Last of the Blue Dogs

This is great news. Heath Shuler is retiring. The GOPer majority in the statehouse that the clueless voters in my part of country put into office redistricted him out of job. He was useless as Dem. Never understood why he didn't just run as a Republican in the first place. It's not like he ever voted with the Democrats when it counted.

First elected in 2006, Shuler built a brand as a fiscal conservative unafraid to break with Democratic leadership on issues of spending, voting against President Obama’s 2009 economic stimulus bill as well as healthcare reform.

He also launched an unsuccessful attempt to oust Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) from her position as the Democratic leader in the House after the party lost control of the majority in the 2010 midterm elections.

I've long maintained it's better to just give up the district to a Republican rather than dilute the Democratic brand with an idiot who votes with the GOP anyway. The voters in his district are never going to understand the GOP is screwing them otherwise. Good riddance.

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Blaming Obama

I was cruising the local news sites this afternoon. Ran across this poll on the WBTV, a station so obviously right wing they should be a FOX affilitate instead of CBS. Then again, not always much difference in the viewing audience. They had a poll up asking who you blame for gas prices rising. Oil companies were the top vote getter but 26 percent blamed Obama. There's a certain segment of the population here that seriously blames Obama for everything.

But even worse, the TV site links to a Newsmax poll. Without suggesting it's a paid ad. Which I assume and hope that it was. I made the mistake of clicking over and the top question was should Congress repeal all of Obama's agenda. It went downhill from there.

On the brighter side, this Elon poll shows "57 percent say state jobs shouldn't be cut to help close a projected $2.4 billion budget gap." And "58 percent of residents don't like the idea of across-the-board funding cuts for state programs." However, following the national trend, "53 percent oppose making a one penny increase in the sales tax permanent."

Not to say the sales tax in this state isn't onerous and regressive. But one penny isn't going to change anything appreciably at this point. It's pay the tax or make the cuts. Permanent isn't the best way to go, but it probably should be extened for at least another year or two.

I voted and I feel fine

Didn't post yesterday because I had a long shift in the afternoon/evening and had to spend the better part of the morning figuring out the down ticket races so I could sneak in for the last hour of early voting since I'm on the work schedule right through the election.
It was pretty good early turnout for this little town. I was voter 8234. During the run-off primary I was 300 something. Everyone was eyeballing each other, counting up the Dems and GOPers. I might as well have been wearing a neon sign saying I'm a Democrat. But the obvious Republicans were still very polite to me. And my intuitive count tells me at least a third of the line was Dem as well.

Needless to say I voted a straight Dem ticket where I had a choice. Sadly, Dems pretty much write off my county. State offices didn't have a Dem choice, neither did my district judge roster, nor the county commissioners. Well, actually the commissioners did have that one hapless sad sack running that I met at the Dem county convention. He's a bit disconnected from reality, but I cast a token vote for him anyway. He'll never win, but I didn't want him to get NO votes besides his own.

The biggest list of choices was for judges at all levels. That's what took so long to figure out. Finally managed to find a list of endorsements and match them up to my ballot for the higer court positions, so I was glad I didn't have to skip that section. Only office I passed over was water commissioners.

Sadly, I didn't get as involved in the local scene as I had planned to since my life got so complicated in last few months. Won't have any time to help out with GOTV either. But I'm feeling good about Billy Kennedy and Elaine Marshall. Sending out positive visualizations non-stop. Can't hurt.

Worst Congressperson in America

This is one contest I'm glad to see my crazy Congresslizard win. Between getting used to the job and battling this incessant illness, whatever it is, I've sorely neglected Billy Kennedy. This win from Blue America should help some.



More details at DWT but you happen to be someone with a few bucks to spare, getting this one the air is a good cause. Crazy old Foxx has over a million in her warchest and Billy only has about 70K. If we're to get rid of her, he's going to need some help.

A win for progressive liberals

I still have some concerns about whether she will be the stronger candidate against Burr, but I'm glad Elaine Marshall won the Democratic primary in North Carolina. I liked Cal, he worked hard, but he was the establishment's hand picked choice and she won decisively. It sent a good message to the DC Dems. And it seems they heard it. National committee is talking to her now and Cal's already pledged his support.

In any event, I'm happy to support her. Even happier to finally have a candidate. Runoff elections make you wait a long time.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Billy Kennedy Statement on BP

I will be so happy when we get rid of Virginia Foxx and Billy Kennedy is my new Congressman. His press release about BP's gusher is pitch perfect.

