"The most consistent and smartest thinking and writing about progressive politics isn't happening in Sacramento, but being churned out day after day on sites and by organizations like Calitics, Orange County Progressive, and the California Budget Project." - CalBuzz
Once again, Calvert's ethically-challenged behavior landed him on the non-partisan Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington most corrupt list:
Oh, my! The national Republicans are worrying. Ken Calvert is among the first 10 "Patriots" in NRCC's program to fundraise for vulnerable incumbents.
So what exactly does this mean? They are expecting Calvert to raise about $100,000 just today. Wow. They must really be afraid.
So how can we respond? Bill Hedrick doesn't have the big corporate dollars that Calvert and the NRCC rely upon, but he does have us.
Please give Bill Hedrick whatever you can. He nearly defeated Calvert last year with little money and a few dedicated grassroots supporters. Think of what can happen if we all step up to the plate.
Hey, the Republicans are already running scared to their big corporate "ATM". Let's show them that our people power is more powerful.
OK, he's doing it. Bill Hedrick will definitely be running for Congress again in 2010. And why not? He seemingly came out of nowhere last year to nearly upset long-time incumbent Ken Calvert... Though he was really working the district hard and winning over voters by offering real solutions to their economic concerns.
So are you ready for a real barnburner of a race next year? I'm hopeful the Hedrick Campaign is. Hopefully the DCCC is as well. I certainly know the GOP will try this time not to fall asleep at the wheel again.
My goodness, what a convention we had! The "mainstream" corporate media may have just seen it as a massive foodfight, but beneath the surface something amazing happened. As I saw and Calitician Robert Cruickshank noted, the "Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party" finally started to take control of the CDP.
Progressives flexed their muscle yet again at this convention, showing that they are the force to be reckoned with in the party - even if progressives did not always speak with a single voice. The refusal to endorse Propositions 1A, 1D and 1E was a sign that progressive delegates are not going to be dictated to by Democratic leaders, and that they feel empowered to say "No" when it is warranted. That's a sign of a healthy and mature progressive movement. People power is here in the California Democratic Party - and although it has yet to find sustained expression, it's only a matter of time before that power revitalizes the party.
As all of you who followed my Tweets saw, the vote was close on all the May Special Election Initiatives. And yes, debate was heated. But while the "mainstream" reporters were just focusing on how "divided!!!!" we were (like this was the first time?), they missed what the rest of us saw. They missed the progressive grassroots taking charge, speaking truth to power, and letting their voices be heard at what's supposed to be their convention.
Let me explain my thoughts some more after the flip...
Today the California Democratic Party (CDP) released a memo from CDP Campaign Advisor Bob Mulholland on the "Obama Republican" Congressional Districts and just how winnable they may be in 2010. These seats are currently held by far-right Republicans, but President Obama carried all these districts last November. Here in OC, we have two "Obama Republican" districts: the 44th (Ken Calvert, where Obama won by 0.9%) and 48th (John Campbell, where Obama won by 0.7%) in South County.
So why are Calvert & Campbell voting so often against the President's agenda when their constituents support President Obama? Perhaps they'll need to come up with some answers soon, before voters get to have their say next year.
I'm excited to announce that my district is one of only six nationwide being targeted by the DCCC in a series of radio ads being rolled out next week.
The ads will target Republican members of Congress who opposed the middle class tax cut in President Obama's economic recovery act. These ads are the DCCC's way of taking the message of middle class tax cuts and economic recovery directly to the public in radio ads called "Tax Man" that will run in the lead up to April 15th (tax day).
This is the DCCC's fourth phase of the "Putting Families First" campaign and we've been fortunate enough to be included in the other phases as well.
Believe it or not, Mike Castle (R-DE) wasn't the only "moderate" Republican in a moderate, pro-Obama district that voted against President Obama's Economic Recovery Act that includes tax breaks for middle class families. So did Ken Calvert (R-Only Supports Self-Stimulus). That's why the DCCC will be airing a radio ad here in the LA/OC/IE market just like this one specifically targeting Ken Calvert.
Hopefully, this won't be the last we see of the DCCC here. The 44th Congressional District really deserves better representation. And hopefully, national Democrats can put some effort this time into helping Bill Hedrick cross the finish line successfully in 2010.
Representative Calvert is at it again - putting politics rather than families first.
He had the gall to release a newsletter this week touting the fact that he's once again defied the new administration.
What was particularly appalling was his slam against what he calls the "Mortgage Cram-Down Bill" (H.R. 1106), saying it would allow judges to "cram down" the principle amount on home mortgages.
Has Mr. Calvert somehow forgotten that the largest city in his district (Riverside) now has the fourth largest foreclosure rate in the country?
In today's LA Times, there's an article on just how bad the housing market is. The Los Angeles area market, which includes Orange County (again - Rep. Calvert's district), is down 39% from 2006.
What irks me the most is the fact that it was Calvert's own votes during the Bush administration that led to the housing market collapse and the current economic situation we're all in.
Calvert has voted against each and every part of the president's recovery plan and seems to be proud of that fact - even though he barely squeaked out a win himself in November.
During the 8 years of Bush, Calvert was a YES man voting with that administration 94.4% of the time yet in two short months under an Obama presidency, he's somehow joined the party of NO doing everything in his power to stall the country's recovery.
With every vote Mr. Calvert casts, he's helping my 2010 campaign. Unfortunately, his help is coming at the expense of the working families he supposedly serves in this district.
In a sign that Democrats are changing the playing field in Orange County, the Register's Dena Bunis reports on the upcoming Congressional races in the county. I'm not quite used to reading articles like this in the Reg. This is quite a sea change in reporting.
Orange County Democrats have become so emboldened by how well President Barack Obama did here on election night that as far as they're concerned they can compete for any seat in this Republican rich environment.
Case in point: Irvine Councilwoman and former Mayor Beth Krom. She made it official this week that she is going to take on Republican Rep. John Campbell.
Doesn't Krom know that the 48th Congressional District is not only one of the most Republican in California, it's one of the most solid GOP districts in the nation?
She does. But she says she also knows that Obama carried that Republican stronghold and believes she's got a chance there as well.
She goes on to report that Bill Hedrick's close call in CA-44 and Debbie Cook's race in CA-46, showed that Democrats are beginning to be taken a lot more seriously in Orange County.
Remember when I told you at The Liberal OC about how our lovely South County (and Riverside) Congresscritter Ken Calvert (R-Hypocrisy) was trying to take credit for economic recovery projects that he voted against? Well, guess what? Now we can actually see for ourselves what Ken Calvert voted to deny his constituents!
