( - promoted by Chris Bowers)
This Saturday, Al Wynn is having a fundraiser with a special guest of honor.
MD-04 is a 77% performing Democratic district that runs in Montgomery and Prince George's County. It is as safe as safe can be for a Democrat. Wynn voted for the war in Iraq, the repeal of the estate tax, was a cosponsor of the bill gutting net neutrality, the Bankruptcy Bill, and the 2005 Energy Bill. He's really the epitome of the corrupt Democrat who gives cover to the right-wing to enact legislation. He even voted for no-bid contracts for Federal prisons.
And the money shows it. Here's a partial list of corporate PACs: AT&T Federal PAC, Walmart, NFIB, US Chamber of Commerce, Nuclear Energy Institute, Raytheon, Verizon, Bellsouth Federal PAC, Bechtel PAC, Comcast PAC, Constellation Energy, DTE Energy, Northrup Grumman, Entergy, Excelon, First Energy, Lockheed Martin.
The collusion of top Democratic leaders with corporate PACs is the single biggest obstacle to an effective Democratic Congress. Remember Steve Elmendorf in 2006?
"The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. "The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left."
Well here he is today.
The best-heeled new blue firm is Elmendorf Strategies LLC, which at present has just three registered lobbyists but has pulled down more than $2 million in business since December 2006. Some of its leading clients are UnitedHealth Group, Verizon Wireless and Coalition for Patent Fairness, a communications industry trade group specializing in intellectual-property issues.
Fortunately, we can stop this. Progressive hero Donna Edwards nearly beat Al Wynn in 2006 as a first time candidate running an underfunded campaign, losing by just three points. This cycle, she's going to win. But this is not just another Congressional race, it's about what kind of party the Democrats will be in the majority. Will we continue to knuckle under to lobbyists and the Bush administration? Or will we stand up as proud progressives?
Color of Change, MyDD, Swing State Project, Americablog, Dailykos, Firedoglake, Atrios, Crooks and Liars, DownwithTyranny and Openleft are coming together in a special project to raise $100k for Donna Edwards for Congress. We want to send a message to the Democratic leaders in Congress, to the corporate lobbyists, and to the Republicans that Congress belongs to the people. Over the next four days, we're going to show you exactly who Nancy Pelosi is raising money for, and we're going to cap it off with Donna blogging at Americablog, Dailykos, and Firedoglake for Saturday afternoon during the Wynn fundraiser.
It's time that Democrats in Congress act like Democrats. So throw in $25, $50, $100, $250, whatever you can. It's time for some better Democrats.
Donna Edwards for Congress
You can give through any of the following pages:
Blue Majority
Better Democrats
Eschaton
Americablog Supports Donna Edwards
I'll be tallying up Actblue totals twice a day and putting them here. |
