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« Stirfry

Why aren’t Dems doing better in the polls?

By Bertram de Souza (Contact)

Published August 15, 2010

Untitled document

The $26 billion employment bill that President Obama signed into law last week will save the jobs of at least 160,000 teacher and is expected to create or preserve police, firefighter and nursing positions. Autoworkers at General Motors and Chrysler are enjoying the fruits of the auto industry bailout initiated by the president and the Democratic controlled Congress. And, construction workers on the highways and in communities around the country are working full time as a result of the so-called economic stimulus package.

And yet, polls continue to show that the Democrats will lose control of the U.S. House of Representatives and could even lose the Senate.


A plausible explanation is that Americans who are benefitting the most from the numerous initiatives launched by the Democrats on the national and state levels don’t  feel that they owe the Democratic Party anything. The anti-Obama sentiment is so strong among traditional Democratic voters —senior citizens and blue collar workers — that this November’s general election will see a sharp decline in the Democratic vote.

Unless party chairmen like David Betras in Mahoning County and Dan Polivka in Trumbull County are able to rally the troops in this predominantly Democratic region, things will be even worse than anticipated.

If last week’s party fundraiser in Mahoning County is any indication, Democrats have a lot of work to do between now and the general election.  Only 175 tickets were sold — they were $500 a piece — even though the keynote speaker was Congressman Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.

There could be all kinds of reasons why Frank did not draw a bigger crowd, but the lack of enthusiasm among Democrats cannot be denied. By contrast, Republicans will be turning out in droves in November.


11970mach1(1005 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

The reason more tix were not sold is because Frank is a scumbag who helped bring about this mess.

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2UnionForever(1470 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

People have come to realize the Tax & Spend socialist Obumma policies won't get us any real private sector new jobs. They have been paying off those who got them elected. If people aren't working then Obumma and company will be gone. November will be a masacre for the DemoRATS and I hope Tim Ryan is included since he has done nothing but bring PORK spending that our grandchildren will be repaying to the Chinese to the valley, but no new jobs.

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3Nonsocialist(710 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

What is stunning, absolutely stunning, is that the question is even being asked. Are you that clueless?

There are local and national factors. Nationally, the Democratic-Socialist Party (DSP) has had control of the Executive Branch and, for awhile a super-majority in the Legislative Branch. Such power was used to transfer wealth and power from the subjects to the rulers, explode the debt, and advance policies unfavorable to economic growth with resultant worsening unemployment. All of this was done with arrogance and utter contempt for the subjects of America.

Locally, the Valley has been under DSP rule for decades. The result? Economic performance woefully below nearly every other municipality. We are truly Detroit Junior. I"ve lost count of the local DSP politicians that have been convicted and imprisoned (note to reader: that's not normal). We have been ranked the 15th most dangerous city...after we "improved" from 9th place.

The local DSP politicians, like their National counterparts, display pure animosity to their constituents. Locally, our DSP rulers call us "rednecks" and "racists".

If this November, the DSP again reigns supreme with Valley voters, then the voters are declaring that they do not seek respect, effective governance, or an improved and safer community.




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4valleypolitics(88 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

Only 115 tickets were sold which is why Betras filled the hall with free loaders. The party didn't make a penny on the event.

The big question now is, how is Betras going to pay for his Chairman of the Year award? It was given in exchange for a promissed dollar amount to the ODP.

The wheels are falling off of the Betras wagon. A stupid move with Mike Sciortino and now this, look for this Chairman to be removed by the end of the year.

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51970mach1(1005 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

"A stupid move with Mike Sciortino "

What does that mean?

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6walter_sobchak(1982 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

Maybe people are tired of being lied to! Barney could be the poster-child! Vote all of them out! I wouldn't care if a load of lumber ran against Charlie Wilson; I would never vote for him.

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7author50(1121 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

Lets see, David Betras 'only' sold 175 tickets to see Barney Frank. According to Betram, this means the Democrats will lose all over the country. Now I know why Bertram writes for the SPINDYcator.

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8howardinyoungstown(591 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

The Democrats are losing ground for one very simple reason, they are catering to the center right of the political spectrum and ignoring their progressive base. I left the Democratic Party just 6 months after Obama took office based on the actions of the White House and the inaction of Democratic members of Congress.

To redress this loss of power with their base the Democratic Party needs to make some simple policy fixes and return to their core values from the 1960's.

1. Stop pimping yourselves out to Wall Street interests.

2. Take ownership of your platform and be proud of it; no more apologizing for what you believe in.

3. Get a some cajones and use them in Senate; make the GOP (grumpy old poops) actually stand up and filibuster they will look like the idiots that they really are.

4. Give AIG a deadline of 1 year to fix themselves, failure would result in nationalizing the company, breaking it up, and selling off the components to recoup some of the lost taxpayers money.

