Wednesday, October 27, 2010

I'm voting for Joe Walsh for congress

Barrington's Home Town Barber Shop is a hot bed of local political talk.  Today I met Joe Walsh who is running for Congress.  I told him, truthfully, that he is one of the few candidates I was going to vote for, but that mine was an ABBB vote (AnyBody But Bean).  The more he talked, we talked, and everybody talked, the more impressed I became.  I proudly admitted that while I was no liberal, I am proudly one of the town's few token FDR democrats, but that in truth, I am a political radical - in the sense that I first read the term as described by Howard Zinn:

A political radical (per Zinn) believes in the transformative power of democracy - the power to transform the will of the people onto their duly elected representatives in order that these representatives represent their constituents' interests (rather than the far narrower interests of the wealthy and corporate elites).  They need not always vote for legislation that I personally would like to have enacted, but at least they will be able to explain to me why they didn't, and to make me believe that they voted as they voted based on their convictions.  If they can convince me that is what they are doing, and that they are willing to risk being voted out of office the next time, well, that is strength of character.
He and I might disagree on some (or many) things, but it is clear that we can discuss this differences respectfully, forthrightly, honestly, and civilly, and too that we can undoubtedly find common cause in a number of important areas.

And we have had a paucity of such elected officials for far too long.

I'm in, Joe.  And WHEN (not if) you win, you will have two years to show me that you will serve the interests of your constituents, I will keep voting for you and keep supporting you.

And I ask all my readers in this congressional district to do the same.