Yesterday we attended the Chamber of Commerce Economics Club meeting at which Bob Jensenius from the Chamber did an informal poll on the presidential election.
Fascinating. Jim and I get into discussions all the time about whether Hillary Clinton is electable, even though she has been the frontrunner among the Democrats so far. On the plus side there's the perception that she's the most Republican Democrat running, and the Republican pickins are slim this go-around. On the minus side there's the whole legacy from Bill Clinton's administration that had its victories, but also its share of icky (that's the technical term) publicity.
Back to the informal poll. This was a group of businesspersons, and the tone of the room said they were mostly Republicans. When the whole room was asked by show of hands who would be the Republican presidential nominee the majority clearly said Rudy Giuliani. When asked who the likely Democratic nominee would be they raised hands for Hillary's name loud and clear. And when asked who they thought would be the next President of The United States the group said resoundingly Hillary Clinton.
I've been hopeful before (Al Gore, John Kerry) about getting another Democrat in the White House. If yesterday is any indication it sounds to me like the Hillary locomotive is genuinely under way even outside the Democratic Party and it'll take a big event to derail it.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
York County Dems sponsor showing of Sicko!
The Democratic Party of York County has stepped up and sponsored a showing of Sicko! the Michael Moore film about the abominable state of health care in the United States.
The movie will be showing at the Capitol theatre downtown on Friday, October 19th at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 20th at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m.
It's recommended that you reserve tickets ahead of time - turnout could be pretty strong. I must admit that I can't wait to see it!
The movie will be showing at the Capitol theatre downtown on Friday, October 19th at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 20th at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m.
It's recommended that you reserve tickets ahead of time - turnout could be pretty strong. I must admit that I can't wait to see it!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Requiem for a trickster
OK, OK, I'll admit straight out that I'm way beyond biased on this, but...
Whatever will King George do for a brain now that Karl Rove won't be around? Our own Axis of Republican Evil Acts will be spending more time with his family - at least until the other shoe drops on some of the illegal activity in our current administration that he masterminded.
Yesterday while being interviewed on CNN Bill Bennett commented that there are five rooms lined with books floor to ceiling in Karl Rove's house. He's been a self-educated guy. While I'm generally a big fan of bootstrappers, perhaps there's a bit of breadth that has been missing in his choices of reading that has obscured his perception of ethics. Maybe he's just been reading tome after tome that reinforces his own worldview. Would be interesting to see a reading list...
Did you know that Rove's reputation for dirty tricks started way back in 1972 with a contested election among the College Republicans? According to Wikipedia, Terry Dolan of California (one of the other candidates) went anonymously to the Washington Post with recordings of several training seminars for young Republicans where Rove discussed campaign techniques that included rooting through opponents' garbage cans. On August 10, 1973, in the midst of the Watergate scandal, the Post broke the story in an article titled "Republican Party Probes Official as Teacher of Tricks."
Former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean, who was implicated in the Watergate break-in and became the star witness for the prosecution, has been quoted as saying that "Based on my review of the files, it appears the Watergate prosecutors were interested in Rove's activities in 1972, but because they had bigger fish to fry they did not aggressively investigate him."
The Karl Rove-Dubya affinity began in this same timeframe. In November 1973, Bush Sr. asked Rove to take a set of car keys to his son George W. Bush, who was visiting home during a break from Harvard Business School. It was the first time the two met. "Huge amounts of charisma, swagger, cowboy boots, flight jacket, wonderful smile, just charisma - you know, wow", Rove recalled years later.
The flight jacket comment is particularly interesting considering that King George walked away from his obligation to the National Guard and, in effect, turned in his wings. All flight jacket, no plane.
By the way, Jim just asked me, "Did you ever notice that George H. W. doesn't allow his son to pilot the family boat?"
Whatever will King George do for a brain now that Karl Rove won't be around? Our own Axis of Republican Evil Acts will be spending more time with his family - at least until the other shoe drops on some of the illegal activity in our current administration that he masterminded.
Yesterday while being interviewed on CNN Bill Bennett commented that there are five rooms lined with books floor to ceiling in Karl Rove's house. He's been a self-educated guy. While I'm generally a big fan of bootstrappers, perhaps there's a bit of breadth that has been missing in his choices of reading that has obscured his perception of ethics. Maybe he's just been reading tome after tome that reinforces his own worldview. Would be interesting to see a reading list...
