It isn't hard today to find Democrats who think the Party needs to stampede left. The reason we are losing, they claim, is that we have followed the Republicans as they ran to the right. As a consequence, a whole bevy of disenfranchised, unrepresented lefties stays home on election day after election day. This has led many to conclude that anyone who calls themself a "moderate" must automatically be a DINO.
New Jersey's Ninth District Congressman Steve Rothman proves this is simply not true. In this exclusive Blue Jersey podcast, Congressman Rothman dispels the notion that a moderate cannot stand strong on principles and fight hard for his constituents.
Mr. Rothman's principles have led him in the past to fight for the protection of the New Jersey Meadowlands as an environmentally protected area, as well as enacting the "Save our Schools" Act which allows local school districts to apply directly for federal money to improve physical security for their students. Less than a month ago, Mr. Rothman recently called for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq - and he had the courage to stand up and cast his vote accordingly.
Now, Mr. Rothman is set to fight for homeland security, universal single-payer healthcare, expanded access to higher education, and the repeal of the Bush tax cuts.
This is from a moderate? Please, someone give me two hundred moderates like this to send to Congress! In a time when we almost have to beg Democrats to act like Democrats, it seems that we should be looking in our midst, rather than to the right or the left, to find the leaders we need.
