Biss to take over helm of Rust Belt Rising
Monday, Sep 17, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daniel Biss e-mail to supporters…
I wanted you to be the first to know about the next step in my professional life.
In thinking about this job search, a few things were clear: I wanted to stay in the fight for justice, to do so in a context not far from electoral or democracy work, and to have a chance to help shape an organization doing good and important work.
That’s why I’m so excited to have accepted the position of Executive Director at Rust Belt Rising, a young organization created to train midwestern Democratic candidates to lead on economic issues. The goal is to bring the Democratic Party back to its roots as the party of working families who have been left behind by a system rigged in favor of the top 1%.
Ever since Trump was elected, we’ve seen endless debates about whether Democrats should try to win back Obama-Trump voters or consolidate gains among Romney-Clinton voters. We’ve heard constant fighting about whether to focus on racial justice or economic justice.
In truth, these are all false choices. As we hopefully head toward a blue wave election this November, it’s become clearer than ever that in a world with terrifying consolidation of wealth, power, and privilege in the hands of a very few, the path to success is to focus on an agenda and message that unites the many who have been left behind around a bold vision of the just society we can build together.
Rust Belt Rising is committed to helping candidates in the Great Lakes states do just that, and I’m very excited to lead that effort. Already in this election cycle we’re training over 100 candidates, and this is just the beginning.
More info on the group is here. I’ve reached out to Sen. Biss to see if he’ll serve out his term. I’ll let you know what he says.
…Adding… Biss replied “At this point yes.”
- 47th Ward - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 3:32 pm:
So if Jesse White steps down after getting re-elected and Frerichs replaces him, does this mean Biss won’t throw his name in the ring for Treasurer?
Asking for a friend.
- Quiet Sage - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 3:32 pm:
“We’ve seen endless debates about whether Democrats should try to win back Obama-Trump voters or consolidate gains among Romney-Clinton voters.”
????????????
- driveby - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
Not sure they thought about that name hard enough, making it perfect for Biss.
- Flat Bed Ford - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 3:52 pm:
What Biss fails to understand is that it is the Democratic policies that he has been complicit in enacting that have absolutely destroyed the jobs of the working class in Illinois. If he fails to see the connection I certainly cannot explain it to him.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 3:54 pm:
Take a look at the website–Biss is listed as its only employee.
- Northsider - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 3:56 pm:
Nice idea. But for a group that is presumably interested in reconnecting with blue-collar voters, I counted only two remotely blue-coller folks among “Our People”: Oak Park’s Mayor Taleb and Chris Conolly, who owns a property management and landscaping firm in Wisconsin.
- City Zen - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
The job has been open since January:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/noi-jobs/B-qrAinGBcQ
- Occam - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:07 pm:
Why am I not shocked that he didn’t land a job in the private sector. Renids me of this line from Ghostbusters:
Personally, I liked the university. They gave us money and facilities, we didn’t have to produce anything! You’ve never been out of college! You don’t know what it’s like out there! I’ve worked in the private sector. They expect results.
- Annonin'aNN - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:28 pm:
With all due respect ….who will teach Biss?
And how does Frerichs get SOS exactly?
- NIU Grad - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:32 pm:
I imagine he would be able to serve as Executive Director of this and an elected official at the same time.
Taking a look at the website, I can see this needing some work. That, and it will need more than one employee…I’m wondering about the list of candidates that they’re currently training and what makes this different than Rep. Bustos’ efforts to do the same.
- view from the cheap seats - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:33 pm:
His first seminar is “how to pick your Lt. Gov running mate.”
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 4:35 pm:
===And how does Frerichs get SOS exactly?===
Do you guys have someone else in mind? Lol.
- Amalia - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 5:10 pm:
snore.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:38 pm:
Waiting for someone to change the words to a CCR song.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 6:41 pm:
Sincere best wishes to Sen. Biss.
Glad he’s staying involved and engaged.
We need all sides and all stripes who are engaged in honest discussions about policy and the politics to policy to stay involved.
It’s good for the state political scene.
Good luck.
OW
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 17, 18 @ 9:41 pm:
As a South Side blue collar kid I am sadden to have witnessed not just the economic decline of our citizens who work with their hands, but also their traditional values of church, family, marriage and work.
It’s not just about money. It is about being respected, heard, and valued. I agree with Biss that my culture needs to rise. I hope he’s more open minded than most contemporary Democrats.
- Lake Michigan - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 8:58 am:
It seems like something more positive should have been chosen for the group’s name.
- Question - Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 9:23 am:
Biss is technically from a rust belt state, but the district and the policies he endorses are way out of lock step with rust belt and blue dogs. I’m not sure I understand what “rustbelt” means to this group.