Democratic State Convention—IV

A new speaker tells us "That is why we are here Elections are about choices."  We need to reelect the President.

Now we do some Administrivia, including calling the roll.  So, we are on a hiatus, as the roll call work is done on the floor, by the County organizations.

Now a scholarship is being handed out.  Two of them, actually.

The next speaker is from the Mass AFL/CIO.  The essence of this Democratic Party is labor and the late Ted Kennedy used to make that point.  The AFL/CIO is on the ground where the tornados have struck.

Chairman of the Convention is back and we are off and running.

Now a speaker says something interesting.  By decentralizing the 2010 campaign the Democrats were able to buck the national trend of voting for Republicans.  If this is the case, it is significant.

Now there is some discussion of how good the Democrats are and how they care for everyone.  Now is the time to show that Democrats are people of Action.  Not a game of cynicism, but a Party of Action.  It is done by communities of conversation, by information, since we are on the right side of the issues.

How to have those conversations?  Through Facebook and other social networking activities.

Now comes Nicole to talk to us about the Hampden County and mostly to move adoption of the Action Agenda.

The Candidates for US Senate in 2012:

1. Rep Tom Conroy.  The best social action is a good job for someone.  I have seen the dark side of the private sector and put my job on the line because of corporate corruption.  Wall Street has been reckless and the Middle Class is getting ripped off and I will be the voice for that change.  Overseas we are going to war to often and wasting resources that should be spent here and I will be your voice for that change.  Next month I will start a two month walk around the state to talk to you.  Join me on this walk.
2. Lawyer Marisa DeFranco.  I want to put the government back in the hands of the People.  I am running for those who are working more than 8 hours a day or work two jobs.  Wealth redistribution is the super rich—the too big to fail getting the money.  We don't do class warfare, the Republicans do it.  We are going to end corporate welfare as we know it.  We allow today's immigrants get the same future as our parents.  Our private issues will not be public footballs any more.
3. Alan Khazei.  Founder of City Year.  "Mom said, do what makes you happy".  Helped to create Americorp.  Scott Brown isn't a leader.  He didn't make any mark in the Mass Legislature and he isn't doing anything in Washington.  We ask, are we better off and the answer is no.  My grandparents didn't have a lot, but they shared what they had and that is the spirit that I think we should have.  We live in tough times but I think we can turn things around.  I have brought together Democrats and Republicans.  It is up to all of us.
4. Bob Massie.  I am running for the US Senate for you.  We in Massachusetts we have been first in moving forward, from fighting slavery to gay marriage.  We have always been for the rights of everyone.  We have all been through hard times.  We have always gotten up and fought back.  The Right Wing is slashing at our rights and feeding the banks and wall Street.  Problems will not go away on their own.  We need to drive our country forward into the 21st Century.  When Kennedy goes behind closed doors it was for us, but when Brown does it it is to help corporations.  My first act will be to introduce a Constitutional Amendment to reverse Citizens United.
5. Herb Robinson.  A social liberal and a fiscal conservative.  "What am I doing here?"  I believe the country is in a long term economic decline that can only be reversed by a long term energy program.  Senator Brown can not legislate the laws of physics.  Hydrofracking is bad.  and quickly off the state.
6. Mayor Setti Warren.  Served in Iraq as a Navy Intelligence Specialist, having enlisted after 9/11.  It is our children's future that is at stake and we must ensure that our children have a fair start in life and the education they need, including access to college and technical training.  They must enter a thriving economy.  This requires investment in infrastructure and new technology.  Then they must be able to retire to a secure life.  Scott Brown promises conflict and jobs shipped overseas, while some big corporations pay no taxes.  He votes 87% of the time with the other Republicans.  He voted to gut funding for Planned Parenthood and questions the science behind Climate Change.  Some say I am too young and it is the wrong time.  But, it is always the right time to do the right thing for your country.  It is time to retire Scott Brown.

The very strange part of this is that I am logged onto the Tsongas Arena wireless and am able to read sites on the World Wide Web, and post to them, but I am not able to send or receive EMails, which means that I am not getting photos I take, which I then EMail to myself on my phone.  I am not able to get EMails via Mac Mail nor from my World Software Tool and Die account, which is your basic UNIX PINE account.  My phone and my iPad both can send and receive EMails.

Regards  —  Cliff