DUer Ready to Seek Local Office

[louis c]

Well, I've decided to take a stab at a local election in my home town.

I now hold the Union President's job at my local of 245 people.

My family has always been involved in politics, the Unions have been encouraging officers, members and affiliates to take a more active role, so here goes.

If anyone is interested in my home town feed back, I have posted a little item from the local weekly. Scroll down to the School Committee section. It shouldn't be hard to figure out louis c.

Wish me luck, I'll need it.


http://www.reverejournal.com/pages/pap.shtml

[Swamp Rat]

1. Good luck! n/t

[AuntiBush]

25. The saddest picture

Swamp Rat... everytime I see that tearful soldier, my heart sinkens and seconds of flashes of the lies upon lies hit me. Thanks for keeping that alive.

And Good luck to the Du'er who's considering running for an office!

:kick:

[MissWaverly]

2. hope you get elected

Hope everything goes your way!



:toast:

[louis c]

3. Thanks

[Spazito]

4. WTG! That's how it's done, one person at a time!

You are acting upon your beliefs and are to be commended for it!

[nostamj]

5. this is SO important! bravo!

getting progressives elected at the grassroots level is CRUCIAL.

if you need graphic design help, let me know. i did campaign graphics for several DU candidates last year.

[louis c]

6. Thanks

I'll Keep That in Mind

[Adelante]

7. Good for you!

Best wishes for your success :toast:

[janx]

8. Excellent! This is a perfect time to do so. n/t

[AP]

9. Good luck, Louis C.

I've always liked what you've had to say here. I hope you win.

[louis c]

11. My Issue is funding

We need more federal and state funding for education without increasing property taxes.

I belong to a labor group of AFL-CIO locals that have banded togrther under the name "Coalition for Local Aid".

I represent workers at the local Racetrack, so additional expanded gaming revenue to cities and towns, especially the "Host Community", which is mine (Revere),should be used to alleviate the tax burden without cutting services.

After all, we can't expect much help with our unfunded mandates from Boston (Romney) or Washington (Bush), so we have to start taking action as a coalition of labor unions, blue collar workers, and home owners on our own.

Anyway, that's my basic issue in a nutshell.

[GreenInNC]

10. go for it!

I am a local office holder and it feels great to be giving back to the community I grew up in.

[Ironpost]

12. Good luck, We have your back.

[Clark2008]

13. Way to go!!

:thumbsup:

[paineinthearse]

14. Best of luck!!!!

You are courageous and a patriot.

[newyawker99]

15. Good luck louis c!

:thumbsup:

[banana republican]

16. I don't recall who said it but....

All politics are Local Politics.

[louis c]

17. Tip O'Neil

Right up the street.

He was the Speaker, and he took over Jack Kennedy's seat in congress when JFK beat Henry Cabot Lodge in 1952 for the US Senate.

[ultraist]

18. WTG! Let us know what we can do to support your campaign!

Best of luck.

[louis c]

21. Well

anyone who lives in Revere Mass. or who knows anyone who lives in Revere (Population 48,000; registered voters 24,000) I could use their help.

This is a non-partisan election, and I anticipate no primary.

Election Day is Tuesday November 8th.

A voter can vote for up to six candidates, with the top six winning. All seats are at large city wide.

The field is generally 9 or 10 candidates. Last year was an exception (I think), with just 7.

I will work hard and hope for the best.

Thank You for your encouragement.

[Lisabtrucking]

19. Good for you, and lots of luck, n/t

[louis c]

20. I Figured

if I was willing to knock on 2,000 doors 100 miles away in NH for John Kerry, I might as well knock on 5,000 in my home town for myself. After all, it's the same cause, why stop now.

And my home town gave Kerry 70% of the vote, mostly on labor issues, so I should be on solid ground.

[lavenderdiva]

22. Best of Luck!

Congratulations, and all good wishes... :toast:

[brook]

23. I wish you...

the very best and applaud you for taking this step. Revere is lucky to have you.

[proud patriot]

24. I'm rooting for you louis c

:bounce:

[louis c]

26. Wow

You guys are great.

I just hope the voters of my city receive me as well as my Friends at DU have. My local union gives me a pretty good base of support. A third live in Revere itself, with nearly every member knowing someone in the city.

My late father left me with a very positive name recognition in local politics. He died in office in 1997 at 69 years old, after serving nearly 30 years.

I love to give my opinions and have written quite a bit about funding in local papers.

So when I assessed the situation, I thought "Why not me?".

Maybe other DUers should take the plunge. Especially those of us who got involved on a grassroots level.

Why be scared. If we use George Bush as a yard stick, and he's President of the United States, everyone here is qualified to be anything we want.

[rocktivity]

27. YEAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!

I think that will now be my official DU response to good news.

Carpe Screeum--sieze the Dean Scream! And congrats!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Mr_Spock]

28. Good luck in Reveeeeeya

hehe

[louis c]

34. Seems to me you have

our accent down pat.

Are you from around here?

[Mr_Spock]

37. Yeah - Boston - took the subway to Reveeeya as a kid

Always liked the beach there.

[frictionlessO]

29. awesome!!! and remember dont do blind quotes!!

We are behind you all the way!!

[IronLionZion]

30. YES!!! This is exactly what we need more of!

It's awesome to see DUers run for office. Ultimately, all politics is local. And we can make a difference in our own communities.

Good Luck

[DaveinMD]

31. I sent you a pm

I do affordable direct mail and would love to help you out. I'll give you a DU discount.

[mdmc]

32. good luck

Sounds like you are a good campaigner...

