What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

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Michael Deneen
Posts: 2133
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 4:10 pm

What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Michael Deneen » Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:41 pm

Some local politicians are building their election campaigns around the slogan “The Endorsed Democrat”, touting their endorsement from the County Democratic Machine.
In theory, the term “Endorsed Democrat” should reflect a commitment to traditional Democratic values like workers’ rights, civil rights, and fairness. Democrats are supposed to be the party of “resistance” to the misogyny, racism, and corporate corruption of the Trump regime.

However, county party endorsements are actually the product of backroom deals designed to serve corporate interests and keep the “old boy network” in place. These endorsements are made by members of the central committee, who are predominantly friends and cronies of our current elected officials. At no point during the endorsement process are ACTUAL ISSUES ever considered.

Here is a summation of the backroom deals behind this year’s party endorsements:
1. Tom Bullock, fresh off a humiliating performance in last fall’s Council race, has teamed up with longtime Cleveland insider Martin Sweeney to secure the endorsement for his state rep run. Bullock is to deliver Lakewood votes for Sweeney, who faces the popular Nickie Antonio in his State Senate run. Naturally, Bullock is trying to hide this alliance inside Lakewood, because he knows that Antonio is very popular here.
2. Sweeney helped engineer the endorsement and is allied with Bullock to deliver Cleveland votes. Bullock has only run once in Cleveland, having lost badly 8 years ago. Bullock needs Sweeney's help in Cleveland, where Skindell has won numerous elections.
3. Sweeney’s move to the State Senate seat is designed to open his State Rep seat for his daughter. The Sweeneys apparently view politics as “the family business”. Business has been very good for Sweeney, who is a double-dipper.
4. Disgraced former Lakewood council member Cindy Marx is enthusiastically on the Bullock bandwagon, because she believes that she will get Bullock’s vacant Council seat if he wins. Bullock’s alignment with the misogynist Sweeney is of no concern to Marx, even in the “Me Too” era. Marx has been telling Democratic activists that “a vote for Bullock is a vote for me”. The fact that Marx was crushed in last November’s election is of no concern to party insiders.
5. As a side note, the Party Machine threw Ohio’s first elected gay legislator under the bus. They endorsed Sweeney over Nickie Antonio, thereby revealing their hypocrisy on the issue of inclusiveness and gay rights.

One should ask his or her self……
Do any of these deals advance the common good?
Do they help to turn Ohio blue?
Do they help to “resist” Trump?
I urge fair minded Democrats to reject the Old Boy Party Machine -- vote for Nickie Antonio and Mike Skindell on May 8th.
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Bridget Conant
Posts: 2894
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:22 pm

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Bridget Conant » Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:10 am

Completely agree with this analysis.

This behavior is why Dems are losing longtime, dyed-in-the-wool Dem’s votes.

How can they support Bullock and Sweeney knowing what they know about their past indiscretions and their lackluster performance as policy makers?


m buckley
Posts: 708
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:52 pm

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby m buckley » Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:25 pm

Michael Deneen wrote:Some local politicians are building their election campaigns around the slogan “The Endorsed Democrat”, touting their endorsement from the County Democratic Machine.
In theory, the term “Endorsed Democrat” should reflect a commitment to traditional Democratic values like workers’ rights, civil rights, and fairness. Democrats are supposed to be the party of “resistance” to the misogyny, racism, and corporate corruption of the Trump regime.

However, county party endorsements are actually the product of backroom deals designed to serve corporate interests and keep the “old boy network” in place. These endorsements are made by members of the central committee, who are predominantly friends and cronies of our current elected officials. At no point during the endorsement process are ACTUAL ISSUES ever considered.

Here is a summation of the backroom deals behind this year’s party endorsements:
1. Tom Bullock, fresh off a humiliating performance in last fall’s Council race, has teamed up with longtime Cleveland insider Martin Sweeney to secure the endorsement for his state rep run. Bullock is to deliver Lakewood votes for Sweeney, who faces the popular Nickie Antonio in his State Senate run. Naturally, Bullock is trying to hide this alliance inside Lakewood, because he knows that Antonio is very popular here.
2. Sweeney helped engineer the endorsement and is allied with Bullock to deliver Cleveland votes. Bullock has only run once in Cleveland, having lost badly 8 years ago. Bullock needs Sweeney's help in Cleveland, where Skindell has won numerous elections.
3. Sweeney’s move to the State Senate seat is designed to open his State Rep seat for his daughter. The Sweeneys apparently view politics as “the family business”. Business has been very good for Sweeney, who is a double-dipper.
4. Disgraced former Lakewood council member Cindy Marx is enthusiastically on the Bullock bandwagon, because she believes that she will get Bullock’s vacant Council seat if he wins. Bullock’s alignment with the misogynist Sweeney is of no concern to Marx, even in the “Me Too” era. Marx has been telling Democratic activists that “a vote for Bullock is a vote for me”. The fact that Marx was crushed in last November’s election is of no concern to party insiders.
5. As a side note, the Party Machine threw Ohio’s first elected gay legislator under the bus. They endorsed Sweeney over Nickie Antonio, thereby revealing their hypocrisy on the issue of inclusiveness and gay rights.

