Iowa Progressives Support Bruce Braley
by Paul Deaton
“…endorsementsdon't win elections and with nine days left before the election, it is
time for progressives to stand up for Bruce Braley and send him back to
the 112th Congress.“ Most Iowans can recall where we were in late 2005. The patriotism felt when the country rallied around the President after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks had begun to dissipate. Our war in Afghanistan was in it fourth year. The Second Gulf War was continuing. While Saddam Hussein had been deposed and was awaiting trial at Camp Cropper near Baghdad, it was becoming clear that there were no weapons of mass destruction in the country. Later, President George W. Bush would say that the decision to go to war against Saddam Hussein on the basis of flawed intelligence was the biggest regret of his presidency. We suspected, but didn't know that in 2005.
In this environment, Bruce Braley came on the political scene to run for congress in Iowa's First Congressional District. He wrote the following on Daily KOS, which Blog for Iowa covered at the time. What he said then is consistent with what he says now. Even though President Bush is 21 months gone and the Second Gulf War is winding down, it is worth reading this post again in the partisan political climate of 2010:
“My name is Bruce Braley and I've been a progressive Democrat all my life.
I'm running for Congress to change the direction of this country and be a strong voice for people who aren't being heard in Washington these days.
I'm not a professional politician. I've spent my life helping individuals and serving my community. I've been working with and for kids all my life…
I believe that 'We the People of the United States…' is the source of all power that flows from the federal government. I believe that ordinary citizens have a responsibility to hold their government accountable for its actions, and insist that it be responsive to the needs of the people. Those needs include social and economic justice, foreign and domestic peace and security, preservation of our rights and liberties, and social, economic and environmental policies that benefit all Americans and not just the privileged few.
I believe that it's time to change the culture in Washington and get back to the progressive values on which this country was founded…” (read the entire post on Daily KOS here).
Iowans elected Bruce Braley in 2006 and should re-elect him now. Based on what he said in 2005, he did what he said he would.
Braley's opponent, speaking in talking points that are shrill, repetitive and shallow, could be expected to join the crazy caucus of Michelle Bachmann (R-MN), Steve King (R-IA) and Paul Broun (R-GA), should he win the election. In the light of day, Ben Lange, does not represent Iowa's interests, but is more like a spooky Halloween nightmare.
It is not just Blog for Iowa that supports Bruce Braley. He received endorsements from the Des Moines Register, The Dubuque Telegraph Herald and the Cedar Rapids Gazette last week.
Yet endorsements don't win elections and with nine days left before the election, it is time for progressives to stand up for Bruce Braley and send him back to the 112th Congress.
~Paul Deaton is a
native Iowan living in rural Johnson County and weekend editor of
Blog for Iowa. E-mail
Paul Deaton
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