Geoghegan for Congress - Why You Should Donate Right Now
Open Left - Front Page — This is our first endorsement of the 2009-2010 election cycle, and the start of our Better Democrats 2010 page--Chris Look, if you've read my work at all, you know I don't have a lot of good things to say about lots of politicians, and I don't spend my time shilling for anyone simply because they have a D behind their name. So I hope you take that into consideration when you read what I'm about to write: You need to make a contribution to Tom Geoghegan for Congress. Right here. Right now. As the Washington Post reports ...

Soapblox and BlogPac
Open Left - Front Page — ... While everything is in flux right now, later today BlogPac will start a "Save Soapblox" campaign to make sure that this never happens again, and to generally improving progressive blogosphere infrastructure. I will have more details when they are available, but for right now, BlogPac is on the new Better Democrats 2010 page. I know we are in a recession, but any contribution you can give in this time of crisis will be used to ...

Prioritizing the Movement Over the Party
Open Left - Front Page — ... , Geoghegan is one of the greatest living movement progressives in America and has a terrific shot at winning the March 3 special election in Illinois to replace Rahm Emanuel (donate to Tom's campaign here). ...

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Open Left - Front Page — ... Organizing energy is clearly with progressives right now. Since noon Wednesday, 47 members of the Open Left community have raised over $2,200 for Tom Geoghagen and BlogPac. Now, the PCCC has been added to Better Democrats 2010 as well. While it may seem shocking early to start a 2010 campaign page, the early bird gets to govern. ...

David Sirota: Special Election: Geoghegan for Congress - Why You Should Donate Right Now
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — Look, if you've read my work at all, you know I don't have a lot of good things to say about lots of politicians (pardon the understatement!), and I don't spend my time shilling for anyone simply because they have a D behind their name. So I hope you take that into consideration when you read what I'm about to write: You need to make a contribution to Tom Geoghegan for Congress. Right here. Right now. As the Washington Post reports today, Tom is running in the March 3rd special election primary in Illinois' 5th district to replace Rahm ...

David Sirota: Special Election: Geoghegan for Congress -- Why You Should Donate Right Now
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — Look, if you've read my work at all, you know I don't have a lot of good things to say about lots of politicians (pardon the understatement!), and I don't spend my time shilling for anyone simply because they have a D behind their name. So I hope you take that into consideration when you read what I'm about to write: You need to make a contribution to Tom Geoghegan for Congress. Right here. Right now. As the Washington Post reports today, Tom is running in the March 3rd special election primary in Illinois' 5th district to replace ...

You Are Saving Soapblox!
Open Left - Front Page — This is amazing. You guys are amazing. Earlier this week, when we unveiled our Better Democrats 2010 page, it quickly shot up to over 100 contributors, and more than $5,700. Now, in less than seven hours today, the Save Soapblox campaign has reached over 60% of it's goal, ...

Saving Soapblox Update
Open Left - Front Page — ... I am happy to tell you that the netroots community came through, big time. First, our request for $17,400 to secure Soapblox was met: While the thermometer shows the fundraiser at slightly under the $17,400 goal, that total does not tell the whole story. More sources chipped in, too, including: A $2,000 grant from MoveOn.org Over $1,400 un recurring donations Nearly $800 raised for Soapblox, via BlogPac, on the Better Democrats 2010 page Over $200 raised directly for Soapblox by non-US citizens via ...

IL-5: Good News for Geoghegan - Career Pols Splitting Chicago Machine Apart
Open Left - Front Page — Note: Tom Geoghegan (D) is a BlogPac-endorsed candidate and Better Democrat running in the hotly contested March 3rd special election to replace Rep. Rahm Emanuel. Give him a contribution here. ...

Sign the Petition Against More Wall Street Bailouts
Open Left - Front Page — ... 3rd, has launched a petition drive against Congress authorizing the next $350 billion in bailout cash. He's asking for as many people as possible to sign the petition demanding Congress reject the bailout request. This is what I mean when I said Geoghegan is a "Better Democrat" - he's willing to take a strong stand in juxtaposition to the moneyed Establishment and campaign on movement themes. Sign the petition here, and then donate to Tom's campaign through OpenLeft's ActBlue page.

