On Tuesday November 7, all eyes will be on Virginia. The gubernatorial race is the first statewide election since the presidential election of 2016.
The choice is clear. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam is a physician, a veteran, an experienced elected official. He is a moderate Democrat. He supports public schools, not privatization, not charters or vouchers. His opponent Ed Gillespie is running as a Trump surrogate, committed to school privatization like Betsy DeVos.
This election is a referendum on Trump. It is also a referendum on the future of public education. Northam is a product of Virginia public schools, and he has promised to improve them, not destroy them.
Many candidates are running for the House of Delegates on a pro-public schools platform. They are teachers, parents, public school graduates who know how important public schools are to our democracy.
Here is a list of candidates who deserve your help and your vote.
If you live in their district, vote for them and make sure that your friends and neighbors vote for them.
They are:
Hala Ayala: https://ayalafordelegate.com
Jennifer Carroll Foy: https://www.jennifercarrollfoy.org
Kelly Fowler: https://www.voteforfowler.com
Morgan Goodman: https://goodmanfordelegate.com
Elizabeth Guzman: http://elizabethguzmanforvirginia.com
Debra Rodman: http://rodmanfordelegate.com
Danica Roem: http://mobile.dudasite.com/site/danicafordelegate#2919
Shelley Simonds: https://www.simondsfordelegate.com
Schuyler VanValkenburg: https://www.vanvalkenburg4va.com
Cheryl Turpin: https://cherylturpinforvb.com/
Please vote. Every vote counts.
Vote for delegates who will improve our public schools.
Your vote could be the single vote that wins the elec
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Virginia is one of the very last states in the USA where the pro-privatizers don’t control the entire state.
Here is Chalkbeat’s description of “In Virginia, a bitter race pits Democratic Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam against Republican Ed Gillespie, and education has been a significant issue. Gillespie has vowed to expand charter schools in a state where there are only eight, and hopes to create a voucher-style program known as education savings accounts; Northam opposes these moves and has focused on greater investment in teachers and early childhood education.”
If there is anyone on this board with any connection to Bernie Sanders, can you please ask him to strongly and clearly endorse Northam SPECIFICALLY because he is the only candidate of public education and Gillespie supports the entire Betsy DeVos agenda?
If Bernie spent today making news about EDUCATION in Virginia by saying “we cannot allow Virginia to become yet another state in which the people who want your public dollars to pay for vouchers for private schools, not only would it make news, but it would put public education directly on the table. Voters would hear about how this issue is about public education instead of how Northam wants terrorist illegal immigrants to roam free and kill as many Virginians as they want.
A Bernie Sanders endorsement of Northam right now in which the ONLY issue he talks about is public education so the news is all about public education would be a huge boon to Northan’s chances.
Anyone with ties to the Sanders campaign, please have him do this today instead of his making it clear that he thinks there is no difference in the candidates. This is. Bernie does’t have to endorse Northam for any reason but public schools. And if he did it would do so much good – especially if Bernie made that vey clear in his endorsement as the ONLY reason.
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^Sorry for typos. Short version:
Northam needs someone who can change the terms of the debate which is right now about how Northam is pro illegal immigrations just like all the Dems and Gillespie will keep them safe.
Bernie Sanders would make news AND change the terms of the debate if he suddenly came out with an endorsement that was all about public education. Make the news focus on their differences in education and how Virginia can have the Betsy DeVos vouchers and tax-payer supported private schools or continue to support their local public schools and keep them strong.
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Virginia currently has nine(9) operating charter schools, one of the lowest totals in the nation. The current governor, has vetoed every attempt to increase the number of charter schools. see
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2017/03/24/va-governor-vetoes-charter-school-and-beloved-bills/?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.3324f9429e6f
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All nine charters in Virginia are controlled by their local district.