Did you know that Rove's reputation for dirty tricks started way back in 1972 with a contested election among the College Republicans? According to Wikipedia, Terry Dolan of California (one of the other candidates) went anonymously to the Washington Post with recordings of several training seminars for young Republicans where Rove discussed campaign techniques that included rooting through opponents' garbage cans. On August 10, 1973, in the midst of the Watergate scandal, the Post broke the story in an article titled "Republican Party Probes Official as Teacher of Tricks."
Former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean, who was implicated in the Watergate break-in and became the star witness for the prosecution, has been quoted as saying that "Based on my review of the files, it appears the Watergate prosecutors were interested in Rove's activities in 1972, but because they had bigger fish to fry they did not aggressively investigate him."
The Karl Rove-Dubya affinity began in this same timeframe. In November 1973, Bush Sr. asked Rove to take a set of car keys to his son George W. Bush, who was visiting home during a break from Harvard Business School. It was the first time the two met. "Huge amounts of charisma, swagger, cowboy boots, flight jacket, wonderful smile, just charisma - you know, wow", Rove recalled years later.
The flight jacket comment is particularly interesting considering that King George walked away from his obligation to the National Guard and, in effect, turned in his wings. All flight jacket, no plane.
By the way, Jim just asked me, "Did you ever notice that George H. W. doesn't allow his son to pilot the family boat?"
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The '08 presidential race - in search of global leadership
I know it's really early in the 2008 presidential race but I'm really betwixt and between (as my mother used to say) about who I support in the Democratic race. To be really committed to a candidate I need to agree with their views. I need to like the way in which they communicate. But I also add track record into the equation -their experience at operating on a global level.
By global I'm referring to a holistic perspective. I guess other people might agree with that perspective and that's why a lot of governors have beaten senators in the race for President. They've got experience running their states as a microcosm of a national government, balancing their revenues and expenses and protecting their interests in the larger national stage.
Or perhaps the governors have simply avoided the downside of having a national track record in the spotlight and under the magnifying glass. The only way for a legislator in either house to avoid being wrong on a position is simply not to have taken one.
The other way that I view global experience as important is that our national leader needs to understand what's going on around the world and have an appropriate (as defined by me of course) perception of the United States' role in it. This has been the most frightening piece of the Bush administration to me. Our president has displayed a shocking ignorance of the longstanding conflicts in the Middle East, and even an inability to name key world leaders accurately.
No wonder that Bush has resorted to the global strategy of a seven-year-old - punch them first so they'll be too woozy to punch you back. Oh, and don't worry about whether they're actually the one who pantsed you in gym class - if they're not the guy who did it they'll get the message from seeing the other guy's bloody nose that they'd better back off. Yeah, right. And I won't even get into the fact that he didn't personally have to do the punching. He sent his loyal citizens to get broken knuckles on his behalf.
I think we should learn from the many mishaps of the current administration when we choose the next one, but this situation is sort of like applying for a new job or thinking about dating a new person: it's risky to choose something or someone just because they're NOT what you've had. We need to be choosing someone, not just avoiding someone else.
At times I like Hillary the best. She's got the experience on the largest stage and I think she has the gonads to stand up to bullies, domestic or international. I don't think she's under any illusions, and yet sometimes I think that interferes with her ability to be inspirational. Barack has it in the inspiration department in my opinion. And I really like how Joe Biden calls it as he sees it.
It'll all reveal itself in time, but we need a Democrat who can put these last two terms of foolishness behind us and get on with the real work of being the America we can be.
By global I'm referring to a holistic perspective. I guess other people might agree with that perspective and that's why a lot of governors have beaten senators in the race for President. They've got experience running their states as a microcosm of a national government, balancing their revenues and expenses and protecting their interests in the larger national stage.
Or perhaps the governors have simply avoided the downside of having a national track record in the spotlight and under the magnifying glass. The only way for a legislator in either house to avoid being wrong on a position is simply not to have taken one.
The other way that I view global experience as important is that our national leader needs to understand what's going on around the world and have an appropriate (as defined by me of course) perception of the United States' role in it. This has been the most frightening piece of the Bush administration to me. Our president has displayed a shocking ignorance of the longstanding conflicts in the Middle East, and even an inability to name key world leaders accurately.
