WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY COMMITTEES ASK YOU FOR MONEY, DO THEY USE KY?

Why do we vote for Democrats? Because we believe these people who exist inside the Beltway and call themselves "Democrats" should have nice careers? I think some people think that way-- if only unconsciously. For some it's like a tribal thing or a family tradition. Me, I'm weird. I like Democrats because they stand for progressive values. When I interview people for our Blue America Page I ask them some very specific questions. I want to know if they'll stand up and fight for women's choice. I want to know if they're a bigot towards minorities-- or, more to the point, if they'll sacrifice minorities' rights and well-being in some compromise. And I want to know if they're going to get to Washington and became a corporate whore and a pawn for Big Business. Of course I also want to know if they back a Murtha-like solution to Bush's Iraq occupation. Some don't get on the page. Some who have asked have been perfectly nice folks too and I felt a little bad. But just a little.

There are no Democrats from Kentucky on our page. Today's Washington Post goes a long way towards making it clear why not. Jim VandeHei and Chris Cillizza write about the Democratic candidate in KY-02, Mike Weaver. Very proud of his military career, like many of the Blue Amerca-endorsed candidates, Weaver, unlike the candidates we endorse, is also eager "to share his views on abortion rights: opposed. Or gun control: opposed. Or same-sex marriage: very much opposed... Weaver's campaign revolves largely around convincing even his fellow Democrats that he is conservative enough. He also sounds like an asshole. There's not a thing in the story about him that makes me understand why he's in the Democratic Party instead of the Republican Party.

And what happens if Weaver and reactionaries like him get into Congress? The balance of power inside the Democratic caucus would shift and the party's branding would continue sliding right as well. One Republican Party is bad enough. Please believe me when I tell you, if you contribute to the men and women on the Blue America Act Blue Page, there are no Mike Weavers. You'll be contributing to Democrats who believe in-- and will stand and fight for-- the things that make us progressives.

There is a difference between Lieberman and Lamont. Lieberman is one of them; Lamont is one of us. Lieberman votes with Bush and the Republicans on crucial, life-or-death issues. Lamont will stand up for ordinary Americans. I would no sooner contribute money or in any way support Ben Nelson (D-NE) than I would Lincoln Chafee (R-RI). The two are about equal on the progressive/reactionary scale. They both vote against my interests and against the interests of my country. Chafee is probably more persuadable on key social issues. Nelson will in all likelihood vote to organize the Senate with Democrats, no small matter and one, were I living in Nebraska, might make me hold my nose and vote for him-- or maybe not.


UPDATE: KENTUCKY HAS A REALLY GOOD DEMOCRAT RUNNING TOO!

I thought they were all going to be like Weaver. I was wrong. John Yarmuth is running against Kentucky's very own Stepford congresswoman, Anne Northrup, a posterchild for the entire concept of rubber stamp. She has slavishly catered to even the most outlandish demands of the Big Business interests that have financed her career and was awarded a zero (F) from the non-partisan Drum Major Institute For Public Policy, which analyzes congressional votes for their impact on the middle class. Northrup's impact has been absolutely disastrous.

Unlike Weaver, Yarmuth, the founder of Louisville's alternative weekly, wants the U.S. out of Iraq-- fast-- favors universal health care, and demands that Congress re-address the catastrophic Medicare Part D billion dollar giveaway to Big Pharma (voted for by Northrup who greedily accepted legalized bribes from Big Pharma for her votes). She wants to abolish Social Security; he wants to strengthen it. She has voted to destroy public education; he wants to make it stronger and better. He wants to enforce immigration laws and protect our national borders. She votes with Bush to allow a flood of cheap foreign labor into the country to keep unions weak.