As a lifelong Democrat who has been tired of constantly having my butt kicked come election the last thirty years, I admit I was heartened by the mobilization of Progressive forces in the last election and the events afterward that should position us toward becoming an electoral majority for the next generation. Namely, I speak of Howard Dean's movement away from large corporate donors and a believe in grassroots mobilizing. However, I wish to offer some criticism about tonight's meetup agenda.
I am committed to having a partnership between the grassroots and the DNC, however, I am disappointed with tonight's performance in the 18th District of Illinois. Those of us signed up for e-mails from the Democratic Party did not receive notice until November 10th, five days before the National Organizing kickoff. That is simply not enough time for real organizing. There is a lady in Peoria who has a house party and she has one attendee. Our local Democratic leadership is equally unprepared, Perhaps,there should be some coordination between the DNC and our County and Township leaders. They are our grassroots organizers. House parties are nice, but they no more win elections than political conversations at a local bar.
Which brings me to my next item, namely, the 50 state strategy. I must confess, I'm extremely jealous when I read the accounts of the Paul Hackett candidacy at dailykos and at others blogs such as mydd. I'm in full agreement with such strategies as Project 90. Therefore, I'm suggesting that IL-18 be also targeted. I know that national political analysts and the blogosphere consider this to me a safe republican district since it hasn't had a Democratic representative since the Roosevelt administration. Theodore Roosevelt. IL-18 has 53% Republicans and 47% Democrats. LaHood has won the last three elections with 70% of the vote, however, he has run against the head of the Peoria Planned Parenthood Association, unopposed, and a farmer from Emden who had one suit and $4,000 to go against LaHood's 1.2 Million. I believe we have an enormous opportunity to effect a tidal change if we are willing to stop playing chess, and instead play poker by going "all in."
Ray LaHood is NOT an imposing candidate. The only election where he has had a strong opponent was in 1994 when he was bolstered by retirijng Minority Leader Bob Michel's political machine. Ray LaHood was Michel's Chief of Staff. In the year of the "Republican Revolution," LaHood squeaked by Doug Stephens who Michel had previously beated.
Lahood's record can be used against him. He is a member of the Permanent Select committee on Intelligence. One would think LaHood, a Beltway Insider for nearly thirty years, would recognize the importance of outing Valerie Plame, a specialist in WMD's in the Middle East during wartime, but he has done nothing. He has also failed to bring home the bacon. Barack Obama came up with extra money to help complete the ring road project in Tazewell county connecting Illinois route 29 to the interstate. LaHood recently failed to protect the Air Guard unit from closure due to budgetary pressures. I guess he was too busy voting Paris Hilton tax giveaways. LaHood is also on the Veteran's committee, and I don't need to tell anyone that he is a "Do Nothing" Congressman for our armed forces.
What has he done? He voted to change the laws for Terri Schiavo's parents. He voted to change the ethics rules for Tom DeLay, and he introduced a motion to forbid ethics charges to be brought by lame-duck Congressmen. Although widely believed to be a moderate, he votes with Tom DeLay over 90% of the time. Also, according to the Open Secrets website, he has over 95% of his current campaign donations come from outside the state. In other words, if you wanted a poster child for the enablers of Republican corruption, Ray LaHood fits the bill.