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IN-06 I'm Running for Congress Again, Thank you Netroots Nation and Yearly Kos and on Bluedog Dems

by: Barry Welsh

Tue Aug 07, 2007 at 12:41:41 PM EDT


Hosted here and cross posted across The Netroots Nation.  Feel free to copy and pass along. BW

I'm running for Congress for the second time.  I made the formal announcement during the YearlyKos Convention in Chicago.  Video of the announcement will be up soon.  A rough transcript is at the bottom of this piece.  A complete Digital Roll Out of the campaign is on the way.

I also want to talk about BlueDog Democrats and will do that below as well.

I have to say Thank You to several people.  You are probably one of them.

Barry Welsh :: IN-06 I'm Running for Congress Again, Thank you Netroots Nation and Yearly Kos and on Bluedog Dems
NYBri and Hekebolos put together an event called The Netroots Candidates Celebration.
I had the privilege of "Throwing My Hat into The Ring" at this event.  I had the privilege of sharing the stage with other Freedom Loving Patriots, Charlie Brown, Darcy Bruner, Scott Kleeb, Eric Massa,  and so many more that I will direct you here to see them all.
Thank You is not enough to say to NYBri and Hekebolos for doing this, but for now, THANK YOU.

To Gina Cooper, who I have never met, WOW, you are remarkable for what you put together.  THANK YOU.

To the volunteers that made it all possible, you are all selfless, patriotic, wonderful people.  THANK YOU.

To Markos, THANK YOU for building a little website, where we have a strength that is not accessible in any other form.  The community's strength is our numbers and that strength will only grow.

To MyDD, FireDogLakeOpen Left, My Left Wing and all of the other National Blogs, To Blue Indiana, Masson's Blog, Trifles in Anderson,
Taking Down Words and Leftinaboite
And to all who are building the blogosphere in Indiana
and All of the blogs and bloggers that have created the Netroots Nation, THANK YOU and I am already looking forward to Netroots Nation 08 where ever it may be.

To Political Nexus, E. Plurbus Media, Blog Talk Radio  , Meet the Bloggers, and all of the other New Media that is fighting the giant noise machine, THANK YOU.

To all of the Citizen Journalist that I met, and to those that I only know on line, THANK YOU.  You are the reason I announced at YearlyKos.  I wanted to announce in front of thousands of Citizen Journalists, not just traditional media. 

To those from last cycle's campaign that are back again, and to those that have moved on, THANK YOU ALL once again.

To the sponsors of YearlyKos and all of the organizations that are working to change government, especially ActBlue, THANK YOU.

To those that are reading for the first time, please read on.

I wanted to post the above last night, but with dial up, it simply was not possible to post and include the video link so I waited, and I still don't have the video uploaded.

Today, I planned to post what follows, so, a two-fer if you will!

I like Brad Ellsworth, and yes he is that good looking in person, I like Baron Hill, and always have, I like Joe Donnelly and have since the first time I met him, and the same for Senator Bayh, but I really, really, really, have a fondness for this piece of paper called the United States Constitution.

I would not have voted as they did on FISA, but I am more liberal than they are and we
all know that, you know that, I know that, and they know that.  Some in Indiana are afraid of being called a Liberal and the word comes from Liberty, so I think we should embrace it. 

There is a myth that only conservative democrats can get elected in Indiana, and it is a myth (See Phil Sharp who was elected from this district for 20 years) but as long as conservative democrats are the only one's being funded, of course they are the only one's that will win and the myth continues.  We plan to break that myth this cycle.  Fighting the undeniable fact that the media is very conservative will not make it any easier, but it is a fight that must be won.

When I told Governor Richardson that I was running again against Mike Pence at The Teamsters Cookout, he grabbed my arm and said, "Don't just run against him, beat him, we need to get rid of that guy!"  It is indeed a battle that must be won.

Brad, Baron and Beyond, (Sorry, I couldn't resist, it's the blogger in me)  voted the way they did because of National Security, and I do not hate them for voting what they believe, because I believe in National Security too, but I also understand the potential for expansion of the FISA bill, and the potential danger.  I love this country but since 2000, have feared this government and do not agree with granting this administration any additional power.  It is my hope that in 6 months this will not be re-newed, it is my fear that it will. 

National Security is a concern of mine and to me that means; protecting and securing the food supply, making certain that our bridges are not "structurally deficient", Independence from Big-Oil through re-newable energy, ending the occupation of Iraq and the debt to China that continues to mount because of Neo-Conservative Ignorance, stopping the flood of jobs being shipped away from American workers, health care coverage that is for the patent and not the insurance companies and is available to all who need it, Protecting the Constitution, these are what bring true National Security, not who gets the oil contacts in Iraq!

Now is not the time for third parties or abandonment of the political process.  It is the time to strengthen the Progressive presence in our current Democratic Party.  I need your help to do that. 

I need 3000 of you to pledge 10 dollars a month for the next 16 months and with that, I will beat Mike Pence.  That is three percent of the Daily Kos Community donating the cost of 3 gallons a gas a month.  Isn't that a bargain to knock out Mike Pence?

  If you can give more, great.  If you are in position to max out, we need early money, so awesome.  No matter who you are, where you are, or what you can or cannot afford, if nothing else you can spread the word. 

Barry Welsh
Indiana 6th District Democratic Congressional Candidate.

actblue

webpage  The New Site to début soon.

Here is a rough transcript of the announcement.  Without Adlibs!

