"I belong to no organized party. I'm a Democrat."
Will Rogers
After these past 10 days where nothing was accomplished in both Democratic controlled wings of Congress, that's exactly how I feel. I still don't get why "we" can't take on one, just one of those big bad filibusters. Why we can't hear McCain spend hours upon hours defaming brave, life-risking marines and soldiers who happen to be gay. Why we can't hear his cohorts explain away why "our" tax breaks must me sacrificed until millionaires (like John Sidney McCain III) get them as well.
I've read the recent diaries. I understand what has been passed (including the early stages of HCR which for whatever the reason Democrats are now running from) over the past year 20 months and am grateful. Still I'd be lying if I said I haven't at times felt exactly like Velma Hart.
Unlike Velma Hart however, who on a national stage and looking right into our President's eyes was much more eloquent than I could ever dream of being, my frustration is not aimed at Obama. Instead, I look at our massive majorities in both houses of Congress and ask why wasn't more done? Why must we wait? Why are we just as unorganized as we were during Will Rogers' day? Why do we continue to support Blue Dogs who have been selling us out for four decades, back when they were still called Boll Weevils?
When the Vice President through MSNBC and the President through Rolling Stone tell us to "buck up" my response is what am I bucking up for? More compromises with big pharma? More watered down bills? Bills that never get to the floor? Bills which do get passed but wont become law until 2014?
Of course I will "buck up" and vote. Of course I will tell my friends to do the same and to contribute to their favorite campaign. Of course I recognize the blue dogs as the lesser of two evils. Yeah, I'll be as happy as the next Kossack if enough blue dogs win to keep the coalition alive (which I think they will) but don't expect me to pop open any Brooklyn Lagers in celebration. The only race I'm truly bucking up for is the one for governor. No, not New York, anyone reading this has a better shot than Carl "Horse Love" Paladino. Instead I'm talking about California's gubernatorial showdown.
After 120 MILLION dollars worth of campaigning, E-Meg Whitman finds herself trailing Jerry Brown in the latest LA Times poll. Tonight we find out if she made her worst financial step since acquiring Skype. Tonight the two finally square off in their first mano-a-mano debate and her wads of green can't help her now. None of her Meg-a-millions will explain why her english language commercials claim to be 100% against amnesty for illegal aliens but her spanish language commercials claim to be in favor of a path to citizenship. How she was strongly in favor of Prop 8 but now recognizes pre-Prop Hate marriages and civil unions. How she called a law in favor of repealing green house gas emissions a "job killer" but is now suddenly against repealing it. If we get past the politics, which of course is paramount, it should be interesting for Whitman to explain her ties to Goldman Sachs and the manner that she left E-Bay.
I know Jerry's record. I know over different stages of his epic political life that he's directly represented LA, Oakland, and the entire state on different levels (from Secretary of State to Attorney General to Governor) all while Whitman spent most of her life NOT bothering to vote for anyone. I'm aware of the good, like leaving California with a surplus without raising taxes, and the bad, like his mixed results in fighting crime in Oakland. I know that except for several years doing charity work in places like Bangladesh and Mexico, Brown has spent his entire life in California and knows the state better than anyone except possibly his own dad.
As a college freshman, waaay back in 1992 Jerry inspired me to join my very first political campaign. Here in New York, from Kim Bassinger, to Dennis Miller, to the entire cast of the very first reality show, MTV's original Real World supported Brown as well. Funny where they've all gone since, huh? Jerry however is still same as he ever was. Still on the comeback trail, still doing things his way. As I type this he holds a paper thin lead. Hopefully in a few hours that will mushroom in much the same way Obama pulled away from McCain after their last debate. Either way, I'm bucking up and am hoping my friends in California do the same.
Two years ago I asked friends in Minnesota to buck up for Al Franken. To take a stand against Norm Coleman. I remember getting lots of sour grapes about Franken not running a good campaign. Not being as authentic as Paul Wellstone. Even not being as funny as Dean Barkley. Hopefully those same Minnesotans have come to appreciate Senator Franken. So before any of the criticism which is sure to come, I again ask you guys to buck up and promise that with a victory you'll be just as proud of Governor Brown as Minnesotans are now of their junior senator. You'll be just as happy in your Governor as older Californians were in the same man back in the late '70s. Jerry is a fighter, you'll see that tonight, but he needs your help in that fight. Let's buck this shit up together!
Wanna buck up with some bucks to offset Meg-abucks? Then please contribute: http://www.jerrybrown.org
PS: Being 3,000 miles away I'm asking for a special favor from any Brown supporter reading this. Could you possibly send a web feed to the debate so that non-Californians like myself can watch along. Thanks in advance!