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| Some of our group outside the Democrat Party convention where they selected former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson to replace the controversial Graham Platner to run against the incumbent Sen. Susan Collins for the U.S. Senate seat in November |
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| We began our protest at the downtown Bangor Market Square and then made our way to the Convention Center about a mile away to be there as the Democrat Party delegates streamed out after selecting Troy Jackson |
We had just over 20 folks come to Bangor from around Maine to bring our foreign policy concerns to the Democrats who near unanimously selected Maine State Senate President Troy Jackson to replace the very popular but controversy-laden Graham Planter as their candidate to take on the right-wing Sen. Susan Collins for the U.S. Senate seat representing our state in the November election.
Collins is a lap-dog for Trump and votes for endless war spending, the merger of US-Israel militaries, and all the other oligarchic/Epstein class fiscal and right-wing social policies of the current administration.
Jackson and Collins both come from the far north conservative part of the state (popularly called 'the county'). Jackson hails from a working-class union logger background. His top issues in the past have been Medicare for All and other progressive social issues. Having been in the State Legislature for a long time he has no real record on foreign policy issues.
Our primary reason for standing outside the convention was to bring these war-peace-military spending issues to the Democrat faithful in the hopes they will pressure their candidates for Congress in the November election to give stronger voice to these crucial positions.
Judging from the quite positive reactions we received from the delegates as they streamed out of the convention center it felt like the vast majority of them agreed with us. But, will they pressure Jackson and the two Maine Democrat candidates for the House of Representatives in Washington to stand up against AIPAC and the military industrial complex? That is the big question. We all have much work yet to do.
The very popular Graham Platner (who Jackson is replacing) ran hard on these war-peace issues but had to pull out of the race after a series of allegations about his treatment of women, including a charge of rape that came out just about two weeks ago.
In the Portland Press Herald article that covered yesterday's convention selection of Jackson to replace Platner, I posted a the following comment:
I'm an Independent leaning toward Jackson. But before I can vote for him I need to hear alot more about endless wars, cutting military spending (Collins supports the $1.5 trillion plus for the Pentagon) and a serious review of American foreign policy. Trump is already saying he wants to turn over Medicare/Medicaid to the states, 'because we can't afford them and fight our wars at the same time'. The Republicans want to privatize the VA, Post Office and our national parks. All because we have $39.6 trillion in national debt. Unless we cut war spending America is essentially dead. Will Jackson have the courage to take that one on?
As we usually do some of us went to lunch together after things were done at the Dem Party event. While there a man approached our table and asked us if we were peaceniks. MB recognized him and asked if he was Daniel Mate, brother of well known progressive journalist Aaron Mate - both sons of Gabor Mate.
We had a great talk with Daniel who took our picture and after leaving proceeded to post it on Instagram. Looks like it got shared around some.
- Lubec (corner of Washington & Main Streets at Canadian border) 1:30 pm on Saturday, August 1
- Wiscasset (On US 1 at bridge across from famous Red's Eats) 1:30 pm on Saturday, September 12
3 comments:
Meeting Daniel Mate was definitely a high point! Great sense of humor deployed in service of the Palestinian cause.
A review of corporate media this morning turned up zero mentions or pics of our strong presence outside the convention. Only exception was the Jerusalem Times which focused on Jackson's lack of mentioning Israel. It also quoted me accurately at the megaphone (unattributed). https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/troy-jackson-wins-maine-democratic-030258873.html
Leaning toward Jackson? the alternative is Collins. are you serious?
It's my vote. I don't tell you how to vote. My vote has to be earned. When Jimmy Carter ran for prez he said, "The arms race is a disgrace to the human race." I loved that statement and volunteered for his campaign. Then when he became prez he built the Trident nuclear submarine base in St. Mary's, Georgia. I learned my lesson then. I take nothing for granted.
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