A Progressive's Dilemma

almost makes me grateful (0.00 / 0)

for being in LoBiondo's district.  :)

/not really.

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 02:20:11 AM UTC

Ahh Deciminyan! (0.00 / 0)

A dilemma no doubt, but your arguments pro and con are based on logic and reason. Sometimes the mind has to do what the heart dislikes.  

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

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by: Bill Orr @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 14:07:59 PM UTC

Adler or write-in/3rd party (3.00 / 3)

I don't know what I'd do if I lived in the district. But completely sitting it out woudln't be an option. If one doesn't vote for adler, my opinion is taht one should send a message that there are progressivezs who are willing to drag their asses to the polls, but who chose not to vote for the Blue Dog.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 15:23:15 PM UTC

Vote for Adler (4.00 / 1)

I don't like him either.  But (1) he's not that bad.  He's not Lieberman or Lincoln.  And (2) the House is up for grabs.  Dems can't afford to give away any house seats.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 18:07:44 PM UTC

FWIW.... (4.00 / 3)

...he's still rock solid on Choice and LGBT rights.  

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 18:24:47 PM UTC

...true, but... (0.00 / 0)

...with one major exception, most of the action in this area will be at the state level or decided in the courts, outside of Adler's influence

Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

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by: deciminyan @ Thu Jun 10, 2010 at 02:24:34 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

No Permanent Friends or Enemies (4.00 / 1)

In politics there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies.  

We don't just abandon Adler we abandon all those voters we spoke to in support of progressive reform; we abandon the opportunity to speak to them again and remind them why they voted Democrat in the first place;  we cede the battlefield to the talking heads they listen to while they enjoy that new lane on GSP; we drive democrats into the hands of the corporatists who wait with open arms (and open pocketbooks); and we abandon the opportunity to build our base.

I was a staunch proponent of HCR and applaud all the hard work that progressives (like Grassroots4Change) put into the effort but we abandon Adler at our collective peril.

No Permanent Friends, No Permanent Enemies.

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by: Got Kids @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 18:25:30 PM UTC

There are high costs both ways. (0.00 / 0)

I have virtually no doubt that Adler would be better over the next two years than Runyon would. I also have virtually no doubt that if Adler loses a close race and is known to have been abandoned by progressives, it will be easier for Pelosi to round up what Democratic votes remain the next time there's a very close and very important vote.

I am almost always in the swallow your pride and vote for the Democrat camp. But thinking nationally, I'm not at all sure that's the right call here.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Fri Jun 11, 2010 at 01:34:22 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Adler Needs To Be Re-Elected......But (4.00 / 1)

He also needs to be primaried the hell out of office in two years.

Now is the time to find a suitable opponent and to start raising funds.

In other words, I would still vote for him and support him over the Republican.  

The problem for Adler is the same as it was for Corzine.....it's hard to win close elections without a totally energized progressive base......the whole base.

When we don't fight....and the other side does; they win even though they "represent" a minority of the people.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 18:37:35 PM UTC

Focus on other things (4.00 / 1)

Keep Adler.  This is after all a Republican district that Christie and other GOP candidates won by a two-to-one majority last year.  The odds of ever electing a progressive from Ocean County are about the same as Helen Thomas becoming Prime Minister of Israel.

I'm positive Adler had clearance from the WH and Pelosi to vote the way he did.  As long as his vote wasn't needed to pass HCR there was no reason to unnecessarily jeopardize his chances of keeping the seat for Democrats.

Instead of trying to unseat Adler or vote for an incompetent imbecile like Runyan it would be much better and more productive to channel that energy on building a viable Democratic organization in Ocean County.  You won't be doing that by voting out of office the first Democrat to represent the district in over a hundred years, and the only Democrat who lends credibility to whatever organization exists in the district.

New leadership is needed at the County level.  The former Democratic Chair in Ocean County, indicted for corruption and being involved with the likes of Solomon Dwek, Daniel Van Pelt and George Gilmore, was symptomatic of an even deeper sickness within the Democratic organization.

If Democrats in Ocean County ever get their act together it may be possible to pickup some freeholder and legislative seats next year, especially after seniors realize the GOP took away their property tax rebates, and parents of school children realize the full brunt of cuts in school aid.

I wish someone like Barry Bendar would utilize his energy and skill in taking on the real enemies of progressive reform and run for assembly, especially if there is a chance to gain a veto-proof majority for Democrats like Republicans had in 1991.

http://christiegonewild.blogsp...

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by: ken bank @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 21:46:10 PM UTC

re: "I'm positive Adler had clearance from the WH and Pelosi to vote the way he did. " (0.00 / 0)

So, given that the Adler/Runyan race is one that has attracted national attention, do you think that the President will come here to campaign for Adler?  Or would he be better off sending Joe Biden who is not as much of a lightning rod with some of the locals?  And will Andy Reid campaign for Runyan here?

Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

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by: deciminyan @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 22:19:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No way (4.00 / 1)

Adler is on his own.  The whole idea of his voting against HCR was to show his independence.  Adler doesn't want Obama coming to Ocean County for the same reason Chris Christie didn't want Sarah Palin coming to New Jersey.

http://christiegonewild.blogsp...

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by: ken bank @ Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 23:01:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Adler was clear (4.00 / 1)

from the beginning that he was against this. I think this is less a gift from the Speaker and more an early and consistent distaste for health care reform. It's not like he provided any alternatives, he disdained what was hammered out.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Thu Jun 10, 2010 at 00:42:11 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wishful Thinking? (4.00 / 2)

I'm positive Adler had clearance from the WH and Pelosi to vote the way he did.  As long as his vote wasn't needed to pass HCR there was no reason to unnecessarily jeopardize his chances of keeping the seat for Democrats.

What makes you so sure? That would indeed make a difference for me, but that's not how I read Adler.

And by the way, the district is not simply Ocean County. It's a very purple district, not red.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Fri Jun 11, 2010 at 01:37:53 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Vote for Adler, but... (4.00 / 3)

...don't contribute a moment of time or a penny to his campaign.

It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.  No matter what you or anybody else does, Adler is going to lose and probably lose big.  He won by a narrow margin when turnout was massive.  He is not going to have a chance in a low turnout election.

It is my hope that progressives do not spend a moment of time or a penny on any congressional campaign as I do not foresee any of them being seriously contested.

Instead, I would like to strongly encourage all progressives to get involved in Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein's campaign to win Bil Baroni's vacated State Senate seat and/or start organizing for the 2011 primary election season.

These are the races where we can have a real impact, but we need to start organizing now.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Thu Jun 10, 2010 at 01:55:42 AM UTC

Yes (0.00 / 0)

The Greenstein race is a big one, and one we should win.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Jun 10, 2010 at 13:10:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]