Sometimes, when I read various "Call your senator now and press for change!" campaigns, I feel oddly helpless, not because my senator won't listen -- on the contrary, he's already on my side and fighting as hard as he can. Senator Carl Levin is one of the senior Democrats in the senate. As chair of the senate armed services committee, he is pressing for change in the approach to Iraq, and on many topics I have had cause to feel proud that he represented me and my state.

He was going to retire at the end of this year, but we need him too much. His family wanted, and deserved, to have him decide to stay home and take a break when his current term ends, but he has decided instead (with their support), to run for re-election.

I know everyone's tight for cash in the current economy, but I just wanted to say, if you're up for helping with senator Levin's re-election, I'd appreciate it.