Congressman Kratovil wins how ?

Written by: Stephen Crockett on Aug 7, 2009 9:47 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Salisbury DFA, Democracy for Carroll County, Union County for Democracy, DFA/Greater Bowie DEMOCRATS, Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA)

Frank Kratovil of Maryland’s 1^st Congressional District faces a very difficult re-election race because the district historically leans Republican. However Kratovil has a very effective secret weapon, it is an active and well-financed coalition from an element of the Republican Party mostly from the extreme Far Right wing of the Republican coalition. They are the “tea-baggers, Obama birthers and Healthcare Town Hall disrupters” you have been seeing on television and reading about in your local newspapers!

This group is not really representative of the typical Republican voters from sprawling Maryland 1^st. Most Republicans I know from the dozen or so counties comprising the 1^st Congressional District are relatively moderate and always reasonable.

They dislike taxes like everyone else. However, they believe government does on most occasions some things very well (like Social Security, the American military, Medicare, national parks, etc.)

The Republicans I know simply dismiss the nonsense about Obama not being born in America. Obama’s Hawaiian original birth certificates in all forms (long and short) have been made public. The birth announcement was published in the Hawaiian newspapers when he was born.

These local Republican voters would never deny other citizens their right to interact with their member of Congress just to score political points. This kind of rude behavior has never been tolerated by either major political party in recent memory. I have lived in the District for over 35 years.

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Why All Progressives, Democrats, Unionists and Reformers Should Join ACORN

Written by: Stephen Crockett on Jul 29, 2009 4:56 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DEMOCRACY for America in Frederick, Democracy for Tennessee, Ocean County DFA/PDA, Progressive Democracy South Jersey, Middlesex County DFA

We are all familiar with the highly partisan and blatantly dishonest attacks on the low and moderate income advocacy group ACORN that dominated Fox News election coverage last Fall. Republican Right Wing partisans have remained loyal to their absurd talking points after the November election and continue to intentionally spread lies about the ACORN organization that all progressives, Democrats, labor activists and reformers should actively refute. These politically-motivated attacks on ACORN are based on two ridiculous ideas.

The first ridiculous idea is that this relatively small group of relatively poor individuals somehow is responsible for the mortgage crisis and the collapse of the economy. After decades of Reagan-Bush Republican mismanagement, Wall Street greed, assaults on unionized labor, unsound tax policies, unfair trade policies, disastrous healthcare policies, runaway corporate corruption, huge sweetheart government contracts going to Republican connected corporations and absurd financial deregulation, we need to understand that the structure of our economy needs serious fundamental reform. Reagan-Bush Republicanism ruled the market economically and politically to create the economic crisis.

The economic collapse has many more serious fundamental causes than just the collapse of the mortgage market. Income inequality, speculation, ending anti-usury laws, not enforcing anti-monopoly laws and excessive credit card debt can be added to the previous list of root causes underlining the current economic crisis. The Republican Right bears most of the responsibility for this situation. ACORN bears none!

First of all, sub-prime mortgages did not create the mortgage crisis. The notable economist Paul Krugman has debunked this Republican myth very effectively. The mortgage crisis has been spread across all income levels. Foreclosures are not limited just too poor people.

ACORN has never issued any mortgages nor has it pressured lenders to issue high-rate, unaffordable loans to poor and middle class Americans. Instead, for over a decade, ACORN has been the national leader in the fight against predatory lending.

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No Healthcare Reform Equals No Senate Job

Written by: Stephen Crockett on Jun 22, 2009 9:56 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Capital Area DFA (Harrisburg PA), Democracy for Maryland, Hoboken Progressives, Salisbury DFA, Birmingham DFA / PDA

It mystifies this writer that many Senate Democrats have failed to understand that killing the “public option” compromise position being pushed by the Obama will mean the end of their Senate careers. Politics has changed dramatically in the last few years and many Senate incumbents seem to have missed the size and intensity of the paradigm shift.

It is no accident that the Republican Party is in electoral meltdown. The Republican leadership is still stuck in the politics of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Unfortunately, the Democrats in power have not embraced the public sea change in attitudes completely. They do not understand that the Democratic wave does not threaten their hold on power. It does!

The Democratic shift is not based on partisan identity divorced from real changes in government policy. The Democratic election wins in 2006 and 2008 were strong rejections of both the Republican Right and the current unfair status quo in government policy.

