(This is the 5th leg of our 24-hour blog-a-thon, carrying on the torch from some world class bloggers, NH-Sen: 'Round The Clock Fundraiser For Steve Marchand! Diary No. 1, 24 hour Steve Marchand (vs. Sununu) fundraiser, part 2 (Lieberman loves Sununu), Steve Marchand Madness! Blogo-Fundraiser, Part III, Steve Marchand Blog-Fundraiser, Part IV)
We're running a great race - $930 raised so far - but John E. Sununu is in an all-out sprint.
Help us catch Sprintin' Sununu - donate to Steve through ActBlue and give him wings!
John E. Sununu had everyone fooled into thinking he was a principled conservative. Well he's certainly turned out to be an ideologue, but for a different ideology than one New Hampshire sent him to Washington with.
Yes, he told us he was a fiscal conservative. He's put an interesting spin on that phrase with his repeated votes for deficit spending and his cowardly support for a foreign entanglement that's cost us $500 billion.
Yes, he told us he stood for individual freedoms. Perhaps he meant that in the "abstract" sense, for he voted to deny the habeus corpus for American citizens in the Military Commissions Act of 2006.
Yes, he told was a strong protector of civil liberties. He must drank a bit too much of King Georgie's spiked kool-aid, because he forgot that suffrage is a natural right when he voted against the bipartisan D.C. Voting Rights Act of 2007 in his committee, earlier this month:
Yep that's right - Sprintin' Sununu didn't feel that the citizens of Washington D.C. should have representation in Congress. Nor did he feel like sharing his reasons with the committee (or the public) was very important.
Sprintin' Sununu was joined by his distinguished colleagues Sens. Coburn (R-OK), Domenici (R-NM), and Stevens (R-AK) in phoning in a vote against civil rights.
Ironically, we have a progressive young Democrat who is everything that Sununu wishes he was, and simultaneously have a great hold on all of the issues facing the average whiners that Sununu despises.
Here's a glowing endorsement of Steve, given by CEO of NH's Stonyfield Yogurt, who was earlier planning on running against Sununu himself.
In the months since I decided not to enter this race, I have spent a significant amount of time with Steve, and I am impressed with his knowledge, poise and thoughtfulness on the issues. I also think he has a superb political mind and an excellent grasp of the electorate. I agree with his priority issues:
* IRAQ - Steve Marchand recognizes that we need to get out of this dead end that is draining our nation fiscally and emotionally as well as severely eroding our reputation abroad. Steve supports a phased withdrawal and is opposed to the Bush escalation. Voters will appreciate his clarity and decisiveness.
* THE ENVIRONMENT - Steve understands the urgent need for policy to address the Climate Crisis and the economic development and jobs creation opportunities it poses. He has a proven track record of action in his short tenure as Portsmouth's mayor and has signed Portsmouth on to multiple climate change agreements (Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement and the Cities Climate Protection Agreement) and led the construction of the only LEED-certified public building in the state, the new Portsmouth Public Library. Steve didn't wait for the federal government to make changes. He took the initiative and became a leader by pursuing real solutions to the climate change problem at the local level. He has taken the time to educate himself on the challenges of climate change and the economic development opportunities that are represented by the solutions to this problem. He has the knowledge and the commitment to be a leader on climate change in the U.S. Senate, as well.
* BALANCING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE POLICY WITH SOCIALLY PROGRESSIVE AGENDAS: Steve understands that by pursuing efficient government, it's possible to be fiscally responsible and socially progressive at the same time. That's good for business, good for workers and good for New Hampshire.
In the final analysis, I believe that Steve is highly electable. A Manchester native, he has strong roots in that community and was the first in his family to attend college. I believe his personal story will have a refreshing and positive appeal to voters who are concerned about the future of our state and nation and looking for new leadership.
Steve Marchand is the right choice for U.S. Senator. He's the only Democratic candidate for Senate who has ever held elected office. He knows how to run and win. His work helping Democrats like Mark Fernald and Bev Hollingworth proves that. He has a strong environmental record and is proving that it's possible to be fiscally responsible and socially progressive at the same time.
Check out his website - Marchand for Senate - to learn all about his ideas.
Or watch watch his electrifying speech from the NH Democratic Party convention...
We're getting close to $1,000 - contribute now and help the brand new Democratic movement in New Hampshire send a fresh face to Washington!