With the entrance of Priscilla Lord Faris into the MNDFL U.S. Senate Primary, Minnesotans not only have a chance to dump another dumb donkey, they have a chance to demand some real accountability from politicians.Chances are, not many of those who have already endorsed Al Franken are going to be jumping ship... although, if they were smart, they would.
This opens up a whole new opportunity for grassroots activism centered on the issues of concern to progressives. This is an opportunity to get Minnesota back to at least the liberalism of Paul Wellstone in support of many progressive issues.
Priscilla Lord Faris isn't going to get us to a political level of a Floyd Olson, Elmer Benson or John Bernard; but, if grassroots activists and rank and file trade unionists demand something from Priscilla Lord Faris in exchange for their votes we sure can start to rebuild on the firm progressive foundations of Olson, Benson and Bernard.
Priscilla Lord Faris really doesn't have much choice other than to work with us if she wants our votes; and, she is going to need our votes to win the Primary on Tuesday, September 9.
Priscilla Lord Faris can only win if she brings forward real solutions to the problems working people are experiencing. If Priscilla Lord Faris doesn't do this she won't win in the Primary on September 9, and can't win in the General Election, because no one is going to turn out to vote for her... although her very principled stand in opposition to the war in Iraq is more than enough for me to vote for her.
Priscilla Lord Faris' stand in opposition to the war in Iraq is light-years ahead of any other politician in Minnesota... and most in the Nation.
So far, for the most part, Priscilla Lord Faris has only pitched the same meaningless messages we get from Obama; she is going to have to do better; she can do better. To win the Primary Election, Priscilla Lord Faris, is not only going to have to properly frame the issues, she is going to have to bring forward real solutions to the problems working people are experiencing where they work, in their communities and she is going to have to be as tough as her dad, Judge Miles Lord, on the corporations, especially when it comes to environmental issues.
Will Priscilla Lord Faris take on United States Steel and the peat mining boon-doggle in the Big Bog? Will she stand up and oppose the sulfide mining operations and the land-give-aways being pushed by Jim Oberstar and Amy Klobuchar in the Arrowhead?
Will Priscilla Lord Faris push for a minimum wage that is a real living wage based upon the calculations of the United States Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for what a real living income is based upon the actual cost of living factors?
In fact, Priscilla Lord Faris has a great opportunity to show the Obama campaign what it will take to defeat big-business as you win an election.
If Priscilla Lord Faris fails to take up real solutions to the problems of working people like socialized health care; or, at least, the first step on the road to socialized health care--- single-payer universal health care--- by supporting House Resolution 676 (HR 676), chances are she can't defeat this Dumb Donkey the Summit Hill Club and Cadillac Liberals have brought forward in the form of Al Franken.
This would be a good time to get a commitment from a politician about saving the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant, also.
Priscilla Lord Faris will have to confront the corrupt Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party machine if she intends to win, too; and this is good news for Minnesotans.
Already Brian Melendez and Andrew O'Leary along with their AIPAC funded entourage of Palestinian hating warmongers are trying to harass and strong-arm members of the Minnesota DFL State Central Committee into maintaining an allegiance to the Dumb Donkey--- Al Franken.
Melendez' and O'Leary's strong-arm tactics aren't sitting well with many people and using this kind of approach to politics is losing more friends than winning new ones which is not good this close to an election.
Look at this guy... do you really want him representing you in the United States Senate? Between the President, the House and the Senate, Washington D.C. is already a three-ring circus.My advice to Minnesotans is: Don't rush to support Priscilla Lord Faris until we get a commitment from her that she will support H.R. 676... we need to start getting something for out votes because otherwise we don't get much from these Dumb Donkeys other than what the sparrows leave behind.
We shouldn't have to make a choice between a Dumb Donkey and a Dumb Cluck:
Let's find out if we have a real alternative in Priscilla Lord Faris...
At least she is intelligent.
See and hear her for yourself:
http://priscillalordfarisforsenate.com/almanac.html
Priscilla Lord Faris is the very first MN DFL politician to come forward, bucking the worthless DFL party hacks, demonstrating a complete understanding of what this war in Iraq is all about--- oil--- and for once we have a politician demonstrating an empathy for the suffering people in Iraq as well as the American families suffering deaths of loved ones, along with understanding that this war is wasting our precious resources that could be going to socially useful programs... reason enough, in my opinion, to vote for Priscilla Lord Faris in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party Primary Election on Tuesday, September 9... mark your calendars... this is a chance to send a real message to the politicians.
I would suggest working people should start communicating with Priscilla Lord Faris on the issues of real importance.
Here is her e-mail address:
priscilla@priscillalordfarisforsenate.com
Contrary to the lies of the political pundits, most of whom are employed by the corporations, progressive politics is winning politics in Minnesota.
Now Minnesotans really have something to discuss around the dinner table.
Alan L. Maki
