Brave Fourth District Democrats Given Rare Treat - To See a Democratic Congressman

It was a historic event, but there was already a winter storm watch posted. Most of us went anyway and were glad we did. It was the first time that Democrats from Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District joined with Democrats from the Fifth Congressional District to jointly hold a party fund raiser.

But Fourth District Dems have been misrepresented in Washington by Republican Dave Camp for so long they have forgotten what a Congressman who cared more about the people than corporations sounded like.

Fifth District Democrats have had Dale Kildee as their Congressman for many years and most Fourth District Dems have never met him or gotten to hear him speak at any length. Some of us have seen him at other state party gatherings and are aware he has been a long-time Democratic Congressman, but until Saturday night’s gathering we had no idea why people speak of him in almost saintly terms.

Kildee’s appearance at the fund rasier made the harrowing drive back home worthwhile. It was fascinating to watch a Washington veteran talk genuinely about what makes Democrats different from Republicans and to listen to the reminder that Democrats brought us Social Security and saved Social Security from being privatized. The Congressman from the Fifth district that includes all of Genesee County and Tuscola County and parts of Bay and Saginaw Counties spoke from the heart about caring about America in moral terms in tending to citizen needs and making government work for the people.

Compare that to Dave Camp who speaks in moral terms about saving the unborn, but refuses to provide poor children with decent health care. Kildee thinks children should have health care no matter how poor they are. Kildee also spoke of human dignity for every individual while Rubber Stamp Camp voted in favor of torture.

When he finished speaking, Kildee was greeted with very warm applause. He’s an old man and probably should retire and make room for a new generation of Democrats, but I can see now why they want to hold onto that gem of a Congressman over in the Fifth Congressional District.

We’ve been stuck over here for 16 years with a Congressman who represents big business and not the rest of us – a Congressman who votes against veterans while claiming to support them – a Congressman who believes women have no right to choose what happens to their own bodies and a Congressman who has helped an idiot President run our country into bankruptcy.

Yup, we need a change all right. The drive was slow coming back from Saginaw County on a stormy Saturday night. We ran through near white-out conditions at times, but going slowly and cautiously, despite a bit of skidding, we made it home, happy that we got a glimpse at a real Congressman.