No wonder that Bush has resorted to the global strategy of a seven-year-old - punch them first so they'll be too woozy to punch you back. Oh, and don't worry about whether they're actually the one who pantsed you in gym class - if they're not the guy who did it they'll get the message from seeing the other guy's bloody nose that they'd better back off. Yeah, right. And I won't even get into the fact that he didn't personally have to do the punching. He sent his loyal citizens to get broken knuckles on his behalf.
I think we should learn from the many mishaps of the current administration when we choose the next one, but this situation is sort of like applying for a new job or thinking about dating a new person: it's risky to choose something or someone just because they're NOT what you've had. We need to be choosing someone, not just avoiding someone else.
At times I like Hillary the best. She's got the experience on the largest stage and I think she has the gonads to stand up to bullies, domestic or international. I don't think she's under any illusions, and yet sometimes I think that interferes with her ability to be inspirational. Barack has it in the inspiration department in my opinion. And I really like how Joe Biden calls it as he sees it.
It'll all reveal itself in time, but we need a Democrat who can put these last two terms of foolishness behind us and get on with the real work of being the America we can be.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Are enough Americans listening?
Thought all of you would want to listen to this essay from MSNBC, if you have not already. Use your browser and go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aCNFDdZ0uc
As we proceed in our local elections on our local voters' issues and concerns, are enough local citizens really listening to who will do what about local issues?
Are all the local citizens that are eligible to vote, also registered to vote?
Do they go to the polls on primary and general election days and actually vote?
Ask your family members, good friends, and neighbors whether they are active voters.
Encourage and support them in discussing the issues of concern to them (even if they are not the same as your opinions/views) because healthy dialogue is a VERY good thing.
Share this YouTube link with them and with everyone you know.
Are enough Americans voting? Voting to protect their children, their parents, and their wallets from those who believe themselves above the Constitution, from those so wealthy that they distain the middleclass, the working class and poor of America?
Are enough Americans even listening?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aCNFDdZ0uc
As we proceed in our local elections on our local voters' issues and concerns, are enough local citizens really listening to who will do what about local issues?
Are all the local citizens that are eligible to vote, also registered to vote?
Do they go to the polls on primary and general election days and actually vote?
Ask your family members, good friends, and neighbors whether they are active voters.
Encourage and support them in discussing the issues of concern to them (even if they are not the same as your opinions/views) because healthy dialogue is a VERY good thing.
Share this YouTube link with them and with everyone you know.
Are enough Americans voting? Voting to protect their children, their parents, and their wallets from those who believe themselves above the Constitution, from those so wealthy that they distain the middleclass, the working class and poor of America?
Are enough Americans even listening?
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Candidates speak at Grassroots Series
I have to say that I'm pretty psyched about the field of Democrats running for York County Commissioner. I saw the three of them last night at the most recent Grassroots Speaker Series, this one held at York Little Theatre.
Doug Hoke, Doug Kilgore, and Ned Grove spent about an hour responding to questions on numerous issues impacting York County, and on their perspectives on county government's role.
Kilgore is the lone Democrat incumbent (of three positions) and spoke most memorably about just why it was important for the county to take possession of the Highpoint property. A former dairy farmer, Kilgore said it's important to always be looking ten years out, at what we want our county to look like. His point in supporting Highpoint as park area has two major areas of emphasis: the preservation of the Susquehannock Indian site there and the importance of conserving the delicate ecosystem that borders the Susquehanna River and eventually impacts the Chesapeake Bay.
Doug Hoke's experience in managing large construction projects came through in a question asked about the significant cost overruns in the new County Courthouse building project. Hoke grew up in a household of public service - his father was a supervisor in West Manchester Township. He owns a small farm and is part owner of two businesses housed there, but will be retiring from his job in December after he wins a commissioner seat.
Ned Grove's main message was that there's no way to achieve tax savings without making cuts - saving on expenses, removing unnecessary personnel from county payrolls, etc. Grove is a real estate agent, but plans to let his license lapse once he's elected commissioner.
Democrats can only move two of these candidates forward to the general election by their vote in the primary May 15. This field of candidates provides a great opportunity for York County Democrats to regain a majority in the Commissioners' Office.
Doug Hoke, Doug Kilgore, and Ned Grove spent about an hour responding to questions on numerous issues impacting York County, and on their perspectives on county government's role.
