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Reich for Governor
Committee |
Sample Reich Report Newsletter
Re: Anniversary of
Democratic primary
*************************************
* Reich Report * September
5, 2003 *
*************************************
Remarkable as it seems, we're coming up to the one-year anniversary of the Democratic primary, and I thought it an appropriate time to share a few thoughts with you.
First, I hope you haven't lost any of your passion and resolve. Some of you have written to tell me you're running for city council or school board, or you've taken on another responsibility in your community, or you've signed on with one of the presidential campaigns. Your involvement is now more important than ever. We're seeing in Iraq and Afghanistan the predictable results of a go-it-alone foreign policy that relies almost entirely on military might. We're seeing in our economy the inevitable consequence of a callous fiscal policy that gives huge tax breaks to the wealthiest among us while slashing social services for the neediest. We're seeing in Massachusetts the results of an Administration that raises revenues through regressive fees and local property taxes, with the result that our children are short-changed, and our least-advantaged citizens most encumbered.
Keep up the fight with everything you have. Remember: Politics is the applied form of democracy.
Second, I know that many of you are supporting Howard Dean, and many others of you are behind John Kerry. Either of them would make a terrific president. I'm working for John because I know him well and have enormous confidence in him. But regardless of which Democrat is your candidate, it's vitally important that we keep our eyes on the prize -- which is ending the administration of George W. Bush. As the primary season heats up, there will be a natural temptation to lose sight of this larger goal and focus instead on rival primary candidates (I experienced this first-hand in our primary fight last year). The predictable result is a kind of cognitive dissonance: Each candidate's supporters magnify his or her strengths and exaggerate the weaknesses of primary rivals, while becoming steadily more annoyed at rival camps. We forget we're all Democrats who share the same basic values. George W. Bush and his Karl Rove brain would like nothing better than for Democrats to clobber one another for the next six or seven months, and go into the general election next spring tired, bruised and badly fragmented. Democrats must resist the temptation. The stakes are simply too high. America cannot afford a second term for W.
Republicans won the electoral vote in 2000 not because they had more money or political smarts but because they outdisciplined the Dems. GOP oligarchs cracked the whip. They persuaded evangelical Christians to mute their anti-abortion, anti-gay positions. They got southern whites to keep their racial bigotry in check. They made sure the big-business wing of the GOP didn't threaten the small-business, entrepreneurial wing. Early on they coalesced around a single candidate. When maverick John McCain threatened to undo the plan, he was muscled offstage. Candidate Bush stuck to the script handed him by his handlers, who had polled and focus-grouped every word and phrase.
Democrats fell apart even though they held the White House and Al Gore was the heir apparent. Sniping was audible long before the convention. The DLC attacked Gore from the right; Ralph Nader and the Greens from the left. Single-issue groups hammered him with their pet themes. A cacophony of political advice came from every corner of the Democratic Party. Gore's message changed almost as quickly as his wardrobe.
Last year, Massachusetts Democrats behaved better, but we still took unnecessary pot shots at one another in ways that inevitably helped Romney.
I'm not suggesting that Democrats try to transform ourselves into as cynically disciplined a machine as the Republicans. Democracy thrives on debate. But we don't have a prayer unless we keep their eyes on the prize and avoid petty, internecine warfare.
So here's my advice to activists: Don't get so emotionally invested in any particular primary candidate that you lose the psychological capacity to be enthusiastic about whomever emerges as the Democratic candidate six or seven months from now. Remember, the overriding goal is to unseat W. The real fight begins next spring. It will take everything you have.
Third and finally, I want to thank you again for all your help last year. Our campaign debt has been whittled down to a manageable size, but we could still use whatever contribution you can afford. As before, it's Reich for Governor, PO Box 381483, Cambridge MA 02238.
All best,
Bob Reich
*************************************
* About this message *
*************************************
We encourage you to
forward this newsletter to your friends, family, and colleagues.
We plan to send a periodic
newsletter to Reich supporters.
If you do not want to
receive future newsletters, please reply with 'Remove' as the subject line.
-- Jesse Alan Gordon
Communications Director
Jesse@RobertReich.org
*************************************
* Robert Reich
Committee *
*
newsletter@RobertReich.org *
* Tel. (617) 547-2206 *
* * To mail: *
* Box 381483, Cambridge,
MA 02238 *
* * To Fax: (617)
498-0048 *
*
http://www.RobertReich.org *
*************************************
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Mass for Dean endorsed candidates for local office
"We're
here to take back the Democratic Party
and we're here to stay!"
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Cambridge Democratic
City Committee |
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Ward 3 |
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Avi Green |
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Will Hafer |
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Ward 4 |
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Saundra Graham
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Edward Coda |
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Mary Lou Mehrling
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Ward 5 |
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Betsey Gardstein
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Matt DeBergalis
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Ward 6 |
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Eduardo Cardenas
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Lesley Phillips
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Linda Sophia Pinti
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Sam Seidel |
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Eric Weltman |
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Paula Gutlove
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James Woolman
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Ethan Kiczek |
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Massachusetts
·
MA resources: (a) MA newspapers (b) MA colleges (c) MA Meetups (d) Dean in MA News (e) Elected endorsers
·
Mass
For Dean - state volunteer web site. Coordinator: Jesse
Gordon
·
Cape Cod for Dean - regional volunteer web site.
