Trump's Concentration Camps-- Funded By 176 Republicans And 129 Pelosi-Democrats

American Dream Revisted by Nancy Ohanian

The bad news: on June 27 129 Democrats joined with the GOP to vote to authorize funds for Trump's concentration camps. Briana Urbina is a top progressive candidate taking on Stony Hoyer this cycle. She told me she "cannot forgive my representative for voting in support of the cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants at the border. The practices of this administration cannot be divorced from the system that funds it. Steny should be using his power in leadership to dismantle this system not bolster it. Our district has a vibrant and beautiful immigrant community. I have been honored to serve immigrant families as a pro bono attorney. I will continue my service to all Marylanders, native and foreign born when I am sworn in as the first Latina elected to Congress from Maryland."

The good news: 95 Democrats voted against funding the concentration camps despite Pelosi and Hoyer having shit-fit. These are the 95 who are fit to call themselves Democrats:

• Alma Adams (D-NC)
• Pete Aguilar (New Dem-CA)
• Nanette Barragán (D-CA)
• Karen Bass (D-CA)
• Don Beyer (New Dem-VA)
• Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
• Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
• Brendan Boyle (New Dem-PA)
• Anthony Brown (New Dem-MD)
• G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)
• Tony Cárdenas (New Dem-CA)
• André Carson (New Dem-IN)
• Judy Chu (D-CA)
• David Cicilline (D-RI)
• Gil Cisneros (New Dem-CA)
• Katherine Clark (D-MA)
• Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
• Lacy Clay (D-MO)
• Gerry Connolly (New Dem-VA)
• Lou Correa (Blue Dog-CA)
• Danny Davis (D-IL)
• Pete DeFazio (D-OR)
• Diana DeGette (D-CO)
• Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
• Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA)
• Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
• Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
• Eliot Engel (New Dem-NY)
• Veronica Escobar (New Dem-TX)
• Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)
• Dwight Evans (D-PA)
• Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)
• Chuy García (D-IL)
• Sylvia Garcia (D-TX)
• Jimmy Gomez (D-CA)
• Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
• Deb Haaland (D-NM)
• Brian Higgins (D-NY)
• Katie Hill (New Dem-CA)
• Steven Horsford (New Dem-NV)
• Jared Huffman (D-CA)
• Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)
• Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
• Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
• Joe Kennedy (D-MA)
• Ro Khanna (D-CA)
• Brenda Lawrence (New Dem-MI)
• Barbara Lee (D-CA)
• Andy Levin (D-MI)
• John Lewis (D-GA)
• Ted Lieu (D-CA)
• Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
• Alan Lowenthal (D-CA)
• Nita Lowey (D-NY)
• Ben Ray Luján (D-NM)
• Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
• Betty McCollum (D-MN)
• Donald McEachin (New Dem-VA)
• James McGovern (D-MA)
• Gregory Meeks (New Dem-NY)
• Grace Meng (D-NY)
• Gwen Moore (D-WI)
• Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (New Dem-FL)
• Jerry Nadler (D-NY)
• Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
• Joe Neguse (D-CO)
• Donald Norcross (New Dem-NJ)
• AOC (D-NY)
• Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
• Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
• Bill Pascrell (D-NJ)
• Mark Pocan (D-WI)
• Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
• David Price (D-NC)
• Mike Quigley (New Dem-IL)
• Jamie Raskin (D-MD)
• Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
• Linda Sánchez (D-CA)
• Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
• Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
• Brad Sherman (D-CA)
• Adam Smith (New Dem-WA)
• Darren Soto (New Dem-FL)
• Jackie Speier (D-CA)
• Mark Takano (D-CA)
• Dina Titus (D-NV)
• Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)
• Paul Tonko (D-NY)
• Norma Torres (New Dem-CA)
• Lori Trahan (New Dem-MA)
• Juan Vargas (New Dem-CA)
• Marc Veasey (New Dem-TX)
• Filemon Vela (Blue Dog-TX)
• Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)
• Peter Welch (D-VT)

It must have stung Pelosi especially hard when she wasn't even able to control members of her own leadership team and inner circle-- like Hakeem Jeffries and Ben Ray Luján, each fearful of primaries from the left. But these were Pelosi's "good soldiers" who told themselves a nice story that made it ok to vote funding for concentration camps. If any of them call you for a contribution to their reelection efforts, ask them why they decided our taxpayer money should go for locking children seeking asylum in cages inside concentration camps.

