Politics Extra: Sunday open thread

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Sunday open thread

Talk about nuclear waste, or the Enquirer's endorsements.

Reminder: the reporters at the Enquirer, including the reporters on this blog, have nothing to do with the endorsements.

Those are given by the Enquirer's editorial board.

The reporters and editors on the news side have no say, and generally no advance knowledge of them.

36 Comments:

at 11:08 AM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Let's talk about actually governing. Is it any wonder that the party that doesn't believe in government, can't govern. That any administration that believes political connections and opposition to Roe v. Wade trumps experience and competence is doomed to its hubris.

U.S. blunders in reconstructing Iraq are staggering

By Trudy Rubin
Inquirer Columnist

I often recall a meeting in October 2003 in Baghdad with an Iraqi engineer who had a master's from Ball State University and loved America. He wanted to talk to me about corruption in reconstruction projects in Iraq.

Hamid spoke with anger at seeing U.S. officials on the bases pay cash to fly-by-night Iraqi agents to cart away new vehicles and spare parts - along with generators - that had been left behind by Saddam's army. The Iraqis then sold the valuable equipment in Syria and Jordan and paid kickbacks to the U.S. officials. "You are helping criminals," he complained, "and wasting your money and ours."

I never had the opportunity to investigate Hamid's accusations. He was murdered by Sunni insurgents for working with Americans. Now the sad tale of corruption and wasted billions in America's Iraq reconstruction program has been laid bare in a spate of new books, and by the U.S. inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

Bob Woodward's State of Denial details the incredible lack of planning for the postwar, in which the Pentagon team tasked with running Iraqi reconstruction met together for the first time only a few weeks before the invasion.

To understand what these Pentagon civilians wrought, read Rajiv Chandrasekaran's Imperial Life in the Emerald City about the Bush team's decision to send "the loyal and the willing instead of the best and the brightest" to rebuild Iraq.

Chandrasekaran, former Baghdad bureau chief of the Washington Post, describes how Republican connections were the ticket to a job in Baghdad's Green Zone in 2003-2004, in the occupation era of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). There were some competent folks inside the Green Zone, but they played second fiddle to political appointees.

More typical was James K. Haveman Jr., a 60-year-old Republican social worker and Christian antiabortion activist, who was picked to head the Health Ministry over a physician with degrees in public health and experience in third-world disaster relief.

Haveman treated Baghdad as if it were an extension of his home state of Michigan: He pushed for more maternity hospitals instead of refurbishing Baghdad's ill-equipped emergency rooms. He pressed for an anti-smoking campaign - and tried to limit the number of drugs distributed to hospitals, ensuring that essential medicines stayed out of stock. He was in over his head.

To get the full flavor of the mismanagement of the postwar, however, you need to go to http://www.sigir.mil, and read the reports of the special inspector general in Iraq (SIGIR), Stuart W. Bowen Jr.

Hats off to Congress for creating this office to check, ex post facto, on the more than $18 billion spent for reconstruction. Too bad no one kept tabs sooner. Bowen's reports tell of huge cost overruns by American contractors - notably the Halliburton subsidiary known as KBR (formerly Kellogg Brown and Root). Despite repeated criticism, KBR has been paid most of its money by the Army.

Bowen also reports that a huge number of projects awarded to large U.S. firms remain unfinished. A children's hospital project in Basra, backed by Laura Bush, was supposed to be completed by Bechtel in 2005, but will cost up to $169 million and may never be finished. Thirteen of 14 projects undertaken by the Parsons Corp. engineering firm were found shoddy. A $75 million Parsons project for the largest police academy in Iraq was so bungled it may have to be demolished.

SIGIR's deputy inspector general, Ginger Cruz, told me that the police academy's plumbing was so grim that urine and feces dripped onto students, and on the SIGIR inspector who visited the building.

"We're leaving behind a trail of failure," Cruz says. "The power and oil situation isn't better than when we came." The problem, she says, goes beyond the security issues that have dogged the reconstruction effort.

The biggest lesson is that we should have avoided handing massive projects to big U.S. firms and focused instead on helping Iraqis to get their own systems up and running. "Instead," she says, "a few individuals in the CPA said, 'Let's go for the big solutions' and decided to build huge generators which run on natural gas in a country which doesn't have natural gas." And so on.

