Blogs Pass the Hat for Pera

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jan 15, 2008 11:00PM

There's more than just choosing candidates for President at stake when the Illinois Primary rolls around February 5. For instance, in our home 3rd Congressional district, puppet incumbent Dan Lipinski is facing an actual opponent this time in Assistant State's Attorney Mark Pera.

Lipinski owes his seat in Congress to the greasy maneuvers of his father, Bill. The elder Lipinski, who held the seat for 22 years, won the Democratic Primary in 2004. Amid denials that he wouldn't retire, Bill Lipinski abruptly did just that in August of that year, at which point state Dem leaders allowed Dan Lipinski to replace his father on the general ballot. Running against token opposition, Dan Lipinski was elected easily.

Since his election to Congress, Lipinski has been a conservative's wet dream. He's opposed stem cell research, a woman's right to choose, voted in favor of the Protect America Act allowing unfettered access to international call records without court order or court oversight. He's voted - along with 85 other Democrats, in favor of an emergency supplemental appropriations bill for the Iraq war without a withdrawal timetable. He's scored a zero rating from Planned Parenthood and NARAL, and his ACLU rating is the lowest of any congressman not from the South (source).

Lipinski's positions are completely out of line with his constituents. They're also diametrically opposed to Pera's. This afternoon the progressive blogosphere, including DailyKos, Firedog Lake, Down With Tyranny, America Blog, and Crooks & Liars have placed a call to get 2700 new donations to the Pera campaign. With the established Dem leadership behind Lipinski (thanks to his father) Pera can use all the help he can get.