Babies in Cages by Nancy Ohanian

Colin Allred (New Dem-TX)
Cindy Axne (New Dem-IA)
Joyce Beatty (D-OH)
Ami Bera (New Dem-CA)
Sanford Bishop (Blue Dog-GA)
Lisa Blunt Rochester (New Dem-DE)
Anthony Brindisi (Blue Dog-NY)
Julia Brownley (New Dem-CA)
Cheri Bustos (Blue Dog-IL)
Salud Carbajal (New Dem-CA)
Matt Cartwright (D-PA)
Ed Case (Blue Dog-HI)
Sean Casten (New Dem-IL)
Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO)
Jim Clyburn (D-SC)
Steve Cohen (D-TN)
Jim Cooper (Blue Dog-TN)
Jim Costa (Blue Dog-CA)
Joe Courtney (D-CT)
TJ Cox (D-CA)
Angie Craig (New Dem-MN)
Charlie Crist (Blue Dog-FL)
Jason Crow (New Dem-CO)
Henry Cuellar (Blue Dog-TX)
Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Joe Cunningham (Blue Dog-SC)
Sharice Davids (New Dem-KS)
Susan Davis (New Dem-CA)
Madeleine Dean (New Dem-PA)
Suzan DelBene (New Dem-WA)
Antonio Delgado (D-NY)
Val Demings (New Dem-FL)
Ted Deutch (D-FL)
Michael Doyle (D-PA)
Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
Abby Finkenauer (D-IA)
Lizzie Fletcher (New Dem-TX)
Mike Foster (New Dem-IL)
Lois Frankel (D-FL)
Marcia Fudge (D-OH)
John Garamendi (D-CA)
Jared Golden (D-ME)
Vicente Gonzalez (Blue Dog-TX)
Josh Gottheimer (Blue Dog-NJ)
Al Green (D-TX)
Josh Harder (New Dem-FL)
Jahana Hayes (D-CT)
Denny Heck (New Dem-WA)
Jim Himes (New Dem-CT)
Kendra Horn (Blue Dog-OK)
Chrissy Houlahan (New Dem-PA)
Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Hank Johnson (D-GA)
Bill Keating (New Dem-MA)
Robin Kelly (D-IL)
Dan Kildee (D-MI)
Derek Kilmer (New Dem-WA)
Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Ron Kind (New Dem-WI)
Ann Kirkpatrick (New Dem-AZ)
Raja Krishnamoorthi (New Dem-IL)
Anne Kuster (New Dem-NH)
Conor Lamb (D-PA)
Jim Langevin (D-RI)
Rick Larsen (New Dem-WA)
John Larson (D-CT)
Al Lawson (New Dem-FL)
Susie Lee (New Dem-NV)
Mike Levin (D-CA)
Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
Dave Loebsack (D-IA)
Elaine Luria (New Dem-VA)
Stephen Lynch (D-MA)
Tom Malinowski (New Dem-NJ)
Sean Patrick Maloney (New Dem-NY)
Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Ben McAdams (Blue Dog-UT)
Lucy McBath (New Dem-GA)
Jerry McNerney (D-CA)
Joseph Morelle (D-NY)
Stephanie Murphy (Blue Dog-FL)
Richard Neal (D-MA)
Tom O'Halleran (Blue Dog-AZ)
Jimmy Panetta (New Dem-CA)
Chris Pappas (New Dem-NH)
Donald Payne (D-NJ)
Ed Perlmutter (New Dem-CO)
Scott Peters (New Dem-CA)
Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN)
Dean Phillips (New Dem-MN)
Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
Katie Porter (D-CA)
Kathleen Rice (New Dem-NY)
Max Rose (Blue Dog-NY)
Harley Rouda (New Dem-CA)
Raul Ruiz (New Dem-CA)
Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)
Bobby Rush (D-IL)
John Sarbanes (D-MD)
Adam Schiff (New Dem-CA)
Brad Schneider (Blue Dog-IL)
Kim Schrier (New Dem-WA)
Bobby Scott (D-VA)
David Scott (Blue Dog-GA)
Jose Serrano (D-NY)
Terri Sewell (New Dem-AL)
Donna Shalala (New Dem-FL)
Mikie Sherrill (Blue Dog-NJ)
Albio Sires (D-NJ)
Elissa Slotkin (New Dem-MI)
Abigail Spanberger (Blue Dog-VA)
Greg Stanton (New Dem-AZ)
Haley Stevens (New Dem-MI)
Tom Suozzi (New Dem-NY)
Mike Thompson (Blue Dog-CA)
Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
Xochitl Torres Small (Blue Dog-NM)
David Trone (New Dem-MD)
Lauren Underwood (D-IL)
Jefferson Van Drew (Blue Dog-NJ)
Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (New Dem-FL)
Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
Jennifer Wexton (New Dem-VA)
Susan Wild (New Dem-PA)
John Yarmuth (D-KY)

