Tag: democrats

West Michigan Legislators Among the Most Conservative in State House

A new ranking by MIRS places several West Michigan legislators among the most conservative in the state. It’s not surprising to see that Grandville Representative Dave Agema is on the list, but readers might be more surprised to see that Grand Rapids’ Robert Dean was the most conservative Democrat in the House.

The Lansing-based news agency MIRS recently compiled annual rankings of the conservative legislators in Michigan’s House of Representatives. Not surprisingly, West Michigan is home to several of them. Grandville Representative Dave Agema, Arlan Meekhof of West Olive, and Bill Huizenga of Zeeland all made the list. MediaMouse.org readers will likely recall Agema for his missing critical votes for an exotic sheep hunting trip, repeated legislative attacks on undocumented immigrants, his desire to cut state aid to GVSU over domestic partner benefits, his work to end tuition assistance to Native Americans, his support fo arming teachers, and his support for the death penalty in Michigan. We haven’t really covered either Meekhof or Huizenga, with the exception being Meekhof’s desire to allow citizens to carry Tasers.

Democratic Party Representative Robert Dean of Grand Rapids had the most conservative voting record among Democrats.

2008 Book Recommendations

This past year, MediaMouse.org published 57 book reviews. This post provides an overview of what we thought were some of the better books of the year. Moreover, any purchases made as a result of this post help provide much needed funds for MediaMouse.org.

Over the past year, MediaMouse.org has reviewed 57 books on a wide range of topics from the elections to the history of the Civil Rights movement. Since our book reviews often get buried below daily news stories, we thought we’d highlight some of the more interesting books that we reviewed. Moreover, any purchases made–say for holiday shopping or what not–generate a small amount of income for MediaMouse.org, which of course keeps us going.

Organizing

While much of the focus was on the presidential campaign and electoral politics, there were a number of good books released this year that cover grassroots organizing and activism:

Red State Rebels: Tales of Grassroots Resistance in the Heartland

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The focus of this collection is on the lively grassroots activism that is currently taking place in what are generally deemed Red States, but by no means does this book suggest that this grassroots activism is connected to the Democratic Party. In fact, there are numerous stories shared in Red State Rebels of grassroots resistance in GOP territory that is also in opposition to the Democrats.

The essays are arranged by region, such as Midwest, the Rocky Mountain States, the Southwest, the South, and Indian Country. The topics that are addressed are even more diverse. You might be reading about Native people fighting mining companies in the southwest and a few pages later African Americans are taking a stand against the use of the Confederate Flag in South Carolina. People employ all kinds of tactics in these battle stories, tactics that range from banner drops to direct action and civil disobedience. More importantly, what Red State Rebels: Tales of Grassroots Resistance in the Heartland provides us with is the message that there are plenty of committed and courageous people in this country who do not put their faith in partisan politics. They rely on critical thinking, organizing and action on behalf of justice. An important message that can keep us motivated while the Red State/Blue State madness is upon us.

Read our full review.

Toolbox for Sustainable City Living

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Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A do-it-Ourselves Guide advocates radical sustainability that “recognizes the inseparability of ecological and social issues and the necessity of ensuring the solution to one problem does not create or worsen another.” So for instance, the authors argue that instead of just putting up solar panels, which uses materials that are not sustainable, people could find used lumber and construct a windmill. Overall, its an indispensible guide to living sustainably within a city.

Read our full review.

Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and the New Path Towards Social Justice

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Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path toward Social Justice is an important book that examines both the history of the US labor movement and how it currently functions. The authors share a number of important historical examples of how the labor movement–beginning with Samuel Gompers of the AFL–shifted away from its original goals of social justice and adopted policies that often supported racism, imperialism, and the state. However, the book isn’t all doom-and-gloom, the authors outline some possibilities for a resurgence of social justice unionism.

Read our full review.

Standing Up to the Madness

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Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times is a collection of stories about people in the United States who are also choosing to take a stand against injustice. In their third book together, Amy and David Goodman have brought to life a wonderful collection of stories that tells us there are plenty of people in this country who are willing to take risks in order to stand up for justice. Many people have not heard these stories since they are generally not considered newsworthy by the commercial media outlets in this country.

It is so rare that we get to hear these kinds of stories even though they happen all the time. Amy and David Goodman have done us all a great service by documenting these stories and communicating the message that it is possible to stand up against the madness.

Read our full review.

Iraq

While Iraq largely fell off the news media’s radar and was barely discussed during the 2008 election, the occupation dragged on. Here’s some useful books for understanding the war:

Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan

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Aaron Glantz and Iraq Veterans Against the War have produced an essential book on the United States’ occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan–so much so that writing a review almost seems superfluous. My first inclination is to simply tell people to just go and get the book–it’s that important.

Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan: Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations is essential reading for anyone who is interested in what is truly happening in Iraq as well as those who are looking for more effective ways of organizing to stop the war. It joins books such as Dahr Jamail’s Beyond the Green Zone and Riverbend’s Baghdad Burning in giving a critical glimpse into what is happening on the ground in Iraq.

Read our full review.

Collateral Damage: America’s War Against Iraqi Civilians

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Collateral Damage: America’s War Against Iraqi Civilians is an important book to help us all sift through the daily headlines of White House and Pentagon claims about the US occupation of Iraq. Collateral Damage explores what actually happens in Iraq and the daily violence and brutality that consumes much of the country. It is a “must read” for those who not only care about what is happening to Iraqis, but also for those who want to hear the voices of Iraq veterans who are important to building an anti-war movement.

Read our full review.

Muqtada: Muqtada Al-Sadr, The Shia Revival, and the Struggle for Iraq

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If you were able to create a list of books that you think US policy makers, military planners, and even combat soldiers who are in or will be deployed to Iraq should read, Muqtada: Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia Revival, and the Struggle for Iraq should be on that list. Not only does this book provide great insight into the current situation in Iraq, it provides important historical background on one of the most important groups of people that make up Iraq – the Shia.

Patrick Cockburn, an author of several books, has been reporting for the British newspaper the Independent from inside Iraq since the beginning of the US occupation. Cockburn begins the book by telling readers about his experience of going to Najaf in 2004 to meet Muqtada and how he was almost killed by the Shia leader’s followers who thought he was an American journalist. Cockburn’s willingness to take risks not only makes the book an interesting read, it also means he has gained access to areas of Iraq that few foreign journalists have.

Read our full review.

The Three Trillion Dollar War

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It is always difficult to quantify human suffering, but The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Cost of the Iraq Conflict does a pretty good job of helping us understand what the monetary costs of the Iraq War are in human terms. The book is a valuable resource for those opposed to the US occupation of Iraq and an important contribution for the next generation of US citizens who will no doubt bear the burden of paying for the war. The book estimates the total cost of the war at $4.5 trillion dollars. When factoring in the Iraqi costs, the number is more like $8.6 trillion.

Read our full review.

Media

It’s no surprise that we read a lot of books on media. Here’s some of the more interesting ones we read this year:

The Complex: How the Military Invades our Everyday Lives

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In The Complex: How the Military Invades Our Everyday Lives, author and historian Nick Turse argues that the “military-industrial complex” has become far more pervasive and larger than the system described by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. While Eisenhower raised concerns about the “large arms industry,” Turse argues that the military now invades almost every facet of our daily lives. From the food we eat to the entertainment we watch, Turse outlines a far more powerful system–“the military-industrial-technological-entertainment-scientific-media-corporate complex or “the Complex” for short–that exists as “a real-life matrix” that touches every part of our lives without must of us ever realizing it.

Read our full review.

Shock Jocks: Hate Speech and Talk Radio

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Shock Jocks: Hate Speech and Talk Radio: America’s Ten Worst Hate Talkers and the Progressive Alternatives demonstrates that hate speech that is directed against African Americans, immigrants, the poor, the gay community, and other oppressed communities is the norm for many of the syndicated radio. The author profiles what he calls the “Top 10 hate talkers on radio,” with a brief explanation of how each got started in radio and some of the more egregious statements they have made on air over the years. What O’Connor demonstrates is that these hate speech talk show hosts are so accessible, they are likely to be found in most communities in the country and many of us are unaware of it. In the radio market of West Michigan where I write from, five of the top ten radio shows that the book focuses on air Monday through Friday.

Read our full review.

The New Blue Media: How Michael Moore, MoveOn.org, Jon Stewart and Company Are Transforming Progressive Politics

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Theodore Hamm’s The New Blue Media: How Michael Moore, MoveOn.org, Jon Stewart and Company Are Transforming Progressive Politics is an interesting–and potentially inspiring–examination of the progressive media that has risen over the past several years in opposition to the Bush Administration. In the book, journalist Theodore Hamm explores several prominent progressive media outlets and media figures–The Onion, Air America, Michel Moore, MoveOn.org, the liberal blogosphere, and The Daily Show/Colbert Report–to discuss how they have provided a critical response to the Bush administration.

The New Blue Media is an excellent book that addresses an important component of the liberal and progressive activism and politics that has arisen in opposition to the Bush administration. Moreover, by looking back on how the “New Blue Media” has functioned over the past several years, it can help us assess its strengths and weaknesses as the country enters a new Democratic period of governance. The New Blue Media should be on the reading list of anyone seeking progressive social change, especially those who are hoping to pursue such change either by working within or with the Democratic Party.

