Run! Run for Your Lives!

Well, they did it. They certified another election rife with voter interference, corruption, and intimidation. There is only one thing left for progressives of all political affiliation to do: Run!

Don’t run to Canada. Don’t run for cover. Don’t even run for momma.

Run for office!

Didn’t the month of pleading for courage from our leaders, resulting in only one gutsy Senator, teach us anything? (Thank you very much Barbara Boxer, I will forever date only men with a boxer preference). What we should have learned from this fiasco of federal representation is that we have few people with courage because the true leaders aren’t running for office.

I met so many real leaders over the last six months. They weren’t all politicos. Some were, but many lead single families, small businesses, and yes, quiet opposition.

Well, its time to turn up the volume. Social security is at stake; a woman’s right to choose is at stake, what little affordable housing and access to education we have left is at stake. We need to know that when people’s representatives cease to represent them that others will stand to take their place. And folks, those representatives aren’t coming from Haliburton. And sadly, they also aren’t coming from Congress.

I had the great honor to see Michael Badnarik speak about the constitution. He of course, joined David Cobb in challenging the Ohio and New Mexico voting results. Michael quoted Ben Franklin. Franklin said that there was a difference between revolution and rebellion. Revolution signifies a change in thought, a coming around of ideas, and rebellion is how we get those changes.

Rebellion anyone? Running for office is the noblest form of rebellion.

Make nice with the current administration? That is what the Democratic leadership would have us do.

Sorry, no dice. I’m not making nice with folks who dishonestly wage war. (Wouldn’t it have been great to have the National Guard protect against voter intimidation at the polls, to assure fairness and help in the hand recount?) I’m not smoothing things over with people who want to tell me how I can care for my own body. I’m not gonna find the middle ground between millions of United States citizen’s living in poverty, without healthcare and the CEO’s who support deficit growing tax cuts for the obscenely wealthy.

Sorry, the alleged opposition in power may want to do that, but they better do it while they can, cause we have proven that those of us who care about democracy, justice, and each other are still out here in the country. And we’re comin’ for their jobs.

Thank you David Cobb, Michael Badnarik, Jesse Jackson, Congressman Conyers, and Senator Boxer. Thank you millions of patriots across this land who fought for justice in the election of 2004.

Take a nap, kiss your kids, have a great dinner, and toast your success for slowing the momentum of a democracy out of control. Then lets get back to work. Run, run, run, and if you absolutely can’t, find someone that you trust who can and support them.

Your voices grew louder and louder since Nov 2. I heard you. Keep going, never again let us search so long for so few who understand the meaning of one person, one vote. Never again let this country be so lacking in leadership.

[This open letter was sent via email to many news outlets and supporters by Green Party Vice Presidential Candidate Pat LaMarche, who used her candidacy to take a historic two week "Left Out Tour" that highlighted those left out in America.]

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