One should ask his or her self……
Do any of these deals advance the common good?
Do they help to turn Ohio blue?
Do they help to “resist” Trump?
I urge fair minded Democrats to reject the Old Boy Party Machine -- vote for Nickie Antonio and Mike Skindell on May 8th.


Michael,
A great post. Worthy of repeated bumps.


" City Council is a 7-member communications army." Colin McEwen December 10, 2015.
Dan Alaimo
Posts: 2137
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:49 am

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Dan Alaimo » Tue May 08, 2018 5:57 am

Bob Dylan had it about right:
"Don't follow leaders, watch the parkin' meters."


“Never let a good crisis go to waste." - Winston Churchill (Quote later appropriated by Rahm Emanuel)
Richard Baker
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:06 am

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Richard Baker » Wed May 16, 2018 7:07 pm

[quote="Michael Deneen"] Democrats are supposed to be the party of “resistance” to the misogyny, racism, and corporate corruption of the Trump regime. Your OCD tripe bashing Trump is fact less. Perhaps you should complain to the school system who failed to educate you, instead, they gave you a liberal indoctrination. I suggest that you read history, for centuries the Democrats passed Jim Crow laws, fought civil rights and there has never been a Republican that owned a slave.

You are correct the Democrats party have no platform, it was evident with Water’s comments. Democrats are resisting, no, they are obstructionist without a cause or solution. Corrupt, the DNC can't hold a fair election. Your tripe bashing Trump is fact less. Please fill free to check the following facts.
1. You said nothing when Obama used drone strikes to execute people abroad.
2. You said nothing about Russia for 50 years until Trump was inaugurated.
3. You said nothing about Hillary’s campaign manager’s brother being paid $175,000 to lift U.S. sanctions on Russia.
4. You said nothing when Obama engaged in military interventionism in Libya without Congressional approval.
5. You said nothing Obama greatly expanded presidential power through the use of Executive Orders.
6. You said nothing when Obama filled his White House with lobbyists after he said he wouldn’t.
7. You said nothing when Obama gave 47 of his fundraisers Administration jobs.
8. You said nothing about the murders and rapes at the hands of illegal immigrants.
9. You said nothing when Hillary’s net worth rose over $100 million as Secretary of State, in part, because her husband took money from foreign governments.
10. You said nothing after Obama’s net worth rose over $10 million as President.
11. You said nothing when Obama’s Justice Dept. wiretapped/surveilled reporters such as James Rosen and the AP.
12. You said nothing when Obama restricted immigration 6 times with Executive Orders.
13. You said nothing when Obama set a record for deportations.
14. You said nothing when Bill Clinton met Loretta Lynch on the airport tarmac during the Clinton investigation.
15. You said nothing when Hillary was fed debate questions.
16. You said nothing when Obama and Hillary lied about a video and Benghazi.
17. You said nothing when Obama’s IRS abused the rights of taxpayers.
18. You said nothing when Obama’s White House held meetings with lobbyists in coffee shops near White House to avoid disclosure requirements.
19. You said nothing when Eric Holder sold the guns you hate to criminals and some were used to kill Americans.
20. You said nothing when the Clinton’s took White House property.
21. You said nothing when Hillary laughed off defending a child-rapist.
22. You said nothing when Hillary lied about her private use of a private email server as Secretary of State.
23. You said nothing when Janet Reno, under Bill Clinton, used a tank to kill the Branch Dividians.
24. You said nothing when, on May 13, 1985, a bomb was dropped on a row house in Philadelphia to uproot the black liberation group known as Move, resulting in a fire that eventually burned down 61 houses, killed 11 people (including five children) and injured dozens.
25. You said nothing was Elian Gonzales was forcibly deported using guns.
26. You said nothing when George Soros paid protesters to burn parts of Ferguson.
27. You said nothing about states’ rights until Trump's Executive orders on immigration.
28. You said nothing about Obama’s smoking.
29. You said nothing about the record numbers of people on government assistance.
30. You said nothing about the number of part time and low paying jobs under the Obama recovery.
31. You said nothing when Obama had SWAT teams raid a Gibson guitar factory and seize property, on the purported basis that Gibson had broken India’s environmental laws—but no charges were filed.
32. You said nothing when Obama claimed that the Fort Hood shooting was “workplace violence” rather than terrorism.
33. You said nothing about when Obama ended some terror asylum restrictions, by allowing asylum for people who provided only “insignificant” or “limited” material support of terrorists.
34. You said nothing when the national debt doubled under Obama.
35. You said nothing when 9 times the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Obama’s expansive use of Executive Power.
36. You said nothing when Obama dismissed charges filed by Bush Administration against New Black Panther Party members who were videotaped intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling station during the 2008 election.
37. You said nothing when Obama released Guantanamo detainees were released and went back to kill Americans.
38. You said nothing when Obama unilaterally changed Congressional law by Executive Order.
39. You said nothing when Obama fired an inspector general after investigating an $850,000 AmeriCorps grant received by a nonprofit run by former NBA star and Obama supporter Kevin Johnson.
40. You said nothing about the 36 Obama’s executive office staffers that owed $833,970 in back taxes
41. You said nothing when Obama Killed four Americans overseas in counter-terrorism operations without a judicial process.