Read our full review.

History

If we’re going to move forward, it’s always important to look at where we have been and learn from the past. Moreover, history can often serve as an inspiration and a catalyst for transformative action in the present. Here’s some books we liked this year:

A Dangerous Woman: The Graphic Biography of Emma Goldman

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Outside the United States, social movements of the left have used a variety of creative techniques–posters, puppet shows, songs, and art–as popular education tools to convey their collective goals and aspirations. Unfortunately, for much of the left in the United States, we have tended to focus our efforts on producing lengthy books and dense articles that are read by only a small number of people already sympathetic, thereby limiting the left’s outreach. Sharon Rudahl’s Dangerous Woman: The Graphic Biography of Emma Goldman is an important piece of popular education–taking Goldman’s autobiography, reducing it from its 1,000 pages and illustrating it. Rudahl’s work, by virtue of its accessibility, should help people learn more about Goldman–one of the more inspirational figures from anarchist and left history.

Read our full review.

A People’s History of American Empire

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A comic book adaptation of Howard Zinn’s classic A People’s History of the United States might seem a little weird at first, but that’s what this book is–and it works really well. A People’s History of American Empire provides an excellent overview of the key moments in US history, focusing especially on the times when ordinary citizens organized and changed society. Moreover, with its comic book style it is an easy read that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. I could certainly see it being used in history classes in middle and high school.

Read our full review.

A People’s History of Sports in the United States

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There is an old argument in some left/progressive circles that sports are just another tool to keep us distracted from working for real change and that any time spent either playing or watching sports is a waste of time. Dave Zirin smashes that notion with his newest book, A People’s History of Sports in the United States: From Bull-Baiting to Barry Bonds… 250 Years of Politics, Protest, People, and Play.

What Zirin demonstrates in this book in that sports and politics have always been intertwined and that athletes have always been activists. People may be aware of the political stances that Muhammad Ali took during the Vietnam War, but Zirin illuminates a long tradition of sports activism starting in the mid-nineteenth century.

Read our full review

Democrats

With the 2008 presidential campaign, much of the left focused their efforts on electing a Democratic president. As is generally the case, inherent contradictions were glossed over–for example the candidates’ position on the US occupation of Iraq–and the institutional resources of the left were almost completely focused on that goal. In the end, this got us the election of Barack Obama. To be sure, Obama’s election as the first black president is an achievement that should be celebrated. However, it remains to be seen if he is truly a “progressive” and if there will be real “change.” The following books can help us sharpen our analysis of the Democrats:

The Democrats: A Critical History

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There is reason to be skeptical of all the recent talk of “change” according to author Lance Selfa. In his new book The Democrats: A Critical History, Selfa reviews the history of the Democratic Party and concludes that the Democrats are anything but a progressive or left party. Selfa offers a realistic assessment of the Democratic Party and the prospects for change within it, as well as a reminder that change comes from social movements, not from the Democratic Party. In the book, Selfa looks at the history of the Party, its relationship to social movements, and efforts to pressure the Party from both the inside and the outside.

Read our full review.

Barack Obama and the Future of American Politics

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During the 2008 campaign, Paul Street was one of the most prominent left critics of Barack Obama. In Barack Obama and the Future of American Politics, Street provides a lengthy and highly critical assessment of Obama by examining his positions, his history in the Illinois and federal legislature, and his relationship with the ruling class. The book won’t win Street any friends, but it might go a long way towards explaining why Obama has surrounded himself with so many advisors and cabinet members who seem to contradict the message of his campaign.

Read our full review.

Savage Mules: Democrats and Endless War

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In 2008, despite overwhelming support among its base, the Democratic Party failed to produce a candidate who truly supported ending the occupation of Iraq. Still, many people in liberal or progressive circles tend to equate the Democratic Party with an anti-war platform. Even the news media will often frame Democratic candidates as anti-war or political “doves.” However, Perrin’s basic thesis is that Democratic presidents have always endorsed war and are not “anti-war.” Savage Mules: The Democrats and Endless War is not a scholarly book, but rather is a populist reading of the historical positions that Democratic presidents have taken in regards to war.

Read our full review.

Books Reviewed in 2008 by MediaMouse.org

Obama’s Economic Team mainly Centrists

For progressives, Obama’s economic team–headed by Geithner and Summers–is a disappointment. Both represent the policies that led to the financial crisis.