COLUMN: That Old Saying In Tennessee
Open Left - Front Page — ... any legislative mandate for transparency, oversight or direction, is a clear abdication of the legislative branch's constitutional responsibilities, regardless of platitudes about how much we should simply "trust" Obama more than Bush. In the medium-term, the more pushback and pressure Congress and Obama feels in passing this next bailout tranche, the more likely we will to get them to support measures like bankruptcy reform. And in the long-term, the more we keep supporting Better Democrats like Tom Geoghegan - and the more we let Better Democrats/bailout ...

David Sirota: That Old Saying In Tennessee
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... has said he's not sure whether the House will be able to vote down the measure rejecting the next $350 billion - meaning everyone should either sign the petition against the bailout, or contact their House members directly. In the medium-term, the more pushback and pressure Congress and Obama feels in passing this next bailout tranche, the more likely we will to get them to support measures like bankruptcy reform. And in the long-term, the more we keep supporting Better Democrats like Tom Geoghegan - and the more we let Better Democrats/bailout ...

Random Must-Reads from My Secure Undisclosed Location In the Big Apple
Open Left - Front Page — ... reports that Tom Geoghegan formally filed his petitions to run in the March 3rd special election in Illinois. The paper also reports on a poll showing the supposed leading candidate only grabbing 19 percent of the vote in a poll that doesn't even include Tom - so that's also good news for Tom, as I think a crowded race helps an insurgent candidate like him. Throw him some money through Act Blue. ...

Tom Geoghegan's Day Job Shows Why His Candidacy Is So Important
Open Left - Front Page — So, other than being one of the best progressive writers in America, why is Tom Geoghegan getting so many people excited about his campaign for Congress? Why do we keep asking people to make a contribution to his campaign? Why is his candidacy in Illinois March 3rd special congressional election so important to our movement? It's because Tom's work fighting in the legal trenches would make him a unique voice for working people in Congress. Just look at some of the recent movement victories he's close to achieving in his day job as a labor lawyer. ...

Better Democrats: Alan Grayson For Re-election!
Open Left - Front Page — In 2010, with 257 Democrats in the House and 59 in the Senate, Democrats will inevitably have to turn more of our electoral efforts to defense of incumbents than to support for challengers. Tonight, Open Left is adding our first incumbent to the Better Democrats 2010 page: Representative Alan Grayson, of Florida's eighth congressional district. ...

DFA Endorses Geoghegan for Congress
Open Left - Front Page — ... This is a big endorsement for Tom just 12 days before the election. He's got a real shot in this crowded field. Throw him some change if you got it - it's a worthy cause. ...

Accountability Now: Change Who Congress Listens To
Open Left - Front Page — ... Accountability Now has been added to the Better Democrats 2010 page. If you want to do something about making centrist Democrats address the needs of the American working and middle classes instead of just the concerns of large corporate interests, ...

Tom Geoghegan Open Thread
Open Left - Front Page — BlogPac sent out an email today, pushing one last time for people to give to Tom Geoghegan. The election is on Tuesday, so if you are going to give, the time is now. Already, almost $2,000 has been raised. ...

Apology on IL-05
Open Left - Front Page — ... , with only 6% of the vote, I wanted to take a moment to apologize to the Open Left community on the front page about this campaign. Given that 212 of you donated over $11,500 to Geoghegan, it is the least you deserve. I can see two main things that went wrong in my decision making on the race: ...

Accountability for Dems Who Opposed Housing Bill
Open Left - Front Page — ... has pledged to be a financial sponsor for the advertisements.  You can contribute to the effort by donating to BlogPac on the Better Democrats 2010 page.  Short of a serious primary challenge, this is the best possible bet to change Democratic behavior on future votes.

Getting Serious About Holding Democrats Accountable
Open Left - Front Page — Hold conservative Democrats accountable--contribute to BlogPac now. Just in case anyone had their doubts about whether progressive groups are serious about holding Blue Dogs, conservodems, and other center-right Democrats accountable for supporting Wall Street and conservative groups instead of supporting their own constituents, doubt no more. The following video is the first paid media campaign from a large progressive coalition designed to hold Democrats accountable on mortgage bankruptcy reform, otherwise known as "cramdown." ...

