Me and my shadow

-by Andrew Romanoff

I debated my shadow last night. 

That's what it felt like, for a little while.  Having sent a surrogate to our first forum on Saturday, my opponent himself showed up yesterday, at a debate hosted by the Denver Young Democrats.  At least I think it was my opponent.  He used most of his time to agree with me. 

Washington doesn't work, I said.  He agreed.  The Senate has not delivered the reforms we need in health care, the economy, or energy policy.  Agreed.  Special interests have turned Congressional committees into wholly owned subsidiaries by bankrolling their campaigns.  Agreed. 

Lagging in the polls, my opponent has evidently decided that "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." 

The "debate" turned so silly that I finally offered him a spot on our team.  He declined.

Click here if you would like to join our team. 

My opponent talked the talk.  But when it came time to walk the walk, we parted ways.  While he may be unable to defend a broken system, he is still unwilling to reform it. 

Will you follow my lead, I said, in refusing to accept contributions from political action committees?  No.  Will you join Senator Sherrod Brown and me in turning down federal health benefits until every American gets coverage?  Silence.

Millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, as well as their jobs, their homes and their savings.  We need more than speeches from Washington.  We need action. 

Here in Colorado, I led the fight against insurance companies that unreasonably delay or deny their customers' claims.  I voted to crack down on predatory lenders and protect homeowners from foreclosure.  I put an end to political patronage in the House staff, a halt to backroom deals, and real teeth in our ethics laws.  I'll bring the same courage and commitment to Congress.

Click here to show your support.  

"Around election time," a senator once said, "candidates just can't do enough.  They'll promise you anything.  They'll give you a long list of proposals.  But if those same candidates are taking millions of dollars in contributions from the PACs and the lobbyists, ask yourself: Who are they going to be toasting once the election's over?" 

Barack Obama was right.  The best way to break the special interests' death-grip on Washington is to stop taking their money.  It's the best way to restore public confidence in our political system.  And it's the only way, as then-Senator Obama said, to make sure that "ordinary people's voices are heard." 

Sincerely,

P.S. Help us keep last night's momentum going by signing on today.

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