I’m running for Congress for the second time. I made the formal announcement at Yearly Kos in Chicago. Video of the announcement will be up soon. A rough transcript is at the bottom of this piece. A complete Digital Roll Out is on the way.
I also want to talk about BlueDog Democrats and will do that below as well.
I have to say Thank You to several people. You are probably one of them.
NYBri and Hekebolos put together an event called The Netroots Candidates Celebration.
I had the privilege of “Throwing My Hat into The Ring” at this event. I had the privilege of sharing the stage with other Freedom Loving Patriots, Charlie Brown, Darcy Bruner, Scott Kleeb, Eric Massa, and so many more that I will direct you here to see them all.
Thank You is not enough to say to NYBri and Hekebolos for doing this, but for now, THANK YOU.
To Gina Cooper, who I have never met, WOW, you are remarkable for what you put together. THANK YOU.
To the volunteers that made it all possible, you are all selfless, patriotic, wonderful people. THANK YOU.
To Markos, THANK YOU for building a little website, where we have a strength that is not accessible in any other form. The community’s strength is our numbers and that strength will only grow.
To MyDD, FireDogLake, Open Left, My Left Wing and all of the other National Blogs, To Blue Indiana, Masson’s Blog, Trifles in Anderson,
Taking Down Words and Leftinaboite
And to all who are building the blogosphere in Indiana
and All of the blogs and bloggers that have created the Netroots Nation, THANK YOU and I am already looking forward to Netroots Nation 08 where ever it may be.
To Political Nexus, E. Plurbus Media, Blog Talk Radio , Meet the Bloggers, and all of the other New Media that is fighting the giant noise machine, THANK YOU.
To all of the Citizen Journalist that I met, and to those that I only know on line, THANK YOU. You are the reason I announced at YearlyKos. I wanted to announce in front of thousands of Citizen Journalists, not just traditional media.
To those from last cycle’s campaign that are back again, and to those that have moved on, THANK YOU ALL once again.
To the sponsors of YearlyKos and all of the organizations that are working to change government, especially [ActBluehttps:/secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/18221], THANK YOU.
To those that are reading for the first time, please read on.
I wanted to post the above last night, but with dial up, it simply was not possible to post and include the video link so I waited, and I still don’t have the video uploaded.
Today, I planned to post what follows, so, a two-fer if you will!
I like Brad Ellsworth, and yes he is that good looking in person, I like Baron Hill, and always have, I like Joe Donnelly and have since the first time I met him, and the same for Senator Bayh, but I really, really, really, have a fondness for this piece of paper called the United States Constitution.
I would not have voted as they did on FISA, but I am more liberal than they are and we all know that, you know that, I know that, and they know that. Some in Indiana are afraid of being called a Liberal and the word comes from Liberty, so I think we should embrace it.
There is a myth that only conservative democrats can get elected in Indiana, and it is a myth (See Phil Sharp who was elected from this district for 20 years) but as long as conservative democrats are the only one’s being funded, of course they are the only one’s that will win and the myth continues. We plan to break that myth this cycle. Fighting the undeniable fact that the media is very conservative will not make it any easier, but it is a fight that must be won.
When I told Governor Richardson that I was running again against Mike Pence at The Teamsters Cookout, he grabbed my arm and said, “Don’t just run against him, beat him, we need to get rid of that guy!” It is indeed a battle that must be won.
Brad, Baron and Beyond, (Sorry, I couldn’t resist, it’s the blogger in me) voted the way they did because of National Security, and I do not hate them for voting what they believe, because I believe in National Security too, but I also understand the potential for expansion of the FISA bill, and the potential danger. I love this country but since 2000, have feared this government and do not agree with granting this administration any additional power. It is my hope that in 6 months this will not be re-newed, it is my fear that it will.
National Security is a concern of mine and to me that means; protecting and securing the food supply, making certain that our bridges are not “structurally deficient”, Independence from Big-Oil through re-newable energy, ending the occupation of Iraq and the debt to China that continues to mount because of Neo-Conservative Ignorance, stopping the flood of jobs being shipped away from American workers, health care coverage that is for the patent and not the insurance companies and is available to all who need it, Protecting the Constitution, these are what bring true National Security, not who gets the oil contacts in Iraq!
Now is not the time for third parties or abandonment of the political process. It is the time to strengthen the Progressive presence in our current Democratic Party. I need your help to do that.
I need 3000 of you to pledge 10 dollars a month for the next 16 months and with that, I will beat Mike Pence. That is tiny percent of the Netroots Nation donating the cost of 3 gallons a gas a month. Isn’t that a bargain to knock out Mike Pence?
If you can give more, great. If you are in position to max out, we need early money, so awesome. No matter who you are, where you are, or what you can or cannot afford, if nothing else you can spread the word.
Barry Welsh
Indiana 6th District Democratic Congressional Candidate.
[actbluehttps:/secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/18221]
webpage The New Site to début soon.
Here is a rough transcript of the announcement. Without Adlibs!
Hello, I am Barry Welsh, 2006 Democratic Candidate for Congress in Indiana’s 6th District; this is my wife Sherri and she diaries as “Congressional Candidates Wife.”
I am a citizen politician and we are proud members of the netroots. My Kos User ID is 68838.In 2006, with the help of many volunteers and contributors, we received 40 percent of the vote in the general election as an unknown progressive in Indiana, so we have momentum and confidence.
I come before you now to formally announce My candidacy for Indiana’s 6th District Seat in The United States House of Representatives. I have thrown my hat into the ring.
Indiana’s 6th District Seat is currently held by Neo Conservative Bush Clone Mike Pence, the guy who said “Iraq is like any Indiana market in the summertime”. It’s not, and you can come to Indiana and get sweet corn or melons without battle helicopters overhead.
It’s time to put Pence over the Fence and out to pasture where he and his backward conservative ideas belong. No matter what your number one issue is, I can guarantee Mike Pence is against you.
We took People Powered Politics to a new level in 2006 and I am very proud of what we accomplished. We ran a campaign of People Before Profits and I still believe in that. In 2006 we gained name recognition and voter trust, now it is time to finish the job.
In 2004 I had enough. In 2005 I had ENOUGH. In 2006 I HAD ENOUGH.
Have you had enough of Gonzales?
Enough of Cheney?
Enough of Big Oil?
Enough of the Iraq War?
Have you had enough of The Roadblock Republicans?
Have you had enough of George W Bush and guys like Mike Pence in lockstep with him?Well, I HAVE HAD ENOUGH, and if you have had enough let me hear you say ENOUGH!
It’s time for Welsh/Pence II and I have 5 Words for You. LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE.
My name is Barry Welsh. I’m running for Congress and I need your support.
Now on to Victory. Thank You
.
