Let me tell you about how RIGGED campaign game is locally in Pittsburgh....

[MrMickeysMom]

I wish there weren't party hacks. I wish that the many Democratic committees would act democratic, but let's face it, the party hacks are to be found. They want to do EVERYTHING they can to make Bernie Sanders go away.

Latest example?
Allegheny County Democratic Party has informed the persons who have been trying to collect signatures on Bernie Sanders (I'm among them) and the Congressional Delegates running on behalf of him (for whom I'm also collecting signatures) that the police have been informed to NOT ALLOW US in front of one of the Democratic petition events where the endorsements are taking place.


HOWEVER, if we bow our heads like good little serfs, the Bernie petitioners will be given a table inside with a maximum of 4 people.

Circulating petitions on the sidewalk in Pittsburgh has been allowed for at 40 years, that we are aware of.

So... we've decided to cancel this petition signing event. I hope everyone is as angry as we are.

We have been working since last August... We have stood on sidewalks in every area of the Pittsburgh MSA with face to face meeting and talking about the issues. When the latest blast of sub-freezing temperatures came through, there we were last night, standing outside of yet another public area where we could barely get the pens to click and not freeze for signing petitions.

LET'S TRANSLATE THAT ANGER INTO CONTINUED HARD WORK FOR BERNIE TO DEFEAT "THEM".

[daleanime]

1. K&R.....

Don't let them wear you down!

[global1]

2. Another Example Of The Establishment Fueling Bernie's Political Revolution....nt

[Fawke Em]

3. What was their official excuse?

[MrMickeysMom]

4. OH.....

You mean they need one?

[Helen Borg]

10. Fomenting a revolution?

[noamnety]

5. Two questions

1. Has anyone called the police department or mayor or whatever to confirm it would be illegal?

2. Can you have the inside table, and a person outside with a sign saying what all is inside, including a petition table - in a nice large font ?

[MrMickeysMom]

27. The best answer I can give you on this...

1) No... Not that I am aware of. The "invitation" was given to be included, if you want to think offering 4 chairs is anything like inclusive.

2) I suppose we can. I'm not the leader of this group, however. Actually, we could do much more to gather signatures if they simply let us gather in number outside. It's always been more productive.

[elehhhhna]

37. Pretty sure the right to free assembly allows for this ... hello Constitution

[b

[djean111]

6. Are the signatures for getting Bernie on the ballot? n/t

[MrMickeysMom]

28. Yes

[djean111]

38. I live in Florida, and cannot help, but I hate to think you will not get enough signatures -

is there a danger of that?

Living here in Florida, I see DWS' bullshit firsthand, and that is why I have to laugh/sneer when people spout that "oh, you have to start getting liberals on the ballot in local races" crap - eventually, DWS will block them.

[MrMickeysMom]

41. It is a DWS strategy, isn't it?

I used to live in FL... There's a divide in the Tampa/St. Pete Democratic Committee with Bernie Sanders growing every day. I waiting for the shit to hit the fan and keep in touch with my sister there.

[djean111]

45. The Progressive Caucus here was threatened with "disqualification" or something like that, down here

when they persisted in backing Grayson for Rubio's seat. DWS wants DINO Patrick Murphy, and she does not want a primary. I see a hit piece on Grayson here every day. Kinda funny - excoriating him as a wealthy hedge fund guy - when we look at Hillary and her money and her family. In any event, I would rather have Grayson represent me than a DINO who only switched in 2012 so he could run against another Republican. Grayson's money, IMO, would be no problem if he was not progressive.

Interesting about the Tampa/St Pete Dem Committee - if you don't mind, would you keep me posted on that? I live near Brandon. Also, sour grapes or not, the Tampa Bay Times is a large newspaper because it is free. I usually grab 5 or 6 at a time because I have cats. And I think the days of letting a local paper pick the candidate are done.

[Odin2005]

7. Big city machine politics is disgusting.

[TheProgressive]

8. Unless you are breaking some sort of law - you can dowhat you want to right?

This sounds like a threat that cannot be enforced.

I would do the petitions until told to move... and then ask what law is being broken.

[Helen Borg]

11. YES! Absolutely right.

[MrMickeysMom]

29. That's a good point...

I feel that there has been an established connection between the the police and who has the right to the event. And, since there isn't an exclusion (just an unfair one exists), I would think there'd be a reason to keep us boxed. Personally, a lot of us are so busy, this was just one fight we are not taking on.