Instead of consulting Iraqis - as local U.S. military commanders often did - the CPA politicos "went for big super-dooper systems. We didn't listen," Cruz says - not to Iraqis, nor to experts from international organizations.

"Now after three years we are going back to square one," she adds, with the money almost gone. Has anyone in the White House learned any lessons from this reconstruction debacle? Has Donald Rumsfeld?

And will anyone ever be held accountable - say, on Nov. 7 - for the mess?

at 11:22 AM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Looks like Gary Lungren and the other arrogant trust-fund babies in the Carew Tower will be on the unemployment line.

Oh, darn, too bad you Repugnicants cut unemployment benefits to give tax breaks to the rich.

But hey, your daddy's probably in that top 1%. Maybe you can go back home.

This is what blindly following our illegitimate president will get you.

at 12:15 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Perhaps, those newly unemployed will look at health care differently as well ?

Until, we as a nation address this issue our employers will continue to be at a competitive disadvantage with the world economy.

My industry, auto, has been devastated with the rising cost of these profit oriented benefits.

Ford, GM will continue to downsize while foreign companies, who are not plagued with this cost because of national social programs, will continue to chip at the American dollar and end up financing our country.

Nations such as China are now entering our auto industry with complete vehicles after several years of capturing the parts business. They now will be delivering the complete unit. Within the next 90 days, I will be meeting in China with a major auto manufacture that will have their products on our streets within two years. They are excellent products, by the way.

Now, the foreign companies are not weighted down with profit motivated health care costs !

Why are we ?

The almighty dollar !

Well, the dollar is supported only because those foreign countries are willing to prop it up with Billions per DAY in loans to our nation.

Now, I normally would be totally against corporate bail out, corporate welfare, but, no child should be without health care and our national security is threatened until we have a level playing field, period !

The capitalist will sell you the rope that hangs them !

That would include our market share !

If our leaders still believe that socialized health is against democracy, than extensive trade restrictions should be placed on imports to level the playing field.

Your thoughts ?

at 12:32 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

I read with humor your endorsement of Jean Schmidt. This last minute shot in the arm of her almost dead campaign will be completely overshadowed by her politically insane support for bringing nuclear waste into her district. Based on sheer stupidity, she deserves to be booted from office.

But your endorsement article brings up another, more important point: the idea that career politicians like Schmidt are better suited to office than non-politicians like Wulsin or Paul Hackett ("Wulsin needs experience - the kind of elective experience that Schmidt had before going to Washington."). I beg to differ. In fact, I believe that the kind of ambitious, career politicians characterised by people like Schmidt and especially John Cranley are the problem in Washington and other area of politics. I've worked closely with many of them. I can tell you from personal experience that their ego-driven need to be elected is what corrupts politics far more than money or power. A career-politician like John Cranley, who has never held a full time job other than a political position, has no perspective other than the political one. He is driven by a desperate need to keep his career going, validate his enormous ego and sense of self, and avoid a loss that would leave him faced with a private sector with which he has no clue what to do. When someone like him is so desperate to be elected and move up political food chain, there is no limit to the comprimises he will make, all the while convincing himself that he is Mr. Smith going to Washington.

Enquirer editorial board, you have it all wrong. The political experience of a Jean Schmidt or John Cranley's is not something we need more of on Capital Hill; it is the cancer that is destroying American politics and jeopardizing the future of this country. My vote goes to Wulsin. If I could vote in the First District, I don't know how I would choose between two such comprimised career politicians as Cranley and Chabot.

at 1:03 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

"But our endorsement goes to the candidate who will better reflect and serve the people of the 2nd District right now – Jean Schmidt."

If Jean Schmidt honestly reflects and serves the people of the 2nd district, I feel so sorry for southwestern Ohio. (she certainly doesn't represent me.)

Considering that The Cincinnati Enquirer has also endorsed a well known sleazeball and corrupt politician like J. Kenneth Blackwell for governor, what do you expect from such a worthless "rag" of a newspaper.

Do you also think Donald Rumsfeld is the next Dwight D. Eisenhower on the battlefield too?

at 1:42 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Wow. Talk about a loss of all credibility. The Editorial board has always been suspect of leanings, but with the endorsment of O'Reily and Pepper it looked like saner heads might prevail.

What a great disappointment. Schmidt is a joke whose reelection will make the 2nd District a joke. The election of Schmidt over a decorated veteran like Hackette was an embarrasment, but an understandable one considering the leanings of the area, but to re-elect her is unthinkable.

