archived: 29 Feb - 6 Mar, 2004 Back Next
JUNKIE EDITOR MICHAEL CARMICHAEL
(“Ohio”)
Senator John Edwards' campaign is gaining momentum in Ohio - the
immensely important battleground state. While his major opponent, Senator John
Kerry, has the official support of the Teamsters, who have a chequered political
past, Edwards is picking up support from insurgent elements in the Teamsters, as
well.
Jimmy Hoffa was the founding president of the Teamsters, and he
broke with labor tradition to endorse Richard Nixon in his campaign for
president against JFK, whom Hoffa feared because of RFK.
In later years, the Teamsters have traditionally voted and
supported Republican. The supported Nixon in 1968, 1972, Ford, Reagan and Bush.
They broke their Republican tradition to support Clinton, and have been more
loyal to the party that led to the recognition of collective bargaining since
then.
Edwards' growing support among Teamsters and the public at large
is due mainly to his opposition of NAFTA, a corporation-security scheme that
enriches companies who export jobs to America's trading partners. NAFTA gives
US petroleum companies massive leverage over the governments of oil-producing
nations in this hemisphere, as well, requiring states like Canada to sell 60% of
its oil production to American firms like Republican-loving Exxon.
John Edwards is experiencing a long overdue surge in popularity in
the run up to Super Tuesday.
In addition, Dennis Kucinich shocked observers when he garnered
over 25% of the vote in the Hawaiian primary. His campaign is now experiencing
a flush of momentum that could undermine Edwards' surge.
Super Tuesday is shaping up to be a fascinating day of reckoning.
RELATED ARTICLE: Carmichael recommends the following article to readers. – Guardian Unlimited (England)
TAR HEEL TEACHER
(“Outrage”)
Tar Heel teacher is outraged by the statement made by the Bush administration's Secretary of Education Rod Paige to a group of governors meeting at the White House that the National Education Association is a “terrorist organization.” The NEA is a 2.7 million member professional organization of educators and support personnel.
Mr. Paige and the Bush administration are upset because the NEA wants full funding for and changes made in the "No Child Left Behind Act". Anyone that understands the requirements of the Act and understands educational funding knows changes must be made.
Tar Heel teacher is also upset with right wing attempts in open and hostile ways and in subtle ways to censor the media and press. One recent example is the successful pressure put on CBS not to air the mini series on Ronald Reagan.
Tar Heel teacher would like the current administration to take responsibility for their contribution to the current economic situation. The jobs that the Bush administration keeps promising are being created, just not in the United States. US workers cannot compete with unskilled labor in undeveloped countries and US workers cannot compete for skilled jobs with workers in most developed countries that have universal government sponsored health care. One of the underlying causes of failure to produce jobs is the problem of big drug companies and big insurance companies. In North Carolina one only has to drive between Durham and Chapel Hill and look for the largest and finest building – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.
Our federal surplus has turned into an enormous deficit partly created by the war in Iraq and the black hole that the US is throwing so much money into.
Tar Heel teacher is really on a tirade.
Junkie: Hell has no fury as that of a “terrorist” teacher scorned!
JULIUS BARKLEY
(“Calling Paige”)
The Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, has called the NEA a "terrorist organization." I called his office to confirm. His secretary confirmed the comment, but could give me no explanation. I asked if I would be put on a "terrorist list" for calling. He said no. His telephone number is 202-401-3000. Please put this out on the internet and encourage people to call him.
Junkie: Paige has issued an apology – of sorts!
It was an inappropriate choice of words to describe the obstructionist scare tactics the NEA's Washington lobbyists have employed against No Child Left Behind's historic education reforms. I also said, as I have repeatedly, that our nation's teachers, who have dedicated their lives to service in the classroom, are the real soldiers of democracy, whereas the NEA's high-priced Washington lobbyists have made no secret that they will fight against bringing real, rock-solid improvements in the way we educate all our children regardless of skin color, accent or where they live. But, as one who grew up on the receiving end of insensitive remarks, I should have chosen my words better. – US Dept. of Education
So, the lobbyists are terrorists and the classroom teachers are not on the list – this week. Readers can call Secretary Paige’s office as Barkley suggests or click on the hyperlink below to email Secretary Paige your views.
