Fantastic news out of Montana

Maggie says:
Since there are no populist celebrations taking place in the Land of Enchantment today, I look to Big Sky Country instead. Montana continues to be one of the most exciting states to watch politically - if you're not entrenched in same-old, insider politics, that is - and David Sirota continues to be on top of it all.

Read Populist Jon Tester Scores Huge Win Against D.C. Dems & For the Rest of Us in full. Please?

That Establishment has either refused to take basic, concrete positions on the key issues of the day like Iraq, or worse, has high-profile factions publicly insulting middle-class voters, such as when former Clintonites on Wall Street insulted those Democrats who are trying to reform America’s sellout trade policy.

But as I have written before, Tester - and other successful Democrats running this year - are doing exactly the opposite. Back in November, I noted how Tester rejected Washington’s advice, and took a strong position on the Iraq War. A few weeks back, I also noted how on critical economic issues like trade. My colleage at the Progressive States Network, Matt Singer, also noted that Tester also took a bold position on health care, saying our system needs fundamental reform.

These are positions that put him squarely at odds with Morrison (who Singer noted spewed Tom Friedman-esque World-Is-Flat corporate PR), and more importantly, at odds with the national Democratic Party and the Big Money interests that control Washington. But his positions put him in sync with voters in Montana and throughout the heartland. Put another way, he made the fight against Big Money’s hostile takeover of our government a central theme in his legislative career and in his primary campaign - and he was, to the great shock of Washington insiders, handsomely rewarded by voters.

Next up? All eyes to Connecticut, where my non-violent self hopes a certain Joe gets his Bush-apologist ass kicked by Ned Lamont.

Onward and upward, folks!