Coordinator: Paul Hush
·
Western Mass For Dean - regional volunteer web
site. Coordinator: Lou Franco
·
Be
4 Dean - Berkshires volunteer web site. Coordinator: Gordon Harris
·
Northeast Mass For Dean regional volunteer web
site. Coordinator: Shawn Linderman
·
Southeast Mass For Dean
regional volunteer web site. Coordinator: Janet
Alfieri
·
Great Barrington Meetup Powerpoint presentation.
Coordinator: Michael F. Wilcox
·
Suffolk University for Dean Yahoo Discussion
Group
·
BU
For Dean Boston University
·
Games
For Dean in Boston area
·
Meetup presentation -- Coordinator: Michael
F. Wilcox
·
Cape Cod For Dean - regional website.
Discussion Groups:
·
Boston Metro discussion group - Coordinator: Mike
Weissman, (781) 789-1504
·
Western Mass Discussion Group - Coordinator: Neil
Sullivan
·
Western Mass Announcement List - Coordinator: Neil
Sullivan
·
Mass statewide Discussion Group
·
Central Mass Discussion Group Coordinator: Liz
Kotowski
·
Southeast Mass Discussion Group
·
Berkshires Discussion Group Coordinator: Gordon Harris
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Noho Missives - Northampton, MA, blog. Contact: NohoMissives@yahoo.com
·
Kate Donaghue's Democratic Dispatch For Dean
Yahoo Discussion Group
·
North East Massachusetts For Dean Yahoo
Discussion Group for 5th & 6th congressional district
·
Springfield For Dean Yahoo
Discussion Group
DeanInTheNews.org
Howard Dean searchable news clippings Your Local Dean News Click on your state
to go a list of news clips from that state.
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Dean in the News: MA
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Dean in the News: MA
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How many Meetups have you attended? |
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Choice |
Dean |
Clark |
Kerry |
Kucinich |
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this is
my first one |
18% |
34% |
51% |
27% |
|
1 other |
12% |
12% |
18% |
17% |
|
2 others |
14% |
16% |
6% |
7% |
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3 others |
10% |
12% |
8% |
10% |
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more than
3 others |
46% |
26% |
18% |
39% |
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How would you characterize your political ideology? (check as
many as apply to you) |
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Choice |
Dean |
Clark |
Kerry |
Kucinich |
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populist |
27% |
22% |
15% |
29% |
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progressive |
69% |
39% |
45% |
90% |
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liberal |
58% |
50% |
72% |
49% |
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centrist |
10% |
22% |
16% |
2% |
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conservative |
3% |
4% |
5% |
0% |
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libertarian |
6% |
4% |
8% |
2% |
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independent |
20% |
26% |
12% |
32% |
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other |
3% |
7% |
6% |
7% |
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don't
know |
2% |
3% |
0% |
0% |
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Click
here for 5 full quotes on Abortion
OR other candidates on Abortion
OR background on Abortion.
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Click
here for 11 full quotes on Budget
& Economy OR other candidates on Budget
& Economy OR background on Budget &
Economy.
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VoteMatch Question & Answer |
Based on these stances: |
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Strongly Favors topic 1: |
Abortion is none of the
government's business: Strongly
Favors topic 1 |
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Strongly Favors topic 2: |
Affirmative action counters
built-in hiring biases: Strongly
Favors topic 2 |
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Strongly Favors topic 3: |
Gays deserve equal rights under
the law: Strongly
Favors topic 3 |
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Strongly Opposes topic 4: |
Don't let Congress dictate
definitions of school prayer: Strongly
Opposes topic 4 |
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Strongly Favors topic 5: |
No single payer system, since it
won't pass Congress: Opposes
topic 5 |
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Opposes topic 6: |
Reverse Bush tax cuts to shore up
trust fund-don't privatize: Strongly
Opposes topic 6 |
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Strongly Opposes topic 7: |
Vouchers undermine public
education: Strongly
Opposes topic 7 |
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Favors topic 8: |
Death penalty for extreme and
heinous crimes: Favors
topic 8 |
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Opposes topic 9: |
Invest in social programs to
avoid investing in prisons: Opposes
topic 9 |
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Favors topic 10: |
Different states need different
gun laws: Favors
topic 10 |
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Strongly Opposes topic 11: |
"Bush tax": income tax
cuts cause tax rises elsewhere: Strongly
Opposes topic 11 |
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Strongly Favors topic 12: |
Earned legalization for
undocumented immigrants: Favors
topic 12 |
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Favors topic 13: |
We ought to change
NAFTA-globalization only halfway done: Opposes
topic 13 |
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Strongly Opposes topic 14: |
Integrate China as our
international community partner: Strongly
Opposes topic 14 |
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Favors topic 15: |
Redirect military spending rather
than reduce defense budget: Opposes
topic 15 |
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Favors topic 16: |
No SDI deployment until it's
proven to work: Favors
topic 16 |
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Strongly Favors topic 17: |
Day 1: Visit international allies
to undo damage: Strongly
Favors topic 17 |
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Favors topic 18: |
Global warming is most important
enviro problem we face: Strongly
Favors topic 18 |
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Strongly Opposes topic 19: |
Treat drug abuse as a medical
problem, not a judicial one: Strongly
Opposes topic 19 |
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Favors topic 20: |
Churches may provide social
services if no discrimination: Favors
topic 20 |
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Howard Dean is a Hard-Core Liberal. Click here for explanation. |
2003 Platform Accountability Amendment
We propose to vote on an amendment to the 2003-04
Massachusetts Democratic Party Action Agenda.