Richard Baker
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:06 am

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Richard Baker » Wed May 16, 2018 7:07 pm

[quote="Michael Deneen"] Democrats are supposed to be the party of “resistance” to the misogyny, racism, and corporate corruption of the Trump regime. Your OCD tripe bashing Trump is fact less. Perhaps you should complain to the school system who failed to educate you, instead, they gave you a liberal indoctrination. I suggest that you read history, for centuries the Democrats passed Jim Crow laws, fought civil rights and there has never been a Republican that owned a slave.

You are correct the Democrats party have no platform, it was evident with Water’s comments. Democrats are resisting, no, they are obstructionist without a cause or solution. Corrupt, the DNC can't hold a fair election. Your tripe bashing Trump is fact less. Please fill free to check the following facts.
1. You said nothing when Obama used drone strikes to execute people abroad.
2. You said nothing about Russia for 50 years until Trump was inaugurated.
3. You said nothing about Hillary’s campaign manager’s brother being paid $175,000 to lift U.S. sanctions on Russia.
4. You said nothing when Obama engaged in military interventionism in Libya without Congressional approval.
5. You said nothing Obama greatly expanded presidential power through the use of Executive Orders.
6. You said nothing when Obama filled his White House with lobbyists after he said he wouldn’t.
7. You said nothing when Obama gave 47 of his fundraisers Administration jobs.
8. You said nothing about the murders and rapes at the hands of illegal immigrants.
9. You said nothing when Hillary’s net worth rose over $100 million as Secretary of State, in part, because her husband took money from foreign governments.
10. You said nothing after Obama’s net worth rose over $10 million as President.
11. You said nothing when Obama’s Justice Dept. wiretapped/surveilled reporters such as James Rosen and the AP.
12. You said nothing when Obama restricted immigration 6 times with Executive Orders.
13. You said nothing when Obama set a record for deportations.
14. You said nothing when Bill Clinton met Loretta Lynch on the airport tarmac during the Clinton investigation.
15. You said nothing when Hillary was fed debate questions.
16. You said nothing when Obama and Hillary lied about a video and Benghazi.
17. You said nothing when Obama’s IRS abused the rights of taxpayers.
18. You said nothing when Obama’s White House held meetings with lobbyists in coffee shops near White House to avoid disclosure requirements.
19. You said nothing when Eric Holder sold the guns you hate to criminals and some were used to kill Americans.
20. You said nothing when the Clinton’s took White House property.
21. You said nothing when Hillary laughed off defending a child-rapist.
22. You said nothing when Hillary lied about her private use of a private email server as Secretary of State.
23. You said nothing when Janet Reno, under Bill Clinton, used a tank to kill the Branch Dividians.
24. You said nothing when, on May 13, 1985, a bomb was dropped on a row house in Philadelphia to uproot the black liberation group known as Move, resulting in a fire that eventually burned down 61 houses, killed 11 people (including five children) and injured dozens.
25. You said nothing was Elian Gonzales was forcibly deported using guns.
26. You said nothing when George Soros paid protesters to burn parts of Ferguson.
27. You said nothing about states’ rights until Trump's Executive orders on immigration.
28. You said nothing about Obama’s smoking.
29. You said nothing about the record numbers of people on government assistance.
30. You said nothing about the number of part time and low paying jobs under the Obama recovery.
31. You said nothing when Obama had SWAT teams raid a Gibson guitar factory and seize property, on the purported basis that Gibson had broken India’s environmental laws—but no charges were filed.
32. You said nothing when Obama claimed that the Fort Hood shooting was “workplace violence” rather than terrorism.
33. You said nothing about when Obama ended some terror asylum restrictions, by allowing asylum for people who provided only “insignificant” or “limited” material support of terrorists.
34. You said nothing when the national debt doubled under Obama.
35. You said nothing when 9 times the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Obama’s expansive use of Executive Power.
36. You said nothing when Obama dismissed charges filed by Bush Administration against New Black Panther Party members who were videotaped intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling station during the 2008 election.
37. You said nothing when Obama released Guantanamo detainees were released and went back to kill Americans.
38. You said nothing when Obama unilaterally changed Congressional law by Executive Order.
39. You said nothing when Obama fired an inspector general after investigating an $850,000 AmeriCorps grant received by a nonprofit run by former NBA star and Obama supporter Kevin Johnson.
40. You said nothing about the 36 Obama’s executive office staffers that owed $833,970 in back taxes
41. You said nothing when Obama Killed four Americans overseas in counter-terrorism operations without a judicial process.


