VOTING STARTS TODAY-- FEINGOLD'S PROGRESSIVE PATRIOTS FUND IS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER CANDIDATE TO SUPPORT

Russ Feingold has won the moral authority to lead the Democratic Party. If the Inside-the-Beltway Democratic Establishment's triangulating, manipulating, and power-playing makes all patriots want to vomit-- and if you're paying any attention, it should-- Russ Feingold is a perfect antidote. He makes me remember why I vote Democrat. I don't have to look at him and say, "Well, at least he's better than a Republican."

I suppose, unfortunately, there is a need for low-down scumbags and monstrosities like Rahm Emanuel in a political party. Where the Republicans committed suicide was by letting their version (Tom DeLay) take over the whole party. Emanuel should be kept firmly in check so his undemocratic instincts never undermine the essence of the Democratic Party in a way that blurs the difference between Democrats and Republicans. A weak and dependent Nancy Pelosi is no more able to reign in Emanuel than DeLay's puppet, Denny Hastert, was able to reign in DeLay.

But while Emanuel bullies the politically spineless John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi and other nationally prominent Democrats into lending their support to his unrelenting and vicious war against progressives and grassroots challengers around the country, Howard Dean is quietly and efficiently going about his business of rebuilding the state Democratic Party infrastructures that the Inside-the-Beltway power-mongers find irrelevant-- or annoying-- and Russ Feingold is staking out a refreshing claim on the moral high ground our polity is so badly in need of after years of Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Joe Lieberman, James Dobson, George Bush, Fred Phelps, Ann Coulter, "Lucky Louie" Sheldon, Tony Perkins and other crass anti-christ purveyors of false morality-for-profit.

Today Senator Feingold's Progressive Patriots Fund has launched it's second internet search for progressive congressional challengers for November. The candidate chosen by the grassroots as a Progressive Patriot receives a $5,000 contribution from Feingold's Progressive Patriots Fund. Voting just started and this round is between Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20), Tessa Hafen (NV-03), John Laesch (IL-14), Monica Lindeen (MT-AL), Dave Loebsack (IA-02), Eric Massa (NY-29), Barry Welsh (IN-06), and Bill Winter (CO-06). You can vote right here.

This smells a lot more like democracy (and the Democratic Party) to me than Rahm Emanuel and Steny Hoyer and Chuck Schumer sitting around in a smoke-filled room in DC picking candidates for us.
Speaking of which-- tomorrow is primary day in Illinois. It's an opportunity to teach Rahm Emanuel why we have primaries. Please vote for the progressive, grassroots candidate, Christine Cegelis.