Under the “Longer Term” section of the Action
Agenda, entitled “Involvement and Outreach in our Political Process”, after the
opening statement, which reads: “We know that public cynicism and
disillusionment with politics creates a lack of participation, which is a
threat to our democratic system.
Therefore, we call for: ”
after which we propose to insert:
(1) “Promoting
accountability to the Party Platform and reinforcing the Party’s commitment to
social and economic justice, by publishing a ‘scorecard’ by March 1 of each
year, indicating how Democratic legislators voted on 10 fundamental issues from
the current Party Platform.”
Signature Name Address City
(passed in 2003, 60%-40%)
Proposed 2004 Party
Charter Amendment
THE PARTY CHARTER CURRENTLY
SAYS:
ARTICLE SIX: State
Convention
SECTION V. ADHERENCE TO
PLATFORM BY DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS
The most recent
Democratic platform and/or agenda is the official position of the Democratic
Party. Every Democratic committee member, every Democratic nominee, and every
official elected as the Democratic nominee shall adhere to the national state,
and any local platform, in that order of priority, in all official statements
and actions. Failure to do so shall not result in any removal or loss of rights
within the Party, but may be publicized by resolutions or
other appropriate action of any Party
convention, conference, committee, or caucus.
TO WHICH WE PROPOSE TO ADD
THE FOLLOWING:
PLATFORM SCORECARD
a. The Democratic
Party shall annually implement a "scorecard" of legislative roll call
votes for votes which directly relate to the Party Platform.
b. The scorecard
shall include at least 10 votes, and a score indicating the percentage of votes
in which each legislator voted in accordance with the party platform.
c. Legislators shall
be provided a means to add comments explaining their votes.
d. The selection of
votes to include on the scorecard, and their interpretation regarding the party
platform, shall be determined by a subcommittee of the Public Policy Committee.
e. The public release
of the scorecard shall be completed by March 1 of each year, except 2004 in
which the public release shall be completed by August 1.
2003
Mass Scorecard for State Rep. Jay Kaufman |
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Democrat representing Fifteenth
Middlesex |
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Office: 489 |
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Phone: (617) 722-2552 |
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E-mail: Rep.JayKaufman@hou.state.ma.us |
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Fundamental Issue in MassDems' Party Platform |
Summary of related issue put to vote |
This Rep's vote on this issue |
Party platform on this issue |
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Jul
10, 2003:Veto override of $200K reduction to blind job program |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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Jul
10, 2003:Veto override of federal school breakfast supplement |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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Jul
10, 2003:Veto override of $900K for disability & mentoring aid |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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May
6, 2003:3-year moratorium on charter schools |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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Jun
4, 2003:Allow municipal meals tax, in addition to state meals tax |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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Jul
14, 2003:Exempting two-way bilingual programs from English-only rules |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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Jul
8, 2003:Veto override of $10M cut in the uncompensated care pool |
Kaufman: NO |
Platform: YES |
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Jul
10, 2003:Veto override of "Turning 22" mental disability program |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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May
1, 2003:Defeating corporate tax disclosure |
Kaufman: NO |
Platform: NO |
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May
1, 2003:Extending corporate tax credit 5 years |
Kaufman: NO |
Platform: NO |
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May
5, 2003:Requiring workfare for mothers of 2- to 6-year-olds |
Kaufman: NO |
Platform: NO |
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Jul
16, 2003:allowing parents on welfare to go back to school |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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Apr
30, 2003:Borrow $300 million to offset the budget deficit via bonds |
Kaufman: NO |
Platform: NO |
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Apr
30, 2003:Raising the income tax to 5.95% to offset the budget deficit |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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Jul
10, 2003:Veto override of Mass Correctional Legal Services |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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(No votes on which to base
response) |
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Jul
8, 2003:Veto override of reduced fees for blood lead level testing |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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(No votes on which to base
response) |
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Jul
16, 2003:Early retirement for cases of MWRA-work-related cancer |
Kaufman: YES |
Platform: YES |
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(No votes on which to base
response) |
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Percentage of votes in 2003 in accord with Democratic
Party Platform: |
94% |
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