Friday, June 22, 2012
A few minutes ago, I published an article inviting Maryland’s Second Congressional District voters who do not want to re-elect their incumbent Congressman to let Next Contestant know why. The same reasoning and invitation apply to the voters, statewide, who have problem with re-electing Senator Ben Cardin.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Candidates love to show real people giving us reasons to vote for them. Dutch Ruppersberger, the incumbent Congressman from Maryland’s Second Congressional District, is no exception. (Go his campaign website, www.DutchForCongress.com, and see the video in the lower right corner of the home page.)
…Including a challenge to Republican Dan Bongino.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Today, as you can see from the header, is June 19. The date is important because websites change from time to time. The first position statement we’re going to discuss is taken, verbatim, from Senator Cardin’s Senate website, www.Cardin.Senate.gov. It’s the “Economy & Jobs” statement from the “Issues” tab of his U.S. Senate website. We’ll go through this text first, and then the “Economy” statement from the campaign’s website, www.BenCardin.com.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Fifty-four minutes? Really?? In President Obama’s defense, maybe he was auditioning for a teaching position at the community college by giving a lecture in failed public policy.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
A couple of days ago, Next Contestant published an article entitled, “Earmarks: Incumbent business as usual in Washington,” in which there is a table showing the number and value of the earmarks which were sponsored by Maryland’s representatives in the House and Senate.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
We elect our Congressmen/women and Senators to represent us when they legislate in the national interest. Unfortunately, that’s not all they do. A good deal of their time, and a great deal of our money is spent devising “earmarks” to benefit us locally. Not incidentally, these dollars legislators get for local causes improve their prospects for re-election.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
The late Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill is said to have originated the phrase, “All politics is local.” To the extent that he was right, it’s unfortunate. Understandable maybe, but unfortunate because of what says about Americans when they vote for candidates running for the House, the Senate or President.
Wednesday, June 6, 2011
“Jobs,” specifically the lack of enough of them and the right ones that fully exploit the capabilities of our people, is the most important problem we’re facing. Close behind is education, the key to how we stay competitive, individually and as a country.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Democrat Charles Albert “Dutch” Ruppersberger III has represented Maryland’s Second Congressional District since 2003. He’s running for his sixth term against Republican Nancy Jacobs who has been a Senator in the Maryland Assembly since 1999, and a Delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates for one term before that. This is my first article about Congressman Ruppe… Wait. With apologies for the informality, and meaning absolutely no disrespect – Seriously. – I’m going to call Congressman Ruppersberger “Dutch.” His full name and title take too long to type and read. I’ve never met the man, but he has a pleasant smile and I don’t think he’ll mind.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
The big reason is money. Almost regardless of what they do or don’t do while they’re in office, incumbents tend to be re-elected because their campaigns raise so much more money than their opponents’.
Most voters have no real idea what their incumbents have been doing in Washington. Who they vote for is largely based on campaign rhetoric. Money buys organization and advertising. The more money you have, the more likely you are to win, and that’s that. It’s unfortunate, but Congressional campaigns aren’t so much about ideas as they are about dollars.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Yesterday, I wrote an article entitled, “Negative Advertising: An essential means of voter education.” This piece looks at the flip side of negative advertising. From the campaign’s point of view, it’s as essential to winning as money. In fact, funding negative advertising may just be the primary reason the candidate needs money.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Hi. This is the first of two articles that I’m writing about “negative advertising,” a concept that I believe has been given a bad rap by the media and, most importantly, by the form of it that many well-funded candidates and their political action committees have chosen. This first piece is about its definition and essential role. (As usual, I’m going to write like I know what I’m talking about, leaving it to your comments to help me get it right.)