(So I do these every month for Calitics, but it occurs to me that I've never cross-posted it here.  So, um, here.)

Getting this one in under the wire.  On the last day of April, with just over a month to go until the June primaries, and six months to go until Election Day, there's a lot going on all over the state in the Congressional races.  Of the 19 seats in California currently held by Republicans, 17 will be contested in the fall, and some strongly so.  And we now have a full 34 Democrats with the election of Jackie Speier early in the month, and only one of them is a serious challenge.  We also have the first quarter of 2008 fundraising numbers, which will raise some eyebrows.  You can track these races yourself with the 2008 Race Tracker wiki.

A note: I'm mainly getting my numbers on cash-on-hand competitiveness from the Swing State Project.  Fundraising information comes from the FEC.

Here we go...

A 501 is running attack ads against Jerry McNerney (CA-11) on KCBS radio accusing him of being soft on the terrorists because he doesn’t support giving away our freedoms to support the Bush Administration. I have a call in to Ed Cavinero, News Director at KCBS (phone--415-765-4049) to ask why KCBS has chosen to run this false and defamatory ad.

Cross posted at Calitics

So as we've established by now, Darrell Issa thinks very little of 9/11 rescue workers and would prefer that the federal government not concern itself with their welfare.  Cause according to him, 9/11 is not and presumably was not a national issue.  We've also established that he has no qualms about throwing federal money around on local pork as long as it benefits him directly.  So the next logical question for me is "oh hey, are there any familiar names that don't mind taking Darrell Issa's money?"  As you may or may not know, Darrell Issa is filthy rich.  So he's spread a lot of money around on Republicans and conservative causes.  So as it turns out, there are quite a lot of Republicans currently running around the Capitol funded in part by Darrell Issa (partial list):

Jerry McNerney Facts:

McNerney was born June 18, 1951. This is also known as the beginning of the modern environmental movement.

There are no weapons of mass destruction. Just McNerney.

Time waits for no man. Unless that man is McNerney.

Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a McNerneytatorship.

Man is by nature a political animal...and if McNerney was an animal, he would be a shark riding on an elephant's back.

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely...and McNerney tends to absolutely kick the ass of redneck republicans from the Central Valley.

Politics is more difficult than physics, until McNerney took office. - Albert Einstein

Jerry McNerney's  poop is considered currency in Argentina.

McNerney's family crest is a picture of a barracuda eating Neil Armstrong.

McNerney can divide by zero.

E-mail received today from Congressman Jerry McNerney, CA-11, the mighty conqueror of all that is Pombo, reminds us that this coming Sunday is Veterans Day. Folks who followed his David-vs-Goliath struggle to overthrow the appalling Republican incumbent in his district might remember that Jerry's underdog campaign actually got started when Jerry's son, a serviceman on active duty, urged him to run despite the odds.

I think we should consider doing something to show that progressive Democrats honor our veterans. If there are local ceremonies in your area, show up. If you have a flag, fly it. If you don't have a flag - why wouldn't you have a flag?.  If you have a friend, a neighbor, a family member who's a vet, contact them.

This one goes out to all the haters trying to punk my boy Jerry McNerney!

Jerry McNerney be my Irish dawg from P-town
Holdin’ down the 11th, he ain’t no clown
Fighting for healthcare, our kids, and the earth
He’s an East Bay tough guy showin’ his worth
But some hater "progressives" want to feed him to the dogs
They bitch about two votes, and whine in their blogs
You want to step to Jerry, and I thought you knew
You just a traitor and a punk like "babaloo"
You ain’t got no loyalty, you just a scrub
You just want to look cool at the Berkeley social club

In an FEC report released this week, former Republican Congressman Pombo admitted that he cheated on his tax return, and will pay the Social Security and Income taxes he owes on $18,752 his wife took as "compensation" from his "campaign" account for 2004.

