So where to now, St. Peter?

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Friday February 01, 2008 · 1:15 PM PST

2008/02/01 · 13:15

The next line from this Elton John/Bernie Taupin 1970 song lyric is "tell me which road I'm on".

The progressive has bowed out, so what to make of the leftover candidates?

I'm fron the Chicago area originally, and the two slip into pretty familiar roles. Hillary Clinton is the "machine Democrat" and Barrack Obama most closely matches the moderate Republicans of the day. I voted for some of those folks - particularly Senator Chuck Percy, and it wasn't all that unusual that they were more progressive on some issues than the MDs.

Anyway, I have no horse to ride anymore - so its time to look at the other two.

Unfortunately, this recent development ensures that Democrats in Indiana will have no say in the general election. McCain will easily beat either Obama or Clinton here, but most of us have friends in more civilized evirons. It could still be useful.

Let's start off with health care.

DonVila

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Thursday January 31, 2008 · 1:19 PM PST

2008/01/31 · 13:19

Yesterday I (along with thousands of others) received a Thank You e-mail note from John Edwards. It was a nice thing to do and it was clear he had an additional purpose in mind, judging from this passage:

"And, along the way, all of you who have been involved in this campaign and this movement for change and this cause, I am asking you to continue speaking out for those who have no voice, just as Elizabeth and I will continue to do. We need you.

"Do not turn away from the great struggles before us. Do not give up on the causes that we have fought for. Do not walk away from what's possible, because it's time for all of us -- all of us together -- to make the two Americas one. We need you."

It was more than just symbolism too, when once he had made his statement, he turned and went to work on a Habitat For Humanity Home in the 9th Ward of New Orleans. That’s our guy.

Well, I want to thank John Edwards – personally and publicly for what he has done for me.

DonVila

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Wednesday January 30, 2008 · 1:49 PM PST

2008/01/30 · 13:49

I am feeling sorry for myself, my daughter and my country today.

John Edwards leaving the race is a wicked blow. I have spent over a year in the Campaign To Change America and what makes it really hard is that I didn't just throw in my time and and my money - I threw in my soul.

Since Dr. King was murdered in 1968, the silence has been deafening regarding poverty issues and the struggle of the working poor to achieve middle class status. Until John Edwards brought up the subject again, I'd sort of lost track of the fact that we hadn't been talking about it - at least as a nation. So there's that.

DonVila

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Monday January 21, 2008 · 2:25 PM PST

2008/01/21 · 14:25

Story Of The Natatorium: Preserving The Past, Envisioning The Future

This was the title of a seminar presented as part of South Bend's celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Citizens gathered at the Century Center of South Bend, Indiana to hear presentations by city officials, clergy and educators speak of the past and future of this building.

As noted in the seminar program:

"The Natatorium is a visible reminder of the history of the civil rights movement in South Bend. The church, particularly the black church, gave both the spiritual strength and the practical labor to initiate and sustain the civil rights movement. The role of the church is critical in maintaining a connection with the movement's past and its power and effectiveness now and in the future. The IUSB Civil Rights Heritage Center at the Natatorium will continue to be a visible reminder of the civil rights movement."

DonVila

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Sunday January 20, 2008 · 8:23 PM PST

2008/01/20 · 20:23

This post kicks off a series about my decision to participate in the Iowa caucuses effort.

In December of 2006 I told my wife Paddy that if John Edwards chose to run for President again, I wanted to go work on the campaign ahead of the Iowa caucuses for 2008. She agreed - a bit absently perhaps. A couple weeks later, John announced his candidacy from the ninth ward of New Orleans.

In the spring of 2007, I suggested to Paddy we should think about the details of me going to Iowa - and caught the person who knows me better than anyone a bit by surprise. But though she was not a supporter of John Edwards at that point, she supported my intention completely. And she understood how serious I was about it.

It can be very easy after making a claim of intended action to get lazy and find some excuse not to execute that action. That was not a big problem for me, but the idea crossed my mind from time to time.

DonVila

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Thursday January 17, 2008 · 6:19 AM PST

2008/01/17 · 06:19

this story was originally published on Progressives, South Bend
http://progressivessouthbend.org

John Edwards often cites issues surrounding poor people and housing. As advertised in Chapter 57, this story is about what happened to a good tenant of mine. None of the people’s names appearing here are real (except mine), but the events unfortunately are.

So...Don S. and Don W. (me) spent months completing a serious rehab of one of the homes. A sign went out in the yard, flyers in the tube and the calls started coming in. I’m a believer in affirmative action, so any "tie" was going to go to someone I perceived as disadvantaged.

DonVila

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Wednesday January 16, 2008 · 12:10 PM PST

2008/01/16 · 12:10

OK, I'm ready for the wrath to come. But check my bona fides. I'll put up my latest post - "I'd storm the gates of Hell..." as evidence as the strength of my support for the John Edwards campaign.

That said, as I watched the segment MSNBC's Airhead in Training Chris Matthews smugly referred to as the "Spin Room" after the Nevada Debate, I was left with a clear impression I didn't much like.

DonVila

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Tuesday January 15, 2008 · 1:20 PM PST

2008/01/15 · 13:20

I have the great good fortune to post with grannyhelen, and I’ll piggyback a bit from her post "Why I’m Sticking With John Edwards"
http://www.progressivessouthbend.org... .

I should be clear that there is nothing she says that I differ with –other than my own circumstance, of course. My support of John Edwards though is highly visceral as well as intellectual. His campaign gets to who I am and the change I want to see in the world.

Aside from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., my only heroes up to now have been my parents.

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So where to now, St. Peter?

My Dear John letter

So goes populism

Discrimination in South Bend, IN, and a step away from it

Iowa and the Caucus - PT 1

The Other America - Chapter 58 or, Adventures with Section 8

Why does Joe Trippi dress like a homeless guy?

I'd storm the gates of Hell with John Edwards - and expect victory