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I reside in Fairfax ,VA. The media campaigns for both candidates have been very quiet on education issues. I watch their commercials, and I get robo-calls. From what I can determine, education is not getting much play in either camp. The issues are basically, the economy, jobs, taxes, “pocketbook” issues. There is a little about roads, infrastructure, etc. Oddly, very little about the opioid crisis, which is hitting southwestern VA very hard. There was a debate, which touched some on immigration, and “sanctuary” cities, which I do not understand, because VA does not have any sanctuary cities.
There is a large, and statewide constituency for school choice/vouchers/ charters. The legislature has continually passed bills, attempting to give parents more control over their children’s educations, but the current governor, McAuliffe keeps vetoing them. see
http://loudounnow.com/2017/03/24/governor-vetoes-larocks-school-choice-voucher-bill/
and
http://www.richmond.com/news/local/education/mcauliffe-vetos-three-education-bills-including-school-choice-legislation/article_18c4ab60-2bf0-51c6-a654-5d2a93d3e1a4.html
The latest polls, show the election to be very close, with the Democrat having a slight lead in some polls.
I predict a low turnout, most people that I speak with, are either indifferent or disgusted with the current “gutter” level of politics at the federal level.
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Charles,
This is the problem – education issues are ignored which plays right into the Republicans’ hands.
Diane posted a few days ago about how democrats should be putting education front and center. And you can’t blame the candidates themselves because it doesn’t matter how much they talk about education if the media keeps focusing on a different issues. (If you’ve ever seen that “word” illustration of the 2016 campaign that showed how the media reported on Hillary and Trump, where Hillary’s main words were all “corrupt, scandal” and Trump’s were “economy” it’s shocking and yes, Hillary did try to talk constantly about other issues but those speeches were completely ignored.)
That’s why Democrats need to understand how the media works. If Bernie Sanders endorsed Northam specifically on education issues it becomes a new media story that gets reported ad nauseum and puts education in the spotlight.
I hope he does. Public education truly needs Bernie to stand up and try hard to get Northam elected. I can’t imagine Virginia becoming just another DFER/Betsy DeVos state. Once the last state falls, no one even remembers it’s possible to have public education without privatization.
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“…education issues are ignored….”
Interesting use of the passive voice. Who ignores education issues? If Northam and the others are indeed such firm supporters of public education, why aren’t they bringing it up themselves? Why aren’t they shouting it from the rooftops?
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I find myself in agreement with your points. I would not give the “media” too much credit on which issued are “focused upon”. The candidates themselves, deserve the lion’s share of the direction this campaign has taken.
There is very little “traction” to be had on education issues. The voters here do not focus on those issues, but more on the “pocketbook” issues.
Northam has received at least $465,000 from the teacher’s unions. And the Republican has received more than $100,000 from the DeVos family. There is a huge amount of money coming to both candidates from out of state. (Mostly on issues other than education).
I would not give too much credit to Bernie Sanders, on whether he could have much influence on this election. Virginians do not like “carpetbaggers”.
@dienne77: Northam is a HUGE supporter of publicly-financed and publicly-operated schools. A visit to his website, will make that crystal clear to anyone. As I stated previously, Northam and the other supporters of publicly-operated schools, are not “thumping the tub” about education, because the voters are generally indifferent to education issues. Both candidates know, that other issues, especially economic issues, have more “traction” with voters.
Nevertheless, this election will have a great deal of influence on the course of education, in the next several years. see
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/future-of-public-education-in-virginia-at-stake-in-governors-race/2017/10/05/0f385722-9fe8-11e7-9c8d-cf053ff30921_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.d1297fd49e54
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dienne77,
“Shouting it from the rooftops”??
You think it is that easy when the media is focusing on other things?
Do you agree with me that it would be great if Bernie Sanders today gave a strong endorsement of Northam and spoke ONLY about public education and how vital it is that Virginia voters understand that Gillespie embraces the entire Betsy DeVos agenda?
I truly think it might tip the race. You need those kind of game changers in a race. Just like Comey’s late letter got the news media talking all about Hilllary’s e-mails again which undermined every other issue she had planned to talk about.