In the end, there would be a better use of our time.

[bettyellen]

9. Don't cancel- just add a few teams outside as close as they will allow you surrounding the

meeting. Thanks for working on the congressional delegates- and don't let anything deter you!

[LiberalAndProud]

12. The police, really? Seems like a bit of civil disobedience might turn some media heads.

Do you know what I mean?

[Skwmom]

13. The media is owned by the corporations. n/t

[MrMickeysMom]

36. I do know what you mean...

To make more of an effort to be more active with the local Bernie Sanders group, which is well run, I resigned today from a local non-profit that was taking more of my time than I wished.

I'm more committed, one way or another, to push like never before.

[Scalded Nun]

14. I can just see Hillary or DWS stepping forward

and telling their minions to cut it out!

Not

Just another method of voter suppression. Not just for republicans!

[mrmpa]

15. I hate Allegheny County politics..........

they give us the same old candidates year after year, young people are dissuaded from running, it's all nepotistic, etc. you get my drift.

I ran for office one year, I had people counting voters who went into the polls all day. One place, 86 voters went in and the count was my opponent 235 votes and me 72. So I figured I actually won it 72 to 14.

[LisaM]

16. What are the petitions for, exactly?

I'm not quite following what's going on . What are you collecting signatures for, and are other signature-gatherers allowed out there but not you? (In other words, how are you being singled out?) Thanks.

[MrMickeysMom]

30. The signatures are required in PA to get president and delegates on the ballot...

We need 250 signatures per congressional district for each delegate and of course several thousand for Bernie Sanders (which we easily have).

It's difficult to satisfy state laws when it comes to running for delegate. Once you look at the way congressional districts have been hacked up (fore example, my residence in Monroeville is in the 12th congressional district, but so are parts of Pittsburgh. It stretches across some areas. Don't forget that this has been some of the coldest weather, and those running also have other things going on in their lives. You basically have a system in place now, thanks to gerrymanders and state law on how many signatures are required, that it makes it hard for any challenge to what candidate is ROUTINELY SUPPORTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC MACHINE.

Need I say who is being shoved down everyone's collective throats for president in each Democratic machine? So, it naturally makes it hard for delegates to get their 250.

Pretty fucked up.

[JDPriestly]

17. Thanks for all of your good work.

[Octafish]

18. Strange Days.

Free Speech Zones. Democracy Zones. Democrats calling the Bill of Rights outdated.



Thank you for standing up to Them, MrMickeysMom. No matter how many of the undemocratic slings and arrows f Outrageous F.

[MrMickeysMom]

32. Oh... You must be talking about...

the, "No we can't" wing of the Democratic party. How do you like their free speech zone, Octafish?

Yeah... so do I!

[SheenaR]

19. This is ridiculous

Another low point.. Keep fighting out there. We all need you.


May I add I sure hope nobody whispered anything about Jim Clyburn while there. Could make things even worse.

[erlewyne]

20. I am really proud of you MrMickeysMom (and your cohorts)

I appreciate your braving the cold for us.

Thank you


Another great post and they just keep coming!!!

[Arugula Latte]

21. Boy, it's pathetic when you have to worry about suppression not just from Republicans

but from people in your own party. Ugh.

[jfern]

43. I don't feel this is my party any more

It's time to take back our party from the establishment 3rd wayers

[lsewpershad]

22. This is what Bernie calls the establishment.

[cloudbase]

23. And somewhere, Davey Lawrence is smiling.

Probably in hell.

[MrMickeysMom]

33. LOL!

[Donkees]

24. YOOJ K&R and Thank You!

[ohtransplant]

25. Something in your signature line leads me to believe

you won't give up.

There are some good ideas in this thread.

I don't see I your post whether you've heard from the police directly.

The news media may be interested in this kind of story also.

NGU!

[Divernan]

26. Rich Fitzgerald & Bill Peduto are a right pair of wankers, for sure!

I just sent your comments to Post-Gazette award winning cartoonist, Rob Rogers and asked him to have the PG investigate this story. He has done some biting cartoons re Hillary such as one which has her, literally, in bed with big banking.

On edit: I don't suppose the local Democratic County Committee was stupid enough to give you this ultimatum in writing, by any chance? There is a right to freedom of assembly in public places - a little thing called the First Amendment.
Check out Pittsburgh's history re Occupy Wall Street/Occupy Pittsburgh
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Pittsburgh

Sadly, I expect the Pittsburgh police to do whatever they are instructed to do by the Democratic Committee/Peduto.

