What would you say if I told you that there was a self-styled “Progressive Populist” Democrat serving in the Capital who has consistently shown the ability to fight for the rights of ordinary people, even if it meant facing down the Democratic Party’s leadership, up to an including President Obama?
What would you say if I told you this Democrat had the courage to be one of only two to vote AGAINST the $700 billion bank bailout because he viewed is as “borrowing $700 billion -- $2,300 for every man, woman and child and transfer it to Wall Street financiers” and because he preferred the alternative of making “regulatory reforms which would address the liquidity shortfalls in our banks and free up credit at little or no cost to taxpayers”?
Intrigued?
What if I told you that this Democrat was preaching the import of infrastructure funding back at the beginning of Obama’s term, going so far as opposing the $787 billion stimulus because “only 7 percent was devoted to infrastructure spending” and "I couldn't justify borrowing money for tax cuts" when tax breaks made up more than 35% of the final stimulus bill. This Democrat said: "Come on, school construction? Why did that have to come out for more tax cuts?"
Intrigued?
This Democrat has the courage of convictions. Even when his convictions differ from his Party leaders.
What if I told you this Democrat was known for not being intimidated by Rahm Emanuel, and that Rahm, although known for his blunt manner and ability to bend members of the party to his will, did not raise his voice with this Democrat. Said the Democrat: “Rahm does not yell at me, because he knows that I yell back.”
What if I told you this Democrat was unintimidated even when President Obama once singled him out in a room of Democratic legislators and said: “Don’t think we’re not keeping score, brother.”?
Would you be concerned that this Democrat was not truly a “Progressive Populist”?
Have no fears. This Democrat is the real deal. The HIll once reported:
He gives partial credit for his special brand of liberalism to having worked at a country club as a teenager. Each summer, his father ran a camp for troubled inner-city kids on Cape Cod, where they caddied for golfers at a country club. He would work alongside the kids.
“They were servants for the rich, as was I,” he said. “I shagged golf balls for rich people. I carried golf clubs for rich people, and I learned very early on, when I was pretty young, that this was a group of people that had nothing special to offer to me or to society.”
I emphasize “special" because I know this Democrat has no hatred for the rich. He’s not denigrating the rich. He just recognizes that they are not “special." They don’t deserve “special treatment” or “special privileges” or “special access.”
He’s also pro-Choice, pro-civil rights, pro-worker, pro-family, pro-environment, and pro-common sense. He tempers his support for some gun control with a practical common sense appreciation of the role guns play in rural West like his District. He prioritizes jobs over foreign policy adventures.
One time he led a “revolt” at a caucus meeting. The Hill reported:
Though Democratic leaders called the meeting to discuss the president’s [Obama’s] decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, rank-and-file members began talking instead about jobs.
He stood up and called for attaching a new job-creation bill to the annual defense-spending measure, which typically gets bipartisan support and is considered must-pass legislation. His speech and others in favor of a new jobs bill drew cheers from colleagues, said House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.).
Who is this?
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D. Oregon).
DeFazio wins re-election with over 80 percent of the vote, even though his district isn’t overwhelmingly Democratic.
“He is incredibly popular in a district that is actually somewhat difficult for a Democrat,” said Rep. David Wu (D-Ore.), who says DeFazio does it by standing up for his beliefs.
Read this profile for further information: thehill.com/…
Don’t you think it’s time for a Western Democrat to have a shot at the Presidency?
I do.
Let’s draft Peter DeFazio or someone like him.
Do you agree?