The G Spot

Tonight in Geoghegan-land

By Kathy G.

Time for our daily Geoghegan round-up.

First off, I know that a bunch of you have been eager to start phone banking for Tom. Well, the good news is, you don't have to be impatient any longer. On our website, we've set up a virtual phone bank, which you can access here. Just plug in your info, and we'll get back to you soon with scripts, voter lists, and everything else you'll need.

What's great about this kind of volunteer work is that you can do it from your own home -- and that home can be pretty much anywhere in America. I know Tom has legions of devoted fans across the nation -- I hear from them every day, and they are as passionate and fired up a group as you'd ever want to meet.

So for those of you who have expressed your regrets over not being available to come here to Chicago and help with the campaign in person, here's something that you can do. And believe me, it is very important and valuable work. Click here to get started. You might even want to think about organizing your own "phone banking for Tom" parties.

The second important piece of information I want to convey is this: The date of the Democratic primary Tom is running in is coming fast up on us. It will occur on March 3rd, just a little over four weeks from now.

One thing you may not have realized is that, in order to vote in the primary, you have to register to vote by the Tuesday, February 3rd deadline. And in order to be eligible to vote for Tom, you must be a registered Democrat in the district. Visit this webpage for information about how to register.

Not sure if you live in the IL-05 district? You can type your address into this search engine, and it will tell you which district you're in, and the address of your polling place as well.

I'll close with the usual: you can donate to Tom Geoghegan's Congressional campaign here; volunteer here and here; join the two Geoghegan Facebook groups here and here; and follow Tom on Twitter here.

Why I heart Atrios

By Kathy G.

Because, so often, he just cuts to the heart of things, with the most minimal of verbiage and bullshit. To whit:

Am I the only to whom it's occurred that monetary policy through the banking channel (as opposed to, say, actually dropping money from helicopters) is only likely to be effective if banks are pretty good at allocating capital efficiently, and recent history tells us that the existing set of clowns in charge completely suck ass at this?

I'd ask him to marry me, if I wasn't already the most happily married woman on earth.

Introducing Hildy's List

By Kathy G.

 

Hildy's come-hither stare

I wanted to let my readers know about a new ActBlue fundraising page I've created: Hildy's List. It's a page I developed in consultation with my dog Hildy*. She wanted to do something to help the Geoghegan campaign and show her gratitude to Tom for his heroic, and successful, efforts to keep her in her happy home.

Thus, Hildy's List, an ActBlue fundraising page with the motto "For candidates who fight for the underdog." There could be no better candidate to kick off this effort than Tom Geoghegan, so we're starting with him. But in the future we will be using it to fundraise for other candidates as well.

From now until the end of the campaign, every Friday will be a fundraising day. I'll post a new picture of Hildy, a link to the fundraising page, and a brief pitch.

Folks, let's do all we can to open this sucker with bang. Please click on this link and throw some cash Tom's way. If you haven't given before, this would be a great time to start. If you've given already, why not give again? It doesn't have to be a lot -- even $10 or $20 helps. The legal maximum per person, btw, just went up, to $2400, so you big spenders out there who've already contributed $2300 can feel free kick in an extra 100 bucks. And folks, please remember that the primary election will be on March 3 -- that's a little over 4 weeks from now. This thing will be over in the blink of an eye, and we need your money ASAP.

Please contribute what you can. You wouldn't want to see Hildy all sad and disappointed that no one was contributing money to her favorite candidate, would you?

*And yes, I'm well aware that when I act as spokesperson for Hildy, it raises all manner of vexing issues of "Can the subaltern speak?" . But all I can say is, trust me on this one.

Your daily Geoghegan

By Kathy G.

This past week has been a busy one for Tom, and the last couple day or two, especially so. Yesterday, for example, Tom announced the terms of a landmark legal settlement that will provide health care for the uninsured and underinsured. Here's what the Geoghegan campaign had to say:

In this groundbreaking settlement, Advocate [a network of hospitals and health care providers in the greater Chicago area] agreed to provide free or discounted health care to all uninsured or underinsured patients. Advocate had been charging these patients a higher rate that they were charging the insurance companies for the exact same procedures. Geoghegan told the Chicago Sun-Times that, for example, a birth that would have cost $1,800 for a Blue Cross patient would have cost $5,000 for an uninsured patient.

