Standing Up for California--Be sure to check this out!

[Liberty Belle]

Phil Angelides, our Democratic Treasurer, has just launched an amazing website: http://www.standingupforcalifornia.com


Standing Up for California has launched a statewide television ad campaign urging Californians to tell Governor Schwarzenegger to stop his policies of debt and budget deception that threaten devastating cuts to health care and education, which he promised to protect.

Sign the Petition to Stop the Debt and Protect Health Care and Education

Read the Press Release
Read the Ad Script and Fact Sheet

(All I can say is, "Yipppeeeeeeee! Finally, a Democratic leader with a spine. Hey Phil, why not run for Congress next time?)

[Book Lover]

1. Looks nice

It looks like an expansion of http://www.angelides.com, which I am all over :-)

[rwenos]

2. "Why Not Run For Congress?"

Because he's running for Governor. (!)

[Liberty Belle]

3. Who's better, Angelides or Garamendi?

I've been invited to a private meeting with the latter. If you had a chance to ask a potential future governor a question or two, what would that be?

[rwenos]

4. Garamendi's an Attractive Candidate

and would be my choice, given a choice between those two. I think Bill Lockyer is going to run also. It would be hard to choose between Lockyer and Garamendi too.

Garamendi will be able to raise more money than Lockyer, especially in the Central Valley. He's from a prominent ag family in Walnut Grove, in the Sacramento Delta -- and area where Dem's have a hard time winning. Lots of friends in Big Ag in the Central Valley.

Angelides is more faceless, less populist, will be able to raise more money. Insider candidate.

Lockyer is probably the most talented of the three (best law enforcement credentials as AG), but I like Garamendi. Strong image, statewide populist appeal as Insurance Commissioner, was an All-America offensive tackle at Cal in the mid-1960's.

[Liberty Belle]

5. Garamendi says he's going to run for Lt. Gov.

But long-term, I'll bet he'll wind up on the top of the ticket someday.

He has a strong record on many progressive issues. He worked in the Clinton Interior Dept and helped write much of the environmental legislation passed under the Clinton administration. He also wrote the original Clinton healthcare plan, though it was later watered down and of course never passed.

Garamendi also blocked the merger of two big insurance companies until he wrested an agreement that they would provide some free services in underserved areas in CA and would not charge ratepayers a penny to cover the merger, which was quite costly.

He was not strong on standing up against Schwarzenegger's reapportionment plan, oddly. He seemed to think letting a Republican Governor turn reapportionment over the courts (which could be stacked by Bush and Schwarzenegger) was okay as long as Dems could cut a deal to get term limits overturned. I disagree.

He is a shrewd politician and negotiator, which can be both a plus and a detriment. But overall he's a strong candidate.

He was, by the way, extremely impressed by our efforts here to help persuade Boxer to stand up yesterday and contest the vote. After I related a story to him of forwarded the e-mailed petition to leaders of Democratic Clubs I found online (and how the next day, the number of signatures had grown from less than 1,000 to nearly 9,000), he told the story to the crowd as an example of how important online activism can be. He even asked to be included on my newsletter (Liberty Belle Log)!

I've also talked up Democratic Underground to some movers and shakers in the party lately, letting them now what a powerful bunch you've all become!

[mitchtv]

6. Lockyer is a traitor to Dems

he voted for Groper , and was stupid enough to say so. Don't vote him for dogcatcher.

[Liberty Belle]

9. Misguided to vote for any Repug.

I do, however, like the spunk Lockyer has shown in filing dozens of lawsuits against the Bush administration. He has won 90%. These are cases where the Feds were trying to force California not to enforce laws that are more liberal than the Buscho versions--environmental, anti-abortion, you name it. So we can thank Lockyer for our clean air, clean water, and the fact that you can still get an abortion or at least a referral to an abortion clinic at any hospital in the state, despite the new federal crackdown.

Lockyer also has defied Ashcroft, who he said threatened him with arrest for enforcing strict gun control legislation in CA.

[Semi_subversive]

7. I agree that he would be a great candidate

and I enjoy working for him. I've followed his career for many years and also had the opportunity to work with his wife, Patti. The both of them are very intelligent, compassionate and progressive. With all their kids and grandkids, they have an incredibly strong and supportive family unit that could bring some of the "family issues" folks in.

[calimary]

8. Garamendi certainly kept the faith on the insurance crises here.

It seemed he was always a dog on somebody's (insurance industry) pants leg. He just kept coming back again and again, like some Energizer Bunny. Sort of like WE ALL need to do as Democrats. As Howard Dean has already put it: "We only lose if we quit."

[Liberty Belle]

10. He's tried hard to help the fire victims battling insurers, too.