"Progressive Champion for America's Future" Award--goes to~~~

[rodeodance]

Barbara Boxer wrote:
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> Dear xxxx,
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> Watch me deliver my remarks at the Take Back America Conference!
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> Tuesday night, after a long day on Capitol Hill fighting for a new energy policy, I was so honored to be presented with the "Progressive Champion for America's Future" award at the 2007 Take Back America Conference.
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> It was such an exciting night. More than 1000 people from all across America gathered together -- people who, like you and me, care so much about the future of our nation. Everyone in the audience had worked so hard to take back the Congress in 2006, and now they are committed to gaining a working majority in the Senate and electing a Democratic president in 2008.
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> The Take Back America Conference, sponsored by the Campaign for America's Future, was first held in 2002 at a time when things were looking grim for progressives. We still have a long way to go to get America back on the right track, but what a difference they -- and all of us -- have made in the past 5 years!
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> I was truly honored to receive the prestigious "Progressive Champion for America's Future" award. But it's not just my award, it's really your honor as well -- because it's only with your steadfast support that I can keep fighting in the U.S. Senate for all Americans, each and every day.
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> Here's some of what I said Tuesday night when accepting this award (or, even better, click here to watch a video clip of my remarks):
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> I share this beautiful award with all of you and all of the progressive champions -- not only right here in this room, but across the country. You're making such a difference and it just makes me so happy. In the many battles that I have waged, I may have stood alone at times in the United States Senate. But I never, ever, was alone because you were out there right behind me, and I thank you so much.
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> Back in the darkest days, when many Democrats were agonizing, you were out there organizing. You believed that America did not want us to turn right, but rather that they wanted us to do right. You believed we could take back America and now we are, and believe me, as you know, we don't have a minute to spare, do we?
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> For six years this country that we love, this country that gave my family everything -- opportunity, fairness and hope -- has been looted by the special interests; has been drawn into a disastrous war, based on lies and the politics of fear; has ignored global warming while the whole world watches us in amazement; has spied on its people, and politicized the Department of Justice. It has turned its back on America's families, squeezing the middle class hard, attacking organized labor, and abandoning the working poor.
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> Now in the 2006 election, the American people said that this attack on our values is over, it is history, and a new day is dawning. We are proving, and you are proving, as I said to Jim Inhofe one fine day when we had the second hearing ever on global warming in six years (by now we've had twelve), I turned to him as he tried to take over the committee, sort of a coup, and I said, "You know, you used to have this gavel, but now I have it. Elections have consequences!" So, because of your hard work I am now Chairman of the Environment Public Works Committee, and Jim Inhofe is the Ranking Member. He no longer holds the gavel, and we can take real steps to fight global warming, and to end this war, and to create good jobs, and to provide quality affordable health care and education to everyone starting now.
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> We will write a whole new chapter in 2008 by electing a real working majority in Congress and a Democratic President. And we can't wait, and the people of America can't wait, and the people of the world can't wait. And starting now, we will ensure that the progressive values that define our country, that have always defined our country, will truly shape its future. Thank you for this award, stay strong, I'll be there with you every inch of the way. Thank you so very much.
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> I wish you could have been there Tuesday night, because the "Progressive Champion for America's Future" Award was truly something for all of us to share.
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> Thank you so much for your continued support!
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> In Friendship,
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> Barbara Boxer
> U.S. Senator
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> Visit BarbaraBoxer.com
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