5. Give Chrysler the same ultimatum as AIG. No more throwing good money after bad.

6. Encourage the stockholders of the balied out banks, automakers, and AIG to sue the pants off the pre-bailout Boards and Executives of those companies based on gross negligence and fraud. In other words have the AG start investigations on all of them.

7. You have a clear majority in both houses, use it! Stop kowtowing to the GOP and watering down all of the important legislation. This is the opportunity to impose your platform into law; stop being a bunch of useless ninnies!

If the Democratic Party followed those 7 simple guidelines they would actually increase their majorities in both houses.

Now, if you want to get really progressive, pass legislation that bans ALL paid lobbying of all branches of the entire Federal Government.

Pass legislation that makes it illegal to discriminate against any American regardless of their ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, age, disability, illness, lifestyle, and participation in peaceful political protests.

Pass legislation to provide 100% taxpayer funded elections, and use the peoples ownership of the public airwaves to allow all candidates for Federal Office equal & free access to airtime. Thereby ending all political contributions and fundraising needs of the parties freeing up their valuable time to get more work done in Washington for their employers, the taxpayers of the United States of America.

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9Adams(14 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

I find it interesting how local dems blast Republicans for all their funding from wall street and special interests when local state reps get all their funding from Columbus. Does that mean their interests are loyal to the Columbus pacs and special interests? Can't have it both ways guys.

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10VINDYAK(1799 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

Many Dems blast GOP people for having too many "big business" ties, but the reality is the Dems have just as many "big business" ties - maybe even more.

Except for the current President, most of the top Dems have earned millions in their years in business and politics. Our current President and his wife, meanwhile, have had to turn in their licenses to practice law a few years ago. I wonder what that was all about?

Why is it we do not hear of this in the main stream news?

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11Stan(9923 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

"There could be all kinds of reasons why Frank did not draw a bigger crowd"

Perhaps David Betras isn't in tune with the voters ? Bringing Barney here truly was a "NO BRAINER" .


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12paulydel(1332 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

The first thing you should realize is that the dummies that voted for this idiot in the first place is that he is a liar. He may not even be a natural born citizen. He bowed down to other world leaders of which no other President has ever done. The United States should not be bowing down to anyone or make any apologies. This guy wants to tax us more and put us out of business. Have you noticed that he has removed the US flags from behind him when he speaks from the White House? He asked that the crosses be removed from the hall that he spoke in at Notre Dame. How stupid was Notre Dame to do it. Until he proves who he is we have no President running this country right now in my opinion.

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13ytownsteelman(631 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

I googled "Obama speaks whte house" and saw plenty of photos of flags behind him. I also googled "obama notre dame cross removed" and found no reference to any crosses being removed. I don't like Obama either but I'll use facts, not lies to make my case against him. I don't have to make this stuff up, what he does is stranger than fiction!

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14Nonsocialist(710 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

From NBC News:


It is my opinion that TOTUS's actions and words (re: collective salvation, etc.) are not consistent with Christian beliefs. I don't care what religion he is, I just don't understand all the weirdness around this guy. Besides ths fact that he's a socialist, there is something really wrong about this guy.


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15Nunya(1356 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

Oh brother,..

Bertram tossed out some misdirection red meat and the wingnuts go wild,.. LMAO !!!

There's absolutely NO lack of number or enthusiasm in the democratic base in the area. They just aren't $500.00 dollar plate suckers and they've lost their taste for Betras and the Cafaro rulership of the local faction,.. I hear it constantly.

See it's without question that Bertram has shown he's a pro Betras promoter. But in this lack of turnout it's clear he'll allege anything to not mention that.

I know he hears what everybody else hears unless he's truly that out of touch with the base,.. but spin ain't gonna change it.

To wit on the national outlook you can best believe the voters will be out in mass force. It's just that they're pleased with what they've figured out about the local whatnot's.

Which it's a mountainous task for a local pitchman to try to find a position to sugarcoat that. To include who in the hell would pay $500 bucks to sit with Barney Frank, anyway.

I said it before and I'll say it again. The bloom is off the rouse and come November. The local candidates are going to be shocked when they take note of the ballot results,.. and neither Barney Frank nor a $500 dollar dinner has nothing to do with it.

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16Nunya(1356 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago


The locals are NOT pleased with what they've figured out about the local candidates.

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17candystriper(575 comments)posted 4 years, 4 months ago

empty wallets can't buy tickets...come to think of it anyone who still has a dollar left will vote Republican.

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18theCaliforniaKid(56 comments)posted 4 years, 3 months ago

He forgot to include a phone number to call if you want to help fix the election

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19theCaliforniaKid(56 comments)posted 4 years, 3 months ago

RE:Title of this bloggo."WHY?..."
PS:There's hope for him, though, for democrats - repub's, too - for any of us:Confess your sins, ask God to forgive, ask in Jesus' name, and He is faithful to forgive you of your sins. Golf gets better, family relationships get better..even POLITICS might/ can get better. What have you got to lose?

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