Why Did Matt Stoller Go Work For Rep. Alan Grayson?
Open Left - Front Page — In a great post about how progressives had a superb track record of picking winners last election cycle, overall guru Howie Klein highlights this gem from Vanity Fair -- Alan Grayson describing why he was outspoken in his "no" vote on funding for Afghanistan operations: The reason why I said what I said is because the fundamental goal of our endeavors in Iraq and Afghanistan is supposed to be to protect us. That’s why we call the Defense Department the Defense Department, because it’s supposed to defend America. And ...

Joe Sestak For Senate!
Open Left - Front Page — ... many constituent case files--10,000--than the next highest member of Congress. Further, not only is Representative Sestak much more progressive than Arlen Specter, as Nate Silver has recently shown, his potential primary challenge has pushed Specter into the Democratic camp on 97% of all votes, up from only 16% of the time in the month before Specter's switch. This campaign has already demonstrated real results. You can contribute to both Joe Sestak, and the PCCC, on the Better Democrats 2010 page. Just as importantly, go to JoeSestak.com, ...

But Dammit, He's OUR Quiet Policy Wonk
Open Left - Front Page — ... is now on the OpenLeft/BlogPAC Better Democrats page on ActBlue. I just kicked in $20. I hope you'll join me. Let's boost that paltry ActBlue fund a bit and ...

Fitzmas is Coming?
Open Left - Front Page — ... Jon Corzine is on the OpenLeft/BlogPAC Better Democrats page. Here's another few shekels to him for pure smarts on the FOIA request. And another couple to keep Christie out of the Governor's mansion. ...

Update on Maine
Open Left - Front Page — Got off a call on the Maine campaign to protect marriage equality, with a few updates: I wrote last week that the campaign had a $10,000 matching grant from a donor in Maine. The donor then increased the match to $20,000, and we hit that by this past Friday. Thanks to all who gave, that is huge. The No On 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign is also on our OpenLeft Better Dems page, as was the Prop 8 campaign before it. The haters have already put their money in the kitty, and we've got to compete. Thanks for all you can give. The ...

No On 1 Campaign Launches First TV Ads
Open Left - Front Page — ... to the OpenLeft/BlogPAC Better Democrats page. It's our second bite at the apple to get marriage equality and keep it. I just put in my $10 to kick it off. Can you help make these ads count first? ...

Defining This Race First
Open Left - Front Page — ... let live." That message is up for grabs. With mail like this, the right-wingers are pushing their own version of that. We have to push ours. Last night, No On 1 was added as the very first race on the Orange to Blue page from DailyKos. Jesse Connolly, the campaign manager of the No On 1 campaign, posted at DailyKos today about the campaign, thanking the netroots, including us, for helping raise the money to put ads like this on the air. Please rec and comment. Let's tip our hat back to him from OpenLeft and define this fight for Maine residents first, ...

Going All In
Open Left - Front Page — ... , we've gotta do our own second collection. Please chip in whatever you can at the OpenLeft/Better Dems page. Let's get the second try right. ...

Deja Vu
Open Left - Front Page — ... work well above and beyond what you would expect in other states- there is potential to blow this up into a backlash. Especially since Jeremy Hooper points out the "teacher" in the Maine ad, Charla Bansley, is actually the state director of Concerned Women for America of Maine, a teacher at Calvary Christian Chapel School, and has worked on behalf of anti-marriage equality campaign, Yes On 1. Wow. No On 1/Protect Maine Equality is on the OpenLeft Better Dems page. Chip in to hit back against this crap.

Maine Marriage Equality and OpenLeft
Open Left - Front Page — ... In addition to sending Adam to Maine, you can donate to our campaign via OpenLeft's very own ActBlue page. Help us make sure we have the resources to keep our ads on the air.  In a small state like Maine, every little bit helps. I call it a "cheap-date" state.   ...

Defend Alan Grayson
Open Left - Front Page — Open Lefters, it is time to dig into your pockets and show your support for Representative Alan Grayson by giving to his campaign today. ...

