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Hooray for Alan Grayson, a man with guts. Here's a freshman congressperson who's been speaking the truth. Yay. Finally. He's what we've been waiting for in Congress. Even as I celebrate this wonderful man, it gives me pause. Why don't all Democrats do this? I know, I know. They're bought-and-paid-for cowards, you'll say. But, again, why? The obvious answer is that their only true focus is the next election. They want to get reelected, so they don't want to piss anyone off. But in reality, the only ones they're afraid of pissing off are the sponsors who finance their campaigns with big money and big influence. Many sure as hell don't care about their constituents, the ones who believed in them enough to campaign for them, send their hard-earned $25 and $50 and $100 contributions, the ones who actually cast the votes. With a few exceptions like Alan Grayson and Al Franken (both freshmen, so we'll have to wait and see if they remain exceptions), once congresspeople are in office, we are abandoned. We need to make them afraid of pissing us off.
The ultimate solution is campaign finance reform and reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. But until that happens, there's more that we can do. First, we must continue to pay attention. Second, we must continue to write, email, and call, whether supportive or critical. Both are important. Talk to your friends, neighbors and families. If they agree with your opinion but are too lazy or shy to do the calling or writing, with their permission, write or call for them. Third, give tons of attention to those like Grayson. Support, support, support the audacious - the courageous. Fourth, boycott biased 'news' sources - right wing newspapers, commentators like Dobbs and, of course, Faux - and their advertisers, and let them know what you're doing.
I know that I'm probably preaching to the choir, that most of us are already doing these things, but some of us have become fatalists or worn out and disheartened, myself included. Nonetheless, to accomplish what we hope, we must keep up the fight. No one else will do it for us. It's how we elected our President, as imperfect as you might think he is. It's how we will elect more like Grayson and Franken - by not giving up. Who knows, it might even encourage some of the veteran officeholders to follow their example. Okay, now you can mock me. Go for it.
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