Here's the kind of candidate we need

The rap on the Democrats is that we're pusillanimous. From what we see happening in Congress there is some justice to that. We'll never get anywhere unless we stand up to the power, even if we pick up a majority in Congress in November. As I've said before, the function of the opposition party is to oppose, and we need to be electing candidates who will do that.

In New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, where I grew up, there is an important primary race to decide who will oppose incumbent Republican Scott Garrett. The party bosses in the county have annointed Paul Aronsohn, who seems to take pusillanimity to a new level. He likes to describe himself as a “pro-defense, pro-business, moderate Democrat.” He says he would have voted for the so-called PATRIOT Act if he'd had the chance, and his idea of solving health care is to have a little sit-down with the insurance companies and drug companies that are the problem, not the solution.

Oh yeah, he's also used his muscle to squeeze his political opponents off the Democratic Party line on the ballot all across the county, although when he was caught doing it he backed down.

His opponent is Camille Abate, a civil rights lawyer who is committed to standing up to the lies and illegallity of the Bush Administration. In the interest of full disclosure I should say that my brother Mark is her campaign manager, so you can take this comment for what it's worth. Still, I think she's worth a look, and any support you can provide.