GOTV in #CA17 for Mike Honda Over "Mr. Buzzword"

While canvassing for Rep Mike Honda last weekend, the majority of voters I spoke with said they support him. But a couple individuals said they are voting for Ro Khanna because they want "change." In fact, the phrase was, "I'm voting for change," and, "I'm ready for change." Honestly, I didn't get it, but since we were told by Mike Honda staffers not to engage with those who lean strongly Khanna, just to thank them, I said nothing further. We were also told not to touch any fliers we find from the Khanna campaign. The message was simply to be respectful and positive, aligning ourselves with the kind of campaign the Honda staff is running. As a frequent visitor to the #CA17 twitter stream, I know first hand how differently these campaigns are being run. But, what kind of change does Ro Khanna plan to bring to CA17 if elected?

#Change #MoneyInPolitics

#Change #AttackYourBase

#Change #MoveDemPartyRightward

#Change #BeTheRepublican

#Change #IntellectualPropertyLawyer

#Change #CourtingSiliconValleyInvestorClass

#Change #MoreCorporateBackedLawyersInDC

#Change #FakeClintonDemocrat

Ellen Cushing, The Nation, says it best:

Incredibly, the Khanna campaign has used Honda’s commitment to progressive economic policy to paint its candidate as an underdog, an outside-the-box thinker—a “disruptor,” in Silicon Valley parlance. But what’s obscured in the dichotomy created by the Khanna campaign—tech-savvy innovator versus out-of-touch elder statesman—is that Honda has, in fact, taken a series of clear positions on tech questions. In some cases, those positions have been much clearer than those of his competitor.

But in an industry that takes the techno-utopian view that government is made to be hacked and that legislators are merely the hackers, the investor class may be looking less for a set of policies than for someone who will prioritize their needs over time. Silicon Valley donors don’t describe Khanna in terms of positions and platforms, but rather in impressionistic terms, in cultural platitudes and buzzwords. They are particularly fond of saying that Khanna “gets it,” that he understands their values and speaks their language, whereas Honda doesn’t. Khanna himself plays into this cosmetic-level criticism with his argument that his opponent doesn’t know the intricacies of various coding languages, perhaps forgetting that the congressman is a legislator, not a developer.

I get it!

Should Khanna win this election, his donors - the investor class and hi tech companies -will have their interests well represented. The Change his supporters say they are ready for will move away from the working class focus to the elite and wealthy business execs whose lobbying power has grown exponentially over the last twenty years.

This will be the Change that Ro Khanna brings to Silicon Valley. The rest of us will have lost a great progressive leader who really cares about them.

Real change happens when those who have no voice are given identity, inclusion, and the same rights the rest of Americans have. This is what Mike Honda fights for, has always fought for, and this is what his legislative record is made of.

Kamala Harris speaks from the heart about Mike Honda:

Thank you to edrie for #GeekSpeak assistance and Nitasha Tiku "Mr. Buzzwords Goes To Washington" for inspiration.