Michael Deneen
Posts: 2133
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 4:10 pm

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Michael Deneen » Wed May 16, 2018 8:39 pm

Wow, lots to digest here.

Richard Baker wrote:Perhaps you should complain to the school system who failed to educate you, instead, they gave you a liberal indoctrination.

I was privately educated, with ten years of Catholic School.

Richard Baker wrote: I suggest that you read history, for centuries the Democrats passed Jim Crow laws, fought civil rights and there has never been a Republican that owned a slave.

This line is popular among Republicans. They claim that Democrats are the "real racists" because of stuff that happened decades ago.
History shows us that the Democratic Party passed Civil Rights legislation in 1964, which is what caused the drift of racist whites to the GOP.
That was Nixon's "Southern Strategy", which helped the GOP to win 5 of 6 presidential elections from 1968 through 1988.
The GOP mastered "Dog Whistle Language", as explained in this clip by GOP poltical mastermind Lee Atwater in 1981.



The GOP does not have a monopoly on "dog whistle language"....it is sometimes used by Democrats in local races, as I have pointed out here many times.

However, the GOP has definitely made itself the "go to" party for White Supremacists at the national level.

Side Note: the Browns won the NFL title in 1964, the year of the Civil Rights Act.
In 1964, the Browns were an elite NFL franchise with a glorious tradition of championships.
Much has changed in 54 years......calling the Democrats "the racist party" is like calling the Browns an "elite franchise".


Richard Baker
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:06 am

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Richard Baker » Thu May 17, 2018 2:44 pm

[quote="Michael Deneen"]
History shows us that the Democratic Party passed Civil Rights legislation in 1964, which is what caused the drift of racist whites to the GOP.

Perhaps you "history" is different than the congressional records "known as facts" how the parties voted for civil rights.

The Civil Rights Act -- which is best known for barring discrimination in public accommodations -- passed the House on Feb. 10, 1964 by a margin of 290-130. When broken down by party, 61 percent of Democratic lawmakers voted for the bill (152 yeas and 96 nays), and a full 80 percent of the Republican caucus supported it (138 yeas and 34 nays).

When the Voting Rights Act hit the floor in 1965, the vote results mirrored those of the Civil Rights Act. In the House, the measure passed by a 333-85 margin, with 78 percent of Democrats backing it (221 yeas and 61 nays) and 82 percent of Republicans backing it (112 yeas to 24 nays).

Incidentally, I never stated the Democrats were racist, however, you assumed that because the "racist" card is always the first of the three cards in the Democrat's strategy. The second card , with the help of the first care, is to continue to build the number of people on welfare, economic slavery. The objective is to remove all their self respect, hope and pride for their vote. The third card is big government and high taxes. Detroit, among scores of other Democrat run cities, is an example. After all the economic strategist that taxes from salaries paid by tax dollars is not a Ponzi scheme, it is good money management.


