For the last 14 years, the Congressman ostensibly representing the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania has been Phil English, a Republican who personifies all that is wrong with the modern Republican Party.  He has been a reliable rubber stamp throughout Bush's presidency.  During his tenure, he has passed only four bills into law, three of which renamed post offices.  He makes an occasional vote in the right direction, but usually for the wrong reasons.  If he has any principles, he has kept them well hidden.  Meanwhile, the people of PA-03 have been suffering.  Jobs have flown from this region in recent years, and English has done little to relieve his constituents' distress.

PA-03 has a Cook PVI of R+0.9, a virtual wash.  English was reelected in 2006 with 53.6 % of the vote versus Democrat Steven Porter's 42.1 %, despite English outspending Porter by 5 to 1.  Add to these facts the disgust that many voters in this area feel toward English, and one comes to the conclusion that against the right candidate with sufficient funding, he would be extremely vulnerable.  But who would be the right candidate?  There are four Democrats vying for the nomination, and I can't make up my mind.  Will you please help me?  There's lots of information over the fold.

On Thursday, eminent DKos diarists clammyc and thereisnospoon will be interviewing Rev. Katie White, one of the Erie Six, on their BlogTalkRadio program ePluribus Radio.  The Erie Six were six of the nine patriots who were arrested for an act of civil disobedience in protest of the war in Iraq;  these six refused to pay the fine, and so were sentenced to five days in jail (more here).  Hear her talk about her background, her motivation for protesting the war, her experiences during the protest and in court, and (if I know Katie) quite a bit more.  You can listen live at 11:30 AM EST on Thursday, November 8, or you can download it later as a podcast.  The link to the interview is here.

More details below the fold.

My friend Katie is a remarkable woman and a pillar of society here in northwestern Pennsylvania.  She is the mother of ten children and has, in recent years, become a grandmother.  She is a minister in the American Baptist Church.  One of her sons is a veteran of the Iraq War and another is an active duty Marine who has served in Afghanistan.  She is an Evangelical Christian and a registered Republican.  She is also the most reliable alto in the local shape-note hymn singings that I host in my home every month.

My friend Katie is spending the next five days in jail.  To find out why, follow me over the fold.

DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS DIARY.  RECOMMEND THE ONE AND ONLY MOTHERSHIP.

This is the seventeenth in a series of diaries intended to provide information regarding the California wildfires to those who most need it.

The DKos community is providing extraordinary coverage of the California Fires.  What makes this site different from the TM bubbleheads is that community members are giving real time information regarding evacuations and fire locations.

Many of you are directly affected, many have family in danger, and most of us just hope and pray for the safety of our fellow citizens...

Courgettes Italiennes

4-5 lb Italian zucchini--long, thin and green
(If larger squash are used, peel and remove seeds.)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 large tomates, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp ground sage (or more to taste)

Put oil in a large pot.  (Cast iron works best.)  Add onion under medium heat until they become translucent.  Add tomatoes, and slice zucchini thinly into the pot.  Add salt, pepper, and sage as the vegetables cook.

Cook for 3-4 hours, stirring often, until the melange almost takes on the consistency of a paste.

Serve hot as a separate dish or cold as an hors d'oeuvre.

Let me offer a few editorial comments:  First, when courgettes are made properly, you are unable to tell that the main ingredient was zucchini by looking at it.  People are sometimes leery about eating this undifferentiated green mush the first time they encounter courgettes, but they really do taste good.  Second, my own preferred way to eat courgettes is with polenta and Parmesian cheese, or better yet, Asiago.

So, what's the significance of this recipe?  Make the jump to find out...

Now that two candidates for the Presidential race in 2008 have already declared (Vilsack for the Democrats, McCain for the Republicans), it occurs to me that whoever ends up winning the White House in 2008 will eventually regret that victory.

George Bush made clear some months ago that the fate of Iraq would ultimately be left to future Presidents.  Under his illusions of achieving "victory" in Iraq, though he has never provided a definition for "victory" that means anything, he has dragged the U. S. military into a quagmire.  Both the Democratic victory in the elections, and the coming Baker-Hamilton Commission report will urge a new direction for dealing with Iraq, but Bush has repeatedly proven himself to be intransigent to changing course in anything once he's made up his mind.  As such, the next President will enter office with the spector of the Iraq War hanging over him or her.

What will the new President's options be, and what are the likely outcomes?

    In my opinion, the most important objective in this election is to pry Rick Santorum from his Senate seat.  While there are many miserable bastards in both the House and the Senate, few rival the atavistic thinking and nasty rhetoric of Santorum.  Furthermore, he ranks third in the Republican leadership of the Senate.  With Frist retiring, were Santorum to remain in the Senate, he would become even more powerful.  The United States will unquestionably be better off without Santorum in the Senate.

    The Democratic Party has offered Bob Casey, Jr., as Santorum's opponent.  Casey is not the perfect candidate from the point of view of liberal me.  He's pro-life;  he's pro-gun;  he's against gay marriage.  But nonetheless, he will do, if for no other reason because he will caucus with the Democrats and, Lord willing, help to bring about a sane Senate leadership in the next Congress.