Tom Perriello is featured in an article by E.J. Dionne in today's Washington Post on "the new energy politics." Here's an excerpt:Hours before the House passed its cap-and-trade bill last week, freshman Democrats Tom Perriello and Frank Kratovil were pondering the political fallout of the votes they were about to cast in favor of a plan Republicans were denouncing as "cap-and-tax."Perriello also comments that "A bill created by the old politics was passed by the new politics." I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it sure sounds good! :) Finally, Perriello blasts Republicans for "using information they know is fundamentally wrong" to run nasty attack ads against him, predicting "huge increases in electricity prices" as a result of the Waxman/Markey green jobs/climate change bill. E.J. Dionne concludes that "Perriello's fate will be a test of just how new our politics have become." On that point, I tend to agree. I'd just that if Republicans nominate Virgil Goode or a right-wing "Tea Party" Republican like Brad Rees, Tom should be able to hang on in the midterm election year of 2010, then easily win reelection in the presidential election year of 2012. In the meantime, and fortunately for all of us, Perriello is more concerned with voting his conscience than with playing re-election politics. It's why Perriello is probably my favorite Congressman, and that is not meant as a "backhanded compliment." Go Tom! :)
"Maybe we should be called the conscience caucus," said the 34-year-old Perriello, who won his Southside Virginia district last year by 727 votes even as Barack Obama was losing it by 7,512.
He recalls Kratovil, 41, replying that perhaps they would be known as the caucus of soon-to-be unemployed congressmen.
P.S. It's our job to make sure that Perriello does not become part of "the caucus of soon-to-be unemployed congressmen." You can contribute here. Thanks.