If Democrats do nothing to reform the rigged economic system and fail to give American workers a fair shake, they are going to get replaced either in a primary or general election. If Democrats fail to protect civil liberties, they will be defeated. If Democrats start unnecessary wars, they will go down along with the already defeated Senate Republicans.

Of course, this is not good news for the Republican Right. The public is rejecting Republican Right politics and Republican-lite politics. Americans want real and meaningful reforms. Nothing less will do. Democrats who want to do the bidding of large corporations like the health insurance industry are going to get their backsides handed to them in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Senators from both major political parties better get with the program!

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The Letterman Joke Deception, Smears and Cynicism of Sarah Palin

Written by: Stephen Crockett on Jun 13, 2009 12:20 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Essex County, NJ, DFA, Hudson DFA, Democracy for Chester County, DEMOCRACY for America in Frederick, Democracy for Lititz

Sarah Palin owes the American people of very sincere apology. She owes David Letterman an apology. She owes her own children an apology. Her actions and statements have been dangerous, exploitive, divisive and deceptive

I am disappointed that the media pundits commenting on this case did not point out that Sarah Palin conveniently used a 6 second joke by a non-political figure to divert the discussion away from the role Palin’s recent political rhetoric has played in creating a hostile and dangerous political climate in America over the past year. Palin’s outrageous comments falsely connecting Obama to socialism, falsely creating a completely unfounded fear of Big Brother government and stoking up political paranoia on the Right is dangerous and in poor taste. Her kind of rhetoric can directly be connected to the recent murders by Right-Wing extremists at the Holocaust museum in DC and in Kansas. She stoked the paranoia and inflamed their misguided passions and twisted political world view.

The Palin-type of extreme political rhetoric from the Republican Right has been feeding a growing domestic terrorist problem in America. This kind of dangerous rhetoric routinely comes not only from Palin herself, but also, from Right-Wing talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage, extremist Right-Wing websites like Free Republic.com and, unfortunately, from many, many Republican Party officials and activists. Examples of Right-Wing political hate speech on talk radio are legion. Free Republic.com has thousands of posted comments of the most extreme nature. At about the same time that Palin was making her most recent inflammatory comments, the Republican Party held a political fundraiser that raised over $15 million dollars where a second rate actor called Obama “dangerous” and made many other hate-filled comments about our President.

We all remember the Sarah Palin rallies during the 2008 Presidential campaign where the crowd contained numerous Right-Wing nut jobs who shouted “kill him” when Obama’s name was mentioned. We all know about the Right-Wing conspiracy theories that contend Obama is a secret Muslim and/or not really an American citizen. We saw hundred if not thousands of signs to this effect at the McCain-Palin rallies in 2008 and at the Fox News/Republican sponsored anti-tax “tea parties” earlier this year. The man who committed the political murders at the Holocaust museum in DC wrote in support of these whack-job Right-Wing conspiracy theories on the Free Republic.com web site!

I have personal reasons to believe that the Anthrax Mail killer of 2001 was in part inspired by Right Wing talk radio shows like Neal Boortz and/or Right-Wing nut job websites like Free Republic.com. Sarah Palin intentionally taps into this political paranoia and Right-Wing political extremism with her over the top rhetoric. Her political career in Alaska has always been connected with extremist and political fringe groups. No other major political figure in America is as closely connected to political extremist groups as Sarah Palin.

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Delaware State Worker Pay Cut Fight: Part 2

Written by: Stephen Crockett on Jun 10, 2009 10:38 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Hunterdon DFA, Essex County, NJ, DFA, DFA Radio, Salisbury DFA, Somerset for Democracy

The fight against the proposed 8% pay cut for state employees in Delaware has grown dramatically in scale and intensity in recent weeks. This week, the State Workers United for a Better Delaware coalition has scheduled a Legislative Commitment Rally on Thursday, June 11^th on the Legislative Mall in Dover, Delaware.

The crowd will begin gathering at 4pm. Speeches and the public signing of a No Salary Cut Commitment Pledge by legislators will commence at 6pm. At the time of the writing of this article more than a dozen legislators have already announced support for the pledge.

Organized labor has been rallying strongly behind the state workers in opposition to the pay cuts.  Union leaders believe that the budget deficit can be solved without resorting to massive pay cuts for workers in Delaware. They have not been shy about proposing numerous alternatives and criticizing the basic unfairness of placing an excessive burden on a relatively under-paid group of workers.