I really don’t understand how we can disagree on this point. Bernie Sanders’ endorsement based ONLY on public education would move the discussion to public education. That is far better than a general endorsement of Northam by Bernie and I don’t expect him to do it because they do disagree on many issues.
But an endorsement in which Bernie ONLY talks about public education and nothing else? That forces the media to address the issue. We should be on the same side on this issue!
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What has Northam himself said about public education? What attempts has he made to bring it to media attention? Is he trying to talk about it and getting shut down? I guess I’m not seeing that, but if you have evidence that that’s the case, I’m willing to hear it. What I’m seeing is the same as what I saw from Hillary – vague statements of support for public education and teachers, but overall an unwillingness to talk about the issue at any length or with any degree of specificity.
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Dienne,
Northam has spoken out against charters and vouchers, and high stakes testing. What more do you want?
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@dienne77: An internet search will reveal Dr. Northam’s solid support of publicly-operated education. see http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Ralph_Northam_Education.htm
Federal grant to create 3,000 pre-K education spots
Dr. Northam chairs the Commonwealth Council on Childhood Success where he helped secure a federal grant to create over 3,000 pre-K education spots for children in low-income families and advocated for greater access to pre-natal care. He also chairs the Governor’s Task Force on Improving Mental Health Services and Crisis Response and led a team tasked with identifying challenges and suggesting improvements to the state’s complex system of mental health services.
Source: 2016-17 Virginia gubernatorial campaign website , Nov 1, 2015
Invest in early childhood education
Democrat Ralph Northam will run for Virginia governor. “We need to continue investing in early childhood education,” Northam wrote, “creating jobs in the new Virginia economy, protecting women’s reproductive rights and expanding access to Medicaid for 400,000 of our citizens.”
Source: AMI Newswire on 2017 Virginia governor’s race , Oct 20, 2015
Historically strong commitment to public education
Because of our historically strong commitment to elementary and secondary education, and recent investments in our community colleges and universities, Virginia has repeatedly been named the best state for a lifetime of learning. Unfortunately, the recent nationwide financial crisis has left less in our state budget for our schools.
I believe strongly that our children are our future, and that all of them deserve a world-class education. In order to ensure that they are prepared to take on the jobs of tomorrow, and to compete in a global economy, we must restore and increase funding for K-12 education, including teacher salaries.
We must also continue to develop a strong workforce in Virginia by supporting career and technical education at our outstanding community colleges, and take advantage of the economic development potential of innovation at our research universities.
Source: 2016-17 VA gubernatorial campaign website SenatorNortham.com , Nov 1, 2011
Restore and increase funding for K-12 education
Because of our historically strong commitment to elementary and secondary education, and recent investments in our community colleges and universities, Virginia has repeatedly been named the best state for a lifetime of learning. Unfortunately, the recent nationwide financial crisis has left less in our state budget for our schools.
I believe strongly that our children are our future, and that all of them deserve a world-class education. In order to ensure that they are prepared to take on the jobs of tomorrow, and to compete in a global economy, we must restore and increase funding for K-12 education, including teacher salaries.
We must also continue to develop a strong workforce in Virginia by supporting career and technical education at our outstanding community colleges, and take advantage of the economic development potential of innovation at our research universities.
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I guess what I’d want from a “huge” supporter of public education, Diane, is someone who’s willing to go on the record and detail step-by-step the assaults that have been launched on public education and how those dots are connected. Everything from standardized testing to Common Core to “college and career ready” to teacher evaluations to “personalized learning” (sic). Someone who’s willing to explain how all of those forces are aligning and being used to intentionally make public schools look like they’re “failing” in order to pave the way for charters, vouchers and other forms of privatized education, while at the same time sucking up our children’s data for commercial and control purposes. Something like, for instance, what you do every day. Now, I realize education is but one of many issues that Northam has to deal with every day, so I don’t expect him to have the same kind of relentless focus on education that you do. But I do wish he would articulate this pattern of attack against public institutions.
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Dienne,
When you find such a person in public life, let me know. We know it is not Elizabeth WArren, who supported vouchers in a book in 2007, or Bernie, who said he supports public charter schools, not propivate charter schools.
