While an Observer-Dispatch article by Bryon Ackerman is also an issue of the campaign newsletter from Congressional candidate Richard Hanna...
While the OD, Hanna, and the NRCC don't know the difference between a correlation and a causation...
While Hanna's stands on any issue is left to the interpretation of what his endorsers say... (and if you think that statement's hard to grasp, try looking up any of the following on Hanna's campaign website: education, health care, tax, immigration, war or any other issue that's important to you.)
let's take a look at what Open Secrets offers (on Oct 22, 2008, 11:55PM):
Self-financing:
Arcuri: 0%
Hanna: 49%
This simply shows that if Hanna were not supporting himself, just short of HALF OF HIS SUPPORT would be gone.
Top Contributors (categorized by me, not Open Secrets):
Arcuri: political PACs, labor groups,
Hanna: privately owned companies, Exxon Mobil, Meryl Lynch
I'd rather have the support of people who work for the betterment of others rather than the likes of Exxon Mobil. And seriously, Hanna bellyaching about Fannie Mae while taking money from Meryl Lynch would be just as crazy as McCain calling Obama a pop star while his own VP shops like Paris Hilton. OH. Oopps!
Quality of Disclosure:
Arcuri: Full Disclosure 94.4% Incomplete 0.0% None 5.6%
Hanna: Full Disclosure 41.8% Incomplete 3.6% None 54.6%
FULL DISCLOSURE: Includes full name and occupation / employer
INCOMPLETE DISCLOSURE: Occupation listed gives no indication what the person does for a living. Examples of unacceptably vague disclosures are such "occupations" as "businessman", "entrepreneur", "self-employed", and "executive".
NO DISCLOSURE: No information about the donor's employer and / or occupation was listed.
Seeing this was what prompted this postcard. When Hanna kept repeating "I don't know" at the debate last week, he really meant it when it came to his donors.
The FEC requires this information, it's super simple to collect, and it discloses the industry incentives supporting a candidate. What 54.6% of that is being hidden from the voters 13 days before the Election?
I don't understand the GOP's desire, assumption and need for Americans to be stupid. You'd think that anyone would instead expect and demand rational thinking and intelligence from voters, candidates, students, mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, snow-plow driver and everyone else on the planet.
Hanna may be new to actively doing something in the community but he sounds like the same ol GOP.
Maimun
Showing posts with label McCain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McCain. Show all posts
20081014
They fail to lead by example.... unless this really is what they seek
I finally got a chance to see the Arcuri-Hanna News 10 Now debate and was saddened to see Hanna drinking from the Pailin coolaid that makes the speaker repeatedly squawk out a memorized phrase regardless of context and sounding no better than a wind-up mechanical parrot.
I say saddened because I'm somewhat familiar with Hanna's generosity, especially in support of women. The YWCA honored him for his check-writing tradition (though in a Church Lady Isn't That Special moment, the event program (identified as an "ad") also identifies that he's the sponsor of the lunchon). Supporting the groups that do the work to help others is vital to those groups doing the work. And a good donor, like a good business man, needs to be able to pick and choose what he's doing with his money.
But supporting, sponsoring and donating are very different tasks from doing work. Hanna got a thank you for the checks he wrote.
Michael Arcuri was thanked for the work he did. As the first male selected as the Mohawk Valley Person of the Year by the same above named YWCA, his work in battling and prosecuting domestic violence and child abuse reached far beyond cash.
The list of things Congressman Arcuri has done to better this region since he was elected to Congress is long and far more than I want to capture in this little postcard. But things that are especially dear to me are his support of increased Student Aid, increasing the minimum wage and mental health parity.
I know what Michael Arcuri has done and what he seeks to do. You can see it yourself here on his website. If you can find Hanna's list on his website (where I just clicked on every link), would you please post it in a comment?
That's the difference between making something and making out a check.
Onto national politics... I'll leave it to Keith Olbermann who said it better than I:
Maimun
I say saddened because I'm somewhat familiar with Hanna's generosity, especially in support of women. The YWCA honored him for his check-writing tradition (though in a Church Lady Isn't That Special moment, the event program (identified as an "ad") also identifies that he's the sponsor of the lunchon). Supporting the groups that do the work to help others is vital to those groups doing the work. And a good donor, like a good business man, needs to be able to pick and choose what he's doing with his money.
But supporting, sponsoring and donating are very different tasks from doing work. Hanna got a thank you for the checks he wrote.
Michael Arcuri was thanked for the work he did. As the first male selected as the Mohawk Valley Person of the Year by the same above named YWCA, his work in battling and prosecuting domestic violence and child abuse reached far beyond cash.
The list of things Congressman Arcuri has done to better this region since he was elected to Congress is long and far more than I want to capture in this little postcard. But things that are especially dear to me are his support of increased Student Aid, increasing the minimum wage and mental health parity.
I know what Michael Arcuri has done and what he seeks to do. You can see it yourself here on his website. If you can find Hanna's list on his website (where I just clicked on every link), would you please post it in a comment?
