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Keep up with Ed O'Reilly

Ed O'Reilly ran against John Kerry in Democratic Primary held this September in Massachusetts. Ed, who began the race as a total unknown, ended up with 30 per cent of the vote - not too bad for somebody who took on the entire Massachusetts Democratic Party establishment to challenge Senator Kerry. I believe that Ed O'Reilly's voice is one that Democrats everywhere need to hear. Ed tells me he plans to update his website to turn to issues that will be front and center for progressives as we move past this presidential election. I supported Ed's bid to run for Senate this year. I plan to listen to his voice as we move forward.

Visit Ed O'Reilly's website, and don't forget to bookmark it.

Ed O'Reilly continues to use his voice - the one that gained him a third of the Massachusetts Democratic Primary voters on September 16

This just in from Ed O'Reilly. Not only is it well worth reading, it is well worth contributing to Ed O'Reilly's political future. He's the sort of Democrat who can redeem the Democratic Party. You can contribute to Ed here.

Where There Is Smoke, There Is (still) Fire!

As we begin this week, we have seen Congress working overtime rushing to put together the largest bailout plan in the history of our United States.   Let’s make no mistake what this bailout is all about.  It is all about trickle down economics!  Every Congressional proposal is FOR the financial industry and NOT FOR average American working families and our senior citizens. 

During the campaign, I often talked about the J.P. Morgan takeover of Bear Stearns.  How was it that executives from J.P. Morgan could call the power brokers at the Federal Reserve Bank and within days put together a multi billion dollar deal that gave out a multi million dollar, no bid contract to a company called Black Rock and leave the average American taxpayer holding the risk?  The answer is pure and simple—special interest money in politics.    If an ordinary American has a financial problem, can he/she call the Federal Reserve and get the same kind of access, service and influence?  The answer is clearly and obviously, no. 

 

So, let’s take a look at how this all happens.  There is great disparity in terms of access and influence with Washington decision makers.  During the campaign, I cited my opponent’s campaign kickoff event as an example of how money gains access, and without access, there can be no influence.   Let me be clear here.   I use this as an example to illuminate a problem with the system and not, necessarily, with the person.  The election is over, but the system remains. 

This campaign kickoff dinner had a $1,000 minimum cover charge and $2,300 minimum to have a private reception with an elected U.S. Senator who was elected to serve ALL of the people of Massachusetts.  Who would pay a $1,000 cover charge?  Certainly an average American can not afford to spend this amount of money for dinner.  So, why would a person pay $2,300 for dinner and a reception?  The answer is simple.  The expensive cover charges are the price of admission, not only to talk with the elected official, but also to help form relationships with others who have paid a similar amount.  Unfortunately, this campaign kickoff dinner is not an isolated occasion linked to this one so called representative.   Events like this happen all across America every week.

Looked at from another angle, the contributions to campaign funds by lobbyists, bundlers, and Political Action Committees are the “dues” necessary to become a loosely affiliated member of the “club”.   Over fifty years ago, this “club” is what C. Wright Mills called “The Power Elite”.  Mills described this “club” as being glued together by the interwoven interests of our corporate, military, and political leaders.  What was written about over fifty years ago, has become fully illuminated by this bailout plan.  This “club” is running OUR government! The truth is that ordinary Americans are being left relatively powerless and subject to the manipulation by today’s “ power elite”.   

Let’s get back to the rush and panic that has set in and around Washington and specifically within Congress itself.  Why not wait to have hearings?  Are there no alternatives to bailing out the people at the top?  Wouldn’t it be better to take $700 billion dollars and put it into direct aid to average Americans?  What about all the pillaging that was done by the “greedsters”? The panic and the chaos that has enveloped Washington is the result of the realization that, if hearings were held, the truth would come out.  The truth is that most members of Congress need to look no further than the nearest mirror.  The true blame for this mess rests with Congress itself and a system that thrives on special interest money.