Kilgore is the lone Democrat incumbent (of three positions) and spoke most memorably about just why it was important for the county to take possession of the Highpoint property. A former dairy farmer, Kilgore said it's important to always be looking ten years out, at what we want our county to look like. His point in supporting Highpoint as park area has two major areas of emphasis: the preservation of the Susquehannock Indian site there and the importance of conserving the delicate ecosystem that borders the Susquehanna River and eventually impacts the Chesapeake Bay.
Doug Hoke's experience in managing large construction projects came through in a question asked about the significant cost overruns in the new County Courthouse building project. Hoke grew up in a household of public service - his father was a supervisor in West Manchester Township. He owns a small farm and is part owner of two businesses housed there, but will be retiring from his job in December after he wins a commissioner seat.
Ned Grove's main message was that there's no way to achieve tax savings without making cuts - saving on expenses, removing unnecessary personnel from county payrolls, etc. Grove is a real estate agent, but plans to let his license lapse once he's elected commissioner.
Democrats can only move two of these candidates forward to the general election by their vote in the primary May 15. This field of candidates provides a great opportunity for York County Democrats to regain a majority in the Commissioners' Office.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
County Commissioners Forum
This Monday, April 23rd, at 7pm you can hear and meet the Democratic candidates for York County Commissioner at York Little Theatre. This is another of our Party’s Grassroots Speaker Series programs.
The forum will begin with a Question & Answer session led by yours truly and followed by an informal Meet and Greet that will provide audience members the opportunity to talk with each of the candidates one-on-one. (Be advised that this event is not a “debate” between candidates)
York Little Theatre is located at 27 S. Belmont Street near the intersection of Route 83 and E. Market Street. A map is available using this link: click here for travel guidance to the event
You will then want to mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 22nd to join us at the York College campus . . .
“PROJECT CLIMATE” IS THE TOPIC OF THE MAY EVENT OF THE GRASSROOTS SPEAKER SERIES
The DPOYC’s Grassroots Speaker Series is co-hosting its May 22nd program with the Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women. The program will take place at 7pm on Tuesday, May 22, in Wolf Hall’s Recital Hall at York College of PA. The program should conclude by 8:30pm.
The program presenter is Lance Simmens. He has been chosen as one of 1,000 Climate Change messengers worldwide to help promote awareness and education on the issue of climate change, and has successfully completed training that will allow him to present the scientific evidence that forms the basis of the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Mr. Simmens is currently Special Assistant to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. He has held senior public policy positions stretching back to the Carter Administration. For over 30 years he has served in a variety of positions at the Federal, State and local levels of government. His service includes six years on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, six years with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and eight years in the Clinton Administration.
See the attached files that were provided to us for more detailed information.
Go York Dems . . . Go York Dems . . . Go York Dems ! ! ! ! ! !
The forum will begin with a Question & Answer session led by yours truly and followed by an informal Meet and Greet that will provide audience members the opportunity to talk with each of the candidates one-on-one. (Be advised that this event is not a “debate” between candidates)
York Little Theatre is located at 27 S. Belmont Street near the intersection of Route 83 and E. Market Street. A map is available using this link: click here for travel guidance to the event
You will then want to mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 22nd to join us at the York College campus . . .
“PROJECT CLIMATE” IS THE TOPIC OF THE MAY EVENT OF THE GRASSROOTS SPEAKER SERIES
The DPOYC’s Grassroots Speaker Series is co-hosting its May 22nd program with the Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women. The program will take place at 7pm on Tuesday, May 22, in Wolf Hall’s Recital Hall at York College of PA. The program should conclude by 8:30pm.
The program presenter is Lance Simmens. He has been chosen as one of 1,000 Climate Change messengers worldwide to help promote awareness and education on the issue of climate change, and has successfully completed training that will allow him to present the scientific evidence that forms the basis of the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Mr. Simmens is currently Special Assistant to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. He has held senior public policy positions stretching back to the Carter Administration. For over 30 years he has served in a variety of positions at the Federal, State and local levels of government. His service includes six years on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, six years with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and eight years in the Clinton Administration.
See the attached files that were provided to us for more detailed information.
Go York Dems . . . Go York Dems . . . Go York Dems ! ! ! ! ! !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
