It's the Fighting Bob (La Follette) Fest.....Saturday!

[buycitgo]

Fighting Bob Fest
Saturday, September 18, 2004. 8 am.

Free gathering in the progressive tradition of Fighting Bob La Follette: "Rights at Risk," 9 am-6 pm, 9/18, Sauk County Fairgrounds, Baraboo, Wisconsin

with speakers including Jim Hightower,
Sen. Tom Harkin,
Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager,
John Nichols,
Rep. Tammy Baldwin &
Dave Zweifel,

plus food and music by Marques Bovre, Command Zulu, David Stoddard and SONiA. $10 Suggested Donation. Sauk County Fairgrounds, 700 Washington Ave, Baraboo, Sauk County. Call 608-256-1003.

how's THAT for a lineup?

ON March 25, 1921, at the age of sixty-five, Robert M. La Follette Sr. took the greatest risk of his long political career. Four years after he chose to lead the Congressional opposition to World War I, La Follette was still condemned in Washington and in his native state of Wisconsin as a traitor or--at best--an old man whose political instincts had finally failed him. But La Follette was not ready to surrender the U.S. Senate seat he had held since leaving Wisconsin's governorship in 1906. He wanted to return to Washington to do battle once more against what he perceived to be the twin evils of the still young century: corporate monopoly at home and imperialism abroad.

The reelection campaign that loomed just a year off would be difficult, he was told, perhaps even impossible. Old alliances had been strained by La Follette's lonely refusal to join in the war cries of 1917 and 1918. To rebuild them, the Senator's aides warned, he would have to abandon his continued calls for investigations of war profiteers and his passionate defense of socialist Eugene Victor Debs and others who had been jailed in the postwar Red Scare.

The place to backpedal, La Follette was told, would be in a speech before the crowded Wisconsin Assembly chamber in Madison. Moments before the white-haired Senator climbed to the podium on that cold March day, he was warned one last time by his aides to deliver a moderate address, to apply balm to the still-open wounds of the previous years, and, above all, to avoid mention of the war and his opposition to it.

La Follette began his speech with the formalities of the day, acknowledging old supporters and recognizing that this was a pivotal moment for him politically. Then, suddenly, La Follette pounded the lectern. "I am going to be a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate," he declared, as the room shook with the thunder of a mighty orator reaching full force. Stretching a clenched fist into the air, La Follette bellowed: "I do not want the vote of a single citizen under any misapprehension of where I stand: I would not change my record on the war for that of any man, living or dead."
http://www.fightingbob.com/aboutbob.cfm

[buycitgo]

1. I know this is going to take off like Rocky Jones, space ranger

[buycitgo]

2. yeah, well, he's COOL!

He could be vicious with his enemies. And he never forgot a slight. Sen. Frank B. Kellogg, of Minnesota, a hunch-back, tried to get him ousted from the Senate during WWI because of his anti-war sentiments. La Follette waited, then, five years later, in St Paul, he spoke:

God Almighty, through nature, writes men's characters on their faces and in their forms. Your Senator has bowed obsequiously to wealth and to corporations' orders and to his masters until God Almighty has given him a hump on his back ---- crouching, cringing, unAmerican, unmanly.

[buycitgo]

3. ring any bells?

[buycitgo]

4. for you salivators, a bobfest primer

why don't they have the BOBS?

My shoes are......on top of the world!

meanwhile....

Many people are alarmed by the Bush administration’s assault on our privacy. The Anti-Patriotic Act grants these power-hungry egomaniacs the right to peruse my library selections, snoop into my medical files, and even enter my house without my knowledge or my permission.

But, while these changes are justifiably alarming, I am even more concerned with the Bush administration’s assault on openness. I am referring specifically to our open records laws. With a little help from Bush’s buddies on the Supreme Court, Bush, et al. have struck yet another blow to a fundamental principle of our democratic society.

When an organization labeled as “right wing,” Judicial Watch, allies itself with the “liberal” Sierra Club, we should take special notice. These two groups joined forces to protest “acting” president Dick Cheney’s meetings with his handpicked energy buddies. His Energy Task Force met in private, kept their minutes private, kept their votes private and even kept the individual names of committee members a secret. Remember that Cheney is a gold card member of the Energy for Obscene Profit Club.

When the alliance of the right and left challenged this arrogant abuse of power, the matter worked its way up the food chain to the Supreme Court dinner plate. And, in keeping with the not-so Supreme Court’s partisan, political decisions, Cheney’s secret society and secret plans were safe, at least until after the election. Cheney’s hunting buddy Justice Antonin Scalia declined to recuse himself from the case despite having spent a weekend in January chatting it up with Dick. The two of them both maintain that they did not discuss the case in all their time paling around together.

