Progressives and Health Care Reform Supporters--the Lincoln/Halter race isn't the only important race in Arkansas! We need your help!
Folks, I know many of you have been following the Arkansas Senate Democratic Primary race between incumbent Blanche Lincoln ("D"-AR) and our man Lt. Gov. Bill Halter. But what a lot of you may NOT know yet is there is another race almost as vital to the progressive cause, and perhaps even more important because it's the race to replace the retiring Congressman Vic Snyder (the one true Democrat we had left to be proud of here...and the ONLY national lawmaker we had to stand up and vote IN FAVOR of health care reform). Much like the Senate race, this one has come down largely to health care and being for/against the administration's positions and whether we're going to send another DINO (Dem in Name Only) Obama obstructionist to Washington OR whether we're going to send someone that truly stands up for the people of this state so desperate for help in areas of health care and the economy.
As of now, we have a race that's led by the current state Speaker of the House, Robbie Wills, running a total incumbent campaign, where he is ignoring all the other lesser-known-lesser-financed candidates, refusing to put ANY policy positions on his website, and when finally pressed on local radio, actually came out AGAINST the health care reform bill passed first in the House early last week. Meanwhile, the fresh face on the scene, candidate Patrick Kennedy, followed Congressman Snyder's vote with an immediate formal statement IN SUPPORT on his website, followed by some specific proposals for health care (and other issues) a few days later. The other two candidates, state congresswoman Joyce Elliott and former Snyder staff member David Boling also have yet to come out with formal plan and have to lay out any clear ideas or themes for governing on their website, though I can tell you that at least Elliott is a known liberal in this state (but is likely unelectable).
I just want to steer some you progressives towards learning a little bit more about this race, if nothing else. It's clear we're either going to send another Lincoln/Pryor "Democrat" to Congress, or we're going to alert people that there's a real alternative to that--a young and energetic Obama Democrat who started the Clinton School of Public Service speaker series (bringing unbelievable talent from all political stripes to Little Rock), has a unique background of public service, science, and law, and wants to bring REAL CHANGE to this country by offering real ideas, not the same old rhetoric and use of the good ol' boy network to get elected. Thanks for your time, KosNation.
Jeff Woodmansee
Sherwood, AR