[dkstories] For those of you who may not be aware...

[EMoe57]

Dan and Robert are both emersed in the political scene in California. As there is an election in California on Tuesday (tomorrow), to say they are a little busy is like saying an avalanche inches slowly downhill. :wacko:

 

I'm certain we'll see a bit more activity from Dan once this passes.

[Lucy Kemnitzer]

Dan and Robert are both emersed in the political scene in California. As there is an election in California on Tuesday (tomorrow), to say they are a little busy is like saying an avalanche inches slowly downhill. :wacko:

 

I'm certain we'll see a bit more activity from Dan once this passes.

 

Yes, tomorrow's the big day. My son and I, both being underemployed, will be pollworkers tomorrow. It'll be a long, long day -- we leave the house at 5:30 in the morning and we don't get home till after eleven.

[old bob]

Dan and Robert are both emersed in the political scene in California. As there is an election in California on Tuesday (tomorrow), to say they are a little busy is like saying an avalanche inches slowly downhill. :wacko:

I'm certain we'll see a bit more activity from Dan once this passes.

Hey everybody on the political scene in California :2hands:

Any chance to hear the results ? Which kind of election ? Was there any chance that the democrats win ?

Every success anti-Bush will certainly confort the readers of DKstories.

Old Bob

[Lucy Kemnitzer]

Hey everybody on the political scene in California :2hands:

Any chance to hear the results ? Which kind of election ? Was there any chance that the democrats win ?

Every success anti-Bush will certainly confort the readers of DKstories.

Old Bob

 

It was a primary election, and nonpartisan local elections, except in the San Diego area where they were voting for a replacement for Duke Cunningham, the Republican who had to resign because of a huge raft of indictments for various kinds of big-money corruption.

 

Francine Busby, the Democratic candidate, ran on a platform that she was honest and competent, and didn't run on the issues. So she lost. The era of Democrats being able to win by saying "I'm just like the Republicans except I'm honest" is over.

 

Both of the propositions went down -- the bond for the libraries and the tiny tax on rich people for preschools. Tonight when I'm not on dialup I'll put up the links for more information.

 

The guy I voted for in my county's supervisorial race lost by a big margin, but I don't mind. The other guy's almost the same: I was voting to indicate which policies I wanted in those few places where they differ.

[C James]

It was a primary election, and nonpartisan local elections, except in the San Diego area where they were voting for a replacement for Duke Cunningham, the Republican who had to resign because of a huge raft of indictments for various kinds of big-money corruption.

 

Francine Busby, the Democratic candidate, ran on a platform that she was honest and competent, and didn't run on the issues. So she lost. The era of Democrats being able to win by saying "I'm just like the Republicans except I'm honest" is over.

 

Both of the propositions went down -- the bond for the libraries and the tiny tax on rich people for preschools. Tonight when I'm not on dialup I'll put up the links for more information.

 

The guy I voted for in my county's supervisorial race lost by a big margin, but I don't mind. The other guy's almost the same: I was voting to indicate which policies I wanted in those few places where they differ.

 

It always amazes (and disgusts) me when a member of the same party is elected to replace one who was thrown from office for corruption. I don't care which party is which at the time (and both have their share of corrupt politicians) but I do like to see political consequnces for the party of the corrupt sleazebag, to give the party (whichever one it is at the time) more incentive to not turn a blind eye to the activities of some members. Frankly, I'm disgusted with Congress at the moment, as it seems that members congress (both parties!) have found something that they can agree on: Both are outraged that the FBI nailed a corrupt congressman, due to technical issues (separation of powers) and ignoring the fact that the scumbag had huge amounts of cash from bribes stashed in his office.

 

Regarding the California election, I'm very sorry to report that the candidate Dan flew down to help was defeated.

[dkstories]

Francine Busby did very well...the chances of her actually winning were extremly small...that district is dominated by registered Republicans...she pulled in the entire Democratic vote, a good portion of the Decline to State (independent - no party affiliation), and even some moderate Republicans. This was after the RNC poured millions and millions of dollars into this race...money they were hoping to save for November.

 

He got the seat, but the signs from the race are very troubling for his party.

[C James]

Francine Busby did very well...the chances of her actually winning were extremly small...that district is dominated by registered Republicans...she pulled in the entire Democratic vote, a good portion of the Decline to State (independent - no party affiliation), and even some moderate Republicans. This was after the RNC poured millions and millions of dollars into this race...money they were hoping to save for November.

 

He got the seat, but the signs from the race are very troubling for his party.

 

I thought her name rang a bell... And I finally remembered who she is. Francine Busby is the congressional candidate who was ahead in the polls, and on the weekend before the election torpedoed her own campaign by saying, to an audience, on camera,

[old bob]

I thought her name rang a bell... And I finally remembered who she is. Francine Busby is the congressional candidate who was ahead in the polls, and on the weekend before the election torpedoed her own campaign by saying, to an audience, on camera,

[C James]

About gaffes of candidates:

What about training and educating the candidates by skilled people (public relations, speaking, aso) before the campaign and control them during it ?

How is it possible that one phrase on line could kill the chances to be elected ? How is a campaign organised ? Who leads it ?

To anybody interested, I could answer these questions how it is here in Switzerland.

But how is it in California ?