[Freddie Stubbs]

33. It's about freaking time

I don't know how many times I have read of the well intentioned DUer who's first bid for ofice is a Quixotic bid to unseat a Congressman in a heavily Republican district.

Good luck and congratulations.

[demnan]

35. I think that's great!

good luck to you, I'm sure you'll make a wonderful candidate! When Michael Moore says at the end of F-911 DO SOMETHING!, you listened

[H2O Man]

36. Great!

This is the only way that we will take back our country. It won't happen by talking about "who will we run in 2008?" (or 2012, 2016, or 2020) .... it will only happen if we stop talking and start working on the things we can do to make a difference .... locally.

[louis c]

39. Dear H2O Man

I have admired all your threads.

With the replies some have taken more time to read than a novel.

There are very few folks with more incite to the Valarie Plame case than you have.

I have followed your threads with great admiration, so your encouragement means a great deal to me.

The issues I will speak to will be local in my election. It will pertain to a lack of funding at the Federal and state levels that have left homeowners to assume an enormous, regressive property tax burden.

I will outline my efforts through my Labor positions to reduce this excessive burden without cutting services, especially in education, as well as pointing to an expanded gaming alternative which is being discussed in the legislature, as a way to help solve this problem.

My campaign will have a message, and I will work hard to deliver it.

How ever local the issues I speak to are, remember, I'm a DUer at heart.

[H2O Man]

43. Great!!

I'm 99% positive that I am going to be running for a town supervisor's position .... which includes serving on the county board. Of course, it is unheard of for a democrat to be elected in this county, but I think I can win. Anyhow, a lot of the issues may be small and insignificant .... things such as the amount a rural, upstate town spends on its "road crews." But last night, I saw two accidents which simply didn't have to happen, had the highway been properly maintained. One was minor, the other was more serious.

The highway department isn't lazy; their budget has been cut-back. The state hasn't reimbursed the town for the service on the state highways, because the federal government has made cuts. So in the most basic way, the quality of life of the residents of our communities is negatively impacted by the clowns in Washington.

Local politics are the foundation the entire country rests upon. I respect and admire anyone and everyone who has the willingness to run for office. The fact that a number of DUers either have or are going to gives me confidence in our future. Reading this thread has made my day.

[Squeech]

38. Dang

The one Revere resident I knew moved out to the burbs, and I lost touch with him anyway :shrug:

Good luck anyway, sorry I can't help!

The other thing I want to say is, I read that article, at the end of which the columnist said something about "What harm could a casino be?" The answer to that question is, Atlantic City's experience and Foxwood's experience is that casinos bring crime-- mostly vice squad stuff, but assault and robbery too-- and necessitate an expensive police presence, plus the host community stops feeling like a community and gets more like a company town plus soap opera.

[louis c]

40. No Casinos in Revere.

I work closely on this bill as a Labor leader.

Every bill calls for no Casinos in the Revere or the Boston area.

We favor only the addition of Slots at our already existing Racetracks, which have been part of our community since the 1930's.

Our model will be based on the experience at Lincoln RI, West Virginia, and Delaware. Slot Machines were added to already existing Racetracks there, with no casinos in the state.

In these locations local aid increased dramatically, crime actually went down, an industry was saved, and many jobs were created.

This position, because the tracks have been an integral part of our community for generations, is favored overwhelmingly by our residents, IMHO.

[davsand]

41. Way to GO!!!! Best of luck!

I love seeing news like this! Holding public office is an amazing experience and you can feel proud that when you win you will able to give back to the local community. (Sounds like you were already doing it with your local and now you are are headed that same direction in the community at large.) Bless your heart for stepping up!

Sounds like you grew up in politics and sounds like you know what you need to do to organize, and that is a big part of campaigning. If you've ever campaigned before you know you have to "press the flesh" and you know who you have to talk to about contributing/fund raising.

You have already defined your issue and it sounds like you are focused on it--you are off to a good start. The only suggestion I do have is that you get a yard sign design early, and EVERYTHING you print (with a union bug, of course!) needs to have YOUR logo (or yard sign) on it. I call it "branding" but it is a serious marketing thing that too many candidates neglect.

The only other tidbit of wisdom I have is that your yardsigns need to be clean and clear enough that you can take it ALL in in one swift look. I've seen a lot of candidates use fonts that are difficult to read and I've seen them clutter up the sign with stars and lot of other extra design elements that detracts from the name.

The best bet is to go with one that is an unusual color that will jump out as you drive down the street. The BEST I have EVER done for visibility was a Black on Yellow. That sucker just jumped out at you when you went down the street. (Plus, the local GOP just loves Red White and blue, so that black on yellow was really different.)

Best of luck, and feel free to ask for moral support and maybe even some pay pal contributions from DUers!


Laura

[louis c]

47. Of Course, Union

I have already printed my stuff.

My dad never used anything but Union material.

Yard signs are illegal by local ordinance in Revere.

I know, it's an abridgment of free speech, but whichever candidate challenges it gets slaughtered.

Revere is such a hot bed of politics that house and yard signs became such an eye soar, that all agreed to put an end to it decades ago.

My dad, a WWII veteran picked Red, White and Blue years ago. So, I have that, too.

democrats can be Patriots, too.

[bobthedrummer]

42. Union family here in support of you too.

:hi:

[paineinthearse]

44. We ALL need to be active in some way or another

At the very least, each and every one of us need to be active members of our town/ward democratic committee OR PDA or DFA or similar.

[donsu]

45. thank you and wishing you extra Stamina

nt

[katinmn]

46. Good luck!

Glad you are jumping in.

:kick:

[louis c]

48. thnks