Saturday, April 30, 2016 —Join Silicon Valley Kos to discuss down ballot races and issues in Silicon Valley
Meeting Place: Gordon Biersch, 33 East San Fernando Street
San Jose, CA 95113
Time: 1pm
1. TheLittleOne 2. remembrance 3. Glen The Plumber 4. | Maybees: |
To RSVP send Glen The Plumber a kosmail or tweet
Silicon Valley's Fight For the Future of the Democratic Party, Round 2
Silicon Valley Kos once again stands in solidarity with Congressman Mike Honda to preserve progressive values in California's 17th district. In the three months leading up to the 2014 election, Silicon Valley Kos members wrote 27 diaries supporting Mike Honda and exposing the truth of his opponent’s attacks and misrepresentations on social media. We uncovered the venture capitalists and Texas billionaire money that funded the opponent’s campaign. But even more impacting than our blogging and social media efforts was the door to door canvasing that revealed an antipathy toward congress and frustration that the one elected official they trusted was being challenged by an individual with no legislative experience they felt was fueled by ambition. Many people were surprised to find out his opponent was running as a Democrat.
Following what had been a close election, and one our family of three had spent vast amounts of time absorbed in, I promised my daughter I'd spend less time on Daily Kos and social media to spend more time with her. For the most part I've kept this promise. But now I find myself breaking it… little by little.
Last spring, just a few months after Mike Honda was sworn in, his opponent was scheduled to make a "special announcement." Together with my daughter dressed in costume for her dance recital and a little curiosity and chutzpah, we attended his event. I was in no way surprised to find out he was running again, I was surprised, however, at how early he began to organize his campaign for a 2016 election. Remembering the divisiveness from just a few months ago that felt personal at times, I wondered if this new campaign would somehow be different.
Imagining myself the lone mere cat in a field of meerkats, I thought I'd fly under the radar. But that wasn't the case. For the first time, non virtual, face to face communication allowed for subtlety and nuance to resonate that is unavailable while sitting at one's computer scrolling through twitter and local political blogs. Beyond a few glares directed my way was the graciousness of their campaign chair who had many kind words for my daughter and me. But what really resonated is the high energy, ready for "change," for an "I get it," “progressive” candidate. Except, something was missing — the person who spent his entire life working for progressive change, Mike Honda. His challenger presented an aura of progressiveness, but the depth and substance of progressive values and policy just were not there.
In the months before the last election, Democracy for America described the battle for this seat as a fight for the future of the Democratic Party. They were right. Honda’s opponent called him an “old school liberal” and literally attacked him for wanting to repeal the Bush tax cuts.
That was the last election cycle. We have yet to see all the cards that will be played in the new campaign cycle. But, they continue to use agist attacks to cast doubt on the elder statesman, because, you know, many Democrats in leadership positions are in their seventies. They said, Democrats won’t be successful at regaining the House until it is filled with younger, newer representatives, similar to their Republican colleagues. In other words, lets be like Ted Cruz Republicans.
Ro Khanna’s ambition to represent Silicon Valley comes at the expense of the very person who was once his mentor and is now the Senior Member on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Keep in mind, if Democrats are able to take the house, Mike Honda would chair this committee. It is to Silicon Valley’s benefit to maintain Rep. Honda’s progressive voice and standing because he is the only candidate in a senior position of power. The only candidate who champions everyone, not just the corporate elite.
Mike Honda’s agenda preserves the deep blue in the blue by standing up for unions, pensions and public schools. He champions the disadvantaged and the working class when greed and corporate ideals of the business class are powerful enough to undermine the foundation of what this country was built on. He has long been a voice against intolerance and bigotry, a leader who exemplifies compassion and generosity on behalf of an America forgetful of the lessons that race, prejudice and war hysteria taught us following the Japanese Internment of WWII. He is a fierce advocate, critical of the advances in protecting the rights of women, children, and victimized people forced into human trafficking. He is the only candidate in this race who has proved himself to be a selfless representative.
His earliest years imprisoned in a WWII Internment camp, the Peace Corp as a young adult, a public school teacher, and finally committing his life to public service, has given him a depth of experience and understanding of what we need to do as a nation to be true to our constitution, and to form a more perfect union.
While Khanna says he too has stood up for human rights his whole life, and he too is a “progressive,” his voice is clouded by right leaning, Republican and Wall Street donors. Touting himself an “outsider” who won’t fall pray to the dysfunction in which our government is known, what can we expect from an individual willing to unseat his mentor and long time advocate of equality and human rights, for a desire to serve without taking into consideration how he wins or who really loses out? And, what can a freshman senator with no history of relationship building in or across the aisle accomplish in the age of Republican obstructionism?
It's very clear to me: one candidate sees a living breathing person with a face and heart while the other candidate puts businesses, CEO's and the corporate class first - though cognitive dissonance for a Democrat it is.
Given California's top two primary system, respectfully, having the party affiliation of “Democrat” does not mean one truly fights for democratic values.
Previous SVKos Articles:
No, Rep. Mike Honda’s Claim that his Opponent is Funded by Right-Wing Money is not a “Big Lie”
No, Ro Khanna, You are not like Bernie Sanders
Rep. Honda Calls for National Day of Reason
Rep. Mike Honda’s Opponent is Dancing with the Kochs
Rep. Mike Honda: The Lessons of Japanese Americans Should Not Be Forgotten