Traditionally, state government employees have been paid significantly less than either federal government employees or workers in the private sector. They traded job security for significantly lower pay. Union leaders think that asking underpaid employees to further reduce their wages cannot be justified for the vast majority of state employees.

Amos B. McCluney, Jr., Chairman of the UAW Local 1183 Retiree Chapter and former Delaware State House member stated, “As a former Delaware state legislator, I realize that not all state workers can afford a pay cut. Lower paid state workers are the guys who are already maxed-out. They are already living paycheck to paycheck. If you cut their pay 8%, they would have to drop their 401K, get an inferior healthcare plan and still not be able to keep their bills current.

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Reaching Out to the College Community

Written by: Stephen Crockett on May 31, 2009 8:44 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Tennessee, PA for Democracy, Roosevelt Democratic Club, DFA New Jersey, Gettysburg Area DFA Meetup

I believe that Democratic organizations, progressive groups and labor unions need to increase their outreach efforts aimed at American colleges and universities. Campuses provide a very large percentage of campaign volunteers. They are the source of nearly all future opinion-makers including journalists, book authors, officeholders, business leaders and policy experts!

Generating a better understanding of progressive policies and politics early can only strengthen the prospects for progressive change over the next few generations. Organizing potential activists while in college and educating them should not be an "on and off" effort centered around Presidential election cycles.

The effort should not rely on students seeking out organizations like the College Democrats, ACLU or the AFL-CIO. The organizations should be seeking out students to engage with in a systematic way. Civil Liberties groups, environmentalists, civil rights organizations, campaign reform advocates, peace groups, human rights activists, etc should all be mounting issue awareness campaigns, recruiting and organizing activities on almost every American campus.

Professional marketing and promotional services devoted to the college market are available. I own and manage College Marketing.com http://www.CollegeMarketing.com which offers a diverse mix of public relations, advertising and promotional services.

As host of Democratic Talk Radio and Editor of Mid-Atlantic Labor.com, I understand the progressive political community. I want to see it effectively reach the vast majority of American college students with our messages.

If you represent a progressive organization, I might be able to help you grow your exposure on college campuses locally, regionally or nationally. We can promote the growth of organizations. We can help potential candidates get their campaign messages to college students and academics.

We can promote issue advocacy messages. Trade policy, healthcare, labor laws, the Fairness Doctrine in broadcasting, clean elections, taxation, employment, poverty, energy policy, foreign policy and almost any specific policy position can benefit from postering college bulletin boards, distributing flyers or placing ads in college newspapers with targeted messages. Many more customized creative public relations efforts can be executed by College Marketing.com.

We can increase traffic to blogs and political web sites. We can help drive book sales or subscriptions to progressive magazines or newpapers. We can promote music and movies with progressive content. We can motivate students to lobby.

You will not have to rely on volunteers who may or may not properly execute your projects. Your professional staff will not be diverted from their other important activities. You will have professional expertise with decades of experience in reaching the college community with advertising, promotional and public relations campaigns.

Your effort can reach a large number of campuses if desired or be scaled much smaller based solely on your needs. All of our efforts are customized to meet your specific campaign needs. Costs will usually be very, very reasonable.

Please call me at 443-907-2367 or email me at demlabor@aol.com to discuss your needs and how we can help meet them.

In solidarity,

Stephen Crockett

Delaware State Worker Coalition and Allies Fight Massive Pay Cuts: Part 1

Written by: Stephen Crockett on May 25, 2009 6:26 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA New Jersey, Lehigh/Northampton Progressive Alliance, PA for Democracy, Philly for Change, DEMOCRACY for America in Frederick

Most states are facing tough economic times and having great difficulty balancing state government budgets. This is certainly true in Delaware and surrounding states. Pay cut proposals for state workers were floated in Maryland and Pennsylvania but quickly rejected. Other solutions managed to at least temporarily stem the tide of red ink were found without unduly punishing state employees.

In Delaware, the Democratic Governor Jack Markell has put his political weight behind a massive 8% pay cut for state workers. The proposal is almost universally opposed by every labor union in the state and the vast majority of the progressive community. The reception for the massive pay cut proposal in Democratic Party circles has been fairly cool to outright hostile. Opposition to the pay cuts has been growing and getting increasingly organized.