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Incidentally, before anyone raises the Bernie red herring, no, he didn’t articulate any such thing either.
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dienne77,
So you are saying that because Northam isn’t perfectly articulating to your satisfaction his support of public education, there is no need for progressive leaders to use their bully pulpit and do everything they can to get him elected over a candidate who is completely in the tank for the reformers?
Bernie Sanders has not endorsed Northam or used his bully pulpit to support him because he, like you, has decided that if you aren’t progressive on economic issues, it doesn’t matter how strong you are on public schools — you don’t deserve his support and he will not lift a finger to help you.
The fact that progressive leaders value public education so little might be a red flag to you, dienne77.
This is the absolute truth: Northam supports public education much more strongly than Bernie Sanders does. On every other issue, Bernie Sanders is more progressive than Northam.
That’s why Bernie isn’t endorsing Northam. Supporting public education is expendable to progressives these days. And that’s why public education is slowly dying.
Bernie would rather sit next to Andrew Cuomo and praise his good work getting “free college” than he would fight to elect a Governor in the one state that has not yet completely sold out to privatizers.
If you don’t get it, you are not paying attention. Bernie Sanders is perfectly willing to put aside his dislike of sell-out corrupt Democrats if they support one of his pet issues.
Public education is NOT important to Bernie.
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^^I never thought I’d thank Charles but thank you for providing exactly what dienne77 requested to prove how strong Northam is on public education.
hey, Bernie didn’t have a problem standing next to Andrew Cuomo and praising him for supporting free college but he can’t bear to endorse the guy who is standing between public education and total privatization?
Actions speak louder than words.
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Yum, more words in my mouth. I shouldn’t have eaten lunch.
In any case, no, what I’m saying is that any candidate who can’t or won’t articulate what’s happening in public education isn’t really a supporter of public education. Maybe they’ve picked up the public unrest about education and maybe they’re learning to use more palatable language and present a more believable front, but ultimately they don’t really support public education (and, yes, for about the zillionth time, that includes Bernie, so please stop throwing out that red herring).
Conservative and/or neoliberal Dems are not capable of understanding public education because they don’t (won’t) understand the importance of public anything. They don’t believe in the Commons. They believe in the market. The two are mutually exclusive. You can’t be neoliberal in all other respects and still support public education – it’s a fundamental contradiction.
Even Northam, as good as he sounds in some respects, thinks that education is only in the service of the economy – it’s all over his own position statement – “will support classroom innovation to develop new methods of teaching our kids the skills they need for a 21st century economy” … “The jobs of the future require more than teaching to the test.” … “Virginia is home to the technology corridor in northern Virginia, multiple NASA sites, and emerging markets such as cybersecurity and unmanned aerial systems.” … “Ralph believes our education system must create a pipeline from high school to community college, higher education, or a good paying job.” … “A Northam administration will continue to support high school redesign efforts started under Gov. McAuliffe, and coupled with programs like Dr. Northam’s proposed G3 Program (Get a Job — Get Skilled — Give Back), Virginia’s students will have the resources they need to be prepared for the jobs of the 21st century.”
All of that is classic market talk. There’s nothing human about it. It’s the economy, stupid.
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dienne77,
The fact that you can’t bring yourself to admit that Northam is a strong supporter of public education despite people on both sides of the aisle telling that he is speaks volumes. Charles gave a detailed answer of Northam’s stance and all you could do is dismiss it.
And you doubt Diane Ravitch, too.
It doesn’t seem that anything will convince you that someone who supports public education really does.
There is a lot to criticize about Northam and I can understand why you would criticize him on various issues on which he is very conservative. Northam deserves all the criticism he gets on those issues.
But to deny the reality that Northam is very strong on public education just makes you sound like a troll.
