Without Funding, True Activist Progressive Leftists Are Challenging Progressive Democrats in Mass — by NormanB (Deviations from the Norm")

Here in Western Massachusetts, we’ve had a one-party system for a long time. Nearly everyone registered is a Democrat. Sometimes in political races, Republicans don’t field a candidate. For instance, in 2002, the Republicans didn’t even run someone against Senator John Kerry. Though Republicans might not run, sometimes Socialists do, or Greens, or Libertarians, or Independents. Democrats usually win. But Massachusetts and Vermont are quite Left-leaning, and it is our responsibility to pull the country forward in our direction if we can.

Leftist candidates usually have no money, no funding at all, no campaign ads. They rise only based on desire for reform.

Good luck to Jerry Brown and Russ Feingold. If only more Democrats were like them, we wouldn’t need this radical break-away movement.

Progressives across the country swept Democrats into office two years ago in hopes the Party would make positive changes. To our horror, instead of stopping Human Rights abuses and Right-wing shenanigans, the Democrats jumped in and got every bit as dirty as the Republicans. I have been a Democrat all my life, and I have never been so disgusted with my Party.

With all the disgraceful War Crimes, the media suppression to help BP hide its crimes, the continuing filibuster scam, why don’t honest Democrats stand up to oppose the Human Rights abuses, the War Crimes, the media suppression, and the filibuster scam? Are all Democrats in Government as thoroughly dishonest as those in the Obama Administration? The Democratic attitude of ‘We’re not going to investigate at all, because he’s OUR crook!" is not winning anyone over. When an Administration is corrupt, it is the duty of those in Government to bring it down, irrespective of party affiliation.

And so it is a breath of fresh air that our Massachusetts Democrats, progressive compared to those in the rest of the country, and their nominal opponents the centrist Republicans, are being challenged from the Left. We’ve had a quiet subdued far-left pro-peace, pro-pot Congressman, John Olver, for many terms. He’s done well, but many complain that he’s too quiet, too timid. Where’s our national reform of Marijuana laws? Where’s our investigation of Torture and other War Crimes?

Enter Michael Engel, Independent candidate for Olver’s Congressional seat. Engel is a true grassroots reformer, a democratic socialist in the mold of Bernie Sanders. Below is his first YouTube video:

Another progressive Democrat not usually challenged is State Representative Ellen Story. She’s a friend of the Left, far Left of the national Democratic Party. Her opponent is longtime hard-working dedicated Cannabis activist Dan Melick:

http://melickforma.com/

Cannabis reform is on the move in Massachusetts. This election cycle, one of every eight voters in the Commonwealth will be able to vote on a Cannabis question. In the more progressive parts of the state, many will be voting on a non-binding resolution instructing their elected representatives to support legislation to legalize, tax and regulate Marijuana. In the more conservative parts of the state, people can vote on whether they want to legalize medical Marijuana. 53 State House districts and several State Senate Precincts will make Marijuana choices in November. Scott Brown’s former local constituents will vote on a pot question. We expect Cannabis reform to win widely.

More than two decades ago at a wild party benefiting Leftist Community Radio station WMNF at the Cuban Club in Ybor City, Tampa, I opened for an ecstatic abstract jazz genius called Sun Ra, who told people he had been taken up onto the "mothership" and interrogated by "a guy who looked like Spock." Be that as it may, the son of one the members of Sun Ra’s space band, Governor Deval Patrick, has turned out to be kind of middle-of-the-road. The same can be said for both his Republican and Independent opponents. The powers that be would prefer to keep Green-Rainbow candidate Jill Stein out of the debates, but the debates need her, for the taste of honesty, so it won’t just be three men agreeing with each other.

Below is a link to the first debate in which Jill Stein was included, the Cape Wind Debate. Stein asked the Governor to give back political donations from sources trying to influence his decisions, including Cape Wind. One can see in this debate three candidates who want to sell us a bill of goods, and one who wants to reveal the truth:

http://www.massinc.org/Events/2010/08/First-Gubernatorial-Issues-Debate.aspx