Posts by Mike Lux

Mike Lux is the founder of Progressive Strategies LLC and a director of the Center for Progressive Leadership, the Proteus Fund and the Arca Foundation.

New Petition Backs Up Pelosi's Position on Superdelegates
Posted by Mike Lux, Open Left on March 27, 2008 at 1:27 PM.

Today, OpenLeft.com and MoveOn.org are co-sponsoring a new petition to Nancy Pelosi, supporting her position on superdelegates and telling her that we'll back her up when she is threatened.

Matt noted yesterday a letter that 20 major donors and raisers to Hillary and other Democratic Party causes sent to Pelosi, upbraiding her for saying that voters ought to actually determine the election. Now, I don't think there is anything wrong with donors stating their opinion about this issue, and I don't blame them for doing it. I'm sure that the Clinton campaign asked them to send the letter, and they are loyal partisans for Hillary, so they did what they were asked to do.

But I also think that the millions of us who are smaller donors to this party, who give through MoveOn.org and blogs and ActBlue, should have an equal voice on the important issues with the big dog donors, and we believe that the candidate who wins this election ought to be given the nomination.

If the donors and raisers who signed this letter plan to take their money away from the DCCC, that would be a terrible thing, and if that's what they are implying with this letter, shame on them and on the Clinton campaign for encouraging that kind of threat. But, if they do take their money away, I believe those of us signing this petition can more than make up the difference through our collective efforts. More importantly, it will be up to us to make sure that the actions of a few do not change the course that Speaker Pelosi and our House members have been fighting for.

Please sign the petition here.

AlterNet is a nonprofit organization and does not make political endorsements. The opinions expressed by its writers are their own.

Clinton Campaign Attacks Obama for Being a Good Speaker
Posted by Mike Lux, Open Left on February 15, 2008 at 2:10 PM.

So now that I've done a post on something other than the Presidential race, I just have to say one thing about the Presidential race- sorry.

Hillary Clinton's new attack line against Barack Obama is that he gives great speeches. Seriously, here's her quote:

Speeches don't put food on the table. Speeches don't fill up your tank, or fill up your prescription, or do anything about that stack of bills that keeps you up at night. My opponent gives speeches. I offer solutions.

So let me flow this argument out, as we used to say on the debate team: her argument seems to be that Obama gives good speeches, and I don't, so I will be a better President.

Apparently since Obama gives great speeches, so he must not be good at getting things done. It's a bullshit argument, but it can be very effective with working class folks who are cynical about politicians and the speeches they give. To push back, Obama has to keep his speeches rooted to the real issues people are facing, and tie those real issues to the hope message he is bringing. He's doing a pretty good job of that at the moment, so I am guessing that these new attacks by Clinton will fall flat.

To my old friends at the Clinton campaign: I love y'all, but you gotta come up with something better than this.