Congress made a quick break from their recess to vote for HR 1586, to which Carly Fiorina previously announced her opposition. The measure would provide substantial funding for teachers during this recession.
It is one thing to voice opposition, but it's another to do the deed and vote against retaining teachers for purely political reasons. And that's what we have with Mary Bono Mack, who today voted against HR 1586. Oh, and Mack was joined by the rest of the California Republican delegation. Well, save Dan Lungren who opted to walk out on the vote rather than casting that no vote. That's real political courage for you.
I'll simply ask the same question of these two Congress members that Robert asked of Fiorina: How can you explain to Californians why you believe 16,500 teachers should lose their jobs and why should kids be taught in overcrowded classrooms?
The focus of health care reform is looking toward President Obama's speech on Wednesday, and progressives across the country are working in a whole slew of ways to ensure that a public option is included in that speech. Meanwhile, the DCCC has some other issues that it wants to point out this weekend.
But Steele is hardly the only Republican who has a problem with Medicare. The Republicans have been trying in one way or another to kneecap one of the must successful programs in American healthcare. Take a vote from April 2 of this year. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) proposed an alternative budget (beginning at p. 4469) that slashed funding so much as to pretty much assure its death. And a slew of California Republicans voted in support of this measure. Amongst that group was one Mary Bono Mack whom the DCCC chose to target in this ad.
While the Congress members knew full well that this proposed budget had no chance of succeeding, the vote was an indicator of their plans for the future and where they would take the country if they regain the reigns. A scary thought...
While candidates for state and federal office have until July 15 to announce their fundraising totals to the FEC, we're starting to see some of the numbers trickle out. And this is a pretty good one. Steve Pougnet, the openly gay mayor of Palm Springs, husband and father of two, reportedly raised over $200,000 in the second quarter. He claimed to have outraised his opponent, incumbent Mary Bono Mack, although the Republican has not yet released her numbers.
$200,000 is a better quarter than almost all Democratic challengers achieved at any point in the last Congressional cycle until the final fundraising quarter. It's particularly impressive this far out of the race.
With Bono Mack facing heat from her right flank over her vote for the Waxman-Markey energy bill, she may not have the kind of national backing she could need. Bono Mack has performed impressively in this seat throughout her career and she remains heavily favored, but Pougnet will have a chance in a district that went 52-47 for Barack Obama in 2008.
As we sit back and await the results of the Los Angeles Municipal election today, I thought I'd share with you something that came my way from the DCCC. Like so many other Republicans (here's looking at you, Bobby Jindal) that decried the stimulus as "socialism" or some other such but were more than happy to take the money for their states and districts, Mary Bono Mack (R-CA45) has similarly derided the stimulus package while praising the benefits it will bring to her district no more than a week later:
In a striking example of hypocrisy, Representative Mary Bono Mack voted against the landmark American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act and now is touting a nearly $5 million grant included in the legislation to benefit her district.
"Representative Mary Bono Mack's vote against the economic recovery act in Washington and taking credit for its benefit in her district is just too much to take," said Andy Stone, Western Regional Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "As a member of the 'Party of No,' Bono Mack voted against legislation that would save or create 8,700 jobs in her district and now she's crowing about the benefits it'll bring to her constituents."
In announcing her opposition to the economic recovery package in a press release on February 13, Bono Mack said the bill was "not the answer" to our nation's economic woes that funds were being spent on "special projects...that have little or nothing to do with stimulus" and even that provisions in the bill could have "a detrimental effect on our local economy."
In a complete about face that smacks of hypocrisy, Bono Mack sent out a follow up release last week announcing a grant for her district that will provide "much-needed assistance" and noting her pleasure that "our community will benefit from this funding."
Sorry, Representative Bono Mack, but after voting twice against the job-creating and tax-cutting economic recovery package, it's just not possible to have your cake and eat it too.
In my opinion, it's great to see the DCCC trying to get on Mary Bono Mack early. The Inland Empire (my old stomping grounds, as I grew up in Ken Calvert's CA-44) is ripe for the picking, as you can see from this chart. Obama won Bono Mack's district 51.5%-47%, a huge reversal from 2004, where Kerry lost by 13 points.
If the DCCC wants to make gains in Congressional races this midterm cycle, there are few better places to focus on than the districts of the Inland Empire, which are getting bluer by the day and could seriously use some help in terms of building up a Democratic Party infrastructure (of course, the CDP could help with that too).
UPDATE by Dave: Sorry to intrude, but this is the best part of this whole thing:
Met with Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack [...] Talked to her about Obama's $780 billion stimulus legislation. She's outraged that the plan has "$1 billion wasted on a magnetic-levitation train from L.A. to Sin City " - all at Nevada Sen. Harry Reid's doing.
