Yes, I know the election is over and a winner has been decided. It's time to "kiss and make up" after several weeks of rancorous debate on the question of whether to re-elect Cynthia McKinney (or replace her with the challenger Hank Johnson).
Yet, I wanted to revisit the question in order to make a couple points :
1) one point is about "strategery" that could apply to future elections
2) another point is to encourage people over the next two years to compare Johnson's unfolding Congressional record with McKinney's and to hold him accountable if it falls short
Here's the outline of my argument and my diary :
1) For McKinney, there is a strongly progressive Congressional record.
2) For Johnson, there is little evidence that he will have a similarly progressive record.
3) If Johnson pleases the establishment, then he will have the political, media, and corporate support to ensure his continued re-election for as many terms as he wants, perhaps 10 years or more.
4) Thus, I think it's risky to replace someone like McKinney for Johnson, even though Johnson's character may be more palatable.
5) Also, if Johnson does not produce a good record, then I hope those who worked hard to replace McKinney will work doubly hard to replace Johnson in the next election cycle.
1) For McKinney, there is a strongly progressive Congressional record.
I described her record in an earlier diary:
Why you should support Cynthia McKinney. Here's a very concise summary:
- anti war
- pro universal health care
- anti "free trade" and World Trade Organization and H-1B visas
- pro civil liberties, sovereignty, and upholding the Constitution
2) For Johnson, there is little evidence that he will have a similarly progressive record.
His campaign website -
www.hankforcongress.com/issues - does not have much info. For instance, he doesn't mention "free trade" and the "world trade organization."
Contrast this with a Democratic candidate for Florida's 15th district, who literally describe his views from A to Z.
www.bowman2006.com/issues_az.htmUnder "Trade Issues", the candidate Dr Bob Bowman begins a long paragraph with this clear, simple statement:
I support trade; but it should be fair trade, not free trade. I oppose NAFTA, CAFTA, and the World Trade Organization (WTO). They are not really about free trade, but free investment.
Under "Jobs and Paychecks", the candidate Dr Bob Bowman begins two paragraphs with this clear, simple statement:
One of my top priorities is to stop government subsidies for exporting American jobs.
Also, Johnson was not very convincing in the debates. Of course, I think we should give him a chance, but my point is that I don't think he really gave a strong indication of what he would do.
3) If Johnson pleases the establishment, then he will have the political, media, and corporate support to ensure his continued re-election for as many terms as he wants, perhaps 10 years or more.
Many activists who favored replacing McKinney have said that if Hank Johnson turns out to be a disappointment, then we can always replace him with someone else in two years. But I don't think this will necessarily be that easy. My guess is that if he's fairly accommodative to the corporate/state partnership that runs our country, then there won't be any well-supported challengers, if any challengers at all.
4) Thus, I think it's risky to replace someone like McKinney for Johnson, even though Johnson's character may be more palatable.
We may be permanently replacing a strong progressive with a DLC Democrat. We won't have to put up with McKinney's inflammatory or unsubstantiated statements, but instead, we may get another bland, pro-corporate politician, who will be there a long time.
5) Also, if Johnson does not produce a good record, then I hope those who worked hard to replace McKinney will work doubly hard to replace Johnson in the next election cycle.
The PR industry loves to make our elections about personalities, qualities, and character, rather than records, issues, and positions. It's easy to get excited about the former and ignore the latter. Many detractors of McKinney have said that surely, we can find someone with an equally progressive record, but with much better character. I'm sure that's true. We have 300 million people in this country. There's no reason why we can't find 535 Congress people who will represent us well in both their official legislative capacity as well as in their public demeanor. But we should hold Johnson accountable if he turns out to be wanting on the legislative side, even if his personality proves to be sufficiently boring not to offend anyone. In fact, I think the legislative side is more important. So, if Johnson's record is lacking, then we should work twice as hard to remove him from office as many worked to remove McKinney.
So, why is it important to have as many progressives as possible in Congress? First of all, there are only 62 members of the Progressive Caucus. Will Johnson join this caucus and will he vote accordingly most of the time?
The Progressive Caucus - membersThe numbers really matter, because legislation is often decided by numbers. Take for example, Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan, who I saw on the Lou Dobbs show complaining that he's tried 3 times to get the Senate to support legislation to remove tax breaks for companies that outsource, but he cannot get it done.
