Real Threats from the Left

The Public Option is dead. After nearly a year of Republicans trying to kill it by any means necessary it was members of the Democratic caucus who finally did it. The culprits are namely Senators Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark, Mary Landrieu D-La., and Joe Lieberman I –Conn. There is still a chance to save this part of the bill when the House and Senate go to reconciliation, but it’s very unlikely.

The three aforementioned legislators had a real dilemma during this debate. They had pressure from both the right and the left that could ultimately lead to a politician’s greatest fear, losing an election. They each decided to fight the public very vocally because the threat from the right was real and the one from the left was not.

Each of the three Senators has received great numbers of votes and campaign contributions from the progressive wing of their party. In past years they have relied on this group to run their campaigns and win their seats. If progressives now refuse to help Lincoln, Landrieu, and Lieberman and actively work against them future threats from the left will be legitimized.

I came very close to being personally responsible for the death of the Public Option. In the summer of 2008 I was offered a job on Mary Landrieu re-election campaign for an above average salary, by campaign standards. Although I decided to work on another race that year, others decided to help her. Her election was extremely close and required a large staff willing to work upwards of 100 hours a week for months.

I cannot speak for every individual who chose to work on Sen. Landrieu’s campaign, butI can be sure that there are many who were hopeful that in the final hour she and others would push forward with the progressive movement. Those staffers can do a great service by choosing not to work for these members in the future.

On the eve of Presidents Bill Clinton’s first election James Carville said: “Aside from their love the most sacred thing a person can give is their labor. People tend to forget how precious a thing labor is. Anytime you can combine labor with love you’ve made a merger”. Progressive activists have lived this motto for almost 20 years now and would benefit greatly by being much more selective when deciding whom to give their labor and their love to.

Watch Carville's speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suAFYXTIh2k

Lentz Announcement

Democratic State Representative Bryan R. Lentz announced his candidacy for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District. Lentz hopes to succeed U.S. Congressman Joe Sestak who is challenging 28 year incumbent Arlen Specter for the Democratic nomination to the U. S. Senate.

“I’ve been an Airborne Ranger, I’ve been a prosecutor and I’ve been a legislator. I am prepared to be a Congressman” Lentz told a group of about 120 supporters inside American Legion Post #214 in Upper Darby.

According to Politics PA, Lentz is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination and will likely face former U. S. attorney Pat Meehan in the general election next fall. E. Theresa Touey and Gail Conner are also seeking the Democratic nomination. Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District covers most of Delaware County and has significant portions of Chester and Montgomery counties.

Lentz has been fundraising for some time and has raised more than $250,000 leading all candidates.

At 9:00 a.m. people began filing into the hall. Inside three volunteers were asking that everyone who entered sign in. The crowd contained a diverse group of Lentz supporters including some of Lentz’s neighbors from Swarthmore and politicians like State Sen. Daylin Leach D-17.

The T.V. cameras had staked out their spot in the center of the hardwood floors just behind the 5 rows of black folding chairs. The rest of the attendees stood smiling as they waited for the announcement.

“I’m so excited for this,” Betty Tapera of Radnor said. “I’ve been making calls for Bryan since his first race and all I hear from people is how good he is with his constituents.”

The program begins with US Army Lt. Col. Mark Busbee recounting a story about calling Lentz in need of a commander to lead a company in Iraq. “He said count me in,” Busbee told the crowd. “He never said let me think about it or let me get my affairs in order. In fact, he didn’t ask any questions about the mission at all.”

The next speaker was Jennifer Lentz, the Representatives wife, who read a letter from Lisa Pezick, one of Lentz’s constituents. The letter thanked Lentz for helping her family find a way to pay for her daughter’s orthodontic surgery. Jennifer Lentz told the audience that The Pezick family was unable to attend because today was their daughter’s surgical checkup.

At about 10:15 a.m. Lentz himself took to the podium, sharing his entrance with Thomas his newborn son. He described his experiences from his first days in the U. S. Army in 1986 at the age of 22 to his time working as a prosecutor in Philadelphia.

“I took that experience into the courtroom where I represented the victims of crimes for six years as a prosecutor.” Lentz said. “I prosecuted personally hundreds of cases and led a crackdown on gang violence.”

After telling the details of his life experience Lentz referred to the upcoming contest. “If you elect me to congress I will show you once again that I know what it means to put service over self and I know what it means to fight for the people I represent” he declared.

Once he completed his remarks Lentz circled the room shaking hands and greeting his supporters.

“The three counties are going to be pleasantly surprised if they elect Bryan because he is definitely the right man for the job” Lt. Col. Busbee said.


Watch Lentz announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwqTwQPYKKk

Election Day 2009

Afternoon rush hour at Westbrook Park Elementary proved to be anything but as the two polling places contained in the school’s gym saw small numbers of voters during the 2009 election. The low turn-out could be seen at other locations across Upper Darby and throughout Delaware County today with less than 22 percent of registered voters showing up.

Republican candidates won every contest on the Upper Darby ballot as was expected by Republican Mayor Thomas Micozzie.

“I think we will have strong wins in each one today” Micozzie said. “Today was a little down in turnout, not unexpected in an off year election”.

Dave Tarole spent the day standing next to Micozzie handing out literature and talking to voters about Democrat Barbarann Keffer, who lost her bid for Upper Darby Council at large. The two men of rival political parties smiled and chatted as they did their duties.

According to an election official on site Westbrook Park had 258 voters total by 6:00 p.m. despite the fact that the two precincts served by this location contain over 1,100 registered voters.

One of the voters on this day was Eric, a casually dressed man in his late 30’s whose hair was just starting to gray, “I voted today because a friend of mine is running for office” Eric said with a grin.

The gym was empty except for a handful of election workers. The separate precincts served by this location were distinguished only by two large sets of metal voting machines, each with a bright blue curtain, being placed at opposite baselines of the basketball court. Three oversized cheap plastic tables had all the voter rolls and office supplies placed in a neat and orderly fashion on top of them.

But, a four minute drive up the road to the Wawa located on the corner of Baltimore pike and Bishop Ave. was where the real action was. Cars came in and out like they were on an assembly line. Wawa cashiers struggled to get their lines moving in a timely fashion while the customers waited with varying degrees of patience.

The first 8 Wawa patrons questioned said they had not voted today. Even though all but one claimed to be aware it was Election Day. The precincts covered by the Westbrook Park location spanned across Wawa’s property.
“This year is not that important”. Michelle of Secane said. “I have no idea who is running and I have no idea who to vote for.”

Two young women who also identified themselves from Secane agreed. “We’re just not political people” they said.

One voter thought that turnout was so low because people were just hung-over from last year’s campaigns. “That last thing lasted like two years and at a certain point it’s like enough is enough” Eric from Clifton Heights said. “Plus there are too many ads. At a certain point there’s only so much you can take.”