STEVE PORTER-- HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE, FROM BUSH RIGHT ON DOWN THE CHAIN

Steve Porter is a progressive, reform-minded Democrat running for congress in northwest Pennsylvania (PA-03) against right wing rubber stamp Phil English. DWT has covered this race extensively and Dr. Porter is a Blue America candidate. I'd like to encourage anyone who can to contribute to his campaign. I asked him to keep us updated about his campaign from time to time and he just sent me this report:

On Sleaze in Washington

What could be more telling about the climate in our nation's capitol than the revelations about Mr. Foley and the TV ads of my opponent, Mr. English? If the pedophilia doesn't nauseate you, the false character assassination ads will.

And this from the party of "family values." How the Republicans can hold their heads up in public now is a mystery to me.

The question, of course, is what can we do about it?

The obvious answer is to vote them out of office. But that is only the short answer. The longer answer takes more patience and a good deal more in the way of morality.

Voting the Rovian mindset of sleaze out of Washington will not be sufficient unless people who have committed crimes and cover-ups are held legally accountable. If we do not do this, if we have another "Richard Nixon pardon," another "Iran-contra hush-up," another "uncounted Florida vote," we will do nothing to repair the gulf of distrust between the electorate and those who govern.

Letting our office-holders get away with breaking the law simply continues the demoralization and dissolution of our democracy. Therefore, testimony for any and all alleged crimes-- be they Bush's lies about Iraq or any cover-up of Foley's sexual indiscretions-- must be taken under oath with the chips falling as they may.

As to sleazy TV ads-- the mantra of so many Rovian Republicans this year-- the way to oppose them is not to respond in kind. Disgracing our democracy by using contributors money to run untrue character assassination ads will not be stopped by participating in the filth. The way to stop it is through the legal system. Better to institute a defamation law suit than to wallow in the muck with Mr. Rove and his friends.

This would do several things. First, it would put the electorate on notice that the ads are false. Second, it may cause injunctions to prevent the ads from running. Third, it may lead to victories which inflict monetary punishment on those who run the ads. Fourth, it will give the average citizens of America some heart that someone is willing to stand up against the Philistines.

Using these alternatives instead of "entering a pissing contest with a skunk," gives us the stuff from which our sinking democracy can be resurrected.

I look forward to your comments and our chats.

Dr. Steven Porter
Democratic Candidate for Congress
PA-03

Two video artists have done clips for Steve Porter's race against English, our old friend Mike McIntee:



and our newer friend Adam Friedman: