Latest Poll on Governor's election

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Oct 31, 2009 4:15 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Bergen Grassroots, Hudson DFA, WeDemocrats

Fellow Grassrooter,

As you know, the leaders of Bergen Grassroots voted overwhelmingly to endorse the Corzine/Weinberg ticket in the upcoming gubernatorial election. We have our issues and disappointments with the Governor, but we agree with The Record and other publications who have endorsed him on the basis of his record in office as well as the evasive campaign conducted by his principal opponent.

To those of you planning to vote for Chris Daggett as a matter of "principle": There is merit to your view. I thought highly of him when he came to our Oct. 20 forum and I intend to email him to encourage him to remain active in NJ politics--as a Republican, Democrat or independent--after the election.

The question I have for you is this: How will you feel during four years of Chris Christie governance if he wins by a whisker and you voted for Daggett, knowing he had no chance of winning?

Thanks for all you do,
Paul

This message was sent to you because Paul Eisenman thought you might find the page "Election 2009: New Jersey Governor" at www.rasmussenreports.com interesting.

This is the link to the page:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2009/new_jersey/election_2009_new_jersey_governor

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Corzine/Weinberg Slate Endorsed by Grassrooters!

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Oct 29, 2009 7:33 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA New Jersey, Hudson DFA, Bergen Grassroots

Fellow Grassrooter,

The Members in Good Standing of Bergen Grassroots have voted overwhelmingly in favor of endorsing the Corzine/Weinberg slate for Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

An Oct. 20 gubernatorial forum attended by about 50 members of Bergen Grassroots and of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County (forum cosponsors) featured Chris Daggett, independent candidate for the seat and Ridgewood Councilmember Paul Aronsohn as Corzine's surrogate. There was an empty seat for Republican candidate Chris Christie.

After the debate, a DemoChoice ballot appeared on the Internet to permit dues-paying members of Bergen Grassroots to choose a candidate for endorsement. Bergen Grassroots' by-laws stipulate that for a member to be considered in good standing, he or she must have paid dues in full not later than 30 days after 12 months since the previous dues payment. The ballot offered the names of the three candidates plus a choice marked "Other" for voters who might have wanted to support one of the nine minor-party candidates for the post, or as a means of saying "None of the above." No voter chose that option.

As an exercise of the democratic process, the turnout was disappointing albeit typical of general election statistics: 56.7% of the eligible voters participated. 

Nevertheless, the Corzine/Weinberg ticket attracted 81% of the vote, more than half of those entitled to vote. Independent candidate Chris Daggett received the other 19%.

It would not be a foregone conclusion that candidate Christie would not receive any votes at all; there are Republicans among the 400plus people who participate by receiving Grassrooter mail and attending meetings from time to time. 

According to its statement of policy, Bergen Grassroots is a political activist group whose members include Republican and Democratic Party members as well as unaffiliated voters. Bergen Grassroots supports candidates for office, sponsors forums to educate the public on political and social issues, engages people in the political process, and seeks to inform lawmakers and other officials at every level of government of its policies and platform.

Discuss

Two Physicians Discuss Health Care Reform at Oct. 27 Forum

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Oct 21, 2009 6:10 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Hudson DFA, Bergen Grassroots

There are many proposals for health care reform afloat these days—House and Senate committees alone have at least five—and two respected area physicians with varying views will discuss elements of their approaches at a forum on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 7pm. The site is the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County Meeting Hall, 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck. The doors open at 6:45, the forum begins at 7pm and is scheduled to conclude at 9pm.

Ethical Culture and Bergen Grassroots, a good government reform group, are co-sponsoring the meeting.  It features two physicians who have debated the health care reform issue numerous times throughout the greater NYC metropolitan area. Both have decades of medical practice experience and have been published numerous times.

Dr. Oliver Fein, a practicing general internist with experience in health policy, is President of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and Chair of its New York Metro Chapter. This nationwide organization supports a Medicare-for-All (single-payer) system as the most efficient and economical form of health care reform. Among other things, Dr. Fein is currently Professor of Clinical Medicine and Clinical Public Health and Associate Dean at the Weill Cornell Medical College.

Richard H. Bernstein, MD, FACP is a medical director at the Visiting Nursing Service of New York and has been practicing general internal medicine for thirty years. Dr. Bernstein is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and Clinical Community and Preventive Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Joseph Chuman, the Ethical Culture Society leader, will moderate the forum.

The physicians will flip a coin to determine who goes first. Each will have 20 minutes to present his reform position and each will have 5 minutes of response after the other’s presentation. The floor will then be thrown open for questions.

Bergen Grassroots, founded in 2005, meets regularly and publicly on the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm in the ECS auditorium. According to its statement of policy, Bergen Grassroots is a political activist group whose members include Republican and Democratic Party members as well as independents. Bergen Grassroots supports candidates for office, sponsors forums like this one to educate the public on political and social issues, engages people in the political process, and seeks to inform lawmakers and other officials at every level of government of its policies and platform.

              The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, a welcoming humanist community and its Sunday School, meet at 11a.m. on Sundays at 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck. For more information, call 201 836-5187 or visit www.EthicalFocus.org.

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Chris Daggett in Person at Oct. 20 Gubernatorial Debate

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Oct 8, 2009 5:06 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Bergen Grassroots, Hudson DFA

          Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett will take part in a forum on Tuesday, Oct. 20, co-sponsored by the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County and Bergen Grassroots, a countywide good government reform group. The Ethical Culture Society's meeting hall at 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck, will be the forum site. Doors open at 6:45pm and the 2-hour forum will begin promptly at 7.

           Mr. Daggett will be the only one of the three candidates for governor to appear in person, but Ridgewood Councilman Paul Aronsohn will appear to represent the Democratic candidate, Governor Jon Corzine.

           Mr. Aronsohn faced Congressman Scott Garrett in the race for the 5th Congressional District seat in 2006. As a member of the Clinton administration, he worked on foreign policy and national security issues. At the State Department, he served three US ambassadors to the UN: Madeleine Albright, Bill Richardson and Richard Holbrooke. He spent one year as the Communications Director and spokesperson for then-Governor James McGreevey.

           At this writing, the Republicans have yet to designate a surrogate for their candidate, Chris Christie. If one does not appear, the campaign will be represented by an empty chair.

           The debate format will be informal and flexible, much like the traditional New England town hall meeting. Each candidate will have 20 minutes to present his qualifications, after which the moderator will welcome questions from the assembly.

           A good turnout is anticipated because of Mr. Daggett's participation. His candidacy has attracted a high degree of interest and recent polls show his support is now in double digits. Most observers of the Oct. 1 TV debate among the three contenders appeared to agree that Mr. Daggett, the independent and underdog, was the clear winner of this first televised contest of the campaign.

Bergen Grassroots, founded in 2005 and affiliated with Democracy for America, meets regularly, and publicly, on the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm in the ECS auditorium.For more information, write paul@bergengrassroots.org.

According to its statement of policy, Bergen Grassroots is a political activist group whose members include Republican and Democratic Party members as well as independents. Bergen Grassroots supports candidates for office, sponsors forums to educate the public on political and social issues, engages people in the political process, and seeks to inform lawmakers and other officials at every level of government of its policies and platform.

              The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, a welcoming humanist community and its Sunday School, meet at 11a.m. on Sundays at 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck. For more information, call 201 836-5187 or visit www.EthicalFocus.org.

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Our Gubernatorial Forum Stars Chris Daggett ... and Two Surrogates

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Oct 8, 2009 4:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Bergen Grassroots, Hudson DFA

        Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett will take part in a forum on Tuesday, Oct. 20, co-sponsored by the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County and Bergen Grassroots, a countywide good government reform group.

         The Ethical Culture Society's meeting hall at 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck, will be the forum site. Doors will open at 6:45pm and the 2-hour forum will begin promptly at 7.

           Mr. Daggett will be the only one of the three candidates for governor to appear in person, but Ridgewood Councilman Paul Aronsohn will appear to represent the Democratic candidate, Governor Jon Corzine.

           Mr. Aronsohn faced Congressman Scott Garrett in the race for the 5th Congressional District seat in 2006. As a member of the Clinton administration, he worked on foreign policy and national security issues. At the State Department, he served three US ambassadors to the UN: Madeleine Albright, Bill Richardson and Richard Holbrooke. He spent one year as the Communications Director and spokesperson for then-Governor James McGreevey.

           At this writing, the Republicans have yet to designate a surrogate for their candidate, Chris Christie. If one does not appear, the campaign will be represented by an empty chair.

           The debate format will be informal and flexible, much like the traditional New England town hall meeting. Each candidate will have 20 minutes to present his qualifications, after which the moderator will welcome questions from the assembly.

           A good turnout is anticipated because of Mr. Daggett's participation. His candidacy has attracted a high degree of interest and recent polls show his support is now in double digits. Most observers of the Oct. 1 TV debate among the three contenders appeared to agree that Mr. Daggett, the independent and underdog, was the clear winner of this first televised contest of the campaign.

Bergen Grassroots, founded in 2005 and affiliated with Democracy for America, meets regularly, and publicly, on the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm in the ECS auditorium.For more information, write paul@bergengrassroots.org.

According to its statement of policy, Bergen Grassroots is a political activist group whose members include Republican and Democratic Party members as well as independents. Bergen Grassroots supports candidates for office, sponsors forums to educate the public on political and social issues, engages people in the political process, and seeks to inform lawmakers and other officials at every level of government of its policies and platform.

              The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, a welcoming humanist community and its Sunday School, meet at 11a.m. on Sundays at 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck. For more information, call 201 836-5187 or visit www.EthicalFocus.org.

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Our Gubernatorial Forum Stars Chris Daggett ... and Two Surrogates

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Oct 8, 2009 4:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Hudson DFA, Bergen Grassroots

   <font face="helvetica" size="3" style="font-size: small;">     Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett will take part in a forum on Tuesday, Oct. 20, co-sponsored by the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County and Bergen Grassroots, a countywide good government reform group. </font>

<font face="helvetica" size="3" style="font-size: small;">
</font>

<font face="helvetica" size="3" style="font-size: small;">         The Ethical Culture Society's meeting hall at 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck, will be the forum site. Doors will open at 6:45pm and the 2-hour forum will begin promptly at 7.</font>

<font face="helvetica" size="3" style="font-size: small;">
           Mr. Daggett will be the only one of the three candidates for governor to appear in person, but Ridgewood Councilman Paul Aronsohn will appear to represent the Democratic candidate, Governor Jon Corzine.

           Mr. Aronsohn faced Congressman Scott Garrett in the race for the 5th Congressional District seat in 2006. As a member of the Clinton administration, he worked on foreign policy and national security issues. At the State Department, he served three US ambassadors to the UN: Madeleine </font><font face="helvetica" size="3" style="font-size: small;">Albright, Bill Richardson and Richard Holbrooke. He spent one year as the Communications Director and spokesperson for then-Governor James McGreevey.</font>

           At this writing, the Republicans have yet to designate a surrogate for their candidate, Chris Christie. If one does not appear, the campaign will be represented by an empty chair.

           The debate format will be informal and flexible, much like the traditional New England town hall meeting. Each candidate will have 20 minutes to present his qualifications, after which the moderator will welcome questions from the assembly.

           A good turnout is anticipated because of Mr. Daggett's participation. His candidacy has attracted a high degree of interest and recent polls show his support is now in double digits. Most observers of the Oct. 1 TV debate among the three contenders appeared to agree that Mr. Daggett, the independent and underdog, was the clear winner of this first televised contest of the campaign.

Bergen Grassroots, founded in 2005 and affiliated with Democracy for America, meets regularly, and publicly, on the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm in the ECS auditorium.For more information, write paul@bergengrassroots.org.

According to its statement of policy, Bergen Grassroots is a political activist group whose members include Republican and Democratic Party members as well as independents. Bergen Grassroots supports candidates for office, sponsors forums to educate the public on political and social issues, engages people in the political process, and seeks to inform lawmakers and other officials at every level of government of its policies and platform.

              The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, a welcoming humanist community and its Sunday School, meet at 11a.m. on Sundays at 687 Larch Avenue, Teaneck. For more information, call 201 836-5187 or visit www.EthicalFocus.org.

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Congressman Kratovil wins how ?

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

Linked to groups: Union County for Democracy, Berks for Change, Democracy for Pittsburgh, Lower Bucks for Democracy, Democracy for Carroll County

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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Get Rothman's Back!

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Aug 6, 2009 6:16 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Hudson DFA, Bergen Grassroots

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Fellow Grassrooter,

Hi %%first%%,

Congressman Steve Rothman (NJ-9) has asked for our help at his Town Hall meetings next week. He and other supporters of the health care reform movement are worried about these meetings being hijacked by right-wing extremists.

Watch a video the DNC just made of these extremists resorting to mob tactics in an effort to prevent health care reform.

If you want to help by taking Congressman Rothman's back, show up at any of the ten meetings Rothman has set up for the week beginning Monday, August 10. (Although we distributed the list to all of you a few days ago, we're attaching it to this email as well.)

We recommend that you attend one of his meetings to demand health care reform with a public option, as well as legislation on the environment. Your pro-reform presence may help to stem the disruptive activity.

While you're at it, you may choose to suggest to Rothman that we don't buy his argument that although the single-payer option is the best plan of all (he has said so many times), it's impossible to obtain right now. If it is impossible, it's because cautious politicians like him are unwilling to stand up and be counted.

Thanks for all you do,
Paul

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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 Pittsburgh, Progressive Democrats For Delaware, Jersey Shore DFA, Ocean County DFA/PDA, Democracy for Chester County

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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Bergenfield Forgery Indictments Upheld!

Written by: Paul Eisenman on Jul 23, 2009 7:05 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Bergen Grassroots, DFA New Jersey, Hudson DFA

Hi %%first%,

As we now know from Bergenfield Mayor Tim Driscoll's explosive report at our Bergen Grassroots June meeting, there were five forged resignations, not two, when attempts were made to change the balance of power on the Municipal County Committee at a time when the committee was voting to replace retired state Senator Byron Baer.

In June, Mayor Driscoll told us that three of the forgery victims chose not to complain because the two who did received abusive mail and threats. Nevertheless, the investigation went forward and two former members of the Bergenfield Council were charged with two of the forgeries and indicted.

As the day nears for the two to face trial, their attorneys continue to seek means to get the indictments quashed.

In the most recent attempt, a State Superior Court judge denied motions to dismiss forgery indictments against the two on Wednesday (July 22).

For complete details, access this article by copying and pasting the entire address below into your web browser.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/elections/Forgery_indictments_upheld.html

Thanks for all you do,

Paul