To: Senator Richard Durbin and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois

We Democrats of IL-19 in grassroots effort to garner support for our Candidate for Congress; Danny L. Stover humbly request that each of you, separately or jointly, give your wholehearted support to Candidate Stover, as we gave our wholehearted support to you in your elections.

Whereas, the upstate Democratic Organizations, the DNC and DCCC have failed to

Provide the necessary support for Stover for Congress, We Democrats of the 30 counties making up the largest geographical district east of the Mississippi River, and comprising approximately 1/3 of the counties of our fair State of Illinois.

Whereas, Danny Stover, is our candidate, and has been largely ignored by the DNC.

Whereas, the DCCC has failed to provide support to IL-19 or Stover.

Whereas, through his numerous appearances throughout the district in support of Democrats, he deserves your support. Senator Durbin you appeared with him at DuQuoin, and although he was there at the stage in Springfield, he was ignored by the Chicago Democrats.

Whereas, It is such a great opportunity to turn Southern Illinois and its 30 counties in the district BLUE! With a third of the counties of this state in the district, We Democrats including you can't afford to ignore Stover any longer.

Whereas, we have took it upon ourselves to provide the necessary support. For this we ask for your help in personal appearances and/or fund raisers for Stover.

Whereas, WeDemocrats.com has projected a Win for Stover on November 7th.

We, the individuals and organizations from Southern and Central Illinois listed below

In an effort to bring sanity back to Congress, to provide a Democratic Congressman to support our Two Senators, and to achieve Victory in November, implore you to act now, to bring your influence on the DNC and the DCCC, to work with the Stover camp to reach our mutual goals.

The undersigned below requests your support for Democratic Candidate for Congress in the 19th District of Illinois, Danny L. Stover.

In good faith and respect,

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Please go here to sign the petition http://www.petitiononline.com/Netquest/petition.html

Ron
www.WeDemocrats.com
www.uslinx.com

BREAKING NEWS: Bob Ney pleads guilty. Today, disgraced, retiring Congressman Bob Ney pleaded guilty in the federal investigation surrounding the admitted felon and former Republican super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. News reports indicate that Ney delayed the announcement to avoid "influencing" the special election to replace him. Just another example of the widespread corruption of Bush's Rubber Stamps.

They can try to run, but they can't hide from their record...

Republicans can try to run from their record of failure, incompetence and rubber stamping the Bush administration's policies -- but they can't hide. On issue after issue, the Republicans are cutting and running from President Bush. But it's too little... and far too late. They can pretend to run away from him but they cannot run away from the cold hard facts - their Rubber Stamp records.

Only with a Democratic majority can we send Congress and America in a new direction and start putting American families first.

In the video Vice President Cheney explains on NBC's "Meet the Press" that on Iraq "if we had it to do over again, we'd do exactly the same thing."

Exposing Their Records
Whether it's NSA wiretapping, detainee treatment, or any other controversial Bush Administration policy, Republicans are starting to come apart at the seams under election year pressure. And when it comes to Republicans running away from Bush, no issue is testing the Republicans more than the war in Iraq. For example, Republican Chris Shays has already switched his opinion three times! After seeing Republican after Republican duck and weave on their opinions it was remarkable to hear Vice President Cheney explain that he has no regrets.

According to the People...
So what would provoke Republicans to make such a show of pretending to be independent? Let's consult the polls -- here are some recent results on the "generic ballot" question, i.e. whether a voter would generally prefer a Democrat or a Republican for Congress:
Gallup (9/7-10/06): Democrat 53% Republican 41%
Pew (9/6-10/06): Democrat 50% Republican 39%
ABC (9/5-7/06): Democrat 50% Republican 42%
CNN (8/30 - 9/2/06): Democrat 53% Republican 43%

Non-partisan Congressional analyst Stu Rothenberg takes another stab at evaluating the state of play. The good news for Republicans is that, according to Rothenberg, it's not an "anti-incumbent" election as is often said. The bad news is that...
"Instead, what is developing is a classic political wave of voter dissatisfaction about the direction of the nation and the performance of the president... Republican incumbents are in trouble not because they are incumbents, but because they are Republicans."
Judging by how rarely Republicans mention their party affiliation in their ads, they may have already come to understand that.

When All Else Fails...Distort, Lie and Attack in Ads
Republicans know they can't win on the issues. After six years of President Bush, they don't have a single successful policy to point to. The Medicare boondoggle written by the drug companies? The energy bill written by Enron and the oil companies? No Child Left Behind, which they've completely undermined by drastically under-funding it every year? Iraq? The mission to find Osama bin Laden? A minimum wage which people cannot live on and a Social Security privatization plan to undermine our seniors' retirements? No wonder they have to run away from the President.