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dienne77, the press didn’t report on Dr. Northam’s 2-hour education townhall during the Democratic primary referenced in my comment below. This townhall happened because our local public education activists made it happen by inviting Dr. Northam. There were well over 100 citizens in attendance.
http://www.manassascitydemocrats.org/?p=3479
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“When you find such a person in public life, let me know. We know it is not Elizabeth WArren, who supported vouchers in a book in 2007, or Bernie, who said he supports public charter schools, not propivate charter schools.”
People can change their views on charters, though, can’t they? I’m sure you can think of someone who falls into that category, can’t you, Diane? 😉
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David,
People can change their views. The difference between me and the Senators Warren and Sanders is that they serve on the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. How can they be so uninformed about charters, vouchers, and privatization?
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I think we all hope Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders change their views!
But why would anyone deny the reality that Virginia has been one of the last states where the anti public education forces have not taken over? And that is NOT due to progressives but because two fairly conservative Democratic Governors who were in office were very strong supporters of public education. Even though they were conservative on other issues, their very strong support of public education is why there is no privatization/fake reform movement in Virginia. None. The two “non-progressive” Democrat Governors stopped privatization in its tracks.
I realize Northam is not ideal on many issues but he is running against a guy who is simply awful and terrible on EVERY issue. Every single one.
And Northam is a true supporter of public education just like the two previous Democratic Governors were. It shouldn’t be hard for every progressive who believes in public education to endorse him against the Trump surrogate running against him.
If his strong stance on public education alone was not enough to have progressives fighting for him — when they are willing to stand next to co-opted Andrew Cuomo to reward him for his stance on college education — then it is a sign of how very little they value public education. And I have no idea how to change that and given the massive assault on public education that has already done so much damage it is becoming increasingly apparent that public education has almost no importance to them. And that is heartbreaking.
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The reason there is no support for public education is that some Dems are corrupt like Andrew Cuomo and the entire progressive movement is now willing to throw public education under the bus because the Dems that support it are running against so-called “progressives” who don’t care at all what happens to public education.
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^^but if you are a corrupt Democrat who sells out public education to privatizers like Andrew Cuomo and support Bernie’s college plan, he will overlook everything else and happily stand next to you and praise you.
If you support public K-12 schools instead of charters, then that’s just not good enough reason for Bernie to overlook that you aren’t progressive on other issues.
And that is exactly why public education is in dire straights. Helped by enablers in the progressive movement who won’t demand that their beloved candidates actually support public education strongly instead of being willing to throw it under the bus.
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I live in Prince William County, the state’s 2nd largest county after Fairfax. I can assure everyone reading this blog that we are organized & active in our county on public education issues, and our group includes parents, educators, politicians & citizens. Ralph Northam held a well-attended, 2-hour education townhall in Manassas during the primary season. Being a pediatric neurologist he has a better understanding of children & how they learn best than most people, let alone politicians. He doesn’t want them taking bubble tests but being active learners and getting plenty of fresh air and exercise outside. His wife is a grade 5 public school science teacher. He gets it more than you know, Dienne, because as others have noted, the press isn’t reporting on ed issues, especially ones that are being discussed with him at the local level. (Sadly, I suppose it’s kind of boring for them.)
Some of our local county activists advise him on public education issues. I myself recently hosted an education discussion a week ago with our pro-public education Democratic delegate for the 13th district who is running against a 26 year Republican incumbent in a district that Hillary won by 17 points. One of our county’s State Senators, Jeremy McPike (Democrat), twice has introduced legislation in committee to reduce the number of state mandated standardized tests to the federal minimum (i.e., from 29 to 13). He will introduce it again next session. Dr. Northam has assured me personally he will sign this legislation if it reaches his desk. Another State Senator, Scott Surovell (Democrat representing portions of Prince William Co. & Fairfax Co.), has read Diane’s “Reign of Error” & believes we should abolish standardized testing altogether because it corrupts education.
Public education is a huge issue in our county and Ralph Northam, Justin Fairfax (running for Lt. Gov.) & Mark Herring (running for AG) along with all of our House of Delegates Democratic candidates ….every single one of them….is running on a pro-public education & anti-charter/choice platform. We the grassroots have educated them on the details of ed policy through countless meetings, casual dinners, cofefee, and get togethers starting last winter. We have given them books & articles to read, including Diane’s.