Also, considering all the polls point to Democratic House of Representativs, the idea that a polarizing repulican will hold any pull in the future is laughable.

The thing that bugs me most is that Wulsin has demonstrated herself to be a great candidate. She's classy, smart, and legitimatly concerned about leading.

Shame on the enquirer editorial board. Vote Wulsin.

at 1:59 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

I'm amused by Mean Jean Schmidt's support of importing nuclear waste into our district. Every time Mean Jean comes back to the district, the waste between her ears is all the waste we can handle at once. It's embarrassing to be represented by someone like this.

The Enquirer's endorsements are a joke. We should support O'Reilly because he's completely unqualified and Dinkelacker, as they admit, is a great judge. Reading the Enquirer's endorsements, it sure seems they follow their own advice of promoting the undeserving.

Then we should turn out a respected, hardworking 12 year Member of Congress in favor of a young punk who has helped lead this city further into the abyss. We should blame Steve Chabot for legislation that he voted against. And of course, we should re-elect Mean Jean Schmidt in spite of her poor record and constantly embarrassing conduct. Good job Enquirer, you make too much sense.

at 2:11 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Enquirer = Toilet paper

at 2:16 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

The Editorial Board clearly likes Schmidt. Why, they publish Schmidt all the time! I've heard they even like to eat Schmidt. Not to metion, they love the smell of Schmidt... I bet they had Schmidt-eating grins on their faces as they endorsed Schmidt.

Seriously, this "paper" is such a joke.

Carlos, I dare you to approve this comment.

at 2:24 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Gay marriage and partial birth abortion are not family values in the 2nd district. Vic needs to move to California with Pelosi. Why is Vic hiding from her endorsements from NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Emily's List and other far left organizations?

at 2:33 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

If I hadn't already cancelled my Enquirer subscription when they endorsed Blackwell, I certainly would have over their endorsement of Schmidt!

at 2:36 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

(October 28, 2006 -- 11:41 PM EDT)
RNC Chief Ken Mehlman accepted political contributions from gay porn king?

Last week, you'll remember, the RNC, headed by Ken Mehlman, was running that race-baiting 'bimbo' ad against Rep. Harold Ford (D) down in Tennessee. One of the barbs in that ad was the claim that Ford had taken political contributions from "porn movie producers."

But it seems there is plenty of porn movie producer money to go around.

It turns out that the Republican National Committee is a regular recipient of political contributions from Nicholas T. Boyias, the owner and CEO of Marina Pacific Distributors, one of the largest producers and distributors of gay porn in the United States. This recent article on Marina Pacific's new marketing campaign form XBiz, a porn industry trade sheet, notes that, in addition to producing its own material, the "company acts as a distribution house to hundreds of lines, mostly gay, 40 of which can be purchased only through MPD."

The company actually seems to be a trendsetter in the industry. As Boyias recently noted, "We have always modeled ourselves after a Fortune-style company. They are the models of exceptional customer service. We have formed strategic alliances with our vendors and customers alike, offering them tools and marketing to assist them in succeeding with their business models. Our one-on-one interpersonal relationships have never been duplicated in the distribution industry."

Some recent releases include "Fire in the Hole", "Flesh and Boners", even a "Velvet Mafia" series.

FEC.gov lists Boyias as contributing to the RNC three times in 2004 and two times in 2005. The NRCC got a little too. But only $250.

The FEC records list Boyias as either "self employed" or as owner and CEO of NTB Inc. But the California Secretary of State's website lists Boyias' NTB, Inc as located at 7077 Vineland Ave, which turns out to be the same address where Marina Pacific is located. So I'm pretty sure we're dealing with the same guy.

So, Ken Mehlman, for porn producer money before he was against it, I guess.

(ed.note: Let me say, for the record, that I consider pornography not only a legal but a morally unobjectionable product. People in that industry have as much right to participate in the political process as anyone else. And it's difficult for the head of a political committee or a candidate in a political campaign to know the background of every contributor. But hypocrisy blows. And on this issue, as on others, Ken Mehlman's a hypocrite.)

