This candidate looks amazing... very promising

[liberalpragmatist]

At TNR.com, their blog, the Planck, featured some days back a campaign mailing from a Republican state Senate campaign:



Luckily, running against him in this district (a moderate, Democratic-leaning district) is THIS candidate, who is being promoted by 21st Century Democrats. Check out his profile - as Michael Crowley at the New Republic noted, he looks like a VERY promising red-state Democrat. Obviously he has to win this race first, but who's to say he has to stop there?



http://www.21stcd.org/index.php?src=gendocs&link=andrewrice

What makes Andrew an extraordinary, visionary leader?
Andrew is a 21st Century Democrat if there ever was one. His vision for the future of Oklahoma is simple and bold. He sees Oklahoma as a hidden bastion of progressive thinking and action in the Midwest. He has worked hard through the Red River Democracy Project and the Progressive Alliance Foundation to give an outlet for this progressive thinking.

Andrew also is a theological scholar which makes him uniquely qualified to run strong with spiritual progressives and religious moderates alike. He has been a leader in the fight against fundamentalism as a way to approach problems in our society. According to Andrew, it has been this radical thought that drove our enemies to do what they did on September 11th, 2001 and we need to learn from those mistakes.

...

Rice graduated in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in religious studies and a minor in African American studies. He was one of 12 "Senior Scholars" to complete an undergraduate dissertation in a specialized area. Andrew's was about the relationship between American Jews and African Americans during the civil rights movement.

Rice was accepted to Harvard University Divinity School and deferred his admission for one year to work and travel in Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. In Sri Lanka he worked with the largest Buddhist grassroots NGO in Asia, helping with rural development in village life and in the conflict zone. In Thailand, Rice worked for the country's largest private AIDS hospice. In India, Rice studied local addiction problems and treatment.

<cont...>

***

His official campaign website is http://www.andrewforoklahoma.com/

ON UPDATE: Okay. I know the Republican in this race is HILARIOUS. But make sure to read the WHOLE message, because I just want to point out this candidate, Andrew Rice, who I think could be a very promising Oklahoma or even national Democrat.

[madaboutharry]

1. I hope Mike Malloy gets a look at this!

Malloy has been sounding like he could us a good laugh.

This is what I want to know - How do people end up like this?

[msongs]

2. this guy wants concentration camps in oklahoma!

"..for god to place a hedge of thorns around the district & every voter within..."

is this to keep people out or IN?

Msongs
www.msongs.com
batik & digital art
mugs and shirts

[IndyOp]

3. Holy sheep shit. A hedge of thorns around the district?

:eyes:

Andrew Rice looks incredible for Oklahoma! :bounce:

[opihimoimoi]

4. Where O where is the DEM Filter?? Do we let anyone run as a DEM?

Where are our guideleines for candidates?

[liberalpragmatist]

6. NO NO NO - Read the WHOLE Post

The candidate whose mailing is shown is NOT a Democrat - he's a Republican.

The Democrat in this race is profiled underneath - read it because he looks like one of the most promising politicians in the country, if he wins.

[me b zola]

14. You mean the *other* theologian?

[opihimoimoi]

15. A Promising PUB? OMG....what next?

[stevedeshazer]

16. Read the whole post, the Repub is first, followed by the Democrat

:hi:

[opihimoimoi]

17. What are some of his ideas and concepts to help us Dems in the future?

and the Present?

What does he bring to the table?

Looking good is one thing...doing good is another...

I will wait and see.

[liberalpragmatist]

19. Well, have you READ his profile?

Here's what he HAS done:

> http://www.21stcd.org/index.php?src=gendocs&link=andrewrice

While in graduate school Rice returned to India with his sister Amy to shoot a documentary about the AIDS pandemic there. In 1999 he completed the film From Ashes which centered around an ex-convict who runs a hospice for rejected HIV+ people near Bangalore, India. From Ashes screened at film festivals in the United States, Canada, and India.

In 1999 Rice moved to New York City to work as a freelance documentary producer and editor. He worked on programs for the BBC and PBS, including segments for The Newshour with Jim Lehrer.

On September 11th, Andrew’s older brother David was killed in the World Trade Center, where he worked for the investment firm Sandler O'Neill. David was a graduate of Bishop McGuiness high school and former Fullbright Scholar in South Africa. He was 31-years-old when he was killed.

Due to this tragedy, Andrew decided to re-dedicate his career to social justice. He moved to Austin, Texas in February 2002 to work for the Texas Freedom Network, an advocacy organization that counters the influence of religious extremism in politics. It was formed in 1995 by Ann Richards' daughter Cecile after her mother was defeated by George W. Bush and his religious extremist base. In Austin, Rice launched a statewide public education initiative called the Fundamentalism Education Project which organized progressive Texas religious leaders to openly challenge the myth that fundamentalism represents the essential values of our faith traditions.

