http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/18/9592/14856?new=true

Netroots warrior runs for Iowa state rep (3rd district)
by seuss [Subscribe] [Edit Diary]
Sun May 18, 2008 at 07:42:34 AM PDT
Hello Kossacks!
Although I've been haunting your site for a while now, This will be my first entry.
Most of the time, when I have news that seems to be breaking, someone here always posts it first, and out of respect for the rules against redundancy, I beg off. Today, however, I have a bit of news that I feel I should share with you, and due to your penchant for supporting local political races, I believe it will be accepted.

I'd like to introduce you (if you haven't yet had the pleasure of visiting Project for the Old American Century), to a man by the name of TJ Templeton. TJ's been wandering the tubes for years as a counter-spin activist, slayer of trolls, and progressive artist extraodinaire. I'm sure some have seen the "it's not fascism when we do it" graphic floating around, among others.
J recently moved to a rural Iowa district, where he realized that he was being represented at the state level by a republican who had run, unopposed, for the last 12 years. J, being the man he is, decided that this was undemocratic, toxic, and simply unacceptable. Now, he's decided to do something about it.



seuss's diary :: ::
Back in 2002, Tj founded the "Project for the Old American Century"

"in response to a rigged election, reduced civil liberties, a hijacking of our domestic and foreign policies by the energy/defense industries, and a compliant corporate media that refused to make these problems prominent in our national consciousness. We felt it our duty as patriots to create a web-based independent media outlet where we can not only debunk the myth of the liberal media but expose the corruption and cronyism taking place at the highest levels of government and corporate power."
Since that time, it's been a reliable portal into a world exposing exactly what it aimed to expose; full of resources, conversation, and like-minded activism and comraderie.

His even - handed, yet uncompromising administration of the discussion forum, and the editorial choices in his daily headlines on the site, and the daily (electronic) and quarterly (print) newsletters, gave any visitor an idea of the compassion, intelligence, and outright unrelenting drive towards ethical action inherant in his view of the world, and of our nation.

It came as no surprise to the regular visitors to the site or forum, that when he saw an injustice, a backhanded usurpation of power perpatrated by a republican in his neighborhood, he would act. And act he has.

He states on his campaign website that there are reasons beyond the undemocratic nature of an uncontested seat. His main reason? His opponent, Chuck Soderberg. Chuck has gone on record saying that he'd never vote for anything that addressed the issue of climate change... In Iowa... The corn belt... the seat of the push for ethanol fuel production. Regardless of your feelings about food-based ethanol (Which Mr. Templeton wants to convert toward a drive to cellulosic sources,) Chuck is the "Vice President of Legislative Planning" for a utility company. A long standing, fossil fuel gulping, pollution spewing, utility company. VICE PRESIDENT FOR LEGISLATIVE PLANNING! It sure helps being an incumbant legislator in that position, doesn't it? He's voted against the creation of "the Office of Energy Independance and the Iowa Power Fund, which is founded on the ideas of developing progressive energy production, yet somehow sits on the board.

There's plenty of other reasons, that I, a New Yorker, could state as reasons why this race matters to the rest of the country, but I fear you might tune this out, so I'll close with this: Iowa is a swing state. Iowa is a seat for the possible futures of world food costs, and in relation to that, ethanol fuel production. The third disrtict in Iowa is part of the ensconced Republican presence on the national stage, and this is the first challenge to that seat in more than a decade. The challenge comes from a netroots activist of conscience, with the ideology and morals to win.

I ask a favor of you Kossacks, please check out the website, and provide whatever support you're able to give. Help in one more facet of the destruction of the Republican Party in 2008.
Thanks for listening.

Pssssst, ya forgot the link!


Otherwise, that's most excellent! I give it 5 spoons!

please go to kos and "reccomend" this diary...
those guys post like wildfire, and its now the fiftieth "most recent post" which is out of general view...
In order to gain exposure, it needs to be "recomended," or it will dissolvoe into obscurity...
Thanx.

I have registered, but can't do anything for 24 hours.

I thought you only had to wait 24 hrs to post diaries, not recomend...

Much longer to post a diary. 24 hours to do anything.
That's how they keep out the riff raff.

ok, thanks for the info, it's been a while since I registered.

I'm lovin' me some Seuss right now.