Want to help send Bart Stupak onto his next career?
What a dumb question. If you have a pulse, you want Stupak gone. Why? Because Bart Stupak has come to symbolize the most disgusting, immoral kind of politics within our own party: an elected official who actively forces Americans to suffer by blocking the passage of health care reform; an elected official willing to trade in the rights of American citizens; and an elected official claiming that his personal religiouis views should take precedence over the Constitution and the needs of tends of millions of people; an elected official who's willing to lie about what's actually in a bill to advance his own pro-life activism. Honestly, there just aren't enough pies in this cruel world to toss at Bart Stupak.
So I'll ask you again: Do you want to help send Bart Stupak onto his next career--maybe as one of those guys who gets paid very little money to walk out onto half-thawed lakes to remove ice fishing huts? Alright, then! Here is your chance: DONATE to Connie Saltonstall who will primary Stupak for U.S. Congress in MI-1!
DONATE HERE
CURRENT TOTAL: $15,588
I have a personal stake in this battle, not simply because, like everybody else, I think Burt Stupak is one of the biggest jerks in the U.S. Congress for what he's done to trample women's rights and hold up health care.
My family has been visiting Connie Saltonstall's hometown of Charlevoix, Michigan, for decades. For Michiganders who live or grew up down state, Michigan's 1st Congressional District is part of the vast wonderland we call "Up North." To say that we Michiganders love this area would be the understatement of the century.
We love it, there, and that is Connie Saltonstall's home:
Saltonstall, a life-long Charlevoix resident, declared that one of her top priorities is to work for affordable, accessible healthcare for all Americans and to support what the Supreme Court has ruled as a woman’s right to privacy. Saltonstall states, “Our Congressman has let us down. Bart Stupak has threatened to block healthcare reform unless the Amendment that bears his name is included in the final bill. I believe that he has a right to his personal, religious views, but to deprive his constituents of needed healthcare reform because of those views is reprehensible.” Saltonstall has heard from Democrats throughout the First District who are outraged by Stupak’s hard line on this important issue and demand a candidate who will support real healthcare reform. (from http://conniesaltonstall.com)
"Reprehensible" is a good word for Bart. I can think of other words, too. But this is a family blog.
Connie went on to say this:
“Michigan and the First District are facing enormous challenges and we cannot afford to sacrifice solutions for individual agendas. Stupak is co-chair of the Pro-Life Caucus and is putting their interests above those of his district. No federal funds have been used for abortions since 1977, and that provision will stay in effect without his amendment. In my opinion, Bart Stupak has shown that he is willing to block important legislation to support his own agenda at the expense of those he was elected to represent.”
That's right, folks. A Democratic Senator, head of the Pro-Life Caucus. And now he has a challenger.
I have no problem with pro-lifers in our party. A diversity of views is healthy. But I have a very big problem when an elected official chooses a life of pro-life activism when the needs of the people call for a very different kind of activism.
Michigan in particular needs pro-job activism, pro-healthcare activism, pro-environment activism. It needs quite a bit of activism, but pro-life activism ain't one of 'em.
What can we do?
When I first posted a call to donate to Connie's campaign on Twitter and Facebook, her Act Blue total was just under $8,000. Measly! Kossacks raise more money than that on bathroom breaks between Olbermann and Maddow. Yeeesh!
So my goal in this diary is:
TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY FOR CONNIE SALTONSTALL TO INSPIRE BART STUPAK TO WORK ON HIS RESUME.
How much do we need to raise for Connie to do that? I have no idea. $50,000? $100,000? $2,000,000?
OK, maybe $2 million is a bit ambitious (on one day). But...
If we can raise enough money to send a message--a really strong message--then MI-1 can become the battle ground where we begin to win again.
So, let's get started.
DONATE to Connie Saltonstall's campaign right now.