112608-obama_summers.jpg

Over the past few days, president elect Barack Obama has made several statements about the economy. These have included announcements of several key officials, including the nomination of Timothy Geithner for Treasury Secretary and Lawrence Summers as National Economic Council director.

Unfortunately, Obama’s choices are overwhelmingly “centrist” and do not have a history of progressive views. Both Geithner and Summers had key roles in establishing policies that led to the financial crisis. Similarly, UC-Berkley professor Christina Romer, who has been named Director of the Council of Economic advisors, has views that “appear to place her well to the right of mainstream Democratic economic opinion.”

However, this has been met with considerable silence from progressives–a surprising fact given that even such establishment outlets as The New York Times have criticized his economic picks. To be sure, MediaMouse.org hasn’t had a lot of positive things to say about Obama’s picks thus far. However, our critiques are rooted in what we believe to be strategic. We believe that because Obama–however accurately or not–ran on “progressive” themes with the wide support of the progressive left in the United States, progressives should push him as far as they can.

Moreover, such efforts can make a difference. As an example, one should look towards the effort to oppose the nomination of John Brennan as CIA Director. Brennan–who supported the Bush administration’s torture program–withdrew his name from consideration following pressure from psychologists and liberal bloggers.

The New Blue Media: How Michael Moore, MoveOn.org, Jon Stewart and Company Are Transforming Progressive Politics

Theodore Hamm’s The New Blue Media is an interesting–and inspiring–examination of the progressive media that has arisen in opposition to the Bush administration. Through a comprehensive and critical examination of this new media, Hamm offers an inspiring look that allows one to celebrate gains that have been made and chart new directions.

Click on the image to purchase this book through Amazon.com. Purchases help support MediaMouse.org.

Theodore Hamm’s The New Blue Media: How Michael Moore, MoveOn.org, Jon Stewart and Company Are Transforming Progressive Politics is an interesting–and potentially inspiring–examination of the progressive media that has risen over the past several years in opposition to the Bush Administration. In the book, journalist Theodore Hamm explores several prominent progressive media outlets and media figures–The Onion, Air America, Michel Moore, MoveOn.org, the liberal blogosphere, and The Daily Show/Colbert Report–to discuss how they have provided a critical response to the Bush administration.

In the introduction, Hamm frames this opposition in terms of the failings of the corporate media, which he describes as having either endorsed the policies of the Bush administration or silenced progressive voices. He further places the rise of “the New Blue Media” in a larger historical context, briefly mentioning the history of progressive media in the United States.

Each chapter in the book functions as an exploration of a specific media outlet. Throughout, Hamm makes a number of interesting observations. Much of the time, these are made possible by his willingness to be critical. Hamm does not simply write on the state of “the New Blue Media” or praise its creation, instead, he is willing to make criticisms where necessary. For example, in his evaluation of Air America he is highly critical of Al Franken and his support for the Iraq War. Indeed, this is a familiar theme throughout the book, with Hamm being critical of media that simply echoes the partisan line. Hamm is quick to point out the problems that happen when “the New Blue Media” becomes cheerleaders for the Democratic Party, as MoveOn.org did with Kerry in 2004. He is also keenly aware of the potential problems if “the New Blue Media” becomes too entrenched in the Democratic Party establishment. Still, despite its criticisms, “the New Blue Media” also tells of a number of victories, from the blogosphere’s role in electing progressive politicians to the Democratic Party’s recognition of “the netroots.”

Of course, while the book couldn’t possibly address it because of its publication in May of this year, the next several months is probably going to be one of the most interesting times to watch “the New Blue Media.” So much of this media has been built on opposition to the Bush administration that it is very hard to predict how the media will respond to the Obama administration. Will it continue to function as critical, oppositional media or will it become a simple conduit for the Obama administration? Will it act as a means of applying pressure from the left on Obama? At this point–admittedly quite early–the online progressive media has taken a relatively hands off approach to Obama, perhaps waiting for him to get in office. Aside from a few pieces and voices critical of the most obvious Obama appointees, much of the online media has been quite celebratory. Over the next several months, it will be an interesting to see if “the New Blue Media” retains its independence or becomes part of the Democratic Party establishment, much like the so-called Republican “noise machine.”

Overall, The New Blue Media is an excellent book that addresses an important component of the liberal and progressive activism and politics that has arisen in opposition to the Bush administration. Moreover, by looking back on how the “New Blue Media” has functioned over the past several years, it can help us assess its strengths and weaknesses as the country enters a new Democratic period of governance. The New Blue Media should be on the reading list of anyone seeking progressive social change, especially those who are hoping to pursue such change either by working within or with the Democratic Party.

