Vote for Chellie, a true grassroots all-star

Update: Chellie is doing well -- within range of the top three. Please vote now and pass it along!

There's a stiff competition raging at the Democracy for America website -- they've nominated almost 100 candidates to compete for the title of DFA Grassroots All-Star Congressional and Chellie is one of the nominees. Chellie is truly a grassroots all-star, as campaign volunteer and long-time DFA organizer Alison Smith of Portland so aptly describes below. Her opinion is echoed by John Nichols in this week's post in The Nation, as he describes Chellie as part of "a trend that has seen veteran social activists drawn into politics by their frustration with extreme Republicans and cautious Democrats."

Vote for Chellie here: http://democracyforamerica.com/AllStarVote

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Alison's blog post

Democracy for America, the successor organization to Howard Dean's amazing grassroots presidential campaign, is having a contest to name a Grassroots All-Star for 2008. Many terrific congressional candidates from all around the country have been nominated, and the competition is fierce! Much more than a mere online poll, the winner of this contest will have the benefit of DFA's nationwide network of deeply committed progressive activists.

Maine's Chellie Pingree is exactly the kind of person we all think of when we wish that good people would run for office. That's why I voted for her in the DFA competition. More importantly, she is exactly what the Democratic party needs to strengthen its progressive backbone... especially in the United States Congress.

Before Chellie entered politics, she was a mom, an organic farmer and a small business owner, but most importantly, Chellie was an engaged citizen. Her first forays into the political world - running for tax assessor and for the school committee - sprang directly from her involvement in her community.

Whenever Chellie gets involved with something, she ends up leading. She won a seat on the school committee and wound up chairing it. She later won a seat in the State Senate and wound up as Majority Leader.

Chellie is not the sort of tireless self-promoter we often meet in politics. But she is hard working, energetic and persistent. She is motivated by a strong sense of community and guided by her innate common sense. It is no surprise to those who know her that, no matter the venue, she consistently gains the respect and trust of colleagues who then look to her for leadership.

And Chellie delivers. Before term limits ended her tenure in the Maine Senate, she was an effective legislative leader who earned bragging rights on lots of important victories in areas as diverse as health care, the environment, economic development and social justice. Her legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs drew intense and focused opposition from Big Pharma, including an unbelievable lobbying effort and appeals all the way to the Supreme Court. Maine won, largely because of what Chellie did to build a strong bipartisan base of support for a bold proposal that would clearly help many Maine people.

Most recently, Chellie spent four years at the helm of the national reform organization, Common Cause. At Common Cause she fought against media consolidation, for election integrity and a whole lot more. You may have seen her on TV talking about these issues. TV is fine, but it's never enough, so Chellie made it a priority to build the grassroots capacity of her organization in order to win important victories in the states. Connecticut's success in passing a Clean Election public funding system is just one example where her commitment to the grassroots made a difference.

There is absolutely no doubt that Chellie will be a solid progressive leader in Congress. She is courageous, tenacious and effective, and she is not afraid to take on the big, thorny issues. If she served in Congress today she would argue for holding impeachment hearings so that the actions of the Bush administration could be fully investigated and understood. To Chellie, this is a matter of safeguarding democracy and our Constitution. Convenience and politics should not trump the fundamental notion of accountability which is what impeachment is all about.

Chellie will take on the entrenched interests that stymie efforts to achieve universal access to quality affordable health care. Chellie supports a single-payer option and says, "There are plenty of good proposals out there; what's lacking is the political will for fight for them." You can count on Chellie to take on the real fight.

I know the kind of grassroots support Chellie can muster because I helped recruit and coordinate volunteers on her 2002 race against incumbent US Senator Susan Collins. Recruiting is not exactly what we did - the volunteers flocked to Chellie and we had only to figure out how to channel all that enthusiasm and spirit. In that race, Chellie was cautioned against speaking out against the impending war, but she did not heed that advice. She took a strong position against the war and spoke about it all the time. Volunteers streamed into to the campaign, not just from Maine but from around the country.

Chellie is a true grassroots all-star whose values are wholly compatible with Democracy for America's mission of electing socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates. I hope you will vote for her so we can send a real leader to Washington.

