Diane Benson to run Against Don Young!

[cleofus1]

http://www.ktuu.com/cms/anmviewer.asp?a=4481&print=yes

"...Anchorage, Alaska - The campaign for Alaska’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is now well underway. Republican Rep. Don Young, who has been in office since a special election in 1973, filed for another two-year term today. A few hours later, former Green Party gubernatorial candidate Diane Benson filed as a Democrat to run against Young.

Benson, an actress who often has portrayed civil rights pioneer Elizabeth Peratrovich, has a son who was seriously injured in Iraq. She says she would like to see the troops come home through a graceful exit strategy that helps Iraqis stabilize their country.

“It was the lessons I have learned from my son in his recovery that has contributed to the strength that it takes, I believe, to stand up and say I’m willing to be there for this country,” said Benson (right)."...

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I'm excited that she will be running....

She's got my vote.

[snowbear]

2. Awesome! Rock on Diane ..

Diane and Latseen



~~ ~~

[northofdenali]

3. IF our voters gain ANY sense at all between now and then -

Diane in a walk.

But you know how Ear (ADN) puts it -

Don Young, Senator for All Alaskans except Ear and a few others.

He is SO RANK and SO PUTRID, I still can't understand how anyone can mark a ballot with his name and not get crap on their hands.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. I have to agree with you...

He is revolting beyond belief. I get physically ill whenever I see him on TV. Maybe we'll get lucky and his ties to Abramoff will be illuminated. I have no doubt that he's as corrupt as they come.

[Ken Burch]

11. Is there a website yet for Diane Benson's campaign?

I want to get canvassers started for it in Juneau NOW.

Diane can take that scumbag's head off in a debate.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Here's all that's up now...

http://members.aol.com/timerivr/benson/aol2.html

but I see down the page that an election website will be up soon.

[Camp_Democracy]

21. She needs to take a stronger stand!

Listening to the DLC and playing safe is not the way to win elections....

i like what David Swanson has to say on the subject...from the ed shultz show
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/12650
Jim Lampley: Political question, David. What if I were to say you, I think the better course for the future of liberal politics and progressive politics in this country, rather than to impeach the President and harden Republican support around him, is simply to leave him in place and allow him to continue to damage and fragment conservative politics with his daily activities?

David Swanson: I would say you need to check some facts, that you may have been reading to many RNC talking points, and that you may not be to blame for that in that Nancy Pelosi has taken them and given them to the Democratic Caucus. I have not seen a shred of evidence that raising the impeachment issue hardens Republicans or turns out Republicans to vote. In fact, all of the evidence I’ve seen in polls and surveys suggest quite the opposite, that there is no better issue for turning out Democrats and Independents in the upcoming elections than impeachment. And across the board the analysts from the Democratic side will tell you and Democracy Core had a study recently that tells you, if a congressional candidate wants to win against a Republican, they need to nationalize it, they need to make it against Bush, they need to make it exciting and turn out their base and there is no better way to do that than impeachment.

Jim Lampley: Very quickly. Are there Republicans in congress who would support impeachment?

David Swanson: There are Republicans who have said in unguarded moments on television that there were impeachable offenses, including Ron Paul and Senator Specter. But there is not a single Republican who has even signed onto John Conyers bill. And that’s disgraceful. There were Democrats who held Lyndon Johnson accountable. We need to start pushing the more moderate Republicans, what’s left of them, to put the Constitution ahead of George W. Bush.

Jim Lampley: Disgraceful is exactly the word. Thank you very much. David Swanson, from AfterDowningStreet.com and ImpeachPAC.org. Go to either of those websites and you can keep up with his activities as this question continues to coalesce. Thanks again for your time.

David Swanson: Thanks for having me.

[cleofus1]

24. do even have any idea

of what you are talking about?

[cleofus1]

5. I'm so happy she's running

She not only gets my vote but my full support (what little I can give)

[AKVet]

6. With Diane, Maybe we will now get a VA Hospital

She's got my Vote!  It would be nice to have a Mother of a
disabled Veteran as our CongressWoman, at least we would know
the Veterans of Alaska would be watched out for.

You go Girl!!!!

[Blue_In_AK]

8. Hi, AKVet...

and welcome to DU. Nice to see you here.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi AKVet!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[DenaliDemocrat]

7. GREAT!

She has my vote. I wish I could do more, but alas, the HATCH ACT means if I wish to keep my job, I cannot actively campaign for a candidate. I think that law is unconstitutional, but I am no lawyer.

[emald]

10. she has my vote as well

Hope she does well. With the mess that is congress right now it shouldn't be too awful hard to convince alaskans that it's time for a change. But who knows; change hasn't been the forte of Alaskan politics to date. I sure hope change is coming because it's way past time for better government.

[karmababy]

13. excellent!

I am so glad she stepped up to run. Diane has a website now
http://bensonforcongress.com/
I wish she would say more about bringing the troops home from Iraq though...has anyone heard her speak about this?

Also blogger ben frank
www.benfrank.net
is running

[karmababy]

14. and speaking of ousting Don Young

have you all seen this?

Abramoff Aide testified that Alaska Rep. Don Young assisted 'Abramoff team'
Washington, DC (AHN) - A former congressional aide and lobbyist testified how he had access to insider information from Bush administration procurement chief David Safavian.

Neil Volz admitted that the information was used to further projects for Republican influence-peddler Jack Abramoff. He added that Abramoff took Safavian on a lavish golf trip to Scotland, according to CNN.