"If we commit ourselves to a goal of energy independence, we will ensure a better life for our children and for their children as well. We owe them, and ourselves, nothing less. We have an opportunity at hand. We have the technology to use clean and renewable energies. We just have to find in ourselves the commitment to make it happen. I have faith we can if we elect leaders in Congress who will stand up to lobbyists and corporations."

Read it all here.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Local politics is small

Busy day. Went to the multi-county Democratic convention. Some overlap from the county convention I went to about a month ago, but a lot of new faces too. Everybody still pretty much knew each other. But I arrived as an observer and got drafted as delegate half way through for some votes. It's a lot different here than up north. The rules seem to be less strict, even a bit stretchable, but not beyond the breaking point.

Meanwhile, I'm just wild about Billy Kennedy. He was the keynote speaker, which is why I went in the first place. Not that he really needs the support in that venue. The Democrats love him. He rountinely gets standing ovations. More importantly, he's got the right creds and positions to win over the indys and I'm guessing some good percentage of GOPers too. It's just a matter of getting his message out there.



[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Bye Bye Burr?

This is heartening. I've been pretty much staying out of the Democratic primary on this one since I'm happy to support either candidate, but the good news is both Dem opponents are polling well against Burr. Burr still is holding a slight edge but it's early yet and as the article notes, "Burr is now in a weaker position than Elizabeth Dole was at the same point in the election cycle two years ago."

The anti-incumbent fever sweeping the south is a double edged sword since of course some Dems may fall too, but they're mostly Blue Dogs anyway and getting rid of the worst of the GOPers would be worth it.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Not that you'll find it on the internets

My local paper printed my LTE without editing it. They don't post most of them on their internet page. In fact, they have the worst internet presence of any newspaper I've ever read online. But anyway, I can post the text here now that it has been published.

After leaving our nation's unemployed in limbo for weeks, Congress finally overcame a Republican block on an emergency bill and voted to extend unemployment benefits this week. That is to say, the Democrats along with only 3 Republicans voted for it. Our own representative, Virginia Foxx, voted against extending the aid to our district's residents who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Of course, Mrs Foxx doesn't worry about paying her own bills or putting food on the table. She reports her wealth between $2,637,053 to $8,982,000. That's almost double the assets she declared in 2004. Clearly she's benefited from her position as our Congresswoman.

Mrs. Foxx also voted against the health care reform bill and vows to repeal it. Why should she care about protecting our health and cracking down on the worst practices of the insurance industry? She already has the best health care in America which is subsidized by us, the taxpayers. Foxx has fully embraced Republican obstructionism in DC and her votes make clear that she puts the political interests of her party above the practical needs of our country.

Mrs. Foxx is a probably a nice person who means well. However, the power that comes with DC incumbency too often corrupts our politicians. Over the years party loyalty and re-election concerns inevitably take precedence over serving the voters. It's time to send new people with fresh ideas to DC. I'm going to vote for Billy Kennedy and I urge the good people of Iredell County to do the same.

Yeah, I was a little soft on crazy old Foxx but hey, I do have to live in this town and they print your name.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Working for Kennedy

Didn't post because I had blood tests today. I couldn't have coffee until this afternoon and even though I don't give all that much blood, these tests always wear me out for the day. Glad I voted yesterday instead of trying to do it on the way home from the phlebotomist.

I love early voting. I was able to straighten out my voter registration and cast my ballot, all in less than 15 minutes including the time I spent filling out the forms and proving my identity to the elections person. Of course it was a short ballot because this was the primary and the Democrats barely run anyone in this district.

Hot contest on the "Democrat" ballot is for the Senate seat. I was surprised there were so many candidates. I only knew about three of them. But oddly I don't really care who wins that one. I'll support whoever ends up running against Burr. I was more interested in voting for the better judges.

But my main goal for the midterms is to unseat Foxx and get Billy Kennedy elected. It's looking surprisingly good so far. He outraised her in the first quarter, $91,109 to $69,097, plus Billy raised his with mostly small donors. I'm sure in part, thanks to Act Blue. But he's also a terrific candidate. He has perfect combination of charm and creds for this district, plus a terrific populist platform. Thinking he really can, and will, win this race.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

North Carolina First

The SEIU backed movement to create a third party in North Carolina called North Carolina First is serious. The same people who organized for Obama and turned the state purple are determined to send the establishment Democrats a message and mount a credible challenge to three Blue Dogs from out this end of the state, Reps. Larry Kissell, Heath Shuler and Mike McIntyre.