Lou Dobbs transcript - Mar 17, 2005PILGRIM: American companies that export manufacturing jobs to cheap overseas labor markets are actually rewarded with tax breaks under our laws.
Well, Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota introduced an amendment today that would repeal those tax breaks. The Senate defeated that amendment, 59 to 40. And Senator Byron Dorgan joins me tonight from Capitol Hill. Thanks for being here, sir.
One could argue that because Dorgan has tried and failed 3 times, therefore he's an ineffective Congress person. But it's not his fault that he has trouble getting legislation passed that probably more than 90% of Americans would support. It's the fault of voters who are not electing politicians who believe in putting people over profits.
DORGAN: Well, I'll have another shot at this. But it's really shocking when you think about it. We have this really bizarre tax code that says if you shut your American plant, fire your workers, move the jobs overseas, manufacturing the product and ship it back to the United States, we'll give you a tax cut for doing it. I mean, that's unbelievable to me. And it's also unbelievable that 59 members of the United States Senate think that should continue.
Also, McKinney is criticized for not taking any leadership, but like Dorgan, she also has pushed for legislation that would withdrawal tax breaks from companies that outsource (whenever they don't respect human rights, labor rights, and the environment).
thomas.loc.gov - H.R.5377 - Corporate Code of Conduct Actthomas.loc.gov - H.R.5376 - TRUTH Act (Transparency and Responsibility for United States Trade Health Act) www cynthiaforcongress.com - Issues: laborMcKinney Reintroduces Important Legislation for Working Families
Congresswoman McKinney reintroduced the Corporate Code of Conduct, the TRUTH Act which requires transparent disclosures on contracts and subcontracts with overseas plants that hire foreign nationals, and legislation to take tax breaks away from corporations that relocated their plants overseas.
She also was one of 39 members of a task force to promote Universal Health Care.
www.house.gov/conyers/news_health_care.htm
She also has given support to anti-war causes. For example, on July 27th, she became one of 33 cosponsors of Kucinich's resolution for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon.
www.kucinich.us - read the post about halfway down "Kucinich Thanks the Early Cosponsors of H. Con. Res. 450"
thomas.loc.gov - H.CON.RES.450Also, many activists state that she has not focussed enough on local issues, but national issues are important for the local economy. Here's an excerpt of a talk she gave at the Georgia Tech Globalization Forum held on April 22, 2004 :
www.counterpunch.org/mckinney04232004.html
My first encounter with people whose lives were impacted by what we call globalization came as I sought to represent Georgia's old 11th District that swept through Georgia's poor and rural black belt. Those most up in arms at the time were our farmers who were agitated about NAFTA. Those not up in arms, but who bore the brunt of NAFTA, were in one case, the women of Sparta, Georgia--Hancock County. There, single mothers held families together with their low-wage jobs in the textile plants. There, single mothers lost their jobs when the plants moved away. I watched desperate families endure desperate times. "All things being equal" didn't take the women of Sparta, Georgia into account. As a caring single mother, who also happened to be an elected official, I had to. That's when I drafted legislation to take away tax breaks for corporations that locate their plants overseas. It wasn't a sexy subject at that time, but it was definitely a problem that I saw firsthand, affecting real lives and real people.
She has voted in opposition to trade agreements, the WTO, trade promotion authority, and most-favored-nation trading status for China.
www.issues2000.org/GA/Cynthia_McKinney_Free_Trade.htm
She has a 90% progressive score, which ranks her at 43 out of 434 reps.
www.progressivepunch.org/members.jsp?member=GA4&district=4
In conclusion, my point is that it's risky to replace a good rep with an unknown rep. Good reps are hard to come by, and bad reps can get re-elected repeatedly, often with little competition from challengers. And we need more good reps and less bad ones. The numbers matter.
My other point is to encourage everyone to remember the good Congressional record of Cynthia McKinney, and to compare it with Hank Johnson's record come 2008. If he does not compare well, then try to replace him with someone better. It is not enough that our reps have inoffensive personalities. We need reps with the courage to fight on behalf of the American people's interests and values.
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