---by Alison Smith

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To vote, go to http://democracyforamerica.com/gras.

Crossposted at MyDD and Turn Maine Blue.

Reporting from the road in York County

Hello from the headquarters of the Seacoast Democrats in York. I'm traveling with Chellie in York County today. We started with a sit down at a coffee shop in the South Berwick area where Chellie talked to voters about health care, Iraq, the environment and -- most of all -- the economy. (Since it was Chellie that everyone wanted to talk to, I got to sneak off into a corner and enjoy one of the best breakfast sandwiches I've had in ages.)

A few months ago, I noticed Chellie was starting to talk more and more about the economy. To be honest I was surprised to hear her bringing it up then -- I know the economy is always important but it just didn't seem to me it was at the top of most people's list of the most critical issues facing us. Not surprisingly, she clearly saw that there was serious trouble ahead. Now everyone wants to talk about it.

As I write this, Chellie is talking to a crowd at the Seacoast Democratic Headquarters in York. Rozanna Patane gave a Chellie a great intro, saying how much she respected Chellie's work creating and
introducing MaineRx -- a first-in-the-nation prescription drug program that the pharmaceutical companies fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Rozanna said she was impressed with the way Chellie stuck with the fight all the way to the end (and won.)

The questions that people want to discuss are really interesting -- from alternative energy, to humanitarian needs in Iraq, nuclear weapons and blind trust.

After we finish up here it's off to Kittery and then back to York for another event.

End war, support domestic needs

[Note: This appeared today as a Maine Voices editorial in the Portland Press Herald.]

In my hometown I often join an early morning breakfast with some long-time friends -- including a builder, a plumber, a mailman, a school principal and a retiree returned from an out- of-state manufacturing job.

Our conversation recently turned to the economy and their concern that not one new house is being built in our community this winter.

Recent economic news has been grim: the credit crisis, rising unemployment, a declining stock market. But, like most people, my neighbors don't need an economist to tell them when the economy is not doing well.

As we approach President Bush's final State of the Union address, we see the devastating effects of this administration's bad decisions, misplaced priorities and neglect.

TAKE ACTION NOW

I'm hopeful that the next election will bring a new direction for our country. But we can't wait for Congress to answer the question Americans are asking: "How do we repair the damage that's been done?"

The Iraq war has robbed us of precious lives and of scarce financial resources. The numbers are staggering: over 4,000 U.S. soldiers killed and 60,000 wounded. The daily cost to taxpayers is nearly $275 million.

Ending the war now will not only allow us to begin investing those millions productively but will also allow us to start rebuilding America's image abroad.

We pay for the costliest health-care system in the world, yet nearly 50 million have no health care coverage. Many who do have insurance worry that their insurance company won't cover their medical needs.

In Maine, the increasing costs heating our homes reminds us that we are particularly dependent on foreign oil and gas. Promoting energy efficiency and investing in energy alternatives such as wind power, solar and tidal will save us money, create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

The good news is that the public is ready to change the way we do business. Now it's time for Washington to act.

Congress should act immediately to adopt an economic stimulus package including targeted tax rebates designed to put money into the hands of those who are in the best position to spend it.

And the federal government needs to start paying its bill to states like Maine, where federal under-funding has led to budget shortfalls that threaten our health and education systems.

Over the long term we need to make an investment in our country's economic health by:

• Investing in our infrastructure, including transportation, broadband access, and sustainable energy sources. In Maine, this investment could substantially help our state's struggling economy.

• Instituting universal health care to help relieve the crushing burden of rising health-care expenses from Maine businesses and individuals.

This administration's tax policies have benefited very few and have not promoted economic growth. They need to be restructured to:

• Provide and expand tax credits for child care, health care, college expenses and retirement.

• Repeal the Bush tax cuts that favor the wealthy and have contributed to the shrinking of the middle class. This includes making significant changes in the tax structure, including repealing the tax cuts enjoyed by wealthy investors and closing loopholes for private equity and hedge funds.

Finally, Washington must take its oversight responsibility seriously; protecting consumers from unscrupulous lenders and keeping a close eye on the way the financial services industry and banks do business.

