I just called Senator Nelson's Office

OK, I decided to put my time and money where my mouth is. After seeing JMM's post today about how Senator Nelson was working with "moderate" republicans to strip important provisions out of the Stimulus Bill I went ahead and called his office and told them a) my name, b) that I was a democratic activist, c) that we know how to do this stuff since we just won the national elections and e) that I was going to hold a house party called "adopt a blue dog" (Really, what it should be called is "abort a blue dog" but that seems so, well, hostile) and start raising money to primary Nelson the next chance we get. I guess I'd better get myself organized to do this. I think one of the things I've learned in watching politics over the last few years is the theory of the "choke hold" or the narrow points where legislation gets bottled up. There is no reason on earth why right wing Democrats should feel free, let alone impelled, to work with moderate Republicans. None. All politics is local and I doubt very much if Nelson's constituents give a flying fuck if he's buddies with Olympia Snowe. What they will care about is if the national party stops helping Nelson get earmarks (and you know what? Earmarks are prominent on his own home webpage. Imagine that!). Another thing I've learned is its all personal, every bit of it. Time to start building on what we know, and remember that a revolution is either permanent or its nothing at all.

aimai