Month: November 2014

A Clinton-Obama difference, one of how many?

From the top-drawer Future of Capitalism site:

The “Conversations With Bill Kristol” interview this week is with Joseph Lieberman, who tells this anecdote about the difference between President Obama and President Clinton:

the last year when I was in the Senate, I was sitting at a table in the Senate. We happened to be at the Senate Democratic Caucus and one of the colleagues said, “When’s the last time any of you talked to President Obama?” So I said, he turned to me and I said, “Well, about six weeks ago, I got a call about something that was in my committee.” “Wow, six weeks ago.” So this guy who was the chairman of one of the major committees – “I haven’t seen him or talked to him in six months.” And then we started talking about Clinton and I remember saying, “Clinton, he’d call you and the problem was how do I get him off the phone,” he was just, you know, until he got your agreement to do what he wanted you to do.

One of them is wrapped up in his job, the other in himself.

What evil lurks? Reboot IL’s devil knows

In this week’s election, advisories in favor of the 10% minimum wage and millionaire tax swamped Rauner, even as he knocked Quinn off by a comfortable margin, whereby hangs a tale of trouble for Rauner.

As regards one of these anti-Rauner votes, observes Reboot Illinois’ resident devil,

At minimum, [Mike] Madigan can keep the threat of rallying his caucus behind a millionaire tax in his pocket to use against Rauner. I don’t think Scott Walker or Mitch Daniels, the Wisconsin and Indiana governors Rauner often has cited as role models, ever faced legislative leaders carrying sticks so big.

He is indeed the hog with the biggest nuts, especially since Beavers got knocked out of the box.

The day West Virginia rejected Barack Obama | West Virginia Record

​Sen. Joe Manchin will be the only Democrat from West Virginia in the Congress in January — and he’s reportedly not so sure about that. (That is, he might turn Republican.)

It will be the first time in 83 years “that Republicans have captured either body.”

“Talk about a red state!” says the West Virginia Record, West Virginia’s Legal Journal. “West Virginia is incarnadine, red as a rare T-bone. Our Statehouse is now 64-36 Republican, our State Senate 18-16 Republican (including the post-election conversion of one dazed Democrat).”

Paul Schimpf to his supporters

My “Dear Jim” letter from a high-class candidate:

As you know by now, we didn’t come out on top on Tuesday night in the Illinois Attorney General race. Although I am disappointed in the result, I am extremely proud of the campaign we ran.  I want to share three quick thoughts before we put the election behind us and move forward to the holidays.

1.  Thank you.  I’ve said it before, but it is worth saying again.  Thank you to all our volunteers, donors, and supporters.  Your hard work allowed our campaign to punch above its weight class.  Many of our regional and county directors outperformed their paid counterparts on some of the well-funded campaigns.  We couldn’t have accomplished what we did without our volunteers.

2.  The accomplishments of our campaign were nothing short of amazing.  16 months ago, I started this campaign from scratch (no money or party support).  On the strength of our message alone, we created a statewide organization and took 38% of the statewide vote against the most popular Democrat in Illinois.  4 years ago, Lisa Madigan won 65%-31%, carrying 77 of 102 counties.  In this election, we cut her margin to 59%-38% and WE CARRIED 68 of 102 counties.  We won in the Metro East, Bloomington, Decatur, and Marion.  We lost the election because we didn’t raise enough money to get our message out in the Chicagoland area.

3.  I don’t know what the future holds for me.  Right now, my priority is to spend some time with my family.  I still believe that we all have a duty to serve—losing an election doesn’t change that–so you may not have heard the last of me.

Thank you for reading this and my other emails.  Please enjoy the upcoming holiday season.  Above all, don’t give up on our state and the political process.

S/F [Semper Fi, I’m sure],
Paul

PAID FOR BY CITIZENS FOR SCHIMPF, PO BOX 16, WATERLOO, IL  62298.  A COPY OF OUR REPORT IS OR WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE OR DOWNLOAD FROM THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN SPRINGFIELD

I think and hope the state has not seen the last of him.

Election day in Southeastern PA

As in the Lititz (PA) Record.

Our election correspondent, Katie [Bowman] Grisbacher, spent her day talking to voters in the 37th legislative district, where Elizabeth Township residents overwhelmingly supported Mindy Fee. But this coverage is more about neighbors than politics:

Judge of elections, majority inspector, minority inspector, clerks, committeepersons. Polling places spring to life twice a year thanks to poll workers called to a civic duty alongside voters.

At most polls, voters are greeted by grassroots political party representatives stationed outside (at least 10 feet away from the polling place). Democrat, Republican, and other parties send representatives to share information, make a presence, and sway undecided voters. These are people on the front lines of campaigns.

“The voters are our friends and our neighbors,” said Margaret High, Republican committeewoman for East Cocalico Township, Smokestown District. “We’re here to welcome the voters, thank them for coming out, and listen to comments, what they want to share with us.”

Etc.

By #2 Daughter.

Quinn concede?

Never, is my guess.

He will picket the inauguration, carrying a big sign, and start having press conferences on Sundays again, so we can all start our weeks with the latest from PQ.

First, he has to recover from his very bad election season, in which his brother lost his job as Fenwick coach and he lost his own job in Springfield. Cut the guy some slack, OK?

Later in the day: He did it. Good.

Said the right thing:

Quinn vowed to work with Republcan Bruce Rauner for a smooth transition. And he also pledged to work to raise the miniumum wage, an issue that Quinn — and Democrats across the nation— made a mantra of the election season.

It was Quinn’s first public appearance since Tuesday’s election.

That’s that for now.