Is Clere Running for Re-election Already?

By Dennis Roudenbush, Local Contributor

I think it is great that we get a weekly report from our district state Rep. Ed Clere, but why does every Opinions column have to be politically motivated? Is he already running for re-election and his term just began?

Mr. Clere, it is my opinion that the Teachers Union is as important as any union, whether it be Realtors, policemen, firemen, grocery, etc. Even though teachers do not always support your way of thinking, you should not single out their union because you believe they are totally Democrat. Do some research. There are many Republican teachers in your district — our state superintendent of education is a former teacher and a Republican.

I would like to see your column used as a communication of what is going on in the Legislature instead of using it as a political forum for your re-election. Not every issue in the Statehouse is based on which side of the aisle you sit. I know this may be hard for you to believe, but Democrats are not always wrong. You should know that, you being a former Democrat.

Your campaign was one of the most negative and false campaigns in the state. Why are you continuing to be negative at taxpayers expense?

Instead of faulting Democrats, make it a project to get all legislators to work together no matter what the issue is. Remember one thing, you are now working for and being paid by the taxpayer and not a political party.

Top 10 Greatest Misfires of Bush Administration

By Ruth Anne Wolfe, Local Contributor

Too bad guest columnist Doug Olson (of the Evening News - New Albany Tribune) feels his admission — that President Obama might be the right choice after all — will bring down the wrath of his conservative friends. To help him defend his nascent awareness, here’s a recap of the Republicans' conservative record, specifically under the Bush Administration.

1) Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack — after 8 months into W.’s presidency and after warnings had been issued and ignored; bin Laden never captured.

2) Invasion and occupation of Iraq (no Iraqis involved in 9/11) based on trumped-up intelligence of WMD. 4,300 plus U.S. military killed, tens of thousands wounded; 2 million Iraqis displaced and 100,000 killed. War is ongoing, costing almost $1 trillion (a “slam dunk”). al-Qaeda metastasized into numerous terrorist groups around the globe. No safe place.

3) Truckloads of $100 bills — between $9 billion and $12 billion of taxpayer money — “gone missing” in Iraq on Bremer’s watch. Nary a peep from the Republicans.

4) Abu Ghraib torture, extraordinary rendition (i.e. kidnappings), Gitmo, international stature trashed.

5) Blackwater mercenaries (war profiteers) gun down innocent Iraqis.

6) FEMA’s “heck-of-a-job, Brownie.”

7) Warrantless wire-tapping/illegal spying on Americans.

8) Global climate change ignored and scientific reports redacted.

9) Environmental protection laws reversed.

10) Justice Department fires federal prosecutors unjustly (pun intended).

Those are just the 10 greatest hits of the Bush/conservative record. Many federal agencies have been dangerously understaffed and underfunded. Conservative zeal for smaller government has put the safety of the American people at risk. (No, Bush has not “kept us safe.”) Examples: The FDA inspects less than 1 percent of imported products that end up on our grocery shelves. The Labor Department, under Secretary Elaine Chao (Mitch McConnell’s wife), consistently sided with business and mining interests over worker safety.

And the final nail in our coffin: the orgy of conservative deregulation of the financial markets. Wall Street has had their bailout. But now that President Obama wants to stimulate the economy with new initiatives, instead of falling back on the failed, one idea of the conservatives — tax cuts, the obstructionist Republicans have their underwear in a twist, suddenly worried about the “cost to our children.” What hypocrisy. One would think that after their failed policies have been exposed, “conservatives” would have the grace to just get out of the way.

The day after the inauguration, The Onion (satirical magazine) ran this headline: “Black Man Gets Worst Job in World.” Just like in the circus, cleaning up after the elephants is a dirty job.

Hill to be Sworn in locally Saturday

From the Floyd County Democratic Party

Ninth District Congressman Baron Hill will be sworn into office for his new term at the Lee Hamilton Federal Courthouse, 121 W. Spring Street, New Albany, Indiana, on Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m. Federal District Judge David Hamilton will administer the oath.

Following the ceremony, Hill will greet well wishers attending the ceremony and give brief remarks regarding the new session of Congress. The event is open to the public.