All those opposition groups contend that the Governor did not give enough consideration to alternatives like tapping the Rainy Day Fund, the detailed set of proposals by State Representative John A. Kowalko, Jr. commonly referred to as the “Kowalko Plan” or specific ideas coming from actual state employees. Alternatives have been either under-reported or utterly disregarded by most of the media in the state. Representative Kowalko has offered to present his plan to any group of citizens in the state desiring to learn about the “Kowalko Plan.”

The State Workers United for a Better Delaware is a coalition of labor organizations in opposition to the proposed 8% across the board pay cuts for state workers.  Included in the coalition are the Delaware State Troopers Association, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 81, the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), DSEA-Retired, Teamsters Local 326, the Correctional Officers Association (COAD), Communications Workers of America Local 13101, the State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), FOP Lodge 3, FOP Lodge 10, FOP Lodge 11, the Delaware Attorney General Investigators Association and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 27.  The proposed pay cuts will impact 33,000 state workers in Delaware.

According to police sources, an estimated 2,500 state workers and supporters rallied in front of Legislative Hall in Dover the evening of May 6, 2008 to officially launch the coalition.  This was one of the largest labor union crowds gathered in Delaware in recent memory.

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Specter Deserves A Democratic Primary Opponent

Written by: Stephen Crockett on Apr 29, 2009 7:29 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Lancaster, Mobile DFA, Democracy for Chester County, DFA New Jersey, Roosevelt Democratic Club

Most Pennsylvania Democrats are Democrats for good reasons. It is not because they like the letter “D’ more than the letter “R”. They are Democrats because they support the Democratic approach on a wide array of issues more than they support the Republican policy positions on those issues.

While I welcome Specter to the Democratic Party, I am not convinced that he holds mainstream Democratic values. His record and stated policy positions remain largely Republican.

Specter has made himself a major obstacle to passing the Employee Free Choice Act. He supported almost all the Bush agenda for 8 years. Without Specter, we probably would not have Alito and Roberts on the Supreme Court.

Specter has not protected American jobs leaving the country because of unfair "free" trade deals. He has done almost nothing to help get us out of Iraq. He has opposed government provided universal healthcare. He has opposed the vast majority of Democratic policy positions during his long political career.

Pennsylvania Democrats should have a real Democrat running as the 2010 Democratic Senate candidate. Specter is an honorable man but hardly the best choice to represent mainstream Pennsylvania Democratic values in the 2010 Senate race.

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HELP! IF YOU CARE ABOUT MARYLAND ELECTIONS, ACT ON VERIFIABLE VOTING! LOBBY NIGHT MONDAY, 16.MARCH -- 5:30 P.M., IN ANNAPOLIS!

Written by: Jay Kei. on Mar 16, 2009 9:50 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DEMOCRACY for Baltimore

Dear Voter in Maryland,
 
Remember how hard we fought to get rid of Maryland’s gravely flawed, insecure Diebold touch-screen voting machines? Remember hoping we would feel more confident about election accuracy in Maryland? Remember how, in 2007, every single legislator in both chambers voted to scrap the inconsistent paperless voting machines for a highly-accurate, optical scan system with accessibility and auditing capability for elections conducted in Maryland?
 
We need your help. The progress we have made towards securible, accessible, verifiable elections is in serious trouble in the waning month of Maryland's Legislative Session. An effort is underway to delay implementation of a paper-based, optical-scan, accessible ballot-marking system. Several allied Maryland groups are working around the clock to prevent backtracking on this transition and to prevent unreliable outcomes in our elections.
 
Activists from several groups around the State are organizing a lobby night this upcoming Monday. We will meet in the Miller Senate Office Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, at 5:30 p.m., in the rotunda. (Turn right and walk up the ramp after passing through security.) Participants will be organized into teams, provided talking points and other materials, and sent on to meet with key legislators in both chambers of the General Assembly.
 
In preparation for lobby night, visit mdelect.net and find out the names of your Delegate(s) and Senator from your part of the State, if you do not already know them. Please send their names to Stan Boyd, sbb223@yahoo.com, and let him know you are coming so he can organize and plan for the evening. Let him know if you need or can give a ride and the place and time you would be able to leave for the Capitol.
 
In the meantime, send a mail to your legislator and other key legislators (listed at the end of this mail) to whom we are focusing. A sample letter below urges Maryland's public servants to continue with the implementation of an optical scan/accessible ballot marking system by 2010, and supporting a bill requiring random audits of machine tallies.
 
