"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
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...
Irvine City Councilwoman Beth Krom visited the California Democratic Party convention Saturday, touting her race for Congress in the 48th Congressional District.
Pictured above, Krom meets with bloggers Robert Criukshank, David Atkins and David Dayen.
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.
Oh my! DPOC Chairman Frank Barbaro has just sent another letter to Rep. John Campbell (R-Just Say No), asking him to return the tainted Harkey money he accepted in campaign contributions. But is he listening? I guess we'll soon find out.
I'm sure you've all heard the news by now. Our favorite beard growing, stimulus hating, still voting radical right in a district Obama carried, Congressman John Campbell may be in some serious trouble. Money trouble. Diane Harkey trouble. He took over $10,000 in contributions from Dan & Diane Harkey, but he must not have imagined the price he would later pay for that money.
Well, let's examine that price John Campbell may pay. Let's see all the scandal Diane Harkey caused that John Campbell just wasn't paying attention to. Hey, I didn't do all that investigating of our favorite South County Assemblywoman and the many skeletons in her closet for nothing!
Yikes. It looks like South County's infamous "Congressman No" may be in some deep trouble. This just in from the DPOC.
Democratic Party of Orange County Calls on Congressman John Campbell to Return Campaign Funds Donated by the Harkeys
Santa Ana, CA - March 24, 2009
The Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) is calling on Congressman John Campbell (R-CA 48th) to publicly return all campaign funds given by Assemblymember Diane Harkey (R-CA 73rd) and her husband Dan Harkey, president of the embattled Point Center Financial.
Dan Harkey and Point Center Financial are being sued by 53 of their investors for fraud and running a "Ponzi scheme." He is currently under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and being sued in Riverside County for racketeering, fraud, and intentional misrepresentation. Assemblymember Diane Harkey is listed as a defendant because the lawsuit alleges that Dan Harkey illegally transferred funds from investors to Diane Harkey for political purposes. Public documents show her as an employee of the company.
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.
Beth Krom goes up with her interim website and invites folks to her first fund-raiser on March 22nd.
The current Congressman, has been a national laughingstock for his comments about Atlas Shrugged finally coming true, but Beth Krom's opening email also includes one amazing fact about John Campbell.
In four years as Mayor, I was never once contacted by Congressman Campbell to express interest in, or offer assistance on our community priorities. He never attended a single city event, nor did he ever contact me to commend the city on any of our achievements. If the largest city in the 48th District is not being served, what hope is there for the other cities in the district?
What can you say about the arrogance of a Congressman who never once shows up or talks to the Mayor of the largest city in the district? At least Rohrabacher occasionally shows up at stuff to rant about immigrants and deny the science of climate change.
"People are starting to feel like we're living through the scenario that happened in 'Atlas Shrugged,'" said Campbell. "The achievers, the people who create all the things that benefit rest of us, are going on strike. I'm seeing, at a small level, a kind of protest from the people who create jobs, the people who create wealth, who are pulling back from their ambitions because they see how they'll be punished for them."
Steve Benen puts this into context.
Right, the character John Galt, the hero of the novel ... convinces corporate leaders to give up their jobs in order to spite society. As the story goes, these captains of industry were repressed by heavy-handed government, so they walked away and, when society crumbled, taught everyone a valuable lesson about making sure wealthy, white, blond-haired guys don't feel unduly put upon.
Some very strange conservatives, faced with the prospect of a modest increase in the marginal top rate, see us creating real-life John Galts. We're supposed to find that terrifying, of course, since the same Wall Street titans who destroyed our economy might be tempted to leave their jobs and take up menial labor.
Easy Street Republicans seem to base their political philosophy on fiction. What constantly amazes me is that they choose such bad fiction, like Ayn Rand and Robert Heinlein. For a tremendous laugh, read Atlas Shrugged Updated for the Current Financial Crisis.
Here are a few of the reasons Beth Krom is such an excellent candidate for California's 48th District:
She can win elections. Beth Krom has won five campaigns, In 2006, she garnered 60% of the vote in her re-election as Mayor and in 2008, won her current City Council seat with 8000 votes more than the next candidate.
She gets things done. We need elected officials who have experience getting things done for their constituents. Beth Krom is a strong advocate for environmental stewardship. Her vote was instrumental in cleaning up the water along the Orange County coast: she was the first "inland" representative to advocate for full secondary treatment of the effluent the OC Sanitation District pumped out into the ocean and was the "swing vote" in getting the board to fund implementation.