-- Josh Marshall

at 2:42 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Isn't it funny. It's as if the Enquirer is trying to cover its tracks and mitigate the fact that they are a grossly partisan, biased media outlet by saying nice things about Vic Wulsin. Their left-handed endorsement of Jean Schmidt is so transparent. Anyone who gets past the headline will see this is just another endorsement like Blackwell's - we can't condone her past behavior, but maybe with a couple more run-ins with reality she'll learn the rules. Doesn't the 2nd District respect itself enough to put someone in Congress who has the capacity to think through the issues and come to decisions which take into account the good of the district and the nation - and can articulate them to her constituents without prompting (plagiarizing)? To me it's just starting to seem like a self-esteem issue. The world sees Ohio as a backwater podunk intellectual wasteland, and we are not doing anything to improve that impression by sending Jean Schmidt back to congress.

at 2:42 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Doesn't it seem like the weak endorsements of Blackwell and Schmidt pointed out reasons why not to vote for them? It's like they were apologizing for their endorsements. What a joke...

at 2:43 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Wow. Talk about a loss of all credibility.

You can not lose something you never had !

at 3:38 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

A radioactive dump upstream from Cincinnati should make for some interesting life-forms in the future. That's not my idea of a Pro-Life stance.

Leave Area 51 in Nevada.

at 4:21 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Jean Schmidt? Enquirer credibility?
You would be much more honest is you just came out and said "we want you to vote Republican and keep the Republican majority at all costs."

Sorry. I voted already, and am very concerned about the tallying of our Ohio votes, including Hamilton County. Folks, don't put your driver license number down - use the last four digits of your Social Security number. Many Ohio votes may be disqualified because they put down the wrong numbers from their driver's license. Many have been disqualified in past elections, but the problems are magnified now, due to so many first-time absentee voters. The fact that Blackwell and Deters disagree may mean that all those votes being scanned prematurely may be disqualified. Petro may jump into the fray, and not necessarily to the voters' benefit. The Republicans in state and local office did not adequately prepare for the havoc they have wrought, between voter ID and absentee ballots available for all. Voters, be very aware of what's going on.

at 4:32 PM, October 29, 2006

natenoy said...

My next blog post will go up in the next hour: Cincinnati Enquirer Cites Federal Crime Committed by Jean Schmidt in Endorsement

Stay tuned.

Nate

at 8:26 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

The Enquirer endorses Jean Schmidt? What an unschmidtigated joke!

at 8:36 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Instead of the Enquirer editorial board holding their nose and endorsing Jean Schmidt, why not admit that this IS the worst Congress in the history of this great Republic and that Jean Schmidt is a major part of the problem?? Jean Schmidt was known as a "loose cannon" when she "served" in the Ohio Statehouse, has she shown ANY evidence to the contrary?? What makes this editorial board think she is going to start changing now?? and why would the same board hold this "type" of experience against Dr. Wulsin? At least Ms. Wulsin seems to have an intellectual curiousity and some creativity to think about how to solve the plethora of problems facing this country-- many of them BECAUSE of this Congress-- what are Ms. Schmidt's great ideas?? (we only see her belittling Wulsin's ideas), bringing the world's nuclear waste to our backyard?? I guess if she had real ideas and wasn't a Bush clone, this Congress may not be the NEW definition of "do-nothing Congress" easily surpassing the 1948 Congress. The only reason I can see for this endorsement is that Jean Schmidt makes news and news sells papers. To bad it isn't the kind of news we really need around here.
Come on Enquirer it is not too late to buckup and do the right thing....unendorse Schmidt....LOL yeah right.

at 10:26 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

GOd must be on Cranley's side. Another Iraq soldier death, probably with a funeral on Friday, just in time for the weekend, driving home the cost of Chabot's blind loyalty of the illegitimate president.

While Chabot tries to blame Cincinnati homicides on Cranley, the truth is that Chabot is responsible for thousands of American deaths in Iraq.

at 10:40 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

The question is will it be high humidity or another level 10 homeland security warning that delivers the win for the republicans?

OR will there be a cancellation of the elections? The MSM is all abuzz with connections with Chavez and Sequoia Voting Machines. Will this be an excuse for the Republicans to refuse to relinguish power. Do you think they might be afraid of SUBPOENA POWER?

