Left In Lowell

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.