"Denny Heck voted to give money to concentration camps," his progressive primary opponent, Joshua Collins told me. "And he did it with no expectations of improved oversight or improved conditions. We might as well be burning money because they're already getting over $700/day per detainee, and still won't even give them toothpaste and soap. That vote was despicable. And it signifies why we have to replace Representatives like Denny Heck. He's not just a lazy centrist who won't budge on important issues like Medicare for All and a Green New Deal. He's actively helping the Republicans. And when asked why he makes all these bad votes, and why he refuses to support impeachment, his office says it's because he takes his marching orders from Nancy Pelosi. If he is being funded by large corporations and controlled even more explicitly by Nancy Pelosi, why in the hell should he be representing Washington's 10th? He needs to retire already. He's gotta go. That's why I'm running against him."

23 hours to go on this poll, but the trend seems set

Progressive Democrat Matt Tirman is running for the House seat occupied by New Dem chief Derek Kilmer in the sprawling 6th district west of Seattle. "The vote to give $4.6 billion in funding to ICE was not one to help the children being kept in cages at the border," he told me this morning, "but one to assuage the enormity of guilt felt by those in Congress. This was not a way to help reunite families, or help provide the humanitarian aid so desperately needed. This was simply a way for congressional members, like Rep. Kilmer, to stick a band aid on the issue and hope the American people will be placated so they could go march in their hometown parades without having to worry about messy questions about kids in cages."

Dean Obeidallah penned an OpEd for CNN yesterday, Why is Nancy Pelosi slamming AOC and helping Trump?. He was as pissed off as every progressive I know about Pelosi's slide over to the Dark Side, in terms of Trump's concentration camps and in her vicious attacks against progressives who opposed her collaboration with America's #1 enemy. She has especially singled out freshmen women Ilhan Omar (MN), AOC (NY), Rashida Tlaib (MI) and Ayanna Pressley (MA) for the full scale viciousness many Democrats would rather see her aiming at McConnell and Trump. She's become a real detriment to the Democratic Party and with her legacy in shreds, should step down and disappear immediately.

"Whatever"

Pelosi's criticism came after a June 25 vote in which the four were the only Democrats to oppose a House bill to provide funding for the crisis at the southern border because as they put it in a statement, "in good conscience, we cannot support this supplemental funding bill, which gives even more money to ICE and CBP and continues to support a fundamentally cruel and broken immigration system."

In response to that vote, Pelosi told Dowd, "All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world," adding, "But they didn't have any following. They're four people and that's how many votes they got."

by Jack Spencer

In response, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter, focusing in on the dismissiveness of the speaker's "public whatever" remark. "That public 'whatever' is called public sentiment. And wielding the power to shift it is how we actually achieve meaningful change in this country," she tweeted.

What makes Pelosi's remark so stunning is that it flies in the face of her often-repeated philosophy that she has espoused to House Democrats since taking control of the chamber in the 2018 midterms. "Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power," she wrote last November.

Pelosi is 100% correct with that approach. That means, though, that diversity of opinion needs to be respected-- not belittled. This unity is vitally needed in the time of Donald Trump, since the Democrat-controlled House is the only chamber that serves as a legitimate check on the President.

Democratic House Primaries Around The Country-- And Blue Dog Collin Peterson Finally Gets One, But He Looks Worse Than Peterson!