They use fear to attempt to get out their base, but it is the fear of subpoena power that is driving them to dig deep in the mud with attacks. Checks and balances have been unheard of with this congress. NO OVERSIGHT JUST A CONTINUAL RUBBER STAMP WHILE THE WAR PROFITEERS CONTINUE TO DRAIN THE PUBLIC COFFERS, EVEN THOUGH THE TROOPS LACK PROPER BODY ARMOR AND FACE CUTS IN BENEFITS!

at 10:49 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

The voters found the fishwRap wRong in their mayoral endorsement and will find them wRong in OH 2nd congressional race !

You see, the voter does not give a schmidt who the fishwrap endorses, period !

HAD ENOUGH, VOTE DEMOCRAT 2006 !

at 10:54 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

VOTERS BEWARE OF VOTE FLIPPING:

Sat, Oct. 28, 2006

ELECTIONS
Glitches cited in early voting
Early voters are urged to cast their ballots with care following scattered reports of problems with heavily used machines.
BY CHARLES RABIN AND DARRAN SIMON
dsimon@MiamiHerald.com
▪ Web vote | Do you think the electronic voting machines should be replaced?
▪ Correcting an electronic vote
▪ U.S. digs for vote-machine links to Hugo Chávez

After a week of early voting, a handful of glitches with electronic voting machines have drawn the ire of voters, reassurances from elections supervisors -- and a caution against the careless casting of ballots.

Several South Florida voters say the choices they touched on the electronic screens were not the ones that appeared on the review screen -- the final voting step.

-snip
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/elections/15869924.htm

at 10:57 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

Wow I'm glad nothings changed since World War II. The press is following in the hands of our enemy's only reporting our defeats and playing politics of an appeasement isolationist philosophy. http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/Frame.htm is a great website for some historical perspective on war, politics, press, and liberals (ironically were the Republicans in WWII).

at 10:59 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

1) Endorsement of Schmidt

Oh,good. Especially with her invitation to whomever to bring tons of nuclear waste to suburban Cincinnati. This will give the Enquirer and the Post the opportunity to revisit the Fernald issue. Interview some of those old Fernald workers for their candid opinions of Schmidt's idea.

2) Cranley v Chabot

This is a fine time for Mr. Chabot to leave Congress. He has served for 12 years, including his memorable stint as a floor leader in the impeachment of President William J. Clinton....and silently stood by as the next guy, George II, shredded the Constitution and led us into a disastrous war in the Middle East.

Mr Chabot can look forward to a fine pension and full health care benefits, a lucrative post-Congressional career making many, many times his Congressional salary of $165,000 and perhaps will even be awarded a Medal of Freedom by the current Regent, George the Second.

His staff will all move on to better paying jobs, although its true they will now have to carefully negotiate their health care benefits with any future employers. As respected and seasoned political professionals, no one will blame them in the least because their boss bit the dust, politically speaking.

I am concerned about the Chabot's staff emotional and mental wellbeing at this time, though. Change and uncertainty are inheritly stressful.

With that in mind, I'd like to suggest that they take part in a program of art or music therapy. For example when Steve is out of the office in DC, they can crank up the stereo and play some "feel good" music.

Here is a suggested playlist:

- the 70's classic "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys," by the group, Traffic.
- the novelty song, popular in the eighties by whomever, "I'm Too Sexy for My Shirt,"
-The hit from Beck's album Mellow Gold...the one with the drum solo and the famous refrain (go look it up),
-Lou Reed's amazing "Walk on the Wild Side,"
-The fantastic number from the Showgirls soundtrack, "Wasted Time," by the group, "My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult,"...this was the lapdance/stripper number.....it really is a great song though... trust me on this one...listen to it at full blast. (Love the lyrics, too, which go, "She had to work it for the Pleasure of the People."

Because that's what politics is all about, isn't it? "Workin it' for the Pleasure of the People."

That was a question directed at the media --politics is "showbiz" folks...so enough with all the sports metaphors, already.

And a special final note to the Chabot staffers, campaign staff, committee staffers, personal office staff, Enquiring Minds want to know:

Did Mark Foley ever wink at any of you, or try to pinch your heinie?
Just wondering.

Have a nice life.

at 11:17 PM, October 29, 2006

Anonymous said...

