Left In Lowell

*still fuming at computer*

Some general impressions from the very active, quite bloody, MA-05 debate tonight.

OK, Thompson is delightfully kooky and off the deep end, but entertaining, fairly articulate, except when he gets into a libertarian screed…then he talks a mile a minute and sounds really kooky.

Hayes is a Republican (even unto the war) but running independent. Sure, he can say so, I suppose. He’s somewhat articulate, I think actually would have made a better Republican candidate than Ogo turned out to be.

Ogo made a total ass of himself, again not answering the damn question on the SCHIP veto. What’s more, he answered the question on how he’d deal with gangs with making Bush’s tax cuts permanent. And and big WTF to him?

Murphy did good, he really needs to leave off the forced “Kennedy oratory style” he tried to get away with in his closing and opening statements. I dunno how it came off on TV, but it didn’t work in person. He’s at his best when he shows off his understanding of the question he’s asked, because he really has come a long way in being comfortable doing that, and he does actually answer the question. Patrick also had several instances of rebuttals that cut, especially when Ogo tried to get away with equivocating (which he did all night) on Social Security.

Ogo scored a couple points maybe (honestly though, he sounded like a walking Republican talking point), but he lost far more. He really seemed clueless. For instance, he does understand that he can’t go to Congress and rewrite a bill that’s already passed, right? I think he said at one point (regarding the SCHIP veto override) that that will take a whole two weeks to get to that override vote - if he were in Congress now, he’d be working to redo the provision that (he thinks) will let all the undocumented workers get free health care (uh, ok). Right. Because rewriting the actual bill and going through committee and then getting it on the floor won’t take three or four months. *shakes head* Clueless. And if he’s not clueless and knows better, he’s a dishonest person.

Niki Tsongas stayed focused, answered questions (unlike Ogo) and with some exceptions where I more agree with Murphy than Tsongas on specifics, is a true Democrat who understands the stakes. The biggest disappointment I’d say on her performance is that she fell into the “have to say I’d support funding for the troops because Republicans will say I’m anti-troop if I don’t” equivocation. It’s not even politically dangerous to say the words “cut the funding” now, folks, it’s what the American people want.

BMG also covered this live and has post-debate commentary.

The candidates just walked in, and I’m all wired up, so I guess that I am liveblogging.

Run Politics is here, doing some real cool live stuff including online submitted questions and an intriguing “View upcoming questions” that is a mystery to me, so check it out.

Watch it live (online), by the way, at any of these links listed at BMG. WBZ WUML (91.5FM) is also airing it live! Right now! Also LTC Channel 8 if you’re in Lowell.

OK the Run Politics thing is really funky! You can rate the candidates as they answer…check it out, click on the Dashboard in the Run Politics site.

Opening statements: Patrick Murphy: didn’t raise money for race but for charities in this race. I didn’t know that. Seems politically shaky but interesting idea. Shared sacrifice act. Will accept no larger salary in Congress than 5th district average, no heath care.

Kevin Thompson: Talks about monopoly, Democrat controlled Congress, misleading statement about tax and spend Dems, who got thrown out in 1994…uh…Clinton and the Dems cut some spending, notably in the industrial military complex. Talks about how handing the reigns over to the Repubs didn’t work.

So far he’s not mentioning how the Constitution Party is really conservative, far-libertarian, Instead focuses on constitution…well, all well and good. Talks about unborn rights - there we go, there it is.

Ogonowski: starts with bio. General puppies and lollipops. Congress broken, election referendum on Congress. Claims like everyone here to be for real change. Immigration reform, “does not include amnesty.” Wants to cut taxes permanently.

Hayes: pretty articulate, good speaker, clear, talks about extremists that have taken over party. There’s that change motif again. Again, no mention on his actual political philosophy, just how the two parties are poisonous.

Tsongas: Change again. Goes right into children’s health care, “set record straight” SS- against raising age, against amnesty, for bringing troops home on timetable. Back to SCHIP, 200K live here in MA that need this CHIP program. Good, mentions bipartisan nature. Hammers on override, how she will vote for it.

Q to Murphy: If elected, what would be your top urban priority?
create environment for econom dev, can’t just bring one project home. Good answer so far, incentives for small biz. (My question - what are the conditions and how do you create them?)

