Lobbyist Doug ChinWhether she wins or loses, the biggest wave from Colleen Hanabusa's decision to primary Governor David Ige is that her plum Honolulu-based House seat (PVI is D+17-- won last year by Clinton 63.1% to 30.5%) came up for grabs. Last year Bernie swept the Democratic caucuses in Hawaii, beating Hillary 23,530 to 10,125 (and out-polling Trump's limp 5,677).
Politico was eager to remind its readers that "Democrats are just as divided as Republicans these days." When there's a lot of money at stake, isn't that always the case... not just "these days?" Some "big news" this weekend was that Hillary isn't going to run for office again. Oh.
"The party of Big Money wants to eliminate all restraints on Big Money. No surprise there."-Alan Grayson
I know it's hard to imagine but there was a time when the DCCC used to give their candidates my contact info and tell them to talk with me about progressive issues. That was almost a decade ago. Today they tell their candidates to avoid me at all costs-- or else! And many of their candidates do... but not all.
The other day I was talking with a first-time Democratic candidate who has a bit of a reputation as a centrist, although he insist-- at least to me-- that he's a progressive. I'm not persuaded. He says he's kind of, sort of good with Medicare-For-All but there's no way he'd say he's going to co-sponsor John Conyers Medicare-For-All bill.
"Trump, who lost the popular vote, has now sent the message it is open season for massive corporations to seek specialized tax breaks from the incoming Administration. This is crony capitalism at its worst. Trump is not only failing to drain the swamp, he is fertilizing the swamp."-Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA)
Last night I went to dinner with state Rep. Kaniela Saito Ing (D-Maui). Now state Senator Stanley Chang, once a Blue America congressional candidate, introduced us and told me he's one of the smartest and most progressive political leaders in Hawaii. At age 27, he's also the youngest chairperson in Hawaii's legislative history, heading up the Ocean, Marine Resources, and Hawaiian Affairs committee in the state legislature.
Tulsi-- always palin' around with fascistsCollin Peterson, a Minnesota Blue Dog, is, arguably, the most reactionary Democrat in Congress. ProgressivePunch rates him an "F" and his lifetime crucial vote score is a mind-boggling 39.81. It's been even worse lately-- 35.95 in the current session, the 4th worst of any Democrat in the House.