MORE VOTE FLIPPING (THIS TIME IN TEXAS: FROM D TO R)

Jefferson County Voters Continue To Raise Concerns About Voting Machines
October 28,2006

Early voting for the November election started Monday, and during this first week of it, Jefferson County has experienced high turnout.
By the end of Saturday, which was the sixth day of early voting, the Jefferson County Clerk's office was reporting that 7,416 had cast ballots.
When you add the number of absentee ballots mailed in, turnout stands at 7,774 voters.
Rogers Park (2,200 voters) and the Nederland Recreation Center (1,673 voters) have seen the most voters of all the nine early voting sites in the county.
Early voting runs through Friday, November 3rd.
KFDM continues to get complaints from Jefferson County voters who say the electronic voting machines are not registering their votes correctly.
Friday night, KFDM reported about people who had cast straight Democratic ticket ballots, but the touch-screen machines indicated they had voted a straight Republican ticket.
Some of those voters including Lamar University professor, Dr. Bruce Drury, believe the problem is a programming error.
Saturday, KFDM spoke to another voter who says it's not just happening with straight ticket voting, he says it's happening on individual races as well, Jerry Stopher told us when he voted for a Democrat, the Republican's name was highlighted.
Stopher said, "There's something in these machines, in this equipment, that's showing Republican votes when you vote for Democrats, and I know Ms. Guidry's a nice lady, and she's working hard, but her theory that my fingernail was somehow over the Republican button is just unrealistic, my fingernail was not. The equipment is not working properly as far as I can tell."

-SNIP
http://kfdm.com/engine.pl?station=kfdm&id=17343&template=breakout_dayportvideo.shtml&dateformat=%25M+%25e,%25Y

at 2:37 AM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

And while we're on the subject of Jean Schmidt, has anyone considered telling her that her dogged refusal to be seen in public in anything but that tightly-spun bun hair-do doesn't do anything to make people sympathetic toward her. I keep waiting to see one picture, just one, of her without her hair up in a bun. Never happened yet.

Here's a hint, Jean: You're not attractive, and the bun isn't helping. I realize this isn't a beauty contest, but there's no point in deliberately handicapping yourself, either.

at 8:03 AM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

I am a die-hard Republican. The Enquirer is insane. Here is how the endorsements should have gone:

Governor -- Strickland
(you haven't endorsed other statewides, but here's how you should)
Attorney General -- Montgomery (R)
Auditor -- Mary Taylor (R)
Sec. of State -- Greg Hartman (R)
Treasurer - Cordray (D)

Locally:

Commissioner - Pepper (D)
1st Cong. Dist -- Chabot (R)
2nd Cong. Dist -- Wulsin (D)

Judge -
Dinkelacker (R)

R or D, these people are qualified.

The Enquirer is just wrong on so many of these.

at 8:17 AM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

I have yet to see anything out of the Schmidt camp telling me why I should vote for Jean. All I see and hear is why I shouldn't vote for Wulsin. Jean, what have you done for my district besides embarrass it? How can I believe that you'll suddenly become a competent legislator if you can't even get your attack ads right?

Shame on The Enquirer Editorial Board for not having the guts to endorse the better candidate. If anything, telling me Jean Schmidt is the best candidate when she is clearly the worst only reinforces my decision to vote for Wulsin.

at 8:53 AM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

The Enquirer should just come out and say it:

We perfer the Republican agenda, we are aware that Mean Jean is unable to think for herself. However, every party needs soldiers that follow orders and Jean Schmidt will "rubber stamp" the Republican agenda.

at 9:06 AM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

I have a serious question: Did your Editorial Board know that Jean Schmidt was about to announce her support for burrying nuclear waste in her district (ie my yard) before they endorsed her?

If not, is there any mechanism for reconsideration? I mean, this is big. Especially given that your endorsement focus seems to be overwhelmingly local on the issues (not a bad thing, necessarily).

at 12:43 PM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

Dear Enquirer Staff:

This election is not about Dem vs. Rep-It's about our democracy. We have a SOS KenBlackwell that felt it was in his best interests to fulfill his role as Co-Chair of Bush/Cheney '04 over the rights of voters in Ohio. Now he is up to his dirty tricks again:

Voter ID rules change a third time in four days (OH)

Monday, October 30, 2006
Mark Rollenhagen
Plain Dealer Columbus Bureau

A federal appeals court Sunday jumped into the fray over Ohio's new voter-identification law, changing the rules for absentee voters for the third time since Thursday morning.

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati blocked an emergency order issued by a federal judge in Columbus Thursday night that had set aside ID requirements for absentee voters after determining that they were vague, confusing and unevenly applied by county election boards.

