On Tuesday evening, I attended the campaign kickoff for Eric Massa, who is running for Congress as a Democrat in New York State's 29th District -- the poor, southwestern, Appalachian Mountains part of the state. Massa, a former aide to General Wesley Clark and a 24-year veteran of the Navy, is running against a right-wing Republican named Randy Kuhl, who recently opposed a bipartisan amendment to provide full access to TRICARE - the military health program - to all members of the Guard and Reserves and their families. According to Roll Call, "Massa...is a self-described 'Blue Dog Democrat'" who is "opposed to the legalization of gay marriage but also the proposed constitutional amendment to ban it." In general, Massa has said that "he doesn't plan to emphasize 'hot button' social issues in the campaign, instead choosing to focus on health care, the deficit, and 'the unrelenting exportation of living- wage jobs to China.'" this is the kind of Democrat who can win in rural, "red" parts of the country.
At his campaign kickoff event on Tuesday night, speakers - in addition to Wes Clark - included former Navy Secretary John Dalton and Rep. Gene Taylor("Blue Dog" D-MS). In other words, this was a heavily pro-military and conservative, southern Democratic crowd. No, these people don't excite liberals, but they are a critical part of what used to constitute the Democratic majority in this country for decades -- from FDR to LBJ. And they are also part of the "big tent" that must be reconstituted for the Democratic Party to become the natural ruling majority once again. I'm talking about an alliance between (mainly) urban progressives and (mainly) rural working class folks like the Eric Massas of the world. Then, we can send the theocratic ultra-right-wing Republican back where they belong -- to permanent minority status.
The working class folks I mentioned above were well-represented at the Massa kickoff by an articulate, impressive local Democratic party official in Allegany County. This woman spoke powerfully and eloquently about how "we are Americans too, but Washington doesn't hear us." She spoke about how people like her are patriotic folks who love their country deeply and passionately, yet have suffered greatly in recent years from Republican economic policies -- an outsourced economy, rising health care costs, lack of educational opportunities, and the war in Iraq. She spoke about how working class folks are not able to be major campaign contributors, so when they speak, they are not heard like rich folks and powerful lobbyists from major industries. Yet, this woman powerfully stated, the voices of working folks are no less important than those from Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Big Money in general.
This is exactly why we need people like Eric Massa in Congress, speaking for the "little guy" for a change. We also need people like Eric Massa in state, county and city governments - in New York, in Virginia, and across the country. We particularly need ex-Republicans who realize that the GOP has drifted dangerously and radically from its traditional, conservative, balanced-budget roots. We need veterans who realize that our Republican leadership has led us to disaster in Iraq, while short-changing the men and women who are heroically fighting for all of us over there. We need all people who care about America as a whole -- one nation -- and not just the rich and powerful sliver of America.
The bottom line is that this great country of ours is on the wrong track, and it's time for a change. If you want that to happen, I urge you to support the Eric Massas (not to mention the David Englins, Bruce Roemmelts, Greg Werkheisers, Earnie Portas, David Bulovas, and Tim Kaines) of the world. On the other hand, if you think things are going great just as they are, then by all means vote for the usual suspects - people like Jerry Kilgore and George Allen. In my mind, at least, this is not a difficult choice. That's why I support Eric Massa (and David Englin, Bruce Roemmelt, Greg Werkheiser, Earnie Porta, etc.), and wish him the best of luck. I'll be keeping an eye on him and doing whatever I can to support him.