Our message clarifies the transition to paper ballots will immediately save Maryland millions of dollars, because:
the high cost of upkeep, storage, and maintenance of the Diebold touch-screen machines,
the optical scan system can allow the disabled to vote independently and privately, and,
the optical scan system is more reliable and transparent than the Diebold system.
The detailed research <http://www.saveourvotes..org/reports/08-costs-mdvotingsystem.pdf> of all costs involved shows the least expensive option for Maryland would be to move on the planned acquisition of the optical scan/accessible ballot marking voting system. The paper-based, optical scan system is already in use across 55% of the country’s counties and provides the most reliable, accurate, and cost-effective method for casting and counting ballots. Maryland needs to save every single precious dollar at once! We do not have any more money to waste on the untrustworthy Diebold election apparatus.
 
There is no intelligent excuse to delay implementation in Maryland. We urgently need your help to save our transition to trustworthy elections by 2010.
 
We look forward to seeing you on Monday night!
 
Sincerely,
Stan Boyd (301) 593-3488 or (301) 437-3936
Jay Kei. (443) 514-5959
 
 
Sample Letter to Legislators:
 
I am writing to implore you to do everything in your power to ensure Maryland continues on the path toward verifiable elections by 2010 despite several legislative proposals to delay implementation of a proposed optical scan solution.
 
Your vote in 2007 to adopt a voting system based on optically scanned paper ballots was a smart choice for several reasons, but it is even more important in these lean economic times. In the current budget environment, Maryland cannot afford to continue operating its expensive and error prone touch-screen voting system. The timetable for a new voting system by 2010 must not be postponed.
 
An optical scan system requires 80% less equipment than our current touch-screen system. Each polling place needs only one such machine to count and store the paper ballots, and one ballot-marking station for voters with disabilities to mark their paper ballots. (In contrast, the Diebold election machines require a minimum of six touch screen machines per precinct.) This reduces all costs of operating a voting system, including equipment maintenance, repairs, programming, testing, transportation, and storage. In fact, the optical scan system you voted in 2007 to adopt is so cost-effective Maryland can expect immediate reductions in our annual elections budgets even while we are still purchasing such optical scan equipment, and even further savings in the future after the new machines are paid in full. To learn more about the costs of Maryland’s voting system, click here:
 
http://www.saveourvotes.org/legislation/2008/08-costs-mdvotingsystem.pdf
 
Maryland has outgrown its current system and had to rent additional voting machines to accommodate voter registration increases in last November’s election as mandated by law. Despite the additional equipment, wait times of more than two hours were documented throughout the state on election day. Despite record interest in this historic election and hundreds of thousands of new voter registrations, voter turnout was slightly lower than expected, perhaps because some voters may have been unable to find time to wait in these long lines. An optical scan solution would enable voters to mark their ballots anywhere there is a private space, without needing any expensive equipment, which would greatly expand voter capacity during peak voting hours.
 
The well-documented security vulnerabilities of our touch-screen voting system have necessitated many time-consuming procedures that attempt to protect the integrity of our elections. The Attorney General of Maryland has filed a claim against Premier (formerly Diebold), the manufacturer, to recover $8.5 million in costs the State incurred to establish and implement these security procedures. These procedures are essential -- even though they do little to safeguard the machines against the most serious types of attacks that could alter election outcomes -- but are so cumbersome that they are often ignored by election workers. When properly followed, these security procedures are so time-consuming that election judges often work 18 to 20 hour days opening, closing, and staffing the polls. This has driven many retired people, the former mainstay of polling-place staff, out, because they lack the stamina and skills to administer these high-technology elections. An optical scan system, by contrast, is quickly set up, closed down, and requires very little technology experience, allowing election workers to concentrate on what they do best: serving voters.
 
Disability rights advocates are justifiably proud of the strong provisions in Maryland’s optical scan law protecting the right of the disabled to vote independently and privately while having the assurance their votes are verifiable, recountable, and integrated with other votes. Systems meeting these stringent requirements have already been certified in Iowa, New York, and others.
 
Optical scanning machines have much longer life than touch-screen systems, which make them a sound investment. Their proven reliability, economy, and accuracy have made them the most widely used type of voting equipment in the United States of America today. The 2008 Minnesota recount revealed an accuracy rate of 99.9% with an optical-scan system. States across the nation have rejected unverifiable touch-screen voting systems and have already acted to protect their elections. Maryland voters should not have to wait any longer.
 