Bush tries to rally GOP troops

By Sam Youngman
The Hill

President Bush paid a visit to the Republican National Committee’s headquarters Tuesday morning to thank aides for their hard work and also to rally them for the last week of campaigning.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the president would outline his view of the GOP, a party that is facing a toxic political environment largely because of the policies of the Bush administration.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel, who traveled with the president to RNC headquarters, said the president encouraged staffers there to “work hard for John McCain and keep turning out the vote until the final ballot is cast next week.”

“He also took the opportunity to thank the staff for all of their efforts during this election cycle and for their support of him over the last eight years,” Stanzel said. “He spoke to the staff about the importance of American leadership on the issues of the economy, the war on terror and freedom. He thanked Chairman Mike Duncan for his leadership of the RNC.”

Read more about the President's efforts to reinforce the Republican base at THE HILL.

I will fight the ignorance of Racism

By Marcey Wisman
Floyd County Democratic Party Chair

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” for me, as a democrat, the opening quote from Dickens book “A Tale of Two Cities” best describes the 2008 presidential election.

I have been a part of what will be remembered as one of the most historical elections in America. It is something that I will be proud to sit and tell my grandchildren about; the year we (the democrats) had a female and a black man running in the Primary. The year that we set records on voter registration and actual number of voters at the polls. However, it is also the year that I have seen the absolute worst side of people come out. It is the year the monster of racism and bigotry came out of the darkness into the light and threatened to divide not just our party but the nation. This division has been eating at me. I lie awake at night and wonder what I can do to make this right? As the chairwoman of the local Democratic Party, how can I eradicate this monster from my little part of the nation? I have worried myself to the point that I can no longer contain my anger and my frustration with the individuals, especially those in my own party, who think it, is okay to say “I’m not voting for Senator Obama because he is black.”

My friends and loved ones have told me to let it go, that I can’t change stupidity, that it is a generational thing, but I can no longer make excuses for people like David Ward, who owns an antique store here in New Albany at the corner of Bank and Main who had no problem telling a reporter from the Chicago Tribune that he is a “Democrat”, but he is “voting for McCain because he isn’t black”. Mr. Ward, Shame on You! Also, to those of you who think it is acceptable to tell me that you will not vote for Senator Obama because “he is a N****r”, what makes you think this is all right? Is it because I am white like you? If so, I may be white, but I am nothing like you. That word is disgusting, ugly and hurtful and it will no longer be tolerated in my presence.

I found a quote from Robert Kennedy that I want all of you to think about. He said “But suppose God is black? What if we go to Heaven and we, all our lives, have treated the Negro as an inferior, and God is there, and we look up and He is not white? What then is our response?” Mr. Ward and all of you like him, how do you justify your racism?

To those of you who claim you are democrats, but say you can’t vote for Senator Obama because he is a black man, are you sure you are democrats? If you look up the platform of the National Democratic Party under the issue of Civil Rights it says “We believe in the essential American ideal that we are not constrained by the circumstances of birth but can make of our lives what we will. Unfortunately, for too many, that ideal is not a reality. We have more work to do. Democrats will fight to end discrimination based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and disability in every corner of our country, because that's the America we believe in.”

I want everyone to know the Floyd County Democratic Party does not condone racism. In fact, we hold firm to the Democratic Platform that we “will fight to end discrimination”. Therefore, Mr. Ward and others like him, as members of the Democratic Party you are called to fight the ignorance of discrimination, not perpetuate the hatred that has been taught to you and that you are no doubt teaching to your children.

I struggled with whether or not I should write this letter knowing that I will anger many people in my community, and again I was reminded of a quote of Robert Kennedy who said “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” I realized that despite what backlash I might face for expressing my feelings on this issue and calling out Mr. Ward and others like him, it is important to let the people who read the story in the Chicago Tribune know that Mr. Ward’s comments do not represent the beliefs of the people of the Floyd County Democratic Party.

I know that I may not be able to change the hearts and minds of racists, but I can hope that by openly expressing my condemnation of racism I will send out a ripple that will give others the courage to stand up and they too will say “I will not stand for this anymore”. I will continue to fight to see that the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is fully realized because I, too, want to “live in a world where a man is not judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character”. In this world that I, and other like minded Democrats, dream of, Mr. Ward, you, and others like you, have been judged and you have been found to lack the character of a true Democrat.

Young Women speak to Palin

From the Floyd County Democratic Party

With less than 15 days left in the Presidential contest, the election has been trumpeted as a historic event featuring topics such as the success and importance of women in our Democratic process. This point was underscored by Senator Hillary Clinton, who's campaign marked a new high point for women in this country and proved that anyone can be President of the United States.

