While the California Republican Party is busy defending tax breaks for yacht owners, Democrats are busy working to decrease barriers to voting and increase participation in democracy. The California Democratic Party Platform even talks about increasing participation:
To promote honest leadership and open government, California Democrats will: [...]
Increase voter participation by advocating for extended voting hours and/or days, scheduling elections on weekends, or by declaring Election Day a holiday
While I agree that would be great, the current perspective of the CDP Platform is to seek increases in the percentage of participation among registered voters. Yet there is even greater potential to increase voter participation by reforming barriers to voter registration. This is the premise behind recent national legislation by Democrats in Congress and a bill by Assemblyman Curren Price for California.
These are two pieces of legislation that deserve to be followed closely, which means you'll probably need to follow on the blogs as so far both reforms have been largely ignored by traditional media.
Over at CA Majority Report, former gubernatorial wannabe Steve Westly looks at what he calls the, "three key lessons from this year's midterm election." Setting aside the fact that you should never take advice from anyone who hired Garry South, the biggest problem is what Westly failed to learn.
With Democrats only enjoying a one seat majority in the U.S. senate, a single Democratic defection would allow Vice President Dick Cheney to cast a tie-breaking vote. For Republicans, the number one target to undermine Harry Reid's leadership is Senator Max Baucus (D-MT). Even the conservative New Republic wrote, "What Baucus does is use his influence as the top Democrat on the Finance Committee to systematically undercut his party and enable George W. Bush's most egregious domestic legislation."
Yesterday's Washington Post has a story, Democrats to Push Pocketbook Issues where Sen. Baucus hinted at siding with big corporations to undermine incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).
Many in the party want to change Medicare's new drug benefit so the government can negotiate prices directly with pharmaceutical companies. Incoming Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) remains unsure. "We need to be very honest in getting the facts" about whether such a switch would be helpful, he said.
Would lowering prescription drug prices be helpful? For you and I, yes. But Max Baucus is wondering whether triangulating against Democrats will help his re-election campaign.
In continuing my role as amateur documentarian, a role I accidentally (but gladly) was saddled with in yearlykos, I took my trusty Canon SD400 camera down to see Jon Tester. Moreover, as I was acting boss of my department, I took off work early to go get some retail politicing/fundraising/drinking done with our boy the next Senator from Montana... Jon Tester!
Tester said it was the kind of fundraiser he liked and could afford. I agree with that! After some engaging Q&A and engaging beer drinking, we headed over to drinking liberally at Zeitgeist... where we proceeded to do exactly that.
As always, there's more, and if you like what you see, feel free to reco.
You can also see the whole gallery here.
Me and the next Senator from Montana, Jon Tester.
He's a tall guy.
Also, guess where i'm from?
The next Senator from Montana, with the daughter of the Next Senator from Nevada, Sarah R. Carter.