After expressing my doubt that the Las Vegas line was actually in the bill's language, Bono Mack directs her staff to "get him the bill, it's right there, show him." A few minutes later, a staffer emerges with a copy and quietly says "it's not in the bill."
This is what happens when you believe the zombie lies of the conservative Limbaugh crowd instead of, you know, your eyes.
(Moved video up top as it is pretty gosh darn funny. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
Yesterday, we told you about California Democrats who were holding events to celebrate the 73rd birthday of Social Security. Their intent was to both pay tribute to the program that has been a lifeline to millions of seniors for over seven decades AND to condemn John McCain and Republican members of Congress who are eager to privatize the system and let the corporate greed-mongers of Wall Street make a bundle.
For instance, Jeff Morris, the Congressional Democratic candidate who is going head-to-head with Wally Herger in CA-02, held his campaign kickoff at the Social Security office in Redding.
Julie Bornstein, the Democrat running to unseat Mary Bono Mack in CA-45 also held an event, to open her new campaign office in Palm Springs, with a special emphasis on celebrating 73 years of Social Security.
But Beverly and Leonard's celebration in CA-03 took the cake, so to speak...
Today is the birthday of Social Security, and Democrats around the country will be celebrating the program that has provided stability and dignity to seniors for the last 73 years. During the last few years, George W. Bush, John McCain and the Republicans in Congress have done their best to try to dismantle the protections that Social Security has built over the years.
"The American people said 'no' to George W. Bush and John McCain when they tried to privatize Social Security, and they'll say the same loud and clear to John McCain this November for promising more of the same," said DNC Chairman Howard Dean. "The same people who brought you Enron can't be trusted to gamble away the Social Security trust fund on the ups and downs of the stock market. John McCain is wrong on the privatization of Social Security, and he's the wrong choice for America's future."
Throughout the US, Democrats will be visiting Republican legislators and taking them copies of this birthday card. Here in California we have several special events taking place.
Up in CA-02, Democratic Candidate Jeff Morris, who is challenging the do-nothing Republican incumbent, Wally Herger, will be holding his Campaign Kick-Off at the Social Security Office in Redding. If you're in the area, stop by and meet him and his wife, Judy, and their many dedicated supporters.
Where: Social Security Office, 2195 Larkspur Office, Redding, CA 96002
When: Thursday August 14th at 9:45 am
Down in CA-45, Julie Bornstein, the Democratic candidate who is challenging Republican Mary Bono Mack, will be celebrating both the Social Security Birthday and the opening of her campaign office in Palm Springs. There's a rumor that cake may be involved...
Where: 1027 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA
When: Thursday August 14th from 4:30 to 6:30 pm
Well, it has come to this. Local progressive Democratic activists have for years attempted to work with The Desert Sun, aka The Pro Bono Sun, and, more recently, mydesert.com, to have more accurate and fair reporting on local politics. But, the Pro Bono Sun and mydesert.com has been oblivious to the changing demographics in the Coachella Valley and continues to inaccurately and unfairly represent local Democrats.
Case in point, the recent article which listed the four Democratic candidates for the CA 80th Assembly District that listed only three of the candidates and omitted the name of Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathdral City and Candidate for the 80th AD. Inaccuracy at its worst, or prejudice at its best.
This was and probably could/should have stayed a quick hit, but I'm in a mood.
Rep. Mary Bono Mack and her husband Rep. Connie Mack are joining forces to form the new America Supports You Caucus. Reps. Adam Schiff and Allen Boyd join them as co-chairs. The group will, at least in part, serve to highlight the Pentagon service that provides veterans with links to support services (instead of providing those services?).
I'm all for connecting veterans with support services and all, but at some point you can't wave that miniature American flag hard enough to hide that you aren't actually serving members of the military as well as you should. How fast before this becomes a de facto test of support-the-troops devotion?
Open Thread yourselves as well. Fun with Metronomy's Radio Ladio on the flip.
January 10, 2008 - Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Presidential Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).
A cool desert night saw multitudes of proud, progressive, Democrats and throngs of supportive locals, visitors, and prospective voters. The trend is clear...red-to-purple-to-blue.
The Democratic clubs were represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democratic Club (DSD) staffing the tables thanks to George Zander, President of DSD, and Bob Silverman, Treasurer of DSD. Remember, the montly meeting of the DSD Democratic Club occurs on Saturday, January 12, 2008, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Desert Pride Center, 611 S. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs. Re full disclosure, BluePalmSpringsBoyz iz a member of DSD. Eleanor Jackson staffed the Democrats of the Desert Democratic Club table.
Throughout the US, Democrats will be visiting Republican legislators and taking them copies of this birthday card. Here in California we have several special events taking place.