If our candidates win, they will join the other pro-public education legislators in the statehouse to start turning this ship around. They will listen to us, their constituents, & not any deep-pocketed ed reformers & lobbyists who largely haven’t invaded Virginia because we are not friendly territory for them. (Of course this will change if Gillespie wins.)
We worked hard to make public education a high profile issue in the Northam – Periello Democrat primary and as a result Perriello flipped on his past support for charters.
I beg to disagree, Charles; charters and choice are NOT wanted in Virginia, including by the vast majority of people in your county of Fairfax. You of all people should know that the Fairfax School Board has repeatedly voted to not authorize even one charter school.
With a Northam win (& much to the chagrin of the Washington Post Editorial Board), we will leave this red herring issue of charters & choice behind us for the next 4 years and instead focus on what citizens really want for our public schools: reigning in standardized testing, decouple test results from teacher evaluations, salary increases from the state for our teachers, smaller classroom sizes, greater equity, more recess, a nurse in every school, hands-on learning & vocational opportunities for our kids.
One last thing, the losing Republican candidate for School Board Chair in PWC 2 years ago LOST on a platform of charters & choice. Republicans have controlled the School Board forever in our county and for the first time they lost, partially because of the charter issue. Voters were loud and clear: NO CHARTERS!
I might add that the vast majority of the public education activists in our county aren’t affiliated with the VEA or PWEA who are no doubt lending great support on their own to add. Northam and the Democratic ticket.
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Had a Trumpian moment above ….coffee NOT cofefee! Lol!
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Let’s have COFFEE sometime. I am very interested to get your take on education issues. True, the Fairfax school board has not authorized any charter schools (yet). The state assembly has passed several education bills, favorable to school choice, but the current governor has vetoed all of them.
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Hate to be a pessimist but I will be shocked if the Democrats actually win in Virginia. Getting out the vote is crucial, especially in a close race. Things should not be taken for granted in NJ either. I hope all the Democrats get out and vote in NJ and should not assume that Murphy will win. Even though Murphy is well ahead in the polls, if not enough people turn out to vote, the GOP could win.
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Agree 100%. Frankly, I’m not particularly optimistic about de Blasio in NYC.
Virginia Democrats need a game changer. That’s what it is called when you suddenly have a brand new news story that forces the media to address the issue over and over again so that every voter has absorbed it. Having Bernie Sanders endorse specifically on education would change the topic to how the two candidates disagree on public education the night before people voted.
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You are not optimistic that Bill De Blasio is going to win tomorrow? Boy, if it were possible, I would love to offer you odds on that bet.
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FLERP!,
No, I am not. Just like I wasn’t optimistic about Hillary. I have seen the exact same attacks repeating the exact same dishonest memes about de Blasio as I did against Hillary in 2016. Funded by the same right wingers who hate any Dem who isn’t pro-charter.
If de Blasio wins, you can say I told you say 100 times to me and I will happily acknowledge I was wrong.
I just hope that the fact there are two opposing candidates splits the anti-de Blasio vote enough to allow him to win in a squeaker.
Watching de Blasio get mischaracterized as corrupt reminds me of Trump and company claiming that Hillary Clinton was the corrupt one. We know what that got us. It worked terrifically and we got the man who is probably the most dishonest and corrupt President in history — and I include Nixon and anyone else.
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“If de Blasio wins, you can say I told you say 100 times to me and I will happily acknowledge I was wrong.”
I’d much rather have some money riding on it.
I had a sinking feeling about Hillary (which I had carried with me for six months up to the election). But Hillary didn’t have a 40-point lead running as an incumbent Democrat in NYC against two people nobody’s heard of. Trust me, there is no scenario short of Zimbabwe-style ballot-box fraud in which Bill de Blasio is not reelected.
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FLERP!,
Do you support Mayor de Blasio? Plan to vote for him?