Michael Deneen
Posts: 2133
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 4:10 pm

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Michael Deneen » Thu May 17, 2018 3:13 pm

Richard Baker wrote:The Civil Rights Act -- which is best known for barring discrimination in public accommodations -- passed the House on Feb. 10, 1964 by a margin of 290-130. When broken down by party, 61 percent of Democratic lawmakers voted for the bill (152 yeas and 96 nays), and a full 80 percent of the Republican caucus supported it (138 yeas and 34 nays).When the Voting Rights Act hit the floor in 1965, the vote results mirrored those of the Civil Rights Act. In the House, the measure passed by a 333-85 margin, with 78 percent of Democrats backing it (221 yeas and 61 nays) and 82 percent of Republicans backing it (112 yeas to 24 nays).


Neither of those pieces of legislation would have happened without the signature of the president.
Democrat Lyndon Johnson signed those bills into law.
Barry Goldwater, the 1964 GOP nominee, opposed those laws on the grounds of "states rights".
Upon signing, Johnson said, "We (the democrats) have lost the south for a generation."

It's interesting that you keep the discussion rooted in distat history (I'm almost 50 years old, and I'm not young).

To get the temperature of the current GOP, let's take a look at today's headlines.
In NYC we see a Trump supporter lashing out at Hispanic people in a restaurant.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc ... -1.3994773

In not-so-unrelated news, Trump refers to Hispanics as "animals".
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/pol ... 617762002/


Richard Baker
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:06 am

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Richard Baker » Fri May 18, 2018 4:00 pm

Typical Democrat, ignoring the fact the Republicans supported the civil rights bill by a significant percentage in congress. The presidents would have not signed anything without the approval of congress which was supported more by the Republicans than Democrats unless of course you had common core math. Now your myth of Democrats supported civil rights and Republicans is debunked.

Trump calls Hispanics animals. Did you forget the fact that he was calling the members of MS-13 gang animals not Hispanics? Of course you did, you thought you were having a discussion with another Democrat. If you don't think they are invite them over for an evening meal.

We are taking information from a liberal paper that's been caught publishing false news continuously. She was called the gray lady but now she just a whore selling what the emotional needy want, tripe instead of news.

As someone once put it, "There is no best way to argue with a liberal. They're beyond argument.
You have a good day.


Mark Kindt
Posts: 2637
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2016 11:06 am

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Mark Kindt » Fri May 18, 2018 4:59 pm

From my perspective, Republicans have little to complain about. They control all three branches of the federal government and state-after-state, like Ohio.

The Reagan revolution changed the American political landscape in ways that are still being felt. Members of the Federalist Society and staffers from the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute rotate in an out of government on a regular basis. Let's stop pretending that the so-called deep state is some sort of secret liberal conclave within the executive branch departments.

While Mr. Baker has clear opinions about national political controversies, Mr. Deneen was focused on rather more narrower intra-party issues within the Democratic Party on the local level.

I will also remind Mr. Baker that Mrs. Clinton was not elected to the presidency and that Mr. Obama is no longer in office. The GOP holds all of the cards. So stop whining.

I do not see criticism from the right, such as Mr. Baker's, as particularly helpful for those Ohio Democrats who would like to improve their electoral chances in future races. To the extent that Ohio Democrats have been pulled right-of-center over the past decades, they have an electoral record (a very poor one at that) that tells me that they need to stop trying to be "me-to-Republicans".


Dan Alaimo
Posts: 2137
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:49 am

Re: What "Endorsed Democrat" Actually Means in 2018

Postby Dan Alaimo » Wed May 30, 2018 11:28 pm

While reading Scene's article this week about the Cuyohoga dems, I recalled this thread.

Endorsements are meaningless if the endorser is not credible or, worse, openly corrupted.
Here's a quote from the article:
"Scene heard anecdotally that several candidates for the central committee were inspired to run specifically because of the party's endorsement of Marty Sweeney over Nickie Antonio. Feelings that the party's endorsement was a grave mistake — a betrayal, even, given that the endorsement vote was held on the same day as the Women's March, and Sweeney settled a sexual misconduct suit in 2005 — were amplified when reporting by Scene revealed that Sweeney had paid multiple people, for "consulting," who then shifted their allegiance from Antonio to Sweeney, leading to pivotal endorsements."
'
And those "pivotal" endorsements were worthless, especially one big one from the top "democrat" in Lakewood.

Here's a link to the article. The Lakewood dem club meets Thursday night. What do you think? (And BTW, the dem club's decision to no longer endorse now seems prescient.)
https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/am ... d=18977182

As I quoted Bob Dylan earlier in this thread: "Don't follow leaders, watch the parkin' meters."
In other words, think for yourself.


“Never let a good crisis go to waste." - Winston Churchill (Quote later appropriated by Rahm Emanuel)

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