Hello, this is Isaac of Free
State Politics, Maryland’s progressive community blog and member
of the 50 state blog network. For the past few weeks, one of us has
been compiling a digest of links from the blogs in the network,
highlighting important affairs going on under the national radar. I
didn’t see anyone put together a roundup for this week, however, so I
spent this morning taking care of it. Enjoy!
(P.S. My apologies to Square State, Fla. Politics, and Green Mountain
Daily for not including your contributions — for some reason, I
couldn’t access your sites this morning.)
See what’s happening on the state level below the fold…
Northeast
Connecticut's
Senate Minority Leader, Joe DeLuca (R), plead guilty last
week for possible mob-related activities, and My Left Nutmeg covered the local Republicans' attempts at damage
control.
After the telcos failed to gut net neutrality
in Congress last year, the fight has moved to the states; Downeasta at
Turn Maine Blue directs our attention to a possibly
successful net neutrality initiative in the Maine legislature.
At Free State Politics, we discussed whether Maryland Democrats should invest in winning
congressional seats even in the two strongly conservative areas of the
state, the western panhandle and the Eastern Shore.
At
Blue Mass Group, Bob and Charley
on the MTA take Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to task for
attempting to soften state testing requirements for high school
students.
At the request of Dean Barker, editor of
Blue Hampshire, former NH Democratic Party Chair
Kathy Sullivan writes about her effort to draft former Gov. Jeanne
Shaheen to run against John Sununu in the 2008 U.S. Senate race.
Hopeful at Blue Jersey writes to Sens. Bob
Menendez and Frank Lautenberg about their support last year for the
odious Military Commissions Act.
The Albany
Project urges Gov. Eliot Spitzer to keep pushing for campaign
finance reform in New York State, while Paul at The Daily
Gotham says the proposal for congestion
pricing in New York City would be more equitable than an increase in
subway fare prices.
Stanley of Keystone Politics notes the
announcement of Beth Hafer, daughter of famous Pennsylvania politician
Barbara Hafer, that she will run against Republican Rep. Tim
Murphy.
Clem of West Virginia Blue sounds the
alarm about Congress' attempt to give out massive subsidies to
carbon-spewing liquid coal technology, and highlights opposition to it
even in coal
country.
South
At Left in Alabama, mooncat investigates the
connection between the US Attorneys scandal and the prosecution of
former Governor (and Democrat) Don Siegelman.
In Georgia,
journalist Dale Cardwell is running against wingnut Saxby Chambliss
for U.S. Senate in 2008, but the folks at Tondee's Tavern aren't impressed.
BlueNC asks, "Who are our Progressive Senators?"
Burnt Orange Report implores the
Texas Democratic Party to step it up for the 2008 election, while
Scott at Texas Kaos reports on his success in getting the
Austin Democratic Party to put a referendum on Iraq on the primary
ballot next year.
Raising Kaine has been
covering the upcoming local legislative elections in Virginia, and here
are their endorsements.
Midwest
Illinois's state progressive blog,
Prairie State Blue, celebrated its
second anniversary this week.
Indiana continues to
grapple with the privatization of its toll roads: Thomas of
Blue Indiana comments on reports that highway
operators aren't paying local fire departments for cleaning up
accidents on their roads.
All those
rumors of Hillary Clinton skipping the Iowa caucus can be laid to
rest: according to desmoinesdem of Bleeding Heartland, she has been snatching up some of the top political
talent in that state.
The folks at Michigan
Liberal had a rip-roaring conversation about Rep.
John Dingell's attempt to weaken the states' ability to
regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
Minnesota
Campaign Report interviews Richard Carlbom, former St.
Joseph Mayor and Political Director for Rep. Tim Walz's reelection
campaign.
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R) has been trying to
curry favor with the anti-abortion movement by, essentially, buying
off one of their groups, reports Fired Up! Missouri.
Ken Blackwell, formerly Ohio's Secretary of State, is spouting
right-wing talking points from the perch of Townhall.com;
modernesquire at Buckeye State Blog smacks
them down. Meanwhile, Mark of As Ohio Goes attacks Rep. Zack Space's defense of
corrupt Dem William Jefferson.
Mal Contends of
Uppity Wisconsin relates
the story of a Wisconsin Vietnam veteran in a protracted legal battle
with the VA over disability benefits.
West
AZNetroots is talking up Bob Lord,
who is challenging longtime Republican congressman John Shadegg, and
is already beating him at fundraising.
Amidst a flurry of
activity in the California legislature, dday of Calitics reports that a single payer health care plan has passed the
state Senate, which will likely influence Gov. Arnold
Schwartzenegger's plans for health care reform.
Jay of
Left in the West details the efforts of right-wing front groups to use the myth of "voter
fraud" to deny voting rights to American Indians in Montana.
Marshall of Wasatch Watcher decries a school
vouchers proposal in Utah, which will be decided by referendum.
Over at Washblog, Noemie Maxwell interviews campaign finance reformer David Donnelly.