From now on, though, all uninsured or underinsured patients will pay either discounted rates, or nothing at all. And Advocate has also agreed to refund the patients it has overcharged, to the tune of some 3.5 million dollars.

This is a very big deal. Nearly 46 million Americans don't have health insurance, and, as health policy expert Harold Pollack has noted, a recent study showed that 72 million Americans "had accumulated medical debts or had problems paying medical bills. An estimated 28 million had been contacted by collection agencies over unpaid medical bills." Medical debt in America is a serious problem. More Americans file for bankruptcy because of illness or unpaid medical bills than for any other reason. And shockingly, about 75% of those who declare bankruptcy for medical-related reasons have health insurance.

Moreover, in the midst of severe recession in which so many are losing their jobs and their health insurance, there is little doubt that the problem of medical debt will get much, much worse.

A lot of candidates in this race will be talking about the necessity of providing accessible, affordable, high-quality health care for all-Americans. But Tom Geoghegan doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. Throughout his 30-year career as a public interest attorney, Tom has been instrumental in providing health care for thousands of people. And if elected to Congress, will put the same skills, passion, and commitment into fighting for the people of Illinois' Fifth District that he's put to work on behalf of his legal clients.

Upcoming campaign event a week from Sunday

By Kathy G.

Here's a Geoghegan campaign event scheduled for February 8th, a week from next Sunday. Come join us!

Paul Engleman • Tony Judge • David Murray •

 Stephanie & David Schrodt

 

Invite you to meet the next US Congressman from the 5th district of Illinois

Tom Geoghegan

 

Tom has spent his career fighting for economic and social justice on behalf of working Americans. A noted author and labor attorney for over 30 years, Tom is a respected champion of progressive reform.

 

"Tom could be the next Paul Wellstone."

Katha Pollitt, The Nation, January 26, 2009

 

Broadway United Methodist Church

3344 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657

 

Sunday, February 8, 2009

2:30pm-4:00pm

 

Host: $250

Co-host: $100

Sponsor: $50

Individual: $25

 

For more information or to RSVP please contact Sarah Geoghegan:

(312) 346-3659 or sarah@tom09.com

 

RSVP online at www.tom09.com/five

 

Please make checks payable to Tom Geoghegan for Congress

P.O. Box 1145

Chicago, IL 60690

How Tom Geoghegan Saved My Dog: Hildy's Story

By Kathy G.

This dog will be very disappointed if you don't support Tom Geoghegan for Congress.

There have been some suggestions bandied about, that the netroots' crushing on Congressional candidate Tom Geoghegan (who, me?) may be getting out of hand. Take this, for example, from blogger Ben Adler:

In light of all the adoration for Tom Geoghegan and his congressional candidacy in the liberal press, I think it’s time to start listing Tom Geoghegan facts, akin to Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle. Here’s what I’ve got:

-- Tom Geoghegan invited you to stay at his Italian villa.
-- Tom Geoghegan linked to your blog.
-- Tom Geoghegan is curing AIDS in Africa.
-- Tom Geoghegan gave you his national magazine award, because he thought you deserved it.
-- Tom Geoghegan made you dinner.
-- Tom Geoghegan wrote a flattering post on your Facebook wall.
-- Tom Geoghegan is the reason Barack Obama won the election.
-- Tom Geoghegan died on the cross for Man’s sins.

Mock away, if you must, at the Geoghegan-mania that has swept the liberal blogs of late. But it is based on something very real. Tom Geoghegan has an exceedingly long list of good deeds to his name. This is the story of one of them. It's the tale of how one small dog battled the entire Leviathan bureaucracy of the University of Chicago for her home, her family, and indeed, her very life. And how, amazingly enough, she won that fight -- but only because her case was championed by one Thomas Howard Geoghegan.

The Madness of King Rod: the Continuing Chronicles

By Kathy G.

Well, here he is, folks. My governor. In action.

I honestly have never seen its like before.

A word of warning: while watching this, I was drinking a Diet Pepsi, and at one point I nearly snorted it through my nose and onto my keyboard. Don't let this happen to you!