UNDERSTANDABLY FRUSTRATED

People are right to be frustrated with our government's unwillingness to enact the bold solutions needed. When times are tough, we should be able to rely on our government.

I look forward to a future breakfast with my neighbors when, over our second cup of coffee, we talk about the three new houses under construction, their kids heading off to college and a health care system that was there for them when they needed it.

-- Special to the Press Herald

Winter's night in Readfield

Deb Curtis and Ed Sims opened their home on the evening of January 24th, and welcomed friends and neighbors to talk with Chellie, hear about the campaign, and discuss the issues that concern so many Democrats this year -- the war in Iraq, health care, global climate change, and the economy. There were many questions for Chellie; the discussion was lively. Many questions centered on problems of the healthcare system, including services for mental health. Watch a slideshow of the party.

Portland's celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy

The Portland NAACP sponsored another successful Martin Luther King Breakfast Celebration in Portland today. I carpooled to the event with State Rep. Anne Rand and we both found the morning to be a great opportunity to hear some great speeches, catch up with old friends and make some new ones.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Susan Rice, a former Assistant Secretary of State under President Clinton. Dr. Rice (whose grandparents moved to Munjoy Hill in Portland from Jamaica in 1912) is currently serving
as a foreign policy advisor on Barack Obama's campaign. Dr. Rice's speech was truly inspirational as she talked about the future--a future far different than what we've experienced under President Bush. She
talked about an America that uses our power and influence wisely, as she put it "acting not just for our own sake, but for the greater good."

Again this morning I was reminded of what a historic moment this is. Never in my life have I seen such great dissatisfaction with the way things are and such great optimism about the way things can be.

Here I am, with Rachel Talbot Ross, president of NAACP, Portland Branch, and her father, Gerald Talbot, (past president of NAACP Portland Branch and Maine's first African-American legislator).

On the road in Lincoln County

9:00 am -- Dick Snyder and Kit Sherrill pulled up to Wen's Diner in Boothbay Harbor at exactly the same moment that Chellie and I arrived. Together we planted ourselves at a table by the door and ordered coffee all around. Chellie chatted with patrons as the Saturday morning crowd wandered in and out while Dick and Kit gave Chellie a rundown on the growing number of Democrats in their town of Southport. Dick said he knows a guy in Southport who was one of only seven enrolled Democrats in town at one time.

9:45 am -- The East Boothbay General Store was next, where we caught up with State Rep. Bruce MacDonald and his wife Georgia Ireland. Everyone was pretty impressed with the job Dominic and Liz Poochee have done with the store in the year since they bought it. The little kitchen out back pumps out a generous supply of incredible muffins and other delights, and after listening to Dominic describe the lengthy testing process they went through before perfecting their pizza dough, I suspect it would be a great place to stop for a slice.

Dominic and Liz had a lot to offer -- Dominic talked about the growing boat building industry in the region and Liz and Chellie talked about the challenges of running a small business. It was something Chellie could definitely relate to, since she has started and run several small businesses.

10:15 -- The Boothbay Y was hopping, when we stopped in there to talk to folks coming in for a basketball game or picking up kids after swimming lessons. A local lobsterman had a lot to say about the state of the fishing industry and what constitutes sensible federal regulation. Again, it was familiar territory for Chellie, having worked as a sternman on a lobster boat herself.

11:00 am -- Late morning brought Chellie to the Skidompha Library in Damariscotta, where several dozen volunteers and supporters had gathered to talk about issues. Because this was a fairly political crowd, they also wanted to discuss the ins and outs of the campaign. Jenny Mayher and Mary McPherson did a great job putting this event together, and many people left with nominating petitions to collect signatures in their town to put Chellie's name on the ballot.

1:00 PM -- Lunch was at Barb Burt's house, who not only does a fabulous job as the director of online communications on the campaign, but also can lay out a pretty good spread for a big group of people. The crowd around the table was made up of Maine bloggers and journalists. My favorite part was when we went around the table and everyone said what they did. Somewhat shly, Nick Von Hoffman of Tenants Harbor described himself as simply "a writer." Someone had to drag it out of him that he actually writes for the Nation and used to write for the Washington Post and has a regular column in the New York Observer. Not to mention that he has a dozen books to his name. "But I don't have a blog," he said. "Yeah," said someone else, "you've got a publisher."

