Removing Roscoe

After taking a look at Andrew Duck (D) in my previous entry, I figured I would dig a bit into Rep. Bartlett's corrupt past. Its not pretty, nor did I expect it to be. Mr. Bartlett is your run of the mill anti-education, anti-civil liberties, anti-choice, anti-worker, Tom Delay funded Republican.

If this action is any indication, Maryland Progressives may soon start to take Bartlett to task for his incompetent governance.

Bartlett is the kind of incumbent who thinks he can simply ignore his critics, even when they are constituents:

Progressive Maryland Community Organizer Tony Passarelli said supporting the education bill was common sense. The group wanted to afford Mr. Bartlett the opportunity to voice his views, he said.

"We fully expected to see him here ..." Mr. Passarelli said. "The fact that he's not here today says a lot about him and his priorities towards education."

Seeing as the NEA has given Rep. Bartlett a 17% rating I think his priorities on education are already clear.

While I support and applaud Progressive Maryland for this calling out, I wonder whether such a small issue will resonate or even be heard by the voters in the 6th who matter to this race. Accountability is great, and if anything, this helps Andrew Duck, but I still am trying to think about an issue that could turn the tide against Republicans in Western Maryland. Education will NOT be it, IMHO.

I am going to keep thinking on this. Check out the link to Rep. Bartlett's record and see what you think. Leave suggestions in the comments. Heck, Bartlett could even decide to retire in the next two years, he is getting up there. Wouldn't it be great to see Western Maryland go Blue in '08? The closest challenge to Bartlett came when MD-06 was up for grabs in 1992. Democrat Thomas Hattery got 45% of the vote to Bartlett's 54%. The seat was in Democratic hands from 1971-1993. There should be lots of new voters in CACO and FRCO due to development.

This seat can be taken back.

Andrew Duck (D), Iraq War Vet, Candidate for Congress in MD-06

Andrew Duck is running for congress in the district I grew up in. He has a large mountain to climb as he takes on incumbent Republican Roscoe Bartlett. Growing up in Carroll County, a large part of the 6th district, I can say flat out, the place I recall was extremely conservative. Even on trips to CACO (you like that? Montgomery County gets to do it, so do we!) these days the GOP presence is obvious. From the prominent GOP headquarters on Main Street to the Ehrlich and Bartlett signs that dot every other lawn in the suburbs, Mr. Duck has a lot of work to do.

Despite this fact, Duck seems to be a worthy candidate on paper. He is an Iraq war vet, a small part of a 20 year military record. His stances on the issues seem admirable and drawn from experience. But can Duck win in a district that supported Bartlett with 67% of the vote last run?
I really don't think that is question that should be being asked. Instead, the question should be whether Mr. Duck is a good thing for the struggling Democratic voters in the 6th district. I think that he is. Perhaps a Democrat will not beat Mr. Bartlett this year, but if Maryland Democrats give this race some notice, we can remind those CACO Democrats that they are not forgotten in their struggle for good governance.

Not to mention, who do you want voting on Iraq and other Security issues in congress?

Captain Andrew Duck (D), 20 year Army Veteran:

Or this guy:


I think the choice is clear. 'Give a buck to Mr. Duck.'

Torture Supporting Democrats, Progressives Will Never Forget or Forgive

First, read the great commentary over at Jousting for Justice.

These are the Democrats who believe torture is an American value:

Andrews (NJ-1)
Barrow (GA-12)
Bean (IL-8)
Bishop (GA-2)
Boren (OK-2)
Boswell (IA-3)
Boyd (FL-2)
Brown (OH-13)
Chandler (KY-6)
Cramer (AL-5)
Cuellar (TN-28)
Davis (AL-7)
Davis (TN-4)
Edwards (TX-17)
Etheridge (NC-2)
Ford (TN-9)
Gordon (TN-6)
Herseth (SD-AL)
Higgins (NY-27)
Holden (PA-17)
Marshall (GA-3)
Matheson (UT-2)
McIntyre (NC-7)
Melancon (LA-3)
Michaud (ME-2)
Moore (KS-3)
Peterson (MN-7)
Pomeroy (ND-AL)
Ross (AR-4)
Salazar (CO-3)
Scott (GA-13)
Spratt (SC-5)
Tanner (TN-8)
Taylor (MS-4)

I hope these public servants understand that Progressives will never forget or forgive their vote.

Progressives do not support torture. Be warned, you have shamed your offices, and we will find new blood to fill your seats.

UPDATE: HT to the folks over at Maryland Politics Watch who have confirmed that the entire Maryland Congressional Delegation voted no on torture. Good for them.

Bmore News

The front page of this Baltimore news site is hosting an interview with Kweisi Mfume. Mr. Mfume comments on the primaries, turnout, Mike Steele and the future of politics in the Old Line State. After only looking at it for a few minutes, it appears this site is a great resource for Maryland bloggers.

A Temporary Slow Down

Things at Kujanblog have slowed down a bit, and will only get slower in the next few weeks. There are so many things I would love to comment on, but other local bloggers have a better handle on those things than I could possibly wish to have at this point.

A move at work combined with the loss of my home internet access has severely cut into my blogging time. Hopefully by early to mid-October I will have a home connection again. Then I can finally spend the time necessary to make this blog worthy of reading.

At this point the entries are mostly hurried bits coddled together during slow moments at work. Stay tuned for better, more thoroughly researched/edited entries in the future.