On the other side of the political spectrum, the Republicans also made history with the selection of Sarah Palin as their Vice Presidential candidate. While our party has welcomed the progress represented by this choice, it is nonetheless important to recognize that there are significant doubts among voters regarding her readiness to step in to the position of President.

But for many women that have made this election cycle historic, other fundamental issues remain besides Palin's readiness to serve as President. On many of the fundamental issues that have shaped the lives of women, Sarah Palin seems to offer a different direction many women feel would be a step backward.

It was under this context that the following video was produced - not by a political campaign, but by a group of young women standing firm to their believes and rights. Its message is so powerful, we felt it deserved credit and have posted it for your viewing pleasure.

Powell endorses Obama for president

msnbc.com and NBC News

updated 10:42 a.m. ET, Sun., Oct. 19, 2008

WASHINGTON - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president on Sunday, criticizing his own Republican Party for what he called its narrow focus on irrelevant personal attacks over a serious approach to challenges he called unprecedented.

Powell, who for many years was considered the most likely candidate to become the first African-American president, said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was not supporting Obama because of his race. He said he had watched both Obama and his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, for many months and thought “either one of them would be a good president.”

But he said McCain’s choices in the last few weeks — especially his selection of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his vice presidential running mate — had raised questions in his mind about McCain’s judgment.

Read more on this news story at MSNBC.com.

Hill and Sodrel home counties aren’t freebies for familiar Ninth District opponents

From the New Albany News & Tribune
By DANIEL SUDDEATH
Daniel.Suddeath@newsandtribune.com

Despite hailing from New Albany, Mike Sodrel has been challenged in Floyd County during past elections and has yet to win Clark County.

The Republican candidate for the Ninth District U.S. House seat won Floyd County by just three percent during the 2006 election, when Democrat Baron Hill regained the position by defeating the then incumbent. Sodrel and Hill say they are comfortable campaigning in each other’s backyard.

But Hill only carried his home county of Jackson by 93 votes in 2004, but extended that margin to more than 1,000 in 2006.

Hill won Harrison County in 2002, but it has gone to Sodrel in the past two elections.

“I think we tend to do well in Jackson because it’s a real conservative county,” Sodrel said.

Hill carried Clark County by 520 votes in 2006 according to election counts provided by the Indiana Secretary of State’s office.

With a SurveyUSA poll showing Hill enjoying a double-digit lead in percentage points over Sodrel and Libertarian candidate Eric Schansberg, the Congressman said he’s still not laying back.

“The only poll I believe in is the poll on election day,” Hill said. “It’s interesting to me that I’m able to win this area [Floyd and Clark], even though it’s not by a whole lot.”

But when combining Clark and Floyd, Hill actually lost the area by 157 votes in 2006 to Sodrel. A small amount, but the three previous races between the two have often been tight.

Sodrel defeated Hill in 2004 by just 1,425 votes in a presidential ticket-election that saw sizable voter turnout. He won the Ninth district 49 to 48 percent over Hill.
Hill bested Sodrel in Clark that year by 615 votes, basically canceling-out Floyd’s count which went to Sodrel by 598 votes, meaning Hill carried the two counties by 17 votes.

Indiana University Southeast Associate Professor Joe Wert, who is also the faculty representative for the College Republicans at IUS, said home turf can be overrated when talking about closely-connected political territory.

“I don’t know that one person being from a particular county means a whole lot,” he said, adding that Floyd and Clark are Democratic areas making it difficult for Sodrel to gain substantial ground there.

“I don’t think he’s going to get much of a boost being from Floyd County.”
Hill’s endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama could cost him votes and maybe counties in some of the tightly-contested areas, according to Sodrel.
“Hill endorsing Obama — that didn’t sit well with a lot of people in his party,” Sodrel said. “The misstep that he made has been helpful.”

Wert said McCain is probably a more popular choice in Southern Indiana than Obama, which could make Sodrel’s assertions true.

Floyd and Clark were dominated by Hillary Clinton during the May primary, even though she won Indiana by only a narrow margin. Clinton won 65 percent of the vote in Floyd and 67 percent in Clark over Obama.

IUS Professor Linda Gugin, who also serves as the faculty representative for the College Democrats at IUS, said the presidential race will definitely drive voter turnout.