Just kidding — I don’t expect you to say anything at all nice about Mayor de Blasio since he doesn’t support Eva Moskowitz.
At least if de Blasio wins, your disappointment at not successfully getting rid of the person standing in the way of Moskowitz doing anything she wants with no oversight will be tempered by your ability to tell me “I told you so”.
Diane posted about how we need to re-elect the supporters of public education like de Blasio but I don’t expect you to agree with her.
Are you willing to make me look like a fool by saying that you plan to vote for de Blasio?
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I’ll be voting for Big Bird.
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Happy to be shown up by your support of de Blasio. mea culpa
But why would you call him Big Bird, the name that the right wingers and haters use against him?
It reminds me of the people who spent all fall saying “I’m voting for Crooked Hillary”.
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^^^although upon re-reading your reply, I suppose a lawyer like you might think it was clever to say “Big Bird” in order not to admit they were voting for Bill de Blasio.
Just reply “I’m voting for de Blasio tomorrow” instead of using lawyerly tricks like you did. Or if you aren’t voting for de Blasio, say that.
Why the need to be so disingenuous? It wasn’t a trick question and you always treat them as if they were.
Are you voting for Mayor de Blasio tomorrow? Yes or no?
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You busted me again: I plan to write in “Big Bird” on the ballot. Our city is home to bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, and of course over a million pigeons and seagulls, and it’s high time our feathered friends had a real bird in Gracie Mansion looking out for their interests.
In all seriousness, I will be voting for Bill de Blasio tomorrow. To be clear, by “Bill de Blasio,” I am referring to the current mayor of New York City, not some other man named “Bill de Blasio.”
Let me know if that’s not sufficient for you, or if I need to be accused again of being disingenuous, hypocritical, or some other crime.
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FLERP!,
If you weren’t so snarky all the time I wouldn’t have followed up.
Is it really that hard to give a simple straightforward reply? “I’m voting for Big Bird” isn’t a reply when someone asks if you support de Blasio.
Thank you for a simple reply.
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Sorry, NYCPP, I thought “Big Bird” was a clear reference to the Blaz. You call it “snark.” I see it as whimsy. In any event, I’m set in my ways. Some people find my style amusing. You do not. But I gotta be me!
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“I gotta be me!” I respect that, FLERP! I really do.
In fact, I feel the same way about myself ; )
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“Despite his rivals’ criticisms, de Blasio won over 61 percent of likely voters in a Quinnipiac University Poll released in October. Malliotakis had 17 percent of the voters polled, while 6 percent said they would vote for Dietl and 8 percent were for Albanese. Tolkin was not included in the poll. ” Am NY (Newsday ), NYT covered same poll Oct 5.
“Mayor de Blasio, the incumbent Democrat, is defending his tenure against Republican Nicole Malliotakis, a Staten Island assemblywoman whom he has crushed in every public poll in the race — besting her by 33 points in a poll last week by NY1 and Baruch.”
Daily News
Breaking news : Malliotakis wins Staten Island . Rest of city to hold referendum to turn it into a penal colony. Or expand the land fill area to the entire Island.
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NYCPSP
Sorry I wont be voting for Bill or Big Bird . I could try but they have probably updated the voter rolls since 1986 . Besides the Huntington’s Mayors race is probably more competitive .
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Joel,
I knew you didn’t live in NYC and couldn’t vote for Mayor.
But I did think you lived in NY State and could vote for or against the Con Con.
FLERP! and I were discussing it below and I thought you’d have some insight.
I am leaning toward voting no because I think the people calling for it are right wingers with a clear agenda who are supporting by a whole lot of right wing money.
FLERP! is leaning toward voting yes.
But we both are interested in hearing some other views. (Or maybe I shouldn’t speak for flerp!)
Do you have a POV on con con, Joel?
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NYC public school parent
Replied below
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I will be out there Joe.
