The members of Ithaca Progressive Democrats of America enthusiastically endorse Jonathan Tasini for U.S. Senate. Tasini, former President of the National Writers Union, is running on a platform supporting universal health care ("Medicare for All"); immediate withdrawal of US forces from Iraq; a Fair Trade policy that ensures environmental protections and workers' rights; and a massive national effort to invest in alternative energy.

In June, Tasini supporters will be petitioning to ensure him a place on the ballot in the September Democratic primary vote for U.S. Senate. Not a single member of Ithaca PDA voted for incumbent Sen. Hillary Clinton. Her record of enabling the war policies of the Bush/Cheney administration has been deeply disappointing to those of us who had hoped she might be a progressive Senator.

PDA members are very pleased to be able to support Jonathan Tasini, who stands for the values and policies that most New Yorkers want to see advocated for in the U.S. Senate. Members of our group spoke highly of Jonathan's gifts, from his ability to think on his feet when being questioned at a public town hall meeting, to his personal warmth in one-on-one encounters with people, to his courage in speaking out for a more effective approach to resolving the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Jonathan Tasini has the qualities it will take to be effective in challenging the incumbent junior Senator in the September primary, and to lead the US Senate and our country in a more progressive direction.