Domingo Soto: Because Freedom Isn't Dumb

LOSING ARTUR
There are some in the Alabama progressive community who are becoming more openly exasperated with Congressman Artur Davis. By the time of the Obama candidacy, Davis had been positioned wonderfully, having gained for himself the mantle of this state's new wunderkinder. And, black at that! Having bucked the conventional wisdom that he should hitch his star to Hillary's coat tails, his new-found clout seemed like a just reward. But then came his announcement that he would run for governor. It sounded like trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice. It meant that at a time when we need progressive leadership in this state, one of its leading lights would be off on a quixotic chase. But, if Davis was quick to discount Hillary, it was obvious he had Bill on his mind and it looked like Davis was going to pass the others on the right. When Obama announced that he had nominated Regina Benjamin to become the new Surgeon General about a few weeks ago more than a few of us worried. After all, why was Obama's point man playing footsie with Jeff Sessions on the new US Attorney by even considering a Washington, D.C. insider over a local? Why was it taking so long to get these people in place? Was the Benjamin announcement, we wondered, just a sop to the local yokels for what was coming? And then the shoe dropped. Vicky Davis was passed over. Now,with his most recent announcement that he opposes the health care reform bills "in their present form" Davis has really stoked this discontent. As one critic points out "Health care reform is the most critical issue of our time, besides the environment. It's frustrating living in L.A. where affecting meaningful help from our 3 Federal representatives is hopeless. But losing Davis is unbearable."