| Author |
Message |
    
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5030
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 4:00 pm: |     |
Mr. Hank,
That would be me. I'm the only local democrat who hates republicans AND democrats. And no, I am NOT lumpyhead.
Your point? |
lumpyhead
Citizen
Username: Lumpyhead
Post Number: 1232
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 4:01 pm: | |
None. Why would they? It would be like hating themselves. There a two factions of the democratic party around here. One the JFK kind and the other the progressives. I think the republicans would be more apt to vote for a moderate JFK type.
The republican bashing on this board is legendary and they won't forget it in November. |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5031
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 4:07 pm: | |
I'm curious to see what 3500 republicans do with their second vote (is it 3500?) |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7717
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 4:15 pm: | |
You hate all of us?  |
Hank Zona
Supporter
Username: Hankzona
Post Number: 3539
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 4:28 pm: | |
Mem,
you didnt strike me as a lumpyhead...and I think my point was clearly made.
And Tom, she doesnt necessarily hate Independents, Green Partiers, and unaffiliateds. |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5033
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 4:49 pm: | |
Thanks Hank,
I have been accused of being lumpyhead in the past.
Was your point the same as lumpyhead's: That there are differences between normal democrats and the progressives here in dear old Maplewood? |
Hank Zona
Supporter
Username: Hankzona
Post Number: 3540
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 5:24 pm: | |
If that was lumpyhead's point as you specifically stated it, then no, mem, my point wasnt the same. |
Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 422
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 7:43 pm: | |
If I may be allowed to correct some major thread drift - Mr. Deluca, I really hope you learned something from your time in exile, and that you try to be less divisive and more open minded this time around.
Here's hoping. |
wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 1322
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 10:28 pm: | |
I think Mr. DeLuca was suitably punished by his "time in exile" and will now heal all the wounds caused by his actions and narrow-mindedness. 
He'll also continue to care about our entire town as he did before he served on the TC, during his tenure and once he (hopefully) regains a seat on the TC. |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5036
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 2:17 pm: | |
Chris,
vic hasn't come out of "exile" yet, we have to wait for the real vote. Primaries don't count in Jersey, and especially in Maplewood because of our large population of unaffiliates who can't vote in the primaries. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7758
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 2:23 pm: | |
mem, Rebecca Raines showed us that you are wrong. You missed your legal and rightful chance to vote in the primary. The only price is that you have to affiliate with a party briefly.
Of course, it would be good if more people knew this. Turnout might improve. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2104
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 2:56 pm: | |
Tom, I disagree that this would be a good thing. Why should a Democrat be able to cross over briefly in order to influence the outcome of the Republican party's primary? Or vice versa? Let's say I gather a group of people together to try to run the weakest candidate from the party I oppose. Should I be able to do that? People can affiliate or not affiliate with a party. Independents can run for office, and sometimes they win. But to encourage Rebecca's tactic would be kind of like a group of folks from Mississippi coming here to vote in the NJ presidential primary. Maybe they only want to see a candidate from their neck of the woods on the national ballot. But why should they have a right to influence the outcome of our state's vote?
Cathy |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7765
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 3:07 pm: | |
Well, I am not sure. Maybe you're right, Cathy. But stating your affiliation is merely choosing a label. There are no dues to pay, in money or in labor. So how meaningful is it, really? Given that, why should it be hard to change affiliation?
I don't think the Mississippi analogy holds. We are still electing people who will govern us when we flipflop our party affiliations.
But you might convince me you're right. You just haven't done so yet.
|
lumpyhead
Citizen
Username: Lumpyhead
Post Number: 1237
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 3:23 pm: | |
What Rebecca Raines did was perfectly legal. She voiced her opinion in a town where party still matters. |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5037
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 4:05 pm: | |
Tom,
Where am I wrong?