There is of course the usual handwringing coming from the party machine about splitting the vote and handing the Republicans the seats. But as the chair of the new party notes, "Does it really matter if you put a Democratic label or a Republican label on them when they go up there and support big companies and big insurance?"

It's a point I've made before as well. It does little good to elect fake Dems if they vote with the GOP anyway and it just gives the GOPers some false veneer of bipartisan support for their wrongheaded agenda. I've been thinking for years we really need a viable third party in this country to challenge the duopoly. This midterm, with anti-incumbent fever running high, is the best environment we've ever had to try and establish one.

Thinking these districts in NC are the perfect place to start. The conservatives here have a strong presence and these psuedo-Dems won on the promise of bringing change. They didn't deliver. And one thing no one seems to be considering yet is with strong messaging they could also bleed off GOP votes since the GOP doesn't deliver for the people either. Giving up the seats won't change the dynamic in DC appreciably but if NC First gets any sort of meaningful support at the ballot box, it could start a nationwide movement for a true "people's party."

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Strange bedfellows in NC

Local paper is pretty bad about reporting political news outside of our little hamlet so first I've heard of SEIU officials setting up a third party with an eye towards running candidates in the next election. "It won’t be lost on political observers that three House Dems who voted No on reform are from the state: Heath Shuler, Mike McIntyre, and Larry Kissell."

Not sure if I think that's a great strategy given the demographics here. While it's true registered Dems outnumber the GOP by a lot, the indys are also significant and guessing that most of them are tea party cons. Leaves the split pretty even. But I'm not that savvy yet about the political dynamic here so if it works to knock out those three, especially Shuler, I'd be happy enough to support it.

Meanwhile, this is really weird. Given my limited interaction with GOPers here, I could be wrong, but they seem to usually be as lockstep as the national offices so when the state party chair calls for Steele to resign, it leaves me wondering what that means. Have a gut feeling it means, this being such a Bible thumping state, they're nervous about the midterms given the string of sex scandals swirling around the party.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Billy Kennedy makes me very happy

I love the Democratic candidate who is challenging my crazy Congressperson Virginia Foxx. Check out Billy Kennedy's live chat at GOS and his website. Who would have thought a real progressive would emerge in this district? Feeling all hopey changey about it.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Jobs bill passes on bi-partisan vote

No really. Granted it's not much of a bill, it's too small and it doesn't do enough but the latest Jobs Bill passed with 11 Republicans crossing over to vote yes.

One of those GOPers was my normally useless Senator Burr. Thinking he made the shift because his Democratic challenger, Cal Cunningham has been hammering him on the issue for weeks now. One strong opponent does more than one thousand activists sometimes.

I'm a bit conflicted about Cal. He's the party machine candidate with DNC and DSCC support and I know I'm supposed to be supporting the woman who I'm told is more progressive but I really want to get rid of Burr and Cal is out there working it every day. He's gladhanding all over the state and his social media presence is very strong. I've seen so little of the other candidate, I can't even remember her name off the top of my head. Elaine something I think.

On the other hand I'm told by a GOP operative I made friends with that Cal can beat Burr and she can't win in the general. Not sure I should believe him. Keeping my options open but I'm leaning towards Cal at the moment.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Make Burr history

I'm glad to see the state level Democratic Party in North Carolina is getting its act together. This is good I think.



For myself, I'm preparing to embark on a LTE campaign in an attempt to reach the all too many voters in my part of the state that don't do internets.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

Bucking Burr

I don't like linking to unnamed sources and I don't know how much creedence to give to it, but if it's true, I would be very happy to see this happen.

Two sources tell Hotline On Call that former state Sen. Cal Cunningham (D) is set to announce he will run against Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), reconsidering his earlier decision to drop out of the race.

"Already, several big-name candidates have declined to challenge Burr, who is running for a second term. Cunningham, an atty and U.S. Army Reserve captain from Lexington, will give Burr a solid, if not top-tier, challenger in '10."

Not that you could necessarily convince the deluded souls around here who don't even know that Hawaii is really part of the United States that Burr has been absolutely useless as a Senator. But a strong challenger with a good PR operation might be able to educate them. One can hope anyway and maybe the Dems could build a strong enough organization out here to get rid of crazy Virginia Foxx too.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]