Other lawmakers also mentioned in assisting the Abramoff team were: Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, and Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio .

The testimony is part of the trial against Safavian on allegations of lying to investigators about his assistance to Abramoff while he was chief of staff to the administrator of the General Services Administration.
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003762185

At one point Volz testified that the “Abramoff team” received help from several members of Congress. He listed Ney, Capito, U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska; and U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio.
http://www.theintelligencer.net/editorials/articles.asp?articleID=6731

Safavian faces up to 25 years in prison and $1.25 million in fines if he's found guilty of obstruction and making false statements.

Prosecutors submitted a string of e-mails that show how the lobbyist sought Safavian's help to obtain federal property for a school he operated in suburban Maryland, and for Indian tribes that he represented.

Other evidence includes a letter that Concord Township Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette wrote to former GSA head Stephen A. Perry about a prominent government building in downtown Washington that Abramoff wanted to turn into a hotel.

LaTourette and Rep. Don Young of Alaska sent the letter at the request of Neil Volz, who worked as a lobbyist for Abramoff and is scheduled to testify in court today about Abramoff's lobbying operation and the lavish Scotland trip. Volz previously worked as a top aide to Ney.
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1148546692278060.xml&coll=2

In his testimony, Volz, who worked with Abramoff after leaving Congress, detailed how the lobbying team received assistance from several Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Ney, Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Don Young (Alaska) and Steven LaTourette (Ohio).

None of the lawmakers has been accused of any wrongdoing, but rather their link to the Safavian case is meant to show how Safavian was giving Abramoff tips on how to use members of Congress to navigate the GSA bureaucracy, according to federal prosecutors....

Young's office said it had no comment because it was not aware of Volz's testimony.
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/053106/volz.html

[snowbear]

15. So Diane will be running against Ray Metcalfe in the Democratic Primary..

From the Alaska Ear, June 4, 2006 ~

..."How about Ray Metcalfe running against Don Young as a Democrat? Isn't Ray the head of the Republican Moderate Party? He says he changed his registration to Dem when he filed. Why?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ray Metcalfe !?!

I ran into him at one of the mayoral/school board/etc. debates over the summer.

I can't remember exactly why he was there to tell you the truth.. If he was running for something, I already forgot what it was.

But after the debates were over, everyone was "mingling and munching" around the snack tables they had set out.

Except for poor Ray. He stood around waiting for someone to come up and chat with him. When I went over to get one of the cookies at the table, he came up to me and started to chat about something or other.

Man.. sorry, but the dude has the personality of an eggplant! :crazy: I was outta there as soon as I could get my arse out the door!!

I just can't in a million years imagine him beating Diane..

[SavetheUSA]

16. Diane was a former Green

Only Ben Frank and Frank Vandersar have been fighting within the democratic party, an admirable quality.

I heard Metcalfe on KUDO and he said there is no way he can beat Don Young, he is running against Ben Stevens because he believes Don Young will throw it to him after the primary.

[Ken Burch]

17. Why on Earth would Don do that?

I've heard the rumor too, but it doesn't make sense. And Young Ben is already under an ethics cloud and facing a backlash for the ugliness his State Senate organization subjected us too, so why would anyone think switching him to the Congressional race would help?

[Camp_Democracy]

20. I know

but he just dropped out of his race yesterday and rumor has it (from KUDO1080.com) that Don Young will step aside just as soon as he wins the primary and hand it over to Ben Stevens.

[Ken Burch]

23. Still doesn't make much sense.

Any more than Metcalfe's idea that he can suddenly switch from leading a center-right splinter party to running as a Dem and then not only get nominated but actually get elected.

Maybe it's just the delusional season.

[Ken Burch]

18. Diane's Green Party past should not be held against her

If Democrats are to be a factor in this state's politics, we need to build bridges with the voters that "went Green". Simply saying "they should come back and vote for us without any concessions simply because it's what they're damn well s'posed to do". won't cut it.

The Greens gained strength in this state because the Dems let ourselves look like we stood for nothing. We need to learn from that mistake.

[Camp_Democracy]

19. I assumed Diane was progressive because she was a Green

but when you go to her website she refuses to take a strong stand on anything at a time when it is so easy. Her site says nothing about bringing the troops home, nothing about holding Bush accountable, restoring the constitution etc. Check it out. I don't know where she stands. I was just going on assumption in my initial support of her.

I think she is following the DLC plan, don't take a stand and win by default. But I think that sucks. I think people will come to the polls to take back the country from these criminals, that is the motivating reason, not just because she's not Don Young. I think she is following the DLC plan for defeat. There is so much to say and she is not saying it.

I haven't heard her in person, so maybe you all know more. Do Tell!

Personally I am partial to blogger Ben Frank who is telling it like it is
www.benfrank.net

[Ken Burch]

22. I have heard Diane in person, and was impressed...

She sounded strong and progressive. You should try emailing her website to get them to put in more specifics. I may do that myself as well. I believe that Diane is open to all sorts of input.

[Blue_In_AK]

25. I've heard her in person, too

last year before her son was injured. She was highly critical of the administration and its lack of support for the troops, talking about how she was having to send supplies to her son because they weren't being provided by the military.

[Camp_Democracy]

26. i did email the website

and they will not answer my requests for specifics on her plans in Congress.

I want a real replacement for Don Young, someone that will fight to bring our troops home and speak loudly against attacking Iran. It is time to return accountability to DC, and we need someone with a strong voice to do that. I don't think Diane can or should win just by default.

I read the website and it seems like she is just trying to be nice and not really taking much of a stand.