Wampum

Eric and I are kinda unusual Democrats during this campaign cycle, in that we, despite historical associations with the US military (Eric, directly, as a Vietnam era vet, and me, with 8 generations of military service in my family) are not big proponents of the "Fighting Dems" meme. The reasons are far too complex for this post. That said, however, there is one Iraq veteran that we have mutually decided to support wholeheartedly, David T. Harris, who is running against "Smokin'" Joe Barton in the 6th Congressional District in Texas.

David's latest outreach to the Lefty blogosphere appeared at Kos, where it got somewhat overlooked in the midst of some Kossackian navel gazing. But here at Wampum, we, veterans of the neglected burning issue, will not let David Harris' awesome campaign be lost in the din.

Here's the lede paragraphs of David's latest piece:

I know my race is not one of the top 10 races to watch in 2006, but it should be. Joe Barton has been in Congress for over 20 years and instead of representing his constituents, he has been the voice and the legislative bankroll for many large oil and gas industries. Joe Barton is EXACTLY what is wrong with government today; a career corrupt politician that has abandoned his district long ago to cater to K street lobbyists instead of the average, hard-working American down on Main Street trying to earn a living in places like Waxahachie or Corsicana, TX.

Joe Barton is dirtier than Tom Delay's money and Tom DeLay himself is second to Joe Barton in the amount of money that the oil and gas industry puts into his campaign fund. Joe Barton also is a top contributor to the DeLay defense fund, giving $5000 of his own money in addition to soliciting contributions from corporate energy firms on his behalf. Joe Barton's abuse of corporations for political gain is sickening but his continued support of a corrupt politician that symbolizes everything that is wrong with Congress today. Now is the time for change.

The negligent environmental policy that Barton has pursued in his own district is criminal, and his blatant disregard of scientists trying to provide research and documentation on the effects pollution right here in District Six has been nothing short of preposterous. He has been called the Clean Air Villain of the Month and didn't earn the name "Smokey Joe" for nothing...

Read the whole piece, then send David some cash or, if within a reasonable distance (500 miles?), commit to working for his campaign.

I still believe that the doo-doo is going to hit the fan regarding Tom Delay and his connections to Scanlon, Abramoff and Reed. Joe Barton is Delay's closest ally in Texas, and undoubtably involved in any plot to defraud Texas voters and illegally gerrymander the state. David Harris is our greatest hope to turn that seat Blue.

Eric adds: If you read Wampum from any site listed here, its this or profiteering imprudent morons. Endorse. Contribute. Vote. It is your watch. Some sites omitted, Meadies and such, and multiple nodes within a departmental or command lan collapsed to "*". Source: wampum's log files.