So, now what is their strategy? The Washington Post reported last weekend...
"Republicans are planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable financial war chest over the final 60 days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies, GOP officials said.

"The National Republican Congressional Committee, which this year dispatched half-dozen operatives to comb through tax, court and other records looking for damaging information on Democratic candidates, plans to spend more than 90 percent of its $50 million-plus advertising budget on what officials described as negative ads.
Headlines, Headlines, Headlines
I wanted to make sure you have seen the exciting headlines being printed in papers across the country. "House GOP going for broke to hold seats" (USA Today), or "On the domestic front, Democrats have a battle plan" (Dallas Morning News) all which talk about the ripe political environment for big Democratic wins this November.

We've been building up to these final two months for almost two years -- the time is now. Join us in taking the country in a new direction.

Sincerely,

Ron McBride
Executive Director, WeDemocrats.com

P.S. -- Want to help in the fight to expose the Republican Rubber Stamp Congress' mistruths and distortions? Help us to continue to stay online and keep the Republicans feet to the fire across the country.

Contribute to WeDemocrats.com “put your money where your mouth is” www.WeDemocrats.com All Donations considered.

This post used excerpts from DCCC letter of this date.

While the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has ignored the IL-19 race, WeDemocrats.com and others, including many bloggers indefatigably have raised funds, volunteered time, and posted articles on Stover’s behalf. Our efforts will put the seat in play, and I am hopeful that shortly before the election, the DCCC finally will enter the fray on Stover's behalf. BUT I am not holding my breath.

I believe that the best case scenario for Democrats in 2006 congressional races will happen independent of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

For the record, I don't hate the DCCC. But I'm going to operate upon the assumption that they will only come through with last-minute, major ad buys in certain districts. That is not what Democrats need in 2006. But if the DCCC can't handle more than 50 challenger races, then I don't want to force it upon them. I believe Democrats need to fight in every district, that can't happen from the current culture in DC. The only way that works is if Democrats in every district decide they need to fight. That is who I hope to convince, not some incumbent protection slush fund in DC.

I believe in the 2nd Amendment, which jives well with most bloggers' view of supporting rights. How can we support all rights if we don't support those in the Constitution?

Every day we are on the ground, walking the precincts, we are winning. Democrats need to stop listening to the political pundits and focus on winning every precinct, every district, every state – every single day. Every time Democrats compromise to try to win an election, we all lose in the long run.

Can mainstream party outlets like the DCCC maintain relevance given the competition they receive from the blogs. Given the blogs' growing influence, Democratic candidates will be likely to practice the brand of politics that appeals to the bloggers and their readers. If this competition exists with the blogs then it would seem that the DCCC has lost relevancy, the relevance they have chosen is that they can only handle 50 serious challenger campaigns. That leaves 180 seats that can provide relevance to individuals willing to fight.

Reading back through primary posts and news articles, I find that bloggers who got involved proved themselves to be much savvier readers of the political landscape than the pros at the DCCC. We weren't savvier because we fought, just more relevant.
CLEARLY THE DCCC AND THE BLOGOSPHERE are going in different directions. The DCCC is a typical establishment political outfit that, while it supports liberal politicians, operates in a fundamentally conservative manner. As Donna Brazille observes, "The DCCC is understandably cautious in where it spends its limited money and time." Of course, caution is hardly the blogosphere's calling card. But the results of the 2006 races such as this one in IL-19, will doubtlessly serve to elevate the blogosphere and diminish the DCCC's prestige.

If the DNC and DCCC will just listen to us here in Southern and Central Illinois, and get involved before its too late, Then there could be an upset here. But we need money and boots and ads and organization to achieve this upset.

We will have to do the work ourselves, and then if the DCCC shows up we will have MORE than we need to win. Don't do the work and the DCCC will never show up, and we will have nothing. The Battle Field will grow, and it will center on the debate between internet activists and Democratic Party leaders over how much money should be invested in races in GOP stronghold districts. Stover will provide more fodder to the bloggers, more proof that it can be done.

The time has come for the DNC, DCCC and other mainstream organizations to embrace the bloggers, read those blogs, conduct research that includes what the bloggers are saying in short unite and defeat. I think one thing is clear though, any candidate in an untargeted district who wants to win needs to embrace the internet, and needs to do so in a way that allows everyone here to take part in the process. Danny Stover has done so in a big way.

Someone wrote in one of those blog archives “we need to Leave No District Behind”, and that is very true. This will mean the "55 percent rule," in which the Democratic Party withholds significant cash from races for districts the GOP won in the previous election with 55 percent of the vote, should be modified.

