is to represent the interests of his constituency, not those of defense contractors and oil companies, the only entities currently benefiting from the occupation. Brown shouldn’t lose sight of what has endeared him to the voters throughout the years: his integrity – an endangered commodity in Washington these days.
Comments
Speaking of Ohio pollyticks, here's an interesting article in the Chi Tribune:
Posted by: loretta | October 14, 2006 01:37 PM
Dubya sounds like a complete nincompoop:
Posted by: loretta | October 14, 2006 01:48 PM
I'm still reading your entry, Loretta.
You're right about integrity in politics being a rare commodity.
I dread the elections, but I read up on everything and everyone before I vote.
It really bothers me how casually some people will just go and pick anything, or not vote at all.
Posted by: Nadine | October 14, 2006 02:04 PM
In the article from the 2nd link, Bush doesn't mention ignoring precautions to prevent the tragedy on 9/11 as being unacceptable.
Interesting.
Posted by: Nadine | October 14, 2006 02:10 PM
Jim Fetzer's rebuttal to the Rolling Stone article:
That article was so stupid, I didn't even consider it worthy of a remark. Fetzer was lambasted on O'Reilly (OhReally?) recently. The neocon nutcases are sounding more shrill and panicked by the day.
Their little domain is going to drop like a prom dress soon.
Posted by: loretta | October 14, 2006 05:11 PM
Hahahaha --- Keith Olbermann has a bashing blog, and the anonymous cowards (who use ad hominem, straw men, fatuous premises and other ridiculous logic to bash him) call him "Monkeymann!"
Keep hammering it home, Monkeymann. All those evanglicals who flock to your propaganda fest nightly will be sure to vote in favor of partial-birth abortion because Karl Rove used the F-word.
You gotta love that Mutt Mentality.
Their stupid site:
http://www.olbermannwatch.com/
What a bunch of clowns. I wonder how much Rove is paying them? ROFL
Posted by: loretta | October 14, 2006 07:04 PM
“Do-It-Yourself Impeachment:”
http://impeachforpeace.org/index2.html
Rudolph reasons, “It’s like a legal method for voting outside of the scheduled polling dates. It is incredibly empowering and awakening for individuals to learn that they can do this.” The constitution provides for both the electoral process and the impeachment process — the latter being necessary when the elected officials do not honor their oath of office. According to Rudolph, “Impeachment would lead to the ouster of Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld and many others, as they are all equally guilty of war crimes. In an open impeachment trial, the evidence would come out. It isn’t the only way we’ll succeed in impeaching Bush and restoring democracy, but it is an important avenue.”
Download the PDF file and get those petitions in the mail!
Posted by: Benjie Franklin | October 14, 2006 08:28 PM
Since that first commentary, Olbermann's nightly audience has increased 69 percent, according to Nielsen Media Research. This past Monday 834,000 people tuned in, virtually double his season average and more than CNN competitors Paula Zahn and Nancy Grace.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TV_KEITH_OLBERMANN?SITE=TXELP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Posted by: Benjie Franklin | October 14, 2006 08:38 PM
Two words for the upcoming election: paper ballots.
Here's a new video from Alex Jones which is quite good:
I can't believe the surveillance in London. It's absolutely astonishing. If I didn't see it for myself, I would think it was some kind of science fiction movie.
Whither goest London goest us, you know.
Posted by: loretta | October 15, 2006 11:22 AM
Bush keeps finding new justifications (lies) for war:
Reminds me of the mutts who keep justifying their bashing blogs. The parallels are not lost on me!
Posted by: loretta | October 15, 2006 11:44 AM
From
SLATE:
GOP staffer Kirk Fordham testifies that he warned Hastert aide Scott Palmer about Foley's antics; Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., and House clerk Jeff Trandahl also had inklings. Incidentally, Fordham, Kolbe, Trandahl, and Foley are all gay, and Palmer is Hastert's D.C. roommate. Pretty soon, the Republican caucus is going to get its own show on Bravo.
You could not make this stuff up.
Posted by: loretta | October 15, 2006 12:02 PM
London has been paranoid since the IRA bombing days. Many threats against the Royals, and frequent bombs here and there.
Posted by: vero | October 15, 2006 12:18 PM
Good morning!
Thanks for the links. I'm off to catch up.
Posted by: Tranquillity | October 15, 2006 12:23 PM
Interview with Bob Woodward on his new book.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/01/woodwards-60-minutes-interview-on-state-of-denial/
Very interesting.
Posted by: Tranquillity | October 15, 2006 03:23 PM
I see that Congressional perv Gerry Stubbs (D-Gay State) died this week after falling on his head while walking the dog. The pillow biter was re-elected for 3 terms by the Gay State after being censured by the House for actually having sex with a current page.
Posted by: Vet4Bush | October 15, 2006 04:53 PM