Question about the Dem pols . . .

[snot]

I am an elder, white female, John Conyers does not represent my district, I never heard of him before some time after the 2004 elections. But day after day, I've found that the ONLY -- I wish I could think of a better way to emphasize than to repeat ONLY!!! -- Dem pol that is regularly expressing my views and doing the work that I think needs to be done is Conyers.

People here say that various others are trying but just aren't covered by the media.

Ok, so how come I know what Conyers is doing?

If it's 'cause the others aren't smart enough to tell me what they're doing on the 'net the way Conyers does, maybe they aren't smart enough.

How IS Conyers regarded by the big dogs--Gore, Kerry, Clintons, Clark, Dean? I don't know. They have been peculiarly, disappointingly silent about Conyers' initiatives. Perhaps just underreported? Let me know.

But I'm thinking, there may be no better acid test.

I'm still fairly keen on Kerry, Dean, and Gore. But I worry about their relative quiescence. Do the Repubs have something on them? Are they too reliant on corp. $$$? I don't know.

AND I HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER, IF EVERY DEM POL HAD STOOD UP AND SIMPLY REPEATED EVERYTHING CONYERS HAS SAID SINCE HE FIRST SAID IT, WOULD WE BE DONE BY NOW?

[longship]

1. Hear, Hear! I like your argument.

I grew up in Detroit and remember when John Conyers was first elected to Congress. I was in high school at the time (Cooley High, Detroit). I've been a big Conyers fan since he started shaking up Nixon during his first term.

Thanks for this.

[snot]

2. Thanks. If

you think others should think about these questions, pls rec.

[KharmaTrain]

3. I First Encounter John Conyers in July, 1974

He was then, as he is now, was on the House Judiciary Committee and was part of the Nixon impeachment hearings. Charlie Rangel...another great Progressive black Democrat was on that committee as well as Paul Sarbanes and Elizabeth Holtzman. He had a "fro"...seeing pictures from those days are funny...but I was very impressed with his legal knowledge then (truth be known Charlie Rangel and Barbara Jordan blew me away at that time) but I've always had a lot of respect for his integrity and knowledge of the law.

You better believe the Repugnicans are scared shitless of John taking the reins of the Judiciary Committee. He's been mistreated badly by both Hyde and Sennsenbrenner and there's a ton of investigating to do...and Rep. Conyers will do it. While the hearing he attempted to get on the CIA leak a year ago was shoved in the basement and ignored...if he gets the gavel, he'll be going prime time.

Conyers has the luxuary of being in one of the safest districts in the country...inner Detroit. While one would argue he's accountable to the CBC...the Congressional Black Caucus...that's not such a bad thing either (as long as they don't support scum like William Jefferson)...he has the tenure and the flexibility to do things my first-term Congresscritter can do.

The challenge of the Democrats if they retake the House will be to use their power...use it to put an immediate brakes on the largess of this regime, but also not to try to bite off too much at once. The mess is deep and wide and its gonna take years and skilled leadership to manuever through what the last 6 years have brought. A lurch to the left isn't in the cards...and is a fool-hardy strategy...rather, the goal has to be to build confidence and consistency...moving slowly over several years and building a bigger and stronger base.

Cheers...

[TreasonousBastard]

4. A lot of things come in to play here, and...

most of it is local politics.

For years my Congressman was Don Payne, who had one of the safest seats in the House. That meant, basically, that he didn't have to do or say squat except what the county leaders told him to. Never heard a peep from him, although he did pop up here and there when bored. Very reliably voting along the Democratic party line, but otherwise useless for those not connected with the local party powers-that-be.

Now, I got Jim Bishop who seems to be OK, but who's heard much from him? Lotta Republicans around here, so he has to be careful not to get himself in trouble and get set up for mudslinging in the election.

Some, like Conyers and Rangel, have safe seats and just love to mouth off, and know the tricks to get the press to cover them. Others, like Payne, are safe, but prefer to sit in the background. Still more are afraid to be set up by something they say.

My two Senators, btw, don't seem to have any problem getting press. Clinton's guaranteed to have every word repeated just because she's Hillary, and Schumer has been a press hog for years. He spent years building and working his press contacts, something a lot of them can't or won't do.

[Justice Is Comin]

5. Pelosi actally reprimanded Conyers for speaking out.

I don't get her at all. I'm one of her most adamant critics. She scares the hell out of me. She acts like she's leading a 1960's hippie love in, not like a general who knows how to win a battle.

She may screw up the chance of a lifetime for the Dems to regain congress.