It bears repeating: VOTE D even if it is for a DINO. HERE'S WHY:

[helderheid]

I will vote for Jim Matheson this year, ONLY because if we take back power, the following will happen:

- At least 9 Congressional Progressive Caucus Members would become Committee Chairmen or Chairwomen
- An additional 35 Congressional Progressive Caucus Members would become Subcommittee Chairmen or Chairwomen.

The following Progressive Caucus Members would become Committee Chairs:

- Congressman George Miller, Chairman of Education and Workforce Committee
- Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of Financial Services
- Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of Government Reform
- Congressman Bennie Thompson, Chairman of Homeland Security Committee
- Congressman Tom Lantos, Chairman of International Relations Committee
- Congressman John Conyers, Chairman of Judiciary Committee
- Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Chairwoman of Rules Committee
- Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Chairwoman of Small Business Committee
- Congressman Charles Rangel, Chairman of Ways and Means Committee

The following Progressive Caucus Members would become Subcommittee Chairs:

- Appropriations Subcommittees -- Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Marcy Kaptur and Congressmen John Olver, Jose Serrano, and Ed Pastor
- Armed Services Subcommittee, Congressman Neil Abercrombie
- Education and Workforce Subcommittees, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Congressman Dennis Kucinich
- Energy and Commerce Subcommittees, Congressman Ed Markey and Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky and Hilda Solis
- Financial Services Subcommittee, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Congressman Luis Gutierrez
- Government Reform Subcommittees, Congresswoman Diane Watson and Congressmen Dennis Kucinich, Elijah Cummings, Danny Davis of Illinois, and William "Lacy" Clay
- International Relations Subcommittee, Congressman Donald Payne
- Judiciary Subcommittees, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Melvin Watt
- Interior Subcommittees, Congressmen Raul Grijalva and Tom Udall and Congresswoman Donna Christensen
- Rules Subcommittees, Congressman Jim McGovern
- Small Business Subcommittees, Congresswomen Madeleine Bordallo
- Transportation and Infrastructure, DeFazio, Filner, Holmes-Norton, and C. Brown
- Ways and Means Subcommittees, Congressmen Pete Stark, Jim McDermott, and John Lewis of Georgia

[Ian David]

1. I am both blessed and cursed with DINOS in safe seats

Christine Canavan and Bob Creedon are truly reprehensible wastes of human skin. But they do not have serious challengers. I can afford to write-in someone else as a protest vote without fear that their seats will go to a Repuke.

Stephen Lynch is a lying chickenhawk with strange policies all over the map.

I actually saw a giant Stephen Lynch sign on the back of a pick-up truck with "Peace" symbols on it!

Stephen Lynch? The Peace Candidate? Who the fuck does Stephen Lynch think he's fooling?

But again, "Feed Teri" Lynch's seat is safe. I don't have to force myself to vote for him. And I won't.

If it were a tight race... then yeah, I'd vote for my local pathetic excuses for Democrats.

[helderheid]

10. Green candidate Bob Brister speaks for me but I had to vote Matheson

[BOSSHOG]

2. Roger that teammate

I'll vote for my moderately conservative democratic congressman for reelection. Because his opponent is a knuckledragging neanderthal hate filled "christian." As are all his opponents. He (Gene Taylor-MS) was a hero after Katrina so he won't have any problem getting reelected. The larger our majority the better.

[ellacott]

3. This message definately needs to be received

It is very disappointing to hear people condemn the dems who are not "progressive enoough".

We need control of the House and Senate. There is no issue more important than this today.

Dinos can be dealt with later.

[Guava Jelly]

4. I agree helderhind

I voted for Dennis Moore rep kansas for years even though i hate his voting record.
Luckily now i am a missourian..So I don't have to vote for him anymore.

[helderheid]

12. My heart says Bob Brister. *sigh* I hated to vote for Matheson but know

it's a vote for Conyers and Kucinich.

[DancingBear]

38. Back in the '04 primaries, Dennis was asked the following question:

(paraphrasing)

Q: Do you think you can actually win?"

A: "I can win if you'll vote for me"

The whole "Dems take control and so and so becomes chair" mantra is a farce.

Dean has told you the plans.

Pelosi has told you the plans.

Status quo, with a twist of shallow progress.

You think if Ford and Casey win they're gonna hop on the progressive bandwagon?

You thnk Obama and Hillary are gonna step off the Safe Side OF The Street and do anything?

A vote for Brister is/was a vote to paint a broken chair blue instead of red.

No matter who sits in it, it's still broken.

Vote your conscience.

It has to stop.

[Lerkfish]

5. I think this was only an issue in the primaries. Now that there's a

candidate, I doubt anyone on this board needs to be told to vote democratic.