Q to Niki: Would you vote in favor of more war spending?
Never vote to advance the surge, will always however vote to support troops on the ground. (Why do Dems fall for this one every time?) Is for timeline for troop withdrawal.
Thompson: Cut funding, force president’s hand, not getting another dime. He is quite emphatic.
Murphy: Shared sacrifice act
Ogo: Iraq was mistake. (And it isn’t now??) Support for safe stable Iraq (how’s that going?) (Ogo is telling us what makes military sense…does he make any?)
Hayes: Irresponsible to set timetable. When we pull out, need Iraqis to fill vacuum. Want to get troops back eventually to just training and support of Iraqi forces.

Q for Ogo: If elected, your first vote could be re: SCHIP, made opposition to bill clear, have not answered question how you will vote. Of not why?
If I was in Congress today, I would be working with them to put together bill to put together better bill. Fraud abuse yadda yadda. If we override veto take two more weeks. (Is he insane? Does he know how Congress works for heaven’s sake?? Like his plan would take less than two weeks?)
Abstain from vote?
(Ogo does NOT answer question. Repeats Audience responds to moderator who asks Matt Murphy of the Sun, did you get a response?)
Hayes: Would override. But this is example of partisanship (yeah, Ogo is insane, why shouldnt Niki call him on it??)
Thompson: Twostepping issue, for sustaining issue. Against socializing medicine, he lies about who qualifies (400%? Is he smoking something?)
Murphy: Would override. Question is why will there still be children uninsured…need single payer (yes, yes we do)
Ogo: SS admin: current proposal would allow illegals to use it. If this was out of bill, would be for. Niki why don’t you call all your friends in DC and tell them to take that out of the bill (yeah, very mature)

Which do you prefer: current tax system, flat tax, fair tax, etc?
Murphy: Simplify taxes, repeal Bush tax cuts, close loopholes.
Thompson: No taxes at all. (Haha, he’s just going into a rant now, I can’t type fast enough, he’s just off and running).
Ogo: In favor of making tax cuts perm. Misleading number on how much people got ($4K? All right, the average is maybe, but not what average wage earner got)
Hayes: if you take 10% of people who make 50K, it’s painful. 10% from a millionaire, is a lot of money, 100K, but that person is not in equal pain as 50K person.
Niki: Repeal bush’s tax cut for wealthy. 450K or above, that is not your average american, is 1% of US. Keep tax cuts that benefit middle Americans.

Q to Tsongas: Can you tell us what is your position on illegal immigration?
I am opposed to amnesty, tough border security. Need to know who’s coming in or leaving. Hold employees accountable. Also need to address problem that’s here. Millions are here, support earned path, need to learn English, pay back taxes. This is complicated problem. Ogo has no real solution to this problem. Earned path to citizenship will solve problem.
Ogo: Amnesty, amnesty fence fence. Pathway to citizenship is amnesty. (Got a dictionary, Jim?)
Hayes: Path or amnesty, am against it.
Thompson: same answer. Enforce law. Fence.
Murphy: earned path, or else you cannot effectively deal with people who are here. Reaons people come here, need to rework our trade policies which hurts them in their home country (thanks!)

Q to Ogo: Street gangs…wat would you do?
Puppies and lollipops, make government work. Keep tax cuts permanent. ??? (how the hell does tax cuts help gang violence??)
Thompson: state and local issue not fed. Deporting 12M illegals will be first good step.
Niki: Marvelous program in Lowell, UTEC, getting out in the streets with afterschool programs. Education, early on, fed govt has to be partner with education. Funding. High cost of loans preventing people from college.
Hayes: Enforce current laws (law and order…yeah cuz that’s worked so well so far). Fully fund NCLB, incentive to teachers to teach in hard districts.
Murphy: Need afterschool programs, avenues for children to pursue, work programs in summer, so many things happen when people can contribute. Keeping tax cuts perm is not going to help anything with gangs in Lowell.

OK just lost my whole damned liveblog. And people wonder why I never do it?

I had some really good comments too. Stupid blogging software…

I’ll post more reaction later on, when I’m no longer fuming at my computer. But this was a seriously lively debate, watch it archived later on, it was worth coming tonight.

T-minus zero minutes. Listen live (or catch the archives later).