Theodore Hamm, The New Blue Media: How Michael Moore, MoveOn.org, Jon Stewart and Company Are Transforming Progressive Politics, (The New Press, 2008).

Obama, Bill Clinton, and the Possibilities for Change

News that Obama has appointed a number of former Clinton officials should be taken as a signal that progressive movements need to stay alert and remain ready to pressure Obama if his administration takes a rightward turn like Clinton’s.

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With the news last week that president elect Obama has appointed a number of former Clinton administration members to his transition team and the selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff, we thought it would be pertinent to highlight a series of articles that MediaMouse.org wrote last year on Bill Clinton’s legacy.

While we hope it isn’t, we see a possibility that the Clinton era may be emerging as parallel for the Obama presidency. When Clinton was inaugurated there as great hope that his administration would bring a number of progressive policies, but instead his administration had few–if any–progressive gains. As early as his picks for his cabinet, Clinton turned his back on the progressive movements that had supported him. During his administration, there was little pressure on Clinton from the left. Many progressive groups held their tongues and did not criticize Clinton, while Democrats cooperated in helping him shift to the right.

The articles in the series explore Clinton’s policies on a variety of issues:

The series was written raise important–and occasionally difficult–questions about Clinton’s legacy before a speech he delivered in Grand Rapids.

Obama’s Transition Team Includes Mix of Washington Insiders, Fundraisers, and Longtime Advisors

President elect Barack Obama has named his transition team. It’s a mix of longtime advisors, Washington insiders (many with experience in the Clinton administration), and a few prominent Obama fundraisers. MediaMouse.org has short write-ups on all of the members.

Hardly more than 24 hours after his election, Democratic president elect Barack Obama has named his transition team. While it has been talked about for months, the team gives an early indication of the types of folks Obama intends to surround himself with in the White House.

A “Transition Team” is used by an incoming administration to ensure a smooth transition from the outgoing administration and to help aid the incoming president in filling positions in the government. The list is primarily made up of Clinton administration officials, people that Obama has known for years, close advisors, and some major fundraisers. Moreover, his team includes a number of people who can best be described as “Washington insiders.”

Obama’s transition team–officially called the Obama-Biden Transition Project–has 27 publicly named members. What follows is a brief outline of their backgrounds since much of the media’s coverage of the transition team has not included any biography information.

Co-Chairs:

John Podesta was President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff. He has worked for a variety of non-profit advocacy organizations including the League of Conservation Voters and his own Center for American Progress, a liberal think-tank that was created to emulate the influential think-tanks on the right. Podesta is considered by many to be one of the Democratic Party’s “toughest” political operatives and is a so-called “Washington Insider.”

Valerie Jarrett is a longtime Obama advisor who played a key role in his US Senate campaign. She was formerly involved in Chicago’s city government, working as Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley and as chairwoman of the Chicago Transit Authority. She left city government in 1995 for the Habitat Company a residential development and property management company where she is now CEO. The New York Times reports that this may bring some baggage as the company has been criticized for mismanaging public housing in Chicago and allowing it to deteriorate even further. Her great uncle is longtime Washington DC power broker Vernon Jordan. Jarrett was a bundler for Obama and raised over $100,000.

Pete Rouse is Obama’s former Chief of Staff in the Senate. He held the same post for Democrat Tom Daschle. Rouse has worked in Washington DC since becoming a legislative aide to former South Dakota Senator James Abourezk in 1973. The New York Times describes him as “the consummate insider.” Rouse also served as an advisor to Obama’s presidential campaign and told Obama not to ban lobbyists from serving in his White House.

Advisory Board:

Carol Browner is a former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Bill Clinton. She is currently a principal in the Albright Group and Albright Capital Management, a business consulting firm run by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Browner has been a critic of the Bush Administration’s environmental policy.

William M. Daley is a former US Security of Commerce under Bill Clinton. In 1993, Daley was Clinton’s “NAFTA Zaar” and played a key role in getting the trade agreement through a reluctant Congress. Daley has been involved in Obama’s presidential campaign since the beginning. Daley comes from a corporate background, having worked for SBC, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Bank One.

Christopher Edley is a law professor who has a long history of involvement in Democratic politics. He worked under the Carter administration as an assistant director of domestic policy staff, worked on the Michael Dukakis campaign as national issues director, served on Bill Clinton’s transition team and as associate director for economics and government at the White House Office of Management and Budget from 1993 to 1995. He also served as a consultant to Clinton’s advisory board on his One America Initiative. Edley is was an advisor to the Obama campaign and has known Obama since his Harvard days.