It was an issue in the primaries if there was a chance to pick a progressive candidate over a dino.

why this keeps getting posted at this point is beyond me.

[helderheid]

6. you'd be surprised. I sent this to the Utah Democratic Progressive Caucus

and got a note back from a couple who are voting green against Matheson. I totally understand where they are coming from but they aren't voting big picture.

[shanti]

13. it NEEDS to be repeated

especially to californians! are you aware of the ahnold's high polling lately? this is a dem state, so if he wins it will be because of dems not publicans.

[IndyOp]

18. Lurkers... Thousands of people post, but 10,000's read the posts...

That is why the 'vote for the party' message matters and why I kick & rec this post everytime it appears.

Also because it helps remind me why my every effort for my DINO matters -- Kucinich, Conyers, Waxman...

[helderheid]

20. bless you IndyOp!

[Golden Raisin]

7. Diebolding seems to occur

when the election is very close. In order to counteract that we need to have massive numbers voting so that there's a glimmer of a chance that it won't be close --- even a few percentage points on the Dem side could make the difference between a stolen/manipulated election and a Dem win. Although I totally understand where they are coming from, we simply cannot afford voter defections to Greens, non-voters, or whatever --- it'll be Nader-esque all over again. We need to rack up massive Democratic numbers. My whole life I've been in voting booths thinking, "Crap, why do I have to always feel like I'm being forced to pick between the proverbial lesser of 2 evils". I can grit my teeth and do it again this election, which is probably the most crucial one in my lifetime (and I'm pushing 60.)

[helderheid]

8. I couldn't possibly agree more

[helderheid]

9. kick. Wish this could be pinned until the elections.

[helderheid]

11. KICK!

[ClassWarrior]

21. .

[ClassWarrior]

22. .

[ClassWarrior]

25. .

[helderheid]

26. hey you

[ClassWarrior]

28. Hey!

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

23. .

[ClassWarrior]

33. .

[helderheid]

34. !

[ClassWarrior]

35. :)

I like the way you say that...

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

24. .

[ClassWarrior]

40. .

[ClassWarrior]

42. .

[ClassWarrior]

43. .

[ClassWarrior]

44. .

[LSK]

14. I've done this thread in various forms, heres a K&R for you!

[BlooInBloo]

15. And on the Senate side: judges, judges, judges.

[mod mom]

16. I will hold my nose & vote for Sherrod Brown despite his vote for

the Military Commissions Act of '06 and his failure to stand up with Conyers and Boxer et al to protest the seating of the Ohio Electorate.

[helderheid]

17. I hope our votes count!

[emulatorloo]

19. KICK -- WE ****NEED THESE DEM COMMITTEE CHAIRS***

Think strategically when you vote. And the strategy is to GET RID OF THE DESPICABLE REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE CHAIRS.

[Q]

27. I wonder if...

...you and others promoting the 'hold your nose and vote for Dino's' message understand what would happen to the Democratic party if these 'Dinos' eventually take over and turn it into a virtual GOP lite?

It should be understood that these so-called Dinos (New Democrats) intend to throw away many of the ideals that made it the 'party of the people'.

Although it sounds good...winning is not always everything.

[Temporary1]

29. Those seats are not set!!!

It's possible they won't get them. It's likely, however, that they will. But it's not set!

[helderheid]

30. of course not but if we take back power, why wouldn't this play out this way?

[Temporary1]

31. Pelosi crushing progressives like in 2004

When McKinney won back her seat in 2004 Pelosi wouldn't give her seniority she had before the war when she was pressing like crazy against the war profiteering establishment.

[ClassWarrior]

32. Do you have links? And McKinney = 1 Progressive. You wrote...

..."progressives." Plural. Any other examples?

NGU.

[Temporary1]

37. I also know that a palestinian rights activist congressman from alabama

a black congresswoman, progressive one was hit with tons of AIPAC money for his opponent in the primaries and the national dems just left him to drown basically. Also, isn't it a bit strange to you that San Francisco's congresswoman isn't in the Progressive Caucus? That woman scares the heck out of me as far as what she'd do to the progressives if they take power.

[ClassWarrior]

39. Okay, good luck with that.

NGU.

[SouthernBelle82]

36. I agree

Plus the person who will be my democratic candidate is just the better choice even though there are a few issues I disagree with him on. I don't want any more of the same crap with my state.

[sendero]

41. With the exception of...

... (now moot) Lieberman and Z Miller, I agree. I don't like DINOs but in some districts that is going to be the best we can do at the present time.

My voting life is easy. I vote straight ticket Dem.