Alan Grayson's Refusal
Open Left - Front Page — ... to reiterate that he's standing firm and thank us for having his back. Now that's what I call a Better Democrat. Please chip in to have Alan Grayson's back. ...

State of play
The Sideshow — ... [Also: Someone let Glenn Greenwald go on TV to point out that the 'case' against Iran is Iraq deja vu all over again. Oh, and, "Although I didn't know beforehand, the person charged with making the case that Iran is a Grave Threat was . . . Arianna Huffington." (More deja vu here.)] Democrat shows spine, tells truth on House floor; media freaks out when he refuses to apologize. His name is Alan Grayson and he actually fought back. Reward good behavior - or at last write or call and say thanks. Mad As Hell Doctors were ...

Alan Grayson: "We Need Democrats With Guts"
Open Left - Front Page — ... If you haven't already, throw in a few bucks to the Alan Grayson. It's one solid way of helping his colleagues get some guts and follow his lead. ...

New Maine Ad Asks Voters to See For Themselves
Open Left - Front Page — ... You just broke through $1,000 in contributions for the No On 1 campaign on our OpenLeft/Better Dems page. Now, we've got a larger goal to help keep ads like these on the air. I'll be heading up to Maine Oct. 14th, and early in-person voting starts the 15th. This thing is winding down to the finish line. The last poll showed us up 51-40. Let's put the nail in the coffin. We're close to $1 million for the campaign all across the netroots. If we can hit $1 million by the day voters start going to the polls on Oct. 15th, that'll help give the campaign the resources to finish the ...

For You Sports Fans Out There
Open Left - Front Page —

Because We've Never Won One
Open Left - Front Page — ... Click helow to chip in and take us across the finish line. We're at just $1,866 on the OpenLeft/Better Dems page. Let's take it well past $2K today. ...

Maine: No on 1 Has Small Lead, But the Race is STILL CLOSE!
Open Left - Front Page — ... Here's another recent ad fighting back against blatant Yes on 1 lies. Now if we want to keep seeing ads like this on the air, we need to donate so the No on 1 campaign can afford it. And if we want to help the campaign turn out the No on 1 votes needed to win, we need to volunteer for virtual phone banking! There's just no getting around it. We can't afford to be lazy. Remember this time last year? Remember when all of a sudden, what was thought to be an "easy win" for No on ...

Barbra Streisand, Joan Osborne, and Maine
Open Left - Front Page — ... As I've written before, today is also the campaign finance deadline for No on 1 Maine. We've now raised over $2,000 here at the OpenLeft/Better Dems page. I am thrilled and grateful, 500% so. ...

Mike Lux: We All Sink or Swim Together
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... If you can chip in $10, $25 or $50 towards demoralizing the conservative base of activists and donors, I guarantee it will help our movement in the long-run. Stringing victories together on health care, same-sex marriage, the economic stimulus, cap-and-trade, and a few other issues will help knock the wind out of the right wing movement's sails. You can ...

No On 1/Protect Maine Equality Thanks the Netroots
Open Left - Front Page — ... First of all, I have to say thank you myself. As a result of our Moneybomb for Maine this week for yesterday's Oct. 15th deadline, you raised over $1.125 million, including $32,000 yesterday. I know I've asked you guys for money over and over, and you came through, raising over $7,500 at the OpenLeft/Better Dems page. I am amazed and thankful. ...

Beating Them Senseless
Open Left - Front Page — ... It will be interesting to see if our opponents concentrate everything on this message through election day. Our side is beating them senseless on the issue, and the over $1.15 million you chipped in last week helped put this ad on the air. ...

Creating a Trigger for Campaign Contributions in 2010 and 2012
Open Left - Front Page — ... No money to these groups. None for the next 3 years. Instead, we only give to money to those leaders or groups we know fought to do the right thing. Open Left does a great job highlighting these Better Democrats and other groups advancing progressive causes. ...

Thanks. Again.
Open Left - Front Page — ... My sentiments exactly. I've been writing about this campaign for months, asked you for a lot, and you've given over $7,000 at our OpenLeft/Better Dems page, and now this. I'm a little mentally wiped and don't have much eloquent to say except thanks. Again. ...