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Virginia is a collection of different political ideologies. 20% of the state, lives in one county, Fairfax. The northern VA area, is solidly “blue” people work for the US Government, or support government operations in the private sector. The area around Norfolk, has the largest naval base in the world. Tidewater is US Navy, and retired military: solid Republican. The southwestern portion has been devastated by the collapse of the coal industry, and the opioid crisis. Central Virginia: Roanoke/Lynchburg is the “bible belt”, and Republican. This election is going to be close, and the turnout will be low. I do not see the “Trump factor”, as having much impact. Virginians are independent-minded, and the influence of the current president, on this election has been overstated by the media.
This one is going to be a “squeaker”.
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Diane, what’s your view on the Con-Con vote for tomorrow?
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Thanks for asking this. I posted the same question in Diane’s post about stopping the debate about the 2016 election but I didn’t get any replies.
I am leaning strongly against it because it seems to be financially supported by the same people who financially support right wing candidates. But I wanted to hear other people’s opinions.
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I’m leaning in favor of it, as a very rare opportunity to address corruption in the state legislature, the reform of an insanely baroque and inefficient state court system, and the expansion of NYC home rule powers.
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flerp!,
I might believe it was “a very rare opportunity to address corruption in the state legislature” if the people who were promoting it weren’t the very corrupt ones themselves!
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I believe the great majority of the delegates to a con convention would not be from the legislature.
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^^Where is Joel? Doesn’t he live in NY State? Seems like he might have an educated opinion about this.
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Are you leaning in favor of Bill de Blasio? It’s interesting that you express your opinions on the con con and not the Mayoral race.
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“It’s interesting that you express your opinions on the con con and not the Mayoral race.”
Yes, it is interesting. And very suspicious, if you ask me . . .
😉
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NYC public school parent
He’s back !!!!!!!, I was taking my daily medications of Russiagate on Ari Melber . As a Union activist, organized labor is concerned that various provisions in the State Constitution that protect the working people of NYS could come up in a Convention . Prevailing wage ,institution Right to Work , the end of Pension Guarantees for Public workers. ….
It is not that those asking for the convention are right wing, most are good governance groups . However once the cat is let out of the bag,they are afraid the convention process could be hijacked by the right. I have vote No’s on the lawn.
I would love a National Constitutional Convention as well . Unfortunately that would not end well either.
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The Koch nrothers want to rewrite the National constitution
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dianeravitch
My point exactly. The the Kochs and the cows (Red States with more cattle than people)would have more say than the majority of the population. A replay of the electoral college nightmare.
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Joel,
Thanks for replying.
But WHO is “back!!!!”? I didn’t understand that reference.
But bottom line, you are saying you are voting no?
But, if I understand you correctly, you are saying I am wrong in my cynical belief that the campaign to vote for a con con is being underwritten by right wingers with their own agenda? But you do think they might come in after the fact and take it over, although you don’t have any specific reason for thinking that?
It’s interesting because that isn’t as convincing of a reason to vote no. I am still leaning that way, but less so.
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NYC public school parent
The humor of the “he’s back” escaped you . But let it suffice to say that you asked where I was .
As for Con Con . I am saying far more than I think that the convention would be hijacked by the right . I am saying that the leadership of the NYS AFL-CIO. feels that the convention could be hijacked. They now have some control over the legislative process . They would have a major battle on their hands with a convention. A battle first in electing friendly delegates, then in a referendum on a new constitution. . So with nothing to gain and everything to lose, it is a can of worms they do not want to see opened
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Thanks, Joel.
And I mean it. I have heard so much from both sides and trying to figure out how to vote tomorrow. It is very helpful to hear your position in terms of where organized labor stands.
Fortunately, the decision to vote for Mayor de Blasio is an easy one : )
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FLERP!,
Thanks for replying above! : )
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flerp!,
I will be very relieved if you are able to post “I told you so” in 10 hours. Until then, I will worry.
This is a chance for voters in NYC and Virginia to send a strong message to Trump – where Democrats are running against Trump surrogates. It would be so great if Northam surprised everyone. It’s shocking that someone like Gillespie could run a campaign full of the same hatred as Trump and have a chance of winning.
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