Back in 2009, when union activist and author Jonathan Tasini was running for Senate against Kirsten Gillibrand, I wrote that sometimes I have to pump some political courage into our candidates and incumbents and coax them to support difficult or controversial items on the progressive agenda. Not Tasini, whose politico-spiritual mentor is Paul Wellstone. I wrote that he's the kind of figure who I fully expected to call me and ask me why I'm not working harder to round up more votes for the most difficult progressive positions in Congress. He was determined that Kirsten Gillibrand not march into the office to which she was appointed without facing a progressive challenger committed to seeing it through all the way to the end and not liable to be bullied or bribed out of the race. He's interviewing the best progressive candidates for his podcast-- The Working Life-- and he started last week with Rachel Ventura, the progressive firebrand and Will County board members (and activist) running for the Chicagoland congressional seat (IL-11) held by wealthy conservative New Dem Bill Foster. I asked Jonathan to make a YouTube for DWT readers and that's it up top.Please give it a listen. It's a good way to get to know a candidate we regularly ask you to help fund a campaign. (Speaking of which... just click on the brand new 2020 Chicagoland thermometer on the right and contribute what you feel inspired to after you hear the conversation.) Rachel decided to run for Congress-- knowing full well how hard it is to primary an entrenched incumbent of your own party-- after she met with Foster in hope of getting him to sign on as a co-sponsor of the Medicare for All bill being advanced by Rep. Pramila Jaypal. After sharing her experience with Foster as a single mother who had to go without health insurance for two years, she realized that Foster was not going to be moved. He promised a follow-up meeting and then the Our Revolution group was told by Foster’s congressional office that they would only be given one meeting per group, per year. So now-- still opposing Medicare-for-All and the Green New Deal-- he has a primary.Listen to Rachel talk about it on Jonathan's podcast-- and let me know which other candidates you'd like me to recommend that Jonathan have as guests on his show.
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