Go Go Geoghegan: Why care about IL-5

Early voting for the March 3rd primary in the 5th district to replace Rahm Emmanuel continues until Feb 26th. Do you live in the 5th district? (check this map or put your zipcode in here!)

Here's a good discussion of the dynamics of the race. Geoghegan just got the endorsement of Democracy for America, so that should mean a lot of valuable ground game help. Nate Silver thinks Sara Feigenholtz is the favorite but thinks Geoghegan does have a chance.

Here's some good endorsements for Geoghegan from more reliable sources than me:

• James Fallows
  
• Thomas Frank
  
• Hendrik Hertzberg (New Yorker)
  
• Michael Tomasky (Guardian)
  
• Katha Pollitt
  

He's also been endorsed by The Nation and Progressive Democrats of America.

Kathy Geier has had some of the best discussions of why Tom would be such a great congressman:

Because really -- what Tom has to give is exactly what this country is starving for. I think he has the potential to become a Paul Wellstone-type figure -- a political leader who is so inspiring, and such a fearless and eloquent champion of underdogs, great causes, and the public good, that you marvel at the fact that they somehow slipped by and got elected to anything. Yet every once in a while, a bloody miracle occurs, and one of these people finds their way to elected office. And we are truly blessed to have them around.

Does someone who is such an awesomely balls-out progressive -- let alone someone who is so genuinely nice -- have a prayer of succeeding in the dirty, brutal, and fairly reactionary world of American politics? In all honesty, I don't know. But damn me if I'm not excited as hell to have the opportunity to find out.

So why do I, someone who doesn't even live in the 5th district, care so much about this election? Voting or volunteering for the Geoghegan campaign is a rare chance to help build a broader progressive coalition in Congress! Electing someone like Tom Geoghegan would probably do more towards the goal of reaffirming and increasing a social safety net in the US than any individual efforts we make as private citizens. (For example, if health care were universally available in this country, it would be an amazing step towards economic justice---more people declare bankruptcy because of medical-related costs than for any other reason.)

If the 2008 presidential election has shown us anything, it's that getting people into office that share your views is the fastest way to change how things work. Barack Obama has been president for less than a month, and just in that time we have the Lily Ledbetter act; health care for 4 million more children; executive orders to close Guantanamo, end torture, and reverse the idiocy of the Bush policy on funds for international family planning and abortion; and a stimulus bill that is far from perfect but includes things like almost twice as much money ($100 billion) for education as was in the budget for the Dept of Education---something that never would have happened under a Republican administration.

To get reasonably liberal policies, like comprehensive health care reform, to pass requires strong, intelligent voices further to the left in Congress:

"...the way your ideas get to carry the day is when there’s about as much political clout to the left of your ideas as there is to the right of them. If you succeed in muting all your critics to the left, all you do is create a situation where your program is defined in the press and the congress and the public imagination as the most-leftwing-possible proposal. And the furthest-left proposal can’t possibly win. It’s never helpful to have fratricidal warfare and battles to the death, but it’s necessary for there to be meaningful pressure to do more than is popular or possible or even necessary in order to lay the groundwork for accomplishing anything."

I really think Tom Geoghegan is uniquely suited to be one of those voices that could apply that 'meaningful pressure'.

So, please go vote if you live in the 5th district! Here's his webpage. Here's the Facebook page. And here's his declaration of candidacy on a progressive Illinois politics blog. In addition, it's really easy to volunteer here. (Join me for phone banking this coming weekend and on election day! Woo-hoo)

And for you still undecideds, here's the Chicago Reader's guide and Chicagoist's guide to the special election candidates. Progress Illinois (blog of SEIU IL who've endorsed Sara Feigenholtz in this race.) also has a policy comparison of the top five candidates.