I just stumbled across
this piece by 2006 Ohio Senatorial candidate on the Huffington Post.
The highlight for me:
Some think the word "progressive" is just another word for liberal. But American history instructs us otherwise.
Most of my political heroes were progressives: Theodore Roosevelt, Robert Kennedy, John Lewis, and of course, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Most were Democrats, but not all. They knew that legislation is only one way to fight social and economic justice. They knew that we must also directly confront the sources of that injustice.
It was, admittedly, the only highlight.
Sherrod's got a terrific background and a respectable record in Ohio. But as we know, Ohio will only be able to enjoy the services of either he or Paul Hackett in '06.
I'm not sure this is Sherrod's most brilliant essay--he doesn't say too much other than that which we would anticipate out of a progressive candidate. And that's fine.
Consider:
That is why it is not enough to fight on the side of working families. As progressives, we must also take on those that would harm our nation's most vulnerable citizens:
We must take on the prescription drug companies that charge our senior citizens two and three times what seniors in Canada pay.
We must hold accountable big oil companies that gouge consumers at the pump, and through home heating bills, while reaping record billion dollar profits.
And we must fight multinational corporations and bad trade agreements that ship U.S. jobs overseas and exploit cheap labor abroad.
There's not much in there that I can disagree with. But it's not the most information-filled, idea-riddled, inspirational piece of writing I've read, either. Actually, I'd contend that it's rather vague, in my opinion.
So if he's going to win my vote in a few months when I'm choosing between Hackett and Brown, he's going to have to say a lot more than he just did.