Crossposted at Open Left.
So the 50 State Blog Roundup is back! I decided to take it upon myself to restart the roundup partially because of Chris' post on the professionalization of the blogosphere. In comments, he acknowledged that state and local blogging was still by and large not a paid profession, but rather still just a labor of love.
As a state blogger, I know how difficult it can be to keep it going when you also have a full-time job, a family and social life to tend to, and little to no recognition of your work on a regular basis. It didn't surprise me when going through the 50 state blog list on Open Left that many had slowed their posting schedule or even let their domain lapse altogether.
Not saying that bloggers need their hands held and constant pep talks, but a little recognition can go a long way. Also worth noting that conservative institutions cultivate their own networks at the state level in a way that we progressives still do not, and a lot of policy is set or implemented at the state level. Not to mention the farm team is cultivated at the state level for service in Congress or the executive branch. All of which bears researching and exerting a progressive influence on, which these state bloggers are doing in their own way every day.
So here's my first stab at the round up. I've presented at least one blog post in the last week from every state in the Union except Mississippi - there's a blank spot that needs to be filled. On a couple of occasions, I used a Daily Kos diary, but for the most part they are all from state or local blogs. I worked from the list of state blogs on Open Left, also looking at the state blog's blogroll and the Lefty Blogs state blogfeed to fill out my list. I do not claim to be an expert in every state blogosphere, so I suppose there are plenty of instances where I linked to a blog that wasn't the one true progressive blog in the state, or even to a post that was plain wrong. Let me know where I erred, and I'll try to do better the next time.
After that rather lengthy introduction, let's get to the roundup!
Alabama - Mooncat at Left in Alabama notes President Obama's return to Alabama and applauds his demand for a BP escrow account to pay for oil spill damages. Osborne Ink asks for help raising funds for a new camera.
Alaska - A guest blogger at The Mudflats writes about the economic impact of predator control.
Arizona - Blog for Arizona has the story of AZ GOP gubernatorial candidate Dean Martin (not that Dean Martin) recycling the bad idea of interning migrants in a giant tent city.
Arkansas - ARDem at Blue Arkansas writes about Rep. Mike Ross' (D-Prescott) siding with telecom companies against Net Neutrality.
California - Brian Leubitz at Calitics reports on further fallout from the corporate loss on the anti-public utility ballot initiative - a Democratic state senator is pushing to ban PG&E from using ratepayer funds to advocate for anticonsumer legislation.
Colorado - Fong at SquareState has the proof that the head of a major anti-abortion and anti-stem cell research organization does not believe in exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or the life of a mother.
Connecticut - Russell's 10 at My Left Nutmeg runs down why Democrats should side with Kevin Lembo and against Mike Jarjura in the August primary for state comptroller.
Delaware - Delaware Dem reports on a meeting with State Treasurer Velda Jones-Potter in the context of an upcoming Democratic primary, throwing a pretty great Simpsons reference to boot.
Florida - Pensacola Beach Blog asks where GOP Congressman Jeff Miller has been hiding on the BP spill.
Georgia - Poythress for Governor begins a series of posts on Blog for Democracy with a post about education. Also, Blake Aued at Online Athens laughs at Rep. Paul Broun for finding cap and trade to be the new death panel.
Hawaii - DLCC writes a dKos diary about a petition to ask Gov. Lingle to sign a civil unions bill, which was actually one of her campaign promises back in 2002.
Idaho - Sisyphus at 43rd State Blues posts about Boise resident Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, a highly decorated pilot no longer allowed to serve in the Air Force because he is gay. (w/video)
Illinois - Adam Doster at Progress Illinois peers into the future, forecasting that Rep. Dan Lipinski's vote against health care reform will fuel a primary challenge.
Indiana - Thomas at Blue Indiana blogs about State Speaker Pat Bauer's call for Gov. Daniels to actually produce the job creation stats that will allow everyone to evaluate the success of Daniels' job creation programs.
Iowa - desmoinesdem is continually surprised about Republican zombie lies about Iowa's supposed budget deficit.
Kansas - Erin Doughty marks the one year anniversary of the murder of Dr. George Tiller.
Kentucky - RDemocrat at Hillbilly Report thinks it's strange that "libertarian" Rand Paul has built a medical practice around direct supports from the federal government.
Louisiana - Crashing Vor writes a Dkos diary dissecting Bobby Jindal's beloved berms and their possible detrimental effect on the coasts of Louisiana.
Maine - Chellie Pingree has a great post at Dirigo Blue on the importance of nutrition and school lunch programs for education. And Gerald Weinand has some thoughts on the primary for governor.
Maryland - Adam Pagnacucco at Maryland Politics Watch posts a letter from House Majority Leader Kumar Barve questioning some of NARAL's latest endorsements.
Massachusetts - Historian at Blue Mass Group takes Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) for his vote in favor of gutting EPA regulatory power.
Michigan - Eric B. at Michigan Liberal catches Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop claiming to be pro-environment with one breath and for slashing cleanup funds and habitat restoration with the next. Oh, and he loves coal plants.
Minnesota - EricF at MN Progressive Project catches the GOP sending mailings that look an awful lot like official county government correspondence.
Mississippi -
Missouri - Hotflash at Show Me Progress lets us know how Big Ag played the independent farmer. And .Sean at Fired Up Missouri finds GOP US Senate candidate Roy Blunt continuing to lean heavily on debunked Heritage Foundation data in his anti-climate change legislation rhetoric.