Hello, I am Barry Welsh, 2006 Democratic Candidate for Congress in Indiana's 6th District; this is my wife Sherri and she diaries as "Congressional Candidates Wife."
  I am a citizen politician and we are proud members of the netroots.  My Kos User ID is 68838. 

In 2006, with the help of many volunteers and contributors, we received 40 percent of the vote in the general election as an unknown progressive in Indiana, so we have momentum and confidence. 

I come before you now to formally announce My candidacy for Indiana's 6th District Seat in The United States House of Representatives.  I have thrown my hat into the ring.

Indiana's 6th District Seat is currently held by Neo Conservative Bush Clone Mike Pence, the guy who said  "Iraq is like any Indiana market in the summertime".  It's not, and you can come to Indiana and get sweet corn or melons without battle helicopters overhead.

It's time to put Pence over the Fence and out to pasture where he and his backward conservative ideas belong.  No matter what your number one issue is, I can guarantee Mike Pence is against you.

We took People Powered Politics to a new level in 2006 and I am very proud of what we accomplished.  We ran a campaign of People Before Profits and I still believe in that.  In 2006 we gained name recognition and voter trust, now it is time to finish the job.

In 2004 I had enough.  In 2005 I had ENOUGH.  In 2006 I HAD ENOUGH.

Have you had enough of Gonzales?
Enough of Cheney?
Enough of Big Oil?
Enough of the Iraq War? 
Have you had enough of The Roadblock Republicans?
Have you had enough of George W Bush and guys like Mike Pence in lockstep with him?

Well, I HAVE HAD ENOUGH, and if you have had enough let me hear you say ENOUGH!

It's time for Welsh/Pence II and I have 5 Words for You.  LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE.

My name is Barry Welsh.  I'm running for Congress and I need your support. 

Now on to Victory.  Thank You. 

Tags: , , , (All Tags)
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I'm In (4.00 / 2)
I only wish you were running against one of the three sellouts we sent to Congress last year.

Good luck...


Thanks Jeff! (4.00 / 2)
Tell ten of your friends to get in as well and have them tell ten of their friends and we can make this happen!

Thanks again

Barry


[ Parent ]
Barry, I'll support you. (4.00 / 1)
I'll support the DNC.  But, while I do not know Baron Hill personally and it sounds like you do, and I'm not saying he is an evil human being (I wouldn't even say that about Bush), I'm sorry, I don't believe that his Fisa vote had anything to do with conviction.  I think it was a matter of percieved political expediency and lack of principles.  Baron thinks that he can gain political power by selling out the Dems who voted him into office again and again.  I don't think so.  I think he's going to get thrashed by Sodrell at the rate he is going, because I think he is seriously pissing off the Dem base.  He's not alone in this.  Dem after Dem takes progressive Dems for granted, assuming we have no alternatives.  Wrong.  We can vote Green.  I will vote Green if Hill doesn't shape up.  Hill is a walking, talking advertisement for the Green party, a demonstration that electing a Blue Dog is pretty much the same as electing a Republican.

And even if Progressives don't vote Green, people like Hill need to realize that they can't win if the base isn't excited and energized to support and work for them and contribute to them.

I only hope a progressive/populist Dem challenges and defeats Hill in a primary.  I think populism can win in Southern Indiana.


eppie (4.00 / 1)
I have the same concerns about the Democratic base here in Indiana.  We made tremendous gains in 2006 and that was because we energized the base.  We need to keep that energy statewide.

The thing is, Baron doesn't run as a progressive.  He is a bluedog and that is how he runs.  Maybe only blue dogs can win in Indiana, but I think that is Old Conventional Wisdom.  I think only blue dogs get funding from the party and thus only blue dogs win.
I am out to change that. 

The bottom line for that district for me, is that I would rather work with Baron over Sodrell any day!

I am going to be with Baron and Brad on the 25th of this month and I will pass along your message to both of them.

Thank you for your passion and for this discussion.

Barry Welsh


[ Parent ]
Barry, I'll support you. (0.00 / 0)
I'll support the DNC.  But, while I do not know Baron Hill personally and it sounds like you do, and I'm not saying he is an evil human being (I wouldn't even say that about Bush), I'm sorry, I don't believe that his Fisa vote had anything to do with conviction.  I think it was a matter of percieved political expediency and lack of principles.  Baron thinks that he can gain political power by selling out the Dems who voted him into office again and again.  I don't think so.  I think he's going to get thrashed by Sodrell at the rate he is going, because I think he is seriously pissing off the Dem base.  He's not alone in this.  Dem after Dem takes progressive Dems for granted, assuming we have no alternatives.  Wrong.  We can vote Green.  I will vote Green if Hill doesn't shape up.  Hill is a walking, talking advertisement for the Green party, a demonstration that electing a Blue Dog is pretty much the same as electing a Republican.

And even if Progressives don't vote Green, people like Hill need to realize that they can't win if the base isn't excited and energized to support and work for them and contribute to them.

I only hope a progressive/populist Dem challenges and defeats Hill in a primary.  I think populism can win in Southern Indiana.


Baron voted AGAINST FISA (0.00 / 0)
Two Hoosier Congresscritters voted against the FISA bill: Carson & Hill. Oddly enough, Pete Visclosky didnt vote on the issue. I made it a point at the Indiana State Democratic Convention to thank Baron Hill for his courageous vote. I believe he is owed an apology by Barry Welsh...

On the War Funding Vote the day before, our progressive new Democratic Congressman from Indianapolis, André Carson, was the only one of the Hoosier Congressional Delegation to vote against it. Once again, Carson was the unBluest Dog!


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