One of my three resolutions at Netroots Nations was to help Steve Young get elected in the California 48th US Congressional District in November.  

I met Steve at the Chicago YearlyKos and I bumped into him at several events last year. He is one of us.

In Austin we had a chance to talk at length. He is a very smart, very progressive and very hard working. And I cannot think of much we disagreed on.  We are very different people but when it comes to the direction we want America and Southern California to go there is no daylight between him and I.

His opponent is far right Repug John Campbell.

This is the 1st on a series of diaries I will publish until November.

I am NOT going to ask for $$$ for Steve.  I just want your best thoughts.

And I have some ideas based on the results of a recent poll in his district.  More below.

(Proudly cross-posted at Clintonistas for Obama, The Liberal OC, & MyDD)

You know, we hear the term "change" used so often as little more than a cheap political slogan. That's why it's been so refreshing to see Barack Obama give us reason to belive change is more than just a word. That's why I'm so proud of our Democratic Party for standing up for real change that helps real people. And yes, that's why I'm excited about some great Democratic candidates who are bringing home the message of change.

On July 1, the Bush administration imposed a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors who care for millions of older Americans.  The cuts are not a budget issue, instead, Republicans are protecting powerful insurance companies at the expense of Medicare patients’ access to doctors.

Congress passed a bipartisan over ride bill [HR 3661] that Bush vetoed today.  Congress promptly over rode the veto a few hours later.

There is a subtle aspect to this drama you may not recognize at first blush that proves "Support the Troops" on the lips of the Republicans is hollow campaign rhetoric.

Given what happened yesterday, I feel it's important I repost my earlier diary on who are the GOOD Democratic challengers when it comes to FISA.  I'll try to corral all their statements into this diary, so you can see who the "good guys" are.

First, let's start off with the current House and Senate members who voted against this bill.  (For the Senate, I'm only including those who voted against cloture yesterday for the bill.)  They do deserve credit, as it's their jobs on the line.

Follow me below the fold to see the dozens of Democratic challengers who are standing up for the Constitution, and are against this FISA bill and retroactive immunity.

A 400 person, demographically balanced, independent poll shows that even in the reddest district, Republicans are in trouble.  See the results of the poll in California's 48th District with a 26% Democratic registration.

www.SteveYoungforCongress.com

In the last couple days, there have been several posts across the blogosphere citing what various candidates running for Congress have said on FISA and retroactive immunity for the telecoms.  But so far, it's been all over the map.  I'll try to corral all their statements into this diary, so you can see who the "good guys" are.

First, let's start off with the current House and Senate members who voted against this bill.  They do deserve credit, as it's their jobs on the line.

Follow me below the fold to see the dozens of Democratic challengers who are standing up for the Constitution, and are against this FISA bill and retroactive immunity.

Every State. Every race. Right here.

This is number 15 in a planned series of 50 entries between now and November, looking at each of the 50 states in terms of every race on that state's ticket--Presidential, Gubernatorial, Senate, House, State legislatures--the whole list of Oscar nominees.  Special attention paid to identifying and promoting the most important contests per state.

California, Part Two (Southern Cal House Districts, and Redistricting plan) continues below the cut.

Steve Young, running for Congress in CA-48, was able to raise the money for a survey to see how he's stacking up against Bushicon John Campbell (see previous diary entry).  

Word is, like Sanchez unseating Republican nutcase Bob Dornan before him, he's got a shot.  If you're not in his district and can't make the fundraiser,  please consider sending him some money anyway.  

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd like to not only win in November, I want to fulfill Rove's prophecy that Bush would install one-party hegemony for a long time to come -- except that party will be the Democrats!

Obama has co-opted the Republican strategy of speaking of values, while McCain talks about 10 point plans.  Pray the "experts" can't change their strategies and we will see victory in November.

(So I do these every month for Calitics, but it occurs to me that I've never cross-posted it here.  So, um, here.)

Getting this one in under the wire.  On the last day of April, with just over a month to go until the June primaries, and six months to go until Election Day, there's a lot going on all over the state in the Congressional races.  Of the 19 seats in California currently held by Republicans, 17 will be contested in the fall, and some strongly so.  And we now have a full 34 Democrats with the election of Jackie Speier early in the month, and only one of them is a serious challenge.  We also have the first quarter of 2008 fundraising numbers, which will raise some eyebrows.  You can track these races yourself with the 2008 Race Tracker wiki.

A note: I'm mainly getting my numbers on cash-on-hand competitiveness from the Swing State Project.  Fundraising information comes from the FEC.

Here we go...

Here is a music video that some find funny, others find heart breaking.  In 3 1/2 minutes I set out 7 years of scandal.

I have compressed 7 years of Republican scandals into a 3 1/2 minute music video I wrote and recorded.  Check it out and send it to your friends.

Today at 3:00 p.m., throughout California, Democrats met in caucus to select delegates to the National Convention in Denver.  Here is my report, as a candidate, about one caucus in very red Orange County.

California's delegate-selection caucuses take place this Sunday.

The short story is: I support Dave Walsh in CA-42 and Elyssa Fox in CA-48.  That matters for residents of those districts.  The longer story is one that should matter to everyone.

Leading up to the California primary, I was a Barack Obama Precinct Captain (for two precints) in Orange County, CA.  In the months since then, I have continued making calls to competitive states for him.  I'm writing because the delegate selection for California is this weekend -- and it's yet another moment when Hillary can snatch away the race from Obama.  I want to sound the alarm on how this could happen and offer a concrete step for how at least the Californians here can stop it.

Here's the problem: we're electing pledged delegates to the national convention -- people who, as Hillary has noted, can change their minds and vote for whomever they want to on the first ballot -- and in many cases we voters don't know squat about who they are.  It's incredible.  It's crazy.

This Sunday, we could be electing delegates whom we can't trust to support our candidate.

Cross posted at Calitics

So as we've established by now, Darrell Issa thinks very little of 9/11 rescue workers and would prefer that the federal government not concern itself with their welfare.  Cause according to him, 9/11 is not and presumably was not a national issue.  We've also established that he has no qualms about throwing federal money around on local pork as long as it benefits him directly.  So the next logical question for me is "oh hey, are there any familiar names that don't mind taking Darrell Issa's money?"  As you may or may not know, Darrell Issa is filthy rich.  So he's spread a lot of money around on Republicans and conservative causes.  So as it turns out, there are quite a lot of Republicans currently running around the Capitol funded in part by Darrell Issa (partial list):

I met Steve Young 10 years ago in the hills of Wyoming; we both attended a Trial Lawyers workshop.   Steve is a people's lawyer; he  has been fighting for ordinary people and he is going to take that spirit to Washington.  Steve is a true progressive.  

Take a few moments and meet him on his web site here.

The "Semper Fi" bill, S. 2596

To rescind funds appropriated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, for the City of Berkeley, California, and any entities located in such city, and to provide that such funds shall be transferred to the Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps account of the Department of Defense for the purposes of recruiting.

http://thomas.loc.gov/...

If the link fails, go to Thomas and put the bill number in the query line.

I am challenging John Campbell [R, CA-48] the sixth richest member of congress.  My challenge is truly a David vs. Goliath battle -- and we know how that one turned out.