Chellie was pretty charged when we left Barb's house. The conversation had been free-flowing and wide ranging. It was the kind of dialog -- about important and controversial issues -- that is really quite stimulating. Chellie really enjoys getting her teeth deep into these policy issues and hearing different perspectives - of which there was not shortage in that group.

3:00 PM -- The day wound down around the big table at Treats in Wiscasset. I must admit a certain bias here -- I'm a big fan of Treats. There is nothing I like more than camping out at that table with a cup of coffee and visiting with Sue Lieter or Ryan and Stacy Linehan.

That afternoon the table was crowded with people from the Wiscasset area. One of the big topics was the role of America abroad and how badly our worldwide reputation has been damaged. It was an appropriate topic with Bruce and Suzy Steadman at the table, since Bruce was a former Under Secretary General of the UN and apparently knows a thing or two about international relations, and Suzy worked for the Ford Foundation in Africa.

At some point during the day, while we were driving from one event to another, the phone rang in the car. It was my 12-year-old daughter Sally asking whose pickup truck was in the driveway. When I told her that it was Chellie's, because she had met me there and we drove to Boothbay in my car, Sally said "Chellie Pingree was here?" Sally loves politics and is a big Hillary Clinton fan (my other daughter loves Obama, so it's a good mix) and I think she puts Chellie and Hillary in the same "famous politician" category. Except that I don't think Hillary was ever a sternman. That's my guess, anyway.

Click to see a slideshow of the day.

"Chellie Pingree has a plan and is ready to do the job"

Note: this is a post picked up from the blog, UnionMaine. Click here to read the original.

Chellie Pingree, candidate for congress in the first congressional district asked for questions from readers and sent in some very interesting answers. When judging candidates remember, that no Republicans have responded to invitations. Read more about her candidacy at http://www.chelliepingree.org/ In another interview Chellie said ...communicating, lobbying, fundraising and engaging the public in policy and politics is far more exciting and inexpensive via the internet.

UnionMaine Editor: This site asked if the candidate would answer questions. Chellie's campaign did not ask for a list of questions first. She is willing to stand by her beliefs.

1. Social Security Offset: State employees that have contributed to the Social Security system are punished by the Social Security offset. As a member of congress, will you work to repeal this unjust law? What will you do?

Yes, I am a fervent advocate of repealing the Government Pension Offset (GPO) of the Social Security Act. I supported repairing this broken system when I ran for federal office in 2002, and I continue to hold this position today. Maine is one of a handful of states impacted by this provision, and in Congress I would work with Members of Congress from the other 14 states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas) to make sure this is corrected for the people who are penalized. I would support legislation to repeal the offset, but it is likely that the best opportunity to address the offset will be in the context of larger social security reform, and I would be strong advocate for making this important change at that time.

2. Describe what you would do to improve the Department Of Labor and how you would make it friendlier to labor. Will you support a card check law on the Federal level? Would you support and enforce prevailing wage across the country?

The first thing that needs to happen is that the Secretary of Labor needs to be someone who understands the needs and rights of workers. With every federal agency, the Bush Administration has put foxes in charge of the henhouse. I would advocate that the next president (a Democrat, if we all work hard!) chooses a Secretary who truly stands up for all U.S. workers. The Department of Labor needs to stand up for workers - not the interest of big corporations. That includes understanding the need for the Employee Free Choice Act, strengthening OSHA requirements, and guaranteeing workers a living wage.

During the Bush Administration, the DOL has been more vigilant about enforcing regulations against Unions then against businesses in violation of labor laws. I think the next Secretary will need to refocus their enforcement efforts. I am also very concerned about the NLRB and the decisions that have been made by it. I think that it is critical that future appointments to this board believe in the purpose of the NLRA if they are going to be making decisions that will be critical to American workers. I recommend the "Eye on the NLRB" site on http://www.americanrightsatwork.org

Finally, yes, I support check card legislation and would support and enforce nationwide prevailing wage. I hope that, with a new administration and bigger margins in Congress, this will be only a beginning.