Michael Froman is the CEO of CitiInsurance, a member of CitiGroup. In the 1990s, he worked for the Clinton administration in the Treasury Department, including a stint as Chief of Staff of the department. He has known Obama since their days at Harvard. Froman was a bundler for the Obama campaign, raising over $200,000.

Julius Genachowski is a veteran of technology firms and Washington DC, having served as Chief Counsel to former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) head Reed Hundt. Genachowski has been an Obama advisor on tech policy issues and he has been a friend of Obama dating back to their time at Harvard. Genachowski is a former CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp and is co-advisor and founder of Rock Creek Ventures. According to the Washingto Post, he’s not seen as a “traditional lobbyist.” Genachowski was a bundler who raised more than $500,000 for the Obama campaign. He was also instrumental in building Obama’s online fundraising operation.

Donald Gips is an executive at Level 3 (a telecommunications firm) who worked for Vice President Al Gore as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor. He also worked for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Gips was a bundler for the Obama campaign and raised $500,000 for the Obama campaign. Gips has been part of Obama’s inner circle since the beginning of his presidential run.

Janet Napolitano is a Democratic governor of Arizona. She formerly was US Attorney for the District of Arizona under Bill Clinton and Arizona Attorney General. She has advocated for comprehensive immigration reform but also called for the National Guard to be placed on the US-Mexico border and has signed legislation increasing penalties for employers that hire undocumented immigrants. Napolitano endorsed Obama’s candidacy before Arizona’s primary and is considered a centrist Democrat.

Federico Pena served in the Clinton administration as Secretary of Transportation from 1993 to 1997 and Secretary of Energy from 1997 to 1998. Pena was Obama’s campaign co-chair. Pena is also a managing director of Vestar Capital Partners.

Susan Rice served on President Bill Clinton’s National Security Council and as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. She is currently on leave from the center-right Brookings Institution while serving as a senior foreign policy advisor to Obama. She also served in both the Dukakis and Kerry campaigns.

Sonal Shah is the Director of Global Development at Google. She served in the Clinton Administration in the Department of the Treasury and the National Security Council. After working in the Clinton Administration, she worked for the Center for American Progress–a think-tank run by one of Obama’s transition team co-chairs.

Co-Chairs of Biden Transition:

Mark Gitenstein is a lobbyist at Mayer-Brown.

Edward “Ted” Kaufman is Senator Biden’s former chief of staff.

Along with these individuals, there is a team of day-to-day staffers that include a variety of people from different backgrounds. These include members of Obama’s campaign–Chris Lu, Dan Pfeiffer, Stephanie Cutter, Cassandra Butts, Jim Messina, Patrick Gaspard, Melody Barnes, Lisa Brown, Phil Schiliro, and Michael Strautmanis. The staff also includes former Clinton Administration members, including Christine Varney was involved in the Clinton administration in a number of positions (including Federal Trade Commissioner) and Brad Kiley who was a former Deputy Assistant to the President for Management and Administration at the White House. Rounding out the staff is Katy Kale who was a legislative correspondent and administrative director for Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.

Democrats Maintain, Gain Education Posts

Democrats have either maintained or gained seats on a number of state level education boards this election.

Democrats in Michigan have either maintained or gained seats on a variety of state level education boards:

State Board of Education

[ WINNER ] Straus, Kathleen (i) Dem 2,308,124 27%

[ WINNER ] Austin, John (i) Dem 2,258,253 27%

Jenkins, Scott GOP 1,729,151 21%

Zeile, Richard GOP 1,508,520 18%

Adams, Karen UST 192,229 2%

Hall, Bill Lib 127,999 2%

Reynolds, Dwain Grn 94,729 1%

Graeser, Gail UST 94,604 1%

Steinport, Jeff Lib 93,210 1%

University of Michigan Board of Regents

[ WINNER ] Ilitch, Denise Dem 2,370,007 29%

[ WINNER ] Deitch, Laurence (i) Dem 2,098,107 25%

Brown, Susan GOP 1,740,659 21%

LaFond, John GOP 1,470,766 18%

Morgan, Kerry Lib 130,727 2%

Larson, Eric Lib 128,255 2%

Boal, Ellis Grn 102,033 1%

Sanger, Joe UST 98,930 1%

Ryskamp, Richard UST 92,760 1%

Wayne State Governors

[ WINNER ] Pollard, Gary Dem 2,110,393 26%

[ WINNER ] Massaron, Paul (i) Dem 2,071,828 26%

Karmanos, Danialle GOP 1,750,919 22%

Bridges, Torion GOP 1,490,475 19%

Michalak, Nicole Lib 151,685 2%

Guttshall, Margaret Grn 139,867 2%

Butkowski, Rick UST 111,516 1%

Haines, Terry UST 109,325 1%

Keizer, Dan Lib 102,796 1%

3rd Congressional District Candidates Debate

On Monday, incumbent Vern Ehlers debated Democratic Party candidate Henry Sanchez. The race has received little attention in the media and only WXMI covered the story, although they didn’t report on any of the candidates’ positions.

