I'm reporting an amazing development that may be a perfect match for the Daily Kos community: a progressive Democrat who, with our help, can become the second winner in California's new "top two" primary, and run in November alongside safe incumbent Senator Dianne Feinstein - leaving NO Republican on the November ballot. And thanks to Senator Feinstein's strength, there's no danger of a spoiler either, or of helping a Republican. You'll laugh when you learn why.
See, I did kind of an unusual thing last week: I proudly took my oath to defend the Constitution -- as a US Senate candidate. I'm on the June primary ballot to represent California. Our team collected signatures from enthusiastic voters in time to get a discount on the federal filing fee.
Now it's time to get the word out. If we progressives do it right, we'll actually keep all 14 sparring Republicans off California's November US Senate ballot - because the new rules put just the "top two" primary vote-getters on that ballot, even if they're both Democrats. It's a historic opportunity – a progressive Democrat's dream. Let's make it happen.
Check out our popular progressive platform issues: End Afghanistan, End Marijuana Prohibition, Medicare for All, and Rebuild the American Dream. If you agree a progressive Democrat should represent California, the largest state in the U.S., tell the world! Even better, contribute at Levitt2012.org or via ActBlue. It's a new kind of campaign -- a citizen-fueled race rather than a money race -- and to succeed all it needs is support from citizens like you.
On Valentine's day I publicly declared my intention to run; and now a month later, I’m on the ballot and launching my campaign. The details and background are in the Levitt2012.org campaign News blog and in these interviews:
The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur, Current TV at Occupy Wall Street.
Technologist David Levitt Challenges Feinstein for US Senate in California
interview with San Diego ‘s East County Magazine
Current.com Interview, Citizen candidate to challenge Dianne Feinstein in Senate race
Nothing was easier than collecting ballot nomination signatures. Many people said "Where do I sign!" before I could share my platform. Like most Americans, the people of California want Medicare for All - universal care like every other industrialized nation has. We want an end the outrageous Afghan war and the failed Drug War, now - but few in the Senate are standing up for us.
It gets way better. Who's the leading Republican in the Senate race? As our Senator put it at a recent event, the Republicans didn't run anyone. But the truth is much funnier: it's Orly Taitz, the proud Queen of the Birthers – the L.A. dentist who keeps disrupting ballot proceedings nationwide with claims that the president wasn't born in this country.
With your support, I think I can beat birther Orly Taitz in June. Let's keep her off the ballot!
Then in November, under the new Proposition 14 “top two” rules, the people of California can choose between the incumbent Senator and a progressive Democrat who takes his oath seriously and stands up for the people, peace, and the Constitution.
As I took my own oath I couldn’t help but think of Senators who have supported:
* warrantless surveillance
* indefinite detention without charges or trial
* retroactive immunity for elite felons
* immunity from prosecution for torture, violating international treaties
* led the unconstitutional destruction of ACORN in the Senate
* keeping interpretation of law secret from the public
* violating the War Powers Act
* execution without trial
* declaring the entire planet a “battlefield” where our rights are discarded
The details are for future diaries. Don’t get me started, yet.
First we need your help with this citizen-fueled campaign -- with tremendous bonus potential. Suddenly 36 million Californians have a new option for progressive representation.
What You Can Do
When we support progressive, citizen-fueled candidates like Elizabeth Warren and David Levitt, we prove that first rate candidates don’t need corporate money. Here’s what you can do:
Rec and share diaries like this one, so every Kossack and progressive sees them. You can Follow us at the Daily Kos for news.
Give to the Levitt2012 campaign if you like our progressive platform.
Socially network:
Like and Share the campaign on Facebook.
Follow and share campaign news on Twitter @Levitt2012.
Help independent media continue to discover us. Of course, once the corporate media smell enough novelty and money, they’ll cover us too.
Contribute at ActBlue -- it’s convenient, and your contributions wind up telling other Democrats about the Levitt 2012 campaign and the citizen candidate movement.