Ed Garvey: Purist or Hack?

You decide.

Ed Garvey on campaign finance:

Paul Bucher finally said something I agree with. In commenting on Van Hollen's decision to mortgage his house to put cash into the AG race, Bucher said, "I won't mortgage my life for this job."

Bucher, without thinking about it, was condemning money in politics.

He just hates money in politics, Ed does.

Now, Ed Garvey on Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin:

John Matthews of Madison Teachers Inc. introduced Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and her remarks were right on target with the theme of "Hold Them Accountable."

But he doesn't hold her to the same standards. Here's me, writing about Tammy just a few days ago:

...she wins elections by out-spending her opponents. By a lot. She outspent her opponent 3:1 in 2000. In 2002, it was 7:1. In 2004, 3:1 again.

It’s wrong when Mark Green and John Gard do it. That’s what Garvey said.

And Baldwin’s money isn’t coming from around here. In 2000, nearly 60% of her contributions came from out of state. In 2002, it was 46%. In 2004, 48%.

People in Boston and LA give her money because…they care deeply about south central Wisconsin?

Ed again, summing up (emphasis added):

Someone asked why we do this and Tony* comes to mind along with the words of two people: Martin Luther King Jr., who said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." And Eli Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, who said, "The opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference to evil."

None of those at the Sauk County Fairgrounds are indifferent to evil. Or cynical. All are hopeful that we will take back our government and return to the quest for social and economic justice.

Indifferent? Silent? Cynical?

When it comes to his allies, Garvey is all three.


*Tony Karls, a Fighting Bob Fest organizer and Meagan Yost's husband, who passed away the same Saturday as this year's Fest. Condolences to his family and friends.