As you know, Cheri Bustos-- with the support of Pelosi and Hoyer-- has moved to ban primaries against incumbent Democrats. The policy is tremendously unpopular and people who never even knew what the DCCC is re now hating it. Thanks to Bustos, the DCCC has become a dark spot against Democrats. Way to go! But despite her draconian decision, there are more and more candidates announcing their decisions to tackle Democratic incumbents.

Blue America has a Primary A Blue Dog ActBlue page to help raise money for progressive Democrats running against entrenched reactionaries. So far this cycle, we are encouraging our members to contribute to the campaigns of Marie Newman, who's running for the southwest Chicagoland seat occupied by widely reviled Blue Dog Dan Lipinski; Eva Putzova, the progressive former Flagstaff city council member who is running in the mammoth AZ-01 district for a seat occupied by so-called "ex"-Republican Tom O'Halleran, who still votes with his old party an awful lot of the time; and Michael Owens, who's taking on odious corrupt conservative David Scott in the suburbs southwest of Atlanta (GA-13). You can contribute to all or any of these candidates by clicking on the Primary A Blue Dog thermometer on the right. And, don't worry; we're in the process of vetting another dozen progressive candidates who are running against bad Democrats next year.

One new candidate I spent some time talking with yesterday is Kina Collins, a Chicago activist who's taking on Danny Davis on Chicago's West (IL-07). Davis who was first elected in 1996 had been involved with city and county government since 1979. It's a minority-majority district, just over 50% African-American and about 14% Latino. It's Illinois' bluest district (PVI is D+38); Trump only managed 9% of the vote. The district starts at the end of the Gold Coast, on East Banks Street and Lake Michigan and heads south as far as Kenwood and includes the Loop, the Magnificent Mile, the Near Northside and the near Southside and shoots west to the Near West Side and all the way out to Forest Park, Maywood, Bellwood and Westchester.

I asked Kina how she could expect to beat Davis, who is a solid liberal with a strong "A" from ProgressivePunch. "His voting record," she told me, is the best thing about him. He has had a long and reliable career, but in our current political climate it is crucial that we elevate new leadership to take bold action. We don’t just need seniority, we want progressive leadership that advances the 7th district. I am running for Congress because we desperately need inclusive, transformative leadership at this pivotal moment. To address the urgent crises threatening the future of our country, we cannot simply proceed with business-as-usual."

And she spoke like she meant it. "Our district," she continued, "deserves a fighter with a proven track record of policy making, coalition building, and working with diverse communities to get things done. Residents of the district are looking for a fresh approach, someone who has the energy and experience to mobilize inside the Congressional chambers as well as in the streets of our communities. There is a saying in Chicago-- 'It’s just politics; it's nothing personal.' I don’t agree with that. When a family is illegally detained by ICE in our district, that’s personal to me. When dozens of public schools get shut down in our neighborhoods, it’s personal to me. And when people can’t afford to pay for their insulin, mortgage, and food every month, that’s not just politics-- it’s definitely personal. With the backing and support of community members from across the district, I am ready to bring their concerns and new ideas to Washington, D.C. in 2020."

A brief look around the country shows me a few incumbents being primaried and a few that should be who aren't. New Dem Terri Sewell (AL-07) is the main force holding up raising the minimum wage-- in a majority black district, where people deserve a raise.

California

• CA-07- Ami Bera is a conservative crook who deserves a primary but there's no opponent
• CA-12- Unfortunately, Nancy Pelosi has 3 Democratic challengers. Shahid Buttar looks like the strongest candidate.
• CA-15- There are 3 Democrats trying for Eric Swalwell's seat... just in case he gets elected president?
• CA-16- This is important. The worst California Dem, Blue Dog Jim Costa, is being challenged in his Central Valley district by Kim Williams. I've by trying to get in touch with her but so far to no avail.
• CA-18- Anna Eshoo, a Pelosi and Big PhRMA ally is being challenged by Rishi Kumar, a Saratoga City Councilman.
• CA-26- Julia Brownley, a total waste of a seat has earned a nice primary, but no one is running against her.
• CA-29- Tony Cardenas also deserves a strong primary. His corrupt and slimy (and a child molester) and he has two primary opponents, Angelica Duenas and Abdeli Sanchez.
• CA-31- Pete Aguilar also deserves a primary-- and doesn't have one, at least not yet.
• CA-41 Mark Takano is being primaried by Simon Mark Alvarez, who describes himself as a "Luciferian."
• CA-51- Juan Vargas deserves a challenge and he's going to get one from activist Aeiramique Glass.
• CA-52- Scott Peters deserves a primary but I believe he sold his seat to a wealthy friend and is running for mayor of San Diego.
• CA-53 Susan David is being primaried by Jose Caballero

