Barbara Boxer - Standing Tall

I have a Barbara Boxer coffee mug, Barbara Boxer Sleep shirt and a pair of the infamous Boxer Shorts. I even have a photo of my dog wearing them, with me proudly showing our support.

(Which I would post here, if I could only figure out how to do it)

Barbara Boxer is our home town girl, home County actually, rising from the School Board, to the Board of Supervisors, then on to Congress and Senate. She rose in the ranks the classic way. She earned her Senate seat the old fashioned way, by paying dues for years, getting to know her constituents, and most important sticking to her principles, for the most part anyway.

A historic photo shows then Representative Barbara Boxer leading a charge of women up the steps of the Capitol to protest and condemn the nomination of Clarence Thomas.

We don't always agree on policy. Barbara voted for the death penalty for drug "kingpins" a shady bill that could be used against any one in the drug trafficking cycle, not necessarily the big bad guys heading up the cartels.

Yesterday, Barbara fulfilled her liberal legacy, her belief in the core values of not just the Democratic Party, but of our most basic premise of our Declaration of Independence that all people are free to seek life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

If they are not free to vote, and to have that vote counted, how can any of the rest of it follow?

Barbara was the sole Senator to stand with Ohio Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones in objecting to the certifiable of the Ohio electoral vote because of evidence of massive voter fraud, mismanagement, and improprieties of all sorts, rendering thousands of votes meaningless.

She was the sole Senator after an hours' long hearing on the matter to stick to her principles and vote not to certify, in the face of calumny, name calling, sneering and snickering from the Republicans and abdication of their historic role as champion of civil and human rights of the common man on the part of many of her Democratic Colleagues.

This is why we NEED a Democratic Progressive Action caucus in our Party; we need a group of people ready to take action, champion these causes, bring them to the forefront and get in the face of timid Democrats when the need arises.

Our Party can be great. It is founded on great principles. It mouths key phrases like "every vote must count" while going on vacation when the time comes to count the votes; it agrees irregularities occurred that must never occur again, but it votes to certify a terribly flawed election.

The outcome is that we will never know whether George Bush won the election or not. We progressives have solid evidence that he did not, that not only in Ohio, but in Florida, New Mexico and other States, strange doings played havoc with the votes cast. (and the Repubs accuse the Democrats of practicing "X-files" politics!)

Barbara, you are a true American hero. Someone said it was ironic that the only one with cojones was a woman. It's not ironic, and it's not testosterone that makes someone do the right thing. It's principle that cannot be denied. Testosterone is often too busy swaggering and puffing cigars with Ahnold in the smoking tent.

Principle stands tall even when it comes in a diminutive package like one courageous Senator from California.

Thank you Barbara!