The ruling left unclear what would happen to absentee ballots mailed since Friday.

-snip
http://www.cleveland.com/open/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1162201042137910.xml&coll=2

Review Finds Mistakes On 5,100 Absentee Ballots (OH)
Board Of Elections To Send Reprinted Ballots To Voters

POSTED: 5:24 pm EDT October 9, 2006
UPDATED: 6:20 pm EDT October 9, 2006

CLEVELAND -- There are more troubles for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections just one month before the state votes on a new governor.

The troubles center around the absentee ballots sent out to voters. A weekend review revealed 5,100 ballots that have misprints of one form or another, NewsChannel5 reported.

The review was prompted by last week's discovery that 1,500 ballots in Ohio's 7th House District race listed the wrong party affiliations for the candidates.

Some mistakes discovered over the weekend include one candidate's name appearing smaller than his opponent's on the ballot because of its length.

http://www.newsnet5.com/politics/10037560/detail.html

A coup occurred in 2000 and has continued through today. Instead of a candidate elected by the will of the people, we got a "decider" who has chosen profiteering, and repealing habeas corpus and the Geneva Conventions. We need a media who will stand up for the TRUTH.

PLEASE REPORT ON WHAT IS GOING ON AND WILL OCCUR IN THE NEXT WEEKS AHEAD!

DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT! IT WILL BE UP TO ALL OF US TO TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY!

at 12:57 PM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

VOTES NOW FLIPPING FROM D TO R IN 5 STATES TX FL MO AK NV:

Democratic votes are flipping to the REPUKEs in AT LEAST FOUR STATES NOW:

Texas, Missouri and Arkansas…

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3675

And now today in Florida:

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=3692

I just received the following email from the Jack Carter camp regarding election fraud, and I thought that I would share it with everyone here:

Voter Fraud Alert in Nevada

A Jack Carter voter in North Las Vegas has reported that she cast her vote for Jack Carter and the machine would not register her vote for Jack Carter. Instead, her vote was cast for the None of the Above option.

The Election Protection lawyers are following up on this report now.

It is of vital importance to our democracy and the future of our nation that each and every citizen be vigilant and aware of the potential for voter fraud.

If anybody hears of any incident of voter fraud,intimidation, telephone, e-mail or any difficulties WHAT-SO-EVER with casting a vote, WHETHER in, at or around a POLLING PLACE or ANY OTHER PLACE as we continue through early voting and lead up to election day, please do the following:

Get the full name and phone number, polling place, time and as detailed a description of the facts of the incident as you know them.

Call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-737-3367 and pass on the report to the lawyers on call as soon as possible. DO NOT DELAY! Any delay in reporting could prevent effective action from being taken and could disenfranchise more voters.

Call the Carter Campaign office with the report so that we can be aware of the incidents and make sure it gets followed UP
Any suspicion of voter fraud should be forwarded to the Nevada State Democratic Party’s Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-737-3367.

at 2:02 PM, October 30, 2006

Anonymous said...

$ 3.8 BILLION to Partisan Voting Macine Companies and Even the Republicans are Complaining:

WE ARE ALL FLORIDA NOW
George Will

THANKS TO ELECTION 'REFORM' October 29, 2006 -- THE hoariest jest in conservatism's repertoire is that the three least-credible assertions in the English language are "The check is in the mail," "Of course I'll respect you in the morning" and "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." Which brings us to the exquisitely named Help America Vote Act.

Having fixed Iraq and New Orleans, the federal government's healing touch is now being applied to voting. As a result, days - perhaps weeks - might pass after Election Day without the nation knowing which party controls the House or Senate. If that happens, one reason might be HAVA, that 2002 bit of federal helpfulness.

-snip
Democracy is not a mere game. But - write this on a piece of paper, using a No. 2 pencil - neither is it an activity from which it is sensible to demand more precision than can reasonably be expected when, on a November Tuesday, 100 million people record billions of political choices.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10292006/postopinion/opedcolumnists/we_are_all_florida_now_opedcolumnists_george_f__will.htm

at 9:51 AM, October 31, 2006

Anonymous said...

The Enquirer editorial board really endorsed Jean Schmidt? a woman whose only originally idea is to put the world's nuclear waste in our beautiful backyard. I sure hope the Enquirer helps clean up her future messes, there will be many I am sure

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Sunday, October 29, 2006

Sunday open thread

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