On Monday night, dozens of people attended a forum at City High School where incumbent 3rd Congressional District Representative Vern Ehlers debated Democratic Party candidate Henry Sanchez (the Libertarian Party candidate was no there). The event, presented by a government class, was led by student questioners and moderators. Among the questions asked various topics were touched on including issues such as abortion, national debt, the loan crisis, as well as others.

Though there has been relatively low mainstream news coverage of this particular race for US House of Representatives, WXMI was there reporting on the event:

Many questions by students were asked throughout the night, though none were covered by WXMI. It simply featured two quotes from both candidates–obtained after the forum–and nothing entailing any answers to the questions asked by students, nor their positions on the issues at hand. Though the answers to all the questions were extremely vague and the candidates often avoided addressing them, there were a multitude of positions that WXMI could have reported on to inform viewers.

For example, when asked about taxes and Michigan acquiring more revenue, Sanchez expressed that the middle class needs a break. He said that the tax cuts under Engler didn’t work, that trickle down economics isn’t working and that we need to demand something other than supply side economics . If Michigan could get more jobs, that would create a stronger tax base.

Ehlers’ response didn’t exactly address the question, but he continually stressed that government intervention in the recent economic crisis was not a bail out, but rather an investment. He also critiqued Obama’s position that something has to be done for the middle-class in America, but Ehlers felt that Obama is not defining who exactly the middle class is.

Another issue raised was abortion. Ehlers unashamedly stated that he is pro-life, and that if anyone was familiar with him before, they would know that about him. While the question asked the candidates what their position was on whether abortion laws should be state rather than federal, Ehlers stated that he personally felt that the court decision in Roe v. Wade was “dead wrong.” Based on his convictions, he expressed that the issue of abortion must consider the rights of every person, and with that claimed that the fetus is entitled to these rights too. He concluded his response by saying that the Roe v. Wade decision should have never been made.

When Sanchez addressed the question, he started his remarks by saying “If this were a man’s issue, we would not be talking about it [abortion].” He then asked how can we bomb kids in another country and then say that abortion is wrong; it is ultimately a personal decision. Sanchez explained that he himself is Catholic and understands the pro-life position of the church on the matter, but is well aware that there are others in this country that do not identify that way, and emphasized a respect for that.

On the topic of health care, a student explained both Obama and McCain’s position on health care and asked Sanchez and Ehlers which plan they supported.

Ehlers said that he predicts that this issue is not going to be an easy one for either candidate if elected. He said that health care will never be free, even if it is – implying that is always going to cost the public money, if not through their pocket, than surely via an increase in taxes. He emphasized this tax increase is seen in countries such as Canada who have socialized health care. Ehlers also spoke highly of creating a plan for Michigan that is similar to the one Mitt Romney developed for Massachusetts because it worked.

Sanchez responded to the question by saying that he supports adopting a socialized health care plan that is modeled after those in France and Germany. He said that right now health care companies in this country are deciding whether people live or die and out of the two, Obama’s plan is better McCain’s. He concluded his remarks saying that health care is a “God-given right.”

The Democrats: A Critical History

In The Democrats: A Critical History, author Lance Selfa provides an important critique of the limitations of the Democratic Party as a vehicle for progressive social change.

Click on the image to purchase this book through Amazon.com. Purchases help support MediaMouse.org.

With the presidential election season in full swing, everywhere we–especially folks involved in any kind of left or progressive work–turn we are reminded of the necessity of voting for Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama. We’re told that this is “an historic election” and that the stakes are too high to say anything critical about his campaign–which really offers relatively little beyond vague statements about “hope” and “change.” To be sure, there are some interesting things happening this year–the nomination (and likely election) of the first African-American for president by a major party and a lot of rumblings about a campaign that is more “movement” than “campaign.”

However, there is reason to be skeptical of all this talk according to author Lance Selfa. In his new book The Democrats: A Critical History, Selfa reviews the history of the Democratic Party and concludes that the Democrats are anything but a progressive or left party.

