March 05, 2010 03:03 AM UTC
Supporting Michael Bennet: The Whole Enchilada
- by: peacemonger
Q. Why do I support Senator Michael Bennet for election in 2010?
A. He’s a good man, he’s electable, and he is doing a fantastic job already as our US Senator. He has earned another term. Please allow me to elaborate.
1. He’s a good man.
I was determined not to like Senator Bennet. I was a supporter of Andrew Romanoff’s through the last decade. Like many other Coloradans, I met Andrew a few times at crowded campaign events, and followed what he accomplished in the newspaper. Romanoff fought hard against the neo-conservative movement in Colorado and called them on their craziness many times. As speaker of the House, Romanoff fought for things I care about: public schools, the poor, women’s and minority issues, the rights of average Coloradans, and much more. Colorado owes him a debt of gratitude. I once told Andrew Romanoff I would support him for any position for which he ran, and I would help him win.
When Andrew was not chosen for US Senate, I thought to myself, “Governor Ritter better have a damn good reason for this decision”. I’d never heard of Michael Bennet. I decided to learn more about him.
First, a little background on Michael Bennet (from Wikipedia and Senate sources):
Senator Michael Bennet grew up in a family deeply committed to public service. Michael was born in India, where his father worked for a US Ambassador. Bennet Sr. worked for numerous Democratic Presidents and legislators, then for National Public Radio for ten years, before becoming a University president.
Michael Bennet’s grandfather worked for Franklin Roosevelt. Michael Bennet’s mother, Susanne, and his maternal grandparents survived imprisonment in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. Susanne emigrated to the United States where she became a school librarian and taught English as a second language for a nonprofit. She speaks four languages.
Young Michael Bennet struggled with dyslexia, yet he continued on to graduate with honors and to attend Yale Law School. Michael Bennet married Susan Daggett, an environmental attorney. They moved to Denver when Susan received a job offer with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (now EarthJustice).
Since moving to Colorado, Bennet built a reputation as a successful lawyer and businessman before going to work for Denver’s Democratic Mayor John Hickenlooper, and later becoming Superintendent of Denver Public Schools.
Like President Barack Obama, Senator Michael Bennet believes ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference in their communities when given the tools and opportunity to do so. Michael Bennet supports the establishment of a US Public Service Academy to support Americans to commit their lives to public service. He also cosponsored two bills to encourage Americans to volunteer in their communities.
2. Michael Bennet is electable, and his style is exactly what this country needs right now.
I went to numerous Bennet events in 2009. At first, he seemed quiet, soft-spoken and humble. My first reaction was, “This is the guy Ritter chose instead of Colorado’s Speaker of the House? Seriously?” In the weeks and months to follow, Michael Bennet found his voice, and when he did, he roared. Not only that, but he earned tens of thousands of enthusiastic supporters all over the state — among them, me.
Senator Bennet’s style is disarming and effective. He appears modest, positive, and calm … yet driven. He seems more comfortable talking to a five year old while on his knees, than he does talking to big donors at fancy fundraising parties. At the many events I have been to over the past year, I have rarely seen him walk past a child in a room without some kind of personal acknowledgement, often at his/her own level. They like him and he genuinely likes them. Perhaps it is because he has three small children of his own; they keep him grounded. In his campaign speeches, Bennet frequently mentions conversations he has with his own children who tell him such things as “what to do if you have ‘friendship problems’ with John McCain” and “we’re not paying the money back” (referring to the national debt). When Michael Bennet goes home, he has to answer to America’s next generation… every single day.
I wondered the first time I heard Senator Bennet speak in public if he was “firey” enough to take on the Republicans in a state that gave birth to Tom Tancredo and Focus on the Family. It wasn’t long into the national health care reform debate I saw “Michael Bennet the Fighter” emerge.
As a community organizer, I planned and drove turn-out for all kinds of political rallies, town halls and other events. Everywhere I went, someone was there from the Bennet campaign or the Bennet office. Some of the rallies we held were outside Democratic legislator’s town halls, so when I went inside, I would hear Michael Bennet speak on health insurance reform. Beginning in June of 2009, I saw Bennet passionately argue on behalf of health reform as a “moral obligation”, and inclusion of the public option. Bennet told heart-wrenching stories sent to him by constituents, refusing to be distracted from his mission to represent them. He did this many times a week during 2009.