Read More "Chellie Pingree has a plan and is ready to do the job".

Tell President Bush: Let Maine lead!

Just before Christmas, the Bush Administration stopped Maine from taking a significant step forward on the climate crisis. Now is the time for bold action on global warming, and Maine, California, and fourteen other states are trying to take leadership -- but the Bush Administration keeps getting in the way.¹

Climate change is the greatest environmental crisis we've ever faced, and we can't afford to wait for action. I've launched a petition calling on the administration to let states like Maine continue to take the lead in fighting global warming. Please join me and sign the petition:
Let Maine Lead

The professional staff at the EPA was shocked when the head of the EPA -- the man appointed by President Bush to oversee the nation's climate policy -- made a surprise announcement that he was using the recently signed energy bill as an excuse for blocking tough emission standards proposed by Maine and the other states. Stephen Johnson -- the Bush appointee -- told his staff that he didn't want to discuss it. And while he was at it, he also thumbed his nose at the Supreme Court, which had ordered the EPA to consider the harmful effects of greenhouse gas pollutants.²

Why would the Bush Administration suddenly freeze efforts by states like Maine to address the realities of global warming? Why would they suddenly stop a scientific and regulatory process the Supreme Court had ordered? According to a staff member at EPA, it was a White House deal with the Detroit automakers to "get the EPA out of the way." Governor Baldacci called it "obstructionist."³

If the Bush Administration won't lead, at least they should get out of the way.

Maine and the other states have filed suit to force the EPA to reverse the decision, but the court case will take time. Time we don't have.

Maine has long been a leader in environmental protection. As Majority Leader of the Maine Senate, I co-sponsored successful legislation to improve air quality by using market incentives to reduce air pollution generated by vehicles in Maine.⁴ We need to put pressure on EPA Administrator Johnson to let states like Maine continue to rise to the challenge of climate change.

I know that, like me, you are ready for bold action and big ideas, and I know you share my desire for change. But change takes a willingness to stand up and take on a tough fight against powerful interests. It's a fight I've taken on before and will continue to take on in the future. I want to serve in Congress because I believe there is much that needs to be done and too few people willing to do it.

We must no longer accept a government that makes secret deals with industry at the expense of our health and environment. Please sign the petition and share it with others. Remember, together we can change the way Washington does business. Let Maine Lead
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¹ "States join emissions battle" by Dale Kasler. December 21, 2007. Sacramento Bee: California. http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/583717.html

² "EPA chief is said to have ignored staff" by Janet Wilson. December 21, 2007. Los Angeles Times: California. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-epa21dec21,1,2746599.story?coll=la-headlines-california&ctrack=1&cset=true

³ "States vow to back Calif. against Bush." December 21, 2007. Baltimore Sun: Maryland. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.epa21dec21,0,1226705.story

⁴ LD 2182 (Enactment, 4/12/00). History and Final Disposition of Legislative Documents, 119th Legislative

Another one of Cheney's babies?

In the days leading up to Christmas the EPA made a surprise announcement that they were putting the brakes on efforts by California, Maine and more than a dozen other states to issue tough standards for greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. Today those states announced they were taking the Administration to court over this unprecedented decision to block state action on air pollution.

I've been talking to Chellie Pingree about the impact of the EPA decision. Chellie, a candidate for Maine's 1st Congressional District, is very frustrated that once again the Administration seemed to be putting the interests of powerful corporations ahead of something that matters to all of us--preserving our environment and trying to get a handle on the global warming crisis. So I decided to drill down a bit and learn more about the issue. I didn't like what I found.

It was a secret, backroom deal. It had to be. And it was probably made in one of those back rooms behind the Vice President's office.

The deal must have gone something like this: The oil, gas, coal and auto industries go along with the recent energy bill and in return the Bush Administration gives them a complete pass on the greenhouse gas their industries produce. Sweet, if you're one of those industries. Not so sweet if you're the rest of us.

Read More Another one of Cheney's babies?.