LiL Announces Video Questionnaires!
So, we’ve sent out our candidate questionnaires, largely made up of the many submitted questions from our readers. They should have received them already (candidates, if you do not, please let me know by email as soon as possible!).
But that’s not all. This year, at least for the City Council side, Mimi and I, who are both members at LTC (local cable access), are going to have candidates answer them not by writing, but by coming in and video taping them at the studio! It’s far more work for us, but way more interesting for viewers than reading 10 or more looooong PDFs.
The questions are broken out into sections by category, and each section has a time limit placed on it. Each section has two or more questions in it, and the candidate will be free to choose how to allot their time to the questions within the time limit for that section. For fairness (and sake of our sanity), we will not be editing anyone’s answers, so it’ll be a lot like a live forum for the candidates - their answers are their answers. They will of course be allowed to bring any written material or notes they wish. We aren’t barbarians. 
Then, once we have all the responses from the candidates taped (they have a deadline), we will release all candidates’ answers to one section at a time in short online videos here on the blog, until all sections are released. We will also create one or more episodes for airing on LTC.
When I think of the logistics of getting this done, and then edited together, I think “whoa!” …but our readers are worth it.
August 27th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Thanks for doing the work on this!! I think this is a great service to the people of Lowell.
August 27th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Wow! Lynne and Mimi: You should be commended for your public service; thank you!
August 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Dear Lynne,
I did recieve your questionnaires, and I appreciate the amount of work involved in developing them. They (Move Lowell Forward’s as well) are quite comprehensive. I did want to use your forum to make an announcement. This afternoon I withdrew my name from the list of candidates for city council. Today was the deadline for doing so.
As you know, the governor has not yet signed the legislation waving the primary election. Although, all indications are the he will. I believe not having a primary is a net loss for the voters of Lowell on several levels. Additionally an expanded candidate list favors incumbants by diluting the impact of oppositional voting.
I joined the race to help attempt to force a primary. Now that the hope of a primary is dashed, I wish not to diminish the force for change. I fully expect to be involved in this political season in some way. And I will continue to enjoy your postings.
Mike Holland Sr.
August 27th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Lowell Sun Breaking News: “Governor Signed Waiver”; City cancels preliminaries.
http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_13216489
August 27th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Once more the Dem Good Old Boys protect their own and in this case the governor had to do this in order to later on sign the change to the rules governing how a senator will be selected to replace Ted Kennedy. Oh what a tangled web they weave…….
The losers once more are the voters and I fancy this affects in ways not yet completely clear to me the cynicism level many in the state feel about electoral politics - myself included. Sometimes it is hard to keep a straight face while teaching about the history of American politics and the ways in which we portray corruption in politics back in the nineteenth century. We do it up right in the twenty-first century too. Back in the ‘old days’ ballot boxes from neighborhoods unlikely to vote for the favorite political boss would be found floating in the East River or Boston Harbor.
Now being more environmentally friendly and hoping to save paper and wood for the boxes and unclutter the waterways we just cancel elections entirely. Progress, I say!!
What is it Bob Dylan sang: “Don’t trust leaders, wathc out for parking meters.” or something like that.
August 27th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
That’s a very admirable decision, Mr. Holland.
Props to you.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
I am torn on what to do. First and formost I will let every CC know that those who voted to deny me my right to vote will never get my vote again!
I am contimplating, for the first time since I was granted the right to vote, of boycotting an election!
The action of the CC, the Delegation and now the Governor is BULLSHIT!
Let’s see if the CC requests the special election for US Senate, or the primary for an unopposed State Rep or Senate seat is canceled!
GO TO HELL!
August 28th, 2009 at 6:33 am
ER do *not* boycott! That is what GoB’s want! Make your voice heard — contact the Kaziers directly and let them know you will not vote for them as a result of what they did. Support councilors who voted *for* a preliminary or challengers who have expressed their opposition to cancelling the prelims. Donate money to them or volunteer to work for their campaigns. Support moveLowellforward PAC with a donation (Disclaimer: I am a founding member of MLF PAC). Attend CC meetings and speak out whenever the council contemplates doing something you disagree with (or agree with for that matter). Please show the current CC that you *CARE* by taking action not by boycotting which is the equivalent of emulating an ostrich with its head in the ground.
August 28th, 2009 at 8:31 am
ER, Paul is right. Do not boycott and lose a chance to be heard. Vote against them or vote for them… Just vote!
August 28th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Yes, the readers certainly are worth it. Plus, it’s not like the Sun will cover this stuff properly.
Speaking of the sun, I thought some of you would be interested in an exchange I had with Sun editor Jim Campanini recently, who called me a liar and therefore a liberal.
My friend has published the exchange for me on his website (since I don’t have a blog of my own). It’s pretty infuriating.
http://www.inebriateddiscourse.com/2009/08/lowellsun_28.html
August 28th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Eavan thans for publishing this exchange. Interesting to be called a liberal Zealot by Campy. Latest positions I have advocated strongly for like the holding of the preliminary election are things the editorial page has called for too. And, I certainly do not get a column once a week like other paid writers do - writers like Michelle Malkin and Anne Coulter who are far more inflamatory and consistently engage in the politics of personal invective.
I am pleased to be able to write about jobs, economic development, housing and homelessness issues, the role of the university in the region, the importance of Lowell’s public schools and to incorporate some of the city and region’s rich history in the pieces I write - which never engage in the kind of name calling the editor of the newspaper uses in a private exchange with a letter writer. But then I have been called far worse than a liberal zealot - so it goes.
I also sign everything I write in the newspaper and on this blog and others where I comment from time to time I always use my name - If I can not defend it I ought not to write it!
I’d actually enjoy the opportunity to go head-to-head with Mr. Campanini on issues of substance rather than follow his lead with school-yard name calling. Pick the place, I’ll be there. Interested???
A newspaper ought to expect a bit more than this from its editor, in my humble opinion.
But life goes on, the budget problems in the city persist, and more than ever we need people in leadership positions to accentuate the positive and tell the truth too.
August 30th, 2009 at 11:08 am
The Lowell Sun should be embarrassed to have an editor like that. Unprofessionalism at its best.
August 31st, 2009 at 8:53 pm
So, let me get this straight: Campy’s argument is “We’re not biased against liberals. And also, I assume people are liberals if I consider them dishonest.”
Here’s my hate-the-Sun story: when three Puerto Ricans got beaten and robbed in their apartment, the Lowell Sun made sure to repeat a rumor, never proven, that there was marijuana in the apartment. When two white kids from the burbs were shot in a drug deal that went bad, the Lowell Sun ran an editorial stating that we shouldn’t be speculating about the cause.
Anyone else remember that?
August 31st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Yes, that seems to be Campanini’s argument. It makes sense because it’s been shown that conservatives are never dishonest, and that every proven liar has turned out to be a liberal.
I can’t imagine having such a narrow ideological worldview, let alone admitting to someone that that’s how I think. And yet, he’s the editor of the city’s only paper. Truly twisted.