Senator Bennet took on anti-reformers in the reddest parts of the metro area, and it was a joy to watch. I remember a private campaign event in Highlands Ranch, CO, where approximately fifty tea-party activists from Colorado Springs “crashed” the party to talk to him about “Obama-Care”. When the host was informed a group of them were waiting outside more than thirty minutes before the event started, the host deferred to Senator Bennet. Senator Bennet actually wanted the un-invited guests (clearly not his supporters at the time) to come in. He welcomed them as they took the best seats.
During the nearly two hour event, Senator Bennet took heat for the alleged “socialist takeover of America’s health care system” by President Obama, as described by the conservative activists. One by one, he stood directly in front of them, eye-to-eye, patiently and respectfully hearing what they had to say. Senator Bennet enforced the same rules for everyone present, and “called people out” if they got out of line. After listening, he masterfully presented his own passionate and fact-based argument for reform. Bennet was in control the whole time – calm, confident, thoughtful, knowledgeable, respectful… yet not willing to back down for even a minute against rumor, innuendo, assumption, or myth. The tea-partiers did not have much to say as they left except, “Thank-you”.
That was the first time I saw Bennet-the-Fighter, but nowhere near the last. I recently saw it in his debate against Primary opponent Andrew Romanoff at the Denver Young Democrats debate. As the months go on, Senator Bennet’s voice grows stronger and more confident, and his passion for justice becomes louder as his army of supporters join their voice to his. This kind of politics – not limiting oneself to the echo chamber where one is most comfortable, but actually welcoming dialogue and debate, is a skill-set Senator Bennet shares with President Barack Obama. Perhaps that is why President Obama has endorsed him and has campaigned for Michael Bennet.
A warrior for social justice is not afraid of people, for people are not his enemy. Ignorance is the enemy. ~ Peacemonger
3. Michael Bennet is doing a fantastic job as Colorado’s US senator. His voting record, as a Democrat, is almost flawless.
It’s hard to argue with Michael Bennet’s voting record. He believes America needs to “pay as we go”; making responsible decisions that do not add to our national debt, so our children are not left footing our bill. He is sharply critical of former President George Bush’s unpaid bills and was against the expensive and unnecessary Iraq war from the start. Bennet was an early supporter of candidate Barack Obama for President, and President Obama says he is helping him campaign because they “work well together”.
In addition to stating on national television that he was willing to lose his job over the passage of health insurance reform, Bennet has:
• taken on reforming the fillibuster and lobbying rules of the US Senate,
• pushed for increased lending to America’s small businesses,
• denounced the Supreme Court decision to give increased personhood rights to corporations,
• fought to stop last-ditch efforts to jack up credit card rates,
• called for the repeal of federal anti-trust legislation for the health insurance industry,
• has spoken out on needed reforms of Wall Street,
and more.
Bennet has consistently voted for the rights of those who are often voiceless, while in Washington. He voted:
• to confirm US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (PN 506-111),
• for the Lily Ledbetter Act, strengthening equal pay for equal work regardless of gender (S. 181),
• for job creation (HR 2847),
• to extend Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits (HR 3548),
• to help keep jobs in the United States through Cash for Clunkers (HR 3435), and keeping the Buy American Clause (S Amdt 279),
• to add the Matthew Sheperd Act into existing hate crimes legislation, stiffening penalties for crimes based on gender orientation,
• for Sen. Mikulski’s Preventative Service Coverage Requirements for Health Care package (HR3590), and
• for the Senate version of the health reform bill… on Christmas Eve!
