There are two hard and fast rules in American politics:
1. All Politics is local.
2. All politics is personal.
I can tell you two things about this election. More citizens in my county are now registered AND qualified to vote than has ever been the case...EVER. 68% (D).
Every day of this early voting session of the General Election has, in my community, set a new daily early voting record.
That's politics: local, and personal. Tennessee may yet turn Blue this year.
I came to Tennessee from Southern Illinois. I was, for several years, a proud Illini before breaking my personal history of following the "Lincoln Trail". (Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois...Tennessee.) I am aware of Illinois politics.
Sensata (previously Honeywell) in Freeport, Illinois has been the property of Bain Capitol for some time. After non-stop record setting quarters, Bain has decided to move the plant to China, for yet MORE profit.
But, what of the employees left behind?
After they train their replacement Chinese workers, they will be left to their own devices. Period.
We'll spend some time today with some of them. Call in with your questions or comments, or join us in our lively chatroom during the live show. They have words to say which you should hear. Locally. Personally.
Follow me just below the squggledoodlethingey fold, and I'll tell you why.
Tom Gaulrapp is a citizen of Freeport, Illinois. For more than thirty three years, he has worked at the same place. That's a lot of investment in what might otherwise be called a "job".
For the past few weeks, Tom has been spending his time at the plant he has worked for for all these years. Well, not IN the plant, but rather across the street from that plant, taking up space in a parking lot with over 100 of his fellow workers. He has told his story very well, I think, in a Daily Kos Diary he posted this week.
The DK community responded warmly, with just a ton of relevant questions which seemed to overwhelm Tom as he tried to respond. I've offered him an opportunity to spend some time with us on our radio show tomorrow. Hear his story, and the story of what happens when a community's corporate citizen renounces its' citizenship, and moves to a foreign nation. Invitations have been sent to several workers of Sensata Technologies (current and former), as well as to the mayor of Freeport, Illinois, George W. Gaulrapp to join us on our show, and tell their stories.
Hear from those whose lives are very local. And very, very personal. It all begins at 2:30PM (Central Time) on Sunday, October 21, 2010 on "Progressive Politics:Tennessee Style" (PPTS) You can call in, and participate with our guests by dialing (347) 426-3348. You can also join us, during the live show, and give us your comments and questions in our live chat room.
We're on the air!
We'll see YOU there!
PS: This live show will be re-broadcast to the nation on Tuesday evening, beginning at 11PM (Central Time) on the Netroots Radio Network.