Tonight-- midnight-- we end the Green Day guitar contest. As we mentioned last weekend, Blue America has a signed Fender Squire Bullet Strat that each member of Green Day autographed for me while I was president of their label.
Everyone who contributes here-- any amount-- to Randy Bryce's campaign has an equal chance to win the guitar-- pictured here with Randy holding it. 
We'll pick one person at random in the next couple of days. If you give $1,000, you get a chance to get the guitar. If you give $10, you get the same chance to get the guitar. As I always say when explaining these contests, we're Democrats, not Republicans; that's how we roll. In fact, if you don't have the cash to give and you want the guitar, just send a note to us at Blue America, P.O. Box 27201. Los Angeles, CA 90027 and you'll have the same chance as everyone else. But you better do that immediately because, like I said, the contest is over at midnight.
As of this morning, we had 315 contributions for a total of $7,326.58-- so an average of $23.25. One of those people-- and that's good odds-- is going to be the proud owner of a signed Green Day guitar in about a week. Meanwhile though, so many people who saw the photo of Randy holding the guitar inquired about the artwork directly behind him. Several people asked if they could buy it. Good news:
The artist is Nancy Ohanian, originally from southeast Wisconsin and currently a fine arts professor at Rowan University (where Patti Smith went to school) in Glassboro, New Jersey. In between, she was the editorial cartoonist for the L.A. Times for almost 2 decades and her work is very well known and normally just available through newspaper and magazine syndication. However, she's a huge Randy Bryce fan and sent me a couple of signed prints to sell to benefit his campaign. And how about this for a coincidence? Some years ago Nancy Ohanian gave a talk about art at a middle-school in New Jersey. One of the young students inspired by her that day, David Keith, is now... Randy Bryce's campaign manager! The first one Nancy sent is the imagine of Trump shooting himself in the foot, Active Shooter, seen at the top of this post.
And the second one is just entitled Paul Ryan. (I flipped out when I realized his "desk" is a cheese grater.)
Each one is approximately 16" x 12" and if you're interested, send me a note-- downwithtyranny@gmail.com with your bid. Unlike the guitar these two will go to the two people who are willing to contribute the most to Randy's campaign. Please include your phone number in the e-mail so I can call you.
When Ryan was on Fox with Hannity Friday, absolutely kvelling over a tax cut plan that will be a disaster for the middle class, Hannity complained that some Republican senators "openly trash the president" and asked Ryan about his relationship with Trump. "It’s very good," he avowed. "It is the opposite. We have a great relationship." Hannity asked him if he's happy with Trump's presidency, which most Americans see as an unfolding disaster. Ryan: "I’m very happy... I think the president is giving us the kind of leadership we need to get the country back on the right track." Any big disagreement you have with him, asked Hannity. "No, no," said Ryan.
...I see a Randy Bryce general election ad in the making, you?
Yesterday Barbara Lee wrote a beautiful endorsement letter for Randy:
"You know how Paul Ryan has kept his seat in Congress? By relying on millionaires and billionaires to write big checks to his campaign. Then, after each election, he returns to the House to pass policies that benefit the rich and hurt working families.
Randy Bryce does things differently.
He's an ironworker, a union member, and he's running in Wisconsin's 1st District to unseat Paul Ryan. Randy doesn't accept money from big donors, and he won't be swayed by special interest groups.
The only way Randy will win his campaign against Paul Ryan is if lots of people step up to support him.
Paul Ryan has turned his back on the people of Wisconsin and on the American people. That's why we need Randy in Congress-- someone we can count on to fight for our values.
Randy supports single-payer health care, campaign finance reform, and comprehensive immigration reform. He attended Wisconsin's public schools and understands that all children must have access to quality, affordable education. And he's a lifelong fighter for working people who supports a $15 minimum wage.
We already know that Paul Ryan will pour obscene amounts of money into this race to protect his seat. But Randy has something that Paul Ryan doesn't: a powerful movement of people who want Randy to fight for them in Congress."
There's no doubt about it, this is going to be a tough race. But Randy has a shot at winning it if enough of us step up to show our support.
Meanwhile, on Friday, just after Trump fired his crooked swampy Health Secretary Tom Price for ripping off the taxpayers to the tune of over a million dollars in chartered flights and military planes, Ryan called him "a superb health secretary" and "a good man... His vision and hard work were vital to the House's success passing our healthcare legislation." Ryan is talking about his collaboration with Price to kick between 20 and 30 million Americans off healthcare. That's who Paul Ryan is.
Please help Randy repeal and replace him by donating at the No.Trump.NoKKK.NoFascistUSA Act Blue page (by clicking on the Blue America thermometer on the right-- whether you want to guitar or not. And one more reminder-- after midnight tonight that guitar will be part of the history of how an iron worker and union activist, an ordinary American guy, defeated on the the most powerful politicians in America.
