Left In Lowell

You probably realize that for the most part, I don’t get too far into fundraising for candidates unless I really like them. It’s a lot of work to harangue you guys for money and I prefer the organizing part anyway. But Karl Rove’s fun little ad which I posted about previously has goaded me into creating an ActBlue Warren page for LeftinLowell. Particularly, I would like to set a goal and see if we can’t meet it! I would like to, by the end of December 2011, have raised $500 for Warren through this ActBlue page. I will place the thermometer on the sidebar as well.

Elizabeth has the poise, the intelligence, the speaking ability, and the issues on her side. But Scott Brown and his henchmen like Karl Rove have unlimited money they can raise. Brown has something like 10 mil in the bank just on his own. We need to compete on the money front at least a bit - though there is no substitute for the grassroots organizing that I know we’re going to do!

I put in my first $25, but it looks lonely in there. If you were thinking about donating to Warren, do it now! Click on our page to donate and help us reach our goal!

And where were you 4 years ago?

Four years ago, almost to this date (November 9, 2007) I posted that I thought City Councilor Rodney Elliott should be elected as Mayor for a number of reasons. Here is the link to that post.

He was not elected, Bud Caulfield, who had previously served as Mayor, was elected for a repeat performance. So my question is all of you who are now saying it is Rodney’s turn, where were you 4 years ago? He was the longest serving Councilor who had not yet been Mayor then.

Frankly, I think any of the City Councilors can serve as Mayor. What I do not want is a Mayor with a chip on his shoulder, who will be easily influenced by the Sun. By the way, those of you who have poor memory let me remind you that 4 years ago CC Elliott was not Campy’s favorite. Here is my link to my post on the Councilor’s letter to the Sun and here is a quote from that letter:

“Mr. Campanini used inaccurate information to mislead the public to believe that I was not doing my job or that I do not work hard. I have other faults in life, but working hard is not one of them.”

So if Campy used misleading information 4 years ago to criticize the Councilor, I would think he will use misleading information to praise the Councilor in his bid to become Lowell’s next mayor.

I do not care if it is Mayor Murphy, Mayor Broderick or Mayor Elliott. What I do care about, like the rest of them, is what is best for the entire City. Not only those 9,900 that came out on Tuesday. Remember, the only City Council candidate who received a majority of the votes was CC Rita Mercier, no one else. Let’s not re-write the election results to fit our agenda.

One thing I know in Lowell, the election of the Mayorship is not over until the vote is taken. What we need, IMHO, is a a facilitator not an agitator. We need someone who can bring us together not divide us. Let the best person be elected.

Has anyone else seen the new ad by Karl Rove’s American Crossroads attacking Elizabeth Warren? I did, this morning, and all I could do was think: thanks, Karl Rove…?

The ad hits Warren about her support for the Occupy movement (and talking about her contribution to the seeds of the movement, the idea that the middle class and the American dream have been under attack, something Warren has been fighting against for decades). The ad labels the movement as socialist/radical/yadda yadda yadda.

Is Karl Rove aware that he’s running the ad in Massachusetts? I’m just wonderin’. Maybe he’s getting senile in his old age. And he is aware, I have to assume, of the polling that shows more Americans support Occupy than not? Or that 2/3rds agree that income inequality needs to be addressed and the system as it is is not fair? The numbers are likely a lot higher in MA, since, as we keep getting reminded (by the “red speck” who’s running for President, if nothing else) that our state is one of the most liberal in the union.

If I were Scott Brown, I’d beg Karl to please…stop helping.

Seriously, if what’s come out of the MA GOP, the Brown campaign, and the Republicans in general thus far is indicative of their future attack strategy…I am not going to say it’s cakewalk because nothing ever is and one’d be a fool to underestimate the underwear model…but geez. Make it a bit competitive at least!

Update: and we have video! I will also make the point that if Scott Brown wants to win a real term next November, he has to tack to the middle and look moderate, and divorce himself from the radical right. It’s his only chance. However, this goes in the opposite direction - and his campaign will be tarred with the same brush, as these sorts of ads go into the general mindset as “from the opposition” - they don’t make such distinctions as “oh that was an independent Karl Rove ad, and I’ll judge Brown accordingly.” That just doesn’t happen.