“Take Sodrel’s win in 2004. He benefited greatly from having Bush on top of the ticket and that overrode other factors and helped get him elected,” she said.
But Gugin added the political tone of the country can have a great impact even when it’s not a presidential-election year.

“It was a Democratic year in 2006. The changing of the tide benefited Hill,” she said.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

The Libertarian candidate believes he received more votes from the typical Hill voter in 2006, citing post-election data. He said his emphasis on ending the war in Iraq and his platform of helping the working poor and middle class probably led more Democrats to vote for him than Republicans.

Either way, convincing people to select an office-seeker from outside the mainstream parties is difficult.

“People give me their votes, I don’t use force on them,” Schansberg joked.
“In fact, I have to work harder since few people just give their votes to third-party candidates.”

But Schansberg said he’s not in the race just to make an appearance. His campaign has run more than 1,500 radio ads and 2,000 television ads during the current campaign, a greater number than during the 2006 election.

“People say they want change. Well here’s a highly credible candidate who would be a breath of fresh air,” he said.

Schansberg is looking forward to Tuesday’s debate in Jasper and doesn’t lack confidence in his ability for public discourse.

“They both have more experience in debating. But I believe that I often have better answers and can deliver them effectively enough,” he said.

Schansberg tallied 9,893 votes in 2006, about five percent of the total.
He said data he’s reviewed so far leads him to believe his affect will be evenly spread between Sodrel and Hill supporters.

“Perhaps because Iraq is less important and fiscal conservatism is now seen, finally, as more important,” Schansberg said.

Issues

While the candidates clash on how to solve issues facing Hoosiers, there isn’t much disagreement on what those topics are.

Gas prices and the economy are dominating national headlines and distressing local families.

Hill — who voted against the recent economic bailout — proposes that Congress should reconvene following the November election instead of furloughing for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“The economic climate in Southern Indiana is not great, but it’s not bad like it is at the national level,” he said. “Sooner or later, if we don’t fix the national problems it will probably trickle down to the rest of us as well.”

Hill said holding people from the financial sector who may have caused the recent economic failures accountable will be a priority if he’s reelected.
Sodrel suggests plainer taxing methods — such as a flat tax — that he believes would stimulate the economy and lead to more jobs.

“I think the tax structure, everything I hear makes it more complicated. I want to make it simpler,” he said.

Sodrel agreed that Congress should get back to work after the election due to pressing matters facing the country.

Schansberg touts getting rid of taxpayer funding for planned parenthood, bringing home troops from Iraq and eliminating payroll taxes on income below the poverty line as his three top priorities if he’s elected.

Read More on the 9th District Race Online at the News & Tribune.

FW: Greed and irresponsibility

 

Friend -- The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has created a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression. Congress and the President are debating a bailout of our financial institutions with a price tag of $700 billion or more in taxpayer dollars. We cannot underestimate our responsibility in taking such an enormous step. Whatever shape our recovery plan takes, it must be guided by core principles of fairness, balance, and responsibility to one another. Please sign on to show your support for an economic recovery plan based on the following: • No Golden Parachutes -- Taxpayer dollars should not be used to reward the irresponsible Wall Street executives who helmed this disaster. • Main Street, Not Just Wall Street -- Any bailout plan must include a payback strategy for taxpayers who are footing the bill and aid to innocent homeowners who are facing foreclosure. • Bipartisan Oversight -- The staggering amount of taxpayer money involved demands a bipartisan board to ensure accountability and oversight. Show your support and encourage your friends and family to join you: http://my.barackobama.com/ourplan The failed economic policies and the same corrupt culture that led us into this mess will not help get us out of it. We need to get to work immediately on reforming the broken government -- and the broken politics -- that allowed this crisis to happen in the first place. And we have to understand that a recovery package is just the beginning. We have a plan that will guarantee our long-term prosperity -- including tax cuts for 95 percent of families, an economic stimulus package that creates millions of new jobs and leads us towards energy independence, and health care that is affordable to every American. It won't be easy. The kind of change we're looking for never is. But if we work together and stand by these principles, we can get through this crisis and emerge a stronger nation. Thank you, Barack

Paid for by Obama for America This email was sent to: Enterp305@cs.com To unsubscribe, go to: http://my.barackobama.com/unsubscribe