That's the difference between making something and making out a check.
Onto national politics... I'll leave it to Keith Olbermann who said it better than I:
Maimun
20080916
Now it's a Question of Judgment
(available here)(free to borrow for Web)
I really didn't question his judgment until he picked her for his Vice President. I've shared my opinion about how Republicans think of women, but what is it with Republican women??
"Just a hockey mom." HER words, not mine. "Just" a mom is offensive and sexist. Being a good parents and raising children well can be the biggest change a person makes on the planet. There is nothing "just" about that and dismissing that work is a sign of a dilettante who's children probably are better off being raised by a professional nanny. Real moms know there is no such thing as "just a mom."
Anti-Choice, no exemptions. I don't understand women who would insist that a women who is a victim of rape carry a resulting pregnancy to term. This is beyond 'blame the victim' this is punish the slut who deserved it. And her baby too. For the last 32 years (yes, that's THIRTY-TWO YEARS), Alaska has ranked in the top 5 states with the highest rates in the nation of reported rapes. Six times the national average rate of child sexual assault. Oh, and if you are raped and want a rape kit done, be sure to grab your wallet on the way to the hospital since you had to buy the rape kit so the police can collect the evidence.
'Health care must be market and business driven.' Really? And just which corporation would you trust making healthcare choices for you and your family? Enron, Exon, Halliburton. One policy fits all... Stay healthy!
and be scared.... very scared.
Maimun
20080624
If Frogs had Wings
Most everyone has some kind of fantasy life.... Fantasy Football, Invisible Friends, Star Trek, Fantasy Congress, Second Life, whatever. Some are just interests, some are odd, some are childish, some are hard to understand, some are freaky.
Some, at least these two, are far from fantastic. They're scary. That they are contemplated and justified should give us nightmares.
McCain's 100 year war. No sane humane human should ever consider a 100 year war as a viable option for anything. Even The Hundred Year War stopped in year 3, year 10, etc, etc. It was only in hindsight that it was seen as a hundred year war, though paused by several truces. Edward III never planned for a hundred year war. His battle plan did not include Henry VI, fourth King into the future and born over 100 years after him.
That McCain served in Vietnam and was held as a prisoner of war and can still say out loud that a 100 year war would be OK with him should terrify all of us. That he, who knows first hand the horrors of war, can so casually commit the next 26 elected Presidents and the next 4 to 5 generations of Americans to any war is horrifying. That he acknowledges that this is a war based on lies and still stays his course is that much more horrifying.
Add to that, an adviser who unequivocally states that a terrorist attack would "be a big advantage" to McCain, and I'm left wondering not only where is McCain's better angel, but where are those of the company he keeps? It is disheartened cynicism that makes Democrats mutter comments of October Surprises, not jealousy. That a terrorist attack can be seen as an advantage to anyone makes as much sense as planning for a 100 year war does.
Two seemingly random pieces coming together can be simple synchronicity at play. Three pieces just may be the engineering of wings on the frogs.
Maimun
Some, at least these two, are far from fantastic. They're scary. That they are contemplated and justified should give us nightmares.
McCain's 100 year war. No sane humane human should ever consider a 100 year war as a viable option for anything. Even The Hundred Year War stopped in year 3, year 10, etc, etc. It was only in hindsight that it was seen as a hundred year war, though paused by several truces. Edward III never planned for a hundred year war. His battle plan did not include Henry VI, fourth King into the future and born over 100 years after him.
That McCain served in Vietnam and was held as a prisoner of war and can still say out loud that a 100 year war would be OK with him should terrify all of us. That he, who knows first hand the horrors of war, can so casually commit the next 26 elected Presidents and the next 4 to 5 generations of Americans to any war is horrifying. That he acknowledges that this is a war based on lies and still stays his course is that much more horrifying.
Add to that, an adviser who unequivocally states that a terrorist attack would "be a big advantage" to McCain, and I'm left wondering not only where is McCain's better angel, but where are those of the company he keeps? It is disheartened cynicism that makes Democrats mutter comments of October Surprises, not jealousy. That a terrorist attack can be seen as an advantage to anyone makes as much sense as planning for a 100 year war does.
Two seemingly random pieces coming together can be simple synchronicity at play. Three pieces just may be the engineering of wings on the frogs.
Maimun
20080612
Neither Gender nor Heritage are the Issue
Some days, life really lives up to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Days, weeks, months, years...
I've always said that I'm lucky enough to have the luxury to be active in politics. Though I'm far away from being free of financial concerns, I do live within my means. That I am able to work one job and meet my needs give me the hours to do things that aren't financially reimbursed whether that's volunteering or playing, or whatever else I choose to do. Food, shelter and clothing are covered.
Health becomes a challenge as time goes by. Things could be worse or better but is certainly manageable.
The rest of the pyramid is still standing,
So, why haven't I been active here or anywhere else really over the Presidential campaigns?
