As some of you have quoted before, give the voters a choice between a Democrat running as a Republican, and a Republican, they'll choose the Republican. And so it goes, another lost opportunity for, if not a Progressive, a centrist, in Arizona. This time it is in District 3.
Jon Hulburd is currently the only Democrat who has announced he will seek to replace retiring Congressman John Shadegg. Having contributed on Act Blue during the last congressional election, I'm automatically on the email list for candidate announcements.
more below the fold
Allowing my optimism to overcome my cynicism, I thought, maybe, just maybe there might be a chance to do something other than read and write about politics. Maybe even get involved in a campaign locally. If you are living in Arizona, you know about the disappointment of electing a Democrat who, true to their campaign message, was like the demon sheep from the Fiorina commercial, another conservadem.
The commercial is so laughable, I just have to play it again.
Since the 2000 elections, I have witnessed Democrats running on the Republican platform. I can't fool myself by hoping they are closet Progressives. It is unlikely they would even be moderates.
What does Jon Hulburd stand for? Check out his website, jobs, jobs, jobs...and he supports an insurance exchange for Arizona. Sounds very familiar, haven't I heard our Republican members of Congress offer that as their alternative to real health care reform? Did I mention, the DCCC is supporting Hulburd?
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/...
They certainly took into account his ability to raise money-- which is virtually the only consideration the two Inside-the-Beltway party establishments look at when recruiting candidates-- but didn't take into account the fact that he's a business-oriented conservative Democrat likely to vote as badly as Arizona Democratic reactionaries like Harry Mitchell and Ann Kirkpatrick, each of whom has been so demoralizing to their Democratic bases that they are in danger of losing their seats this year. Nor did they take into account that Gordon is the model for the term "disloyal Democrat" as we'll explain in a moment.
The blog continues with a run down on Mayor Phil Gordon's betrayals of fellow Democrats. This includes endorsing John McCain during the 2008 election. It hints at a potential for scandal in the Mayor's Office. Mayor Gordon, recently divorced, has allegedly paid his alleged girlfriend for political work.
Check out the Green Party, you say? Well they are struggling to get on the ballot . Worse yet, on their website the platform hasn't been updated since 2004, no events, meetings once a month. No hope there for a Progressive alternative.
I lost my rainbow shades a long time ago. That doesn't mean I've given up. Progressive values are American values, when are politicians going to stop running away from the very people they need to win?
ARIZONA
Mark Lindsay
She must belong to San Francisco
She must've lost her way
Posting a poster of Poncho and Cisco one California day
She says she believes in Robin Hood and brotherhood
And colours of green and grey
And all you can do is laugh at her
Doesn't anybody know how to pray?