I just spent the evening at the campaign headquarters of Ilya Sheyman, my favorite Democrat in the contest for the nomination to run against 1st term Republican, Bedbug Bob Dold, for the seat in the Illinois 10th Congressional District. As everyone always mentions when discussing IL-10, it is the bluest district in the USA represented by a Republican in Congress. The recent decennial redistricting made it bluer still, by every prognostication I have seen.
Will ya support Ilya? I do, and boy, does that feel good.
Ilya is an honest to [insert object of worship] genuine, solid gold, 24 karat progressive with roots in MoveOn and a lifetime devoted to helping people organize to improve their lot in a game rigged against them, called the American Economy as we know it.
Here is my call to action, my remedy to the Pro-Obama/Anti-Obama Blues around this beloved, yet curiously bedeviled website:
Go find a real progressive in your district or near enough, who is fighting to get into the 113th Congress. Lucky 113. If you do this, it will inspire your [insert essential concept of self], immure you to the rigors of the pointless, endless debates of insolvable differences about the President's record and give you a way to rededicate your efforts to accomplishing something that will, if successful, almost certainly result in the election of the most preferable Presidential candidate in the general election.
I have found my real progressive. I'll admit that it is early, and on a slow Monday night it looked just a little like "Ilya has a barn, let's put on a show!" /snark
I have found my real progressive. He is Ilya Sheyman, an immigrant to America in a Congressional District rife with every kind of immigrant you can imagine. I live here. I ride the train in the morning and at night. I listen to the conversations. I don't understand them, but I listen to them.
He is Ilya Sheyman, a true progressive voice hell bent on forging a block by block, neighbor by neighbor campaign to wrest this district from the clutches of interests devoted to ideas abhorrent to most of the thinking people of this district.
Of course, when a supporter called out to Adlai Stevenson during one of his 1950's Presidential campaigns that "All thinking people are with you!" Stevenson replied, "I know, but I need a majority." Nevertheless, Ilya's campaign style offers a way to help people who haven't thought about it yet to understand things they should be thinking about. If enough of that happens, it builds a majority.
So I say to all, is there a real progressive running in your district? What have you done for that candidate so far? What do you say to doing more? Work for or contribute to that candidate and come to Daily Kos and tell us about it. Tell us about your real progressive.
It's primary season. Let's get crackin'.
Alas, I know that so many of my fellow Kossacks have no one in their own districts to support, either no Democrat at all or a hold your nose, if incumbent, DINO. If you find yourself in that situation, please look around and try and see if someone worth working for is close enough for you to volunteer at least occasionally. It is amazing how much just a little can help in these campaigns. For those who cannot do otherwise, find someone like Ilya, oh hell, find Ilya, right here, and give him a bunch of money. He needs money. He's running for office. The Republican incumbent hoards a fortune and our guy has has a DINO opponent in the primary with major corporate support and big self-financing to boot. I'll write more on that later. For now, come help. Or Give. Thanks.
You will be hearing more from me about Ilya. Will ya support Ilya? I'll do what I can to see that you do.