Seriously now -- someone ought to get this man the help he so desperately needs. Don't you think?

Geoghegan fever -- catch it!

By Kathy G.

Lots of exciting Geoghegan news making the rounds today.

1. Today, the campaign topped the $100,000 mark on its ActBlue page. Tom has raised more money via ActBlue than any other candidate in the race, and has more than twice as many ActBlue donors as any other candidate. Thanks to all of you have contributed, and remember, unless you've reach the legal limit of $2300 yet, you can always contribute more!

2. Last night's packed DC fundraisers were a roaring success; thanks to all of you attended. You can read an account of the night's festivities here (it's by Cogitamus blogger and friend of The G Spot, Sir Charles); and see some great photos taken at the event by another friend of The G Spot, Lindsay Beyerstein, here. One of them is below.

Adam Green with Tom Geoghegan

Photo credit: Lindsay Beyerstein

Your daily Obama porn

By Kathy G.

I know, I know -- this affair never will go so well. But for the time being, let me have my illusions, dammit!

Note: In a post about Etta James that I wrote last year, I noted, with extreme skepticism, that Beyonce was scheduled to portray the legendary Etta in an upcoming film, Cadillac Records. So it's only fair for me to admit that not only did Beyonce earn impressive reviews for the movie, she certainly does not disgrace herself in her cover of Etta's great "At Last," as can be seen and heard above. In fact, far from it -- the lady pretty much nails it. This follows La Beyonce's triumph at the Kennedy Center Awards this December, where she was excellent, and even credibly Babs-esque, during her Streisand tribute. (By contrast, the other singer in the Streisand portion, Broadway diva Idina Menzel, was a disappointment. Who'd a thunk it?). Count me as a Beyonce skeptic no more!

(H/T: Petulant at Shakesville).

Yesterday's Geoghegan campaign event

By Kathy G.

I didn't attend, but Mr. G. Spot gives a report from the field (this is from an email to a list we're both on):

Let me give a bit of a report from the field to back up the "inspirational" hooey that us hardened cynics have such a hard time with: I went to the opening of the district office yesterday. Standing room only (and the room was the barest, most underheated union hall you've ever seen)--about 50 people, in five-degree Chicago weather. En masse, they all trooped out to canvass after Tom's excellent speech (I've only heard Tom speak at bookstores, where his talks have always been rich and intellectually satisfying; this is the first time I've seen him give a firing-up speech, and found it, well, emotionally satisfying--he really rises to whatever the discursive occasion calls for, a continual source of amazement to me). Again: in five-degree weather.

I also, at the meeting, met some of the "Tom Geoghegan changed my life" folks. One was a young female cabby, Melissa, neck-deep in a campaign to get a taxi-cab union recognized; they're working on getting the 30 percent support that will license an NLRB election. The need for a union is manifest; I learned that the hard way on my last trip from Midway (didn't take the bus!) when my cabbie nearly fell asleep. This will really charm the out-of-towners at the 2016 Olympics! But I digress. Melissa explained how the city is fixing the organizing campaign by creating an imaginary, inflated number of cabbies in the city, 15,000 instead of the actual number, 12,000, so the cabbies will have to garner 4500 signatures instead of 3600. Turns out the tireless insurgent labor lawyer who's fighting this ruse is...Thomas Howard Geoghegan. That's why she (and another former cabbie who self-publishes an, um, hack newspaper) was there, out in the five degree weather breaking her knuckles on frozen doors...

Fucking amazing. Kathy and I see Tom just about every week or so, and always ask him what he's working on at the firm, and he never mentioned organizing the cabbies. It's kind of like we'll ask him what he's writing, and he'll say "nothing much," and the next week some masterpiece op-ed will show up by him in the paper. The cat contains volumes, and it always astounds me.

Photographer Shelley Anderson was at the event, and she took some great pictures, including this one:

Photo credit: Shelley Anderson

Btw, the book Tom signed was was his most recent work, See You in Court. His inscription, as you can see from another photo Shelley took, is "See you in Congress!"

You can view more of Shelley's photos of this event on the Geoghegan website, here.

Those of you in DC can attend a Geoghegan fundraiser in DC tomorrow. Tickets are $30, and the details are here.