Montana - Matt Singer at Left in the West down a forecasted $400 million budget deficit next year for the state.
Nebraska - Kyle Michaelis at New Nebraska Network takes the Omaha World-Herald to task for a misleading article about "progress" in providing care for disabled Nebraskans.
Nevada - Desert Beacon looks at the loopy Social Security privatization rhetoric of Sharron Angle, GOP nominee for US Senate.
New Hampshire - Dean Barker of Blue Hampshire mocks Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta's twists and turns from a "libertarian" to court the anti-gay FRC.
New Jersey - Jason Springer at Blue Jersey rips Gov. Christie for his hypocrisy at framing criticisms of his cuts as false choices when the rhetoric Christie uses to support cuts is itself built on false choices.
New Mexico - Matt at NMFBIHOP brings us the strange story of Republican nominee for Congress Tom Mullins, who believes that it would be a good idea to put land mines on the border to prevent illegal immigration. You know, because of all the terrorists who sneak across the border.
New York - Devtob at The Albany Project looks at the incredibly poor track record of Tea Party candidates in Republican primaries in New York. And Dan Jacoby has an update on the bills proposing a moratorium on hydrofracking (which has nothing to do with Battlestar Galactica and everything to do with injecting liquids into the ground to break up rock and make it easier to remove oil and natural gas.)
North Carolina - scharrison at BlueNC applauds Gov. Beverly Perdue for her strong language in support of a fight against resegregation.
North Dakota - Chet at North Decoder sees the red door hanger for "Citizen's for Responsible Government", a tobacco and oil industry front group, as the kiss of death, as the vast majority of their candidates lost in the recent primary.
Ohio - David Potts at Buckeye State Blog has a funny website from the OSU College Dems making fun of GOP gubernatorial candidate John Kasich. The website is called "John Kasich stole your new bicycle" and randomly displays fake facts about John Kasich, as in "John Kasich has a vacation home in Ann Arbor." Also on the Kasich beat, Anthony Fossaseca from Ohio Daily has a good laugh at Fix Ohio Now!, Kasich's social media "ideas" magnet, which has basically only produced a bunch of half-literate slogans from the Tea Party set.
Oklahoma - OKWatchdog posts an updated legislative scorecard at Blue Oklahoma. Also at Blue OK, DocHoc rips apart an editorial at The Oklahoman (which I can personally vouch for as the worst paper of any major metropolitan area) that both supports increased offshore drilling and rips President Obama for not getting angry enough about the BP spill.
Oregon - Carla Axtman at Blue Oregon takes a look at the effect of fusion voting on politics in the state. Fusion voting allows a party to nominate a candidate from another party at the top of the ticket while fielding its own candidates elsewhere on the ticket.
Pennsylvania - John Morgan at The Pennsylvania Progressive takes issue with the chair of the Montgomery County GOP for calling Democrats "infidels". John also has an account with pictures of marching in the LGBT Pride Parade in Philadelphia with Joe Sestak.
Rhode Island - Brian Hull at RIFuture reviews the 2010 General Assembly session, and reports the bad news for workers at the Westin Hotel in Providence.
South Carolina - Tim at Indigo Blue writes about CREW filing an FEC complaint and asking the Attorney General of South Carolina to investigate the strange circumstances surrounding Alvin Greene's candidacy.
South Dakota - caheidelberger at Madville Times decries the Republican running as a Democrat in the gubernatorial primary.
Tennessee - Aunt B has an amusing story about her grandmother leaving the Republican Party over their stance on proof of citizenship.
Texas - Libby Shaw at Burnt Orange Report blogs about a recurring theme among Republicans - ranting about the tyranny of federal government spending while begging the federal government for money to fund state operations. And Todd Hill, also at BOR, posts about the Texas GOP's latest push for legalized voter suppression.
Utah - Bob Aagard at The World, According to Me sets Mike Lee straight on the definition of a lobbyist.
Vermont - Randolph06 of Green Mountain Daily has an interview (w/video!) with the chair of the State Senate Appropriations Committee on her campaign for governor and on the state budget.
Virginia - Not Larry Sabato is aghast at the Democrats' poor use of resources in yesterday's special elections. And Elaine in Roanoke at Blue Virginia doesn't find much to like in Gov. Bob McDonnell's recent appointments.
Washington - Goldy at Horse's Ass questions how much momentum GOP gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi really has. Also at Horse's Ass, in the context of a Seattle police's officer punching a 17 year old girl, Lee questions why the hell we're ticketing jaywalkers in the first place.
West Virginia - One Citizen has breaking news on the battle to save Blair Mountain (nice assonance there) at West Virginia Blue, and Carnacki, also at WVA Blue, highlights USW President Leo Gerard's post on the greed that has driven us to the BP and coal mine disasters.
Wisconsin - Former VA Gov. and current DNC Chairman Tim Kaine sits down with Blogging Blue at the state convention to discuss the upcoming midterms. Xoff at Uppity Wisconsin duly notes that yes, state director of Americans for Prosperity Mark Block and Richard Nixon are both not convicted criminals.
Wyoming - Michael McCay of hummingbirdminds is impressed by Ken McCauley, who personally canvassed Michael's neighborhood in the rain on Saturday, months before the Democratic primary.