[buycitgo]

5. ''what can you do?''

http://www.fightingbobfest.org/

LaFollette’s supporters were primarily working men and women who fought with him to gain control over the corporate interests of the day—big railroads, lumber barons, and banking moguls. During his time as governor, Wisconsin adopted a system of open primaries. While in Congress, “Fighting Bob” fought for civil rights and consumer protection, and was a lone voice in opposition to World War I. “Fighting Bob’s” wife, Belle, was also a vocal advocate of equal rights and justice. “Fighting Bob” La Follette was instrumental in implementing many progressive reforms that tried to put democracy back into the hands of the people.

[zulchzulu]

6. I was going to table there...but will do Farmers Market Madison instead

Drop by.

I was there last year with my lowly Kerry table to the very large Kucinich table (very nice people!) and some Dean people who thought I was a fool for even thinking about Kerry..... wow.....flashback.....

I do have video from last year.

If you can, GO TO FIGHTING BOB FEST!

It's in Baraboo. You have to love it just for that reason.

[buycitgo]

8. believe it or don't, I've never been to Madison

you cheezeheads scare me

maybe I'll stay at my brother's overnight, and come from Milvoukee

got directions to the market?

maybe I'll stop there on way

nice day for drive

[zulchzulu]

10. Madison is the "Berkeley of the Midwest"

We won't bite you unless you wanna.

Cheeeseheads....you betcha.

We are all one stereotype. Thank you.

ps I bet I've lived in more cities around the World than you by my own choice

[buycitgo]

12. hey! is joke! I love Madison.....have always wanted to go there

been lots of places in WI...Union Grove Dragaway, Mars Cheese Castle, Door county, Mt. Horeb Mustard Museum, Bears Training camp, Kenosha Dog Track, Billy Mitchell Field. lotsa kultur, eh?

criminy, eh?

been round da worl' my own self, too, eh?

[zulchzulu]

18. Lemme know when yer comin' to these parts

I've been here about a year from moving from California. Nice change...although the winter is supposed to be especially cold and snowy. That's why I go to PR in the winter. Or Europe this year if.... nah...

[buycitgo]

19. I might do it Saturday, depending on homeland security issues here

got any room on your jet this winter?

if you haven't been through a WI winter, you've got quite a shock in store

we've had a very cool summer..... a COLD, snowy winter is predicted

[shadu]

20. A COLD snowy winter is predicted every year!

I predict yet another mild unsnowy winter.

[buycitgo]

21. busted!

actually, they talked about two forecasts: Farmer's almanac sez unusually cold, snowy

some other forecast says less so

so......

snow

's no go?

[zulchzulu]

24. Yep. First Ice and Kite festival last winter

Winter is trippy, dude.

[Lithos]

7. Fighting Bob said many things

Most still appropriate today about the dangers of corporate control, the usurpation of the rights and freedoms of the working man, and the support for minorities and the oppressed.

He was a true progressive and populist.

He is and has always been my political idol.


L-

[buycitgo]

9. good for YOU!

know anything about Fred Harris?

[Lithos]

11. Not much

He was up in Oklahoma, right?

Not much coverage here in Texas. I know a bit more about Lloyd Doggett and Jim Hightower who are probably the two leading Populists here.

[buycitgo]

13. he was a sort of La Follette back around late 60s, early 70s

his wife was Indigenous American

[Lithos]

15. Cool

I take any favorable comparison to Fighting Bob as a good thing.

L-

[fairfaxvadem]

14. My Grandmother was a La Follette supporter

Back in the day in Chippewa Falls.

Wisconsin has such an amazing political tradition.

We've forgiven my uncle for running for Chippewa County DA as a Republican, though!!!

[buycitgo]

16. did you see me ask where in Fairfax you are?

I lived in Arlington and Falls Church (Fairfax county....out between Lee Hwy and Rt 50) for about 15 years

miss it

just talked to old roommate last night....Shirlington

her cat just died

sigh

and where's chippewa falls?

[buycitgo]

17. oh yeah, the GREAT, fabulous Bob McChesney will be there,

as well

he and Nichols are close buds; wrote a book together

Nichols is on RM/s radio show every so often

[grasswire]

22. do not miss....

....any opportunity to hear Jim Hightower. You'll laugh, you'll cry. I felt so much better about everything after hearing him out west couple months ago. He inspires HOPE.

[buycitgo]

23. hey! I have to sleep now

night