SOME DEMOCRATS DO CHALLENGE BUSH'S PUSH TOWARDS FASCISM

I like writing checks for Democrats who run against right-wing incumbents. I feel patriotic when I do it. I'm usually less forthcoming when it comes to Democrats already in office-- unless they've been spectacular. Today I got a fund-raising letter from Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) who I've sent contributions to in the past. She has been spectacular and I plan to contribute to her again. But thinking about Tammy's request made me think about how pissed off I am at Democratic senators who support Bush's atrocious war in Iraq, ass-backwards losers who are either too small to admit they made a mistake when they supported him originally-- I mean he did lie his ass off and that could almost be a valid excuse-- or who actually do support the war, usually at the behest of Israel's far right Likkud Party. The chances of me writing checks for the Bidens, Liebermans, CLINTONS, Feinsteins, Kerrys of the world are pretty remote.

But going back to the House, there are a number of Democratic Representatives who are not complicit in Bush's war crimes and who deserve support. Congresswoman Barbara Lee of Oakland has introduced a Resolution of Inquiry in the House of Representatives (H. Res 375) which, if passed, will require the White House and the State Department to "transmit all information relating to communication with officials of the United Kingdom between January 1, 2002, and October 16, 2002, relating to the policy of the United States with respect to Iraq." She's talking about the Downing Street Memo. There are now 53 co-sponsors (including one Republican, Jim Leach of Iowa, who signed on last week). If some congresscritter is asking you for money for his or her campaign and they're not on this list... well make them tell you why before you give them any dough. These are the other supporters as of today: Tammy Baldwin, Corrine Brown (FL), Sherrod Brown (OH), William Clay (MO), John Conyers (MI), Joseph Crowley (NY), Elijah Cummings (MD), Danny Davis (IL), Pete Defazio (OR), William Delahunt (MA), Lane Evans (IL), Sam Farr (CA), Bob Filner (CA), Barney Frank (MA), Raul Grijalva (AZ), Luis Gutierrez (IL), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Rush Holt (NJ), Michael Honda (CA), Steve Israel (NY), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH), Marcy Kaptur (OH), Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI), Dennis Kucinich (OH), John Lewis (GA), Carolyn Maloney (NY), Gregory Meeks (NY), Jim McDermott (WA), James McGovern (MA), George Miller (CA), James Oberstar (MN), John Olver (MA), Major Owens (NY), Frank Pallone, Jr (NJ), Donald Payne (NJ), Charles Rangel (NY), Bernie Sanders (VT), Janice Schakowsky (IL), Jose Serrano (NY), Brad Sherman (CA), Adam Smith (WA), Pete Stark (CA), Bennie Thompson (MS), Edolphus Towns (NY), Chris Van Hollen (MD), Maxine Waters (CA), Diane Watson (CA, my congresswoman), Robert Wexler (FL), Lynn Woolsey (CA), David Wu (OR), and Albert Wynn (MD). This should probably come to a vote in committee in the next two weeks.