Primaries "don't count" in the sense that the "real vote" happens in June, because:
1. NJ always has low numbers in the primaries, this year as well
2. Maplewood had a large population of non-affiliates
3. How many of these "crossed over" to vote? No one knows. Probably not many. vic is a progressive and rather on the extreme side, affiliates tend to shy from that. (that part IS a prediction from generalized data)
4. I didn't miss my chance - I voted in Maplewood primary.
Last but not least, who is rebecca raines and why/how is she showing that I am "wrong"? Should I be concerned?
 |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7769
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 4:11 pm: | |
Sorry. I used too few words.
Rebecca is an MOLer. She described what she does every primary. The poll worker says she's unaffiliated, which is true, so she states her affiliation so that she can vote in the primary. After voting, she contacts the board of elections to remove her affiliation.
By "wrong" I meant that you were wrong when (I thought) you said that unaffiliated voters can't vote in the primary. If you are unaffiliated and voted, then you are not wrong.
I don't dispute that primaries have low turnouts. However, one could argue that they have big effects anyway, since they thin out the competition. One could also argue that they do so unfairly, since the turnout doesn't necessarily represent the people at large, but that's the people's fault.
Is that clearer?
|
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5038
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 4:43 pm: | |
Thanks Tom! I agree that it's unfair in that the type of people who show up for primaries do not represent the rest of the population (our primary voters tend to be the loonies - myself included!)
 |
Rebecca Raines
Citizen
Username: Robin_realist
Post Number: 342
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 23, 2005 - 9:32 am: | |
Tom and whoever else is interested: I don't always vote in the primaries. I don't usually feel the need. I've never voted in a primary in NJ, that's why I double checked with the Municipal Clerk about this before I voted. This particular primary bugged me because it seemed as though even though parties aren't supposed to matter on the local TC, the Democratic party chooses who will be on our governing body. (Sorry Republican's, but you cannot get any traction in this town these days and I don't agree with your party as a whole or individually anyway.) I'm not a party person, although my spouse is a D district leader. I really am an independent and want to vote for who I want to vote for. By the way: The Democratic Party could change the rules and not allow anyone who isn't a registered D to vote in 'their' primary. It's their choice. Also, I have been known to vote R once in awhile. Usually when I knew the person personally. R |
aquaman
Supporter
Username: Aquaman
Post Number: 307
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, June 23, 2005 - 10:23 am: | |
"The Democratic Party could change the rules and not allow anyone who isn't a registered D to vote in 'their' primary. It's their choice."
 |
davel
Citizen
Username: Davel
Post Number: 118
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 12:06 pm: | |
It is a sad state of affairs when elected officials try to reach out and communicate with the public through Maplewood Online and they are summarily executed. Both Jerry Ryan and Brian O'Leary posted very thoughtful and informative messages here and look what happened to them. I am disappointed at the knee jerk reactions that many of their posts drew. Unfortunately it looks like most elected officials have learned to keep their heads down and say abosolutely nothing on message boards such as this one. I really miss the input of elected officials on Maplewood Online, but I understand why it has happened. |
johnny
Citizen
Username: Johnny
Post Number: 1314
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 12:43 am: | |
Jerry and Brian posted a lot but I don't think they took enough time to really listen to what people were saying. |
wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 1363
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 8:48 am: | |
I disagree johnny. Jerry and Brian did post a lot and listened to what people were saying. The best venue for saying things to them however was the TC and BOE meetings, respectively - not some fly by night one line insult that tries everyone's patience. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7943
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 1:35 pm: | |
I wasn't around at the time, but in general, I notice that some people feel the other person isn't listening when it's really just a difference of opinion.
I recently spoke with David Frazer on the phone about a board of ed matter. We didn't end up agreeing, but he thanked me for listening to his side. I gather that's regrettably rare. |
anon
Supporter
Username: Anon
Post Number: 1978
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, July 2, 2005 - 6:19 pm: | |
Not voting in the Primary is like giving up most of your right to vote. For 50 years only Republicans were elected to the Maplewood TC. For the last 13 years only Democrats have been elected. Most Congressional Districts are solidly for one Party or the other. So not voting in the Primary often is like not voting at all.
There was a seven-way race for the Republican nomination for Governor. Why would any Republican not want to participate in that choice?
If you have the right to vote why not exercise it? |
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