Progressive politics heat up

The biggest problem with Maryland politics is our own lack of knowledge, vigilance, involvement and participation. The hacks, crooks and incompetents who tend to dominate politics are there because we don’t get involved!

So, the upcoming primaries and elections mean there’s opportunity for us to make a difference and resolve, with the New Year, to get involved in one or more campaigns.

Probably the most relevant campaign for those of us in Silver Spring and Takoma Park is Jamin Raskin’s bid for the Maryland Senate in the 20th District. For the first time, Senator Ida Rubin is being challenged by a true progressive — one with superb national and local credentials. Raskin is a professor of constitutional law at American University and director of its Program on Law and Government.

A former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, Raskin, a Takoma Park resident native to the area, is an active public interest lawyer and chaired a key state labor board in Maryland. He is also the founder of the National Marshall-Brennan program that sends law students into public high schools to teach a course in constitutional literacy and the author of We the Students. Most recently, he is the pro-bono attorney successfully representing some low-income Takoma Park tenants facing eviction due to condo conversion.

Jamin Raskin is going to have a tough battle to change old habits. Liberal groups like Progressive Maryland and the Montgomery County teachers union (MCEA) think they have no choice but to throw their support behind Ruben, who has backed some of their issues over the decades but is, at best, a machine-style middle of the road politician. So, for progressives, it will come down to fundraising, door knocking, grassroots organizing and an army of volunteers in order to mount a winning reform campaign. In a perfect world, the classiest move Ruben could make would be to take US Senator Paul Sarbanes’ lead, recognize that Democrats need an infusion of fresh new leadership, exit with her reputation intact, shake Jamie’s hand as a gesture of “passing the baton” and make way for a fine progressive Democrat.

Then there’s the 20th District seat Peter Franchot will vacate to run against Schaeffer for the Comptroller’s office. Plus there’s general agreement that Rep. Garreth Murray has been a disappointment who showed neither leadership in Annapolis nor presence in the community. Murray also might decide not to run again. Former Takoma Park Ward 2 Councilmember Heather Mizeur is putting together a credible campaign for one of those seats, as is Tom Hucker, the principal organizer behind Progressive Maryland. Both are worth supporting.Takoma Park City Councilmember Joy Austin Lane was the first to declare for this seat and would also make a good delegate.

It also appears that Montgomery County Council President Tom Perez is in the running for Attorney General. He’s done a noteworthy job and deserves our support. That leaves his Council seat open, and Marc Elrich, who ran at large in the last election, is being encouraged to run for our district seat now that Blair Ewing has decided not to. He’ll need volunteers and money (since his slow-growth views and his refusal to take developer money will certainly draw opposition from the developers and the Chamber of Commerce).

Although Duchy Tractenberg, a strong activist, hasn’t yet declared, she may run for one of the at-large seats on the County Council. She’s got support, experience and the right credentials to win. Duchy understands the need to realign our political priorities. She ran a campaign free of developer dollars in 2002 and is poised to do that again next year, so likely she’ll encounter heavy resistance from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. This council race is bound to become a repeat of the brutal campaign waged against Blair Ewing in 2002.

One of those at-large seats currently belongs to Steve Silverman. Silverman is running for County Executive. Interestingly, Washington Post writers and columnists won’t let him forget that 71 percent of his funds comes from developers’ coffers

Silverman is being challenged by a popular candidate, Ike Leggett, who, when he ran for County Council, always got the most votes. However, he’s up against a politician who already has campaign contributions of approximately $1 million, largely from developers. So unless Leggett gets a strong show of support from us, he’s in for a steep uphill battle.

Present County Executive Doug Duncan is running for Governor against Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley. Duncan has been trailing by 14 points and now that O’Malley has named popular Prince Georges County Rep Anthony Brown as his running mate, the percentage should widen! But O’Malley could use help here in Montgomery County and our support will give us more credibility when he’s elected Governor.

Then there’s the U.S. Senate race. Since Sarbanes has announced his retirement, Republicans are posturing to capture that seat by pouring in support for Lt. Governor Steele. There are two major Democratic candidates currently running about even. Congressman Ben Cardin, a moderate liberal (who just voted for the Patriot Act and supported the most recent vote on the Iraq War!) is running against Kweisi Mfume, a progressive former Congressman and National NAACP Executive. The question in the minds of democratic strategists is who will do better in swing counties — a Jewish liberal or a progressive African American? Personally, of the two, I’d love to see Mfume elected.

Finally there is Independent candidate Kevin Zeese, who will be on the ballot in the general election. He understands that the two major parties “no longer represent the interests of most Americans.” I believe his position closely mirrors the stand of most progressives. It’s just unfortunate that the Democratic Party doesn’t have the backbone to support these positions. No matter who wins the Democratic primary, Zeese is still the progressive choice. He is determined to be an independent voice for disenfranchised citizens, supporting a responsible exit strategy from Iraq, breaking the US’s oil addiction to foster energy independence, providing affordable comprehensive healthcare for all, sustaining affordable housing, ending corporate welfare, returning to a government “of, by and for the people,” ending the failed war on drugs (focusing on treatment not incarceration and allowing medical use of marijuana) and providing paper voting records and fairness in the election process, among other progressive stands.

Kevin is taking his candidacy for Senator very seriously and those (including myself) who want to support a strong progressive should contact him and offer to help.

In the next several months, I’ll be highlighting each of the candidates and issues. In the meantime, here’s how to get involved and how to contact candidates:

• 1. Host neighborhood meetings and fundraisers (or attend one to learn about the candidate).
• 2. Volunteer to help the candidate.
• 3. Contribute money.
• 4. Write letters to newspapers and magazines.