While it should be obvious to many Mediamouse.org readers, Selfa reminds readers that the Democratic Party is a capitalist institution. He argues that because of its place as one of two ruling parties in the US, its allegiance is to the business/corporate class, not oppressed peoples. Selfa says that this contradicts the “party of the people” message and shows the limits of the Democrats. He persuasively argues that the Democrats play a critical role in maintaining the social hierarchy in the United States, asserting that the Democrats act as a sort of “buffer” that offers occasional reforms–or absorbs social movements–in order to keep the underlying structures of society intact. Selfa also draws heavily on the history of the New Deal to argue that the Democrats prevented a revolutionary left challenge from taking arising out of the economic situation.

Throughout the book, Selfa looks back into history to show how the Democrats have consistently absorbed social movements by taking up portions of their agenda and diverting energy into electoral means. As mentioned above, he discusses the New Deal, but also the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and the labor movement over the past fifty years. He also looks at what has came from the Democrats politically since their founding and spends a considerable amount of time on the Democrats in the post-Carter to argue that the Democrats rarely serve as an effective opposition party. In the 1980s, the Democrats offered little opposition to the Reagan agenda, instead they set about establishing a more pro-business orientation. Selfa points to the creation of the DLC to promote more corporate politics within the Party and the support that it got from major corporations. One of the early DLC founders was former president Bill Clinton, who was elected amidst great hope amongst progressives. However, Selfa outlines numerous issues on which Clinton broke campaign promises and ignored the left–NAFTA, welfare reform, healthcare reform, expanded prisons, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” and the Defense of America Act. Far from enacting a progressive agenda, Clinton took the Party further to the right. He was able to do this because progressives felt they had nowhere else to turn.

Selfa also examines the various efforts undertaken to “transform” the Democratic Party from within. Because progressives often feel as though there is nowhere to turn, there have been various efforts to shift the Party to the left. Selfa examines Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition, the Progressive Democrats of America, and the Democratic Socialists of America as three recent efforts aimed at making this transformation. While the particulars of the efforts are different, in all cases the strategy failed. The insights are important and the history is worth knowing for anyone advocating such an effort.

The Democrats: A Critical History is worthy reading for anyone who is interested in social change. It’s a realistic assessment of the Democratic Party and the prospects for change within it, as well as a reminder that change comes from social movements, not from the Democratic Party.

Lance Selfa, The Democrats: A Critical History, (Haymarket Books, 2008).

Obama/DNC outspend McCain/RNC in Political Ads for September

A review of spending by the two major party presidential campaigns in September has found that the Obama campaign outspent the McCain campaign on political advertising in September. Given McCain’s recent announcement that his campaign would suspend activity in Michigan, perhaps the cut in advertising spending was an earlier indicator of this decision.

There are news reports that John McCain’s campaign is pulling out of Michigan and conceding the state to Barack Obama. This means that the McCain campaign will likely end political advertising in Michigan for the last month of the presidential race and that fact is reflected in the ad spending by the McCain campaign when comparing it to the Obama campaign.

Mediamouse.org visited the three Grand Rapids-based TV stations again to look at campaign ad buys for the month of September and there was already an indication that the McCain campaign was spending less than the Obama campaign. Here are the numbers for each station:

WXMI 17

McCain/RNC $57,885

Vets for Freedom $4,900

Obama/DNC $65,785

SEUI $29,850

WZZM 13

McCain/RNC $130,225

Vets for Freedom $29,785

Obama/DNC $200,730

SEIU $61,880

WXSP/WOTV/WOOD TV 8

McCain/RNC $213,490

Vets for Freedom $13,950

Obama/DNC $314,185

SEIU $77,230

According to publicly viewable data, the McCain/RNC campaign spent $401,601 for paid TV ads on the three Grand Rapids stations in the month of September and the Obama/DNC campaign spent $580,700 in the same month. The combined totals from the two campaigns for the month of September is just under $1 million dollars spent in trying to influence voters through ads.

We have already pointed out some of the misleading ads that both campaigns have been airing in West Michigan but this is the first time we have looked at ads from 527 Political Action Committees supporting either McCain or Obama. The Service Employees International Union spent $168,960 for paid ads in support of Senator Obama on the three Grand Rapids-based TV stations in the month of September. Their ads focused exclusively on the economy and jobs, with a recent ad that said Barack Obama will have a better tax break plan for the middle class.

The only 527 Political Action Committee ads that supported McCain during the month of September that aired on West Michigan TV stations was from the group Vets for Freedom. Vets for Freedom spent considerably less than SEIU during the month, with a total of $48,635 compared to more than three times that much from the union. The ads that Vets for Freedom ran in September make the claim that Senator Obama did not support “the surge” in Iraq. While Senator Obama may have spoken against “the surge” in the past, he has consistently voted for funding the war in Iraq. Senator Obama even admitted during the first presidential debate and on the Bill O’Reily show that “the surge” in Iraq did indeed work.