In calendar year 2003, the candidate's spouse issued checks payable to herself totaling $58,623. These payments were reported as either salary/compensation or as reimbursement of various expenses. However, it appeared that $18,752 represents the personal use of campaign funds or additional salary. In response to the interim audit report recommendation, RPC provided an amended Form 1099 (Miscellaneous Income)
for calendar year 2003 showing the additional $18,752 in compensation previously omitted; indicated that an amended tax return would be filed; and, filed amended disclosure reports. Pombo FEC Audit Findings

In an FEC report today former Republican Congressman Pombo has admitted that he cheated on his tax return and will pay the Social Security and Income taxes he owes on $18,752 his wife took as "compensation" from his "campaign" account for 2004.

In calendar year 2003, the candidate's spouse issued checks payable to herself totaling $58,623. These payments were reported as either salary/compensation or as reimbursement of various expenses. However, it appeared that $18,752 represents the personal use of campaign funds or additional salary. In response to the interim audit report recommendation, RPC provided an amended Form 1099 (Miscellaneous Income)
for calendar year 2003 showing the additional $18,752 in compensation previously omitted; indicated that an amended tax return would be filed; and, filed amended disclosure reports. Pombo FEC Audit Findings

Don’t get me wrong, the Daily Kos and The Huffington Post are great blogs and America benefits from having them. It is blogs like The Progressive Connection and Firedoglake that are the problem. It is all or nothing with them. If McNerney doesn’t completely adhere to their every demand, they make him walk the plank. Blinded by their own self-interests, progressives attack him like sharks. Can you progressives give the brother a break?! Can you take some time to understand the realities of his district? Can you take the time to understand his circumstances? Can you appreciate the fact that he chatted with the progressive bloggers for a couple hours, unlike 100% of the politicians in American? Do you know what the alternative to McNerney will be? Lets get back down to earth people.

So I just read the diary about the vote in the House on the bullsh*t moveon.org "condemnsation legislation."

I had a favorite Congressman -- Jerry McNerney.  Notice the use of the word "had".  He ran against the dangerous ignoramous incumbent Pombo, and won, thanks to people, many of us here, who supported his campaign with donations and hard work.  

My eyes ran down the list of the "yeas", expecting to happily see that he had been one of the "nays".  

He wasn't.  He was one of the "yeas".  

As if it wasn't hard enough, in 2006, to have to fight against the Lazy Media's stenographic efforts in promoting the neo-conservative talking points, progressive candidates also had to fight against the strong will of Rahm Emanuel.  The Democrats won in November 2006, in spite of, not because of the efforts of Mr. Emanuel.  His blueprint for "success" in the 2006 Congressional elections was to find DLC-friendly, "Republican-ish" candidates to field, giving us the present day dilemma of the Bush-Dog Democrats helping to seize defeat from the jaws of victory on the National Stage.  

Many of the candidates that Emanuel helped elect have joined with a group of self-styled conservative Blue Dog Democrats and have cast key votes with Republicans and stymied Democratic efforts to end the occupation of Iraq and the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program.

In an article just published at Truthout four races from this time period show a pattern of deviousness which was Mr. Emanuel's Modus Operandi.

It's kinda sad.  He's got his story and he's sticking to it.

Congressman Jerry McNerney did a live chat over at FDL in response to the firestorm of criticism he's brought down on himself with his remarks about the "progress" in Iraq that he saw on his recent tour of the Green Zone.

If listening to repetition of an MSM talking point is your idea of a good time, then follow me over the fold for the ugly details.

The following was cross-posted on Jerry's Blog this morning -- Eden w/ McNerney for Congress

As you know, I ran for Congress to change the way Washington works and restore honesty, integrity and accountability to our federal government. Now that I am serving you in our nation's capital, fulfilling this promise means engaging in an open and ongoing dialogue with my constituents and supporters about the issues that concern all of us the most.

The war in Iraq is, of course, the most significant issue of our time.