Old Bob

 

I'll try to answer those questions, but bear in mind that I'm only giving my opinion, and that Politics is subjective so opinions may differ widely. Also, please remember that I'm NOT (unlike DK) a professional in this field. I've only ever worked in politics as a volunteer, and only on local ballot initiative campaigns here in Arizona. The highest position I've ever had was that of communications director for the "No" side for a city ballot measure (it was a very small city, and we lost, bigtime). Basically, all I did was the websites, press releases, the graphics (designs of buttons, signs, etc) and come up with slogans. I'm also originally from California, but haven't lived there in over ten years and no longer follow California politics, so I know very little about it (California politics).

 

About gaffes of candidates:

What about training and educating the candidates by skilled people (public relations, speaking, aso) before the campaign and control them during it ?

 

The the best of my knowledge, just about every campaign for any major office has candidate handlers who do basically that. In many cases, though, a candidate will say something unscripted, and cause themselves major trouble with a mis-statement or worse. The opposition is always on the lookout for such gaffs, and will often feature them in their own campaigns adds.

 

How is it possible that one phrase on line could kill the chances to be elected ? How is a campaign organised ? Who leads it ?

To anybody interested, I could answer these questions how it is here in Switzerland.

But how is it in California ?

Old Bob

 

It's is very possible indeed that a single phrase or line can kill a candidate's chances. Usually it's a major mis-statement shortly before an election, which the opposition then beats them over the head with. This is especially true if it's a really bad gaffe, such as Francine Busby being on camera and (seemingly) encouraging voter fraud to steal the election. Personally, I doubt she was stupid enough to actually intend to say that, but it's so darn easy when speaking to say something the wrong way. I know there are far better example, but I can't think of any.

 

Hmmm, another example of a candidate being hounded by his own words would be the father of the current president, George H.W. Bush. He said, in a speech, "Read my lips: No new taxes!". He, shortly thereafter, agreed to a tax increase. "Read my lips" came back to haunt him in his campaign in a major way. Some analysts think it might have cost him a second term as President. I myself agree with that view, as his opponent, Bill Clinton, got less than 50% of the vote, and Bush (the elder) lost due to losing votes to a third party candidate (Ross Perot) who largely attracted disaffected voters from Bush's own party.

 

As for how a campaign is organized and led, the organizational system seems to vary from campaign to campaign, and a great deal depends upon the office being run for. A campaign for President will be nationwide, and thus be vastly different from a campaign for the US senate (statewide) the house (a single district) or various state offices. The size of the campaign will depend on funding, which can run into the hundreds of millions for a Presidential campaign.

 

As for the campaign structure, it does vary widely, and in general you usually have a campaign director in overall charge. I'm not really qualified to get into detail here, as it varies so widely, and due to my very limited experience.

 

Personally, I'd be very interested to hear about Swiss politics.

[old bob]

Personally, I'd be very interested to hear about Swiss politics.

Hey.. it is now 10 pm local time. I shall give some details and a few links tomorrow.

The main problem here, we have 4 languages, 26 states("cantons"), 9 parties (from communists extraleft to exnazis extraright) and only 7 mio inhabitants where only about 5 mio are swiss and old enough (18) to vote. We vote on 3 levels (local, state and national) . The reason why is very simple. On each level a certain amont of voters (from 6'000 on local level to 100'000 on national level) can propose a new law or oppose a decision from the governement or the parliament. The collection of enough signatures for a "referendum" or an "initiative" is the pleasure of the week-ends of each young party member. If the party get enough signatures, we have to vote ....The authorities try to organise the votations on different subjets on the same sunday but we are as usual busy on sundays 7 to 12 times a year to vote about to 3 to 7 questions, for instance from the participation to UN to an expense of 10 Mio for the building of a school or the opening of gas stations on sunday.

so more about it (if y ou are interested) next day.

 

Old Bob, who is member of a party which is just in the middle of the panel, and never failed to vote

 

I just checked the news of today and found a site which could be interesting for you :

http://www.swisscenterna.com/thecenter/sisterrepublics.asp

If you have time, read the following : http://www.swisscenterna.com/thecenter/doc...r-republics.pdf

we are just neighbours

Edited June 12, 2006 by old bob

[C James]

Hey.. it is now 10 pm local time. I shall give some details and a few links tomorrow.

The main problem here, we have 4 languages, 26 states("cantons"), 9 parties (from communists extraleft to exnazis extraright) and only 7 mio inhabitants where only about 5 mio are swiss and old enough (18) to vote. We vote on 3 levels (local, state and national) . The reason why is very simple. On each level a certain amont of voters (from 6'000 on local level to 100'000 on national level) can propose a new law or oppose a decision from the governement or the parliament. The collection of enough signatures for a "referendum" or an "initiative" is the pleasure of the week-ends of each young party member. If the party get enough signatures, we have to vote ....The authorities try to organise the votations on different subjets on the same sunday but we are as usual busy on sundays 7 to 12 times a year to vote about to 3 to 7 questions, for instance from the participation to UN to an expense of 10 Mio for the building of a school or the opening of gas stations on sunday.

so more about it (if y ou are interested) next day.

 

Old Bob, who is member of a party which is just in the middle of the panel, and never failed to vote

 

I just checked the news of today and found a site which could be interesting for you :

http://www.swisscenterna.com/thecenter/sisterrepublics.asp

If you have time, read the following : http://www.swisscenterna.com/thecenter/doc...r-republics.pdf

we are just neighbours

 

THanks, Bob!! Both site look great! I'll read them in detail this evening.

 

Your referendum process sounds similar to what we have in most states (but not nationally). Here in Arizona, the legislature can propose a referendum, though most come from gathering signatures. Referendums also over-ride the legislature, which I like.

Edited June 14, 2006 by C James