Dean's asked a couple of times here and certainly it's been a topic of conversation more places than not. (By the way, Dean, Pam and I missed you and Arlene in Springfield. Like always, it was an uneventful trip... meaning it was a great weekend! And I found crafting goodies I've been wanting for a long time.)
I'm still active in Congressman Arcuri's re-election campaign and the enthusiasm hasn't faded. I'm sure I'll help out with other candidates, too, including Barack Obama.
I suspect that part of the reason I didn't get all fired up about the Presidential race is because the base question that was so hyped was a non-interest for me.
It seemed like the question the Democratic Primary was fighting over was "can a woman or a black man be President?"
Yes.
There's no agony, soul-searching, wondering, exploring or anything deeper than a loud, disgusted, and condescending, "Duh! Try reading the Constitution sometime."
Am I proud that it's the Democratic Party that brought forth Hillary and Barack? Of course. But, seriously, could we really expect that either a woman or a person of color would be allowed to achieve in the Republican Party what they do in the Democratic?
(OK, it was not the Democrats that were asking that question. We were answering the question of "which one do we want?" So, who was it that was really caterwauling that other question?)
Reality check, folks... Chickens who vote for Col. Sanders would never be accepted sitting at the head of the table.
I'm not so blindly faithful that I'd say "anyone but McCain" but I do pray for someone who won't continue dragging us down this damned road we're on.
I've started a sentence a few times lately with "whoever next leads this country will have the task to start to fix" and I stop mid-sentence.
Obama will have the task to start to fix all the destruction the Shrub Badministration has inflicted on America. The damages done run so deep that that it will take years to heal, no matter who the President is...President Obama, President Clinton (Bill or Hillary), President Santa Claus or President Fairy God-Mother.
I stop mid-sentence because I don't really believe that whoever next leads this country will take on that challenge. I believe that Obama will do his best to start healing the damages the last 8 years have brought.
I believe that McCain will not start the healing but rather continue the damages of the Shrub. If you don't accept that something needs fixing, you don't bother trying.
Anyone who can consider that a 100 year war is an option is not capable of leading the healing we need.
Will I be enthusiastically for Obama? Absolutely. Will I be working on his campaign? As much as I can. Will I donate? Yes.
And I'd have done the same if the Democratic candidate were anyone else.
This is why.
Maimun
I've always said that I'm lucky enough to have the luxury to be active in politics. Though I'm far away from being free of financial concerns, I do live within my means. That I am able to work one job and meet my needs give me the hours to do things that aren't financially reimbursed whether that's volunteering or playing, or whatever else I choose to do. Food, shelter and clothing are covered.
Health becomes a challenge as time goes by. Things could be worse or better but is certainly manageable.
The rest of the pyramid is still standing,
So, why haven't I been active here or anywhere else really over the Presidential campaigns?
Dean's asked a couple of times here and certainly it's been a topic of conversation more places than not. (By the way, Dean, Pam and I missed you and Arlene in Springfield. Like always, it was an uneventful trip... meaning it was a great weekend! And I found crafting goodies I've been wanting for a long time.)
I'm still active in Congressman Arcuri's re-election campaign and the enthusiasm hasn't faded. I'm sure I'll help out with other candidates, too, including Barack Obama.
I suspect that part of the reason I didn't get all fired up about the Presidential race is because the base question that was so hyped was a non-interest for me.
It seemed like the question the Democratic Primary was fighting over was "can a woman or a black man be President?"
Yes.
There's no agony, soul-searching, wondering, exploring or anything deeper than a loud, disgusted, and condescending, "Duh! Try reading the Constitution sometime."
Am I proud that it's the Democratic Party that brought forth Hillary and Barack? Of course. But, seriously, could we really expect that either a woman or a person of color would be allowed to achieve in the Republican Party what they do in the Democratic?
(OK, it was not the Democrats that were asking that question. We were answering the question of "which one do we want?" So, who was it that was really caterwauling that other question?)
Reality check, folks... Chickens who vote for Col. Sanders would never be accepted sitting at the head of the table.
I'm not so blindly faithful that I'd say "anyone but McCain" but I do pray for someone who won't continue dragging us down this damned road we're on.
I've started a sentence a few times lately with "whoever next leads this country will have the task to start to fix" and I stop mid-sentence.
Obama will have the task to start to fix all the destruction the Shrub Badministration has inflicted on America. The damages done run so deep that that it will take years to heal, no matter who the President is...President Obama, President Clinton (Bill or Hillary), President Santa Claus or President Fairy God-Mother.
I stop mid-sentence because I don't really believe that whoever next leads this country will take on that challenge. I believe that Obama will do his best to start healing the damages the last 8 years have brought.
I believe that McCain will not start the healing but rather continue the damages of the Shrub. If you don't accept that something needs fixing, you don't bother trying.
Anyone who can consider that a 100 year war is an option is not capable of leading the healing we need.
Will I be enthusiastically for Obama? Absolutely. Will I be working on his campaign? As much as I can. Will I donate? Yes.
And I'd have done the same if the Democratic candidate were anyone else.
This is why.
Maimun
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