A few weeks ago, I was honored to lead a bipartisan, all-freshman Congressional delegation to Iraq to gain a deeper understanding of the conflict. As I discovered, it's one thing to read about what's going on there. But it's quite another to witness it firsthand and experience it personally.

Coming up is an excellent opportunity to meet with three of the East Bay's Representatives in Congress -- Jerry McNerney, Ellen Tauscher, and George Miller.

This coming Saturday afternoon (Aug 25 from 11-3), the Contra Costa Democratic Party and the Contra Costa County Central Labor Council are hosting a "Spirit of 76" BBQ in Danville.

Come and speak with your Representatives about issues important to you and the progressive cause. It should be well  worthwhile and a fun day out.

Details on the flip side...

To put it simply:  First there's Jerry McNerney.  Then, too, there's Nick Rahall.  The former took Pombo's House seat (CA-11) away from him in last November's election (with our help).  And because the Democrats took the majority in the House, Nick Rahall took over the Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.  Both are standing up for what's right in ways Pombo's never dreamed of.  A couple of those "improvements" came to light in the last week, so I thought it was time to write a diary highlighting a couple of small, concrete changes for the better.

These guys may not be perfect, and we can find things to complain about them.  But both are so much better than what they've replaced.  It's good to keep that in mind.  Details below the fold.  And will be pleased to hear in the comments about other specifics we can be glad for.

A few days ago I wrote about Legislation before the 110th Congress that would protect the abuse on the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a rogue US Territory in the Western Pacific just North of Guam.

I have been researching and writing about the Republican Culture of Corruption for some time now. My entry point into this massive pile of sleaze was Jack Abramoff and his support of a corrupt economic system on the CNMI.

Jack is in jail now. The Democrats control Congress, so one would hope that the decades of abuse on the CNMI would be coming to an end.

I hope that is the case, but the truth is that it will only happen if you, I and many others fight for it. We will have to drag, push and shame the 110th Congress to end the abuse on the CNMI and provide justice for the imported workers forced into Neo-Slavery.

The reason is simple: lobbyists. This time a Democrat named Oldaker.

But Jerry McNerney gives me hope.

To the jump...

Over two hundred years ago, progressives in Great Britain passed legislation to end the British slave trade. That victory led to others, and in 1833 the British abolished slavery. It took a Civil War, but by the late 1800s slavery had been abolished in the United States as well.

It was not the end of injustice. Nor was it the end of slavery by other means. It was a start.

Each generation of Americans (and Citizens of this planet) has had to confront slavery ever since.

Today, slavery is not obvious. The chains are woven out of fear, intimidation and control. It is still slavery. And it is rampant.

It is everywhere. Here in the USA and across the globe. It is one of the primary fuels of globalization. It lets you buy cheap crap at Wal-Mart (and their competitors). It is the sub-context for the proposed National Guest Worker program, the construction efforts in Iraq and sweatshops across the globe. It is why trade agreements can not address issues of labor.

Slavery is here. It is now. It is promoted by US laws and policies.

It is our turn to end it.

To the jump...

Like many of you, I worked very hard to elect Democrats and take back the House and the Senate in 2006. I do not expect miracles, but I do expect progress in cleaning up after 12 years of Republican Congressional rule and six years of the Shrub who would be King.

So a few weeks ago I was between angry, annoyed and angst when I heard that a Democratic Freshmen PAC, created to re-elect these Democrats in 2008, had hired lobbyist William C. Oldaker as the PAC’s custodian.

Now as you know, I have spent a great deal of time studying Republican corruption, especially where it intersects with the Jack Abramoff scandal. Oldaker is a Democratic version of Abramoff. My jaw dropped when I saw he had anything to do with the newly elected Democrats who promised to clean up Washington.

Today, Jerry McNerney stepped up to the plate and demanded that the PAC fire Oldaker.

Thank you Jerry!

To the jump...