The Depeche Mode double platinum award for Violator is very nice-- and I hope you're the winner. It isn't something anyone can buy in a store, no matter how rich they are. Very few of this particular RIAA plaque were ever made, basically just for the band members and a few of their colleagues. The double platinum (for achieving 2 million) is ultra-rare; by the time it was delivered, the record had already sold 3 million. Eventually the album sold 15 million.But there's even a better reason to participate in Blue America's final contest of 2013. Sure the plaque is nice but, keeping Keith Ellison in Congress… and electing Mike Obermueller-- that's better than platinum! Keith asked us to include Mike in this contest and when I asked him why, he said that "Mike Obermueller is the progressive we need representing Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District. Mike will fight to protect Medicare from Republican attack, and expand-- not slash-- Social Security. He will push for a fair taxation system that asks millionaires to pay their fair share while ending giveaways to big oil companies. I need him working alongside me in Congress to protect the middle class and stand up for our shared values."As for Keith himself, I think Alan Grayson said it better than anyone: "If there were any superheroes in Congress, Keith Ellison would be one." And, you know what… I hear that from everyone. the first time we started getting to know about Keith was when he was a state legislator running in a tough primary for the open Minneapolis seat. Then, Isaac Peterson, wrote that "if State Representative Keith Ellison’s current bid to replace outgoing Martin Sabo in the U.S. House of Representatives is successful, it would make him the first African American to represent Minnesota in Congress, as well as the first Muslim from any state. Ellison, a North Minneapolis attorney and member of Minnesota’s House of Representatives, emerged as the front-runner in a crowded field of candidates to cinch the DFL endorsement in May. Ellison still must win the DFL primary in September, where he will face challengers Ember Reichgott Junge, Paul Ostrow and Mike Erlandson. In the Minnesota legislature, Ellison established for himself a reputation as a formidable orator and a passionate advocate for the causes he championed. It has been suggested by some that Ellison has the potential to go to Washington and become “the next Paul Wellstone.” And here's what Ellison told Isaac about why he was running:
The reason I'm running for office is because I want to make peace and justice the guiding principles of our country, because I think that if we have peace we can divert all the resources being devoted into this war into things that human beings actually need.If we have peace, we can have better relations with other countries around the world. If we operate on the basis of peace, we can credibly promote peace in other parts of the world.I'm very concerned about how the Bush administration seems to see war as the guiding principle of our nation and always look to military action as the first option.The second reason I'm running is that I believe that we should have universal health coverage in our country. Everybody should be able to go to the doctor-- at this point we have 46 million Americans who see the emergency room as their healthcare plan.This is ridiculous in the wealthiest country in the world. If other industrialized countries like Canada and the European Union can cover everybody, we ought to be able to cover everybody, too.Third, I think we have to move very deliberately and quickly towards a renewable future. We need to invest heavily in clean energy and renewable fuels. We need to invest heavily in hybrid vehicles and in mass transit so that we can move people and not cars.Fourth, I think that we need to really look at the expansion of executive authority. The Bush administration, based on the fear associated with 9/11, has essentially manipulated the country to the point where he controls us through fear and has thereby expanded his authority.I think the executive branch at this point is almost an imperial presidency. He says that he can torture people if he wants to; he says that he can spy on people if he wants to; and he has now forced through a law that says that they can look at our library records and the books we purchase from bookstores...The very basis of privacy is threatened in our country.Another reason I'm running is I want to stand against the "wedges." The Bush administration told us last year that the problem with our country is the gay and lesbian community, and that barring them from the institution is the number-one issue. This year they're telling us the immigrants are the problem, and then most recently they're telling us that gay marriage is the problem all over again.So they keep on manipulating the population through these wedge issues, and I think it's important for people to stand up against those wedge issues as I have done and will continue to do.That's why I'm running, and that's what my agenda's all about.…Over the last four years, my religion has not come up as an issue. Now it seems to be all certain people want to talk about when, in fact, I've been consistent in making sure that my faith shows through my behavior and in how I try to treat other people well.I've never worn it on my sleeve or made it an issue for other people. Now it seems to be something people want to talk about on a regular basis, but it simply doesn't matter.I also want to say that I am a curious person. I have looked into the issues-- I haven't just taken people's word for it. I've gone to lectures and I've spoken out on issues that I care about, but always with the idea that civil and human rights are the most important things in our country.The idea that everybody has a voice, that people should be treated fairly and equally, that's been a guiding principle of my life. I've always, always stood by that.
Seven years later, and it's a more mature and more savvy version of the same Keith Ellison working tirelessly on behalf on regular Americans who don't hire their own lobbyists. Monday he honed right in on the Depeche Mode song, "Policy of Truth" and told his supporters that "We are fighting for the truth that oil, gas, and coal companies don’t need over $1 billion in tax breaks every year. We are fighting for the truth that we CAN afford to invest in educating our families, and in growing jobs by repairing America’s infrastructure. We are fighting for the truth that cutting Social Security and Medicare is wrong, when over one-third of seniors rely on Social Security for nearly all of their income."Here's where you can contribute to Keith and to Mike-- which also makes you eligible to win the Depeche Mode double platinum award. Just click this link. There is no minimum; we're Democrats, not Republicans.