One of the advantages of being a Blue State politician has to be the fact that an authentic progressive has a chance to push some real progressive legislation and take bold steps in certain policy areas that might be considered too risky in places dominated by conservatives. Sadly, it happens less than we might hope. Far too many officials get elected on a progressive platform and then go to the state capital or Washington and immediately succumb to the pressures of the corporate and establishment status quo.
You don't have to comb through Lieu's record to find clues as to how he will vote in the US Congress. His record in Sacramento is one of bold progressive leadership. In fact, as his final act as a State Senator on the last day of the session last week, Ted Lieu wrote and passed a directive to the state government of California to not cooperate with any unconstitutional attempts at domestic spying by the NSA, CIA or any other government operations legally prohibited from spying on American citizens. You don't get any bolder than that.
It was quite a final session for Senator Lieu. Earlier in the week the San Jose Mercury Newsthanked Senator Lieu for "riding to the rescue" on the issue of children in California's foster care system being over-drugged with psychotropic medications that haven't been tested on kids. Last month he led legislative efforts to target child sex traffickers and it passed unanimously. But then Lieu has been leading this way since he first went to Sacramento. Long before anyone else had an inkling that something was rotten in the home mortgage market, Lieu pressed for legislation to rein in mortgage bankers --- and when he was thwarted by Democrat Gray Davis he kept trying until the Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed it. He doesn't let much stop him.
And that's undoubtedly why Newt Gingrich's sugar-daddy, the megabucks GOP donor Sheldon Adelson has pledged to swoop in to this very expensive California media market to help Lieu's Republican opponent. This is a Democratic district and all things being fair and up front we would have Lieu winning easily in a rout. But when have Republicans been fair and up-front? It's very likely that Lieu will be the subject of a barrage of dishonest propaganda that our current Citizens United environment is very difficult to rebut without a large campaign chest.
Howie even agreed to let his valuable quadruple platinum award for Fleetwood Mac's album "The Dance" --- the 5th biggest selling live album in music history --- go to one fortunate, randomly-selected Ted Lieu donor this week. This isn't just any platinum album --- it's one that hung in Howie's Reprise Records office until he retired and donated it to Blue America. As he says,
In many ways Fleetwood Mac's sound is an integral part of the Southern California lifestyle and perfect for Ted's district, where several of the band members live.
As it happens, I live there too --- and John is just down the road. This race is close to all our hearts.
All you have to do is contribute to Ted's campaign on this ActBlue page and you will qualify for the random drawing. (And, if you're a big Fleetwood Mac fan but can't make contribution, send us a postcard-- asap-- and tell us you're rooting for Ted and want the plaque.)
The contest will run for just one week so be sure to enter as soon as possible. Remember, it doesn't matter if you donate a dollar or thousand dollars you have an equal chance to have your name drawn. Whether you are lucky enough to win the plaque or not, we will all be winners if Ted Lieu goes to Washington and takes up where Henry Waxman left off.
We need representatives from these deep blue districts to be stellar progressives who will challenge the status quo in Washington and take the leadership roles that those who come from less liberal districts are too afraid to take. Ted Lieu is one of those stellar progressives. He is worth our support.