Diana DeGette (CO-01- Denver) is pretty much a waste of a seat and she has two primary opponents, former House speaker Crisanta Duran and trans rights activist Charlie Madison Winters.

Nathan Clay, a progressive activist is running against New Dem Ed Perlmutter again (CO-07, in the suburbs west and north of Denver).

In Florida Al Lawson (waste of a seat) is being challenged by Albert Chester but people tell me he isn't any better than Lawson. (FL-05). No primary for head Blue Dog Stephanie Murphy unfortunately (FL-07) and no primary for Blue Dog Charlie Crist (FL-13). A couple of candidates are going after Alcee Hastings (late of a seat), James Taylorand Emmanuel Morel (FL-20). And last but not least, Wasserman Schultz has one opponent so far, Christine Olivo. (FL-23).

Tulsi Gabbard is being primaried by state Sen Kai Kahele in her HI-02 district.

Aside from Danny Davis and Dan Lipinski, there are 2 other incumbents facing primaries in Illinois. Bobby Rush has two challengers, community activists Robert Emmons and Ameena Matthews (IL-01). And who could possibly deserve a primary more than Cheri Bustos (IL-17). William Swisher, a progressive activist, is giving it a shot.

Kentucky's lone Democrat, John Yarmuth, is getting a challenge in his Louisville district by Attica Scott, a state Rep.

Maryland has some real garbage congressmen, especially Steny Hoyer, who's being challenged by McKayla Wilkes and Briana Urbina. Believe me, if either of them looks viable, Blue America will be all over it.

Massachusetts needs more primaries. Richard Neal (corrupt) has two potential opponents, David Daley and Alex Morse, the mayor of Holyoke. 6 Dems are being talk up as primary challengers to Seth Moulton, including former congressman John Tierney, who's been recruited by Pelosi. I think Barbara L'Italien would be a better option.Brianna Wu is taking on all around bad guy Stephen Lynch again.

In Detroit Brenda Jones is likely being encouraged by AIPAC to run against Rashida Tlaib.

Minnesota will see a progressive, David Sandbeck, running against garden variety Democrat, Betty McCollum (waste of a seat). AIPAC is absolutely trying to get rid of Ilhan Omar and there are 2 candidates being talked about, state Senator Bobby Joe Champion and Margaret Keliher, the ex-House speaker. Putrid DINO and Blue Dog Collin Peterson is being primaried by Stephen Emery, who appears even worse than Peterson!!

In Missoui, Cori Bush is a strong opponent for corrupt seat waster Lacy Clay (St Louis) and progressive activist M.G. Salazar is challenging Emanuel Cleaver in Kansas City.

New Jersey has some really terrible Democrats-- Josh Gottheimer, Jeff Van Drew, Donald Norcross, Frank Pallone and Mikie Sherrill. Pallone has progressive activist Russ Cirincione running against him.

New York will see primaries against Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Kathleen Rice (NY-04), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Jerry Nadler (NY-10), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Eliot Engel (NY-16), and Nita Lowey (NY-17). But the Democrats who most deserve primaries-- Hakeem Jeffries, Anthony Brindisi, Max Rose, Antonio Delgado and Sean Patrick Murphy are all unchallenged.

G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) is being challenged by progressive DeAndre Cooper. David Price (NC-04) is being challenged by progressive activist Daniel Ulysses Lockwood.

In Oregon Milwaukie mayor Mark Gamba is challenging Blue Dog Kurt Schrader.

In Texas, Sheila Jackson Lee has 4 primary opponents. Blue Dog Henry Cuellar is about to get one and it looks like State Rep Ramon Romero is going to take on Marc Veasey.

Progressive truck drive Joshua Collins, a Democratic Socialist, is running against Denny Heck in WA-10 and that looks like a live race in the making.