Holy crab, is it the end of the fundraising quarter already? Sheesh. I chipped in $25.00 to Steve Novick, Democratic candidate running for U.S. Senator Gordon Smith’s seat.
I could’ve gone and just given money to the eventual nominee, but I favor Novick’s brand of progressivism over the other Democratic nominee, Jeff Merkley, former Oregon Speaker of the House. But, honestly, either one would make a far better Senator than Gordon Smith. The Bush Administration holds the country and the Constitution hostage mainly through the support of the Republican minority in the Senate. The Republican Congressional delegation (and, sadly, increasingly, the Democratic leadership as well) seem hell bent on throwing away their own power as a co-equal branch of government by enabling the Bush administration to: ignore the laws passed by Congress through signing statements; create enclaves that it claims are outside of US law, the purpose of which is to imprison and torture people that have not been accused of a crime and are refused any legal recourse; pack the Executive Branch organizations with toadies and incompetents who put our lives at risk by ignoring their sworn oath to uphold the Constitution, instead pledging loyalty only to the President. And so much more.
Steve Novick is on the side of the majority of Americans and Oregonians on many issues: universal health care, getting US troops out of Iraq, returning to the 500 year-old principle of allowing all humans the right to challenge their accuser in court (habeas corpus), and holding the Executive Branch accountable in order to prevent future administrations to abuse the powers Bush/Cheney have claimed in their devastating terms in office.
So… y’know…just sayin’.