Be careful.

As I think about this, the kinds of Democratic committee men and women who come to this kind of endorsement event are pretty much in the tank of the machine. I wouldn't trust them to sign your petitions with their real names and addresses. If you do end up collecting signatures there, ask for ID!

[MrMickeysMom]

34. I always knew Fitzgerald was a certified wanker...

Peduto... I don't know enough about his city government and all he's trying to deal with (including Fitzgerald).

I thought hard about your last comment!

[Divernan]

44. Peduto & Fitzgerald attended Clinton fundraiser

Don't know whether they went on the cheap for the minimum $500 "donation" or stepped up to the $2700 ticket.

Mayor Bill Peduto and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald had just five minutes with Bill Clinton before the former president addressed a fundraiser Thursday at Consol Energy Center.But in that time, Mr. Peduto said, the garrulous Mr. Clinton spoke about Pennsylvania’s political landscape, how it had changed since his 1992 presidential run, and recent events including the San Bernardino, Calif., shootings.

“What the Clinton administration did in the 1990s ... that’s the type of leadership we need,” Mr. Fitzgerald said.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/12/10/Bill-Clinton-holds-fundraiser-for-Hillary-today-at-Consol/stories/201512100156



Peduto backed Fitzgerald in attacking County Auditor Chelsa Wagner. She's the (elected) County Auditor whose performance audit caught and embarrassed Fitzgerald playing fast and loose with county cars for personal use. So County Executive Fitzgerald ordered various county agencies (like the Sheriff's Dept.) to refuse to grant access to Wagner to perform her mandated audits. She had to go to court to force the issue.

Peduto and Fitzgerald are political allies and joined together in very aggressive support of a primary challenger to try to defeat Wagner in her re-election bid. She was overwhelmingly re-elected, which was acknowledged by Fitzgerald as a slap to his face by voters.

You know that awkward thing? Where you see someone at a party you're hosting, and you really don't like them, so you shove them out the door ...

... and then find out you invited them?

No. Because that never happens. Alas, it happened to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who showed Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner the door after she showed up to a Pennsylvania Society party he co-hosted this weekend with Pittsburgh Mayor-elect Bill Peduto

http://earlyreturns.post-gazette.com/home/early-returns-posts/5954-chelsa-wagner-to-rich-fitzgerald-grow-up

[Uncle Joe]

31. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for your good works, MrMickeysMom.

[MrMickeysMom]

35. I'm just a worker bee...

The guy who needs recognition will get a link to this thread. I'm trying to get him to visit DU.

We have some very good people here...

[Cal33]

39. Third-Wayers? Also sometimes called Neo-Liberals? They sometimes really behave

like Neo-Cons, don't they? As for the word "morality," does it exist in their
vocabulary at all? Too bad, that's the way it is.

[cherokeeprogressive]

40. Read up on Jim Kenney. nt

[randomelement]

42. Time to turn up the heat

Contact the ACLU in your area:

http://www.aclupa.org/chapters/greaterpittsburgh/

Tell them what you've told us. And then it's time to contact the media

I'd try WTAE:

https://www.pressrush.com/author/5192220/bofta-yimam

Worth a shot anyway - good luck - and let us know

[MrMickeysMom]

46. I will run this past the person who was informed of this...

Thanks!

[MrMickeysMom]

47. Here's the response to those suggestions...

No and No

1) The IBEW would claim it's private property

2) WTAE is owned by Hearst Media. (No media company is more conservative.)

Therefore, we will just continue to campaign.

[randomelement]

50. Apologies

WTAE used to be pretty good about these things back in the day - sorry I steered you wrong on that.

I am a little surprised that a trade union would have a problem with you collecting signatures however.

It's a shame that everyone seems to have an agenda these days...

In any case, it sound like you folks have things in hand - good luck - go get em

[MrMickeysMom]

51. Strange bedfellows are abound in this side of the state... no apologies needed!

And, WE WILL GO GET EM!

[Patiod]

48. The other side of the state is much better

I'm a Montgomery County committeeperson, and it was an easy decision to go with a contested primary - no one was endorsed for either President or Senate. Sanders and Clinton petitioners have been welcome at our township meetings, and were welcome at the county meeting. Hell, they invited Fetterman, he came, and blew a lot of people away.

A fix from the top is not how it's supposed to work, and does more harm than good.

[MrMickeysMom]

49. Good golly, that's SO refreshing. Thanks!