JERRY LOBDILL
(“Dean’s Demise”)
After Michael Carmichael's introductory remarks about Dr. Steve Jonas, I was disappointed in the article, "On Doctor Dean". Although it was written in May of 2003 and could be excused back then for its theme that the Doctor might implode due to his own inherent faults, to reprise the article now is to claim that after all that has happened since May, 2003, the theme has somehow been vindicated.
I strongly disagree with this implication. I have been involved with the Dean campaign since June, and I am all too aware of the tendency of doctors to be arrogant, but that is the farthest thing from my mind whenever I try to describe Dr. Dean to others. Dr. Dean's criticisms of the Bush administration are dead on the mark. To say otherwise requires one to explain why the rest of the Democratic Party hopefuls finally had to begin using those criticisms themselves in order to gain any traction. And it wasn't an easy thing for them to do either, nor does it fit well with Kerry's record.
The article also implies that Doctor Dean doesn't listen to people. This is another false charge. The Doctor was hammered by the media for "flip-flopping" on issues, when the fact was that, in each case, Dean had become convinced by subsequent events or new information that his previous position was wrong, and he had the integrity to change his mind. Additionally, he did listen to the people, and he heard their issues. I never got the impression that he was talking down to us like a know-it-all in any of his speeches or televised interviews. (We know what a know-it-all sounds like from the many examples we have in the Bush administration and the DLC crowd.)
The Doctor was not done in by arrogance. He was done in by a carefully planned campaign of dishonest politics aided by corporate media, the DLC, and the Republican corporate machine. If there is anything the Democrats need to learn from the primary of 2004 it is this fact. We have seen a frighteningly powerful demonstration of corporate power in American politics this year, and we'd better find a way to defeat it in the future or we've lost the republic.
Junkie: Contrary opinions, Junkie loves them. TPJ is dedicated to giving voice to all Democrats based on the supposition that lively debate and discussion fosters the best in our Party. As for Junkie personally, I suspect both Steve Jonas and Jerry Lobdill are right in assessing Dean’s demise. The primary process always becomes a contest to see if the “leader” can hold their position or whether forces in and out of their own party can “topple” them. In the end, a sort of political Darwinism leaves but one candidate standing! That process is underway between Edwards and Kerry at this very moment.
Dean simply did not right his campaign after Iowa. Junkie believes that Jonas correctly assess that Dean was unable to make the necessary adjustments; politically and personally, to restore order to his campaign in the shocking aftermath of the Iowa primary.
Centrist Democrats certainly exploited the lofty projections associated with Dean before Iowa and the stark reality of the Iowa result. Dean simply failed to handle the situation correctly. The “scream” should never be forgotten. Clearly, the press took it out of context and several of the main stream media outlets pounded the “scream” to the American public far beyond its rightful measure. But, that is politics.
During the presidential debates of 1960, Kennedy looked young and tan. He refused “make up” before the debate. Nixon, looking older and certainly dour, refused TV “make up” because Kennedy had. Those who listened to the debate on radio judged Nixon the “winner” of the debate. Those who watched it on TV, being the far larger audience, judged Kennedy the “winner” as Nixon looked rather haggard at the end with “five o’clock shadow” and was perspiring rather noticeably. Did the physical appearances really have anything to do with the correctness of the policies of either candidate? Of course not! It had everything to do with appearance, and how the TV viewing public perceived the “metal” of each candidate.
The rest is history.
JUNKIE
(“Electronic Voting Machines”)
Today’s TPJ is rather long because of all of the wonderful comments from subscribers. Therefore, Junkie will skip a week on the continuing series on electronic voting machines and will return next week with Part III.
Last Update: 03/23/2006