We Will Miss You, Mr. Lantos

A man who fled the Nazis in Europe, came to America and got a PhD at Berkeley, became a professor for 30 years and served the citizens of San Mateo and San Francisco counties in Congress 28 years died today of esophageal cancer.
A member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, he called for health care reform, a balanced budget, an end to Bush's tax cuts. He opposed the privatization of Social Security. He supported marriage equality, a woman's right to choose and gun control. He was a champion of public transportation and an advocate for green energy.
He spoke out for religious freedom around the world and called for intervention abroad to stop war. He originally supported the Iraq War, but changed his mind. He desperately called for a force to be sent to Darfur.
He had announced that he would not seek a 15th term, as he was ill and wanted more time with his family. It was not to be.

His ratings by Project Vote Smart:
American Civil Liberties Union – 91% for 2005–2006
AFL-CIO – 100% in 2006
Humane Society of the United States – 100% for 2005-2006
League of Conservation Voters – 92% for 2006
NARAL Pro-Choice America – 100% for 2006
National Education Association – 100% for 2005-2006
National Organization for Women – 95% for 2005-2006

Americans for Tax Reform – 0% for 2006
Gun Owners of America – 0% for 2006
National Rifle Association – F for 2006
National Right to Life Committee – 0% for 2005-2006

We've lost a great champion of our rights.

In his own words: "It is only in the United States that a penniless survivor of the Holocaust and a fighter in the anti-Nazi underground could have received an education, raised a family, and had the privilege of serving the last three decades of his life as a Member of Congress.... I will never be able to express fully my profoundly felt gratitude to this great country."

Thank you, Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA-12)
(born Lantos Tamás Péter)