Recently, we have seen the largest gap in the inequality of income since just before the Great Depression.  Out of the Great Depression came reform legislation such as the Glass-Steagall Act (1933), and later the 1956 Bank Holding Company Act, which mandated the separation of banks, insurance companies and securities firms.  In 1999, however, Congress passed the Financial Services Modernization Act which basically tore down what has often been called the firewalls between these institutions.   

As a result of the lack of regulatory firewalls, the arsonists of greed have pillaged our country and ordinary Americans are left to bear the costs of putting out the fire.  Congress is acting quickly to extinguish the flames because the heat is licking at their heels.   There is a problem in this country and the problem is special interest money in politics. It is at the root of nearly all political decision making and, in this case, will keep the embers burning long after temporarily taking the heat away from members of Congress.  This bailout plan is a smokescreen and where there is smoke, there remains fire.  Let’s make no mistake about this bailout situation.  The bottom line is that the middle class is being scorched and a trickling down economic plan will not put out a conflagration fueled by special interest money.

Respectfully,
 

Ed O’Reilly

 

There were only 8 Senators who voted against the 1999 “Modernization Act” and they were an eclectic mix that seldom, if ever, voted together – liberal stalwart Democrats Boxer, Feingold, Mikulski, and Wellstone to moderate Senators Bryan, Dorgan, and Harkin to the lone Republican, Senator Shelby (R-AL).  It will be interesting to see how the remaining 6 U.S. Senators vote on this bailout.

Election Eve update: Ed O'Reilly

Ed O'Reilly runs in Massachusetts tomorrow, September 16, aiming for the chance to run as the Democratic candidate for the Senate seat race in the general election in November. Today Ed picked up another local endorsement from The Somerville News.

"Ed O'Reilly is an everyman's man. Talk to him for five minutes, which is about as long as it takes to get past his uncanny resemblance to anyone with the last name Kennedy, and you realize that he is not someone who will sit back and collect a paycheck with little to show for it - like John Kerry has done since getting elected in 1984. We don't like Ed merely because we don't like John Kerry - we like Ed because he isn't like John Kerry - there's a difference. Ed has viable solutions to very important local, regional and national issues - such as healthcare, education, energy independence and protecting our environment. He has had the courage to put himself out there against tremendous odds and against a candidate who has virtually limitless connections and funds. While we don't agree with every idea and statement Ed O'Reilly has made in his campaign to become a United States Senator, we think he would at least be able to connect with issues that hit home on the street - making him the right choice for regular, hard working citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Vote for Ed O'Reilly and your vote will make a difference." (emphases added)

Not only is this endorsement right about Ed and right about him for the correct reasons, I like it because the paper clearly understands something that so many people seem to keep forgetting about democracy in America. We don't all have to to agree with every idea and every statement a person has made to vote for that person. Nor do we have to vote for every candidate fielded by a political party to show our support for that party. The people voting for Ed tomorrow will be thinking Democrats, people who understand that a vote is a matter of individual conscience, not to be cast in sheeplike compliance but an act of personal choice that should be conducted with integrity. The editors at The Somerville News get it.

• To donate to Ed O'Reilly - go here.
• To donate to a cause - Democrats for Principle Before Party - that carries the message that the Democratic Party is bigger than one person or one office please use the paypal mechanism on this page or go here to learn more.

Online media outlets in Massachusetts where you can leave your comments in support of Ed O'Reilly

• At the Boston Globe, here and here.
• At the Boston Herald, here (an article) and here (an editorial).
• At the Brockton MA Enterprise.
• At the Cape Cod Times.
• At the Fall River The Herald News.
• At the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (a particularly worthwhile read).
• At the Gloucester Daily Times.
• At the Lowell Sun (a terrific editorial about the Kerry-O'Reilly race).
• At the Berkshire Herald.
• At the Taunton Gazette (an article highlighting Ed's commitment to constituents).
• At a guest column by Ed that appeared in The (Waltham) Daily News Tribune.

