New Jersey, Who Are You?

We'll find out August 13.

The favorite in the [current Senate seat replacement] race is a typical Democratic establishment candidate, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who will be a loyal party member and is drowning in Wall Street cash.

[...]

Those interested can (and I hope will) read about, support and donate to [Rush Holt’s] candidacy here.

[...]

[Holt is] a genuine stalwart on civil liberties and privacy and vehement opponent of the crony capitalism that governs DC. A physicist by profession, he's incredibly smart, independent, and unique.

  UK Guardian

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

If Only

Soon, I will introduce legislation that would repeal the laws that brought us our current “surveillance state”: the Patriot Act and the FISA Amendments Act. My bill would restore the probable cause-based warrant requirement for any surveillance against an American citizen being proposed on the basis of an alleged threat to the nation. And it would, for the first time, provide genuine legal protections for the Thomas Drakes of the world.

If we hope to restore and preserve the republic that Hamilton, Patrick Henry and other Founders risked their lives to create, we must end the industrial-scale surveillance and perpetual war mentality that has been foisted on the American people in the name of “national security.”

  New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt

Anything I’ve ever read about or from Rush Holt has been positive. I think he must be a very lonely man in Congress.  But,  I’m afraid it will take a lot of luck to get done what he’s proposing, and I don’t think we’re that lucky.

Read his full enlightening article. And wish him well.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Well, It's About Time

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) is leading a small group of House Democrats in calling on President Barack Obama to release information regarding the Administration’s use of drone strikes. In a letter sent Monday, Lee said a leaked Department of Justice memo showed an “increasing devolution of accountability, transparency, and Constitutional protections in U.S. counterterrorism operations.” The 16-page memo provided an outline of the Obama’s administration legal justification of targeted drone strikes against U.S. citizens.

The letter was signed by Democratic Reps. John Conyers (MI), Keith Ellison (MN), Raul Grijalva (AZ), Donna Edwards (MD), Mike Honda (CA), Rush Holt (NJ), and James McGovern (MA).

  Raw Story

Rush Holt is someone you don't often hear about in the national media, but every time I do, I am impressed positively. I tend to forget about him when I think that after Russ Feingold was defeated and Barney Frank quit, Bernie Sanders is the only congressMAN with a conscience left. Perhaps there are a few others who aren't national news.

I wonder - could they have found even one senator to sign had they asked?