I spent 32 years in retail management, eventually rising to VP of the largest franchiser in a national retail chain. I can remember back in 1968 an article in Chain Store Age about K-Mart which said that they had a “50 Rule” in which they would not put stores in cities of less than 50,000 population. Along came Sam Walton and did just the opposite, and today his little 5 and dime operation is the worlds largest retail chain, the largest private employer on earth. This is the critical point that the National Democratic organization is at today, if they stick to the 55% rule, they are going to end up like K-Mart a wall flower in National Politics, along will come someone with a better idea maybe the United Blogger Party (sic) that will steal their thunder.

I have noticed that most bloggers are liberals some a little far to the left, and Danny Stover is a moderate (to a degree), that is why its so amazing to me that there is so much support coming from the blogging community for him. Or is it just a hate Shimkus ground swell… Time will tell.

Ron McBride,
www.WeDemocrats.com
www.USLINX.com

Pamella Gronemeyer drgronemeyer@msn.com Message posted on: Tuesday,
September 12, 2006

I am the president of Downstate Democrats for Change. We have a member who recently went to Washington, D.C. as part of a retired workers' coalition. When when she asked Mr. Shimkus about the budget deficit, he stated that it was the entitlements that she collects, i.e. her social security, her medicare, and her pension which are responsible for the deficit. What has happened to our country? CEO'S of corporations everywhere make millions and receive golden parachutes after they destroy the hope of the working class. The average American who has given a lifetime of work to make this country great and has sent his/her children and grandchildren off to war are expected to live in penury. Social Security is not an entitlement. We all pay into it. John Shimkus's Congressional pension and healthcare benefits exceed what any of us will ever receive. His salary has consistently risen while the federal minimum
wage is stagnant. We need to bring balance back to Congress. We need to remember that we are a government of the people and for the people. Everyone must vote in November to bring reason and sanity back home.

Ron
www.WeDemocrats.com

Tired of paying outrageous prices at the gas pump? Hoping that our representative John Shimkus, will do something to end our dependence on oil and gas? Think again!

The Oil and Gas industry is the fourth largest industry contributor to federal candidates and parties. In 2004 it contributed a total of $26,645,000 million. As of June 10, 2006 (when the latest FEC report was issued) the industry had already donated over $11,098,000 to parties and to candidates running for federal office this year.

In our own district IL-19

John Shimkus raised the following
2006

Oil & Gas $13,100

2004

Oil & Gas $22,561

2002

Oil & Gas $52,500

2000

Oil & Gas $18,300

Total In last four elections: $ 106,461

Danny Stover received the following
2006

Oil & Gas : $ 0

Who do you think will be impartial?

Who do you think will vote to curb excessive profits and price gouging by big gas and oil companies?

I don’t understand why a Republican doesn’t write a book on how to make millions while in public service. I bet it would be an instant best seller and draw many new people into the Grand Old Party.

I called Shimkus’ office, and asked the voice that answered the phone why Shimkus didn’t get on the bandwagon and lead the fight in Washington for a new minimum wage law. The voice said, “Not too many people work at minimum wage anymore, I don’t think it gets you anywhere politically.” Is this Shimkus’ position? You can bet your bottom dollar it is.

As is usual, a Republican putting politics before people. Raising the minimum wage is not meant to ‘get you anywhere politically. It’s meant to improve the lives of millions of working families struggling to get by and to make ends meet.

Its time the Democratic Candidates started talking fiscal responsibility and refusing to raise the deficit. Democrats need to stop judging success on Election Day, we need to judge success every day. And to do this we need to make life for the average man a little better, a little less sacrifice and a little more money in his paycheck.

Next, because of the lack of television coverage in most of IL-19, the candidates must get out and meet the people, that means parades. Meeting and listening to voters at these events have convinced me that Stover is the right choice. But like all voters I want to be sure, so why doesn’t Shimkus agree to debate Stover, say in three locations, Williamson Co, in south, Madison Co, in north, and Effingham Co in the center. I will tell you why, he is afraid. Afraid that he will be asked pointed questions about his and the Bush Administration lies, Afraid that Stover might be a better speaker than he is, Afraid that the issues will jump up and slap him in the face, Afraid that we the voters might recognize him for what he is.

The people who matter (voters) most don’t read blogs. But they do answer doors. If you care about seeing change in the 19th you’re going to have to get off your behinds and make it happen. You couldn’t hope for a better time nor a more significant location to turn this country around.

Ron McBride

http://KnowItAll.blogstream.com

www.WeDemocrats.com