Bloodless Coup

Congressman Dan Lipinski (R-Nepotism)

Good freakin' grief. Meet Congressman Dan Lipinski, the next member of Congress from the Chicago metro area. I've already noted the shameful, anti-democratic way in which he's come to power. And now that he's finally had his first press conference, the first time his constituents have had the opportunity to hear his political views (yes, AFTER he was already handed a seat in the US House), we get to see that he looks an awful lot like a Republican. Ardently pro-life and anti-gay marriage? Disheartening in a 38 year old freshman who may have a long career in the House ahead of him, but not entirely surprising given his background. But the fact that his political hero is Ronald Reagan!?!?! And he's a Democrat? Ummm. Yeah. Sure he is. Amy Sullivan caught a lot of heat for this recent post of her's on why Democrats shouldn't back conservative Democrats. And some of that was justified. Obviously most any Democrat who can be elected in Oklahoma is going to be very conservative. But folks, we are talking in this case about a Democrat from Chicago. Chicago! I really hope someone takes out the new Lipinski in the 2006 primary. Democrats can do better than this. And all Americans can do better than this crony-riddled process of selecting a member of Congress.