Reply #112: You misjudge me

[laughingliberal]

I simply asked for information.

Our rundown for November:
I really was just asking for the information. From what I can see, Alexi Giannoulias, looks good. I particularly like this from his web page:

http://www.alexiforillinois.com/blog/need-senate-progressive-caucus>AlexiForIllinois.com

August 13, 2010 | Submitted by Alexi Giannoulias
Allow me to state the obvious: despite the fact that Democrats control the House and Senate, conservatives control what gets sent to the President’s desk.

Legislation that starts off strong is watered down by conservative Democrats in the House and Senate. It’s then whittled down to ineffectiveness in order to try and get a handful of Republican votes on board.

My solution: I’m going to create a robust Senate Progressive Caucus that will hold the line and fight for progressive policies that help all Americans.

As for my state, here's what we've got:

Reid (D) defending his Senate seat against one of the worst candidates in the country, Sharon Angle (R)-batshit crazy. Reid is not as progressive as I'd like but he is a lot more progressive than a lot of the Blue Dogs in the Senate. I consider Reid a slightly left leaning centrist and I very much appreciated his efforts to get us a public option and I like him a LOT better than Sharon Angle, who would be a disaster for the people of our state.

We have Dina Titus (D) is defending her Congressional seat (3rd Congressional District) A candidate I've supported before, polling shows the race a dead heat right now. Is being heavily targeted for defeat by nauseating RW reactionary groups.

Shelley Berkley (D) is defending her Congressional seat (1st Congressional District). Disappointingly, she is a member of the New Democrat Coalition but her voting record is not horrible. She felt the HCR bill did not do enough for veterans. She is expected to hold her seat.

Nancy Price (D) is challenging Bushbot, Dean Heller, for his seat in the 2nd Congressional District. Almost anyone would be more progressive than Heller (and I say that despite the fact that he is a personal friend of Mr. Laughing Liberal who, nevertheless, won't vote for him). She looks good, AFAICS on the issues. It would take a miracle for anyone to unseat Heller. He was a very popular Secretary of State who governed in that position as a moderate (on some issues, almost a left leaning moderate) and insisted when the state decided to purchase electronic voting machines that they have auditable paper receipts which pissed off his fellow Republicans to no end but he won on the issue. Once he was elected to Congress, he became a lockstep with Bush voter.

Rory Reid (D) is running against far right Gibbons copy cat, Brian Sandoval for Governor. Unless we catch Sandoval in bed with a dead woman or a live man, he'll probably win this one. I'm dismayed we had no strong Democrats step up to the plate to try for the Governor's mansion. Gibbons is so universally disliked, we should have been able to pick this one up. Reid is good on the issues, especially education but the voters see a win for him as creating a Reid dynasty.

I am not opposed to ever supporting centrists. I just don't like right of center centrists which is what I find a lot of those who describe themselves as centrists tend to be.

I've also noticed, in his dealings with Congress on the President's behalf, Emanuel is often pounding on the Progressive Caucus to compromise with the Blue Dogs and New Democrats. If there is an example of him ever going the other way (pounding on conservadems to compromise with the Progressives), I'd be open to hearing about it. Some fairness would be a good thing, IMO.