Today we’re doing ENDA (read up here) with two guests of opposing viewpoints regarding the lack of language to include transgendered people. Both guests are frequent commenters at BMG, Laural and Migraine.

As Tony says. Go put some good questions down (and vote on others) ASAP for this debate tonight for the MA-05 race, the last debate we’ll have before we vote next Tuesday.

Me, I’m going to try to be there in person, barring life getting in the way, instead of watching on TV or internet. Should be fun, after all the dissembling we saw from Ogo last time around on NECN. I actually think I like the Constitution Party candidate better than the Republican! At least he’s internally consistent, and actually answers questions. Plus, he’s got the traditional conservative view that we shouldn’t be in this Iraq war adventure and should get the troops home.

UPDATE: Ooooooh…wonder if I’m gonna get thrown out like David and Charley? Ha!

David digs through Ogo’s press release archives (clever boy) and observes a notable dearth of “immigration” as Ogo’s concern, before July. As I’ve already said, it appears that inside-the-beltway consultants from the Republican party have taken over Ogonowski’s message and campaign, and David agrees. So much for the outsider, independent Jim Ogonowski, eh?

So, what makes anyone in their right mind think Ogo’s going to make independent calls if he gets to Washington, DC after next Tuesday? He’s already failed that test. (He can’t even run a campaign independently.)

David Bernstein over at Talking Politics has a great post articulating how Ogo has misstepped in this race by allowing, or seeming to allow anyway, the national Republican party to dictate what his campaign should be doing (a point I am making, not him).

Once you get past immigration, though, Ogonowski’s kinda screwed — which is a big reason why, in last week’s NECN debate, his answer to pretty much every non-immigration policy question was: “I don’t know, but there should be a bipartisan, non-bickering process to figure out the best solution.” […]

This is why SCHIP has posed such an existential crisis for his campaign. To put it plainly, in the SCHIP showdown, voters think that Bush is WAY more wicked suckier than the Congressional Democrats.

This is awfully bad luck for Ogo: who the hell knew that Congress would get together in a non-bickering, bipartisan fashion, and work out an imperfect but undoubtedly positive bill on a mom-pop-and-apple-pie issue, and that George Bush would veto it in such a grotesque fashion that polls show 85% of the public wants him overriden — a mindboggling level of public unanimity usually reserved for questions like “should the US try to prevent Iran from arming anti-American terrorists with nuclear weapons?”

If Ogonowski says he would vote to uphold the veto, he’s taking Bush’s side in the galactic struggle of good vs. evil. If he supports the override, he’s conceding that, contrary to the entire basis of his campaign, the Democratic-led Congress is the solution, and Bush and the obstructionist Republicans are the problem.

Nicely analyzed, and about what I’m feeling about this race though he puts it a lot better. Go read the whole thing.

If you haven’t heard about the recent all-out right-wing Swiftboat-style smear against a twelve year old, then read up.

To me, it’s unbelievable how low the Republicans sink to defend their pretty indefensible voting patterns. Either they blame the immigrants, or they blame the victim, or my favorite - they pretend to be the victim. If my own party started attacking little kids personally like this, I would be livid and ready to smack them down. But, par for the course for the right wing.

It’s time for the (few) sane Republicans left to take back their party…before it’s too late. Or, maybe it already is.

Jdayne who has been commenting regularly on this blog even before she moved to Lowell, informed us last week that JAMBRA (Jackson, Appleton, Middlesex Business and Residents) are meeting this Wednesday, October 10th at 6:30 p.m. at Cappy’s on Central Street.

The group, made up of businesses in that area, was organized a few years ago to discuss issues of common interest. It was rejuvenated earlier this year and now includes not only businesses located in the JAM Plan section of the City but some of the new residents, such as Jdayne, who have moved into that area.

The re-energized group held a meeting this past April and came up with a set of goals:

Formalize the JAMBRA organization

Support new urban development concepts which promote a harmonious residential & business community

Ensure that throughout the development of Lowell all groups work together to connect the downtown, JAM, Hamilton Canal District and Gallagher Terminal as an expanded, cohesive downtown

Promote JAM as a viable residential & business area

Promote a clean, welcoming environment throughout the JAM area

Ensure that all persons and properties in the JAM area are secure and safe at all times

Ensure JAM area blends new buildings, old renovation & streetscapes with historic downtown