Judy Chu Had A Lot Of Reasons To Endorse Jay Chen-- Here's Her Guest Post On Them

Rep. Judy Chu-- We need more congressmembers like her

Even among 100 or 200 or 300... or 435 there got to be one person who is the very best. Or maybe two people tied for very best. But in this case, it isn't a tie, A former Blue America endorsee who won her congressional seat, Judy Chu, has the single best Progressive Punch crucial vote score-- both for her entire career and for the current 2011-12 session. Here's the top 10:

Judy has been a real leader in Southern California politics as well, helping to elect independent-minded progressives like herself. She's endorsed all three of the California Blue America candidates, Lee Rogers, Alan Lowenthal and Jay Chen. Yesterday she sent us a guest post about her reasons for supporting Jay. Please give it a look and if you back Judy's ideas, consider making a contribution on the same Blue America page that first helped send Judy to Congress.

Guest Post

-by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)

When I was elected to Congress in 2008, I stayed up until 6 a.m. casting my first vote on health care reform. Since that time, Republicans have been doing nothing but trying to shut down critical programs, and every day I have to work harder to defend them. I need an ally in Congress. I need someone who shares my views, and is not afraid to do what is right. That is why I support Jay Chen for Congress.

I got my start in politics on the Garvey Unified School Board and education remains near and dear to my heart. As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I see all the problems that our public education system faces today and shudder at the thought that so many want to get rid of the Department of Education. Public education is the key to our nation’s success and it is crucial to strengthen our schools. This is something Jay Chen understands. He currently serves on the school board of the same district he was raised and taught in.

I know that Jay will work hard to heighten our education quality and standards, as well as making learning more accessible. As a Hacienda La Puente school board member, Jay pushed for Mandarin and Spanish language immersion classes at the elementary school level and understands what our kids need to compete in a global economy. He has created free SAT-prep workshops and college preparation classes in order to offer everyone a fair chance at higher education. Jay has a proven record of creating higher student achievement-- all without teacher furloughs or layoffs. Though at times he has faced Republican backlash for doing so, Jay has gone above and beyond his role in the school board to serve the 39th district’s public schools and education staff.

I joined the small business committee because small businesses are the heart of our economy. It goes without saying that there are problems in a growing and complex industrial society. As a businessman himself, Jay sees business as a source of positive, progressive change. He is committed to bringing jobs back, supporting small businesses and preparing our children to compete abroad are common-sense solutions to strengthen America during this uncertain time.

Right now, Congress has taken the wrong direction by attacking worker’s rights. Our country is built on the sweat of our construction workers, farmers, nurses, cooks and retail cashiers. I support working with labor to solve problems, build stronger workplaces and give working families a real voice-- and I know that Jay will be an ally in this movement. As a staunch supporter of the Employment Rights Act, Jay has shown his dedication to the rights of workers and the jobs that drive our country forward.

I am currently the only Chinese American in Congress and know that we need our Congress to better represent those that it serves. If elected, Jay will be the second member of Chinese-Taiwanese descent in Congress, and will represent one of America’s fastest growing minority communities within his district. A son of two Taiwanese immigrants, Jay has seen first-hand what the American Dream means for our millions of individuals who come to our shores, and the difficulties they face in achieving that dream. I know Jay will fight for equality and cultural tolerance. He stood alongside me when I advocated the Statement of Regret for the Chinese Exclusion laws, discriminatory laws adopted 130 years ago that imposed severe restrictions on Chinese immigration and naturalization.

The 39th District of California deserves a representative who is on the right side of the issues, who intimately knows the district, and who is well versed on issues of national security. As an intelligence officer with the U.S. Navy Reserves, Jay Chen is uniquely qualified to make important decisions regarding the safety of our homeland, and to address issues that directly affect our servicemen and women.

This is why I support Jay Chen’s bid for Congress this November. Jay Chen is a strong progressive who stands for accessible education, empowerment for disenfranchised communities and human dignity for minorities regardless of socioeconomic background or sexual orientation. That is why I ask you to join me in supporting his bid for Congress this November.