(A respectful suggestion: The Denver Group/Democrats For Principle Before Party is seeking donations to its latest ad campaign. Read more about that effort, which includes supporting downticket Democrats like Ed, here. If you like what you read please consider a donation by snail mail or online. You can do that on the organization's website or via the links in the sidebar to the left.)

Ed O'Reilly: all over the media, old and new

Saturday afternoon update: Over on No Quarter, Ani has written this post about Ed.

Ed O'Reilly decided, quite a while back, to buck the new not-improved style of Democratic Party top-down control-uber-alles style of politics. With the help of donors (join in, if you like), Ed was able to pay for and will be running all weekend this commercial. Download ed_oreilly__30_email.mpg

For those in the Massachusetts region who missed it the first time, Ed's debate with John Kerry - the only one Senator Kerry deigned to have with Ed, and then only under serious pressure to show up - will be rebroadcast Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. on TV 38, WSBK-TV. (Cable TV subscribers, please note that Channel 38 will probably be carried under a different channel number depending upon your cable TV company.)

This message just arrived from Ed's campaign regarding the debate and the current state of the race:

'As you know, John Kerry has refused to have any more debates with Ed.  After viewing the debate, you will see why more debates are essential to the Democratic Process and also, why John Kerry has refused to partake in more dialogue.  John Kerry’s debating career goes all the way back to his high school days in New Hampshire.  This was Ed's first debate.

John Kerry continues to use millions of dollars on one way advertising and direct mail as this campaign approaches the Primary on September 16th.  This is approach is an affront to the voters of Massachusetts.

“The United States Senate seat from Massachusetts can not be bought and this campaign has, from day one, been a referendum on democracy.  It is truly shameful that John Kerry has ducked debates” Ed O’Reilly said, yesterday.'

I for one think that The Cape Ann Beacon's endorsement of Ed O'Reilly (reprinted in its entirety below, go here for original) gets the matter just right. The points I especially like I have emphasized.

The other race on the Democratic ballot next Tuesday is between longtime U.S. Senator John Kerry and Gloucester attorney Ed O’Reilly, a newcomer to the political scene.

Kerry has faced only one serious challenge for his Senate seat since 1984, and so the notion that a virtual unknown could get the convention votes needed to oppose him on the ballot may have come as shock to the incumbent from Boston. His response to that challenge was first to try to scuttle O’Reilly’s challenge and then to refuse to debate him. Ultimately Kerry made the right choice, although grudgingly, to appear with O’Reilly and talk about the issues — although 30 minutes hardly seems like enough time to debate the critical issues facing the citizens of Massachusetts. He has   arrogance and a sense of entitled unbecoming someone of his stature in public office. 

Kerry’s seat in the Senate is not a lifetime appointment. He is not entitled to a free ride back to Washington, D.C. Reasonable Democrats can disagree with his 2002 vote for to go to war in Iraq and whether he has served this state well. Those who disagree should be willing and able to pose a challenge to the incumbent. This is how the process was meant to work, whether your seat is in the state Legislature or in Washington.

Ed O’Reilly hasn’t run for statewide or national office, but he has the courage and energy required to take on an establishment Beltway insider like John Kerry. He has been a fisherman and a firefighter, and has spent the last 25 years as a defense lawyer. “I know how to fight and I know when to fight and the time has come to fight for our seniors and the working men and women of this state,” O’Reilly says.

When you go to the ballot box don’t just automatically check off the box for the incumbent. Think long and hard whether you’re happy with the status quo. Consider whether new blood and new energy would be a good thing in Washington. Yes, O’Reilly’s new at this game, but Kerry was new at it once too.

When you go into the ballot box, don’t just automatically fill in the arrow next to the incumbent. Take a moment to consider whether John Kerry is working for you. And then make your mark for Ed O'Reilly.