Please act now to support whatever bill will allow us to purchase the new optical scanners by the 2010 elections and move Maryland to a system voters can trust along with whatever modifications which may be needed to address disabled voter needs. Finally, please support Maryland House of Delegates Bill 665 and Maryland State Senate Bill 595 requiring paper ballots be counted by hand in random precincts, comparing these tallies to results from the optical scanning machines. (While optical scan is very reliable, it is not perfect (like all machinery) due to programming mistakes, equipment malfunctions, and/or misinterpretation of voter intent. A random audit ensures accurate vote counts.
 
Thanks for all you do to protect the integrity of our elections here in the Free State.
 
 
Key Other Legislators:
 

SenatorDistrictInternet Mail AddressTelephone/Extension
Joan Carter Conway

- Hide quoted text -
43joan.carter.conway@senate.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3145
Roy Dyson29roy.dyson@senate.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3673
Mike Lenett19mike.lenett@senate.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3151
Jim Rosapepe21jim.rosapepe@senate.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3141
Paul Pinsky22paul.pinsky@senate.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3155
Richard Colburn37richard.colburn@senate.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3590
David Harrington47david.harrington@senate.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3745
 
 DelegateDistrictInternet Mail Address
Telephone/Extension

LeRoy Myers1 Cleroy.myers@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3321
Andrew Serafini2 Aandrew.serafini@house.state.md.us(877) 223-9031
Christopher Shank2 Bchristopher.shank@house..state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3636
Joe Bartlett4 Ajoseph.bartlett@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3080
Don Elliott4donald.elliott@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3118
Nancy Stocksdale5 Anancy.stocksdale@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3077
John "Johnnie O." Olszewski6john.olszewski@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3458
Joseph Boteler8joseph.boteler@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3365
Jon Cardin11jon.cardin@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3833
Frank Turner13frank.turner@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3246
Anne Kaiser14anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3036
Craig Rice15craig.rice@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3090
Bill Frick16bill.frick@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3454
Kumar Barve17kumar.barve@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3464
Jim Gilchrist17jim.gilchrist@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3744
Sheila Hixson20sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3469
Justin Ross22justin.ross@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3652
Carolyn Howard24carolyn.howard@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3919
Jay Walker26jay.walker@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3581
Peter Murphy28peter.murphy@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3247
Anthony O'Donnell29 Canthony.odonnell@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3314
Ron George30ron.george@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3439
Steve Schuh31steve.schuh@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3206
Tony McConkey33 Atony.mcconkey@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3406
Susan McComas35 Bsusan.mccomas@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3272
Michael Smigiel36michael.smigiel@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3555
Richard Sossi36richard.sossi@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3543
Addie Eckardt37 Badelaide.eckardt@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3343
Jeannie Haddaway37 Bjeannie.haddaway@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3429
Page Elmore38 Apage.elmore@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3433
William Frank42william.frank@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3793
Melvin Stukes44melvin.stukes@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3544
Jolene Ivey47jolene.ivey@house.state.md.us(800) 492-7122, Ext. 3578

The Jindal Lesson: Keeping Those Republicans Out of Power

Written by: Stephen Crockett on Feb 25, 2009 11:27 PM EST

Linked to groups: Jersey Shore DFA, DFA New Jersey, Birmingham DFA / PDA, Democracy for Chester County, Middlesex County DFA

After listening today to the Louisiana Governor respond to Obama’s speech to Congress and the American nation on the economic crisis and healthcare, I suddenly realized that the Jindal-type of Republican should never, ever be placed in a position of governmental responsibility. Unfortunately, the Jindal-type dominates the national Republican power structure.

Governor Jindal simply does not believe in government. His references to the awful Bush Republican response to Katrina show that he just does not get it. Jindal seems to think that since Bush blew the federal government response to that disaster, therefore, government is inherently incompetent.

It is true that under Bush the personnel responsible for disaster relief were incompetent. Those individuals were selected for entirely political and ideological reasons. They did not believe in government. Essentially, they were Jindal-type Republicans! They were Bush Republicans!

If you believe government will always fail, you are very likely going to fail in the management of government. If politics, ideology and achieving power take precedence over implementing sound policy in your value system, you are a poor candidate for being good at managing government agencies or programs.

Jindal is certainly not alone in his contempt for using government to better the condition of our economically suffering citizens. Along with Jindal, the Republican Governors of Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Alaska have indicated that they would not accept federal money to extend and expand unemployment benefits for the citizens of their states. The reasons they gave are illogical and seem to be motivated by politics instead of real policy concerns.

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