In 2003 Andrew returned to Oklahoma City, where he founded the Progressive Alliance Foundation, of which he is the executive director. The Progressive Alliance Foundation works throughout Oklahoma advancing progressive, fair-minded, and constitutional solutions to our public policy problems. Andrew also launched the RED RIVER DEMOCRACY PROJECT in 2003, which used Chautauqua style community festivals to inform Oklahomans about the failures of our political system to live up to our nation’s democratic ideals. The RRDP is now a 527 political organization.

Andrew is member of the September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows steering committee, and has worked tirelessly over the past three years as a proponent for a legal, humane, and rational response to attacks of September 11th, 2001. Peaceful Tomorrows was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 and 2004. Andrew has spoken in 15 states and in South Africa, and has been interviewed by the BBC, CBC, MSNBC, Fox News, and has written op-ed columns for the Oklahoma Gazette. Andrew was awarded the 2004 Angie Debo Civil Libertarian of the Year Award from the ALCU of Oklahoma. Andrew also serves on the board of The People’s Opinion Project.

***

Also, why he's running:

> http://www.andrewforoklahoma.com/about/foroklahoma.php

In 2002, as I entered the world of public advocacy to work for more transparency in government, a civil dialogue on how to deal with our problems with terrorism, and political reform, I expected that work would suffice in helping contribute to the improvement and maintenance of our democracy, and ensure our country would be safe and free.

However, as I have repeatedly experienced the stubborn limits that advocacy groups and concerned citizens bump up against in our efforts to hold our representatives accountable to our nation’s principles, I decided that I would at some point need to pursue a viable opportunity to become elected as a public servant. This, I believe, is one of our few opportunities to reform the troubling dynamics of our political system: elect honest, principled, and accountable people to public office. It is my sincere objective to fulfill that promise to the people of Oklahoma State Senate District 46, and the many others who are affected by the policy decisions made by the Oklahoma State Senate.

I am running for Senate to represent my district in a manner that has all of our resident’s interests in mind, to counter the trends in local government that disrespect the guidance of our constitution, and to represent values that are more broadly defined and inclusive than the often closed-minded and self-righteous values we see and hear so much about these days from certain sectors of our society. I want to do my part to bring accountability back to our representative democracy—and I expect to be held accountable by my constituents when I become their public servant.

I am running on a platform of social progressivism (constitutional & privacy rights, separation of church & state, and personal liberty free of government intrusion) and fiscal discipline (balancing the budget and working for a more efficient use of tax revenue).

[opihimoimoi]

20. He looks good , Sounds Good, does the things to make him viable...

But I still remain in doubt...

Can he LEAD?

Can he conceptualize good solutions beyond the stated?

Can he bring PEACE?

Will he work for GLOBAL PEACE?

I have yet to see these things from him

[liberalpragmatist]

21. He's running for state Senate

Like I said, he looks promising. Maybe he'll turn out to be a poor legislator.

It's good to be critical. I'm a little intrigued, however, because I wonder what state legislative candidates or even which congressional and Senate candidates would meet your standards? Any election is a crapshoot - you never know how a candidate will actually perform once in office. But his resume is incredible - much more impressive than even most congressional candidates and on those grounds I'm sold on him as a candidate for State Senate. If he does well, greater things will await him.

[opihimoimoi]

22. My standards are very simple and limited...IS he of the Benevilent

Altruistic mode?

Does he care for the Earth in terms of Good Stewardship?

Is he prepared to fight for what's BEST for his constituents as well as the Future of all of us?

Is he for Global Peace and works toward that end?

Will he vigeriously work to reduce his States Deficit/Debt if it exists?

Let him tell us of his visions. the horizons, and the challenges needed to implement?

Come, we go party...eat drink laugh maybe go surfing/diving/hiking....

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. Joshua Jantz's tongue thing is so damn sexy...

Not.

:puke:

Jeez.

[longship]

7. That's one of the scariest campaign lits I've ever seen.

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[XanaDUer]

8. The loon candidate's website is still under construction

God must have placed a hedge of thorns around the webmaster.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

9. Yikes. Jantz's R "look" with eyes that say...

"rapture me" are highly disturbing. You say this race is in "a moderate, Democratic-leaning district" - what are the odds that the Righteous One could actually pull it off? Oh wait, gambling's a sin...unless you're Bill Bennett. (Geez, they give us SO much ammo!)

[longship]

10. More from dear Joshua Jantz

Click on this one:
Clean Joke of the Day

It's absolutely astounding.

Jantz is one sick fuck.

[degreesofgray]

11. Is the GOP freak

running for state senator or state evangelist?

[longship]

18. For the GOP in OK and KS, there's no difference.

They are all certifiable lunatics.

[Buddyblazon]

12. I feel bad for Jantz's wife...

how boring and guilt ridden would sex with that dude be?

[Bucky]

23. I think she knew what she was getting in to

Perhaps he won her over with his Clean Christian Joke of the Day. Or perhaps he used that fat dolphin tongue of his.

[bullwinkle428]

13. "I'M A GOD WARRIOR...ANDREW RICE IS TAINTED!!"

HE'S DARK-SIDED, I TELL YA!

[Bucky]

24. "Pray for campaign finances." I wonder how that prayer would go.

I'd recommend praying out of doors... about 20-30 feet away from a very tall tree.