Michael Bennet cosponsored or sponsored the following bills:
• the DREAM Act, giving children of immigrants a path to legal citizenship and a brighter future (S. 729),
• the bipartisan “Troops to Teachers” legislation (S.1932),
• the Federal Stimulus Package which saved the United States from the brink of economic disaster (HR 1),
• a bill to establish the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (S. 1619),
• a bill to honor the Wilderness Act and the conservation stamp (S. Res. 244 and S. 1567),
• a bill to open a national office for Alzheimer’s disease (S. 1555),
• a resolution to combat anti-Semitism (S. Con. Res. 11),
• a bill awarding women Air Force pilots with a Congressional Gold Medal (S. 614),
• a bill to increase energy efficiency (S. 1379),
• amendments to improve and support school lunch programs (S. 1343, S. 1226, S. 581, S. 1293, S. 934, S. Res. 67),
• a national apology for slavery and segregation against African-Americans (S. Con. Res. 26),
• a resolution against violence against women using reproductive health services (S. Res. 187),
• a bill to cooperate with the Southern Ute Native American tribe to improve water infrastructure to the area (S. 1264),
• a bill to assist family members who care for veterans, and to waive some of the charges they face from the VA (S. 801),
• bills to preserve and protect Medicare in rural areas and for people with mental illness (S. 801 and S. 1136),
• a bill to strengthen FDA regulations of the tobacco industry (S. 982),
• bills to expand or improve S-CHIP health benefits to low-income families with children (S. 1034 S. 935 HR 2),
• a bill celebrating the 60th Anniversary of NATO (S. Res. 20),
• a bill awarding a congressional gold medal to Dr. Muhammad Yunus for his work against global poverty (S. 934),
• a resolution honoring humanitarian organizer Cesar Chavez (S. Res. 92),
• a bill to make it easier for Energy workers to receive worker’s comp benefits (S. 757),
• a bill to make community services more accessible for older Americans and people with disabilities (S. 683),
• a bill to improve reimbursement/compensation to certified mid-wives (S. 662),
• a bill to expand and improve opportunities for public service under the National Community Services Act of 1990 and the National Volunteer Program Expansion (S. 277, HR 1388),
• a bill to offer support services to schools in teaching geography (S. 749),
• a bill to establish a Transitions Program to improve Medicare (S. 1009),
• a resolution honoring the NAACP (H. Con Res.35),
• bills establishing or improving protection of the following national treasures: Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Sangre De Christo National Heritage Area, Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests, Arapahoe National Park, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Arapahoe National Rec Area, National Trails System, Cache La Poudre River National Heritage Area, Rocky Mountain National Park, South Park National Heritage Area (S. 183, S. 191, S. 185, S. 188, S. 190, S. 189, S. 180, S. 186),
• bills to improve or expand services for veterans (S. 423, S. 691, S. 663, S. 546, S. 535)
• and more.
Do I think Senator Bennet is perfect? No. Am I a “tool” or employee? No, niether. I disagreed with Bennet’s votes for concealed weapons, and his one vote on “cramdown”, which the Romanoff campaign has been quick to blow way out of proportion. I would like to see Senator Bennet include more licensed, unionized public school teachers as his advisors on education; they have always been, and will always be, my “Everyday Heroes”. Since 95% of the things that I care about are things Senator Bennet also cares about, and he’s proven it with a rock-solid voting record, I am willing to cut him slack on the other five percent. In the year I’ve closely followed Senator Bennet’s performance, that’s all I can offer as criticism. He’s doing an amazing job.
Michael Bennet is the most responsive and accessible member of Congess I have seen in decades. There hasn’t been a single time I’ve called his office or stopped by that I have not been able to talk to a real, live, human being. In the early days of his Senate term, I left a message once, and Senator Bennet returned it himself, allowing me to ask him questions for 25 minutes! I intend to keep writing to him and calling his office with my concerns and comments, and I hope other Coloradans will, as well.
In summary, I admire and respect Senator Bennet, and I am truly honored, after attending events where he has spoken and gotten to know him and his family a little, to also call him “friend”. He is a friend to women, friend to children, friend to minority groups, friend to the elderly, friend to schools, friend to veterans, friend to the disabilities community, friend to the GLBTQ community, friend to immigrants, friend to the environment, friend to working families, friend to President Barack Obama, and friend to the rest of his diverse constituency in Colorado.
There is no reason for me not to support Senator Michael Bennet in 2010. Whether you join me or not, he will continue to fight for you. Please help us make our movement stronger, won’t you?
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